LIZARD

LE SMART ONE. Would you believe it but LIZARD is actually just a lil' bit brilliant. He was brilliant enough to know that the front lines was not a place he wanted to be, deserted, and knows that Runi is devious beyond wanting to get closer to than with a 10 foot pole. He's the chronicler of our tale.

Hub

Berserker
Death Streak



Of course it started as a fight. There's not much else to do in the middle of the desert when the only oasis for miles has that fort sitting on it like a harpy. A nice little town has sprung up around the water source, but outside of the life giving stream, it was a wasteland.

I happened to be minding my own business, avoiding the main road for rather particular reasons, when I stumbled (quite literally) across the charcoal mirror lying in a depression between dunes. He snarled, hackles raised and all four eyes narrowed.

"Get down. Now."

This seemed a reasonable enough request, so I flattened myself down next to him. The sand was uncomfortably warm against my soft, white belly. It had already wormed its way between the thick yellow scales on my feet and no amount of shaking would rid me of this plague before it was time for the next step.

My new companion kept his eyes trained on the terrain in front of us. I wanted to ask, but his total stillness stopped me. He was hunting.

Something was kicking up a cloud of dust and heading towards the fort. I couldn't see exactly what from my obscured position, but the mirror could, and I could hear the creaking of wheels. He shifted slightly, readying himself to spring. And when he did, he was off like a rabbit. He soared over the ridge, transparent yellow wings reflecting the blazing sunlight.

There was a thump, cries from at least three dragons, snarling, and the ripping of skin.

I scrambled over the dune and slid into the fray. A bright blue fae screeched as the dark mirror sunk his claws into soft wing webbing and his teeth into a long, twisted neck. My shadow fell over a surprised-looking spiral was half buried in the sand, watching in horror. He turned, mouth open to scream, but decided that a spell would be a better bet. A bolt of electricity stung my skin before I had the chance to clarify the situation, and he was preparing another.

What else could I do but stop him? His tailbones made a satisfying crunching noise as my feet came down on his spotted hide. The spell sputtered into wail, but before I could do anything else, there was a shadow upon him. The mirror was there, slitting the spiral's throat. He didn't last much longer after that.

"Hey, thanks for the hand. Let's see what they brought us?" He stepped over the corpse so casually, the accursed sand sticking to his bloody claws. The fae was in pieces.

The tipped, unmarked carriage rattled and a muffled voice called out as the mirror approached. A fuzzy head popped out as soon as the door was swung open.

"Oh thank the Arcanist. It was so dark in there. What ha--oh. Who are--where is--is that blood?" A rather well-to-do looking obelisk shrunk back into the cab. "I don't have anything to steal!"

"Then perhaps you'd make a good hostage. Hey, big boy." The mirror looked at me, some spark in all four of his golden eyes and a nefarious set to this toothy grin. "Mind lending another hand. I'll make it worth your while."

Having no pressing plans that day, anyway, I shrugged. "That shouldn't be an issue. Where are we taking him?"

"I've got a place in mind."

Gliding Ant
25 Matches



"A place" turned out to be more sand farther into the barren wasteland. The mirror (who seemed reluctant to give his name in front of the hostage) had made a nice sized cave in the cliff face of one of the many cool, desert cracks. It was just the right size for the maker, a little tight for myself, and entirely too small for the captured obelisk.

His identity was no mystery by the time I'd shoved him through the crumbling opening. Afano had begged and pleaded and moaned the whole way there, giving explicit details about his background as a failed fashion designer and how he would be a terrible hostage because his rich dad didn't love him anymore and that there was sand in his curls and on and on and on. He was still at it in the cave.

"Please Mr. Mirror, really, I'm hardly worth the trouble--"

"Maybe we should kill him, then," I said with a smile. "At least then he'd shut up."

Afano's wide-eyed look of horror was frozen in some sort of pink crystal as the dragon turned to stone.

"They can do that?" asked the mirror. I nodded and gestured to a side passage. He followed. It opened up into a smaller storage room with a small selection of supplies and, notably, explosives. The air was blissfully cool away from the sun, and the wall were somewhat damp, if still covered with grit.

"Yeah, but they can still hear and see, so keep your voice down. I'm surprised he hasn't done it already. Anyway, I'm LIZARD."

