Dragon Hunting Grounds
The Skies
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Erador actually labored the dead Chimera through the air. Its large mass slowing him down respectfully, but he kept with an athletic pace. The Light King spied Althiren's prosperous venture from a distance with a hint of damage to his pride. At least the Chimera, which was about a third of the length of Erador, some thirty feet, would provide plentiful good meat. A portal in the kitchen's ceiling in a back room allowed Erador to hover, and carefully drop his prey down so that it may be prepared before he sped off. Dodging two of the ice dragons in his hunting pack, Erador sighed again when he saw each had game in every one talon. Eight prey in all, mainly some elk, caribou, and some other strange looking mountain creatures. He shouldn't be so hard on himself, ice dragons knew their hunting grounds well. Erador knew his, but was quite out of his element. Perhaps getting to the foothills some leagues away would provide him some good hunting, or at the very least, a different course other than just meat for the meal. The King set his mind, its mental compass guiding him westward with his beating emerald wings.
From within the bowls of his icy home, Prometheon separated himself from the group in the grand chamber and sprinted to the kitchens some thirty-three levels above. The young dragon entered the kitchens to find it all a buzz. About a dozen volunteers labored over huge vats cooking scintillating meats for, well it was now, a feast. His attention swiveled to Estantia, and the group of youngsters she was tutoring in the arts of magic. Prometheon smiled and sauntered over, retaining a respectfully safe distance in case some form of spontaneous detonation should occur. He sat sphinx-like, a near imitation of Erador's favourite sitting posture, and paid keen attention to the instructions Estantia issued. Sure he knew he could use magic...just wanted to use it better.
"Now... If you think about it then ice crystals are not much different from sugar crystals are they?" Estantia commented, "So as yu can summon and create ice easily then it shouldn't be too hard to convert it into spun sugar. Watch." The light dragon's talon hovered in the air and then moved, seeming to sketch in mid air by leaving a trail of ice behind it. One circular loop at the bottom before the spiral continued upwards, finishing with a hooked shape at the top. Then she let it rest in her hands and closed her eyes as the spine of the shape grew, ice spreading out from it in a fan at the bottom end to create a finned tail, the body thickening from the bottom upwards, gaining scales and a crest down the back, with fins as it continued up, the hook at the top becoming the angry rearing head of a draconic sea-serpent coiled on itself. finned ear flared at the back of its head before the ice sculpture was complete.
"This part depends on your own imagination, but remember that simple may be better and more spectactular. you can always change things with your manipulation of the ice, but one it's sugar it's harder, so I suggest changes beforehand," she commented, "Go on then."
Prometheon stood and moved to a polite conversation range to Estantia. The young dragon had an idea stabbing at his mind that he needed to get out. "Excuse me Estantia," he began politely, "but isn't it agreeable to say that just because two structures may have a crystaline form, doesen't mean that they're one of the same. Sugar crystals and ice crystals, frozen water, have different structures, not to mention different chemical make-up. Their only real commonality is the word 'crystal'. How does one create another substance from another with the materials at hand without at least having to re-organize the very parts of the atoms in each element making up the substances. Breaking atomic bonds like that...is that safe?" Perhaps this was why he didn't necesarily excell in magic.
Far to the west in the mountainous distance, some three or four leagues from Equinox's home, the obsidian dragon nursed a dislocated foreleg in the crook of an outcrop of rock. Around him lay several of his favourite game animals, some of them already eaten by him. Decidedly, he wouldn't join the others tonight with the festivities, only returning to go along to with the others to the Frost Queen's caverns. "Life is cruel..." he said aloud, before darting his maw viciously at an elk to his right.
Althiren's scales flashed in the light as he tore into the flock of Sirens, going for the throats not for the kill as much as to stop the singing before it brought him down. Thankfully after the first was killed singing turned to shrieks of rage as they lunged at the lean ice dragon.
Finally. he thought to himself,
I get a challenge. Talon was as deadly as maw, fire as damaging as both as he became the centre of a knot of wings and feathers. The other dragons joined him in teasing apart the ball, splitting the bird's attention to the other attackers.
However once the Sirens realised tat were outnumbered and outmatched they fled, leaving the air suddenly empty bar the feathers floating down and the silhoettes departing to the west. Althiren landed among the carcasses beneath, gently testing the meat of one he had fried. "Bit chewy and dry but a marinade should fix that." He judged before grabbing a few and taking off. He was patently ignoring the many cuts and bites that he had attained in the sheer overwhelming attack of the Sirens, though he flew a bit slower than he would normally.
"Prometheon if you want to join us the come into the circle," Estantia said with a smile, "And we're not actually going to break the atomic bonds, we're going the sneaky way round. Let me explain." She moved slightly and let Prometheon through the dome. "The ice scuplture serves as a focus and form for the spell, setting out the confines for it. What we simply do is use it to create a mould, thereby teaching people how to make forcefields too."
The light dragon blinked and a shimmering golden sheen spread over her statue, flowing round it and into crevices, then stilling. "The way I find is easiest to do this is imagining the shield as a rubber-like substance, able to be manipulated in its molten form, solidifying when cool to a tough solid. This is why it's good for forcefields, you just need a bubble of it. When you've made sure your entire model is covered, with all of the details pressed into it and solidified then move the ice out, teleportation. Again the work of the imagination, simply imagine it outside the forcefield and... well the best way to describe it is a shove or flip, swapping air for ice or just pushing it away."
