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"Ooh." Despite the fact that the tiny blue Fae spoke in the monotone usual for their species, even a Coatl would be able to pick up her excitement from the way her crest twitched back and forth. "I think I see a mouse den."
"You gonna go to it?" the green Tundra beside her asked, half-turning from where he was currently digging out a particularly juicy piece of manaweed.
"Duh."
"Well, then you go do that. We need more meat anyhow." Despite his cool words of affirmation, though, Zavist--for that was his name--still turned to the last member of their group, a yellow Nocturne who clutched a pufferfish in his claws, silent. "You checked the food store last time, didn't you, Zorion? 'm right, right?"
The reply was curt and laconic. "Yes."
"'A'ight, then. Off you go, Tris."
"Yay." With that exclamation of joy, said so deadpan that one would have been forgiven for laughing, Tristesse flapped her large, membranous wings and flew west alone, humming a nameless tune as she went.
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Canvas:
"Ooh." Despite the fact that the tiny blue Fae spoke in the monotone usual for their species, even a Coatl would be able to pick up her excitement from the way her crest twitched back and forth. "I think I see a mouse den."
"You gonna go to it?" the green Tundra beside her asked, half-turning from where he was currently digging out a particularly juicy piece of manaweed.
"Duh."
"Well, then you go do that. We need more meat anyhow." Despite his cool words of affirmation, though, Zavist--for that was his name--still turned to the last member of their group, a yellow Nocturne who clutched a pufferfish in his claws, silent. "You checked the food store last time, didn't you, Zorion? 'm right, right?"
The reply was curt and laconic. "Yes."
"'A'ight, then. Off you go, Tris."
"Yay." With that exclamation of joy, said so deadpan that one would have been forgiven for laughing, Tristesse flapped her large, membranous wings and flew west alone, humming a nameless tune as she went.
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passerinde
"That's strange..." Muttered Bendal to himself as he flipped the tattered map he was holding in all sorts of different directions. Turning it and flipping it around at a rapid pace, he squinted at the piece of parchment dramatically. "I could've sworn th'map said we were at th' Starwood Strand." He thought out loud in a heavy, energetic accent.
"Well, the map is obviously wrong. Either that, or you have made another foolish mistake like the bumbling, clumsy fool you are!" Luciela snapped, walking close behind him. "I would think it is the latter, you thick-skulled ignoramus with a rock for a brain!"
"Dun't b'silly, Luce!" The coatl laughed light-heartedly, obviously not taking the insult seriously. "Amazing fashi'n sense nev'r lies!" He puffed out his chest, showing off what many, many others thought was on the contrary, the worst sense of fashion they'd ever seen.
"I absolutely cannot believe you are the clan's ambassador! Not even the Earthshaker would know why a cretin such as you could possibly be a successful mediator!" The ridgeback growled, towering above her clanmate. "The next thing you know some dragon will come along, and you will embarrass yourself to the point where all of the deities would be ashamed of you!"
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passerinde
"That's strange..." Muttered Bendal to himself as he flipped the tattered map he was holding in all sorts of different directions. Turning it and flipping it around at a rapid pace, he squinted at the piece of parchment dramatically. "I could've sworn th'map said we were at th' Starwood Strand." He thought out loud in a heavy, energetic accent.
"Well, the map is obviously wrong. Either that, or you have made another foolish mistake like the bumbling, clumsy fool you are!" Luciela snapped, walking close behind him. "I would think it is the latter, you thick-skulled ignoramus with a rock for a brain!"
"Dun't b'silly, Luce!" The coatl laughed light-heartedly, obviously not taking the insult seriously. "Amazing fashi'n sense nev'r lies!" He puffed out his chest, showing off what many, many others thought was on the contrary, the worst sense of fashion they'd ever seen.
"I absolutely cannot believe you are the clan's ambassador! Not even the Earthshaker would know why a cretin such as you could possibly be a successful mediator!" The ridgeback growled, towering above her clanmate. "The next thing you know some dragon will come along, and you will embarrass yourself to the point where all of the deities would be ashamed of you!"
