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#Post#: 410589--------------------------------------------------
Dragon in the City
By: Christofer Hayward Date: April 23, 2020, 7:28 pm
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*****Christ! It's been a LONG time, I am super rusty and didnt
expect this introductory post to be this long but... I'M BACK!
And probably unrecognisable seeing as how often I used to switch
characters n stuff but that's fine. Just felt the strong urge to
start writing again so here it is, my first post in what - 5 or
6 years? Hopefully someone will join in and RP with me ;-; *****
It had been a grand day for the Veni dragon clan. Now, the sun
was setting over the purple hills, the stars were beginning to
twinkle into sight and all seemed well with the world. It was a
day of celebration, the last clutch of the generation had
finally hatched and the new younglings were joining their nest
mates in the nursery to take their first meal. The elders had
retired to their nests for the night having completed the Naming
ceremony and now it was time for music and dancing. The younger
dragons were ushered to their nests by the remaining mothers who
had not taken on nursery duties, but those old enough to stay
awake were only just beginning to hit their stride.
While some were flying, performing amazing acrobatics in the air
and shooting bursts of red hot flames in intricate patterns, the
rest remained on the ground. Many of the dragons took their full
forms; grand, scaled beasts that stood several stories high with
razor sharp horns and spikes, wings that seemingly stretched for
miles and wicked sharp teeth that gnawed on bones and tore at
flesh. They were a beautiful sight to see, with scales that
shone like stars and eyes that glistened with a deep intensity,
but even the bravest of men would fear each and every one of
them if he came across the clearing alone. There were, however,
plenty of those who had taken a less fearsome form. They almost
looked human if not for their horns protruding from their
skulls, elongated ears and the gentle sheen on their skin that
reflected a scaled pattern. One of these dragons, was Kaida.
Kaida was young for a dragon, but by human years she was
ancient. At 99 years old, she had been allowed to stay up late
to party into the night with her fellow dragons. Her short
blonde hair was tussled into soft curls with delicate flowers
woven around her horns and her dainty frame was draped in a
soft, blue, satin dress that clung to her body like dripping
water but only really covered her breasts, down to her knees and
her rump. Down the centre of her exposed back were softly
glowing spines, the light of which reflected off her iridescent
scales. Even by dragon standards, she was beautiful. Her dark
blue lips sipped at her wine and she drew her attention to the
sky to watch the aerial display.
She had always enjoyed the Naming ceremony, not just for the
partying and the drinking, but because it brought everyone
together. Throughout the year there were very few times their
clan would come together as one but this was the longest time it
would happen. The celebration would last for a week, maybe two
depending on how long the wine lasted, then everyone would fly
home until the next occasion. It was sometimes lonely being a
dragon, but she knew that when she turned 100 and began to look
for a mate, she would never be alone again. The thought of that
brought a blush to her cheeks and she cast her gaze around,
wondering if her future mate was here tonight.
Her thoughts were broken by a sequence of strange sounds. A loud
bang followed by a whistling and then a gut wrenching screech.
Silence fell as the dragons playing music stopped to join
everyone in looking around. What was that? That last noise
definitely sounded like a dragon... Fear started to set in and
murmurs began to ripple through the clan when suddenly there was
a loud crash! One of the dragons from the air had fallen and
landed almost at Kaida's feet, causing her to stumble backwards.
Some dragons cried out while others roared in outrage. Who had
done this?! Kaida stared at the fallen one and watched the life
fade from his glassy eyes. Her heart stopped when she saw the
reason he had come down - a gaping hole through his shoulder.
Hunters.
Chaos broke out throughout the area, those who had known the
fallen dragon were rushing to him, their beastly forms roaring
in both pain and anger. The mother dragons were scooping up the
younglings and were counting heads, clutching them to their
breast and huddling together while a group of males circled them
for protection. Those already in the air were now scanning the
area for the hunters, their claws and fangs ready to destroy
whatever they found. All the while, Kaida was still staring into
the dead eyes of the dragon before her. It wasn't until she
heard movement behind her that she was broken from her trance,
but by the time she spun around it was too late.
