Rei's eyes went wide and she stood quite still until Elwon had landed, and then she preened, her neck arching as she inspected the new silks, that matched perfectly with those draped over her wings. "Theyre shiny.." she muttered to herself, but there also seemed to be a hint of a thank-you hidden in the words.. Rei appreciated anything that matched her natural colors -- and little else.

Gwyn looked up at Ramoth from her place on the ground, keeping her wings and body perfectly still. She tilted her horned head as she studied the new dragon, her expression showing amusement as the normally monotone fae spoke up for themselves beneath the protective wings - much as she covered the healing hatchlings, still sleeping, beneath her. She tipped her head to one side, not in a bow, but in a greeting among equals, looking at Ramoth. "It is my pleasure to aid them." her gaze rested briefly on the lone imperial tucked under her feathered wings before she looked back. "But I would like to give your clan's healer as much time as I can to rest, and I need to eat more constant than she to do so." her voice was even, but there was a faintly tired note to it already. Gywn was strong, but younger in the healing arts, and much larger than the mirror female. Gywn would overextend herself just as kayta had, but Raj had taught her better; do not refuse help which is freely given. It was a simple request, yet vital to one who could not move from her task.

Elwon giggled and skittered in circles around Rei, as she had when they first met. "The spirals find all sorts of baubles and cloths in their hunts, but I never see them use the stuff they find. It just sits in their dens, wasted." She popped her head out from under Rei's arm and looked up at her, rolling on to her back to do so. "So I sometimes rummage through it." There was a hint of defiance in her tone, as if she was trying to make herself seem the rebel.

Ramoth chuckled, his Fae slipping out from the cracks made between his wings and his shoulders as his massive body shook. As soon as Gwyn came into their sights, however, the two quickly retreated to Ramoth's back; they had only seen one Imperial dragon before, and she was yet to be full grown, maybe half the size of the one before them now. Ramoth turned his head to look at the two as best he could, wearing a wide grin. "This one says she needs food." He said. "Shall we bring her the best we have?" Ramoth grinned once more at the two Fae, who found themselves giggling at the thought of what was to come. Ramoth turned back to Gwyn and addressed her next. "Food is a simple matter. Tell me, do you like seafood?" He was aware that most Imperials would rarely eat seafood, however at her size it would eventually come down to that regardless; and he wanted to save some food for the hatchlings when they woke.

Rei fairly glowed with pride at her new accessory, admiring it from all angles. She would not deign to say a blatant thank you, but her prideful expression showed it. "We dont have many spirals in my home clan," she said at last, resettling her glimmering wings and looking at Elwon."Val.." she made a small face of dislike at mention of the shadow female, "and her son, mainly. You seem to have quite a few?" there was curiosity to her voice- not completely uninspired by the new silks she wore.

Gwyn gave Ramoth and his fae an amused expression, slowly growing more comfortable in her impromptu home as she was welcomed. "Actually, I do." she said firmly, her eyes glittering with laughter. Uncommon in more than one way, the crimson female chuckled softly, her mane and feather rippling oftly with the movement.

Elwon looked surprised, she hadn't thought that Val might be among so few of her own kind. "We have four here, I hear they came from a clan of spirals that split up when food became scarce." She shuffled around a bit as she got back onto her feet. "They came to live in these cracks in the ground before Ohdaviing and the others came." Elwon looked around to see if any of the spirals had returned. "They help us gather food, but they don't really talk to anyone else; except for me!" She said proudly. "I like their dens because they're empty most of the time. They spend almost all of their time in the forest, so I can be alone in there." There was no sadness in her voice, as she particularly enjoyed being independent.

Ramoth raised a brow at Gwyn --or whatever his crystal body had in it's place-- when she answered. However, this turn of events worked in his favor, so he merely shrugged in response. "Very well, I have just the meal for you." He walked the short distance to the massive pile of food with careful steps and began searching for something very particular. After a couple minutes of moving carcasses about he spotted his prize, a half-buried mostly-undamaged Mantarune that Ramoth himself had pulled from the sea not more than a day prior. With a sharp tug on its tail he pulled it from its carefully designed resting place; the pile of food atop it falling to the ground around him. With a smug look on his face he dragged the dead beast --which nearly matched his size-- by the tail toward Gwyn and the young ones.

