Loft

Their story is a bittersweet one. The spearman Crestor had been sent to confront a pair of dragons that had decided to nest on the borders of their land. Their orders were to send them away, either by diplomacy (the preferred method) or by deadly force. He gathered two of his finest warriors as backup, should the job go arwy. The left quickly.

They never made it.

They were ambushed instead by a dragon's hunting party. Led by a masked Matriarch and her mate, Crestor knew they were doomed. He ordered the attack anyway.

The dragons were fierce and refused to give sway. They fought hard with teeth and claws and dragon magic. Crestor's companions soon fell. Stricken with grief and a splintered spear, the centaur surrendered to them.

He was taken to their lair and their healer, who cleaned and sutured his wounds. Though the kindly dragon made small inquiries to him, the centaur refused to speak. When he finished with him the Matriarch (Lucilla, he learned) led him to a mossy bed, and bade him to rest. While he obeyed there would be no rest for him that night. He glowered at the dragon sent to guard him throughout the night.

When Lucilla returned to him the next day, she told him he was to stay here and be their ambassador so that they could return to the days of old, when dragons and beast clan were capable of coexisting in (mostly) peace. Well, the intelligent beastclans as she put it. Which meant the centuars and mer people. If he obeyed he would be given rank, new weapons forged, and allowed to hunt (which, for this particular clan, was an honor awarded to only the most fierce and loyal). If he refused, he would be stripped of his armor, his magnificent tail sheared, confined to the inner borders of the territory and function as little more than a pet.

Crestor, more practical than ethical, chose the former, even if it tortured him to do so. Lucilla rumbled, pleased.

It was a mere two months before he came upon the clan's mage Ludovica walking past with a filthy and screeching newborn hatchling dangling by its scruff in her mouth. Horrified, he demanded to know how she came upon it. Ludovica snarled, offended by his accusations.

She clicked her claws at him as she told of an egg snatcher selling trying to sell the thing along a path. She told of how delicious the snatcher tasted.

The baby continued its peeping. The poor thing was so fresh it still had bits of eggshell on it.

"Give it to me, " he said. "I'll wash it, and feed it. It needs looking after."

Ludovica scoffed.

"You are not of our species and a male at that. What good can you do?"

He could do plenty of good. He had sired three foals before his capture, and read extensively on all things dragons since his stay.

"There is an entire clan here to make up for whatever shortcomings I may have."

Lucilla, who had been listening to the whole ordeal, ordered Ludovica to hand the hatchling over.

"Too long have we cared for their bandy-legged young. It is time for them to care for one of ours. The beasclans will approve for sure."

Looking down at the hatchling within his hands he bit at his lip some. He'd... never seen a dragon like it. He didn't like calling a living creature and 'it' but he honestly in that moment had no clue what gender the young was.

"Thank you." he spoke up after a moment of simply looking in those violet eyes. Lucilla nodded and smiled before turning and departing only letting a few words remain "Take good care of her."

Looking back into the violet eyes he couldn't help but smile, "HEr.. hmm..?" one question down.. only afew hundred to go. Turning himself now he'd begin walking toward a small shore he knew of that had relatively shallow water. He wanted to wash her off, and in honest he didnt like being too close to the dragons here he never felt as though he fit in. Ok he really didn't for all reasons he was a captive in his own mind. So the only place he felt at home and welcome was at the small secluded beach. He never saw dragons there so he took it as his only private place.

The wind danced with the water creating a spread of ripples to give life to the blue water. Wading into the water he'd enter as deep as it went which was only to his waist. Once there he looked to the small dragon in his arms cradled looking up at him. Something in her eyes hurt his heart.

"How about we get you cleaned off young one?" he asked with a warm tone. using a cloth he took from his satchel he'd begin gently washing. At first she resisted and squirmed. "Come now it isn't that bad. You'll feel better and I'll get to see just how beautiful you are." she only seemed to struggle more. That was until it happened...

Her back toes hit the water. The left leg jerked up and she seemed to curl into him frightened. Watching her he rose a brow. Slowly shed reach back down letting his toes hit the water again. As they did her leg went limp. Carefully she stretched her foot down on the right and her leg went limp in the water. The more she was in the water the more relaxed she became.

"Well look at you taking to it like a fish to water." he lowered her down into the water till he was only holding her front paws and head out of the water. "You know what I think that gives us your name. from here on you will be called IascMara it means sea fish." he smiled as he looked down at her. Though something still didn't feel right Watching her for a while he came to the conclusion something really was wrong and he needed to figure it out. Come to think of it she'd moved ever part of her body expect her front legs. His heart shattered.

Moving he waded back onto the shore and knelt down to his knees becoming seated in the sand. Placing her on the sand before her he'd watch as she seemed to melt into the sand her legs sprawled out. The back legs wiggled as she tried to move herself to a more upright position yet her front legs still didnt move. Reaching forward he lifted her front right paw and looked to her, "Can you move this Mara?" he asked her curiously." he looked between him and the paw and back again several times. All the while her wiggling grew more aggitated proving she was trying. When she began to whimper he let the paw down and picked her up laying her against his chest.

"Shh... there there. Its ok. Don't worry." looking up in that moment he sighed and caught sight of a star darting across the horizone. "A star in the daylight?" he thought outloud. HE couldn't have explained it if he wanted to but as if by instinct he stood and began walking to follow that star. Something told him it would help her. That this star would help his little Mara. Following for about an hour he stopped and turned round going to find the alphess. Once he had he began to explain the state of the female, his Mara. HE too spoke of the star and how strongly he was being urged by instinct to follow. Somehow he was granted permission to chase it only because the hatchling may could benefit.

The next day he set off with Mara riding in a small carrier on his side. Days passed as they followed what he soon began to call the whisper in his mind. A whisper which would lead them into a large lair deep in the plague lands. This lair was full of dragons of all sizes including some that looked like adult versions of Mara. "We found it.." he said knowing this was where they were suppose to be. After talking with a few dragons they were eventually introduced to an older looking pearlcatcher who went by Clay. This male was very kind to them and did a thorough exam of her front legs. With time he determined a nerve problem had occured and the small female would not have use of her front legs because of it.

"Don't you worry Cutie..." the gentle male spoke "I may not can heal you but we do have dragons who can help you." Looking to Crestor he would give instruction saying, "Go find Araashi, Ritual, MaaT, or Judgement... those are the four dragons youll need to get her legs fixed. However first speak with out king His Grace Gilgamesh so he knows you're here and whats going on.

Crestor made it priority to go speak with the king first and formost as he feared not being able to stay. It didn't take long till he was greeted by the king who was resting with his mate and what seemed and baby coatl.

"Your Majesty?" he asked with a studder as he had not been warned the king was an Emperor. HE watched as two of the king's three heads lifted and looked to the two. "Welcome, is there something I can do for you?" the middle head asked. "I... was told to speak with the king for permission to stay here and seek help for my daughter. Clay told me there are four dragons who can help us get her front legs to work." Hearing this the female imperal the Emperor was laying with lifted her head as well.

"Poor little dot.. her front legs aren't working? Don't worry our counsel will get her fixed right up however we will have to wait for her to grow up. I am afraid the magic is a bit too strong for one so small and young."

"Thank you so much!" Crestor spoke as he bowed. "Would it be alright if we stayed here and waited I'll do anything to get her legs working."

"You are welcome friend. Feel free to select any of the empty cave changers to use as your private quarters..." the middle head said with the most reassuring smiled Crestor had ever seen. "Thank you. Thank you both.." he bowed his head. The royal family only laughed as they saw the little bog bow her head mimicking the centaur.



Has had body transmutation