There was another bang, this time louder, but it wasn't that
which threw her to the ground. Instead it was the explosion of
pain in her thigh as something flew through her flesh and into
the ground behind her. She tried to scream, but it was as though
all the breath had been sucked out of her. Tears flooded her
eyes as she looked up at the human beast now stood over her, his
face covered in dirt and smut he had used to camouflage into the
woods nearby. The monster lifted a strange metallic stick up and
pointed it towards her, was this their new weapon? Was this what
they had created now to wipe out her kind? She was barely even
able to construct these thoughts through the pain, her mind was
a blur of fear, anger and confusion. She gritted her teeth as
she tried to shift into her full form, but the pain was too
much. The man crouched down to her level and pressed the hot
metal against her forehead, growling something in his gruff
voice that she couldn't hear over the beating of her own heart.
Before Kaida even had time to think about where she would be
going in the next life, something solid hit the man and knocked
him backwards out of her line of vision. It was her father, come
to her rescue. Kaida didn't have time to look and see what was
happening before her mother was dragging her away, causing pain
to erupt in her leg again. She cried out in agony, but it was
drowned out by the sound of more bangs, now all over the area.
She noticed now that there were more men all over the place,
more than she had ever seen and all of them carrying the metal
sticks. There were other wounded dragons all over the ground
too, some already dead, others about to be. It was like a
nightmare. She closed her eyes and willed herself to wake up but
swiftly opened them again when her mother began to shake her.
They were in one of the tents that had been pitched for the
younglings to play in, only now it was empty. It was then that
she realised her hearing was still muffled from the bang moments
ago, as she could see her mothers mouth moving but hear nothing.
"I-I can't..." her weak voice barely made it past her lips but
her mother wasn't listening anyway. She was performing a spell,
using glyphs she had always warned Kaida against using. Too
powerful and unpredictable, she had said. Suddenly, a glittering
swirl of gold appeared hanging in the air, only the centre didnt
look like the back of the tent. Inside was like a strange window
to somewhere she didn't recognise, and now her mother was coming
back to her. She was talking again but Kaida still couldn't hear
her. A bag was thrust into her hands and her mother paused to
embrace her tightly, the kind of embrace that Kaida felt was a
goodbye. Before she had time to stop her or ask what was
happening, her mother planted a kiss on her forehead and then
pushed her into the golden window.
Kaida stumbled forward, her bare feet now on solid rock instead
of soft grass. Without the support of her mother, her leg gave
out beneath her and she fell to her knees, crying out with a
gasp. She turned her head to look back at the window but it was
gone, as was her mother. Her eyes darted around quickly to take
in these new surroundings, adrenaline pumping through her veins
as she started to put together what was happening. Tall
structures stood either side of her and there was a foul smell
in the air, a smell of fumes and pollution, and there was
silence. She looked upwards and through the narrow gap of the
towering structures either side of her, she could see the night
sky but not the sky she recognised. The stars were faded, barely
visible, but the few she could see were out of place. This was
not her world.
#Post#: 410592--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Calyx Ochoa Date: April 24, 2020, 4:47 pm
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It had been a while since Calyx had been free to roam the realms
to his leisure. The incident that drew him back to the Dragon's
Den had forced him to adopt his father's mantle as head of the
clan far too early. But with Winter's help, the lands had grown
peaceful after only a few short years. Of course, he still
hadn't accomplished his goal. He still hadn't found a way to
return his sister home; to free her from her captivity. But all
the more reason he couldn't simply remain in the safety of his
home! He needed to travel in order to discover a way to undo
what he had done!
This time his travels had lead him to a modern and developed
city. A far cry from the Kingdom where he had met Addie the last
time he was free to travel. There were skyscrapers, and cars
everywhere! He had read about these things in his studies, but
never seen them in person! He had to admit, he was slightly in
awe of his surroundings! Meanwhile, humans hustled and bustled
around him as if he weren't even there! The big city... Of
course they weren't perturbed by a young man taking in the
sights! They were looking straight through him! He honestly
found it amusing.
The young Draconian was wandering the town, mapping out
potential places to eat, as well as potential lodging. Soraya
had gifted him with some of the land's currency, but it wouldn't
last long unless he found work. This didn't seem like the kind
of place where a Mercenary could make very good money...
