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| Into the Wild; For SilverFeather! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 22 2012, 08:16 PM (716 Views) | |
| CloakAndDagger | Jul 22 2012, 08:16 PM Post #1 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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It was a sunny, cloudless sky, but you couldn’t see much of it at all beneath the shadows of the trees. They grew in thick, like thin sentries and watchers to bend down and take account of all who went to and fro about them. Their arms reached out up and down and all around, grasping at one another and intertwining, kin, while their leaves painted the canopy and floor in brilliant greens. The gold of the sun, though, took its own hand to dapple the undergrowth with light through the translucent ceiling and, with every brush of wind, the portrait was settled into a new shape of color and brilliance. It was a living work, not only in color, but in shape and smell and sound. Unseen, birds and flitting things called back and forth between the boughs in a chorus of unbroken language. There were snaps and cries and songs, but none so bright as the one that rose up from the throat of the boy who wove in between the trees as the smells of the forest grew strong around him. Upon his massive steed, he settled with his arms resting gently upon trumpeted horns and he sang a song that came to him as he went. In a strange tongue, its meaning, like the forest, was mottled and lost, but, it’s sound was clear and golden as sun and stars. he beamed with joy to even speak the words, though, no one but his compatriots were there to here it. He sang for the sheer pleasure of it. His carriage, a great, thick creature as stout of body as he was of mind, moved forward with a steady, rhythmic pace like a metronome keeping time with his bonded. He was not a long creature. His tail was stunted and short, as if cropped, and his neck was thickly muscled close to his body, but oh was he tall for something of his element. Fourty some feet long, the sonic rose half his length from the ground and, at 20 ft, was near a match for a small fire, if only in weight. What he lacked in tail was wound into the girth of his steel grey body. Roped muscle filled in every notch and nook to make him a stocky fellow, and his wide feet made hearty tracks in his wake, but, the sound that should have rumbled forth from the steps was muffled and quiet despite his weight. His footsteps, settled serenely by his magic, told more of his nature than the fabric of his body and its electric orange shocks that ran from his back. Pulse stepped serenely, calmly, eager for every inch forward, but patient enough to take it in its time and not gulp them all up at once. And he smiled lightly, happily, at the sound of his partner’s gilded voice. Above the hefty creature and his golden haired rider, a winter plumed phoenix settled from branch to branch. Sometimes he watched, sometimes he moved on, but he kept up with the duo below with a careful eye. Ruffling his feathers, a shower of white snow fell from his wings, but, it quickly evaporated in the humid air. Uncomfortable, the bird clicked his beak, but, he was more interested in moving on and winding his sight around the new adventures before them than he was moping about current conditions. If he’d saved his boy in the desert heat, he could bare a little discomfort in the jungle. And pickings here were so much better. With a cry, he was off to plunder the nest of a less attentive mother. The trio moved on, through the thickly risen jungle, and did so with easy hearts. They were not out for trouble, like many of their peers in their youth. Recently graduated, yes, but the sonic pair and the phoenix were eager to see the world and sing tales of adventure as well as write them. They rode out, seeking what all boys seek when they are boys: excitement. Like green boys, that and they were foolish, but, curiosity was a stronger pull than fear for them. And, out there, among the weeds and willows, who knows who they just might meet. |
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| Silverfeather | Jul 22 2012, 09:28 PM Post #2 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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Kadrim could hear everything from the perch she had chosen. In her small little home, stood one of the tallest trees that overlooked the jungle. Perched on one of the lower branches of the tree, she preened herself, tugging at loose feathers and putting them in a pile to add to her nest. Even if her scent was all over the place, she would not give anyone the actual proof of where he exact nest lay. And, that's the way she preferred it, not wishing to be rudely awoken to someone trying to kill her in her sleep. And with her being so close to the Academy, she didn't trust that if someone crazy enough to know she was here, might actually attempt it. Even though she had done no harm to them. There were those out there with enough hatred for the taint that they would try something stupid. She'd seen it. But, even if it hadn't happened, (And with all her precautions, she doubted anyone would) She didn't want to have that risk. Call her paranoid, but she had to. In the cut-throat world she found herself in, being paranoid kept you alive. And it had her. She knew most of her home and the surrounding lay of the land by heart knew where every large boulder, stream, and river lay that she could escape into the brush fairly easy, despite being an Air. She wasn't fast in the foliage, compared to the speed she could gain in open air, but she adapted in whatever way she needed to be. She wasn't really living, She was surviving. She still had that offer the other Air had given her of visiting, but seeing as he would probably have no good real information for her, she didn't want to sit around for Idle chit-chat. She might be relatively sane for the moment, but she didn't want to actively seek out company of one she didn't trust. Of course, She would have to go and 'visit' him to build the bond of being an ally, but for today, she was happy in listening to the fauna create their music. As with the lay of the land, she had come to recognize the normal 'tune' the jungle normally gave off. Maybe not the exact animals and where they be, but what it normally sounded like, so she could hear if anything seemed off. So when the sound of someone singing in the distant, heading in relatively the same direction as her tree, she stopped preening to listen. She slightly unfurled her wings and stretched her neck out to see if she could discern what. Unfortunately, all she could hear was the tune. With a graceful push of, she slinked off into the air, slowly flitting around tree trunks and branches, slowly heading towards the sound. She was careful to stay quiet as she neared them. Soon, she could see them, ambling about. A dragon, and his (or hers) Rider. The dragon was an interesting looking breed (one that she didn't recognize,and she wanted to assume earth, but assuming things was dangerous, so she didn't) And despite the stocky weight his/her build suggest, the footfalls were relatively quiet. The rider was singing in a different language, one that she didn't recognize, yet it was oddly...comforting. Like the lapping of the waves at the lake, or the feeling of the wind underneath her feathers. A fluttering form above the trio caught her attention. A bird followed them. She watched, hidden in the branches as the ambled away from the tree she had perched in to observe them. When the ambled farther away carefully glided over to a tree behind, silent as a ghost. Interest and mild boredom caused her to shadow them. On this went, She would wait for them to get farther ahead, and she would silently as possible follow, gliding from tree to tree. She didn't know what they were out for, and she told herself that the mild curiosity was for her and her home's safety rather than anything else. