Creative Corner

oh maaaaaaan this is awESOME

@TumbleweedArmy

:D I'm glad you're enjoying it! If you want to be notified for future updates, I could add you to the pinglist?

@Razatharia I just subbed to the thread a few minutes ago, but yeah i'd love to be added just in case!

Very much enjoying this!

[center][size=6][font=Gabriola]003: Prank Pals[/font][/size] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Tiercel had planned on going to his room after saying goodbye to Amity, really, he did. It wasn’t his fault he panicked a bit when they ran into Raza, and he went in the complete opposite direction he was supposed to go. Sure, he [i]could[/i] take the long way around, or he could just turn around and walk past Amity’s room, risking bumping into her and Raza again. Deciding on the latter, Tiercel turned around and walked back, already figuring out what he would say when he passed by them. However, the hall was empty as he passed by Amity’s room, which was nice, because the less time he spent around Raza, the better. Not that she was a bad leader, or a bad dragon in general; quite the contrary, actually. Tiercel knew how hard Raza worked to try to keep everything running as smoothly as possible, and everyone as safe as she could, but... he also knew he had worn down her patience a lot lately, since he had a habit of getting into trouble. Raza did a great job of tolerating Tiercel’s shenanigans, but he didn’t want to push his luck any more than he already had. Though he was intending on just walking by and heading straight to his room, he passed by the door just in time to hear Raza’s voice, and he paused, heart sinking at her words. “I wanted to discuss that friend of yours with you... I think he’s a bad influence on you.” Tiercel knew there was only one dragon Raza could be talking about, and that was him. Amity didn’t have any other friends, and even if she did, he doubted they would get her into trouble nearly as much as Tiercel did. Tiercel really should have kept walking; eavesdropping on a private conversation like this was a little low, even for him. But he couldn’t seem to make himself walk away. So he guiltily continued to listen. “...I know you’ve known Tiercel since you were a hatchling, and the two of you grew up together,” Razatharia continued after a few moments. “But you disappear all day and refuse to interact with anyone, and when you [i]do[/i] interact with someone, it’s with Tiercel, who always drags you into trouble. And I know it’s all his ideas, because he’s always been that way, and you’ve never done anything like that on your own.” Unable to listen any longer, both from guilt and sadness, Tiercel quietly ran off. Amity really did mean the world to him, and it hurt to know he was getting her in trouble. What if Raza told Amity to stop hanging out with him? Tiercel wasn’t sure he could survive without her. Sure, there were other dragons he hung out with occasionally, usually while he waited for Amity, but she was... she was such a big part of his life. Like most Mirrors, he craved that feeling of being in a pack, but for him, all he needed was Amity. She [i]was[/i] his pack. Tiercel found himself at his bedroom door, and quietly slipped inside. He sighed as he took off his armour, placing it on his desk so he could easily grab it in the morning. He hopped onto his bed, moving in a quick circle before lying down, curled up with his head resting on his talons. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Tiercel was awoken by the first light of dawn let in by the large window in his room. He sleepily got up and began his usual morning routine out of habit, not needing to think much as he got ready for the day. It wasn’t long before he was bounding down the halls of the palace, heading for the main entrance. On his way out, he ran into Seashore, quite literally. [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22258392] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/222584/22258392_350.png[/img] [/url] The two tumbled to the ground, and the jug Seashore carried at her side spilled water everywhere, soaking both of them. Tiercel scrambled back to his feet and quickly moved to help the wet Tundra back up. “By the Eleven, I’m so sorry,” he began apologetically. “I should really look where I’m going. You’d think with four eyes I’d be better at that,” he joked, trying to make light of the situation. “N-no, it’s um… it’s fine, uh, really!” Seashore said nervously, her voice quiet. She seemed to hide under the brim of her hat, tail coiling and displaying her obvious discomfort. “It’s, um, not a big deal,” she insisted, sitting back on her haunches and waving a talon in what Tiercel assumed was supposed to be a dismissive gesture. The water suddenly began rising, being pulled from