Vihnihanyr had always considered herself a bit of an outsider, even without her adolescent growing of scaley skin. Her naga-shape was natural to her, and it was common enough that there was at least one other Pelatih around that was similar. But to some people she was just barely even human enough to associate with, and so she withdrew from them.

Her creation in a lab in Polaen was probably the result of a young Peridian's experimentation, and all she knew about some of her parents was that they'd given her a nice homestead in Coori that was attended by two family-held Budak. They would pretty much be living there alone, because Coori was on average much too cold for the heat-loving Vihni. She checked in with them every once in a while, and sometimes held parties on the property. It was a nice homestead, with beautiful trees and in the winter it snowed.

In the winter, Vihni wouldn't dare go there. She'd never wake up!

While she wasn't truly cold-blooded as a snake would be, she was not entirely easy to get roused in chilly weather, and was quite surly on cold mornings. She was not a serpent after all, she was spliced with dragons in mind. Desert dragons, while not the brightest of creatures, were quite useful, and served more use than merely chasing off foot soldiers from the Alien armies. They could also provide excellent home defense, root out pests underground, and look quite impressive while doing it.

But she always wanted to just lay out in the sun and bask for a while, and there was no better place to do that than in the Kiran desert. Awarded stipends from both Wo'ad and Le'ret as well as from Kiran itself, since she was already quite adept at healing dragons and could surely be called nothing less than a Dragon Breeder, she was able to set up shop on the outskirts of Uklar and Uhdl. Somewhere between them, certainly crossing the elusive border between Areas, her biggest holdings rested.

Vihni has few friends, outside the dragoning community. But she doesn't really need too many, and they generally think she's a blast. Particularly those who have bonded or attracted off-world dragons, and Alabaster's involvement in things didn't hurt her Holdings any either. (After all it was Aevan and Iva's sire who helped create the first dragon masters!) Given enough to live on and build with, Vihni made the most of her investments. Quickly it became clear that she was every bit the Penjagan as well, though perhaps not as personable as some, her skills with her Budak were easily seen. Though she was pretty clearly intimidating, she would never let harm come to anyone she knew.

The pet store she ran in Uklar has proven to be a huge boon. Staffed like her major homestead with Bayaran, she delivered exotic pets from tortoises, snakes, insects, birds and burrowers - all found in the desert nearby on her huge plot of land. The store itself was a beautiful shelter with sparkling mica in the stucco of the walls. It's as close to the city of Uklar as any of her Holdings got, and even then you couldn't really see the city proper from it.

But where she truly shone was with dragons. While Desert dragons comprised most of her experimental subject matter, she also liked to throw in Swamp and Sky dragons, just to spice things up - give them a chance for wings, or legs; she had early on decided not to use much in the way of Forest dragons because of their skittish nature, though their coloration and skin could be of use. Obviously, Sea dragons were just out; but she didn't much care for Stone dragons - they were harder for her to command than others, for some reason.

With plenty of scrub land toward the city Zones, and a long strip of dune desert past it into the Unincorporated area beyond, Vihni seemed a good choice for someone to take on different dragons. Offworlders, unlike those that already were paired up with some of her friends. It was getting harder to prevent people from noticing these odd dragons. Once upon a time any given mentalist from Alabaster's fold would cover their presence with a simple mind-nudge. But they were in fact appearing more often now. So a distant desert plot would be ideal for some to roam without notice.

It suited her even more, that some of her strangely distant kin lived across the desert, due east, in White Valley. By now, the half-Zekiran half-dragon sire of a clutch of mostly-desert-dragon eggs had been well settled, but his offspring were quite adept. She... was some of his brood's offspring! Of course, there was much more going on in her genetics than just some sloppy splicing. Though Vihni wasn't made as a Budak to protect anyone, she had the power to erect a strong force field around herself. She wondered absently sometimes, whether her odder aunties and uncles and distant slithery kin could do the same, or if that was purely from her human side.

As time had gone by, too, after the Alien incursions began and the Dragon Masters had been created... The lines between what was 'human' and what was 'not' had become blurred. But she wasn't the weirdest person she knew, and not even the strangest in her bloodline for that matter!

All those things, her friends had carefully determined, and knew that she'd be 'safe' to hit up on for those offworld dragons.

***

This odd offworld Nidus thing was actually quite pleasant to Vihni. Warm and windy. She enjoyed herself for a day or two and then got down to business. There were dragons to be had, and she could easily detect them nearby. Two of this varied and colorful brood came to her of their own will, she didn't even need to try and coerse them. A brilliant yellow female with wonderful markings that would allow her to blend with the bright sands at home, walked up. She would be quite large, as would her brother the darker rusty-red male. But for now they were little, carried easikly on the dragon which brought Vihni to this place. Traveling through space - not really space, so much as "places", was something Vihnih almost superstitiously didn't want to think about.

That there were plentiful aliens in the universe beyond the ones on the next planet out who wanted to take over this world, was obvious. But ... they were so very far away. It was cold in the area between worlds, teleportation wasn't instant and it wasn't easy. Wimkukith settled down and butted his big brown head against his rider, and they took off once Vihni was settled in her wilderness location.

Easily, the two mutt dragons took to their environment. They were not stupid creatures without minds, like many of the Desert dragons. They weren't quite people, but they were definitely conversant in things that most Zekirans knew. Zanoiz for instance loved to watch over Vihni's shoulder (when she was still small enough) in the big entertainment lounge, as Steeds were raced and bet upon. Unerringly she could estimate the winner and the betting pools, and pretty soon Vihni was placing those bets for her... and winning.

Wuiliz on the other hand... he was curious more about how the Aliens would be located and attacked out here in the middle of nowhere. But his practice with some of the Budak in the field led to an excellent range on his fire maniuplation powers. He didn't really long for the day when they would battle, but he didn't fear it either.

Name: Zanoiz Kaal

Gender: Female

Species: Hathian / Alskyran Sea / Drwlsi'Sre Mutt

Father: Zoxiz

Mother: Siiliz Kaal

Size: 14' bipedal

Abilities: Dispel Majyck, Fire Manipulation

Quirks: savvy with business, number savant, easily tired

Name: Wuiliz Kaal

Gender: Male

Species: Hathian / Alskyran Sea / Drwlsi'Sre Mutt

Father: Zoxiz

Mother: Siiliz Kaal

Size: 14' bipedal

Abilities: Dispel Majyck, Fire Manipulation

Quirks: witty, wary, wistful (woah!)

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