Quests & Challenges

[size=4][b]Day Five[/b][/size] That night and the next day were harsh on Treasure. His training was rough, having no prior experience besides a couple tussles with local Dryads a day prior which was mostly won through intimidation. Now, as Margaret actively searched for foes to irritate into fighting him, he was learning, but not without receiving multiple injuries. While Margaret was initially taken aback by the lack of blood in the Skydancer’s body, which had quickly been revealed when he finally started fighting, she dismissed it as just another part of her new ally being a construct of some kind. Regardless on if he bled or not though, Treasure could still feel pain, and even though the longneck’s healing eased the pain of his more serious wounds, it wasn’t long until he was thrown back into the fray. While it admittedly became easier as he grew more experienced, it never fully eased up as he continued to fight alone. This was also something Margaret warned him about, as especially when fighting multiple opponents. At least the hatchlings seemed to enjoy his stories, as well as the small trinkets that he had brought back with him. Margaret also had him dig up a spot, uncovering a small rusted chest full of gold coins. This chest, as well as many of the trinkets, now sat next to where he slept, and Spore and the others would take and return them as they pleased. While no one had any real favorites of the trinkets, Onyx was taking a liking to the antlers Treasure had brought back, mimicking the animals they had come from based off what the Skydancer had told him. Despite how much Treasure enjoyed the three of them being together and having fun though, he knew there was a big day ahead of them tomorrow. Margaret wanted to move slightly into the woods and out of plain sight, but to do so, the group would have to drive the Dryads away from their home. While the golden dragon could accomplish this on his own, it would only be temporary unless the other three could hold them back as well. At least, until the Dryads would give up on returning to that area. So, Treasure was put in charge of training them for when they eventually decided to move. It took a little convincing out of Onyx, whose lack of confidence in his skills made him uneasy, but Spore and Melancholy were all up for it. That night, while eating their evening meal, the group went through what was planned for the following day. “I expect all of ya to be up early tomorrow,” Margaret spoke first, waving her staff in front of the whole group, stopping at Treasure, “Includin you. You’re the one who inspires these kids, and I don’t want you encouragin bad habits.” “Of course Margaret,” Treasure acknowledged. He then turned his head to face the trio, “I’m not too worried about you two,” he gestured at Spore and Onyx, before focusing his attention on Melancholy, “However, I expect you to stay by my side. This is not one of the times you can just go running off to explore. The forest is dangerous, and I’m not joking when I say that you could wind up dead if you don’t be careful.” The Tundra’s face was full of disappointment as the Skydancer said this, but acknowledged his words, “Alright Treasure. I promise I won’t go running off.” “Thank you,” the golden dragon sighed, “I apologize in advance if I don’t quite know how to help you guys with your training. I have very little magic of my own, so I’m hoping that if you focus on using magic, you’re able to naturally get used to how it works.” Spore spoke up suddenly, fins half-raised, “You will protect us if we get hurt, right?” “I’ll intervene to protect you, but Margaret will be healing any wounds you receive. I’ll do my best to make sure none of you get too severely injured.” Right before Treasure was going to finish the conversation of what was to happen tomorrow, Onyx mumbled something. While the Skydancer didn’t pick up on what was said, he didn’t ignore it, shifting his gaze to the Nocturne. He did his best to keep a pleasing tone as he spoke, “Is there something bothering you?” Onyx nodded, mouthing a little before mumbling again. When he noticed the Skydancer still couldn’t hear him, he spoke a little louder, the words being audible this time, “Can I watch you fight?” Treasure was taken aback by the question, but was quick to answer, “Of course! If it helps you build confidence in yourself, I can show you a little fighting in the morning before we work on training you with the others!” Margaret’s sigh that followed the Skydancer’s response told him she wasn’t happy with his response, but he ignored it. Tomorrow was already going to be tough enough, and he didn’t want Onyx freezing up on him all because he didn’t feel confident in himself. It may add onto just how much was going to be done and how long they were going to be in the woods for, but Treasure wanted to be prepared. “Alright, now get to bed.” Margaret commanded to the group of dragons in front of her, “It’s getting late and I don’t want any of ya to be cranky in the morning because ya didn’t get enough sleep.” “Of course,” Treasure responded, pacing over to where he slept, “After all, we’ve got a long day ahead of us, right?” -------------- @kittychat47 [item=Discipline] Flipped another tails. That's what Pink gets for thinking he can pull a fast one on me by giving me two Battle Stones in a row. Spore has grown up, but if I learned anything yesterday, it's that you never take a single dragon into the Coliseum, even if it's just he Training Fields. I used so many potions and had to reset the Coli an insane amount of times before Treasure wasn't struggling to kill foes. As such, expect the rest of the dragons to go into battle tomorrow if they grow up as I will finally have a group of three. There are 50 battles they need to get through as well, so hopefully this isn't too tough on them.

