Amber

Amber's eyes trailed up into the sky above, seeing the faint, glimmering stars in the heavens. He looked back at his clan and his friends' smiling faces as they wished him farewell. His travels would be glorious, he promised them, and he would tell every story he could. Giving them all one final nod of goodbye, he picked up his bag and left to see the world.

After entering and pushing his way through the thick thorny knots of the Foxfire Bramble, he heard a flutter of movement. He looked around to see nothing but dark gnarled shapes all around him. He kept moving, pushing forward until he heard the flutter again, a flash of something bright moving through the twisting shadows. A monotone voice, similar to those of Fae dragons, called out from within the thorns.
"Halt! You have trespassed into restricted territory. Surrender and state your business!"
Amber froze in his tracks, raising his claws in surrender.
"I apologize. I mean no harm, and am only passing through this area," he hissed.
Amber's head darted to and fro, searching for the source of the sound, his heart hammering.
"An outsider? And for what purpose do you pass through our borders' protections?"
"I'm a traveler, and am looking to meet with other foreign clans."
A tiny orange Fae appeared before him, flapping his golden hypnotic wings, "Follow me, I will escort you to my clan's leader. Mind the thorns."
The tiny dragon then swooped through the brambles, dodging their sharp thorns with ease.
Amber tried to mimic the tiny Fae's movements, but kept getting nicked by the sharp edges.
He let out a frustrated growl.
The tiny orange Fae fluttered up to the top of a large twisted branch, "Follow me," he commanded before swooping ahead.
Amber then pushed and pulled himself through the thorny branches, following the small Fae as the brambles began to thin, becoming easier to push through until he was fully on the other side.
"This way." the Fae commanded him, flying deeper into the shadowy heart of this territory towards a large decrepit amphitheater far off in the dimly lit distance, surrounded by a thick grove of dark, twisted trees.
As Amber walked closer, he felt an ominous aura emanating from the structure, as if death itself was waiting inside.
The tiny orange Fae, perched upon the rim, waiting for Amber to arrive. He then pointed down towards the central landmark of the Tangled Wood, the Forum of the Obscured Crescent, home of the Shadowbinder.
"Over there," he points to a small alcove, one of many along the dirtied walls of the ancient hovel, "you will find my clan's leader. If you have trouble, ask for Nightcrawler."
The fae then flies off, returning to his post in the Foxfire Bramble.
Amber took a deep breath, and cautiously made his way down into the Forum, stepping through the archway, he felt uneasy, like he could sense the Shadowbinder's presence all around him. He felt like there were hundreds upon thousands of eyes watching him, this foreign dragon entering their sacred homes, even if this truly was not the case. As he arrived at the entrance of the alcove, he heard a voice behind him.
"Why, hello there, I don' remember seeing your face around these here parts? Have we met?"
Amber would see a Tundra dragon behind with a thick brown fur coated adorned with feathers, accompanied by several small creatures.
"Ah, no, I'm new to the area, my name is Amber. I'm supposed to look for someone called Nightcrawler. Would you happen to know who that might be?"
"Nightcrawler... Nightcrawler? Hmm... the name sounds familiar... Mirror dragon, black glossy scales, that sound about right?"
"I'm not sure. I was only given a name."
"Well, ya can follow me then. I'm sure we'll find this fella you're looking for soon enough."
They then proceeded to move further down the hallway, deeper into the ancient, dilapidated hovel. The further and further they entered, the darker it seemed to get, as if the darkness was swallowing them both whole. It took some time, but soon light could be seen up ahead. Amber's pace hurried as he moved towards the light as he then saw a bustle of activity, hundreds of dragons of all different species moving about in each of their own projects. He barely had a moment to take it all in before he felt someone bump into him.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there!" said a rust brown Coatl wearing tanned leather and bronze tinted goggles, quickly apologizing before she continuing on her way.
"Excuse me," Amber said, but the dragon was too busy running to her next project to pay him any attention.
Amber and his guide then continued to weave their way through the crowds, trying to not get in anyone's way.
"So what brings ya round these here parts?" the furry dragon asked, "Not often we see dragons wandering into the Tangled Wood.
"Just passing through, visiting with any clans I meet along the way."
"Passing through? That's not an answer ya typically hear. Are ya lost?"
"No, I'm not lost. Just exploring."
"Ah, I fellow explorer at heart are ya. Can't sit still in one place too long, right? Always gotta keep moving."
"That's correct."
They continue weaving their way through the bustle, and the furry dragon begins to chuckle.
The Tundra then stops after passing by a large Snapper with sandstone skin.
"Hermes, been some time since I last saw ya. How have things been for ya?"
The Snapper stopped as well, smiling cheerfully.
"Logan! It has been quite some time! I'd love to catch up, but I've got a few things I need to go deliver. Nightcrawler wants these delivered today."
"Wait, did you say Nightcrawler? I'm looking for them, a small orange Fae told me to go meet them?"
"Really? Well, if you want, you could follow me, I just got a few more deliveries to make before I report back to him."
"Alright, thanks."
Amber then followed Hermes, occasionally seeing a small Ragamouse pop in and out of his bags, chittering cheerfully. After following the Snapper and meeting several of the local residents, they soon arrived at the base of an incline to a darkened recess.
"Up there, you'll find him. I've still got a few more things to go deliver. Maybe I'll see around later." he says before marching off.
Amber looked up, following the incline up the slope. Once he reached the top he saw an obsidian statue standing there at attention, its hand held tightly on a large recently polished spear. Even though it blocked his path, he could easily go around it if he wanted to. As he began to move around it, it suddenly sprang to life, and pointed the spear at him. Amber took a step backwards, waiting, before the statue raised the tip and stood at attention again. A voice then called out to him from within the shadows.
"State your business."
"Are you... Nightcrawler?"
"I am."
"I was told to meet with you?"
"For what purpose?" the voice hissed at him, as creeping out of the shadows, having blended into them was an obsidian Mirror.
"I am a traveler, and I am seeking foreign clans to meet with."
The Mirror stared at him with an emotionless gaze, his eyes staring directly at him.
"I was wondering if you'd allow me to visit with your clan, if you'll have me."
"I am no stranger to foreign dragons like you, coming to this land and asking for refuge. Stay for as long as you wish, though I may have to put you to work at times should you stay long."
"Of course! It would be my pleasure."
The Mirror let out a small hiss and nodded his head.
"Then you are free to wander. My clan and I will not interfere with whatever you may have planned. If you wish to learn more, speak to whomever you wish."
"Thank you for the opportunity. I won't waste it."
"We will see..." the Mirror replied with an uncertain tone.
With that, the Mirror turned and slinked back into the darkness, his black scales allowing him to disappear within moments.
Over the next several months that flew by in the eternal night of the domain of shadows, Amber met with the hundreds of dragons that worked together as this clan. Even having passionate encounters with the brown Coatl he ran into when he first arrived and a fierce warrior he fought alongside with. He was definitely stronger after his time here, and had learned many experiences, but it was time for him to set off and explore once more. So with the Tundra he met before on his first day, they walked up to the Sunportal, stepping on through to parts unknown.