His thoughts were drowned out by the sound of a scream! It was
some distance off... To the.... Southeast? Damn humans couldn't
hear a thing over their own noise! A quick flashstep, and Calyx
found the source of the scream! But he couldn't believe his eyes
when he found it! A Dragon! And not a Draconian like him, but a
full-blooded Dragon! Calyx had heard that a few communities of
full blooded Dragons had been discovered, but he never imagined
he would run into one, here of all places! She was in a humanoid
form, but there were some features that couldn't be confused.
The horns on her head, her ears, and the scales on her skin...
They would give her away even to someone who couldn't sense her
Draconic nature! Luckily, Calyx was indistinquishable from a
human in this form, but he knew there were many creatures who
weren't so lucky! But it was then that Calyx noticed. She was
injured! A bulletwound; It was in her left thigh, an injury that
would cause a human to bleed out in minutes! He rushed to her
side.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Before she had the chance to answer, he was already digging into
his bag. Calyx hated that he had no affinity for any sort of
healing powers. But he did have a First Aid Kit! It was a start
at least. "Let me bandage that for you!" He removed the bandages
from his bag, but didn't approach the woman, unsure if she would
lash out at him...
#Post#: 410598--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Christofer Hayward Date: April 24, 2020, 7:49 pm
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As her hearing began to return, noises started to fill her head
that she had never heard before. A rugged unnatural roar of odd
creatures that screamed past the end of the strange valley she
seemed to be in. They were so fast, and were they running on...
wheels? A bright yellow one stopped just long enough for her to
see a man open it up and climb inside, then was carried away.
Her eyes widened at the sight, what was this place? More
importantly, there were men here and that wasn't good.
Focus on the facts, what do you know? She tried to ignore the
blinding pain in her leg long enough to work out what to do.
[I]First fact, men attacked. A lot of dragons are dead. Maybe...
mother and father?l
[/i] Her breath caught in her throat as the thought crossed her
mind, how many dragons had survived? Did any? [I]No, I mustn't
think like that. That's not a fact, just a thought... Fact two,
I'm in a place I dont understand. I need to find help...[/i] She
reached out to the nearest thing to help pull herself up to her
feet, which happened to be a large metal box that smelt strongly
of rotten food. Her hands gripped it tightly as she pulled
herself up, but the moment she put her weight on her leg, she
couldn't help but yell in pain and she fell again.
"Damn!" she gasped, starting to see spots across her vision. She
looked down to try and inspect her leg but what she saw only
made her feel worse. Her leg was covered in slick blood which
was still trickling from the clean hole in her thigh. She knew
her blood was already working hard to clot and stop more from
escaping but she needed to find something to wrap it in and
fast.
It was at this moment she heard footsteps. Her eyes shot up and
landed on the stranger, all of her fear suddenly returning. A
man. What little blood there was remaining in her cheeks drained
and her heart sank. Fear trapped her on the spot and all she
could do was stare, wide-eyed like a deer about to be scooped up
in sharp talons. Maybe if she stayed perfectly still, he would
go away...
As he rushed to her, she suddenly found herself able to move
again and she scrambled backwards, dragging her leg, until her
back hit the metal bin behind her. She should have known she had
been too lucky. She had escaped the attack but her mother had
dropped her right into the centre of their hive and now she was
going to join her brothers and sisters in the next life. Would
it be with one of those loud sticks? It didn't look like he was
carrying one, would it be a blade then? These thoughts rushed
through her mind as he arrived at her side but... what was this?
Was that concern in his voice?
"I-I'm fine." she snapped. Never show weakness, that's what her
father had told her. True, she was cowering and had no form of
defence, was weak and physically drained from blood loss, but
she wasn't going to admit that. As he pulled the bandages from
his bag, she felt a tinge of bewilderment. Was he offering to
help her? "Why?" it was all she could manage now, the adrenaline
was wearing off and the fear was fading as she came to the
realisation that he hadn't killed her yet. Was this a weird game
they liked to play? Help her only to kill her later?
For a moment she considered pushing him away, but where would
she go? She had no one, nothing. She glanced at her leg, then to
the bandages in his hands. She did need them... Slowly she
shifted position to extend her leg towards him, whimpering at
the jolt of hot pain that returned with the movement. What other
choice did she have? She couldn't run, she was at his mercy. She
watched him intensely, her breath calming a little. Taking a
deep breath to try and calm herself further, she noticed a smell
she hadn't sensed before. Was it coming from him? It almost
smelt familiar, like home. There was something about him she
couldn't put her finger on yet. Was it the blood loss throwing
her off? Probably. But it was enough to settle her further.
