Quests & Challenges

[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/530.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr Today's the day! Today's the day! Gonna hatch 6-dozen eggs here, and then figure out their names! But first, we start in the forest outside the lair . . . ------------------ Sapphira and Theran walked together on the forest floor. It was something they did often now that Sapphira didn't have to watch any hatchlings, and couldn't fly. She waited at the spot by the river, where he flew for her after a day of couriering, and they walked slowly back to the lair, each telling the other about the events of the day as leaves crunched beneath their feet. This time, however, their walk was interrupted as Theran pulled up short, sniffing the air. "What is it?" Sapphira asked. "I smell . . . a certain purple Imperial." The words curled into a snarl as Theran ducked off the path. "This way!" Shoving through untrod brush, the two found themselves in an area Sapphira recognized. They were too close to the lair for her own comfort. Half-hidden by trees, Ianthia sat, muttering words under her breath as she performed some sort of ritual. Sapphira saw red. "[i]Aaarraaagh![/i]" The two dragons charged Ianthia, who immediately glanced up at the roar. Sapphira hurled a bolt of magic while Theran surged towards the witch. To her credit, Ianthia was fast. Theran's charge caught her tail, though Sapphira's spell of weakening splashed against her scales. Theran wheeled about, pouncing as Ianthia leaped into the air. Sapphira's next bolt of magic spattered against a magical shield, but Theran followed Ianthia, jaws clamping on the dragon's spellsharded tail plume. Black smoke poured out from Theran's mouth as he dropped back down, shaking his head and coughing. "Curse you all!" Ianthia roared as she fled. Sapphira moved to go after her, attempting to leap into flight as well. The world suddenly tilted sideways, and pain shot through her wing as she fell onto the injury. Even though the attack on her own young seemed so long ago, her shredded wing was a constant reminder as well as her lack of offspring. "Curse you too," Sapphira muttered as she climbed to her feet, Theran at her side. "I'm the one who's supposed to be foolish, not you," Theran chided. "You used up your quota when you bit down on her tail," Sapphira shot back. She glanced closely at him. "Is your mouth alright?" Theran nodded. "Some scratches, but I'll heal." His teeth were red from blood. Sapphira immediately cast another spell. Glowing filaments of light flowed from her cupped claws to Theran's head. Theran made a motion with his mouth not unlike the kind a cat makes when attempting to get a bit of fur off the back of it's tongue. "Have I ever mentioned how glad I am that my mate is a healer?" Theran asked her as they turned toward the lair. "Only every other day." • • • • • When they happened upon the lair, Fang jumped down to meet them. "You'd better hurry! The eggs are hatching!" "Ooh!" Theran dove inside the cave without a word to Fang. "Sometimes that one still acts like a hatchling," Fang laughed. "You're telling me," Sapphira deadpanned. "Thanks for letting us know," she added as Fang climbed chuckling back to the guard-perch. "I hope we're not too late." "No worries, they just started a few minutes ago," Fang assured her. Sapphira ducked into the cave herself. Theran was already pacing excitedly around the nest in a manner very similar to little Kuro. "Give them some space!" Mercuria chided. "The way you're acting, it's your nest that's hatching!" Theran quickly back up, looking abashed. Sapphira outright laughed as she reached the group. Sakurako nodded a greeting. "Glad you could make it," he said. "Us too," Sapphira responded. She moved over to Ariox, who sat next to Zephyr. Both looked nervous. "You two holding up?" "Yes! Yes! Everything is fine! Everything is just fine," Zephyr replied, a little too quickly. "No." Ariox's reply was almost hidden by Zephyr's. "It's alright to be scared," Sapphira assured them both gently. "I was pretty scared myself." A sudden crackling sound punctuated her words. "Ooh yay, it's hatching!" Kuro chirped. The little black Imperial crouched down, eye level with the egg in question. A dark green head with deep blue crests shoved out of the egg, part of the shell resting on her head like a cap. The egg quickly fell apart as the hatchling pushed out of her cage and spread bright yellow wings. She let out a squeaking cry as she stood up. Sapphira could swear there was a note of triumph inside it. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=80&bodygene=4&breed=3&element=10&eyetype=1&gender=1&tert=20&tertgene=14&winggene=0&wings=43&auth=c13904ca0ad99f97d3926f43c2826228e2a3f82b&dummyext=prev.png[/img] "I've got a little brother!" Kuro danced about. "You don't know that yet," Sakurako reminded his progeny. Kuro didn't seem to hear. "It takes after you," Theran noted, puffing up his chest as he looked at Ariox proudly. Ariox carefully scooped the hatchling out of the nest. All nervousness seemed to have been replaced by wonder as the hatchling snuggled against him. An egg near the back split apart in a flail of newborn limbs. