Creative Corner

@Disillusionist

Thank you so much! It was cool imagining how they would shift and change! And Kyra is very very fun to right with all of her snark! I don't often have a lot of snarky characters so when I do it's always refreshing to have something different! I'm pretty sure Kyra and Querida would get along well too!

----- [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2383572/31#post_34731597]Previous[/url][/center] ----- [center][b][u]Chapter 56: The Pilgrimage[/u][/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=42353365] [img]http://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=42353365&skin=0&apparel=283,424&xt=dressing.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=42353367] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/423534/42353367_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41173788] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/411738/41173788_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] Runeclaw led the two coatls away from The Copper Lotus and towards the bamboo forest. The sun had not yet fully risen and they were making the most of the low visibility to escape without being spotted. However, once they were in the cherry blossom grove near the edge of the bamboo forest, Runeclaw stopped and looked around. "Why have we stopped?" Rhowen asked skeptically. He was grateful to Juliette for her help, but he knew nothing of this Runeclaw. Could he really be trusted? "We're meeting someone here." Runeclaw explained, looking around again. "What!? I thought Juliette said-" "Juliette didn't know about this." Runeclaw said. "My best friend is starting a pilgrimage of sorts today. Some member of his family apparently went to serve the Windsinger, and he wanted to travel to the Cloudsong to pay his respects and to get the Windsinger's blessing. I told him I'd see him off. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can hide out in the gazebo over there." Rhowen and Ruby turned to look where the wildclaw was gesturing, and Rhowen shook his head. The pools inside may no longer be working portals to the mansion, but it was still too close for comfort, a reminder that the dangerous part of their mission was not over yet. "We're fine here." Rhowen said. Ruby shot him a questioning look, he could tell she was confused by his choice. "Later." He whispered to her. Runeclaw may know they were fleeing Quartz but that didn't give him the right no know everything. "Suit yourself." Runeclaw shrugged, and the three fell into silence. The chatter that had accompanied Rhowen and Rubywing's flight across the expanse from the mansion felt uncomfortable in the presence of this stranger, and Runeclaw didn't seem to have much to say to them. The sun rose higher in the sky, painting the horizon with many wonderful colours. Soon after the sunrise faded, the shape of an approaching dragon became apparent. Recognition flashed in Runeclaw's eyes. "Here he is!" Runeclaw excalimed as a wildclaw banked down and landed in front of the trio. [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=42353366] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/423534/42353366_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] There was something about the newcomer that seemed familiar to Rhowen, but he did not have much time to contemplate this before the two wildclaws did an elaborate handshake. "Rammus! Today's the day! How does it feel?" Runeclaw asked, punching his friend softly in the shoulder. "I can't believe I'm actually going!" Rammus responded with a bright smile. "Who are your friends?" "A couple a dragons on the run." Runeclaw responded with a glance at the two coatls, thankfully not giving away too much information. "It's a bit of work for my side job. "What way are you headed? We could make the first lag of the journey together if you would like! Unless that puts your friends at risk." Rammus added quickly. "We would be honoured to join you at the start of such a noble journey." Rubywing said, stepping forward and holding out her hand for Rammus to shake. He looked a bit confused so she added, "Runeclaw told us all about it. I think seeing the Cloudsong would be an amazing experience." "I mean you guys could come all the way if you want." Rammus suggested with a grin. "Are you sure? This is your special trip." Runeclaw reminded him. "The more the merrier, as my mom always says!" Rammus said with a smile. "Seriously, this would be way more fun doing this with a group of others." "Who is your mother?" Rhowen asked suddenly. He didn't know many dragons in Windkeep Tower, but there had to be a reason he looked familiar. "Well, Oriel is the one I call Mom. She's not really my mother. She and my Grandmother, Amberlyn, say that I was dropped off by another family member, but they never found out which one. They said I have the family spots though, so I undeniably family." He craned his neck to see the skink pattern lining his back. It was then that it hit Rhowen. He looked almost the splitting image of Runeclaw. But Runeclaw had looked familiar too. He had thought that it had been because he had sometimes seen him during his time off when he had stopped by The Copper Lotus for a drink, but now that he thought about it, there had to be something else. That was when he noticed Rubywing shifting and taking a look at her own skink pattern. Rhowen was suddenly struck by how similar all three of them looked and he remembered what Tess had said about Rubywing's brothers. "You know what? I think us all going to the Cloudsong sounds like a great idea." Rhowen said, trying to distract Rubywing. Now didn't really strike as the best time to realize they were long-lost family, especially as Rammus and Runeclaw didn't seem to know anything about it. If Quartz ever found out he had two sons, well he shuddered to think. Could Quartz see through the gazebo? It seemed unlikely, but he was beginning to feel that sticking around Windkeep Tower would be a very bad idea at the moment. "Runeclaw, who are your parents?" Rubywing suddenly asked. Rhowen shouldn't have been surprised. She was very intelligent despite her sheltered life, and now that she was beginning to see her father in a different light- "Well, I was raised by India at the Copper Lotus, but I considered her more of an Aunt than a Mom..." Runeclaw suddenly paused as if he were piecing together something for the first time. "Hold on a second, how thick am I! Rammus, you and I were both dropped off mysteriously to our families, we hatched around the same time, we have the same genes. We must be brothers." Rammus' eyes widened. "Of course! How could I not see it before! I wonder who our real parents were, and why they decided to separate us!" "I think I know the answer to that." Rubywing said, stepping forward. "Because I have the same spots as you. My mother disappeared when I was a hatchling after my father sent her away. My father always told me she was a traitor and tried to dismantle everything he had worked for, but I've recently been learning my father is not the dragon I thought he was, and my nanny Tess is the most good creature I have ever met and she never would have allied herself with anyone like my father described... There's a lot I don't understand about my mother, but it seems." She paused, as if unsure to carry on betraying everything she had been taught by her father, as if saying it out loud suddenly made it real. "It seems she sent you away to protect you, and told my father there was only one egg. Which means your father is Quartz, your mother is Querida, and I am your sister." The three siblings stood around in stunned silence for about a minute. Rhowen was anxious to get going, but he could hardly interrupt a moment like this. "I have so many questions, but if you are right and Quartz is our father too, then we really need to get out of here." Runeclaw said decidedly. "Rammus, we are coming with you. Maybe if we connect with our roots in the Cloudsong, things will become more clear." "Agreed." Rubywing said with a nod. And with that, the four gathered dragons did not need to say any more. There would be plenty of time to talk about this later. Together, they took off, flying away from Windkeep Tower and deeper into the Windswept Plateau. ----- [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2383572/32#post_34793282]Next[/url][/center] ----- [center]@CleverDual @Alwaid @zzzhorses @Skyeset @ScrivenerRook @Kizzan @clarax @lilastar @tigressRising @Disillusionist @Aetherstorm @rainphee @RiaFire11[/center] ----- The time has come for the three siblings to meet and work out their connections to one another! It's also time for Ruby to step out into her own and find out who she is without her father's influence! It's a very exciting time! Writing has made a great break today from unpacking and organizing and cleaning my room, which thankfully I have until the end of the summer to finish so I don't have to do everything today, but I've made great progress. It will feel great when everything is where it should be...