Perhaps this man wasn't like the others? After all, he was
helping her. She took another deep breath and spoke again, but
now her voice was faint and shaky.
"Who are you...?"
#Post#: 410601--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Calyx Ochoa Date: April 24, 2020, 10:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Her fear and bewilderment didn't come as a surprise to Calyx.
She had clearly been through something traumatic! She'd been
shot! And from her demeanor, it was fair to assume that she had
no idea where she was! So when she tried her best to scramble
away from him, he offered her a gentle smile, and approached
slowly only once she was prepared. When she extended her leg to
him, he moved carefully and meticulously. He moved the fabric of
her dress ever-so-lightly, as to uncover the flesh surrounding
the wound. He wiped away the blood and applied a light
antibiotic.
"I'm sorry if it stings." He said, discarding the empty bottle
into the dumpster. It was then he realized that he hurt himself
A LOT!.
He shook the thought and bandaged the woman's thigh. The wound
seemed to be an in-and-out, so there was little chance of her
getting an infection from a lodged bullet. Once the wound was
wrapped, he moved back slightly, hazel colored eyes looking on
as she inquired as to his identity.
"My name is Calyx" He answered. "I'm like you! Well... Kind
of..."
He took off the cloak he wore around his body to reveal a white,
sleeveless shirt underneath. Calyx was the spitting image of his
father; Spiky blonde hair, a somewhat stoic expression... The
resemblance was even more uncanny when he donned Raijuta's
favorite color of white. He closed his eyes for a moment,
allowing some of his Draconic features to come to the surface;
The scaled pattern around his eyes and nose, the curved horns on
either side of his head. And finally, he opened his eyes to
reveal the reptilian slit that appeared in his now golden eyes.
He quickly recalled his partial transformation, returning to his
human appearance. This was a risky place to be showing off what
he really was, after all.
"Here, put this on." He said, as he held up the cloak to her.
"We need to get you somewhere safe. Humans aren't used to seeing
girls with horns or scales walking around."
If she accepted the cloak, he would put the hood over her head,
and help her to her feet. Holding her up by her waist with one
arm, and holding one of her arms around his neck as they walked
to a nearby Inn. Three nights cost him more than half of the
funds his step-mother had gifted him, but it was worth it. He
helped the woman to the room, and onto one of the two Full-Sized
beds.
"So who are you?" He finally asked. "What are you doing in a
place like this?"
Naturally her curiosity wasn't the only one that had been
piqued. It seemed that Calyx met Dragonfolk in many of his
travels. If she was in danger, perhaps it would be a good idea
to invite her back to the Dragon's Den! But first he needed to
know her story to know if he would be able to help her...
#Post#: 410602--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Christofer Hayward Date: April 25, 2020, 3:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Kaida flinched at the sting of the antibiotic, gritting her
teeth. She watched him carefully as he bandaged her leg, her
eyes never leaving him once. Why was he helping her? Something
wasn't right, no man she had ever heard of had helped her kind.
She had spent many years being taught not to go near men, they
were vicious and wanted nothing but the death of all dragons. At
least, where she came from this was true... maybe here was
different?
When he was finished wrapping her wound, she carefully drew her
leg back and narrowed her eyes. Like her? What did he mean? She
tried again to breathe in his scent and pick up what smelt so
familiar but the stench of her own blood and their surroundings
was too distracting. Watching him however, Kadia realised she
didnt need to smell him as she saw his transformation. Like her!
He really was like her! He was no man, at least not fully. She
could trust him. She couldn't help let out a small sob as tears
of relief welled in her eyes, perhaps she would be safe after
all.
Kaida allowed Calyx to put his cloak over her and held onto him
tightly as he lifted her to her feet. She then remembered the
bag her mother had shoved into her arms before she came here,
and she quickly scooped it up and held it tightly. It was all
she had left now from home, she couldn't lose it. With her free
arm, she clutched at Calyx and went with him to the inn.
