Rose of the Dragon

[Dragonmouse23]

Ezio looked over to where he thought Njoine had gone and then to Alessa. "Would you mind getting the Cheshire- er uh Njoine?" He then glanced up to the dark sky above. "We should start moving now that it's dark." Setheriy went over to Alex and snorted before pulling the girl to her feet. "C'mon." Alex growled and flattened her ears, "I can walk on my own." Seth raised an eyebrow before getting an extra leather belt she had.

"You're right, you can walk on your own..." She then slipped the belt around her neck and pushed her back to the ground, placing her boot on the foxes back. She adjusted it so that it wouldn't choke her but so that she also couldn't get away. Then the assassin tied a rope to the 'collar'.

Ezio smirked and glanced at Alex, who was seathing with anger and looking quite rabid. "Njoine will be pleased. I think you'll be her new favorite Seth." The girl smiled broadly at this.

 

Meanwhile, Altair woke up and gently held Alice as he climbed down the tree. Placing the cat on the ground he went over to Lydon and Crystal and knelt beside them. His red eyes were glowing and he hoped he wouldn't scare them too badly. "Lydon, Crystal, time to get up." He said. Artorius opened his eyes and looked at Crystal, breathing warm air over her. "Wake up dear one." He purred.

Edited August 17, 2011 by ShadowDragonmouse23

[Mijikoi]

Rather then answer Ezio, Alexia slipped off into the foliage Njoine and Kiro had left through. She reached the two in time to see a laughing Njoine surface and splash at Kiro. "Njoine, Ezio says it's nearly dark and I'm supposed to remind you it's time to leave."

 

Njoine giggled and swam to the shore next to Alexia. Once on shore the feline shifter set about wringing her her and clothes out. It took a bit but when she and Kiro were only damp, Njoine scooped up a purring Drake and Alexia carried Kouki. As the trio stepped into the clearing with the others, Njoine nearly fell over in giggles. "Mia Dea. I think I'm in love. Well, now that we don't have to worry about losing the...well..our guest. We're ready when you are."

 

---

"I take it you both know where we're going, cause I'm more lost now then I usually am traveling with Njoine." Lydon groaned at Artorious but still set about helping Crystal to her feet. He looked over to spot Altair holding little Alice and smiled at how content the cub looked. "I think she really likes you, Ser Altair."

[Saphira-dragon]

Jess peered out of one open eye lid to see what all the moving was about, she was still tired but the sight of the moon gave her new strength. Another great thing about being part wolf sometimes, even if her sleeping patterns were all over the place, she opened her other eye as she saw that they were getting ready to move out.

Stretching and arching her back she got to her feet, she thought for a moment if she was going to be safer in her wolf form or dragon but left it as human. She had spent little to no time as a human in the past few months do welcomed the change. She walked up to the others stuffy and has to withhold a laugh as she saw the fix shifter with a collar and rope around her neck.

[Dragonmouse23]

Setheiry smiled. "Rope two dollars. Belt five dollars. Everyone's reaction, priceless." She then waited to follow Njoine, knowing that the best place to keep Alex was between her and the leopard-shifter. Ezio glanced at Kiro since he knew where he was going, then they folowed him.

--

The dragon huffed and stood, stretching for a moment before moving so that they could all climb onto his back. "Up. Crystal in front, Altair in back." He said simply. The Assassin went over to help boost them up and then picked up Alice to hand her to Lydon. "That would be a first, few people actually like me, let alone animals."

[Mijikoi]

"You obviously have not paid attention to Alessa. The girl adores you. Njoine wouldn't have gotten so offended on her behalf if she hadn't." Lydon didn't want to upset Altair by the reminder, but felt he should know that someone enjoyed his company. As he took Alice into his arms, he checked to make sure Crystal was okay and secure. "Ready when you guys are."

 

---

Alexia huffed, but shifted and took her place in front of the makeshift luggage carrier while Njoine began hooking it up. Once it was secure, Njoine laid a thick blanket over Alexia's back with a grin. Muscles bunching, Njoine pushed off the ground with enough force to settle comfortably on the horse shifter's back. Once she was there, Njoine shifted herself into feline form and settled for a nap. Alexia snort at the feline vampire and set off after Kiro.