@Petall Now that they're away from Quartz, I feel a lot better about them discovering their relationships with each other! Though I do share Rhowen's wariness about what might happen if (when?) Quartz finds out.

Also, when I read about them going to the Cloudsong, the song "We're Off to See the Windsinger Wizard" suddenly popped into my head. XD

Enjoy cleaning! I agree with you; it's one of those chores that takes a lot of effort but feels so, so worth it once it's done. :D

@Disillusionist

Honestly it's more satisfying than I expected to have them find out the truth! I also think it's interesting the way it worked out because Querida and Plagueheart started out with their siblings and then lost them, whereas Rubywing started without them and then found them!

That is amazing! Thank you for for putting that image in my head!

Thank you! I still have a ways to go and I'm not doing everything now but it already feels so much better!

I can just imagine this:
Rhowen: You know, now is probably not a good time for this.

@Petall
YEEEEESSSSS THE SIBLINGS ARE FINALLY MEETING EACH OTHER!!!!!!! :D :D :D

@RiaFire11

I actually almost had him say it but it ended up flowing into Runeclaw saying it was time to get going instead.

@Aetherstorm

Honestly I am so stoked to be able to write them together as siblings now!

----- [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2383572/32#post_34753395]Previous[/url][/center] ----- [center][b][u]Chapter 57: An Unexpected Companion[/u][/b] [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/360.png[/img][/center] The fire had worried Tess. Thankfully she had left before it started, but the smoke had risen in the sky, drawing attention for the first time to where the invisible mansion was hidden. She could only hope that Ruby and Rhowen had gotten out safely. She had made a brief search for them in Windkeep Tower to ensure they were safe, but either they were as good at hiding as Rhowen had promised or- Tess dreaded to think. Regardless, she could not let anything distract her from her own quest for Querida. If anyone could beat Quartz, it would be his equal. After realizing she would be wasting time if she kept searching Windkeep Tower, she began her journey. Currently, she was climbing the Reedcleft Ascent towards the Scarred Wasteland. She didn't know where to go, but she had to start somewhere. With great effort, Tess hoisted herself up the edge from the narrow path along the spiring piece of land to the flat surface. That was when she caught sight of the wildclaw making a fire on the cliffside. He looked ghastly. Tess could not smell any illness on him, but he had clearly overcome some great plague. His body was covered in boils and other scars. [center][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=40062164&skin=20169&apparel=17902,371,390,425,436,948&xt=dressing.png[/img][/center] The wildclaw looked up, then a look of surprise flooded his face as he caught sight of Tess. He grabbed his fire-poker stick from beside him and held it aloft warily, as if unsure whether Tess was a threat or not. "Relax, wildclaw. You can put down your weapon. I mean no harm, I am simply passing through." Tess reassured him. "May I warm myself by your fire for the night?" "I don't see why not, if you mean me no harm." The wildclaw shrugged. As he spoke, a faint green fog left his mouth. "Sorry for my hesitation, I have just come from the Scarred Wasteland where survival is guaranteed to no one. It's hard to lose my guard now that I am back home." "Yes, I see in your eyes that you hail from the Windswept Plateau." Tess said with a purr. "What is your name?" "Pennar." The dragon responded. "I am Tess." The manticore responded with a nod. "Would you like some food? I was about to cook the birds I caught, I have more than enough to share." Pennar offered. "You are too kind. It appears that the spirit of wind has not left you." Tess noted. "I sure hope so! I have been gone so long. I was traveling with my sister and we crashed in the Wyrmwound. I accidentally touched the vile stuff within and I'm lucky to be alive." Pennar admitted. "I actually just live right down there, in the tower at the edge of the sea." "Windkeep Tower?" Tess asked. "Now I see why you are so hospitable." "You know it?" Pennar asked, surprised. "Tell me, while you were there, did you meet anyone named Palla? She's my sister and we got seperated when I fell ill." "Palla... no, though the name does sound familiar." Tess admitted. "No, I would think not... Palla never found the