Hungry. The creature was just so…hungry. It had been days since its last meal, even in the food-plentiful jungle. That paw, that stupid, mangled paw! If only he hadn’t caught in in that gopher hole last month; then, THEN, there would be no stopping him! The creature almost growled in displeasure before remembering how close it was to a possible meal. Instead, it licked its lips and crouched, weight distributed evenly across its three good paws.
Green eyes tracked brown feathers. The dodo was almost within range. Wait… Wait… Now! The creature leapt from the hedgerow, forepaws, both mangled and not, stretched out in front of it. Unfortunately, a furry leg just HAD to get right in the way of the shot and the creature latched on to it instead. Lataiss
“Agh!” Lataiss cried out and shook her paw to dislodge whatever it was that had jumped out to bite it. It remained stuck on, however, until Bergon leapt over and punted it further up the path with one massive paw.
“Ha, take that! You okay, Lataiss?” Bergon taunted the creature momentarily before craning down his neck to look at Lataiss’ leg.
“I’m fine, Bergon…just surprised is all. That thing wasn’t poisonous, was it?”
Bergon carefully nudged some of Lataiss’ leg fur out of the way to analyze the bite. “Nah, you’ll be fine. The teeth barely even got to your leg, and the marks are more similar to a canine or feline bite than a snake bite, anyhow.”
Meanwhile, the creature was still laying on the path, limp and motionless. The others in the traveling group caught up to it as Bergon and Lataiss lagged a bit behind, and they stopped to study it.
“Hmm… I know what this is called…I’ve got some notes on it…hmm…” Niall studied the tan-furred creature in front of her before removing her journal from where it was tied to her hip. She used an un-occupied wing to push a ravenous Umbreus away from the still creature as she flipped through the book’s heavily inked pages. Bergon spared her the need to do so, however, as he identified the creature the moment he saw it,
“Ooh, a bamboo phytocat! No wonder the bite was feline. Man, this thing must be malnourished; its bamboo is all brown and withered.”
“It was probably after one of the familiars looking for an easy meal, then.” Niall’s estimate prompted both Nyriss and Syllere to gather their companions into their arms with worried exclamations.
“Can I eat this thing or not?” Umbreus commented grumpily from where he was stationed by the edge of the path.
“It might not be dead, though. At least check it beforehand.” Lataiss’ suggestion was soft-spoken but taken; Bergon leaned down and nudged it lightly with his snout. The phytocat flailed at the touch and struggled to get up. “Well, I’m glad we did that. Poor thing doesn’t deserve to be dead as well as malnourished.” Lataiss crouched down and used a paw to push it to its feet. The creature at first resisted the touch but then used it as a springboard to steady itself in the right position.
The phytocat looked from Lataiss to Syllere to Jodi before looking back to Lataiss with a curious expression in its green eyes. Umbreus, disappointed by the lack of an early meal, growled, “Ugh, just let it go. We need to keep moving.”
“Well, okay…go on, little guy.” Lataiss nudged it lightly with a talon before standing up to her full height. The phytocat took a tentative step toward to bushes before deciding against this and pacing over to Lataiss’ left leg. Lataiss stepped forward; the phytocat stepped forward with her.
“Hmm…Lataiss, I think you might have won yourself a new friend.” Syllere reluctantly commented from where she was still stroking Jodi’s feathers. “That’s exactly what Jodi did to me when she wanted to become my familiar.”
“Amber did that too! Emmy didn’t, though.” Nyriss, on the other hand, had simply placed the two dryads on her back and was watching the phytocat from a distance. “What are ya gonna name him?”
“Uh, I think Reed might be pretty fitting.” Beside Lataiss, Reed purred and rubbed against her leg.
Ambush
Accessory Stone
Grants a dragon the ability to strike first when a battle begins. After this attack, they will fall to their normal place in the turn line-up.
500
Required Level: 9
Gettin' real sick of your crap, Pinkerton. I beg you to give me some food items or something! The coin flip actually was a heads, but with both Bergon and Lataiss (members 1 and 2 of my battle team) at the upper level bracket for the Scorched Forest and the other member, Umbreus, leveling up half-way and allowing me to exit to add the bonuses, everyone made it safe and sound (Umbreus had a scare, though, shortly before the level-up; he dropped down to like 10 hp) through the death streak. Whew...
Hungry. The creature was just so…hungry. It had been days since its last meal, even in the food-plentiful jungle. That paw, that stupid, mangled paw! If only he hadn’t caught in in that gopher hole last month; then, THEN, there would be no stopping him! The creature almost growled in displeasure before remembering how close it was to a possible meal. Instead, it licked its lips and crouched, weight distributed evenly across its three good paws.
Green eyes tracked brown feathers. The dodo was almost within range. Wait… Wait… Now! The creature leapt from the hedgerow, forepaws, both mangled and not, stretched out in front of it. Unfortunately, a furry leg just HAD to get right in the way of the shot and the creature latched on to it instead. Lataiss
“Agh!” Lataiss cried out and shook her paw to dislodge whatever it was that had jumped out to bite it. It remained stuck on, however, until Bergon leapt over and punted it further up the path with one massive paw.
“Ha, take that! You okay, Lataiss?” Bergon taunted the creature momentarily before craning down his neck to look at Lataiss’ leg.
“I’m fine, Bergon…just surprised is all. That thing wasn’t poisonous, was it?”
Bergon carefully nudged some of Lataiss’ leg fur out of the way to analyze the bite. “Nah, you’ll be fine. The teeth barely even got to your leg, and the marks are more similar to a canine or feline bite than a snake bite, anyhow.”
Meanwhile, the creature was still laying on the path, limp and motionless. The others in the traveling group caught up to it as Bergon and Lataiss lagged a bit behind, and they stopped to study it.
“Hmm… I know what this is called…I’ve got some notes on it…hmm…” Niall studied the tan-furred creature in front of her before removing her journal from where it was tied to her hip. She used an un-occupied wing to push a ravenous Umbreus away from the still creature as she flipped through the book’s heavily inked pages. Bergon spared her the need to do so, however, as he identified the creature the moment he saw it,
“Ooh, a bamboo phytocat! No wonder the bite was feline. Man, this thing must be malnourished; its bamboo is all brown and withered.”
“It was probably after one of the familiars looking for an easy meal, then.” Niall’s estimate prompted both Nyriss and Syllere to gather their companions into their arms with worried exclamations.
“Can I eat this thing or not?” Umbreus commented grumpily from where he was stationed by the edge of the path.
