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 Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:49 pm
NOTE: this thread starts at Eldic Estates but is now in Tok
There had been cloudy days, a dreary overcast for the strange happenings at the compound. Slaves were being rounded up, border patrol was thinned to a dangerous level. Mistakes were being made, and they seemed to be no one person's fault. People who weren't to blame suddenly found themselves nervous just trying to perform their every day duties. It didn't help that hordes of slaves were being pulled away from those duties groups at a time.
Sure, most returned. But they returned with confused looks and strange stories about a metal rod that had been passed over them. Some people did not return right away. Those were the slaves that had a reaction to the rod and they were seen being led away on shaky legs and dull, bewildered looks.
As these strange happenings continued throughout the week, tidbits of misinformation trickled down to the lower slaves. The women told them that their "health" was being tested, but a few higher up were told or were able to figure out that it had more to do with a slave's genetic makeup, their ability to produce desireable kids. For the women, predictable breeding stock was finally a truth that was being realized.
About half-way through the screening process, just as many slaves were growing less concerned about the tests and the borders were starting to fill out again, the clouds cleared. And so it was that just as many were enjoying the invigorating sunshine, a shadow passed that caught every body's attention.
My, was that a flying lizard?
The beast was a medium sized dragon, female, and red-colored. Against the sun it looked almost black, and its expression was impossible to read.
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Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:53 pm
Katrina was outside, as was usual for her being in charge of the wild stock. The day had been going normally. It was one of the few breaks she got from ferrying unsuspecting males to that accursed test. For days, a steady stream went in and out, some were scared, other's just confused. The more Katrina particcipated in this new practice, the more she didn't like it. A bit ways of, one of the foal's was acting strangely, beating at the door to it's stall. Katrina walked down the rows of horses to the little one and reached out to try and calm it.
"Hush now, child, thats no way to behave." she said, smiling mirthfully at the foal. When her initial physical attempts to quiet the horse failed, she extended a soothing thought tto the creature and found its mind fortified with a great deal of fear. Katrina recoiled. As she did so another horse in the row began to buck and twist its reigns. Then another. And another. Katrina slowly rotated as all the animals became a sea of agitated wild creatures, for no reason. Katrina had seen nothing that would cause the creatures so much fear until a dark shape blocked the sun for a moment. Katrina's head snapped upwards, fear freezing her stomache into a large stone. A dragon beat its mighty pinnions in the air as it flew in plain view right over the compound. Katrina looked down again in terror now, noting others turning to look at the sky, pointing at the huge beast. It was the worst disaster Katrina could have imagined, that the whole compound would know the existence of dragons. It would cause questions. Worse, someone could realise that she had told Jhovam to lie.
[Drex! Drex!] Katrina called in panic. She had not even thought of dragons for a few days now, and when Drxisisliege did not immidiately respond, Katrina was forced to fight down her rising anxiety.
[I am here, Katrina. Please do not be afraid]Drex replied. Katrina breathed.
[Please tell Cedric's dragon to tell Cedric that a dragon JUST flew over a feteris compound! Its very important. Thank you.] The last was an added after thought as Katrina ran towards the gate.
"Pull the patrols in!" She shouted at the person in charge of the gates. She ran up to the man, lowering her voice.
"We don't know how dangerous that thing is, we don't want our people out in the forest with it. Pull them back to secure the compound." Apart from being frightened into attacking, Katrina doubted the dragon would attack, but she didnt want anyone harming or interacting with the dragon for a veriaty of reasons.
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 5:47 pm
(sorry about the delay! I was stuck and had to think of something >.<)
The beast lashed its tail in contemplation. She made sure to keep high up, where arrows and the like would be hard pressed to reach-- although she wasn't thinking about arrows, just following instinct.
A frustrated scream broke the air and split the hearts of those on the ground. Katrina was one of the few that could intuite what the cry meant. She was searching for others of her kind. No one could hear her sniffing the air from that high up, but Katrina might see it.
Its head turned, a glinted eye pointed down at Katrina as Katrina shouted orders. Just as she was finishing her order to pull troupes in-- and believe me, people already were as soon as they saw the thing in the air!-- the intimidating lizard dove in a tight spiral for where she was standing.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:13 pm
Katrina waved urgently at the men coming through the gate. A dark shadow suddenly blocked the light above her and she looked up. The dragon was headed straight for her. She turned and ran, not knowing whether she was just trying to be convincing or if she was uncertain as to the creature's intent.
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:58 am
She felt the wind from the wings beat at her back as the dragon started tot land between her and the others. It landed at a run as if to take off again, possibly in attack. Suddenly Katrina felt a searing breath on her shoulder as the beast reared over her. At this range, the beast could finally engage in mind speak.
STOP.
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Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:17 pm
Katrina felt the connection in her mind as the dragon spoke to her. She stumbled a bit as she stopped, turning to face the dragon. The armed soldiers in the compound were already responding by circling the creature with a wall of men. Katrina was inadvertantly caught in the middle with it.
This isn't the place we should be meeting! Katrina thought back urgently. The dragon had kept the telepathic channel open which eliminated the dependency on an intermediary. Make it quick and we can arrange to meet later, alone. Katrina hoped the dragon would get the idea that the people around Katrina were not going to react as well to the creature's presence as Katrina did.
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Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:13 pm
She wasn't very worried about them, arrogantly unconcerned about their weapons. HOP ON she commanded as her front half skidded back into the ground and her knees bent in a crouch. It was plain that Katrina was supposed to hurry.
Soil rent under her weight and claws, creating sliced and a painful ripping sound. Human flesh would not fair much better under such stress.
