Opposites Attract

The waterdrak was curled up in a sunspot in front of one of the larger windows of the manor. He loved shady spots, but the warmth of the sun felt good today. A cool breeze blew faintly through the trees, and the elder drak cracked open an eye at a faint hum and a curious chirrup.

Saraly blinked up at the enormous rook, imperiously. He had taken HER spot and she placed her tiny hands on his side and pushed, then chirruped imperiously, demanding he move. The waterdrak blinked lazily at the tiny airdrak that was smaller than his head, a pearl floating off his fins twinkling in the sunlight. Saraly tilted her head and looked up further, then fluttered her wings, lifting her in the air to inspect the pearls. She landed on his head and walked to the nearest fin. Jo blinked again and raised his head, trying to look at her. He shook it slightly, but didn't dislodge the dame.

Saraly spread her wings and exhaled, then curled around a few times and settled on his head, the warmth was still viable and the waterdrak wasn't wet like Mel always was. He was warm, too. She churred, forgetting about the pearl, and stretched out between Joachim's two head fins, kneading her new 'bed' until she was comfortable. The rook blinked, then lowered his head back to rest along the rest of his body, though he kept her in the sun. He promptly fell back asleep.

A young lithian boy came in, carrying a box of books. He paused when the dame raised her head and chirruped at him for interrupting her, but then yawned, stretched and returned to her nap. Serakh blinked, then gave a smirk as the waterdrak ignored him completely. He set the box down and moved closer. Saraly watched him, then chirruped and he knelt, holding out a hand. She looked at his hand, but as it had nothing in it, ignored it and glared at him. The boy grinned and rooted in his pockets, then came out with a napkin that he'd saved a cookie in. Alastor continued to supply him with sweets, almost spoiling him, but there was no way he could eat them all. He'd started leaving them in spots where the village kids would find them, too shy to actually go near Deepwick on his own.

Saraly sat up and Jo twitched a fin, cracking an eye as his nose caught the scent of cookie. He turned and raised his head and Serakh's eyes widened at the size of the waterdrak. The boy swallowed and froze. Saraly simply walked down the length of Jo's head and perched on his nose, then reached for the cookie. Finding it out of reach, the air dame chirruped loudly, causing the boy to jump. He broke off a piece and handed it to her. Jo's tongue snaked out and snagged the rest of it. Serakh cursed and jumped back, but the waterdrak simply munched contented, though his eyes twinkled at the lith's reaction. Saraly licked her fingers off, then flared her wings and hopped into the air, landing on Serakh's shoulder, much to the boy's startlment. He froze again, eyes wide as she inspected his face, then crawled around his neck to the other shoulder. Her tiny hands held onto his sliced off ears and he blinked as she started chattering at him, as if telling him all about her day. Slowly, the boy relaxed and smiled, reaching up a hand to her. The dame nudged her head against his hand, allowing the pet and the boy grinned. Saraly reminded him of Alastor's own airdrak, Mosnat, though there was little comparison between the two personality-wise. Serakh giggled when the blue airdrak clung to his clothes, climbing down his shirt to try and find anything else in his pockets. She found the napkin in his hand and found a few crumbles he'd failed to give her.

Jo gave a yawn and a rumbling sigh. Serakh immediately yawned, too, then snorted. He looked over at the heavy box in thought. Saraly chirruped at him, fluttered around his head, then landed on the shoulder and sniffed his face. "You...want me to carry you there?" he asked hesitantly, eyeing the giant waterdrak cautiously. Saraly immediately chirruped again and gave his cheek a lick. He jerked away at the wet tongue, but slowly took a step closer to the sleeping rook. One large yellow eye cracked open and watched the boy, but didn't move beyond that.

Eventually, Serakh screwed up enough courage to get closer and carefully layed a hand on the mottled blue hide. It was softer than he'd thought, more like fish scales and not at all slimy or wet. "I thought waterdraks lived in..ya know.. water?" he muttered. Jo only tilted a fan at him, and Saraly crawled down his shirt front. The boy immediately picked her up and she hopped off his hands to glide back to her warm spot on Jo's head. Serakh giggled, then reached up to pet the rook's head. The waterdrak moved slightly, but slowly, as if aware how skittish the lith still was. The large tail curled aroun the boy and pushed him into the coils. Serakh stumbled, and fell against the body, then stiffened in shock, but the waterdrak ignored him, as if nothing was amiss. 

Slowly, the boy relaxed, and shifted slightly. The drak was surprisingly comfortable and yawned again. Saraly immediately moved to his lap, curled up and promptly fell asleep. "Well, I can't leave now," Serakh whispered, exasperated, but looked over at the waterdrak, who was still ignoring him. Finally, the boy relaxed and lay his head back, intending to simply wait until the airdrak moved.

---

Several hours later, Kir and Garth found the three still sleeping. Garth put a finger to his lips with a grin and whispered something to Kir, who giggled behind his claws and nodded. The two snickered, but left the sleeping boy be. Garth figured there'd be a new hybrid in the valley soon, and one little lithian boy might just find a companion after all.