I'm super late but I LOVE all of these updates! I am very afraid of the harpies fhgkj aLSO THEY DIDN'T KILL DAIMHIN ON PURPOSE NNNGH--
w h e w.
Anyways, I hope you roll a new addition soon! Pink, we beg of you.
As for merchants, I have a gal who would fit that role!
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46252485]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/462525/46252485_350.png[/img]
[/url]
This is Calypso! She's a tinkerer and collector, often wandering the Shifting Expanse in search of rare finds. She's a bit stingy with her money, so she's a tough Pearlcatcher to haggle with-- however, she's not the type to cheat others; she just wants to make sure she gets her money's worth. Calypso also has a bird named Ivory who usually perches on her shoulders or head! Ivory likes to bite strangers if they get too close, but she's also a very vain little bird and she will absolutely fluff up in smugness if someone compliments her.
I'm super late but I LOVE all of these updates! I am very afraid of the harpies fhgkj aLSO THEY DIDN'T KILL DAIMHIN ON PURPOSE NNNGH--
w h e w.
Anyways, I hope you roll a new addition soon! Pink, we beg of you.
As for merchants, I have a gal who would fit that role!
This is Calypso! She's a tinkerer and collector, often wandering the Shifting Expanse in search of rare finds. She's a bit stingy with her money, so she's a tough Pearlcatcher to haggle with-- however, she's not the type to cheat others; she just wants to make sure she gets her money's worth. Calypso also has a bird named Ivory who usually perches on her shoulders or head! Ivory likes to bite strangers if they get too close, but she's also a very vain little bird and she will absolutely fluff up in smugness if someone compliments her.
[b][i]Day Fifty One:[/i][/b]
“Here we are,” Blithe said with a slight strain in his voice, dumping the load of sticks that had been weighing him down with some relief. “This should be all we need for a decent shelter. Not gonna lie, it’s kinda nice only worrying about two instead of five.”
To that, Capricious knew he meant the others of their party. The group had split up, one venturing further west and the other further east in search of merchants. Capricious and Blithe had travelled west with Tigress and Bree, who were carrying all the things they wished to sell. Baines, Iuitl, and Xihuitl had gone the other way, and would send Crow to find them if they were to find someone first. Additionally, Crow was sent to check on them every evening, not only to make sure they were safe, but to ensure the distance between them wasn’t more than a couple hours. They were still making their way very slowly toward the Sea of a Thousand Currents, knowing there were likely to be more merchants out that way than further in to the desert.
“We could at least make it big enough for Bree, couldn’t we?” the Fae asked. Blithe glanced at the zeeba and shrugged.
“I suppose we could,” he answered amiably, beginning to build their small shelter. The Fae smiled to herself and fluttered over to help.
As much as she enjoyed the company of the others, she was happy to have some time alone with Blithe. Just like back at the Haven, she enjoyed his energy and his wit, but ever since that moment after Daimhín’s death, things had felt different between them. A good sort of different. They had been drawing closer together, she felt. Their time floating high above the others as they travelled had seemed that much more pleasant. She had attempted to count the number of times their wings had brushed against each other, but it became too often.
Even so, there was a doubt in her mind. Blithe was a friendly dragon; it could very well mean he didn’t feel the same way she did. Maybe he was just worried about her since her breakdown. That’s what she wanted to find out, granted she had the courage to ask while she had the chance.
They finished the shelter and started up their fire to relax by. As if on cue, Crow materialized out of the growing darkness, alighting on the loop of Blithe’s tail with a squawk.
“Yes, we see you; here’s your note for the day,” Blithe said to the bird, tying the rolled piece of parchment to the storm seeker’s leg. When the storm seeker didn’t move, he rolled his eyes. “Come on, I [i]know [/i]Baines feeds you just before he sends you off!”
“Here, I’ve got it,” Capricious chuckled, getting a piece of meat off the fire for the seeker. He took the food greedily and squawked his thanks before taking off again. Blithe shook his head as the creature disappeared once again.