“It might not be dead, though. At least check it beforehand.” Lataiss’ suggestion was soft-spoken but taken; Bergon leaned down and nudged it lightly with his snout. The phytocat flailed at the touch and struggled to get up. “Well, I’m glad we did that. Poor thing doesn’t deserve to be dead as well as malnourished.” Lataiss crouched down and used a paw to push it to its feet. The creature at first resisted the touch but then used it as a springboard to steady itself in the right position.
The phytocat looked from Lataiss to Syllere to Jodi before looking back to Lataiss with a curious expression in its green eyes. Umbreus, disappointed by the lack of an early meal, growled, “Ugh, just let it go. We need to keep moving.”
“Well, okay…go on, little guy.” Lataiss nudged it lightly with a talon before standing up to her full height. The phytocat took a tentative step toward to bushes before deciding against this and pacing over to Lataiss’ left leg. Lataiss stepped forward; the phytocat stepped forward with her.
“Hmm…Lataiss, I think you might have won yourself a new friend.” Syllere reluctantly commented from where she was still stroking Jodi’s feathers. “That’s exactly what Jodi did to me when she wanted to become my familiar.”
“Amber did that too! Emmy didn’t, though.” Nyriss, on the other hand, had simply placed the two dryads on her back and was watching the phytocat from a distance. “What are ya gonna name him?”
“Uh, I think Reed might be pretty fitting.” Beside Lataiss, Reed purred and rubbed against her leg.
Ambush
Accessory Stone
Grants a dragon the ability to strike first when a battle begins. After this attack, they will fall to their normal place in the turn line-up.
500
Required Level: 9
Gettin' real sick of your crap, Pinkerton. I beg you to give me some food items or something! The coin flip actually was a heads, but with both Bergon and Lataiss (members 1 and 2 of my battle team) at the upper level bracket for the Scorched Forest and the other member, Umbreus, leveling up half-way and allowing me to exit to add the bonuses, everyone made it safe and sound (Umbreus had a scare, though, shortly before the level-up; he dropped down to like 10 hp) through the death streak. Whew...
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
Only one out of every eighty three seaside trumpets will be in tune.
82
Hmm...a writing day today, then. I went back and finished the optional rules today (all except for the boon and boss of the Freezing Expanse, which I'm having some troubles with. Suggestions?). Sorry about the lack of a lore post today; I started yet *another* coli challenge today (someone stop me) and I just didn't feel very inspired.
Only one out of every eighty three seaside trumpets will be in tune.
82
Hmm...a writing day today, then. I went back and finished the optional rules today (all except for the boon and boss of the Freezing Expanse, which I'm having some troubles with. Suggestions?). Sorry about the lack of a lore post today; I started yet *another* coli challenge today (someone stop me) and I just didn't feel very inspired.
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
Niall flexed a newly-covered forepaw, testing how her new iron-filigree boots would impede her range of movement. Beside her, Lataiss was walking around in new gauntlets, Reed happily pacing right along beside her, sporting a leather collar from a different booth in the marketplace. Syllere and Nyriss were haggling with another merchant over the price of an expansion scroll for their game of B&B. The day was bright and new, and, for once, there was no rush or hurry to get anywhere; there was just companionship and fun. Greenskeeper Gathering was here.
Umbreus was the only one lacking excitement for the break the group was taking at the onset of the holiday. He was as impatient as ever to continue moving on toward the goal; but being outvoted five to one did a dragon no favors in convincing anyone. So he reluctantly followed along with Bergon, who was browsing the expansive marketplace for anything and everything that might be useful or interesting as well as some gifts for the others.
“Do ya think Lataiss would like this?” Bergon held up a pair of goggles similar to his own, displaying them for Umbreus to see. Umbreus rolled his eyes and turned deliberately toward a different booth, just as he had with every other item Bergon had wanted to get Lataiss. “I’ll take that as another no, then.” Bergon set down the goggles and apologized to the shopkeeper before resuming his perusal of the aisle’s many booths.
The next booth Bergon stopped at contained a variety of colorful scarves. Something about them just felt right; Lataiss just seemed like she would like a scarf. He opened his mouth to ask Umbreus, yet again, if Lataiss really would like one, but was stopped as the grumpy mirror snapped, “Why would she want a SCARF??! She is literally covered in fur!”
“What’s got your tail in a twist? I just want to thank her for helping me is all. I doubt I’ll probably get another opportunity to shop for her with as hard as you’ve been pushing us.”
Umbreus bristled and spread his headfins in what he hoped was a threatening display before growling, “I push you hard because it is my JOB to push you hard. This little ‘break’ is doing nothing but set us behind and cost us valuable money. I will allow it only this once, but I will not tolerate your incessant questions alongside of that. Do I make myself clear?”
Bergon was unamused but gave a small receptive nod. Then he turned back to the scarf stall and continued browsing through the color options. He settled on a pale, ivory colored one that would match Lataiss in a nice way before paying and bidding a kind farewell to the merchant. Umbreus continued to follow him as he left in the direction of their temporary camp, which was one of many set up on the periphery of the marketplace. Lataiss and the other girls were there already and sitting around a newly kindled fire, talking and laughing with one another. It warmed Bergon’s heart to see Lataiss enjoying herself for once.
Niall was the first to notice him, calling out eagerly, “Oi! Ya find anything interesting?”
“I did indeed, Niall!” Bergon said with a chuckle as he joined them by the fire. Umbreus slunk away from as he did so, going over to sulk where he had decided to sleep that night. Bergon ignored this and showed Niall the new boots he had procured for himself before offering her the set of scrolls he had found for her. She grinned and took them, setting them near the rest of her stuff before sitting back down near the fire. For Nyriss and Syllere he had found a set of various wooden dice, which they loved and were surprised to receive. Then he offered Lataiss the scarf he had found, surprised to find himself nervous over what she would think of it. He needn’t have been so, however, as she slipped it over her head eagerly with sparkling eyes the moment he placed it in her claws.
“Thank you so much Bergon! You really didn’t have to!”
“Just consider it a thank-you for saving my life; I owe you big time!”
The fire crackled and the world was still. For a time, it was as though there was no prophecy weighing on the shoulders of Bergon and Lataiss; they were just there and in the flow of time like any other dragon. It was nice to relax, if even for a day, and enjoy what little of a holiday they could.
Dolomite Geode
Minerals & Ores
The crystal formations in this geode sparkle and create a pleasant glow when light shines through them.
Niall flexed a newly-covered forepaw, testing how her new iron-filigree boots would impede her range of movement. Beside her, Lataiss was walking around in new gauntlets, Reed happily pacing right along beside her, sporting a leather collar from a different booth in the marketplace. Syllere and Nyriss were haggling with another merchant over the price of an expansion scroll for their game of B&B. The day was bright and new, and, for once, there was no rush or hurry to get anywhere; there was just companionship and fun. Greenskeeper Gathering was here.
