Quests & Challenges

[center]Day Eight[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] Mishap is the one to escort the two newcomers to [b]Mayra[/b]. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60035652] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/600357/60035652_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60040853] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/600409/60040853_350.png[/img] [/url] [b]Mayra[/b] yawns. “No,” she says, gesturing to the Pearlcatcher. “Hmm, and yes,” she decides, nodding at the Guardian. “Get him set up, please, Mishap.” “Yes, mother,” she trills happily. [b]hunting.trip.[/b] “Come along, newcomer,” says Angelo. “You need some practice out in the field.” They return some time later, exhausted and smelling of seawater, with their prize. [center][item=mottled sea serpent][/center] [b]new.recruits.part.two.[/b] Harper clears her throat to get [b]Mayra’s[/b] attention. “Boss. I vetted a large group of recruits and picked these two for your approval, as requested.” [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60006992] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/600070/60006992_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=53968092] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/539681/53968092_350.png[/img] [/url] “I trust your judgement,” says [b]Mayra[/b]. “For now.”

[center]Day Nine[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=59372393] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/593724/59372393_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=57998191] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/579982/57998191_350.png[/img] [/url] “I heard a rumor,” the gaoler says to Harper, “that you have, how do you say, an *in* with the Boss? I can compensate you for your efforts if you help me out in this matter.” “Nope,” Harper says, with a yawn. “It’s up to her. Boss? I thought you might like to know that this one tried to bribe me.” “Mm,” [b]Mayra[/b] says, escorting the candidates into her office. “That is good to know. Thank you, Harper.” (Both candidates fail.) [b]backstabbing.[/b] “Wasn’t there another dragon who came in last night?” Talene asks Angelo. “A spiral girl.” Angelo shrugs. “Not anymore.”

[center]Day Ten[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] Unlike some of the others who arrived as strangers, these two dragons were old friends, from the same clan, as they explain to Talene. “Oh,” she says, awkwardly. ‘I suppose that’s nice. It’s good to have friends.” [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15430155] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/154302/15430155_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50490834] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/504909/50490834_350.png[/img] [/url] It appears the bond of friendship is daily broken, though, when half of the pair is accepted into The Family and the other is rejected. [b]crimes.time.[/b] “This dragon is too rich for his own good,” Mayra explains to her two newest recruits. “I know he possesses the next piece I need for my collection. Get the Lightweaver Marble Bust, and anything else of value you can carry off.” They return, eventually, with [b]Mayra’s[/b] treasure, and a small handful of gems. [center][item=lightweaver marble bust][/center] [b]Mayra[/b] takes the treasure with a gigantic smile on her face. She gently places it next to her Windsinger Painted Vase. Mishap flutters in to scoop the gems. ‘That’s a good girl,” says [b]Mayra[/b]. “You can add them to your savings.” “Thank you, Mother,” the tiny Fae squeaks. Outside the office, Talene sighs with relief. “Talk about a trial by fire! That was intense.” “Yeah,” says Shallan. She’s exhausted, battered, and is pretty sure she was lucky to escape that mission with her life.

[center]Day Eleven[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] Harper has assigned Talene the job of wrangling the new recruits, well, the candidates for being new recruits, to be technical, but the point is, Talene’s not sure how she feels about the job. What if one of them were to get belligerent? [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60124565] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601246/60124565_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60124519] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601246/60124519_350.png[/img] [/url] Luckily, these two were calm as they arrived and calm as they left. [b]backstabbing.[/b] “Stop,” Harper hisses, physically blocking Angelo’s way. “I know what you’re planning, and I don’t like it one bit.” “I don’t like her,” Angelo whines. “She’s so...[i]sweet[/i]. Childish. She doesn’t belong here.” “Sweet, but not stupid,” comes a voice from the darkness. Both Harper and Angelo look around, but neither sees a thing. “I’m always watching my back, You know? And I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I hear our illustrious second in command knows a thing about flattery. Goodnight.” Talene disappears back to wherever she came from. There is a long silence. “Maybe [i]you[/i] should watch [i]your[/i] back,” Harper says, a bit smugly. “Come on, lets go to bed.”

[center]Day Twelve[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60126859] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601269/60126859_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60128408] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601285/60128408_350.png[/img] [/url] One of the new recruit candidates chirps something in the language of fae dragons to Mishap, who chatters back to her pleasantly. The bogsneak groans. “Just get on with things!” She snaps. “Mother doesn’t like impatience,” Mishap tells her, in a sad voice. (Both newcomers are rejected.) [b]kids.can.do.crimes.too.[/b] “Are you being completely serious right now?” Harper says, a little huffy. “You’re just a child.” [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60286435] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/602865/60286435_350.png[/img] [/url] Moscow grins toothily and brandishes the cloak [b]Mayra[/b] gave him. “I’ll be grown up soon enough,” he says. “And until I’m big enough to fight, I can do other things. I snuck in with the last group of candidates and the Boss said she admired my courage and willingness to take risks.” He plops his hat onto his head with one clawed foot. “Fine,” Harper sighs. “You can bunk in with Kael.”