"You're pretty smart for a bogsneak."

"And you're notably alone for a mirror." He hissed and raised his hackles, but I was unconcerned. "Look, it's none of my business. But I could use some cash and have very few avenues for legitimate employment. I'm more than happy to help with whatever scheme you've got going on here. At the very least, know that I won't be talking to police any time soon."

That calmed him down some, but his tail still carved grooves in the wall. "Good. And if you're good for this one, I'll let you in on the big one."

Now that, that was intriguing. I smiled. "To a long and fruitful partnership."

Forest Rogue Mask
Breed - Claimed a fodder nest.

The mirror and I schemed in hushed tones until there was a crash from the main room and dust rained from above. We exchanged glances, and he bounded off ahead. I grabbed a dark green mask from the supplies before I followed.

"Oh, hello Mr. Mirr--ahh!" Another thump was followed by that savage growl. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry! I just had a pee!"

His voluminous curls were the only thing that saved Afano from razor sharp teeth. The mirror stood on his white belly plates, jaw working to get a grip through the gray hair. That was enough to scare the obelisk, and pink patches started to appear on his blue skin.

"Petrify again and we'll collapse the tunnels on you. Do you think you'll be able to find the surface before you suffocate or hit your head on a rock before you get the chance. And that's if we don't bury you upside down." I stood in the archway, smiling casually at the scene. "And if you run, he'll tear off your wings. Got it?"

Afano nodded.

"Good."

"You scratched my scales," he said with a pout, softly pawing at deep gouges left by the Mirror's claws. "I wasn't trying to leave, anyway. I want to join you."

That was unexpected, to say the least. He seemed far too . . . prissy for the line of work. Not to mention incompetent, at least on an individual level. Obelisks on the whole were knows to be very formidable. The mirror and I exchanged glances.

"Join us? Why in the Wyrmwound would we let you join us?" snarled the mirror.

"We figure you're lying about your dad in hopes we'll just let you walk out of here," I added. "Either that or rarely are relationships so estranged that he'd leave you to die at the hands of a stranger."

He laughed a dry, humorless laugh. "Wouldn't that be nice. I assure you, every word was true. I've been abandoned and penniless all over some girl that turned out to be a waste of time, anyway. Beautiful, but only after the money. So, when that was gone, so was she. Her loss, anyway. Well, her loss of me, my loss of fortune. Dad will laugh in your face. 'Just kill him, then,' he'd say."

"Poor you," said the mirror.

"Poor me, indeed! But you're planning something big, aren't you? Let me help. We'll split it 30/30/30."

Neither I nor my newfound companion were sure what to make of this, but his fans perked up like he had an idea. "Alright, but you're going to need to do something first. Prove your loyalty."

"Anything! Just don't bury me," said Alfano.

The mirror padded towards the exit, tail gesturing for us to follow. "No promises."

Black Linen Chest Wrap
Breed - Claimed a fodder nest.

Faded Canvas Scrap
Write

I wish we'd a snack at least before trudging through the desert, again. My stomach moaned, curling up and convulsing in a histrionic starvation. At least I had the mask, so the sand wasn't incrusted on my nose anymore, just everywhere else.

The obelisk had it the worse. He panted under the weigh of all that fur, dragging each step and leaving deep trails in the dust. It was obvious that he wasn't one for cardio in the best of circumstances; I was surprised he hadn't had a heat stroke already.

Even nightfall only provided the slightest relief from the heat. It still rose in waves off the sand, distorting the brilliant night spattering of stars.

"We're here," the mirror finally said, near invisible crouching in the shadow of a dune, except for the slight glow to the runes around his eyes.

Just beyond the crest was the small desert town around the fort lit by a few lamps and the warm glow of occupied windos. Officially it was unnamed because it was propped up by Fort Nocs in the center, but it was probably going to get. It had everything a town could want: stores, hotel, bar, restaurant, observatory, apothecary; and more were popping up with a fair amount of regularity.

"Oh thank the Arcanist. Does that mean I can have a nap? Maybe a hot meal? I'd kill for a mani-pedi." Afano flopped to the ground, sending up a cloud of sand.

"How about steal?"

"Steal! Well, Mr. Mirror, don't you know that, that's illegal?"

"I think that's the point," I said, nudging his side. "There's only enough supplies of one, right? You want us to get more."

