Rose of the Dragon

[Dragonmouse23]

((Action!))

 

The vampire was pulled from his thoughts when Kiro's growl changed to actual aggression. He stood up and drew his sword as a wolf jumped for him. "Big mistake." he commented swinging his sword in front of the wolf then cutting under its feet. The gray beast dodged easily and seemed arrogant in the slight moves it made. Altair jumped to the side and cut the wolf's side as it ran by. It whimpered slightly before turning on a dime and biting his robes, just an inch to the left would have been his leg. A small silver flash cut across his peripheral and buried itself in the wolf's hip. A howl of pain escaped its lips, but was cut off as Setheiry jumped on it and slipped her hidden blade into its throat. She had looked up from her giggling and petting Drake to see the three wolves. Then she had put the little cub in a hole in the stump she was sitting on, and somehow told him to stay. Altair nodded his thanks to her and she returned it before both of them ran to help Kiro, for Crystal and Jess together would be plenty for one wolf. Altair went behind them while Setheiry flanked the two, both ready to attack if he tried to run or when Kiro called them to do something.

 

Artorius roared his anger at the wolf when it bit Crystal. He bared his white razor teeth and watched to see what it would do.

 

Alex didn't move as she glanced at the little fox shifter, it was just a slight movement of her forest black eyes. No, I've just been flying Alex answered in reply. "N-no...I...We...She's just been gone for so long, we're uncertain if she can still hold her own. We would feel safer if we knew she could fight for us still." the servant stuttered, confidence increasing with each word.

[Mijikoi]

Lydon cursed when the fight broke out and looked about for a suitable hiding place. In the end he wound up clnging to Crystal for fear of falling and hoping to offer her some aid after she was bitten. Drake on the other hand, set about protecting his bed-brother from attack dispite Sethiary's command to stay in the stump. The cub was prepared to use teeth and claws if need but yipped for Njoine in his fear. Both males only hoped she was okay.

 

---

Njoine was running back to the camp before Mel was finished speaking. Crystal's call was enough to send her into anger, but Drake's brought out a fury. Pressing herself to run fast, Njoine was heedless to the scenery about her focusing on the scent that would lead her back to camp. When she busrt from the tree line, she saw Crystal being defended and Drake trying to help fight a wolf but doing so poorly. Deciding stay out of the other'sway, Njoine growled at Drake to find safety. The cub darted back to Sethiary's hiding hole. In human form, Njoine wrapped slipped next to Crystal and waited.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Mijikoi

[jaina]

Merleawe was a quarter second or so behind Nijoine as she charge back into camp. She immediately threw herself onto the first unfamiliar opponent that was close to her. She wrapped herself around her opponent's body from behind, trying to slip them into a choke hold. Briefly remembering Nijoine's lesson about biting her opponents, she opened her mouth and sank her teeth in, biting as hard as she could. She quickly felt hot liquid squirt into her mouth accompanied by a yelp of pain. The instant she felt the blood run over her tongue, she felt something akin to her heart skipping a beat as her eyes snapped back open. She felt something drop in the pit of her stomach as she slid off the invader's back, to shiver in a ball.

[RavynWolf]

Crystal took in all that seemed to happen in a second's time. Somehow she was able to keep up and get Lydon and herself out of harms way. Different groups were fighting the remaining two wolves. Altair and Setheiry had already killed one it seemed and were watching as Kiro took down the leader. She watched carefully as Mel bit into the wolf that she herself had bitten. She knew she was safe enough so long as she stayed back and out of the way. She shifted back to her human form and looked down at her leg. The bite was burning and it would definitly slow her down for a little while.

 

Kiro fought the pack leader a bit longer until the younger wolf finally made a mistake big enough for Kiro to get in a good hold. Once he had a secure hold on the other wolf he bit down hard, snapping the bone. The other wolf then went limp and he dropped him to the dirt.

[Dragonmouse23]

((Bump))

[Mijikoi]

Njoine gave a pleased grin when she heard the snap of the neck of Kiro's opponent. The smugness turned to worry when she looked for her cubs. Alice and Drake had gone to Lydon's side as soon as the leopards thought it safe enough. Lydon set about cleaning Crystal's wound when the Dracona leader was still and stepping back when she wasn't. When her gaze settled on Mel, Njoine rushed to check on the girl and kept a careful on on Mel's wolf. Seeing no immediate injury, Njoine pressed a hand to Mel's shoulder. "Mia Bambina? What is wrong and how may I help?"

