Quests & Challenges

[center][b]Day 2 : Alpine Skiing - Slalom[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/76721638][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/767217/76721638_350.png[/img][/url][/center] "Like a [b]ghost[/b] haunting the slope", that's what her coach had said. Her coach, she now realised, had probably never seen a slope before in his life. Or a ghost, for that matter. She'd practised as well as she could, and could just about disappear in the surrounding vegetation when an extrovert, or referee, one not excluding the other, appeared to head her way. For now, she was just trying to consider why it wasn't trees they slalomed between, until she noticed one contestant running straight into one of the... Oh, that'd be a rather good reason [i]not[/i] to use trees...

[center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=77320747][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/773208/77320747.png[/img][/url] [size=5][b]Day 2 - Monday Speed Skating[/b][/size] [left]Ryland was... a bit of an odd sight, in the Southern Icefield. If he didn't have all that bold orange apparel, and he kept his wings pressed against his sides, he could blend in perfectly with his surroundings when viewed from above — like a [b]ghost[/b] in the snow, a faint outline of something draconic. But, oddly for a hunter, he didn't care all that much about blending in — or maybe the Icefields just weren't his normal territory, and he was well aware of how much he stood out. Regardless of his appearance, he was here to compete. He stretched his wings and his legs as he stepped out onto the ice, powerful Wildclaw legs ready to burst into action as soon as the round began — and so they did. He slid across the ice with an impeccable amount of grace, doing his very best to outskate his competitors.

[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/435063][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/4351/435063_350.png[/img][/url] [b]Luge[/b][/center] Last time the clan had entered the games, it had been circumstances requiring a substitute that had led Cherra to compete in speed-skating. As soon as the Fae learnt of Bontu's efforts to rally the clan for another attempt at the games, she swore she would enter. It was partly inspired by Iridice's choice in sport that Cherra chose the luge. Iridice thought she was fast? Cherra would be faster. One of the team had joked that maybe Iridice and Cherra should train together and enter the luge doubles event. Perhaps another year, but Cherra's pride compelled her to go it alone this year. Sorting out her own training regime and equipment and all that was required. The Fae even trained to enter speed-skating once again. Some expressed concern that she was overburdening herself, saying she looked pale as a [b]ghost[/b], which had her bristling and responding that white was natural for her scales. Alone with her thoughts, Cherra reflected. It had been a turbulent time with the clan's magical and chaotic relocation. The Fae couldn't deny that it had been extremely stressful. As Cherra considered how many dragons collaborated on such magnificent games, all the different tasks that needed doing to bring the event to life, she realised in her endeavours to show she could do everyone proud, the Fae had forgotten her own creed. Her own belief that the most laudable endeavours were those done alongside comrades. Cherra's own team had not forgotten that even when she had. Cherra couldn't have unresolved business weighing on her. So with what little time remained before her run, she returned to her team to apologise.

[center][b]Day 2: Cross-Country Skiing[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68906986][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/689070/68906986_350.png[/img][/url][/center] Shards is an explorer, his travels had started in Gardenhome, taken him all the way to the Southern Icefields, then the Light territories. He was now back to the snowy slopes, eager to discover more of the place he'd called home for a long while. Shards is also a collector... often by accident. That tends to happen when you are as pointy as he is. He'd been instructed to avoid anything he could get tangled in. His kind of tangling was very different from that of a Spiral, and led to new friends, the latest were snakes and a lone spider who still had no clue what had happened to it but had stuck along for the ride. Including the next one... Spiders are known for not knowing how to use skis. Shards had an idea of which way was forward, which was the only other advantage he had over a spider, barring the fact that he had fewer legs to put skis on. His previous hikes in the cold had been done using various other implements, most of them not made for speed, a few originally meant to play tennis and borrowed from clan members, who, to this day, had no idea what happened to them... On the bright side, this would prove a useful exercise in escaping any clan member's wrath... so long as he was still on snow! Depending on how this went, he might have to consider exile... -- [i]Note: I did not include the word of the day for this entry as it is my second one for today.[/i]