The mirror's toothy smile was just a little frightening. "That's right. Pull your weight or end up at the bottom of the ravine. Try to snitch, and you won't last even that long, got it?" That last part was directed at Afano.

"I got it; I got it. You two have no sense of humor. Anything particular that we're after?"

"Anything you can eat, wear, or sell. Big boy, you hit behind the general store. Bogs are known for sneaking, right?"

"Among other things." The general store was in the center of main street, but out lookout on the dunes showed that there was a loading dock off a back road. I made a map in my head, noting the shadows and alcoves.

"Good, go.

"Afano, you're with me." The mirror started to slink in the opposite way.

"Where are we going?" asked the obelisk, a nervous tremor to his voice.

That smile was back, sharp and unsettling. "To hunt bigger game."

As I slipped inside the town line, I couldn't help but ponder that, that mirror had something of a flair for the dramatic. Whatever could he gain by speaking in such riddles. I got not giving us his name, but the rest of it seemed a little over the top if you asked me.

The soft sand gave way to something closer to stone. The buildings provided plenty of cover, and not a single step could be heard. It wasn't the swamp by a longshot, but it would have to do.

Along the way, I grabbed a sheet and tied a makeshift bag for my spoils.

Whoever ran the general store wasn't an idiot. Everything was locked up tight. I could sneak up right to the back door if I wanted, but getting inside was going to be tricky, so I turned to the crates stacked around outside. There were a few loose merchandise boxes and two big sheds.

At least the boxes were labeled. I prioritized the "Meat" crate over "Cloth" and endeavored to open it. The lock itself had some sort of enchantment on it, which was a problem in-and-of itself. I hadn't been taught magic, although I showed an interest in it. But, the clan didn't want mages, so I was relegated to do what they had taught me.

"So much for sneaking," I whispered and smashed the box. The sturdy wood took two good hits to splinter, but packages of Meat came spilling out.

The back windows flashed, bathing the back in flickering light. It was time to go. I scooped up what I could, stuffing the haphazard knapsack. The door crashed open, and a skydancer burst into the yard, her eyes glowing with a purple power. She almost melted into the shadows, except for the obvious magical hum.

"Come out, thief!" she said, prowling around the remains of the crate. Of course, I'd made myself scarce, but I was far from the open desert pressed against the back of a shed. This was a fight I'd rather not get into, not on her own territory where I was sure back-up was already on its way. I just needed to wait for an open--

There was a thud on the roof and a pair of purple spots looking down on me. "Found you."


Stag Figurine
Art!

Common Podid Claws
Write

In that moment, more than any of the moments in the previous days in which my heart cried with longing, I missed the swamp. I missed its cool dampness and deep underbrush. I missed the muddy waters that would sooth my burning scales. I'd much rather be there, or anywhere, rather than staring down that skydancer with a shadow bolt gathering in her jaw.

I ran, any notion of stealth left behind. There was nothing else to do; no way I was going to outmaneuver her in flight. The corner of the shed exploded, and Seafood spilled out where I had been standing moments before.

Not a bit of heed was given to the fence between myself and the open dunes. I smashed through it, acutely aware of the flapping of wings and shouts of "Stop!" Another bolt sent up a geyser of sand entirely too close for comfort. It grazed the makeshift sack, and the contents spilled into the dust.

Her shadow passed over me, landing at the top of a dune with her hackles raised. I stopped, fans flared out, and we stared each other down. If I could just get close enough for a good hit . . ..

"Look here, punk. I don't know who you are, but we don't abide by thie--"

A strangled cry twisted the air, and alarms took up all over the town. We both turned to look: main street had turned into a light show. Colored bursts of magic lit up the night brighter than even the two moons.

"My baby! Bring back my baby." The wail was the most horrible thing I had ever heard.

My foe took off again without a glance back; there were bigger things to worry about, it seemed, than a bit of Meat. Still, I didn't press my luck, just retying the sheet to preserve my meager remaining haul, and disappearing into the dunes.

Nothing about this sat well, even as loose of character as I happened to be. The trudge back to the hole was nerve-wracking and arduous without what meager company Afano and that mirror provided. I had plenty of time to ponder their mission because they weren't there when I arrived, nor did they materialize in the hours after. Surely they had something to do with the commotion, but had they been caught?

