Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Pandora

• Chapter 8 •

The ground felt strange.

Bria found herself sitting with her sister by the river. The sun was setting slowly in the painted blue-green sky, stars slowly fading into view.

She blinked and squinted her eyes for a moment. How had she gotten here?

“You seem confused,” Pandora’s voice said.

“I feel… fuzzy,” Bria said. She looked at Pandora, expecting her sister to be looking at her. But Pandora was still, sitting upright with her snout still tipped towards the stars.

“Everything’s always fuzzy for us.”

“Huh?” She asked.

Pandora stayed frozen, before she snapped her head abruptly Bria’s way, and Bria stopped dead to see Pandora’s eyes flash to deep black pits. The sky’s colors spilled over with purple and black.

“You just aren’t used to it yet.” Pandora said, and she smiled.

Bria felt herself pulled from the nightmare with sudden force.

She opened her eyes and breathed in shakily, looking up to see Pandora standing over her. “Bria?” Pandora asked softly.

Bria lay curled up by the river, her snout resting on the smooth pebbles. Pandora stood beside her, flipping the white and gray speckled rock she’d shown Bria earlier in her talons. She seemed concerned.

The moon was glowing high above them. A few Wyverns flew overhead, silhouetted against the dark sky, speckled with bright stars.

“I had a nightmare,” Bria explained quietly, rubbing her head.

“Was it bad?” Pandora questioned.

“Yeah, most nightmares are…” Bria said. “You wouldn’t know, though. You never have nightmares.”

Pandora nodded at that, fluffing her wings and sitting down. Bria looked back up at the night sky and asked, “Do you want to go back to our den?”

“No, it’s fine here,” Pandora said, setting her rock down. “I like it.”

Bria let out a sigh and set her head back down to the ground, flipping her tail in front of her to where it touched the bubbling water of the river. “I got to meet two of the other Generals yesterday,” She said. “Greenland and Twister. I liked them.” Pandora was quiet as Bria spoke, listening as she told her about the events before the mob.

As she finished, she thought back to Rainstone, and a small smile escaped her. Then she lifted her head again. “I hope I’ll get to meet Toxin soon.”

“You might.” Pandora said, sounding sure of her answer. “Are the Ice Wyverns hosting a festival soon?”

“Yeah!” Bria answered. “Just a few nights from now. You want to come with me?”

Pandora nodded, blinking once. Bria shifted closer to her and looked up at the moon again, and soon enough they went to sleep, their breathing quiet against the sounds of the river.

***

Bria was still sleeping as rays of sunlight fell onto her gray and lavender scales. Pandora lay beside her, her tail draped across Bria's. There was a faint sound of wingbeats from close by and a crunch of talons landing on the rocks.

“Are you Bria?”

Her snout twitched and she squinted open one eye to see a Poison Wyvern a few tail-lengths away. They were a light teal with bits of yellow and and blue and had calm and curious, middle-aged eyes.

“Y…yes?” Bria said, pulling her head up. “Yes, I’m Bria.” Pandora woke up as well, lifting herself into a sitting position and looking at the Wyvern with an interested but alert expression. “And this is my sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” The Wyvern said, glancing at Pandora before tearing her gaze away. “My name’s Izzabee.”

Pandora glanced from Izzabee to Bria, before stepping back. “I am going to go find another rock,” she said softly. “You two have fun.”

“Toxin’s mother?” Bria asked as Pandora hopped away. Izzabee nodded. “It’s really great to meet you, Izzabee.”

“I wanted to meet you yesterday but unfortunately didn't have time. I saw the Quetzalcoatlus’s. Toxin’s not sure if he should be worried about that or not.”

“I wouldn't’ be,” Bria said with a small shake of her head.

“Can never be too sure.” Izaabee said. “Anywho, I didn’t just come to make my acquaintance. I’d like to let you know that Toxin’s interested in you.”

Bria blinked, her eyebrows furrowed. “And by me, you mean…”

“Your sister.” The older dragon confirmed. “Yes. She is rather… peculiar, now that I’ve seen her, I’ll admit that.”

Bria dug her claws into the rocks, her tail splashing the edge of the river. “She’s a Wyvern, like any of us. She’s just different.”

“...I believe you.” Izzabee said. “And so would there be any harm for us to learn about her, then?”

Bria looked away, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. “I suppose not. Just… I don’t want anyone putting her down for simply being who she is.”

“I understand.” Izzabee said. She looked over to Pandora’s blurred purple-gray shape in the distance, pouncing into the water to catch a fish. She looked back at Bria, and Bria saw years of thoughts and wisdom in the Poison General’s eyes. “Thankyou for talking with me.”

“Y-yeah.” Bria said. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you again.”

“See you at the festival.” Izzabee said with a small smile.

***

Toxin was sitting flopped on his bed, looking at his room from an upside-down point of view. His tail flicked and he heard someone outside and quickly rolled over to look as a Wyvern peered through the tapestry that served as a door.

“Toxin?” Izzabee’s voice asked.

“Ahh! Mother! Coming coming!” He said, trying to scramble off the bed, only to fall and smack snout-first onto the floor.

“You good?” Izzabee asked quickly, stepping into the room. There was silence before he stood back up, wobbling and blinking slightly. “I’m fine,” he assured off-handedly. “What is it?”

Izzabee inhaled quietly, before saying plainly, “I met Bria and her sister. And that’s it, bye,” she said, turning to leave.

“Hey, wait!” Toxin said, hurrying over to her side. “You did? What did she say?”

“Nothing much. But she’ll be at the full moon festival, and her sister probably will too. Would you maybe like to come along and meet them for yourself?”

“Uh,” Toxin managed.

“Fine if not, Toxin. But you’re the one that’s so interested in getting to know Pandora.”

“Ughh, fine fine fine! I’ll go.” He said.

Izzabee smiled and nuzzled her head against his neck. “Let’s go get something to eat,” she said.

“Yeah,” He agreed. “I am pretty hungry.”

She looked at him with warm affection, feeling so worried but proud of him. ‘He’s going to be fine. Things will only get easier now,’ she thought silently. She loved him so much.