[RavynWolf]

Kiro neared the final wolf but stayed back. Something was happening to Mel.

Crystal could feel the burning in her leg become a dull sting. She sat down and let Lydon work. She knew the others could handle one wolf, so she waited. Something seemed to be wrong with Mel, but she had not been hurt by the wolf. There was no blood that could be seen, except what remained on her lips from biting him.

[jaina]

Merleawe could hear voices speaking around her, but they didn't make sense to her ears, they sounded like jumbled sounds and gurgles to her. A moment later she felt her skin begin to burn which was followed by dark gray fur beginning to sprout across her entire body. Some of the fur though was a dark black and her eyes turned a bright liquid gold color. Her body began to grow until in swelled and tore out of her clothes, changing into a form similar, but slightly different than the form Nijoine had seen before. The size was the same though as she towered over the rest of the group. She blinked once before letting out an ear splitting howl. She was hungry and she could smell something bleeding. Before her was a furred creature leaki9ng blood from a wound near the neck, the werewolf she had wounded.

[Dragonmouse23]

The two Assassin's moved back to the rest of the group, but Altair stayed a little bit further back. Setheiry looked around for the cubs and was glad to see them safe with the only other human. Mel seemed to be in pain and she wished she could help in some way. When she changed Setheiry instinctively went to Altair's side. She knew Mel wouldn't hurt anyone, not on purpose.

 

Artorius kept looking over Crystal to make sure nothing else was hurt or broken. His mismatched red and blue eyes were filled with worry.

[RavynWolf]

((I like the mismatched eye thing, I think I'm gonna draw him and post it in here soon.^^))

 

Kiro watched as Mel shifted into her hybrid form. He stayed in his and waited for her to finish off the other werewolf. He didn't know if she had control or not, but he would be ready just in case.

Crystal smiled at Lydon. "Thanks, for taking care of me." She then looked at Artorious. She could tell he was worried so she sent him a mental link that said she was fine. Just then she noticed Kiro's look. He was watching Mel and he was worried. She was a hybrid and in this form Kiro wasn't so sure of her, and neither was Crystal. She might not have control just yet.

[jaina]

Merleawe's vision was reddish as she looked at the bleeding werewolf growling. The creature was backing away slowly growling at her as she watched. In a moment she bolted forward, catching the assassin around the chest with one of her massive hands. The attack carried through though, continuing until the creature was smashed against a tree, pinned there by her hand. she kept pressing, as the werewolf howled in pain for a moment before a crunch was heard a blood spurted from it's mouth. The smell almost seemed to tingle in her nose as she leaned down towards the corpse, almost daintily she licked up some of the blood that had come out.

[RavynWolf]

Crystal watched the death of the werewolf. She hoped that Mel had some semblence of control. Just a slight hesitation would be all that was needed to escape if she attacked. Kiro moved slowly closer to Mel. He made sure that he was being as noisy with his steps as possible. It was not good to sneak up on a young werewolf and she was a hybrid.

[Dragonmouse23]

((Which Assassin? Altair, yes?))

[jaina]

((no the one werewolf that came))

[Mijikoi]

Njoine had stepped away to allow for Mel to do as she wished with out being impeded. Her eyes lit with pride and a malicious glee at Mel's execution of the werewolf. She watched Mel lick the blood before letting a comforting purr rumble in her chest. Njoine was careful not to get to close to Mel. Her fear of putting Mel on the defensive. Of course that was only a possibility not a definite, depending on which of her dual natures was predominant. When she caught sight of Kiro, Njoine had to suppress the urge to swipe her hand at him, but could not resist placing herself closer to Kiro and her second cub. Her lips curled in snarl contradicting the soothing purr she continued for her cub.

 

--

Lydon finished cleaning Crystal's wound as best he could before examining if she would need stitches or if like Njoine she'd be healed in a few days with good meals. Lydon smiled at Crystal when she thanked him in time to catch her look at Kiro and followed it to Mel. "I wouldn't worry about Mel. Njoine'll keep her and if she has to give us time to leave before taking my... Ah, what does Njoine say she is? Oh, yeah. My prowl-sister.She'll take my prowl-sister hunting if need be. Course, knowing Mel, she wouldn't hurt anyone, anyway."

