20.Aug.22, 07:49 AM
There were few stragglers in his class, most everyone else already up and starting their daily routine. Ch'es was normally among the first awake, but Pardrith had kept him up late into the night and early hours of the morning regaling him with dreams that had woken the young dragon, and the few sparse hours he'd managed had been fitful.
With no time for a real breakfast, Ch'es resigned himself to sharing some of Pardrith's meal - a practice that disgusted nearly everyone in the class - until he spotted a fruit basket by the door. A few pieces of fruit were missed already, so the boy saw no harm in snagging one for himself as well after he got dressed.
Ch'es snagged a carambola, choosing the symmetrically shaped fruit for its ease of being able to eat it on the run. Though others would undoubtedly prefer to cut it in neat, star-shaped slices, Ch'es chomped right into one of the five ridges to chew on the sweet flesh. He frowned at a tinge of bitterness to it, disappointed that it wasn't sweet all the way through. Perhaps it had yet to ripen all the way.
Unconcerned, the boy snagged a bucket of prepared meats for Pardrith and let him eat while they walked to their lessons. An attendant stepped forward to take the bucket as soon as Pard had devoured all of its offerings while Ch'es finished off his starfruit and swiped its mixture of sour-sweet juices from his chin.
It was only midway through the first lesson when Ch'es felt dizziness strike. Automatically, his heart palpitations began as he already anticipated the panic attack. Since his recent admission of his troubles in class with Mylorah, the boy's eyes automatically sought hers out as if to ground himself. What had she told him to do when he felt one coming on again? Sleep, he remembered then. So this was just because he hadn't slept well.
Pardrith growled at his side, concerned when Ch'es draped his arm over the hatchling's back and took shallow, panicked breaths. Despite knowing his boy's wishes to keep the issue secret, Pardrith, too, could feel the wash of panic himself. His soft growls then became furious snarls, teeth bared at any of his siblings and their bonded who were too close. Space, the little dragon knew. They needed space so they could breathe right.
Ch'es's eyes wheeled with panic. This was not how today was supposed to go. The lesson wasn't even that stressful, so why was this happening now?? He understood this part, and liked this aspect of learning! Why, why, why?
Despite having Pardrith do his best to help Ch'es keep his feet, the boy's arm slipped off and he fell to all fours in the sands. One hand lifted to clutch at his chest even as Pardrith lunged at one of his siblings who dared to draw closer to investigate, teeth snapping with enough intent to harm any perceived threat that it was clear it wasn't a game.
When Ch'es slumped fully to the ground, his mind quieted in stark contrast to the panic Pardrith felt before, the hatchling stood over him defensively, tail lashing furiously as he warded off the others. Clearly, they had done this to his boy. They weren't allowed to come closer!
The young dragon's own breathing was ragged now, and each time he swung his head around to snap or snarl at nearby movement, he stumbled over his boy's prone form. It was the determination to protect Ch'es alone that kept him from succumbing to the unconsciousness that threatened the edges of his vision.