August

August is a self-described heathen whose sole quest is pursuit of pleasure. As a young dragon, he and Niaka were very close, performing beautiful dances for one another and philosophizing over how the only meaning in the world is the meaning they give it themselves. Then Hathaway and Tara were born, and Niaka's world changed. August had always known she was a caring parent, but as she trained with Tara and Hathaway in the coliseum, nihilism stopped appealing to her. She became one of the clan's most skilled warriors. She grew scarred, wise, and kind to young hatchlings, especially adopted ones or ones with disinterested parents. She has a talent for finding unique, smart hatchlings and helping them realize their potential.

As distance mounted between them, August forged ahead, making new friends with the other beautifully silly dragons of the clan. Nelson was his frequent partner at parties. He and Monroe would go off on long excursions together. August and Hamlet had been part of the same clan for a while, but they had their first honest conversation at one of these wild bashes, and bonded over their shared dark humor and cutting witticisms. They loved each other deeply. However, Hamlet always secretly cared more for the deities than August did, and eventually decided to exalt himself.

August did everything he could to stop him. Hamlet was forced to leave while August slept fitfully one night, depriving him of a proper final goodbye. August was devastated. He threw himself into his old pleasure games with all the intensity of his youthful days. August buried Hamlet's goodbye letter deep in his lair. He attended late night parties in all the elemental kingdoms and found younger dragons to dance with. After Nelson settled down with Marco (who Monroe and August have always called "Nellie's bauble"), Apollo became August's new party friend. Slowly, August has stopped drunkenly talking about Hamlet, to the relief of all.

These days he spends his time lounging in the sun with Monroe or Apollo, recovering from late night parties. He enjoys teasing Apollo about his new powerful friends Eyre and Rochester, and is sometimes visited by Nelson's various daughters, who bring their wild uncle flowers and all the latest clan gossip.

TROUBLE BREWING

With Apollo having officially joined Eyre's core fighters, August and Monroe made plans to weather the fighting in the wind domain. Tiresias cornered August as he was gathering his party items. He told August that their friendship would end entirely if the two of them ran away like cowards. "What's it to us who wins?" August snapped. "We've never fit in with either of them. You used to be that way, too. Now look at you. Can't wait for war."
"Don't forget," Monroe warned, "we were here before Eyre. Before you. If you think we're betraying our home, you're wrong. It's you battle-hungry wildclaws who won't control yourselves. You're betraying our home."
With that, the two old friends escaped to the Windswept Plateau.

A NEW FLIGHT

August was more saddened than he thought he would be to leave the Sunbeam Ruins behind. He had lived in those lairs since he was a hatchling. But he could see how much sadder Monroe was, and he put on a cheerful face for her as they packed up as much of their frivolities as they could carry. Which wasn't as much as they would have liked. They are doing their best to adjust to the Ashfall Waste. They can't bring themselves to visit the Light Domain yet, and steer clear of those parties.

The strangest part of August's new life here is that he has found himself making friends with Jade and Zora. He had never liked Jade's mate before, but now that she has been brought so low, he realizes her friendliness is genuine rather than political. Jade, likewise, is gentle and quiet, the way he remembers her being as a hatchling. He feels low standing suits them well. He and Monroe enjoy visiting with them in the evenings sometimes when they feel especially homesick for the Ruins.