@Eversnow Oof, sorry. And yeah, I was thinking that the other day; I started this 'locke 7 months ago LOL. I never expected to last this long, but I think having an end goal in mind for it helped.
@RosesingerY i k e s. Yeah, it's because of that that I made the saving throws. There's definitely a difficulty jump between the Path and the Forest and it'll roast you for it (buhdum tish). But yeah, feel free to adapt any of my additions!
@Eversnow Oof, sorry. And yeah, I was thinking that the other day; I started this 'locke 7 months ago LOL. I never expected to last this long, but I think having an end goal in mind for it helped.
@RosesingerY i k e s. Yeah, it's because of that that I made the saving throws. There's definitely a difficulty jump between the Path and the Forest and it'll roast you for it (buhdum tish). But yeah, feel free to adapt any of my additions!
Yay! Congrats on catching up with the art!!! That's a beautiful drawing of Vayne!!!
I just recently started reading your Pinkerlocke adventures and I'm [i]loving[/i] it so far! [emoji=familiar heart size=1] Also, I have been inspired and I'm starting my own challenge! Although, I hope you don't mind, but I'm just using your rules.
Also! Can I be added to the ping list, please?
I just recently started reading your Pinkerlocke adventures and I'm loving it so far! Also, I have been inspired and I'm starting my own challenge! Although, I hope you don't mind, but I'm just using your rules.
Also! Can I be added to the ping list, please?
@FyriBowbreaker Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it makes me happy to hear that it's inspired others to start their own 'lockes~! I don't mind at all if you want to use my rules, I'm happy to share them!
Got you on the pinglist now, welcome aboard!
@FyriBowbreaker Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it makes me happy to hear that it's inspired others to start their own 'lockes~! I don't mind at all if you want to use my rules, I'm happy to share them!
Got you on the pinglist now, welcome aboard!
Awesome! Thank you! I just started reading the day before yesterday and I'm only on, like, page 18, so I've got a lot of catching up to do, but I'm super stoked to read it all!
Awesome! Thank you! I just started reading the day before yesterday and I'm only on, like, page 18, so I've got a lot of catching up to do, but I'm super stoked to read it all!
[b][i]Day One Hundred Eighty Two:[/i][/b]
Aysun smeared mud into the cracks of the little hut which had a tendency to send cold drafts of air over her and her ailing patient. A warm breeze might have been fine for a dryad, but these damp, bitter drafts weren’t improving her condition. The Raptorik took a glance over her shoulder at the sleeping figure, quietly taking in the greying leaves. Browning would have been fine, given the current season, but Aysun knew the dryad was dying. Whatever had startled her out of her hibernation might have succeeded in killing her after all; a hibernating dryad was something that couldn’t be uprooted without consequence.
She finished her task of sealing what she could of the shabby walls and washed her talons as she thought of other ways to make the dryad’s rest more comfortable. When she returned to her side, however, she stopped short upon seeing her feet. Or what had been her feet. Rushing forward, she tried to push away the great tangled mane, but the twigs snapped at her gentlest touch and would not part. Even as she watched, the dryad firmly took root in the soft earth poking up through the dilapidated floorboards of the hut. Aysun soon gave up, sitting down heavily on a stool that had been scavenged for her the day before and putting her head in her talons.
The dryad was dead.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but eventually she heard muffled footfalls outside. She didn’t look up when Serhat entered and she heard him gasp and hurry forward to join her by the dryad.
“She- what happened?” he asked quietly, his voice strained but not the least bit accusatory. Aysun shook her head, lowering her talons and leaning forward on her knees. She couldn’t help but be a touch peeved, too; wasn’t it obvious?
“She died,” she muttered. “The shock of whatever uprooted her and the journey here was too much. I couldn’t do anything to save her.”
His tentative talon came to rest on her shoulder.
“You did what you could for her; she didn’t have to die alone and in pain,” he murmured. A part of her wanted to be soothed by his words, but the other side of her was frustrated. Under different circumstances, the dryad might have been saved, she thought. She shook off his talon and got up, pacing a moment all still without looking at him. Finally she couldn’t suppress it anymore and she burst.
“What are we even doing here, Serhat?” she snapped, rounding on him. “We’re Raptorik; we don’t belong with dragons. I don’t know how much longer I can stand being here; it’s been far too long since I’ve been around a proper clan.”