@Insectoid
No need to delete your post! I'm glad you are enjoying this, and I'll add you to the pinglist now!

[center][size=4][b]Day Six[/b][/size][/center] “I’m telling you, Onyx is in no condition to fight!” A heated argument between Treasure and Margaret quickly started up that morning. While the Nocturne had proved more than capable at learning combat after his practice with the Skydancer was a shining success, when it came to actual combat, he had froze almost immediately. Spore and Melancholy had caught onto the basics fairly quickly, and were able to distract the foes with Margaret’s support, but the golden dragon had to step in and protect the youngest of the trio multiple times as he struggled to motivate himself to enter combat. After the first bout of foes had finally been killed, Margaret had scolded Onyx, terrorizing him further as she warned him that his lack of action would have gotten him killed if it weren’t for the others. One thing lead to another, and Treasure now stood between the two, wings spread wide and glittering in the sunlight. “And just how do ya expect him to learn, huh?” Margaret retorted, “The other two did just fine.” “He doesn’t fight like the other two Margaret,” Treasure glared the Longneck down, but it did little to convince her. “Well, Spore doesn’t fight like any of us, using magic to harm, and I don’t see you complainin.” “You know I don’t mean like that!” Treasure spat, digging his talons into the ground, “You told me Nocturnes mimic those around them. He’s simply too confused at who to mimic that he ends up scared and unable to fight.” “And what makes ya so sure about that?” “He did perfectly fine when it was just me and him. You saw it yourself,” he bared his teeth, practically growling, “I’ll personally train him myself if I have to.” There was doubt in the Longneck’s reply, “And what do you aim to accomplish by doin so?” “If he picks up and memorizes how I fight, he’ll be more likely to mimic that than his allies and enemies because he’s been around me more.” The Longneck’s expression remained unchanged, “And how do ya aim to do that when you can’t even keep track of him?” The Skydancer’s expression shifted to one of shock as he fruitlessly searched the area for the now missing Nocturne. If there was one thing that the group had picked up on about Onyx from being around him, it was that the bat-like dragon was good at sneaking off and hiding in all manners of locations. These were usually carefully chosen by the black dragon to make it hard for him to be found, and often times the group would give up searching for him and simply wait for his return. This time though, he had fled off into the unknown forest with dangerous creatures lurking around every tree and in every bush. Treasure immediately called Spore and Melancholy to his side, and soon all of them were calling out for the mimic, albeit with no tangible results. However, while they were unable to find the black dragon, something else apparently had, as it wasn’t long until the group heard a panic cry coming from a nearby tree. Treasure sprinted onto the scene, where the Nocturne was being assaulted by a swarm of angry Bumbles, the large bees aggressively attacking the young dragon as they defended their hive above. A large portion of the nest lay on the ground, and guessing by the honey covering Onyx’s body, he had attempted to use it as a perch of some kind, not catching his mistake until it was too late. The group quickly took to holding off the swarm, Spore and Melancholy taking down a large portion of them as Treasure attempted to rescue the distressed dragon. Much to the Skydancer’s surprise though, a Ragepuff quickly joined the