Tornanex was busy pacing around the edge of the Castle, something was on his mind, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up to the Knights. He wasn't joined, he was a stranger essentially, even though he had been here now for more than a year and a half. He was unique, though there were now several other 'uniquely' colored individuals here, plus of course the High Knight's drak who was just so.... annoyingly pretty...

Tornanex wondered why such a pretty colored drak had to be male... Then again, he also got the feeling from his dealings with many of the local humans, that a lot of them wondered why such a pretty human had to be male too!

"I musssst ssspeak with the High Knight," he said to another drak, who relayed the message. Eventually not just one but both of the Knights in charge of training and organizing the Castle's ranks, came to visit him. Aylene and Dunstan, one looking somewhat gruff and the other merely curious.

Tornanex explained that he, after having not won his chase at Star City, he was growing a bit lonely for companionship - and the females here were still a little leery of him because of his coloration. Perhaps if he could find a different one, even just to have conversations with...

"Well you're in luck, I think," Dunstan said, "if it will make you feel better and do better work-"

"Not that you aren't working well enough," Aylene interjected with a very human scowl on her face directed at the other man.

"Yes, I mean... yes, well, there's a nest at Drockh Tallahn, needing some attention. Perhaps you could bring home a partner, or even just bring home a new drak for us for the ranks. We would be appreciative."

The rain-plant colored male nodded, "that sssoundsss acceptable to me," he said and got the portal information from another drak. It would be nice to travel again, and then... Perhaps very nice to show a new drak around the Castle and its environs! Either way, this was looking up for him!

Tornanex wasn't one to complain about how long it might seem to be taking for this nest to hatch, after all, hatchings took time, and naming, and preening before going out to meet the aspirants. His own hatching had brought a bit of shame to his family, he was so far as he knew the only 'weird' color.

But maybe that wouldn't matter... The dam of this lovely nest, Shuenrv, began to bring out her four lovely offspring.

There was an ore, a day, rain and earth. A nice spread of colors - and they definitely ran the gamut of personalities. The ore, a female, charmingly was the first to speak as they entered the chambers, something about not having found someone - her clutch mate? Probably, because moments later the day male came out somewhat disappointed that their game was now over.

The female ore, though, came to Tornanex's feet. "I think you'rrre pretty-looking, Tornanex! My name'sss Korchanrv!"

Surprised that one so bold and assertive would choose him, Tornanex pulled in a big breath, and would have grinned like the humans do at this development.

"Why thank you, Korchanrv, what an interesssting name you have... "

Since he had known what to do with himself at a young age, Tornanex started to nose Korcha to the meats, but they noticed that the mud, a male, had paired up and that left the brightly yellow and white day male.

"I could take him back with me too, if you want," Tornanex offered, and the other aspirant, the human also offered. But the drak wouldn't have it. He'd approached Lian the recordskeeper who was a little more than surprised that this drak wanted him! To be a knight!

Tornanex chuckled as they walked toward their temporary dens, "I don't know if either of usss will ever need a knight, Korchanrv, but if you want to we can alwaysss come to other hatchingsss."

As she gobbled down her first meal, the drakling made a noncommittal 'maybe' and Tornanex felt it wonderful that she wouldn't really have much interest in joining with a human...

It wasn't long before Korchanrv needed to learn to portal - though she was hesitant at first it was like when she'd learned to fly. Melani and Amiladu-Taykah were excellent instructors, both being draks (or... close to it). They did not have to filter their instructions through human minds to get the ideas across, and with Tornanex being older than his bond he was able to demonstrate as well.

Tornanex was a bit hesitant too. Because it could be very dangerous learning to teleport. There had been accidents in the past - and there was that bit when Korch took a facedive when her hind wings wouldn't stop flapping... But she grew confident quickly.

"I am ready," she announced, and blipped from one place to the next, quickly on the wing. She turned in mid air, continued flying, and portaled again back to where she'd started half a mile away.

Tornanex was excited, he gave a howl of encouragement and reared up to congratulate her.

"That wasss easssier than I thought it would be," Korchanrv said, a bit winded, "and I do not think I can do it all that often, that wore me out."

"It'ss for long disstancess and emergenciess," Tornanex reminded her, "and for the moment, we will be going back to Dun Keiba. You musst learn the land there."

The ore drak looked at him with a tilt to her head and coyly spoke to his mind, **I know you will want me to learn more than just the land, there...**

** Added 11.26.23 **

The pair of draks eagerly participated with other human-drak pairs in exercizes, helping to train less experienced draks as well as prepare them for their duties as guards, scouts, and occasional fighters. It was that last part that got them interested in something hinted recently - there were unusually large Nex on their way, spreading across the countryside and making themselves a very dangerous nuisance along trade routes and villages alike.

While they would not be necessarily fighting those Nex, they would remain on high alert for any signs of incursion. Serving as a first line of warning and defense, able to distract or even attempt to injure those massive beasts before the fighting Armada arrived.