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Jul 23 2012, 07:19 PM Post #3 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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Aulos knifed through the air, cleaving left and right in twain as he pealed out from the shadows to claim the unwatched nest he’d spied from his lofty perch. The cold magicked creature fluttered and, with a talon on the rough edge of the bassinet, he broke and ate the yet unborn, while, perhaps elsewhere, the frightened parents watched in dismay. All he needed was one, though, and thats all he took before flitting forward to take a seat elsewhere among the shifting greenery of the canopy. Instinct told him he wasn’t alone here, aside from the natural prey and prowlers, but, he caught hide nor hair of the slinking creature in shadow who had taken up her own perch elsewhere. All he could do was warily cast glances and click his beak, and, in the end, he dropped back down to settle on a friendly horn as his brother beast plodded along. The other two, unaware and, in they boy’s case, unthinking, blissfully continued on. The dragon flared his wide nose, breathing in the smells of the world around him. “Hhheeeh.... Hhhheeeeeh... ACHOO!” The creature ground to a halt and let loose a deafening sneeze through the loose brush of the lower jungle. The plants flared out wide with the wave of sound and air. Even the trees seemed to bend somewhat. The little ones flailed as if trying to escape, but, rooted to the ground, they endured it as well as the rest. After the area settled back down, the sonic wiggled his face and brushed his nose with an enormous paw. The boy, golden hair brushed back, looked down with some concern to his large partner and rested a hand as low on the creature’s side as he could get it. “Pulse, are you well? Did you smell something?” Though he wasn’t singing now, his voice was no less starry, though, it held some strange undertone akin to reverence that hadn’t so been there before. “Hmm...” The dragon mused slowly. “A leaf, maybe? It went up my nose.” He chuckled and the motion shook his body and its riders. Smiling, the boy breathed a little easier. Aulos, who, startled, had flown high into the green and gold above, peered down indignantly. He chirped with a lack of amusement, but, not a moment lost, he then settled back where he was and began to preen like a cat would clean itself. “Leaves do that I suppose.” The mistral laughed. “I don’t expect it told you how much longer this jungle goes on?” “It may have, but I’m not sure. I don’t speak leaf. Maybe we should ask Aulos, Lyre.” The bird, though, seemed more intent on moving forward than discerning the ways of plants. He kreened and fluffed himself to lay his tailfeathers down, but the sonic just chuckled again while the boy brought his own smile wider and looked out into the expanse of dark underbrush before them. There must be so much left to go, so much longer to travel, but all he could do was just be excited for it and, if it wasn’t his voice singing then, it was his heart in his chest. With a brush of his hand, he set his flaxen hair back again and lidded his hazel eyes to take in his own breath of the smells around him. And then, as Pulse wiggled his feet back into the soil, they began again, and the boy pulled out a wrinkled map like a good navigator, but there was only so much a map could speak of the trails ahead, so, soon, he became enamored with the fleeting images of the lush jungle. He’d never seen a jungle before coming to the academy. No jungle, no towering buildings, no marble lined roads, no dragons. And now all he could do was just let his eyes loose on all the wonders he’d missed. Maybe some day he would tell his family. Maybe, one day, they’d visit. “I wish I could see it all...” Wistfully, he spoke and rested his head in his hands, elbows on the neck of his partner. “But no one can have it all at once, right? Lets see the world, one step at a time.” “And what if we meet something along the way?” “Then we greet it.” “What if we meet a tainted something?” “I guess they’d like greetings too, right?” The boy looked down at the sonic, wondering what he thought. “I would.” The creature replied. "But some might not." |
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| Silverfeather | Jul 25 2012, 10:05 AM Post #4 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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Kadrim kept up with relative ease. Hearing the last of the conversation, she had to hold back a snort. How Naiive these two were. They were obviously very young, and never had seen much of the war, or how brutal an actual taint could be. (Again, this observation being made because she viewed herself not-taint. She wasn't Sekkaian anymore as well, but she refused to lump herself in with them). But to actually want to -greet- a taint? They still viewed everything through innocent eyes and who knew? Maybe they'd get a wake-up call or they'd eventually grow out of it themselves. She wasn't going to be the one to tell them otherwise. At least the dragon had been more..hesitant about greeting a taint. She was quickly losing interest in the pair. They were only exploring and passing through. They hadn't even noticed her trailing behind them and she was sure there were a few times she had been less-than silent. The idea of trying to recruit them to her 'web' flitted by and she ignored it. First, they were too young, and they didn't look to have much standing in the Academy. She doubted higher-ups randomly went through strolls in the jungle and then to greet a taint if they encountered one. They'd have more sense than that. At least, she hoped they did. Flittering on another perch, she let it take her weight before she twisted to push off again in the opposite direction than the pair. However, she had overlooked the State of the branch. When she went to push to the next tree branch to flit away, the branch gave underneath. With a large Crack that sounded like a bomb going of through the jungle, it fell. Kadrim, for once, was caught off guard. She flailed, going down instead of going up. She was unable to gain altitude, and she tumbled, with no grace to the ground. Her fan like tail lashed out, and hit, without her meaning too, Pulse's legs. It wasn't enough to trip him, rather it'd probably startle him if the large cracking of breaking wood had yet to. She hit the ground with a thud, feathers sticking out in odd places. Nothing felt broken, thankfully, and with no grace, she managed to roll over and push herself back into her proper sitting position on her hind legs. She hadn't expected to just suddenly crash out of the brush like that. She shook herself and began to preen her feathers back into their respective places before turning and getting a look at the pair. Well, this was....going to be interesting and most likely annoying. But, seeing as how she had failed to realize that the branch had no support to help her when she leapt, she had only herself to blame for this mess. well, it was more of mess. More of a "I just made myself look like an idiot" situation. Nothing she couldn't talk herself out of. