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We Ask Ourselves, Why?; Vankka Flight
Topic Started: Jul 15 2016, 02:23 PM (629 Views)
Irene
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Egg
This was a time of turmoil for the academy. The disease ravaging the land had caused a sharp decline in available foodstuffs. As a direct result of this, many were going hungry. That was especially true for the larger dragons. The mycotic breed had a wide size range and Vankka was unfortunate enough to fall on the larger end of it. An odd one out as she may be, she would suffer just as Sekkai's massive true earth dragons did She wasn't content to stand around and do nothing. The quiet dragoness had been doing what she could to help replenish the food supply. She had been hunting whenever she could, especially for those dragons who could endure the hunger less than others. Her powers, doubtlessly viewed as a mark of the taint, were finally coming in useful. In the legion, she had only been able to create harmful fungi. Now, with a crystal that was healed several years too late, she was trying to grow edible mushrooms. It would take a little longer for there to be a proper harvest, but so far, she had been successful in her endeavors.

So much food was being brought in by her and none of it was for her. Why should it be? She didn't need it. The pains of hunger washed over Vankka just like everyone else and sapped her strength. Everyone had been eating less than they should have. She was eating less than she had access to. This was not done out of self-loathing, but sympathy for those around her. The hollowness eating away at her stomach made her weak, but it was a familiar weakness. Loss had lead to many times when she had barely eaten enough to keep her alive. She and hunger were old friends. It was suffering, but it was not as hard when you knew what to expect and how to push through. The academy had many who she suspected didn't know famine as she did. Some needed sustenance to keep a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. For them, it must be torture. She would not stand by and watch their suffering when there was something she could do about it. It hurt her as well, but she had made it through before and would do so again.

Amidst her efforts to help, there sat a seed of selfishness. A mycotic could grow fungi on their hides just as easily as on land. So long as she avoided the bits of naturally poisonous fungus, she could grow mushrooms on her hide as well. Yet her scales did not have a single one in sight. If she began to monitor them as well as her crop, what was left of her energy would rapidly begin to drain. She would not be able to touch another dragon for fear of harming the precious growth. It would be harder to fly.

It had been a long time since she had last taken to the sky to mate. Twice she had done so before, twice it had ended in tragedy. Three children, dead in the egg, dead so a parasitic influenza could live, dead during training. There was a tiny hope within her that maybe if she rose again, she would get one who lived. It was largely overpowered by the fear that she would merely set herself up for sorrow once again. Even if she did lay a healthy egg, it was a horrible time to do so. Dragons were starving. She knew she would have the energy to fly, but it as energy better put into other activities. They needed her to hunt, not to bring another being of questionable blood into the world. All these factors should have made her decision an easy one. It would have been, had it not been so long since she last rose. So long since she was near other rising dragons. Her old seclusion amongst the tainted legion had rarely been broken. Now that she was at the academy and others were beginning their flights, she felt the pull stronger than ever.

Vankka had headed out hours ago to think things over. Take a walk and clear her mind. She did not succeed in that. Instead, she grew antsier. Her wings twitched and she felt as if ants were crawling along her scales. Those who noticed her may mark her down as something of a stoic recluse. But no matter how held together you were, no one was truly immune to loneliness. She craved companionship just as strongly as her more primal urges. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, it was wearing her down bit by bit. That selfish thing that had only ever ended in sorrow. She had been walking in an attempt to burn that energy off for a while now, only to begin gliding once she reached the dangerous forest of Vidalaner. Once massive wings had set out and brought her aloft, the urge only got stronger.

Twice before this had ended in sorrow. There were better things she could do for the academy. But a child... a mate... she wanted so badly not to be alone. Raeana was gone and wasn't coming back. She could protect her daughter, but Kizika was not her rider and it would only hurt the girl if she shadowed her forever. Someday, there would be no need for her to watch over her. So long she had been alone and only more of that loneliness stretched on the horizon. Just for a moment, she wanted to forget. Just for a moment, she wanted to be selfish.