Rei nodded, but ammended her statement slightly. "There are more, but they were just passing through when the shadow clans began to be atta ked.. so theyve stayed with us for safety."She twitched her wings a bit, making the silk on them flutter. "A few might choose to stay.."

Gwyn looked a bit excited at the prospect of trying somesomething new. "Thank you," she said lightly, "it is appreciated. "

Elwon tipped her head as she considered the new information. "I wonder if Vermiit knows any of them." She took another brief look to the sky to see if the spirals were around, and then turned her attention towards Ramoth and Gwyn. "Those two are getting along nicely!" Elwon wasn't used to having company in the lair, and Ramoth wasn't a dragon she would consider particularly friendly.

Ramoth dropped the mantarune a few meters from the wounded, not daring to try and drag it any closer. "It's the least I can do." He carefully cut into the mantarune, almost surgically separating the tail from the main body. With careful steps he maneuvered himself close enough to drop the tail within Gwyn's reach. "The bones are brittle and taste like dust, but you'll want to eat them too."

Rei, quick to associate things, despite her self-involvemt, lookted at Elwon with curiosity about the spirals she'd seen flying, briefly, as they had landed. "I dont associate with the ones living in our clan much," she stuck her nose in the air just slightly, "but there are five that arent part of our clan.." she closed her golden eyes and thought for a moment. "Most of them have the same markings as yours do." she blinked her eyes open and looked across the clearing at Gywn and Ramoth, raising her brows with a faintly wicked grin. "So they are..."

Gwyn gave a hungry eye to the offered food, tearing at it with powerful jaws; flashing teeth quickly devouring nearly half of the large creature's tail in a few swift bites. Despite the ferociousness, there was a delicacy, dropping neither one scrap nor a drop if its blood into the dirt. She cast an incredulous look at the guardian, "The bones? Why?' the question was blunt but honest as Gywn was puzzled.

Elwon sat stilled by thought for a moment, a quizzical look plastered onto her face. She turned to Rei, her question already obvious. "They're what?" Clueless was a good word to describe her in this moment.

Ramoth resisted the urge to taunt the imperial. "The mage clans of the north studied the beasts for years, and they've discovered that a mantarunes magic is stored in it's bones." He pointed to the rune-marked surfaces spotting the beast's skin; much like a gembond dragon. "Those are an extention of it's bones, and are considered a delicacy in the north. It's said that a spell caster can produce a greater number of considerably more potent magics if they consume the bones daily."

Rei gave a swift grin to the still-young noc next to her, but didnt seem inclined to explain fully. She rustled her wings a bit, sitting up and peering over to the brilliant red imperial and her companion. "Friendly," she said in answer. "But then, Gywn doesnt usually associate much with the rest of our clan."

Gywn gave a good-natured chuckle at her own exxpense, hearing the tone in Ramoths unspoken words. "Ive never seen one myself." She took him at his word though, eating bones along with flesh from then on. Her attention was removed from him a moment as one of the hatchlings stirred, and she nosed the youngling gently until he settled again.

"So she's like me?" Elwon asked, staring at the giant red spot in her lair with a more curious fascination than she had before. She hadn't known many dragons, but she had heard of only a very few that were solitary. She flew off towards the others without another word.

Ramoth's wings flared slightly at the sudden movement from the young dragon, partly in hopes that he would wake, but mostly in surprise. It was a good sign, he thought, with Gwyn here the hatchlings should recover much faster. "They're quite temperamental at times, although they usually try to avoid a fight; unless their young are nearby. That one nested near the shore, and attacked Ohdaviing as he scavenged. The lazy brute made me fetch it's carcass." Ramoth snorted, the memory displeasing.

Rei snorted, but chose to remain perched on "her" new rock, curling around it and watching from a distance.

Gywn did not seem surprised by the stirring, but looked up at Ramoth with a gentle smile. "Any creature will defend its young," she added simply. "Ive lived away from the sea in my time, its curious to see creatures that live in it." She gestured slightly at what remained of the manatrune.

