Creative Corner

[center]Day 9: Tranquil [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34523912] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/345240/34523912_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] Candana is the Autumn representative and a super chill dragon. His favorite time of year for meditations in the fall. There's nothing quite like the crisp fall air and scent of fallen leaves. Candana enjoys walking among the almost inaudible crunch of leaves, unseen by the woodland creatures during the fall when his colors blend in with the dying landscape. Usually he walks for hours at a time; the forest, his quiet oasis of tranquility. Candana is introspective, and reflects on much while enjoying the warm sun flickering through the trees upon his scales. Whenever he's feeling any sort of stress or concern, he strolls through the forest and finds peace under its canopy. Sometimes he invites Sorcha to ruminate with him, as she appreciates the silence as well. Candana has learned to take life slowly and with purpose. He didn't used to be like that though. When he was a young dragon, Candana used to get too involved in activities and contests. He was a perfectionist, and somehow nothing he did was ever good enough for him. He kept himself very busy and grew unhappy because of the stressors he added in his life. The event that changed his life was when he met an old dragon who was meditating in the forest. Even back then, Candana liked to go to the forest, but he couldn't find peace in it. The dragon was so tranquil that Candana, who had very little peace in his life, asked how it was possible this dragon was so calm. The old dragon taught him the way of meditation and reflection, and after a year's study, it worked. Candana never looked back from there, and instead matured into the dragon he is today.

oof... ive been too tired to do the last two days and thats a sad ;^; i did this one with their gijinka forms! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=45859935] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/458600/45859935_350.png[/img] [/url] [font=century gothic] The sickly scent of blood filled the room. Whatever light that flitted in had been dyed unnatural, eerie colours from the stained glass. To his left, rows of empty mahogany benches faced toward him. They stood atop the altar on display. He recognised the room. Just to his right lay the empty stone box, overlooked by the Mother’s stern visage. Xavier dared to look down at what he held. Revulsion sunk talons into his stomach as he dropped the body. He stepped away as he clutched at his turning stomach. An immense, gaping wound had ripped through her chest. Whatever innards he could see were mutilated and unrecognisable. Xavier brought his hand to cover his mouth, and realized it was covered in blood. The wound was still fresh. His quickened breathing became the only thing breaking the suffocating silence. Unable to avert his gaze, he could only study the limp body. Crimson had begun to pool under it. No… that was hair. Xavier’s legs gave out under him. That body had once been Valour. That death had once been Ascela’s. The longer he looked on… he couldn’t tell who he was staring at. “Xavier…” Suddenly, she was looking over him. He was still paralyzed with terror. Her sanguine eyes held him fast, no matter how much he wanted to fight back. Yet… as he looked on, he saw the flush of life in her skin. She was not grey, and she still blinked. In fact, worry was wrought on her face. He could hear his own uneven, shallow breathing. It felt as though his muscles released from a year of taut constriction. He took a shaky, but deep breath as he reached up to rub his eyes. She murmured, “I thought you would choke yourself like that…” I see… it was a nightmare. He looked around, seeing nothing more but their familiar tent. For a moment, her empty bed across from his spiked his nerves. She was only sitting on the edge of his. As she studied him, she reached out to touch his forehead with the backs of her fingers. “At least… you’re not feverish…” “No, but thank you for checking.” He gently pulled her hand from his face. Valour nodded, brushing her hair over her shoulder. Xavier’s eyes followed her hand, her fingers running through her hair effortlessly. The way it parted only reminded him of a fluid. He shuddered, trying to keep the images from coming back. She was right there beside him. Were it not for the scar on her left eye, he didn’t think he’d recognise her. All he would see was her twin in her place. But would I rather Ascela in her place? Xavier swallowed a lump of cold apprehension. Ascela was his dearest friend, yet Valour was as well. Although he wanted neither to die… he could have done nothing to save her. “Would you like to watch the stars?” “W-what?” Xavier cleared his throat. She had shaken him from his thoughts. Valour glanced down at him, before she turned back to stare at her bed. “You know, stargazing. I mean… unless you just go to sleep whenever you go outside for the night…” “I wake you up every time?” “Sometimes you say things when you sleep,” Valour answered. He groaned as he ran his hands over his face. “Gods, I’m sorry.” She shrugged. “It's not your fault. Do you want to go out?” “Oh… yes, I would,” Xavier mumbled, managing to sit up. Valour slipped off the bed, stepping back to give him room. He looked her over once more. Seeing her standing before him, her chest moving with her breath… his own breathing evened out. Quietly, he said, “Thank you, Valour.” “You’re welcome?” [623 words]