She wondered if people might be mad at her for this. That did not stop her. She wouldn't stop growing her mushrooms or suddenly focus entirely on herself. She just... she had to did this. Her glide carried her forwards until a shadow fell over the ruins of Vien, blocking out the afternoon spring sun. A strong, stable-looking spire stood proudly amongst mostly crumbled buildings. She dove for it and grasped at it was her claws, clinging to the side. New cracks spidered along the aged stone under the pressure of her grip, but her weight was not so much that it gave way. The mycotic parted her jaws to let out a particular sort of roar. A call to flight. Only moments after she found her perch she kicked off. The pilar gave a groan of protest as a shower of stone flakes fell to the ground.

Amber eyes looked out for any males who may heed her call. "Speak to me," she told that. "That is my only challenge. These are trying times, what do you think of them? What do you plan to do? Tell me your motivations and your worries." It had been so long since she'd had a good conversation. Even if she had the energy to set up a proper challenge, this would still hold so much more value. Hopefully, none of them would be angered by how she attended to her own needs. She had tried to push it aside, she really had. The call was just too strong. The loneliness was too much.
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YourInnerDemons
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Mors and Aisling had landed in Vein a few hours ago. The desolate ruin was eerily quiet, but it didn't bother the young Rosemary, who slid his head under his rider's hand to grab her attention. "Come," He said in his soft, stoic voice. "Let us proceed." She gave him a nod and they separated, each looking for resources; new plant life that maybe sustainable in the land's current state and edible. The Rosemary dug around with his talons, taking deep breaths of the flora and putting bundles of samples in his pouch. His rider did much the same, only with a knife.

After a while of searching and scratching at the ground, Mors paused when he saw a shadow fall over the overgrown stone ruin. Turning his head with his long neck, he spotted another dragon flying overhead. A female. Had he seen her before? ...Yes. She was a former taint, if he remembered correctly. Was she here for the Academy like them?

His question was answered soon enough when the female grasped onto a spire and ushered a... call of flight? That piqued his interest. His reticent gaze followed her as she let go and spoke.


Speak to me... That is my only challenge. These are trying times, what do you think of them? What do you plan to do? Tell me your motivations and your worries...


The way the female spoke... It... made his heart clench. He swore he heard a pain in her voice that he'd only ever heard from one other; his rider Aisling. It was the pain of longing... loneliness. Having seeing his bonded feel such pain, he knew that this female must be going through something similar if not the same. He stared at the female for a long while before turning to Aisling whom was already looking at him.

"Go," She said with a small smile. "I'll be alright." Mors nodded and opened his wings, heading for the lonesome female. As soon as he saw her coming closer into view, Mors slowed his speed and halted in front of her.

"These times are difficult and make one's soul wary." He said in his usual sober manner. "I and my bonded are searching for solutions, small as they maybe. I worry, however, that it may not be enough. That railing against this famine may prove fruitless in the end. But we cannot stop, cannot give up hope, else we will surely fall. With this reasoning, I make it a point to move past my doubtful thoughts. I keep moving forward for the people of Sekkai and my rider, whom I hold close to my heart. I am Mors, Rosemary of rider Aisling Rosamund and I will keep fighting and working towards a solution until my last breath. What of you?"
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Hooxeii
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risk it for a chocolate biscuit
NPC Fire Candescence (Agnir's Father); arriving and answering Vankka's question

Age had been kinder to him than to most. For a beast of his size and stature--a great fire dragon at the peak of his breed's size range--to have lived so long with only a little arthritis in his hips was no small thing, and while he couldn't fly as far or long as he once could, Candescence liked to think he was a still a respectable flier. Of course, he couldn't manage much in the way of flight at present; there wasn't nearly enough food in Nyushi to sate a dragon like him, and while there was wild game a-plenty up North, catching said game wasn't easy. The creatures of Vidalaner were wary, and eons of evolution had given them plenty of tricks to fall back upon. Plus, Candescence thought, they were tough and chewy compared to the succulent, farm-raised meat he was accustomed to. He deserved better in his retirement, but he wouldn't gripe. He'd lived through far worse.

