Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Sorry about my lack of posting, but I am having rouble finding time to sign on))

Kyala looked at each page for several minutes, every once and a while glancing at the shy boy named Chrono. Tyrkennen peered over her head with one gorgeaous eye and she could feel him tensing. The volume radiated age and the story was burning itself into her minds eye. It was terribly hard for her to imagine him as this mighty warrior, but then, if he could do this he would be an ally of huge proportions. Even as she thought this Tyrkennen surged to his feet and opened his wings, curling protectivly around her and shielding them with the tent of his wings, hiding from Rosette and Chrono's view.

"Kyala, this is demon-talk. If the Elders knew he would be killed immediatly and you would be under suspicion of who knows what kind of condemming notions. You can not just use him to fight in your battles, his power is strange and formidable. All is not always as it seems and I can not bring myself to trust anything like that." Her back was pressed against his side and his face was so close to hers that all she seemed able to see was hte swirling midnight sky of his eye. She started to protest when Tyr stamped one clawed foot irritably and roared sharply. "Foolish! Do not be stupid! Where is your prided youthful wisdom! He is dangerous and that girl wants to take him on missions adragonback. He would hinder her and Ryukko, endagnering that mission and if she came in danger any need to protect her could be chatostrophic."

Tears came to Kyala's eyes as his emotions battered hers. <"Tyrkennen! You are being foolish. We need every asset we can get! Tyr, he had power that the Rider's could use, if he could find it again and controll it... He could take a firedrake on the ground and wreak havoc in their camps. He has done no harm in all the time he has been here, there is no need to condem him."> Wiping her eyes and cheeks free of the tears she pushed at his wing. "We will give him this chance and if it proves he is unreliable you can bring him to justice yourself."

The wing lifted and Tyrkennen refused to look at her as she stepped out, a little dishiveled. Her air of control still wrapped about her ilke a cloke she fixed Chrono with blazing eyes.

"Chrono, this hidden identity is troubling. Why have you not come forward to train or bond a hatchling so that you could regain some of the powers you posessed to assist the Light? Or is it that you can not control yourself if you regain them?" She quirked one eyebrow at him. "Actually I can see why. This is my judgement. You may not hinder Ryukko in flight, I forbid it. You have given me no reason to suspect you of evil or a foul soul so I see no reason to condemm you for past acts. You can come tot he north with us and work with the support crews but if you go into battle it will be on the ground on a firedrake." Firedrakes were rare and prized intelligent beasts like small wingless dragons who could belch fire and run for days without tiring. "I am at this moment unwilling to change my mind and if you press me I doubt you will make it out of this room alive or in one peice." She glanced backwards at the big silver Dragon who sat seething and staring coldly at Chrono. ""If you so much as sneeze dishonor or betrayel to the Riders you shall be put under the judgment of the Elders and be held captive by Tyrkennen untill your sentance is passed. Am I clear?"

Without looking away she touched the link in her mind softly. "Come here Tyr," she signaled him quietly. "Lets go and take a short rest and peacefull moment in our quarters before we return to this madness." She felt him soften and untense as he came to her, though he still stared heavily at Chrono, and she climbed on his broad back. "This is what should be done," she told him. "My heart is yours lovely, but this judgment is not," he replied. Sighing sadly she patted his neck. "Hearts forever one."

Her mouth open in shock Kyala leaned forward out of the saddle over Tyrkennens shoulder. "A lifebond?" she mouthed incredulously, but she could say no more when Tyrkennen's roar overpowered her voice. "You threatedned Ryukko before you knew him! Before he was concieved!" Furious the great silver Dragon reared backwards and came down with one clawed foot pressing against Chrono's chest, pinning the boy to the ground and his head angled angrily at Rosette. Kyala leaped out of her seat as he jumped and rushed before the bowed woman, her chest inches from the heaving Dragons muzzle.

