Here Be Dragons

"So what you're saying is we don't need to tell your mom about Capper coming over to our house for a few days," Triston said with a chuckle. "Got it. With any luck, we'll be able to move all the dragons and have Capper gone before she comes back. Hopefully."

Tide rumbled worriedly and tilted his head, but Triston smiled and patted his scales.

"Relax. There are only a few dragons at the stables compared to a whole herd of Hobblegrunts. We'll be done in no time. Right, Lambi?"
 
Lambi felt a thousand times better to be off of his feet. He may have pushed his ankle a bit too far but he figured it'd be fine. "Yeahhh my mom might not take well to knowing he came over. She's not exactly...guest friendly. She's very particular about her space, as is Phantom," his mom would probably kill him if she knew he shared a bed with Triston. Which...speaking of...if Triston was sleeping over again that meant they got to share a bed again.

As they took off he stayed close to tide so they could still talk. "I'm not sure which dragons we will move first, the ones here or stables. The stable ones are the ones that need more attention so my mom would want to keep them close. It would make sense to repurpose this island to have the ones that need more help stay and recover before moving to the big island,"he commented.
 
Triston smiles and nods. In the back of his mind, he's already determined to check on Lambi's ankle the minute they land - and maybe have him check his head, too, just as an excuse to have him close. "This island would be a great transition one," he agreed. "It's small, and quiet. I almost fell asleep on it, and I almost never drift off in places that aren't safe."

He closes his eyes as the wind ruffles his hair, leaning back with a heavy sigh of contentment. He still couldn't believe he'd made friends with Lambi, Luna, and Capper. If he was dreaming, he didn't want to wake up. None of them would disown him for loving dragons. Not one.
 
Lambi was quiet as the ride started, just looking at the clouds as they passed under them. "I still can't believe I fell asleep," he blushed just remembering it,"Must've been more tired than I thought, the nap was worth it." He wished he could've stayed asleep a little bit longer next to Triston. Slowly the island started to appear, it looked just like when they were last here. "Maybe Capper will know which dragons to bring over first? The gronkles will definitely be the easiest since they follow food," most of the dragons were extremely close to Lambi and his mother. They would follow them anywhere.
 
Triston giggled and smiled at Lambi, his brown hair flopping over his eyes as the wind blew it. "I can. You and your mother have been working so hard, and you've been through so much. You probably needed a nap." When Tide rumbled, Triston laughed and shook his head. "What are you talking about? I already had my nap. I'm good."

He beamed when the island came into view. And when he spotted Capper's house, he nearly stood up on Tide's back. "There it is! Look, he's even got smoke going. I wonder what he's cooking?" he asked.

Tide chuffed happily and zoomed towards the front door, poking his head in the instant he landed.

Capper turned and jumped for a moment when he saw a dragon in his doorway, but then he realized it was Tide and smiled. "Ah, Tide! Did you bring me boys with ye?"
 
Lambi was still blushing thinking about how he'd fallen asleep on the other basically. "I never fall asleep like that, usually I just keep going til the end of the day," he didn't have the time normally to just relax on an island. Usually he didn't feel safe enough to risk a nap even with Luna he was on edge. When he saw the other stand a little he immediately frowned. "Careful! You might fall over," he chided him clearly worried about him falling with the other's head and everything. He followed behind with Luna and landed nearby, climbing off his carefully, still not wanting to put as much weight on his foot.

Hearing Capper he was still unused to the other but he smiled. "It's me an Triston," he called back,"Came to start preparing the big dragon migration." He was excited to get the dragons moved to here where it was safer and they could have more space an freedom. "We also need someone to watch the dragons back at my house since my mom won't be home for awhile," he was nervous leaving the dragons there alone.
 
Only a few short days ago, Triston would've been annoyed that Lambi kept pestering him about his injuries; now he was grateful. He smiled warmly at Lambi and sat back down at once. "You're right, you're right. I just got excited. Sorry," he murmured with a chuckle.

Then Capper referred to him and Lambi as his boys. His eyes sparkled, and he carefully slid off Tide's back before wandering towards the older man in a daze. "Your - your boys . . .?" he asked softly.

Capped beamed and reached out to ruffle Triston's hair. "Oh, aye! You and Lambi. So, you two need someone to babysit, eh?" he asked, turning to Lambi with a warm smile. "Want me to bring the dragons here, or take care of 'em at your place?"

