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 Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:31 pm
To Fight or to Defend Sulu lingered under a bluff in the cool desert night, preening fastidiously. She felt soiled and wrong, and she wanted to cry. The feeling was not new. She had found such situations before. Dragons who wouldn't listen to reason, members of her own kind who slew them mercilessly, and who in turn wouldn't listen to her words. No matter how firmly she stood by her convictions, she was either cursed and spat at, or told that she was delusional.
She already knew that. She knew that her cause was unlikely to be successful. It would take a miracle in the minds of Magesceans, Drakein, and Dragons alike to stop the madness of the hunts. Suluksati wasn't sure she believed in miracles.
The hope that drove her was that, perhaps, she could do a little now, save a few lives in the present, or more. That would make things worthwhile. And maybe, just maybe, that seed would grow and become something greater, something that might actually change things.
She leaned back and scrutinized her feathers in the dim starlight. The shadows darkened them, making them look stained. Still stained. Would the blood never wash out?
She gave up for the night and fell into a fitful, sad sleep.
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Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 1:52 pm
One Inquisitive Dragon, Many Nasty Hastar
Suluksati had an enjoyable and fun, if exhausting, time playing with the baby dragon. It took her for a swim, played water games, and showed her sides of dragonkind not even she had suspected were there. And then, hearing a loud call from across the lake, it had bid her a polite adeiu and left her to soak in its favorite swimming hole.
Apparently, it was not allowed to swim there without supervision, but surely she counted, did she not? She had protected it from danger, she had accompanied it and played with it. Was she not adequate supervision for a hatchling dragon? Particularly as its mother had been absent throughout the adventure. Where was she? Alive, if the hatchling's chatterings were to be believed. So why wasn't she looking out for her own child?
Suluksati bristled at the idea that this dragon mother could be so neglectful. She did not want to believe it. Dragons were fierce and violent, but surely they protected their own hatchlings. She would have to investigate futher, maybe find the young Peisio and its den. She had some sense of where it might live, based on where it went off to and where the call home had come from. She would watch and observe, and maybe answer the questions that she had always wanted to understand about the creatures she so loved.
Which reminded her. She hadn't, in all their playtime (which was only an hour or three at most) she had neglected to ask the hatchling's name, or give hers in return. With a groan of chagrin, she dunked her head under the soft, soothing water, surfacing and shaking out the water from her feathers as if shedding her own frustration. She grumbled to herself as she stretched out on a rock to dry her feathers. She would have to remember next time, if there was a next time.
All in all, though... it had been a good day
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:45 pm
Suluksati checked on the Ysali Dragon.
it lay stunned, but alive, and she decided against going to it. It would likely attack her. She didn't want to kill it- she felt sorry for it, especially when a well-groomed Silx ran up to it and cuddled against it. She busied herself in collecting the orbs and retreated to a cave nearby to heal fully. The Ayrala had been foolish and their deaths unnecessary, but a life had been saved. That, at least, she could feel good about.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:53 pm
The draken was surprised at how strong she had become. She hadn't felt it happening, but she clearly had grown in power, more than she had realized. She wondered how strong she would have to be to accomplish her goals, or whether she would ever be that strong.
The Ysali quietly watched as Suluksati retrieved the orbs and healed her wounds. It was curious and puzzled by the feathered drakein before it. Why hadn't it been killed? What were her motives? The dragon was intrigued.
Both looked up at the cries that echoed off of the cliffs and spires.
"Their reinforcements will be arriving, and they will be more than just juviniles. Shall we hide for the night?" it asked, intrigued.
Suluksati nodded, more than a little surprised that that was even offered. "It is late." she remarked, the sunset stained the sky red. She was tired again, so tired. They retreated to a hidden cave as the little brush valley suddenly filled with gusts. The Ayrala flock, though, did not find the two that night.
