You As A Dragon

[MyaMouse]

((Esko: A Tsunami Wyvern and the other is a Magi, and Pyro, I know. And I forgot in my moment, but seriously, you could just pretend I said telepathically and remind me to add it in.. )

 

Amara Jades

 

 

 

Today was, well, not as strange. But it's odd to be a dragon when all your life you've been a human.

 

"Oh, no, I'm sorry, my family really never talks this way," I replied telepathically, wondering why Flame never taught us about this. She didn't do it, so maybe just forgot she could. But she talked much smoother than I did as a dragon. I guess I forgot over the excitement of flying to ask, because almost every other dragon would talk to us telepathically. "My parents used to be tamed and they just learned to talk without telepathy. Me and my brother both picked it up, I guess." I hoped that my half-lie would work, even though dragons rarely talked without telepathy. Only a handful of breeds didn't naturally talk that way. "Oh, I'm Amara." I had flinched at that name, I feel like my last name sounds more Tsunami-Wyvern-like, but no going back now. I wanted to ask about the girl, but what if this dragon, Pyro, didn't know about her or didn't wish to talk about it? I would end up looking like a fool. Well, I'll rely on Neko to break the truth later on if we did become friends.

 

Amara~

[Alexander_Drake]

((Intro Post for Senetso and Kreristhan.))

 

With the sun newly set, Kreristhan woke in his moderately sized volcano cave.

 

Being the unique Vampire dragon that he is, Kreristhan is a bit cranky just after sunset, but generally he manages to not kill every living animal around him. This is because Kreristhan has plenty of passive animals to feed on near where he lives. Right now, he had an inkling to go to a mountaintop that he was in the foothills of, but he just couldn't figure out why. Senetso, his sister, also a Vampire dragon, had an even stronger urge to go up there. Maybe because they were related, Senetso's urge was also affecting Kreristhan. Mind you, they weren't bitten by the same Vampires when they were eggs, but they both had the same parents by relationships or whatever.

 

Kreristhan couldn't hold a conversation with Senetso because they were both too preoccupied with the urge to go to the mountaintop, so Kreristhan simply blurted out, "Lets go, then," and Senetso took flight towards the top of the mountain. Kreristhan soon followed, and after a few minutes of spiraling upwards, they landed on a flat clifftop, whereupon they began to hear strange whispers in their minds. it seemed like the source of the telepathic murmurs was in a nearby cave system, so Kreristhan slowly led the way, while Senetso followed, grumbling about how early it was and how annoying it was to wake up in the dark and have to sleep in the day. Kreristhan shushed her, and they continued down deeper into the cave, with heaps of non-stealth due to their claws clicking on the stone floor.

 

There were several signs of Vampire dragons living here, but one that was far too violent to be a normal Vampire dragon.

[Omen]

((Other than this upcoming encounter between Alexander's dragons Senetso and Kreristhan, the only other dragon I'm going to let find Sosrahgol is ramapging wyvern's Cadifor. The reason for this is that Sosrahgol is actively trying to stay hidden. Once he stops actively working to stay away from other dragons, interaction with him will be open at your dragons risk. Mind, he'll rethink attacking on sight if there is more than one dragon or if it doesn't benefit him in any way. So far the NPC dragons he's killed was as an act of vengeance for something relating to his past, and they were in a state where fighting back was difficult (since they were sleeping when he attacked).

 

Ugh. Trying to figure out when my family is doing stuff is like trying to crack the lexicon of an ancient, recently found language. I give up forewarning when I'll be unavailable, because every time I think I'll be doing stuff on this date at this time, the plan changes. Q-Q)).

 

----

 

Sosrahgol

 

The sounds of countless dragons clashing for dominance off in the distance forced Sosrahgol back into the alcove, his gaunt body pushing against the rear wall of the cave, ‘Too loud, too many dragons, you’re not going to risk being seen, are you? Prove to us that you aren’t an unthinking monster.’ Sosrahgol released a low growl, challenging the thoughts. He had spent years avoiding as much interaction with other dragons as possible, getting past this group would have been something he could do with his eyes closed. His wings pulled close, muffling the sounds of battle outside. It did nothing to stifle the sounds of the voices within.

 

‘But you don’t want to go out there, do you? You’re a coward.’ The Vampire hissed at the notion, his claws grinding into the volcanic rock beneath him. He wanted to be left alone, wanted these ghosts of forgotten beings to leave him in peaceful solitude. Whether they would follow him out there was to be revealed, but he knew if he listened, they would crow and croon, holding it over him like a chain binding a dog. Sosrahgol edged towards the mouth of the cave, his wings falling to his sides. Bones cracked and shattered under the weight of his body, remnants of marrow becoming dust as his paws crushed them into the ground.

 

His tail inadvertently sideswiped a dragon skull, sending the thing across the stone floor in a loud racket that would have woken the dead. Sosrahgol, not wanting to wait around to see who heard it, finally relented. He took off at a loping gait, claws clacking on the ground as he went. Distantly, the feeling of unease began to build, the sensation that he was nearing something he vaguely recognised bubbling to the surface in his mind. The dragon slowed to a stop, breath ragged in his chest. Sniffing the air and scanning the darkened tunnel, Sosrahgol release a long, low snarl of challenge. Dragons had been through here recently, dragons that weren’t him.

 

Their scents had an atmosphere of death upon them, but the scent wasn’t as powerful as some of the Vampires he once lived among, younger then? Another sniff, this time the tip of his nose pressing to the ground, his fangs baring in a grimace. One of these dragons held a scent he recalled from somewhere in his past. It was an interesting scent, similar to his and yet not. The other scent was foreign, unrecognisable to his mind and instincts. Hackles raised, Sosrahgol stalked deeper into the caves, his claws no longer clacking on the ground as he took measured paces. The voices had distracted him, had let someone slip into his lair. He would make the intruders regret the decision, he would crush them both, no matter the association one had with him.

Rush of smells, roar of challenge. The Blue Banded reared upon her hind legs, daring the abomination before her to approach. Sosrahgol edged closer, his mouth salivating at the meal before him. The dragon was nesting, alone after she had chased the male from her den. He was stronger than her, that much he could tell without question. She would protect the egg, any dragon would protect their young. Sosrahgol could use that, manipulate the Blue Banded into acting rashly.

 

Flutter of wings, scrape of claws. The duel was savage, blood flying in each direction as Sosrahgol’s claws raked across the side of the Blue Banded. He was winning, she had charged him in desperation to protect her egg. But she wouldn’t be able to protect it. Her actions were obvious, easily interpreted for a veteran of many, many past encounters. Open for even a Vampire in the depths of bloodlust fuelled rage, the scent of blood was just too overpowering.

 

Bite of fangs, venom of death. The Blue Banded roared, the sheer alarm in her call echoing off the sides of the den. The injured dragon fell to her knees, weakened from the battle and broken from the loss of her unhatched child. Sosrahgol released the egg from his maw, blood trailing from his fangs. He could just as easily crush the egg, but this? Seeing his enemy mourning the loss of her child? It was vengeance of another kind.

 

Cry of loss, bark of surprise. Sosrahgol approached the dragon, his bloody claws the focus of her attention. The Vampire leaned towards her, a growl rumbling from deep within his belly. “A life stolen for a life tortured.” Sosrahgol turned, leaving the Blue Banded dragon in a bloody heap upon the ground. Her telepathic words exploded into a flurry of promises for justice and calls of Monster! and Murderer!, in between bouts of forlorn cries for her lost egg. Sosrahgol let out a single draconic chuckle, if justice was an ideal that truly existed, he would not be retaliating against those who sought to break him.

