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Many kinds of flowers in the world; Wilde
Topic Started: Apr 17 2014, 05:15 PM (543 Views)
Wilde
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Ghede's mask hid her smirk as the Crystal pair followed her 'requests'. Then she scowled. Immediate control was one thing. She needed to expand her influence. Thys Paer'Eis thumped her lightly on the shoulder, and she smiled. He was right. This pair might help her with that. Well, perhaps this was no so much a waste of time as she had thought.

"I will have to remain here," Ghede commented. Only her rider could tell she was displeased about this. "We both found the nests before, but the birds will flee my mists."

Thys Paer'Eis slid off her back and patted her shoulder, tossing the girls a reassuring smile.

"She'll do well for some time on her own anyway," he added, playing to the shy character he had given her. "I'm sure you can't tell, but you're making her nervous. The nests are this way."

He laid a finger to his lips in a playful gesture for quiet and lead the way into the woods directly opposite his dragon, her annoyance at being seperated from him again pulsing in his thoughts. But there was something else, a resignation of some kind. Puzzling, but he would ask her later. Perhaps she had simply come to terms with his determination to do this.

Five minutes into the woods, Thys Paer'Eis settled against a tree and gestured the girl over.

"There, in the trees across the path." For there was a faint path, perhaps worn by deer. Three trees were clustered close to each other on the other side. "I found the feathers there, under those trees. There are nests above, though I did not get a good look."
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
After Meira dismounted, Telluria was suddenly aware that beyond the clearing, the tree grew thick. Thick enough that even as thin and dainty as she was, it would indeed be difficult for her to navigate without the native wildlife hearing and seeing her. Her idea of luring the rare birds out seemed unlikely to be successful. And suddenly she was worried about Ghede’s fumes around the animals but the Riun was indeed keeping them close to her body. So polite from the tainted she had heard described to her!

Doubly so when she even volunteered to stay behind for that very reason. This dragon was indeed a mystery to the Crystal. But the mystery she really wanted insight to was of the rare birds they were seeking. They had a few names but it seemed the official one was ‘rose winged blackbird’ as they were not exactly known about enough to label them. And so Telluria was eager to do so and contribute! But her heart was sinking the more she looked about. Finally she looked to Ghede.

“Indeed, it seems I must stay here as well. I may not be able to navigate through the growth silently enough” She lowered her head to Meira. In truth she was VERY wary of letting her go into the woods with a boy alone even if he did seem wonderful. Rare birds or not if she came to harm she’s tear the woods down to protect her. It hit her then, was this a trap? To separate them? Apparently Meira felt her dragon’s sudden worry because she winced but whispered to the Crystal.

“It’s alright Telly. I’ll be ok, you’ll know if I’m in trouble, besides I have a feeling this is safe” At this the Crystal dragon’s eyes gazed into her rider’s and saw the confidence there and nodded. She had to take a chance and trust Meira, but should she come to harm, the dragon would never forgive herself. Meira stroked her snout, kissed the tip of her nose and began to follow Axaltich.

They walked for some time, Meira wanted to engage in conversation to be polite but she knew to remain silent so as not to alert the wildlife further. Finally he stopped.

"There, in the trees across the path. I found the feathers there, under those trees. There are nests above, though I did not get a good look."

She gazed down the path before looking back to him with a smile “Thank you” She whispered “I will be back in a moment” She Meira took a deep breath and continued on the game trail as silently as she could but with her sketch note book in hand. She kept looking up to see if she could spot anything that could be a nest. When a call rang out she froze and looked around without a sound. Ah, there, about 20 feet ahead of her stood a tall tree with an old woodpecker roost hole higher up, about 15 feet up the tree.

It had always been hard for Meira to be still, quiet or patient when it came to something exciting. But for the first time, she forced herself. She must have stood for at least 10 minutes before something happened. When it did, Meira could not move or speak if she wanted to. A black bird flew into view and right to a branch outside the roost hole. She only got a good look at it when it did land. A shining black bird with creamy pink bands across its wings, and matching pink markings around its eyes. Meira watched dumbfounded and tried to take in every detail as the female bird poked her head out to take the male’s gift of insects and grass. The male had a small pink crest on his head whereas the female lacked the feature but still held the black coloring with pink markings. Meira ever so slowly began sketching in the book. She could not draw as detailed as some but more than well enough to depict the shapes and features of the birds.