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Jul 25 2012, 07:34 PM Post #5 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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The birds were singing. The sun was shining. The air was bright and clear, if a bit humid. It was a good day. A good day for an adventure and, unbeknownst to the three travelers, they would soon have one fall unceremoniously onto them, or, at least, near enough to be considered. Aulos continued putting right every feather in his tail as the dragon carriage stoutly plodded along. The creature walked straight, more or less. Beautiful and curious as this place was, it was not so much built for such a broad creature. The trees grew thicker in places, fence posts growing upward, stretching out their arms for sunlight above their brethren. The foliage wrestled and wrested with itself and, in doing so, closed gaps in places while opening others. This forced the group to meander more than beeline forward, but, wiggly lines or not, it was still forward, bravely into the unknown. Now and again, though, the wagon train had to pause in the event of a strange flower or wide eyed denizen of the jungle (the latter promptly scurried away at the attention). Occasionally, though, one creature or another would be just as curious of the dragon as he was of them and would stay long enough for a friendly nose wiggle before leaping off to safety. Pulse was no forest and had no ties to the land, magical or otherwise, but he was just as enamored with its life as his green kin and their vibrant element. The boy, likewise, could not help himself. He wanted to reach out and just touch everything. Textures, sights, smells. It was more than he could bear to not be a part of it. He wanted to run his hands through the grass, the dirt, the leaves, the branches. He wanted to cup every flower and nose them like some enormous bee humming for attention. He had none of these things back home and, last time he had the privilege of coming out this far, it was because he’d been kidnapped by a group of tainted dragons intent on hostages. He’d been dropped far off into the unknown and had to make his way back with only a friend on the wing. At that point, even survival took precedence over curiosity, which had been put to the test when he’d encountered a manticore that had been very eager to eat his face... The sonic rumbled beneath him and continued in their conversation. “Perhaps it’s best if we be careful.” It was good advice, for, the farther out they went, the more dangerous it would become. The boy nodded respectfully. His voice quieted some. “Yes. Better safe than sorry.” Then, as they rose to sweep onward, there was a great crack. The thunderous sound resonated willfully and thickly upon the air as an enormous, barbed spear, and the pair turned sharply. Aulos leapt up into the air and cried out with an angry scream. Ice and snow fell from his wings. Then, by the time the sonic had turned and tensed himself against the incursion, the creature in question had already fallen into an unorganized heap upon the jungle floor. Broken bits of wood and leaf littered the area around it, but, the shape quickly took itself to its feet like a sitting cat and, as a caught feline, it seemed to pretend as if nothing had happened. The dragon arched over with grace and care to put every inch back in place, as it should have been and then looked back at the three strangers as if they were the ones who had intruded upon her. Pulse grew somewhat befuddled, not sure what to make of this, but, the boy upon his back just seemed to lean in. And they both stayed like that for several awkward moments while the ice phoenix angrily slipped back and forth above them with clicks and shrill screams. The sonic took a ginger step back and looked upon the air dragoness with caution. His feet dug gently into the soil. Lyre, however, blinked blearily, as if wiping sleep from his eyes. He paused, brows knitting for a moment in contemplation, and, then, with the curve of a smile the boy broke the silence. “Greetings!” The word was a song in itself. But, Pulse still looked up to his rider with a bit of trepidation. It was at that moment, Aulos decided it was a good time to take matters into his own, itching claws. The bird, without any word from his boy, shot through the air like an arrow and raked the air passed Kadrim with both talon and cold. The frost followed him like the chill follows the north wind. The warning shot, however, was not the end of it and the avian careened around, twisting upon the humid air with a flick of the wing. He was going to come around for a second shot. “Aulos! No!” The boy reached out, raising an outstretched hand upward to the creature in an attempt to placate him. “Don’t fight. Come back!” The phoenix, though, was already on the move and came at the other dragon with curved knife talons at the ready. |
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| Silverfeather | Jul 26 2012, 01:18 PM Post #6 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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She kept her face stoic, debating if she wanted to run, or if she wanted to greet them. The fact that they themselves had yet to do so, made her wonder what -they- were going to do. However, when the boy greeted her with his melodic voice, she merely blinked. He was greeting her. Could he not tell what she was? Was he not afraid? She shook her head. What did it matter, she didn't care. If the boy wanted to get himself killed, so be it. She wasn't going to be the one to say anything or attempt it. They had yet to actually threaten her enough to warrent an attack, nor did she want to waste the energy. She was going to open and respond when the Fidigiting bird decided to take matters into its own claws. With one swoosh being a warning, It swivled in the air. She crouched lower, glaring at the bird as it squalled. She ignored the boys attempts to call his pet back. When it dived for her again, she merely grinned at it. Like this tiny, fluffball of a bird could actually do much damage to her? When She could control the very air it rode on? When it bore its claws to attack, she set a large, but not deadly, gust of wind to buffet the bird backwards. This, with how the bird's wings were outstretched, would only parachute the bird back into the boys lap. When the bird was safely out of reach of her, she turned her narrowing eyes onto the pair. She held her head up high, now, eyes wary after the supposed attack from the pair, well, bird. If they had sanctioned it, they would have charged while she was distracted on the bird. But they hadn't, only stood and watched. "You should teach your bird to mind its manners." She responded, in a slightly haughty tone. "If it had been any other, it'd wouldn't have been so lucky to get away with a warning." She shook her feathers and once again, the stoic mask was back on. "Your kind sees me as a reviled monster, yet you sit here and say greetings. What brings you so far from the safety of the Academy?" Questions. She said them, trying to keep it from sounding like a Snarl and instead it came out more monotonous than what one would consider polite, but this was Kadrim. She rarely dealt with others unless she got something out of it. This encounter was more of a 'D'oh' moment. Not that she'd ever let anyone know that. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Jul 28 2012, 03:33 PM Post #7 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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The avian was irate and seemed to aim for blood on his talons. He was as some sort of knife thickly swinging through the heavy jungle air, but, he was young and, though he’d met his fair share of other dragons, he’d never attacked one like this before and never so outright. He was a strong bird, yes, but, to one who governed the element that held him aloft, he was just a floating feather. Even as he came around to swoop at this intruder, his boy called for him to return and stop the folly he was attempting. The defender, though, saw Aulos’s attack coming and seemed to pull herself down into less of a target. The phoenix would have none of it and, regardless, held on target while his quarry just stared at him with a knowing, willful sort of grin. Then, in the next moment, everything seemed to run off course for the flying creature. The wind was at his heels, cold casting behind, and, suddenly, the force was before him and knocked him from his spear sailing to throw him and his ice into the waiting boy. His wings caught the flush of air and, like a sail, sent him right back to where he’d come. Lyre, beholding the angry, fluffed phoenix upon his lap, grasped the bird and held him in locked embrace against his chest to keep him from other antics. “Aulos! Stop it!” The boy tried to appease the bird with words, but, the creature was slow to accept. Resisting, he squirmed and wriggled while his large claws beat and attempted to grab hold of one of Pulse’s horns to pry himself loose. The dragon, feeling the struggle, stepped back and shook himself mildly, as if to tell the creature to stop his argument while keeping his rider in his seat. Finally, however, the creature reclaimed his senses and quieted enough for the boy to, once again, set him loose. Like a pouting, petulant child, he flapped away to one of the more