Triston couldn't even focus on the conversation. He glanced between Capper and Lambi, his eyes misty. "Lambi," he whispered. "Did - did you hear him? We're his boys."
 
Lambi relaxed when the other sat back down on tides back. "You can go back to crazy stunts when your head is all healed," he said with a laugh. Once they landed he took his time getting off Luna moving over to the other two. He saw Capper ruffle the other's hair and got worried about him aggravating the injury but he said nothing. "Ahhh yeah we need a babysitter, mostly everyone is fine. But we've got a batch of Hobblegrunt babies that are hell bent on escaping every chance they get," he laughed, he was still unused to talking to someone other than Triston and his mom. "Hm, probably best to go to them, the ones in the stables are the ones that need the most attention, usually the ones that are healing."

Lambi glanced at Triston when the other whispered to him. "Uh yeah I heard him," he smiled at him before looking back at capper. Luna had trotted over to peek into the other's house, she remembered getting good food the last time she was here.
 
"They are, eh?" Capper asked Lambi, chuckling. "Well, maybe me Deadly Nadder triplets will help keep them safely distracted. Besides, baby Hobblegrunts ain't no match for a music box." Then he spotted Luna and Tide gazing in through the doorway, and his eyes twinkled. "Ye all seem hungry. Who'd like some fire roasted hogs?" he asked, ushering the group inside.

Tide roared in response and slithered in, curling up near the fireplace and drooling.

Triston followed in a little more slowly, glancing between the floor and Capper. At last, he hesitantly reached out a hand to touch Capper's arm. "Capper, uh . . ." he started. He swallowed and tried again, his eyes misty. "When you said we were your boys, did you mean . . . did you mean you wanted to be our father?"

Capper raised an eyebrow. "Lambi's already got a mother, lad, an' I don't think she'd take kindly to me tryin' to marry her outa nowhere."

"I meant, um - " Triston winced and dropped his gaze. ". . . I meant me."

"Oh," Capper murmured. His voice was instantly more gentle. He took a few steps forward, setting a hand on Triston's shoulder. "Well, now, that depends, lad . . . Did ye want me to be your father?"

Triston stared up in shock. His lips moved wordlessly for a moment, and then he stared at Lambi, as though to confirm he'd actually heard Capper right.
 
(Triston definitely pushing the father figure thing on poor capper 😂and Lambi jsut be awkwardly chilling on the side)

Lambi laughed,"They are quite the bunch of rascals. They definitely need someone to wear them out or else they're going to run us to the ground." he laughed as they followed him into the house. "These two never turn down the opportunity to eat something," he moved over to the fire to start getting some food for tide and Luna. He didn't really notice the conversation going on behind him, chatting to Luna about being patient. He vaguely noticed Triston look to him but he didn't really have an opinion on the matter so he stayed out of it looking back to the fireplace and handing some to both tide and Luna.
 
(Maybe a bit but Capper is very much okay with it! He's missed having a son since his died ;~; They're both just being super awkward about it lol)

"I . . . yes?" Triston asks shakily, wincing.

Capper hesitates for a moment as his eyes glisten with tears. Then he yanks Triston into a hug, holding him tightly before a few of the tears drip onto Triston's shirt. "I would love to, lad. Welcome home," he chokes out.

Triston scoffs in disbelief as a smile spreads across his face. Then he hugs Capper back, laughing and ignoring the tears pricking his own eyes. "Lambi! Lambi, I've got a dad! Thank you, Capper! Thank you!"

Tide slithers behind Lambi, chuffing happily as he waits for the boy to pour him some stew. He nudges Lambi's shoulder a few times and then gives him a gentle lick on the cheek in an effort to procure the meal faster.
 
(true 😂 just Lambi just all awkwardly to the side like Ayeee cool ima just kill over here lol)

Lambi smiled at Triston, happy for him but not the most comfortable at emotion showy things. His mom wasn't exactly overly emotional so he never knew how to deal with them, he chose to avoid it. Hearing tide he laughed,"Alright alright I'll serve you first mister," he chuckled. Getting a bug bowl for tide he moved to set it down a bit away for him. Before going back and getting a bowl for Luna, placing it near tide's so they could eat together. After that he made himself some stew before sitting in the chair next to Luna to eat.
 
"All right, ye goof. Now git over there an' get some food in yer stomach," Capper said, chuckling and ruffling Triston's hair before wiping tears from his eyes.