To her delight, three fluffy faces of baby birds poked out behind the mother peeping for food which the parents quickly complied, regurgitating into the eager hungry mouths of their young. Meira barely felt the tear as it slid down her cheek as she watched. Not only were they here, they were breeding! She wished more than anything those she cared about could see what she was seeing. Telluria, Thyla, her family…that last thought brought her back and she blinked before she watched the female hop back into the nest to warm her hatchlings and the male flew off after they settled to find more food. Oh how she wanted to wait and see him return! But she knew she had to get back and give them their peace and show her findings.

No doubt Axaltich could see her eyes held tears. But she smiled “They have babies” Another tear fell “Thank you so much!” She was unsure how to respond to further show her gratitude. She was so overwhelmed!
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Wilde
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Despite the Crystal's reasonable doubts, there was no double-cross planned. Ghede settled elegantly to ground, her six wings tucked close to her body, rustling slightly as she shifted. She was quite as unhappy about this separation as Telluria was. Thys Paer'Eis was better about hiding hid dragon's apprehension than the girl, however.

The Crystalrider left Thys Paer'Eis in the brush to approach the birds. Though he could not see them as she did, he could hear them, including the chirping younglings. He knew little enough of women, but he knew she would be pleased. He chuckled as softly as he knew how, then dug in the bag at his side for a few things.

After her sketch was completed and she moved back toward him, he met her on the path, half between their two points.

"Wait a moment," he whispered, "Be very still. I would like to do something."

Now he left her and crept toward the trees. His movements were slow and graceful, the unconcerned advance of a deer or sheep. He kept his eyes down (any creature can recognize a predator by the eyes, after all). When he was a few feet from the tree, he scattered the contents of his hand slowly in a spot bare of grass. He then continued on, looping slowly back to crouch next to the girl again.

Ghede smirked even from her distant position. When he chose, her rider could move with absolute silence in any terrain. He would make a wonderful assassin...if she could convince him to kill. Though he could and would play with dead bodies all day, he was loathe to actually end a life. It was very odd.

A few moments after he settled again, Thys Paer'Eis gently put a hand on Meira's arm to keep her calm. Just then, the male bird fluttered down to the spot where Thys Paer'Eis paused, and pecked at the ground. He retreated, then returned, a little closer. Back and forth the male went several times. The final time he paused not three feet away, at a pile of seed and mica plates hidden in the grass.

He hoped she would not be so foolish as to try to sketch the bird with it so close. It would only startle the creature. It remained at that spot for perhaps a minute before pecking up a thin piece of mica and returning to the nest. This time, it remained there.

Satisfied, Thys Paer'Eis stood and went back toward the dragons. Though it occurred to him that his actions would probably delight her, he didn't notice how grateful she was, nor did he understand her tears.
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
Meira was still overwhelmed by emotion and excitement. She was digging hard to find the right words to say to the lad who had led her to their targets, especially when she worried about coming off as an idiot. But before she could form words, he spoke first .

"Wait a moment, be very still. I would like to do something."

She nodded her head and obeyed. She fought hard not to move a muscle as she watched him carefully. Her curiosity is what held her, she could not quite tell for sure what he was doing. She was almost worried about the birds being spooked, but obviously the boy knew what he was doing or he never could have found them in the first place! As he returned, Meira had a feeling she was still to remain silent and stilled. And so she did and simply watched.

When the male bird fluttered down again, Meira could not believe her luck. She watched wide eyed as the bird hopped about pecking at the seeds left behind for him. Her breath caught when he came so close, within three feet or so, she was afraid to blink or breathe. All she could do was stare and try to take in every detail into her memory. She only sighed when the bird flew off back to the nest to return to his brood.

