[RPG] Hana: Growth

[Maeth]

Lahn was beginning to bore of the trip and wished very hard he was somewhere more... deep pillowed and filled with exotic foods... and women.

"I assume our carriage knows molten rock is very hot?"  

[Quinth]

"No worries! Druw floats," Gregorio smiled around at them happily and pat Sarya on the head. "No one will get hurt."

"O-ok." Sarya still wiggled slightly and clung to Elly nervously.

Druw was grumbling to himself in Sylvan about how annoying Butterflys were as they touched into the lava. They sunk into it for about an inch before Druw, indeed, floated along the top of the lava. The hot air was dry and bubbles popped around them. Sarya followed Elly's example of curling up as small and tight as possible. Gregorio simply returned to whistling.  

[clubanimon]

It was a quiet moment as the group stared down at the boiling lava, holding there breath. As they floated down the strange 'stream' Elly gave out a deep sigh.
"Well...at least we'll see gramma soon.." He glanced to Gregorio. "So...What court are you from? It seems strange that you'd deliver mail for just anyone that asks, do you get paid?"  

[Quinth]

"The Butterfly family has always delivered mail, ever since the first Butterfly was birthed from Origin," Druw answered for his companion.

Gregorio considered. "Not all fey are allowed the gift of leave. With this job, I get to go anywhere and everywhere in Faerie and the Fading Lands and never have to ask for permission!"

"Will we need permission?" Sarya asked Elly worriedly. A bubble popped very close and the little girl squeaked. "A-a-are w-we almost t-there!?"

"Slow and steady wins the race!" Druw quoted angrily.

"Or so says Turtle," Gregorio shrugged. "But he used to be Hare, so that's sort of a contradiction."

"His name isn't Turtle, it's Tortoise, you idiot."

"I'm not an idiot, he answered to Turtle when I called him that!" The two began to bicker.  

[Quinth]

((OH GODS, THE FLUFF! It ate me! domokun gonk Super long. 10 pages eek ))