His northman of a rider was up in the coldest parts of the world visiting what was left of his tribe, and while Candescence would've liked to go along, the chill there aggravated his aching hips. Staying at the Academy with the man's wolf-riding brother was an option, but the dragon didn't fancy being around when all the younger, weaker dragons were complaining about empty bellies. They were fortunate, he knew, to have known peace for any length of time at all... most of his life, by comparison, had been spent in war. Famine was uncomfortable, but it beat the threat of tainted invasion any day, and he'd tail-smack any dragon who said otherwise. Given his options, Candescence decided to accompany his rider as far as Vien, then remain there until the man returned. Vien was interesting enough to occupy his attention, and he'd find more of the amenities of home there... plus, there were few enough dragons and lots of well-meaning people he could complain to, and the view by the lake was pretty.

Watching the water made him reflect on many things. His life, his legacy... how sad and old he seemed compared to what felt like a few years prior. His scales had once been a beautiful red, with orange along his topline and a beautiful blue-black along his belly; the red and orange had dulled, and the black became ashen and grey in places. Where his proud, spiny crest had been was now a line of half-broken, half-limp spines. A mantle of spiraling horns had chipped and peeled in places, and even his tail, which ended in a fan of blades, had lost its sharpness. Perhaps the only aspect of him that had grown more powerful was his command over the element of his birth: he could summon up very intense flames, and his control over those flames was second to none.

A pity, he mused, his only offspring was a scatter-brained fool. It wasn't his fault, nor was it the fault of the lad's mother. At the thought of poor Ripple, his beloved sea monster of a mate, Candescence saddened. She'd passed two years ago, but the blow of losing her stung just as much as it had then. She'd never found anything wrong with their son, but she'd always been the peaceable sort. "Give Agnir time," she'd said, "he'll grow up and become everything you want in a child and more." Well, his son had yet to deliver on that promise. Agnir hadn't even sired hatchlings of his own yet, though maybe it was better that way. With an attention span akin to a squirrel's, Agnir was in no way a capable father in Candescence's not-so-humble opinion.

He definitely deserved better. A war-dragon like himself needed a bold fighter of a hatchling to succeed him... a go-getter, an ambitious creature who'd like nothing more than to take any enemy head on. Or, he thought, a child who had a clue. That'd do just fine.

When a mating call reached his old ears, Candescence thought he was hearing things. But no, there it was again... the siren song of a female seeking what only a mate could give her. Eggs, hatchlings... a legacy. Hope for the future. Old though he was, the veteran of war and fire was still a red-blooded male. Maybe, just maybe, he'd see one decent hatchling before he joined his beloved Ripple in the afterlife.

He took the the skies with a creak and a groan, and was grateful she wasn't far away. At first, her appearance surprised and dismayed him. She'd been tainted once; it was clear in her looks she belonged to the reprehensible mycotic breed, a strain of dragon he'd taken pleasure in roasting during the war. But there was something decidedly untainted about her, a sadness he couldn't quite characterize. She'd likely lost her rider at some point, and if she was allowed to roam freely--though not without a few caustic glances in her direction, he noted--she might well have been healed. Well, whatever she was now, she was an available mate first and foremost. A good dose of Sekkain genes could cancel out whatever foulness remained in her bloodline.

Candescence wasn't the first to arrive. A rosemary was there, too. Pah! Pretty though the smaller male's speech was, he was positively tiny. Her appearance made it obvious she'd been of the earthen breed before her tainting, though Candescence supposed anything was possible with magic, and that being so, he'd have to show to advantage. Especially, he knew, since the rosemary was young and spry.

