Returning to the Aerie ahead of schedule hadn’t exactly been their plan, but because of what happened, Taekwoon agreed it was a good idea. Especially since Chaerin and the rest of her group had seemed agreeable to the suggestion. Relieved even, which was a little strange in and of itself. Not for the first time, Taekwoon glanced around his wing, taking note of where they were around the new group: six dragons on the outside and seven on the inside. It was very much a direct flip of their first meeting, but all parties appeared at least comfortable with it. More or less.

            Any trouble? he asked his dragon again, the copper flying reassuringly under him.

            Jonghyun did not respond immediately, as he took a couple wing beats to observe the group. Insoo on Gunwoo was leading the flight, as expected, while the rest of his wing mates had taken positions on either side of the other seven. He himself was riding in the rear, both guard for and of them, with Jongup providing support as circling eyes. The dragons within seemed a bit subdued but strong enough. Though their human riders didn’t have the combat prowess the wing riders did, the dragons could prove to be a challenge if they wanted.

            No, Jonghyun responded at last, his flight pattern unchanged as he moved. Dragons are… happy? No. Relieved is better. Worried about riders, but no trouble from them.

            Well that was interesting. The riders seemed worried too, but none would say about what. Not that he had tried to ask them personally. He was happy enough to remain apart, especially since Chaerin had finally stopped trying to get so close to him. Maybe it was just a ruse to get him to let his guard down, but it didn’t feel that way. No… there had been a definite shift in her after their sparring bouts. That could have been because of what happened, but he thought there was more to it.

            You should have fought too, Jonghyun grumbled, still annoyed that none had volunteered for a round with his rider.

            I wanted to, Taekwoon agreed, eyes jumping over the riders in their midst. Other than Jungsu though, he didn’t think any would have been much of a challenge. And really… it was probably better he hadn’t sparred with Jungsu. He’d gotten control of his dragon half but there was no telling how he might have reacted to such underhanded treachery.

            Bad leader, the copper snorted, a distinct feeling of ‘good riddance’ bleeding through their connection.

            I thought you said Fei was the leader? Taekwoon questioned, still trying to better understand the power dynamics in the group. Well, he knew the hierarchy of everyone else except for that between Jungsu and Chaerin, due in no small part because Jonghyun kept telling him conflicting information. As a human, Jungsu felt like the leader, though Chaerin said she was. For the dragon, Fei was very much the leader and the silver a second in command.

            Gold is. Not sure rider was, he explained, glancing back with one amber eye.

            “Huh.” That would certainly explain some of her relief. Their sparring matches had all gone well enough between those who had volunteered. Jinyoung had sat out, much like Taekwoon, but everyone else had battled. Chaerin had even put up more of a fight than most thought she would, though ultimately Taeyeon did win in the end. The trouble hadn’t really shown up until Jungsu’s fight with Insoo.

            Do you think he had private tutor training or military leader training? Taekwoon wondered for his dragon. He’d asked his wing mates already, but they all felt very strongly about the former option. He did too, but he liked getting his dragon’s opinion, a fact his dragon also appreciated.

            Jonghyun’s snort was answer enough, but he did add, If he had acted like that with Combat Master, broken arm would be light punishment.

            Indeed, Taekwoon agreed quickly, nodding his head along with the thought.

            That was very much why he wasn’t with them now. When he found himself losing against Insoo, much earlier than he obviously expected, the other man had pulled a knife on the Wing Leader. It was a testament to Insoo’s skill and levelheadedness that he did not return the favor, though he was injured in the process. He suffered a stab wound in the side, nothing life threatening but still painful, before he almost literally disarmed his opponent.

            They had all briefly discussed returning to the Aerie for treatment but Jungsu had declined and insisted that he would be going to Fantor instead. Two other riders had… defected with him, taking a blue and bronze dragon with them. After being treated, Insoo had insisted upon a private meeting with Chaerin. Taekwoon wasn’t sure what they spoke about but he figured it likely mentioned a promise about not trying something like that again if they did agree to come with them.

