"Believe something and the Universe is on its way to being changed. Because you've changed, by believing. Once you've changed, other things start to follow. Isn't that the way it works?"
â Diane Duane
Hey you guys! I know that Stray has been rather anxious getting to know those in the coven the last couple of chapters, but I swear it's going to get better. Take this chapter for example, it's rather fluffy!
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy! I started my second semester of college this week :((
Part One - Chapter Seven
"The Hopeful Little Dragon"
True to the big dragon's word, Stray's fed every single day.
He's fed a lot and multiple times. Three times a day, if not more. It's usually meat or fruit but, as days turn into a week and then two, the hatchlings slowly started to be introduced to new things. They settle heavy in his stomach at first, but nothing too uncomfortable.
Apples are his favorite though and here, he's allowed to have favorites.
Athanasius's his favorite, too, they're the best out of the trio's coven.
Oziamon is alright, funny when given the chance to be and talented when it comes to playing the guitar, but the witch's easy hold on powerful magic makes the baby dragon heavily uneasy.
Before, when he was with his old catchers, magic like that was rare.
It was hard to use, harder to controlâOziamon uses it daily, as if it was as natural as breathing. It quelled his curiosity, at least, as to why creatures like Athanasius and the phoenix would willingly tie themselves to someone.
The witch was easily as strong as them, on the same level. No witch chooses a familiar that is lesser than.
Athanasius was naturally powerful as a dragon and their aptitude for hard work and learning boosted that. The phoenix, however, was still very much a mystery.
Stray knew they had some form of creation magicâno amount of wards could deplete the scent of it pouring from their very beingâbut he didn't know what they did with that type of magic. He was wary of them, enough to hide most days when the spooky familiar came to visit the den.
They don't get close to the nest but it still puts the hatchling on edge a bit; he's never had a place that was his before.
Athanasius trusts them. The baby wants to too.
But it's so hard not to make them into enemies, even when they don't do anything and haven't hurt him.
He is trying, though.
He'll get thereâas long as they don't do anything bad, at least.
If they do, he'll just fight them! Or have the big dragon fight them for him, they seem like they'd have a much easier time winning. Mhm, he'll just do that.
Stray is safe here. He is.
â-â-â-â
His leg is healed.
Like actually, fully healed. There's no pain, no ache. No average sliding of bone underneath torn muscle, no crunch of the splitters hitting broken bone. It's justâbetter.
Athanasius actually healed him.
It took weeksâblissful, warm weeksâbut he's healed!
The little dragon, knowing that all three coven members' eyes are on him but not caring, cautiously presses all his weight onto the limb. He squeaks happily when he finds it doesn't hurt, wings flapping in delight as he puffs up from his space on the counter.
The big dragon chuckles lightly, Oziamon smiles, and the phoenix coos something sweet towards him.
He can't even be angry or wary, no tricks can bother him now!
His lame leg is fixed, actually, truly, fixed!
Stray snuffles joyfully, prancing in a circle to show off the healed limbâand proceeds to launch himself at Athanasius's head.
All three gasp, arms out like they're trying to catch him, but he's already in the airâhe stretches his wings and uses them enough that even without flying for a while, they're still strong.
With a large flap and a twist in the air, he collided with the other's shoulder, off target but a rather graceful landing if he were to be asked (it didn't hurt and he gained his footing easily), and quickly wrapped himself around the big dragon's neck with a rare purr bubbling up his throat.
Almost instantly, a loud rumble answers back, a warm hand cupping his lower back.
Thank you! Stray growls up at them. Appreciation-safe-appreciation.
Welcome-welcome-welcome, he gets a growl, then a huff. Happy? No hurt?
No hurt! He wiggles happily, pulling back to bap Atlas in the face with his fixed limb, showing him just how nice it is. Happy-appreciation. Happy, happy, happy. Thank you!
The big dragon snorts something soft and fond down at him before clearing his throat. "There's no pain, his leg is all healed. He says thank you."
"Aw, that's good," Ras smiles at them. Stray flicks an ear at him, earning an amused huff from the familiar. "Do you want to test it out more, mate? Just to be sure, I mean, before you try to shift."