His head shook at the recollection, the memory had risen to the surface unbidden. Was that where he recognised the scent from? Unlikely. Nearly every egg he bit died, it would take a particularly determined embryo to survive. His venom was more potent due to infrequent feedings, and only now that he had left the Nightwatch, did he bother to seek out targets of a larger size. Whomever this dragon was, he or she had to beat near impossible odds before even hatching. Sosrahgol’s attention was thoroughly gained. Putting the thought aside momentarily, the dragon pressed on, body close to the wall and low to the ground.

 

----

 

Lazuli

 

Sandy dunes sprawled as far as the eye could see, the occasional cacti plant breaking up the otherwise smooth horizon of the Jehumuh desert. It was a beautiful sight, the sand rippled from the winds, barely another creature out and about to relax in the glory that was the clear skies above. Stars dotted the night sky, countless visible from her vantage point on a decrepit watchtower. Humans had built this long ago, presumably as an outpost. An outpost for what exactly, Lazuli did not know, nor did she desire to.

 

With a flutter of feathered wings, Lazuli took off from the tower, gliding in circles before landing on the sand with a practiced skill. A glow of iridescence illuminated the sands below the dragon, giving her enough light to see by. Unlike most Moonstones, the glow of Lazuli’s tail orb emanated a silvery blue aura, which lit up the sands a few degrees better than normal. On occasion, Lazuli would be targeted for this difference, usually by being told that she wasn’t special just because her orb glowed with a prettier light. Lazuli would have preferred to have a dull tail orb, it would mean she would be harder to see for the predators of the desert.

 

The Moonstone often avoided large groups of dragons, she felt insecure around them, as if she should act in certain ways to meet their expectations. Among the clan, very few knew of her heritage, but those that knew were the same ones that would hold it over her head should Lazuli ever slight them. The other Moonstones merely avoided her, seeing the glow of her tail as a mark of a questionable lineage. On the contrary, at least Lazuli knew of her lineage. The dragon hummed, her nervousness evident by her actions.

 

Whenever she felt anxious, the Moonstone would absentmindedly rub the surface of her tail orb, the motion having a calming effect on her. As a result of this, her tail orb had a polished appearance, noticeable both at night and at day. Moving on, Lazuli continued on her search for desert flowers and freshly sprouted grasses.

Edited January 1, 2015 by VampiricOmen

[Alexander_Drake]

Senetso & Kreristhan

 

Senetso began to mumble telepathically about her mother, about how she left her, and why she had. Kreristhan had to nudge her to get her to snap out of it, and she started acting as normal as she could. They continued deeper into the cave, until Senetso froze, and then whirled about, facing the other direction. What she saw terrified her, but it was also familiar.

 

((In case you couldn't tell, it's Sosrahgol.))

 

Lumina

 

Lumina watched and giggled as Flows shook off the water from his swim, and then swam over to Ludwig. She mentally whispered some idea to Ludwig, something that involved me and chocolate, but I wasn't sure what.

[Omen]

Sosrahgol

 

The taste of blood filled his mouth, senses narrowing to the dragon who’s scent seemed familiar. Sosrahgol would find them. See what they wanted and question why they dared intrude into his lair. He tracked their scents through the tunnels, taking note of where they lingered and where they pressed on. His claws clacked on the stone occasionally, mind too focused on the hunt to silence his movements. Their scents lead him to believe they were Vampires, his face taking a guarded expression. As a Vampire, his nocturnal eyesight permitted him to see far more in the dark than what a normal, living dragon used to sunlight could see. Therefore, they too would be able to see him, provided they were facing his direction and they were aware they were being stalked.

 

Using this knowledge, Sosrahgol slowed his pace once more, hunching his body so that he appeared a smaller target. Underestimation had won him as many battles as attacking weakened targets had. Depending on the dragon, if he was spotted, they saw an aged Vampire with barely enough energy to walk around, let alone prove a threat. His hide was tight against his bones, ribs and wasted muscle evident to the discerning eye. Coupled with his scrawny body, the broken left horn atop his head made it look as if he were the hunted, and not the hunter. Sosrahgol grinned at the possibility of catching his prey unaware, they would do well to misjudge him. It would make their fright upon realising the truth all the more enjoyable.

 

He finally spotted the duo, two adult Vampires if his judge of age was anything to go by. Young, most certainly a lot younger than what he was. They’d be in their prime perhaps, he had done well to investigate before attacking. Sosrahgol had confidence in his abilities, in his experience. One dragon might be a challenge, so would two; but these were Vampires. In his battle experience, he only ever fought Vampires one on one. He fought other dragons too, but had chosen his victims. That gave him an immediate advantage. While these Vampires were on his home turf, within his known area, they were still younger than he. Perhaps quicker, perhaps not. His experience here would better serve to escape than to battle. To escape however, he would need to turn around and exit through to the volcanic plains where the wyverns were fighting, or to pass by these Vampires into the labyrinth of the mountain.

 

Sosrahgol would sooner chance a battle with two dragons than chance a battle with countless wyverns already battling for dominance. The Vampire kept his body hunched, but proceeded towards the duo. As if his deliberation had drawn their attention to him, one of them whirled around – the female, an expression of fear upon her visage.

 

‘She fears you. Is this the one whose fate worse than death is the result of your actions? You are a monster.’ Sosrahgol released a low growl, advancing towards them. It was a warning, attack and he will retaliate, let him pass and he will let the matter drop. ‘You won’t let the matter drop. You want nothing more than to finish the job you obviously failed the first time.’ No he didn’t. He had enacted his vengeance, had considered that a debt repaid. That this dragon survived his venom? It would be her choice as to how he reacted toward her. “You sense the familiarity.” It wasn’t a question. Sosrahgol skirted around the duo, keeping a distance that would require them to move towards him if they decided to attack. “It would do me very little to confirm what you suspect. The question is, do you hunt that which made you what you are?”

 

((Translation for his ancient method of speech:

 

You sense the familiarity. = You recognise me.

 

It would do me very little to confirm what you suspect. = It would be a waste of my time to confirm that I am the one responsible.

 

The question is, do you hunt that which made you what you are? = Tell me, are you here to challenge me?))

[Alexander_Drake]

Kreristhan & Senetso

 

In her mind, Senetso knew the other vampire was right. It was the fact that he had been the one to change her that had drawn her and, by an interesting side effect, Kreristhan as well. She resented the other vampire for that, but she also knew that fighting him wouldn't change her back. No, the best thing to do would be to... to...

 

To what? Leave him be? No. He needed to be taught a lesson, at least in Senetso's mind. But, something still bugged her. The other vampire had said she had done well to survive his venom. Was he... Impressed? Curious? Something didn't feel right. He felt... reluctant. Strong, but reluctant.

 

While Senetso struggled to decide on whether or not to attack the other vampire, Kreristhan was totally in the dark. He had no idea what had happened between the two of them, nor did he currently want to find out. He knew that the other vampire had been the one to change Senetso into what she was now, and that she resented the way she had to live with every fiber of her being.

 

Kreristhan didn't want to provoke the other vampire dragon, but he knew it could easily strike out at either him or Senetso at any moment.

 

Senetso eventually gave up, simply lying down on the ground and... crying? The only thing that she said after that was, “A life stolen for a life tortured.”

