If a dragon dies in the coliseum, they have one chance at revival in the next battle (without returning to the main menu for a full health boost). If they survive that battle, then they can survive. If they don't, then they are dead and must be exalted. Otherwise, fleeing from battle, using items, etc is fine.
Materials: Writing
Trinkets: Art
Familiars: Buy the cheapest dragon in the auction house, attach that familiar to the dragon. Use a random number generator to determine the breed.
Apparel: Breed two dragons of your choice, flip a coin on each hatchling. If tails, that hatchling is dead and you must exalt it.
Battle items: DEATH STREAK
Flip a coin. Heads = death streak, tails = nothing happens. Randomly select a team and fight 10 rounds consecutively.
Skipped days: Any day with a drop from Pinkerton is a day that there must be a post (or at least extensive plans for one that can be done later). If I check the site but don't have time or energy, I will not get a drop from Pinkerton and just continue to play as normal. If I can't get on for a day (or a few days), then there will just be no update.
If a dragon dies in the coliseum, they have one chance at revival in the next battle (without returning to the main menu for a full health boost). If they survive that battle, then they can survive. If they don't, then they are dead and must be exalted. Otherwise, fleeing from battle, using items, etc is fine.
Materials: Writing
Trinkets: Art
Familiars: Buy the cheapest dragon in the auction house, attach that familiar to the dragon. Use a random number generator to determine the breed.
Apparel: Breed two dragons of your choice, flip a coin on each hatchling. If tails, that hatchling is dead and you must exalt it.
Battle items: DEATH STREAK
Flip a coin. Heads = death streak, tails = nothing happens. Randomly select a team and fight 10 rounds consecutively.
Skipped days: Any day with a drop from Pinkerton is a day that there must be a post (or at least extensive plans for one that can be done later). If I check the site but don't have time or energy, I will not get a drop from Pinkerton and just continue to play as normal. If I can't get on for a day (or a few days), then there will just be no update.
[center]Characters[/center]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33275136]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/332752/33275136_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Rosebud - somewhat timid for a guardian, he's unsure about whether or not his Search has truly started, and worried about where it might lead him.
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33654426]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/336545/33654426_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Liana - a headstrong and carefree young dragon, she's more interested in the thought of adventure than the safety of home and clan.
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/1149.png[/img]
Bambi - a bamboo phytocat that Rosebud and Liana picked up along the way.
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34206433]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/342065/34206433_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Firebrand - a hatchling found just inside the Tangled Wood, the other two decided to take him to the friendly Shadow clan where he could be raised properly. By the time they reached it, however, he was already too attached to them to convince him to stay.
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/21420.png[/img]
Found attempting to take care of Firebrand, this menacing spider won't let him out of its sight.
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34418919]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/344190/34418919_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Athos - a somewhat stubborn young skydancer, determined that he be taken with them as they continue their journey.
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34459503]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/344596/34459503_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Xanthos - found with Athos, a little fae as difficult to get rid of as his friend. Although not the most skilled in battle, he is quite good at healing.
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=35047178]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/350472/35047178_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Kilgal - Liana's son, a carefree young fae with no experience in the world.
Rosebud - somewhat timid for a guardian, he's unsure about whether or not his Search has truly started, and worried about where it might lead him.
Liana - a headstrong and carefree young dragon, she's more interested in the thought of adventure than the safety of home and clan.
Bambi - a bamboo phytocat that Rosebud and Liana picked up along the way.
Firebrand - a hatchling found just inside the Tangled Wood, the other two decided to take him to the friendly Shadow clan where he could be raised properly. By the time they reached it, however, he was already too attached to them to convince him to stay.
Found attempting to take care of Firebrand, this menacing spider won't let him out of its sight.
Athos - a somewhat stubborn young skydancer, determined that he be taken with them as they continue their journey.
Xanthos - found with Athos, a little fae as difficult to get rid of as his friend. Although not the most skilled in battle, he is quite good at healing.
Kilgal - Liana's son, a carefree young fae with no experience in the world.
Rosebud had been getting restless. He didn't know what it was - maybe it was the Search, creeping over his subconscious and telling him that his daily chores weren't enough, that his clan wasn't enough, and that he needed to go find something else. Or maybe it was just that he'd never known anything else, and, in a small, new clan with dragons from across Sornieth and from a variety of flights, he felt inexperienced. When he could see the varied backgrounds in the eyes of the adults around him, and he had never strayed far beyond the water slide, it was easy to feel naive and sheltered. Maybe that was why he didn't have many friends - he had such a limited idea of what the world was like, and sometimes he felt that he might as well be a part of a different clan from the others.
But Liana was different. She, like him, had hatched in a warm next lined with leaves from the surrounding trees, and had grown up learning how to swim in the quiet pool by the spring, squelching through the mud and running through the leaves. She knew what it was like to be a hatchling of a new clan, and she had also grown up slightly apart from everyone else. She was younger than Rosebud, but she was a little more adventurous, a little more bold, and a little more proactive.
She was also the reason that they were lost.
"Liana, are you sure that the spring is back this way?" he asked for the umpteenth time, glancing around the unfamiliar woods where they'd landed to take a break.
Liana's tail was flicking back and forth in quick, small movements, a sure sign that she was irritated. "Listen, it was your idea to come out here in the first place-"
"Oh no it wasn't. I said I might like to go on a trip, maybe spend a few days away from everyone, it was my idea to ask Brer or Amala where we might go that would be safe, it was your idea to disregard their suggestions and go off on a completely random direction-"
"It wasn't random! I was following a side stream, one that could easily take us back to the main stream and back to the clan."
"And where is that side stream now?" Rosebud asked, a little peevishly. "I never saw it, I still don't see it, where did it go?"
Liana looked around them. "I was sure it was here somewhere," she said. "But that's fine. We can find it after just a little while longer..."
"A little while longer? Liana, the sun is setting. Soon it'll be too dark to find out where we are, let alone where a little side stream might be. Admit it, we're stuck here for the night."
Liana snorted out her nostrils. "Fine. We're stuck here. But tomorrow we can find the stream, and if we can't, well. They'll send someone out to look for us, won't they?"
"Will they though?" Rosebud looked up at the darkening sky. "We said we'd be gone for a couple days. They probably won't think anything strange of it for the next week. And what if they can't find us?"
Liana scratched at the ground for a moment, and Rosebud thought she looked like she was trying to hide how uncertain she felt. But then the moment was gone, and she was setting her shoulders in a determined position. "Well. Sitting here arguing isn't going to help us. For now, let's try to find some shelter and maybe some food before it gets dark."
Rosebud hesitated for a second, but then he nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
Rosebud had been getting restless. He didn't know what it was - maybe it was the Search, creeping over his subconscious and telling him that his daily chores weren't enough, that his clan wasn't enough, and that he needed to go find something else. Or maybe it was just that he'd never known anything else, and, in a small, new clan with dragons from across Sornieth and from a variety of flights, he felt inexperienced. When he could see the varied backgrounds in the eyes of the adults around him, and he had never strayed far beyond the water slide, it was easy to feel naive and sheltered. Maybe that was why he didn't have many friends - he had such a limited idea of what the world was like, and sometimes he felt that he might as well be a part of a different clan from the others.