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Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 7:56 am
It would be easier for me if you at least TRY to make this look like an abduction, please. Things don't exactly work the same here and I would like to return without coming under suspicion. Katrina tried to get the dragon to understand that there was a rigid social order that Katrina had to maintain that going nicely with the dragon may undermine. Still, Katrina approached the dragon, as would be expected of the beastmaster of Eldric Estate under any circumstances.
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School Of Dedicated RPers Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:17 am
The beast gurgled which, Katrina may realize, was a form of laughter. It wasted no time in following her instructions, snapping its head out like an unsprung spring to snatch her by the belt of her pants. It lept straight up into the air and flapped its powerful wings to help take off. Its size defied gravity with magic.
Katrina dangled above her people with a back bent uncomfortably into an arch, her weight depending from the ripping front of her waist belt. The pull of gravity only lessened once the dragon zipped forward and up, smashing her against its scaley face.
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:27 am
It wasn't enough that the dragon had caused such a ruckus that Katrina would have to hear of later, not for this dragon. The blasted thing was doing a convincing job of rough-handling her through the air, and was probably enjoying it, too. Pressed hard against the dragon's snout, Katrina had one hand on her belt and the other gripping the scales of the dragon's face.
[Do not worry, Katrina]Drexisisliege said from across their two worlds[If you fall we can switch places]
[Thanks, Drex, but I think this dragon prefers to talk to me, so I doubt she will drop me]
Though Katrina was indeed frightened of the dizzying drop, she swallowed hard and forced herself to think clearly to the dragon who carried her.
Thank you for being so...compliant...if you would, please land in that clearing, I am sure we will have some time to ourselves to talk privately.
The beastmaster of Eldric Estate was anxious to be on the ground rather than at the mercy of this beast with only her belt between her and an intimate meeting with mother earth.
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:10 pm
She snorted warm breath in Katrina's face, a form of derisive laughter. Her mind-speach carried a matching tone. You, our lost daughter, are coming back to your kin! If every one of you was this easy to find, we would surely have this country torched by now.
The dragon crossed its eyes to get a better look at her. I'll glide for a few minutes and you can try climbing unto my back. If you fall, you can always call your dragon.
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:29 pm
Penden She snorted warm breath in Katrina's face, a form of derisive laughter. Her mind-speach carried a matching tone. You, our lost daughter, are coming back to your kin! If every one of you was this easy to find, we would surely have this country torched by now.The dragon crossed its eyes to get a better look at her. I'll glide for a few minutes and you can try climbing unto my back. If you fall, you can always call your dragon.Katrina didnt like the dragon's choice of words, it made it look like it had a mightier than thou atttude. Still, Katrina had just been thrown into this new world of dragons and such, and it was right, they were kin after all. You just want to see me work for this don't you. Katrina said, her humerous intent carrying on in her mind-speech. It was difficult to THINK that something should sound humerous, quite different than actually saying it. So, do you have name I can call you or should I just call you she-dragon the whole way to where ever we are going. Katrina asked. She threw one and up to the nasal ridges and braced her feet on the creature's lower mouth. Her belt finally gave at that point, and her grip was all that held her, but she trusted the dragon had fast enough reflexes even if she did fall. She pulled herself up on to the dragon's snout and twisted belly down, killing the wind-resistence that threatened to pull her off. She shimmeyed up to the cranial nodules and onto the creatures back, being careful of those boney ridges that could tear her clothes. Knowing that she would be safe gave her confidence, plus the dragon was making this very easy for her. She slipped a little to the side at the shoulders, but she managed to steady herself on the massive paw before she fell altogther. Then she hoisted herself over as if mounting a horse. nestled neatly between the shoulders, Katrina remained hunched over, gripping the creature tightly. Just because she was safe, didnt mean she was looking forward to falling....
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:19 pm
She kept her forelegs curled up to her chest to aid in the climb. The most she could do beyond that was keep her wings still in their increasingly descending glide. They were plenty high up to recover, but the changing pressure made the climb more interesting.
She waited to speak until Katrina was on her back. Rh'Delle is my short name, she explained politely. And yours?
She would give her time to answer but not time to ask more questions before continuing. We should reach the new settlement before tomorrow. Oh! If a dragon could squeal in excitement through mind-speak, this one certainly did. I can't wait to tell you about all we've been doing! I'm sure your other half will want to tell you even more...We have been aided into this world by human halves like yourself, and soon every body who wants to can visit this world. There are so many places to see after such a long absence! And in cases like yours, you seem to be in need or more direct help than we could otherwise give... What were you doing over there, any way, patronizing male halves?
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:52 am
Katrina... She responded freely before the dragon continued.
Oh they aren't patronized. They are being kept under control. Men must be given a ridged set of guidlines to follow and clear instruction, we can't have such irrational beings running freely. Imagine if they had equality? I am sure they would run us into the ground and make decisions that everyone would regret in the end. Rather than having to put up with and fix the mistakes of men, the women of my country have devised a system to keep them from hurting us and themselves.
Katrina had many questions about what the dragon meant by this settlement and "other-halves" that are "helping" them. Helping them what?, Katrina wondered to her self.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:52 am
Rh'Delle met her comment with silence. For Katrina it was more limiting than when another human decides they don't want to talk to you any more; the dragon had cut off their connection. If she wanted to talk to her again she would have to figure out how to get her own dragon to supply the magic. But would that be bad etiquette?
Mountains began to pass underneath them, looking first like spilt pebbles and then like fixtures of dark crystal. Rh'Delle had said they would reach their destination before the next day, so considering that it was past noon already, Katrina would only have to wait a few hours more. They were going pretty damn fast. The best explanation for their speed was the same one that kept the dragon in the air in the first place: magic.
If Katrina were to look at the dragon's taut leather wings, she might notice the occassional glimmer they seemed to produce without physical reason.
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