Creative Corner

@Petall
Sobek is my favorite. With his constant singing, he sort of reminds me of me, because I sing all the time.

@zzzhorses

That's awesome! I love people who sing all the time!

[center][b][u]Day 47[/u][/b][/center] [center][item=Strangling Root] Sentence: Writing @CleverDual @Kyrinasha @MysterySandwing @Ezmara @Shanuuk @Skyeset @Kizzan @Leopardmask @Tiiran @IronPen @misdemeanours @zzzhorses @luckgandor @Lotuscatdragon [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/24#post_26804958]Previous[/url] _______________________________________________________________________________________[/center] "Susan, what is it? What's wrong?" Vaille could feel the icy dread flowing from her friend as she read the letter. It had been hand delivered by a representative of the Tempest University, and Susan had been so excited she had hardly been able to wait through all the formalities of the delivery to tear open the letter. "They've found something." The snapper's voice was really quiet. Vaille almost couldn't hear her. "I think it's her." "Carwen?" Vaille asked, feeling a new fear settle in her heart. "Sounds like it. They said something like an imperial was forming in a cave nearby, and, well, if the Chancellor is worried, it's big. Normally, she'd write something like this off as nonsense, but she actually wrote to me..." "What do they want?" "My expertise, apparently. I'm sorry Vaille, I won't be able to join you and your family in your new home, at least not at first. I need to deal with this first. If it really is Carwen..." She trailed off. "I need to know." "Then I'm coming with you." Vaille vowed. "No, don't be rediculous! The Landbound need you! Your family needs you!" Susan protested. "I can make this journey alone. It won't be a fast one, I can tell you that, but I don't need sleep too, so there would be some long nights. No, this is for me to do alone." "I can't let you go alone. If it really is Carwen, it's going to be dangerous. I can put Viper in charge, he'll help everyone get settled in our new place. Then, we can go, check this out, neutralize her if we can, than return home." "Do you really think Viper will let you go without him? He is bound to be your protector, and he doesn't take that task lightly." Susan pointed out. "Then I'll put Patrick in charge. Seriously, right now it's looking as though it's just going to be you, me, Patrick and the kids in our new home. Patrick can handle looking after his fully grown sons. Besides, I think he'll enjoy taking on the role." Vaille's eyes gleamed with humour. "Alright. I'll leave you to tell the others your decision, and we'll leave at dawn in one week's time, the same day the others set out." [center]***[/center] Averie was pacing back and forth along the moonlit clifftop. She had been trying for days to figure out how she was going to get the keystones. The fact still remained that she didn't have the lung capacity or the swimming skills to swim to the bottom of the sea to get them, and she didn't know any water dragons who would help her. "hey, could you keep it down over here?" An irritated voice called out. "That's my lair you're stomping on the ceiling of. I'm trying to get some sleep." "Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." Averie said, stilling her feet. "The damage is done." The reddish guardian sighed. She then paused to regard Averie, head tilted to one side. "I've seen you here before, haven't I? You were up here yesterday too, when I came back from fishing. I don't think you saw me, you looked distracted." "If this is your territory, I can leave. I just-" "Look, I can tell something is troubling you." The old guardian interrupted. "But it's the middle of the night, and if I don't get my sleep, I get cranky. Come back tomorrow, and maybe I'll be more welcoming. The key word being maybe." "Thank you!" Averie exclaimed. "You have no idea how much this means-" "I said maybe!" The guardian snapped. "Now shoo. Surely a young thing such as yourself needs sleep too. Not that I care. Just get out of my sight and stop stomping on my ceiling!" Averie turned to leave, but couldn't help but turn back to the older dragon. "My name is Averie, by the way." "Don't care much for names. I'm not getting attached here." She snorted. "But if you really must know, my name is Stelian. Now go, before I have to chase you off! just because I'm old doesn't mean my teeth and claws aren't sharp!" ____________________________________________________________________________________ Guess who finally integrated herself into the story! Stelian! That took far longer than I planned, but better late than never! [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/25#post_26842659]Next[/url][/center][center][/center]

