A Dragons' War

[Stormelle]

Cerast stumbled toward Elijah and once near she smiled, though her legs where shaking with tiredness she manged to stay standing. "Thank you Elijah. You sure your ok?" she asked staring at the other girl with concern.

She glanced toward Radian as he entered and nodded but she hadn't the strength to speak as she waiting for Elijah's answer.  

[the friendly fiend]

Elijah smiled at Cerast as she patted her on the shoulder.
"Yea, I'll be fine. Are you sure you're alright?" She indicated that her shoulder felt better with a thank you and signaled that she should get some rest.

As she herself took off her shoulder guards and carefully spread out on her blankets, Aedreath curled his tail around her blanket. As soon as her head hit the floor and she closed her eyes, she realized she was more tired than she thought she was. But as she laid there, her back to everyone but Aedreath, her eyes remained open, thinking of the events of today.
She grew uneasy right before she was to fall asleep, now that something had actually happened, she knew she would have nightmares about it, she always did when something big happened. She was afraid. Afraid to go to sleep and see his face again, see his face and scream out like she always had. And thats mostly why she had traveled alone. She didn't have any friends, besides the ones she'd recently made, she felt like nobody understood, and that she was different from everybody else, she knew she was, yet she just couldn't figure out why nobody liked her. But she brushed these thoughts aside, it didn't matter anymore...nothing really did...
She finally drifted off to sleep, Aedreath aware of all her thoughts that she had left open to him.  

[Stormelle]

"I'm fine, just tired." Cerast said with a weak smile and after Elijah had settled down she stubbled back towards Pip, who lent her horn to her for support, and then slipped happily into her blaket, curled next to Pip's side under her dragon's wing, Rish under the opposite wing.


The hours slipped by silently, Pip kept herself only half asleep and half awake, ready for any attack that might spring it's self upon them as they rested. As the sun bit through the thick clouds over head it filttered into the cave and light it's hidden paths.

She lifted her wings slightly, Rish was staring boredly at the ceiling and as soon as she lifted her wing he made a scamble to get up. She swiftly clamped her wings down again and tiwsted her head around to pear through the translucent membrane of her wing. "What do you think your doing?"

"Getting up, it's bored as heck under here."

"And what happened to you yesterday? Think, you where extremely hurt and then partially healed, then fully healed, oh and then you collapsed because a stronger demon attacked you." she hissed quietly.

Rish rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll be careful, but let me up!" he demanded and she laughed, lifting her wing.

Rish glared at her slightly as he moved like a snail, pretending to be careful, as he got up. Pip watched him as he moved slowly toward the entrance and laughed as she heard his pace swiften once he was out of her sights. She moved her head around and snapped Rish's blanket in her mouth, flinging it over Cerast she stood, stretched and glancing fondly back at her rider moved as quietly as she could to the entrance, looking out silently at the dusk touched winter.

She glanced at Rish who had settled quietly on the ground, staring out at the still tree.

Night grinned as he slowed Silver, dismounting the tired hourse and stroking it's nose, giving it a small carrot and leading it toward the small stream they'd stopped by. His eyes traced the surrounding tree for anyone else as he stepped onto a rock in the middle of the stream, he unseathed his sword and looked around the clearing once more. Where anyone to come out this would be a prime time, he'd have to move on to find a hiding place closer to Le'Ai as soon as Silver recovered.  

[the friendly fiend]

Elijah's dreams were unpleasant. Aedreath heard her whispering from the nightmares in the night, at least she wasn't yelling. Aedreath's eyes remained closed, and as he suspected Pip was doing the same, he was half asleep. He would open his eyes from time to time to check on his rider. She was still talking in her sleep, of times in the past.
"He was there...and then...they took him...they took him..." She kept whispering the same phrase over and over again. If she had been awake anybody might have thought she was crazy.
Maybe she was. Aedreath sighed as he closed his eyes again, it had been so long ago when Marcus had come for one of the first times and destroyed everything, killed everyone. Elijah was still determined to find him, the boy, Kai, whom she had felt a connection to. Could he really be alive so far down the line? It had been so long...so many years they had searched...

Elijah opened her eyes. As soon as she had, she regretted it, feeling the pain back in her shoulder and remembering her nightmares, of the day that he was taken away. She sighed and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't.  

