KEEPERS - 2

Koru smiled as Xayah explained along. Her gestures and expressions, so passionate and excited to teach the Haedians. When it came to Koru's turn to speak, he used his magic to display visions to the minds present in the discussion. Visages of the temples, libraries, even caves that he'd found in his travels. Each brimming with knowledge of their own. Records, teachings, journals, everything. 

"On the topside, there are boundless sources of knowledge and learning. New things to record and teach your people, of us, our history, our cultures." Koru raised his head as though to marvel at the wonder of all the visions. "We would consider it an honor to teach you more of it all, and hopefully someday, show it."

While the pair was shown around some more, treated to valuable crumbs of information that they snapped up eagerly, Xayah grew… distracted. Completely distracted, if she were honest. Not even being given permission to peruse information pulled her from what had her focus.

Haedian pups.

Oh so curious and wide eyed over new information. It was like she could see the wonder and whimsy of their imaginations blooming as displays of info and magic were shown to them by an older keeper. Something that all too quickly turned boring upon the newcomers being spotted. Collective gasps of surprise and shock escaped the young haedians before they scurried over in a clumsy jumble of bodies.

“What are you-”

“Why do you-”

“Where are your wings-”

Xayah laughed, warmth bubbling up in her chest as it always did when she was presented with children of all kinds. The reosan sat, a kind smile on her face as she waved for them to calm down.

“Now- one at a time! Why don’t we start with the basics, hm? My name is Xayah, and this is Koru. We are Vayrons from the surface and we don’t have wings like you do. We’re here to learn about all of your clans, and share what we know as well. Neat, huh?” Xayah explained, grinning once more as their eyes seemed to grow even wider with the new information.

“The surface? Do you have lots of caves up there?” One asked, head tilting comically far.

“Well, we’re not in a cave system on the surface. We have open skies, where we can see the sun, moon, stars, and everything else.” Xayah explained, blinking when she realized they likely didn’t have a single clue on what she just said. “Oh, um- Koru? Beloved, could you come here for a moment and show them things from the surface with your magic?”

—

Hearing the call of his wife peeled Koru’s attention from the many endless shelves he’d been so invested in perusing. First the mention of his name perked his ears, before finally his head turned to Xayah and the many haedian pups. He knew right away that Xayah felt quite familiar, teaching young ones as they look at you with big curious eyes. The puller smiled as he walked over to the huddle of pups and seated himself beside his partner.

“You’re curious of the surface, hm?” He looked over the nodding pups. The many questions they had flooded to Xayah came pouring to him in turn and he chuckled. “Alright, alright, one at a time. How about we begin with the many places across Reos?” With his words, ignited a trail of magic, that coiled into a round window to what looked like a verdant forest. With each explanation, the window shifted and changed. “From the lush forests of Warrenfall, and the chilly peaks in Roenden, all the way across to the dunes of Thedale. The world above is a wonder to explore.” In a storytelling tone, he engaged each pup to many new wonders he and his wife could think of. Normal and known as they all were to them, the pups had never seen deserts, or snowy peaks, or the blue skies above endless valleys.

The pups asked so many things familiar to them, like what about other tunnels, caves, magical woods- everything they already knew. And Koru and Xayah got to tell of it all. How this place was so new to them, as their home was to the pups. How they may not have had such way of holding history, or traveling through gliding, or the foods and sights they could relish every day.
Koru found himself smiling as Xayah educated the pups along with his magical visions. 

—

Xayah smiled as Koru regaled the pups with images of what the surface world looked like with his magic, her tail wrapping around him when he sat next to her. She let him have his turn with answering their questions and wowing them with visions they’d never seen before. Then, she was teaching them. Explaining the differences in a way that young minds could still comprehend while satisfying their ever growing curiosity of the world above.

Xayah described the animals that lived on the surface as well, Koru’s magic swirling to provide a visual of the many birds, prey animals, and carnivores that existed above. Let alone their oceans and the many wondrous creatures that lived in their depths.

“I wanna go to the surface!” One pup exclaimed, excitement shining in their eyes. “I wanna pet a sheep!! Can I go? Pretty please?”

“Why didn’t reosans visit us sooner?” Another asked, confused as she tried to wrap her young mind around why this was their first ever time seeing the other species.

“That’s not up to me, little one. That decision lays with your Matriarch.” Xayah told the first kindly before focusing on the other. “And we didn’t know you all were down here. There was an earthquake, and it opened up a way for us to all meet each other. That’s why we’re here now- to meet you all and learn about each other! Isn’t that so neat?”

The pups nodded, then devolved into more excited questions for the couple to answer and display with Koru’s magic, their curiosity never ending.