[center][quote]Time to catch up! On what I've missed![/quote] [b]Mask[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43080299] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/430803/43080299_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] Night fell upon the circus and the light came up, followed by joyous, twisting music. It was though a beast was coming alive. Shortly after, the gates opened and guests came spilling in, relishing in the atmosphere of delight. The scent of popcorn and caramel apples filled the air on a sweet breeze. It was one of the more popular attractions at Windkeep Tower for obvious reasons. The stands were always packed long before the show actually began and everyone who stopped by the port clan was recommended the circus for their nightly entertainment. In his tent, Lorcan donned his mask, fitting the white porcelain perfectly to his face. He loved the way it added to the mystery. Kaladin might wear a mask to hide from his past scars, both physical and emotional, but Lorcan wore his for a different reason, to play a part. With his mask he donned a persona of mystery and enchantment. He knew many flocked to see him, so Kaladin had begun to insist he mingle with the guests before the show. There were rumors that Lorcan had the ability to tell the future, but that was pure myth. Everything he said was part of his character nothing more. Anything that came true was purely coincidence. Still, he enjoyed the attention, and it felt good to be someone else for a bit, to see how someone else might think. Of course, eventually the night would come to an end and he would return home to his wife. She would stay up to keep him company while he ate his dinner and to talk about her day and listen to him talk about his. Those were beautiful moments too, but for now, he must live behind the mask and all that it entailed. [center][b]Decided[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=44447781] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/444478/44447781_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] “Might I interest you in some of these pieces?” Nova couldn’t help but notice how sweetly the pearlcatcher salesman was talking to her. Her charm was working. She giggled and brushed some of the mane behind her ear as she leaned closer, making sure he could smell her perfume. She never left home without an enchanting scent. The two boxed contained sets of earrings. One was clearly diamonds, sparkling like a billion tiny stars. The other were richer, deep red rubies as deep as drops of blood. Both were drop dead gorgeous, and she felt a deep desire to possess both. “How much for the rubies?” She asked. The diamonds were the obvious choice, but she knew to act it cool. A coy smile stretched across her face. “For you? 1 million treasure.” The salesman smiled. “The diamonds are 2.” Nova laughed. It was cute how the salesman thought she was fooled by such an offer. She knew true value when she saw it, but it was status he was selling, not jewels, and that was what Nova sought. “What would you recommend?” Nova asked. “For your beauty, only the diamonds will do you justice.” The salesman said, voice like honey. [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=25526986] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/255270/25526986_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] “She’ll take both.” A voice sounded behind Nova and she spun around to see Ivorn. He eyed her with a question behind his eyes, but she knew he trusted her. Her heart belonged solely to him and he knew it. “Only the best for my wife.” “Your wife!” The salesman exclaimed in a small voice. “Of course!” “What was the price again?” Ivorn asked. “1 million treasure, for both.” He said weakly. Ivorn dipped his head and handed over the payment in gems, and the salesman quickly wrapped up the earrings in two boxes and handed them to Nova, not meeting her eyes. “You’ve really got to stop playing with them like that.” Ivorn purred. “You’re going to break someone’s heart like that someday.” “It’s cute how you worry.” Nova laughed, admiring her newest additions to her collection. “Persuasion is half the fun. You and I make a great team.” “That we do.” Ivorn agreed with a chuckle. "That we do." [center][b]Escape[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46475857] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/464759/46475857_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] Oceana took to the skies, trying to get her wings to catch the breeze to urge her on faster. She had stayed too long, it was time to move. It