"Hear me, beautiful lady," the fire dragon rumbled, "I am Candescence. I have come seeking your approval, and as you can see, I am of the fiery element. Do not let the grey on my scales fool you, I am still quite fertile, and if you're seeking a mate to see you through trying times, I am your male. I have weathered war and worse, and still I am here! These times are trying indeed, but nothing Sekkai cannot survive. I would give you strong children, mighty soldiers who would burn away the blight of the Legion! My sage advice would prepare them for any eventuality."
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Zinc
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NPC Air Tuuliki

Hunger was a strange companion to a dragon such as Tuuliki. The constant gnawing in his gut was not something he dealt with gracefully. His rider Reese fell constant victim to his complaints, and had to gently and patiently remind her dragon that it was in fact, because of a famine that they were forced to do without, not because he was being punished. Being slightly addled in the head from the get go wasn't entirely his fault, but Iki felt he dealt with it just fine. At least that's what he told himself. Reese had her doubts, he knew, but she seemed happy enough every time he was around. Except when she sighed. Loudly. But she never got mad.

At least he thought she didn't.

Hm...

He'd ponder that later.

On top of his hunger, Tuuliki had been swayed by the strange calls of females who had taken aloft in the recent months. They were so pretty, so new, so wonderful! They made his stomach flutter with butterflies, which was a very nice change from the gnawing pain. But the females didn't think he was nice or beautiful or wonderful. Iki knew that. He was roughshod, he didn't preen his feathers well. He was loud and his eyes were too big. But it was how he was. What could he do about it? Nothing, that's what, so he made do with what he had, and he made do in abundance.

He was hanging from branches in a tree near Vien, swaying in the breeze, his ears loose and droopy as he dozed in the afternoon light. He'd been trying to woo a Lightning earlier. Emphasis on try. She'd really wanted nothing to do with him. When he'd started making loud sounds to try to imitate the thunder of her element, that had seemed to be the point where she'd drawn the line and dismissed him. Violently. He turned and preened a singed patch of feathers, slightly oily and black with a soft huff.

Really. He'd thought it was flattering! Sure it was more of a squawk but honestly, she couldn't fault him for trying. Tuuliki's eyes drooped a bit as the swaying of the branches and the breeze lulled him. He was more or less a nocturnal creature of habit, and the warm spring weather wasn't helping him any.

However, Vankka's roar, which caused the birds around him to take flight, had him falling from his perch in shock with a loud squall. The crash of foliage and snap of branches that couldn't support the weight of the bedraggled Air filled the silence that the fading roar left until Iki crashed out of the canopy and hit the ground with a loud 'Oomph!'. He lay still in the grass for a moment, listening to the hushed sound of rustling leaves.

With a sharp motion he sat up, eyes bright and alert, his ears perked. "A female!" he gasped, excited to maybe, just maybe see what he could do this time! He discreetly turned and adjusted that patch of singed feathers once more, trying to hide them, and only succeeded in mussing his feathers slightly more. Oh well. "I'm coming!" he called to the sky, spreading his mottled brown wings and soaring aloft.

While there were very few situations in which one could call Tuuliki graceful, at least his Air heritage hadn't failed him when it came to the sky. Up through the canopy he shot and into the sky. The female who had called was not hard to spot. She was a large creature, and comprised of two shades that Tuuliki thought was definitely not sky color. She was more....tree color. Dirt and grass color....Grey-green and brown. They half matched! "Hello!" he called as he neared. "I'm Tuuliki! Nice to meet you! You can call me Iki though if you want!" Introductions were always important. His large yellow eyes took in the presence of a smaller Rosemary and a larger Fire who had already come to see her. "Nice to meet you all as well!" he told them.

Tuuliki came to an effortless hover as he tilted his head to a near vertical angle, pondering the female's words as his wings beat a steady tempo. One set of talons came up to his mouth and he nibbled on them for a moment.

