Chapter 78

~Mael~

"Rat? Sad you couldn't come up with a better insult." Mael gets up and dusts himself off. He leers at his new Pride leader, "You could be nicer to me because without me, this could never happen, and you would be at your wit's end." Nye leaned into him, but Mael stood his ground. He couldn't deny that Nye had a fierceness that could bust if poked, and Mael Was quite tempted to poke it. 

He clears his throat. "My apologies, Master. I should know where I stand." Mael says with a lot of sass, then turns to Kamari and Calea. Kamari tries not to show her amusement, but Mael sees right through it. Those shimmering purple eyes were laced with Mischief, the type Mael reveled in. Calea clears her throat, drawing Mael's attention. He had seen the witch multiple times around the Kingdom, and Calea bought fruit from him often. 

"So we will head out to the outskirts of the Kingdom; before Mael creates the barrier, I will enchant the ground, making a strong bind to the earth." She looks to Mael for approval, which makes him smirk. "Ah, I think you mean to ask for Nye's approval." Mael knew the Hierarchy within a Pride; it wasn't favorable for his way of life, but now he had a chance to be with Kamari, and that's all he ever wanted. However, Nye's temperament could be a problem, as could Aneth and Koa. Mael had a lot of sneaking around to do. He smirks to himself. But thankfully, he was good at it. 

On their way to the outskirts, Mael could feel the burn of Nye's presence behind his back. His focus, however, was on the sway of Kamari's hips. She wore an open-back silk dress, her hair cascading down. 

Good goddess, I could ravage this woman in the open fields…

Not only that, but Kamari's determination and resilience were admirable. Her passion is unwavering. Mael's mind drifts into untamed territory until they come to a halt. "Right here should be good," Calea says, placing her shoulder bag on the ground. The night air caresses Mael's skin, a comfort he had grown accustomed to. Mael locks eyes with Kamari as she closes the distance between them. "I know you said you would, but I just want to ensure."

Mael's heart ached. Sometimes, he wasn't sure Kamari knew what lengths he'd go to protect her. He went to caress her cheek, a bold move that earned him a slight rumble of a growl from Nye. "I won't go back on my word, Kamari." Mael solidified, then turned his attention to Calea. Now, Calea, Bless this land so I may place my Hearthstone."

Calea double-blinks as if she was stunned. "Uh-Yes, of course."

"Is something wrong?" Mael half-smiles with the tilt of his head. His voice is silky and luring to the ears. Calea gets to her knees, "I guess I'm used to Kamari's Pride calling me a witch. They never use my name."

"I've known you much longer. Calling you a witch just isn't suitable for me." Mael knew saying this would make Nye disgusted. Witches were never friends with dragons. Their history is soaking in bloodshed, and Calea may not see that side of witch history. Witches thought the grounds they claimed were not without residency, and Dragons, as territorial as they are, did not back off.

Calea smiles down at the ground, "Well, thank you." She begins to chant a language Mael does not recognize, and then the land glows in a wisp of light. Mael kneels before it, he could feel the earth's heartbeat a gentle but constint thrum and another sound thrumming underneath it. The sound of Kamari's Hearthstone. He wondered why he hadn't felt it before. He flattened his hand on the cool grass; the blades knew him and slightly grazed his fingers. Mael didn't know how long he could stay within Castle walls, but he couldn't stay for too long, not without visiting his own Eden, and after rooting another piece of himself within the land of Nivillia, he would have another. 

Mael feels a presence beside him; Kamari's hair falls down her shoulders as she leans forward. Mael places his Hearthstone; his hand melts into the earth, and pulses of light surge outward. He removes his hand, and the Hearthflower bloom follows. "I never get tired of seeing that," Kamari says as she smiles adoringly at the flower. The ground starts to shake, and from the earth a translucent barrier rises and gets lost in an endless sky, only the sheen up above lets Mael know it's there.

"Uh-Did it work? I can't see anything?" Calea narrows her eyes, looking skyward. "That's the point, Calea. If you can not see it. It's doing its job." Mael wears a smug smile, "Well? Isn't anyone going to praise me?" He says playfully.

*Smack*

"Ah!" Nye hits Mael over the back of his head. Kamari gasps, "Why did you do that?!"

Nye shrugs, "What else did you expect me to do? He wouldn't stop talking." He crosses his arms, "There is no praise to be given for shoving your hand down Mother Earth's bosom."

Mael rubs his head and rolls his eyes while Calea lets out a small chuckle. But when Mael looks back at her, she purses her lips, "My apologies." Mael suppresses the urge to stab his spike into Nye's chest. Being within a pride is going to be more complicated than he thought. Kamari walks over to Nye, "Can't you behave? Mael is helping us."

The smirk on Nye's face as he slid his arm around Kamari's waist was meant to taunt Mael, and he hated that it was working. Worse, he couldn't get rid of her scent. It made his blood rush with adrenaline, gearing up to claim his right by having her submit. He had played a patience game for a long time, but that patience was chipping off. All he can do is watch Nye with Kamari.

"Odd that I'm still perplexed about the culture within a dragon pride." Calea smiles, her eyes shining soft, "Even with Ryuu, I'm still figuring things out." Mael turns his attention to Calea, he knew Calea might never understand, no matter how well she knows Ryuu. Kamari is different, she already has dragons blood in her veins, the primalness within seeps through her soul. "Tell me, Calea, have you been in the forests with Ryuu? Have you seen the world outside Castle walls, away from humans?"

"Uh-no. I can't say I have." She looks to the ground, her satchel hanging in front of her. Mael puts his hands in his pockets, his eyes closed with a smile on his face, "If you truly mean to understand our way of life, then you should ask Kamari to take you on a little trip into our world. Although, to truly make this beneficial to you," he leans in, a smug smile on his face, "you will have to deal with the whole pride." Mael watches as Calea's eyes dilate, of course she should feel fear, but he had to admit Calea's determination to learn is respectable. "Okay. I'll do that."

"Do what?" Kamari enters the conversation's tail-end, and he fills her in. "You want me to take you out in the wilds?" Kamari thinks, her eyes shifty, "actually, I think it's a great Idea," Kamari smiles ear to ear, "i think everyone could use a little day out of the Kingdom. And now that it's guarded by the Barrier, being gone a day won't hurt." While Kamari and Calea talk, Mael glances at Nye, who looks less than happy about the idea. Mael wasn't fond of fire breathers; he wasn't fond of any dragon that wasn't a shade like himself. Nye opens and closes his fists, his jaw tense; Mael dares to say, "Well, isn't someone testy." Mael could feel the tension spark the instant he spoke.

"Mind your damn business." Nye snaps. Mael knew why his leader was so on edge. Kamari's heat cycle was eating at him. Mael assumed Kamari had halted it, and Nye didn't pursue it. Yet. The females start heading back to the Castle, and Nye follows behind. Mael watches them walk away, lost in his thoughts. The way Aneth beat him still go his blood pumping, since Mael got out he hadn't seen Aneth, but he had a bone to pick with him. He couldn't believe Aneth let him live to join the pride, but now Mael saw why. Mael looks back at the Hearthflower, then clenches his fist. Aneth knew precisely what he was doing.

Mael's eye twitches, "You sneaky son of a bitch."