Umbreus was the only one lacking excitement for the break the group was taking at the onset of the holiday. He was as impatient as ever to continue moving on toward the goal; but being outvoted five to one did a dragon no favors in convincing anyone. So he reluctantly followed along with Bergon, who was browsing the expansive marketplace for anything and everything that might be useful or interesting as well as some gifts for the others.
“Do ya think Lataiss would like this?” Bergon held up a pair of goggles similar to his own, displaying them for Umbreus to see. Umbreus rolled his eyes and turned deliberately toward a different booth, just as he had with every other item Bergon had wanted to get Lataiss. “I’ll take that as another no, then.” Bergon set down the goggles and apologized to the shopkeeper before resuming his perusal of the aisle’s many booths.
The next booth Bergon stopped at contained a variety of colorful scarves. Something about them just felt right; Lataiss just seemed like she would like a scarf. He opened his mouth to ask Umbreus, yet again, if Lataiss really would like one, but was stopped as the grumpy mirror snapped, “Why would she want a SCARF??! She is literally covered in fur!”
“What’s got your tail in a twist? I just want to thank her for helping me is all. I doubt I’ll probably get another opportunity to shop for her with as hard as you’ve been pushing us.”
Umbreus bristled and spread his headfins in what he hoped was a threatening display before growling, “I push you hard because it is my JOB to push you hard. This little ‘break’ is doing nothing but set us behind and cost us valuable money. I will allow it only this once, but I will not tolerate your incessant questions alongside of that. Do I make myself clear?”
Bergon was unamused but gave a small receptive nod. Then he turned back to the scarf stall and continued browsing through the color options. He settled on a pale, ivory colored one that would match Lataiss in a nice way before paying and bidding a kind farewell to the merchant. Umbreus continued to follow him as he left in the direction of their temporary camp, which was one of many set up on the periphery of the marketplace. Lataiss and the other girls were there already and sitting around a newly kindled fire, talking and laughing with one another. It warmed Bergon’s heart to see Lataiss enjoying herself for once.
Niall was the first to notice him, calling out eagerly, “Oi! Ya find anything interesting?”
“I did indeed, Niall!” Bergon said with a chuckle as he joined them by the fire. Umbreus slunk away from as he did so, going over to sulk where he had decided to sleep that night. Bergon ignored this and showed Niall the new boots he had procured for himself before offering her the set of scrolls he had found for her. She grinned and took them, setting them near the rest of her stuff before sitting back down near the fire. For Nyriss and Syllere he had found a set of various wooden dice, which they loved and were surprised to receive. Then he offered Lataiss the scarf he had found, surprised to find himself nervous over what she would think of it. He needn’t have been so, however, as she slipped it over her head eagerly with sparkling eyes the moment he placed it in her claws.
“Thank you so much Bergon! You really didn’t have to!”
“Just consider it a thank-you for saving my life; I owe you big time!”
The fire crackled and the world was still. For a time, it was as though there was no prophecy weighing on the shoulders of Bergon and Lataiss; they were just there and in the flow of time like any other dragon. It was nice to relax, if even for a day, and enjoy what little of a holiday they could.
Dolomite Geode
Minerals & Ores
The crystal formations in this geode sparkle and create a pleasant glow when light shines through them.
81
Happy Greenkeeper Gathering everyone!
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
Writing today! I'll go back and fully finish the added rules in a little bit, but I just can't find very much inspiration for lore today. I might have to put this on a little bit of a hiatus until finals week is done, then I can probably post more regularly. I'll still be collecting drops from Pinkerton, I just won't be posting about them until next Saturday, when I'll make a massive lore post to compensate for my lack of activity.
Writing today! I'll go back and fully finish the added rules in a little bit, but I just can't find very much inspiration for lore today. I might have to put this on a little bit of a hiatus until finals week is done, then I can probably post more regularly. I'll still be collecting drops from Pinkerton, I just won't be posting about them until next Saturday, when I'll make a massive lore post to compensate for my lack of activity.
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
[center][b]Breaking News!!![/b][/center]
--------------------
[center][img]https://orig00.deviantart.net/620e/f/2018/149/c/d/theawesomew_by_snivy4evr-dccxbe9.png[/img][/center]
Syllere's art is in! Isn't it gorgeous? A big thanks to @Nerdysnivy for making it for me!
@NovaBorn
NERDY HAS STRUCK AGAIN
Now I will go scream in her ear
Nova, She/Her, Taurus
urgle burgle. Fear the lime green.
Day Thirty-Three: Watched Part One
Bergon’s Diary Journal
Day 307
We took a nice break today to celebrate Greenskeeper Gathering. There was this massive market set up and the whole group got to shop for boots and other necessities. I bought some gifts (Umbreus thought that a frivolous waste of money, but who cares what he thinks, anyway) for everyone excluding Umbreus. I found some wooden dice for Nyriss and Syllere, a set of jungle biology scrolls for Niall, and a scarf for Lataiss. I was nervous to give Lataiss her gift for some reason, though. Why? I’ll have to investigate, I guess.
Day 308
Back on the road again today. Umbreus let us take approximately 0 breaks and even my legs had started to hurt before he FINALLY let us stop and have dinner. He is really starting to tick me off! I can’t believe that I signed on to travel all over the continent with this guy.
Lataiss is talking more and more often now; a good thing, too, I was worried she might never recover from Azorillith’s death. She even smiled at me today. SMILED! I found myself grinning back at her like an idiot. Niall still hasn’t stopped teasing me about it.
Day 309
Lataiss’ legs were hurting today so I let her rest on my back for a bit. Nyriss and Syllere soon wanted on as well. If my legs were sore yesterday, they are infinitely more so today. Three dragons and a boatload of bags really do make one’s joints hurt. It was so worth it, though; Lataiss and I were able to hold a whole conversation about Labyrinth flora! She was barely quiet the whole day. Progress!
Niall told the worst pun in the history of puns around the campfire tonight. I can’t remember what it was exactly, but it was horrible beyond any pun Niall has ever told me. The whole camp loved it, and even Umbreus cracked a little smile. I think we can break down his façade given time.
Note: Bamboo Phytocats really like salty things. Lataiss gave Reed a piece of jerky today and he went crazy. It was too funny, like a little hatchling who has been given way too many sweets.