She wasn’t surprised to see him taken aback by her words – she knew how much he adored many of the dragons. She also expected anger and open defiance to her words. Instead, his expression took on one of great sorrow and he leaned heavily upon his staff, letting the end sink into the damp earth to the boards beneath the thin layer.
“… I’m sorry to hear that you are so… uncomfortable,” he murmured at length. “I suppose I had hoped, perhaps selfishly, that you would come to care for these dragons as I have. I had hoped you would have seen their goodness after having travelled with and observed them for so long, but… if it truly makes you so unhappy to remain here, I nor anyone else would force you to stay. However, if I can once again be selfish, I- I don’t want to see you leave.”
Aysun was rather taken aback by the earnest look in his eyes as they searched hers. It took her a moment, but she finally came to a realization.
“Oh spirits,” she uttered, turning away abruptly and putting a talon on the end of her beak. “I’m an idiot. You… you-“
“I love you, Aysun,” he said the words in a soft voice, but they still carried to her like he had shouted them. “I have for… some time now. But if you do not wish to return my feelings… then I will do what I can to ensure your happiness.”
There was a confused mix of emotions churning inside of her that it was hard to decipher them. After a moment though, she realized that she didn’t want to be separated from Serhat. Maybe, without her even noticing, she herself had come to grow fond of him as well.
She lifted her head up to look back at him and asked, “Why don’t you come with me, then? We can go and… find a clan to live in together.”
Now it was his turn to consult the tumult of emotions inside him. Serhat’s face flickered between surprise, relief, longing, and rested in uncertainty and he shifted, looking down at his feet.
“… Many moons ago, I made a commitment to the Seeing One, Tremayne,” he murmured at length, and she felt a hint of annoyance. “I felt compelled to protect them and to stay by their side. At the time, though, they were a mere hatchling, in need of help and nurturing. But now that they are grown…” He took a long, steadying breath. “I know what they would say, if I told them of this. They would tell me to go and follow my heart, that they would be fine without me.” Here he looked up into her eyes again, and she saw both pain and resolve. “I will go with you, Aysun, if you feel our destinies lie elsewhere. Perhaps you’re right; perhaps it is time to return to our own kind.”
She gazed back at him, long and hard. Clearly, she had underestimated her connection to Tremayne and the other dragons of the Shadowbound. She shifted her eyes from his, reflecting more deeply on the dragon clan that she had been travelling with for a rather long time now. Truly, there were rather unlike any dragons she had yet known. Most clients that she had taken on to help travel have treated her more as a servant, either growing impatient with her or regarding her as an object of amusement to distract them from the more boring stretches of their journey. She’d experienced little, if any of that with the Shadowbound. They hadn’t merely taken her on as their guide, but saved her life.
“… No,” she said at length and she saw him tense. “No; maybe you’re right. I think… I believe I’ve been blinded by my own prejudice and haven’t given much thought to [i]who [/i]these dragons are rather than [i]what[/i].” She hesitated and Serhat remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue. “… We’ll stay here, so I can give them a chance. Maybe actually get to know them. That shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I think it will turn out just fine,” Serhat said quietly and she looked up to see him smiling gently. Her heart fluttered and she glanced aside as if her eyes would give her away. They came to rest on the dead dryad and she stopped. He turned to look at her too, his smile fading as he sighed.
“We should tell them,” he said. “They will observe the proper burial rights once we inform them. I know they will.”
She nodded mutely, coming over to stand by him and half-consciously resting a talon on his arm. After a pause, he took his staff and poked up through the brittle roof, pushing away enough rotten wood to expose a thin beam of pale light over the dryad.
“Our dragon friends can help us with this to more effect, I believe,” he whispered, and she nodded in agreement. He led the way out of the hut with her still on his arm.
Though she was sad for the dryad, Aysun found herself to be surprisingly content. Perhaps this next chapter of her life would be much better than she had ever imagined.
-----
[item=mangled textile]
Yeah, so, the Dryad died in the last coli section. Kinda feel bad, considering she didn't even get a name, but it is what it is. Also wanted to write some more Beastclans, because Beastclans are cool and I haven't done a whole lot with Aysun yet. Or Serhat, surprisingly, though he's been around for a looong time.