Elwon approached Gwyn and Ramoth from above, gently landing on Gwyn's back and carefully making her way up to the imperial's head. "How are the others?" She asked calmly, though it was clear she was excited about something.

Ramoth gave Elwon no more than a passing glance, choosing to stay silent for lack of an answer. He couldn't be sure what the movement earlier meant, and Gwyn was certainly more qualified to answer.

Gywn, unused to attention, ducked her head down a bit, looking up at ramoth and elwon. "They are much stronger." She seemed unwilling to give herself credit; for surely without kaytas gifts they would have been lost. she was nothing special in her clan, onr of four healers, and to them, the least skilled.

Elwon chirped, looking down at Gwyn in bewildered amusement. "We're lucky to have your assistance." She attempted a regal manner as she spoke, but she still hadn't mastered her copy of Rei. Ukko and Circe --Ramoth's Fae-- finally revealed themselves for their hiding place on Ramoth's shoulders at the sound of Elwon's voice. Though the knew of her from the other dragons of their clan they had never seen her up close before. The two fluttered about each other for a moment, arguing in high-pitched barely-understandable voices before settling on Ramoth's head.

Gwyn attempted not to chuckle at the nocturne, her demeanor clearly picked up from the golden noc who sat preening nearby on a rock. "Im glad i could help."
Red eyes followed the two fae as they finally showed themselves, her head tilting curiously as she watched them.

Ramoth's focus was drawn as one of the young nearby cried out, clearly weak but conscious now. He severed a portion of the mantarune's fin and with his wing he carefully place the chunk of meat next to her; using the tip of his wing to gently roll the midnight coatl --Bellatrix, as they would soon discover-- onto her stomach. The coatl made no hesitation at the sight of food, a feral hunger driving her every bite, her weak body the only thing stopping her from tearing the piece to shreds in moments.

Ukko and Circe peered down from Ramoth's head, watching with a fascinated disgust as the coatl had what was probably her first meal in her life. Even Elwon seemed a bit disturbed at the sight, however she could understand the feeling. She was lucky to be the first awake, she thought, for only Kayta had witnessed her in such a state, and Kayta was accustomed to such things. Elwon flew to the corpse to fetch more food for the hatchling, but Ramoth stopped her short. "She mustn't eat too much too fast, young one. Let her rest for now." Elwon was disappointed, but she understood that Ramoth was wiser than she. Instead she flew to the coatl's side and cast her own magic over her as well.

Gwyn raised her feathered wing as she felt the stirring beneath it, the soft cry almost immediately after bring ramoth closer, bearing food. She tucked her wing tighter along her side, leaving the obsidian coatl in sight but still covering her nest-mates for warmth. Her magic still wove unfaltering over the younglings, and she did not abandon the little fem either, working still to heal her and give her strength, the food the coatl tore at helping immensely. Gwyn shifted slightly again and pulled her wing in tighter as Elwon made herself useful next to the other hatchling, a gentle but pained look on her face. She had a soft spot for the young, as most did, and it gave her joy to see this one recovering. She did not blink twice at the savagery of the meal, understanding as she did, the importance of nourishment.

Bellatrix shifted to her feet as soon as she realized the food before her was gone, her weak legs struggling to hold her upright, her belly still scraping the ground. She flared her feathered wings, straightening them as much as she could --though they refused to stay rigid-- before slowly folding them to her sides. The movements were small and jagged, her snake-like body still a bit of a mystery to it's inhabitant. She looked around at the others, pausing a moment at each to remember their faces before moving on to the next. Her violet eyes showed sadness as she looked upon her brethren, still silent around her, although one hatchling caught more of her attention then the rest. She meekly limped towards another coatl among the group, as dark in color as she but with red-orange circuitry coursing around his body. Sounds easily interpreted as cries, though truly the language spoken by her breed, permeated the silence around them. When no response came even after nudging the male with her nose she resigned herself and laid to rest on her stomach beside him, one wing carefully draped over his seemingly lifeless body.

Ramoth and Elwon watched Bellatrix in silence, neither wanting to interrupt what she was doing -- even though they didn't really understand. They both turned their attention to Gwyn simultaneously, as if to ask 'What now?'