[center][u][b]Day 48[/b][/u] [item=Julii Corycat] Sentence: 30-40 Coli Battles @CleverDual @Kyrinasha @MysterySandwing @Ezmara @Shanuuk @Skyeset @Kizzan @Leopardmask @Tiiran @IronPen @misdemeanours @zzzhorses @luckgandor @Lotuscatdragon [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/25#post_26824205] Previous[/url] _______________________________________________________________________________________[/center] Averie returned early the next morning. She didn't know what time Stelian would wake up, but upon returning back to the cavern, Vaille and Susan had explained their plans to travel the the Tempest University, and Averie's sense of urgency had increased. She had to know the truth about the stone before anybody risked their life trying to protect it. Eager to not put the older guardian in a bad mood, she resisted to urge to pace and instead sat on the cliff's edge, watching the boat below bob up and down in the waves. It was hours before Stelian appeared, slowly making her way up the cliffside from a hole in the edge. In the daylight, Averie could more easily see her reddish scales, and the proud way in which she moved, unhindered by her age. "And just how long have you been sitting there, young one?" Stelian chortled. "I was just... I'm not..." Averie struggled to explain. She wanted to tell this dragon that she was an ancient queen, reborn by the lightweaver, who had lived through many trials and had probably seen more than the guardian before her, but it all seemed to fall short. In the presence of Stelian, she felt like a young, naive hatchling, which, come to think of it, she had been not long ago. "Well, I've noticed you coming and going from this spot a lot since I settled here. Well, heard you more like, and I like my peace and quiet so let me help you and you can be on your way." Stelian snorted. "What is it that draws a young thing like yourself to this boring corner of the world?" "There's something I need on the ocean floor." Averie explained. "A couple of rocks. It might sound silly, but they are important. They are related to my charge." She hoped Stelian would understand what she was trying to get at. Usually, guardians held a high regard for the charges of others. "What do these rocks looks like?" "They are very smooth, and banded. If I remember correctly, they'll look different than the other rocks around it." Averie's heart was pounding harder and harder as she spoke. Stelian was a shadow dragon. Would she really be able to help her get them? Would she really be able to see the stone again? "Aye, I hail from a water clan." Stelian responded, as if she had read her mind. "Wasn't born there, obviously, but I spent a fair bit of time there. It's been several months though since I've ventured that deep. I doubt my lungs will have forgotten how to survive under the waves. With any luck, I can teach you too. You are a guardian, aren't you? Unless you new guardians have become so far removed from the Tidelord that you've forgotten how to exist in the domain we were crafted for, it shouldn't take long for you to retrieve them yourself." "Myself?" Averie said, shocked. "Wouldn't it be easier if you just went and got them?" "And have you come running back every time you drop something down there? I don't think so." Stelian laughed. Averie had to admit, she liked the older guardian's laugh. It was raspy, but obviously genuine. "No, I want you out of my scales. Besides, it's a useful skill every guardian should learn." "When do we start?" Anxiety coursed through Averie. Time was not on her side. If she was truly making a mistake by sending her friends away, she needed to know for sure sooner rather than later. But she could see no other way. She had to do things Stelian's way. "Well, if you've perfected your breathing exercises by tomorrow, we can start in the shallows tomorrow afternoon." ____________________________________________________________________________________ You know, I had planned to have Averie get the stones in this update, but Stelian had other ideas. As I was writing her, it became very clear that she is the sort of dragon who likes to do things at her own pace, and nothing anyone can do or say will make her move any faster or slower. However, this does tie in nicely with the upcoming Wavecrest Saturnalia. For once, I might actually acknowledge a holiday in my Pinkerlocke! Actually, I do have some plans regarding the Saturnalia... [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/25#post_26862388]Next[/url][/center]

@petall Averie finding Stelian was great! I love how she was just like 'quit stomping on my lair! >:T'. Stelian is such an enjoyable character to read about. She seems like a very 'tough love' sort of character. I hope to see more of her in future updates!

@Petall
I really like your Pinkerlocke. Could I please be put on the pinglist, and on the pinglist for the next one you make?

@Kizzan

I'm glad you're enjoying her! She's a lot of fun to write! I think she's getting more attached to Averie than she'd like to admit. She's probably more lonely than she lets on.

@Violetah

Sure thing! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

@misdemeanours

I'm glad you like her!!!! She's a lot of fun to write!!! And of course I'll add you to the ping list for my next Pinkerlocke!

[center][b][u]Day 49[/u][/b] [item=Small Chunk of Granite] Sentence: Writing @CleverDual @Kyrinasha @MysterySandwing @Ezmara @Shanuuk @Skyeset @Kizzan @Leopardmask @Tiirran @IronPen @misdemeanours @zzzhorses @luckgandor @Lotuscatdragon @Violetah [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/25#post_26842659]Previous[/url] _______________________________________________________________________________________[/center] Vaille sat on the edge of the reedcleft ascent, staring at the sky and feeling the breeze rustling around her. She had found the cavern too cramped. She needed somewhere to think. "Is everything alright?" Patrick called out to her. Vaille watched him swiftly dart up the cliff to her. "You followed me." Vaille accused pointedly. "You looked like you needed company." Patrick shrugged. "If you want, I can go-" "No, you can stay." Vaille interrupted, ruffling her wings a bit. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Patrick asked. "I just- I don't know if I'm making the right decision. All I ever wanted was to keep everyone safe, but our clan seems to be falling apart. Sobek doesn't want to come with us. He says he does, but I know he's just doing it to keep us happy. I can sense his frustration and resentment whenever I bring up moving. And even though we're leaving, we're leaving behind our clanmates. But if we stay, how long will it be until we're all killed off? And even if we go, will we really be safe from Carwen? Susan got a letter. We might be seeing her sooner then we expected. I offered to go with her..." the words came pouring out of Vaille's mouth. She couldn't stop them. Yet, Patrick sat there, quieter than he was had ever been before, listening to all her problems. "Being a leader is difficult." Patrick said once he was sure she had finished talking. "You are doing what you can with our circumstances. And you are doing so much alone. You don't have to do this alone you know." His eyes seemed to gleam with some sort of hunger, and Vaille's heart fell. She had thought Patrick was here to comfort her, but it looked as though he was after the same thing he always had been after: power. Maybe leaving Patrick in charge when she went with Susan wasn't such a good idea... "I will do what I have to do." Vaille said, turning away. "Look, you could probably do with some time away. Why don't the two of us go away for the Saturnalia. I know we plan on leaving for our new home by the end of it, but let's go and scout out the land. We can choose our new lair, and you can get a good enough look around to be reassured it's safe. Then, you'll also know where to find us when you return." Patrick suggested. "Thanks for the suggestion, but the timing feels wrong." Vaille sighed. Then, seeing his crestfallen look, she quickly added. "But I'll think about it. Thanks for the idea Patrick." "I think it will do you some good." Patrick said, getting to his feet. "I'll leave you to your thoughts now. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Vaille watched as the mirror made his way down the cliff, slower than when he arrived, tail dragging in the dirt. She said nothing to him, and instead fixed her sight upon the sky again. She couldn't help but think of the way she had flown all that time ago. It seemed like another lifetime now, a more carefree one. She missed that simplicity. She wanted to feel like a family again. ____________________________________________________________________________________ You know, for a dragon that can read emotions, Vaille sure can be dense sometimes. [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2090290/26#post_26882880]Next[/url][/center]