One Step Closer to the Flame

[Calyx]

Ooc:// UGH Well we both know the plot, so Im not gonna make a post for that, and I'm just gonna write my starter cuz Im tired and my laptop has crashed twice and I've lost everything I've written both times >8U

Bic://

Morrin snarled against the cold, pulling his furred hood closer around his ears. The weather was bitter, having taken a turn for the worse as the night went on. He was ridiculously far from home, and had made the pact that he would never go back. His father's death, his brother's betrayal, and the curious and prying eyes of his village proved too much to handle, and he came to the conclusion that his only hope of maintaining any sense of sanity would be to leave. And fast.
It was just lucky that he was used to the snow. Had he been raised in the southern countries, chances are he wouldn't have survived the night. But he was professional at staying warm.
He huddled against the wall of ice and pulled out his food pack, pulling out a single strip of dried seal jerky. He picked at it slowly, savoring the only food he would allow himself to eat that night.
Before he had a chance to swallow, there was a deafening bang, and Morrin cried out, clutching at his ringing ears. He curled against the sudden rush of heat, and didn't move for a good ten minutes, shivering with fear.
Finally, he peered out of one eye. There was an oval shape resting in the middle of a scorched ring. And... Was it moving?
He jolted as something broke through with a loud crack. Was that an egg???
Morrin scooted closer, eyes huge. Not just any egg.. this was...

He lifted a chunk of shell up, revealing the shape curled inside.
A dragon.
It lifted its tiny head, wavering slightly. It wasn't long before it squinted open one eye and peered up at him. It squeaked, and even through the fear he felt, Morrin felt his heart warm. It was surprisingly cute.
The dragon was a soft violet color, each scale vibrant and smooth, and its claws and spikes curved dangerously. Its eyes were a brilliant green, and Morrin gazed into them, reaching out a hand towards it. It arched its neck and nudged against it- more like a cat than Morrin was expecting, and he smiled. Until he felt the probe at the edge of his thoughts.
He jolted away, clutching his head. But the probe persisted and broke through. A question. Not words, but pure, raw emotion.
He stared at the dragon. A she. Her. He stared at her. And blinked in curiosity.

Three years had passed since that night in the ice caves, and Morrin and the dragon- whom he had named Isari- had become inseparable. If not for her, he would have lost hope long ago. She had grown fast, and was enormous now. But Morrin was never intimidated by her. Still, they stayed as undercover as they could, and kept off the radar. It was a dangerous time for Dragons. The Empire was adamant about destroying the race, blaming them for the violent storms and plagues that had been destroying Rodecia. The Riders had been long extinct. They had always been the peacekeepers between the two worlds. And as far as he knew, Morrin was the only Rider in over a hundred years. But he enjoyed toying with the idea that others may be in hiding- like he himself was.
He had to protect Isari.
That had become his only focus since he watched her hatch.

You are important to me too, little one, said her voice, the metallic growl ringing in his head.

I'd better be, he grinned. It's thanks to me you're alive.

I am more than capable of taking care of myself, soft skin.
She tapped one massive claw against his chest, and he grinned, pushing it aside. The claw itself was the length of his forearm. And had he not gotten to know her as well as he did, he would have been terrified of her intimidating form.

[Pockythief]

Taika covered her ears, trying to block out the hoots and howls of gleeful rage that echoed through the entire town. She didn't have to look out her window to know what was happening on the opposite side of her walls. The dragon's dead body lay sprawled, scales dull with blood and dirt, eyes gouged out. The scrapping sound like that of glass and metal could be heard as people pushed and shoved their way forward to grab a chunk of the dragon's flesh with their greedy hands. Taika curled up shoving her face into her knees, the potent sulfuric stench of the dragon's blood mixed in the air with the sticky smell of death and sweat from the people as they rejoiced. She knew that the dragons were wretched creatures that deserved to die, they shook the earth and created earth quakes, they willed the waters to rise as floods, they spilled the lava from volcanoes. But Taika could never bring herself to join in the gruesome festivities that occurred when a dragon was brought down. The desecrating of the body. It made her stomach clench painfully and constricted deep inside her chest.

Taika stood up quickly, slapping a hand over her mouth and nose in an attempt to keep the smell out and the contents of her stomach in. She quietly slipped out the door of her home, no one noticed, they were too engrossed with their grotesque ritual to notice, or even care about one girl walking away. Taika needed clean air, she scurried away from her house and her town fleeing the sounds and smells. She didn't remove her hand from her face till the dead leave crunched under her feet and fern leaves tickled her ankles.

The girl sucked in a deep breath of air, cool, and clean. She let the scent of dirt and plants fill her lungs up, but she could still hear the battle cries in the distance along with the glow of the fires that burned in her town. Taika walked deeper into the forest, a few hours and the festivities would be over, the smell would be gone and she could go to sleep pretending nothing had happened. That was what she did every time.

Taika wandered along the worn path, the moon was full tonight but the ancient trees blocked it's light. Taika had to pick her way carefully in the dark as her eyes adjusted. She wasn't worried, she had gone on many a late night walk alone in these woods. Nothing dangerous lived there. Or at least never had before.

Deep red eyes watched her from the shadows, Taika shivered. She assumed the eerie feeling of being watched to be a curious owl till she turned and saw the dragon blocking her path. Taika's mouth opened as if to scream but no sound would come out. The huge beast stood nearly brushing the topmost branches of the ancient trees that towered stories above the human girl. Taika was frozen in place, she couldn't move she couldn't think, she wasn't even sure if she was breathing. Something probed in her mind, gentle at first till it found she had no blocks around her mind then it erupted into an internal explosion. Taikia could move now. She gripped her head in pain as she dropped to her knees and finally a sound escaped her lips. She gave a strangled cry as the violent feelings shot through her head. Hate. Pain. Sorrow. Anger. Murder. Destruction.

the girl rolled on the forest floor clutching her head, the pain ebbed as the voice broke through the haze in her mind. The voice rumbled through her very core like thunder and dripped like molten silver. The dragon spoke his words like venom into Taika's brain.
"That was my family that lies dead before your people. My child. My daughter."

Taikia could feel hot tears rolling down her cheeks, she was completely overwhelmed between the dragon's emotions and her own of fear and guilt. Fear that the dragon would kill her where she lay, guilt that she never thought dragons to be capable of emotions, to feel love, or have...families. The dead dragon flashed through her thoughts and she felt sick again.

"A child for a child." The dragon snarled in Taika's mind, "That sounds fair. Wouldn't you agree human? Filth. Pestilence. That's what you are the child of, A'keshria was a more beautiful being than you could ever hope to be.

A sob wracked Taikia's body, she was going to die. She was going to die for the sake of the dragon-ling that lay dead at her own parents feet.