[center] Day Thirteen[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] “So, um, how about that weather we’re having?” Talene grins awkwardly at the two candidates. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=59384199] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/593842/59384199_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=55071431] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/550715/55071431_350.png[/img] [/url] “It’s, um, nice enough, I guess?” Says the Coatl, looking a bit confused. They’re allowed into [b]Mayra’s[/b] office and Talene vows to work on her small talk. (Both candidates are rejected.) [b]kids.can.do.crimes.too.[/b] “Another one? You have absolutely got to be kidding me.” Harper stares down the tiny Pearlcatcher. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60300502] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/603006/60300502_350.png[/img] [/url] Seasider grins at Harper, tossing his pearl from one paw to the other. “Yep! Moscow taught me how to get in.” “I don’t like this. I don’t like this one bit.” Harper looks at the two tiny annoyances, and then smiles. “You can stay, one one condition: when the two of you are old enough, you’re going to have a very honorable duel. One of you will get to stay. Okay?” “Okay!” The boys shout in unison. Harper just shrugs.

[center]Day Thirteen[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60179550] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601796/60179550_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60190285] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/601903/60190285_350.png[/img] [/url] “And one time I stole every last coin from my clan’s treasury,” the ridgeback brags. “Um. Okay.” Says Talene. “I’m honest, I swear,” the spiral chimes in. “I’ve never met her until this morning.” “Honestly, I have nothing to do with any decision making,” Talene says, and shoves the two into [b]Mayra’s[/b] office. (Both are rejected.) [b]a.coup.[/b] Harper looks around, nervously. “You kids really, really shouldn’t do this.” Moscow grins that dangerous, toothy grin. “You’re overstepping your bounds, that’s what Boss says. You’re only the second in command. You can’t make decisions that only one of us can stay when Boss says we’re both in.” “That’s no reason to...” “Boss says it is,” Seasider adds, looking almost apologetic. “I’m sorry, Harper, you have to go.” “The two of you can’t make me...” “I can.” Says [b]Mayra[/b]. (Shallan is the new second in command).

[center]Day Fourteen[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] It’s quiet without Harper and Angelo around, Talene thinks. She understands why it had to be done, but their ranks seem so much smaller. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=57778732] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/577788/57778732_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60199925] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/602000/60199925_350.png[/img] [/url] But neither of these hopefuls are chosen to join them. [b]hunting.trip.[/b] “I’m feeling cooped up in here,” Shallan says to Kael. “Come hunting with me?” They return to the seaside, near Kael’s former home. Just before nightfall, they return home with treasures. [center][item=maren sorceress] [item=Twilight rose thorn tail tangle][/center] “You should wear the jewelry,” Kael says. “It suits you.” Shallan smiles shyly, and puts the jeweled flowers on. [b]hunting.trip.two.[/b] Shallan shakes Talene awake. “I can’t sleep,” she says. “Do you want to take a trip out to the cove?” Talene yawns. “Yeah, that sounds good,” she says. The night is chill, and Talene is glad for her warm cloak. She loves the scent of the salt in the air and the way the moonlight looks reflected in the water. “I don’t trust those boys,” Shallan says, finally. “Not at all. I haven’t relaxed a moment since what happened with Harper. I don’t think I’ve relaxed a moment since our Boss gave me this,” and she touches her necklace. Talene is quiet. “I suppose we should have expected life would be like this, when we agreed to work for Boss. I thought it would be more...cloak and dagger and hard work, and less...” “Getting knifed in the shadows?” Shallan fills in. Talene sighs. “Yeah,” she says. She fishes up a very old bottle from the sea, and hands it to Shallan. [center][item=Barnacle-encrusted bottle][/center] “Maybe it’ll bring good luck?” “Maybe.”

[center]Day Fifteen[/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] The day’s candidates to be recruited into The Family are pleasant enough, Talene thinks. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=57749799] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/577498/57749799_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60212099] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/602121/60212099_350.png[/img] [/url] The three have a conversation until it’s time for [b]Mayra[/b] to meet with them. (Both are rejected.) [b]there’s.romance.in.the.air.[/b] “Mm,” Talene says, sleepily. “You want to go out hunting again?” “Not really,” says Shallan. “I do want to go back to the cove, though. Just to talk?” She’s fidgety than normal, Talene notices, but she follows her friend out anyway. It’s quiet as they wade in the shallows. “I was running away when I came here,” Shallan says, softly. “I was in love with somebody who didn’t care, and it wrecked me. I couldn’t stand to be around them, or anything that reminded me of them, so when I had the chance to leave, I took it. I never expected to end up anyplace like this. And...I never expected to feel love again. Talene...” “Yeah,” Talene whispers. “I’ve never been in love at all, but I think I know what you mean. And I think I might love you too.” “I think if we get a chance to escape, we should take it.” Talene nods. “And we protect each other while we’re here.” “I’ll always watch your back,” she promises.

[center] Day Sixteen [/center] [b]new.recruits.[/b] One of the pair is chatty and the other is silent, and Kael is not surprised it’s the quiet one who is accepted to stay. [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=60230744] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/602308/60230744_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=59559667] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/595597/59559667_350.png[/img] [/url] [b]hunting.trip.[/b] Mishap approaches the two Guardians. “Mother has requested that someone go out to get us some food,” she says, shyly. “Of course, Mishap,” Kael replies. He finds some sacks to bring their catches home, and he and Talene set out for the trip. They mostly work in silence. Talene thinks she sees Kael slip some things into a smaller bag - some seaweed, some tiny brightly colored bugs - but she says nothing about it. They return, with a stash of food and a present for Mishap. [center][item=Daydream puffer][/center]