Along the way, she was amazed by the sights. So many people! Not
just men but their females too! She had very rarely seen women,
they didn't try to fight as often as men but she had glimpsed
one or two in her time. Her eyes darted left and right as she
drank everything in, she had so many questions! What were those
things running on wheels? Why were their mountains so short and
square? What had happened to the ground beneath them and where
was the grass? She had almost forgotten her fear by the time
they arrived at the inn, her head full to the brim with
questions, but she was too drained to ask them.
At the room, Kaida gratefully sat down on the bed and pulled the
cloak down to her shoulders. She set her bag beside her, though
kept a tight hold on it. Not that she thought he would take it
from her, but that it was now her only possession and she
couldn't bare to lose anything else. Now that they had stopped
and they were in a safe place, she allowed herself to relax,
pulling herself onto the bed fully to lean against the
headboard.
"I am Kaida, of the Veni." She took a breath before she
continued, looking down at her feet and flexing the toes on her
left leg. This wound caused her whole leg to ache but it was
nothing compared to the ache now in her heart. "I... I think
they're all dead," her voice caught but she cleared her throat
to continue "Men came, they had new weapons. Something we hadn't
seen before. Metal weapons with loud noises, it all happened so
fast. It was supposed to be a good day, our younglings had all
hatched and we were celebrating and then they just... appeared."
By now tears had filled her eyes again but now she couldn't hold
them back. She was reliving the nightmare again. So many dragons
dead. And that was before she had left, would any have survived?
"My father, he saved me from the one who did this to me. I would
be dead already if he hadn't, and my mother... my sweet mother,
she sent me here. I don't know how, I don't know where I am, I
dont even know if I'm in the same world!" Her cheeks were wet
with her tears now, but colour had returned to them at least and
her flesh was rosy again. She dragged the back of her hand
across her face to wipe some of the tears away, trying to take a
deep breath though it was shaky. "I thought I was going to
die... I've never felt fear like that before." Her gaze lifted
to Calyx finally, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you...
truly... I wish I had some way to repay you."
She remembered her bag and wondered if her mother had given her
anything she could give him. Scrambling through the contents,
she realised this must have been a bag that her mother had
preprepared, but why? Now was not the time for these questions
however, that could wait. She came across a pouch and lifting it
out she knew exactly what was inside. Perfect. She emptied a few
of the contents into her hand, then offered them out to Calyx,
lumps of solid gold from her homeland. She wasn't sure how much
they would be worth here seeing as they just dragged them out of
the ground, but if he truly had dragon in him then she knew he
would enjoy gold as much as any of her kind. It was beautiful
and smelt amazing. She hoped he would take it, it wasn't much
but it was all she could offer.
#Post#: 410604--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Calyx Ochoa Date: April 25, 2020, 10:45 am
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"I am Kaida, of the Veni."
Kaida...
Calyxdecided that he liked that name as he took a seat on the
opposite bed. It was different from the types of names he was
used to. Perhaps even cultural among Dragon Communities outside
his own. But the thought was quickly washed away by the words
that came next. They were all dead? Had she survived some sort
of extinction event? He listened carefully to what Kaida had to
say, his eyes growing harsh as the words flew. He should have
known the culprit the moment he saw her...
"Hunters..."
His voice was cold as his own memories of the monsters resurged.
Battling Dragon Hunters was a part of his upbringing that he
never enjoyed. Humans tended to be weak, and fall easily, but
they destroyed so much in the process! He had lost so much,
before he was even born due to their actions. He wanted to take
her back to her home and fight on behalf of her clan! But if she
didn't know the exact location, what realm, coordinates, there
was no way he could do that! Plus in her condition, she had no
business on a battlefield.
His expression softened and he released a sigh. "The men who
attacked your people are called Hunters. They make a profession
of killing rare creatures and making them into trophies. I was
born in the captivity of Hunters. They planned to tame me and
make me into a weapon they could use to their advantage."
He wondered if he should be sharing this much information with a
woman he didn't know. But something told him it was important
that she knew he could relate to what she was going through. He
had battled Hunters for as long as he was old enough to fight.
But it seemed there were always more.
When Kaida thanked Calyx and told him she wanted to repay him,
he wanted to object. But before he could object, she was already
digging into her bag! He had watched how closely she held that
bag. It was clearly precious to her. When she handed him the
lumps of gold, he smiled, and rolled them around in his hand.
Gold was his favorite color, and golden things generally made
him happy! But he shook his head and returned them to Kaida.