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=154&bodygene=16&breed=3&element=10&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=174&tertgene=14&winggene=0&wings=128&auth=973b6ffc89901950c1da3dca682625e15a1b973d&dummyext=prev.png[/img] "Aww, it's so cute!" Zephyr cooed. "This one's got my markings." As she pulled the second Mirror hatchling out, he was closely followed by a third. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=100&bodygene=4&breed=3&element=10&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=126&tertgene=14&winggene=0&wings=104&auth=89a326ffaf9f7e83206d31eb30d0d26e9236a159&dummyext=prev.png[/img] "He looks like a faded out version of you, Ariox," Sakurako mused. "Yeah, he does," Ariox said. "Come over here, little fella." He pulled the third hatchling out of the nest. The next hatchling decided to defy all conventions of nature, apparently. First a tail, then four stubby legs emerged from the egg. It tottered too and fro for a second, before suddenly staggering to the left, shattering the egg as it fell. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=20&bodygene=4&breed=7&element=10&eyetype=1&gender=1&tert=81&tertgene=14&winggene=0&wings=44&auth=a8bdd2e3aa2315a7e2986c165ecb0091aa13b7ab&dummyext=prev.png[/img] Kuro immediately moved in front of the hatchling. "Hiya! I'm Kurozuki, but it's ok if you can't say it at – hey!" The hatchling suddenly wrapped herself around Kuro's neck. Kuro sat abruptly on his rump, giggling. "Be careful with that one, you two," Sapphira chuckled. "It's a rebel already!" Ariox chuckled as he moved over to assist Kuro. Sapphira laughed. "Be careful, you two. That one's going to be a rebel!" The last egg continued to rock, showing no signs of cracking anytime soon. "Is it alright, do you think?" Zephyr called over anxiously as she fielded the other three hatchlings. "Every hatchling takes exactly how long it needs: the amount of time the universe wants it to have," Sakurako replied solidly. After a few more minutes – during which time Kurozuki was relieved of his Spiral necklace – a green-striped head nudged out of it's shell. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=38&bodygene=16&breed=7&element=10&eyetype=1&gender=0&tert=175&tertgene=14&winggene=0&wings=128&auth=70352abbee53ba36fe2a73843b996b5658a85d88&dummyext=prev.png[/img] "There it goes!" Theran exclaimed. "I hope you two thought about names." "We did," Zephyr said. "Ariox and I had a deal – I name the Spirals, and he names the Mirrors!" The two immediately proceeded to examine the hatchlings for gender. Once they had a count, the naming began. "The green girl with blue Runes is Latipha, this guy is Luco, and that hatchling over there is Soren," Ariox pronounced. He looked decidedly less nervous than when the whole event had begun. "The blue Spiral is Arya, after her father," Zephyr said, tapping said Spiral on the head. "And the other is Vina, like a grape vine." Preoccupied as they were by the hatchlings, the only dragon who saw Mercuria leave the lair was Fang. "Something wrong?" Fang called softly. "No," Mercuria replied. "I just need some air." She leaped into the air, flying straight ahead. She soon found herself at the very same clearing that Zephyr and Ariox's clutch had been laid. Despite the connotations it held, she had to admit it was a nice place to be alone. "Oh, hello." • • • • • In another part of the forest, Ianthia and Lunus watched as the thick shell of a nocturne egg split apart, spitting out a bright green hatchling. It glanced up at them in an almost birdlike fashion. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=125&bodygene=0&breed=11&element=8&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=172&tertgene=0&winggene=0&wings=113&auth=696fae0388667db7e3ecac6222f2840fd2d97f16&dummyext=prev.png[/img] "It's so colorful!" Lunus remarked. "What should we call it?" Ianthia frowned at the garishly-scaled hatchling. It was ugly, even for a dragon of the Lesser Races – not for the first time she asked herself why she couldn't have chosen a different breed of dragon's egg to steal. "You name it," she said dismissively, walking to the opposite side of the cave. Lunus pondered names for a while. Finally he said, "I think I'll call you Minthus." ------------------------- Whoo! I had to struggle to think of creative names at that point! I was quite happy with Minthus' colors, until I saw his tert. [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=1&body=125&bodygene=0&breed=11&element=8&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=172&tertgene=5&winggene=0&wings=113&auth=c61060e2869feaa63ce57b324a4ac43c86e5b5f5&dummyext=prev.png[/img] You can die for your crimes against tertiaries!