fray, angrily flapping and pecking at the golden dragon in an attempt to protect Onyx. This wasn’t the end of the mayhem though, as Onyx quickly mimicked a chirp, causing the blue bird to stop attacking. Treasure, not wanting to ask questions at the current moment, proceeded to grab the Nocturne before calling back to the others and fleeing back to camp. Once Margaret had tended to everyone’s wounds, including some of her own, she angrily pointed her staff towards them all, especially Onyx, “Today was a terrible experience from all of ya!” Her staff stopped at each of them as she spoke, “Spore and Melancholy, your observation skills are sub-par at best. Ya were focused on the battle, but ya did little to aid your teammates, and nearly got one killed! Treasure, I expected more out of you in guidin them! And don’t get me started on losin Onyx. If it happens again, I won’t be helpin! And you!” As the Longneck’s staff fell on the Nocturne, the black dragon began to cower behind the Ragepuff from earlier, terror in his eyes. Margaret sighed heavily, “I don’t blame ya for bein scared, but ya have to learn eventually. I don’t even care if ya found a protector in that bird. You’re goin to have to defend yourself eventually.” Her attention moved back to Treasure, “I expect ya to train him tomorrow. If you’re goin to be brave enough to say it, I expect ya to be brave enough to actually do it.” She paused momentarily before looking at the whole group again, “Now, all of you get to bed. There will be more training tomorrow.” As Treasure grumpily went to lie down for the night, he was greeted by Onyx and his Ragepuff, the two taking their usual spots momentarily before approaching the Skydancer. There was something grasped in the Nocturne’s claws, which he anxiously handed over to his idol, “I’m sorry for running off earlier,” he mumbled, “Burr found this earlier. I know it’s not anything special, but I hope it makes you happy.” The Nocturne had handed the gold dragon a small pin the shape of some sort of bird, adorned with small rubies. It was encrusted with dirt and somewhat rusted, but in otherwise good condition. After a quick rub with some of the fabric used for the bedding to remove some of the dirt, the Skydancer pinned it to the black banner draped on his shoulder. He gave Onyx a cheerful smile, “I think it suits me well! Thanks!” While he didn’t smile back, there was a much-needed joy in the black dragon’s eyes, “Glad you like it,” he said quietly, some confidence returning to his voice. “Now get some sleep. I have to train you tomorrow, and I expect great things.” ------------- @Kittychat47 @Insectoid [item=White Lipped Snail] Oh boy, more battles and Onyx refused to grow up today. Did the battles for today's pull after the ones I had to do for the gull. Spore and Melancholy are level 4, almost level 5, and I'll start training Onyx tomorrow so that he won't continue to be behind in levels. I got a Ragepuff to drop though, and I gave it to Onyx because it fit best with what I had planned to happen today. Onyx has named him Burr because the bird really likes sticking to him like one. The group has assumed that wherever the Nocturne went off into hiding, it was likely near this guy. And it also appears that Treasure has received his first notable gift! This is the first of many gifts, and trust me, I expect there to be a LOT in the future. The significance doesn't play a part in the rules, but it does play a part in the plot, hence why I call it a 'notable' gift. It's still going to be a while before I change/add rules though, as I have to advance my plot idea some before I can do so. Expect things to start getting interesting when I do though!

