Tyau is still for a moment, and then moves abruptly, curling up behind Kavia's legs in an attempt to hide. (Memories of his guardian's anger and claws are too fresh to be able to face another dragon without fear right now.)

The other dragon slowly lowers his head to rest his chin on the floor, otherwise keeping very still. 

Kavia shoots him a panicked look as she tries to coax Tyau out from behind her legs. "It's okay! Mal won't hurt you, I promise."

It takes a few minutes before he's willing to even peek around Kavia's legs, but he eventually shuffles back to beside her, still half sheltering next to her.

Mal waits patiently, head and wings still lowered to make himself less threatening. 

"Hello, little one," he says softly once the tiny dragon has emerged. "I'm Mal. And what might you be called?" 

He still flinches and tries to make himself smaller, trembling slightly. "I- Tyau?"

"Tyau," he repeats. "Welcome to my tower." He deliberately doesn't say lair—it's not a certainty that the word will have bad associations, but given the way the young one flinched at the sight of another dragon, it's better to be safe than sorry. 

"What brings you here, and how can I help you?"

"I- Um. Miss Kavia- she- thought it would be- best?"

Mal looks at Kavia, and she explains the situation as she saw it. She found Tyau alone and scared in the woods, offered him a place to stay, and brought him here when he agreed. He was—and still is—injured, tired, and hungry, and he really doesn't want to go back to his parent but he's too little to be okay on his own, so she thought Mal would be okay with looking after him instead. 

...yup, Mal's doing the thing where he manages to give the impression of raising an eyebrow without actually having eyebrows to raise. "What did I do wrong?" she asks, subdued. 

Mal puts on his teaching voice, deliberately modulated to sound neutral and not angry or disappointed. It's a skill he's had decades to perfect. "Did you tell Tyau you were bringing him into another dragon's home?"

Still avoiding the word lair, but the implications are obvious even to a human. 

"No," she admits, embarrassed. 

"Sorry, Tyau. I should have told you Mal was a dragon before I asked if you wanted to come with me. I should have guessed you might be scared of other dragons. It's, um, it's okay if you want to change your mind and leave? But I really do think Mal could help, if you want to stay," she rushes to add in case Tyau thinks they're kicking him out. 

Tyau seems confused by the apology, even as he shuffles, and somehow manages to make himself smaller. I- S'okay? I- whatever- whatever you think best?" Mal's included in that statement as well. "...don't have- anywhere else."

"In that case, I would be glad to have you stay here," Mal invites. 

"This floor is mine, and my students have their own rooms, but you may choose anywhere else in the tower to be your own personal space. I haven't had another dragon staying here for some time, but I believe there is still a room on one of the lower levels that is arranged suitably. Kavia?" 

"The room Tano had last time she was here?" She nods. "I think it's still set up how she had it? But I'll check." 

"Tyau? How does that sound?" 

"Sounds- fine, thank you? But you- don't- have to? I can just- find a corner? I won't be in the way?"

Oh, he knows this type. How can he word this...

"Yes, that's true, little one. But if you have a room of your own, you will be even more out of the way, and you'll be more comfortable in the bargain. I doubt any other guests will need the room, and it's far from the only one standing empty. It's really no trouble at all." 

There's a pause as Tyau thinks about it. "I- thank you? That's- if that's what's best. Thank you?"

"You are most welcome, young one," he says warmly. 

And now Kavia can show Tyau to his new room. It's only one floor below Mal's and has a little balcony of its own, not large enough for Mal to land on. The room is clearly set up for a dragon smaller than Mal but bigger than Tyau, maybe around the size of a human. 'Too big' isn't really all that much of a problem for a blanket nest, though. 

The door, like every other door in the tower, is designed to be easily opened and closed by dragon claws, human hands, or any other manipulator a visitor or student might possess. (There may or may not have been magic involved in this feat.) As with every other bedroom door, the only lock is on the inside.

"What do you think?"

He looks around, cautious and unsure. "S-s'a lot, Miss?"

"I know." She does. Her room felt absurdly luxurious when she first came here, used to sharing with three sisters in the flat above her father's shop. 

"But no-one else was using the room, so you might as well have it," she points out, just like Mal did for her. "It's better than all these things sitting around gathering dust." 

"-I, yes. that- that makes sense? I- I think?" Tyau agrees, creeping forward a little as though he's tempted to explore.

"I'll just. Leave you to get settled in." She turns to leave. "I'll come and get you for dinner so you don't get lost, okay?"

He nods. "I, yes, thank you, ma'am."

Awww. Tiny dragon is even more adorable when he's happy. 

She leaves, smiling to herself. 

The room continues to be cosy and full of soft things designed for dragons to curl up in. It also has plenty of easily-accessible, and easily-defended, storage space for small hoarded items.