distant trumpets upon the sonic’s back, and he sulked with a click of his beak. “...What’s gotten into you lately...” The boy turned his bright, hazel eyes toward the snowy feathered phoenix and sighed before trying to straighten out his mussed clothing. He sucked in a bit of air between his teeth as he painfully a claw had bit at his leg in the struggle. It was a clean wound, straight through the leg of his pants and into his thigh, but, it looked superficial enough, though it also bled spitefully. The boy sucked in his lower lip a bit as the phoenix craned his neck to see. “Well...” He blinked, looking at the cut. However, without letting anything get to him, the boy went straight back to the dragoness that had fallen out of the tree. She held herself well, as if noble born, but, she seemed to be looking at them tentatively. Pulse slipped his eyes up to his rider as the hint of blood fell into his nostrils, but, besides giving him a worried brow, the dragon held his tongue. "You should teach your bird to mind its manners. ...If it had been any other, it'd wouldn't have been so lucky to get away with a warning." And then the air, slipping from her prideful words, reclaimed an unmoved air of calm, but, she seemed to be holding something back. "Your kind sees me as a reviled monster, yet you sit here and say greetings. What brings you so far from the safety of the Academy?" The boy, attempting to hide the nick, put a bit of pressure on it with one hand while listening. His eyes looked over the air dragoness as she spoke. “I don’t see you as a monster...” The boy seemed a little taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected those words. “And, even then, there are many types of monsters.” Just as there are many types of godly legends about your kind. He held himself straight, but, as he continued, he almost seemed to bow forward in deference. His tone, too, was a strange sort of respectfulness rarely given to others, let alone ones of the darker faction. “One man’s monster is another man’s friend.” Or Diety. “And, then, what right have I to think of you as that when you just gave me back my friend. Thank you, my lady, for saving Aulos.” It was true gratitude, there in his voice as he smiled. She could have just as easily eaten his compatriot. “I am so sorry for his behavior. He shouldn’t have come at you like that, but, he’s been wound up as of late. He went off one evening with another phoenix and came back hotheaded and anxious. Hopefully he’ll cool down soon... But, in the meantime, I really appreciate that you gave him back! I’ll try to teach him to mind himself better.” Pulse, wondering, looked back up at his rider, then, to the mysterious creature who’d plummeted out of the tree. “We are out, traveling to a nearby village.” The male’s voice was a rumbling affair, but, pleasing and calm. “From there, we seek to roam and survey damages done these past few years.” The sekkians couldn’t repair everything at once, but they could aim their efforts to the most needed areas. “We do not bring war.” Then, to his rider, he whispered. “Did he get you?” “A little.” The boy admitted sheepishly. “But it’s just a nick.” At the sound of his name, the phoenix looked over again and chirped hesitantly before whisking his way to the boy’s shoulder with a flutter of wing. Apologetically, he preened the boy’s hair. Lyre, suddenly finding himself a perch, couldn’t help but laugh at the tickling effort. “Aulos, it’s ok.” “Is this your home we’ve stumbled into?” The sonic, musing with his rider, looked back carefully to the air. He was still and courteous, but, did not have the same sort of deference to the tainted creature. It was only Lyre who held dragons as gods. “We’ll be soon on our way if we have your leave.” |
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| Silverfeather | Jul 30 2012, 02:49 PM Post #8 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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Kadrim listened with faint interest as the boy got the phoenix to settle down with a struggle. When Lyre explained his views on monsters, she raised an eyebrow. “An interesting way to view things, yet by far a more a logical one than most I’ve heard.” The boy, was grudingly rising slightly in her view, “Most would just lump all taint in as monsters, and believe all non-tainted to be good. When I’ve seen some sekkaians do far more damage and torture willingly than a taint.” She snorted softly at that. She disliked how high and mighty the sekkaian sometimes thought of themselves higher, better than others. Bbut then, there were some, like Lyre, who didn’t think that way. But then, she didn’t care enough to actually listen to those who thought themselves better than them, and that all taint were evil. She’d ether Kill them, or leave depending on the situation. When Lyre thanked her politely, she blinked, a shadow of surprise flicking over her expression before she schooled her features. She wasn’t expecting the boy to thank her for not harming the nuiscance that she found of his pet, nor was she used to anyone calling her lady. Anything that she did for anyone, she never was shown gratitude or it was all faux gratitude and an ambush later. Or maybe not in that order, but still one got the idea. The tone of reverance in the boys tone made her wonder. She shook herself mentally. If he wanted to believe that dragons could be gods, then let him. (That’s what the reverance and respect made her assume and past encounters). She let out a snort when Lyre said he’d come back from a trip from visiting another Phoenix and she shook her head amused. “That would explain his behavior.” She mused, not being able to stop the grin that spread against her maw. The bird probably had lost the flight, so therefore he was agitated and frustrated with himself. Or he displayed his satisifaction in weird ways and hostile ways. “You have a ways to go to reach the next village, if you’re walking.” She informed them. She knew that the Sekkaians planned on trying to rebuild and she knew not when they would actually start, but she hoped that her little niche would lay untouched. She had heard some of the information on the subject, and if they were just now starting to survey the damage, then they had a long ways to go to start rebuilding. “I have no home.” She responded to the question. Her grin faded, and she pulled a stoic face on to mask the sadness that threatened to creep up and barely shaded the tone of voice she spoke in. “I have a small territory, but You have yet to reach it.” At this point, they were closer to her territory than before, but she wouldn’t let them know. I will be your home, Kaddy. Even if you don’t view the Academy, home, at least let me by that.. Again, the voice. She hadn’t heard it in awhile, so maybe it was past due? She gave no indication that memories still haunted her, but she kept her attention on the pair. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Aug 10 2012, 09:01 PM Post #9 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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“Most would just lump all taint in as monsters, and believe all non-tainted to be good. When I’ve seen some sekkaians do far more damage and torture willingly than a taint.” As the air had spoken, both boy and dragon had taken note and there was no fault in it either of them could find. A man was only as good as his heart, and if that heart sought to condescend above others, it was not so well intentioned as it should have been. They both knew that, Pulse especially, who had never known his parents, but, had realized and heard enough from others that he’d come to his own conclusions about his non-sekkian origin. One day, perhaps, he’d find his sire. And, really, he had no idea what to expect from that, but, the idea gave him humility when it came to the idea of factions. For the boy, who had seen so little of war and even less of true fighting, had a very idealistic, naive view of the world. Kidnapped and nearly eaten, He still wore those rose colors over his hazel eyes. At the boy’s other words, though, the creature seemed a little taken aback by the thanks even if the show was subtle