            So here they were. Almost back to Bahamut’s Aerie two days ahead of schedule and none too soon for Taekwoon. He was just happy they were almost home as the weather felt like it was turning again and he was more than ready to see Jinki. And get away from Chaerin, even if she had eased up. He still didn’t trust her entirely. Her comment about ‘doing what she had to in order to protect her dragon’ had stuck with him and he couldn’t quite shake the foreboding it made him feel.

            He was startled from his thoughts by a distant dragon’s roar and every head turned to the right side as they spotted another wing in the offing. Is that Hero? Taekwoon asked uncertainly, knowing it would be strange if it was. Yunho didn’t normally patrol with the others unless something big was going on.

            Yes, Jonghyun grumbled in response, his sight and dragon recognition better than his rider’s.

            Look’s like they’re coming to us, he mused in response, trying to hide his genuine amusement at Jonghyun’s continued grudge against the silver dragon. And that was fine, but despite his amusement, the fact it was Yunho gave Taekwoon cause for concern. They had only been gone for just under two sevendays… What had happened in that time for things to change so much?

            He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Yunho and Hero arrived shortly and their wing surrounded all the dragons, an extra precautionary measure with the appearance of the seven new ones in their midst. Yunho himself flew close to Insoo to speak as they angled their way to the Aerie. Even as they got closer, Taekwoon noticed that it seemed quieter than usual. There weren’t as many dragons on the walls as he was used to, and it was a mild disappointment to miss seeing Jiho and N actually. If they’d been called out for patrolling or work in a wing, things must be getting bad.

            On the other hand, it wasn’t surprising to see Aerie Master Satoru and High Dragon Commander Eric waiting for them to land before they’d gotten too close. They were quickly pushed out of mind however when he noticed Jinki standing nearby, face turned up as he stared at their arrival.

            Mate, Jonghyun commented unnecessarily, though his tone was pleased.

            I see, Taekwoon smiled in response, glancing at Jongup to see the blue had noticed as well. He was winding through the air in what one might call a happy performance and that feeling permeated through Jonghyun’s mate bond and into Taekwoon in turn. It was a welcome sensation indeed.

            Frustratingly, as soon as they landed, he was not given time to steal Jinki away. No. Instead, he was called away with all the other new dragonriders to speak with Satoru and Eric privately. Yunho waved them off easily enough. “We’ll look after your dragons and keep an eye on the newcomers,” he promised, saluting Satoru and Eric before nodding once at Insoo and extending a measured look towards the rest of the gathered individuals. Taekwoon almost chuckled when it felt as if Yunho nearly skipped over him. Their eye contact was almost laughably brief but it was enough. He was still more Captain than biased man to maintain his professionalism, even if his dragon wasn’t always quite so controlled.

            Instead of moving towards the Aerie Master’s office – they would never all fit inside comfortably, they were shepherded toward Master Seunghyun’s training salle. It was both a secure and private space that, while cold initially, would warm up quickly with their combined body heat. It also had the added bonus of having Seunghyun nearby just in case the newcomers proved to be a handful. Taekwoon was sure that Insoo would have explained the situation but he had to commend the leaders for taking no chances. With the Aerie as depleted as it was – he had yet to see the usual runners who always made an appearance – being cautious was no bad thing.

            The Combat Master himself was typically unreadable, stoic expression more than intimidating for any that didn’t know him. Furthermore, he had to clear out his current students – the most recent group of grounded riders who were in for conditioning – and that meant more guards to stand watch outside. Taekwoon suspected a lot of it was for show, but it never hurt to be ready for anything. Glancing at Chaerin, he could see that she at least appeared a bit overwhelmed and more than a little nervous. He almost – almost – felt sorry for her. It dissipated quickly when he found himself next to Jinki who had managed to slink back to join him from the front.

            “Hey,” Jinki whispered with a suppressed smile, keeping his face mostly turned forward.

            Taekwoon had to hide his own when he felt the other man’s hand brush against the back of his. “Hey yourself,” he answered, looking at him just enough to drink in his profile and the warmth he summoned so easily.

            “You okay?” his other half asked, glancing around the gathering uncertainly, though he kept his voice so low it was almost hard to hear.

            “Yeah. I’ll tell you all about it later,” he promised, curling his fingers around Jinki’s hand and giving a light reassuring squeeze. “You?”

