Aureus

'WHAT WAS THAT!' Aureus was more then just freaking out on the inside, 'Dad sent Adobe to go get a bodyguard, but he came home... with one that's...'

He grunted, shaking his face and slapping his cheeks with his talons. No, he had to focus, Spider had something in mind, a trick card, but what?

When Aureus came back home after waiting day and night for Ivory, he had been more careful and cautious around his father. He knew he was still mad at him, and he wouldn't be all that surprised if Spider suddenly used Hare as leverage for... anything.

'Wait, what am I saying? I just met her, don't get too ahead of yourself, Aure. Even if you're sure her scales are as pretty as freshly laid snow, or her eyes look like rubies, and- wait.'

He growled, shaking his head, "No, that's not how crushes work, idiot, they take time, not pop out of no where and suddenly cloud your mind!"

"Talkin' to yourself."

Aureus jumped and turned, seeing his brother. His dark brown eyes had a look that screamed: I really don't care, but I have to ask anyway. His nasty scale color combination only seemed to make him more a... strange sight. Normally SandWings were lean or skinny... not Roadrunner, who sported a round, possibly even a beer-belly.

"Shut up, it was to myself, not you."

"Talking to yourself is a sign of you being lonely."

"I said shut up!"

Roadrunner rolled his eyes, before walking away from his younger brother towards what Aureus only guess was to the kitchen. He groaned and shook his head, walking to his room.

It was close to Hare's, but it was much bigger, sporting light gold color walls then just plain neutral colors. A camel hair woven mat laid at the feet of his beg, a small wood carved dragon sitting on a nightstand next to his bed. In a corner was junk (which actually hid a few precious belongings of his) a desk, a large chest, a window to look out at, and branched off closet.

He walked over to his chest and opened it, looking at the different blankets. He looked through them, until finding a fluffy red one. It had the insignia liked nearly everything else, but this one was different. Underneath the spider's head was four wings stretching down a small sun between the two in the middle.

Aureus didn't know much about why this one was different, just that at one point in time The Coyotes and The King's Servants, another gang that lived in the area, were once allies.

They believed in an old SandWing king named Ra, who had died thousands of years ago (or something like that). Aureus didn't see why they were called a gang when they acted more like a cult, obsessed with their fairytales of lies. Spider had told him this was the old marking, but they disbanded years ago, so Aureus wasn't sure why they kept this.

Eve told him is was because it once belonged to his grandfather, Daze, while Adobe had told him it was because the blanket was one of a kind item. Aureus didn't know which it was, only that he needed to give this to Hare since her bed didn't have any.

He carried it to her room and knocked on the door, there was no noise, so he pushed the door open. He looked up, curious about the albinic, but soon smiled, seeing her curled up on the bed, fast asleep.

'The flight must have exhausted her. I'll just put it on her then.' He quietly crept inside, and draped the blanket over her sleeping figure.

Just as the soft material touched her, her eyes snapped open, and jumped at him, tackling him to the ground with a loud 'THUD'

He went to scream, but her talon held his mouth shut. She rose her other talon, a scared look in her eyes before stopping herself. Aureus watched her eyes regain focus and widen with realization, quickly jumping off of him.

She bowed, head low and wings clamped to her side.

"I-I'm so sorry, Aure- m-master! Aureus, I-"

"How did you do that?"

Aureus couldn't stop himself from asking, never in his life had he seen a dragon move so smoothly. It was like she was a snake who was rudely disturbed, watching you until it had enough and finally attacked you.

"W-what?" Hare blinked in surprise, obviously caught off guard by the question.

"How did you move like that? That was so cool! No wonder Adobe chose you." Aureus smiled, getting back up on his feet. Hare was forced into an awkward position, trying to keep her head low in such a tight area.

Aureus definitely knew she would need a bigger room since dragons never really stop growing. If they could barely fit in as dragonets, how could they hang out, have sleep overs, or even do anything?

He finally shut his mind up, Hare raising her head to look at him. Her shiny melted ruby eyes had a scared shine, an overwhelming sense of wanting to protect overcoming him.

"I was the only one to take him down at the orphanage. I'm sure if it wasn't me, it would have been..." Hare seemed to falter for a moment, like she was trying to pick her words carefully. "Her."

He wanted to ask who she was talking about, but judging by the way she acted when she said that, it was still a fresh wound. He frowned, the room falling silent. They both tilted their heads down, obvious to each other that they didn't really know how to talk.