and fleeting. The sonic, accustomed to his rider’s thoughts on dragons, was not surprised. Instead, something like a quiet, tired smile graced his lips and his eyes first turned up, to the boy, then down to the mottled ground below. It seemed somewhat … perhaps strange, though, to see such respect given to those whom had been labeled as foe before, as though the boy had ignored every lick of terror others had put him through. Then again, though, the human’s feelings wove tightly in their bond. He could not read him, but, could feel the boy’s need to give that respect, to this one, to any one. It seemed all at once silly and foreign to hold dragons to such a high pedestal. How was there such godhood in something so obviously mortal as the rest? Lyre had seen what dragons were, had seen them bleed and even cry, he’d seen what they all were, but this still persisted. Time and time again, the dragon had tried to tell him that they were all just bone and flesh as he was, and, though he befriended and even rode Pulse, the stories of his family were still with him, knit tight into the fiber of his body. Lyre had never given up that shining look in his eye when he saw the others, as if gazing at them for the first time, no matter how many times he’d met them. The jungle air, though, seemed to grin with the mention of Aulos and his predicament. Perhaps she had her own theories. Lyre had imaged Aulos had gotten into some sort of a tussle, but, he hadn’t been hurt. It could have been that some lady phoenix was calling out, but, the boy knew, win or loss, the phoenix must have put up a good effort. Nothing to be ashamed of... even as he sat there, knowing that, in a similar situation, he’d flub and blubber like a fool in front of a pretty girl talking to him. Aulos had more courage there. Lyre would have found himself embarrassed and silent. How would Pulse fare? The boy mused, smiling, thinking the other male would be gallant. With a hand, he gently brushed a finger down the phoenix’s crest while the bird made bubbling noises. The cold, though, slipped through his feathers like winter whispers, and it cooled the boy’s shoulder as if with cold, prickled cloth. “You have a ways to go to reach the next village, if you’re walking.” She spoke, them matter of factly, but, as she pressed and spoke of her home, or, lack of one, the smile on her face seemed to loosen back to a cold marble curvature of face. Terretory? Wouldn’t she call that home? His smile faded somewhat too. Lyre had left his home to find the wonders of the rest of the world, but, it was still his home. On misty mornings, he’d look out, remembering how much he missed it. “Well, I hope that it lays untouched and as you like it, so long as you have it.” He spoke softly, a warmth over his words. “I’ve always heard that home is where the heart is, though. Surely your heart is somewhere.” He looked at her while Aulos turned his head to eye something scampering in the underbrush. “As for us, we don’t mind walking.” The boy patted his larger friend before going back to rub his leg a little. “We do a lot of walking.” The creature affirmed with his deep voice. “The fun is in the journey, right? Wherever the destination may be.” Golden voice, youthful words. “To what you said before, though,” Lyre seemed to pause, thinking and tuning himself. “I believe all things are good inwardly, even if that good is buried so deep it can’t see the light of day. ...I can’t deny it can be foolish to think that... but, every time I meet someone like you, and we just sit and talk, I’m not proven wrong.” He seemed to laugh, but, reflected on what he’d seen of others. He remembered the wyrmling lessons, how some of his peers would be gruff and harsh, how others would be kind, but they were all his classmates and, they had gotten through it together even if he could not call any one of them best friend. He remembered his time abroad where he met Glos and the forest who had stolen Aulos. He remembered he could have died out there, if not for the kindness of others, and maybe a little luck. Pulse, though, was not so forward in his optimism of others. He had hopes, surely, but also some realistic notions. And he knew, if it ever came to it, he’d take up the duty as shield to protect him. Young, foolish hearts, yes, but they were happy and were never wanting for a smile. |
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| Silverfeather | Aug 20 2012, 08:37 PM Post #10 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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When Lyre asked where her heart was she paused. It was true. She had often heard in distant dreams and memories that home was where the heart was. And now, well. Many believed that she didn’t have a heart. It was her persona. Even she, on most occasions didn’t believe she had a heart. There was always something she wanted/needed from anyone who dealt with her. That’s how she worked. Tit for tat. If she had ever had a heart, it was long since crushed with the death of…of…..that voice. She failed to remember. Some days, she could. Some days, it was a mystery to her. It all depended if she could make sense of the memories and voices, or not. Normally she ignored the flashbacks, filing them away. others, They wouldn’t leave her be. Today was one of the days, that she wasn’t plagued by them. Most days it was like that. She was thankful for that at least. “My heart has long since died. I have no home.” She shook her head. “It matters not. I have a place of my own. Not many truly bother me.” She listened patiently, but refused to comment on journeys and fun. She hadn’t been on a ‘journey’ just for the sole purpose of having fun. She had never ambled without a destination in mind. She had always been get to the destination with little trouble. Stop and smell the flowers, after the job is done. Sometimes, she could be all work and no play. But, she had had her moments. But those were long since past. Then the war happened. And she had to be so…reckless. Stupid. She should have known better. She…..She shook her head. Thinking on these thoughts, that invoked emotions that she couldn’t understand because she couldn’t fully remember, because she didn’t want to remember at the moment. It would just cause more trouble than what it was all worth. And thinking like this, was distracting. And distractions of any sort led to death. Slow or otherwise. She had been to careful all her life to botch up now, because of random…random dreams. “Well, you would be one of the few to believe that there is something left. That there is good.” She replied. She didn’t speak a like. Only three others had started to believe that maybe she wasn’t a threat. And only two of them had really started a long conversation like this. And normally, she wouldn’t have bothered to talk or to waste time, but as she had nothing better to do, and that she had decided she wanted information, she sat and forced herself to start building those connections. Pushing down her want of looking down and sniping at them. “I, however, don’t think it applies to me. I’m more the neutral entity.” It wasn’t the truth. But it wasn’t a lie either. She couldn’t be bothered with sides. It was a whole drama fest of people fighting over opinions, over who is right and who is wrong. Over beliefs, it was so stupid. Because to the people fighting for those beliefs believed that they were right and in reality it was all a temper tantrum and power plays. She had better ways of spending her energy. one couldn’t buy her loyalty, but one could buy her services for a price that she set. And she despised it when most broke her contracts. Those who did, she went out of her way to make an example of why not to break a contract with her. Either with death or other subtle yet noticeable ways. Some took the hint. Others did not. However, She wouldn’t be able to go that route to rebuild her web here. She would have to do it differently. So here she sat, talking to the any that came across her—whether accidentally, or for this instant, if she revealed herself. And she was doing alright in keeping her annoyance and arrogance at bay. For the moment. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Sep 3 2012, 03:39 PM Post #11 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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“My heart has long since died. I have no home... It matters not. I have a place of my own. Not many truly bother me.” As the dragoness spoke, the phoenix turned a bright, discerning eye back to her and twisted his head to view her fully. As if still unable to decide what to do with her, the creature pealed back from his boy’s shoulder and took a higher perch upon one of Pulse’s larger trumpets with a short, striking bark of a note. Feeling the liftoff, the boy shrugged his shoulder a little, somewhat glad not to bear the talons any longer without the padding he usually needed to wear. The pricks, though the bird was careful, still felt needled into his skin. To the Air, however, the mistral saw that she seemed to be dwelling on something, perhaps thoughts of the past. If the subject of wandering ran deeper, maybe she was considering journeys taken... or untaken. Somehow, his train of thought ran over an unsteady course and he wondered of her part in the war. He was foolish, but not nearly dumb enough to ask about something as personal as that and, overall, it was highly unlikely that she hadn’t played a part somehow. Perhaps flinging off similarly unhappy thoughts, the dragoness shook her head. Soon enough though, her voice rose up again, though, it was difficult to say what sort of judgement she’d passed on Lyre’s words with what she said in return. “Well, you would be one of the few to believe that there is something left. That there is good. ...I, however, don’t think it applies to me. I’m more the neutral entity.” Underneath the boy, Pulse reset himself in his footing. His toes dug naturally into the soft earth and cracked twigs flat beneath their girth. The shatters were louder than he would have liked, but, it wasn’t nearly as loud as the crash that had set the dragoness down to them before. Like Aulos, the sonic was unclear as to how to handle this one. Her words were to the point, sometimes brief, but there seemed to be a lengthy thought process that came before any note left her mouth and there was something she was definitely holding back. Her willingness to talk proved her opinions well enough, though, and he saw little threat of violence, for the moment, but, Pulse would be sure to keep a guard up along with the friendly conversation. In all likelihood, they’d probably part ways soon enough. “Well, why don’t you come with us!” Interested in continuing conversation with this stranger, the boy blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Pulse merely looked up to him again pondersomely. “Well, that is, if you have the time... But there’s a whole world out there. Something new every day to see and experience. To smell and breathe.” Even as he spoke, it was very clear just how enamored he was of the idea. His heart was not content tied down in the same old places. Even the phoenix, though, looked at him with a judging eye. “You say you have no home, so, what’s tying you down?” He was getting a little over eager with this, he realized and shuffled in his seat a little uncomfortably. He didn’t mean to get carried away. Quieting down, he rubbed his leg again. “I guess I shouldn't say that. I’m sure you’re busy with your own business.” “It would be considerate, though, if you would show us the way to the nearest village.” Pulse’s voice took up as his partner’s quieted and, this time, the boy was the one to look down in delighted confusion. With respectful consideration, the boy continued. “I’m sure you know this place better than anyone else I’d meet at the moment. It would take us twice as long on our own... but... we don’t have much in the way of payment to give you in return.” |
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| Silverfeather | Sep 13 2012, 01:30 PM Post #12 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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Kadrim blinked at him as the boy rushed the request out. Go with them? Where? There was a world out there. And she had had seen most of it, seen both sides of it. The good, the bad. She had seen people suffer and struggle even before the war hit, she had seen children dying in streets while people turned the other way. Why would she want to witness that again? Because of her ‘I don’t care’ Of anything, she observed and watched without the feelings of guilt and remorse. Did the one’s who passed by not care? Or did they drown their sorrows and feelings of inability in a drink or dangerous habit? She had found the latter to be more the case than anything, however, she had had seen others pleasure in the sufferings of others. And even though most refused to take active action in helping, their allowing of this suffering made them just as guilty. But then She had seen the flipside. The beauty of it all. A mother raising her child with love and care. People helping people, because that’s what they were supposed to do. Because they felt it right. She had watched the sunrise and sunset, played in the rain, watched new life being brought into the world in the hopes that their generation would help to better the world. She had laughed, had loved, had been happy. Once. Now, there was only this mere existence. With nothing left but to hide among the forest like a common criminal. What would happen if others saw her traveling with these two? Wouldn’t that ruin their chances of seeing the world and exploring? She blinked, and after a few seconds of all these thoughts running through her head, she got irritated with herself. Why should she even think of these things? She didn’t care. It was her life, and she didn’t care how others thought of her. (Else she wouldn’t truly admit that maybe deep down there was shred that –did- care.) She turned to Pulse’s request, not entirely sure at the moment of how to respond to the boys sudden outburst. “I could show you to the next village.” She began, trying to figure out what she wanted. That was how she operated. But, as she ran her gaze over them, there was nothing that she could think of, that they could give her. And Pulse had even said so himself. She inwardly rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing materialistic that I require anyways. However, If you –wish- to offer me payment, an owed favor is always welcomed. Otherwise, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” She stretched her wings. “As for joining you on your journey. I’ll…think about it.” She was hesitant. She had nothing else to do, other than try to rebuild her web, but that wasn’t working as well if she just stayed in one spot. Maybe travelling around would better her chances in gathering her informants and others. She gazed up towards the sky. “If you wish to reach the village by nightfall, I’d suggest we start heading off.” With that said, she took a hesitant step forward before she decided to take to the treetops. With the way her forelimbs were shorter than her hind legs, she was unable to ‘walk’ for long distances. “I’ll skim the sky line so you can see me. I would walk with you, but.” She gestured to her disproportionate limbs. “I’m not exactly suited for walking long distances.” |