Day 310
Four bags went missing last night. No one knows who did it, but now we’re out both the medical satchel with its antivenom and one of the map scroll cases we desperately needed. We’ll have to restock at the next trading post, but there’s nothing we can do for now. It made my load lighter by a bit, but that’s no tradeoff for not being able to cure any further cases of poisoning that occur. We crossed into the Shrieking Wilds today, and the extremely thick undergrowth will do us no favors for avoiding venomous creatures. Even Umbreus approved taking tomorrow off to prepare some hides and make thick leather boots for any uncovered extremities.
Day 311
A few more bags went missing this morning. I will have to sleep curled around the remaining ones tonight, lest we lose them. Nyriss and Syllere have also requested that I protect their familiars during the night. I reluctantly agreed. Let’s hope Jodi, Amber, and Emmy are not obnoxious or overly loud snorers. Considering how loud Nyriss snores, I have very low expectations.
We made the leg wraps today, sacrificing travel for safety. For the most part, they are stylish as well as practical; Lataiss’, though, are hilarious looking. With her thick hind leg fur, we couldn’t get the leather to wrap the way we wanted it to. So we made her some little sock-boot things that are horribly proportioned to the rest of her legs. They look so funny and weird; the whole camp had a good laugh despite of it all.
Day 315
Someone is following us. Or something. We aren’t sure. The familiars are on edge; the dryads won’t leave Nyriss’ back and Jodi is constantly huddled between Syllere’s legs. Reed will stop every few steps and growl. Things aren’t right.
Umbreus doesn’t care about it at all. He says it’s normal to feel that way in the jungle. What does he know? This is the first time he’s ever been in a jungle. We keep moving like nothing’s wrong. The Behemoth is now in sight, at least.
I heard some rustling in the bushes around the edge of the camp a few minutes ago. Whatever it is, I don’t feel comfortable sleeping around. Everyone besides Umbreus feels the same way. Nobody is sleeping right now besides the familiars, and I don’t think that is going to change for the rest of the night.
I'm back y'all! Get ready for another multi-part lore post to make up for my absence!
We took a nice break today to celebrate Greenskeeper Gathering. There was this massive market set up and the whole group got to shop for boots and other necessities. I bought some gifts (Umbreus thought that a frivolous waste of money, but who cares what he thinks, anyway) for everyone excluding Umbreus. I found some wooden dice for Nyriss and Syllere, a set of jungle biology scrolls for Niall, and a scarf for Lataiss. I was nervous to give Lataiss her gift for some reason, though. Why? I’ll have to investigate, I guess.
Day 308
Back on the road again today. Umbreus let us take approximately 0 breaks and even my legs had started to hurt before he FINALLY let us stop and have dinner. He is really starting to tick me off! I can’t believe that I signed on to travel all over the continent with this guy.
Lataiss is talking more and more often now; a good thing, too, I was worried she might never recover from Azorillith’s death. She even smiled at me today. SMILED! I found myself grinning back at her like an idiot. Niall still hasn’t stopped teasing me about it.
Day 309
Lataiss’ legs were hurting today so I let her rest on my back for a bit. Nyriss and Syllere soon wanted on as well. If my legs were sore yesterday, they are infinitely more so today. Three dragons and a boatload of bags really do make one’s joints hurt. It was so worth it, though; Lataiss and I were able to hold a whole conversation about Labyrinth flora! She was barely quiet the whole day. Progress!
Niall told the worst pun in the history of puns around the campfire tonight. I can’t remember what it was exactly, but it was horrible beyond any pun Niall has ever told me. The whole camp loved it, and even Umbreus cracked a little smile. I think we can break down his façade given time.
Note: Bamboo Phytocats really like salty things. Lataiss gave Reed a piece of jerky today and he went crazy. It was too funny, like a little hatchling who has been given way too many sweets.
Day 310
Four bags went missing last night. No one knows who did it, but now we’re out both the medical satchel with its antivenom and one of the map scroll cases we desperately needed. We’ll have to restock at the next trading post, but there’s nothing we can do for now. It made my load lighter by a bit, but that’s no tradeoff for not being able to cure any further cases of poisoning that occur. We crossed into the Shrieking Wilds today, and the extremely thick undergrowth will do us no favors for avoiding venomous creatures. Even Umbreus approved taking tomorrow off to prepare some hides and make thick leather boots for any uncovered extremities.
Day 311
A few more bags went missing this morning. I will have to sleep curled around the remaining ones tonight, lest we lose them. Nyriss and Syllere have also requested that I protect their familiars during the night. I reluctantly agreed. Let’s hope Jodi, Amber, and Emmy are not obnoxious or overly loud snorers. Considering how loud Nyriss snores, I have very low expectations.
We made the leg wraps today, sacrificing travel for safety. For the most part, they are stylish as well as practical; Lataiss’, though, are hilarious looking. With her thick hind leg fur, we couldn’t get the leather to wrap the way we wanted it to. So we made her some little sock-boot things that are horribly proportioned to the rest of her legs. They look so funny and weird; the whole camp had a good laugh despite of it all.
Day 315
Someone is following us. Or something. We aren’t sure. The familiars are on edge; the dryads won’t leave Nyriss’ back and Jodi is constantly huddled between Syllere’s legs. Reed will stop every few steps and growl. Things aren’t right.
Umbreus doesn’t care about it at all. He says it’s normal to feel that way in the jungle. What does he know? This is the first time he’s ever been in a jungle. We keep moving like nothing’s wrong. The Behemoth is now in sight, at least.
I heard some rustling in the bushes around the edge of the camp a few minutes ago. Whatever it is, I don’t feel comfortable sleeping around. Everyone besides Umbreus feels the same way. Nobody is sleeping right now besides the familiars, and I don’t think that is going to change for the rest of the night.
I'm back y'all! Get ready for another multi-part lore post to make up for my absence!
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
Green eyes stared from the darkness of the trees, focusing on the pile of blatantly unattended bags near the edge of the clearing. It was a trap; a brutally obvious one, at that. All dragons besides a foolishly distant guard appeared to be asleep, but that was not the case, oh, no it wasn’t. They were waiting patiently for the unseen thief to strike. They wanted to catch him in the act. Too bad that wasn’t going to happen; Aghido, thief above all thieves, wasn’t dumb enough to fall for their childish efforts.
He closed his eyes and focused, gathering mana-infused power to his claws. They glowed faintly red under his gloves, as he saw when he opened his eyes; he ignored this, however, instead channeling the power down to the ground where the bags lay. With his invisible, extended limb he grabbed a large one, hopefully full of high-priced goodies to sell. It hovered up a little as he ever so slyly ‘walked’ it over and into the bushes. The guardian at the other edge of the clearing, who was suddenly awake (Aghido chuckled silently to himself over that stupid, sleepy façade), watched the event with wide eyes and an open mouth.