Tiercel’s scales, Seashore’s fur, and the ground. It moved around in sync with the movements Seashore was doing with her talon. The water seemed to take the shape of a fish as it swam around the air for a few moments before diving back into the jug. “Woah, that was amazing,” Tiercel said as he patted himself down, finding he was completely dry once more. Seashore ducked her head in embarrassment, ruffling her wings. “O-oh, um… thank you,” she practically whispered. Tiercel hadn’t talked to Seashore much before; the Tundra was usually so shy she avoided talking to anyone, and was easily startled. Tiercel thought that Amity and Seashore would get along well, but both of them were too shy to talk to each other. Actually, both of them disappeared off on their own all the time as well. They had a lot of similarities, at least, from what Tiercel could tell. However Seashore was much older than him and Amity, and had somehow survived in the clan back when its original leader, Synth, was in control. Tiercel didn’t know that much about what had happened in the past; it was a pretty sensitive topic around here. But all the things he [i]had[/i] heard were horrifying, to say the least. “I um, have places to uh, be at… so…” Seashore said awkwardly, slowly inching away. “Yeah, I should be on my way as well,” Tiercel said cheerfully, waving as he darted off. “Bye!” Tiercel was usually outside by now, doing... whatever it is he decided to do on that particular day. As he arrived at the main entrance to the palace, Tiercel was just in time to see a familiar dark grey and blue striped tail disappear outside. Putting on a burst of speed, Tiercel darted outside and ran a few circles around the Nocturne. “Amity!” Tiercel exclaimed happily as he pranced around his friend. “I don’t usually see you up this early! What’re you up to?” He asked, bouncing energetically. “Oh! Um… I’ve got some, uh, stuff I’m doing right now,” Amity began hesitantly. “I’ll see you later,” she said before taking to the sky. Tiercel’s heart plummeted as he watched her leave. He couldn’t help but remember what he had overheard last night, and wondered if Amity was avoiding him now. “Don’t be silly,” he chided himself quietly. “Amity always goes out on her own. This is completely normal, haha.” Tiercel shook his head at himself, but the nervous feelings didn’t go away. He began walking through the clan, looking for something to distract himself with. Tiercel spotted a familiar Imperial slink away behind one of the buildings in the main marketplace of the clan, if it could even be called that. It was mostly a large ring of buildings that offered different services to the clan, however money wasn’t really a thing. Sure, the clan had a treasury, but for the most part it was only used when trading or buying things from other clans. Tiercel wasn’t sure exactly how [i]other[/i] clans were run, having lived here nearly his entire life, but this clan was largely a communal effort to keep running, with everyone doing their part to help out where they could. Tiercel sneakily darted between the buildings, sidling up to the Imperial. [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47286060] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/472861/47286060_350.png[/img] [/url] “What’re you doing?” Tiercel asked with a grin as he looked up at Enzoa. Enzoa glanced over and returned the grin, knowing he could count on Tiercel to join him in whatever shenanigans he was currently up to. “Setting up a trap. Y’know, to help keep everybody on their toes. I’m doing them a favour, really; you never know when disaster might strike,” Enzoa said with a chuckle as he tightened his headband. “I assume you’re down to clown?” He asked slyly. “When am I not?” Tiercel countered, wings quivering with excitement. If there was anyone in the clan that get into more shenanigans than Tiercel did, it was Enzoa. The Shadowborn Imperial lived up to his Flight’s stereotype of sneaky trickster quite well, although Enzoa was one of the friendliest dragons you could ever meet. Every prank was completely harmless and purely for laughs, and Enzoa helped out around the clan so much that most dragons didn’t even mind the occasional pranks all that much. “Sweet,” Enzoa said with a smirk. “Well, here’s the plan…” [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Tiercel and Enzoa spent the entire morning setting up their trap, and it was sometime past noon when they were finally lying in wait. They were on the outskirts of the clan, along one of the paths that connected all of the sentry towers surrounding the clan. It was loosely patrolled by the sentries, and, if everyone continued to follow their schedules, there should be a dragon walking down this path fairly soon. Enzoa was carefully hidden away