Aureus took the silent moments to think, briefly looking over her. Although she was albinic, Aureus didn't see a tint of pink on her scales, just a snow white dragonet with a slightly narrowed face, and large muscular arms, shoulders, and wings.

He was just a little shorter then her, barely meeting half way up her face. He looked at her for a few second longer, before shaking his head. With a slightly shaky talon, he pointed to the blanket. "I brought that... in case you get cold, o-or-"

"Thank you."

Aureus blinked his eyes, a bit taken back. "You're, uhhh, you're welcome, Hare."

Hare gave a small smile, before awkwardly turning and get onto her bed, taking the blanket and curling up, taking a deep breath, the scent of the air coming to her.

He looked at her for a moment longer, before awkwardly walking put of her room. "I'll see you later at dinner tonight."

She just gave him a small nod, holding the blanket close to her in an attempt to keep warm. Once closing the door, he let out a small sigh, before turning and going back to his room, waiting for dinner to be served.

~~~

After dinner, Aureus was in his room. He sat on his sandstone slab of a bed, a blanket over him. He could still be able to look out and hear or feel talonsteps coming.

He didn't want to get caught. In his talons, a guitar he had bought a day ago. It was wooden, with a strap on it so it could stay on if his talons were full. It was made of cypress from the MudWing Kingdom, carefully carved and made by talon.

He was offered guitar lessons as well by the music shop owner, but when her eyes went to his wing, she quickly shooed him out.

Now here he was, trying to tune it by twisting the little nob at the top. He would strum it once in a while to see if he got the sound he wanted. He looked over to window, seeing the night stars come out to play and fly in the vast sky above.

He took a deep breath and played the guitar once more, seeing if he got what he wanted. Strum... strum... strum... tick!

He groaned and quickly fixed the nob. Playing again, he smiled as he got it working wonderfully now. 'Ivory would be proud. She loves music so much even if she couldn't hear it.'

He took a moment, taking a deep breath to calm the few now-anxious nerves in him, and placing talons on the neck and strings. He looked at the sheet music he was able to steal
as the shopkeeper shooed him out. On the top was the word 'Alone'.

He counted himself in, like he had seen Ivory do countless times, starting to play. It sounded a bit shaky at first, but slowly got better on his tempo.

"Oh boy, you're sleeping, are you dreaming of the world? Is your rucksack upon your back as your walking through the wild?"

"'Cause you told me, when you were a child you would dream, and you told me, if you ever got away, then you would sing.

La, la, la, la, I'm all alone. It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home."

Talonsteps.

Aureus was quick to hear them, and immediately curled up with the blanket around him. He held the guitar close to his chest, as he began to try and calm down his breathing.

They came closer and closer. They sounded heavy as they thumped against the ground. It wasn't the lighter, pristine ones of his mother, nor the loud, randomly timed ones from his brother.

His mind jotted to Spider. In a fraction of a second, he swore his blood turned to ice. Camel Spider may have heard him, and was coming to shut him up, maybe even for good.

Suddenly, there was soft, masculine voice. "Gold dust, you have a visitor." Aureus cracked an eye open, seeing Adobe in the now open doorway. Next to him was Hare, whose eyes were focused on his 'sleeping' form.

He made his eyes half lidded and faked a small yawn, slowly sitting up and rubbed his eye. "What? Who?" He asked.

Adobe tipped his head to Hare, who slowly came in, not wanting to seem rude for intruding. "She said she notice you were absent from dinner, and asked me to take her to you. Off to bed already?"

Aureus felt a small smile come to his face, having a small feeling he wasn't use to at all. Hare had noticed? You would have thought with this new environment with multiple new dragons, her job wasn't the first thing on her mind.

She came over to his bedside, and laid down next to it. "I will look over Master Aureus to make sure nothing bad will happen to him. Rest assured, Mr. Adobe, he will be fine in my talons."

Aureus watched Adobe as he gave a small chuckle. "Mister, huh? Kid, I'm only in my early twenties, no need for the formality." Hare shifted a bit, before giving a small nod.

Aureus watched at her clawtips began to tap on the ground, and her ear twitch slightly. He knew some knowledge on albinic dragons, mostly that their eyes are very sensitive and the tend to twitch a lot. Other then that, some of her actions he wouldn't know if it was just her being her or if it was from albinism.

Adobe looked at them, before giving a very small sigh, even sounding a bit relieved at what she said. "I know ya will, cotton tail. If something bad happens, my room in the last door to the left. Night, you two."

And with that, Aureus watched the head admin turn and leave down the hallway, closing the door with his tail. Hare looked to him, worried scarlet eyes looking into his dark hazel.

"I heard you singing, Master Aureus. I didn't know you knew how to play an instrument," she said. Aureus felt his cheeks heat up, knowing how bad he must have sounded. Hare gave a soft smile, before resting her head down on her talons. "You can play if you'd like, it's been a while since I've heard someone play music."