[Dragonmouse23]

Ezio chuckled at Njoine as Alexia passed him. He looked over to jess and smiled, "You want to hang in the back with me?" He asked, knowing that Setheiry would stay between Kiro and Njoine for the reason of Alex. Just in case the fox got away, Kiro and Njoine would be right there, able to catch the shifter quickly. "I don't bite." The assassin added.

 

Alex was completely pissed, but her head was down as she walked. She had to stopped lying to herself. She was caught. Captured. Tied up. And unable to get free. There was no way she could get in position to attack anyone without being killed. She was lucky that they hadn't 'questioned' her yet. Not that she'd talk. Maybe. Depending... She should've gone with Vuelasor, she shouldn't have been so damn proud! Rawver was going to SKIN her and put her coat on his 'throne' and use her as a coushin. Vuelasor would be given a new rider of course, hopefully it wasn't... Alex growled at the mere thought of HIM getting her dragon.

 

Altair raised an eyebrow and chuckled, he hadn't noticed surprisingly. Probably because he was too occupied on the fact that he was in the middle of Dracona's. Yes he was nuetral now, but old habits die hard. Artorious nodded and stretched as he stood up to his full height. His large black wings spread out before he flapped them to ready the muscles. Then with a small running start and a slight leap, he soared into the air, his talons just grazing tree tops as he did so.

[Saphira-dragon]

"Yes please"

 

Jess answered, she had taken a liking for the man. She felt safe near him, or mabye it was the fact he was like the boss here and knew where he was going as well. For a few minutes they walked in silence before she broke it with a question that had been nagging her, she hoped she didn't sound too rude for asking it.

 

"When the time comes.... Whom shall you fight for?.... I mean you don't strike me as the type to turn your back and walk away"

 

She questioned, and he didn't.

[Dragonmouse23]

Ezio nodded. "You're right, I'm not." He looked up at the stars and then down to Setheiry. "I will stay with the Dracona's and Lady Crystal as long as needed." His answer was simple, and yet meant so much.

 

Setheiry felt his eyes on her and glanced back to smile at him, wondering what he was thinking...

 

Alex kicked a few rocks on the ground, hoping one would skitter off to the side and hit Kiro. It was a wish, but those were rarely granted. Still, she continued kicking them, trying not to look as if she were aiming at all.

This girl behind her, Jess was it? She had heard that name spoken. From years of being taught how, she knew what the dragon-shifter blood smelled like. Especially the royal line.

It had been beaten into her, so everytime she smelled it her fur would stand on end and she felt herself ready for pain. Then nothing would come, and those first milliseconds would be forgotten.

Is there a possible way that she could get the girl to come with her? And if not by choice, by force? Well, the girl seemed to have an old injury that probably still hurt...perhaps there was a chance, but rarely were wishes granted.

At that moment of thought, the rock she kicked went high enough to hit a tree trunk before landing on it's unintentional mark. The side of Kiro's head. They'd know anyway, so a grin crept onto her features. As usual though, it never reached her dark eyes.

[Saphira-dragon]

Jess was so relived to hear him say that he would stick with Crystals side of this war, he looked like one with a he'll of a lot experience with fighting!

Crystal... Where was her cousin? Alive she hoped and safe, she still felt bad for all the times she called her names when she disappeared so long ago and cursed her to the heavens.... Man does she regret saying all of that now.

She wouldn't have dreamed that either of them would be caught up in a world like this, her fighting for her right to survive and herself... Well the same but it was more important that Crystal survived. She was pureblood unlike her, her blood had been mixed when she had been bitten by a werewolf a few weeks after she left home to find Crystal.

Stupid wolf!

[Mijikoi]

Njoine did her best to ignore the fox and the conversation going on around her in a bid for sleep. When sleep failed to claim her, the feline sat up and resumed her humanoid form mid-stretch. She looked over to Setheiry and grinned. "You're good for, mio amico. I like you, Setheiry, you're a good young lady and I'm only saying this because Ezio is il mio amico. Although, I'm fairly certain he and your vampire would be upset with me over it. If you hurt Ezio in a fashion you could not avoid or set out intentionally to cause, you will find out exactly what I plan to do to my father from first hand experience. That being said as long as you and he desire it to be so, welcome to la mia famiglia."