"You should keep them." He told her "They're a piece of home,
right?"
He offered her a genuine smile.
"My family runs a safe haven for Dragons and their descendants.
This was nothing, I promise."
Now that they were in a safer environment, Calyx couldn't help
but notice how pretty she was! Even with a face soaked with
tears! He turned to look out the window, hiding the rising color
to his cheeks.
"This isn't the world you're from." He explained in attempts to
shake the thought.
"This is the Realm where humans take residence. Most of them
don't even know creatures like Dragons exist. That's why Hunters
are so adamant about hunting us." He took a deep breath, and
turned back to the injured Dragon once he was confident the
color in his face had returned to normal to ask the question
that asked the most.
"So what are you going to do from here?"
#Post#: 410605--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Christofer Hayward Date: April 25, 2020, 12:09 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
The word 'hunters' sent a chill through her. Is that what they
were? She always knew men were dangerous but they only ever
truly clashed with them when food was low or they expanded their
territory and crossed borderers, why would they want to wipe out
dragon kind? She could see it also seemed to be a sore thought
for Calyx, her brows furrowing as she watched him.
"Trophies...?" Her voice was quiet and she shuddered. Is that
what they wanted? To hang her on a wall and brag about their
kill? What horrid monsters... she knew dragons could be beastly
sometimes but at least they didn't hunt the humans for sport and
skin them for showing off. Humans really were disgusting.
She was grateful that he was sharing this with her, it made her
feel more comfortable, like he understood. Of course he would
understand, from the sound of it he had had an awful start in
life. She wondered how he had escaped it and ended up here, had
he killed his captors? Had he killed any humans? She had
encountered them in the past but had always been with elder
dragons who ushered her away if there was trouble. Kaida had
never even been in a fight...
"How did you get away?" She frowned and then shook her head
quickly. "No, I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry, you don't have to
answer." Her manners had always been something she prided
herself in, with everything that had happened it seemed her
manners had gone out of the window.
When he refused the gold, she was surprised, though part of her
was secretly glad. He was right, it was a part of home. And
maybe they would be useful at some point? Her mother had clearly
planned this bag for her, she wouldn't have put it in if it
weren't important. She would have to search it further when she
got the chance, there could be anything inside.
Kaida studied Calyx closely while he spoke, rolling the pieces
of gold between her fingers fondly. A safe haven? Maybe she
could ask him if she could stay for a night or two until she
could figure out a way home... Tipping the gold back into the
pouch and then returning that to her bag, Kaida chewed on her
lip while she thought on what he told her. So humans ran this
world... that explained the stench outside, the unfamiliarity of
it all. She realised now how truly lucky she was to have been
found by Calyx and not someone else. Maybe her luck would
continue? She hoped so.
Kaida could feel his gaze on her but as she looked up at him, he
turned away. She watched him turn to the window and took a
moment to look around the room. So many things even just in this
small room that she didnt understand... She had always thought
her kind were fairly civilised, they made clothes, instruments,
tools, but this was a whole new level. It was... intimidating.
She felt so small and insignificant, almost stupid for not
knowing anything about this place. Calyx would have to endure a
lot of questions later about pretty much everything she had seen
so far...
"They don't even know we exist? But... how? Do they not see our
kind flying above? What sort of dragons live here?" She was
confused, did dragons not live out in the open? But the more she
thought about it, the more she realised. The dragons must hide,
if humans ran this world then there would be more of them. Too
many to fight off... if just a few could wipe out her clan in
one evening, what could a whole world of them do? She felt her
fear starting to return but when Calyx turned back to her, it
settled her. She felt a familiarity with him already that
soothed her; he was dragon-kind, he was like her.
"I don't know... I thought maybe try and get home but I don't
even know if there's a home to get back to anymore..." her voice
trailed off and she quickly wiped another tear before it could
trail down her cheek. She was done with crying, she wanted no
more. "Do you think perhaps I could stay with you?" Her cheeks
flooded as she knew it was a very forward thing for her to ask
but she didn't have any other way to ask. "It would only be for
a night or two, until I am able to walk alone. I... I don't know
where else to go." She frowned and lowered her gaze.