            “Same,” Jinki responded, mirroring the hand squeeze.

            It was the barest of exchanges and yet, it was also enough for the moment. Taekwoon wanted to escape with the man at his side, but duty and his own curiosity called. There would be time enough for them to be alone together later. For now, the leaders of the Aerie wanted to talk and he was not going to naysay them. Especially when it might give him a better idea of what it was that Chaerin wanted.

            Initially, there wasn’t any seating present and they all sort of just milled around uncertainly, each casting nervous glances to those present. But then, the doors creaked open after a quiet knock and some of the errand runners and the newest Aerie residents entered carrying long benches from the dining hall. Taekwoon caught sight of Sanghyuk and was glad to see that the younger man was still doing alright. It appeared that Joy was his carrying partner too, which wasn’t all that unsurprising. They noticed him shortly after they entered and excited smiles quickly gave way to nervous ones as they took in the full company. Their following companions had similar reactions – no one knew quite what to think…

            Nor were they allowed to stay to find out. As soon as they had settled the benches, they were ushered out by Seunghyun, whose glare was enough to intimidate even hardened veterans. Then the Combat Master vacated the room and left the heads of the Aerie with the returning wing and their newest companions.

            “Please have a seat,” Aerie Master Satoru encouraged as he gestured gracefully towards the hard benches. Neither he nor Eric moved to do so, but at his behest, the others did. Taekwoon felt Jinki’s hand tighten in his perceptibly as they settled, Aerie riders on one side and the newcomers on the other. He cast a bemused glance at the strangers and added, “You can be at ease. We are not dragons who might be tempted to eat you.”

            Insoo’s wing chuckled quietly. Chaerin’s remained uncomfortably quiet. That alone helped to reinforce Taekwoon’s thoughts that there was something else to their coming here. Most nervous people laughed at least a little bit when under stress. Satoru raised a brow at the lack of response but made no other mention of it. He did turn his full attention on Chaerin when she rose to speak first.

            “Forgive our lack of response,” she began with a polite bow, her voice strangely neutral. It felt as if she’d practiced such a tone before… “We are simply anxious about being separated from our dragons,” she explained, gesturing towards her own group members who nodded in silent agreement.

            “Are you not in contact with them now?” High Dragon Commander Eric asked immediately, his dark brows pulled down in a sign of obvious confusion.

            “We cannot speak with our dragons the way you do yours. We feel them and they us. Enough to know that we are all… anxious, but little more,” she admitted, her tone remaining almost detached in its delivery.

            “I see,” Satoru murmured with a nod in her direction, almost apologetic. “We’ll try not to keep you separated for too long then. After all, we are tentatively grateful for your willingness to join us here. Though we judged it prudent to speak in private without prying eyes and ears before any larger decisions might be made.”

            “Of course,” Chaerin answered, giving a deferential nod. Taekwoon’s brows dropped in confusion as this was another persona from whom they’d met before. Oh, she was very much Chaerin, the rider of Fei, but this persona was not the carefree or even conflicted one they’d seen in the old aerie. This one was guarded and careful. It was strange. Well… stranger anyway.

            Satoru gave her a small bow before he shifted closer to Eric to speak with him, exchanging words that did not carry beyond their ears. Both nodded and hummed and then came to a swift decision. “Very well. We will convene with our riders after this, but first, we would like to know you and how you feel about the idea of joining our Aerie.”

            Chaerin did not answer immediately. She paused to look back at her own companions, making brief eye contact before she did. It almost appeared that she took strength from them though no words were actually exchanged. “After you, please,” she encouraged with a practiced bow and extended gesture towards him.

            Satoru looked amused and Eric seemed slightly chagrined at the oversight on their part. “Apologies,” the Aerie Master smiled, bowing in turn. “I am Aerie Master Satoru and this is High Dragon Commander Eric. We are the leaders of Bahamut’s Aerie and we would like to formally extend our welcome to you and your companions.”