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:42 pm
Dragonwatching - 1100 words Suluksati settled into the cool, rocky streambed. Her view of the lake below was clear and uninterrupted, and it shimmered spectacularly in the light. She could see, far off, the resort town of the Orderites. It had, she was sure, a lovely view too. But her view was one that most magescans might not dare. On the bank of the lake, not too far away, there were dragons- a whole family of them. Hatchlings swam and played in the water, several adults watching them closely. But none of the adults were too worried- they were Peisio dragons, and swimming was as easy as breathing or flight. Their hatchlings had little worry of drowning- just of straining themselves. Suluksati suspected that this was the home of the little one she had rescued from the Hastar pack. She thought she might be able to see it too- sitting on a rock, surrounded by its fellow hatchlings as it acted out a story. They looked on in awe as it clawed at imaginary foes and puffed itself up bravely. She smiled. If it was the hatchling, and if it was telling the others of its adventure, she bet that it was taking all the credit. She did not mind that at all -- let the little one have its fun. She stretched, laying down to watch them longer. Though her view was clear, she was far enough up the ledge to not be a threat to them. She didn't think that the adults had noticed her yet, even, and that was good. She heard wingbeats and flattened herself against a rock as a Peisio flew overhead, carrying large, freshly killed prey in its talons. It reminded her of the first time she had seen a dragon. She had been but a keindred, taken on a hunt by her cousins and siblings. It had been a group of Peisio, like this one here. Her job had been to nudge all the soul orbs into a pile for the others to retrieve and split amongst themselves. She remembered how awed she had been when the great beast had come for them. Its scales had been a rippling blue more intense than anything she had ever seen before. It's shape had been so lithe- graceful where Drakein were bulky, smooth where drakein were rough. Its eyes had been pools of the deepest wisdom and wrath, its claws silvered like air bubbles underwater. It had been beautiful, and then it had died, crashing to the ground as the gang clawed its life away. Suluksati remembered rolling the soul gems into a glittering pile, as tall as her. She wasn't sure how she had felt at that moment. She had been so young- had she been delighted to finally be allowed to tag along with her older siblings? Had she felt pleasure at being helpful? How close to her feelings as an adult were her feelings as a child? Looking back on it, Suluksati could express a sense of awe and sadness at the senseless killing of the dragon, and of the bloodshed that followed as the rest of the dragon's pack lurched from the trees and clawed into her kin. She remembered the soul orbs- how they fell like a blue, hard rain among dragon scales and blood and feathers. Her pile had grown very tall and it had shone so beautifully in the Serenia sun. It was one of very few memories of her keindredhood. She couldn't remember, now, if she had started questioning the hunts then, or later. It felt like she had never been anything other than an advocate for the dragons, but she knew that was not true, that at one time she had been just like the others. She had wanted to hunt dragons and prove her strength and be regarded as a strong warrior of her clan, dealing justice to the world with her claws. But, at some point, she knew, something had changed. She had not been long an adult when she had first asked, but she couldn't remember what had triggered her to ask the question that so defined her life. What had happened in her Keindred days? Hasdshe simply thought about it a lot? Had something else- or a lot of something elses- happened to make her think about what the hunts truly meant? She watched as the large dragon landed near the group and carried its load to a cave on the shore. It was followed by the hatchlings, who shouted in excitement. Ah, food. Suluksati's stomach rumbled at her, reminding her that she had yet to eat as well. She ignored it's call, though that meat certainly looked good and fresh and she too often subsisted on easy meals like carrion these days. She was too busy to hunt much else. She knew that, before this blood moon, she had never seen dragons in any other context but a fight for life and death- hers and theirs alike. She wondered why it hadn't occurred to her before to try to just sit back and watch them. The pure and bubbling joy that welled up from her soul as she watched them go about their lives was all the reward she would ever need. It was gratifying to see that, even when they attacked her- even when she saved them or spared them- they had lives to return to, as complicated and beautiful as any magescan's. They were people- beautiful, wild, primal people who sometimes straddled the line between person and beast. But so did Drakein. How often had she herself behaved as a beast and tore into a foe with incredible ferocity and without mercy? At the same time, how often did she protect those who would like her dead and out of their way? She was in between both worlds, a heroic beast. A beast hero. More dragons brought more prey, and she knew her ego was swelling with pride as she watched the dragons eat communally, the adults eating with dainty ferocity and the hatchlings playing with their food. She did not stop herself, though she knew the dangers of an over-inflated ego- dragon's egos, for example, were what got so many of them killed and hunted. So often, though, her ego was trampled and bruised and stained by the trials of her quest. Surely, she was due a little bit of ego pampering! She settled in for a long and leisurely viewing despite the complaints of her stomach. She would eat later. For now, this unique spectacle was all the sustenance she needed.
