Skye Finds an Amphiteryx

Skye, T'lee-nava and Amethystiel sat in a small cavern they had made their temporary home during their adventures. A small fire crackled between them, providing light and warmth. They had just finished dinner and were getting ready to turn in after a long day of exploring.

"Hey, um..." Skye squeaked shyly.

"What's up Skye?" Amethystiel yawned as he stretched out.

"I've been thinking about what I want to do. You know... so I'm not just tagging along."

"Well, don't pressure yourself. We all have our own unique abilities. If it weren't for you we never would've made it to the tree of life." T'lee sat up. His words were thoughtful and confident, as always, Skye thought to herself.

"I know, but... well... what I want to do is create a field guide. I want to document all the magical species of Galabastria, and maybe even further! I'll sketch them, make notes about where we found them - you, know, their habitat - whatever we can find along the way. I really think... um... maybe so,etching like that could be useful."

T'lee was the first to speak, as Amethystiel nodded along excitedly, "That is a wonderful idea Skye. It's a great goal for you, and our group, and will fit right in as we explore and continue to hone our abilities."

"You'll need a notebook, right Skye?" Amethystiel added, "We aren't too far from a village, we'll go first thing!"

"Oh!? Yes, but I mean, it's not an emergency."

"Don't be silly Skye, Let's go get the supplies you need. Then we'll really all be ready to start our adventure."

Skye was smiling ear to ear. The three drakiri curled up and went right to sleep.

---

They set out at first light and arrived at the village just as the general store opened. They were able to get some sturdy notebooks, pens and inks in secure containers. The next stop was the book shop; they were all eager to start studying magic. Unfortunately, the bookstore was out, but a delivery would be there in the next few hours. However, the book-keeper was able to tell them about some amphiteryx, a mythical creature, that had been seen recently. Apparently, the farmers loved them because they were efficient hunters and kept the farms clear of pests.

Skye bounced with excitement, eager to find out more about them and where they lived.

Amethystiel, still a bit sluggish from waking up early, agreed to stay behind and wait for the magic textbooks to arrive. T'lee-nava and Skye set out towards the fields to search for amphiteryx. Being flying creatures, they were difficult to track down - not leaving much in the way of footprints or other trail signs. Skye did notice that a rocky outcropping had a perfect overlook of the fields. So they spent the day scaling the rocky hills, finding one or two empty nests and some feathers they didn't recognize. As the sun began to set, they were considering turning in, when Sky heard a strange noise.

Just over the edge of the cliff, there was an amphiteryx guarding a nest of eggs! T'lee-nava leaned in, sniffing the creature.

"Be careful T'lee, we don't want to frighten it." Skye whispered as she sat down and began drawing. She made notes about the colors, markings, shape of the nest, and how carefully it was balanced on the branch extending from the cliff side. It was certainly safe from most land predators that way. She sketched the creature and it's nest.

"Okay T'lee, I'm all done."

"Let's head back then. That one was pretty tough to find. I gave it a good sniff and I could barely smell it. It keeps its nest very clean too."

Skye had taken her notebook again and was taking quick notes, "Those are great observations! This really is a team effort."

"So, how do you feel about riding on my back? I want to zip down these hills!" T'lee grinned excitedly.

"Alright, but I'm keeping my eyes closed!" Skye jumped up onto T'lee's back, gripping his mane tightly. True to his word, T'lee bounded down the hills at breakneck speed, his hooves dancing over the rocks and scrambles. They got back to the village just after sundown to find a sleeping Amethystiel sprawled out in front of the bookshop, a satchel of books looped around his midsection. They made their way home to their little cavern, sharing tales of the days adventures the whole way,