"Well, the times are certainly not fun." he agreed. "I'm hungry a lot. And it's hard to find much motivation to do things." His ears flopped a bit. He didn't like this conversation. It was too sad. What did he know that was happy to talk about? Maybe things he liked and knew?

"However," his voice had brightned now, "I'm here, you're here, we're here." he gestured around him. "The sun is bright. The wind blows through my feathers. There's hope." He pulled out a phrase from his rider's book, even going so far as to mimicking her tone. She always hated that, but he felt he was obligated in this situation. "The wheel turns. Life moves forward. One day with us, perhaps the next without. We make the best of it." He dropped into a tree, panting now as he demonstrated some of his gracelessness with his landing. "Sorry, I get tired really easy lately." he reached up and rubbed at his stomach absently. He wondered if there was any food around here. Maybe if he found some he could even share!
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Irene
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Egg
A rosemary was the first dragon to join her. That dragon was very small, but his answer struck a chord with her. He was trying. So long as he was trying, his size did not matter. A dragon like him may be ripped apart in the tainted legion. This was not the tainted legion. Here, he was appreciated. His current positioning blocked her path of flight. However, she did not maneuver around him right away. He had asked a question, had he not? She could provide him with an answer. "I have been doing what I can. I hunt for the dragons who need it most and grow mushrooms for consumption." The powers of a mycotic were foul in nature, but perhaps she could use them for some good. Of course, that she would not be able to hunt if she was tending an egg might as well have cancelled out those efforts through her selfishness.

She hovered in front of the rosemary to peer at him for a moment longer. Mors was not as dramatically marked as most of his breed, but his appearance was pure in a way that those of the tainted legion were not. Not that they would have appreciated it if they had it. There was a reason her rosemary daughter had not survived training. "I am Vankka." With that introduction, she flared her wings out wider and flew higher into the air. Her tail twitched when it became level with the rosemary. She nearly ran the spaded tip along the rosemary's side but hesitated only a few inches away. She was not certain he would appreciate her touch.

Once she was a little higher up, she leveled up once more. That was when she chose to address the fire who had been second to arrive. Vankka twisted around in the air so she could face him as she spoke. His answer was not one she appreciated. Oh, Candescence had spirit, but that did not make up for failing to answer her question. He told her nothing about himself other than his fertility. Nothing about what did other than pointless bragging or what he hoped to do. The only goal she could decipher from his words was to have children. "I am not someone you should be chasing if reproduction is all you seek," she warned. "Of the three children I have had before, none survived to wyrmlinghood." Dud mycotic, influenza-ridden earth, murdered rosemary. As the words escaped her lips, she looked for all the world like someone who had been consumed by grief. Her voice threatened to crack and her tail and paws trembled. She flew backwards a few paces to pull herself together. When she spoke again, she was controlled once more. "If you still wish to chase me knowing this, you have not answered my question. Who are you, Candescence? Where do you see yourself going forward?"

While she spoke of going forward, she turned back around. She flew for a moment before wheeling around and gliding lower. She maneuvered herself nearer to where her final chaser had found a perch in one of the taller trees. He was not particularly striking at all, but she had no place to judge. Who was she to side-eye a sloppy air when her kin carried a striking resemblance to rot? Besides, his optimism was like a breath of fresh air. "It is alright," she rumbled. "Many are hungry and tired." Her own wings were growing heavy and tired, but not enough so that she had to retire. She could still fly a little while with the group before, perhaps, selecting one other for company. "You see the light in times of great darkness. That is more valuable than some may recognize." The simple presence of someone who had not given into despair could do much good.

Vankka flew upward and away from the tree. She took care to get higher than all of her suitors. Then she peered down at them, considering. All of them had potential in their own ways. Each was unique and precious. But she was still curious. The desire to continue the conversation was still there, but now it was tainted by worry and doubt. Many females would be rising in the coming days. Why would they decide to follow her? She did not hate herself, but she was keenly aware of what she was and why many males my find her undesirable.