Edited October 21, 2010 by Mijikoi

[jaina]

As Merleawe licked away the blood coming from the werewolf's body, she disregarded the other people around her as they moved until one stepped too close. In an instant, she had brought her head up and away from the body to face the approaching person. She let out a low rumbling growl as she watched before leaning in closer for a cautious sniff. The scent of the one in front matched another in memory, a friend, Kiro. Satisfied with knowledge of the identity, she leaned forward and gave Kiro a lick of friendly greeting, only difference being her tongue was the size of Kiro's body.

[RavynWolf]

Crystal took in Lydon's words and smiled. She was glad he was here with her.

When Mel had growled Kiro tensed, but something changed and she licked him. Kiro relaxed. She at least had a sense of who were friendlies and enemies. Kiro licked her muzzle and went back to Crystal's side. He lay down beside her and sighed. He then looked closely at the wound that Lydon had taken care of. "We will have to watch that. I don't know how potent that wolf's venom was. If you start feeling feverish let me know." He said to Crystal before yawning and heading over to the dead wolves to begin dragging them off to be burried.

Crystal understood his warning. She looked over the wound one last time before shrugging her shoulders. There was nothing she could do to prevent it if it was going to happen. "I can only wait and see I guess." She said to Lydon.

[Mijikoi]

Lydon shrugged to Crystal in agreement with her to hide his pleased grin at being able to help and not simply be a burden. He also gave silent thanks to Kristine for teaching him about the "healing arts" as she called it. He caught Njoine rolling her eyes when she saw Kiro had everything well in hand before slipping off as she had before with a sharp call two the two leopards. Lydon idly wondered if Njoine was jealous. She was accustomed to being the only one her children looked to for comfort. Dismissing the thought, Lydon addressed Crystal. "Well if it doesn't work out, you have Kiro and Artorious. Not to mention you cousin, Jess. Oooh, and two nifty and cool assassins."

 

--

In the woods, Njoine had not gone hunting as Lydon had assumed . Instead, she had searched out a high boulder and settled up on top of it to think. She contemplated her father whose scent she had caught a few different times while hunting. It was old enough that he may have left it days ago, but her father was good at hiding his trail from her. "So, should I inform m'lady and Sir Kiro or with hold what I know. Or are you simply taunting me with an old trail, mio padre ? Ugh, I hate choices."

[jaina]

Merleawe returned her attention back to her kill when Kiro left after giving her a lick on the muzzle. She had accepted it as friendly and then dismissed the others around her as friendly as well. After licking up a bit more of he blood, her body began to shrink, her fur fur shortening. Eventually her body had returned to normal, and she curled up sleeping, naked as the day she was born. An oddity of her body was that her hair had grown out several inches, reaching nearly to her waist.

[RavynWolf]

Crystal smiled, "I also have you." She said as her eyes sparkled as she touched his hand. She then looked to were Njoine called the cubs and went to hunt, Crystal assumed. Kiro finished with the body he had and came back to check on the group. He found that Njoine was gone again. He put his nose to the ground and followed her scent. He found her on a large rock, and it seemed she was contemplating something. He slipped around and climbed up to lay down beside her.

"Something bothering you?" He asked. He was worried about his beta, if thats what you would call her. In his world she was anyways, he was getting used to her company. He wondered what he was in hers for a moment before focusing back on her. "You seem... troubled." He offered.

[jaina]

((anyone noticing Mel?))

[Mijikoi]

"Maybe a bit. Did you know the humans used to worship gods? The Erinyes, or Furies, used to visit my dreams after I read about them. I know they're simply my imagination, dreams as they are. It was about Orestes and how his father had been killed." Njoine paused a moment to pet Drake's head. She sighed as she recalled the rest of the story she'd read as a child, confessing to Kiro what she with held from her cubs and Lady. "Anyway, the furies cursed Orestes with insanity and twisted his mind, saying they would only give his sanity back if he avenged his father. Eventually, he he discovered that his mother murdered his father in defense of her lover or some such. Not being able to reason, Orestes killed his mother in vengeance for his father and was dubbed kin-killer by the furies.

 

The result was further insanity. After all, would he not receive the same punishment for not avenging his mother as he had his father? So I don't sleep, because if I do I dream of the past or I dream of them." Leaving her tale at that and moving on, she pulled her hands from Drake and gripped her legs through her skirt. Njoine dug her left hand into he calf and cursed her father's name. She turned worried eyes to Kiro and gave him a searching stare before heaving a sigh. "My father is shadowing us and I do not know how close he is. In this I'm claiming clan rite and that means it's my hand to end his life, but Sir Kiro, I don't wish to become my father. I don't think I'd ever sleep again. But if I don't kill him, he will try to kill my Lady and my cubs and I..I can't let that happen. And now I don't know what to do about it."