Her fingers reached up to twirl gently on a piece of hair near
her ear, a habit she had picked up as a youngling and never
quite dropped. She spotted out of the corner of her eye that her
hand was covered in dried blood and she wondered how she hadn't
realised it before. She was covered in dry blood, including her
face where she had been rubbing away her tears. "Ah!" She
chirped, extending her arms to look down at herself. "I think
first I should clean..." but they were inside, there would be no
lake or river in here to bathe surely! She looked up at Calyx
with wide eyes. ''Where can I...?"
#Post#: 410643--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Calyx Ochoa Date: April 28, 2020, 6:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Kaida's question was a fair one. Any reasonable person would be
curious about it. Unfortunately, Calyx didn't have the answers
she sought. Not all of them at least.
"I was only two years old at the time. I don't remember exactly
what happened. But my mother told me that I attacked the men who
were hurting her, and broke the both of us free."
The few bits and pieces he could remember from that time were
scattered. That was the day he met his father, as well as
Soraya. They loved and cared for him from the time they laid
eyes on him, but he could remember feeling an uncomfortable
energy in the air. He had faint memories of being caught in a
Blizzard. But none of it was coherent enough to form a proper
story. Perhaps he would ask his mother the next time he saw her.
"Dragons don't live in this world." Calyx started, before
thinking on his words and making an alteration.
"At least large communities of Dragons don't live in this world.
I'm sure there may be some Dragonfolk blending in with the
community, but you would never see them flying though the sky
here." He lay back against his own headboard.
"To humans, Dragons are creatures of Legends, not real beings
that they would expect to be walking among them."
He thought about what it would be like if humans and Dragons
could co-habitat in this world like they had in some others. If
Dragons weren't revered and seen as "mythological," maybe the
humans who became Hunters would have less interest in hunting
them! Of course, then they would just hunt some other
creature...
Calyx considered Kaida's statement about not having a home to go
back to in silence. It was hard for him to picture an entire
community of Dragons being wiped out by humans in one swipe! Not
unless the community was very small, or the attack force was
massive! He didn't speak on his thoughts though. He didn't want
to give the girl any false hopes when he didn't know the entire
situation.
Kaida was probably expecting some sort of big reaction to her
request to stay with him. But that was his intention the moment
he rented the room! He stretched and folded his hands behind
his hands.
"Sure. We've got this room for a few nights. Once you've
recovered, I'll take you to the Dragon's Den. Maybe my sister
knows a way we can find your home!"
Winter was good at that sort of thing. If anyone could help her,
surely she would be the one. Calyx was trying to recall if she
had mentioned crossing any new Dragon Colonies when Kaida asked
about getting cleaned up. She was really unfamiliar with modern
technology! He couldn't help but wonder what she thought about
the things she had seen tonight, like cars, or even the electric
lights in their room! But one thing at a time!
"Oh! Here, I'll run you a shower." He said, bounding off the bed
and making his way toward the bathroom. He headed to the shower
and turned it on, with lukewarm water, before turning to Kaida
and asking her to test and make sure the temperature.
"You can bathe under the water here." He said, as he grabbed her
a towel.
"You can use this to dry off when you're finished." He then
looked at her torn and bloodied dress. It had surely been
gorgeous before the battle...
"Do you have anything to wear in your bag?" He asked. He was
sure he had a big T Shirt in his bag if she didn't, but they
would have to find her some clothes in the morning...
#Post#: 410645--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Christofer Hayward Date: April 28, 2020, 7:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Kadia listened to what he told her, her brow furrowing at the
thought of being held hostage at such a young age. Men truly had
no hearts, to hold an infant prisoner with the intention of
raising him as a weapon... Disgusting. She was shocked to learn
dragons were considered legendary make-believe, what a strange
thought! To think, the people they passed earlier outside didn't
even believe she existed. Perhaps that was for the best, back
home humans certainly knew she existed and look how that had
turned out.
She studied him for a moment and couldn't help but admire him.
This stranger who had so kindly taken her in and offered her
help, he truly was her saviour. With a soft sigh she allowed
herself a small smile, feeling safe for the first time since she
had arrived here. Maybe he could help her get home, maybe he
couldn't, but either way she knew she wanted to stick with him.
When he told her of the Dragon's Den, her eyes lit up excitedly.
"Dragon's Den? Are there more dragons like me? More like you?"