"Tyr, stop this! This is Rosette! Ryukko would never have chosen her if they were not a pair! You tell me that if I was so bonded you would not have joined your heart with my own? You have never been so quick to anger!" Tyrkennen arched his neck and shook his head angrily, releasing his hold on the boy. As soon as he was free Kyala whipped around to Rosette. "He is right, nevertheless, just as you were right ot tell me this. However if we had it our way the boy would be quarentined to his own quarters and out of the line of fire to preserve you and your Dragon. This not being the case, he is still to come on the mission but he is NOT to risk himself in anyway and jepordize you and Ryukko." She was trying so very hard to remain in controll but Tyrkennen's emotions and her own were battling so fiercly in her chest and mind that she broke into a sweat and felt drunk. "We can finnish this later but I have other things to see to and I fear for Tyrkennn."

Her hands shaking she ran to her beloved Tyrkennen and leaped into the saddle. In less than a breath they were out of the room and into the air, both of them as silent as a grave, not knowing what to say.

"I was wrong to judge so quickly. I dont know what.." Kyala shook her head and cut him off. "We both just went through that and know what happened. Let's leave it be."

They returned to their quarters in silence.

"Chandra my love, I do believe that they just challenged the both of us, but I know we cannot keep up with them."

"I believe you are right dear, in both areas. Shall we use are gifts to help us."

"I think we shall love, for now try you best to keep upwith them while I think of something." Chandra tryed to keep up but could not get close for each time they did Calidar and Tanneth speed up again. Toreth watched the ground looking for something and then he saw it. "When I say now, hit them with water love." Chandra said nothing because she new she would not find out.

All of a sudden, Toreth had Chandra slow down a little and for good reason because there was a road block infront of Tanneth and it would be bad to crash into another dragon. The road block was a large tree that was only far enough ahead of Calidar and Tanneth to slow to and almost stop and drop in highth to miss it slowing them down to a craw. Just as Calidar and Tanneth reached the road block Toreth said now and Chandra unleashed a downpor on the both of them. Using the this to there advantage, Chandra and Toreth speed past their water logged friends hoping they had enough time to get far ahead of the two so that they could reach the hunting grounds before Calidar and Tanneth could react fast enough to catch them.

Toreth and Chandra raced to the line of trees that was up ahead and hope that as they neared that line that Tanneth would not pop up behind them. They do not know where the other two are either, because neither has tryed to look back for them.

((Calidar is absoloutly right, that is not allowed. Accidents happen, but you only get one time when it comes to Godmodding. Please be more careful.))

Kyala and Tyrkennen swooped onto their balcony in a rush of wind from his powerful wings. He had to manuver around the new winter gear but managed quiet admirably. The archway outside their home was rimmed in silver Dragons and there was the Battlelance's crest of a golden Winged Lance at the top and at each corner. It was still strange to her that she was given so much wealth. That doorframe alone could buy her Wing their weight in armor and food.

"Lovely, it's that sort of thinking that has you so tense all the time. The Wing wants for nothing. You have them equipped and fed up to their teeth." He had arched his neck around so that he could see her with one magnificent but saddened eye. "I miss being carefree and lazy." Luaghing a little now Kyala climbed out of the saddle and embraced his head. "I'm sorry I acted that way Kyala," he mumbled.

She drew back and murmered, "Double." Clearing her throat she stepped away and into her home. It was a broad cavern carved how she loved it with tall rounded ceilings and clutter all about. Furniture, rugs, wall adornments, anything and everything she took a liking too was crammed in one way or another and it seemed that she rearranged every few days. From one large padded armchair came a little growling mew and the head of her dear Orik popped into veiw.

She had found him in the mountain with a broken leg and a terrible disposition, but now that he was nursed back to health he was no more than a very large cat. One of the regional Great Cats, he was longtailed and furred in all sorts of browns and golds. As he stretched and yawned hugely she walked past him witha pat on his head and into her main living room. A fountain splashed on one wall and chairs and cushions and rugs were piled all about with an old table with an odd books or two thrown in under the light of an anceint and elaborate old chandelier. Tyrkennen came in behind her with Orik trailing and settled himself in his massive couch against the opposit wall from the fountain and closed his eyes, the great cat curled up between his massive forelegs.

Grinning at the pair Kyala proceeded into the next room, her dinning room in fact, and ran a careful eye over all her packed gear stacked neatly on the table. Grabbing a few bags at a time she dragged them into the front room before the archway and sorted them out, once again, to include the new gear. Just as she was finnishing a large clatter resounded through the doorway into the living room and she jumped with a start and dashed towards the sound. Tyrkennen was stooped over his pile of armor with his helm halfway on and a few of his tail guards in place, his chest sheild spinning wildly on the floor where he had dropped it. He grinned sheepishly and ducked his head to her, causing his helm to fall away with a crash. "Just about ready," he laughed. She laughed too, clutching her sides, and the pair started to piece together his shiny new armor.