His purr grows, then, at the mention of shifting.
It's been so long since he could shift.
He's probably going to be so clumsy on two legs. Human hands are weird, too. All long and awkward to use. He likes his paws a lot better, most of the time. Just not all of the time.
"Like Atlas would put a purring baby down," Oziamon scoffs. "He's too much of a softie."
The hatchling flicks an ear at them too, but tilts his head at the words.
They said he about Athanasius.
So does the big dragon use he? What about him? Is there a difference?
Stray should use him, now, just in case. Oziamon's his witch, so they'd probably know what to call their familiar, anyways.
Some of his last catchers were really picking about those things.
It was one of the only rules the little dragon really liked. The only one that didn't get him hurt.
"Shut," Athanasius scowled at them, making Oziamon roll their eyes and Ras to snicker. "I am not, for the last time, soft, you miscreant."
Stray, disagreeing, slowly raises his fixed paw and taps the big dragon on the noseâhe's perched on his shoulder, squished against his cheek. He's very soft and, as a familiar, he should know better than to lie.
The other's red eyes flick down to him and Stray shakes his head, bapping him again.
Both his covenmates burst out laughing at the way the big dragon's eyes widened.
"Burned!" Oziamon gigglesâwhich is confusing, because he can't burn anyone. His heartfire isn't big enough yet. "By a child, Atlas. Defeated by a child."
The hatchling looks down at his paw, wondering how in the world he managed to burn someone, let alone a dragon so much older than him.
While Athanasius and his witch start to bicker (it took a while to realize that the arguing was playful, like play fighting but with words), the phoenix turns to him and seems to notice his confusion.
"You didn't actually burn him, little one," Ras offers a smile. "It's just an expression."
Oh, Stray blinks at him. That makes sense.
He nods at them and offers a small snuffle of thanks in return.
Athanasius stumbles slightly, a lighthearted shove from Oziamon that, because the familiar was leaning against the counter, had more momentum than it was supposed to. The little dragon doesn't have enough time to sink his hooks or claws into the big dragon's shirt and goes tumbling offâ
His wings snap open and he boosts himself to the nearest perch which, unfortunately, was Ras' shoulder.
The hatchling rights his position and turns, wings tucked close not to accidentally hit anything and freezes when blazing blue eyes meet his own. Ras' eyes portray their magic with swirls of sapphire and cyan, but they're soft, somehow. Kind in a way he didn't notice until now.
The baby waits, frozen, because the laughter died down, and he's being watched.
He really doesn't know what to do in this situation.
"You alright, mate?" The phoenix asks, voice gentle. They slowly raise a hand, bringing it towards him but not touching, an offering.
They've already met, but he guesses they can make it official.
Cautiously, because he still doesn't know the rulesâbut willing, because the touch hasn't hurt yet and he's starting to be scarily hopeful that it never willâStray leans closer and very, very hesitatingly nudges his nose against one of their fingers.
He's quick to pull away and waits for the greeting to be returned.
Ras just lowers their hand slightly, though.
Stray churns, confused again, and starts to spread his wings to leave. Maybe the hello wasn't wanted?
"Boop his nose," Athanasius blurts, making both Ras and the baby jump.
They have to be taught how to say hello? Are they young too? Is it just a dragon thing?
"What?" The phoenix says, sounding very put out of place.
"Justâdo it, I dunno." The big dragon shrugs. He looks like he's out of place too, standing all awkwardly now, his big hands twisting in front of him.
Stray doesn't understand any of it.
Slowly, Ras raises their hand again and because this, this he gets, the hatchling leans forward, waiting.
The past has him tense, images of a time where his old catchers had been nice enough until they got close enough to just... snatch him up played in his mind. These catchers, though, they're not anything like the last.
There's no cages and the touch doesn't hurt.
He still flinches, though, when the phoenix's finger lightly taps his nose.
A pause. The hatchling sneezes.
Everyone laughs and, in the middle of a room full of warm and friendly smiles, Stray lets himself relax. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to trust them a bit.
Just a little.
Just in case the promises are kept.