"Couldn't we just swap the ice for the sugar?" asked one of the smaller dragons curiously. Estantia nodded,
"Yes, but we have no molten sugar to swap it for, so we need to heat it up. That's where fire comes in handy, all you need is a pan..." Suddenly one floated in front of her, "then you heat and stir the sugar without direct heat, otherwise it burns, and burnt sugar smell does NOT go away easily," Estantia warned as water appeared in the pan and a bowl in the water contained the sugar.
Once the sugar had melted Estantia watched as one by one the dragons borrowed the sugar to flow into their statues. The best at this seemed to have managed a steady trickle while others took lumps and occasionally missed the area inside the shield, spattering themselves with molten sugar instead, slightly painful, but tasty.
"Now just leave them to cool and they should be done," Estantia sat her water serpent with the others and watched the heat drain with the icy talents of her pupils. In a short while the shields came off the statues, leaving each glistening in spun sugar glory. It wasn't entirely surprising that Estantia's looked the most elegant though, after all she was used to this.
"There, that's the lesson done, and unless I'm mistaken dinner is just about ready, now go and carry things!" The light dragon happily subsided in the corner as the younger... wait... less mature, dragons scampered away.
"Estantia..." Prometheon began, moving towards her and ignoring the dinner preperations for a moment. "So one just lets magic come, and controls it with the will to do something with it, not obstructing it with rules of the natural world?"
The kitchens shook as the Light Dragon King beat frozen air against the structure from outside. He landed in the backroom with bundles of fruits and greens. "I thought it would be nice to balance the meal a little more," he announced cheerily. Equinox perked up, "Good, thank you Erador. Dinner is about ready for serving, could you fly down the large vauts of stew?" "Of course..." Erador replied, a mite puzzled on how to fit himself and a hot pot all the way to the grand hall. "Fly...right." Ensaring the handle of a large pot in his talons, Erador flew out the kitchen's store room, and down through the hole to the grand hall. He was greeted by many hungry dragons.
Estantia lifted her head as she was approached by Prometheon, though she didn't open her eyes, "There are different types of magic, some depend purely on mental capabilities, some can ONLY operate through real objects." Estantia rubbed her forehead, "If you want to check out types of magic seriously you ought to attend some of mine and DMP's lectures at Alfea on interuniversal magic, but right now that's not possible."
Instead images formed in the air in front of her, "The way I normally manage magic is to use models of the real world with a slight flip of the mind. For example I think of creating an object as a more malleable version of clay and moving it from the drawing board to reality, though rather faster."
Prometheon seemed entranced, "I see...how very interesting. But all this curiousity is making me hungry, come lets eat Estantia!" He said with a youthful joviality.
In the hall, Erador set down the final vaut of stew, stepping back to let others serve up in a buffet line. He turned to Kiko, "We should eat quickly, then go to the Queen Eyes of Frost straight after." The sapphire dragon nodded, "Yes of course...where
's that black rebel dragon?" Erador shook his head, partially lying, "I-I don't know. He'll be back for the meeting with the queen." Frowing when he didn't see Estantia amoungst them, he contacted the emerald dragon with his mind, "Lets eat Estantia so we can get to Eyes of Frost as fast as possible."
Smiling as a plate was pushed in his direction, Erador thanked the dragoness before moving the dish to some corner and began eating. He liked his space. Kiko joined him a short time later, followed by the others who would join him holding council with the Frost Queen.
Now she had a choice, did she make a big entrance by dropping from the ceiling like a bullet? or did she just scare the heck out of them by appearing from nowhere next to them? Both options were rather tempting...
Flarex wandered over to join the group in the corner, Ethsa wasn't far behind him. However to be fair to the young male he did think the space between him and Ethsa was empty... and technically it was when he sat down, it's just that turning round and seeing a large emerald face instead of a silvery one gave him a bit of a shock.
"Oops... sorry Kiko... I'l just get, err, a towel or something to clean your neck...?"
"Oh how I love surprising people," Estantia murmured as she tucked in.
Equinox trundled over last, exhausted from the feast perparations. "Oh at last," She exclaimed succumbing to her voracious appatite. Erador grinned between mouthfulls, "Excellent meal as always Equinox." She merely nodded her head, for her maw was full of hearty stew.
"When do we leave?" Kiko asked anxiously, having just finished her meal. "You're done so soon?" Equinox said tired like. "...Yes...so when do we go?"
"When I finish" Erador stated.
Estantia looked at the spilt stew and cleared it before continuing to eat her own food, her magical lesson had left her surprisingly hungry and tired, but the stew was good and filling, all of the fancy meats and dishes would be left for those staying at the banquet rather than those going visiting.
"Lovely food, my congratulations to ALL the chefs," Estantia commented, "not that I expected any less."
"Yeah, pity we don't get to taste those sugar statues you guys made..." Ethsa said, a little disappointed, "But I think we can take some of the meat can't we? I do love the marinades you use."
Erador reguarded Estantia with a tired, and slightly annoyed expression, smiling quickly when she looked at him. "Well if anyone else is finished with their meals, join me in the foyer." Announced the emerald King, standing and taking flight towards the staircase from the foyer to the grand hall.
Kiko, and those of Equinox's flock who had conversed with the rebels prior also followed in Erador's wake. Equinox quickly finished her stew, fitting in a few fresh greens before taking wing. "See you there Estantia, coming Ethsa?"