Triston sniffled and nodded, still grinning from ear to ear. He served himself a bowl of soup and flopped down right beside Lambi to eat. "Sorry," he murmured, though the smile on his face betrayed the fact he wasn't sorry at all. "I just . . . my other dad . . ." He shook his head and scoffed. "Never mind. Um, do you think we should leave right after supper to go get the dragons, or wait until night so we have some cover?"
 
Lambi was checking that tide and Luna were eating their own bowls before he started eating his. He smiled at Triston as the other sat down. "It's ok," he scooted over a bit so Triston could sit on the bench with him. The question about the dragons made him pause. "Ahhh..hm well by the time supper is done it'll be getting dark. So we can head back and then maybe lead them through the tunnel? Ah but the tunnel is on the other side of the island...hm it should be dark enough by the time we get back to fly and lead them I think, "he was unusure
 
Triston thought it over quietly while he ate his stew. "The tunnel might be safer," he decided at last. "Nobody else knows about it, and nobody will spot us flying overhead by accident."

"Ah. Speakin' of the tunnels, I've gone and added a bit of a surprise for ye both in there," Capper added with a warm smile. "Dragon safe, too. But not dragon proof. Ye'll probably have to refill the containers at some point."

"Containers of . . .?"

"Well, I figured ye might want some light in the tunnels, just in case. And I found some glowin' rocks that'll work perfectly! Don't know if Gronkles or Rock Spitters like 'em, though," Capper admitted.
 
Lambi agreed the tunnel would be safer, it would just be getting the dragons to the tunnel that would be a bit of work. "If we are taking the gronkles the tunnel is the best bet, they don't like flying for long periods of time...and tend to get distracted," moving them to the island in the first place had been a challenge. Hearing Capper added some light in the tunnel he was grateful, it had been too dark down there to see much of anything. "Thank you, that'll definitely help, we will have to watch the gronkles to make sure they don't try and eat them," he said with a small laugh. When he was mostly done with his stew he moved to give the rest to Luna.
 
"We should probably move the Gronkles tonight, then, while it's dark," Triston decided.

Tide watched Lambi give his stew to Luna, and then he slithered up to Triston, laying his head in his lap and rumbling.

Triston laughed and playfully shoved his head away. "Nope, I'm not sharing! Go get some from Dad."

Capped beamed proudly and poured more stew into Tide's bowl. "Would you two like me to come along, just to help out? Movin' a whole colony through tunnels can be tricky."
 
(ugh sorry was helping watch my niece and nephew all week and I'm dead)

"Yeah, definitely best to get them done first, they're the biggest bunch we have on the little island," they had rescued only a small group originally but over the years they had babies and then bam big group. Lambi was happy sharing his stew with tide but he laughed when Triston didn't let tide have any. At cappers question he nodded," Yeah that's a good idea, if not I mostly need your baby dragon whispering skills to stop the baby hobble grunts from escaping...going to have to move them next I think." They were injured nor was the mother dragon so it would be fine to move them to this bigger island to wait for others from their herd to join. They couldn't stay on the island long though not with their escaping habits.
 
(No worries! Sorry for dropping off, I thought I hit send on this but I must've accidentally closed the tab ;~; )

Capper chuckled and started cleaning up some of the empty dishes. "Well, I tell you what, then. Let me know when you boys are ready to go and tell me if I'd be more helpful in the lead or back. This ain't exactly a small scale plan ye've got here. This is an entire migration. Underground," he added, petting one of the Deadly Nadders hopped onto his arm.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Nobody knows about the tunnels, so it should be pretty - wait a minute. Lambi, isn't the tunnel entrance right near town?" Triston asked, his eyes widening.
 
(sorry again for falling off the face of existence, just like doesn't seem to be slowing down rn. Still dealing with the divorce from hell I swear, surpassing a year since it started)

Lambi nodded at Triston's realization with a small sigh. "Yup...that's why I was a bit unsure about the tunnel," he bit his lip as he thought,"But maybe we could reroute the tunnel? Gronkles do like to dig maybe we could just get them onto the island near my house and try and dig the the tunnel from there? Then we can close off the entrance that's right next to town." They would have to be extremely careful not to wake anyone but his house was so far from the village and hopefully everyone would be sleeping and not notice the gronkles digging if they went slow.