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| CloakAndDagger | Oct 2 2012, 06:27 PM Post #13 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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It was only after the words had come out that the boy realized what he’d asked. He felt sheepish and settled back, no longer leaning into the passion of his words and ideas unthinkingly. His hands subconsciously knit themselves together, as if pious, as this other dragoness seemed to think inwardly about her options. He regretted being so uncouth, but, his excitement had gotten the better of him. Who knew what this creature would be risking, though, if she went with them. Maybe she wasn’t alone here. Maybe she had a whole network of eyes and whispers between the trees and vines. Someone once told him that, if you stay long enough in one place, that place grows into you as much as you settle into it. Hers was air, though, not forest, but, he imagined the breeze could carry a voice as well as shuddering foliage to the observant, and more especially to these blessed creatures. Lyre couldn’t help but imagine different stories playing out in his head. His mind, ever curious, concocted strange ideas for living in a jungle like this. Penance? Open space? Maybe she was on a search too? Or maybe she was hiding. The boy’s partner was more actively attuned to things than the young rider. Pulse’s small, orange eyes held tight to Kadrim as she settled on a response for his ponderous question and, as she stoically agreed to lead them for a time, she did provide a method of payment: Debt. Debt and favors were always more complicated than cash or items. Though, for the time being, it really was all they could offer. The little they carried with them was enough for emergencies... and emergency snacking. Being a bit of a behemoth for his breed, the sonic was easily made to bear the provisions and supplies, but, there were no gold, gemstones, or delicacies on board. There was never a short supply of music, however, he highly doubted that she’d take singing as legal tender. The little mistral sat quietly as his partner nodded calmly. “Agreeable. So long as the favor is equal to the service provided.” It seemed only right to give something back, especially if this air turned out to be more friend than foe, or, at least more on the benign side of neutral. He wasn’t keen on the possibility of being pulled out for a debt payment that was far beyond the means of the original tour guidance, however. He’d read and heard stories. Though, admittedly, most of those malignant favors were owed to more devilish figures than she appeared to be, but who knew these days. “As for joining you on your journey. I’ll…think about it.” That was more than enough for Lyre, who perked up at the notice and leaned forward a bit to crane over Pulse’s neck. However, he found himself reaching back suddenly after a spark of bother from his leg. The wound there from Aulos was still rough enough to force notice occasionally, though, it only seemed a pinch of blood enough to be annoying. “If you wish to reach the village by nightfall, I’d suggest we start heading off.” Her voice carried on as the air dragoness slipped toward them a moment on her uniquely fitted limbs and motioned to their state. “I’ll skim the sky line so you can see me. I would walk with you, but... I’m not exactly suited for walking long distances.” Agreeable, The male nodded. Just as she was in her element in flight, his position was more suited for the ground and built in much the opposite way hers was. Flight was a boon, but a weary one for him. His strong, muscular limbs could carry him as long as he’d like, but, for a price while his joints struggled. “Sounds good to us.” The sonic looked up to his rider, who sat back quietly and peered down at his steel blue steed. The larger creature pulled a sweet smile across his lips. “It’ll work better that way,” he continued, “If we choose to sing some merry tunes along the way and don’t wish to bother anyone.” The robust dragon peeled himself from the muck and strode forward with big, hulking steps that left strangely soundless paw pads after them. Calmly, he was ready to follow this sudden stranger, but, his serene demeanor was held over an electric excitement that rivaled his rider’s. Lyre had told him of his travels outward and the kidnapping that sort of forced it all to happen at once, but, there was only so much he could imagine without seeing the real thing for himself. An adventure they would have, with or without Kadrim. She was right, though, they’d have to hurry to make good time. Then, they could sleep like kings of the world under the stars at their destination. As they went, the boy’s voice called out to their party leader as they set off. “Oh! I apologize for not introducing us earlier! This is Pulse. And I’m Lyre. May I ask what your name is? ...Do you like living out here?” |
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| Silverfeather | Oct 10 2012, 08:51 PM Post #14 |
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Samurai Pizza Feather
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“Agreeable. So long as the favor is equal to the service provided.” Kadrim barely held her snort in. Of course it had to be reasonable. She might be the one to collect debts/favors, but she always made sure they were always equal value to the trade. When and if She ever called on them to collect said debt, it would be something small, something easy, something of value. She didn’t know what it was to be for the moment, and when the time came, she could always send word, or track them down if the need ever arose. She didn’t really see anything in the near future, so she just filed it away, marking it for a rainy day. She skimmed several trees ahead of them, making sure that She set an easy pace for them to follow. They would skim by her territory, but they didn’t need to know that. It was a tidbit of information that she felt was best left uninformed. When they commented on singing, she made no response. She didn’t care. If that’s how they wanted to entertain themselves by singing songs and other lyrical poems, fine by her. It was still a ways from the Village, and She would probably leave them once they made it. She didn’t want the villagers to shun them just because they had a taint traveling with them. She doubted they wouldn’t have much luck with villages if they learned a taint was traveling them. The fear and hatred against the taint, was still fresh, still there. Her showing up would only pour salt into the wound. Them going on an adventure brought back more flashbacks, more memories, that flashed through her minds eye. Laughter, sweet chiming laughter flitting through her ears, the smell of the large body of water, the edge of the desert rolling in her minds eye. And all these memories held one thing in common. The image of a girl, no woman, standing, laughing, looking at her lovingly. Yes, she had had her journeys and adventures. With this..woman..her Rider? Slight confusion flashed through her brain before the laughter (It almost sounded like the boy was laughing, and she resisted the urge to tell him to be quiet) interceded again. It didn’t deter her from leading them the right direction, or truly clog her senses, making the world blind, it just...followed her a ways. Oddly it was comforting, but she could only piece the pictures together. The laughter belonged to the woman, who, she could only guess belonged to her past. Her past that still was shrouded, and something that she didn’t want to delve into. It was frustrating that, while she wanted to forget, the memories refused to leave her be. She wondered if there was a way to prevent them entirely (not saying she wanted to go back to living under the influence of Nidhogg, she preferred her independence thank you very much), but just away to stifle them again. Having gotten lost in her battle, she barely missed what the boy was saying. All she had caught was Lyre, pulse and her name? She blinked, pausing briefly, hesitating a few seconds, that only if one was looking for such a reaction from her would have caught it before she put the pieces together. He was asking her for her name, and if she liked it out here. “Kadrim” She responded. short, to the point. before she started to analyze the last question. Did she like living out here alone? She was silent, the laughter slowly fading away, leaving the hole that she had had never really noticed to sprawl out before her, black, swallowing, and depressing. Did she? Or to the point. Did it really matter what she liked and didn’t like. She had nowhere else to go, no one to go to, and no one would accept a taint among them. It wasn’t a matter of like or dislike, a matter of choice, rather a matter of no choice. She, as much as no one would accept her, didn’t really want to deal with the drama that would follow if she tried to live anywhere else outside of isolation. She refused to go anywhere near the taints, and tended to avoid sekkains alike. So, in the end, it was all she had. For the moment. Like most of her responses they were always slow, yet thought out. “I don’t view it as a matter of like, or dislike. It is merely a place where I can survive in relative peace. There is no other place for me, nor would i be accepted anywhere.,..more civilized.” If she could have shrugged, she would have. “It matters not, It’s a place to call my own.” She felt that civilized wasn’t quite the right word that she was looking for, but for the moment it conveyed her meaning fair enough, and that was all she needed. “And yourself? Do you find your lifestyle to your benefit? Or was the Academy a little...stifling?” She might as well ask a few questions here and there. Give the illusions she cared more than she actually did. It was more to keep the weird memory-esque fantasies away. They still had a ways to go, and she might as well have some sort of conversation between the two of them going. |