Almost? She was avoiding it.
Peep followed behind her quiet, grip on his wirst tensing anytime he though he saw somthing move. He felt so vunrable here...
"Look out," Answeri mumbled without seeming to care as a shadow rolled close by the two of them, a low babbling noise coming from somewhere within the slightly humanoid creature. Answeri hissed at it and kept moving. The shadow circled around them but didn't attack.
Peep leaned in closer to her.
"...what is that." He asked softly, green eyes focused on it without blinking.
"A Babbler... a creature that went insane while here, on the Shadow Plane. If you listen closely to their babbling you go insane too."
"......................." And having said that now peep couldn't STOP listening to its low murmers..
Answeri considered. "There are actually very few creatures around. Usually I'm in more crowded parts of this Plane..."
Noticing his wandering attention focused on the Babbler, Answeri jerked the arm he was attached to. "Dummy! Don't listen to it after I tell you that!"
"I-i'm trying not too!" he clung to her shaking his head, his golden hair flew about him.
Answeri tried to inch away as he pulled closer. "Fine, hum or something to get your mind off it." She looked forward and added, "best we both do it" as more mumbling creatures began to swerve toward them.
Peep frowned ans did his best to nervously hum a luliby that his father used to sing to him to get him to fall asleep.
"Hmmm hmmm hmmmmm hmmmm....hmm..."
There was alot of them starting to follow them now.
"Damn it, I thought this was the Darklands," Answeri whispered to herself without thinking.
"..What?!" peep snapped, slipping infront of her. "You've been going the wrong way?!"
"I used a special magic that only the Kagori shadow dragons know, it's supposed to take me to a place in the Shadow Plane where I can find one of the super-portals that takes you anywhere," she admitted, still moving forward toward the group of Babblers. "But somehow we went to the Darklands, and there aren't any portals in Darkland." As she spoke, a wave of gray light zoomed past them and both dragons winced as the wave of negativity hit them with pain.
"A-ah!" Peep winced, gripping his ribs. "W-what was that?!" He looked around carfully looking for their attacker. His own nerves got the best of him as he took a deep breath in...
"Negtive energy," Answeri replied, and twisted her wrist to clasp hands with Peep. "These guys are weak. No problem." Her voice and appearance all looked certain. "We just have to get out before the negative energy turns us to ash like in the legend."
Peep nodded, fingues gripping awnseris hands tightly.
"L-lead the way.."
Another wave of negativity crashed into them, but they prepared for it and Answeri sprinted forward. (5 damage total.) As they came to the Babbles she roared to drown out their sound and used her leftover hand to cover her pointed ear, trying to ignore the suction of her life force toward the empty black shadows.
Peep grimanced at the next pusled and followed as closly behind Awnseri as he could, using his free hand he fished into into sleeve and pulled out a wand.
"Sound Burst!" He screamed at the collection of babbles as he aimed the wand at them.
The loud bang drowned out the babbling on that side of them, and they managed to bullrush through the group, still running full speed forward. Answeri's shadowed eyes darted back and forth for a shortcut to the end of this pocket of negative shadow.
The Babblers hit with the soundburst froze, stunned, but the others trailed after hopefully, muttering eternally, aiming to suck more life from the two dragons.
Peep glanced back at the wave behind them, biting his lower lip. He aimed again with another sound bust, parying thry'd find a way out soon.
"I can't see the edge," Answeri panted. "I can shadow jump us through a random amount of space, but I still don't have a clue where we'll end up since I'd just be guessing."
"I can't be any worse then this!" peep shouted over the growing babble.
The bleary darkness leaped around them as Answeri held tight to Peep's hand and they moved swiftly through shadow. A moment of complete darkness passed, and they emerged in a similar shadowy environment. This place was full of lumpy black houses, as if a town had been swallowed up by the shadows. Answeri breathed a sigh of releif and tried to grin cheerfully. "Normal Shadow Plane territory."
Peep pulled away from her suddenly, gripping his own shoulders, trying to stop himself from shaking, which he was rather violently.
He was terrified inside, and now that they were away from danger his mind coudl full process what just had happend to them. He ached inside from the negative energy and he gripped his wand till his knuckels had gone white.
"....where are we known.." he asked trying to steady his voice.
Answeri noticed his fear and stared at him unsurely. "Uh..." She shifted her weight from foot to foot, debating with herself, and moved forward to pull him into a light, careful hug. "Dunno, but there's no monsters here. It's ok..."
His cheek pinked. He pulled back slowly.
"...then we're lost." He glanced around stll tremebling, though it was slowly calming down.
She sighed and glanced around before shrugging more to herself. "HEY! ANYBODY OUT THERE!" she screamed around at the shadow town.
Peep face faulted. "What are you doing?!"
"Well if someone lives here they can tell us where we are."
"Or they could eat us!" peep countered.
Answeri began to move to search the town then paused before turning back around, grabbing Peep's hand again, and then dragging him after her. "Unlike the Darklands, the rest of the Shadow Plane is pretty much deserted but for shadow creatures and travelers. And since I'm a shadow creature, the other shadow creatures don't bother me if I stop for directions."
"Yeah but I'm not a shadow creature!" Peep was starting to frett again, though his hand stay clasped with awnseri.
"......what type of place is this any way....It looks like a village.."
Answeri gave him a reassuring smile. "You're a dragon, remember? You can at least lie and say you eat things. Or let me eat 'em."
"This Plane is sort of a different version of the Material Plane. Sometimes things from your Plane exist here, in our shadow version of it..." Answeri sniffed around. "Or it could be an entire area that got swallowed into one of the portals between our realms; that happens sometimes, too. It doesn't smell like any travelers came by, but shadows are harder to scent."
Peep decied to be brave enough and poke around himself, sniffing the air carefully.
"...awnseri...if that box was so important to your mother...why wouldn't she go after it herself?" He kicked at what he though was a rock.
"Pft," Answeri mumbled lowly, shoulders drooping. "Kagori, the greatest shadow dragoness to prove herself to mortals, would have never let go of any bit of treasure in the first place. The amazing Kagori would have scorched even her own child due to shadow dragon nature. But ever since this stupid scryovision became popular, hardly any dragons go out to the other planes anymore. They just sit around, doing nothing, watching things happen and then talking about them."
"....how strange." Peep shook his head. "I can't image just sitting around like that." He sighed, walking around a 'building.' "...how are you feeling?" he asked at the reminder of a ache in his torso.
"I'm too tough to let a little negativity get me down," she crowed. (Ru- ca caw?) Answeri got bored of searching and shouted out again, "HELLOOOOO!"
Peep watched her a moment.
"....I...might have a magnifing spell for your voice if you want.."
"Okay, let's try it," Answeri nodded to the idea of a voice magnification spell.