[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/47369841][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/473699/47369841p.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/47208940][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/472090/47208940p.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/50651893][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/506519/50651893p.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/49361391][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/493614/49361391p.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/3601102][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/36012/3601102p.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/69314][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/694/69314p.png[/img][/url] [b]Ice Hockey[/b] [url=https://banyan-fr-blog.tumblr.com/post/138627887239/free-simple-gold-silver-and-dark-iron-dividers][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/aa5c0d11068f10de92c1e34daaefd766/tumblr_o1zrsv44JN1ufdm5xo1_400.png[/img][/url][/center] After a miscommunication the first year the clan had entered the games, far fewer had participated in the ice hockey event than there had been the opportunity for. Saya was of course returning this year. On the team with her were her mother Diana as well as the Tundra family. Saya and Diana had long honed their skills cooperating on the hunt. Ice hockey seemed to Diana a new skill with which she could bring the same drive. When Bontu was recruiting, the team sport caught Gordu's ear. He'd been contemplating how nice it would be to have something the family did together regularly. It also made the annual trip to the southern icefield a bigger and more exciting event for everyone, he saw it. Mafu respected ice hockey. Anything that helped her family become strong and healthy had her approval. Niah remarked that it was outside her usual areas of experience, but was willing to put the effort into something her mother valued. Though they were of course still very different from one another, after reconciling at Flameforger's a few years ago, Niah and Fionne no longer held bitterness for one another. So the sisters did appreciate the opportunity for them to learn something new together. While [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/51055239]Nem[/url] was not necessarily the most skilled, he was certainly the most enthusiastic, as well as happy to try new experiences...if somewhat distractible. The teams were taking their positions on the ice, and the tundra was focussed on a [b]ghost[/b] floating nearby to watch. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/51055240]Comu[/url] was the most reserved of the family. When the Tundra saw that everyone else was committed, he decided to put his projects to one side for a time. Comu was sure it would be amusing if nothing else. In time after several practice sessions, he admitted to himself he enjoyed spending more time with his family. Niah and her mother Mafu were in defence with Gordu in goal. Whilst Fionne joined Saya and Diana the Wildclaw hunters in playing forward. Nem sat on the bench cheering everyone on, next to his not quite so ebullient brother Comu. A moment of silence fell. Then the battle for the puck commenced.

[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/83223537][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/832236/83223537_350.png[/img][/url][/center] [center][b]Day 2 - Ski Jump[/b][/center] "You have got to be kidding me." Nova peers apprehensively down the slope, then turns to look imploringly up at her coach, [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/82261210]Cassava[/url]. "You're from the Cloudscrape Crags! Skiing is second nature for you.Why can't you do this?" She shifts nervously from where her tiny claws were strapped to the skis. Cassava sighs. "Locke said we needed "more fae representation in sports". You're the only other fae here." "I swear to the Arcanist--" Nova devolves into muttering and the occasional profanity. "Hey. It'll be alright, yeah?" Cassava looks at her worriedly, his claw a [b]ghost[/b] over her shoulder. "Y-yeah. It'll be fine." Nova lines up to the slope as the starting shot sounds and glides downwards, screaming as she goes. .....It was not going to be alright.

[b][u][center]Day 2[/u]: Cross-Country Ski[/center][/b] [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/77755956][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/777560/77755956_350.png[/img][/url][/center] Adi stood waiting at the gates of the course, adjusting his goggles just so, fluffing up his feathers, squatting occasionally, wondering what the hold up to the starting bell was. Was it another contestant who wiped out? Suddenly the bell rang out! Instinct kicked in and Adi was off to a moderate start; his light and lanky frame giving him speed with long strides and light feathery wings catching a gust here and there. As he went, said gust kicked up the snow around him and blew it all around, sparkling wisps surrounding him as he skied on by the front crowd, his icy colouring blending in with the wind-blown cover, and to the on-lookers he was nothing more than a [b]ghost[/b] sliding on past.

[center] [b] Day 2 - Monday Speed Skating[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/79718974][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/797190/79718974_350.png[/img][/url] Santelmo let out a puff of frosty breath, causing a shimmering cloud of rime to dance through the air like a [b]ghost[/b] in front of her. She rattled her feathers and fluffed them up in a futile attempt to insulate herself and stay warm. The Fire Ambassador was already majorly regretting her decision to represent her clan and journey to the Winter Games and it was only the second day of the Games. The Coatl reluctantly knelt down to strap her skates onto her hind paws, braving the frigid cold to head out to the Ice Rink designated for the Speed-Skaters to practice on.