 

((That was what Sosrahgol said in the flashback. Maybe it will do something? I'm thinking here that those words were the last thing Senetso heard prior to her "death" in her egg, and were forever burned into her brain.))

[Omen]

Sosrahgol

 

The elder dragon baulked, he hadn’t expected this reaction. Anger? Yes. Fear? She’d be mad not to fear him. Grief? Grief was something he could not deal with, had not dealt with for years. He knew he was responsible for her vampirification, but he hadn’t been able to remember which egg was hers. He had bitten dozens of eggs, killed dozens more. To recall which one she had been? All he knew was that she had survived. Pulled through despite seemingly impossible odds. And then he heard them. Those words. The very same words he uttered to a dragon long ago in retribution for an act she had inflicted upon him many, many years prior.

 

A life stolen for a life tortured. ‘You took the innocence of this hatchling as if it were a thing to be trifled with. You forced a fate upon an unborn dragon who did nothing to harm you, in order to get to her mother. We are disgusted, truly and utterly disgusted.’ Sosrahgol saw red, saw red blood and bright sunlight all at once, every which way he turned. The dragon thrashed about, unseen spirits lashing at his body. He roared, roared at the injustice his life had been and roared at the memory that had spurned him on this journey that only left a trail of dead or broken bodies.

 

‘You’re everything you’ve come to hate, everything you’ve fought to destroy.’ This was different, this was vengeance. What they did was for torment, to hurt a hatchling that couldn’t fight back, that hadn’t caused harm upon a single sentient being. It was teach a lesson to the undead for daring to need the blood of the living for sustenance. He lamented that life that had been taken from him! They took his innocence the moment they cast him out into the sun! “It matters not that she survived! It was her mother I sought and took retribution from, not her!”

 

‘So you would leave this dragon then, broken and helpless?’ No. He had checked the egg before he left. It was dead. There wasn’t any way she could have survived. He made it his mission to kill embryos to avoid this scenario. He did everything he could without shattering the contents of the egg over the stone. Merely breaking the egg wholesale wouldn’t have evoked the reaction he sought, so he’d trusted that his venom was enough to permanently kill. It usually was. ‘It wasn’t enough. This is your doing, fix it, fix it now!’ The Vampire stopped thrashing, body growing deathly still. His head turned, eyes drawn to dangerous slits, predatory gaze upon his features. He would fix this, if this dragon desired death, he would give her the very thing she craved.

 

Sosrahgol moved toward the female Vampire, completely ignoring the male. His focus was of a singled minded intensity. Nothing else existed in this moment but him and the female. “Do you seek to be free from this life, to be released from the blood that binds, from the suffering you have endured?” Suffering. This female didn’t know the meaning of suffering. He did. He suffered every night, every day, his entire life. He had turned to killing to make it better, had sought an escape from the dreams that plagued his waking sleep. Yet it never stopped. At first the lives he took gave him peace, solace in the certainty that those dragons couldn’t hurt him anymore. But they did. Their voices plagued him, nattering in his mind, criticising his actions. Manipulating him to act in ways he wouldn’t normally, it was maddening.

 

“That you remember words uttered by me so many years ago. You were dead. Should be dead. Is this what you seek? A means to an end? Is this why you sought me?” The Vampire stopped a few paces away from the lighter coloured dragon, his head tilted in interest. His stance was defensive, but it was a ruse. He was primed to strike the moment the other dragons showed sign of aggression, he would lash out at any attempt to hold him down.

 

An idea wormed its way into his mind, taking root like the blade of a sword stabbed into soft earth. ‘You want to kill her, but it would be too easy to strike her down where she lies. But you aren’t thinking of killing her, are you? It seems we misjudged you, you’re worse than we could ever have imagined.’ The voices were right. It would be too easy. It had to be a ploy, get him to attack the weak one while the stronger one, the male he assumed, would retaliate while he was unaware. No, Sosrahgol was not stupid, he would not fall for that trick. In battle with multiple opponents, battle he didn’t often need to resort to, taking out the stronger opponent would allow for him to take his time with the weaker opponent. It was with this sense, this instinct that he had survived for this long as it is. Two young Vampires would need to try much harder to blindside this dragon.

[Alexander_Drake]

Senetso & Kreristhan

 

Senetso heard his words that day, knew that true, everlasting death would come quickly, and so she did not resist. She gave up, went limp, body shaking, mind sobbing, "Do it. Do what you sought to do those years ago."

 

But Kreristhan would have none of this. "Shut up. You mean WAY too much to me to just throw your life away. I won't let you. That was my promise that I made, years ago, the moment I realized you resented your existence, I was there to make it better. And it didn't help that you bit THAT egg, either. It made you more terrified than ever, following your instincts." The egg in question was the very first egg that Senetso had turned, had forced a life like her own upon it, had followed her instincts to change. It had made her weep much like now, but the grief was tenfold now.

 

Senetso wanted to give up, to throw her life away, but Kreristhan, HE wanted this to persist, for her grief to continue, this torturous pain... He was the only thing holding her back. And she resented him for that.

 

From nowhere, Senetso began to lash out at Kreristhan, claws coming too close to his face at each pass, and as Kreristhan backed up, he realized that Senetso wanted death. Whether or not it was hers did not matter now. She wanted someone to die. Knowing this, Kreristhan fled, face full of scratches, bleeding, running as fast as he could towards an exit, wherever one might be.

 

Senetso didn't chase him. She turned to the other vampire and said, "End it. Do what you sought to do, but do it right this time. I wish not for this existence. And I feel, sometimes you do not, either, but somehow you endure it. Ah, the voices. They always keep you going, trying to prove that they are wrong. But they never are. Hmmm... I wonder what dying is like. Oh right, you can show me."

 

((Please don't actually kill her, this is just to make her personality really show. Oh wait, please try to kill her, and make it succeed, but in a clean, simple injury. You'll see why.))

[Omen]

((She’s got some snappy comebacks! Don't worry, he won't kill her. She might think he intends to though, that's all part of his plan.

 

Also copying some of your dialogue here, it won’t be coloured or anything like that so you know it’s what Senetso said.))

 

 

Sosrahgol

"Do it. Do what you sought to do those years ago."

The whispers, the goading, oh how tempting it was to give the female the death she so sought. But Sosrahgol had something else in mind, something far more insidious than death itself. He would give her a reason to fight, to claw and struggle against the very morals that restricted her from accepting her fate. You could spend an entire life loathing your existence, seeking death at every turn or you could ascend, break the chains that bind, bite the hand that feeds, revel in your new found desire for life of the undead and be the death of all those who seek to erase your existence.

 

The Vampire dragon felt giddy with the possibilities. Wouldn’t it be euphoric if he, Sosrahgol, could spur this dragon onto the path of corruption, on to becoming a spectre of death? Wouldn’t it be thrilling if this dragon in turn, went on a path of such utter devastation that only he could sit back and gape in awe at? He resisted the urge to laugh maniacally at the thoughts swimming through his mind. He would only need to push a little, to suggest that there is something better than death.

 

With a sudden intensity, the other two dragons began to fight. Senetso struck out at the male Vampire, slashing her claws at his face. Sosrahgol could only watch in glee, the female was hurting deeply, but the male couldn’t do anything to help her. Couldn’t stop her from lashing out at the one thing acting as a buffer between her and true ascension. So when the male, Kreristhan took off like the coward he was, Sosrahgol rejoiced. He released a laugh from the depths of his belly that sent even the voices in his head into a flurry.