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| CloakAndDagger | Oct 25 2012, 08:04 PM Post #15 |
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THE DUNGEON MASTER
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While the creature of air slipped into her element, those given to the earth below continued in her shadow. Pulse’s steps took him in between thick growing trees and plants which reluctantly gave way to his husky figure if he could not manage a way around them. Fortunately, though, his was not such a difficult time compared to what a larger creature would manage, but his weight gave him a strangely smooth gait as his fore and hind paws balanced the oversized top half of his body. His shoulders rolled, as if rowing, and his back swayed with the alternations while the boy sat astride the thinnest part of the sonic’s neck. Almost hidden by the swaying thicket of horns, Lyre looked onward, towards the coming underbrush, while his partner rolled them both forward with metronome pacing. His paws came down like canvas drums. Air whistled gently through his trumpets as the humid air bumbled along his shape. The ice phoenix fluffed himself up as he kept his tall perch upon a quietly humming ridge. Taking a break from the scouting and exploration, he indifferently preened himself among the rhasping openings. Now and again, though, the bird peered an eye upward to catch a glimpse of the leading air and clicked his beak in the irritation of not being able to tell if she was friend or foe. Flying close enough to hear the question, the dragoness lent her name out to the greenhorn travelers. The other question, though, hung between them for a moment and was pulled in the distance of the conversation, like a rubber band between moving targets. “I don’t view it as a matter of like, or dislike. It is merely a place where I can survive in relative peace. There is no other place for me, nor would i be accepted anywhere...more civilized. … It matters not, It’s a place to call my own. … And yourself? Do you find your lifestyle to your benefit? Or was the Academy a little...stifling?” The end of her response seemed a little forced, but, the separation between air and land made mishearing things more of a possibility. Lyre looked upward. His hazel eyes followed her lofty form as she swept on ahead, but, he grew quiet while watching and let his bonded answer. In steady tenor despite his walking, the sonic’s voice carried, as if there was nothing between them. “The academy is a good place to grow, but, some growing you can only do in unfamiliar places. I cannot complain. It was safe and comfortable, but, we both agreed that there was more outside the walls than within. “Our lifestyle is better made in many places, rather than just one, but, we both have our own homes somewhere. I suppose thats all anyone needs. A home and a friend to show it to.” That made Lyre smile. He shuffled a bit in his seat to resituate himself and warmly looked down to the scaled, striated length of his friend’s neck. He patted Pulse the way one would reassure an old friend, with just the acknowledgement of someone being there. “I can’t wait to show you where I grew up. My home’s not that far. I’ll bring you there soon and I’ll show you my house and my family and our land and everything...” “Everything?” “Everything under the sun and maybe more that I can find in the shade.” The golden voiced boy was elated just thinking about it and he smiled as he turned his eyes downward to stare at nothing in particular. He failed to consider, however, how his family would react. Not everyone was so easily shown their own gods. He was sure, however, of the pride they’d have for Pulse. He couldn’t wait. “Kadrim, if I may ask,” Lyre called out, “do you have any good spots that can’t be missed? Where was your favorite place? Was there any place that just... made you pleased to be near?” If she hadn’t been in this jungle forever, maybe there was some world out beyond that only she’d seen. Creatures of the air saw so much more than those on the ground. Onward, however, the jungle began to transform. There was a musk that hung in the air along with the gnats. It was something feted, and, more than just the humidity, it became a sticky undertone to every breath for Pulse. Lyre, however, was not as affected. Now and again, he would rub his nose, but, the constant insult of the smell was not as profound to a human. It was something old and half gone, but, with a crunch, the smell became more evident, as if reaching out at length. Underfoot, the sonic’s feet rolled over a branch now and again that would snap or break beneath his weight, but, as they continued momentarily, he felt vexed by the musk and looked down to find the object in question. It seemed too smooth to be wood, even some from the young trees of this part and, as Lyre turned his attention to the base of a fern, the answer presented itself. The skull was small, but it was human. It rested, as if gently, half buried under the leaves of an overarching plant that had seen no harm in living around death. The rest of the bones lay scattered around like the remains of a meal. Further on and further behind, other bodies rested in broken brown and yellow. They were not branches, but bones of the long dead, and he’d been treading over them. Startled at the realization, the dragon flared his wings and backed up only to knock over a young tree as he backtracked. Aulos flit upward from his perch and barked sharply at the sudden movement. Another skull collapsed under Pulse’s weight and caused him to refoot himself again. “...bones.” There was controlled horror on his lips as the young creature turned his head to survey the scape of the scene. Meanwhile, they had stopped their progress and were losing the dragoness. “A settlement, maybe. There are buried foundations in the trees.” The jungle had reclaimed what it had found, which meant reducing what was in it’s way to humps of nearly indistinguishable rubble from whatever it had been, but, the disguise made the boy want to scream. He’d had relatives die before and he understood it to a degree that any boy could without being close to it. He’d seen cow and animal bones, but, there was something just so recognizable about a human skeleton. It was almost lonelier than all others. Realizing that it had once been a person, synapses firing, fingers stretching out to clothe themselves of braid hair. It had been alive once. Now the boy could not tell you how old any of them had been, nor what gender. It was just an overwhelming sadness complexed with revulsion and fear. “Half a dozen. Maybe children...” His voice was lustreless. He was trapped in the middle of a burial and had no clue how they died. They were all bones at the very base of things, but, to be reminded of that left it’s own kind of mark. “K-Kadrim. Please, wait. I need to … tread more carefully here.” Even Pulse was coming out as a little disjointed. He could feel the waves of nauseated discomfort from his rider and just wanted to bring the boy out, but, there had to be caution. The bodies were old, but, there could still be danger. The boy shut his eyes and put his collar up over his mouth. The words came out muffled and quiet. “...What happened to these people?” |
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