in the thick bamboo forest, out of sight. Tiercel, being smaller, was a bit closer, and had eyes on the location of the trap, more or less. He knew he’d be able to hear their victim before he saw them, since his view was a bit obscured by the foliage around him. Waiting like this really tested Tiercel’s patience, but he was more than willing to lie in wait. He didn’t really have anything else to do anyway, plus he worked really hard on this with Enzoa, and it would be a shame if it were to go to waste. He just had to try really hard not to let his mind wander to Amity. Luckily, Tiercel’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. He stayed as still as possible, grinning in anticipation. It was hard to tell who exactly it was, even with his heat vision. As the target got closer, Tiercel squinted slightly, trying to decipher the shapes of heat he was seeing. Whoever it was seemed to be a Skydancer, which meant it was most surely Skyward, the only Skydancer sentry in the clan. But oh, how wrong he was. The dragon came into view, and Tiercel’s eyes widened in horror as he recognized not the tan and rust coloured feathers of Skyward, but the sky blue and black of Razatharia. The clan leader stepped right onto the trap, setting it off before Tiercel could do anything. Ropes ensnared the Skydancer, who let out a surprised yelp as she was lifted off the ground in a net suspended by the towering bamboo around them. Enzoa emerged from his hiding place, laughing, but stopped when he realized who he had caught. “Oh deities, this wasn’t intended for you,” Enzoa mused apologetically, but to his surprise (and Tiercel’s, for that matter), Raza only laughed. “It was my fault for being so careless,” she mused, not at all bothered. Tiercel moved to where the ropes were tied at the base of some bamboo, and sliced through it with his claws, which caused the hanging net to drop. Enzoa automatically caught the ensnared Skydancer, and helped her get untangled. “Sorry about that though,” Enzoa apologized as he placed Raza back on the ground. “It’s fine, really,” the Skydancer insisted. “Though... have you by chance seen Amity around today? I’ve been trying to find her,” Raza said, her tone becoming worried. Tiercel felt a rush of nervousness, worried Amity was in trouble. He stepped out of the bamboo, finally coming into view. “Is everything alright with Amity?” Tiercel asked quickly, surprising the clan leader. “When did- oh nevermind, I should have guessed you played a part in this,” Raza said with a shake of her head. “I just... need to talk to Amity. Do you know where she is?” Raza pressed. “Um…” Tiercel shifted on his talons. He didn’t actually know where Amity was at any given point, unless she was specifically with him. “I saw her this morning, but she flew off, saying she had some stuff to do. My guess is in the forest somewhere, but… that could be anywhere,” Tiercel explained. Raza sighed, ruffling her feathers. “Yeah, that’s what I figured,” she mumbled. “Well, thanks anyway. And stay out of trouble, you two!” Raza called out playfully as she trotted away, shaking out her wings before leaping into the air. Tiercel and Enzoa exchanged glances. “Well that was terrifying,” Enzoa said simply. “Very,” Tiercel agreed. They both knew Raza was a kindhearted dragon, but they couldn’t help but feel intimidated by her, though, for different reasons. Enzoa had seen what that Skydancer was capable of, having been in the clan before the incident with Synth. The clan had been in utter chaos after the incident, and when Raza showed up, she quite literally had to fight off everyone before they would listen to a word she said. Though she was friendly by nature, she was not a dragon Enzoa wanted to ever get on the bad side of. Tiercel, on the other talon, was mostly just worried because Raza was Amity’s (adoptive) mother, and messing with her meant possibly risking his friendship with Amity. With a nod and a mumbled ‘see you later’, Tiercel and Enzoa both went their separate ways; Enzoa probably off to be the jack of all trades he was and help out with a dozen different jobs, and Tiercel deciding to get some training in to help get his mind off of Amity. He was tempted to go looking for her, but he silently told himself to trust his friend; she went out every day, and today was no different. She’d be fine. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Tiercel and Enzoa are #PrankPalsForever :) [s]Also I'm excited for the next update heheheh, the plot really starts to get rolling.[/s] Hope you guys enjoyed this update! @Dragonfruiteen @AlpineFresh @Millapede85 @Watercolour @dancingcrane @TumbleweedArmy [/center]

Good heck what a beautiful line I love it

I love that Tiercel has a prank buddy that's great, and Enzoa is so pretty toooo.

