Petaldancer

Petaldancer A pearlcatcher with a passion for gardening, as well as music and dance. He's jovial and generous in most situations, but very protective of his garden. Few dragons have seen his flowerbed, but he claims it is the most precious thing in his life, and it's important to him to preserve its natural beauty. The garden's whereabouts are unknown, but it's where he houses a secret lady-serthis who spared his life as a hatchling, and he's vowed to do the same for her.

Rosette the Blind Serthis

I met her first when I was a hatchling wandering the Viridian Labyrinth... I was young, helpless and alone, when my parents abandoned me for Gladekeeper-knows-what. In my exploring, I became tired, anxious, and downright careless. And so, I stumbled upon a basic spring-loaded net-trap hidden under some leaves. It was foolish, really. Snatched me right up before I could cry for help.

After I realized what happened, I tried my best to gnaw through the ropes, only to find they were coated with rotten flavors, the likes of which I'd never tasted before. I couldn't bring myself to try it more than once, without retching at the thought. I gave up, folded my magenta wings and assumed the worst. My thoughts rambled on until, eventually, I passed out.

Suddenly, I awoke to gentle hushing, with a warm cloth about me. It smelled of roses, and a woman's voice slithered into my ears. I forced myself awake, yawning heavily. She chuckled, "You're only but a hatchling, aren't you? Harmless little thing..." I blinked back, lapping tiredly at my dry mouth. I couldn't quite make out what she was saying, but she seemed friendly enough. She brushed her silky black hair behind pointed ears, and smiled at me.

She was petting my fuzzy mane, when she asked, "But where is your pearl?" I perked up at the word 'pearl.' It seemed so familiar to me... Finally, I took in my surroundings. It was a small camp, obviously for only one creature. She was alone. There was a campfire with some kind of rodents cooking. I shook my head at her question, and wriggled free from the blanket to explore. She quickly rose up on her thick rose-colored serpentine tail, and began following me about the setup, shooing me here and there.

When I was finally satisfied, I plopped down to scratch behind my ears, and my stomach began to growl. She curled her tail up and nestled beside me, a bundle of various plants in her arms, as some kind of offering. She must've grabbed them while I wasn't looking, but the sight made my mouth water. Without hesitation, I jumped up and scarfed them all down, much to her amusement.

After indulging in more food and water, and several back-scratches, she put a silken rope around my neck and began to lead me gently through the forest. Finally, we reached a beautiful, flower-filled clearing, "Everbloom Gardens, the safest place for a hatchling." She settled down again, and removed the silk from my neck, "May Gladekeeper guide your way." She gave my face a gentle touch, before rising again to slither quickly into the tangled forest we came from. I watched quietly until her pink tail left my sight, then turned back to the calmer area she led me to. I sighed, but I found my way from there...

Some Years Later...

I had joined the Ash Haven Clan when a friendly spiral named Lavender happened through my territory in her travels for flowers and herbs. She said the clan helps others along the border of Ashfall and the desert, but it's necessary to replenish their plant stores, as they diminish over time in the hotter territories where they're situated. I agreed to help her find what she was looking for, and in return, she promised to take me back to her clan to continue helping others, just as that lovely serthis had done for me.

I spent several years getting to know the ways of clan life before I was fully grown and it was finally my turn to return to the Viridian Labyrinth for the yearly plant-replenishing trip. I knew the gardens like the back of my claw, and I could easily get things done quickly with Lavender's help to get into tight spaces. When we arrived, I was suddenly awash with emotion. Pure nostalgia. I smiled and remembered why I was doing this. Lavender brought a crudely drawn map, and I helped her fill in information as we traveled, showing her hidden ponds and grottoes in the area, marking sections for rare plant-life.

We went as far inland as she was willing, before we planned to turn back and collect plants along the way. Then I heard it: crying, somewhere further in the forest. The plants and vines were dense here, but I told Lavender to wait for me there. She seemed excited about the additions to the map, and didn't seem to hear the cry.

I began wandering off, using my newly explored nature-bound magic to carefully move plants without damaging them as I trekked onward. The gentle sobbing grew closer, louder, until finally, I could swear I was right on top of-WHOOSH
THUMP
The crying stopped, and a startled gasp followed. I looked up to find I'd fallen in a deep hole. Some kind of crude trap. I rolled my eyes and stood as best as I could in the cramped space. In doing so, I realized again I wasn't alone. Coiled there along the wall stood a rose-colored serthis with shiny black hair. Older now and covered in wounds, she had one hand to her mouth and one on her heart. She was frightened of me.
I wanted to jump for joy, but then I noticed the blood from her face.
She'd been blinded.
Quickly, I reached into the knapsack on my side, removed some bandages and herbs, and ever-so-gently, I pressed them against her arm to get her attention. She jumped at first, then slowly, she explored the goods, taking each and holding them to her face. She was...smelling them? Good. She recognized them.