I'll give her a lift, don't worry, came Estantia's reply as she hurriedly ate, Flarex already following the other group as Ethsa finished her bowl. Estantia stood when she'd finished and turned, tail following the path of her body in mid-air. "Come on slowcoach, at this rate I'll need to carry you!"
"I can fly by myself!" Ethsa retorted as she too stood and replaced her bowl.
"Yes," Estantia replied, "But how fast can you fly?" After a brief pause Ethsa gave in and trotted out of the hall with Estantia before a magical grip settled comfortably around her legs and wings.
When they had caught up with the others Ethsa actually looked disappointed, it seemed that she had enjoyed the supersonic flight to the rest of the group a little too much. "Degrading but fun," she commented.
"Indeed," Erador said dryly, something seemed to be bothering the king, but a lot had recently. Equinox turned to Meridian and Nihara, "You shouldn't come for this." They protested immediately. "Enough you two...please stay here and don't do anything foolish like you did eariler today," Equinox instructed perhaps a mite too sharply.
At the tone of voice and outburst Estantia remained silent, gliding along in thought for a moment before her mind-voice spoke in Erador's mind. -What's up? The black dragon, Frost's reception or us lot fooling around?- she asked simply, watching as Ethsa waved to her friends as she did a barrel roll. Flarex just looked solemn and watched Ethsa's actions a little warily, as if they certainly worried HIM.
Erador kept looking straight ahead, feeling very much the annoying center of some kind of monsterous drama. "I would like to get what we have to do done, all this extraneous fluff is slowing my mind," he responded unemontionally, burying his true feelings. The king mustered a smile towards the fellow light dragon, "Its alright, lets get to that queen shall we?" Erador looked around, "Where's Althiren? And where is that bloody black dragon?" Equinox and Kiko looked to each other before shrugging, "We know not." They said in unison before laughing from the cloned exchange.
Estantia also smiled and looked at the skyline, where at least one shape wheeled on the horizon. -Relax Erador- she said silently, -Ithaca wasn't a place with rich rewards, but it caused the journey that is so famous now. Try to enjoy the journey while it lasts, ok?-
Estantia's gaze swept over two approaching shapes, it seemed Althiren had gone to collect the Black Dragon to visit the frost queen, catching up with the group as they banked around the cliff that bordered the Ice queen's cavern.
"Wait, they are coming Erador, no need to fret," Equinox announced happily. Erador nodded, noticing the two dragons drawing closer to them at a high rate of speed. "Very good then," he commented somewhat happily. "Oh come on Erador, lighten up, I doubt that the ice queen will be too pleased with an unpleased Light King, besides, its very unfitting of you," Kiko said into his mind. Erador laughed in the ways dragons do, looking back towards her with a grin, "Unfitting because I'm supposed to be light? Very funny."
The black dragon flew into formation at the rear, followed closely by Althiren. "So what have I missed?" he asked, rotating the shoulder that had been popped back into place with a bit of magic. Kiko looked back, "Besides a fantastic meal created by an array of talented chefs," she shrugged, "Not much." The black dragon hung his head, "Sorry about that, I've no excuse other than I didn't feel like socializing," he said, his gaze immediately locking onto Erador. "No matter, we're close now eh?" "Quite, we just passed the cliff by the queen's caverns, in fact we're starting our descent," responded Equinox, gliding with the rest towards the cave enterance.
With a few wingbeats Estantia stretched her wings, gently gliding without moving at all, Flarex and Ethsa simply angled themselves slightly downwards and flew normally whereas Althiren... Well he was being his normal self as he folded his wings and plummeted, stretching them in time to levelly coast to the cave's entrance and sat there, waiting for the others as they touched down.
Meanwhile Ethsa was looking between the Black and Light dragons as the black one arrived and frowned, unaware that Estantia was doing much the same without letting it affect her face. -Why don't you like him?- she asked the black dragon curiously.
The black dragon hung back as Erador, Equinox, and Kiko landed in the cave's enterance, in that order actually. "He more or less stole one of my kills while we were hunting...though, I do not know of many chimera's caves that have two enterances. The story goes that we found the same prey long before we found each other at the same time. However that's the way of things, if he wants it, he has it," the black dragon replied, now gliding in for a landing as the others had moved. Once his talons clacked against the ice and rock, he moved aside for Ethsa, Estantia, and Flarex to land.
"I wonder if Queen Frosteyes will have guards this time around," Erador queried with a strange tone in his voice, him still remembering his last encounter with her. "Guards? Oh probably...now even more so that we've brought so many more than was just us four to begin with," answered Equinox, striding slowly alongside the king as he strode deeper into the enterance tunnel. Kiko ran up alongside them, eyes on Erador, "So, what do you and the black dragon have against one another?" Erador sighed, rolling his great malachite eyes, "Problems encountered during hunting really," he responded nonchalantly.
-Aren't you being a little silly?- Ethsa asked reasonably, -After all, you would have done much the same thing in his place. In fact, you seem really like each other, so why can't you both just put it behind you and concentrate on the real enemy? The younger frost dragon trotted next to the black dragon as Estantia made her way towards Erador.
"And so we get to meet the guards," she said quietly, "let's hope this meeting goes a little more smoothly than the last..." Estantia straightened as the guard approached, bowing their heads in respect to the female light dragon.
"Estantia, we have been awaiting your arrival, however we weren't expecting..."
"Wait, Frosteyes sent for me?" Estantia said, wings part open in surprise as she heard this, "So let us all in so we can get one with it then!"