If there were more dragons, maybe one of them would know how to
get her home? Or at least help her find out if there was
anything left back home. Maybe others from home had made it
across like her and would make their way there too? She didn't
want to get her hopes up but it was difficult not to consider
the idea that someone she knew could have fell through a similar
portal and end up finding their way to a place called Dragon's
Den.
"A shower?" She was puzzled by this new word but nonetheless she
hooked her bag onto her shoulder and then tentatively followed
him to the bathroom, holding onto the bed and walls for support.
Peering through the door, she stared wide-eyed at the running
water, reaching out to feel the heat of it on her hand.
"Oh!" She gasped, "It's so warm!" She smiled and let the water
glide down her arm, then dried it on the towel he had picked
out. She hadn't even considered what to do about clothes. After
only being here a short time even Kaida had seen it would be
unusual for her not to be wearing anything. Back home they wore
clothes more as decoration than for modesty, but she imagined
going outside naked here would cause more than a few turned
heads, especially since her skin, horns and ears made her stick
out enough already.
"Hm, let me see." She leant her rump against the wall while she
searched her bag, her uninjured leg supporting her full weight
so she was stood slightly lop-sided.
In her bag she found her pouch of gold, a small blade with an
intricate carved handle, some herbs and ingredients from her
mothers garden for low level potion crafting, and a pale shawl
her mother had made many years ago. She took it out and held it
to her nose, breathing in her mothers scent fondly. It brought
her comfort and although it wasn't enough to cover her body, it
was at least something she could wear that would be her own.
"That's all there is..." she spoke softly, her thoughts now
desperately trying to steer clear of her mother. She placed the
shawl carefully back inside her bag which she then put down on
the floor. Quickly changing the subject so as not to dwell on
her thoughts again, she looked back to the shower and pushed
herself off the wall.
"Where does the water come from?" She questioned, holding her
hand beneath the falling water again to feel its warmth. It was
certainly pleasant not having to bathe in freezing cold river
water...
#Post#: 410648--------------------------------------------------
Re: Dragon in the City
By: Calyx Ochoa Date: April 28, 2020, 11:19 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Kaida's excitement brought a hint of a smile to Calyx' normally
stoic expression. It was nice to see hope, and even maybe some
happiness in her eyes! But her question was difficult to answer;
Or rather, the answer was far more complex than the question
itself was. Calyx decided to explain it as simply as he could,
for now. She had plenty of time to learn about the Dragon's Den
later.
"There are Dragons living in the wilds there, but not like you.
They're Ancient Dragons; Ones that never evolved to be able to
take a smaller form, or speak with other creatures like you can.
Everyone living in the Manor is a Draconian like me. We're all
descended from those Ancient Dragons, but we're not full blooded
Dragons like you. For example, I'm part Dragon, part Human, and
part..."
He stopped before finishing his sentence. It wasn't that he was
ashamed of his mother's bloodline. He simply had never thought
about how awkward it would be to explain being part Angel to
someone. It just didn't sound natural. And his sisters even
moreso!
"Well, let's just say we're all some interesting blends." There
was so much more to it than that. But he didn't want to
overwhelm her. Despite having only been in existence for less
than 40 years, the Dragon's Den had already built a complex
culture and history. But that was a story for another day.
In the bathroom, Calyx watched as Kaida searched her bag for
anything she could wear. His eyes weren't settled on the bag,
however, but rather her leg. It was clear that she couldn't
stand on it properly, which brought him more discomfort than he
would have expected.
He nodded his head when she showed him the shawl. It wasn't
much, but it would do for now. But there was a more pressing
matter that concerned Calyx in the moment.
"Are you going to be okay standing in the shower? Do you need
help?" His face flushed, and he looked toward the mirror as he
asked his question. He knew that nudity wasn't a monumental
issue among Dragons, but he still felt dirty for asking this to
a woman he had only just met, as if he were just looking for a
reason to see her sin clothing.
Her question about where the water came from distracted him for
a moment, as he looked up at the shower head.
"There's an underground water system that cleans and recycles
water." He explained. In truth, he didn't know much more than
that, despite having running water back home. Only what he had
read in his studies, but he suspected the answer would be more
than satisfying to Kaida. It did nothing to relieve him of the
awkward feeling he felt in his chest, however...
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