“You know, if we keep feeding him like this, he’ll get to heavy to fly at all,” he mused.
“Oh, I’m sure we won’t be separated for that long,” Capricious commented.
“’Course not,” the Spiral replied, bobbing his head in a strange gesture. She had to admit; he had become more fidgety the last couple of days they had been on their own. It was beginning to make her a bit anxious.
“… Blithe, I… I wanted to thank you for letting me come along,” she said to interrupt the silence that followed.
“Oh, no problem!” he answered. “I mean, I suppose Baines could have come, but I just thought it would be better if he stayed with Iuitl and Xihuitl, you know, just in case-“
“Oh, no! I meant- well, obviously, I’m glad you chose me to come along on this mission, but I was actually talking about the whole trip. That you didn’t turn me away back at the Haven.”
“Oh… [i]Oh[/i],” he said, slapping his palm to his face. “Yeah, of course! I’m glad you came too. Couldn’t think of anyone better.”
He became awkward after that last statement and began messing with his dinner that was still sizzling over the fire. Capricious, on the other hand, wished her infernal fins would quit [i]moving[/i]. She knew how well he could read them, and the way they were waving, they were probably giving her away right then and there. She willed them to flatten themselves to her neck and she took a breath, picking at her own dinner.
There was another bout of silence, and then Blithe softly murmured, “I’m sorry.”
She turned to him, confused. “… sorry? For what?”
“I guess, I thought- I didn’t mean to make this awkward for you. If you want, I can go back and switch places with Baines? Maybe?”
“What? Why?”
“So you’re not uncomfortable-“
“I’m not uncomfortable!”
“O-ok,” he said, now looking thoroughly perplexed. The moment stretched until finally Capricious couldn’t take it anymore.
“I like you,” she blurted. “And it’s ok if you don’t like me the same way, I underst-“
“No!” he suddenly interrupted. When she looked at him, he was beginning to twist himself in a knot. “I mean yes! I mean- what am I even trying to say,” he grumbled, smacking himself in the forehead with his roasting stick.
“Blithe-“ Capricious started, pulling the stick away from him and giving his tail a gentle tug. “Don’t hurt yourself!”
He paused, and slowly unwound himself, though he still twisted about anxiously. She moved to return to her spot, but he stopped her with a faint murmur. “Wait.”
She hesitated, settling in closer. He didn’t look at her, continuing to stare at the ground. After a couple moments, he spoke again.
“I don’t like you, Capricious.” She recoiled. How could he [i]say [/i]that? Before she could get angry, however, he continued. “I [i]adore [/i]you. More than anyone else in the world.” She froze. “I’ve never felt this strongly about anyone, but- well, you’re kind, you’re compassionate, you’re curious, you’re fun-loving, and I just- I always want to be around you. But, I know we haven’t really known each other that long, and if this is too much, I can understand, you can tell me to back off-“
She stopped him by pulling his face towards hers, resting her forehead against his. “Shh,” she murmured, though he didn’t seem to have the mind to protest. “It’s not too much. It’s just enough.”
After a moment, she felt his wings around her and his tail intertwine with hers.
That night, they became the two happiest dragons in the world.
-----
[item=gold steampunk wings]
And this is how Pinkerton makes his ships canon. Not gonna lie, this was kinda awkward to write as romance is definitely [i]not[/i] my forte, but here we are. [size=2]Special thanks to my sister for proofreading to make sure it wasn't too stilted or weird.[/size]
So! Blithe and Capricious are now nesting with two eggs!
[center][img]http://flightrising.com/images/nests/5/2healthy_0dead.png[/img][/center]
I probably won't hatch them immediately (I'll wait for a good moment in the story), but hopefully we end up with two healthy hatchlings! [size=2][i]I need. More. Dragons. Please.[/i][/size]
Also going to give the little mini contest a bit more time. People are still free to submit dragons! Take a look at the bottom of [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2643269/13#post_38657920]Day 50[/url] for more info!