But Liana was different. She, like him, had hatched in a warm next lined with leaves from the surrounding trees, and had grown up learning how to swim in the quiet pool by the spring, squelching through the mud and running through the leaves. She knew what it was like to be a hatchling of a new clan, and she had also grown up slightly apart from everyone else. She was younger than Rosebud, but she was a little more adventurous, a little more bold, and a little more proactive.
She was also the reason that they were lost.
"Liana, are you sure that the spring is back this way?" he asked for the umpteenth time, glancing around the unfamiliar woods where they'd landed to take a break.
Liana's tail was flicking back and forth in quick, small movements, a sure sign that she was irritated. "Listen, it was your idea to come out here in the first place-"
"Oh no it wasn't. I said I might like to go on a trip, maybe spend a few days away from everyone, it was my idea to ask Brer or Amala where we might go that would be safe, it was your idea to disregard their suggestions and go off on a completely random direction-"
"It wasn't random! I was following a side stream, one that could easily take us back to the main stream and back to the clan."
"And where is that side stream now?" Rosebud asked, a little peevishly. "I never saw it, I still don't see it, where did it go?"
Liana looked around them. "I was sure it was here somewhere," she said. "But that's fine. We can find it after just a little while longer..."
"A little while longer? Liana, the sun is setting. Soon it'll be too dark to find out where we are, let alone where a little side stream might be. Admit it, we're stuck here for the night."
Liana snorted out her nostrils. "Fine. We're stuck here. But tomorrow we can find the stream, and if we can't, well. They'll send someone out to look for us, won't they?"
"Will they though?" Rosebud looked up at the darkening sky. "We said we'd be gone for a couple days. They probably won't think anything strange of it for the next week. And what if they can't find us?"
Liana scratched at the ground for a moment, and Rosebud thought she looked like she was trying to hide how uncertain she felt. But then the moment was gone, and she was setting her shoulders in a determined position. "Well. Sitting here arguing isn't going to help us. For now, let's try to find some shelter and maybe some food before it gets dark."
Rosebud hesitated for a second, but then he nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
[center][b]Day 1[/b][/center]
[center][item=Scholar][/center]
[center][i]tails, no death streak[/i][/center]
Rosebud woke to dew dripping on his nose. They'd found a fir tree with branches extending so low that they brushed the ground, and it had been simple to dig out a nice, dry little den that they then lined with dead pine needles for insulation underneath. He lifted his head and shook it. He thought he could hear something outside, and something told him that it wasn't good. Quietly, without waking Liana, he got up and crept out of their little den. The morning sun shone down between the trees, sparkling on the dew and making everything seem bright and beautiful. He looked around, all senses on alert, but there was nothing there.
"What?"
Rosebud jumped and spun, to see Liana's bearded face poking out of their little den. She chuckled at him when she saw his alarm. "You're jumpy this morning."
"I thought...I thought I heard something," he grumbled. But the feeling was gone, and he wasn't sure if he should feel like they'd avoided danger or he was just overreacting.
She yawned and stretched, reaching her front legs forward and extending her claws in a full stretch. "Are you jumpy from spending your first night away from the clan?" she asked, teasingly.
"No," he replied, scratching at the ground, but inwardly he thought that it made sense. Maybe he was just on edge. "Come on, we don't have all morning to laze around. We have to find out where we are and how to get back."
Liana emerged entirely from the den, shaking a few extra pine needles from her hide. "Calm down, Rosebud. We did fine for ourselves for one night, right? We were planning on staying out for a few days, and yeah, maybe we got lost, but that's fine. We can stay out a few days, have some adventures while we're at it, and when we find our way back we'll have some great stories to tell."
Rosebud felt like grabbing her, pinning her to the ground, and telling her that this was not a game. He couldn't live off dandelions and a few insects forever, or at least, not if he wanted to keep his strength up, and there was no guarantee that they'd be able to find their way back in the next month, let alone this week. But he just held in his breath for a few moments and then let it out in a sigh. "Can we at least find out where we're going?" he asked. "I'd feel a lot better if we could find the stream."
Liana rubbed up against his shoulder affectionately. "If you insist," she said. "But don't worry. I know that a big strong Guardian like you can protect me."
Rosebud rolled his eyes and crouched, launching himself to the air and flapping. It was exhausting, and he knew he'd have to get food as soon as possible, but watching her get bowled over by the strength of his powerful wings was worth it.
Rosebud woke to dew dripping on his nose. They'd found a fir tree with branches extending so low that they brushed the ground, and it had been simple to dig out a nice, dry little den that they then lined with dead pine needles for insulation underneath. He lifted his head and shook it. He thought he could hear something outside, and something told him that it wasn't good. Quietly, without waking Liana, he got up and crept out of their little den. The morning sun shone down between the trees, sparkling on the dew and making everything seem bright and beautiful. He looked around, all senses on alert, but there was nothing there.
"What?"
Rosebud jumped and spun, to see Liana's bearded face poking out of their little den. She chuckled at him when she saw his alarm. "You're jumpy this morning."
"I thought...I thought I heard something," he grumbled. But the feeling was gone, and he wasn't sure if he should feel like they'd avoided danger or he was just overreacting.
She yawned and stretched, reaching her front legs forward and extending her claws in a full stretch. "Are you jumpy from spending your first night away from the clan?" she asked, teasingly.
"No," he replied, scratching at the ground, but inwardly he thought that it made sense. Maybe he was just on edge. "Come on, we don't have all morning to laze around. We have to find out where we are and how to get back."
Liana emerged entirely from the den, shaking a few extra pine needles from her hide. "Calm down, Rosebud. We did fine for ourselves for one night, right? We were planning on staying out for a few days, and yeah, maybe we got lost, but that's fine. We can stay out a few days, have some adventures while we're at it, and when we find our way back we'll have some great stories to tell."
Rosebud felt like grabbing her, pinning her to the ground, and telling her that this was not a game. He couldn't live off dandelions and a few insects forever, or at least, not if he wanted to keep his strength up, and there was no guarantee that they'd be able to find their way back in the next month, let alone this week. But he just held in his breath for a few moments and then let it out in a sigh. "Can we at least find out where we're going?" he asked. "I'd feel a lot better if we could find the stream."
Liana rubbed up against his shoulder affectionately. "If you insist," she said. "But don't worry. I know that a big strong Guardian like you can protect me."
Rosebud rolled his eyes and crouched, launching himself to the air and flapping. It was exhausting, and he knew he'd have to get food as soon as possible, but watching her get bowled over by the strength of his powerful wings was worth it.
[center][b]Day 2[/b][/center]
[center][item=Bleeding Heart Crow][/center]
[center][i]meat: 40-50 matches[/i][/center]
They flew all morning, carefully scanning the forest below for any break in the trees, any bright flash that might be the stream, anything to tell them where they might be. But Rosebud was soon starving, so he started to circle lower, and Liana followed his lead until they could break through the foliage. They landed in a small clearing, and she cocked her head to one side quizzically. "What is it?" she asked.
Rosebud started to pace around, looking for anything they could eat. "I'm hungry," he mumbled. "I need more food than you. Besides, I think we've flown for long enough to deserve a break."
"You big feedbag, can't you think of anything other than your stomaaAAAH!"