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"Well, I don't know if the Arcanist would care. He's cooped up all day watching the stars, after all." The voice that chimed in their opinion--from the light tone of voice, it was probably a female--came from above them; if the two looked up, they would have seen Tristesse perched on a tree branch above them, crest moving in the well-worn signal for curiosity. "And you haven't embarrassed yourself so far, don't worry." Were the words sarcastic, or reassuring? With Faes, it was always hard to tell. "Now, may you please move--you're standing on a satin mouse den."
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"Well, I don't know if the Arcanist would care. He's cooped up all day watching the stars, after all." The voice that chimed in their opinion--from the light tone of voice, it was probably a female--came from above them; if the two looked up, they would have seen Tristesse perched on a tree branch above them, crest moving in the well-worn signal for curiosity. "And you haven't embarrassed yourself so far, don't worry." Were the words sarcastic, or reassuring? With Faes, it was always hard to tell. "Now, may you please move--you're standing on a satin mouse den."
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passerinde
"See! I ain't 'mbarrassed m'self a' all!" Bendal rebutted proudly. "Oi there, miss fae! D' yer clan be in need 'f a lil make' er?" He called cheerily to the fae above. "'M a travellin' stylist! An' an ambassador t' boot! Is yer clan int'rested in 'n alliance?" He asked in a normal,'friendly tone, as if he was simply asking about the weather to a friendly neighbour.
Luciela shuffled off of the spot where she was standing, saying nothing. She'd rather not get verbally involved in whatever drama was likely going to happen next. After all, what kind of ambassador acted in such a casual, blunt way? These affairs were supposed to be formal and somber, not... Whatever this cretin was trying to make it!
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passerinde
"See! I ain't 'mbarrassed m'self a' all!" Bendal rebutted proudly. "Oi there, miss fae! D' yer clan be in need 'f a lil make' er?" He called cheerily to the fae above. "'M a travellin' stylist! An' an ambassador t' boot! Is yer clan int'rested in 'n alliance?" He asked in a normal,'friendly tone, as if he was simply asking about the weather to a friendly neighbour.
Luciela shuffled off of the spot where she was standing, saying nothing. She'd rather not get verbally involved in whatever drama was likely going to happen next. After all, what kind of ambassador acted in such a casual, blunt way? These affairs were supposed to be formal and somber, not... Whatever this cretin was trying to make it!
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"Haha." The Fae's tone got even flatter, a sign that she was trying to hold in the laughter that had come bursting out of her anyway. "We wouldn't be able to give you anything, if you did give us a makeover--though I'm pretty sorely tempted. You look great. As for ambassador business..." The tiny she-dragon trailed off. "Well, umm, we're--I mean, the dragons I live with...we're not a clan. Not yet--I mean, not really..."
Crest waving back and forth in mild distress, Tristesse's pink eyes darted around, looking for anything that would take them away from the apparently uncomfortable topic of her living arrangements; as they settled on the third dragon in the clearing, the Ridgeback, her eyes lit up.
"Hey there. Who're you, friend-of-ambassador?"
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"Haha." The Fae's tone got even flatter, a sign that she was trying to hold in the laughter that had come bursting out of her anyway. "We wouldn't be able to give you anything, if you did give us a makeover--though I'm pretty sorely tempted. You look great. As for ambassador business..." The tiny she-dragon trailed off. "Well, umm, we're--I mean, the dragons I live with...we're not a clan. Not yet--I mean, not really..."
Crest waving back and forth in mild distress, Tristesse's pink eyes darted around, looking for anything that would take them away from the apparently uncomfortable topic of her living arrangements; as they settled on the third dragon in the clearing, the Ridgeback, her eyes lit up.
"Hey there. Who're you, friend-of-ambassador?"
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passerinde
"Aw, shucks, I dun' need payment! Makin' drag'ns look great is payment 'nough!" Bendal blushed proudly, a large smile on his face. Oblivious to the Fae's signs of discomfort, he made the bad choice of pressing the matter. "Well, if yer not a clan, what're ye?" He asked curiously. "Whatche mean b' 'yet'?" He added, confusion apparent on his face.