-----
Inventory: Scatter Scroll x1, Breed Change x1
-----
@Weredogalism @Riff @Skulljester @AstralDragons @Petall @MisterMylez @BarbaraFett @PinkyDaPinkSlime
“Here we are,” Blithe said with a slight strain in his voice, dumping the load of sticks that had been weighing him down with some relief. “This should be all we need for a decent shelter. Not gonna lie, it’s kinda nice only worrying about two instead of five.”
To that, Capricious knew he meant the others of their party. The group had split up, one venturing further west and the other further east in search of merchants. Capricious and Blithe had travelled west with Tigress and Bree, who were carrying all the things they wished to sell. Baines, Iuitl, and Xihuitl had gone the other way, and would send Crow to find them if they were to find someone first. Additionally, Crow was sent to check on them every evening, not only to make sure they were safe, but to ensure the distance between them wasn’t more than a couple hours. They were still making their way very slowly toward the Sea of a Thousand Currents, knowing there were likely to be more merchants out that way than further in to the desert.
“We could at least make it big enough for Bree, couldn’t we?” the Fae asked. Blithe glanced at the zeeba and shrugged.
“I suppose we could,” he answered amiably, beginning to build their small shelter. The Fae smiled to herself and fluttered over to help.
As much as she enjoyed the company of the others, she was happy to have some time alone with Blithe. Just like back at the Haven, she enjoyed his energy and his wit, but ever since that moment after Daimhín’s death, things had felt different between them. A good sort of different. They had been drawing closer together, she felt. Their time floating high above the others as they travelled had seemed that much more pleasant. She had attempted to count the number of times their wings had brushed against each other, but it became too often.
Even so, there was a doubt in her mind. Blithe was a friendly dragon; it could very well mean he didn’t feel the same way she did. Maybe he was just worried about her since her breakdown. That’s what she wanted to find out, granted she had the courage to ask while she had the chance.
They finished the shelter and started up their fire to relax by. As if on cue, Crow materialized out of the growing darkness, alighting on the loop of Blithe’s tail with a squawk.
“Yes, we see you; here’s your note for the day,” Blithe said to the bird, tying the rolled piece of parchment to the storm seeker’s leg. When the storm seeker didn’t move, he rolled his eyes. “Come on, I know Baines feeds you just before he sends you off!”
“Here, I’ve got it,” Capricious chuckled, getting a piece of meat off the fire for the seeker. He took the food greedily and squawked his thanks before taking off again. Blithe shook his head as the creature disappeared once again.
“You know, if we keep feeding him like this, he’ll get to heavy to fly at all,” he mused.
“Oh, I’m sure we won’t be separated for that long,” Capricious commented.
“’Course not,” the Spiral replied, bobbing his head in a strange gesture. She had to admit; he had become more fidgety the last couple of days they had been on their own. It was beginning to make her a bit anxious.
“… Blithe, I… I wanted to thank you for letting me come along,” she said to interrupt the silence that followed.
“Oh, no problem!” he answered. “I mean, I suppose Baines could have come, but I just thought it would be better if he stayed with Iuitl and Xihuitl, you know, just in case-“
“Oh, no! I meant- well, obviously, I’m glad you chose me to come along on this mission, but I was actually talking about the whole trip. That you didn’t turn me away back at the Haven.”
“Oh… Oh,” he said, slapping his palm to his face. “Yeah, of course! I’m glad you came too. Couldn’t think of anyone better.”
He became awkward after that last statement and began messing with his dinner that was still sizzling over the fire. Capricious, on the other hand, wished her infernal fins would quit moving. She knew how well he could read them, and the way they were waving, they were probably giving her away right then and there. She willed them to flatten themselves to her neck and she took a breath, picking at her own dinner.
There was another bout of silence, and then Blithe softly murmured, “I’m sorry.”
She turned to him, confused. “… sorry? For what?”
“I guess, I thought- I didn’t mean to make this awkward for you. If you want, I can go back and switch places with Baines? Maybe?”