Rosebud whirled around as Liana's playful jab turned into a yell. It was just a pocketmouse, but it was angry and hissing, and Liana had never fought before. Rosebud turned on it. He'd been to the coliseum a few times, although he'd always been accompanied by Brer or Lysiae. It was still more fighting experience than Liana had, and he quickly dispatched the angry mouse, although not before it got a few good scratches in.
He turned to her, half smiling. "Well, at least we have some meat now, right?"
Liana didn't return the smile. She was staring past him. Rosebud turned and saw the angry webwings perched in the trees, about to strike. He squared his shoulders. "Alright Liana, remember what I told you about scratching?"
"That you don't just want to lash out wildly, to always stay controlled and aim for softer spots, and never try to hook your claws in because that might just make them angry and bring them in close to you?" she replied, although she sounded somewhat uncertain.
"That's exactly right. Now. I suggest we back away and hopefully you won't need to use that, but.."
But it was too late. The webwings attacked, and they were forced to fight.
Liana proved adept at fighting. She hadn't quite gotten the technique down yet, but, despite a few scratches on her face, she was doing fairly well. The problem was that the creatures didn't seem to stop. After the webwings there were chipskinks, and then wildwood owls and chargers, janustraps, phytocats, cockatrices, basilisks, and even a few dryads. More than once they had to beat a hasty retreat and regroup, but overall, they managed to fend the attackers off. During one such pause, Liana had the audacity to grin at Rosebud. "You're not doing too bad for a timid little guardian," she said.
"And you're not doing too bad for a first time fighter," he replied with a roll of his eyes.
That was when the basilisk jumped on her from behind and scratched furiously at her neck, getting in a few blows at her face and throat as she twisted to try and get it off.
Rosebud swiped a massive claw at it, knocking it from his friend and making short work of it. "Liana, are you okay?" he asked.
She lay there, in the dust, blood seeping from the various cuts on her face. She didn't respond.
Rosebud saw the other basilisk, and with a bellow of anger he leaped on it. He wouldn't let anything get close to Liana. Anything. His roar seemed to have frightened off any remaining creatures, because there was quiet after he'd finished killing the remaining basilisk. Then he returned to Liana.
She was breathing, but she didn't open her eyes as he carefully turned her face and neck this way and that, examining the damage. "Liana?" he asked.
A movement at the corner of his eye made him look up. It was a phytocat. Rosebud growled, low and warning, and the phytocat seemed to shrink back, but it didn't run. It pushed a paw forward, and Rosebud noticed that it was pushing what appeared to be a pile of leaves. He watched it.
It picked the pile up in its mouth, and carried it forward, depositing it close enough for Rosebud to reach in a few paces, but not close enough so that he could scratch the phytocat without warning. Then it backed off, watching him closely.
Rosebud glanced around before going and grabbing the pile of leaves. He thought some of them looked familiar, and he thought back to when he'd been a first timer in the coliseum, and how Brer had taken him to Oriali. She'd mixed up a few concoctions from some of her plants to put on his injuries, which had stung horribly, and then she'd bandaged him up. Rosebud didn't have any bandages, and he wasn't even sure if these were the right leaves, but he chewed them up into a paste and started smearing them over the deeper cuts on Liana's face and neck. There was some tall grass nearby, and he used it to tie on some flat leaves. They weren't as good as real bandages, but they would at least hold the herbal mush against Liana's wounds. He hoped.
He glanced up when he noticed some movement. It was the phytocat again, pacing back and forth and then looking back at him. Rosebud considered. He could stay here, try to get Liana to eat something and hope that she woke up. Or he could follow the phytocat, who had already seemed like it wanted to help. He didn't really trust it, as it could be leading them into an ambush, but he also didn't know what to do. So he heaved Liana up onto his back, which earned him a slight moan of discomfort. He decided to take it as a sign that she was alive and be grateful. Then he added the carcass of the basilisk, because he wasn't going to waste any food, especially after that exhausting fight. And then he followed the phytocat through the woods.
Only males display the vibrant 'bleeding heart' coloration for which this subspecies is named.
55
6
meat: 40-50 matches
They flew all morning, carefully scanning the forest below for any break in the trees, any bright flash that might be the stream, anything to tell them where they might be. But Rosebud was soon starving, so he started to circle lower, and Liana followed his lead until they could break through the foliage. They landed in a small clearing, and she cocked her head to one side quizzically. "What is it?" she asked.
Rosebud started to pace around, looking for anything they could eat. "I'm hungry," he mumbled. "I need more food than you. Besides, I think we've flown for long enough to deserve a break."
"You big feedbag, can't you think of anything other than your stomaaAAAH!"
Rosebud whirled around as Liana's playful jab turned into a yell. It was just a pocketmouse, but it was angry and hissing, and Liana had never fought before. Rosebud turned on it. He'd been to the coliseum a few times, although he'd always been accompanied by Brer or Lysiae. It was still more fighting experience than Liana had, and he quickly dispatched the angry mouse, although not before it got a few good scratches in.
He turned to her, half smiling. "Well, at least we have some meat now, right?"
Liana didn't return the smile. She was staring past him. Rosebud turned and saw the angry webwings perched in the trees, about to strike. He squared his shoulders. "Alright Liana, remember what I told you about scratching?"
"That you don't just want to lash out wildly, to always stay controlled and aim for softer spots, and never try to hook your claws in because that might just make them angry and bring them in close to you?" she replied, although she sounded somewhat uncertain.
"That's exactly right. Now. I suggest we back away and hopefully you won't need to use that, but.."
But it was too late. The webwings attacked, and they were forced to fight.
Liana proved adept at fighting. She hadn't quite gotten the technique down yet, but, despite a few scratches on her face, she was doing fairly well. The problem was that the creatures didn't seem to stop. After the webwings there were chipskinks, and then wildwood owls and chargers, janustraps, phytocats, cockatrices, basilisks, and even a few dryads. More than once they had to beat a hasty retreat and regroup, but overall, they managed to fend the attackers off. During one such pause, Liana had the audacity to grin at Rosebud. "You're not doing too bad for a timid little guardian," she said.
"And you're not doing too bad for a first time fighter," he replied with a roll of his eyes.
That was when the basilisk jumped on her from behind and scratched furiously at her neck, getting in a few blows at her face and throat as she twisted to try and get it off.
Rosebud swiped a massive claw at it, knocking it from his friend and making short work of it. "Liana, are you okay?" he asked.
She lay there, in the dust, blood seeping from the various cuts on her face. She didn't respond.
Rosebud saw the other basilisk, and with a bellow of anger he leaped on it. He wouldn't let anything get close to Liana. Anything. His roar seemed to have frightened off any remaining creatures, because there was quiet after he'd finished killing the remaining basilisk. Then he returned to Liana.
She was breathing, but she didn't open her eyes as he carefully turned her face and neck this way and that, examining the damage. "Liana?" he asked.
A movement at the corner of his eye made him look up. It was a phytocat. Rosebud growled, low and warning, and the phytocat seemed to shrink back, but it didn't run. It pushed a paw forward, and Rosebud noticed that it was pushing what appeared to be a pile of leaves. He watched it.
It picked the pile up in its mouth, and carried it forward, depositing it close enough for Rosebud to reach in a few paces, but not close enough so that he could scratch the phytocat without warning. Then it backed off, watching him closely.