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Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 4:19 pm
"You have given me your name." said the dragon abruptly, "And you have assisted me. Thus, I grant you the honor of my own name. I am J'kanaran of the Lower Eastern Forest pack." The dragon regarded her carefully, it's eyes full of cunning and inspiration, "And I think you could be useful to me." Suluksati gave the Ysali a sad look, continuing her collecting, not wanting to put the orbs to waste. "Well..." at least it was going well. At least it was a conversation. Was this dragon worth the deaths of so many others? "I am happy to help." The dragon grinned a sharp, reptilian grin. Help, perhaps not. But use? Oh yes. She, J'kanaran, could use this insane creature. The power she sought might yet be hers. The Ysali dragon resumed her own gathering, feeling more confident than she had felt in a long time. Suluksati finished her collecting and lay down, resting from the fight as the Silx tried to play with her. That evening, she was invited by J'kanaran to return to Serenia with her and, surprised, she accepted. As she soared over the waves of the ocean, she wondered just where this event could lead, and if it was such a good thing after all.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:04 pm
DraconicFeline Serenia's Dangers and A hunted Hero Suluksati purred softly to herself as the young orderite returned, safe and sound, inside. A feeling of goodwill washed over her and she felt, suddenly and again, very tired. She made her way over to a haystack and sniffed at it. It looked very comfortable, but what if she was discovered? She could feel her brain trying to shut down into sleep, and didn't really want to think anymore. She decided that she was likely to rise before they noticed her and that she shouldn't care. It was so promising and lovely and cozy and warm. She stepped onto the pile of dried grass and pawed at it. The dusty smells made her nose itch, but was inviting enough to her tired body that, despite the smells and the way the straw felt on her feathers, she nestled herself into it and closed her eyes. She was out in seconds.
Flying took her away from her problems, because those problems were on the ground, bound to magesc and its peoples. The air was free and pure and she was alone in the sky. There were clouds below her, and starless sky above her, and all the world was white, and blue, and deepest black. There were no obligations, no memories, nothing to bind her to the world beneath the clouds.
Until the clouds began to turn red. It splashed like liquid and burned holes into them revealing...
Suluksati woke with a start at the screams of a magescan. Groggily, she looked up to see the orderite child staring at her, fear in their beautiful eyes. Another, larger shape approached, bearing something sharp, and Suluksati decided that it was time for her to wake up and leave. She stepped off the hay bale and, with a few powerful beats of her wings, took off before the older orderite could stick her with its pronged tool. She was in the air and away, glad she had not seen what was beneath those dream clouds.
Very glad.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:34 am
Lightning Reflexes Morning came and with it came a full renewal for Suluksati's. Her magic danced across her half-wakened body, healing her wounds, though they had worsened in the cold night and would be tender throughout the day.
The sun was beautiful as it gilded the sands, and she found herself wanting to weep for joy at seeing the dawn of a new day. In the crisp and cool light, she began the grim work of collecting the amber soul orbs, not wanting them to be wasted to the desert sands.
She often wondered if she should give up on changing the hearts and minds of people and dragons. She knew they had hearts and minds – neither party were mindless brutes. They wanted more than bloodshed and death. She certainly did. She did not want to lose hope, and this day – as on all other times that she had worried – her strong resolve brought her through. She believed that this was the right way to go, and so others would come to believe it as well.
Orbs collected, she reflected on her solitude, unbroken in this beautiful morning. It was a hero's lot, but even she could see that it was unhealthy. Being alone sapped the soul. She had tipped over into the beast last night. No thought for the future, or for the cause – in those moments when she had been vulnerable she had thought only of survival. She had been in the moment so completely, that she had ceased to be the person she was. That was what pure solitude did to you – drove you to the beast inside you, made its feeding all that you had.
She needed someone. Another drakein, a magescan, someone, anybody, to help her balance what she was. Sniffing the air, she wondered...
Just where was Samael's clan?
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:37 am
Aedaun Raid
When Suluksati had woken up that morning she hadn't thought she would be fighting Aedaun.
Ysali or Peisio dragons who attacked her, maybe, or hunters that happened to cross her path, but not Aedaun dragons, definitely not. She had always thought them to be fairly reasonable dragons. She certainly had had no problems with the clan she shared her magic with, not until now.
They had been reasonable, she realized. They had talked to her. They had offered to let her be, and had been quite gracious about it. But she had turned them down. She had willingly turned down a dragon's offer of diplomacy, and for what?