“What? Why?”
“So you’re not uncomfortable-“
“I’m not uncomfortable!”
“O-ok,” he said, now looking thoroughly perplexed. The moment stretched until finally Capricious couldn’t take it anymore.
“I like you,” she blurted. “And it’s ok if you don’t like me the same way, I underst-“
“No!” he suddenly interrupted. When she looked at him, he was beginning to twist himself in a knot. “I mean yes! I mean- what am I even trying to say,” he grumbled, smacking himself in the forehead with his roasting stick.
“Blithe-“ Capricious started, pulling the stick away from him and giving his tail a gentle tug. “Don’t hurt yourself!”
He paused, and slowly unwound himself, though he still twisted about anxiously. She moved to return to her spot, but he stopped her with a faint murmur. “Wait.”
She hesitated, settling in closer. He didn’t look at her, continuing to stare at the ground. After a couple moments, he spoke again.
“I don’t like you, Capricious.” She recoiled. How could he say that? Before she could get angry, however, he continued. “I adore you. More than anyone else in the world.” She froze. “I’ve never felt this strongly about anyone, but- well, you’re kind, you’re compassionate, you’re curious, you’re fun-loving, and I just- I always want to be around you. But, I know we haven’t really known each other that long, and if this is too much, I can understand, you can tell me to back off-“
She stopped him by pulling his face towards hers, resting her forehead against his. “Shh,” she murmured, though he didn’t seem to have the mind to protest. “It’s not too much. It’s just enough.”
After a moment, she felt his wings around her and his tail intertwine with hers.
That night, they became the two happiest dragons in the world.
Gold Steampunk Wings
Apparel
An impressively-constructed arrangement of gold leaves, pistons, and rotors. With a constant supply of steam, the flying potential of the wearer could be doubled.
1000
And this is how Pinkerton makes his ships canon. Not gonna lie, this was kinda awkward to write as romance is definitely not my forte, but here we are. Special thanks to my sister for proofreading to make sure it wasn't too stilted or weird.
So! Blithe and Capricious are now nesting with two eggs!
I probably won't hatch them immediately (I'll wait for a good moment in the story), but hopefully we end up with two healthy hatchlings! I need. More. Dragons. Please.
@PinkyDaPinkSlime If you go to a dragon's page, there's a button in the bottom of their info box to the right that says "Generate Code". Clicking that opens a dialogue box with two different codes in it. You'll want to select the BBCode at the top. Should look like this! (But with your dragon, below is the code for my founder as an example.)
[code][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2971054]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/29711/2971054_350.png[/img]
[/url][/code]
Just paste that into the reply box for the thread~. [size=2]Sorry if you knew this already, I wasn't quite sure if that was what you were asking.[/size]
You'll also want to include a couple sentences about your dragon for me so I know what kind of personality they have~.
@PinkyDaPinkSlime If you go to a dragon's page, there's a button in the bottom of their info box to the right that says "Generate Code". Clicking that opens a dialogue box with two different codes in it. You'll want to select the BBCode at the top. Should look like this! (But with your dragon, below is the code for my founder as an example.)
Just paste that into the reply box for the thread~. Sorry if you knew this already, I wasn't quite sure if that was what you were asking.
You'll also want to include a couple sentences about your dragon for me so I know what kind of personality they have~.
K!
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49307542]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/493076/49307542_350.png[/img]
[/url]
He's an ESFP on the Myers Briggs chart, so he's very friendly and loves crownds. However, he has a habit of getting himself in danger. A lot. Worst that happened to him was almost falling in a lava pool.
He's an ESFP on the Myers Briggs chart, so he's very friendly and loves crownds. However, he has a habit of getting himself in danger. A lot. Worst that happened to him was almost falling in a lava pool.
@Sabariel: EEEEE!!! SO CUTE! I love it! Bring on the hatchlings! :)
AYYYY congrats, Blithe and Capricious!!! Y’all are finally canon!
