her family was the reason behind it's own failure it seemed. "I'm sorry to hear of that, Asteri." they murmured quietly, eyes sad as she spoke of her mother's passing. "well .. I'm sort of keeping the fish away with my presence ... you can make merry if you wish. Joy waits on no one."

peacefully listening to the lapping of the water against the banks and stones under the water, they relaxed, resting their head upon their taloned feet, enjoying the chill of the river. listening to her move and leap through the water brought them amusement, their own heart half in the conversation and half focused on the knowledge that their children were safe with a guardian for the time being. exhaling heavily, they groaned as they eased their body further into the river, flattening out their body with a sound akin to a rumbling purr.

"my wounds? bandits in my land. i fell sick months ago and left my group and family with the premise of dying from the illness i had contracted. i survived and returned to my groups land, my home, and i found it invaded by bandits. i have called for all those remaining in my land that belonged to my group, and so far ... only my two youngest have shown up. i might be big ... but i alone cannot defend a land so vast as to hold my family and i. there are numerous enemies, bandits and thieves. who wouldn't take a chance of easy land and food? i am wandering in search of aid. i need help to fight these bastards, had i my eyes and my full health i would be able to clear more than half the lot out. i cross through these unsettled lands in an attempt to find the borders of other groups ... in order to ask their aid. my children are too young, they are meant to use their teeth and claws for finding prey and eating it - not taking down vicious and fully grown adversaries." they rumbled in displeasure, explaining their cause.

listening to her movements, they closed their eyes as they rested there in her presence. "asteri, how old are you?", she sounded like a young adult to them - they were not in the business of recruiting children to fight their wars. "I do not mean to come off as rude, my friend, but I do not wish to make a child fight. You sound to be an adult but without my sight, i am unable to tell." they murmured quietly, gaze soft as they opened their eyes.

they could appreciate her head strong qualities, and the courage to fight in another's war. they understand the drive to prove one's self and anything that they held dear, even if it belonged to another. exhaling softly, the dragon smiled, "thank you. this is the first hope I've had in a very long time my dear."

amusement filled the dragon's gaze, "I would think otherwise hmn?" they murmured in soft laughter. Shaking their head slightly they could only chuckle, finding the mention of that oddly funny. Rolling their shoulders as they relaxed, the dragon rumbled in content.

The hope streak, that was certainly something that needed to continue. Exhaling softly, they shrugged slightly, getting comfortable,  "a streak of hope ... is certainly what we need. we have done a little spying - we have found out the name and identity of the bandits' leader."

they bowed their head in agreement, tipping their head as if caught in thought. Their own memories went back many lifetimes, back through many wars and losses. exhaling they shook their head, "its only ever the tip of the iceberg." they rumbled softly, eyes narrowing. the memories of war, the screams and cries of their family and friends falling around them, the hoarse throated roars of battle cries that drove all under their command to their death. they shuddered at the violent memories ripping through their body, bringing out a stiffness in their muscles that they had long forgotten, their jaws clenching and their talons digging into the riverbed below them.

exhaling in a forced fashion, the dragon managed to soothe their body enough to release the hard grip on the ground underneath their body. shaking their head, they chased away the
memories, the attachments to the dead that they still felt and the feelings that they hadn't done enough in those times, that it should have been them laying six feet under. "do you wish to stay with us, Asteri?"