@Farsidejr yeah, thinking about doing that. He looks so good in green. Why bring orange into the mix?

[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/41.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr So, I'm the idiot who got a food drop from Pinkerton, then went and converted all my food immediately afterwards. I did not get a Salamander, I just grabbed the first meat food item I could find on the auction house as proxy. Anyway . . . off to the Coliseum it is! *Smash Bros announcer voice* FIGHT!!!!!! But first . . . ------------------ Mercuria started, standing up and glancing around. Not for the first time, she reluctantly thanked the Gladekeeper her augmented eyes allowed her to see in the dark, not that she really needed it to see this dragon. While his natural carapace was as black as the night around him, glittering gold metal and blue lightning marked out his wings, and much of his face as well. Her augmented night vision picked out wires draped across his body. [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=44914486] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/449145/44914486_350.png[/img] [/url] "Uh, hi," Mercuria said, unsure of how to react. "Sorry if I startled you," the Ridgeback said. "I couldn't help but notice, well . . . I've never met anyone else quite like me before." He made an all-encompassing gesture. "You're a cyborg too?" Mercuria moved a bit closer. Come to think of it, his augmentations looked a lot like her own. A nod met her question. "My name is Thorir. What's yours?" "Mercuria. It's really nice to meet you, Thorir." "Agreed." After a few moments of silence, Thorir asked, "Do you mind if I stay a while? I'm honestly curious about you." "O-of course not," Mercuria stammered. She didn't mind at all, if only because of one single thing . . . this dragon was freaking hot! • • • • • • The Next Morning Theran and Ariox returned to the cave, a very sheepish-looking Mercuria in tow. Sakurako immediately stood up on the guard perch as they approached. "There you are! Mercuria, by my authority as guard of this cave I ban you from going off by yourself!" "On whose authority, Sakurako? You're only guarding it for the day," Fang pointed out teasingly. He made a face. "With that said, Mercuria, I'd like to know where you went." "To the clearing by the river," Mercuria told her. "With . . ." Ariox looked almost as gleeful as his father as he prompted her. "I bumped into someone who happened to be traveling in the area," she said, affecting an air of disinterest. "They were totally into each other," Ariox snickered, ducking away from Mercuria's swipe. "I was not!" The denial fell flatter than a sheaf of paper. "Why don't I believe that, Aunt Mercuria?" Theran asked. Fang just gave Mercuria a knowing look, opening her mouth to speak. Before she could say anything, Theran – who'd been grinning like a fool along with his son up until this point – let out a yelp. He charged forwards like he'd been stung. The culprit hovered behind where he'd been standing a moment before: a bumble. "Oh not again," Sakurako sighed as buzzing filled the air.