Uh oh where'd Amity go, better go find her quick

[center][size=6][font=Gabriola]004: Truth[/font][/size] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Razatharia’s search slowly came to a close as a familiar assassin rejoined her. “She’s not in the clan,” Nightshade informed her. Raza nodded slowly, expecting as much. “And even after asking nearly every dragon in the clan, I couldn’t even find out which way she went,” he added with an annoyed frown. “Well, thanks for helping me look anyway,” Raza said with a quiet sigh, resigned to waiting until Amity returned. If she didn’t return by tomorrow morning, Raza would allow herself to actually worry, but as for right now, she just had to be patient. “Anything for you, dear,” Nightshade said jokingly, to which Raza responded by rolling her eyes and shaking her head at him. “Do you need me for anything else?” He asked, tone more serious now. “Not that I know of, but thank you.” “Alright, I’ll be off then; I’m in the mood to do some hunting,” Nightshade mused, turning to leave. “You better be hunting animals and not dragons!” Raza called after him, mouth twitching into a smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the assassin called back, shooting her a grin. “All these dragons are animals! There’d be no difference!” Nightshade said with a laugh as he ran off. Razatharia shook her head in amusement, but it wasn’t long before her smile had faded. Though she had decided not to worry about Amity, it was hard not to. Raza began walking, heading back towards the palace as her mind fell deep into thought. She recalled the talk she had had with Amity last night, and her frown deepened. [i]“...I know you’ve known Tiercel since you were a hatchling, and the two of you grew up together,” Razatharia had said. “But you disappear all day and refuse to interact with anyone, and when you do interact with someone, it’s with Tiercel, who always drags you into trouble. And I know it’s all his ideas, because he’s always been that way, and you’ve never done anything like that on your own.” There was a brief moment of silence, and Raza had sensed a flare of anger from Amity, taking the Skydancer by surprise. Amity was usually such a calm dragon, and it was quite jarring to sense the turmoil of burning negativity from the small Nocturne. “So, what, you want me to stop being friends with the ONLY dragon I actually care about?!” Amity had snapped. Raza tried to interject, but Amity continued. “If it wasn’t for Tiercel, I probably wouldn’t even come back to the clan after spending a day outside of it! I’m sure you think you know what’s best for me, but you don’t. You barely even know who I am! You’re busy, and I don’t blame you for that; you have a clan to run. So run your CLAN, and stop trying to run my LIFE!” “Amity-” “No! I don’t want to hear what you have to say right now,” Amity continued sharply, and Raza knew at the moment that there was nothing she could do to convince Amity to listen to her. This hadn’t gone how she was expecting at all, and she definitely hadn’t said all she had came here to say, but maybe it would be best if she gave Amity time to cool off first. “Okay,” Raza had conceded, her voice quiet as she moved to leave, but paused in the doorway. “...I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Amity didn’t respond.[/i] Raza found herself at the main entrance to the palace as she shook herself from her thoughts. She flew up to perch on one of the spires, getting comfortable, as she planned on waiting there until Amity returned. The sun was already beginning to set, and if there was no sign of the Nocturne before it rose once more, then Raza would start actively looking. But for now, it was time to wait. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Amity stared up at the night sky. She knew it probably wasn’t a good idea to avoid talking to Raza, but... she just really didn’t want to continue the conversation from the night before. She felt immensely guilty for bursting out in anger; it was something she had always done her best to avoid, not wanting to hurt anyone. And Amity knew Raza wasn’t trying to hurt Amity; that would never be her intention. Amity felt even worse because not only was she avoiding her adoptive mother, but she was avoiding her best friend as well. Tiercel hadn’t done anything wrong- okay, well, more accurately, he hadn’t done anything to justify Amity avoiding him. But Amity couldn’t stand to be in the clan right now. She spent the entire day thinking, and then trying not to think because her thoughts were only driving her crazy. She had mind-linked with three seperate creatures today, but none of the connections had lasted long. Amity’s mind was just too disharmonious right now for something like that to work well. Eventually, Amity got up, shaking off the dirt and small insects that clung to her scales. Though she didn’t really want to go back, Amity also really didn’t want to sleep out here in the