"So what can you tell us about yourself? Or would you prefer us to start with the introductions? I don't mind either way." Caniyo encouraged, trying to revive the conversation.
"I don't mind, but I would like to keep my past vague, if it doesn't bother you too much. Apart from that, you can ask anything and maybe we can get it rolling?" I looked at them with some hope in my eyes, leading the conversation is not part of my skill set.
Fortunately, Devyn took the bait. "Then how about your favourite food? For us it's electric eel, for almost any Skrill. So, not much in that department, but you guys can't even eat them, don't mention liking them so it's always fun to ask."
"I don't actually have anything against electric eels, but my favourite is salmon by quite a margin. However, on the topic of eels, I never ate too many at once, so I'm not sure, if they have no adverse effects on me, even in large quantities." I confessed in a casual tone, again forgetting how big of a deal it can be.
Gylfi immediately caught onto that. "Is that so? Would you mind sharing your experience? After all, it is not very often that we meet someone with potentially different views on our main food source. We Skrills mostly love it and outsiders mostly find it poisonous."
"Yeah, the closest we got to anything, was figuring out that we find eels similar in taste as freshwater cod for most dragons. Just better." Caniyo added.
"I never paid it much attention, so I'm not sure, but I find it similar to eating snakes, just much more slimy." I never ate a snake before, but I heard they taste like chicken and I tasted those. Not that they were to my liking.
"Yes, some of the dragons living further south had similar thoughts, it doesn't help us much, though, as we never had an opportunity to taste one such creature." Gylfi commented in a sagely manner, which forced me to hold in a smirk, as I found this image surprisingly amusing.
Devyn might have noticed it, though. "Hahahaha, I understand you completely, Zoya. He does look funny when making that face." I was already feeling pity for this guy, seeing as Gylfi charged his breath attack at him.
"You do, however, misunderstand me. I simply find it enjoyable to watch someone be so innocently proud at figuring something out, even more so, when it's something so small." I clarified my intention as Devyn was once again sent flying.
Gylfi didn't pursue the matter and remained stoic, but I could have sworn he was grumbling to himself something about that.
Caniyo, on the other hand, completely ignored them and asked. "Do you like flying just for the sake of it, or are you the type that enjoys challenging maneuvers more? I prefer to do some flips and barrel-rolls in my fre time."
I took a moment to think about it as I didn't have much time to decide yet during this month or so, as I stayed here. After a moment of contemplation, I answered. "I believe my preferred form of flight is fast and gentle, and so high that I can't see the ground. However, low, almost touching the sea, is also appealing on a windless night."
"Oh, so you are the weird type that finds hanging in the air relaxing." 'If his comments are always like this, then I fully understand why he gets so much beat down from Caniyo and Gylfi.' My tongue was experiencing a warm and tingly sensation as some of my, thankfully unignited, spark dripped upon it as I heard him.
My spark, that has some natural luminescence, might have given me away, probably shining through my teeth, as they gave me an understanding smile. Even so, I gulped it down, gently, so as not to explode my mouth. I can likely take it, but what's the point of doing that. I'm no masochist.
"I would have liked to do so, but never exercised my control to lower the power output of my plasma, so I'm afraid that one shot from me is enough to crack his scales." I explained, conflicted in my feelings about the whole thing.
'Being a bully never sat well with me, but maybe it was Devyn's resilience that made me think of it as just some playful punching.' It was true that he didn't have a scratch on his scales. This made me all the more curious how they transferred so much kinetic energy in such a weakened attack.
"Don't worry about it." Comforted Caniyo. "We have enough guests to know, that using your spark willy-nilly, outside of the nest is dangerous. If you want, we don't mind going over that with you as well during our training with you. It's not that hard and you don't have to worry about humans here."
"Caniyo is correct in her statement. The only way to enter this island alive is through the gate, which means no human vessel, known to us, can enter. Even then, it is advisable to keep caution as a dragon carrying a human can enter just as easily as a dragon without one." Gylfi explaind patiently.
"Can't you just swim underwater? The wind has no direct effect on you there and the deeper you go the weaker the waves." This was something that intrigued me. How does this whole defence system even hold up?
This time, it was Devyn that answered the question. "Not really. There is an artificial reef surrounding the island. The whole thing looks like a crown of thorns, just made of Gronckle basalt. Petty bastards that they are." It surprised me, how serious he was when talking about the wall.
"There is another dragon sanctuary like ours, about two hundred oriens to west from here. They are a nest of rock eaters, mainly Gronckles, but I saw plenty of Hotburples and Catastrophic Quakens as well." Caniyo took over after Devyn started to mumble something about how difficult it is to alter weather.
I was also curious about the new measurement unit, that got introduced. "I can see your puzzlement, the dealings between sanctuaries is not common knowledge, for no other reason, but the simple lack of any need to reveal it."
"They don't want rains over their volcano and we don't want stuff swimming onto our island. Simple as that." Devyn finished.
"As for orien, it's a unit of maximum distance at which you can see an object, the size of your head, floating in the sea, while flying low enough to touch the sea water bellow. If you require context to better understand it, this island is from fifty to fifty five oriens in diameter." Gylfi concluded.
"Are you used to other units, Zoya?" Caniyo asked after listening to Gylfi's explanation.
I wondered whether to lie or to tell the truth of some kind, my main concern stemming from my lack of knowledge about the specific units used in this day and age. In the end, I decided to tell the truth while twisting my words a little. "I have heard of a foot as a unit from my captors, but before that I was using a meter. My length, from head to the tip of my tail, is approximately eight meters."
Caniyo was the only one listening as Devyn got once again blasted away by Gylfi, though I had no idea why. I didn't hear what they were talking about. "Hmm... I think the humans living around here use feet like you mentioned, but I haven't heard of meters."
We continued talking until the sun neared the horizon, later retiring for the day, except for me as per usual.