Traveling: A Haiku

Traveling the world,
Seeing interesting sights,
Memories for life.

Amber's travels eventually lead him into getting lost in a unknown and unwelcoming place, unsure on where his fluffy friend has went, Probably to try to find home, due to this place being the origin of his species- He was only left with a chilling expanse of rusty chains, rotting wood, and worn stone relics.. Telling tales of who else has gotten lost here. He was getting hungry but the near water was frozen over.. and there was a nearby isolated oasis of a swamp that he was unsure was safe to even go near.. it looked dormant, but he couldn't help but feel squeemish over the thought of something jumping out and cutting his travels short..
"Hey, over here!" -
He couldn't tell where this voice had come from.. but a thin, and snakelike shape was flying away with great speed, dark as night, but piercing in the ice blue environment. This seemed strange, but he has communicated with many other dragons, and they seemed friendly in comparison to the mirror they just met.. A shadowy spiral in this kind of land where darkness can't hide them? A strange perception..
Eventually he arrived in a sort of makeshift camp.. a place he overheard was called The Resting Point of the Frozen Wasteland. The spiral has lead him here as apparently its safer than outside of this place.
He was unsure until he went over to the sort of marketplace they had.. they had food galore!.. but before he could consider snagging something up, the sandsurge nearby scared him with a low, but oddly mellow voice.
"You're new here.. aren't you.. Well, trade in to get your fill, Unless you have a absolute lack of such.."
Amber was unsure about this new presense, it brought him a sense of fear, but also, they seemed like a figure of authority and safety.. He didn't know if he should run for his own safety, or follow his orders.
"I'm sorry, yes, but i was not informed that i had to bring something.. I come from my home far away from here..-" Amber stutters.. nervous about this, the sandsurge slightly interrupts him.
"I've heard it all before, take from the free storage.. Don't use what you get to trade in until a few days"-
This idea of a sort of, charity system, made Amber curious to how the other lairs in this land function.. They seem nice, but want their worth in return, which is quite fair in his mind.
Wandering the place after grabbing something from the aforementioned Freebies box, to at least keep him a bit warmer, and get a sort of strange chemical seafood gruel (Soylent Blue) to eat., he seemed to overhear from the spiral, that told Amber that his name was Chaser when he first got to the resting point, that the sandsurge's name is Tempest, and he's the leader of the place he has found.
Amber was happy to rest here with the other dragons, he did have to go out and collect some things to get food, but he just considered that as a sort of "rent fee".
He had to continue on his travels, so after enjoying the singing from another spiral and getting more food for the road, he continues on his way with a new treasure in tow, as he traded most of his wears for more food to continue.

The next clan Amber arrived at was a small grove, tucked away in the corner of the Mirrorlight Promenade, under a sky full of stars. Amber looked up at the stars in joy. He'd never seen this many stars before - the skies had never been this clear and perfect.

Amber stayed in this clan for a few days to recuperate, before setting out on his travels again. He got on really well with the other dragons - they were all very impressed with his brown starry skin, so simiilar yet different from the inky blue stars on theirs!

Amber travelled for a while after that, and things got a bit fuzzy for a while there. The next thing he knew, he was at a BIG BRUH RAVE full of BROGONS BUSTIN' MOVES.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!?" someone shouted. "IT'S TIME... TO PARTY!"

Amber laughed, because he knew what time it really was. It was a bit after midnight, in the middle of April!

...wait, middle of April?

Oh no.

He was late! Really, really late. Amber grabbed some floating lights, and rushed out of the lair...