[b][i]Day Fifty Two:[/i][/b]
Baines kept an eye on his storm seeker as it flew high above them; their early warning signal in case any dragons or harpies showed up. So far, there had been no sign of either. They had been at this for almost a week, and the Mirror had a mind to regroup. They shouldn’t be separated for so long.
“Uncle Baines, can I try again?” Xihuitl asked from his right. The Wildclaw was staring at him expectantly. He was still pushing himself to learn to fly, though Baines had asked him to stay grounded. It’s much easier to spot a dragon in the air than on the ground. Right now, though, Crow seemed rather languid as he soared up above.
“Alright,” Baines conceded, nodding to the young dragon. Xihuitl crowed happily and leapt up into the air. He had improved drastically over the past few weeks. He had the basics down already, but there was still much for him to learn that only practice would teach him.
He was up there for a few minutes when Crow let out a squawk and dived toward the ground. Alarmed, Baines followed his trajectory to a nearby rock formation. Something answered back and the storm seeker seemed to strike out at something before wheeling away. He came back for another strike, and this time Baines noticed Crow’s eye was closed. Whatever it was, he knew better than to look at it.
To confirm his suspicions, a serpentine figure uncoiled itself from out of the dirt. Its colors were dull and it hissed and flapped its tattered leather wings at the storm seeker, twisting its head around. It was trying to make eye contact with the seeker; after all, that’s all a cockatrice needed to win a battle.
Baines heard Iuitl come up behind him and the flapping of Xihuitl’s wings overhead and he spread his own wings to block their view.
“Don’t get any closer!” he bellowed. “Cockatrice!”
“Xihuitl! Come here!” Iuitl called up to the Wildclaw immediately. She knew the danger and Baines trusted her to lead the young dragon away. The Mirror turned his attention back to the battle, being sure to keep his eyes toward the ground. There was another screech as Crow made another pass at the creature and the Mirror concentrated his light into his palm. Before he could act further, however, something collided with his other foreleg.
[center][img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=74&bodygene=20&breed=4&element=9&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=137&tertgene=10&winggene=23&wings=119&auth=3c123453fe26f981fadb401d91f31c430a119329&dummyext=prev.png[/img][/center]
“Wait! Don’t hurt her!” a small voice cried. Startled, he looked to see a young Pearlcatcher clinging to him, his eyes welling with tears. The cockatrice let out a shriek and he thought he could hear it slithering toward them.
“Youngling, if I don’t blind this cockatrice, it could kill us with a look!” he snapped. “Now get behind me-“
“Lolli [i]is [/i]blind! She [i]can’t[/i] hurt anyone!” the Pearlcatcher bawled. This made the Mirror hesitate, which was enough time for him to get smacked in the face by the tail of the cockatrice. Another cry from the Pearlcatcher brought him back to his senses, and he was about to lunge out at the coils that surrounded the little dragon until he realized both their heads were turned upward. They were tracking Crow, the Pearlcatcher cowering beneath the cockatrice while the familiar twitched its head to listen for the approach of the storm seeker. Crow turned to dive again, talons outstretched and Baines put his wing out to block him. Crow squawked in surprise, stopping short and pinning Baines with a half-betrayed expression.
“That’s enough, Crow,” Baines waved him off, and the storm seeker grudgingly moved away to perch on a nearby rock formation. There was a hiss and he turned to look at the cockatrice, which was now listening to his every move. The Pearlcatcher was staring up at him owlishly, tears still leaking from his eyes.
“Can you calm down your familiar?” Baines asked the Pearlcatcher, still keeping a wary distance from them. The hatchling nodded and reached up to stroke the cockatrice’s feathers.
“It’s ok, Lolli. They won’t hurt us.” Lolli slowly let herself be calmed, her eyes closing perhaps out of some instinct as she turned to nuzzle the Pearlcatcher affectionately.
“… Youngling, what is your name?” Baines asked once she had settled down sufficiently.
“… Amosis,” the Pearlcatcher answered. “… And this is Lolli.”