 

--

 

"Like I'd do anything but thrown around. I am however good with a needle and am the bandage guy. At least until Njoine lets me get turned into something." Lydon blushed at Crystal's statement, before grabbing a sleep blanket and wrapping it about Mel. He made quick work of setting the sleeping girl in her tent so she'd have privacy if she rolled out of the blanket. "And I can cook. Not well, but I'm awesome at throwing things in a pot and having them come out edible. So, uh, if you ever need a hand or, well, do you think you could teach me to cook better? That is if you have the time or, y'know don't mind."

[Dragonmouse23]

The two relaxed as they saw Mel lick Kiro. Setheiry, sure that it was safe, walked over to the dragon shifter and the human boy next to her. Having been in a fight with the group she felt as if she might belong here, and hoped to make friends. She also had heard the other human's comment and smiled as she walked over. She felt a tad shy, which was odd for her, as she stood in front of them. It was then she realized she hadn't introduced herself to anyone but Kiro. "Hi, I'm Setheiry." she said, formally introducing herself to both of them. To make it seem less formal she plopped down on the grass.

 

Artorius settled down and lay around the three people, watching and listening out of curiosity.

 

Altair watched as his apprentice mingled for a moment before going off to hunt. Or to think really. He shifted into his eagle form, glad this freedom was still a well kept secret, and flew through the forest. His ears picked up some voices and out of curiosity and habit he landed in a nearby tree and eavesdropped. A he listened it sounded as if the other vampire needed someone gone. Altair stayed quiet instead of offering his help, for the moment.

[RavynWolf]

Kiro took in Njoine's story. She then spoke of her own father. He looked at her eyes when she spoke of him. She hated him, but she was torn it seemed on what she needed to do. On the one hand she had the right to kill him for his deeds, yet there was that issue of her becoming him if she did. Kiro wondered what he had done for her to feel this way. He suddenly felt the need to protect her when she hugged her legs to her chest. He wanted to shift back into his human form and hold her, but he wasn't quite sure how she would react to that so he settled for licking her hand.

 

--

 

Crystal listened to Lydon's words. So he wanted to be turned into something. She thought about that for a moment. She then realized that over time he would grow old and she would not. She knew she would miss him if he wasn't changed. She then noticed that Lydon had blushed before getting a blanket and taking care of Mel. He then came back and she smiled, "Yes, when I cook I'll be sure and teach you whatever I can."

Setheiry walked over and Crystal nodded to her and watched her plop down into the soft grass. "I'm Crystal, and this is Lydon." She offered. "Your human too aren't you?" She asked the girl. She then patted the black dragon's neck. She would need to get with him later for practicing her airial battle strategies.

[Mijikoi]

"Sorry, for whining at you. I'm usually better at handling myself. I do thank you though. I suppose Mentor was right about talking. Mio padre will die either by my hand or claw. It's my responsibility, right?" Njoine smiled wryly at Kiro and ran a hand through his fur as she had to Drake. She was grateful for the comfort he offered. When the cubs whined plaintively, Njoine sent them after the rabbit just they had seen and prepared to call them back if they wandered to far. Determined not to bore Kiro with her past and her self-pity, Njoine changed the topic. "Enough of my simpering. So, what do you think of our new additions? I have biased views on the vampire, but I'll follow you and m'Lady. Can't guarantee I'll trust him or his child, though."

 

--

Wincing as he recalled Njoine's abrasive attitude to the young woman, Lydon thought over how to word an apology. Njoine really wasn't a people-person and sometimes she made him all too aware of the fact of her nature. "Um, sorry, about Njoine. She was the lavender haired and red eyed donna. Ah, I mean woman. She's over-protective and it was her way of stopping anyone from seeing you as a threat. She's just... Well, she's just Njoine. If it makes you feel better she wouldn't have done it anyway."

 

Lydon inhaled when he ran out of breathe before busying himself with the fire and hemming some of his extra clothes to fit Njoine who had ruined her other three dresses playing with the cubs and only had two left. It was convenient that when he set about stitching, he was sitting with Crystal between him and the young assassin. Seriously, what is with me meeting women that could hand me my butt with a pinky.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Mijikoi