Rosebud glanced around before going and grabbing the pile of leaves. He thought some of them looked familiar, and he thought back to when he'd been a first timer in the coliseum, and how Brer had taken him to Oriali. She'd mixed up a few concoctions from some of her plants to put on his injuries, which had stung horribly, and then she'd bandaged him up. Rosebud didn't have any bandages, and he wasn't even sure if these were the right leaves, but he chewed them up into a paste and started smearing them over the deeper cuts on Liana's face and neck. There was some tall grass nearby, and he used it to tie on some flat leaves. They weren't as good as real bandages, but they would at least hold the herbal mush against Liana's wounds. He hoped.
He glanced up when he noticed some movement. It was the phytocat again, pacing back and forth and then looking back at him. Rosebud considered. He could stay here, try to get Liana to eat something and hope that she woke up. Or he could follow the phytocat, who had already seemed like it wanted to help. He didn't really trust it, as it could be leading them into an ambush, but he also didn't know what to do. So he heaved Liana up onto his back, which earned him a slight moan of discomfort. He decided to take it as a sign that she was alive and be grateful. Then he added the carcass of the basilisk, because he wasn't going to waste any food, especially after that exhausting fight. And then he followed the phytocat through the woods.
[center][b]Day 3[/b]
[item=Gypsum]
[i]writing[/i][/center]
The phytocat lead Rosebud through the trees and eventually to a stream. He gently slid Liana off his back and scooped up some water. He held it to her mouth, tipping it slightly, until she coughed and opened her eyes. "Did we get it?" she asked.
Rosebud smiled, relief washing over him. "Yeah," he replied. "I got it. And what's better, that means we have some food."
She closed her eyes again, and shifted so that she was a little more comfortable. "Good. It'd be a shame if we did all that fighting only for you to forget to grab some meat." There was a small pause and then she asked, "Wait, did you have water?"
Rosebud laughed. "Yes. You wouldn't believe it, probably the only reason we're alive is this bamboo phytocat, it brought me some herbs that I think are like the ones Oriali uses, and then it led us to this little stream...the stream!"
"Yeah, thank the Gladekeeper. I'm thirsty." Liana opened her eyes and stood shakily, making her way over to the stream. Rosebud watched her, slightly nervous about whether or not she should be standing so soon, but she just plopped down by the stream and started drinking. When she was done she started washing her claws of the gore that had gotten on them, as well as bathing some more shallow scratches on her arms.
"No, but do you know what this means?" Rosebud asked. "It's the side stream! We know where we are!"
Liana looked up at him, and for a moment he thought she looked unhappy that he'd made that connection. She couldn't seriously want to stay out here, after she'd almost died. Could she? "Yeah," she said, although her voice just sounded tired. "I suppose we do. If it's the same stream."
"Well, it's worth a shot." Rosebud didn't care if she wanted to keep having adventures, he wanted to know where they were and where their lair was. Then he could feel safe. They could have another adventure once he knew that Liana wasn't going to die.
"Maybe after we rest and eat something though, hm?" she asked. "Give me that basilisk and I'll start plucking while you get some water and maybe a fire going."
Willing to go home or not, she had a point. Rosebud drank, and the second he started drinking he realized just how thirsty he was. He drank for a long time while Liana quietly plucked the basilisk, and then he went off to gather some dead branches. These he carried back to her, scooped out a fire pit in the dirt, and soon they had a nice little fire going, with pieces of the basilisk cooking over it.
Liana looked like she was taking a nap, but she already looked a lot better than earlier. Rosebud reminded himself that it had been her first fight, and she probably fainted from the shock as much as anything else. He'd fainted his first time at the coliseum too, only Brer had had a much more difficult time carrying him back. Suddenly he missed home. It was one thing to go on an adventure for a few days, but it was another to be lost in the woods, with no idea when he might be heading back. He should have just visited the clan Brer was from, in the Tangled Wood, where they still got dragons coming in to bolster their ranks. Then he could have stayed within civilization while also going out and seeing more of the world. This wasn't seeing the world, this was fighting for survival, and at that moment Rosebud wanted nothing more than to be back in his comfy den.
He pulled out a piece of meat and checked how well cooked it was. Then he nudged Liana. "Come on, have some lunch. You'll feel better after you've eaten."
She opened her eyes and grabbed her own piece. She must have been hungry too, because she immediately bit into it and had to drink some stream water to soothe her burned tongue. Rosebud laughed, and that was when he noticed the phytocat, watching them from behind a tree. Well, it hadn't led them into a trap, and it hadn't tried to attack them. He pulled out another piece of meat - smaller this time, and set it aside. Then he returned to eating his own food.
Slowly, the phytocat crept forward, and, never taking its eyes off them, it started to eat.
Liana glanced at it. "Didn't we kill some of those things?" she asked. "Why is it eating with us?"
Rosebud shrugged. "I don't know. It's the one that led us here. Although apparently sometimes that happens. Creatures figuring that it's safer staying with dragon kind than fighting us. I guess we've got ourselves a familiar."
Liana smiled at that. "Well. Isn't that exciting. I suppose it puts a damper on our plans to fly straight home, unless we want to abandon it."
She made a good point. Rosebud didn't want to just leave the creature, but he also doubted it would take well to him grabbing it and flying away. "Well, it lived out here on its own before, I'm sure it can manage without us again," he said. It had only been a short period of time. They would both be okay with abandoning the phytocat, and it would soon forget them too.
"We should name him," Liana said.
Rosebud sighed. "Let's leave that for after we figure out whether we're going to abandon it or not."
"I vote Bambi. Because of the bamboo."
"We are not naming the phytocat, Liana."
"Aw, you'll hurt his feelings."
Rosebud rolled his eyes. "I think we should make another shelter here," he said, deciding to ignore the phytocat for now. "Rest for the rest of this afternoon and tonight. And then tomorrow we can find out if this is the side stream you decided to follow and if it will lead us back home.
Liana shrugged. "Alright. As long as there's enough room in the shelter for Bambi."
"If you insist," Rosebud grumbled, deciding that it was better to just let her have her way and go on eating his food.
A very soft sulfate mineral that can commonly be used in plasters and sculpture. Many artisan dragons will use chunks of gypsum like a chalk to draw on rocks, cliffs or caves.
69
writing
The phytocat lead Rosebud through the trees and eventually to a stream. He gently slid Liana off his back and scooped up some water. He held it to her mouth, tipping it slightly, until she coughed and opened her eyes. "Did we get it?" she asked.
Rosebud smiled, relief washing over him. "Yeah," he replied. "I got it. And what's better, that means we have some food."
She closed her eyes again, and shifted so that she was a little more comfortable. "Good. It'd be a shame if we did all that fighting only for you to forget to grab some meat." There was a small pause and then she asked, "Wait, did you have water?"
Rosebud laughed. "Yes. You wouldn't believe it, probably the only reason we're alive is this bamboo phytocat, it brought me some herbs that I think are like the ones Oriali uses, and then it led us to this little stream...the stream!"
"Yeah, thank the Gladekeeper. I'm thirsty." Liana opened her eyes and stood shakily, making her way over to the stream. Rosebud watched her, slightly nervous about whether or not she should be standing so soon, but she just plopped down by the stream and started drinking. When she was done she started washing her claws of the gore that had gotten on them, as well as bathing some more shallow scratches on her arms.