To protect the life of a little Oblivionite child. A child of the dark in the land of the light. And, with help, she had protected it's young life, at the cost of the dragon's lives. It made her wonder what she was fighting for, really. What were her goals? Was she really trying to save the dragons? Or was she – as she was often called, by dragons and by her own doubts – a dirty hypocrite?
As she left the boy to his new friend, she felt... odd. She despaired at the dragon lives lost, yet she was pleased at the life preserved. And, also, at meeting one of the very few people she could call her friend. Samael, dragon hunter he may be, was someone who respected her and had even invited her to stay with his clan.
How long would that invitation last, she wondered, when he learned of her quest? Well. She would have to take him up on it and find out. Hospitality sounded wonderful.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:41 pm
Skipping through the Fields - Serenia - Sueno and Suluksati
Suluksati had never eaten at a table, nor had she had bread before. Frankly, the stuff was barely edible for her, but she ate it anyway, and it was filling in a puffed sort of way. She appreciated how out-of-the-way they were going for her. As she rested nearby for the night, she promised herself that she would repay their generosity by hunting down something edible for them. Because clearly, they needed more meat.
Perhaps magescans were not all bad. Perhaps, when they next met, she could tell them her views on dragons and, perhaps with the present of said meat fresh in their minds, they would see it favorably...
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:16 pm
Nobody Likes these Things..
Suluksati did not like Borgnah's. They were big, and ugly, and frankly they did not belong in Serenia. And yet, she had been ambushed by not one, not two, but THREE of them. She had a sinking feeling that her death would not come by Dragon or by Magescan, but by one of those filthy monsters. One day, she decided, she would take a break from her endless quest and just go on a hunting rampage. Ambush THEM in THEIR sleep and see how they liked it, the ugly bastards...
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:27 pm
Opposing Forces
A few minutes after they left, the miasma dissipated, and Suluksati stood, winded, and looked towards where they had left. She panted with exertion and, with a sigh, flew off on aching, shimmering wings. She felt ashamed. Her actions had been uncivilized... not that she was civilized, but she expected a certain degree of civility from herself. She hadn't shown that today.
She flew off to a nearby tree and began to hunt for something to fill her empty belly. But she couldn't take her mind off of the younger two legger. What made him vaguely familiar? Why did he smell so strange? Almost like...
And then, grimly, she remembered. She had been intending to leave the area, especially after being threatened, but now she just wanted to follow up on her hunch... and see if it was the little oblivionite she had saved a few years ago from Aedaun dragons, after all.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:30 pm
Dragonblocking at Lightning Fast Speeds
The three Gaili khehora glared at her as she walked away, and the hostility in their eyes made her pause. She swallowed, taking a step back, assessing. Now was the time for words, but she wasn't sure what words to use. ”There is no need for unnecessary violence. Hasn't enough blood been shed today? I cannot convince you, so... I'll just be leaving.” she asked, backing up. She was angry, but as the words left her tongue, she realized that that was probably not the right thing to say. The Gaili stalked towards her, heads down, fins back.
”I don't know who you are, or who you think you are.” said one of them, probably their leader, considering his markings, ”But you interfered with our hunt and nearly cost us our lives.” the others growled in agreement.
”But I saved you.” she said, flaring her wings, ”The dragons would have killed you.”
”If you hadn't tried to protect them.... or whatever you thought you were doing...” snarled the leader, baring his fangs, ”We wouldn't have needed saving. Me and my clutchmates can handle Kiandri dragons on our own. We don't need meddling Aedaun, and we don't need you.” he growled, ”Get out of our territory.”
One of the other khehora snarled, ”Nokri, lets teach this... dragon-lover... a lesson first.” its partner nodded in agreement.
Their leader paused, looking at them thoughtfully. He turned to Suluksati, his whole set of teeth bared and sharp.
”Yes. Lets.” he said, and they came at her at once.
Suluksati fought them, though they were her own kind. She was strong, and had been made stronger by a wild and lonely life. They were strong too, though, and their magic kept her from the sanctuary of the sky. Without the sky, the alikhora could do little more than try to counterattack and cast her spells. Her shield worked for a time, but was soon depleted. Her feet sank into the ground as they magicked it. They beat her until she was barely conscious and then they left her there to collect their orbs. After they left, Suluksati, semiconscious, felt a strangely dull pain as her bones, nerves, sinews, and flesh were slowly repaired by her magical power. That was not the only pain she felt. She had failed, and had been attacked by her own people, and she had been unable to defend herself as she should have. She drifted off into unconcsiousness, unable to cry the tears that overflowed her heart.