The guardian stood up, revealing three sleeping familiars and a drowsy tundra. The guardian followed the bag where it had gone in the bushes, small, fluffy companion following groggily behind. Aghido took that time to drag the bag over to his tree and up into the branches as sneakily as ever. He grinned, securing the bag with thick rope before stretching out on a large branch to watch the show of confused dragons chasing a nonexistent enchanted item. As always, it would be fun.
Eyes trained on the oblivious duo, Aghido reclined in the security of the tree branches. Occasionally he would pause and look around, but there was nothing to fear. The idiotic clan, if it was even fit to be called such, below him was only going through mixed stages of confusion and yelling, mostly on the part of the tundra. She was quite the spitfire, it seemed. Aghido definitely didn’t get that impression of her when he followed the group during the day, but it seemed as though looks weren’t everything. Even the most adorable critters could be deadly, after all.
All at once, a façade slipped; Aghido felt a growing unease as the guardian and tundra got farther and farther away from him. Even their distant yelling couldn’t cover a near-hidden range of sound beyond the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of night insects. There was a gentle scraaaape scraaaape that approached; a faint discrepancy in the world that caused Aghido to reevaluate. He looked from the other branches to the camp below him. The guard was still there. The familiars were still asleep. The other dragons were still, graciously, caught up in slumber. Or were they?
There was one he saw: the coiled form of the dark mirror who always walked at the head of the group during the day. There was another one, too: the obnoxious bogsneak with a voice that could carry for miles. She was asleep near the guarding skydancer, who was blatantly facing away from where Aghido lay in the tree. But where was the other mirror? The one with the teal wings and the horrible jokes? The form he though was her proved to be just a bundle of blankets draped on the ground. She was missing; she was coming for him, he just knew it. He had been played at his own game.
His heart began to beat at an uncharacteristically fast pace. Should he fly and get away from the camp with his final stolen bundle? He could likely outpace the group, but physical activity wasn’t his strong suit. He would be caught within a day, especially with a tundra to track him and half a dozen dragons with boatloads more aerial skill than he had. No, that wasn’t smart. Aghido had to be smart if he wanted to get away unharmed. He glanced around again. Nothing to fear yet. Maybe nothing to fear ever. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Scraaaaaaaape. Nope, he had reasons to fear what was coming. That was his reason to be very, very afraid.
The noises were getting closer; the tree wasn’t tall enough to warrant how long the mirror was taking to get to him. She was deliberately playing it out, making him paralyzed with indecision. She could catch him easier that way. Aghido had to stop worrying about it, he just had to do something. He would fly away, no matter the consequences. Water stopped tundras from being able to smell a dragon, right? He could just go find a river (it wouldn’t be too far a flight in a jungle like this) and hide in it until they were off his trail. Yes, he needed to move! He he untied the stolen goods from the branch and retied the bag to his back. He spread his shimmering, rosy wings and crouched down to get the best possible speed boost when he took to the air. His tail swung over the edge of the branch, dangling down into the darkness of the jungle.
He pushed with his hind legs, pearl clutched tightly in his front legs. His wings were spread and primed to catch the air once he could clear the treetop. All of the sudden, he was yanked backwards, tail caught in a firm grip. He crashed back down, smashing into the branch he was on mere moments prior before sliding off the edge of it and down to the leaf-littered ground. The grip on his tail slackened and he was allowed to freefall. He hit the ground headfirst, almost blacking out on impact with the spongy forest floor. He tried to move, failed, and was forced to watch as his tormentor, the teal-winged mirror he just KNEW was after him, glided easily down to the ground with a horrible, self-satisfied smirk on her face. Her next words echoed in his disoriented ears: “Well, well, well, not so sneaky now, huh?” Whatever else she might have said was lost to Aghido as the darkness crowding his vision claimed his mind, taking him away into an unwarranted slumber.
Spotted Seabeak
Seafood
Very few parts of this bright animal are edible raw, but if cooked in a creamy broth its natural toxins can be neutralized.
41
4
New dragon! I got a piece of apparel during the break and he is what resulted. Aghido is going to be an interesting character to write, that's for sure...
As for the coliseum rounds, nothing too special resulted from them. Bergon is level nine now, but I'm not ready for the Scorched Forest with a level one in tow! It will have to wait I guess.
Green eyes stared from the darkness of the trees, focusing on the pile of blatantly unattended bags near the edge of the clearing. It was a trap; a brutally obvious one, at that. All dragons besides a foolishly distant guard appeared to be asleep, but that was not the case, oh, no it wasn’t. They were waiting patiently for the unseen thief to strike. They wanted to catch him in the act. Too bad that wasn’t going to happen; Aghido, thief above all thieves, wasn’t dumb enough to fall for their childish efforts.
He closed his eyes and focused, gathering mana-infused power to his claws. They glowed faintly red under his gloves, as he saw when he opened his eyes; he ignored this, however, instead channeling the power down to the ground where the bags lay. With his invisible, extended limb he grabbed a large one, hopefully full of high-priced goodies to sell. It hovered up a little as he ever so slyly ‘walked’ it over and into the bushes. The guardian at the other edge of the clearing, who was suddenly awake (Aghido chuckled silently to himself over that stupid, sleepy façade), watched the event with wide eyes and an open mouth.
The guardian stood up, revealing three sleeping familiars and a drowsy tundra. The guardian followed the bag where it had gone in the bushes, small, fluffy companion following groggily behind. Aghido took that time to drag the bag over to his tree and up into the branches as sneakily as ever. He grinned, securing the bag with thick rope before stretching out on a large branch to watch the show of confused dragons chasing a nonexistent enchanted item. As always, it would be fun.
Eyes trained on the oblivious duo, Aghido reclined in the security of the tree branches. Occasionally he would pause and look around, but there was nothing to fear. The idiotic clan, if it was even fit to be called such, below him was only going through mixed stages of confusion and yelling, mostly on the part of the tundra. She was quite the spitfire, it seemed. Aghido definitely didn’t get that impression of her when he followed the group during the day, but it seemed as though looks weren’t everything. Even the most adorable critters could be deadly, after all.
All at once, a façade slipped; Aghido felt a growing unease as the guardian and tundra got farther and farther away from him. Even their distant yelling couldn’t cover a near-hidden range of sound beyond the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of night insects. There was a gentle scraaaape scraaaape that approached; a faint discrepancy in the world that caused Aghido to reevaluate. He looked from the other branches to the camp below him. The guard was still there. The familiars were still asleep. The other dragons were still, graciously, caught up in slumber. Or were they?
