Less

@Aetherskyes tried to do some lore for less here! they're absolutely stunning, hope my writing is to your liking and does them justice :T

@ConfusedUnknown i adore the lore you wrote! tysm!!

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"I like happy songs
With titles that don't match at all
So spin the bottle in your brain
And match your weakness with a name"
When Less came to be in the world, they did so quietly, without a sound. In utter isolation, there was no celebration, no warm reassurance nor the gentle embrace of a loved one that greeted them. Rather, it was silence that reigned supreme. So right at the beginning, the dragonet with dark scales mirroring the gloom blinked owlish eyes as they stared soundlessly into the midnight sky and dusted off remnants of shadow that lingered atop dusky claws, before wandering out into the world.

An enigma was what they were. Nobody could give a proper answer when asked about where they came from, why they still lingered after all these moons like a silent wraith standing guard in the shadows. Nobody could puzzle out the meaning behind those indigo eyes that betrayed nothing yet sought everything, nor could they break past that expressionless countenance that held secrets in its wake. Nobody could say definitely that they had ever heard them speak, much less utter a sound. Rather, everyone simply learned to accept their presence overtime, to let the ghost roam its haunting grounds.

A mysterious being, there were often rumors regarding the ebony pearlcatcher spread among the dragons of the clan. One told a story of how on the sole occasion that he encountered Less in secret, he could have sworn that there were tendrils of darkness curling around their ebony mane and dark talons, almost as though the pearlcatcher was urging them to do so in accordance to their will. He had been lurking behind the brush when he watched one of those wisps of shadow curl against Less' ears as though whispering a secret, and the next thing he knew, the pearlcatcher had snapped their head toward his hiding spot bearing a gaze so stifling he had to make an escape just to catch his breath again. Another recounted the tale of how during one night when the moon's glow had been covered by a sheet of clouds, she had been out wandering the barren desert and couldn't quite find her way back when suddenly the wind seemed to pick up with frisky fervor and through the bleak darkness there was the faint tune of a haunting dirge that echoed through the shadows, growing louder as she followed the sounds home. Right before she retreated to her nest, however, she could have sworn that among the weaving darkness in the distance, there was a pair of mystifying purple eyes peeping over at her, though as she rubbed her eyes to confirm the sight, the eyes were gone. Despite it all, nobody could confirm these rumors to be concrete fact, so instead the stories floated idly in the air, never quite finding solid ground.

Less purses their lips thoughtfully and nods quietly to the trail of shadow that nestled against their ear and whispered a small update regarding the clan's most recent activity. Their indigo eyes drift upward toward the starry sky, not dissimilar to the sight they were greeted with when they were first spewed onto this meaningless world in a mix of ashes and dust. A silent exhale leaves their parted lips, and they recline backwards as they listen mutely to the whispers of the shadows that dance along their clawtips and gossip to each other with wicked glee. The view of the night sky hadn't changed much since the beginning of their weary existence. Listlessly, they wonder why time felt so infinite despite never ceasing, and why even after years of living through the lives of others -- the shadows told them everything -- they could still remain so static, alone without purpose. Life was a lonely thing, tiring and awfully boring, but Less felt obligated to stay around just a bit longer, to perhaps chase the meaning that they were lacking. Yet for now, they close their eyes as they breathe out, praying that the darkness would consume them once more for just a couple of hours.