 

‘Don’t, don’t do it. This will come back to bite you, she will be the death of you!’ The laughing faltered but didn’t stop. ‘We know you’re not this insane, we know you aren’t actively seeking death!’ How would they know? They were the ones pushing, whispering, goading him on. They caused this, if only they left him alone, ignored the undead hatchling, it wouldn’t have come to this. ‘Her friend will come back, will cut you down where you stand if you so much as harm her!’ The laughing finally stopped, and Sosrahgol, expressionless, advanced toward the female Vampire.

"End it. Do what you sought to do, but do it right this time. I wish not for this existence. And I feel, sometimes you do not, either, but somehow you endure it. Ah, the voices. They always keep you going, trying to prove that they are wrong. But they never are. Hmmm... I wonder what dying is like. Oh right, you can show me."

How pitiful she was, laying on the ground, begging for death. He ignored her goading words, ignored the whispers of the voices in his head. He would do whatever he wanted, and her manipulating words would have no hold over him. To frighten her however, to make her think this was truly the end? He could oblige that desire.

 

If the female Vampire remained in her place, Sosrahgol would lunge forward, forepaws pushing against her sides. His left paw would push down on her neck, claws biting deep into her hide, but he wouldn’t target vitals. Sosrahgol would watch the blood emerge from her neck, beading and growing before it dropped to the ground. He would lower his head, tongue licking the sides of his maw with ecstasy, as if the smell of Vampire blood pushed him closer to the edge of bloodlust. The Vampire would revel in the reaction of Senetso, would dig his claws in further if she attempted to move, to struggle. He would then look her in the eye, like portals to his very soul she would be able to see the cogs turning, the expression of anticipation on his features. Whether she would be frightened of this, or if she would see his true intentions, it wouldn’t matter, because he would explain them in due time.

 

“I sought to kill you as an egg, to break your mother into a thousand shards of misery and pain for the misery and pain she committed unto me. Whatever debt she owed me was repaid with her life. You think I desire to end yours as well?” Sosrahgol would chuckle despite himself. “You’re poorly mistaken.” He had thought that at the beginning of their encounter, he had wanted to kill her, had wanted to finish the job he had clearly failed to do the first time. Yet Sosrahgol had a better idea now, and he would tell her as such if she reacted in such a way that made him think it would be possible.

 

((I’ve got more planned but figured this was a good place to stop and let her react. The last two paragraphs are future tense, so you can ultimately decide how this goes.))

 

----

 

Hahnuhadroz

 

The daydream shifted in her sleep, her bright blue fur standing out against the darkness of the sky. Her discomfort grew until she slowly awoke, mind thoroughly jumbled from the sound of a strong wind. Her fur was ruffled and unkempt by the air currents, immediately drawing her from her sleep addled state. “How dreadful, my fur is absolutely a mess!” The dragon smoothed her fur down, painstakingly grooming every square inch that had been tangled by the wind. In amongst her bouts of grooming, the dragon would look down upon the earth, gaining her bearings.

 

The distance she had travelled by cloud was considerable, and the cloud she now rested upon had darkened to a grey tone, filled with humidity, threatening to rain down upon the grounds with its contents. The water content that made up the cloud explained why her fur was more than just windswept, the humidity had allowed it to stick up every which way. “Ugh, this is why I shouldn’t sleep on rainclouds.” The daydream leapt off the cloud, pulling her wings to their full span in order to support the weight of her body and to stop her from plummeting to the ground.

 

The daydream coasted on the winds, gliding toward the ground at a leisurely pace. Far below her, the grounds had changed from green to white, with snow covering the land as far as her eye could see. The air temperature was considerably colder, but her fur kept her warm. Hahnuhadroz spotted the summit of the largest mountain in the distance, and changed her course to head towards it. The location at which she was to land was known as the Caverns, although why she had to land there was beyond her.

 

((I plan to have her land at the Alpine Weyr instead, since she’s not too familiar with the mountains.))

[Alexander_Drake]

Senetso

 

Senetso decided to remain unresisting to the vampire, remaining still, accepting of her destiny.

 

Alexander

 

I was done swimming for the time being, and felt like talking to Omen would be considerably less deadly than standing under a large boulder while it rolled over me. I climbed out of the pool, and both of my hatchlings followed, occasionally giggling, until we came across Omen. All I really had to say was, "Can we go to the desert to look for the magi dragon and the girl? It's the one place I would truly feel comfortable looking, mostly because that's where moonstones normally live."

[Omen]

Omen

 

I was snapped out of my brooding by the rather sudden appearance of Alexander and his hatchlings. It took all of my self control to not leap into the air like a frightened rabbit, and even some of my common sense to not smack my head onto the wall behind me as my heart leapt into my throat. It didn’t however, stop the unholy squeak that emitted from my mouth as I attempted to gain by bearings. “By the Avatars Alexander, you scared the living daylights out of me!” I sent the Moonstone a glare, silently wishing that I wasn’t so absorbed in thinking to not notice the approach of his boisterous group.

 

Picking up the pieces of my composure, I rose to a stand, stretching my draconic body. It didn’t cramp like a human body did, but I’d be lying if I said that sitting in one spot didn’t numb my rear. “I guess we could, I could send Oenpelliensis to wait at the Alpine Weyr for that Howler Drake and Seragamma Wyvern to return. He’s less likely to get startled by the approach of allies, at any rate.” I let out a laugh at my own expense. Having had enough time to think and breath without the weight of the world on my shoulders had done me some good. And maybe the fright attributed to my mood too, since it was entirely unexpected.

 

I nervously scratched the scales under my jaw with my right paw, thinking of how things would work out. “I’d need to find him first though, since he disappeared to brood as well.” I said telepathically, referring to Oenpelliensis. “Anyway, I think that’s a good idea. The desert is nice and warm at this time of year I hear, it would surely beat whatever these subzero temperatures are used for.” I really did like the idea of going to the desert. I had never spent much time there as a human, but if the expanse of sand wasn’t beautiful at night, then the sky wasn’t blue and the ocean wasn’t wet.

 

“Tell you what. We ask Esko if he wants to come, then we find Oen, kick him in the rear, tell him we’re leaving to go on an adventure without him and also tell him to go back to the Weyr. Then we find Flows, tell him to stay with Oen. Hmm, hopefully neither tears each other apart while we’re gone. If we think we’re onto something, we can always use a Priority Service Pygmy to send them a message to regroup at a different location. I know there’s a few outposts in the Desert, but I don’t know if the humans there are wary of large dragons or not. Suppose we can find out, what do you think?”

 

I was aware that leaving our navigator behind wasn’t the brightest of ideas, but if he let us know which way to go, we should be able to manage getting there without ending up in the middle of a forest. I didn’t want to leave Oenpelliensis alone, as a single dragon would be a prime target for being attacked, so it would be up to Flows to know when enough was enough when it came to his bickering. In addition, Flows could fly off ahead once they met with the Howler Drake and her group, to scout forward for them.