There was one he saw: the coiled form of the dark mirror who always walked at the head of the group during the day. There was another one, too: the obnoxious bogsneak with a voice that could carry for miles. She was asleep near the guarding skydancer, who was blatantly facing away from where Aghido lay in the tree. But where was the other mirror? The one with the teal wings and the horrible jokes? The form he though was her proved to be just a bundle of blankets draped on the ground. She was missing; she was coming for him, he just knew it. He had been played at his own game.
His heart began to beat at an uncharacteristically fast pace. Should he fly and get away from the camp with his final stolen bundle? He could likely outpace the group, but physical activity wasn’t his strong suit. He would be caught within a day, especially with a tundra to track him and half a dozen dragons with boatloads more aerial skill than he had. No, that wasn’t smart. Aghido had to be smart if he wanted to get away unharmed. He glanced around again. Nothing to fear yet. Maybe nothing to fear ever. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Scraaaaaaaape. Nope, he had reasons to fear what was coming. That was his reason to be very, very afraid.
The noises were getting closer; the tree wasn’t tall enough to warrant how long the mirror was taking to get to him. She was deliberately playing it out, making him paralyzed with indecision. She could catch him easier that way. Aghido had to stop worrying about it, he just had to do something. He would fly away, no matter the consequences. Water stopped tundras from being able to smell a dragon, right? He could just go find a river (it wouldn’t be too far a flight in a jungle like this) and hide in it until they were off his trail. Yes, he needed to move! He he untied the stolen goods from the branch and retied the bag to his back. He spread his shimmering, rosy wings and crouched down to get the best possible speed boost when he took to the air. His tail swung over the edge of the branch, dangling down into the darkness of the jungle.
He pushed with his hind legs, pearl clutched tightly in his front legs. His wings were spread and primed to catch the air once he could clear the treetop. All of the sudden, he was yanked backwards, tail caught in a firm grip. He crashed back down, smashing into the branch he was on mere moments prior before sliding off the edge of it and down to the leaf-littered ground. The grip on his tail slackened and he was allowed to freefall. He hit the ground headfirst, almost blacking out on impact with the spongy forest floor. He tried to move, failed, and was forced to watch as his tormentor, the teal-winged mirror he just KNEW was after him, glided easily down to the ground with a horrible, self-satisfied smirk on her face. Her next words echoed in his disoriented ears: “Well, well, well, not so sneaky now, huh?” Whatever else she might have said was lost to Aghido as the darkness crowding his vision claimed his mind, taking him away into an unwarranted slumber.
Spotted Seabeak
Seafood
Very few parts of this bright animal are edible raw, but if cooked in a creamy broth its natural toxins can be neutralized.
41
4
New dragon! I got a piece of apparel during the break and he is what resulted. Aghido is going to be an interesting character to write, that's for sure...
As for the coliseum rounds, nothing too special resulted from them. Bergon is level nine now, but I'm not ready for the Scorched Forest with a level one in tow! It will have to wait I guess.
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
[center][b]Day Thirty-Five: Goal In Sight[/b][/center]
--------------
[u]Bergon[/u]
Bergon let out, for what seemed like the millionth time that day, a sigh. The red pearlcatcher the group apprehended the night before had resumed his silent tantrum from where he was strapped to Bergon’s back, tail slapping at Bergon’s tender wing membranes and forcing wince after wince out of the impromptu prisoner carrier. The only dragon who noticed was Lataiss, who gave an apologetic smile each time the thief resumed his tirade. The others, save for Niall, were oblivious to his pain and clustered in a small group near Umbreus, talking quietly amongst themselves as they walked ever closer to their goal: The Behemoth. Bergon couldn’t wait to be there; Umbreus had told the group they could leave the prisoner somewhere else once they arrived. Bergon didn’t quite know what they would do with him, but anything that removed the thrashing, irritable dragon from Bergon’s presence was good enough.
“Stop! We rest here for the night.” Umbreus’ call startled Bergon out of his reverie, and he almost knocked over Lataiss, who had stopped moving the moment she heard.
“It’s not even getting dark yet, Umbreus, what gives?” Niall responded loudly, shrugging off the bags she had been carrying for Bergon that day nonetheless.
Umbreus stalked closer to Niall, raising his wings in a display of dominance that was hilariously lost on the much larger Niall. Once he realized that wasn’t going to work, he begrudgingly answered her, “The Behemoth is less than a day’s journey away. It would do us good to construct a more permanent camp where we can plan in safety. Also, we are running out of proper supplies, both food and otherwise. We need to restock.”
That answer satisfied the whole group, who set about what had become routine at this point: making camp. Bergon happily untied the thieving pearlcatcher from his back and lashed him up again to a massive tree before unclipping every last bag and bundle from his overloaded sides. Syllere and Nyriss helped him move them to a more secure area, a shallow hollow in the ground that had been uncovered by the perimeter-clearing Niall. The camp was ready in less than a half-hour, fire blazing in the center as a final marker to its completion. The group allowed themselves a small break to clear their individual sleeping spaces before they gathered around the fire to organize the hunting schedule.
“Syllere, Nyriss, you two are on insect catching duty. Gather a little more than usual to accommodate our ‘guest’.” Umbreus, as always, commanded them first. He had taken an obscure form of liking to the two, probably because they were never as defiant of his wishes as Niall, Bergon, and Lataiss were.
“Lataiss and Niall, you are on foraging duty. Bring back both edible and medicinal plants as you can find them.” Lataiss seemed happy to be paired with Niall for that mission; usually, she was stuck with Umbreus, who was constantly breathing down her neck over the plants she wanted to bring back. The two followed Nyriss and Syllere out of the camp, talking in quiet voices.
“And that leaves you and I on hunting duty, Bergon.” Umbreus’ voice was calm yet venomous; he still hadn’t forgiven Bergon for the whole ‘Missing Piece Debacle’, as it had been labeled by the non-Umbreus members of the group. Umbreus just called it the ‘Insubordination Ordeal’.
“Fine by me, Mr. Doom and Gloom. Are we hunting separately?” Bergon could barely conceal his smile as he watched Umbreus’ face contort into a scowl.
“I’ve changed my mind; I will stay here and guard the prisoner. YOU will bring back just as much meat as we would have found together, and you will be back before sunset or there will be consequences. Understand?”