(( crying sweatdrop , I was trying not too, I did not want it to come out like that, also if you read it the only thing I did was state that you reached the road block and chandra hit you with water, so I flew past, You could have had Tanneth wing up and just miss the tree or something like that. Where it says that they would have to slow down to a craw and and drop in highth was before they reached the tree and it all unfolded. I thought I had made it clear enough to know that, that was what Toreth was hoping to happen, that's not what Calidar and Tanneth did, read it again and see if you understand it know.))

Toreth and Chandra watched as Tanneth and Calidar flew around them in a circle before they speed off again to catch a bull. "I suppose we lost that one love, shall we get are full and leave them in peace for now." Chandra said nothing but spotted a cow and went in for a kill, Toreth struck the cow between the eyes with a stone just as Chandra reached it and gripped it's throat and side with her foreclaws. They dragged the cow about 100 feet before slowing enough to land. Toreth dropped of her back to let her eat, he walked over to a near by tree and sat under it in the shade and looked in Calidar's dragon still standing guard. "I hope they have good hearts when it comes to playing around, though Chandra and I were a little rough."

((Sorry I came on so strong. I'm just sorta protective of Calidar and Tanneth. I reread it, but I still don't like how you worded it. You cold have put "Chandra made a huge raincloud appear over them and begin to rain." or something like that. Sorry, I just learned these things a little differently. Oh, and pretend Calidar has had her staff with her the whole time. She normally does. sweatdrop ))

"I think they have accepted our prowess, love," Calidar said as she undid the saddle straps and slid to the ground, balancing herself on her staff. "Eat now, and regain your strength."

"Yes, Calidar. Do you want me to save any for you? Or will you wait until we are home?"

"I think I'll wait," Calidar said with a grimace.

"Suit yourself."

Tanneth flipped her wings to her back and turned to the bull. The bright red blood had pooled around the blow Tanneth had dealt, and she licked it up with her tongue. Calidar watched, steeling herself at Tanneth's eating mannerisms, telling herself it was a dragon's nature. But she couldn't help flinch and turn away as she heard the crunch and snap of bones. Finally, Tanneth was quiet and Calidar looked around. All that was left was an indentation in the bloodstained grass.

"I am neat when I eat."

"Oh, very," Calidar said half sarcastically. "Eating blood and bones is certainly neat eating."

"I never said I was clean; merely neat. I do not leave anything to soil the earth. I only take what I need and I eat it all."

Calidar laughed. The dragon's words were true. Letting herself into the dragon's mind, she felt that Tanneth was sated and did not wish to hunt again that day. So she walked over to Toreth.

"Sorry if Tanneth and I are a bit competitive in the sky," she said. "But flying is our forte, and we always strive to be the best. No hard feelings?"

She held out her hand by way of apology.

((bah, this one involves a lot of what Cain looks like.... sorry in advance >__<))

After many minutes of wrestling, Cain finally emerged from his washroom. He had spent the past several minutes recovering from the low blow the little girl had dealt him. The self-esteem of a male was a very fragile thing.... and was especially vulnerable to criticism from bipolar females. Veraldimir's teasing was something Cain had become accustomed, but the quick death that the girl had served his ego was enough to leave him bewildered. And what better way for Cain to recover than lock himself in the bathroom and try to make himself look better?

"So... what do you think?" The teenager asked his partner shyly, walking towards the middle of the room where Veraldimir was still inspecting the objects that the pair had brought up from storage. The pink dragon was very much convinced that the evil girl had hidden bombs in the box. As it was, he only let Cain extract the clothes he needed just because he didn't mind seeing his partner get blown up. As for himself... Veraldimir really didn't feel like charring his scales.

Craning his neck to look around at the boy, Veraldimir's eyes widened slightly, before narrowing suspiciously. "You clean up well, Twigs...too well... are you trying to impress the lady Kyala as a new scout? Or perhaps, the lady Fieryn?" Cain stiffened indignantly, and Veraldimir smirked. "Or maybe... just maybe... what that brat said has gotten to you..."

