Apparition x Thyra

Thyra was a small dragon, which was something she was perfectly aware of, but it had never stopped her from getting involved in things that were probably much too large for her. She had challenged creatures several times her size, ridden into battle on the back of something that could have easily mistaken her for a particularly strange piece of equipment, and generally made a habit of going places where smaller, more sensible creatures might have thought twice. So when she found herself accompanying Apparition to a rather unpleasant stretch of land, she wasn't particularly concerned. Well, perhaps a little. The ground ahead was cracked and blackened, with glowing orange seams running between the rocks, and further beyond those was a wide field of molten lava. Heat rolled across the landscape in waves, making the air shimmer, while occasional bursts of flame erupted from cracks in the ground. It was certainly not somewhere Thyra would have chosen to spend her afternoon, but Apparition seemed rather interested in it.

The enormous dragon had emerged from the nearby ocean, their strange body glistening with seawater as they settled on the rocky shoreline. They were a peculiar creature, far larger than Thyra could properly comprehend, and the little dragon watched them carefully as they turned their attention toward the volcanic landscape. Apparition made a low, rumbling sound, their body shifting before they began moving toward the edge of the water. Thyra tilted her head. Surely they weren't intending to go over there? The heat alone was enough to make her uncomfortable from this distance, and she was quite happy to remain on the cooler rocks where she could observe without risking her little feet. Apparition, however, seemed entirely unbothered. Their enormous body lifted from the ocean, water streaming from their strange limbs as they took to the air, and Thyra craned her neck to follow their ascent.

They flew toward the lava field, passing over the blackened rocks before descending toward one of the larger pools. For a moment, Apparition hovered above the molten surface, their shadow stretching across the glowing orange liquid. Then they dropped. Their enormous body disappeared into the lava with a tremendous splash, sending molten material surging outward in thick, glowing waves. Thyra's eyes widened, her little claws gripping the stone beneath her as she watched. A burst of lava rose into the air, scattering in heavy droplets before falling back into the pool, and then Apparition resurfaced. They moved through the molten material as comfortably as they might have through the ocean, their strange body gliding beneath the glowing surface before rising again in a great sweep of liquid fire. It was a rather absurd sight, really. The ocean-dwelling creature had apparently decided that swimming in lava was a perfectly reasonable afternoon activity.

Apparition continued through the pool, diving beneath the surface and reappearing farther along, each movement sending waves of molten rock rolling against the surrounding banks. They eventually rose higher, lifting their enormous body above the lava before plunging back in once more. The resulting splash was enormous, a great fountain of glowing orange and yellow that briefly illuminated the entire field. Thyra hopped backward as a few stray droplets landed on the rocks nearby, her whiskers twitching as she watched them cool into darkened lumps. She wasn't entirely certain what she had expected when she followed the Colossal dragon here, but this was certainly more impressive than she had anticipated. She had seen dragons use fire, of course, and she had seen creatures brave dangerous terrain, but there was something rather different about watching a dragon treat a pool of molten rock like a swimming pond.

Eventually Apparition emerged from the lava entirely, rising into the air with their enormous body silhouetted against the heat shimmering above the field. They circled once before heading back toward the shoreline, where Thyra was still waiting. The little dragon watched their approach, her head lifting as the Colossal creature descended toward the water. Apparition landed with a tremendous splash, sending seawater rolling over the rocks and soaking Thyra's feet. She shook one paw, then the other, before looking up at them. The enormous dragon made a deep, pleased rumble, their attention settling on the tiny female. Thyra stared back for a moment before stepping forward, inspecting the strange creature as though checking for damage. There didn't appear to be any. Not even a little bit.

She gave a small chirp, then another, much more animated one, before hopping closer and lifting her head toward Apparition. Whatever she thought of their little excursion, she certainly seemed impressed. Apparition lowered their head toward her, and Thyra leaned forward to investigate, giving their strange features a careful sniff. She was a tiny thing beside them, but that had never stopped her from approaching something interesting, and it certainly wasn't going to start now. After all, she had just watched a Colossal dragon swim through a lake of lava and come back as though nothing particularly unusual had happened. That was quite an achievement, and Thyra would have a great deal to tell her nestmate about later.