EDIT: Once again forget that FR considers a certain word a swear word, even though I don't consider it to be nor am I using it derogatorily, but whatever. Had to edit.
-----
Inventory: Scatter Scroll x1, Breed Change x6
-----
@Weredogalism @Riff @Skulljester @AstralDragons @Petall @MisterMylez @BarbaraFett @PinkyDaPinkSlime @loser @OneRingOfPower @MagmaticMachine @Rosesinger @Eversnow @chewynoodles @FallenEclipse @Dachshund59 @Midwinter @RadioReprise @Yetti @Samiky @Snapshadow @Rhombulus @Kaivyrin @KrazKitCat @BoulderEnder @FyriBowbreaker
Aysun smeared mud into the cracks of the little hut which had a tendency to send cold drafts of air over her and her ailing patient. A warm breeze might have been fine for a dryad, but these damp, bitter drafts weren’t improving her condition. The Raptorik took a glance over her shoulder at the sleeping figure, quietly taking in the greying leaves. Browning would have been fine, given the current season, but Aysun knew the dryad was dying. Whatever had startled her out of her hibernation might have succeeded in killing her after all; a hibernating dryad was something that couldn’t be uprooted without consequence.
She finished her task of sealing what she could of the shabby walls and washed her talons as she thought of other ways to make the dryad’s rest more comfortable. When she returned to her side, however, she stopped short upon seeing her feet. Or what had been her feet. Rushing forward, she tried to push away the great tangled mane, but the twigs snapped at her gentlest touch and would not part. Even as she watched, the dryad firmly took root in the soft earth poking up through the dilapidated floorboards of the hut. Aysun soon gave up, sitting down heavily on a stool that had been scavenged for her the day before and putting her head in her talons.
The dryad was dead.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but eventually she heard muffled footfalls outside. She didn’t look up when Serhat entered and she heard him gasp and hurry forward to join her by the dryad.
“She- what happened?” he asked quietly, his voice strained but not the least bit accusatory. Aysun shook her head, lowering her talons and leaning forward on her knees. She couldn’t help but be a touch peeved, too; wasn’t it obvious?
“She died,” she muttered. “The shock of whatever uprooted her and the journey here was too much. I couldn’t do anything to save her.”
His tentative talon came to rest on her shoulder.
“You did what you could for her; she didn’t have to die alone and in pain,” he murmured. A part of her wanted to be soothed by his words, but the other side of her was frustrated. Under different circumstances, the dryad might have been saved, she thought. She shook off his talon and got up, pacing a moment all still without looking at him. Finally she couldn’t suppress it anymore and she burst.
“What are we even doing here, Serhat?” she snapped, rounding on him. “We’re Raptorik; we don’t belong with dragons. I don’t know how much longer I can stand being here; it’s been far too long since I’ve been around a proper clan.”
She wasn’t surprised to see him taken aback by her words – she knew how much he adored many of the dragons. She also expected anger and open defiance to her words. Instead, his expression took on one of great sorrow and he leaned heavily upon his staff, letting the end sink into the damp earth to the boards beneath the thin layer.
“… I’m sorry to hear that you are so… uncomfortable,” he murmured at length. “I suppose I had hoped, perhaps selfishly, that you would come to care for these dragons as I have. I had hoped you would have seen their goodness after having travelled with and observed them for so long, but… if it truly makes you so unhappy to remain here, I nor anyone else would force you to stay. However, if I can once again be selfish, I- I don’t want to see you leave.”
Aysun was rather taken aback by the earnest look in his eyes as they searched hers. It took her a moment, but she finally came to a realization.
“Oh spirits,” she uttered, turning away abruptly and putting a talon on the end of her beak. “I’m an idiot. You… you-“
“I love you, Aysun,” he said the words in a soft voice, but they still carried to her like he had shouted them. “I have for… some time now. But if you do not wish to return my feelings… then I will do what I can to ensure your happiness.”
There was a confused mix of emotions churning inside of her that it was hard to decipher them. After a moment though, she realized that she didn’t want to be separated from Serhat. Maybe, without her even noticing, she herself had come to grow fond of him as well.
She lifted her head up to look back at him and asked, “Why don’t you come with me, then? We can go and… find a clan to live in together.”