He fished around a few moments pulling out a few differnt wands before finding the one he needed.
"Ok, hold still, this will tingel at first." he touched the tip of the wand to Awnseris throat before setting it off.
The shadow dragoness flinched but kept from saying anything until she was sure the spell was ready. "HELLO, ANYONE OUT THERE!?"
She looked at Peep to see if he wanted her to say something else during the spell.
He shrugged. "...we'll trade for information?"
She nodded. "WE'LL TRADE FOR IMFORMATION!"
Peep looked around the barren scape.
No one answered, and Answeri's sighed loudly with the spell before remembering not to speak until it wore off. She couldn't help but gasp and grin from ear to ear when sudden sparks exploded above a point close by in the air. Though the color was muted by the effects of the Shadow Plane it was still easily visible. Answeri began to drag Peep forward with their hands together.
Please don't be a predator..
Peep thought to himself as he was dragged after her. The colors were strange to peep and he wasn't really sure what or who to expect.
Answeri led them toward the source of the spell, out of the shadow town. They saw a group of four humanoid creatures obscured by shadow before them, and the sounds of arguing reached their ears. "...don't know what the ******** it is!" "It could be dangerous! That voice did say 'we'!" "You sissies haven't even ever been here before, don't you start preaching to me!"
Peep watched them and shifted behind Awnseri, suddenly shrinking in height.
"....excuse me." He spoke softly in a suddenly more childish voice. He stepped out from behind awnseri, now half his height as he stood at the proper apperance for a 8 year old human.
Answeri stared at him wonderingly, jaw dropped. The four humanoids became clear as he approached them there was an elven ranger, a human fighter, a halfling cleric, and a human magic-user of some sort dressed all in black. The ranger and fighter took no time in poising their weapons cautiously even as the black-garbed human stepped forward. "Are you the one who cast that spell?"
"Uh huh." Peep nodded, reaching up and shly taking hold of awnseris dress.
Answeri tried not to look too surprised but couldn't speak up yet out of shock. The magic-user asked, "how did you two get here, hm?"
"A shadow dragged us here.." peep started to tear up. "I-I...want my papa.."
"Kids like that can't cast spells," pointed out the ranger lowly, hands on an arrow and a strung bow. The human spellcaster huffed at him. "You're such a moron! Shut up when you don't know what you're saying. Even magical sorcerer babies can manage a spell or two of their own. And the Shadow Plane is not this super-dangerous place all the legends talk about! So, GET OVER IT!" A moment of silence fell between the four adventurers before the human caster turned back to them. "You said you'd trade for information?"
Finally, Answeri spoke up, tears dripping down her pale face as she drew in on herself and seemed suddenly very vulnerable and beautiful. "Please... I know only what we've seen while here, but could you tell us where the way home is? My cousin and I were just wandering from the party in Tenwalls..." She sniffed, her shoulders lifting to look helpless while her dark hair curled around the edge of her face prettily.
"I can trade you one of these!" peep suddenly added hopfully, holding out his wand of magnification and one of create food and water.
The halfling cleric stepped forward and cast Detect Magic before telling his companions what the wands were and then smiling at little Peep. "I don' think these two're t' be troublin' us." The human spellcaster nodded in agreement and pointed in one direction. "There is a portal in that direction about two hours away which can lead anywhere, because it's very powerful. You'd best hurry to it, though, because portals in this Plane tend to move around, and there are some dangerous creatures here."
"Oh, thank you," Answeri sighed dramatically.
Peep brightened. "Thank you!!" He rumaged into his sleeves again and pulled out a small token coin. "Here! This is a taken with my familys crest on it. If your ever in tenwalls area you can use it for a favor from my father!" He pressed the token into the mages hand. "We'll be going now!" he chirped taking awnseris hand.
"We can't let them wander on their own," the fighter spoke up finally. It seemed he was a knight... The shadow caster sighed, considering it. "We can't waste too much time." The ranger agreed, "we have to go through that hallway before it moves again." Answeri couldn't think up a reply.
"Its alright." He smiled. "2 miles isn't far and we havn't seen any monsters in awhile, It'd be too selfish of us to ask for any more help then you have already given us. We wouldn't be able to repay you, particuarly if you missed your own destination."
The fighter stared at them with confliction for a long time while his three companions scooted next to him, glaring. "All right," he finally relented weakly. "If you say so."
"Thank you so much for your help," Answeri blinked at them prettily.
Peep tugged on her arm.
"Becaarful walking around." Peep yeleld to them as they started in there own directions. "Don't get eaten by a dragon!"
Answeri smothered laughter as their groups separated. Once they were far enough away to be obscured by shadows again, she let herself laugh quietly. "I didn't know your shape was an illusion, I thought it was just human-form. Great thinking!" She laughed again.
"Its not a illusion." peep shook his head. "Its an Alter Self spell." He sighed. "...I wonder what they were doing here...well at least they were helpful." He kept his eyes forward, looking for the portal.
"Oh, I bet they were headed for the legendary Shrine...Citadel... or whatever that place is called. Adventurers come here looking for it all the time, even though we keep insisting it doesn't exist - I mean, none of us shadow creatures have seen it before. You think they'd get the idea. Though sometimes they just come here to shadow-walk across space." Answeri sniffed the air from time to time carefully to make sure no enemies were about.
"...My fathers a shadow dancer so I under stand the shadow walking...but if there WAS a temple here...wouldn't the denizens have raided it for themselves?" he shrugged looking up at her. "Oh, lean down."
"Huh?" She leaned down, slightly puzzled. "Like I said, we've never seen it..."
Peep brushed her cheek with the back of his small hand. "You had a eyelash."
Answeri stood back up and coughed. "Maybe you should turn back to normal."
"I can only cast the spell another two times today. I shouldn't waset it..." He frowned a little. "Besides, this is closer to what I should look like anyway."
"Eh- really?? But you look so tiny and helpless, like a human child." Answeri looked surprised.
"...I small for a dragon." he said slowly. "And I was raised like this really..."
Answeri folded her hands behind her head. "I guess; humans are weird. Y'know, different types of dragons come in different sizes. The white dragons are itsy-bitsy when they hatch. Maybe since you don't know about other dragons like I do you just think you're small, but really for dragon types you aren't?"
"...R-really?" he asked her suddenly. "You think thats all it is?!"
"Mortal dragonlore is really stupid," Answeri rolled her eyes. "They think the worst of dragons are the red ones, that all metallics are good and naturals are evil, when really there's some leeway... And, they assume all dragon eggs are as big as the red dragon egg, which is huge, about your size right now."
Peep really did look relived. "...I'm glad." he smiled up at awnseri. "What about shdaow dragons, how big are your eggs?"