wilderness; there were plenty of creatures that could easily choose her as their next meal. While she was pretty confident in her abilities to escape danger if she was attacked, she couldn’t exactly keep watch for it if she was sleeping. Amity’s strange ability to mind-link, while pretty cool in general most of the time, was also a great defense mechanism. By initiating a connection with a hostile creature, the creature would go into a daze, and even if the link failed and the connection broke, that daze gave Amity enough time to escape. But Amity encountered nothing on her way back to the clan, other than a few stray insects and small rodents. It was well past midnight by the time Amity got back, and she quietly avoided the few dragons that were still awake, making her way to the palace. She glanced around as she came to the gates, and after seeing no one, started to move to the main entrance. Amity stiffened as there was a flutter of wings, and Razatharia landed lightly on the ground in front of her. The Skydancer’s turquoise gemstone seemed to glow in the darkness, but perhaps it was simply reflecting moonlight. “Can we talk?” Raza asked quietly. “No,” Amity answered, swiftly ducking around Raza. “Amity-” “I’m tired, just leave me alone.” Amity entered the palace and made her way to her room as quickly as possible, not wanting to talk to her adoptive mother just yet. It was late, and the Nocturne was indeed tired, and she wanted to make sure that when she did talk to Raza, it was with a clear head. It could wait until tomorrow. Amity closed her bedroom door behind her, then locked it before flopping down on her bed with a muffled sigh. She knew the longer she put off problems, the worse they would get, but... Amity just wasn't sure how to handle this. She’d never talked back to her mom before, and she especially had never gotten mad at her! Too late, Amity realized that by avoiding her, Raza might think that Amity was still angry with her, which wasn’t exactly true. Sure, she was still a little upset, but what was bothering Amity the most right now was the guilt she felt for getting mad and stopping Raza before she could finish talking, then avoiding both her and Tiercel for the entire day. This situation was a mess... Amity was startled from her thoughts by a quiet knock at her door. She glanced over at the door, but said nothing. “...We really need to talk, Amity,” the muffled voice of Raza came through the door. “Ignoring me won’t help anything; can we just get this over with?” Raza tried. Amity didn’t respond. Seconds passed, which turned into minutes. Finally, there was a muffled sigh from outside the door, and the sound of receding footsteps. Amity silently promised she’d talk to Raza... tomorrow. Probably. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Razatharia yawned as she leaned out her window tiredly, watching down below her, where Amity had just exited the palace. She already felt terrible for what she was about to do, but... if Amity wouldn’t talk to her, and insisted on avoiding her, then Raza had to get to the bottom of all of this somehow. Sure, maybe stalking her daughter wasn’t the best idea, but Raza had tried talking, and it wasn’t working. Under normal circumstances, Raza would still be asleep right now; she was more of a night dragon, preferring to stay up late and sleep in. The only reason she was awake right now was because she had instructed Nightshade to wake her up whenever Amity got up. The aforementioned Mirror was behind her, quietly poking through her stuff. “Y’know, I’m not sure you should go through with this plan of yours,” Nightshade said slowly, sidling up to Raza to look out the window as well. “Maybe you should just give her some space?” He offered. “I know you’re worried, but…” Nightshade trailed off, frowning slightly. “I know,” she agreed quietly. “But I just can’t focus on anything with this going on! I have a clan to run, but I can’t seem to get anything done because I’m so distracted with worrying about Amity.” Razatharia sighed, propping up her head on a talon. “Why did I think trying to raise a child was a good idea?” “Hey, I think you’re doing a great job!” Nightshade protested. “Nobody’s perfect, other than myself of course, but you’re doing your best, and that’s all anyone can ask for. Sure, things might be a little rough right now, but it’ll pass, I’m sure.” Raza only hummed in acknowledgement. She appreciated his words, of course, but it wasn’t enough to fight back the self-doubt she felt. “I know it’s probably wrong, but I’m going through with it,” Raza said quietly, her eyes following Amity as she disappeared through the front gates. Raza ruffled her wings, preparing to leap out the window. “Well hey, I won’t judge you for it,” Nightshade began, moving to the side to give Raza full access to the window. “I mean, I’ve killed dragons. Compared to that, what you’re doing is practically harmless. Not to mention you’re doing it with good intent. Way