Aureus didn't move for a second, weighing his options. He could play and embarrass himself by his claw getting caught; or curl up in a ball and force himself to sleep. His eyes searched hear face, before coming up with his answer. He sat up, pushing the blanket off of him and grabbing the guitar next to him.

"I... I think two people are supposed to sing this... so..." he bit his tongue, hoping she didn't force him to say the rest. She gave a soft hum, and nodded. He place the sheet music for her to see, showed her where he was, and started again, him leading.

"Oh boy, you've grown up and I've shown up in your dreams, and I will take you to the bottom of the sea. Where we can build a house, where we can learn to breathe, and the water 'cause it's magic and you've cast your spell on me." Hare sat up a bit more, taking a small breath.

"Boy I'm dreaming, I must be sleeping in my bed. All I have is your song, and it's running through my head. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone,
It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone. It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home."

He saw Hare flinch at her voice in the beginning. She seemed to shift again, almost trying to seem smaller as as she sang. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, ears going back against her head for a moment. Why was she making that face.

Aureus hadn't realized the smile on his face, or the fact the candle light in his room just slightly hurting her eyes. His claw got snagged on a string at the neck of the instrument for a moment, nearly breaking it by accident.

His mind seemed to drift to Ivory. Had she made mistakes when she was learning? He knew she must have, but a thought of her starting out perfectly seemed to make him smile a bit more.

"I heard you singing can I join in with your tune,"

"Join in with your tune," Hare sang, picking the words in parentheses.

"I know you're bored alone, but if you think things through,"

"If you think things through,"

"You can take your eyes that are shining like the moon. Face them my way, I know your gaze could make a little room. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone," they voices seemed to collide slightly, his still unpubescent voice not seeming to really fit her slightly deeper one.

"It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone,
It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home." Aureus played faster, though worry set in for a moment that his clawtips might cut the strings.

"When we, come together, feels as though we've never been apart. You're a puzzle boy, just make sure that you end up at my heart.
Fascinated, how you make me want for nothing more. A dream is what you are." He slowed his strikes, imagining the song had went back down to normal speed.

"La, la, la, la, I'm all alone. It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone. It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home. When we, come together, feels as though we've never been apart," Hare sang, her eyes softly closed as she swayed her head slightly.

"It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home," Aureus sang the parentheses, a smile softly place in him.

"You're a puzzle boy, just make sure that you end up at my heart,"

"La, la, la, la, I'm all alone,"

"Fascinated, how you make me want for nothing more,"

"It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home,"

"A dream is what you are," Aureus slowed down a bit more, his claws sliding down the strings on the neck.

"La, la, la, la, I'm all alone,
It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home. La, la, la, la, I'm all alone,
It's a big wide world but everyone's stuck at home." Upon coming to the end, Aureus placed his talons around the neck, stopping the guitar from making anymore music.

"You have a really pretty voice, you know that?" Aureus asked, looking to her. She shifted a bit again, like she wasn't use to compliments. She looked at his strangely from the corner of her eyes, as though she was trying to figure something out inside that head of her.

"Thank... you?"

Aureus didn't know how to respond to the more question-then-anything statement, and just nodded. "You're welcome."

He got up and hid the guitar in the closet, turning and looking to the other dragonet. She laid on her side right beside his bed, looking to the door. A thought suddenly came to him, worry burying itself in him.

'Hare... does she... have a reason for being like this?'

He didn't want to dwell to long on the new uncomfortable thought and came back over and getting on his bed. He let out a soft plume of fire to warm the slab, before laying down, remembering to blow out the candle.

The room was cast into darkness, Hare barely being somewhat visible. He took his blanket and put it back over him, and felt like he could just laid there forever. His eyes were trained onto the albinic, seeing a few scratches on her cheeks and sides.

What happened to her? He wanted to ask, but knew now wasn't the time. He watched her a bit more, seeing how at ease she was in the dark. 'The light was hurting her eyes... why didn't she say anything?' He shook the idea off, before finally closing his eyes and forcing himself to slowly fall asleep.

He had never felt so at ease before... nor had he ever had the most peaceful of dreams.