Erador raised an eyeridge, drawing level with Estantia before stopping, he really wouldn't need explanation for why he was there, though he didn't know it, because the Frostqueen had sent for him as well, a letter back at his governing abode far from here. The black dragon looked at Ethsa, his expression one of mild distemper mixed with some other emotions, "I'm afraid its more complicated than just a hunting incident."
Noticing the look on his face the younger frost dragon thought for a moment before she spoke next, trying to help the situation rather than worsen it. -Want to explain? It usually helps to ease the bad feelings if you tell someone about it,- she said gently, a friend wanting to help rather than a councillor.
"What?" Estantia asked as she looked over at the light king, "She should have known you would come with me at least. There shouldn't be a problem as this is a peaceful chat, but there are rather too many 'should's' in that sentence for my liking."
"...Did I say anything or are my thoughts really so strong?" he asked, looking at Estantia curiously. He sat sphynx like, Kiko and Equinox following suite as they all somewhat patiently waited for the Frost Queen to hold council with them. Erador sighed, semi-happily, "My last encounter with the queen was, of course, chilly...though I tend to grow on people."
The black dragon sat on his haunches, tail curing around in front of him as he regarded Ethsa curiously, "You seem quite eager to help young one, though I feel I should not call you that as you are wiser than your years," he responded, overall avoiding the topic, burying it quietly.
-Nearly being killed does that to a dragon,- Ethsa said drily as she fixed the black dragon with one eye. -You do realise I know you're avoiding the subject, right? I've used that trick way too many times to be caught out by it.- Ethsa replied.
"You didn't say anything Erador, but your face was a perfect illustration of disapproval crossed with, 'She'd better not even try to chuck me out'." Estantia said with a smile, "I don't read emotions or thoughts unless I feel I need to."
"Oh bugger..." Erador simply said, dissapointed at himself for allowing his emotions to show so readily. "Maybe I am still immature about the ways I express how I feel. But perhaps its that I feel comfortable to reveal my thoughts and emotions around those I trust, such as yourself Estantia."
"Nearly being killed? My my, I detect an interesting story, I'm curious to hear it, of course if you'd feel cross against doing so, then don't go into possibly painful recolections," the black dragon responded thoughtfully, using his genuine interest in the topic to avoid her again whilst preening some of his chest scales.
-It was just walking into a nest of rebels who might kill us and then nearly getting squished in a glacier combined with having a remarkably childish set of brothers,- Ethsa replied, referring to their first meeting before going back to the original question. -Now, since you're avoiding the question of why you dislike Erador so much it must be pretty deep... and you seem so like each other, not to mention that when Flarex tried to heal you your scales turned back to green.- Ethsa said, probing gently with her guesses to see if she was on the right tracks.
"Don't worry about it though," Estantia advised as she sat, "it's mostly because I know you quite well by now and I've read too many expressions to be an amateur at guessing thoughts," she said with a yawn.
"Hmm...quite true. I'm more of an induvidual to, use a mental connection to draw conclusions on another's emotions or thoughts, if they're being private about them." Erador was starting to dislike the cold, his scales, though heated with hot blood constantly, were starting to become cold on his belly where he sat. Intstead he curled up into a tight ball, eyes still on Estantia, "So...ever had one of those couple of days where your life seems to have been chopped up, blasted out of a cannon, and the scattered pieces forgotten entirely?"
"Oh yes...that was a rather dangerous situation, I'm glad we were able to escape the dooming glacier." He rolled his eyes underneath their onyx eyelids for a brief moment, then nearly mimicked Erador but curling in an identical tight ball, only half Erador's size. He yawned, revealing impressive white fangs and teeth, a crimson tongue and black gums. "Pardon me...so you're curious about my distaste towards Erador? Hmm...he's a monarch, I don't particuarly care for those sorts of induviduals, as they respresent the very thing I'm trying to breath some new life and change into. As for my scales, like a said, they're diseased. Their original colour used to be a sapphire emerald marble blend."
-So why didn't you want them healed?- Ethsa pointed out, sitting with a puzzled look at the black dragon. -Sorry I'm pestering you but something just doesn't add up... and it is starting to get on my nerves...- she muttered, -I can be very persistent you know.-
Estantia winced and slipped to mind speech -Many times, literally and metaphorically. Being split into 9 and scattered to the winds isn't exactly fun, seeing your friend vaporised in front of you when you should have taken the hit is even less fun,- she replied, -I just thank whatever's out there that he managed to seal himself in the amulets before that. There's one particular version of the future I visit which really isn't pleasant, but you'd be amazed how people can pick themselves up and carry on.- Her voice was thoughtful, but neutral, though somehow heavy.
Though suprised by some of the mage's more distraught recollections and past events, Erador was overall expecting she had paralleling things to match. He didn't say anything in responce, having his question answered, and finding that he yet again was making mountains out of molehills, others had worse things happen to them, he had it easy really. "I don't think I'm adapting well..." he admitted.
The black dragon eyed her directly with his one blue and one green eye. "Like I said...a disease, and as I had explained before, its rather persistant. Any bit of healing would have to take huge amounts of energy to saturate my entire body to rid myself of it, so I didn't allow him to try as it would only revert back to their silent shiny black states of near death."
Ethsa dipped her head briefly in apology, letting the subject of what was strange drop, -So how did you catch it? I've never heard of anything like it so it must be pretty specific in area.- She couldn't imagine how sad it would be to lose the brilliance of true scales...