            “Thank you, Aerie Master Satoru. High Dragon Commander Eric. We accept your invitation,” she expressed, the feeling almost ritualistic. “I am Chaerin, rider of the gold dragon Fei. If you would, please allow me to introduce my companions,” she went on, turning to gesture towards the riders behind her. Each rider she named, including their dragons, raised their hand in acknowledgement and then gave a slight bow, never taking their eyes off the Aerie leaders. As much as he was unsure of them, Taekwoon approved of the readiness, though coming from them, it felt more like a learned behavior as opposed to a trained one.

            When she was finished, Satoru glanced at Insoo, as if in confirmation, and when he received a subtle nod in response, he smiled. “We are pleased to make your acquaintances. Now, your thoughts on our Aerie?” he prompted, hands rising slightly to gesture at the space around them.

            Chaerin nodded in understanding and took a small breath, gently clasping her hands before her. “If you would have us, we are interested in lending you our numbers provided certain conditions are met.”

            “Oh?” Eric blinked in amused surprise. It was clear he hadn’t expected her to be so blunt.

            Taekwoon hadn’t either, but the tiny motion of her clasped hands made him focus harder. She was practically trembling. From what, he didn’t know, but he didn’t think she was afraid. The energy felt wrong, but it would be interesting to find out, if he could.

            “Of course,” Satoru murmured with a nod as if he had expected such a statement. Eric mirrored him like a shadow and both waited patiently for the response.

            “Should you accept us, we request that you treat us no differently than your own Aerie residents. That you do not separate us, for any reason, unless we agree with it. And most importantly, that you train us and our dragons to fight.” She stopped speaking suddenly, her expression determined though her body language tense and uncertain. She was easy enough to read and Taekwoon wondered why she required the last part…

            Satoru exchanged a look with Eric and they both nodded lightly. “The first requirement is a matter of no dispute. If you are in the Aerie, you are of the Aerie. The second, we have no qualm with either. The third…” he trailed off, glancing at the Dragon High Commander. All eyes turned to him as they waited for his own inquiry.

            “Why is it that you insist upon learning combat? You would be just as useful by riding patrols or running messages as needed without the need of learning to fight at this late stage,” he explained simply, expression carefully neutral. They all knew they needed fighting dragons, but the fact they had made it a requirement of their stay was worth questioning.

            “We feel it is in our and our dragons’ best interests to do so,” Chaerin hedged, a note of traitorous uncertainty creeping into her tone. Taekwoon knew she had not meant for the sound to escape and her shaking hands intensified.

            Eric’s eyes narrowed just a touch and he took a small breath. “You have obviously done well thus far without having learned combat the way you must be intending here. So… why is it in your best interest now?” he pressed, interest piqued but everything else about him unchanged.

            Chaerin glanced at her companions who all seemed to be just a bit more nervous about the situation. She looked down briefly and one hand rose to her , resting lightly above her heart. Her eyes took on a slightly unfocused look and it was easy enough to see she was reaching out to her dragon. Or vice versa… When she spoke again, her voice was strong and determined. She pulled her shoulders back and met the High Dragon Commander’s gaze evenly. “Because we have not been given the opportunity to train as you have and with the growing conflict beyond the walls of the Aerie, it is not enough that we can be mere patrols or messengers. Larger battles and wars care not who they kill, be they trained to fight or otherwise. At least with training, we might have a better chance, come what may.”

            Taekwoon glanced at Jinki out of the corner of his eye and he could see that her words had at least reached him. The other man’s face was focused and in some degree of awe. Not entirely surprising. She had a certain amount of charisma when she wanted. And if he hadn’t been exposed to her previously, he might be similarly swayed, but her pretty words, while true, still felt like they were hiding something else. He just didn’t know what. It didn’t help that she hadn’t been able to rally herself until she’d spoken with her dragon either… Once more, her comment about protecting Fei came to mind and he bit his bottom lip thoughtfully, content for the moment to see how the scales tipped.

            High Dragon Commander Eric nodded once and looked at Satoru, apparently waiting for the final word. The Aerie Master nodded once in turn and Eric turned back to speak. “Very well. Your third condition is also acceptable. With the coming winter moons, we will not be able to train you in the full extent of combat maneuvers. Not safely. But given your assumed levels, there is much we can accomplish in the meantime.”