She smiled tiredly, and settled down, trying to blindly treat her wounds. My claws were much too large and clumsy to help, so I stood guard, listening for whatever made this awful trap. We were lucky they weren't smart enough to put spikes in the bottom, I thanked Gladekeeper for that. When it seemed as though she were done, she gave a tired sigh, and brushed away the last of the blood from her face. She had bandaged her eyes last, and was panting heavily, the pain excruciating.

It was now that I began thinking of how best to get her out of this hole. My spine is covered in rough gemstones, so I couldn't make her ride there. Perhaps she still had strength to climb? No, I can't make her do that. My beastclan speech was very rough at the time, so asking her questions was useless. Then I saw the roots.

Finally, I lightly nudged one of her hands to a tree-root in the wall. Using the natural magic I was gifted, I began shifting the roots in the sides of the hole, giving her a sort of chair with arm rests to keep her in place, as I guided her to the opening above. Tree roots were some of the hardest to budge, but the slow process was necessary here, giving her a sturdy resting place while I gathered myself between pushes. I asked, "Name?" and she replied curtly through her teeth, "Rosette." Eventually, I raised her onto solid ground, where she happily coiled her tail about, and found herself a sturdy tree to rest against. Almost instantly falling asleep.
I covered her by shifting the branches of a nearby shrub, and masked the scent of blood with herbs.

I knew I had to meet back up with Lavender, but I couldn't risk leaving this helpless serthis behind.

I quickly reached Lavender, and told her I'd found a wounded beast in the forest. I wanted to stay and help before I came home. She understood, gave me extra herbs and bandages, taught me a few helpful beastclan words, and wished me luck as she left. I hurried back to find the serthis snoozing soundly beneath the tree.

I smiled and decided to try hunting for Rosette. Unfortunately, I was awful at it. Finding plants was easy, catching mice was not. I moved on to fishing instead, hoping this serthis could stomach fish meat. Much easier. Carrying the few fish I caught in a makeshift net, I trekked out to find a safe haven to set up camp. After walking in circles until dusk, I finally decided to set up in a hidden nook of the Everbloom Gardens. I began to set up camp, complete with a small stone-covered oven, to help smoke the fish while I continued my work.

Rose was just waking up when I got back to her at sunrise. I worked all through the night, and, even if she couldn't see it, I knew she could live peacefully in the camp I made for her. She shuffled sorely out of the underbrush, hands reaching about to find her way. She found my face, and gently brushed her hands across my gemstone-covered hide. I huffed, and draped a silk sash across her arm. She grabbed it instinctively. As she did so, I tugged gently on the other end and said, "Follow, Rosette." She smiled, "You...Just like old times..." I led her slowly through the tangled forest until we reached the camp.

From the outside, it looked like a wall of vines draped over a rock. Impassable, impenetrable, but I led her slowly inside to reveal it was a carefully crafted hut built of natural materials. Along the walls of the hut were different flowers, each with vibrant, unique scents to help her find her way. I used vines outside a second entrance as a railing to lead her to a nearby stream for fresh water and fish. A small crab trap was laid there to help her get food.

Over the course of the week, she began to find her way, smelling the wallflowers to find each entrance, and to find her bed by flower-scent alone, rather than groping around blindly. I also planted a small vegetable garden near the river entrance, so she could have easy-access food on her sore days. We made small-talk, and she taught me more beastclan phrases. I ventured out to find nearby dragons, and traded some goods for a chest to give her for storage.

Once she seemed comfortable enough, I told her in broken beast-speech, "I leave now."
"You will visit me, though" she chided. As I turned to leave, she draped her dancer's sash about my neck, with a gentle knot to hold it in place like a scarf. The small metal baubles clinked and jingled musically, "Now I'll hear you coming." I tried again to leave, but she was making it difficult, "Wait! I have something else for you." I turned back to see her pull a pearl from her knapsack. It was smaller than your average 'catchers pearl, but obviously larger than one from the sea. She held it out, "I think this is yours. I found it long ago."
I smiled. I'd gone long without a pearl, but I knew it was important.
I nuzzled her hands closed, "Keep. We share." She hugged my neck one last time before I set off for home.

I visit her several times a year, bringing all kinds of materials and silks she can enjoy through touch, and new flower scents to change up her home. In return, she gives me beautiful apparel, and a gentle scratch behind the ear.

~ End ~