[center][size=4][b]Day Seven[/b][/size][/center] Onyx was fully motivated the next morning, and after his training session with Treasure, he also had the confidence that he could finally fight with the others. The Skydancer was pleased by the Nocturne’s shift in attitude, and his willingness to train. The Ragepuff still would attempt to interfere from time to time, but quickly caught on that it didn’t need to when the black dragon would send angry-sounding chirps back at it. After the initial training session, the trio once again set out into the forest to train with one another. At this point, the sun had been covered by clouds that threatened to fill the area with rain, but no one seemed to be worried too much. Even Margaret, with everyone knowing how she had been separated from her tribe in the first place, didn’t seem troubled, merely grumbling about her getting wet. Soon, the ground was wet from the drizzling rain from above, and most of them had their attention towards their golden idol. Apparently the Skydancer, while having at least heard of rain, had never actually been out in any, and his initial reactions towards it all gave everyone a decent chuckle. As the first drops hit him, he would whip around searching for the source, only to remember the clouds above him. He kept his wings awkwardly half-spread as it began to pour down more heavily, both curious and alert at the sudden phenomenon. This lead to another odd discovery about the strange dragon, as while he had patterns of fur and feathers like the breed he appeared as, he didn’t appear to soak in water like the others. This was especially apparent when he stood alongside Melancholy, the Tundra struggling along after his fur got absorbed the falling water. Instead, Treasure’s body dripped with water constantly, and the raindrops themselves splattered off of his body when they struck it. This caused his body to have a strange sheen that seemed almost unreal to those around him, the rest constantly doing double takes at him. This strange form of admiration didn’t last long though, as Margaret began to find things for all of them to fight. She simply stated the rain would add difficulty to what they fought as they would have to deal with a slick and wet environment, but it would be a good experience nonetheless. Before long, the four were in the middle of fighting strange bird-like creatures with too many eyes and wings that were similar to Treasure’s with their mix of feathers and leathery webbing. This sort of fighting went on for what felt like hours, the group covered by blood, both their own and their enemies, and drying mud as the rain eventually stopped. They looked around the battlefield, and after a quick break, grabbed a few of the bodies for food. Onyx joyfully scavenged some feathers from the carcasses, joyfully saying that he thought if he got enough, it would make wonderful bedding for him. He got strange looks from everyone except Treasure, who gave him a pleasant smile. Once back at their makeshift camp, Margaret explained to the group that what they had fought were Webwings. “They were once regular birds,” Margaret started, “but time exposed to magical energy have mutated them into the beasts you fought.” She went on to explain the differences between the major types, but only Treasure payed attention to the details. Apparently, the pin Onyx had given him was in the image of the ruby variety, a species whose size determined its age. According to Margaret, they didn’t fight too many older ones during their training today. Meanwhile, the others began to do their own things now that they had time to catch a break. Melancholy was busy attempting to dry himself off, doing so by grooming himself while also laying in various positions in the sun’s rays. Spore took this time to practice building his future nest by using his magic on tree sap. Onyx began to take the feathers and wrap it in the fabric he normally lay on, feeling it afterwards. He seemed overjoyed at the results, gleefully showing the others. After Margaret finished sharing information with Treasure, she reminded him of what training the others had been for. She cleared her throat before speaking this time, “Tomorrow, ya know what must be done. I’m not sure if ya noticed yet, but I’ve been takin the four of ya to the same area every day.” “I thought a few things looked familiar,” Treasure acknowledged, “I take it that’s where you’d like us to start a more permanent residence?” “Of course,” Margaret nodded, “We’ve drove off the Dryads, and what few swarms and flocks of beasts were around, so all that’s really left is to clear the foliage around the area.” “And then what? It doesn’t sound much different than here, just in a wooded area.” “Well, I’m hopin that the four of ya will be able to build a more permanent residence,” she looked towards the forest, gesturing at the trees, “I’d need many of my kind to build a proper home, but your kind can build these things much quicker.” Treasure was in disbelief, “Do you really think we can build something complex like that?” “Don’t worry. Like everything else, I’ll teach ya.” -------- @Kittychat47 @Insectoid [item=Earwig] I apologize for no entry yesterday. I had it half-written, but I wasn't feeling the best for most of the day and it distracted me from finishing this. I'll post Day Eight later today. It'll still be a couple days before any major rule changes appear, but they're coming!