was that time again. Of course, she hadn’t said goodbye. Goodbyes weren’t her thing. There was more to see, more to do, if she took the time to say the proper goodbyes she wouldn’t make it all. Still, Unagi’s gaze was burned into her memories. The intensity of it, when he asked her to join him in his travels. They were both travelers at heart, he reasoned. They could travel together. Oceana had felt the draw, the chemistry between them, but she could not sell her heart so easily. She was meant to fly around the world, not bound to anything of anyone. Anything less would make her nothing more than a caged bird. That was why she was sneaking away in the dead of night, before she had the chance to change her mind, to submit to such foolish ways. Her heart was hers and no one else’s. At least, that’s what she told herself as she flew. There was a little voice in the back of her head asking whether she had made the right choice, but Oceana silenced it instantly. Of course this was the right choice. She was not meant for anything else. [center][b]Tranquil[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38893384] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/388934/38893384_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] The stream bubbling softly and the whisper of wind through the bamboo were the only sounds Ganya could hear as she entered her oasis, her sanctuary. Occasionally, birdsong would flow on a breeze to her ear and she would relish in the sound of it. She felt the wind gently caress her feathers, and the scent of cherry blossom trees filled the air. All around her was pink and green and blue, dancing together in the most beautiful image. Sometimes Ganya wished she could paint, to capture such beauty, but even the finest artistry would not do it justice. You had to be there, to immerse yourself with all of your senses, not just sight. That was something not every dragon seemed to understand. This was not something that could be bottled or brewed, it had to be experienced, met without filters or expectation. It simple had to be felt. This is what Ganya worked to maintain, the atmosphere, the experience of it all. Here, Ganya was one with nature. Though it was not her birth element and the Windswept Plateau existed far from the Viridian Labyrinth, this was where her gift lay, where she truly belonged. The company of most other dragons made her uncomfortable and skittish, but here she could be entirely herself. Just her in her little sanctuary. She could tip her toes in the stream and feel the falling cherry blossoms and just exist, unbound by expectation and judgement. Here she could be just Ganya.

[center][img]https://orig00.deviantart.net/8a8e/f/2018/295/c/d/h1_by_cas_a_fras-dcq466z.png[/img] [b]December 10th: Mysterious[/b][/center] How has it been 10 days already??? The good news is that I'm all caught up again, I read several days worth of lovely submissions I had missed and I am happy to be all caught up again so I can read them all as I post them! Today's Prize: [quote=December 10 - mysterious]Moodboard for 2 Dragons - Petall [item=Starlight Guise] [/quote] @CleverDual @Petall @GreatLordHades @Cheryy @MysticalScribe @Rhosen @Pantali @St0rmy @Kitanya @remnio @TigerFestival @dillykai @lessthan3 @LadyFairchild @Harana @Nettletea @Knickknacks @MarinaQuakenbush @Rhosen @Braixen @Zafer @HauntedWhale @RidleeKi @Talismarr @FantasyMyth @humanityxpeople @Biuret @Blightwyrm @Alstroemeria @inn @Zuron @mukuroikusabas @Saraceaser

[center]Day 10: Mysterious [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=45883234] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/458833/45883234_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] Found at the very depths of the trenches, the Clan of the Shifting Tides was surprised to find an actual hatchling hidden among the immense whirlpools. It was hard to tell there was a dragon at all with her camouflaged markings. How she got there, where she came from, nobody could discern her mysterious happenstance. Perhaps the strangest thing was that she didn't seem to be distressed by the watery vortexes around her and simply floated in place. Octesian beckoned to the hatchling but she didn't move. Him and the others tried to approach, but the whirlpool columns surrounding her were too strong. There wasn't much to do, so they just left and headed back to tell the others of the strange hatchling they found. Unbeknownst to them, the hatchling followed the explorers back to the clan. This surprised them, but they weren't sure where the hatchling belonged so Leela invited her to stay. The hatchling nodded, and seemed to understand language, but didn't speak. They asked her name, and she still didn't respond, so they started calling her Charybdis. Ever since then, she has remained as an enigma to the clan. She spends time alone, or observing other dragons, and often prefers to be in the dark. Although she gets invited to join in activities with the others, she usually doesn't, and to this day hasn't spoken aloud to anyone's knowledge. She is the clan's cryptid resident.

