Slygotha finished her molt, flicking the last few stubborn scales from her hide. The skin between the scales was pink and new, the soft scales glistened like polished obsidian. Their fragility while hardening made her feel very vulnerable, but it would be easy to make their way through the jungle swamps without running into anything that might threaten the family by simply staying in her human shape and letting the wyrmlings handle the creatures that may come into the claustrophobic heart of the jungle. Most average creatures here held Slygotha and her broods in the highest regard, and steered clear whenever they could. Sighing, she looked around the underwater cave, softly illuminated from the light percolating through the water at the mouth, tinted with the muck from the bottom of the pond. The swamp spread from here, water tendrils winding throughout the jungle. Before setting out, Slygotha bowed her head in thanks to the heart of the jungle, and apologized to it for the destruction around and within her home, for she knew that it would be a long time before anything else grew there again.
Nidhogg noticed her gesture, and asked, " broodmother, what is it that you are talking to? You mumbled something under your breath?"
" Yes, Nidhogg, we must be mindful of the lifemagic that this home of ours has granted us. I was thanking the trees, the plants, animals and the very rocks, this place has become quite entwined with us after a millennia of living here. We must always remember that magic is not only something within us, but sometimes it is making use of the connection we share with the land. "
Nidhogg nodded, but was only just beginning to understand the deep connection that existed between her kind and this place. It must be why broodmother did not venture far from the jungle swamps.
"We will make a stop at the den, if the Intruders have gone. We will need the seeds of the vine that drinks our acid."
Slygotha slipped into the water, making a quick meal of several large fish as she swam. The water stung her ultra sensitive skin, but she ignored it.
~~~
Trogdor knew his father wasn't lying, so he simply curled up against his father as tightly as he could, seeking comfort in closeness, shutting his eyes to pretend that the cage was a bad dream. He shuddered, lingering sobs escaping as he slowly calmed himself.
~~~
Asclepius started back, his hand across his heart. "I couldn't dream of a more lovely rescuer than yourself! Don't assume I'm sexist, milady, merely chivalrous! Female dragons are no more or less dangerous than males, and in the case of mother's, they can be extremely terrifying!"
Asclepius laughed out loud. "Your magic is likely more formidable than many of this realm, anyways."