Gwyn settled herself down more firmly, the thin cries the dark coatl made breaking her heart. The aura of magic around her flared, strengthening, becoming obvious even to those untrained to feel it. Gwyn was not trained, as Raj was, but she was pouring her heart into this endeavor, and it showed. Gwyn watched the coatl pair a moment longer then looked at Ramoth and Elwon, her eyes quietly blazing. She spoke softly, but firmly. "They will not all eat from the sea. Have something ready, please, when the rest wake." The healing magic continued to pulse around her, the crimson imperial no longer showing any signs of flagging in her task.

Ramoth turned to Elwon as he received his orders. "Fetch some plants from our stock and pile them next to the mantarune. I shall fetch the meat, Ukko and Treema.." He was about to turn his head when the two flew off towards the pile of their own accord, chattering in their monotone language as they searched for insects amongst the mess. "Shall fetch the insects." Ramoth finished, a small huff proving his annoyance. Either way, he decided, they did what was needed. Elwon followed after the two Fae, and Ramoth behind Elwon, and began scavenging for food both small enough for the little ones to swallow whole and large enough to provide sustenance.

Ohdaviing silently lifted his head from his resting place, watching the group as they each preformed their own roles, both proud and astonished that they were working so well together. He wanted to lay his head and rest, but his nature would not allow him to forgo his responsibilities.

Rei gave a small huff and fluttered down off her rock perch, climbing up to Gwyn's shoulders easily. She did not have a task nor did she want one, but she quietly lent her own limited magic into Gywn herself, who turned her head in surprise at the added aid. Rei gave Gwyn a cold stare, as if daring her to comment on the unusual behavior. Gwyn gave a sharp-toothed grin instead, turning her head back to nudge a few hatchlings into a better position, and to watch the others as they gathered food.

Ohdaviing noted Rei's gesture, although the rest made no signs of noticing it, and thought to offer her something in return when the situation lightened. He nudged Kayta's food closer to her, the bits within reach had already been stripped from the bones and there were claw marks where she had attempted to move it.

It didn't take long for the four dragons to gather food, and as if they could smell it the hatchling slowly began to wake, light moans of pain and hunger filing the space beneath Gwyn's wings. The four went to work delivering food to the young.

Gwyn raised her wings so the others had an easier time getting to the younglings, nudging some of them closer or onto their bellies instead of their sides or backs. her eyes glowed with pride at the successful awakening of the youngsters, and her expression was gentle as she looked up at Ramoth and the rest, glad of the recovery.
Rei seemed indifferent, though she was severely depleting her small magic resources; although she thought that no one saw this.

Elwon grabbed a piece of meat from the pile and flew up to Rei, offering it in as noble a manner as one can offer a severed chunk of flesh. She took a place next to Rei, carefully mimicking her pose, and let flow what magic she had left. Elwon had developed an ability similar to the Fae, but unlike most nocs, to draw in magic from the world; although her ability to do so was far more limited than Ukko and Circe's. She carefully gauged the flow of energy, giving Gwyn exactly the same amount she could draw in from the outside -- though it wasn't likely to be of any help.

Ramoth kept a close eye on the young as they fed, often breaking up fights when one would try to steal food from another; a quick nudge with his wing was all it took to settle the little monsters. Ohdaviing, while the others were busy tending, took to his job of finding temporary dens for each breed. Unfortunately, each den was only designed to hold two or three hatchlings, just out of their eggs, for a few days while permanent dens were constructed. He did the best he could to expand the dens, though the spacing left little room between already, and then began piling food next to each den.

Gwyns attention was turned to Ohdaviing, and her expression became thoughtful. With the hatchlins up and eating, it wouldnt be long before they could travel. She looked over her shoulder at Rei, who stared back at her defensively, maw full of the meat ffrom Elwon. Gwyn gave her a sharp toothed grin, knowing that what shed ask of the golden noc wouldnt be recieved kindly. Rei didnt like long flights, but if they were to communicate with their clan, she would be the fastest... Val would be more likely to stop and dig at anything that caught her attention. But she said nothing yet, eyes flicking back down to a small wildclaw who was stubbornly trying to climb over his front paw to get to a piece of meat. She chuckled softly and lifted her ffoot, the snowy male promptly tearing into it.