Day 10: Mysterious Word count: 893 [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=4768087] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/47681/4768087_350.png[/img] [/url] "I still say this is stupid" Mizuishi complained. "Do you [i]really[/i] think you can tell the future just by looking at the stars? Fortune-telling is just a con to separate foolish dragons from their treasure". Irisol ignored the skeptical fae, and made a mark on his star chart. "So planet 12-a moved this much since last week...interesting..." "Not really? I mean, of course planets are gonna move". Mizu kept going on about how a bunch of space rocks had nothing to do with the future, and how Irisol was just wasting his time. Finally, he looked up from his telescope and said "If this is just a waste of time, why did you accompany me?" "Because I'm [i]worried[/i] about you" she said. "You forget to eat, you stay in this old tower for days on end...if I wasn't here to look after you, you'd leave your whiskers behind or something". Irisol had to admit (though not out loud, or she'd never shut up about it) that Mizu had a point. Secretly, he thought that the Water dragon was just as drawn to divination as he was. Her repeated insistence that it was all hogwash just made him more suspicious. Besides, if she really wasn't interested, why would she lean over his star charts and ask him "So, what do the great balls of gas in the sky have to say about the future?" "If you'll give me a moment or two to finish mapping out tonight's sky, I'll let you know" Irisol replied. 'A moment or two' was a slight exaggeration; he didn't stop jotting down stars and planets until the first streaks of sunlight swept across the Tangled Wood. Not that the sun's rays could penetrate the tightly-woven conifers and ever present murk. Irisol examined his charts, comparing the positions of the various celestial bodies to their locations the last time he'd crept out to the abandoned outpost. Like most of the ruins scattered throughout the Tangled Wood, it was a leftover from a long-forgotten civilization. "Well?" an impatient Mizu asked him. "I'm not entirely sure how accurate this reading is" Irisol said, still looking at his charts, "but apparently we're going to have unexpected visitors soon". "Unexpected visitors?" the fae repeated. "That could mean anything, from a new clanmate to an infestation of termites!" "There's more" Irisol held up a paw to hush his caretaker. "It says...'a star...has fallen...' or is that 'an angel has fallen'...? I can't quite make it out". Mizu snorted. "[i]That's[/i] the culmination of weeks of stargazing? You'd get more accurate readings by dropping a bunch of sand on the floor! Or inhaling a bunch of funny herbs. Or staring at a pool of water until your eyes-" "Irisol? Mizu? You there?" A nocturne wearing multiple sets of goggles poked her head up through a hole in the tower floor. "Friski? What is it?" Mizu asked. "I've been looking for you two. Something's happened, and Teaflower told me to bring you back to the lair". The two dragons exchanged a look. "Is it an infestation of termites?" Irisol asked. Mizu shot him a look. Well, she looked at him and twitched her facial crests. "Huh? No, nothing bad like that, just something [i]strange[/i]". Irisol packed up his fieldtools, and the dragons launched themselves off of the tower. Mizu, unable to keep pace with the larger dragons, landed on his head. "What sort of strange?" she asked. "You'll see in a moment" Friski replied, ad they flew on in silence. Their lair was situated under the foxfire brambles. Normally, the thorns blocked out all access to the lair from above, and one had to squeeze through the twisting brambles. But when they arrived, there was a giant hole in the brambles, directly above their lair. "By the missing Tidelord, what happened?!" Mizu gasped. All their clanmates were gathered around a small glowing stone lying in a crater that hadn't been there the day before. Occasionally some dragon would poke the stone with a stick, but nothing happened. "By the gods! Is that a meteorite?" Irisol asked. "Uh...I don't know what a meet-ee-yore-right is" Friski said. "But last night, that stone fell from the sky and landed right there! It tore a hole in the brambles, so now we have a skylight". "I bet Seraphina's happy about that" Mizu murmured. Irisol landed next to the meteorite. " 'A star has fallen' " he said. Mizu rolled her eyes. "Coincidence". "Eh? Huh?" Friski looked at the two. "Do you know something about this?" "I foresaw-" Mizu cut him off. "Nope. We're just as surprised as you are". When Friski left, Irisol scolded the fae. "Come now, Mizu! This has to be what the stars foretold!" "Ridiculous!" Mizu spat. "Fortune telling is [i]stupid[/i]! So-called 'oracles' just say something vague that foolish dragons interpret to be about them". "Mizu-" "Look, my dad was one of your fortune-tellers, and he made it all up. Okay? There's no such thing". She flew off in a huff. Irisol frowned. He'd never thought about it before, but Mizu hated divination and oracles on a personal level. "Did something happen to her in the past?" he wondered. Then he shrugged, and turned back to the 'fallen star'. The mysteries of Mizu's past could wait, and paled in comparison to the mystery of this stone.

