Iceblood

Clan Leader

Born as a child of the Shadowbinder, Iceblood was chosen to become a clan leader at a young age. He was once a reckless free spirit who dabbled in many hobbies and mates. This had infuriated his predetermined female Nermia to the point where she decided she was better off exalting herself in order to serve Shadowbinder. To Iceblood it was goodbye and do not come back. She was boring, and a bit of a nag. Even his best friend Orrin agreed with him on that bit. Iceblood dedicated himself to creating his own family.

As time passed Iceblood matured into a wise leader who made a habit of picking up dragons that were cast out from their lair. One of which was a pearlcatcher hatchling he found abandoned named Dresden who he raised as his son. While Iceblood cares for his entire clan pretty evenly, he cares for Dresden most of all. When the pearlcatcher mastered flight he began to take off for weeks at a time with his gray river flight Mavrick, Iceblood would sit outside the lair waiting for his little fledgeling's return.

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Waiting For Your Return
Mist curled through the groves and floated above the rivers of the Tangled Wood. The permanent twilight feeling even darker as the sun, that ball of light that could never penetrate the shadows, sank below the unseen horizon. The only light in the woods came from the glowing fungus that grew on almost every surface. The sounds of the forest inhabitants echoed on the wind like the voices of lost souls.

Deep in the shadows dragons called the woods home. Some where born to the darkness never knowing the feeling of the warm sun on their scales. Others had come from other lives, they had turned away from the sun and sky. No matter their origin they now stood together as shadow dwellers. Their dens and complex lairs borrowed deep in the land, their loyalties given to their great mother the Shadowbinder.

One such lair began to stir in the deepening shadows. At the lair's entrance a tall gray rock stood like a sentinel, deep gashes covering the top from claws clinging into stone. For a moment the one would wonder who had scarred the great boulder. If they dared to stay and wait they would get their answer as the clan guardian returned home.

A light whoosh sounded above the rock as a large male Mirror flared his wings to slow his descent. His back legs extended downward and caught the scores in the rock. He balanced there for a moment as he closed his wings, then he lowered his forelegs. The mirror shifted into a comfortable position, his claws digging deep into the stone and his tail wrapping around the boulder to anchor him. His scales were a dull gray instead of the translucent ice that had once reflected the light of the glowing shrooms. His wings once the color of drying blood had now faded into a pale mix of brown and red the runic markings that he had earned as a leader inscribed onto the delicate membrane. He was a clan leader, one of the children of the Shadowbinder who had risen above his nest and carved out a lair in his mother's land.

A lair he now looked over with a smile on his face. His family had come form all lands, many had left their great mothers and fathers behind to join his ranks. Many members of his family had also left the lair behind for others, or gone off to serve the great mothers and fathers of the elements. More would soon leave on their own adventures. Some however would stay, he noted as he heard his oldest and most faithful friend stir behind him.

"Iceblood? You're back late" came the gentle voice of a male Tundra.

The Tundra was large and his deep red coat and gray wings made it easy of this dragon to blend into the shifting fog. He regard Iceblood with a smile as he lay beside the base of the rock. His bright electric blue eyes a perfect match for the glowing mushrooms.

"Am I?" the mirror said with a smirk, "I wasn't aware you were timing me Orrin"
The Tundra let out a soft laugh, the sound like a deep rumble of thunder.

"I wasn't" he replied, "The others were. Aztec has riled up the Coatls again. I have no idea what that lot was saying but it sounded bad. Don't worry though Yakone took care of it"

Iceblood sighed as he felt the muscles in his neck tighten. Aztec was challenging his authority again. That little fireball wanted the Coatls to break off and form their own lair. The Mirror leader descended his perch and reluctantly turned to head inside to deal with Aztec.

"Orrin can you......"

"I'll keep watch for Dresden"

The Tundra nearly bit his tongue as Iceblood froze and snapped his head back to stare at him. Orrin knew why, it had been a mistake to mention Dresden. Iceblood had raised the Pearlcatcher as his son when he had found him abandoned. The scores in the rocks left from endless nights watching for the wanderer that had left the woods on the wind. The mirror felt as if he had failed his little fledgeling, even though Orrin felt the only failure was Iceblood not noticing that his little fledgeling was all grown up.

Iceblood let out another sigh as he gazed up at the treetops that obscured the sky from view. He could not worry about Dresden right now, he had the rest of his clan that sat on the edge of chaos. He turned away and with a swish of his tail he faded into the shadows of his lair.