 

Through out her mini speech, Njoine looked watched the trees. Her face had taken on a cold expression. She wasn't lying, Njoine honestly did like the girl, but Ezio was her extended family and Njoine was viciously protective of the very few members of it.

[Saphira-dragon]

((bump))

[Dragonmouse23]

((I'm sorry guys...my internet SUCKS and I have to go elsewhere (barnes and nobles) to even get a connection. I won't be able to post much...because I'm also out of ideas. I know, not something you wanted to hear.))

[Dragonmouse23]

((Bump))

[Dragon Hunter]

(I might be brave enough to come out my hole and join )

[Dragonmouse23]

((Feel free, and we might get going again .))

[Mijikoi]

((*sneaks out from under a rug with a "I'm sorry banner"* Um, I'm alive and back if you don't mind me coming back into the fold.))

[Dragonmouse23]

((*hugs Mijikoi* You tell me...I'm lost too in this mad world...))

[Saphira-dragon]

((I havent been secretly sneaking around........ We should kick start this again!))

[Mijikoi]

((How do we want to do that? I doubt we could do a reset since we'd need Raven's permission, I believe. Otherwise, we have timeskips available and a fight.))

[Saphira-dragon]

((let's do that for now))

[Dragonmouse23]

((All good with me...just someone else start it please... ))

[Mijikoi]

((Can we do a time skip that puts Crystal's group in the camp they're heading to. If we do that, then we can focus a bit more on Kiro's group and put them in the middle of a battle as the time skip ends? Or just part of that group while the others get sent on ahead?))

[Dragonmouse23]

((Go for it.))

[Mijikoi]

Lydon stared at the place Kiro had told Crystal to find and was rather surprised at it's size. He'd expected a little camp like theirs and instead he was faced with what looked more like Njoine's clan Keep. His feelings of awe at the Dracona's base over-shadowed a niggling sense of worry for Njoine who should be here with the others. "So, uh, this is the place?"

 

----

"One down the middle, two down the side." Alessa stood in several feet behind Njoine as the feline vampire tossed a Rebel into a tree. The blonde was forced to duck when one of the rebels sailed over her head from the right. The group was definitely having too much fun in Zani's opinion, but Alessa paid the penguin no mind and happily whacked a Rebel over the head with Njoine's pack. Instead, the mental equine picked up singing. "The three over the head and four in th-"

 

---

"Alessa! That is an entirely inappropriate thing to sing." Njoine snarled at her charge as she buried a claw into a Rebel's shoulder, before leaping onto another Rebel's back. The leopard shifter rolled her eyes as Alessa began singing Eye of the Tiger. Finding a moment to breath in the fighting, Njoine signaled for Alessa to make sure Alex did not escape.She was not surprised when the girl dropped down to sit on the Rebel captive. Heaving a sigh, Noine jumped back in the fray moving to fight close to Ezio. "So, tell me, mio amico. How does it fell to be in love?"

[Dragonmouse23]

((...Too many things, and so very occupied. Who is playing Crystal?))

 

Altair shivered at the sight. He was no longer a Rebel, but that didn't make walking into the Dracona stronghold any easier. The black dragon shifted his feet in nervousness, watching the place with his missmatched red and blue eyes. There was an air about the place, a strength emenating from the walls. It was strong enough to make any Rebel attack turn an flee with their lowly tails between their legs. "I would believe so." Spoke the Assassin, sliding off the black scales to walk slightly ahead of the dragon.

--

 

Alex growled at Setheiry, tugging at her leash to try and get free during the commotion. The young Assassin meanwhile was trying to fight Alex for the leash and a Rebel with one hand and her short blade. "This....is...too easy." she muttered sarcastically, dodging an attack before stabbing the Rebel finally.

The fox shifter yelped when she was abruptly sat on, all chances of escaping gone. Setheiry smiled in thanks to Alessa before moving to fight better.

--

 

Ezio chuckled, "Not something you could expect of me?" The elemental twisted around to stab a Rebel before turning and having some swordplay with another.