“Absolutely! I’ll see ya in a bit, grumpy!” Bergon left with a self-satisfied smirk on his face; he loved tormenting Umbreus with bad nicknames. It didn’t matter that they usually got him into trouble. He could deal with pretty much anything the self-proclaimed leader threw his way without too much of an issue. Even the extra hunting would come to him easily; it was surprising how easy it was for Bergon to blend in to the shadows of the jungle’s massive flora. He dropped into a crouch as soon as the light from the fire was no longer in view, prepared to pounce on any sort of large game that appeared.
As he went, he left scratches on every second tree that he passed. He made a few kills along the way; mostly mid-sized birds that could make an decent meal for the two other meat eaters in the camp. He also managed to strike down two jaguars, which would be a more suitable meal for a dragon his size. His hunt led him down to a river, where he took a break to evaluate the amount of meat he had found that far; the cluster of food animals tied to his back could easily compose a typical Umbreus hunting session. Now all that was left was finding a few larger animals to drag back with him. There was more than enough time left in the day for that; Umbreus’ challenge would be no problem to complete.
Bergon bent down to take a drink from the trickling stream below him but stopped with his head a few inches from the water. A large seal lay on the riverbed, staring up at him with shimmering brown eyes. [i] ‘Why is there a seal in a freshwater river? I’m pretty sure most seals live in oceans, not streams…’[/i] Bergon thought as he looked down at the seal with puzzled eyes. Bergon considered the creature for another moment before shrugging. The seal may be out of place, but it was still more than large enough to be considered dinner. Bergon couldn’t believe his luck; he wouldn’t have to hunt as long as he thought!
Bergon slowly opened his mouth, careful not to spook his prey. The seal just sat there nonchalantly, not moving a single inch or displaying any signs of fear. Bergon hesitated for a moment, looking into the seal’s eyes before lunging down at it. Suddenly, a massive gust of air knocked into Bergon’s head, unbalancing him and sending him into the water with a splash. He sputtered and wriggled out of the river’s slimy mud, only to be hit by another blast. He flailed, accidentally inhaling a mouth full of now-muddy water. Choking and coughing, he once more attempted to leave the river, only to be blown off course yet again.
“I suggest you stay still, or I’ll just keep hitting you, ya jerk.” A flat voice issued out from somewhere in the canopy; Bergon barely heard it through his waterlogged ears. He immediately stopped moving once the words registered in his mind, each appendage frozen in whatever position it had been in when he heard.
“Well, at least you listen well.” The voice once again addressed Bergon, its speaker still unseen. “Now, can you tell me why, exactly, you decided to attack my familiar? You seem to have more than enough food on your back; why did you need her?”
Bergon swallowed nervously. He hadn’t even thought about how the seal could be a dragon’s familiar. “I was tasked with catching twice the usual amount of food by my, er, clan leader.”
There was a pause following Bergon’s response. “That’s a horrible excuse; how about you tell me the truth?”
“That is the truth! I’ll take you back to camp and literally have Umbreus TELL you how much he wanted me to hunt if that’s what it’ll take to convince you! Sheesh, I have no reason to lie to a dragon who, so obviously, has got me trapped. I just want to leave you and your familiar alone now that I know!” Bergon retorted, a grimace painting his face.
Instead of a pause following Bergon’s response, a fae dragon swooped down, alighting on the ground right next to Bergon. She glared at him with pale green eyes, seemingly staring into his soul, before addressing him once more in a monotone, “I see…well, if you are willing to do this, I am sure you are sincere in your reasons. You may go, but, please, avoid hunting in this area again while I am here. I have studies to finish on the jungle's fauna, you know. Now, shoo!”
Bergon followed her instructions, dragging himself out of the river and slinking off into the brush, only to be stopped by a reevaluating “Wait!” from the fae behind him.
He turned around to face her, almost growling, “What now?”
“It just occurred to me that you might be in possession of some familiars I have yet to study on my travels, or your leader might, anyway. I feel as though I am due some compensation for your attack on hapless Coco, so, would you be opposed to leading me to your camp to study whatever familiars you possess?” she asked him boldly, the seal, ‘Coco’ hopping to out of the river to follow her.
“Uhh…can I trust you? All you’ve done for me thus far is almost drown me. How long will you need to stay?”
“Just long enough to get some measurements from your familiars; I’m conducting a survey on average familiar size for the Arcane Bureau of Sornieth Knowledge in addition to monitoring the endangered species around here. I’ll be out of your spines before the sun sets.”
“Fine. This way, then.” Bergon flicked his tail, and she gave an appreciative nod before…hopping onto the back of Coco? Indeed, once on her familiar, the dappled seal rose to the air on a buffet of wind magic, cloud mane and near-feathery fins assisting its flight. Bergon stared, while the fae simply said,
“Lead the way, guardian.”
Bergon shook his head as if to clear it before heading off into the jungle, following the markings he left to lead him back to the camp.
-----------------
[Item=Moonbeam Crayfish]
Whoo, another new dragon! Meet Kiril:
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/420666/42066512_350.png[/img]
I was just dying to get a zoologist in this story, and now I have one!
Bergon let out, for what seemed like the millionth time that day, a sigh. The red pearlcatcher the group apprehended the night before had resumed his silent tantrum from where he was strapped to Bergon’s back, tail slapping at Bergon’s tender wing membranes and forcing wince after wince out of the impromptu prisoner carrier. The only dragon who noticed was Lataiss, who gave an apologetic smile each time the thief resumed his tirade. The others, save for Niall, were oblivious to his pain and clustered in a small group near Umbreus, talking quietly amongst themselves as they walked ever closer to their goal: The Behemoth. Bergon couldn’t wait to be there; Umbreus had told the group they could leave the prisoner somewhere else once they arrived. Bergon didn’t quite know what they would do with him, but anything that removed the thrashing, irritable dragon from Bergon’s presence was good enough.
“Stop! We rest here for the night.” Umbreus’ call startled Bergon out of his reverie, and he almost knocked over Lataiss, who had stopped moving the moment she heard.
“It’s not even getting dark yet, Umbreus, what gives?” Niall responded loudly, shrugging off the bags she had been carrying for Bergon that day nonetheless.
Umbreus stalked closer to Niall, raising his wings in a display of dominance that was hilariously lost on the much larger Niall. Once he realized that wasn’t going to work, he begrudgingly answered her, “The Behemoth is less than a day’s journey away. It would do us good to construct a more permanent camp where we can plan in safety. Also, we are running out of proper supplies, both food and otherwise. We need to restock.”
That answer satisfied the whole group, who set about what had become routine at this point: making camp. Bergon happily untied the thieving pearlcatcher from his back and lashed him up again to a massive tree before unclipping every last bag and bundle from his overloaded sides. Syllere and Nyriss helped him move them to a more secure area, a shallow hollow in the ground that had been uncovered by the perimeter-clearing Niall. The camp was ready in less than a half-hour, fire blazing in the center as a final marker to its completion. The group allowed themselves a small break to clear their individual sleeping spaces before they gathered around the fire to organize the hunting schedule.