She held out her arms to a shape the size of a nightstand table. "Usually this big. I was big for my type, though, the size of a table."
"Ah....thats big ^^;"
Peep felt small again. "Daddy said my egg was about this big." He motioned with his hand to about the size of a small dinner plate.
Answeri tried to hide the puzzled look that flitted across her face. "Uh, what type are you again?"
"Bronze."
"Well I haven't met a lot of those before..."
"....so?" He looked a little confused.
She fidgeted and spoke in a tiny voice. "Maybe they lied about the egg size?"
"............................The loremaster was right!! I'm a runt!!"
"D-dragons lie all the time! You never know!" Answeri flustered.
He looked so depressed. ".....we should get going....the portal will shift.."
Answeri fidgeted to herself as they continued for a while. "White dragon eggs are small like that.." she offered.
"I'm not a white dragon." He snapped. "I'm a puny bronze one." His arms were folded over his chest, and due to his small size it only looked more adorable.
Answeri surprised Peep and herself by abruptly picking up the little boy. "I don't care what size you are. So... stop moping!" she shouted the last part, flushed red.
He stared at her, mouth partly opened.
"......Awn..seri.." He blushed a little.
She blinked at him seriously. "Okay?"
"...yeah....Alright." He shifted in her arms. "...please put me down."
Answeri did so and waited for him to get his balance before resuming walking quietly. She tried to inconspicuously rub her cheeks to get rid of the heat she felt had risen there.
Peep was quiet for at least half a mile.
"....awnseri....after you get your box back..then what?"
"Huh? I dunno... search for more treasure? I guess. It's boring sitting around watching scryovision at home, I don't wanna go there anyway."
"So you'll just hunt treasure? that sounds like ahuman adventure.." he mused softly.
Answeri squawked. "Nuh-uh! Lots of dragons go searching for treasure!" She flailed. "I'm nothing like humans at all; nothing, nothing, nothing! They're stupid!"
"They horde wealth and spend most there lives acumilating it........now that I think of it, why were you at the ball.."
She laughed nervously. "I... like... parties."
".....You were there to rob people weren't you."
She folded her arms. "Oh, big deal! Just a few sparkly jewels here and there, no problem."
"That ball was a peace signign that was going to officaly end the war!" He fumed.
"Well I didn't end up taking anything anyway! Those stupid rogues made everyone run away." Answeri realized something and turned to Peep with wide eyes. "Oh- does.. that mean... it wasn't signed? You're at war?"
Peep started to open his mouth then frowned.
".....s**t."
Answeri reassuringly told him, "well I'm sure you can just have another big party, after all, if you had the first one, obviously both sides are ready for peace!"
"Thats not true....there was a assassination attempt..so some one wants the war to keep going." He frowned more deeply. "With the war over my Papa could finnaly stay at home.."
Answeri searched for something comforting to say and found nothing. "Sorry... that must suck..."
"....I was really looking forward to the war being over and...my family being together again." He looked hurt. "...Uncel nawat wouldv'e been able to come home."
"I-I'm sure it'll be fine..."
"....And with my brother missing and the plane blocked my parents won't be able to get him....it will affect there ability to fight..."
"B-but you can f-find him now... right..?"
"...well...." he bowed his head. "I'm not sure anymore...I care barily handle this plane...let alone all of Fey.."
Answeri let out a frustrated growl and stomped her foot. "I told you to stop moping already, damn it! Everything will be FINE!" She reached over and picked him up again forcefully, holding him bridal style and then continuing forward in a stomp more than a walk.
Peep was quiet.
"....how do you do it awnseri..."
She continued walking but the stomps slowly lost a bit of their rage. "Do what?"
".....be so sure of yourself....your not afride of being on your own at all..."He hid his face in her hair. "It terrfies me to be without my family.."
The shadow dragoness slowed to a stop. Her shadowed eyes searched the distance as she nuzzled her cheek to his forehead. "I guess it's just... different families. Since... 'scryovision'... I haven't had a family, really." She blinked and turned her eyes toward Peep, smiling. "All that's left is for me to be on my own. Then I can prove myself the greatest of all dragons!"
Peep stared at her a long moment. "Greatness is meassured in many ways....but...won't you be lonley? Don't you even want friends to help you make that climb?"
The smile faltered a little. "I guess so." Answeri stared straight at Peep and said sincerely, "you're the only one I know who's cared about being friends before."
He blushed.
"..your the only persons thats treated like i'm somthing other then a child or a monster.."
Answeri chuckled, grinning. "Great! We'll be friends then. We can both be the best dragons ever."
"Can There really be two bests?" He asked , still craddled in her arms.
They were walking again. Answeri nodded knowingly. "Of course, of course. You'll be the best boy dragon and I'll be the best girl dragon, there." She laughed cheerfully. "You're fun."
Peep squirmed a little blushing.
"....so are you.....you think were almost there.."
Answeri sniffed and peered at the distance. "Unfortunately, no. I don't see anything yet..."
Peep sighed. "....I wanna find my brother...he must be freaking out now....or somthings try to eat him...or smash his smart mouth."
"What's he like?" Answeri steered the conversation away from dangerous things.
"Elly?" Peep looked thoughful a moment. "Hes loud and obnioxis....but...hes really just as kid. He gets picked on all the time when all he really wants is to be excepted by the other kids back at tenwalls....he wants to be like our dad so much...Both our parents are so strong and popular.." He sighed. "....hes not as brave as he acts. But..he tries...he looks after our cousen pretty well."
"Sarah?" Answeri failed at remembering the mentioned name.
"Sarya." peep correted, rested his head against awnseris shoulder.
"I don't have much of a family. One younger sibling grew up and ran off when I was 30-something, but other than that the eggs have been too weak to survive. Older siblings I have a lot of... most of them sitting around the Shadow Plane watching scryovision," she rolled her eyes. "And then, Mama, also addicted to scryovision."
"I....I have a mother somewhere, more siblings too I guess.." He sighed, nestling against her, eyes closing. "....I don't care if I never meet another dragon.....I've got you after all."
Answeri felt her face heat up again and wiggled her nose, unable to brush it off her cheeks. "You're really different from other dragons. I like you better, even if you don't eat people," she added with a teasing tone.
"People just be empty calories, And I don't want a fat tail." He laughed softly. "....you smell nice.."
"Th..anks..." She coughed a little, wondering how to get her face back to normal with Peep in her arms when she saw it. "Peep! The portal!" Indeed, before them was a large vortex surrounded by shadows, drifting in their direction casually. Within the vortex many planes shimmered in faded black-and-white.
Peep was quiet though, green eyes closed. He was resting comfotably against Awnseri, breath soft and even.
Was..he asleep?
Answeri bit her lip to keep from giggling at the cute sight and simply stood still for a minute, holding him and watching him sleep. Eventually she shook it off and frowned at herself, going toward the portal.
Peep was going to be happy when he woke up from his nap..  