"No, but do you know what this means?" Rosebud asked. "It's the side stream! We know where we are!"
Liana looked up at him, and for a moment he thought she looked unhappy that he'd made that connection. She couldn't seriously want to stay out here, after she'd almost died. Could she? "Yeah," she said, although her voice just sounded tired. "I suppose we do. If it's the same stream."
"Well, it's worth a shot." Rosebud didn't care if she wanted to keep having adventures, he wanted to know where they were and where their lair was. Then he could feel safe. They could have another adventure once he knew that Liana wasn't going to die.
"Maybe after we rest and eat something though, hm?" she asked. "Give me that basilisk and I'll start plucking while you get some water and maybe a fire going."
Willing to go home or not, she had a point. Rosebud drank, and the second he started drinking he realized just how thirsty he was. He drank for a long time while Liana quietly plucked the basilisk, and then he went off to gather some dead branches. These he carried back to her, scooped out a fire pit in the dirt, and soon they had a nice little fire going, with pieces of the basilisk cooking over it.
Liana looked like she was taking a nap, but she already looked a lot better than earlier. Rosebud reminded himself that it had been her first fight, and she probably fainted from the shock as much as anything else. He'd fainted his first time at the coliseum too, only Brer had had a much more difficult time carrying him back. Suddenly he missed home. It was one thing to go on an adventure for a few days, but it was another to be lost in the woods, with no idea when he might be heading back. He should have just visited the clan Brer was from, in the Tangled Wood, where they still got dragons coming in to bolster their ranks. Then he could have stayed within civilization while also going out and seeing more of the world. This wasn't seeing the world, this was fighting for survival, and at that moment Rosebud wanted nothing more than to be back in his comfy den.
He pulled out a piece of meat and checked how well cooked it was. Then he nudged Liana. "Come on, have some lunch. You'll feel better after you've eaten."
She opened her eyes and grabbed her own piece. She must have been hungry too, because she immediately bit into it and had to drink some stream water to soothe her burned tongue. Rosebud laughed, and that was when he noticed the phytocat, watching them from behind a tree. Well, it hadn't led them into a trap, and it hadn't tried to attack them. He pulled out another piece of meat - smaller this time, and set it aside. Then he returned to eating his own food.
Slowly, the phytocat crept forward, and, never taking its eyes off them, it started to eat.
Liana glanced at it. "Didn't we kill some of those things?" she asked. "Why is it eating with us?"
Rosebud shrugged. "I don't know. It's the one that led us here. Although apparently sometimes that happens. Creatures figuring that it's safer staying with dragon kind than fighting us. I guess we've got ourselves a familiar."
Liana smiled at that. "Well. Isn't that exciting. I suppose it puts a damper on our plans to fly straight home, unless we want to abandon it."
She made a good point. Rosebud didn't want to just leave the creature, but he also doubted it would take well to him grabbing it and flying away. "Well, it lived out here on its own before, I'm sure it can manage without us again," he said. It had only been a short period of time. They would both be okay with abandoning the phytocat, and it would soon forget them too.
"We should name him," Liana said.
Rosebud sighed. "Let's leave that for after we figure out whether we're going to abandon it or not."
"I vote Bambi. Because of the bamboo."
"We are not naming the phytocat, Liana."
"Aw, you'll hurt his feelings."
Rosebud rolled his eyes. "I think we should make another shelter here," he said, deciding to ignore the phytocat for now. "Rest for the rest of this afternoon and tonight. And then tomorrow we can find out if this is the side stream you decided to follow and if it will lead us back home.
Liana shrugged. "Alright. As long as there's enough room in the shelter for Bambi."
"If you insist," Rosebud grumbled, deciding that it was better to just let her have her way and go on eating his food.
[center][b]Day 4[/b]
[item=Bioluminescent Tail]
[i]writing[/i][/center]
The next morning Rosebud awoke to find that he was alone in that night's makeshift shelter. He sat up, rubbed some dirt out of his beard, and yawned. His muscles were a little sore from all the fighting, but he felt much better rested than before. He went outside, and was surprised to see Liana playing with the phytocat. She was crouched down, and then suddenly she bounded at it. It dashed away, and she laughed and gave chase. The phytocat, in its place, would stay still just long enough for her to get close and then scamper across to hide behind a tree. Neither of them seemed to notice him.
Rosebud got a drink from the stream, and then dunked his whole head in it. It was still cold, almost icy, and he pulled it right back out, shaking the spare water off and flinging the droplets onto the bank. He heard an indignant noise and turned to see that Liana had been sneaking up on him, probably about to pounce and push him entirely into the stream if he hadn't hit her with cold drops of water first.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully.
She grumbled something and scrubbed at her face.
"I see you got up for an early start," he continued, dipping his claws in the water so that he could flick more of it at her as soon as she let her face emerge.
"Yeah, unlike some lazy dragons I can think of," she replied. Then she lifted her head, and Rosebud flicked the water at her. She growled and pounced at him, but Rosebud was ready for her and she might as well have been trying to attack a boulder. She flicked her tail, irritated, but stopped trying to push him into the water.
"Are you ready to see if this stream takes us home?" he asked.
Liana kept flicking her tail. "Why are you so eager to go home? We've only been out here a couple days. Didn't you want an adventure?"
Exasperation washed over him. "An adventure that nearly killed you," he snapped.
"I'm fine! It was more shock than anything else. Look, none of my cuts are bleeding anymore!" She bared her neck, and it was true. The injuries that had bled so much seemed to be well on their way to healing, as long as she didn't get hurt again.
"I just want to make sure that we know where we are! It's one thing to be having some fun and going home when we're ready, it's another thing when you have no idea whether or not you'll be able to go home!"
Liana huffed. "Well you're the one who wanted to come out here in the first place!"
"And you're the one who decided to go off course and got us lost!"
"Fine! If you're so eager to go back, then you can follow this stream and go home. I'm going to bring Bambi home on foot, because I'm not going to leave him!" Liana turned and stalked towards the phytocat, who was watching the argument impassively.
Rosebud wanted to shout that she should leave the stupid phytocat, but then he decided that some time away from her would be a good thing. "Fine. I'll fly ahead and make sure this is the stream we want. I'll come back and tell you."
"Whatever you want," she replied, not looking at him.
Rosebud felt like he should say something else, but he just turned and took off, bursting through the treetops but staying low so that he could still catch a glimpse of sunlight on the stream below him. He wasn't going to lose it again.
Perfect for use as a light source... If you ignore the occasional twitching. (Special thanks Aleise.)
29
writing
The next morning Rosebud awoke to find that he was alone in that night's makeshift shelter. He sat up, rubbed some dirt out of his beard, and yawned. His muscles were a little sore from all the fighting, but he felt much better rested than before. He went outside, and was surprised to see Liana playing with the phytocat. She was crouched down, and then suddenly she bounded at it. It dashed away, and she laughed and gave chase. The phytocat, in its place, would stay still just long enough for her to get close and then scamper across to hide behind a tree. Neither of them seemed to notice him.
Rosebud got a drink from the stream, and then dunked his whole head in it. It was still cold, almost icy, and he pulled it right back out, shaking the spare water off and flinging the droplets onto the bank. He heard an indignant noise and turned to see that Liana had been sneaking up on him, probably about to pounce and push him entirely into the stream if he hadn't hit her with cold drops of water first.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully.