[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=40952860] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/409529/40952860_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41796823] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/417969/41796823_350.png[/img] [/url] "Who are they?" Their clanmates would often ask as they passed. "Definitely not a dragon, that's for sure," would often be the reply. As much as Darling hated being the odd one out, the only dragon who wasn't even a dragon, they knew better than to attract attention. They had to keep a low profile. They knew that they had to make sure no-one knew of the Nightingales' existence, in case there were more Distortionists. Zena, on the other hand, did the exact opposite. She loved the attention she was getting from the other dragons. She told stories of adventures the Nightingales had been on back in Dragila, and embraced her identity as the 'mysterious one.' She seemed to never want to go home, even though they had to. Zena and Darling would often have little meetings in the deepest cracks of the cave of Clan Speculus. No-one knew what went on in there, but loud arguing could be heard from the dining hall. Then, one day, they both disappeared. The clan could hear hushed whispering in the garden, but whenever someone went to check, there would be no-one there. Ghost sightings began being reported in the clan, claiming to see a strange purple Mirror in the clan. And still no Zena or Darling. Years passed. Centuries. No sign of the two strange Guardians. That is, until one day, where Darling was caught trying to sneak in, thanks to Zena making a big show about returning. With them was a strange purple jester who hid behind Darling's foot. "We're back," Was all Darling could say. The Mirror was introduced as Gordon, a powerful Distortionist who'd torn open holes in the dimensional rift. Everything went well. That is, until Gordon began to disappear...

[center][i][u][b][size=7]Mysterious[/size][/b][/u][/i][/center] [quote name="Author's Notes"] Wow! Can’t believe I won! I was actually more into writing lore than the raffle itself, tbh, so I wasn’t expecting to win anything! :D Thanks, you guys! Congrats to the other winners! Now, onto today’s lore! Today's prompt is going to be for one of my upcoming OC dragons, a female antihero! Trigger waning for mentioned domestic abuse. You can read [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2566260/6#post_36563583]the first Author's Notes[/url] for some background on how my clan works! Here we go! [/quote] [i]"King Osric is no longer fit to rule this kingdom. He has gone mad!"[/i] [i]"...Just as I planned."[/i] Katarina quickly shut the door behind her, a smirk slowly growing on her face as she approached her desk. She placed her hand on the wooden edge, staring at the mirror in front of her. "I'm sorry for this, dear sister. If we ever meet again, I hope you will forgive me... But the last thing I want is to end up like you." She remembered the empty look in her older sister's eyes the last time she saw her, right before the portals to her dimension closed permanently and she was forced to stay in an unknown land she didn't know much about. [i]"Sister, speak to me! Look at me! Please!" Katarina begged, shaking Christa's shoulders. But she wouldn't respond. She continued to stare at the wall, tears running down her cheeks. "He...used me. What am I to him? What am I to anyone?"[/i] Christa had always been quiet, meek and fragile. Karlheinz saw the opportunity and took it. And while their dear cousin initially meant well, he never foresaw his grandfather's return, nor did he foresee himself succumbing to the darkness that became a curse within their family. [i]"Stop being so mouthy, sweetheart. Be more like Christa." "Don't look him in the eyes! Act more meek, like your big sister." "You'll never be as likeable as your older sister if you keep being so bold."[/i] [i][b]"And yet, look where Christa's meekness got her."[/b][/i] She growled to herself. There was nothing wrong with being meek, she knew. But her sister was meek to a fault, to a point where anything could break her easily. She wasn't going to be like her sister. Not if she wanted to rescue this kingdom. Katarina had no hard feelings towards Christa; she adored her sister, adored her family. But after Osric murdered most of the aristocrats in the kingdom, including the king, the queen, and her husband, she felt that it was now time to take a stand. She took her husband's medallion charm, hanging from her mirror. She took a seat in her chair, rubbing it with her thumb. Oh, how she missed him. She had been lucky, to be engaged to someone who actually cared about her and loved her as she was. It was a breath of fresh air. Katarina remembered his laugh, his