For a moment all she could do was sit and stare at the nest but was reliving what had just happened. What brought her out of it was when Axaltich rose up and began to head back to the dragons. Finally Meira found her feet and quickly got up to follow him. “Wait! Wait, Axaltich…That was amazing! I can’t even…Thank you!” In her emotional state she did not pause before she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Telluria could not see her rider yet but she sure felt her emotion. And that told her that they had indeed found the birds. For once she wished she was a small lithe Rosemary who could perhaps have more luck getting closer. But then perhaps her scales would not be as much as a payment of gratitude. She would need to give this Ruin pair many of them!
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Wilde
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The girl was watching the bird, but Thys Paer'Eis was watching her. The expression on her face as the bird slowly came closer told him that his ploy had been effective. Turning to leave was simply the most logical next step. His thought process had not and could not, however, prepare him for the girl's next action.

While locked away under the child's influence, the young artist had been mostly immune to the trials of puberty. Lately, though, when visiting villages, he had noticed his eye drawn to pretty young women. More than once he had caught Ghede chuckling at him when he absent-mindedly handed a giggling girl a flower, not even really realizing why he had done it. But he had never done anything physical with a girl.

So when Meira kissed him, he felt as though his body had a mind of its own. A rush of emotions lent him more warmth than should have been possible on the cool day. His arm went around her waist to steady them both, and it pulled her close without his telling it to. Meanwhile, his entire upper body turned bright scarlet with embarrassment.

What was the proper response to this?!

"I, uh...I mean..You are welcome, I suppose," he stuttered, internally growling at himself for being so inelegant. He muttered in his own language for a moment, then offered the girl a shaky smile.

Back in the clearing, warily (and surreptitiously) watching her Crystal companion, Ghede began to chuckle. Little puffs of orange-violet vapor poofed from her masked mouth, only to sink quickly back to the ground before getting far.
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
Meira was a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve so to speak. She was rather innocent that way, she expressed her joy with the simple assumption that others would feel it too and reciprocate it normally. That was not to say she was foolish, Meira knew of boys and their hormone driven ways, but usually she knew when a male was dangerous. Though she was not immune to being fooled.

So when her companion faltered and had to steady himself while holding onto her, Meira was taken aback a second. Not sure what was happening she steadied both of them, but it took a bit of searching his face to see what had happened. Ah she had surprised him. Suddenly she felt bad and blushed hard.

“Oh dear! I’m sorry, I did not mean to cross any boundaries! Forgive me I will be more considerate, I was just so grateful and thrilled” She blushed a bit herself, Meira never wanted to be one who came on strong in any sense. “Let’s head back and perhaps Telly and I can find that flower and we will be out of your hair I promise.” She still smiled warmly at him.

At Ghede’s chuckle, Telluria tilted her head curiously before feeling Meira’s wave of embarrassment. Oh jeeze. The Crystal dragon was pretty sure she knew what was up, Meira had either hugged him or kissed him or did something else that crossed some form of personal comfort line. When the girl appeared the leggy dragon went to her and the awkward blushing faces confirmed what she suspected. “Oh Meira…”

“I’m sorry. I told him I was sorry too. But I couldn’t help it! Telly look!” She opened the sketchbook to the fresh drawings. Telluria’s emerald eyes widened “He got them to come really close Telly! I was just so grateful-“

“Yes dear. I know….My gods I wish I could see them. But I can at least see the flower yes?” She asked trying to divert the subject so as not to embarrass the young man nearby further. She looked at the Ruin pair “You two have been most helpful! If we could go to the flowers now I will gladly fill up a decent sized sack with scales for you!” She put herself between Meira and the Ruin pair and as they walked she whispered to her rider.

“Honestly Meira you know better. Some day you will be too expressive to the wrong person! I worry dear!” The girl was blushing hard.

“I just kissed him on the cheek” Meira said so quiet only dragon ears could hear her.

“No more touching of any kind without consent!” Telluria said quickly before smiling back at the Ruin pair as if nothing was wrong. Though it may have looked a bit too sheepish. She knew they were getting close because the sweet smell of bloom was filling the air.
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Wilde
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The girl's stumbling apology was enough to remind Thys Paer'Eis of his current position, and he hastily let her go, trusting his balance to his own two feet again.

"Jethick te belgivo," he muttered, not realizing that he was still speaking in his own language. ((Nothing to forgive.))

