That... was also true. Four dragons needed a lot of food, and a feral mental state might severely impact that, especially if focused on running. But mirrors tended to enjoy grouping up, even smaller packs could be absorbed or grow. Vlk hummed in response, thinking about possibilities, "Well, when morning comes we could get a better picture of their numbers..."
For a moment he assumed Finlo had a camp nearby, but when he mentioned watches that quickly evaporated. Right, if he was chasing that pack, then a camp would be hard to make. Or he could have been hunting, or perhaps Vlk was overthinking this.
He seemed determined to take first watch, despite how fading adrenaline still made Vlk feel wide awake. That should fade soon, he hoped. "The morning," He echoed, shifting his weight and pawing at the packed dirt, making a haphazard shallow scrape, "Wake me once my watch will start."
It would be a long, long night.
That... was also true. Four dragons needed a lot of food, and a feral mental state might severely impact that, especially if focused on running. But mirrors tended to enjoy grouping up, even smaller packs could be absorbed or grow. Vlk hummed in response, thinking about possibilities, "Well, when morning comes we could get a better picture of their numbers..."
For a moment he assumed Finlo had a camp nearby, but when he mentioned watches that quickly evaporated. Right, if he was chasing that pack, then a camp would be hard to make. Or he could have been hunting, or perhaps Vlk was overthinking this.
He seemed determined to take first watch, despite how fading adrenaline still made Vlk feel wide awake. That should fade soon, he hoped. "The morning," He echoed, shifting his weight and pawing at the packed dirt, making a haphazard shallow scrape, "Wake me once my watch will start."
It would be a long, long night.
Finlo tracked the time through the position of the moon. It's light looked almost sickly here, but it was enough to see by. He mostly kept his eyes closed in order to see any life energies around their camp. They appeared like flickering flames in his mind's eye, but they all belonged to local wildlife. He stayed like that for most of his watch, as it was the most surefire way to ensure they weren't caught off guard.
He would have watched the whole night, but keeping track of life energy for so long was draining. Finlo got up and flicked his tail at Vlk. "It's your turn." He glanced at the fire that had died down to a couple of embers. Warmth built up his throat as he spit out a small shot of fire to bring the flames back up.
He settled down on his belly, his tail wrapping tightly around him before he lay his head down and closed his eyes.
Finlo tracked the time through the position of the moon. It's light looked almost sickly here, but it was enough to see by. He mostly kept his eyes closed in order to see any life energies around their camp. They appeared like flickering flames in his mind's eye, but they all belonged to local wildlife. He stayed like that for most of his watch, as it was the most surefire way to ensure they weren't caught off guard.
He would have watched the whole night, but keeping track of life energy for so long was draining. Finlo got up and flicked his tail at Vlk. "It's your turn." He glanced at the fire that had died down to a couple of embers. Warmth built up his throat as he spit out a small shot of fire to bring the flames back up.
He settled down on his belly, his tail wrapping tightly around him before he lay his head down and closed his eyes.
Sleep came slower than Vlk wanted, a dark shadow that ended almost as soon as it began. He was not easy to rouse, the tail flick only rousing his consciousness, eyes unopened. With an internal effort, he had to remind himself he must get up. His eyes opened a half minute later, getting up far slower.
He stretched his limbs out two at a time, muscles tensing as they shook off the tight curl he had been sleeping in. He made a groggy noise of acknowledgement to Finlo, moving away from the warm crater he had so carefully kept warm.
Slowly, awareness bled back into him, but the night alongside his so recent rouse from slumber made it harder to stay up. But, there were things for that. While the fire backlit his bags, Vlk took a few pellets from a pouch, swallowing two with a harsh shudder. Even if the ground beans were rolled with fat, it made the bitterness only slightly worse.
But, he had no water to make the liquid form of it, nor the stomach to even want to drink it. And while he waited for it to wake him up, he crept closer to where he thought some wood got scattered in the scuffle, blindly feeling the wrist-high grass for branches. While Finlo topped the flames, without fuel they'd sputter under his watch.
And now, he waited, the sound of sparse night insects the only anomaly in the night. Once or twice he saw the glint of animal eyes in the dark, curious about the light, before never being seen again. Very few things wished to encounter dragons, after all.