[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/528.png[/img][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/4361.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr Sorry I didn't get to a post yesterday, was writing some stuff for the Pens for Plague writing competition. ----------------- The semi-annual bumble attack seemed to get worse every time. One minute, the air was clear. The next black-and-yellow balls of fur and delicate insect wings overwhelmed them. The Mirrors and Imperials managed to keep the insects out of the cavern. Even Davin hurled bolts of magic at the bumbles, striking down those who got past the line of claws, snarling teeth, and magic-empowered slashes. As quickly as the flurry of insects swamped them, they spiraled into the sky, leaving behind welt-covered dragons in their wake. Ariox, Fang, and oddly enough Davin seemed to have taken the worst of the stings. Several stingers were visible in his thick chest fur, while his thinner body fur was beginning to tuft up in odd ways as welts grew where a few lucky Bumbles had gotten past his fur. As usual, Mercuria had received the least of the damage, given that her scales were more metal than flesh. She moved to the lookout perch while Sapphira smeared the unlucky stung with herbal pulp. A while later, Fang came out, white and black body now covered in green polka dots. Sapphira trailed behind, followed closely by Zephyr. Sapphira motioned for Mercuria to move. She glanced at them curiously. "I'll take over your post for now," Sapphira explained. "These two want to talk." Mercuria had a strong feeling she knew exactly what Fang was going to ask. "Oh, fine," she grumbled reluctantly. The two dragons led her through the cave, past where the others were resting and into a secluded area of the cave. Once inside, Fang and Zephyr settled down in just the right way that Mercuria would have to climb over them to get out. "So," Fang said, "Who exactly is this dragon you found last night?" "Gossips," Mercuria grumbled. "What makes you think I'd tell you anything?" Five minutes later, Mercuria had spilled just about every bean she could about the cyborg by the river. "He's so hoot," she moaned, burying her head in her hands. "And I was so awkward! I don't even know why he would have agreed that meeting back there is a good idea." Zephyr's grin was that of a cat that had just eaten the tastiest canary. "Because he likes you too, obviously! Come on, Mercuria, you have to go back there tonight." "What??" Mercuria looked up at Zephyr as if the Spiral had grown two heads. "It's obvious to anyone that you like this Thorir, and he likes you," Fang informed her primly. "And even if you two don't end up together, I think it would do you a lot of good to have a companion in a similar situation as you." "True," she admitted. "You're acting like me when I met Ariox," Zephyr noted, less gleefully and more sympathetically. "I think you should follow that feeling, personally." As the little meeting broke up, Mercuria heard Zephyr say, "Oh, my sisters are going to love this!" "Don't you even dare."

[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/17497.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr Ok, this has to be the cutest food drop I've ever gotten! Just look at dose cute widdle eyes! *squeals* Oh, alright, off to the coliseum now. ------------ Ianthia continued carving sigils into the ground. This would be her third spying circle of the day, the sixth over the past two. Once they were done, all she'd have to do was grab her scrying orb and she'd be able to keep an eye and ear on her enemies. They cared about her captive mate. She'd be a fool to think they weren't searching for her, and him by proxy. Just a little while longer, just a few more glittering circles, and her net of circles would be of greater use than even the cleverest spies. She wouldn't have to go anywhere near this place if she didn't want to. A roar snapped her concentration. Ianthia glanced up and spat out a curse, barely dodging the body slam of black and white. Fang didn't waste any time in banter, instead pouncing as soon as she got her bearings. But Ianthia was far away enough to throw up a shield, scorching the Imperial. "Idiot," Ianthia taunted. "You came alone." "What makes you say that?" Fang snarled. Thorns scored her back and tore at her tunic. Ianthia stumbled forwards into range of Fang's claws, which just missed her snout. She dove to the side and spun around – [i]Of course she'd bring her mate.[/i] "Well done, you hit me from behind," she snapped. "Is that how real warriors fight?" Sakurako started as if stung. "If Lunus has told you anything about me, it's that I'm not a warrior by choice," he said. "Don't give her time to talk," Fang warned, advancing closer. "I know her ilk: they want you to talk, so they have more time to plot!" Fang lunged forwards, magic at her clawtips. It caught Ianthia on the shoulder – and put her and Fang eye to eye. Ianthia acted almost on instinct. "Sleep!" she all but shouted. Fang collapsed like a sack of rocks onto the forest floor. "Fang!" Sakurako charged now, his eyes flinching closed automatically. He hit nothing. When he opened his eyes, the purple Imperial was gone, and he stood over Fang's peacefully sleeping form. • • • • • Ianthia hadn't teleported far, just to the edge of the clearing. Now she stumbled into the woods, wincing at the gash on her shoulder. At least her wings worked. By the time she'd returned, the wounded shoulder was curiously – dangerously – numb. Lunus, of course, was immediately at her side, the mint-green nocturne following close behind. "What happened?" As Lunus began ministering to her cut, Ianthia was glad she'd chosen a healer as a mate. "What do you think? Your parents found me," she snapped, feeling irritable and slightly ill. Lunus nodded. "Your cut's infected," he stated. "It's got Plague magic in it. It would take some time, but I could destroy it eventually, and it would heal as normal." Ianthia almost nodded, but then had another idea. "Actually, don't try to destroy it, Lunus. Here's what I want you to do . . ."