[Quinth]

((Addicting couple to play... Expect lots xd ))

Peep was going to be happy when he woke up from his nap... Answeri moved forward into the vortex, clearly explaining in her mind that she wanted to go to where Elly and Sarya were in Faerie.
"Wake up. Wake up," demanded a freezing woman's voice. Peep awoke to find himself lying on a blanket of snow- no, a simple white blanket. But it was freezing! Before him stood a tall, pale woman with long, dark hair in a wave to her waist. Her sparkling eyes were as white as snow, and just as cruel. She wore robes of gray spun with frost, and her skin glittered with snowflakes, her hair adorned with icicles. Upon the icy hair was a brilliant crown of crystal.
Peep started a long hard moment. "Q-qu-queen Maeve?!"
She stood away from him snobbishly, hands on her hips. "Yes, but you can call me 'Your Majesty'." Around them was an altered version of the Pits of Sharpest Frost which Peep had heard so much about in fairy tales back home. Queen Maeve's castle of ice pierced the darkness with a chilling, eerie blue light that reflected off the frozen waterfall that had once been a Fading Land.
Peep looked around franticly. "A-awnseri!?" He called.
Maeve looked annoyed while Peep looked around, spotting his new friend nearby, sprawled out and unconscious on the sharp, jagged edges of the frozen stream from the waterfall which no longer flowed. The dragoness was bleeding from cuts as if she'd been repeatedly thrown into the ice, her gray skin paling to a shade of white.
Peep cralwed to her side, pulling her into his tiny lap. "....." He frowed deeply as he evaulated her wounds and quickly set to healing her.
"....Why." he asked softly to maeve.
"Only idiots attack a Queen in her own home," Maeve sighed, gracefully stalking over to the dragons. Her frozen eyes narrowed. "I didn't kill her only because I need to talk to you."
"..Me? What could I possilbe tell you that a person with your power wouldn't already know?!" he looked at her unbeliving, gripping Awnseri tighter to his small frame.
"How did you and your brother get here?" she asked lowly.
"......if I tell you, what will you give to me in return."
"The gift of leave," she sneered. "The gift of my audience, the gift of not killing that impudent dragoness."
He sighed. THe gift of leave would be useful. "....My brother was brought here by a box. A powerful magic item....the same item that brought my father here 9 years ago." He looked down at awnseris face. "I came here via the shadow place and a portal."
Slowly Answeri began to move again, groaning quietly. "The Shadow Plane does not..." Maeve trailed off, a thoughtful look on her beautiful features. "A box. What type of magic did it channel?"
Peep look thoughtful a moment. "It was...Destiny Magic...Summoning...and Planar.....if i remember correctly."
"Ahh..." Answeri blearily opened her eyes, the shadows rolling around before settling and focusing on Peep. "Huh...? Peep, wha..."
Maeve looked incredibly displeased as her expression remained calculating. "The box came from the Shadow Plane, then. Correct?"
"Yes....its been there for awhile." He nodded.
Answeri jerked up at Maeve's voice as Peep answered and her eyes darted between them, suddenly grabbing onto Peep and looking fierce. "Peep! She's dangerous!"
Maeve let her face wash clear of expression and raised her chin defiantly as the wind picked up and snowflakes swept down from a clifftop nearby, enveloping her in white and then she disappeared in the snow alltogether. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Answeri asked urgently.
"No, she didn't hurt me." He smiled softly, brushingf snow from awnseris hair. "I can't belive you attacked Queen Maeve in her own realm, do you want to be turned into boots?"
She blinked at him in confused surprise. "Queen? Y'mean..." Answeri dropped her hold on him and looked back at where Maeve had disappeared. "That was a faerie queen!? But she looked like a Snowmaid- nothing like the queens in fairy tales!"
Peep sighed. "Well theres only four fairy queens and there all very different...Maeve is the crulest out of them all.." he shivered lightly standing up. "...shes going to be looking for your box."
Answeri stood up and brushed the snow off as well. "What! Augh, it's mine already damn it! Stupid thieves!" She winced as a bitter wind blew past. "Wish we had warmer clothes."
Peep nodded. "I'll see what I have for elemental protection spells.." he dug into his sleeve, small hands reaching around.
"Hm...lets see.."
Peep nodded. "I'll see what I have for elemental protection spells.." he dug into his sleeve, small hands reaching around. "Hm...lets see.. Ah, here we are." He pulled out a scroll. "Endure elements." He smiled at Awnseri. "Hold still, i'll cast it on you."
Answeri nodded a bit and waited as the spell fell upon her, and suddenly the biting cold was average room temperature. She grinned at Peep, "thanks."
He nodded. Then looked around around. "...dark winter......this......." he looked around further. "...is where the hallow prince met his end.."
"The who? Oh, that fairy tale thing," she brushed off unknowingly. "Yeah I heard Tenknives talk about it a bit before. So, how do we get to your brother? Apparently the vortex screwed up and put us here instead of where I willed it."
"....well, we'd need to know where he was....." He sighed. "My brother knows that if he gets sepereated from dad in fey hes suposed to go to uncel Aodhans....or Grammas.."
Answeri held up her hands to show helplessness. "Lead the way."
"Ah well..." he rubbed his hair. "Thats just the thing...fey doesn't work like normal places....the roads move...and most arn't even real roads." he sighed. "In otherwords, I have no idea which way to go."
"Wh...what."
"....I don't know which way were suposed to go.." He looked around. "...we'll need to find someone to give us directions."
"Great," she moaned, rubbing a hand over her face briefly. "Well the only thing I see is snow, ice, and the castle. And I don't really want to run into that Sn- Faerie Queen."
"Well...." Pacing peep stopped. "...nuts.." Answeri watched him pleadingly for some other way. "Well...my aunt gave me this nut...she said it was from the crow god Sky.....its suposed to help me when I have no other options.."
She tried not to look doubtful. "Well, we have options, they just all suck."
".........." peep glanced up at the castle. "I don't know anyone in dark winter.."
"P-Peep, look." Answeri used her eyes to carefully indicate the twitching black fox ears from behind one of the many jagged corners of the infinitely tall cavern walls of the Pits. Snow and rock hid all but the ears from view. Upon their settling quiet, the ears twiched nervously and ducked down, disappearing. Answeri raised her eyebrows at Peep waiting for him to do something first.
Fox ears? His father only ever mentions one other Fox fey and he was dead!? "...ah...hello?" Peep asked softly, toddeling over to the rock. "We won't hurt you..um...Ah lets see." Peep looked thoughtful a moment as he remembered his Foxish. ""
A little flurry of action met the dragons' sharp ears and a bit of snow was tossed out carelessly as light footsteps quickly fled. Answeri hurried after Peep.
Peep frowned, it ran away? He looked at the snow hoping for footprints. Behind the cliff wall were small but humanoid footprints leading from the spot. By the marks it seemed as if the part-fox had been wearing snow slippers. Answeri looked puzzled. "A fox-person like your brother?" she suggested curiously.
"It seems so..." He nodded, starting after the foot prints. "And since it didn't attack us its the best chance we have compaired to Maeve!!"
"Hope it doesn't snow soon," Answeri peered up at the stretching canyon walls and the settled blackness they reached into. She returned her attentions earthward and followed after the short Peep.
Peep had a easier time slipping through the tree branches and brush, but unlike Awnseri he was without the comfort of a endur elemetns spell.
"Keep up!" he called back to awnseri.
They walked on for about fifteen minutes before the footprints stopped at the edge of a large forest of evergreens, covered in snow. "Did he... climb up?" She questioned skeptically. Before Peep could answer, a voice called out from the forest.
