::Attention.::

Gathering the whole hive together was always a little trying. Some would bicker, some would growl at each other, some would try to hide from the rest.... There were a lot of them-- nowhere near a full-sized hive, of course, but since they didn't have their own entire cave system to populate and Proquess alone wasn't enough to create one to fill, it seemed like more, crammed into their couple of rooms at Cy-- and only a few of them actually got along with each other, so trying to keep everyone focused and on-topic, or at least not trying to kill each other, was a bit difficult. Shishayair didn't try it often, but because of the size of the group-- and because of its extremely mixed membership and lack of true mental connection between most of said members-- it was sometimes necessary when he needed to tell everyone something.

Or so Shishayair said, anyway.

::Excuse me, attention!::

The big biped stood at the entrance to the room-- preventing exit as much as finding that the most commanding point in the room-- looking irritated. Proquess, settled close by, was obediently quiet, and Mu-Lin was as silent as always. Ominous was quiet, of course, but she did keep glaring at Alladros and Uecoss next to her, both of whom were pointedly ignoring Shishayair. Greolis, now half-grown and as nervous as ever, wasn't making much noise, but he wasn't exactly paying attention, eying Lohress with suspicion while Lohress himself growled at Anon Night for snapping playfully at tiny Venuss, only recently hatched and unexpectedly bonded to the fluffy half-xenodragon. Carskadei was radiating put-upon dissatisfaction, as usual, as she sidled away from Kae-Ryss, who was ignoring her and trying to pay attention, though one of her lesser heads was baring its teeth at the multi-headed hydra.

Finally Shishayair gave up on being polite and simultaneously let out a bellowing roar and dropped the temperature of the whole room to a very uncomfortable level. He got a few hisses and growls in response, but with another chill threatening-- Proquess could sense the heat disappearing into his presence-- they were all too busy shivering to do anything but listen. The cold didn't bother her, the only true xenodragon in the room, but the rest had enough of other things in them to feel the chill keenly.

::That's better,:: Shishayair grumbled at them all, though he looked more pleased than annoyed. Proquess expected that his excuse of "efficiency" at gathering them all up at once was mostly so he could have a chance to cow them all and remind them who the most powerful among them was. Proquess didn't mind; she liked watching him dominate the hive. He, at least, deserved the position.

::I have an announcement,:: he continued.

"Obviously," Alladross muttered.

Shishayair ignored him. ::In six days time we will be leaving for Star City.::

Proquess perked up a little. Star City? All of them? Others looked hopeful, as well, like Lohress and Kae-Ryss. Greolis stared at him in horror, as if he'd suggested they were all going to chop their right paws off, instead of make a trip somewhere.

"Why?" Alladross demanded. "Why do we have to go?"

::Because we're all part of the same group. I would say "hive" but I expect we are a mockery of a true xenodragon hive.::

Someone snickered, possibly Uecoss, at that. Probably Uecoss, since just afterwards she "muttered", just barely "loud" enough to be called a public sending, ::Especially since most of us aren't even xenos.::

"Some of us have things to do here," Alladross insisted, teeth bared up at Shishayair.

::That's just too bad,:: Shishayair said loftily.

"You can't make me," Alladross growled.

::Do you want to try that assumption, child?::

Ice was forming on Alladross's fur and horns, and his snake-like secondary heads were huddled against his neck. He hunkered down miserably, growling but making no move to actually challenge; apparently, though Proquess knew he would probably challenge eventually, today was not the day. He would, however, make things at Star City miserable for them all, and Uecoss would certainly help, since the two of them were inseparable. No matter what the reason they were going, surely it wouldn't be necessary for them all to be there, would it?

::Shishayair,:: she suggested hesitantly, though privately.

::Yes, Proquess?:: he answered in kind.

::Maybe we don't need to bring Alladross? Or Uecoss? Or... those ones who just don't want to go?:: One lesser head swivelled around to look at her narrowly, and she shrank back a little. ::I mean... unless you really need everyone there... wouldn't it be easier without them?::

Now two heads were looking at her, red eyes narrowed and ears pulled back. ::Why?:: he asked, meaning, she sensed behind the single word, why did she make such a request. 

::I... I don't like them,:: she stammered uncomfortably. ::They're both so horrible....:: 

The silence stretched longer, and some of the rest of the patchwork hive were starting to look confused-- or annoyed, depending on who it was. She was about to tell him to forget she said anything, but then he spoke again, to the whole room. ::It appears you have a reprieve, Alladross. You may stay. Who else has no inclination to come along to Star City?::

Uecoss hissed and sidled closer to her bond-- an obvious answer. Anon Night considered a moment, then nodded when Shishayair glanced at her. "I will stay, I believe," she said. Greolis gave her and the other pair a terrified look and quickly shook his head, at Shishayair's question. Venuss gave her bond a pleading look, but he ignored her, staring firmly, even defiantly, up at his father.

That left, of the reluctant ones, Carskadei, who was looking between those going and those staying with misgivings in both directions. It was finally little Venuss and half-grown Greolis, the latter looking at her pleadingly as one of the few people he actually trusted a tiny bit now, who decided her. "All right," she huffed, shivering still. "I'm going, too."

::Splendid,:: Shishayair smiled darkly. ::We'll be leaving first thing in the morning on the sixth day from now, and will not return for another week after that. I will be returning periodically to check on those of you who remained behind, so do not think you can get into trouble.:: Well, the wrong kind of trouble, trouble that Shishayair would not approve of or trouble that would wind up getting them thrown out of the Dragonstake. ::You may disperse,:: he said graciously, and the temperature slowly began creeping up towards something more comfortable for those not graced with carapace and hot blood.

The mismatched hive drifted off, many of them grumbling. Kae-Ryss sent Shishayair an expression that looked something like gratitude, and a thought that Proquess could sense but politely didn't read. The big biped smirked at her and inclined his main head, then stepped aside from the entrance and settled down next to Proquess. He said nothing about her request and his own acceptance of it, he merely dropped gracefully down beside her and nudged Mu-Lin over so he could stretch out his hind feet. She snuggled on top of them when he'd made himself comfortable, heads atop Proquess's forelegs.

Proquess finally broke the silence. ::Thank you.::

::For what?:: Shishayair asked casually, apparently focused on a tangle in his tail plume.

::For... not making those others come.::

::You are perfectly within your rights to not wish to be forced to share company with people you do not like.::

::But....:: She turned her head up towards him in confusion. ::You did not chase them away before, when I didn't like them....::

::Ah.:: He smiled at her coolly. ::You never said you didn't want them around, or you wanted me to get rid of them for you. You simply went along with my choice to keep them with us, you did not even mention your own feelings on the subject. Lessons, Proquess, that I'm glad you're finally learning.::

She dropped her head, feeling oddly embarrassed. He chuckled at her, and she hurriedly changed the subject. ::Why are we going to Star City?::

::To meet someone. Or perhaps a few someones.::

That sounded ominous. "Perhaps" a few someones-- was he thinking of bonding or sponsoring again? Everything they'd done so far there had turned out so badly... Uecoss, Alladross, even poor Greolis, even his attempts at "flights"-- well, Proquess was glad for those results, but Shishayair hadn't been, so it counted as "bad".

Shishayair caught her worry and sighed, but said nothing-- certainly nothing reassuring, that wasn't his way, but also not telling her she was wrong. Sighing, Proquess put her head down on Mu-Lin's shoulders and hoped she was wrong.

Abstract Destiny - The Hatching

Chapter Fifteen

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