better than me.” “Thought you said you were perfect,” Raza mumbled, amused. “I am [i]now[/i],” he replied haughtily. “Back then, maybe not so much. But of course, I now serve her majesty, that’s you, and now I am perfect,” Nightshade said with a grin. “Don’t call me that.” “M’lady,” Nightshade corrected with a smirk. “Nope.” Raza hopped onto the windowsill, ready to fly off. “Your highness!” Nightshade declared, grinning. “Wrong again,” Raza said with a shake of her head. “You know I hate those titles.” “But my queen, ‘tis a symbol of your divine status!” Nightshade insisted, laughing at the unamused glare Raza shot at him. Before Nightshade could pester her anymore, Raza leapt off the window, quickly gaining height as she scanned the ground below her for Amity. It didn’t take long for her to spot the familiar Nocturne, and it was lucky that Raza had found her so quickly; she was on the edge of the clan. Raza angled her wings to drop down as silently as possible, ducking behind one of the many buildings that served as personal residence for most of the dragons in the clan. Antennae twitching, Raza peeked around the corner of the building to watch Amity, who had been stopped by Tiercel. The two of them were talking too quietly for Raza to make out anything they said, but by the looks of it, Tiercel was trying to convince Amity of something, and Amity was politely declining him. Eventually giving up, Tiercel drooped sadly, but nodded, then turned to trot off gloomily. Amity watched him go with a pained look, then turned around and made her way out of the clan. Raza carefully followed, close enough to keep an eye on Amity, but far enough away that there was little risk of Amity spotting her. For a while, nothing really noteworthy happened; Amity just walked through the dense bamboo forest, pausing to look at various plants or insects, before continuing on her way. Raza was just about to give up and head back to the clan, when a nearby threatening growl made her tense up and get into a defensive stance. But the predator hadn’t spotted Raza. Amity had gotten low to the ground, her eyes locked on the source of the growling: a Tigerblood Foo. [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/art/11147.png[/img] The Tigerblood Foo leapt at Amity, who dodged out of the way quickly. Raza instinctively wanted to rush into battle to protect Amity, but as her antennae twitched, Raza realized Amity was calm and unworried. The Skydancer crept a bit closer, but forced herself not to intervene just yet. To Razatharia’s surprise, the Foo suddenly stopped, seeming to go into a trance of sorts. Amity did the same, and for a few moments, neither of them moved. Then, they blinked at each other, and began moving through the bamboo side-by-side. As Raza followed them quietly, she noticed they seemed to walk not just together, but in perfect sync, each footstep in harmony with each other. The Foo’s ears twitched, and both of them turned their heads to look in the same direction as a bird flitted through the bamboo. Raza fell deep in thought, trying to understand what was going on here. She knew Amity loved animals, but this? This was something else entirely. What, exactly, she wasn’t sure. A loud [i]SNAP[/i] caused everyone to freeze. Raza glanced down at her talons to find she had stopped paying attention, and had accidentally stepped on a stick that was now split in two. Looking back up, Raza saw both Amity and the Tigerblood Foo in fighting stances, teeth bared. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Amity and the Tigerblood Foo turned around sharply as they detected something following them. The sound of a branch breaking had been too loud for it to be anything small, which meant there was a chance they were being hunted. Instincts kicked in, and they were instantly ready for a fight, teeth bared and bodies low to the ground as tailtips flicked in synchronization. The bravery of the Foo left no room for fear from Amity, and the two of them split up to flank their target. The target came into view; a dragon, blue, black, and white. Recognition flashed from Amity, followed by a torrent of emotions. Amity stumbled as her intense emotions caused the link to become unstable, then severed. Not far off, the Tigerblood Foo had also stumbled, fluffing up its fur before shaking its head with a low growl and turning to run off. Panicking, Amity turned and quickly tried to flee, only for Raza to bound over and easily catch up with her. The Skydancer moved to stand in front of Amity, who stiffened, wings pressing close to her body and tail coiling nervously. “I-I um, that was just uh... I was just going for a walk. Er, fancy seeing you out here haha, what... what are you doing all the way out here? I wasn’t doing anything, um, nothing’s going on- that is to say, I’ve just been going for a nice walk through the bamboo; it’s really nice out here, uh, don’t you think? Y-yeah, nothing out of the ordinary out here-” “Amity,” Raza