"Titter, titter, titter, little lost ones. Following after the rabbit are we, Alice? Such trouble you'll find he brings."
Peep frowned. "Following the rabbit is no different then following a white stag. The journey must begin to reach its end." Peep was looking up into the tree tops.
"Down the hole's a risky leap," the voice twittered. There was a quiet flapping before it spoke again. "Especially when the rabbit's not a rabbit and I most certainly am not your smiling kitty friend..."
"What..." Answeri glared at the thing, annoyed at not getting whatever reference it was speaking of.
"I fear not cards, not hatters, nore Mad queens. And least of all do I fear foxes, For I'm certain that this hole were stumbled to is your den." Peep put his hands on his hips. "Rather it seems your the one afride enough of the Jabberwockies shadow if your hiding from us."
Answeri tried to keep up with the conversation and failed, eyes swirling as she got lost. "Holes within holes within holes are but holes - and holes nonetheless. Either way, 'tis not me you came to find for the rabbit's come far by and gone again." A rustling in the trees marked the voice's pause. "And what know little you of Jabberwockies?"
"I know is my matter and my matters only. I bid you good day you cowardly creature. My time is better spent looking for that which I seek and it seems crystal that you offer little help."
"Wander, wander, wander, little lost ones. I offer much aid and am aided but little, alack, alack, alack. 'Tis simply not to you which my services currently have been rendered." More flapping sounded, as if the creature moved closer from within the tree.
"Tch, you brey like a irrated crow, clucking at the cat the stole its dinner." Peep turned as though to go back the way they came. "You waset our breath." Which was now coming out is white clouds from peeps mouth, a light shiver in his shoulders.
"What an alarming bit of snap you have in that jaw. This forest is a maze, a dangerously green spot of place. You could get lost with such ease without a guide to guide..." As Peep turned, he realized that there was no longer a trail of footprints in snow behind him. Rather, the forest had extended to all around them. Answeri panicked a little and scooted toward Peep, who seemed to know what was going on.
Peep frowned. "And that which we had seeked in how of a guid has already left, leaving you in its wake to spin our heads before we even set forward into the maze." He took awnseri's hand. "So unless you intent to lend your aid I have no desire or wish for your wit."
"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHEEHEEHEE!" screamed a high-pitched voice, as a tiny little creature with a spark of pink hair and little dress zipped by joyously. Answeri had to leap backwards to prevent from colliding with it, yelping and nearly falling over.
"Oh! Lady Quinth." peep said suprised. "Your far from Fiddlers Green." He watched her suddenly relived. "It is good to see a friendly face."
The sprite grabbed a tiny branch with her minute fingers and used it to fling herself back at them without breaking her rapid momentum. She flicked her wings and spun around Peep as she slowed and eventually fisted her hands in his shirt as she lost all speed and nearly dropped. She giggled awkwardly, obviously drunk on dizziness and laughter - not that this was unusual for her.
Peep held up his small hand to give her a resting place. "Did I disturb you in a middle of a game little lady sprite?"
She panted for a bit, plopping down ungracefully in a heap of skirts and rumpled hair, still smiling widely with a laugh on her lips. "Noo... no game... just a speck of fun for meself." She squinted at his face dubiously. "Who are you again?"
"Peep, I'm dirks eldest son." He reminded.
"Aha! The consort of my lord, lovely boy, lovely indeed." Quinth sighed and settled herself comfortably in Peep's hand for a moment of rest. "He hasn't visited lately - oh right, the seal on port-" Quinth shot back up. "How did you get here!?" Peep opened his mouth to reply and she cut him off, jumping forward to clamp his mouth shut. "No! It's too much to speak of within this place."
Peep sighed. "Queen Maeve has already asked me herself.." he tucked back some of her unruly hair. "But your right." He looked up at the trees. "I don't need a jaybird to be reciting my buisness."
"Hah! Jaybird," Quinth snickered cruelly. "How Mew has sunken. Come, I'll walk the trods with you." She moved upwards to Peep's eye level and slowly fluttered toward the way out so Peep could follow. Answeri followed after him as they traveled the forest, without a sound from 'Mew' behind them.
Peep followed after, rubbing his shoulders to warm them. "You truly are a sight for sore eyes Quinth. And a even greater boon for your help."
Quinth shot him a pointed stare over her shoulder. "This isn't a freebie. You owe me."
Answeri finally realized Peep hadn't cast anything on himself to ease the cold. "Peep! Why didn't you use this cold spell on yourself too!?"
"Ah, the scroll had only one spell to it....it was warming up back home so I wasn't carrying any with me." He looked back to Quinth. "Aye, a gift for a gift of course. Is there anything particuarl that you owuld want?"
"No, I'll have to ask for a gift later," she sang back to him in a slightly creepy tone.
Answeri frowned. "Aren't you cold?"
"Of course I am." he admitted. "But its not to bad, i'm used to swimming in cold water too." he watched Qu for a moment. "...theres nothing? I'd hate to leave you indebted."
"Hate all you want," Quinth agreed easily.
"You're walking in party shoes in the snow," Answeri scolded, and heaved a heavy sigh, picking him up again as if it was tedious. Her manner was so exaggerated it was obvious she was only teasing. She balanced his small form on her hip and let him curl his legs up so she could wrap her warm arms around him like a circle.
Peep sighed and rested against her. "People are going to think your my mother at this rate Awnseri." But she was warm and soft in all the right places so peep did not protest.
"We don't look alike," Answeri pointed out. She made sure to keep watch of where Quinth led, but allowed herself to steal glances at the little boy in her arms, smiling.
"Children don't always look like there parents." He nuzzled his cold nose into her for a moment to warm it. "Quinth, whoes Mew?"
"That silly thing is one of the Inspirers, like me," she puffed up proudly at the title. "It means we're the first of our kind, who inspired later versions and stories and such that became part of Faerie."
"Ah, so what kind of being is it? Surly not a grig or redcap."
Quinth snorted un-ladylike. "As if! Mew is one of the most famous of all our kind. He inspired the 'muse', though really it was supposed to be 'mews'... and instead you gave that word to a tiny animal's weak cry." She laughed loudly at the irony again.
"Humans do do strange things.....its a pity we weren't able to speak with that other fellow..."
"What other fellow?"
"I didn't see him clearly but, like my father and brother he had fox ears, but hsi were black. Do you know him by any chance?"
"Fox ears... hmm, no, that fox-girl in Bright Spring was killed in war, and His Grace died at the hands of your father and his friends. Those were the only two I knew of present in Faerie."
"Ah.." he looked thoughtful as the walked, the convience of being carried allowed him to think all the more deeply.
"....Well I guess it doesn't matter, WE have a guide and she makes excellent company."
Quinth giggled lightly at the flattery and spun in the air a bit. "Growing up to be your father! A dangerous lifestyle if ever there was one."
"Ah, I doubt I could ever truly be as silver tounged as my father, I'll be content with my tongue of Bronze and smile." He laughed. "My brother however..."
"Oh. Yes. The one with teeth," Quinth deadpanned bitterly.
"He's not teething any more." Peep reassured. "So he only gnaws in deffense...unless your a chicken. Then he'll just try to eat you."
Quinth managed a few half-hearted laughs in response.  