"Has not!" Cain shouted instantly, face reddening as he crossing his arms over his chest in defiance and pouted, focusing his vision on the dirty floor. Maybe it was a flat-out lie, but Cain would die a thousand times before admit it to Veraldimir. The dragon already had a ton of material to use against him, there was no need to add fuel to the proverbial fire. After a few moment's time, Cain chanced a glance at the dragon, his pout ebbing away into a look of clueless curiosity. "... wait... did you just compliment me?"

Veraldimir immediately busied himself with the box once more. "Did I? I can't remember...." Cain quirked an eyebrow at the pink creature before turning back to the washroom to collect his old clothes. It wasn't proper to leave clothes lying around on the floor, especially when one was going to be absent for the next month. While in the bathroom, Cain stole a quick glance to the small mirror above his towel stand, inspecting himself sourly. If Veraldimir didn't have anything mean to say, it meant that he wasn't doing too bad... but still....

Cain didn't think he looked bad. He was immensely greatful that he didn't look like what he did when Veraldimir first hatched. His mother had always told him that all children look funny when they go through their Growth stage, but Cain always felt that he was getting the wrong end of the "pretty" stick. This was not to imply that Cain ever wanted to look like a stud, or even remotely close, all he wished was to grow into his hands and feet, and not have so many red bumps on his face. He had acknowledged long ago that asking to be squished into a smaller height was a bit out of the question.

Luckily for him, Cain did get what he wanted. His face became smoother, his jaw line and nose more prominent. His eyebrows were a tad bushy, but certainly weren't forest-like. And his eyes had finally turned from a muddy color to a soft golden brown. As for his hair... well, his hair had always been a mess, and still continued to be stubborn. It had gotten darker, once he was considered to have plain brown hair, and now people insisted it was "dark brown". Big difference there. Cain had come into a new way of having it cut, however, that made it a little more bearable. Rather than have it sheered close to his head, he had come into a practice of getting it cut in sections, so the chunks of hair would keep out of his face but still had pieces curling around his ears, and others that insisted on grazing the nape of his neck. In this fashion, Cain didn't have to worry about wanting to rip his hair out for it's stubborness, and at the same time didn't feel like he had a prisoner's haircut either.

Still, Cain was tall. His feet and hands matched... but finding clothes and shoes still proved to be very difficult. Anytime Cain would smack something with his head, for instance a door frame or tree bough, he would curse whomever he felt like blaming human growth on at the time. These spats usually involved the mentioning of frogs, hate, and pumpkin juice, as well as a few unkind words not meant for little childrens' ears.

Suprisingly enough, the dusty pair of winter clothes the devil child had brought up, were actually his. A long time ago, someone had decided to give him clothes for his birthday, doing their best to make sure that they were as uncomfortable as possible. And since Cain had a personal vendetta against homicidal garments, he had properly disposed of them where no one would find them: in Storage. As far as the Rider was concerned, getting rid of the stifling costume was completely worth the almost constant cold he had that winter... and the winter after that... and the winter after that...

But now he stood in the same detested outfit. Cain was suprised he hadn't had the urge to burn the garment yet, a habit he reserved only for those pieces of clothing that came back to haunt him. The more he thought of it, however, the more he realized that he might... just maybe... have to live in these clothes. Just for now. He had no honest problem with suffering another cold, but now that he actually had a job to complete, Cain began to consider how stupid it would be to run around in the North in a peasant shirt and thin pants. Besides, if he didn't wear the clothes, he'd be ridiculed... and he already got enough of that from Veraldimir.

"Well... I guess it's time..." Walking back out to Veraldimir, Cain started rumaging through the cabinets for his new armor, before going to the balcony and fetching Veraldimir's, Bringing it to the dragon. In the instance of armor, both Ver and Cain agreed that it was a horrible, horrible device meant to sufficate you and pinch you where the pieces of metal met.... but once again, it was a neccesary evil.

Cain hurried into the armor as fast as he could, not wishing to prolongue his intense hatred for the objects. But when he finally had it on and quit fussing, he realized something very strange. He couldn't feel it. Cain looked down at his chest. It was still there. Biting his lip, the boy bent his body, one way, then the other. He really didn't feel it. Turning to the dragon puzzeledly, Cain stared out the balcony in a daze.