[Stormelle]

Rish snarrled slightly, "Someone without true intention is near us." His eyes scrapped the edge of the woods. "Where are thw wolves?" he asked, curious suddenly, he needed to thank their leader.

Pip shook her head, "I don't know." she spoke as softly as she could but her dragonic voice still carried through the cave, she'd not ben afriad of waking up Cerast because the girl was to familar with her normal voice to wake, but now that they where closer to Elijah and Aedreath she didn't want to wake the injured girl.

Night sighed, no one came out at him, smiling with a slightly melicious manner he glanced at Silver. The horse nickered softly and tiredly. He chuckled and clicked his tongue, the horse moved toward him unwillingly, knowing it was going to be ridden again.

He mounted Silver and urged him into the water and up the stream. Marcus had told him that the stream lead into a small, steep and difficult to climb, path into Le'Ai. But it'd be the best way to get information from the group and the best way to stay hidden from the wolf pack which accompanied the group.

He sighed, pulling out a map as Silver truggled up toward the small openning through the forest. He looke dto where the trees ended, they would be in sight from the main entrance of Le'Ai for a miles distance. He would have to urge Silver to take that mile as swiftly as the tired horse could move.

He searched the path way once inside Le'Ai, it was steep and he'd deffinetly have to use the magic bindings Marcus had given him to make the horse move through the path, but it should be fairly easy. There was a small cavern where they could stay and where he could move in and out of Le'Ai without to much problem.  

[the friendly fiend]

Elijah heard Rish and Pip talking just at the entrance to the sanctuary. She might as well get up, she was already awake and wishing she could go back to sleep wouldn't help either. Aedreath watched her but then closed his eyes again knowing that she would be fine.
Elijah as quietly as she could as to not wake Cerast stood up and lifted her staff from the ground. As quietly and as quickly, she headed towards the entrance, trying not to make a sound, the next thing she knew, she was standing next to Pip, but on the back side, moving towards the front, so she couldn't have seen her yet. Elijah dug her staff down and leaned on it, her whole right side ached, as usual her leg, but now her shoulder as well.
"They should be around her somewhere." Elijah replied, whispering also.

Adrian heard their conversation. He and his brothers were here indeed, they just didn't know about it, of course they were farther off, but his wolf ears could hear them fine. He sighed, he didn't want to have to wake up, but he knew he had to. He started to wiggle a bit, he felt the snow around him move. About a couple of yards from the entrance of the dragons' sanctuary, there was a snowdrift, in which several feet of softened snow was piled up, it snowed a lot during the night. This was bed for the wolves.
Adrian jumped out of the bed of snow and shook himself off, he started walking towards the one called Rish, the dragon and the other dragon rider, Elijah were at the entrance looking out. Adrian was heading towards them when he heard Radian, who slept nearby jump up also.
As he was heading forward in the wet ground of melted snow, mud sloshed at his feet, and suddenly...he caught a strange scent on the wind...one...he ...recognized?  

[Stormelle]

Rish glanced up as he heard the snow that Adrian was shaking off hit down on the snow covered mud. He nodded slightly to the wolf, knowing he'd udnerstand the unsaid thankyou and then he glanced out toward the trees. "Something is out there." he hissed.

Pip also had her eyes focused on the forst edge, she'd heard the splashes of water before even Rish had. She stood, stepping out of the sanctuary and looking to the wolves for a slight moment.


Night scowled as he dismounted Silver to take a look at what lay outside of the forest. There at the entrance of Le'Ai was a large red dragon, two humans, and a pair of wolves that had just emerged from a snow bank.

He huffed slightly and mounted Silver once more, reining the horse in and ducking low so he could see the group and snatch the moment when he would have to push Silver up the cold stream to the cavern opening.  

[the friendly fiend]

Elijah strained her eyes to see into the woods, she could feel somethings presence nearby, she just couldn't tell what. She took a step down, carefully and paying attention to her staff to support her. It was partially difficult for her, but she ignored it all, hoping nobody would notice.
"You're right, but what?" She asked in wonder, still trying to see, she looked at the two wolves, who had just popped up out of the snow, they had stopped in their tracks, looking in the same direction they were.

Adrian growled as he turned and took a step towards whatever was there. He thought it would probably leave soon, it was probably just some large forest animal, a bear or something, but he didn't know. He took another step, his mouth up to show his vicious teeth.

