Cassaria is slow to trust, quick to act, and ferocious in defending what she believes to be right. She is a steadfast soldier and a valued clan warrior, prepared to obey without question and strike opponents down without mercy. Her unforgiving personality makes her a loner more often than not, sitting dignified and aloof with narrowed eyes in her own section of the cave. Should she be asked, she'd snap that she prefers it this way, alone amongst her nest of silver and platinum, never forced to engage in the inane and inutile.


Not all of her clan are held with disdain- Soleil's stalwart faith and unfeigned character earned Cassaria's respect, just as Oddity's ferocity in battle and Syren's unwavering leadership won her loyalty. Archon's mind finds him high in her esteem. Most of the battle contingent have her regard in one way or another. Nayyara, Aerfilos, Devya, and Zephiryn have proven themselves capable and experienced warriors by her side. Others she doesn't find as tolerable- Caliya, young, popular and strong (though older than Cassaria), grates at her as a waste. Clodagh she loathes- the dragoness puts far too much of her energy into petty victories and underhanded snipes, her true contributions lackluster and foolish. Many of the Sprawling Hallow are too frivolous or rash for her- Aphellian in particular draws her ire for his lavish tastes and haughty, unapologetic arrogance. At least Machai has the sense not to pretend to be what she is not.


In short, there are few within the clan whom she willingly tolerates. Of those whose presence she accepts rather than endures, Marun is chief among them. The dignified nocturne is one of the imperial's few friends, if their relationship can be called that. Regardless, they can be found near one another discussing particulars, or often just sitting in silence, on a semi-regular basis. Moreover, they seem to enjoy sharing guard duty, and Marun is the only one for whom Cassaria is willing to relax her watch to engage with her companion. Still, their interactions are less than frequent and rarely of the strictly personal nature. After all, Marun has a mate in Archon and, unlike Cassaria, is well regarded within the clan. She serves as one of their trusted commanders and a member of Syren's inner circle, and is the head of the night guard.


It's hardly her fault if the time they spend together is more of an after thought. Cassaria doesn't mind. She enjoys her solitude.


Perhaps a keen observer would note the lingering stares towards her more social clanmates like the beautiful Caliya, so often holding court in the caverns outcrops and overlooks. Perhaps a close eye might time the sweeping away of her graceful head, the timing of the turn too fluid, too precise, to be accidental. Perhaps one who knew her well might find her surprisingly intuitive for one so unpracticed in social matters, so withdrawn from clan life. Perhaps her grace, her observance, her intuition might be explained by her prowess in battle, to years of predicting the movements of her opponents. Or perhaps it is something more. Perhaps the dragoness is not what she seems. Now that you think about it, have you ever really taken the time to get to know her? Perhaps you listened to too many stories from those around you. Perhaps your mind was made up before you ever interacted with her.


What lies beneath the surface of this fastidious soldier?