The next morning, her power restored by dawn's light, she stumbled to her feet and searched for any orbs that might have been left behind. They had taken all the orbs, even the ones from her kills, which to her was the ultimate unfairness. She had thought that she would leave the battleground empty-clawed and poor in spirit and life. But then she saw it – glittering amber in the sand. She dug with her claws to find a cache of three orbs that the khehora must have missed, glittering at her invitingly. She took them, feeling guiltily relieved. It was sad that the dragons had died, but at least she was some steps closer to the power she needed to protect them. That was all she could hope for. Sadly.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:35 pm
Adventure: Caravan Raid
Suluksati landed behind some rocks the moment she thought she was safe, dropping the meat in front of her. She tried to savor the moment - it was not often that she had a guaranteed meal. She was running high on the exhilaration of her theft, and, feeling playful for a brief - the briefest - of moments, she wriggled her butt and pounced on the piece of meat, clawing at it and playing with it until her feathers were sandy and disheveled. Then, feeling especially silly, she tore into it, gnawing the bone when the flesh was gone until there was no more to gnaw. She licked her lips, satiated. She hadn't realized that she had been so hungry. When had she last eaten? She couldn't remember, bu it had been a while ago.
She began to groom, nosing at her feathers and nibbling them into place, cleaning the dirt, bits of plants, sand, and blood from them until she gleamed her usual snowy white and soft green. She certainly needed to eat more. She was skin and sinew and bones beneath her feathers, and she needed energy to save dragons. Or fail to save them. She paused in her grooming, feeling the despair loom over her again like the unforgiving desert sky. She got out her new Ayrala orb and looked at it intently.
This was a dragon that she hadn't failed. This was a dragon that had not died at her claws. It made her feel better to know that. She put the Ayrala orb back and curled up to sleep on her full stomach, hoping that tomorrow brought further successes. Even a small victory was a victory.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:40 pm
The Stupidity of Light Clans
Suluksati tried to pour her magic into the body, but it only made it glow. The khehora was beyond her power. Perhaps another Aedaun could have saved him and brought life back into his still form, but Suluksati could not bring him back to life.
"You b***h!" shrieked the gaili, slamming into her. She fell over, protecting her head with her wings, but doing no more than that.
"Enough." said the elder.
"But its her fault!" cried the gaili. She could feel his weight on her wing and worried that it would break."He wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for her!" He spoke the truth, and she knew it. She didn't know what to do about it.
"Quiet, Kumra." snapped the elder.
"But its true!" she felt the young khehora's weight hit her again, "Shes that white-feathered meddler that Nokri met! She almost killed him and the others too. She didn't last time... But this time she did!" She felt the ground beneath her shake, "This time she did!"
"Stop it, Kumra! Get away from her. Now."
"But... she killed my clutchmate... She needs to pay..."
"Now." The elder commanded, and she felt the Khehora's weight move away and lifted her wing to see the younger khehora had moved to the side. He refused to meet her gaze. The elder loomed over her his eyes sulfurous and unreadable. He leaned in. "I once had ideals as strong as yours." he said, quietly, "And I have known other Aedauns in the past." he nosed her gently, "I have also heard of you, dragon-lover. You believe in a cause. You feel you can protect the dragons from us and from themselves. You think yourself a tortured hero. When I was young, I too thought of heroism and being heroic, but you are cursed by the light magic that runs in your veins to carry your heroism to the extreme." He drew away. "Today, your efforts have killed one of your own kind, and you still failed to protect what you wished to." he sighed, "I cannot undo the damage, and I cannot change your mind... but beware the cost of heroism. It may be too much for you soon enough." he turned to walk away. "Let us go, Kumra..." he looked to her. "Do you still wish to come?" she shook her head. "Very well." he said.
The young khehora turned to her, snarling. "You may be a friend of Samael's and the elder may not mind..." Kumra glared at the elder, "But you killed my clutchmate, and you are no friend of ours. They may welcome you, but you are not welcome in our clan. Do you hear me?! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!" he screeched. The elder nudged him and, with a shudder, he turned away.
Suluksati lay there until long after they had gone, and then she crawled to her feet and, slumped, made her way to the Eastern coast. She was going home now.
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