Elijah took a couple of steps forward, she had to see what was beyond there. She looked back into the cave, she had left her shoulder guard, her sword and shortblade in there....

Aedreath stepped up to the entrance, but didn't step out of the shade of the cave, he came to see what was going on, he too, felt as though they were being watched.  

[Stormelle]

Night growled lowly to himself, he pulled a small bag off of the saddle and dismounting once more he began to rub a silvery dust into the horse's skin, sprinkling it over his own armor as well. Thank goodness for magic, though I'd hoped not to use this. he thought as he mounted his horse.

The dust was meant to cast an illusion, it was usually that there was nothing there but it depended upon the circumstance. He still have to move fast, he'd guided Silver out of the river because the water so easily washed the dust off, and so he'd have to have a path to go up before they stepped foot in the river that poured out of the cavern.

Hesitating slightly he urged Silver out of the trees and kept a slow pace, for the illusion did not carry to the earth bellow, and if they moved it...Well, sound barrier or not that would key anyone in.

Rish growled lowly, in a swift movement he had moved out of the Le'Ai and was crouching in a deffensive possission, ready to switch to something more offensive in a split second however.  

[the friendly fiend]

Elijah stared deeper in the woods, she seemed to know that something was there, yet she saw nothing. Suddenly her eyes crossed. She shook her head and opened them again, but looked away, enough eyes were guarding this place...she needed more rest.
Her shoulder pulsed. She leaned on her staff quietly and tried not to make a noise as she could feel darkness emanating from the pain in her shoulder that seemed to be coming back. She shook her head as she re-entered the cavern, the bright dawn was giving her a headache.

Aedreath watched Elijah as she re-entered their safe spot, he knew something was getting to her, he could feel it.
Is everything alright? He asked slowly, he too, followed after her. Elijah looked back at him and with a slightly pained expression she replied. I don't know...something just isn't right about all this, its a feeling that feels so familiar, but I just can't place it right now...maybe later.
Aedreath sighed, she had too many of these 'feelings' and too often. He breathed on her face again as a sign of comfort, she looked up to him and smiled as she rested a hand on his snout.

Adrian cast his eyes back at Radian, who seemed to be ready to prance at anything that moved. He took a couple of steps back and thought to his brother. Take care of this, if its anything, I'll go check up on everybody else, see what they found out during the night.
Right, he heard Radian reply with a slow nod of the head.  

[Stormelle]

Rish sighed as everyone seemed to dispurce, something was still there, and it had him feeling uneasy. He sighed, sitting down suddenly and leaning against Pip's right front leg.

Pip tilted her head down toward him, blowing warm air over his face, You may not be my rider but I know when something's bothering you...What is it?

Something horrid brews in the unknown evil lurking. he said simply. Pip nodded but said nothing more for a brief moment. She gently picked up Rish by the collar of his shirt and lifted him onto her bare back.

Hold tight...We're going to give things a look from above. she said, projecting the last part of her thought to all those surrounding.

Night gritted his teeth, pushing Silver faster, once they reached the opening he paused. He slowly dismounted, moving in such as maner that his armor made no sound. He leaned over the river looking into it, he was lucky, the keepers of this place had made a path to the small cavern within.

Though, the path would still be slippery. He reined Silver in as close to him as was possibly and then stepped into the water and up the path, hoping beyond hope that the Wolves and dragon, who'd just taken off, would not see the disembodied feet.


(OOC: We where going to have Cerast take Kai's place, basically, right?)  

[Stormelle]

Cerast moaned slightly, her body was slightly stiff as she began to wake. She could feel slight aches in her arms from caring her friends and from the simple preformences of the day before, she had no desire to move but her eyes demanded to be open.

Wearily she opened them and was slightly startled to not she the faint red membrane of Pip's wing over her. Pip? she projected the thought as best she could and both Rish and Pip responded telling her of the errand. She nodded slightly, pushing worry from her mind as she pulled the two blankets from her as she sat up.

"Food." she said quietly as her stomach let out a loud growl. She half smiled as she stretched and began to search for the best way to go about getting food, she headed toward the entrance passing Elijah as quietly as she possibly could and heading toward the entrance. She took in a deep breath and front rolled out of the cave, letting loose some of her energy in a bit of relaxed silliness.