This time, she did not turn around as she spoke. She did not look her suitors in the eye. Wide wings carried her in an easy glide as she allowed her words to carry back to the males. "I have one more question. Why do you chase me? Do you seek companionship, or are you merely sating carnal desires? Do you have something to prove? Are you seeking children?" She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "choosing me is not without risks. Any children produced could turn out like me." Mycotic. She had not been around for the last Sekkaian hatching, but she doubted tainted breeds in the nests were looked upon favorably. She was used to odd looks. Any male she chose, for mating with an undesirable female or potentially producing undesirable offspring, might not be. That was assuming as dragonet even hatched. That was assuming it didn't... "Why?"
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Zinc
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Vankka dropped down from the skies to behold him. Tuuliki straightened up as much as he could allow himself in his precarious perch, claws splayed to grab numerous branches as he beheld her with awed, wide, yellow eyes. Her great buffetting wing beats made the trees, an subsequently his own form, sway in their heavy gusts. She was mighty. It was incredible. He found himself grinning dopily up at her, highly impressed by just her capability in a neutral setting. She'd also seemed glad with what he'd said. He'd have to thank Reese later for her adage. Tuuliki wasn't one to mope, but whenever he did, that was what she'd always told him.

Even now, he had hoped that it would inspire....something...in the female. Something more than what he was seeing now.

As he watched her circle back up, gliding through the sky, contemplating her next move, he studied her. She didn't look back at them, but she wanted to know why, why did they chase her? He thought about it, swaying back and forth in the tree as he thought. It was a good question. Iki really wished he was better at thinking. He tended to jump erratically from thought to thought when he pondered. Reese said it was one of his worst traits, his scatter brained nature...

Companionship? Carnal desires? Whatever that meant...Something to prove or a desire for children? Iki really wasn't sure. As far as companionship went, he always had Reese. She put up with him when no one else would. A carnal desire? He wasn't sure what that even was. Maybe that was why males always chased females? He wasn't sure. He'd always wanted to be a part of it. Seemed like fun. More often than not they were shots in the dark anyway. He didn't really have the attention span most of the time. Maybe that's why he was trying to prove something? But what would that be? Kids? Did he want to prove he could have kids?

"Any children produced could turn out like me." His head tilted in an owl-like fashion, nearly vertical as his neck feathers puffed up. That struck a chord in him. He couldn't recall why. Something to do with an egg. Something Reese had said. It made him sad. He didn't like it. He shook himself as if it to rid himself of the feeling. It succeeded in shaking loose a few pieces of down. Iki watched them float away on the wind in satisfaction.

His attention jerked sharply away from the wisps on the breeze and back to the matter at hand after a few moments.

"I heard you call, so I came." He said bluntly. "I'm not really sure why." he stared up at her thoughtfully, head tilting first one way then the other. "You seem sad, though." he told her. "Maybe you don't need a mate. Maybe you need a friend instead?"
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Hooxeii
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risk it for a chocolate biscuit
Candescence; responding to Vankka


Well, she had a little fight left in her; the taint hadn't completely sapped her spirit. He was pleased to see that. There wouldn't have been any point in coupling with a weak-natured female, and he liked a challenge anyway.

The mycotic dragoness told a story of pain and loss. Candescence had heard many such stories in his lifetime, and each served to amplify his hatred of the Legion. "I am sorry to hear about your hatchlings," he rumbled, "but you must know such things aren't your fault. Not all eggs will hatch, and once they're out of the egg... well, you can't really control much after."

Her questions were fair, he thought, especially since he'd been clear about his feelings towards tainted creatures. If he so loathed them, then why mate with a female who would bring more of them into the world? What if this child, too, was a disappointment?