[Quinth]

Peep nuzzled against Awnseri, thinking little of where his heads height actully was. "...warm.." he muttered content as his converstaion with Quinth died off with her half laugh.
The shadow dragoness blushed without giving protest. Quinth noticed the silence and glanced back to raise an eyebrow before giggling quietly at the sight, tiny laughter like ringing. All three lapsed into silence as the forest terrain passed by.
"..mn....oi..Quinth.." Peep asked slowly, looking at the sournding scene. "Just...where are we going?"
"Forward!" she cheerfully answered.
Answeri growled. "Don't dodge the question! Answer him!" To Peep she quietly rumbled in Draconic, "you sure we can trust her?"
Peep chuckled softly. "Shes a old family friend, she may be a bit..random at times, but shes a good person." He replied in his own draconic voice.
"Yes forward is true My lady, but since know where one is going is prefrable to not, could you please tell me where this trod tends to end in this direction?"
"Ya ya..." Quinth trailed off. There was a long silence. "Well?" Answeri prodded. Quinth stopped and shot her a 'what-the-hell' look. "Well what?" Answeri tried not to face-fault.
Peep waved his hand. "You don't know where this leads do you Lady Quinth.."
"I most certainly know where it leads," she replied vaguely.
Answeri had a vein popping out of her forehead. "WHERE?"
Quinth motioned dismissively. "Oh, just somewhere."
"Why are we following you!" ANsweri groaned.
"Because otherwise we be lost in the woods allow withthe jay bird." peep awnsered. "And the sooner were out of the Queen of Dark winters land, the safer I will feel..."
Answeri sighed. Quinth began to spin lazily in the air as they went. "There's a tale about these woods..." she murmured in fuzzy remembrance, more to herself.
"A tale?" Peep echoed, interested.
"Something about a little girl... or was it a princess? No, a woodcutter's son! Umm..." Quinth faltered.
Peep sweat dropped, it sounde dlike a human fairy tale....
Quinth laughed without provocation abruptly. "Oh well! It doesn't matter, all tales lead to the same thing eventually!"
Answeri asked curiously, "what?"
"What what?"
The shadow dragoness growled to herself in annoyance. "What do all tales lead to?"
"A butt!" Quinth guffawed.
"Actully it more of the small of the back since the tail is mearly a extension on the spine." Peep rambled off, closing his eyes.
"Yeesh, mortals," Quinth grumbled.
"Are we getting anywhere?" Answeri wondered aloud insecurely. "This whole place looks exactly the same... all the trees... all the bushes..."
".......well there is a chance that we are just walking in circels, but if this forest was ment to confuse you then wouldn't it all looke the same?"
"How thoughtful of you," cooed the pixie. "It means we're going in the right direction. That's the secret, here! If you're in the same place you can't get lost, so we aren't lost; since we're moving, we must be moving in he right direction because after all, we aren't lost!"
Answeri's eyes swirled dizzily. "Peep, I... I don't like this place."
"Makes sense to me..." He laughed, pattign AWnseris cheek. "You get use to feys locic once you spend enough time here. Material world logic rarly works...oh I just remembed somthing. "Peep looked suprised
"What?" Answeri questioned, looking down at him.
"Wheres your bag?"
"My what?"
"Your bag, the one with your 'treasures'."
Answeri smiled as if he was being silly, and then moved the arms holding him slightly before it dawned on her that carrying him meant she wasn't carrying anything else. "...................MY BAG!!!"
Peep winced at the loud yell in her ear.
"In fact...you didn't have back in the shadow relam either...hm...Must be in my dads room.."
Answeri slumped over in sad defeat, nearly dropping Peep but strong enough to keep hold of him even when weakened by the thought of her lost... "treasure". "H-he'll take care of it, right?" she asked tearily, literally about to cry.
"..O-of course he will, he might try to bargin with it later with you for my safe return ^^;;" such a strange girl..
She gave him a hopeful look. "All I gotta do is protect you and I get all of it back? Okay!" Answeri blinked rapidly and sniffled a little, shaking her head before grinning confidently at the little boy in her arms. "I'm your guardian, from here on out, 'til we're both safe again!"
".............raputre." Peep sighed.
"Huh?"
"...never mind." he laughed softly. Peep looked around. "Hm.."
Looking around, Peep noticed that Quinth was flying backwards, eyebrows raised and lips pursed so as not to show the obviously spirited smile within her eyes. Answeri followed his gaze and her expression turned back to a serious grumpy one. "What."
Peep looked at the two girls. "Hm, somthing happen?"
"Not a thing," Quinth sang merrily, spinning back around to watch where they went. Answeri glared at the little fey's back with a frown.
".hm......So Quinth, How is his Majesty King Aodhan doing?"
She did a little swoop in the air and sighed dreamily. "My lord is ever so well! Alas that I have returned to my duties as an Ambassador and travel rather than stay by His Majesty's side."
"But when you return to the court arn't you that much happier to seem him? My papa says thats how it is when he comes home from War. That for all the distance between him and daddy it makes him all the happier when there together again."
"When I return..." Quinth recited quietly, trailing off.