interrupted, her voice worried. “Are you alright?” Amity blinked in surprise, having expecting some questions, but not that one. She hesitated for a few moments, staring up at Raza. She looked concerned. “I... yeah, I’m fine,” Amity answered quietly, shuffling her talons in the dirt. Razatharia took a deep breath, and Amity mentally prepared herself for a speech about the dangers of going out alone, but to her surprise, what Raza had to say was very different. “I wanted to apologize,” Raza began gently. “I didn’t mean to upset you the other day. I just... well, I get overprotective sometimes. Adopted or not, you’re my daughter, and I love you, and I just want what’s best for you. But maybe I don’t know what’s best for you; I’ve never raised a dragonet before, and you’re not a hatchling anymore. I know you can make your own decision now, and you don’t need me to hover over your shoulder, but... I worry about you, especially because you’re off on your own all the time and rarely talk to me anymore. “I don’t know what’s going on here, and you don’t have to talk to me about it if you don’t want to, but... I want to help you, and I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s going on. I understand if you’re still upset with me, but maybe we can talk it out?” Raza asked hopefully. Amity was hesitant to say anything, and felt a flash of nervousness. It was hard to tell exactly what Raza was talking about, and at this point she wasn’t sure if she was talking about the situation with Tiercel, or Amity’s strange behaviour with that Foo. Amity wasn’t even sure how much of that Raza saw. Probably sensing her unease, Razatharia gently wrapped a wing around Amity and pulled her into a hug. It was comforting, and reminded Amity of when she was younger and still so terrified of the world. She used to hide under Raza’s wings all the time, ducking to avoid the gaze of passing dragons, no matter how friendly they were. “I... guess there’s something I want to tell you,” Amity began slowly. Raza said nothing, listening intently. “There’s something different about me. I don’t think it’s normal, and I don’t know if anyone else can do it, but…” Amity trailed off, shifting her position to move a bit closer to Raza. “It’s okay, whatever it is, you can talk to me about it,” Raza assured her gently. “I um, have this ability. I don’t really know what to call it, or how to explain it exactly, but... well, I’ll just start from the beginning,” Amity decided, taking a deep breath. “As you know, I’m a Nocturne, and because of that, I have a subconscious habit of mimicking things around me. And as you also know, you’re a Skydancer, which means you’re hyper-aware of the emotions everyone is feeling at any given time,” she explained. Razatharia nodded slowly, not too sure where Amity was going with this, or why she felt the need to clarify things, but not interrupting. “Well, because of that, I started really paying attention to other dragons’ feelings, and not just dragons, but other living creatures as well. And then I started wondering what the world was like from their point of view; how did they see the world? Why did they act the way they did? I started trying to mentally put myself in the place of other creatures, and that’s how I discovered my ability. I... linked my mind with another creature’s.” Raza started to ask a question, but stopped, shutting her mouth to let Amity continue. She knew that by leaving silence, it would prompt Amity to keep talking. And it wasn’t long before Amity indeed continued. “I’m not sure how to explain it, really,” she said slowly, frowning thoughtfully. “And I could barely remember what had happened the first few times. It was more like a dream than anything else. But I started writing down what I could remember, and I’ve been getting better and better at recalling what happens when I... link up? Mind-meld? I don’t know what to call it. But it like... completely syncs up the two of us; we feel the same things, and see and hear and smell all the same things. Our thoughts and feelings become harmonized, and we have equal control over each other. It doesn’t even feel like we’re two separate beings when it happens,” Amity did her best to explain, waving her talons as she spoke. Razatharia was quite shocked and surprised by Amity’s words, having never heard of anything remotely like this before. But even more prominent than the shock was the amazement and awe Raza felt. Amity seemed nervous by her adoptive mother’s silence, so Raza took her cue to start talking. “Your secret is safe with me, don’t worry. I’m so happy you decided to tell me, Amity,” Raza said as she hugged the Nocturne a bit tighter. Amity let out a small sigh of relief. There were a few moments of silence as a new question slowly appeared in Raza’s mind, but she was a bit hesitant to voice it. “...Have you ever… linked… with another dragon?” Raza asked slowly. “N-no!” Amity exclaimed, radiating fear and shock. “Dragons