 

----

 

Sosrahgol

 

“So you accept this,” Sosrahgol pushed down on her neck harder, drawing more blood. His right forepaw moved from her side, shifting to the ground. It was disappointing to say the least, she had so much fight before, and now she was simply laying there, waiting for what she thought was the inevitable. It was enough to thoroughly dampen what enjoyment he had gotten from this encounter. Perhaps however, he could get her to start swinging, to reignite that hatred for the one whom made her what she is. With one final push, Sosrahgol removed his claws from the other Vampire altogether. “Then you will accept that I will not kill you at this very moment.” The dragon stepped back, his bloody claws leaving a trail on the ground as he distanced himself from Senetso.

 

He turned his back on her altogether, barbed tail swishing about in the air. “Consider this the last time you will ever see mercy from me. You caught me unaware, lurking about, seeking answers. You had me intrigued with your will to challenge your friend, so I will give you one revelation, one that might set you free.” The Vampire’s telepathic voice took on an almost sombre nature, as if it pained him to divulge his motives. The motives that the voices in his head never understood, would never understand. This dragon, a Vampire seeking her own death? Perhaps she might.

 

“It is not the desire to live that keeps me from death. It is the desire to seek that which I will never gain, the desire to grasp within my claws the one thing that was taken from me, that I will never, ever forget. Choice. My actions are driven by an impulsive need for vengeance, by an insatiable thirst for retribution on bloodied claws. Those voices you spoke of, they are ones that plague my very mind. I do not recall when they began, nor do I recall for how long they have plagued me. But they manipulate, twist and turn my thoughts and emotion, the only reprieve I get from them is in the throes of ending the life of another.” The Vampire turned to face Senetso, his head lowered. He spat on the ground, bloodied saliva leaving a taste in his mouth he no longer liked.

 

“It disgusts them that I can be so monstrous, that I do not do this for sustenance but to settle a score that occurred so long ago I can barely recall how old I was when I first set myself upon this course. I accept that I am an abomination, that there is no redemption for the likes of me. I learned to thrive on the darkness, to revel in the terror of my enemies as the life leaves their eyes.” His tone was almost melancholic by now, but he was feeling relieved that the voices had been shocked silent.

 

Sosrahgol lowered his hind quarters, sitting on the warm stone floor. “But you’re not beyond redemption. Yours is a path that you have the power to clear.” The dragon dragged his claws upon the ground, gouging lines in the stone. Many scars on his hide matched the very lines on the stone, but it would take a discerning eye to notice. “I will let you know of an alternative that I never had. Move on from this resentment, embrace what you are. Feed to sustain but not to kill, if it truly bothers you so. Your friend, the one who took off. He is warmth in cold places, familiar scents in foreign caves, something I never had and never will. He is a guide by which to direct your morality, it would do you well to heed his words.”

 

With that, Sosrahgol rose to a stand and began to walk away, heading towards his inner sanctum where the voices in his head became their worst. He needed to be angry, to hate this other Vampire for making him be the better dragon, but it would gain him nothing to end her life. She was already broken, already wishing to die. He had felt that, once upon a time, so very long ago. He had turned to actions that his younger self would find despicable. She need not go down that path, if her friend remained a friend to the end. Sosrahgol needed time alone with his inner demons to numb the pain once more, lest he come to realise the gravity of his actions.

[Alexander_Drake]

Senetso

 

After suddenly having a perspective shift, Senetso became so upset that she sat still for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, more claws-clicking on stone sounds came from behind her, and glanced forlornly in the direction of the sound to see Kreristhan, bleeding and winded, who then approached Senetso and embraced her, and she began to cry.

 

Alexander

 

All I had to say to Omen's acceptance of desert travel was, "Woohoo!" I ran outside and got my bearings, then pointed in the direction of the desert so Omen knew where to go.

[Esko]

I layed down ti take a nap. I made sure I had Furisa with me, then closed my eyes. I never snored as a human, and no way would I now. I was tempted to sneak in and get another ham leg or two, but I didnt want to get shoved in the snow by my ex-dragon. Speaking of which, I couldn't wait until we went out to that cave! I wanted to know what dragons were there. When would Alex and Omen head over? I couldn't sleep, so I went to find them. When I got to them, I yawned and said, "when are we heading to that cave, do you think?"

((Im thinking that if we dont head over right away, then we can meet one or two of my other dragons at wherever we head next. Sound okay?))

Edited January 2, 2015 by Esko_the_Wolf

[Alexander_Drake]

Alexander

 

I was acting like a little kid, jumping up and down and saying, "Let's go already! I wanna go now! Come ON, Omen, let's GO!" I honestly did NOT know why i was acting this way, besides maybe too much chocolate.

[Esko]

I honestly didnt know why Alex was acting this way, jumping up and down like a little kid, yelling,  "Let's go already! I wanna go now! Come ON, Omen, let's GO!". Maybe too much chocolate was consumed? Well, I wondered if he even heard me through his excitment, and the thought of the desert made me sick. I have been there on terms of business, and I didnt like...well, everything. The people were cruel, the temp was unbearable except at night, items were expensive, and food wasnt that great. I sighed as I thought of where we were going instead of where I wanted us to go.This was going to be a looooong trip.

[Pyrowings]

Alright. Odd. There's probably something weird there that the sensible part of my head is telling me, but I'm too tired to care right now. Instead, I just halfheartedly nodded to show that I heard and yawned. Tinselwings took this moment to strike, whatever previous plot she had with the children put aside.

 

"Hello!" Tinselwings gave an almighty leap onto the Tsunami's head... *Ahem* Amara's head, and of course twisting her body in such a way that she caught the most of the dying light to try and momentarily dazzle Amara. I sighed, lowered my head, and rubbed the side of my face. Habits do tend to die hard, after all.

 

"Tinselwings, get off."

 

I felt a small twinge in my mind then and a great feeling of wariness.... And concern. Mira was nowhere to be seen, but that's how she usually is with her.

 

"Are you sure you can trust this dragon?" Mira was also probably making her mental voice as low as she can to try and avoid the slight chance that Amara was skilled at the kinetic arts, but frankly, mental speaking is hard enough without learning to barge into others' private mental conversations.

 

"She hasn't attacked me at first sight, so I would say that's off to a good start~"

 

I didn't hear anything for a few seconds after I said that. Wherever Mira was, she was probably ducking her head in shame.

 

"... Just.... Don't be stupid.

I'm going hunting, tell Skies to call me if anything happens."

 

Well, that's the end of that. I lazily watched the periwinkles burying themselves in the sand after the waves and the little fish flopping around until the next wave swept them back into the sea. It was only then I wondered where Mira could go hunting, but then again, she could fly.

[Alexander_Drake]

Senetso & Kreristhan

 

After a long time of mere crying, Senetso eventually managed to pull herself together and apologize to Kreristhan for ruining his face. All of the scratches had become rather bloody, and most of the right side of his face was scratched beyond recognition, but somehow, miraculously, his eye was just fine.

They decided to go somewhere far away from this volcanic place, so they flew to a cold mountain cave, whereupon they ran into a male Moonstone and his hatchlings, all acting rather childish about going to the desert. Kreristhan recognized the scent of the Moonstone, however. It smelled EXACTLY like his best friend, and human, Alexander.

Senetso didn't recognize him because she only hung out with Kreristhan, but the Moonstone did confirm that he was indeed Alexander, Kreristhan's friend.

Kreristhan asked, "What happened to you? Why... How... How are you even... Argh, my brain..."

 

Alexander

 

I saw two Vampire dragons flying down towards us, one male, and one female. I recognized them both as MY vampire dragons, Kreristhan and Senetso, though it took a moment to recognize Senetso, after all, I barely saw her.