[center][size=4][b]Day Eight[/b][/size][/center] “Ya know, you’re a bit better than I thought ya be at that.” Margaret watched with a rare look of shock on her face as Treasure felled another tree by slamming into it. As expected, as it fell, creatures of all kinds sprung forth from the area around it, and any that grew aggressive were quickly felled by the others. The group had returned to the battleground early that morning, moving any remaining carcasses away from where they planned to set up their new camp. Before long, Melancholy had dug up (and eaten) many of the plants in the area, discarding them off to the side before aiding Treasure with dealing with the trees. While the Tundra dug up the roots, Treasure would shove and throw himself into them, using his weight to fell them. Onyx and Spore would then take care of any wildlife that would attempt to attack the four of them. While neither were fond of it, they were at least effective at dispersing them. The last thing the group needed was more decaying bodies to deal with, as there were many things that would be drawn by the scent. And, as stated by Margaret, many of them were far more dangerous than anything they had seen. Once all the necessary trees were felled, Margaret quickly got everyone to work, showing them how to easily remove the larger branches without too much difficulty. It was relatively easy once everyone picked up on what they needed to do, but it was far from fast. By the time the sun had begun to set, the group had prepared only four of the trees, the trunks and thicker branches laying in one pile, and smaller branches and twigs in another, serving as firewood. The group spent the remaining time that day moving what they had back in the old camp, setting it all up in a similar fashion as before. As everyone settled down after the first long day of work, Treasure started the conversation for the night. He voice was clear and pleasant as he spoke, “Today was great everyone!” “It was difficult, but I agree,” Melancholy’s energy was still boundless despite his tasks. “Easy for you to say,” Spore groaned, fins slightly unfolded, “I used so much magic my whole body aches from the lack of it.” “But I got more feathers out of it!” Onyx held up a few plumes he had gathered, “It won’t be too long until you guys can have some too!” The Nocturne shyly tucked himself in his wings as everyone shot him various strange looks, but they didn’t focus on him for too long. “Anyways…” Treasure pulled his attention away from the black dragon, “Margaret, care to explain the next few things we’re going to do?” “Of course Treasure,” The Longneck cleared her throat as she did before every long speech she was going to give. Most of what was covered was what she had already told the Skydancer, but before long, she began to cover things that he assumed had to do with the actual construction of the building. However, even with how attentive Treasure normally was, even he was a bit too exhausted from his work to absorb the new information. It seemed that everyone else felt the same, and he eventually interrupted Margaret’s instructions, “I apologize, but I think we’re all just a bit too worn out to really focus on what you’re saying.” She sighed, “Very well. I expect all of ya to be listenin tomorrow though. This stuff is vital if ya want to build a stable structure.” “How do you know so much anyways?” Spore suddenly spoke up, fins half-raised. “I’ve just been around long enough to pick up on what goes on around me. As ya get older, you’ll start to do the same. At least, I hope ya do.” Treasure stood up and stretched, “Anyways, we probably should get some rest. We’ve still got a lot to do, and we probably should get to sleep early so we can have more time to work.” ---------- @Kittychat47 @Insectoid [item=Display Plumes] My brain can't really form proper words right now. Bleh Anyways, Onyx's obsession with feathers likely comes from his lack of them on his body combined with his two most commonly mimicked creatures having feathers. I'll actually be adding Display Plumes to his inventory now, as he's would likely use them as such. Hopefully I'll get around to revealing more inventory things here soon, because Spore and Melancholy also have some things they like, but I'm not quite to where they'll be revealed. Well, here's hoping I can think a little better tomorrow. I know I'm forgetting things I was going to say here, and it's going to be bugging me for the rest of the night now.

@Chloecat194 I've been looking for a modified version of Pinkerlocke to work with, and what you've got here seems fantastic for me. I really like all the edits and additions you've made, is it ok to credit you when i make my thread?

Also pinglist please!! I am looking forward to making a tea and sitting down to read your story so far~

@Crassula
Of course! I'm glad you're enjoying my modified Pinkerlocke and will add you to the pinglist shortly! When you make yours, may I be added to your pinglist?

@Chloecat194 thank you!! and absolutely~