The Mirror nodded, glancing at the cockatrice as its head tilted to catch a sound behind him. Iuitl and Xihuitl had come to investigate and he motioned them closer.
“My name is Baines,” he said. “This is Iuitl, Xihuitl, and Crow.”
They exchanged some awkward greetings before Iuitl stepped forward to ask, “Little one, what are you doing out here on your own?”
Amosis shifted uncertainly. “Ma and Pa told me to hide,” he mumbled. “They said something bad was coming and they would find me after they took care of it. They gave me some food, but I ran out.” His eyes welled with tears again. “And they’re still not back.”
Baines exchanged a glance with Iuitl and asked, “How long did the food last you?”
Amosis counted to himself and answered, “Six days.”
“And how long have you been without food?”
“… Three. Lolli found some bugs for me, but they didn’t taste very good…”
“So you’ve been hiding out here on your own for over a week?”
Amosis played with his pearl for a moment and nodded. “They said they’d be back by now…”
Baines looked at Iuitl again and she motioned him over to the side, leaving Xihuitl with the Pearlcatcher.
“We can’t leave him out here like this,” Iuitl began. “It’s too dangerous for a hatchling his age.”
“It would be dangerous to take him with us as well,” Baines muttered. “Remember the position we’re in.”
Iuitl sighed. “I know, but if his parents were going to return, they would have by now. I’m not saying we keep him with us indefinitely. Send a message to Blithe and Capricious; maybe they can ask the merchant they find to take him somewhere safe where he can get help looking for his parents, wherever they may be.”
Baines nodded thoughtfully. “Fair enough. But you’re right; we cannot simply leave him here.”
Turning back to the others, Iuitl approached Amosis and said, “If you come with us, we can help you find someone that would be able to find your parents for you.”
Amosis perked up, but then wavered. “But what if they come back here?” he asked. “What if they come find me, and I’m gone?”
“Where exactly did they leave you?” Baines inquired. “If they return to this location, we can leave a note for them, telling them where to find you. But you can’t stay out here on your own, especially without food or water.”
As if on cue, Amosis’s stomach rumbled and he whimpered.
“I’ll go find something for you to eat,” Iuitl said gently, then turned to Baines. “Perhaps we should camp here for the night. Give him some time to make up his mind.”
“Very well,” Baines sighed, looking back at Amosis. “Take us to where you’ve been hiding.”
It was a small crevice tucked away beneath an oddly shaped rock formation that made the entrance look deceptively like a continuous wall. Inside, it indeed looked like the hatchling and his cockatrice had been there for some time. Amosis had scratched drawings on the walls, and his emptied pack lay next to his simple bed of blankets. There was no fire pit, only a glowing gem among Amosis’s possessions that he used to dispel the deep darkness of the shadows at night. The Pearlcatcher was overjoyed at the array of food Iuitl managed to procure for him, and dove in hungrily despite her cautions.
Baines wrote two notes that evening, one to send on to Blithe and Capricious and another to Amosis’s parents should they return to the shallow cave. As he sent the first off with Crow, the Mirror mulled over the question that was growing in his mind. What was it that had made Amosis’s parents leave him in that cave? What were they protecting him from?
Perhaps what worried Baines the most is that he had a good idea what- rather, who- the culprit was.
-----
[item=candy cockatrice]
New dragon! This time I got a Pearlcatcher!
And- oh no. He's beautiful, [i]no[/i]. He was only 4000T too, like, what. But so many [i]boys[/i]. And Arcane dragons. What is it with me getting so many Arcane dragons?
Not that I'm complaining about more dragons RNG! [size=2]It's being awful nice to me right now, I probably shouldn't push my luck.[/size]
Aaand, I haven't chosen which dragon to be the merchant yet (because I'm horribly indecisive, oops), so I'm going to give that another day ;w;. I will do my best to pick a winner tomorrow, though!