smile, his eyes, blue like the ocean. She ached for it, longed for it. She dreamed of him every night, thought of him every day. She honestly thought their relationship would last forever. But of course, Osric chose to invade on behalf of the Skrians and cut their love short. Her hands gripped the medallion tightly. All of this...had been for him. For them. A few days after the massacre, she convinced Osric that she was on his side. Later that day, Osric was betrayed by the Skrians' head commander without him knowing. A week passed. She concocted a truth potion using the Queen's old spellbook, one that would open Osric's eyes to what had been done. Two weeks. He was slowly growing insane from the control that the demons placed on him. Three weeks. The darkness overtook him completely. One month. He no longer went out to greet the people, as was customary. He stayed inside, doing nothing, losing himself in his greed and gluttony. He reaped riches from the poor and stored all the money in his vault. Two months. Some vigilantes akin to Robin Hood began to loot money in the castle to give back to those who had their livelihood stolen from them. She didn't stop them, and instead, left the door to the vault open for them. Three months. The vigilantes attempted to kill Osric, but she stopped them, revealing her ambitions to them. [i]"You left the door to the vault open on purpose. You told the maids to take us to the infirmary when one of us passed out... You were on our side the entire time, weren't you?" "Without question. Did you honestly think that I'd fall head over heels for that man? He is a traitor of the worst kind. Many women would be swayed easily, perhaps... but I am not one of those women." She turned to them, hellfire burning in her crimson eyes. "He is the reason I can no longer see my family or my friends. He is the reason why I cannot go out of this castle. He is the reason why things are the way they are in my homeworld. He is the reason the love of my life is dead! I had to give myself up in order for him to spare my son!" Katarina's voice trembled, but it was full of anger and fury. "He took everything away from me. So it is only fitting that I be the one to take his life. Better me, an aristocrat, than you children, of the poorer class. They can pardon me, but they will never pardon any of you." The children glanced at one another in shock. Silence echoed throughout the chambers. "...If he is dethroned, you will become queen regent until Prince Erich is old enough to take the throne. Can we count on you - and your son - to restore the kingdom to order once more?" One of them spoke. "You were born to foreigners, but you have lived here a long time, enough to be considered a native of this country. Do you truly believe that you have what it takes? Ruling is no easy task." Another asked. She turned to them, her crimson eyes burning as intensely as the hellfire she was born in. "I do. Let me show you what I can do. Give me a few weeks, and he will be gone."[/i] Four months. Today was finally the day. He was gravely weakened after a nearby kingdom attempted to attack. [i]"Cassius, my love... for your family, King Morfran, and Queen Ambrosia... for my friends, for you, for us... and for our children..."[/i] She smiled somberly, gazing down at her stomach. [i]"The throne will be mine. And in a few years... your son will take the throne as the new king of Abaddon. You will be avenged, the people will prosper once more..."[/i] She opened the drawer to reveal a small rectangular box. She opened it, unveiling a small sheath and an elegant dagger with a white handle, a gem in the center. The blade was shiny and reflected off the moonlight beautifully. On the blade was a beautifully engraved ancient script. Only she knew what it meant. [i]"Wish me luck."[/i] She thought to herself as she walked out the door, dagger in hand. "Katarina! There you are! The King summons you." One of the elders called as she took a turn down the hallway, quickly placing the dagger in a small pocket under her dress just as the elder caught up to her. "Yes! Coming!" He glanced at her, a knowing look in his eyes as she walked past him. [i]"Honor be to the Ravens."