[center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/0lhe2nb7mzliaah/icetop.png[/img] [color=#135cad][b]Monday - Day 2 - Ski Jumping[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/73949901][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/739500/73949901_350.png[/img][/url] [img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/88ouyqmqwiwndc5/icemid.png[/img] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/73949901]Natira[/url] can't help but roll their eyes as they settle into place at the top of the slope, checking their skis one more time. Better safe than sorry, they always say, and as a teacher it's best to set a good example. They frown as they adjust the straps on one of their feet, making sure everything is just right for the slope. They need a good height for this, after all. Proper wing folding for the descent, leg bending to adjust, and weight shift to get a proper landing out of it all. They couldn't mess this up. They're interrupted by the same whispers they'd heard before, making them pause. Some other competitors were talking about some rumors, from missing gear to stolen wallets. They don't know why these drakes seem to assume this is the work of a specter, in the end. Really, they'd seen many competitions sabotaged by regular old dragons! They didn't need to be dead, or perhaps undead, to go through with it! Silly stories, all meant to throw a good competitor off their game. That's all. Then they remember why they're even competing today. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/52487977]The drake meant to jump today[/url] had been [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3203923/4#post_53290534]guarding the food stores just yesterday,[/url] and had managed to run right into a wall over some floating spearmint. They'd managed to sprain their wrist, preventing them from properly using the skis today. Sightings like that weren't uncommon in the Divided Spire, really. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/62014220]They had a local [b]ghost[/b] apparently guiding the divination track among the Grand Scholars, after all.[/url] Or so the rumors say. But to have their student crash just before their big jump, with two Grand Scholars disappearing right after the sighting of the mint... It's enough to worry the Imperial as they finish fiddling with their own equipment. They take a few deep breaths, looking out at the slope. Are these slopes really haunted? Perhaps there's something out there, ready to make them vanish just like [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/61101931]that lovely Coatl[/url] with his chocolate cherries or [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/61332918]his partner[/url] with the ginger snaps and gryphlet treats. Maybe something really is stealing equipment. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3202352/8#post_53293216]They'd heard a hatchling had gone and made the jump for one clan[/url] due to that, after all, though those were just rumors. Maybe there was something waiting down at the bottom of the slope for them, ready to spirit them away before they could even see the final scores! They feel a reassuring hand against their side, causing them to turn a little. There stands their partner, [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/75486182]Nadir,[/url] giving them the brightest smile he could muster. They felt their breathing slow as the Coatl gave them a quick hug, eyes closed. "Don't you go worrying about being stolen away, love. Poor Asuya's rooting for you from the med wing right now, probably annoying the ever-loving fire out of poor Raphael. You'll make this jump, then we can go get some cocoa down at one of the shops to warm up. Share a cup. Sound good?" The Imperial can't help but chuckle at that, ruffling their partner's feathered crest as they nudge them back into the crowd at the top. "Only if you take that fish oil capsule [i]after[/i] you drink. I swear you take in more of that than you do cocoa!" The two share one last laugh, one last smile, then break away. The Coatl moves to make it to the bottom of the slope as an onlooker, and Natira moves themselves to the top. They've calmed themselves, they've made every single excuse to stay. Ghostly figures or not, they'd make this jump for their student. They'd set the perfect example for them all! [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3203923/4#post_53291340]It was probably a good thing they hadn't learned of the newest disappearance among the Grand Scholars last night.[/url] [img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/88ouyqmqwiwndc5/icemid.png[/img] It's always so fun tying in other events to each other! Drakes becoming temporary ghosts is a wonderful excuse to scramble the roster a bit! At least some of the dragons involved in the games this year are worried about it, despite having their own local semi-ghost working with them. Wonder how the games will play out now... [img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/bnz1mrh065tlyje/icebottom.png[/img]

[b]DAY 2 - Figure Skating[/b] [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/48436342][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/484364/48436342_350.png[/img][/url][/center] The ice-dancing duo of [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/40548195]Ephemerath[/url] and [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/47042898]Cloudsofth[/url] elected not to perform this year after all, preferring to develop their relationship more deeply through other pursuits. But rather than simply [u]ghost[/u] the games, they sought out another contender to take to the ice in their stead. Would you believe…. Moonmanth? He’s certainly not who they’d have picked, but he was who volunteered, so they did their best to help him develop a routine they all hoped would impress. They'd worried he’d lose interest, the way he had about cross-country skiing, but he’d seemed eager to put in the time and get it right. “[i]This[/i] isn’t boring!” he’d explained, and that was something they all agreed on. It was a challenging program! And, it was about to begin!