He let her head back to the clearing, but stayed put for a moment. A handful a deep breaths were enough to clear his mind, though he could still feel the roil of emotion in the background, aided and abetted by the gentle push of his dragon's amusement. He brought his actor's smile back to his face and followed the girl back to their dragons in time to see the Crystal in the middle of what was clearly a scolding, though he couldn't hear the words.

Rather than intrude, he went to Cydaelaestor. The mists seemed to rise up around him, encompassing and caressing him. He had also noticed that he seemed to be immune to their influence. Even Kesolyraesyr's vision got blurry after standing too near his dragon for a time. But not him. Handy, that.

"It isn't polite to laugh at another's embarrassment," he muttered, laying his forehead to hers.

"Since when did you care about politeness, my rider?" she asked as softly, amusement in every line.

"Since it was me you were laughing at, you skeletal creature!" he replied, but now he was laughing, too. She had a point, after all.

"We would be glad to show you to the flowers, Crystalpair," the Ruin replied, lifting her face away from her rider's. "And don't mind the boy." She swept one arm around him in a protective gesture. "He has been alone much of his life. He has had little experience with fellow humans. He was startled, that is all."

Expecting it this time, Thys Paer'Eis was somewhat more able to control his blush. Startled was not all it had been.
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
As they walked, Meira silently repeated to herself to be mellow, but the guilt bubbled a bit still. She wanted to apologize again but Telluria answered for her luckily "Oh Meira is just very bubbly and social, opposite you know"

Normally Meira would have said that she could talk for herself but she knew Telluria was trying to help. Besides the scent was becoming stronger so she tried to focus on flowers around her. Supposedly the ones they were looking for were star shaped and where white or light purple.

The first flowers were white but looked almost like fluffy white orbs with thin petals. Then bell shaped yellow ones and a mix of spring blooms. It was when there was suddenly more shade from the trees that Meira finally noticed the star shaped flowers.

"Telly look!" Indeed they seemed to be on creeping vines along rocks and parts of trees but they did not look to be parasitic like some Ivy or lichens, yet they seemed stronger than other vine flowers like morning glories. Indeed they ranged from white to lavender with all the shades and markings in between. Meira sat and quickly sketched a couple with notes on the differences.

Telluria examined them herself and found one flower laying sideways in the grass, it's stem broken probably by some feeding animal. "Aw, well, this one can come back with us for records at least" She said cutting the remaining stem lower to preserve the whole plant carefully before putting the flower in a small fabric lined box for safe keeping.

The crystal turned to the Ruin pair and began carefully plucking scales from her wings and sides "You deserve half of my whole scale coat really. No worries they will grow back" She said offering several dragon sized handfuls of various scales from her form "At least I know I can always afford fine things yes?" She chuckled. "We are again eternally grateful to you both" At this time Meira was putting away her sketches and the sun was just beginning to travel toward's the hills.

"I suppose we should be getting back soon. But do not worry we shall not mention you to anyone if you do not wish. It seems some of the Academy has been very paranoid about the latest batch of Taintlings for some reason" The Crystal shrugged. She saw no reason why there should be more concern than there was before.
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Wilde
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"He is social enough around his groupmates," Ghede replied casually, though her rider would know that this was not necessarily what she thought of as a positive thing. "But they see each other as family. Physical affection from one outside that group is quite different."

Thys Paer'Eis kept his mouth shut as he led the others, one hand comfortably on his dragon's shoulder. It was true enough, after all. And once Ghede decided to chat, no amount of protestation from him would get her to shut up.

Besides, they found the flowers quickly enough. The girl predictably ooh'd over the little blossoms. Their colors were so light that he had little interest in them. He could get better yellows and lavenders from minerals or roots. And white, of course, came best from bone or clay.

"That's really no--" Thys Paer'Eis began to protest, but Ghede flicked her tail at him and he fell silent. It wasn't as if he didn't want the scales. They were beautiful, and would make fine additions to his art. So instead, he ducked his head and accepted the payment. "Thank you. You are as generous as you are beautiful. The pair of you."

Ghede's golden eyes flicked toward the Crystal when she mentioned the latest batch of Taintlings, and Thys Paer'Eis looked up, putting a look of unease on his face. Internally, however, he was delighted.