[/i] She could have sworn she heard the elder mutter as he headed back to the Council Room. She smiled to herself and continued on her way. As she made her way to Osric's room, she couldn't help but notice the glances and smiles everyone was giving her. It seemed that somehow, they were aware of what she was about to do. But none of them were stopping her. She never told anyone that she was rebelling, of course, but she knew everyone in the castle despised Osric. "Mommy!" A young 5-year-old boy ran up to her, grabbing her leg. Katarina chuckled and bent down, kissing his forehead. "Erich, sweetheart. Why don't you go play outside today?" Erich's eyes brightened. "Really?" She nodded. "Yay! But... what about you?" Katarina pulled him close, cradling him in her arms. "...I have to do something first. You'll...understand when you're older. Now go." She tickled his stomach. Erich giggled and got up. "Okay! See you outside, mommy!" She gestured to one of the maids, who took Erich's hand and lead him outside to the garden. After a long walk, she finally came to his door. She knocked three times, and a maid opened the door. "Come in, darling. Oh, my, you look pretty today." She heard Osric say from his bed. The maid gave her a small smirk as she nodded to her and shut the door behind her as she walked out. Katarina heard the sound of sound mufflers being turned on from outside. She smiled at him and made her way to his bedside and took his hand. [rule] Osric's scream before his death was loud. Or so they say. No one really heard anything from his room in his last moments before then. An investigation went on in the weeks following his death, but mysteriously closed as a cold case months afterwards. Very few made a ruckus about this, however. During that time, Katarina became queen incumbent, and her first son, Erich, as crown prince regent, later officially becoming crown prince when it was determined that Osric had no other living children. She later gave surprise birth to another child, whom she would name 'Eren'. After a full genetic test, it was revealed that he was Katarina's second child with Asmodeus, her first husband, and that she was already pregnant with him shortly before Osric's short rise to power. The Queen would later tell others that she did not want the kingdom to be too concerned for her during that time, so she kept it a secret from the country. The Skrian War that occurred a year later would only prove the Queen's backbone of steel during dark times and managed to prove her worth as leader of the kingdom. As to who [i]killed[/i] Osric, the answer is already well-known, but for the sake of taboo, is pretty much unspoken. Nevertheless, foreigners from other worlds who choose to look at the case gaze upon it with confusion. There were no fingerprints, no special tech or anything of the sort used that could possibly determine the cause of death. All they knew was that it had been done by someone who knew foreign magic, one that Queen Katarina couldn't possibly have known; the only one who could have would have been Queen Ambrosia, but she was long deceased. Natives, on the other hand, claim that Osric's death was for the better, a sign from the gods, as his reign was anything but prosperous, and all wealth classes, from poor to rich, suffered during his time on the throne. Some even claim it was Queen Ambrosia's way of getting vengeance on Osric for betraying them, though many of them say so with knowing smiles that suggest that there is clearly more to the case than they claim. Nevertheless, whether it be the Queen, Former Queen Ambrosia, a rebel, or the gods themselves, whoever killed Osric is still a mystery to this day. Music Inspo for Today’s Prompt: [url=https://youtu.be/joYaaipAhQ8]you should see me in a crown - Billie Eilish[/url] Featured Dragons: None today!

[center][b]Mysterious[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=40768490] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/407685/40768490_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] They say she has the forest within her. Not many visitors to Windkeep Tower are fortunate enough to catch sight of Moira. Though her body holds the shape of a spiral, there seems to be little draconic about her. She comes and goes like the wind, no hunger plaguing her belly or thirst parching her tongue. No one has ever seen her sleep. She must be vigilante, for she is the spirit of the forest gone past, once growing and thriving where Windkeep Tower now stands. Her growths of bamboo may now be gone, but she still remains, endless, eternal. Her duty is no longer to the animals who have since moved onto other homes. Her forest in Windkeep Tower, and she will see that no harm comes to the dragons who reside there. Visitors to the port clan are often told that to catch sight of Moira means one of two things. Sometimes it is a sign of luck, of blessing. Those who truly belong in Windkeep Tower, who's heart and souls are aligned with its purpose, they can see her, and she will smile upon them. But to those who bring harm, who wish to disrupt the harmony of the clan and bring death and disease and destruction, her appearance is a very different omen. She will not bring harm, but if her favour is not with a dragon, they may find the birdsong a little harsher, the breeze a little more sharp. She will protect her own, no matter what the cost.