[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/530.png[/img][img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/3506.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr Today's the day! A new generation has risen to face the rigors of the coliseum! Many will die – but one lucky derg will survive. Who could it be? Elsewhere in the training grounds, however, there was a much less deadly contest going on . . . --------------------- Time passed, and despite the occasional Ianthia sighting, life returned to a somewhat normal state. Thorir started visiting often enough to be called "Unkie." The repurposed lengths of the cave became more and more lair-like, with the antechamber by the cave entrance becoming solely devoted to a hatchling playpen. The five hatchlings needed the room, honestly – between the three Mirrors, all but the barest essentials of furniture were either smashed or moved out of harm's way! Little Latipha was especially good at breaking things. The Spirals were slightly calmer, but still more than willing to wrestle with their elder siblings. Given the constant state of "hatchling underfoot," Mercuria and some of the males found themselves spending more and more time outside. Now, she flew low over the local training fields, head thrust forward into the wind, wings pumping hard. To the side and just in front of her, Thorir raced her toward their destination: the Spire, a tall rock that jutted above like a sore in an otherwise relatively flat landscape. Mercuria put on a sudden burst of speed, pulling ahead and landing just before the Ridgeback. She gasped for breath for a few seconds before managing words. "Hah! I win!" "This time," Thorir replied, affecting an air of aloofness that Mercuria knew was completely false. "If I flew instead of spotted, both of you would lose," Theran said, swooping down to join them. He often played the role of spotter on days off. They'd learned quickly not to let him race. "We know that as well, Theran," Thorir said. The three dragons settled on the rock for the moment, letting the sun's warmth seep into their own bodies for a few minutes. Suddenly, Theran's head shot up. "Did you feel that?" he asked, instantly on all fours. Mercuria and Thorir raised their own heads. "Feel what, Theran?" Thorir inquired. "The rock rippled! Rock isn't supposed to ripple!" Theran looked thoroughly spooked. Mercuria hissed, climbing to her own feet. "What is that?!" She'd felt it, too – the rock beneath had [i]moved[/i]. Thorir climbed to his own feet, frowning. "Odd. I don't feel anything," Thorir remarked, just before the rock behind him shattered, and a snakelike head burst out of the rock. It looked very much like a Shattered Serpent, but had the coloration and of an Augite Protector. It bit down on Thorir's leg, prompting quick retaliation from the Ridgeback. Lightning crackled down Thorir's body and into the Serpent. Though it didn't look like it had done much, the creature still released him. "Are you alright?" Mercuria asked as he circled about to join the two, never taking her eyes off the swaying rock snake. "Yes," Thorir replied. "It's only a flesh wound." "You're not all metal like Mercuria?" Theran asked. "Focus!" Mercuria snapped as the snake dove underground again. She placed a bolstering shield on each of them in turn, just before the snake surfaced again. This time, it wrapped around Theran's neck. Theran clawed uselessly at the thing as it grew visibly tighter. He slumped to the ground as the two other dragons smashed the creature into segments. It fell apart in seconds, plain rock revealing a black-runed stone hidden beneath it's shell. Mercuria picked up the stone and placed it into a pouch, anger simmering beneath the surface. Ianthia had struck again. She shoved thoughts of how she would murder that conniving snake to the side, and shook Theran gently. It took about a minute, but the Mirror revived as quickly as he did anything else. "Whuh-" Theran woke coughing, automatically reaching for his neck. He blinked up at the two dragons standing over him. "That was . . . not fun." "It wasn't fun to watch either," Mercuria said. "Are you alright?" Theran nodded, then glanced at the rock below their feet. "Think there's more?" he wondered. The sudden prickle caused all of them to look down. A tense silence settled on their shoulders. "How about we return to your lair?" Thorir suggested. Mercuria and Theran needed no second prompting. The three dragons took to the air, tracing a lazy path back home. When they arrived, they were greeted by a nervous Fang. "Are you all feeling alright?" she called as they landed. At their nods, Fang breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Once the hatchlings fell ill, I started to get worried about you three." "What's going on?" Theran asked, instantly worried. Fang beckoned them inside the cave. Each and every one of the younger dragons had fallen inexplicably sick in the space of mere hours. Ariox had been the first, complaining of aching limbs. Then came Sakurako, who'd