"Perhaps you could tell me some of the rumors, before you go?" he asked. "I bonded with the most recent batch, after all." He gestured to Ghede. "Perhaps I could put name and reason to the rumors." He glanced away as though discomfited. "I've no doubt that many are true enough."
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
Meira was tying and packing the last of the supplies as Telluria conversed with the pair. Though she certainly did not expect them to admit that they were of the latest bonding. It made her look at them in fascination. See? So not all taints were monsters! But some...

"Well, a while ago before the clutch, a couple people a friend of mine knew were attacked. Torn up and tortured. They said others were killed in front of them" Meira said sadly "I visited them in the infirmary. I guess one of our Dire packs went to arrest the people who did it but they got away..taken to the eggs I heard"

"Ah yes" Telluria joined in "I think they really began to worry because I guess one of them was a cannibal. And when our own recent clutch was about to hatch a couple months ago, one of our candidates was attacked after her escort was killed....and eaten. Luckily our candidate was saved but she got a nasty bite to the hand. Said the girl who attacked her gave it to her as a reminder or message. So of course many of our riders were put on high alert. Majorly so when one of the original men who was attacked said he saw the group and their dragons. One was a terrifying sounding Bulkhead who mated with his Forest...That egg did not hatch" At this Telluria fell silent. She did not want the pair to think she saw them negatively, they had given her no reasons to distrust them.

"But don't worry, we're not saying all taints are bad. But I think some of the Academy worries that their leaders are plotting something. Just paranoid really! Granted psychotic cannibal soldiers sound scary, but I'm not afraid" Meira said with a kind smile.
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Wilde
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Thys Paer'Eis listened with a determinedly neutral face, as though trying to keep from taking their comments personally. In truth, however, he was delighted, especially at the mention of a Bulkhead and his rider. Blair would be ecstatic at the news that her legend had spread so far. He let the two of them peter out, then gave the girl his most serious look.

"You should be frightened." His tone was flat and hard. "I've met the one all of these rumors are about. Or, I should say, I have met the three. The woman who rides the Bulkhead you mentioned is the cannibal, but she is rarely alone."

"Her name is Blair," Ghede added, jumping in to supply the proper name that her rider could not. "She bonded to Bulkhead Krakatoa. They are a terror in a fight. Her brother, Byrn, is rider of a Lightning named Ts'akab. Neither is particularly friendly or patient. The third is her lover, a warrior named Bolrock, bonded to a vicious Razor named Rouge."

"Separately they are enough to give anyone nightmares." He paused, and looked away. This time, however, it was to hide his face until he could school away his grin. "Together, I think they could take anything the Academy might throw at them." Face properly blank again, he looked back up at the Crystalpair. "They are the ones that took me to the Tainted hatching." He put an emphasis on the word 'took' that implied 'kidnapped,' however untrue it might be. He patted Ghede's shoulder. "However grateful I may be to be bonded to my dragon, we left as soon as lessons were over."
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Gothic Thylacine
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So sayeth the Spider
The face of both Meira and Telluria seemed to drop right into confusion at the response of the young man upon the Ruin.

"You should be frightened."

His tone was so serious it actually sent chills through Meira. Both she and her dragon were having a hard time forming a proper reaction as he spoke of meeting the very people they had heard of. And while he spoke of three, there were no doubt more out there from the bonding.

"But....But why? Why would they....Are the Taints wanting to start another war? Why would a person want to eat other people? Blech! Goodness that must have been a horrible experience! I am so sorry!" Meira stressed her sympathy. "She could have eaten you..." She almost whispered in personal realization of horror.

"Easy now Meira love. There will always be bad people in the world, but you must not let it bring you down there are still wonderful things about the world" Telluria was a tad desperate now to shake off the sudden dark creeping sensation on her skin "But yes I am very glad and thankful that you two survived such an ordeal. And I do pray you stay safe from now on" She gave a nod to Ghede "I am certain you can keep both of you safe. Anyhow, I will still not mention you to anyone if you do not wish but goodness perhaps we should mention about the others..." She paused and shuddered.

They gave many more thanks before the Crystal wings spread to lift the pair above. Telluria did some circling around the area to map it within her memory before flying back toward's home. It was an oddly silent trip. While a wonderful and productive mission, it ended on a slightly more ominous note.
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