"I am Luciela. A pleasure, ma'am...?" She trailed off, wordlessly asking for the Fae's name. Her words sounded a little muffled and echoed inside her mask, but at the same time, she was glad it also hid the embarassed expression on her face. What behaviour unfitting of an ambassador! She thought disdainfully as she watched Bendal act so childishly. "If I may ask, we are lost and it would be very much appreciated if you could tell us where we are." She said quickly, wanting to move on and not linger in any longer. Hopefully they'd be gone soon and this fae would forget either of them even existed, so that Bendal's immaturity would be erased from the Fae's mind forever, and not leave a bad impression on her.
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passerinde
"Aw, shucks, I dun' need payment! Makin' drag'ns look great is payment 'nough!" Bendal blushed proudly, a large smile on his face. Oblivious to the Fae's signs of discomfort, he made the bad choice of pressing the matter. "Well, if yer not a clan, what're ye?" He asked curiously. "Whatche mean b' 'yet'?" He added, confusion apparent on his face.
"I am Luciela. A pleasure, ma'am...?" She trailed off, wordlessly asking for the Fae's name. Her words sounded a little muffled and echoed inside her mask, but at the same time, she was glad it also hid the embarassed expression on her face. What behaviour unfitting of an ambassador! She thought disdainfully as she watched Bendal act so childishly. "If I may ask, we are lost and it would be very much appreciated if you could tell us where we are." She said quickly, wanting to move on and not linger in any longer. Hopefully they'd be gone soon and this fae would forget either of them even existed, so that Bendal's immaturity would be erased from the Fae's mind forever, and not leave a bad impression on her.
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"My name's Tristesse. Nice to meet you, Luciela. As for where you are right now, you're currently on the outskirts of the Starwood Strand, where it meets the Crystalspire Reaches. Did you bring a map?" Unable to think of anything else to delay the question the Coatl had posed, she turned back to him in one hesitant motion.
Why are Coatls particularly bad at reading crest gestures?
"We're, uh...we just live and eat and sleep together, I guess, though..." She paused in her words once more, looking around before lowering her voice. "I say 'yet' because I hope we can be a real clan in the future. It's not like any of us have somewhere else to go..."
"Unfortunately, Tristesse is right."
The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, echoing throughout the little clearing. A rustling of leaves, as well as a shadow from above that blocked out the setting sun's light along with the canopy above them, signified the presence and descent of the newcomer: the yellow Nocturne that the Fae was with earlier, though of course Luciela and Bendal had no way of knowing this.
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"My name's Tristesse. Nice to meet you, Luciela. As for where you are right now, you're currently on the outskirts of the Starwood Strand, where it meets the Crystalspire Reaches. Did you bring a map?" Unable to think of anything else to delay the question the Coatl had posed, she turned back to him in one hesitant motion.
Why are Coatls particularly bad at reading crest gestures?
"We're, uh...we just live and eat and sleep together, I guess, though..." She paused in her words once more, looking around before lowering her voice. "I say 'yet' because I hope we can be a real clan in the future. It's not like any of us have somewhere else to go..."
"Unfortunately, Tristesse is right."
The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, echoing throughout the little clearing. A rustling of leaves, as well as a shadow from above that blocked out the setting sun's light along with the canopy above them, signified the presence and descent of the newcomer: the yellow Nocturne that the Fae was with earlier, though of course Luciela and Bendal had no way of knowing this.
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passerinde
"I see..." Luciela answered calmly, attempting to control her voice. She could hear her words shaking as she restrained herself from full on shouting at Bendal for being such. A. Fool! "Thank you for the information." She jumped, startled by the new voice and the shadow, and instinctively moved her body into a defensive position, ready for battle. Was this newcomer hostile? It was better to be safe than sorry, she supposed.
"Aw shucks, th't's terrible! M'ybe y'all do need a m'keover to help cheer ye up!" He said sympathetically. "I c'ld definit'ly see 'n 'lemental embl'm lookin' strikin' on ye! And 'f course a fed, too! Ev'ryone sh'ld wear a fed!" He jumped excitedly, tapping his own fedora enthusiastically with his claw. Upon hearing the voice of the unfamiliar dragon, he immediately looked up at the shadowed figure... And waved. "Hulloa there! Are ye here fer a m'keover too!? I th'nk a noice gentl'manly waistcoat w'ld look stunnin' on ye!"