Kreristhan was so desperately confused about my transformation, so long story short, I told him what had happened over the last week.

 

((keep in mind, i was a moonstone for a week prior to meeting Omen for the first time.))

 

I noticed Kreristhan's face had been mangled by some sharp claws, and asked whodunit. he told me it had been Senetso who was to blame, but also not, because she was a bit confused at the time. Eventually, Kreristhan agreed to come with me to the desert, but Senetso was totally having none of it. She vehemently argued against her going to the desert, and said that we could go without her, or not at all. Ultimately, I decided bringing her along would be more trouble than it was worth, so she would be staying behind.

[Omen]

((Sorry for the quality of this, I've been a bit scatterbrained today. Anyway, I wrapped up loose ends and placed my dragons that I’m leaving behind where they need to be.

 

Also the first bit was written before the Vampires came, just pretend your character acknowledged Omen's words and stuff.))

 

Omen

 

Alexander’s surprise had me doing a double take and I had to shake my head in amusement. Travel wasn’t often exciting for me, which was one of the main reasons why I preferred a life of solitude in the mountains. However, his enthusiasm was infectious and soon I too felt like it would be a fun journey. First things first, I needed to warn the others so that they didn’t think I was doing another runner. I wasn’t sure where they were since I had been a bit of a blockhead and hid myself away. Whatever, the past is the past and I had put it behind me.

 

“Give me some time to let the others know, I’ll be back here soon Alexander.” With that, I took off back into the Caverns. I made it my mission to avoid Sunshield Sentinels, they were thoroughly in my blacklist and I didn’t feel like talking to any righteous we do what me must types. Especially not Sumo. I passed by Esko on my way through, but I was too focused on finding Flows to say hello to him.

 

It didn’t take me long to find Flows, who was sitting in the bathing room with a look of serenity upon his features. The dragon must have had a dip in the pool if the puddle of water below his body was anything to go by. Approaching the Gray, his eyes immediately pulled open, yellow orbs following my movements as I closed the distance.

 

“What is it, Bleeding Moon?” His tone was a bit tart, like he didn’t much appreciate his meditation being interrupted.

 

It was nice to see Flows nonetheless, even if his attitude was acerbic. “I’m heading to the desert with Alexander. I’m going to leave you and Oenpelliensis here. In a few hours I want you two to head off over to the Alpine Weyr.” I ignored the look of abject horror upon his features at my mention of Oenpelliensis. “I’d like you to meet up with the Howler Drake and Seragamma Wyvern, and I’d also like you to be friendly to them.”

 

“You want me to stay here, with the brute?” I hadn’t expected him to like the notion, but I wasn’t expecting this much resistance. Clearly his meditation wasn’t working.

 

“Look. I get it, you don’t like him, he doesn’t like you. I’m not expecting you to get along, I’m not even going to ask that. What I am going to ask is that you don’t tear him apart, and I will ask that he doesn’t tear you apart. Try not to use your magic to send him into the treetops either, even if it’s tempting.” I regretted the statement as soon as I said it, as Flows arched his draconic brows and grinned. “Don’t.”

 

“Yes, yes, don’t kill the brute, make friends with the drake and wyvern; anything else my liege?” Flows was a real ray of sunshine at times, especially when he thought he was being clever.

 

“Don’t hit your head on the way out, I think it’s expanded from all that hot air you’re breathing.” With that, I turned and left the bathing cavern, trying my best to avoid the direct gaze of any Sunshield Sentinels I passed.

 

On my journeys through the tunnels I bypassed the refectory, grabbing a nice looking leg of smoked ham on my way through. It tasted amazing, and I didn’t even notice that the thing wasn’t heated through. Another Sunshield Sentinel stopped me from going any further into the tunnels, and kindly let me know that no other Bleeding Moon dragons had been seen in the area. I decided to return to the entrance since there wasn’t anywhere else to check without needed access to restricted areas. I doubted Oenpelliensis would bother with that, so thought he might have gone outside away from the hustle and bustle of Cavern life.

 

I almost did another double take as I passed by the group that had grown considerably. Alexander had not one by two Vampires, and it puzzled me as to where they came from. I didn’t hang around to ask however, and merely pushed on to find Oenpelliensis before the others left without me. After trekking up the mountain a little, I spotted a resting Bleeding Moon not far from the entrance. I didn’t think there were any other Bleeding Moons about, but decided to be cautious in case this one was a territorial male.

 

“Oen?” I telepathically prodded. The other dragon grunted, his wing moving to cover his head. I raised my draconic brows, confident this was the right dragon. Making my way closer, I edged myself onto the slab of stone Oenpelliensis slept on, there was barely enough room for one dragon, let alone two.

 

Not knowing how best to wake a sleeping dragon, I simply grabbed his tail and pulled. Oenpelliensis leapt awake, growling from the depths of his belly. His stance would have scared away any other dragon but me, but if I were a human I might have run into the hills. “Good, you’re awake. I’m going with Alexander and Esko to the desert. You’re staying behind with Flows, and soon I want you to go to the Alpine Weyr.”

 

Oenpelliensis sent a warning glare my way, but wasn’t in a mood to challenge the fact that he had been woken from his nap. The dragon yawned, his mouth opening as far as it could go. “Wake me up like that again and I just might hit you.” Oenpelliensis responded, sitting on his haunches. The dragon looked sleepy still, but as far as his threat went, it didn’t seem likely.

 

“You wouldn’t dare to hit me!” I replied with a look of feigned shock.

 

The male Bleeding Moon wasn’t having any of it however, and simply responded with a look that said ‘I already have’.

 

“Fine, but did you understand what I said before? About staying behind here with Flows?”

 

Oenpelliensis lifted his rear left leg, scratching the side of his body. “Yeah. Stay here with the genius, go to the Alpine Weyr before I murder him, I’m guessing you want me to meet with that drake and wyvern?” I nodded my reply, allowing him to continue. “Great. Why are you headed there, then?”

 

I had forgotten to mention why, and lifted my paw to smack it onto my face. “To find the girl and her Magi. We’re going to send a Messenger Pygmy if we find anything. But until you’ve met up with the Howler Drake and the Wyvern, you’re going to have to stay with Flows at the Alpine Weyr. Maybe after we get to the desert you guys can rejoin us. I’m the only one going that I know of that isn’t a peaceful or otherwise not fighting breed of dragon. It’ll be fun.”

 

The male levelled me with a baleful stare. “Right. I don’t believe for a second that you could defend them and yourself with the way your coordination nearly had you becoming paste on the side of the mountain.” He got up, leaping down from the alcove. “But I’m not going to convince you otherwise. Better to learn through practice than through theory. Be off with you, I’m going to linger somewhere else where Flows doesn’t have to come looking for me.”

 

I almost leaped into the air, but restrained myself. “Awesome, well see you two later. And please, be friendly to the others and try not to kill Flows!” With that I was off, returning to the Cavern entrance to find Alexander and the two Moonstone hatchlings, Esko and his Golden Wyvern hatchling as well as one of the Vampires I saw from earlier. I would need to ask Alexander about that, I had a few of my own and trusted most of them. I wasn’t sure if this one could be trusted however.

 

----

 

Lazuli

 

The sands were still warm under her feet, the baked desert land would retain the heat of the sun for hours after sunset. Little lizards skittered about as she strolled along the sand, their search for food bringing them onto the landscape now that the sun didn’t threaten to roast them where they stood. Lazuli also moved about at night for this very same reason, the warmth of the sands after sunset was bearable, and the middle of the night rarely became too cold for her preferences. In addition, Lazuli absolutely loved looking up at the sky, gazing upon the stars.