-----
Inventory: Scatter Scroll x1, Breed Change x1
-----
@Weredogalism @Riff @Skulljester @AstralDragons @Petall @MisterMylez @BarbaraFett @PinkyDaPinkSlime
Baines kept an eye on his storm seeker as it flew high above them; their early warning signal in case any dragons or harpies showed up. So far, there had been no sign of either. They had been at this for almost a week, and the Mirror had a mind to regroup. They shouldn’t be separated for so long.
“Uncle Baines, can I try again?” Xihuitl asked from his right. The Wildclaw was staring at him expectantly. He was still pushing himself to learn to fly, though Baines had asked him to stay grounded. It’s much easier to spot a dragon in the air than on the ground. Right now, though, Crow seemed rather languid as he soared up above.
“Alright,” Baines conceded, nodding to the young dragon. Xihuitl crowed happily and leapt up into the air. He had improved drastically over the past few weeks. He had the basics down already, but there was still much for him to learn that only practice would teach him.
He was up there for a few minutes when Crow let out a squawk and dived toward the ground. Alarmed, Baines followed his trajectory to a nearby rock formation. Something answered back and the storm seeker seemed to strike out at something before wheeling away. He came back for another strike, and this time Baines noticed Crow’s eye was closed. Whatever it was, he knew better than to look at it.
To confirm his suspicions, a serpentine figure uncoiled itself from out of the dirt. Its colors were dull and it hissed and flapped its tattered leather wings at the storm seeker, twisting its head around. It was trying to make eye contact with the seeker; after all, that’s all a cockatrice needed to win a battle.
Baines heard Iuitl come up behind him and the flapping of Xihuitl’s wings overhead and he spread his own wings to block their view.
“Don’t get any closer!” he bellowed. “Cockatrice!”
“Xihuitl! Come here!” Iuitl called up to the Wildclaw immediately. She knew the danger and Baines trusted her to lead the young dragon away. The Mirror turned his attention back to the battle, being sure to keep his eyes toward the ground. There was another screech as Crow made another pass at the creature and the Mirror concentrated his light into his palm. Before he could act further, however, something collided with his other foreleg.
“Wait! Don’t hurt her!” a small voice cried. Startled, he looked to see a young Pearlcatcher clinging to him, his eyes welling with tears. The cockatrice let out a shriek and he thought he could hear it slithering toward them.
“Youngling, if I don’t blind this cockatrice, it could kill us with a look!” he snapped. “Now get behind me-“
“Lolli is blind! She can’t hurt anyone!” the Pearlcatcher bawled. This made the Mirror hesitate, which was enough time for him to get smacked in the face by the tail of the cockatrice. Another cry from the Pearlcatcher brought him back to his senses, and he was about to lunge out at the coils that surrounded the little dragon until he realized both their heads were turned upward. They were tracking Crow, the Pearlcatcher cowering beneath the cockatrice while the familiar twitched its head to listen for the approach of the storm seeker. Crow turned to dive again, talons outstretched and Baines put his wing out to block him. Crow squawked in surprise, stopping short and pinning Baines with a half-betrayed expression.
“That’s enough, Crow,” Baines waved him off, and the storm seeker grudgingly moved away to perch on a nearby rock formation. There was a hiss and he turned to look at the cockatrice, which was now listening to his every move. The Pearlcatcher was staring up at him owlishly, tears still leaking from his eyes.
“Can you calm down your familiar?” Baines asked the Pearlcatcher, still keeping a wary distance from them. The hatchling nodded and reached up to stroke the cockatrice’s feathers.
“It’s ok, Lolli. They won’t hurt us.” Lolli slowly let herself be calmed, her eyes closing perhaps out of some instinct as she turned to nuzzle the Pearlcatcher affectionately.
“… Youngling, what is your name?” Baines asked once she had settled down sufficiently.
“… Amosis,” the Pearlcatcher answered. “… And this is Lolli.”
The Mirror nodded, glancing at the cockatrice as its head tilted to catch a sound behind him. Iuitl and Xihuitl had come to investigate and he motioned them closer.