scare me; from what I’ve seen and heard, they tend to be much darker than animals. Even if they’re friendly, they’re still... a lot more negative than animals are. I mean, theoretically, it should be possible, but I don’t want to link with another dragon,” Amity explained quickly, bristling slightly. “Woah, calm down,” Raza soothed. “It’s alright, I was just curious. I agree with you though; dragons do tend to be a lot more negative than animals. You don’t need to try linking with another dragon,” Raza assured her, silently actually quite relieved. “I also don’t want to link with any dragons because, well, I don’t know if I can trust anyone to keep my secret. And if people learn what I can do... I’m worried they might try to force me to use my ability or something. Linking with someone else could be dangerous,” Amity explained, to which Raza nodded in agreement. “I’m really proud of you, Amity,” Raza began, a smile forming on her face. “Here I am, worrying about you, but you’re so capable already,” she said nuzzling Amity. “But remember that if you ever need help with anything, or someone to talk to, I’m always here for you, alright?” Amity smiled slightly, nodding with a hum. She felt way better now. It was surprisingly nice to know she wasn’t the only one bearing this secret anymore. Sure, it was a bit nerve-wracking, but Amity truly did trust Raza, and knew that her secret was safe. “Let’s go home, shall we?” Raza prompted, releasing Amity from the prison-like hug with a grin. “I’m sure there’s a certain Mirror waiting there for you,” she mused. Catching Amity’s worried glance, Raza continued. “I don’t want you to end your friendship with him; I think it’s really good that you have a close friend like that,” she explained. “I was just being overprotective and worried, honestly mostly because you disappear all day and don’t tell anyone where you’ve been or what you’ve been doing. But I understand why now. And I can rest a little easier knowing that it’s pretty unlikely you’ll get hurt out here,” Raza mused with a chuckle as the two of them began walking back. “Yeah, even if the connection doesn’t work, the daze it puts the creature in is usually more than enough time for me to get to safety,” Amity spoke as they travelled. “Oh, that’s another thing though; if either of us experience too much pain or emotions, it throws off the synchronization, and the link is usually broken... That’s what happened when I saw you earlier,” she explained, referring to the broken connection with the Foo. “I guess it would be a lot harder to link with a dragon for that reason as well, then,” Raza guessed. Amity hummed quietly, nodding. She hadn’t thought of that specific point before, but all the more reason not to try it, right? [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] As Razatharia and Amity returned to the clan, Tiercel began bounding over, but stopped abruptly when he saw Raza. The Mirror sat down, respectfully waiting some distance away. “If you and Tiercel are as close as I suspect,” Raza began, “then perhaps he’s someone else you could share your secret with.” She shot Amity a sidelong glance with a small smile. “I mean, we both know he’s great at keeping secrets despite the fact that he never stops talking,” she said with a laugh. Amity chuckled, shaking her head. It was true, though. Tiercel had an iron will, and once he decided on something, he always carried through with it. That included keeping secrets. If he decided not to tell someone about something, there was no way they were getting that information from him. He was reckless at times, but there was nearly nothing that could change Tiercel’s mind. Actually, as far as she had seen, Amity was the only one able to talk Tiercel out of things. Raza nuzzled Amity playfully, then nudged her in Tiercel’s direction. “Go have fun with your friend, no matter what you choose to do. I’ve been slacking on my duties as clan leader, so I need to get back to that now that I know you’re safe,” Raza mused, shaking out her wings before taking off. Amity watched Raza fly away for a moment before turning her attention to Tiercel, who was hesitantly approaching her. Amity wasn’t sure if she was ready to share her secret with Tiercel, but at the same time, he was her closest friend, and she trusted him with her life. Amity took a deep breath, making her decision as she moved to meet Tiercel. [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/07655acabf5f30100a4bbe954460a1eb/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo3_400.png[/img] Oops, sorry this took so long! It's been over a month since I last updated this, but hopefully I'm getting back into the swing of things and I'll actually work on writing more often. @Dragonfruiteen @AlpineFresh @Millapede85 @Watercolour @dancingcrane @TumbleweedArmy [/center]

:0 I love this!! Could I be added to the pinglist??

@DootTheBang Of course! You've been added :)

@Razatharia

Can you add me to the pinglist?