 

Some say she should have been a Nebula dragon, but Lazuli thought the very suggestion was nonsense. She knew of her heritage, and in no way shape or form would it have permitted her to be a Nebula. Even though Lazuli enjoyed stargazing, she didn’t spend every waking moment doing so. Not to mention, Lazuli loved watching the sunrise just as much.

 

The call of a bird had Lazuli whipping her head up towards the sky, and she watched the thing take a dive, claws open and ready to grasp the prey that dashed upon the desert sands to escape certain death. The owl landed on the sand, prize in its claws before taking off once more. It was interesting in a morbid way, watching the circle of life in action. Lazuli much preferred to eat grasses and flowers, but the dive of a hunting bird or the tenacity of a thorny lizard fighting off a much larger predator was intriguing to say the least. If she were ever in a position where she was the prey, Lazuli was positive she’d flee in terror at the mere sight of a predator big enough to threaten her life.

[Alexander_Drake]

Alexander

 

Just after Omen left to look for Oen, I repeated some of the travel information to my Vampire dragons. All it did was make Senetso even LESS willing to come along, and Kreristhan all the more excited.

 

However, there was something I needed to do before we left, and it was making sure Ludwig and Lumina stayed with Oen for their combat training. After all, If he wandered off from us, they would need to follow him, and not me. I heard Omen talking to Oen about him staying behind at the alpine Weyr, so it was a good thing I was doing what I was doing.

 

Ludwig and Lumina were both distraught by the fact that I would be leaving without them, so I told Lumina to eat chocolate whenever she wanted. I knew she wouldn't be too happy with the results, but for now, she was as gleeful as she could get, and immediately began eating chocolate, before remembering that she had very little left. She asked me if she could go down into a town to pay for more chocolate, as she had spied a confectionery in one near the alpine Weyr on our first visit. I gave her a few gold coins to spend, and sure enough, she took off flying and down towards the base of the mountain.

[Omen]

((My internet is due to be fixed tomorrow (after a month of being faulty /yay). Hopefully I'm not stuck with using my phone as a wifi hotspot since it likes to drop out every now and then. Alrighty, in this post Oenpelliensis is just being wary towards Kreristhan because of Ludwig (who may or may not be following), so ignore his challenging stance. He's just waiting to see if this Vampire attacks him, is all. He's only heard bad things about them!))

 

Oenpelliensis

 

Oenpelliensis shook his head, the tiredness slowly but surely leaving him. He had unknowingly volunteered himself for being elected hatchling sitter by offering to train the Moonstones. It was something he’d have to tackle on top of dealing with Flows’ antics, and Oenpelliensis wasn’t sure if Flows would be any less of a prig because of it. The dragon released a long sigh, looking down at the male Moonstone hatchling as he did. The other one had taken off, presumably with the permission of Alexander. Oenpelliensis hoped she would be able to take care of herself, as he didn’t much fancy trying to find her. Maybe Flows could, that’d be grand.

 

The dragon rose to his feet, beginning to walk towards the entrance of the Caverns. “Better follow Little Warrior, training starts at this instant, now that you’re in my care.” He said, referring to Ludwig. Discipline would be the hardest thing, other than overcoming the inherent pacifist nature that Moonstones had. Oenpelliensis didn’t much know about that however, but he did know Ludwig didn’t like blood. That was something he’d probably become desensitised to over time, but it would be healthy for the Moonstone to remain level headed when it came to fighting.

 

Aggression served him well, but he was used to fighting and could wield the aggressive nature his own species relied on. The hatchling wouldn’t have that, rather he could learn to wield words as weapons or shields, and learn to defend himself if the need arose. Finally arriving at the entrance, Oenpelliensis noticed a large gathering. Apart from Alexander, Esko, Furisa and Omen, he noticed a Vampire. Instantly on guard, Oenpelliensis squared his shoulders and watched the Vampire intently.

 

Clearly it wasn’t attacking yet, but Oenpelliensis would be wary. Something had caused issues inside the Caverns, and if his guess was as good as any, he’d have pinned the cause of the problem to a Vampire. Omen had been ranting not a few hours ago after all, and if the excessive beating around the bush was any indication, she didn’t much want to give them an identifier, most likely to protect them. As such, Oenpelliensis doubted this very dragon was the cause. That didn’t stop his scales from itching however, these things fed on blood if the legends were true.

[Alexander_Drake]

Kreristhan

 

Kreristhan happened to glance over his shoulder towards Oen, and saw that he was looking at him rather uneasily. Kreristhan knew how aggressive Bleeding Moons were, and so he did not approach.

 

Alex

 

I noticed Kreristhan had glanced at Oen, but I didn't want to get involved and get hurt from Oen's aggressive nature, so I didn't get make any mention of it.

[Omen]

Omen

 

I noticed Oenpelliensis had and subtly shook my head. It was evident he didn’t much trust the Vampire, and I couldn’t blame him. However, by virtue of not attacking on sight, I trusted the Vampire to not do something stupid. Moving over to Oenpelliensis, I sat beside him. “I think he’s one of Alexander’s dragons. Doubt he’s going to attack…” I looked back to the Vampire and noticed some very recent scratches upon his head. Where did those come from? I decided to ask him later once we were on the journey. “Anyway, we’ll be fine. I’m probably not the only one with Vampire experience.”

 

Oenpelliensis looked dubious, but relaxed his stance. “It’s your head, not mine.” He sent a guarded look my way, and I couldn’t quite place why. Happy that he’d relented at least, I was eager to get going.

 

“Is everyone ready to head off? It’ll be a lot of flying to get to the desert, maybe even a day or two if we push it.” I looked around, knowing that this would be the start of a long, gruelling adventure to find answers. I dearly hoped things wouldn’t turn out for the worst, and promptly pushed that thought from my mind. Worrying about ifs and buts was a waste of energy.

 

No longer waiting for anyone else, I started running toward the opposite end of the clearing. There was more room to take off there and less of a chance to smack head first into the nearest tree. I extended my wings, pushing down with effort. I felt my muscles straining and working, then suddenly I was in the air. I felt a little nauseated by the sudden distance from the ground, and instead focused on the sky. “Try not to kill Flows, Oen, and take care!” I circled above the group, waiting for the others to take to the air as well.

 

----

 

Oenpelliensis

 

The male Bleeding Moon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up. Instinct told him to not trust others easily, and instinct was usually right. That the group would be travelling with a Vampire was unsettling in of itself, and the fact that he wouldn’t be going made his scales itch. He was needed here however, and so he let the matter drop. Oenpelliensis watch as Omen took off, shakily taking to the air like a maturing hatchling would. She’d really need to learn how to glide otherwise she was going to end up nose first in a tree, or worse.

 

The dragon sighed, moving inside of the Caverns. He would need to find Flows and discuss what the plan was and how soon they’d be heading to the Alpine Weyr. Knowing the Gray, he’d probably want to head out as soon as possible. Drive for adventure, and all that. Oenpelliensis was quite happy with hanging around the Alpine but knew he wouldn’t be staying forever. The last area he wanted to go to was the Volcanic lands, where great mountains spat fire upon the ground in unpredictable shows of destruction.