“Syllere, Nyriss, you two are on insect catching duty. Gather a little more than usual to accommodate our ‘guest’.” Umbreus, as always, commanded them first. He had taken an obscure form of liking to the two, probably because they were never as defiant of his wishes as Niall, Bergon, and Lataiss were.
“Lataiss and Niall, you are on foraging duty. Bring back both edible and medicinal plants as you can find them.” Lataiss seemed happy to be paired with Niall for that mission; usually, she was stuck with Umbreus, who was constantly breathing down her neck over the plants she wanted to bring back. The two followed Nyriss and Syllere out of the camp, talking in quiet voices.
“And that leaves you and I on hunting duty, Bergon.” Umbreus’ voice was calm yet venomous; he still hadn’t forgiven Bergon for the whole ‘Missing Piece Debacle’, as it had been labeled by the non-Umbreus members of the group. Umbreus just called it the ‘Insubordination Ordeal’.
“Fine by me, Mr. Doom and Gloom. Are we hunting separately?” Bergon could barely conceal his smile as he watched Umbreus’ face contort into a scowl.
“I’ve changed my mind; I will stay here and guard the prisoner. YOU will bring back just as much meat as we would have found together, and you will be back before sunset or there will be consequences. Understand?”
“Absolutely! I’ll see ya in a bit, grumpy!” Bergon left with a self-satisfied smirk on his face; he loved tormenting Umbreus with bad nicknames. It didn’t matter that they usually got him into trouble. He could deal with pretty much anything the self-proclaimed leader threw his way without too much of an issue. Even the extra hunting would come to him easily; it was surprising how easy it was for Bergon to blend in to the shadows of the jungle’s massive flora. He dropped into a crouch as soon as the light from the fire was no longer in view, prepared to pounce on any sort of large game that appeared.
As he went, he left scratches on every second tree that he passed. He made a few kills along the way; mostly mid-sized birds that could make an decent meal for the two other meat eaters in the camp. He also managed to strike down two jaguars, which would be a more suitable meal for a dragon his size. His hunt led him down to a river, where he took a break to evaluate the amount of meat he had found that far; the cluster of food animals tied to his back could easily compose a typical Umbreus hunting session. Now all that was left was finding a few larger animals to drag back with him. There was more than enough time left in the day for that; Umbreus’ challenge would be no problem to complete.
Bergon bent down to take a drink from the trickling stream below him but stopped with his head a few inches from the water. A large seal lay on the riverbed, staring up at him with shimmering brown eyes. ‘Why is there a seal in a freshwater river? I’m pretty sure most seals live in oceans, not streams…’ Bergon thought as he looked down at the seal with puzzled eyes. Bergon considered the creature for another moment before shrugging. The seal may be out of place, but it was still more than large enough to be considered dinner. Bergon couldn’t believe his luck; he wouldn’t have to hunt as long as he thought!
Bergon slowly opened his mouth, careful not to spook his prey. The seal just sat there nonchalantly, not moving a single inch or displaying any signs of fear. Bergon hesitated for a moment, looking into the seal’s eyes before lunging down at it. Suddenly, a massive gust of air knocked into Bergon’s head, unbalancing him and sending him into the water with a splash. He sputtered and wriggled out of the river’s slimy mud, only to be hit by another blast. He flailed, accidentally inhaling a mouth full of now-muddy water. Choking and coughing, he once more attempted to leave the river, only to be blown off course yet again.
“I suggest you stay still, or I’ll just keep hitting you, ya jerk.” A flat voice issued out from somewhere in the canopy; Bergon barely heard it through his waterlogged ears. He immediately stopped moving once the words registered in his mind, each appendage frozen in whatever position it had been in when he heard.
“Well, at least you listen well.” The voice once again addressed Bergon, its speaker still unseen. “Now, can you tell me why, exactly, you decided to attack my familiar? You seem to have more than enough food on your back; why did you need her?”
Bergon swallowed nervously. He hadn’t even thought about how the seal could be a dragon’s familiar. “I was tasked with catching twice the usual amount of food by my, er, clan leader.”
There was a pause following Bergon’s response. “That’s a horrible excuse; how about you tell me the truth?”
“That is the truth! I’ll take you back to camp and literally have Umbreus TELL you how much he wanted me to hunt if that’s what it’ll take to convince you! Sheesh, I have no reason to lie to a dragon who, so obviously, has got me trapped. I just want to leave you and your familiar alone now that I know!” Bergon retorted, a grimace painting his face.
Instead of a pause following Bergon’s response, a fae dragon swooped down, alighting on the ground right next to Bergon. She glared at him with pale green eyes, seemingly staring into his soul, before addressing him once more in a monotone, “I see…well, if you are willing to do this, I am sure you are sincere in your reasons. You may go, but, please, avoid hunting in this area again while I am here. I have studies to finish on the jungle's fauna, you know. Now, shoo!”
Bergon followed her instructions, dragging himself out of the river and slinking off into the brush, only to be stopped by a reevaluating “Wait!” from the fae behind him.
He turned around to face her, almost growling, “What now?”
“It just occurred to me that you might be in possession of some familiars I have yet to study on my travels, or your leader might, anyway. I feel as though I am due some compensation for your attack on hapless Coco, so, would you be opposed to leading me to your camp to study whatever familiars you possess?” she asked him boldly, the seal, ‘Coco’ hopping to out of the river to follow her.
“Uhh…can I trust you? All you’ve done for me thus far is almost drown me. How long will you need to stay?”
“Just long enough to get some measurements from your familiars; I’m conducting a survey on average familiar size for the Arcane Bureau of Sornieth Knowledge in addition to monitoring the endangered species around here. I’ll be out of your spines before the sun sets.”
“Fine. This way, then.” Bergon flicked his tail, and she gave an appreciative nod before…hopping onto the back of Coco? Indeed, once on her familiar, the dappled seal rose to the air on a buffet of wind magic, cloud mane and near-feathery fins assisting its flight. Bergon stared, while the fae simply said,
“Lead the way, guardian.”
Bergon shook his head as if to clear it before heading off into the jungle, following the markings he left to lead him back to the camp.
Moonbeam Crayfish
Familiar
Have you ever danced with a crayfish in the moonlight? If not, opportunity is knocking.
2650
Whoo, another new dragon! Meet Kiril:
I was just dying to get a zoologist in this story, and now I have one!
..
« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
||
