Chapter Text
The sun shone on the magical golden sands outside the Caverns of Time, home to the legendary Bronze Dragonflight. Golden peaks surrounded the entrance and within them a festive array of tents and pavilions filled the surrounding cove as citizens from all lands, all races milled about enjoying the celebrations. From fashion shows to storytelling, artifacts on display to a playground for pets, there was something for everyone.
Amongst the festival goers two elven women walked arm in arm, laughing as they tried the world famous fried chicken from Leeroy Jenkin’s stand as they walked along.
“You know…” Talyn said, chewing her food then swallowing. “It's a bit greasier than I like but it's not that bad.”
“I admit it's not as good as the bruffalon steaks we had in Valdrakken, but not bad.” She said and laughed as Talyn’s hand dove into the bucket for a fourth piece of chicken. “And you seem to be enjoying it.”
“Mmf…is good.” Talyn nodded.
“I think we should get some souvenirs to take back home before we go as well…” She began as a blonde elven looking woman came running up to them looking a bit frazzled.
“Trisaland, Talyndria, thank the Titans you’re here.” The woman said a bit out of breath. “We have a problem over at the pet playground, I was hoping you could help with it.”
“Alli, what is wrong? Is it one of the animals? I think Bria is still here somewhere.” Trisaland said, looking around for her niece.
“No, no, it's not one of the animals…it's a whelp.” Alli groaned, looking frazzled. “He’s a little black whelpling who is flying around talking about burning things as if he’s the second coming of Deathwing. He’s terrifying the animals. Tris I…you have raised the girls so I thought maybe you could talk to him.”
“I mean…” Talyn said, taking another bite of her chicken as if bored. “She has a point. You survived raising me and Shanna and Leisha. I’m sure you could straighten the little brat out.” She shrugged. “Just give him that look you used to give me before threatening to turn me over your knee and wearing the scales off my ass.” She said with a small laugh. “Believe me, it used to terrify me.”
“Very well.” She sighed. “Where is his caretaker? Is there not someone watching him?” She said, as they began making their way to the pet playground.
“I have no idea, I haven’t seen any other black dragons here other than you Talyn. He seems rather precocious, perhaps he snuck away from his caregiver.” Alli said as they walked then paused just outside the fence of the playground and pointed him out. “There he is, I don’t even know his name.” She sighed as the whelp flew around the enclosure sending small gouts of flame in the direction of a small pink Eelek that ran from the flames. “Oi! Little One, I asked you nicely to stop terrorizing the animals!”
“You’re no fun Allidormi!” The whelp continued to fly in circles as Talyn watched with a critical eye.
“What is your name, little fellow?” Trisaland said moving closer to the fence.
“I’m Voidfire the Destroyer!” The whelp said with a great flourish. “Rarrr! Burn it! Burn it all! Fear me, puny mortal!”
“Well Voidfire, it isn’t very nice to scare the animals. What if you hurt them?
“Who cares? I’m going to be the next Deathwing!” He called excitedly as Talyn rolled her eyes, pushing the near empty bucket into Tris’ hands.
“Hold my chicken, Minn’da. I’ll deal with Bratwing.” She said wiping her hands on her pants then stepping over the low fence waiting until the whelp flew close enough then reached out quickly, grabbing him from the air, using her arms to pin his small wings down. “That will be enough from you kid.” She said as the whelp struggled, letting out a squeal.
“Hey! You can’t do that! Let me go! I am Voidfire the Destroyer! I will incinerate you!”
“Uh huh, come back and say that when you’re big enough to create enough fire to take down a drake, now stop…oww you little shit! You bit me!” She said as the whelp let out a chuckling growl. “Do that again and I will beat your little backside til your scales fall off! Now where is your caretaker?” She said struggling to hold the wiggling whelp as he fought to free himself.
“You’re not my Ami!”
“Lucky for you because if you were mine you would need a pillow to sit your rotten little butt down for the next week. I’d clip your little wings!” She said hearing a low chuckle from Tris then a whispered…
“Now she knows what she was like at that age.”
“I was never such a brat!” Talyn said as if offended.
“Oh yes you were.” Alli chimed in giggling. “Come Tris, I think Talyn has this in hand. I’ve been wanting to try the ice cream.”
“Oh that sounds good, let's go.”
“Minn’da! You can’t seriously…ow! Stop biting or I will pull your fangs with my bare hands you nasty tempered little shit!”