[Esko]

I had watched Omen take off without me or Alex. I assumed he was heading to the desert now. "Wait up, you can't leave me behind!" I made sure I had Furisa and took off. I hoped I had eaten enough, for we would make it to the desert in a day if we pushed. I had an idea where the nasty people were, and the rest would be uncharted to me. I knew what part of the desert I was in, and if we were going southern, I would barf. Or eastern. "Hey, any idea what part of the desert we may be going to? North, south, east, or west?" I was afraid of the two words that would make me sick.

[Alexander_Drake]

Alexander

 

"Well, Esko, I think we're going towards the western part of the desert, if you want to know, so, let's hurry, I dont want to let Omen crash and burn again.

 

Lumina

 

Lumina glided down to the town confectionery, stomach rumbling in anticipation of chocolate filling her belly. Lumina really loved chocolate, more than she had previously let on, which was really saying something. Now that she was on her own and had explicit permission from Alex to eat as much chocolate as she wanted, that was exactly what she wanted to do.

 

As Lumina walked closer to the confectionery, she daydreamed about what kinds of chocolate she would eat. Dark chocolate was far too bitter, but white chocolate wasn't, well, chocolatey enough. Milk chocolate was too boring, so that left caramel-filled chocolates.

 

When Lumina reached the large double-doors of the confectionery, a young lady with brown hair and pale skin poked their head out of a window up above her head and called down, "Miss? Are you a customer? We don't have many dragons around these parts, but the ones we do all eat chocolate. I've never seen a Moonstone show up before, though. Come in if you want, or we can serve you outside if you prefer, I mean, you are a big dragon."

 

Lumina sat back on her haunches and replied, "I would prefer to be served outside, thank you very much for offering. I would like to purchase some caramel chocolates, please. I have a few gold coins, is that enough?"

 

"That'll be plenty, miss, our chocolates are actually pretty cheap because of how many customers we get. With all the dragons and humans who buy chocolate, we turn a profit with ten copper coins per chocolate. How many will you be buying?"

 

"However many caramel chocolates one gold coin can buy, please. Maybe two coins, depending on how much one can buy."

 

The lady did some quick math, and told Lumina, "One gold coin is fifty silvers, and one silver is fifty coppers, so one gold is two thousand five hundred coppers, and one chocolate is ten coppers, so one gold coin can buy, let's see, two hundred fifty chocolates. Seems reasonable for a big dragon. Hand over a coin, and we'll give you your chocolates."

 

Lumina obliged, reaching a gold coin up to the lady in the window. The lady ducked back inside before closing it, and Lumina sat back down near he doors of the confectionery.

 

After several minutes, some humans opened the doors and came out with chocolates on plates, and set them in front of Lumina. She really felt like she was living up to her fake royal heritage that Alex had given her at the moment he had been able to discern her gender. Lumina happily gobbled up caramel chocolates, which tasted extra good, far better than any other caramel chocolates she had eaten before. Not long after she had began eating, Lumina had devoured most of the chocolate. She was feeling kind of full, but the chocolate was just so good, she had to have more. She finished the chocolate that she had paid for, so she bought another set of chocolate with one more gold coin.

 

She consumed the second batch of chocolate with greater gusto than before, and was a bit messy to say the least. She apologized to the confectionery staff, saying, "Oh, I hope I'm not causing too much trouble by being so messy. I don't know what's come over me. Well, I suppose it's because this chocolate tastes so good, I can't help but stuff my face." Lumina licked her chops after saying that, then proceeded to buy one last batch of chocolate caramels.

 

After eating so much food, Lumina's stomach hurt, and had a large lump from eating so much chocolate. Lumina thought to herself, I'm going to be so fat after this. But I don't care. I would eat more chocolate if I didn't think it would make me sick. Lumina was oddly sleepy after so much chocolate, but she chalked it up to coming off a short sugar high. She decided to slowly walk to the outskirts of town, and took a nap.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Alexander_Drake

[MyaMouse]

Amara Jades

 

"Oh, hello!" I said telepathically in surprise as I was startled by the gleaming Tinsel that jumped onto me. I noticed that Pyro was absorbed in something else, and even though I couldn't hear, it seemed important, so I did my best to leave her be. Just then an idea sprung to mind. But first I had to check with Neko and the gang. "Oh, uh, Pyro, I'll be right back. I need to talk to my family for a second. Stay here!" I bolted into the cave. "Nekonekoneko! I just met the nicest dragon. Her name's Pyro, and-" I stopped myself. Okay, so I wanted company that wasn't my dragons or my obnoxious friend. So what? But I for one needed to stop acting like a five-year-old. "Okay, let me start again. Neko, I just met this dragon named Pyro. She has another dragon with her, named Tinselwings. I was wondering if we could ask them to travel with us, but I haven't asked yet, because I wanted to check with you, but y'know..." My telepathic voice trailed off as I actually thought about my proposal. What if Pyro rejected my offer? Neko wouldn't be fazed, but I definitely would. I needed a backup plan. "And if they say no, we can always just go to the forest without them to find a cure for Flares." I found my tone getting sadder. I could also feel Neko's regret. What did that girl even do to Flares, anyway? I sighed.

 

Nekonny Myko

 

 

I was overwhelmed with Amara's enthusiasm. I was relieved when she calmed down and listened to her proposal. "Yeah, sure. As long as we can heal Flares..." I said sadly. I realized what I was doing and tried to put my guard back up. "And get out of this place," I snapped. But I knew I couldn't keep up my tough-guy act with all this.. This... This sadness floating around. I shook my head. "I'll go ask Flame and see if she can leave in such short notice. She's worn herself out worrying over Flares." I started half-running, half-skidding over the cave floor to Flame, almost hopeful that some progress had been made on Flares. I crossed my draconic toe-finger-things and hoped for the best, which is very... Un-me.

 

Flame of the Dorkwed lineage

 

"I'm sorry, Nekonny, but for the 3rd time, he hasn't woken up yet!" I groaned, annoyed by the persistent Neko pestering me about the unconscious Flares Rinne. Suddenly Amara rushed to us, struggling to squeeze through the tunnel in the alcove at the back of my cave. I groaned again, and asked with a tinge of annoyance in my voice, "Are you here to ask about Flares, too?" But she shook her head and to my surprise, responded telepathically, "No, I need you to act like my mom. And Neko, act like my little brother. Do it!" I nodded, and asked in my own normally-unused telepathic voice, "Okay, but why?" Amara flinched, but I glared and she responded very tentatively, like she had a secret. "I may have told an outright lie to that Silver out there that you guys were my family... Except Flares." I wasn't surprised. Neko could pass for my son, and Amara maybe my daughter. But according to Neko I didn't look old enough to have an adult daughter. Why was he being nice? I honestly, wholeheartedly, have no clue. "But what about fathers?" I asked. She nodded. "Already covered. Don't worry and don't bring it up. Now. Are you able to fly for long distances with Flares? I mean, I can help, but I'm still cruddy with flying," Amara said. I nodded. "Just give me a night's rest and I'll be good to fly."

 

Amara Jades (again)

 

I raced out of the hidden cave in the hidden cave (or tried to, at least), and bonked my head on the low roof of the cave. I shook my head, and walked slowly out, flying the rest of the short while to Pyro. "Okay, uh, I'm back. Say, my mom's friend is hurt and we're trying to go to the forest. We're leaving in two days and I was wondering if you'd like to tag along? I mean, if it troubles you in any way, it's fine. No big deal..."