tower as much of a home as I did." Pennar sighed. "What about Oriel? or Amberlyn? Oriel's my mother, and-" "Oriel?" Tess interrupted beginning to get excited. "Yes, she's there. Hold on, if you are Oriel's kid, you must be Querida's uncle!" "Querida?" Pennar asked, confused. "Do you know Palla then?" "No, I never met her. Only-" Tess paused, and suddenly stories she had heard came back to her, snippets of things Querida had said about her family and things she had overheard when checking up on Rammus from a distance. "Oh, I am such a fool! Plagueheart wasn't always her name, was it? Oriel does not seem the type to name her daughter such a name." "I-I don't know what you're talking about." Pennar said, stammering. "Plagueheart? Who is Plagueheart?" "From what I've heard, now that it's all coming back to me, Querida's mother changed her name after the death of her brother only... you're not dead." Tess said. "But oh, Pennar I am so sorry, you sister is in terrible danger. She was caught robbing a mansion and was taken prisoner by a rich coatl named Quartz. Her daughter Querida only just managed to escape! Only Querida ended up joining up with Quartz and later he got angry with her and imprisoned her too. I don't know if they are in the same prison or not, but I'm journeying to find and rescue Querida so that she may return home." "What do you know about these prisons?" Pennar asked, worry etched on his scarred face. "Not much, only Querida was transported there by magic. Quartz's magic is powerful, so I could imagine he could transport her quite far." Tess sighed. "It is beginning to feel like a hopeless quest, but I must try something. Querida is my partnered dragon and now that I've kept her promise and kept Ruby safe, I need to find her again and stand by her side." "If you are going, I am going too. If Plagueheart truly is Palla, she is sure to make more trouble for herself in prison, and if it not too late, I want to see her freed too." Pennar's eyes narrowed in determination. It was clear he was deep in thought. "Transportation magic seems like something the arcane flight would experiment with, and they are known to play around with other dimensions, they seem the most likely place for a prison of that stature." "You are right. I am not experienced in dragon magic, but the Starfall Islands are also close enough in range that he could feasibly teleport her there. We should check there first." Tess said, closing her eyes with satisfaction. The heat from the campfire felt nice, and the smell of the cooking birds was beginning to fill the air. Suddenly, a thought occured to her. "Do you want to see your family before we go. We are very close." Pennar shook his head. "I would like to, but I don't want them to see me like this. And right now, it sounds like Pall- Plagueheart needs my help. If I die on this rescue mission, I don't want my family to have to lose me twice. I will see them after my sister is safe and sound." "Only if you are absolutely certain. It would not take more than a day flying there and back. I could wait here for you." Tess offered. "Family is important, Pennar." "I know, but Plagueheart has always felt an outcast among her own family." Pennar sighed. "I want to show her how much she means to me, because to me, she means more than anyone else. We've done everything together, and when I got sick, she fought to stay by my side. I don't want to leave hers." "We'll leave for the Starfall Isles tomorrow at dawn then." Tess decided. This journey could not be put off any longer. ----- [center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2383572/33#post_34810456]Next[/url][/center] ----- [center]@CleverDual @Alwaid @zzzhorses @Skyeset @ScrivenerRook @Kizzan @clarax @lilastar @tigressRising @Disillusionist @Aetherstorm @rainphee @RiaFire11[/center] ----- So, how many people were expecting Pennar's return? I've been very excited about this idea for a while now, and I am very happy to reintroduce him into the story. Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. I felt after I consistent writing, I was in need of a break and kind of put off doing it.

@Petall It's great to see Pennar again! I'm glad he and Tess found each other; it makes everything seem a lot brighter. Quartz is severely outnumbered now, haha. I almost feel sorry for the sparkly pink fella. XD

@Disillusionist

I was so happy to bring him in again! Plus, it's always better to write travels with more than one character because then I can write dialogue! And he sure has a lot coming for him...