“My name is Baines,” he said. “This is Iuitl, Xihuitl, and Crow.”
They exchanged some awkward greetings before Iuitl stepped forward to ask, “Little one, what are you doing out here on your own?”
Amosis shifted uncertainly. “Ma and Pa told me to hide,” he mumbled. “They said something bad was coming and they would find me after they took care of it. They gave me some food, but I ran out.” His eyes welled with tears again. “And they’re still not back.”
Baines exchanged a glance with Iuitl and asked, “How long did the food last you?”
Amosis counted to himself and answered, “Six days.”
“And how long have you been without food?”
“… Three. Lolli found some bugs for me, but they didn’t taste very good…”
“So you’ve been hiding out here on your own for over a week?”
Amosis played with his pearl for a moment and nodded. “They said they’d be back by now…”
Baines looked at Iuitl again and she motioned him over to the side, leaving Xihuitl with the Pearlcatcher.
“We can’t leave him out here like this,” Iuitl began. “It’s too dangerous for a hatchling his age.”
“It would be dangerous to take him with us as well,” Baines muttered. “Remember the position we’re in.”
Iuitl sighed. “I know, but if his parents were going to return, they would have by now. I’m not saying we keep him with us indefinitely. Send a message to Blithe and Capricious; maybe they can ask the merchant they find to take him somewhere safe where he can get help looking for his parents, wherever they may be.”
Baines nodded thoughtfully. “Fair enough. But you’re right; we cannot simply leave him here.”
Turning back to the others, Iuitl approached Amosis and said, “If you come with us, we can help you find someone that would be able to find your parents for you.”
Amosis perked up, but then wavered. “But what if they come back here?” he asked. “What if they come find me, and I’m gone?”
“Where exactly did they leave you?” Baines inquired. “If they return to this location, we can leave a note for them, telling them where to find you. But you can’t stay out here on your own, especially without food or water.”
As if on cue, Amosis’s stomach rumbled and he whimpered.
“I’ll go find something for you to eat,” Iuitl said gently, then turned to Baines. “Perhaps we should camp here for the night. Give him some time to make up his mind.”
“Very well,” Baines sighed, looking back at Amosis. “Take us to where you’ve been hiding.”
It was a small crevice tucked away beneath an oddly shaped rock formation that made the entrance look deceptively like a continuous wall. Inside, it indeed looked like the hatchling and his cockatrice had been there for some time. Amosis had scratched drawings on the walls, and his emptied pack lay next to his simple bed of blankets. There was no fire pit, only a glowing gem among Amosis’s possessions that he used to dispel the deep darkness of the shadows at night. The Pearlcatcher was overjoyed at the array of food Iuitl managed to procure for him, and dove in hungrily despite her cautions.
Baines wrote two notes that evening, one to send on to Blithe and Capricious and another to Amosis’s parents should they return to the shallow cave. As he sent the first off with Crow, the Mirror mulled over the question that was growing in his mind. What was it that had made Amosis’s parents leave him in that cave? What were they protecting him from?
Perhaps what worried Baines the most is that he had a good idea what- rather, who- the culprit was.
Candy Cockatrice
Familiar
Candy Cockatrice will only develop brilliant colors if fed a steady diet of concentrated sugar. The colorful ones don't live very long... (Colored by Jasp.)
1250
New dragon! This time I got a Pearlcatcher!
And- oh no. He's beautiful, no. He was only 4000T too, like, what. But so many boys. And Arcane dragons. What is it with me getting so many Arcane dragons?
Not that I'm complaining about more dragons RNG! It's being awful nice to me right now, I probably shouldn't push my luck.
Aaand, I haven't chosen which dragon to be the merchant yet (because I'm horribly indecisive, oops), so I'm going to give that another day ;w;. I will do my best to pick a winner tomorrow, though!
Inventory: Scatter Scroll x1, Breed Change x1
@Weredogalism @Riff @Skulljester @AstralDragons @Petall @MisterMylez @BarbaraFett @PinkyDaPinkSlime