"It would not be the first time a dragon of a tainted breed hatched on the Academy's sands. I admit, when that disruption egg broke shell some years ago, I was none too pleased. But the dragoness seems sound of mind and body, and she serves us, not the Legion." He grunted. "No, the breed is not the most important thing. I ask only for strength of character in my hatchlings, and anyway, there is no reason our offspring couldn't be fire or earth dragons."

Now... her inquiries as to him...

"Myself, I plan on serving honorably, as I have for many, many years. But I had been thinking about my legacy; I am an older dragon now, by the standards of some, and I have but one son to show for it. For a dragon of my highly respectable nature to be the father of a mere single egg, well, it's not right. There ought to be more, and a part of me feels as though I cannot, on my dying day, say I have given everything I could to my country if I have not produced as many children as I can." The fire dragon nodded. "My rider and I have found we don't care for the cold as much anymore, though he is better suited for it than I. Perhaps we might become guards? Truthfully, I wouldn't mind staying in warmer climes."

Something about her tone suggested she wanted more than that from her suitors, and he wouldn't have felt right lying to her. He shrugged. "If it is a loving companion you're looking for, then perhaps... no, I've had my true mate, and she has gone on without me. I can't say I'm comfortable trying for that again."
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YourInnerDemons
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A glimmer of what one might consider a smile seemed to have crossed Mors's face when the Mycotic female granted him her name. Vankka... He pondered. It is a lovely name. The Rosemary observed her with a curious, impartial gaze as she inspected him and the other suitors that followed. Though he wouldn't say it aloud, he was glad the Fire had displeased her upon introduction. He came off as brazen and boastful, not that he particularly minded that as many dragons had a right to be proud of their talents, however he thought it not in Vankka's best interests. After all, she had asked only for someone to talk with, not a showoff who bragged about his virility.

The second male that had come to her call... made Mors tilt his head in curiosity. He'd never seen an Air quite like him, but he seemed to be an alright chap and Mors gave the other male a courteous nod of acknowledgement as he had greeted both him and the Fire. This one was much more befitting to Vankka than Candescence and if he himself were not chosen, Mors would hope Vankka would choose this Air instead.

Still, Mors's glass like stare never left the Mycotic for too long and he craned his long neck around to follow her as she flew up towards the sun. He listened carefully to her words and pondered them a long while, letting the others respond to her first. There was much to consider. Why had he come indeed? Was it only the drive to mate and bear young with the female, or was it more? Had he truly felt sympathy when he heard her voice or was this how it always was? This was his first time ever to chase a female, so he had little knowledge and experience. However, he managed to muster up an as honest an answer as he could think to give her.

"When I heard your call, it sounded familiar to me." He answered. "It was like a ghost from the past. My rider... she suffers a great deal from loneliness and for the longest time she has felt abandoned. I care deeply for Aisling and have tried my best from the day I was hatched to sooth her troubled soul. In your tone, I can hear much the same as I have heard from her own voice. It echoes in my mind and moves me. Mating is not a necessity. I wish only to become a companion you can rely on and speak to no matter which of us you choose this day, if you would have me. I would gladly listen to all your cares and burdens and I would comfort you in your times of need. However, were you to choose me and we are given tainted young, I would not frown upon what fate has chosen. They would be our offspring, part you and I, and therein lies the beauty. It doesn't matter what they are born as, what would matter is what they would become down the road. I would protect and guide them, right there beside you, and try and make sure they understand right from wrong and have a strong moral compass. In the end, that is all we can do."
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Irene
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Egg
She received good responses. Not necessarily because they were the answers she wanted, but they were honest responses. In a situation like this, honesty was the most important thing. The mycotic flew on in silence for a little while as she mulled over her options. She had a tough decision ahead of her. Not necessarily because of numbers, for three was not enough to cause a headache, but because of the nature of the choice. This was not something you stepped into lightly. Thankfully, she had been thinking about this for a long time, in a way.

She'd been lonely for so long.