She grumbled something and scrubbed at her face.
"I see you got up for an early start," he continued, dipping his claws in the water so that he could flick more of it at her as soon as she let her face emerge.
"Yeah, unlike some lazy dragons I can think of," she replied. Then she lifted her head, and Rosebud flicked the water at her. She growled and pounced at him, but Rosebud was ready for her and she might as well have been trying to attack a boulder. She flicked her tail, irritated, but stopped trying to push him into the water.
"Are you ready to see if this stream takes us home?" he asked.
Liana kept flicking her tail. "Why are you so eager to go home? We've only been out here a couple days. Didn't you want an adventure?"
Exasperation washed over him. "An adventure that nearly killed you," he snapped.
"I'm fine! It was more shock than anything else. Look, none of my cuts are bleeding anymore!" She bared her neck, and it was true. The injuries that had bled so much seemed to be well on their way to healing, as long as she didn't get hurt again.
"I just want to make sure that we know where we are! It's one thing to be having some fun and going home when we're ready, it's another thing when you have no idea whether or not you'll be able to go home!"
Liana huffed. "Well you're the one who wanted to come out here in the first place!"
"And you're the one who decided to go off course and got us lost!"
"Fine! If you're so eager to go back, then you can follow this stream and go home. I'm going to bring Bambi home on foot, because I'm not going to leave him!" Liana turned and stalked towards the phytocat, who was watching the argument impassively.
Rosebud wanted to shout that she should leave the stupid phytocat, but then he decided that some time away from her would be a good thing. "Fine. I'll fly ahead and make sure this is the stream we want. I'll come back and tell you."
"Whatever you want," she replied, not looking at him.
Rosebud felt like he should say something else, but he just turned and took off, bursting through the treetops but staying low so that he could still catch a glimpse of sunlight on the stream below him. He wasn't going to lose it again.
[center][b]Day 5[/b]
[item=Intricate Woodsculpt]
[i]art[/i][/center]
Rosebud flew for a long time, but the stream didn't seem to connect to anything. He didn't understand how they could get so lost so quickly, since they'd only flown for maybe half a day before getting completely lost, but it wasn't until late afternoon that he finally decided to turn around. He was still irritated with Liana and her total disregard for safety, but that didn't mean he was about to let her spend the night on her own. So he landed, to get a drink and to make sure that he hadn't lost the stream again, and then he took off again. He kept dipping down below the trees to make sure that he wasn't losing the stream in the increasing gloom, and to make sure he didn't pass by Liana and the phytocat. But it got dark beneath the trees faster than it did above them, and soon he was walking along the stream so that he wouldn't lose it, trying to stay alert at every noise.
Soon it was completely dark, with the occasional glimmer of starlight through the thick foliage above him, but Rosebud kept walking. He didn't want to call out, for fear of disturbing the nighttime animals and giving his own location away, but also he was starting to worry that he'd pass Liana, already bedded down for the night. As he kept walking, Rosebud got the strange feeling that he was being watched. He started checking over his shoulder, even while he walked, but it was hard for him to see anything through the dark, the underbrush, and the dense trunks of the trees.
Finally, he thought he saw something flitting between trunks. He stopped. "Liana?" he asked, softly. There was no answer. "Come on, I know you think this is funny, but I really just want to settle down." Still no answer.
Rosebud decided to walk again, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed.
He didn't know how long he kept walking, but he knew that he needed to stop if he wanted to keep traveling the next day. So he settled down on the roots of a large tree and looked around. "I'm going to sleep," he announced to the dark forest. "If you're going to pounce on me, do it now." But the insects singing around him and the croaking of frogs in the distance was all that responded, and Rosebud started to think that he might be imagining things. So he settled his head down on his front feet and closed his eyes. He didn't sleep yet, he did his best to clear his mind and stay still, as if he was sleeping. Liana would think it was much funnier to jump on him while he was asleep than awake. But even though he lay there for at least an hour, nothing happened. Eventually he did fall asleep, alone in the dark woods.
[img]https://68.media.tumblr.com/c4a6c01bc02a7400240c1d13ff1e1bef/tumblr_osjeh7cx061qfs0wmo1_540.jpg[/img]
[i]I've tried doing some dragon sketches but I'm out of practice even for humans. Here's Liana anyway.[/i]
A sculpture of solid ash wood in the shape of an Ophiotaurus.
41
art
Rosebud flew for a long time, but the stream didn't seem to connect to anything. He didn't understand how they could get so lost so quickly, since they'd only flown for maybe half a day before getting completely lost, but it wasn't until late afternoon that he finally decided to turn around. He was still irritated with Liana and her total disregard for safety, but that didn't mean he was about to let her spend the night on her own. So he landed, to get a drink and to make sure that he hadn't lost the stream again, and then he took off again. He kept dipping down below the trees to make sure that he wasn't losing the stream in the increasing gloom, and to make sure he didn't pass by Liana and the phytocat. But it got dark beneath the trees faster than it did above them, and soon he was walking along the stream so that he wouldn't lose it, trying to stay alert at every noise.
Soon it was completely dark, with the occasional glimmer of starlight through the thick foliage above him, but Rosebud kept walking. He didn't want to call out, for fear of disturbing the nighttime animals and giving his own location away, but also he was starting to worry that he'd pass Liana, already bedded down for the night. As he kept walking, Rosebud got the strange feeling that he was being watched. He started checking over his shoulder, even while he walked, but it was hard for him to see anything through the dark, the underbrush, and the dense trunks of the trees.
Finally, he thought he saw something flitting between trunks. He stopped. "Liana?" he asked, softly. There was no answer. "Come on, I know you think this is funny, but I really just want to settle down." Still no answer.
Rosebud decided to walk again, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed.
He didn't know how long he kept walking, but he knew that he needed to stop if he wanted to keep traveling the next day. So he settled down on the roots of a large tree and looked around. "I'm going to sleep," he announced to the dark forest. "If you're going to pounce on me, do it now." But the insects singing around him and the croaking of frogs in the distance was all that responded, and Rosebud started to think that he might be imagining things. So he settled his head down on his front feet and closed his eyes. He didn't sleep yet, he did his best to clear his mind and stay still, as if he was sleeping. Liana would think it was much funnier to jump on him while he was asleep than awake. But even though he lay there for at least an hour, nothing happened. Eventually he did fall asleep, alone in the dark woods.
I've tried doing some dragon sketches but I'm out of practice even for humans. Here's Liana anyway.
[center][b]Day 6[/b]
[item=Staghorn Coral]
[i]writing[/i][/center]
Rosebud awoke suddenly, in the middle of the night. He had no idea what time it was, only that he could hardly see anything and that he had the overwhelming sense that he and Liana were in danger. He lifted his head and carefully scanned the woods, but he didn't see anything. That was, he didn't see anything until he stood up, which brought his head closer to the boughs of the trees. He stood stalk still for a moment, looking around, and that was when he felt it. Slightly warm and damp, it was...breath. Breath on the back of his neck. He stumbled away, spinning to see what was above him.
In the gloom of the forest, all he could make out were two luminous eyes and a dark, hunched shape, black against the silhouette of the tree. It looked too large to be perched on that low branch, all spines and angles and one long tail looped around the branch. The eyes shone yellow, and they were fixed on him.