It was near dawn before the small entryway was plugged up with a mass of blueish curls and the panting Obelisk buried somewhere in them. I started from my shallow sleep.

"About time. What's that?" I wasn't inquiring about the set of gold hoops Afano now sported or the magic burn on his hide, but rather the humming, oblong, cyan orb clutched to his chest with one giant, protective claw. It made his fur reach out straight.

There was no answer; he just flopped on his side, the one unblemished with a sparking gash, and curled up around the object. It looked so small in his gentle claws. I thought he might turn to crystal again but no. He didn't even sleep.

A whoosh by the opening proceeded the mirror padding in. Like a rabbit, a white skydancer kit covered in red splotches hung limp from his jaws.

I couldn't manage more than a whisper. "What did you do?"

Ambush
Death Streak



My fans quivered as undecisive as myself: angry or terrified? Food was one thing, gold another and altogether more valuable. But eggs? Hatchlings? I growled, the fans deciding on laid back. "What did you do?" I asked again, stronger this time.

The mirror seemed calm and unconcerned, an oddity from what I'd seen of him. He set the kit on the sheet I'd been using as a pillow. The tiny rise and fall of her chest set my mind at ease, but only slightly. The other thing he dropped was a heavy pouch that jingled when it hit.

"They would have just blown us to smithereens without hostages. Oh, boy, they didn't like that. No, no they didn't. Did you hear the way she screamed?"

If I had hair, it would have been raised all along my spine. "What were you after? Who are you?"

"I could ask you the same, big boy? I want the same thing we all do: the gold. And I'm someone willing to do what it takes to get it. Call me whatever you want, but we're leaving tomorrow. There's an abandoned mineshaft that's much closer to that harpy's nest, and we can't risk that they followed us here." His golden glow disappeared down a small, thin passage somewhere deeper into the ground. And with him went the tension.

I rushed over to the skydancer, relieved to find that the dirty red splotches were patterns on her short, soft fur. Her feathers looked a little rough, but she was otherwise in good shape--probably exhausted, a little dehydrated. She was a long way from home.

"That dragon is a monster," Afano whispered, apparently having watched me from his place on the floor. "He's right--they would have killed us--but I've never seen anything like it." He was in bad shape, but I could already see the green glowing mist of his own magic at the edges of his wound.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I inspected the bag. It was gold. I couldn't say how much, but a sizable chunk. At least the mirror got results. It was a promise of more to come.

"Yeah, I got that feeling. You'll have to tell me about it sometime. Do you want me to--?" I turned, nodding to the lightning egg in his claws, only to see his grip tighten around it. "Got it. No touching. I'm going to get some air."

While the rising sun baked the ground above, reheating the shifting grains of sand, it was better than the cramped quarters of the cave. I found somewhere soft and shaded for what little rest I could get, although it wouldn't be much.

Brackwater Lumphead
35 Matches



Blood Acorn
15 Matches



Prehnite
Writing Art because I was sick.

Not a Sheep
45 Matches

(I was sick, it'll be here eventually.)
10 done

Selenite
Writing

We didn't wait for the dead of night and a blissful reprieve from the vengeful heat, just for the sky to go gray.

"The search parties will be out then," the mirror hissed to my protests. He was seemingly unconcerned about the little one getting heat stroke. She shouldn't even have left the nest yet. She should have been snuggled up with her siblings and a deity doll and as many insect snacks as she could eat. Instead, she was dangling from my jaws.

Afano carried the egg. He hadn't let go of it since he collapsed in the cave. He was right as rain now, but unusually quiet. He didn't even object to the trip or complain about grit in his hair. There was something wrong with him that Aid couldn't fix.

The kit was old enough to believe she was on an adventure, a hot, uncomfortable, miserable adventure.

"I'm hungry," she said, turning her head and her antenna tickling my nose.

I hushed her.

"My scruff hurts." She tried, unsuccessfully, to wiggle out of my grip. "I'm bored!"

The mirror stopped in his tracks, fans perking up. He looked around, four eyes narrowing and lips curling into something that couldn't be mistaken for a smile. "Why don't we play hide and seek?"

No.

"Yeah!" the kit shouted,





And so we crossed the Shifting Expanse, stumbling through the sands.

Broken Wing Bones



Fishing Net
Writing