And as the hours dragged on, the sun began to illuminate the sky in lazy stages. It was faint, but slowly Vlk could make out the outlines of the trees against the sky, and the birds soon began to chirp and sing. And once he knew the sun was fully over the horizon, did he deem right to rouse his partner-of-the-moment.
"Finlo," His voice was raised, "Sun's up, do you eat anything at this time?"
He usually forgoes a meal, unless there was reason. He had little, if all he would do was glide today. Lunch would be more necessary.
Sleep came slower than Vlk wanted, a dark shadow that ended almost as soon as it began. He was not easy to rouse, the tail flick only rousing his consciousness, eyes unopened. With an internal effort, he had to remind himself he must get up. His eyes opened a half minute later, getting up far slower.
He stretched his limbs out two at a time, muscles tensing as they shook off the tight curl he had been sleeping in. He made a groggy noise of acknowledgement to Finlo, moving away from the warm crater he had so carefully kept warm.
Slowly, awareness bled back into him, but the night alongside his so recent rouse from slumber made it harder to stay up. But, there were things for that. While the fire backlit his bags, Vlk took a few pellets from a pouch, swallowing two with a harsh shudder. Even if the ground beans were rolled with fat, it made the bitterness only slightly worse.
But, he had no water to make the liquid form of it, nor the stomach to even want to drink it. And while he waited for it to wake him up, he crept closer to where he thought some wood got scattered in the scuffle, blindly feeling the wrist-high grass for branches. While Finlo topped the flames, without fuel they'd sputter under his watch.
And now, he waited, the sound of sparse night insects the only anomaly in the night. Once or twice he saw the glint of animal eyes in the dark, curious about the light, before never being seen again. Very few things wished to encounter dragons, after all.
And as the hours dragged on, the sun began to illuminate the sky in lazy stages. It was faint, but slowly Vlk could make out the outlines of the trees against the sky, and the birds soon began to chirp and sing. And once he knew the sun was fully over the horizon, did he deem right to rouse his partner-of-the-moment.
"Finlo," His voice was raised, "Sun's up, do you eat anything at this time?"
He usually forgoes a meal, unless there was reason. He had little, if all he would do was glide today. Lunch would be more necessary.
Finlo opened one eye to regard Vlk for a moment before the skydancer turned his attention to their surroundings. It was well past dawn, the sickly forest around them coming to life. He fully opened his eyes, raised his head, and yawned. It seemed Vlk wasn’t one to get going early, which was nice. Finlo enjoyed sleeping and only ever got up early if he had to. Unless it was urgent, he was rarely up before dawn or even at dawn.
“Depends on what I’m doing. Today? Probably not, since we need to make sure we don’t get too far behind the pack.” He stood and shook himself out before patting the dirt off his cloak. “If we fly fast, we should be able to overtake them by passing overhead. If we’re high enough up, they’ll hopefully not notice us and maybe we’ll see if there’s more than four. Then we can decide how to carry out our ambush.” It was entirely possible they wouldn't need to start a fire, but who knew.
He moved to the fire and used his magic to snuff it out before using a paw to disperse the charred fuel. “Though if you want to eat something quick, I can wait a moment.”
Finlo opened one eye to regard Vlk for a moment before the skydancer turned his attention to their surroundings. It was well past dawn, the sickly forest around them coming to life. He fully opened his eyes, raised his head, and yawned. It seemed Vlk wasn’t one to get going early, which was nice. Finlo enjoyed sleeping and only ever got up early if he had to. Unless it was urgent, he was rarely up before dawn or even at dawn.
“Depends on what I’m doing. Today? Probably not, since we need to make sure we don’t get too far behind the pack.” He stood and shook himself out before patting the dirt off his cloak. “If we fly fast, we should be able to overtake them by passing overhead. If we’re high enough up, they’ll hopefully not notice us and maybe we’ll see if there’s more than four. Then we can decide how to carry out our ambush.” It was entirely possible they wouldn't need to start a fire, but who knew.
He moved to the fire and used his magic to snuff it out before using a paw to disperse the charred fuel. “Though if you want to eat something quick, I can wait a moment.”