“Think of it as training for when you have a brood someday.” Tris said with a grin and a wave walking away with Allidormi as Talyn realized they were leaving her to deal with Voidfire. “Fine! I will remember this when you want to visit your grandwhelps woman!” She called then turned her attention back to the whelp who tried to take another nip at her arm. She then leaned down and bit him on the ear.
“Owww, that’s not nice!”
“No, it isn’t. So stop biting me and fighting to get free and talk to me. Where is your caretaker, why are you here alone?” She said as the whelp sighed and ceased to fight, looking up at her.
“I snuck away. One of the adventurers visiting Wrathion was talking about the festival and I wanted to see it but no one would bring me.” He said with a pout she might have found cute at any other time. “So when they cast a portal, I snuck through and followed them here without them knowing.”
“You mean to tell me you came all the way from the Obsidian Citadel? Alone?” She said shocked.
“Yep! I’ve heard the stories about Deathwing and I’m gonna be just like him!” He said proudly as Talyn frowned, shaking her head.
“Oh child…do you really think he is such a hero?”
“He was so cool, he was like RAWWWR I’M DEATHWING! FEAR ME!” He said as Talyn sighed once more, carrying the whelp away from the crowds and sitting down in the sand.
“I’m going to let you go, but promise me you will sit here with me and talk okay?” At this the whelp sighed, a small puff of smoke escaping his nostrils.
“Okay.” He said glumly as she sat him down on the sand then looked at her. “You’re one of us.”
“I am.”
“Then why you wanna look like an elf?”
“Because my Minn’da is an Arandali.”
“A what?”
“Right, way before your time.” She sighed. “She is descended from Arandal, it's a very old land where elves and dragons lived side by side before the Sundering.”
“Ohhhh, that place I heard Wrathion talking about, where that elf he likes went.”
“Yes, she’s my cousin, A’dora. But tell me, why Deathwing? Haven’t you heard the stories of how bad our flight was or the terrible things they did?”
“I heard stories, yeah, they say he was bad but I think he was cool!” He said then tilted his head. “Hey, did you know him? They say Sabellian did.”
“That he did, because Neltharion was his Sire, he was also my Great Grandsire but no, I never knew him. I didn’t grow up with my flight.”
“Why not?”
“Uh…well…” She said taking a moment to wonder how much she should tell such a young one. “Well, because my clutchmates were really mean and my Ami let them be mean to me. So my Ati took me away and hid me with his old friends and Tris became my Minn’da.”
“Didn’t your Ami get mad?”
“I don’t know, I never went back. But I had a great Minn’da and Ann’da who loved me, two sisters and cousins who I’m glad I got to grow up with.” She said then directed the conversation back to the subject. “But Voidfire, Deathwing was not a good dragon. He started that way when he was called Neltharion, but then the curse of the Old Gods made him a really bad dragon and he did a lot of bad stuff both to dragons and mortals. And he did a lot of damage to the world when he returned.”
“Will you show me?”
“Show you what?” Talyn said a bit confused, wondering if the wiley little whelp was trying to trick her somehow.
“I want to see fire and destruction!” He said excitedly as she tried not to groan. Surely she hadn’t been this way as a whelp. After thinking for a moment she nodded.
“All right, come with me. I’ll take you to see some fire and destruction.” She said reaching out and picking up the whelp. “But first I need to let Minn’da know we’re leaving.” She said as they made their way to where Alli and Tris were sitting near the ice rink eating their ice cream cones. “Minn’da, I’ll meet you back in Arandal, Voidfire and I are going to take a little detour on our way back to the Citadel.”
“Are you sure?” I can come with you.”
“No, I think you’re right, I need to handle this. Good practice.” She said with a wink as Tris smiled.
“All right, I will see you back home.” She said then looked to the whelp. “And you young man, do not give her a hard time or you will deal with me. You may ask Sabellion what a Sunwalker temper means.” She said as the whelp’s eyes grew wide.
“Y…you know Sabellian?”
“I do, tell him Tris said hello.” She said with a wink.
“Talyn’s gonna take me to see fire and destruction!” He said excitedly as Tris arched a brow.
“Just…trust me Minn’da, I will see you back at home.” With that she walked to the mages who offered portals to Stormwind and Ogrimmar then secured the whelp in her arms. “All right kid, you wanted adventure, let's go have an adventure.”