suggested it had come from the last mission the two had gone on. The hatchlings had subsequently caught whatever contagion the two suffered. Zephyr, presumably, had caught it from them. "The poor things were dropping like ninepins," Fang explained. She suddenly broke into a coughing fit. "Me too, I suppose," she remarked ruefully. "I'll find a healer. I doubt Sapphira can take care of eight sick dragons without getting sick herself," Thorir suggested. "Good idea," Mercuria seconded. More days passed. While the adults recovered quickly, the hatchlings were not so lucky. Pretty little Soren was the first to die, his body removed before his brothers and sisters knew what had happened. While Latipha seemed to have the least severe case, she worsened overnight, taking her last breath curled against her mother's body. Luco soon followed. After Luco's death, Ariox woke up one night to see Vina's green eyes looking back at him. "What is it, bubba?" Ariox asked, using his nickname for all his children. "I don't want to sleep," Vina whispered back. "But if you sleep, you'll get better," Ariox assured him. "But Latipha'n'Soren'n'Luco are all sleeping forever," Vina insisted. "I don't want to sleep forever! I want to wake back up!" Tears welled in the little hatchling's eyes. Ariox felt his heart crack. He blinked back his own tears. "It's ok," he managed, pulling the little Spiral against him. "You won't fall asleep forever as long as you're sleeping by me." "Ok." Vina snuggled closely against him, finally closing his eyes. Ariox's promise was proven false when he opened his eyes the next morning, and Vina did not. Vina's death marked end of the payment the Reaper was looking to collect. While poor little Arya struggled through the night, she was not claimed as her hatchmates were. Sapphira, too, had moments where the healers worried, having worked herself sick tending to the rest of the lair, but the rise and fall of her cerulean sides never stopped. They weren't the only clan struck by the strange sickness, either. Hardly a single clan escaped unscathed, save for a reclusive bunch near the Viridian Labyrinth. Plague dragons and Nature dragons alike flooded into the area, as many looking for a cure as there were others looking to weaponize the illness. They said that it was coincidence that their clan was struck first, that little Arya was lucky to be alive. The dragons Sakurako and Mercuria watched over, however, knew differently – Adanarox's curse had struck once more. -------------- YEEEE, ARYA WINS!!! We've finally got another breed upgrade, folks! And now I'm so sad too because I finished the story . . . [s]Why do I do this to myself.[/s] Where we started: [img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/438724/43872366_350.png[/img] 4th Generation: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46024024] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/460241/46024024_350.png[/img] [/url] We've come far, no? And this isn't even the halfway mark!

[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/683.png[/img] @fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr Where's the trinket, Pinkerton? You know you want to give me one . . . Guess he's back to hating me again >:( -------------- Sapphira ducked into the lair, head scanning to see who was nearby. "Ariox and Zephyr, I'm going to need your help." "For what, Mother?" Ariox asked curiously. "There's a small clan of nomad dragons who've gotten a few of their members trapped in a sinkhole. I'm going there to render my own services, but word has it they need help cleaning out the rubble." "Of course we'll help," Ariox replied. "Can I come too?" In the months since the odd plague, Arya had grown into a spritely young Spiral with a passion for healing. Sapphira had fostered that passion all she could – it was nice having another set of claws to help. She nodded, and Arya let out a squeal of joy. "I'll get your bags!" she said, ducking deeper into the lair. "I feel like just yesterday she was a hatchling," Zephyr remarked. "I'm young, but she's making me feel old already!" "You're quite pretty for an old Spiral female," Ariox teased. "Oh you . . ." Zephyr said, mock-warning in her voice. Sapphira checked the bag Arya brought back from Sapphira's little nook. "Bandages, thread for larger wounds, healing salve in case of strained muscles . . . Looks like you got everything. Thank you very much, Arya." The young Spiral puffed up her chest in a near-reflection of her onlooking sire at the praise. [i]Like father, like daughter.