Her first choice was not a difficult one. There was one male who had failed to appeal to her throughout her flight. Vankka wouldn't dismiss his worth as an individual, for he did seem like a nice enough person, but he wasn't what she wanted. He wasn't what she needed. "Candescence," she rumbled. "I thank you for your time, but our needs and desires to not correspond. You may leave." The fire was only in this for the chance at a hatchling to make him proud and had lost his mate. She was in the air not just for a child of her own, but someone who could help make the world a little gentler. They did not mesh.

A careful maneuver of the wings brought her flying in a loop. She straightened up long enough to raise higher than her chasers once more and loop over them. Like a bird of prey, hunting, inspecting. The massive dragoness may look like the perfect predator to those who didn't know better. In truth, her heart was softer than many realized. The choice before her seemed difficult, but like her, that wasn't the truth. Accepting that she wanted someone had been the hardest part. The two who remained were both kind dragons who would doubtlessly make splendid mates. However, only one was meant for her. Only one had made her heart skip a beat. Only one made her feel like someone truly cared, like he understood. Like maybe, as time passed and he got to know her better, he wouldn't care what she was.

She had loved Raeana with all her heart. In time, her rider had come to love her too. But even she hadn't been able to move past the terrible circumstances that brought them together. In a better world, maybe she would have been a true earth. In a better world, her rider might still be beside her and their bond might be whole. In a better world, she thought she might have made the same choice.

"Tuuliki, you are full of light and will surely make someone a wonderful mate one day, but I'm afraid I am not the right fit." He was sweet, but she needed more than sweetness. She needed someone who understood. She needed someone who could see past the surface. Still, she wouldn't mind if he wasn't dismissed from her life outright. "But if you're still interested, I would like to be your friend and speak again later." With that, she turned to the only one who remained. The air's role in the flight had been fulfilled.

Vankka dropped just enough to level herself with the rosemary. "Mors, I... Words cannot express how much what you said means to me." On the outside, Vankka was a stoic dragon. Throughout the flight, her chasers had gotten little glimpses of the emotions she normally hid. Her loneliness, her thoughtfulness, and her desires. Now her voice all but cracked with gratitude. "I would be honored if you would fly with me."
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YourInnerDemons
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The Gift Basket Weaver
Mors cool stare stayed on the dragoness long after he'd finished speaking. He had given it his all and hoped it would be enough. From what he had seen, she had a lovely soul and he'd have been remiss if he had not heeded her call and at least made an attempt. If she wanted him as only a friend, he would be more than content with that. He wanted to know more about Vankka and learn what made her feel so lonely so that he may fill the void within her heart.

Perhaps he had a void of his own to fill. Perhaps he too had, unconsciously, been looking for another dragon to call a true companion. For so long, it had been only him and Aisling and their roommates. Huojin had a good heart, but he was too rambunctious and brash for Mors to have a full connection with. He and his twin, Somnus, were alike in many ways and they were close, but not nearly as much as when they had shared their mother's egg together. Perhaps now, with Vankka, he would have someone new to at least call a friend.

When Mors saw the Mycotic turn down Candescence, he didn't hold back a sigh of relief. He wasn't right for her, that much was obvious. He'd been nearly certain she wouldn't choose him and was happy she hadn't. But when she approached Tuuliki, Mors would have been lying if he said he wasn't the slightest bit nervous. However, when her words reached his ears, Mors could feel his heart tremble. He almost couldn't believe it! It nearly put him in a stupor, but he was quick to compose himself when Vankka flew up to him. He could feel heat rushing to the flesh of his cheeks, underneath his feathers when she spoke.


Mors, I... Words cannot express how much what you said means to me... I would be honored if you would fly with me...


It seemed all time had slowed down as those words escaped Vankka's mouth. He could hear his heart in his ears, beating so fast he felt it may burst from his chest. As he watched her, that ghost of a smile returned, only now was it true and proud.

"Dear Vannka," He said. "The honor would be mine as well. We will share it together..."
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