"......you...do get to return don't you?"
Quinth slumped forward suddenly as her wings hesitated before she squeaked and fluttered quickly up again. "Hm? What?"
"...." Peeps eyes narrowed a little. "..interesting, so the seal on fey isn't the only strange thing going on then.."
"Am I strange?" Quinth asked, with a note of sincere wonder in her voice rather than any sarcasm.
"Yes," Answeri defined.
"No, but the going ons are....Fey isn't ment to change and yet.."
"Change? We change, simply not on our own," Quinth corrected, giggling. "What a silly kid you are."
"He's only making a statement trying to help," the dragoness defended curtly.
"Anything that does not change on its own its static...though i supose by my and Awnseris presnece here that coudl make youa dynamic being..." he looked puzzled a moment. "...hm..beside us and elly and sary....i wonder if theres any other mortals about fey right now..."
"There are almost always mortals around here somewhere," the pixie shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you wonder if ever a mortal were not present? Within all the vast lands of Faerie, would we stop? The moment when no one visits us... do we hesitate? Does everything simply not matter without mortals?" She laughed lightly. "You are our creators. Perhaps does your world stop when no gods are present, then...?"
"Actully It would matter little are our or a gods precense. Thats like asking if a tree falls and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound. Existence is not a from nessecaty or lack there of."
"Without change, there is no dimension of time... without time, nothing changes. So during the time without time... how can that be an existence?"
"Well there obviously is."
"Obviously?"
"Because there had to be somthing before time was created."
"Perchance time was not an inspiration... but a creator?"
"Some one had to think up the concept of time, just like like someone had to think up the concept og zero and change."
"Who could possibly have created time, without time to be present beforehand with which to create?"
Peep shruged. "I'm only eight, why ask me."
"Better you than mee..." Answeri sobbed helplessly.
Once again Quinth abruptly slumped forward as her wings stopped flapping, but this time she actually hit the snow with a thud before squeaking and flying back up. She laughed it off in a rush. "How silly of me! I let my mind wander and forget what I'm doing! Hahahaha..."
"...Are you alright?" Peep frowned, holding out both shi hands cupped to her. "Maybe you shoudl rest a little."
"I'm fine! We're nearly there."
"Where?"
"Oh... smewhere."
Answeri sighed.
"No." peep inisited. "somthings wrong if you can't fly and think, please." he pressed his arms out a bit further. "I'll carry you the rest of the way.
"You don't know where we're going," Quinth snickered. "Relax. Like I said, we're nearly there!"
"I wish I knew what 'there' you were talking about," Answeri complained quietly. Suddenly an acorn smacked her in the head. "OW!"
"Wish granted!" screeched a squirrell from overhead, chittering before it scurried away.
"WHAT THE F***!? GET BACK HERE!" Answeri shouted at it.
Peep watched suprised. "....squirrell?"
"Oh, I see how it is, give it to the mortal not your own damn kin! You furry b*****d!" Quinth shrieked at it, flying in a few angry circles like a bee.
Answeri gave her a puzzled look. "You want to get attacked by a squirrell?"
Peep wiggled free from Awnseris arms like a toddeler and picke dup the small acorn. "Another nut?" he looked at it puzzled sniffin it.
It seemed like a normal acorn... then again, Faerie - who knows? "You suck! I wanted to get one of the legendary free gifts," Quinth whined.
"Getting hit in the head isn't a gift!" the shadow dragoness roared impatiently.
"But the acorn is.." Peep turned it over a few times before slipping it into his sleeve, next to the walnut given to him from his aunt Lei.
"It said your wish was granted, meaning we're at the border and you happened to open that big mouth and get the free gift..." Quinth faked a tear. "I worked so hard to figure out this maze, and don't get anything for my efforts!"
"I do not get you at all," Answeri stated plainly in Draconic.
"...so were out of dark winter then!?"
"Almost," Quinth sighed, but as she spoke Answeri did too, "yeah, those trees part to make way for Home."
"Hm? How do you know that awnseri?"
"I-I-I dunno! It's like... I can practically see it there, and I recognize the name-" Answeri flailed around frantically. "IT HIT ME SO HARD MY BRAIN WENT CRAZY!!"
Quinth rolled her eyes. "She wished for it."
"A way home..." peep bowed his head. "And i'm guessing the way 'home' is rather then to our world but to the location in fey.."
"The Home Beneath the Snowy Boughs," Answeri recited, then shrieked and clawed at her head. "I'M CRAZY!"
Peep gripped her arms. "No, your just..ah..home to explain this.....Fey touched, at the moment.."
She blinked and glanced at his hands. "No you're not fey you're draconic..."
"..................your not crazy ok ._."
Answeri gave him a look that said she obviously doubted him but stopped flailing.
"Can we continue already?" Quinth rolled her eyes.
"Ah..right" peep took a few hurried steps to cathc up to the small pixies location. "....want the acorn?"
"...Really?" Quinth's eyes sparkled and her little finger tugged on her open bottom lip like a child drooling over a new toy.