Ghost

Ghost slunk towards the clan's main storehouse. She wasn't sure why she was here today other than she'd felt a powerful call, bright as morning birdsong in her head.

Outside were the clan's two leaders, Tooth and Minerva. Tooth was looking self satisfied. Minerva was looking dubious. Between them was a bit of cloth that had recently functioned as a rough satchel. It was laden high with a mixture of items that could be junk, treasure, or anything in between. Tooth had never lost his wind wanderlust and was always bringing back stuff like this.

Something there was doing the singing that filled Ghost's mind.

"Hail, Tooth. Hail, Minerva" she declared and the two dragons turned to face her. Tooth grinned, well, toothilly. Minerva rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Tooth.

"This is why you ought to have come to me with this first, Tooth," her fins fluttered wildly, " Now we're going to have questions."

Tooth waved a dismissive hand at Minerva, "Hello Ghost. Fancy seeing you out of your pool this morning. That Marlin behind you?"

Ghost craned her neck and peered behind her. Silently, slowly, and determinedly following her a few yards behind was indeed Marlin. She felt something go a little soft in her chest and her focus on the song in her mind waned for a moment. She hadn't even heard him. That was just like Marlin, always there for her.

It was like a magnet pulling her though. Almost of her own volition her head swung around and her focus went back on the pile of items.

"What have thee there, Tooth?"

"You'll never believe this. I was out gathering and borrowing and this pack of mirrors just careens by and I had to see what had lit a fire under their tails. Turns out that weird guardian - you know, Galore - had gotten in just a massive pile of morphing scrolls from the Southern Icefield. Threw a little critter in there with 'em too... I don't know where that's gotten off to. Oh, and there's some pottery shards (pretty sure they're really ancient), a whole collection of shark teeth, some-"

"What doest those scrolls morph thee into?" she asked. Minerva's fins went really wild at this.

"Gaolers," the fae said, "They... apparently are ready to grace the rest of Sornieth with their presence. They believe they're going to corral the shade. Someone apparently decided to help us grow accustomed to them and boost their numbers for this "shade hunting" project of ours that - I don't know thousands I suppose - of these scroll were being released. Two per clan."

"One must be mine," Ghost said simply, " 'Tis what I am supposed to be. 'Tis what I am supposed to do. "

Minerva flipped her fins, realized the ridgeback she was talking too didn't catch the sarcasm and purposefully dropped it into her voice, "Have you been to the Hewn City? Ah yes, I'm just going to... gather up the shade like disobedient ducks and put it in a pen."

"The gods will it," Ghost stated simply. Marlin had caught up at this point and joined Ghost at her side. He watched with silent curiosity.

"Can't argue with the gods, I always say!" said Tooth. He carefully fished out a scroll and passed it to the other ridgeback.

Minerva's jaw dropped and she looked ready to protest. Ghost did not care though. Without a second thought she unrolled the scroll and spoke the words of power therein. The scrolls dropped from her claws and clattered to the ground. Marlin edged away as the transformation began. No matter how many of the clan underwent it changing breeds was always unsettling to watch.

Minerva closed her mouth. Her fins sagged. "I suppose there's no going back now"

Tooth glanced at her with a grin and glittering eyes, "Got to keep things interesting, Minnie. Can't let things get stale. And besides - the gods willed it."