Fugue

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Fugue took his first steps into the forest. It was his first day as a forager, and his third post to contribute to the clan. The first two posts were a disaster, and Fugue lasted exactly 26 seconds and 82 seconds for each respectively. It took him five days to recover from the first.

He was humongous, with large horns and a back filled with rolls of spines, and Fugue wanted nothing of it. He needed a ball of warmth, fluff and rainbow sparkles. Not war and weapons and blood. Fugue was a coward through and through. When he stepped out of Ena's weaponry and tripped over his own shackles, he frightened himself so much that he leapt from the chains, and knocked over the poor engineer before his large swishing tail slammed Ena's young apprentice into the burning coals.

Screams of horror and panic spread through the clan like wild fire, and the rest was history.

The second task need him not any weapons nor armor, only his solemn promise to lend his watchful eyes for the clan. Selvans was a good teacher, excellent actually. It was Fugue's fault. "Ring the bells when you spot danger. It's usually quiet out here, it's a peaceful land. But you've always got to be prepared, you know?" Selvans explained. "I've only ever had to ring it once. And even then, there wasn't any imminent threat to the clan. Apollo, that fool, thought that it'll be hilarious to lure a flock of flutterflies here. It took us a week to get rid of all the silver dust."

"O-okay." Fugue replied. Thank Sornieth that he hadn't joined the clan then, Fugue thought, he didn't think he would survive the mere sight of a gigantic flutterfly. Selvans was a very brave dragon, and Fugue respected him for that.

And so, for the first time in the history of Sorneith, the Tangled Bell of Woods was sounded for exactly 29 times in 50 seconds. Needless to say, the clan was sent into mass hysteria, children were wailing, dragons were screaming and knocking over each other, Ena was hollering for warriors to equip their weapons.

Fugue was about to sound the bell again in panic as a result from the panic he caused from his initial shock, and he did with a slip of his paws when a loud voice yelled from behind him. "SO WHERE'S THE DANGER? I'MMA SWING MY FLAMING SWORD AT THEM!"

Surtr stared at the empty plain, then at Fugue, and narrowed his eyes at Selvans.

"..." Selvans said slowly, "the cottonwood trees were in full bloom."

It didn't explain anything.

"And Fugue was very diligent in.. ah.." Selvans tilted his chin over the plains, "jumping at every movement of the dispersing seeds when the wind picks up."

Jumping was an understatement. Fugue practically flew out of his skin and tugged at the bell rope with all his might each time a white ball of fluff was picked up by the wind.

Fridr dismissed him immediately. Fugue made a terrible sentry.

Fugue sniffed the air, his fur standing stiffly from his tense muscles. The forest smelled like flowers, and grass. There was nothing out of the ordinary. There was nothing out of the ordinary, he repeated to himself. It was only a forest. His claws hovered above the grass as he carefully laid them down, the crisps of each blade rustled under his heavy weight. It had been a full two minutes since he was left alone, and a full three steps since. He was making good progress.

Justice said that the Lapoberries were easy to retrieve. Not that Fugue thought that he was lying, but easy comes in different levels for different individuals. The tree was right there. Fugue could see it, Justice made sure that Fugue was ushered right under the branches of the Lapoberry tree. He gulped.

The tree made Justice look small, but for a huge dragon like Fugue, he could climb it with little problems. His wings wouldn't get caught in the long twisted branches, and wouldn't risk a tear like it might on Justice. His paws were large and padded, safe for scraping on the trunk and his limbs were bulky with muscles for hauling himself up. Justice paws were too small, too delicate.

He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed the wave of nausea that hit him. Fugue couldn't do this! It was far too dangerous! He could fall and break his horns! Or worse, scrape his knee and be bedridden for many moons!

He shook his head violently. He couldn't! He cou- WHAT WAS THAT TUGGING ON HIS HORNS?! Fugue hopped around in panic, his cries swallowed by the dense forest. No he was going to die alone! He was!

With a strong tug, the branches that caught his horns snapped, and Fugue was sent tumbling towards the large Lapoberry tree. With a soft thud, his body slammed against the thick trunk. Fugue blinked, amazed that he was still alive even after this terrible accident that befell upon him. Thank the Sornieth for his thick fur.

Something tiny and light hit the top of his head, and Fugue let out another blood curling scream. It felt like rain, but the skies were clear today, and Justice spotted no rainclouds in the vicinity. Another drop hit the back of his neck. Only a few at first, then it kept coming.

Lapoberries!

The Lapoberries were falling from the tree! Tons and tons of them! Fugue grinned. The bright yellow berries gathered at his feet as he leapt up in joy. It wasn't that difficult after all! Justice was right! Fugue raised his tail and patted against the trunk of the Lapoberry tree. More berries fell.

This was a miracle.

The berries were soft, and they smelled amazingly sweet. It perfectly described the moment Fugue was feeling. Maybe, he thought, he didn't mind foraging for more Lapoberries the next day.

---

Lumbering ball of red of different shades, Fugue was tasked to collect this year's Halloween sweets for the clan. The sole reason being, he was so red, it 'fits the theme' of being scary enough without dressing up. He sighs. Yet another reason why he hated his fur colour. Honestly, children cry the moment they laid eyes on him and he can't try to pacify them without scaring them even more and he freaks out because they're freaked out and it's all chaos.

Also, not a single dragon could pronounce his name right.

Fugue is a scaredy-cat, weak-willed, insecure, quiet and gentle despite his scary appearance. He takes everything that is said about him to heart, and becoming depressed because of it at times. While he still feels insecure about a lot of things and seems to be quite a scaredy-cat, Fugue's confidence is built slowly from the support of his clanmates. Maybe try not to scare him too much or his poor glass heart will break.