"Veraldimir.... this is.... strange. I don't like not being able to feel what's on me."

The dragon snorted, swishing his long tail. "Maybe you're just losing your mind... perhaps you hate your armor so much that your incompetent head is now pretending that it doesn't acknowledge you have the blasted constraption on. Or maybe..." The dragon added disapprovingly," it's because you really aren't wearing too much."

Cain inspected himself again. He was wearing a lot in his opinion. The main piece of armor had captured his chest and shoulders in an unrelenting embrace, while his torso was left bare. Cain didn't feel any less protected, however, as while Veraldimir was flying at top speed he'd be laying flush against the dragon anyways, and somehow he didn't suppose metal wouldn't mesh well against scales. He wasn't particularily concerned with his midsection anyways, afterall, he had his detestable sweater/tutleneck/choking-garment-of-doom on. That alone had enough padding from thick knitting to keep him alive if he fell from Veraldimir 100 feet up in the air.

Other than the chest piece, Cain only had small discs attached to the backs of his elbows and fronts of his knees, along with a small belt with flaps attached to keep enemies from gouging his thighs to pieces. Over that belt a thick leather one, with many assorted loops worked into the unused holes. When riding, his waist would be where he hooked himself to Veraldimir, so if he somehow was knocked out of his senses, Cain wouldn't fall off. There was also a loop attached to the back of his armor, between the shoulder blades. A small contraption linked a leather rope to this piece, which would reel out more rope to allow him to lean forward or backwards should he need it. If he was hit too hard, or tugged too much on the rope, it would lock, not pulling in or spitting out any rope, freezing Cain in whatever position he had ended in. This way, should be knocked unconscious, not only would he not fall off, he wouldn't have to worry about falling sideways in the saddle, dangling pathetically for however long Veraldimir remained in the air.

"I'm wearing enough, thank you." Cain finally replied uncomfortably, playing with a loop on his belt akwardly.

"Well then, if you're done inspecting yourself for the millionth time, perhaps you'd like to help me out with my armor." Cain obliged, and soon the pair was in a wrestling match that could rival anyone. It took several minutes, a shove to Cain's ribs, and an attack on Veraldimir's torso before the dragon even had his under padding on. It was a questionably thin layer of cloth, and Cain didn't even know why he bothered putting it on his partner, but the dragon insisted that the armor chafed him if he didn't wear it. Another scramble later, and Veraldimir was ready to go. The dragon wore even less armor than his rider, and Cain never wanted the headache of trying to convince him otherwise. So, with a simple breastplate, Veraldimir was convinced that he was invincible.

Cain stepped back, and admired the dragon with respect, clutching his soon-to-be-bruised rib cage. Veraldimir certainly did look proud for only having one piece of armor on. Flexing his wings particularily, Veraldimir stalked back to his box, strutting the entire way, proud of his ensamble. Cain choked back a laugh. Plopping down on the floor as if Cain had never bothered him in the first place he ordered simply. "Start packing."

Cain obeyed, scurrying about the room for materials, cursing himself for not doing it before hand. Veraldimir watched this with amusement before passing a paper over to him with his tail, saying smugly, "And you might want to hide this... the Lady Fieryn will be here any minute and would probable not enjoy seeing it..."

Cain stopped, a large bag of supplies under his arm, taking the offered paper with a free hand in confusion. "What is it?" He asked.

The dragon shrugged, trying to hide a smile. Cain sighed and opened it, supplies dropping from his hand as his eyes widened in horor.

It was a note from that girl.

Dear Slacker Loser,
I like you. Alot. So come back in one piece, and don't make me ride out there and beat the Krag for you. I do realize that you are completely moronic and probably will get killed... but you should feel greatful. I like you, so perhaps your death will mean something. Though I wouldn't count on it.

Love and death wishes,
Lillian Svelter

P.S. Your dragon is an idiot.

Cain gaped and read the letter over and over again. That girl.... that girl...

Slumping to his knees, he crumpled the letter up, shouting, "Oh come on! Is there anyone who doesn't feel the need to ridicule me?"

Veraldimir snickered and went back to protecting his box, saying nothing in Cain's defense.