"You are adapting well," Estantia smiled, "everyone had different ways to cope, but you're still here, and you're still fighting for what's right, that's coping, that's carrying on." She paused and closed her eyes briefly, "Look at it this way... if you weren't coping well you'd be on the floor sobbing, or have run away, maybe even gone back home and forgotten all about this."
"I may be here now, but, does that count for anything? I'm not even sure what's right, my opinion has been swayed between my own and that black dragon's. However I cannot be swayed with his ideas because look what I am, I'm a bloody monarch." He made a cooing noise as he curled up tighter, extending a wing over his coiled body. "I'm not sure if I'm actually doing my job anyways, always running off to do my own pleasures then getting caught up in one thing or another."
"In part of a genetic weakness and scale rot, mixed with a strain of bacteria...or was it a virus? I know not...I got it from being in a certain chain of volcanic islands for some time. Actually being inside the volcanoes, with the putrid gases and ash. I likely contracted it there...its a pitty, I'm so much more tired now because I cannot use my scales to bask, similar to what plants do actually. They convert sunlight into sugars and oxygen, without that ability, I'm rather raptillian in my behavior, that is...slow."
-So you get your power from basking? Ice dragons just need the coldness to rejuvenate, does that mean you are a light dragon?- she asked, -Seems a bit cold up here for them, but neither of those two are complaining either.- Ethsa paused for a moment, -Though I'm not sure Estantia counts as she's human.-
"If you keep your own kingdom a paradise and ignore the plights of others it would be worse," the dragoness in question said to Erador, "first they'd come after your kingdom, secondly you'd have to cope with your own conscience about not helping."
"Then seeing that I'm not ignoring the plights of others, I'm also quite emotionally dramatic, I'm sure you've noticed," he responded, laughing as he stood. "I just have to tell myself I can't do everything at once, besides...helping here benefits most or all that I can think of, well...besides the 30th clan." Erador stretched with a mild yawn, "I hope the Queen can hold council with us soon, its late and I don't do well in darkness...I get tired."
"Very astute Ethsa," the black dragon commented. "I am, or used to be a light dragon, light dragons can use sunlight or any other form of light to regenerate their energy. If we've a mortal wound, we can likely live and have the injury healed in minutes if we're in direct sunlight. Though we find ourselves asking the wind dragons to blow the clouds away from the sky. Or...as light controls the wind, we do it for them...however they don't like that as much."
Ethsa laughed, -Yes, apparently Erador had much the same problem not long ago, if Estantia and Kiko hadn't been there he wouldn't have survived, though Estantia jokes about it by saying her arms hurt afterwards.- Ethsa smiled at the black dragon, the fact he was a light dragon only increased her suspicions...
"By now I'm used to the darkness," Estantia replied, "my best friend is a dark-type and peaceful darkness I like working with, ancient darkness, not the kind that's evil." Estantia closed her eyes to think, "I wonder what everyone's up to."
"That's a good question, so is where the Queen is...she has a whole household of guests still waiting at her front door," Erador replied. "Darkness I find extremely calming, there exists pure, and nuetral darkness. Most of the time people think of evil, its not so...just how things are percieved that's all. 'Tis all in the eye of the beholder..."
"Meh, yeah...Erador couldn't really handle anything more than humans and game animals as far as battle...anything else gets a nice taste of him..." the black dragon said before his mind seized on what he just said. He was being worked for information. "So anyways...you still seem suspicious of I, why is that? What does your suspicion point to?"
-That's harsh,- Ethsa replied, -from what I remember them telling me he used too much power in one go and couldn't recover because there was no sunlight around, so he was just being a little thoughtless.- sThe younger dragon blinked and lifted her head as Estantia's wings half-opened and she stood.
"I can smell injured," the female light dragon said, voice carefully neutral, "is that why we were called here?"
One of the guards nodded, "I think so... but I-"
"Then why aren't you letting us through to them!" she hissed in reply, wings opening fully as she walked forwards.
"We must wait for the queen..." the guard tried to stammer before he found himself gently moved aside.
"Those people may die if they don't get a healer's help," she calm coldly, "and it will be on your conscience if they do, understand? Now move. Flarex?" The young ice dragon skittered after the light dragon hastily.
-You've got to admit they seem to get things done though,- Ethsa commented to the black dragon as the rest of the group followed.
"It is an uncomfortable luxury to me, as I've set forth a lot of energy to get the ball rolling, however I've an instinct that makes me feel I should be helping take charge of things," the Black Dragon replied, waiting for Ethsa with a slow gait, moving to the side around the group.
Erador strode beside his fellow light dragon, feeling a heightened sense of things...and a building tension. Was the situation really this poor and the Queen was attempting to hide it? To take sacrafices of the flesh to save face was an obination in the Light Dragon King's mind, though he'd hold his own opinion and tongue until the truth be revealed, as illusive as it was currently.
The guard that had been ushered to follow them drifted behind as Estantia found her way to a large chamber of ice where dragons of various sizes were laid and receiving treatment, those nursing them looking up for a moment before Estantia nodded and went to one of the nearer patients. "Flarex," she said quietly, I suggest you give some of your balm jars to the nurses, then help out.
With a nod the young ice dragon scurried to a healer approaching the group and gave her a few jars, explaining the healing balm as Ethsa approached a patient that didn't look so badly hurt. "What happened?" she asked gently, "how did you all get so hurt?"