[center][b][size=5]Mysterious[/b][/center] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38340810] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/383409/38340810_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38392245] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/383923/38392245_350.png[/img] [/url]         It was all very mysterious, Wyvernhail decided. Yes, mysterious was a good word. Of course, so was weird, or confusing, or peculiar, or even baffling. All wonderful words. And all words are wonderful. Words like conundrum and quantity, sonorous and catastrophe. The meanings weren't always the best, but the words themselves...Ah, he was getting off topic. Right. He was working on a potion, a very important one. Why, exactly, he wasn't sure, but it was definitely significant. And he was so, [i]so[/i], close, he was sure! He was gathering the final ingredients when he heard a loud crash from outside his hut. Had a tree fallen? Or did another dragon tumble of the cliff? (It's was a small one, so they were usually fine. If not, Wyvernhail had some potions he could use to heal them) He scurried to the door, creaking it open and peering out. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary...There! A silvery blob in the darkness! He ran towards it, gasping. It was a dragon! The mirror was laying limply, green-black scales dull. The silver Wyvernhail had seen was in fact a multitude of grayish markings spiderwebbing across the female's body. He hoisted her up, laying her across his shoulders. He hurried back to his hut, laying her on top of his table after he pushed aside the clutter on top of it.          Ah, is she injured? I don't see any injuries...this is bad, this is bad..." He muttered worriedly, fretting. He reached out to touch her shoulder, "Uh, are you alright? Wake up plea-" The mirror's eyes snapped open, zeroing in on Wyvernhail. She started thrashing, claws whapping across his snout. He stumbled back, yelping. The sound seemed to make the mirror panic more, causing her to let out a roar and increase her flailing, wings flapping out and smacking into Wyvernhail. He fell backwards, and watched in horror as a bottle full of syrupy, neon green liquid onto his precious research, which went up in flames. He let out a wail, running over to the parchment and trying to bat out the fire. He managed to, but the papers where charred beyond recognition. He spun around, glaring furiously at the now quiet mirror huddled in the corner. "THAT WAS IMPORTANT! DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST DID!? MY-MY RESEARCH! IT'S ALL-IT's all....gone...." He roared, before deflating and looking at the cowering female. "I..I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." He sighed, dragging a paw down his face. He could deal with his papers later. For now, he had a scared and possibly injured dragon to figure out. He walked closer, stopping when she let out a growl. He plopped down, sighing again. He spoke softly, saying, "Hey, are you feeling alright now? I need to check you for injuries, ok?" She crouched down, eyes feral.         "W-wHy Ssh-sh0uld I TrUusT YoU?" Her speech was garbled, discordant noises mixed in. Could she not fully speak draconic?          "Well, I found you outside [i]my[/i]house, you know." He said, giving her a flat look. "Why should ???????[i]I[/i] trust [i]you[/i]?"  "A-alRigHt, I'Ll lEaVe th-thAn." She said, angling towards the door, as though debating if she could get to them fast enough. Wyvernhail jolted, then skidded in front of her.          "No way I'm letting you leave if you injured! You are going to stay here tonight." He exclaimed. She gazed at him warily, but at least she looked a little more sane than she had before. She looked almost.....thoughtful. "FiNne. I'Ll StAyyy." She gibbered.          "Great! What's your name then? Mine's Wyvernhail!" "D-doN't HhaVe onE."          "Guess I'll just have to give one to you than!" Wyvernhail looked at the dragon in front of him, giving her an almost smile. Mysterious indeed. (Of course, he later had a panic attack when he remembered his papers, but oh well.)