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passerinde
"I see..." Luciela answered calmly, attempting to control her voice. She could hear her words shaking as she restrained herself from full on shouting at Bendal for being such. A. Fool! "Thank you for the information." She jumped, startled by the new voice and the shadow, and instinctively moved her body into a defensive position, ready for battle. Was this newcomer hostile? It was better to be safe than sorry, she supposed.
"Aw shucks, th't's terrible! M'ybe y'all do need a m'keover to help cheer ye up!" He said sympathetically. "I c'ld definit'ly see 'n 'lemental embl'm lookin' strikin' on ye! And 'f course a fed, too! Ev'ryone sh'ld wear a fed!" He jumped excitedly, tapping his own fedora enthusiastically with his claw. Upon hearing the voice of the unfamiliar dragon, he immediately looked up at the shadowed figure... And waved. "Hulloa there! Are ye here fer a m'keover too!? I th'nk a noice gentl'manly waistcoat w'ld look stunnin' on ye!"
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Silence.
"...no." The Nocturne's tone of voice left no room for discussion, and the disdain quite visible on his face as he looked Bendal up and down once crushed it into a ball and threw it into the wastebin.
With that out of the way, he turned to the Fae, summarily ignoring the Ridgeback on-edge at his very presence. "You said you were going to get meat. Instead, you meet two strangers in our territory."
"This isn't our--oh, okay." Her crest nodded, a sign of understanding, when Zorion shot her a warning look. "But they're not strangers any more--they introduced themselves and everything. That's Bendal, and that's Luciela. See, not strangers."
"You know that's not the point, Tristesse."
"But the sun's starting to set, and they were lost. All I did was tell them where they were, anyway--of course I didn't mention...
that." Though she struggled to add the inflection to her voice that signified a meaningful tone to her voice, she managed to do so; the fact she did it at all, however, spoke wonders.
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Silence.
"...no." The Nocturne's tone of voice left no room for discussion, and the disdain quite visible on his face as he looked Bendal up and down once crushed it into a ball and threw it into the wastebin.
With that out of the way, he turned to the Fae, summarily ignoring the Ridgeback on-edge at his very presence. "You said you were going to get meat. Instead, you meet two strangers in our territory."
"This isn't our--oh, okay." Her crest nodded, a sign of understanding, when Zorion shot her a warning look. "But they're not strangers any more--they introduced themselves and everything. That's Bendal, and that's Luciela. See, not strangers."
"You know that's not the point, Tristesse."
"But the sun's starting to set, and they were lost. All I did was tell them where they were, anyway--of course I didn't mention...
that." Though she struggled to add the inflection to her voice that signified a meaningful tone to her voice, she managed to do so; the fact she did it at all, however, spoke wonders.
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Passerinde
"You do realize we are right here?" Luciela asked smoothly, keeping to her defensive position. She looked over at Bendal, and was very surprised to see a crushed and disappointed look on his face, and his feathers dropping down along with the position of his head. Even he was affected by the way the nocturne treated him. He was obviously not in a mood to talk anymore.
"We are ambassadors from a clan from Dragonhome. We are looking to ally and aid clans in different flights all over Sornieth." She said calmly. How ironic that she, the ambassador's escort, was doing the actual mediating work. "It would be most beneficial for your... Group to listen to what we have to say. Looking at the authority you seem to have over miss Tristesse, I presume you are the one in charge?" She asked.
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Passerinde
"You do realize we are right here?" Luciela asked smoothly, keeping to her defensive position. She looked over at Bendal, and was very surprised to see a crushed and disappointed look on his face, and his feathers dropping down along with the position of his head. Even he was affected by the way the nocturne treated him. He was obviously not in a mood to talk anymore.
"We are ambassadors from a clan from Dragonhome. We are looking to ally and aid clans in different flights all over Sornieth." She said calmly. How ironic that she, the ambassador's escort, was doing the actual mediating work. "It would be most beneficial for your... Group to listen to what we have to say. Looking at the authority you seem to have over miss Tristesse, I presume you are the one in charge?" She asked.