The dragon's eyes focused sluggishly, shifting a wing and giving a single rattling cough, "Rebels..." he croaked, once strong voice now merely a crackling whisper. "Came and attacked us in our homes. They conned their way in, then they attacked. They had strange magic...it was all so fast, but it didn't seem to be draconian."
These words drifted to the ears of Erador, who diverted his attention to the injured Dragon who replied to Ethsa's questions. "Estantia, please come," he gently beckoned, cocking his head in the direction of the pair. Erador sauntered gravely slow near, "Can you describe their magic? Save your strength..."
"Cremated!?" Theria gasped, but then laughed calmly. "What are you, a dragon?" She looked towards Snowfire's direction with a curious face, with one eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Well cremated is the really extreme version of burnt, as in charcoal, so I guess the fact I would eat that tells you how hungry I am doesn't it?" Snowfire said with a laugh, "Food was only like that when my brother cooked though, hunting he's fine, but cooking the stuff he caught? Not a chance."
Theria laughed and smiled as she brought out some packaged meat, setting them upon her lap. "All I have is wrapped deer meat, Snowfire... Will that work..? But... we don't have anything to make a fire." She grumbled in irritation.
"You've conveniently forgotten how I was able to see to fly us down here then..." Snowfire murmured with a grin, "I can cook things rather better than my brother can. Just put it down and stand to the side, closing eyes to avoid sunspots might be good too."
Theria unwrapped the meat and laid it down, stepping back. She covered her eyes with, "Alright...um..." Then she laughed, hoping that the meat wouldn't get burnt. She would hate to end up eating something overly cooked. "Go ahead now, Snowfire. My eyes are covered..."
Unlike the haphazard bellow of flame from before Snowfire knelt, patting with her claws until she found the meat, then gently lowering her muzzle until it was slightly less than a metre away. Then her mouth opened and a far more gentle flame than before left it, pale flames flickering and jumping over the meat with a gentle crackle as the fat hissed, curling away from the meat slightly at the ends. Less than a minute later the fire stopped, letting the darkness roll in again on the well cooked, but not burnt, meat. "If we eat carefully that should last us a few days," Snowfire commented, "did you hunt that for yourself?"
Picking up the meat, Theria gave out a sigh of sorrow in the pain of the momeories that appeared within her mind. She handed Snowfire the meat and sat down upon a boulder with dimmed eyes in thought. "No... my mother gave it to me before I left my village that was left in flames from the black dragons... I never saw my parents again since then... I hope they are all right... I've been on my own for about a week now... I wish I packed more supplies before I left though... would have made a difference... I have plenty of meat in my pack... enough to last for a while... but not too long because it could go rancid later in my travels..." she replied sadly.
"Dragons destroyed your village?" Snowfire said, shocked, she was glad Theria hadn't seen her now, "and besides, you can always travel with me, I can hunt well." Snowfire offered, though she doubted the girl would want to when she worked out what Snowfire was.
"Yes, but it never changed my affection for dragons. I know that their not all bad... Besides, they were black dragons and they are known for doing evil things... Oh, of course, Snowfire!" Theria replied with a smile, ending it was a small giggle.
"Well it makes sense, after all, humans can be good or bad too," Snowfire commented as she ate some of the meat, letting the rest go to Theria, "Eat, you must be hungry, and why the giggle?"
"Thank you," Theria thanked gratefully, picking up the piece of meat and began to eat it slowly. Then another giggle came, but turned into a calm laugh. "I have a tendancy to giggle sometimes, Snowfire. Does it anoy you?"
"No of course it doesn't annoy me, it's just.. different compared to what I'm used to, which is bellowing laughter or snorts with an occasional chuckle," she said as she started to east, savouring the taste of proper meat as she stood. "Shall we eat while walking? I don't particularly want to stay in this cave any longer than I have to."
Before she stood up, Theria laughed. "Of course." She continued eating as she began to walk away from where she sat.
Snowfire felt the wind of her passing and blinked, dipping her wing into the water to find Theria was heading with the current and out, ie. the right way. Snowfire stood and followed as she thoughtfully chewed over her thoughts and her food, wondering what they'd find next in this cave.
Theria sighed. "I hope the end doesn't take long to reach... my legs are killing me..." She peered up, only gazing into the darkness, wishing she could at least see something interesting.
Suddenly something moved and splashed to their right in the river, Snowfire half-turned to face it when some thing fastened onto her leg and thrashed, dragon fighting fish as another splash was heard. "Get away from the water!" she yelled before biting her lip on a scream, its teeth were sharp!
Swiftly leaving the water, Theria gasped. "Are you alright, Snowfire?"
"I've got a set of sharp teeth sank into most of my lower leg, oh yes everything's just peachy..." came the sarcasm as the fish slowly tugged Snowfire towards the water. She just needed to stun it, make it let her go! "How do you get a fish to let go of something?" Snowfire asked.
"Ouch! Um... I don't know... I think you might have to kill it... hm..." Theria began to think.
"But it's way too big for me to kill!" Snowfire protested, tail thrashing as she attempted to pull herself free. With a smack the appendage slammed with side of the fish's jaw, making it relax for long enough Snowfire could jerk her leg out of its mouth. With a tumble she rolled into the cavern wall with an audible smack, though it sounded worse than it was, especially with the thick scales of a dragon.