Night froze suddenly as they reached the stone cavern, some memory was attemting to push it's way into his brain, snarling he sumbitted quietly to the wash of the memory.

Pain hit him as he saw the face of a sweet girl, she was wounded and was swiftly loosing consiousness. He wanted to help her to extend his hand to her but his mind was telling him he'd done other wise. He'd scowled on the angelic being and her dragon, not lending his help to her, but turning his back on her and leaving with Marcus.

((Remind me to post something with Mithras next time, ya?))  

[the friendly fiend]

Aedreath, with one eye opened watched Cerast as she began to wander around slightly for food. He laughed to himself, aware of Elijah's thoughts. He was seriously worried about her, she seemed to get more and more desperate over the years since that day. Being a guardian was becoming more dangerous now that most of them were dying out. He closed his eyes again as he thought to himself, void of Elijah. He needed a way to keep her in control. He remembered back in a time when Dragon Riders went crazy...it never ended well. He sighed as he concentrated his thoughts else where.

Elijah, remembering her past, had slowly fallen back into a state of not quite fully asleep. She let the memory fade from her mind, so many times she had thought back on that night. Where she had felt she had failed. She let these thoughts keep rolling in the back of her mind. She realized after all these days, after all the long months of toil and misery, she hadn't yet fulfilled her goal. She never had. She was a failure...and always would be. She expected tears to fall from her face.
But they didn't come.
She clenched her jaw, she couldn't take it anymore. She just couldn't give in, she had to keep trying, no matter what. She prevented the tears, she hated breaking down every time she failed. Well, this time, she wouldn't give up...she wouldn't let it get to her. She couldn't let anything get to her.
Even if it killed her in the end...
She sat up with a determined expression on her face.

Adrian howled deeply. He ran through the forest, desperately trying to find free space, space alone...for him to think.
He found a deserted ridge as he sat down and took in the scenery. He sat there, replaying the moment in his head when the strange girl was taken. He was confused at first, and even a little angered, now still confused and sad, that Mithras was gone. He really thought that...
He howled again, this time in sorrow...he headed back to his pack...he just needed air...that was all...air...  

[Stormelle]

Mithras sighed as Lia exited the large room Marcus had put her in, it was familar, the room they'd shared after the marriage. A single tear rolled down her cheek, turning into a crystal as it fell away from her face and shattered on the ground.

Marcus had changed so much since then, he was now an immortal being, he'd once been human. "So was I...." Mithras spoke into the empty room as she stepped from the bed, she noticed her change of clothes and ripple of fresh angry drowned her saddness. "This? This...Of all things." she growled as she tossed her red hair over her shoulder and stormed toward the familar closet.

She swiftly found a pair of black slacks and a loose fitting tunic top. Changing out of the elgant, faintly pink dress she snapped her fingers and watched as blue flames licked uselessly at the magical lace.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Marcus' cool voice hinted at the smirk he'd be wearing but Mithras' heart still gave a familar pitter patter, he wore her smile, yes it was a smirk but it'd always been her's. She tore her eyes away from him as the memories bombarded her.

"No, but I thought I could still try." she said meliciously as she flung the dress to the ground and pushed past Marcus, heading toward the balchony. She flung the doors open and attempted to exit the place but found that he feet no longer listened to her. Her eyes narrowed as the name of the spell hit her brain. "How dare you." she spoke, her voice sounded like that of a snake as she twisted around and in a fluid motion became the wolf she'd been earlier, tackling Marcus to the ground.

Marcus grinned, it was no longer her smile, as Mithras' teeth snapped inches from his face. "Calm down Elena...You don't need to hide from me." he smiled as he dragged his fingers through her fur, attempting to push the raised fur down.

Never The thought attacked him with his betraly.


Cerast stumbled as she exited the cave, having decided there was nothing decent in the cave she called out to Pip, wondering if she'd been able to spot anything that looked eatable. Pip responded that'd they'd seen a small herd of elk and she'd see if she and Rish could get close enough to snag a few of them.

Cerast nodded and turned, humming some tune quietly she spotted Elijah, who was now awake, and smiled at her friend, "Feeling better?" she questioned as she neared.


Night sat down and tied Silver to a small formation in the side of the cavern, he pulled his cantean from Silvers' saddle and drank quietly before he began pulling a few peices of dried meat from another small pack.