"Who are you?" Rosebud tried, but there was no response. Just the silent staring. Then it slowly started to stretch its wings, long, narrow things that looked tattered and torn. It definitely couldn't fly on those things. Could it?
"What do you want?" he tried again, backing away. Still no response, but the dragon started to slowly climb down the trunk of the tree, eyes still glued to him. It didn't feel hostile, so much as it felt like he was the prey and this silent dragon was the hunter. Rosebud kept backing away, until his foot splashed into the stream and he nearly stumbled.
In a flash the dragon was on the ground and leaping for him, and Rosebud dashed away. What followed was a mad, blind chase through the forest. Rosebud could hear the blood pounding in his ears, the impossibly loud sounds of him crashing through underbrush, crushing bushes and twigs and barely dodging trees as he tried to get away, as far away as possible. He couldn't hear the thing behind him, but he didn't need to. He knew it was there.
Suddenly he was aware of the sky above him, a break in the trees - one large enough for him to start flying. So he did, unfurling his wings and leaping into the air. He might not be the fastest dragon on the wing, but from the state of his pursuer's wings he was certain that he could outpace it, if it could even get off the ground at all. As he rose he looked back and saw, in the light of the crescent moon and the stars, the shape of his pursuer.
To his surprise it looked like a spiral dragon, inky black against the illuminated clearing, looking up at him with those yellow eyes. It didn't look like it was going to chase him - he'd been right about those wings - but it threw back its head and let out a keening wail, high pitched and unnerving, that echoed around the woods. And then, to Rosebud's horror, he heard another one, farther ahead, answering the first. How many of these dragons were there out here?
He kept flying, hoping that the second one was earthbound like the first, and also hoping that he wouldn't get even more lost. He tried to stay roughly where he thought the stream might be, but he doubted he could run and find Liana again...
Until there, among the trees, he saw a glimmer of firelight.
Rosebud didn't bother to worry about the many branches between him and it. He just folded his wings and dove.
Branches scraped and thudded against him as he broke through the trees in a resounding crash. He nearly landed in the fire, but managed to swerve at the last second and slam into the trunk of a tree, knocking all the breath out of his lungs. He lifted his head and, sure enough, there was Liana, staring at him in shock from a little den that she'd made to sleep in. "Rosebud?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"
He scrambled to his feet, still fighting to get his wind back. "No time, we have to put out the fire and leave[i] now."[/i]
"What are you talking about?" She emerged from the den, and the phytocat came out behind her.
"There's something chasing me. Someone. Two of them. I don't know if they know where we are but we need to get out of here immediately." Rosebud started throwing earth over the fire, gouging two long furrows in the soil with his claws as he tried to put out the barely flickering coals.
"Rosebud, are you sure-"
"Quiet!" He stood stalk still, listening, and Liana fell silent as well. They both stood perfectly still, with no sound but the gurgle of the stream.
And then suddenly a dragon was bursting from the treetops. It landed on Rosebud, wrapping its long body around him and clawing ferociously at him, biting at his face. He clawed back and then lost his balance, toppling to the ground. He landed heavily on top of it, which seemed to have some effect, as the scratching stopped momentarily, but it bit his throat and latched on. Rosebud rolled, hoping to dislodge his attacker, but nothing happened.
Then Liana was on top of him, tearing at anything she could see that wasn't him. She ripped and tore at the black scales, grabbing ahold of one of the wings and wrenching. With a howl of pain, the dragon let go of Rosebud's throat and turned on her, but Rosebud grabbed it this time, his claws digging into its neck as he held it pinned against him and underneath him.
Liana kept pulling, until she had practically pulled the wing off. The spiral was screeching in pain and anger, and it was back to clawing and snapping while it twisted to get out of their combined grip. Rosebud snarled and bit back, digging his claws into the dark scaly skin in an attempt to keep it away from her. Suddenly he felt a snap, and the spiral stopped struggling.
He'd never let go of anything so fast. Rosebud struggled to his feet, shaking his body to free himself of the corpse still tangled around him. He stumbled back, trying to face the horror of what he'd done. He'd never killed another dragon before. Yes it had been trying to kill him, but that didn't change the fact that one minute it had been alive and the next...
Liana was staring at him, and Rosebud realized that she was covered in something, something that was matting down the hair on her neck and hiding the white of her patchy scales. He glanced up at the hole he'd made when he'd crashed into the campsite, confused as to why he could see this, and realized that the sky was streaked with predawn light.
"Who was that?" Liana asked.
"I have no idea. I just woke up and they were above me, and then they were chasing me..." Rosebud's voice trailed off and he looked closer at the corpse. No, this hadn't been the one that was chasing him. Liana had done a lot of damage, but its wings were not nearly so tattered as the one that had woken him up. Realization dawned on him just as they heard a screech of anguish and pain.
The other spiral shot out of a nearby tree to the corpse of its slain companion. He and Liana stepped closer together, tensing for another fight, but the new arrival didn't seem to pay them any attention. It was inspecting the body and wailing, and then the wailing resolved into words.
"Dead! Murdered! You've slain my love!"
"They were trying to kill us!" Liana replied, sounding much braver than Rosebud felt. He was still terrified that the fight might not be over, and horrified at the realization of what he'd done.
The yellow eyes turned on them, and they froze Rosebud to the spot. He could see more clearly now, how this spiral stayed just as dark, even while the forest took on more definition as the sun rose. It was like a shadow had twisted itself into a form.
"I curse you," the spiral continued. "Just as you have destroyed my loved one, so too shall you destroy your own. I curse you to be as lonely as I now will be, for anyone you come close to will suffer and perish, and you will know that this is because of your own wicked deed!"
The words seemed to blot out any other noise, any other sensation, and Rosebud felt them rattle him down to his core, and with them came a pain. The pain felt like something was scratching the curse onto his bones, and he found it impossible even to stand, so he collapsed to the forest floor.
When the sensation had passed and he looked up again, the spiral and the body was gone. All that was left to show that there had been a fight was the torn up earth and the blood that lay spattered on the ground, as well as on Liana.
She was crumpled beside him, and he could see even more now that she was absolutely coated in blood. It made sense, she'd torn that wing half off, but it was still a sickening sight to see. But underneath the blood she looked different too. There were streaks of color on her wings and back that hadn't been there before, gold and white etching patterns onto her skin. It almost looked beautiful, but Rosebud knew with cold realization that the curse hadn't just been idle words.
Liana stirred and even managed to stand. She looked around them, but the only movement was the phytocat, creeping out from behind a tree.
"I think," Liana said quietly. "I would like to go home now."
"Can we?" Rosebud pushed himself to his feet as well. "You heard that curse. Anyone we love..."
"I don't want to think about it." Liana moved away from him and inspected the ground where they'd fought. When she looked up at Rosebud again, she looked scared. "What do we do now?"
Rosebud stayed silent, because he knew that there was no possible way he could answer that question.
Some dragons collect dried pieces of this coral for lair decorations.
35
writing
Rosebud awoke suddenly, in the middle of the night. He had no idea what time it was, only that he could hardly see anything and that he had the overwhelming sense that he and Liana were in danger. He lifted his head and carefully scanned the woods, but he didn't see anything. That was, he didn't see anything until he stood up, which brought his head closer to the boughs of the trees. He stood stalk still for a moment, looking around, and that was when he felt it. Slightly warm and damp, it was...breath. Breath on the back of his neck. He stumbled away, spinning to see what was above him.