"Are you alright!?" Theria gasped, dashing towards where she heard the thumop, hoping it was Snowfire. She still could see within this dark canvern, but she tried her best.
"Yeah, I'll be... okay." Snowfire forced herself to a sitting position, "hitting the wall didn't hurt so much, but that fish had sharp teeth and a hard head, so I'll just be walking slightly slower than normal for a bit." She returned to a standing position and stated to walk, though she kept the weight off the leg that still stung a bit.
"hm...I really hope you're alright..." Theria continued to walk as well, but was really concerned about Snowfire.
"Same here, I guess we'll see the damage when we get out, right?" Snowfire said in a forced cheerful voice before realising what she'd said. The human's family was killed by dragons, know her companion was one... not a good plan right? or maybe she was open minded, who knew?
"Of course we can!" Theria replied with a smile.
"Let's hope we won't have to go underwater to get out though..." Snowfire replied, looking dubiously at where the rushing water should be, "I'd hate to drown in an unnamed cavern."
The young girl nodded in agreement. "I hope not either... I'm not a good swimmer..."
"So let's just carry on walk... oomph! stalagmite..." Snowfire said as her nose bonked into it, "Hey the echoes from the river are increasing, do you reckon we're in a cavern now?"
"Hm... probably... I'm not really sure..." Theria said as she peered into the darkness, wishing she could see what was before her. "This is anoying..."
"No kidding..." Snowfire replied, rubbing her nose before she continued walking, then halting. "Just in case we meet any of those wolves again..." she said softly, "How good are you at fighting?"
"Does a sword and a bow help?" Theria said with a chuckle. "I don't think I'm that good."
"The sword will help though," Snowfire replied, "but a bow in here is pointless... pun not intended," she said with a grin of her own as she walked into the cavern, "Let's see what this place as to offer us then..."
Theria laughed. "I know... I was kidding about the bow." She entered the cavern with Snowfire and sighed. "Hopefully nothing harmful..."
"Hopefully," Snowfire agreed as she walked forwards, the floor uncomfortably damp under her feet, with small rivulets of water and bumps that indicated the sound of continuous dripping would echo through the cavern were it not for the rushing water beside them.
"If only we had some light in here... that would be useful but, sadly... no." Theria drew her sword, readying herself just incase.
"No light means we can keep our night sight though," Snowfire pointed out, "Right now I think that's more important than seeing." Snowfire blinked for a moment, had she just revealed she could make light?
Theria only nodded, keeping her pace steady. Suddenly, she ran into the cave wall and fell back onto the ground. Rubbing her nose, she said, "Is today a monday? If so... I hate mondays. My luck is terrible on mondays."
"I can truly say I've no idea what day it is," the dragon said with an invisible shrug, "I don't know how long I've been down here. The earlier caverns I was in were beautiful though, glowing a gentle shimmering green-white, not disgusting, but beautiful."
"I haven't seen any cave that was beautiful... I want to, but I have traveled far enough to come across any." Theria sighed and stood up.
"Well I'm not going all the way back through the caves to show you," Snowfire said with a slight laugh, "by the way, is it me, or is the river slowing down?"
Theria laughed. "Um... I'm not sure. I can't... see." she made a short groan of irritation.
"Then listen," Snowfire said gently, "it's less bouncy, that normally means it's settled down, that might mean we're coming out of the caves soon."
Theria payed attention to the river and smiled. "Yes!"
It suddenly occurred to Snowfire that once they left the caves there would be be way she could hide her species, also that humans hated dragons.. Mind you Theria may have already worked out that she was a dragon... Snowfire just didn't know. Oh well, if Theria did turn on her at least Snowfire could go back into the caves...
"Then let's get out of here," Snowfire said, walking forwards with a smile.
"Okay! Now, lets see..." Theria listened to the rushing water closely and folowed the noise. When she got close enough, she knelt down and found that Snowfire was right. "I found the sourse of the noise! Snowfire! You were right! This is wonderful!!" With her fingers, she felt which way the liquid was flowing. she discovered that it was moving towards whatever was to her right. "This way!" Staying near the water's edge, she traveled along side it after she stood up. She hoped Snowfire would follow suit.
The dragon followed quietly, "I would be careful of staying too close to the water though, remember that fish that got me earlier? At least I have armour of sorts to protect me, I'd hate to see what it did to bare skin." However despite this and the possible enmity of the human with her she couldn't help but want to see sunlight again. It wasn't long until a bright spot of light appeared ahead of them and Snowfire burst into a smile, "the Exit!" She did increase her pace, but never overtook the girl so she would be in sunlight and herself in darkness.
Theria nodded in realization. "Oh, right!" She then gave out a burst of laughter in her bliss of seeing daylight again. "We found it! We found it!" Despite the weariness that tugged at her from travelling in the caverns of the mountain, the girl spead wout with immense swiftness out through the cavity, which was the cave's opening or, in this case, the relieving exit. When Theria entered the sunlight she never thought she could love it anymore than what she did now. The warmth on her face from the sun filled her with so much comfort. "Starfire! Isn't it beautiful! It's so amazing!" She sighed, not in sorrow, but with sheer mirth as she sat down on the grass. "The end is better that what I imagined..."
"Yes, it's... lovely. Erm, Theria? I admit I have... a bit of a secret to tell you," Snowfire said a touch apprehensively as the softly white dragon emerged fluidly into the sunlight, arrow-tipped tail nervously curling around her back legs and blue eyes worried as they waited for the girl's response. At the sudden feeling of space she stretched her wings, just in case Theria did turn on her.