            Relief made Chaerin’s shoulders relax just a touch, and the hint of a smile tugged at . “Thank you,” she murmured, offering a lower bow, but one that still let her keep them in her sights.

            Eric grunted a satisfied response, but then his gaze turned thoughtful as he regarded the rest of the group. “There are seven of you, which makes for an odd wing number. And normally, we would group you with more experienced members in partial wings to get a better feel. Given your desire to remain together,” he started, waiting for Chaerin’s confirmation. She nodded firmly and he continued, “We will need to discuss training possibilities.”

            “Actually…” Chaerin started, raising her hand with a quick glimpse at Insoo’s wing. “If they are agreeable, we would like to continue working with Wing Leader Insoo’s wing.” That raised some eyebrows and Eric glanced at Insoo who seemed just as caught off guard by the suggestion. “We at least know them and they know a bit of how we work and since we already have an understanding of sorts, we would be more comfortable working with familiar dragons and riders for the time being.”

            “Interesting proposition,” Eric commented, looking at Insoo to see how he and his group would feel.

            Insoo was thoughtful, if nothing else, and he did not answer first. He waited to turn to his wing mates before doing so. Taekwoon was neither for or against the idea. There was some merit to her suggestion. He just… didn’t really want to be in a position where they continued to work together so closely. Not unexpectedly, the others felt similarly about her proposal and most were tentatively for it. “For now, we are open to help train them, High Dragon Commander,” Insoo relayed, standing up to deliver his response.

            “Well then. That seems to wrap up any preliminary concerns,” Eric commented with a slight shrug and upturned hands. “I shall now leave them in your capable hands, Master Satoru,” he smiled, turning to offer a partial bow at the Aerie Master.

            “Of course. I shall leave you to depose your charges. Chaerin and company. If you will follow me, we can attend to your dragons and start to get you settled,” Satoru offered, extending his hand to help usher them outside. He turned and looked at Jinki pointedly.

            Apparently slightly chagrined, Jinki bowed his head in acknowledgement and gave Taekwoon an apologetic look. “I’ll see you later,” he whispered, giving the other man’s hand a quick squeeze before getting up to essentially lead the way. Taekwoon watched him go with frustration and pride both. He wanted him to stay but being an Aerie Master in Training was also an important role, though it made him curious as to where Yongguk was. Surely the other man should be here as well…

            “Thank you,” Chaerin murmured again, bowing a bit lower this time. Her companions stood and rallied around her quickly. They all clustered together as they started to move out in a group, following Jinki’s lead as Satoru brought up the rear.

            Taekwoon noticed that Eric was still watching them closely as they left. Just because he’d agreed to let them stay didn’t mean they were fully trusted just yet. Though they were tentatively of the Aerie now, eyes would be on them constantly for the time being as well. Whether by default or design. Taekwoon knew he’d be keeping a close watch on them regardless. Most seemed good enough, but with what had happened with Jungsu and how he felt about Chaerin… he wasn’t about to let his guard completely down.

            “Now then,” Commander Eric commented as he drew their attention back to him once the door was closed. “I believe congratulations are in order for finding the heretofore missing dragonriders we were searching for, but something tells me there’s more to the tale than meets the eye,” he chuckled once, shifting to take a seat across from them. “Why don’t you just start from the beginning and we can figure the rest out from there?” he suggested, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, expression open and expectant.

            Insoo’s wing turned to face the Commander more directly, each rider pulling their shoulders back stiffly. “Of course, sir,” Insoo started, bowing slightly as he started to relay what had transpired on their patrol.

(a/n: I know... not a lot of action going on this chapter. And yes, we skipped the previous sparring because the result was what mattered. Don't worry. We'll have a chance to see more contact in upcoming chapters. heh ;) But I am starting to warm up to the direction I've decided to take the story in. It's a far cry from the first idea but this... feels better to and for me. XD I'm currently trying to finish up another story and then I hope to really be able to focus on this one better. I have been regrettably distracted and I am sorry for that. It's been frustrating for me too. T_T But wish me luck this weekend and I hope you enjoyed and are looking forward to the next update. Thank you! You guys are awesome. ^_^)