In the gloom of the forest, all he could make out were two luminous eyes and a dark, hunched shape, black against the silhouette of the tree. It looked too large to be perched on that low branch, all spines and angles and one long tail looped around the branch. The eyes shone yellow, and they were fixed on him.
"Who are you?" Rosebud tried, but there was no response. Just the silent staring. Then it slowly started to stretch its wings, long, narrow things that looked tattered and torn. It definitely couldn't fly on those things. Could it?
"What do you want?" he tried again, backing away. Still no response, but the dragon started to slowly climb down the trunk of the tree, eyes still glued to him. It didn't feel hostile, so much as it felt like he was the prey and this silent dragon was the hunter. Rosebud kept backing away, until his foot splashed into the stream and he nearly stumbled.
In a flash the dragon was on the ground and leaping for him, and Rosebud dashed away. What followed was a mad, blind chase through the forest. Rosebud could hear the blood pounding in his ears, the impossibly loud sounds of him crashing through underbrush, crushing bushes and twigs and barely dodging trees as he tried to get away, as far away as possible. He couldn't hear the thing behind him, but he didn't need to. He knew it was there.
Suddenly he was aware of the sky above him, a break in the trees - one large enough for him to start flying. So he did, unfurling his wings and leaping into the air. He might not be the fastest dragon on the wing, but from the state of his pursuer's wings he was certain that he could outpace it, if it could even get off the ground at all. As he rose he looked back and saw, in the light of the crescent moon and the stars, the shape of his pursuer.
To his surprise it looked like a spiral dragon, inky black against the illuminated clearing, looking up at him with those yellow eyes. It didn't look like it was going to chase him - he'd been right about those wings - but it threw back its head and let out a keening wail, high pitched and unnerving, that echoed around the woods. And then, to Rosebud's horror, he heard another one, farther ahead, answering the first. How many of these dragons were there out here?
He kept flying, hoping that the second one was earthbound like the first, and also hoping that he wouldn't get even more lost. He tried to stay roughly where he thought the stream might be, but he doubted he could run and find Liana again...
Until there, among the trees, he saw a glimmer of firelight.
Rosebud didn't bother to worry about the many branches between him and it. He just folded his wings and dove.
Branches scraped and thudded against him as he broke through the trees in a resounding crash. He nearly landed in the fire, but managed to swerve at the last second and slam into the trunk of a tree, knocking all the breath out of his lungs. He lifted his head and, sure enough, there was Liana, staring at him in shock from a little den that she'd made to sleep in. "Rosebud?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"
He scrambled to his feet, still fighting to get his wind back. "No time, we have to put out the fire and leave now."
"What are you talking about?" She emerged from the den, and the phytocat came out behind her.
"There's something chasing me. Someone. Two of them. I don't know if they know where we are but we need to get out of here immediately." Rosebud started throwing earth over the fire, gouging two long furrows in the soil with his claws as he tried to put out the barely flickering coals.
"Rosebud, are you sure-"
"Quiet!" He stood stalk still, listening, and Liana fell silent as well. They both stood perfectly still, with no sound but the gurgle of the stream.
And then suddenly a dragon was bursting from the treetops. It landed on Rosebud, wrapping its long body around him and clawing ferociously at him, biting at his face. He clawed back and then lost his balance, toppling to the ground. He landed heavily on top of it, which seemed to have some effect, as the scratching stopped momentarily, but it bit his throat and latched on. Rosebud rolled, hoping to dislodge his attacker, but nothing happened.
Then Liana was on top of him, tearing at anything she could see that wasn't him. She ripped and tore at the black scales, grabbing ahold of one of the wings and wrenching. With a howl of pain, the dragon let go of Rosebud's throat and turned on her, but Rosebud grabbed it this time, his claws digging into its neck as he held it pinned against him and underneath him.
Liana kept pulling, until she had practically pulled the wing off. The spiral was screeching in pain and anger, and it was back to clawing and snapping while it twisted to get out of their combined grip. Rosebud snarled and bit back, digging his claws into the dark scaly skin in an attempt to keep it away from her. Suddenly he felt a snap, and the spiral stopped struggling.
He'd never let go of anything so fast. Rosebud struggled to his feet, shaking his body to free himself of the corpse still tangled around him. He stumbled back, trying to face the horror of what he'd done. He'd never killed another dragon before. Yes it had been trying to kill him, but that didn't change the fact that one minute it had been alive and the next...
Liana was staring at him, and Rosebud realized that she was covered in something, something that was matting down the hair on her neck and hiding the white of her patchy scales. He glanced up at the hole he'd made when he'd crashed into the campsite, confused as to why he could see this, and realized that the sky was streaked with predawn light.
"Who was that?" Liana asked.
"I have no idea. I just woke up and they were above me, and then they were chasing me..." Rosebud's voice trailed off and he looked closer at the corpse. No, this hadn't been the one that was chasing him. Liana had done a lot of damage, but its wings were not nearly so tattered as the one that had woken him up. Realization dawned on him just as they heard a screech of anguish and pain.
The other spiral shot out of a nearby tree to the corpse of its slain companion. He and Liana stepped closer together, tensing for another fight, but the new arrival didn't seem to pay them any attention. It was inspecting the body and wailing, and then the wailing resolved into words.
"Dead! Murdered! You've slain my love!"
"They were trying to kill us!" Liana replied, sounding much braver than Rosebud felt. He was still terrified that the fight might not be over, and horrified at the realization of what he'd done.
The yellow eyes turned on them, and they froze Rosebud to the spot. He could see more clearly now, how this spiral stayed just as dark, even while the forest took on more definition as the sun rose. It was like a shadow had twisted itself into a form.
"I curse you," the spiral continued. "Just as you have destroyed my loved one, so too shall you destroy your own. I curse you to be as lonely as I now will be, for anyone you come close to will suffer and perish, and you will know that this is because of your own wicked deed!"
The words seemed to blot out any other noise, any other sensation, and Rosebud felt them rattle him down to his core, and with them came a pain. The pain felt like something was scratching the curse onto his bones, and he found it impossible even to stand, so he collapsed to the forest floor.
When the sensation had passed and he looked up again, the spiral and the body was gone. All that was left to show that there had been a fight was the torn up earth and the blood that lay spattered on the ground, as well as on Liana.
She was crumpled beside him, and he could see even more now that she was absolutely coated in blood. It made sense, she'd torn that wing half off, but it was still a sickening sight to see. But underneath the blood she looked different too. There were streaks of color on her wings and back that hadn't been there before, gold and white etching patterns onto her skin. It almost looked beautiful, but Rosebud knew with cold realization that the curse hadn't just been idle words.
Liana stirred and even managed to stand. She looked around them, but the only movement was the phytocat, creeping out from behind a tree.
"I think," Liana said quietly. "I would like to go home now."
"Can we?" Rosebud pushed himself to his feet as well. "You heard that curse. Anyone we love..."
"I don't want to think about it." Liana moved away from him and inspected the ground where they'd fought. When she looked up at Rosebud again, she looked scared. "What do we do now?"
Rosebud stayed silent, because he knew that there was no possible way he could answer that question.
