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The journey south was not an easy one- and one that, to make, a pair of dark dires would have to leave their home undefended. It was a consideration the daughter lent more weight to than the father, Indominus having spent the majority of his life there in the high mountains, and knowing the land could defend itself well. The cavern entrances were hard enough to find when one knew what they were looking for… Any who wandered in while they made their journey, well, it would not be the first time a rogue wolf had met their end in the snowy peaks, frozen, or find their demise falling from such a great height when they did not mind their footing nearly close enough.

Serenade was not near so confident- it would take only one wanderer to stumble into shelter, but for as careless as Indominus was at holding his territory, he was not near so much in the care for his daughter. A dangerous journey indeed- but one in which he could defend her just as well as he could defend the egg, a new sibling to replace the one she had lost- a dragon for a son, it was not so poor a trade, at the end of the day. The divine in return for the coward, and should he ever return, it was decided- in the dark of the night, as Indominus stared at the dark, red-speckled egg, daughter curled quiet and soft in sleep by his side- that should such an unworthy son ever return, his blood would serve as a fine tribute to his new young sibling.

Indominus could not abide his bloodline being carried on by the lesser pups, those who frighten and run when called to a higher destiny. He needed only one pup, his ever-loyal daughter, so similar to her mother in nearly ever aspect… A fine young wolf to mold into future Dragon Queen, once he grew too old and frail to continue his work. She was the one who was fit to carry on his lineage to grandpups, and greater grandpups still- and now, she had a new sibling to stand beside her, to lend support as Indominus molded her into the perfect ruler. These were the thoughts that coiled in his mind- the plots that formed in the quiet of the nights spent in strange countries, skirting the swamps and the strange wolves who made their homes there, the smaller packs that wandered between territories, slipping past other creatures without much note, though at times far more closely than he might have wished.

It was the edge of the desert that prompted any true pause, aside from simply sleeping or drinking from whatever watering hole they happened across, a long and weary journey, but not one Indominus allowed any sort of break or deviation from, in his near-mad dedication to this egg that had suddenly been gifted him. The forced break wasn’t of his choice, either- but rather, his willful daughter, who refused a step further as he demanded, and instead going off to hunt, before they stepped paw into the desert, where food and water would be scarce as it was. He laid where she left him- paws wrapped around the egg, now developed enough he could swear that, at times, he could hear movement, much as he once heard movement in his beloved mate’s belly as their true-blooded pups grew and developed, and the time of their birth grew near. For once, the stubborn self-proclaimed King put up with his daughter’s willfulness. She did not, after all, yet know the signs of impending pups- hardly understood the journey at all, insisting eggs hatched everywhere, not just in the desert on some fool’s errand. He was, for the moment, content to lay there, contemplating the truths and meanings of the world in the nonsensical specks of the dragon’s egg, even as his daughter returned, approaching with caution as she stared.

Sunrise Serenade was under no delusion- she stayed by her father’s side, yes, and passed the chance to join her mother and brother when they left… But not out of preference so much as need. Indominus was a clever wolf, yes, and strong, she didn’t despute that… But also rather… Fervent in his strange beliefs. Dedicated perhaps too much to his queer thoughts of divity and right, and without his daughter, there would be no one to temper him. He would run himself into the ground- the mad wolf was running into the desert, intent on climbing to the very mouth of a volcano, for the sun’s sake! For nothing but the challenge of an overgrown pheasant- it was nothing but sheer madness, and the way he stared at that egg he’d been gifted… It settled on Sunrise poorly, as she paused to watch her motionless sire for a time, antelope dangling from her jaws, the best she could manage in the territory they found themselves in.

There was something…. Wrong about it all, though she did not come close to sharing her father’s fervid conviction in his supersticions, but she was a wolf, same as anyone. She could feel a disaster coming just as keenly as any other, and she saw nothing but destruction and disaster in the way he stared so intently, so… reverently. It made her fur prickle with discomfort- he’d have had them walking until their paws bled, starved and deprived of thirst, and then walk further still, if he had his way, and he gave few things such deep devotion and belief. She stood in discomforted silence for a moment longer before she approached, dropping the antelope body before her father with the accompanyment of the dust that rose from the impact of the body as she sat, watching still- the only acknowledgement she was given was the flick of the dark wolf’s ear.

”Father, I do not intend to continue with you,” she said softly, watching for a reaction that never came, Indominus only staring. Had she not known her father better, she might have believed he hadn’t heard, or was intent on ignoring her. ”I know you have intent on my accompanying you, but I will not watch you walk yourself into death. This antelope is for you- for your journey, as I know I cannot dissuade you from this errand you’ve set yourself to… But I will not follow. I shall wait here- and if you do not return before the grasslands first turn to frost, I will return home alone, while the passes are still open and clear to travel.”

There was no immediate response- Indominus’ only reaction was vibrant eyes raising to the horizon- where there was indeed the outline of a volcano in the distance, a long journey still, with many challenges yet to be faced. Sunrise Serenade’s eyes turned to follow, staring into the horizon as the last of the sunlight turned to dark, and the stars slowly blinked into existence, and Indominus’ tail wrapped protectively around the egg he cared for… And only then, long after his daughter’s announcement, did he speak.

”It is wise of you to think of the future- I dare say I find pride in such keen thinking,” It was not the response she’d feared- though his voice still carried the chill of the ice that was his displeasure, ”Should you falter in such an important quest, our bloodline dies with you- with the loss of your mother, you are far too precious to risk in such a venture.”

He said so matter-of-factly, though he did not once glance to her- instead, bowing his head to lick the surface of the egg as though he might have been comforting a puppy, before resting his head, ”I will accept your tribute, and strengthen myself on it in the morning- may that I carry the swiftness and agility of the creature as I make my way. You will not be here when I wake- but I will find you when I return, and we will talk of great things.”

It was with this- no discussion, but dictation- that he closed his eyes, to whatever ill dreams filled his head. Sunrise sat, staring at her father a while longer, the puzzle that he was. In truth, the response was not nearly as relieving or comforting as she may have liked- but it was the response she was given, and so, it was what she had. There was no arguing it with him now- to do so would only ilicit fury, just as much as disobeying his decree would be. And so, after a long while of staring, she simply stood, and walked away, to find her own home until he returned- or didn’t. If her foolish father died in the endeavor, he would die, and she would be free of him. If not…. She would handle what was to come with his return, as she always did, be it divinity- or fury.

She would not be there when Indominus tipped the egg beyond the volcano rim- nor feel the heat of the lava burst, or hear the fervid, half-mad sung praises of a Dragon King who was given divine right- and rose to it.