Looking back at her friend, Theria gasped, but not like Snowfire thought it would be. Instead, the girl was overjoyed as she clapped her hands to her lips. So, her gaurdian angel through the caverns was nothing more than a glorious, white dragon. So beautiful! she thought, happily. Just like an angel! "Snowfire..." Theria said gently, while lowering her hands to her sides. She tried not to get too excited. "You're gorgeous!!" Blissfully, she ran up to the dragon and hugged one of Snowfire's front legs. "Wow! This is your secret! It shouldn't be a secret at all! how wonderful!"
Snowfire blinked and her neck arched in utter confusion as she looked down at the girl hugging her front leg, and as Snowfire was so young, that meant Theria was about the same size as it, "But... I thought you said Black dragons destroyed your village...? I know I'm a peaceful ice dragon but... what?"
Backing away, Theria gave Snowfire a silly look. "You're funny, Snowfire. Even though Black Dragons destroyed my village doesn't mean that I have a grudge against all dragons." Sitting back down on the grass, Theria took off her deer skin sack and rumaged through it of the packaged meat. "Are you hungry?"
Snowfire blinked, "I guess that makes sense, and yes, I am, do you need it cooking? If not then I can have a little glide to stretch my wings and see where we are."
Theria nodded and unwrapped a slab of meat before handing it to Snowfire. "There you go. No, you don't have to. I can make a fire. I forgot that I had a tinderbox. Hehe." She unpacked her tinderbox and stood up. "Well, while your off flying I'll be gathering wood for the fire. Ok?"
"Of course," Snowfire nodded and stretched her wings fully, steady beats lifting her off the ground and into a swooping flight, this place was so different to home! Acres and acres of green grass she'd only ever seen in straggly clumps, animals! Houses! It was all so different to her mountain home, and very warm too...
Happily, Theria made a little giggle after she got done watching Snowfire fly off. Then she made her merry way into the nearest forest to gather what wood or kinling she could find. She picked up a leaf, examining it closely, but, in less than a minute, Theria tossed it aside upon realizing that it was no good to use leaves since they were so light. Maybe later if I really need leaves... though... honestly, right now... they are just too wet. I wonder if rain clouds came through here before Snowfire and I came out of the caves... Hm..., she thought in curiousity. In no time, she had mustered enough wood and returned to the camp where she laid her burden on the ground. For several long minutes, she gathered large stones and formed them into a circle. Theria took a little shovel to dig out all the grass inside her circle; once she was finished, Theria set the wood within. "That should do it... I think..." Stepping back, she folded her arms as she stared at the sky. I wonder... how long Snowfire plans on being gone...Oh, well... Within a short time, she began making her fire, which was needed in cooking the meat. If only I had some berries or veggies... Those might make this small dinner a little bit better. Hm..."
With a smooth motion the dragon tilted her wings downwards and glided back, cutting in low to the grass and landing in a trot to approach the fire, looking slightly ruefully at the holes she left behind her. Rocks and ice didn't get talon marks nearly so easily... Instead she looked to the human, "there's a few villages about half a day's walk from here but... not many places are as tolerant of dragons as you are, and this place is all so different to what I'm used to, what would you suggest we do?"
"Hm..." Theria took a skillet from her pack and placed it on top of a hot, flat rock close to the fire. "Well, If we travel there, I could go in the village and refresh supplies. You could meet me outside the town when I'm done? I'd hate for you to get caught by dragon-haters." After unwrapping a slab of meat, Theria set it on the skillet using a fork. "So, does that sound alright or do you have something better in mind? I mean, I do have the money for it. It's the inheritance I got from my parents after they died..."
"You have money too? Wow... you really did prepare well, I only brought a batch of healing balm and a few bits of food, but they've long gone by now," Snowfire said ruefully, "Oh, and that golden pearl thing."
"Healing balm is helpful, food helps...golden pearl thingy? Aren't pearls worth a lot. I heard that They're rare... unless it's not a real pearl." Theria turned the meat over so it would cook well on the other side.
"It's... weird, and I think it's important, kind of like a sign or something," Snowfire shrugged the pack off and reached inside, withdrawing her foot around the smooth object and opening it to reveal a perfectly smooth orb with a light golden tint. As they watched it almost seemed like the colours of it were shifting, it plainly wasn't moving, and nor were the colours, but it was almost like it spun inside itself. The dragon watched it, beautiful, almost like the woman's eyes when she had looked into them, endless scenes and stories unfolding, whispering and connecting...
Theria, for a moment, was captivated by the mysterious and glorious orb. "It has to have something to do with magic. No ordinary gem would glow like this. I think you discovered something incredibly unique, Snowfire. I wish I could classify it or something, but I can't. I've never seen anything so marvelous." Looking away, she noticed that her food was done and laid it on a plate that she had in her pack. Before she decided to eat it, she thought it would be best to cut it first. Her mind endlessly pondered on the spherical object her dragon friend possessed, wondering on what it could have been created for and how.
The dragon jerked out of staring at it and put the object back in her pack. "It was given to me by a powerful mage, and there was... it was like... Oh you know how you can tell how everything ought to pan out, just for a moment? Her eyes went like that. This pearl reminds me of all those things I saw I can't remember or give a name to. But that's why I'm travelling, because I knew I needed to that at least, I'm just hoping I'm going in the right direction."
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