Now it was his turn to consult the tumult of emotions inside him. Serhat’s face flickered between surprise, relief, longing, and rested in uncertainty and he shifted, looking down at his feet.
“… Many moons ago, I made a commitment to the Seeing One, Tremayne,” he murmured at length, and she felt a hint of annoyance. “I felt compelled to protect them and to stay by their side. At the time, though, they were a mere hatchling, in need of help and nurturing. But now that they are grown…” He took a long, steadying breath. “I know what they would say, if I told them of this. They would tell me to go and follow my heart, that they would be fine without me.” Here he looked up into her eyes again, and she saw both pain and resolve. “I will go with you, Aysun, if you feel our destinies lie elsewhere. Perhaps you’re right; perhaps it is time to return to our own kind.”
She gazed back at him, long and hard. Clearly, she had underestimated her connection to Tremayne and the other dragons of the Shadowbound. She shifted her eyes from his, reflecting more deeply on the dragon clan that she had been travelling with for a rather long time now. Truly, there were rather unlike any dragons she had yet known. Most clients that she had taken on to help travel have treated her more as a servant, either growing impatient with her or regarding her as an object of amusement to distract them from the more boring stretches of their journey. She’d experienced little, if any of that with the Shadowbound. They hadn’t merely taken her on as their guide, but saved her life.
“… No,” she said at length and she saw him tense. “No; maybe you’re right. I think… I believe I’ve been blinded by my own prejudice and haven’t given much thought to who these dragons are rather than what.” She hesitated and Serhat remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue. “… We’ll stay here, so I can give them a chance. Maybe actually get to know them. That shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I think it will turn out just fine,” Serhat said quietly and she looked up to see him smiling gently. Her heart fluttered and she glanced aside as if her eyes would give her away. They came to rest on the dead dryad and she stopped. He turned to look at her too, his smile fading as he sighed.
“We should tell them,” he said. “They will observe the proper burial rights once we inform them. I know they will.”
She nodded mutely, coming over to stand by him and half-consciously resting a talon on his arm. After a pause, he took his staff and poked up through the brittle roof, pushing away enough rotten wood to expose a thin beam of pale light over the dryad.
“Our dragon friends can help us with this to more effect, I believe,” he whispered, and she nodded in agreement. He led the way out of the hut with her still on his arm.
Though she was sad for the dryad, Aysun found herself to be surprisingly content. Perhaps this next chapter of her life would be much better than she had ever imagined.
Mangled Textile
Dragonmade
It looks like something's been chewing on it.
15
Yeah, so, the Dryad died in the last coli section. Kinda feel bad, considering she didn't even get a name, but it is what it is. Also wanted to write some more Beastclans, because Beastclans are cool and I haven't done a whole lot with Aysun yet. Or Serhat, surprisingly, though he's been around for a looong time.
Eyyyy more beastclans! I ship it so hard, it's great!!! I can just imagine them starting a family of raporik that begin to grow and live alongside the shadowbound
Eyyyy more beastclans! I ship it so hard, it's great!!! I can just imagine them starting a family of raporik that begin to grow and live alongside the shadowbound
Avoiding spoilers but I found this Pinkerlocke after starting mine and I love it! Currently reading up (on 55 and loving this!)
Your writing is amazing and I'd love to be pinged for the next parts!
Edit; So I finished! Wow that was a roller coaster of emotions but I love it! Can't wait to see more if there is any!
Avoiding spoilers but I found this Pinkerlocke after starting mine and I love it! Currently reading up (on 55 and loving this!)
Your writing is amazing and I'd love to be pinged for the next parts!
Edit; So I finished! Wow that was a roller coaster of emotions but I love it! Can't wait to see more if there is any!
Jar of Vapors
Trinkets
If one is patient enough, a young steam gyre may rise from this.
25
I collect Bottled Embers and Jar Of Vapors! WishList
Bottled Embers
Trinkets
What is captured must be quickly released or smoke will be all that remains.
25
@VeniVidiVici Glad you're enjoying it~! And a roller coaster indeed, haha. And I'll add you to the pinglist right away! Welcome aboard!
Also, I have been inspired and I'm starting my own challenge! Although, I hope you don't mind, but I'm just using your rules.