[/i] The four dragons traveled to the cave-in, Sapphira catching a ride on the back of a green and violet Guardian. His name was Floren; he'd given her word of the cave-in in the first place. The site was a hive of diggers and frightened moans of pain. "I've got one – no, two healers," Floren announced. "Good, we need more claws over here!" a red Pearlcatcher called. Sapphira climbed off of the Guardian and motioned to Arya. The two plodded over to the Pearlcatcher. After surveying the situation, she began issuing orders to her apprentice. • • • • • Back at the lair, Mercuria and Thorir sat in an area of the cave system called "the Night Sky Cavern." A bioluminescent pool lit the cavern in a dim radiance, the jagged shapes of stalactites and stalagmites little more than black cut-outs. Light shone from the ceiling of the cave as well – thousands upon thousands of glowworms dangled from crags, each individual light working with it's fellows to form a faux starscape. "You told me once that you believed you couldn't have hatchlings of your own." Thorir broke the silence. "Why is that?" "The maddragon who gave me my mechanics" – she hated to say "augmentations," that implied she thought it was a gift – "told me that he removed whatever he deemed unnecessary. That included the ability to have eggs." "Why believe him?" Thorir asked. Mercuria looked at him askance, not sure what he was saying. Thorir tilted his head in thought. "What I am trying to say is, your mad scientist wanted to control you, obviously. He wanted the perfect soldier, and soldiers can't care for hatchlings and fight at the same time. But do you know for sure if he did, or if he was just trying to break you?" That was something she'd never thought of before. "I don't know," Mercuria admitted slowly. "I'd never thought of that." Another thought occurred to her. She glanced shyly up at Thorir. "Would you want to test that theory?" • • • • • Hours later, the last of the rubble was removed, and the injured dragons healed. A small group of five dragons, varying in age from hatchling to juvenile, were found huddled in the back of the cavern. Luckily, they were uninjured – in fact, the only injured dragons were adults. The poor things had seemed too traumatized to speak. Several of the rescued dragons insisted on paying Sapphira for her services, even more than any of the other dragons. "You did more to help us than anyone else," their leader, a silvery Mirror, insisted. "We always make sure to compensate for any provision made to us." Sapphira was too tired to take much more of this. "Alright, alright. I'll take it." She reached out and placed the small bag of coins with the rest of her supplies, and started home with the group. They went by foot this time, the need for urgency past. The ambush was swift. One moment, they were well on their way back to the lair, passing through an idyllic landscape of auburn trees and golden sunbeams. The next, Sapphira found herself knocked to the ground, her crippled wing twanging with pain. Her attacker was knocked off her back by a blur of blue and yellow, but the weight was replaced by another, stronger one. Sapphira squirmed as Ariox extricated himself from the other dragon, pouncing toward her once more. The weight vanished, Ariox's shadow passing over her. Sapphira scrambled to her feet, checking to make sure her pearl was undamaged before looking up to see her attacker. It was a yellow and white Spiral, one of the dragons they'd rescued from the rubble. "Thanks again for the provision!" he cackled, before vanishing into the sky. "Are you alright, sweetflower?" Ariox asked Zephyr tenderly. The Spiral nodded, blinking several times. A lump was well on the way to forming on her head. Blue-green eyes narrowed angrily. "Ooh, the nerve of them! When I find them – hey, where's Arya?" Zephyr wondered. A cold chill crawled down Sapphira's spine. "Arya? Arya!" Sapphira called. "Arya? Where are you? ARYA!!" Ariox roared. The only response was a whisper of wind through the trees. "It wasn't my healing that was the provision," Sapphira realized, a sickening feeling in her stomach. "It was Arya. Those weren't young dragons of their clan we brought out from the back of the cavern – those were slaves." ------------ Phew, lots of stuff covered today! And take a look: [img]http://flightrising.com/images/nests/10/2healthy_0dead.png[/img] Finally got to a point in the story where I could breed these two! I'm so excited I finally found a mate for Mercuria! Their kids look so good . . . [img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/progeny?body=91&bodygene=20&breed=5&element=10&eyetype=2&gender=1&tert=9&tertgene=5&winggene=20&wings=69&auth=1467bab658d1437ba56768886670d1df70f60922&dummyext=prev.png[/img][img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/progeny?body=8&bodygene=20&breed=8&element=10&eyetype=3&gender=1&tert=91&tertgene=5&winggene=20&wings=21&auth=477d832891f809f742dadbbc111d2c595a9b7e27&dummyext=prev.png[/img][img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/progeny?body=177&bodygene=17&breed=5&element=10&eyetype=3&gender=0&tert=6&tertgene=5&winggene=20&wings=112&auth=ba9b2b15376e01bdecf40a72967d70fe7232298b&dummyext=prev.png[/img][img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/progeny?body=7&bodygene=20&breed=8&element=10&eyetype=2&gender=1&tert=98&tertgene=13&winggene=1&wings=25&auth=2d3a0a07b0a2be051a85b40586db2ac9c7bd91ba&dummyext=prev.png[/img]

@Farsidejr I know, right? Thorir has made me like Ridgebacks now.