Lazuli

Lazuli' first memories were the drying fish, left out in frigid air, hanging from a crag over the entrance of her family's cave. The constant bubbling of the small stream that ran, cold and refreshing, across the massive clearing that was the clan's home.
Her parents were apothecaries, always managing to scavenge some shrubby herb from the frozen landscape. Lazuli had two brothers, both more talented than she was at sniffing out some scrap of plant that could save the life of a dragon. Her parents hoped that their children would one day follow along in their footsteps.
Lazuli hated it.
She found nightshade when sent out for tomatoes, foxglove instead of poppy seeds, and stinging nettles to soothe the wounds of scrapping hatchlings. So while her brothers excelled at their training, Laz, as she was affectionately known, spent her time hiding in lanky tree- hollows, crouched down over a masterpiece only her eyes would see.
Still, she tried to meet her parents' expectations. Lazuli dragged her feet during gathering expeditions, but managed to collect some plants of use.
Until that fateful day.
They had gone out to find feverfew for a sick hatchling. All of them. Five noses were better than two, her parents said.
But none of them predicted that storm.
A blizzard, a swirling mass of blinding white that separated Lazuli from her family.
She cried out as it flung her into the air.

---

Entry 1 - The first thing to greet Lazuli as she regained consciousness was the smell of soot. She sneezed and was awake in an instant, opening her eyes to a warm dark cave that gave no hint as to where she was. This wasn't home. With every twitch her body ached, and she was loath to do anything more than simply lie in the strange warm nest and sleep again. However, the sound of approaching footsteps roused her to alertness as lifted her head to face what she could only assume was her captor...

Instead, a quiet drake named Silience stepped from the shadows and introduced himself as the healer of Clan Many Twigs. He explained that she had been found lying limp halfway up a dead tree, and that a passing storm may have dropped her there. Lazuli wasn't sure how to respond to that. After a moment, Silience asked if she was a healer, pulling from his satchel a tiny bundle he claimed had been found clutched in her claws. Within the tiny package were a few dried flowers and stems. Feverfew.

Days later, the Nocturne found herself sitting before the clan's massive pyre listening to the leader, Yaraea, explain their philosophy. If one had regrets, sins, or fears, the fire would take it.

"Let your troubles burn so that you may be free," the fae intoned.

Burning feverfew, Lazuli found, smelled a bit like fresh snowfall.

---

Entry 2 - After spending a few months in the ManyTwigs Clan,Lazuli decided to move on, to travel to more clans on her long journey back home. She left soon after her decision was made, early in the morning so that she could get a full days travelling to start her off. She brought only the necessities. A small container for water and a clutch of herbs, as much as she would have rather left them.

A few weeks after her departure, she came across a thick forest,deep in the WindSingers domain. She circled the forest, noticing a large clearing at the base of a mountain that pierced the clouds. She could see dragons in the clearing and landed, shaking her sore and exhausted wings after the long flight. A charming young Nocturne came over to her, introducing himself as SwampLake. He showed her the layout of the Clan, its name and meaning. TheSpiralScale Clan 'All dragons can find a home here,whether they are part of the same twisting spiral,or on a different scale altogether.

At first, Swamp offered to show her the Herbalist and Healers chambers, but soon noticed her distaste for the herbs, instead, he took her to the wide sea at the edge of the forest, where they hunted for prey in the shallow water and spent their time basking in the cool sea.

Then the day came when Lazuli would have to meet with the clans leaders. She felt slightly anxious about this, as she did not know what to expect, but her new friend assured her that she would be fine, it was just so that they could get a record of her visit. She walked into the lamp lit cave of the Leaders. The four dragons sat on thrones of gold and diamond, two mirrors, a Spiral and a Pearlcatcher. The male mirror spoke first, his claws tapping on the metal of the throne in a steady rhythm "Where have you come from?" He asked her, excitement plain in his voice. Lazuli looked up, finally, a chance to relay her story! And so she began....

After the meeting, Lazuli continued to spend time with Swamp, enjoying his company as much as he enjoyed hers. The two became inseparable, never seen apart, always adventuring to some part of the territory, or watching the stars in their cave at night.....

After months spent with Swamp, Lazuli felt that it was time to move on. She had stayed in this clan too long and wanted to continue her travels. Word had spread of travelers passing through and with each one, Lazuli felt ore inclined to join them. She finally said her goodbyes to Swamp and made to takeoff. She noticed a Male Spiral who looked kind of lost. She spoke him him and found out that his name was Zephyrus, an older member of the SpiralScale Clan. He explained that he had been here for a few days and was about to leave. Lazuli offered for him to come with her, travelling was always better with a friend. She smiled at the Spiral as he agreed to join her and turned away to lift off. She looked down at the Scrf hanging from her neck, a gift from Swamp. As she looked around, she saw him watching her sadly, waving goodbye. He understood why she had to leave, he had never been selfish, always thinking of others. She gave him one last hug before taking off, Zephyrus in her wake. The Nocturne made sure that she didn't look back as she cleared the clouds, and before long, the clan was out of sight.

---

Entry 3: Shivering Grounds - Subconsciously, Zephyrus knew that Lazuli would need some time to think and get used to being on the road again. This internally unspoken thought spurred the pair towards the closest area to their own- Plague territory. They had just barely crossed the border from wind when Lazuli quickly descended to land on the spongey ground. Zephyrus landed beside her, and gently rubbed her back as she cried into her claws.

Her hiccuping sobs rocked her whole body. Rocked his whole body. With a start, he realized that it wasn't her cries that were moving- it was the very ground! With a yelp, the pair was thrown by the soil as the earth heaved and buckled in a colossal earthquake. Tunnels,
dens, and burrows below them fell inward, and with all the debris, they fell as well, swallowed by the ground.

---

Entry 4: Beyond Existence

The pair opened their eyes on a twilight garden, the last rays of sunlight streaming through the conifers that towered overhead. It was dead quiet here. No birds sang.
No breezes stirred the needles. Not a single groan or creak from the earth, now still and stable beneath their claws.

Baffled, the pair walked a short while, following a smooth cobblestone path before them. After a short while, shouts and shrieks met their ears. The pair glanced warily at each other, before peeking through some branches. The other side was pure bedlam, a mob of dragons fighting and being tossed about by a shapeless shadow creature. The creature itself was like tar- dark, thick,
heavy, and overpowering. It was swallowing dragons left and right as they tried to destroy it,
and free others who had been captured. A guardian leapt at the entity, it's tentacle-like limb slinging the dragon back towards the pair. He crashed into the ground, sliding to a stop just short of their cover. Glancing up at them, his eyes widened with further fear.

"What are you doing here?! Go! Go now! Get out of heeee-" His plea was cut short as the creature wrapped a tendril around his leg, violently jerking him back towards it and starting to smother him.

The pair didn't need to be told twice. They rushed back the way they came, the screeches of the creature clear behind them as they booked it to where they started. Now facing the opposite of when they first arrived, they could vaguely make out the gate they must have first come through. Without a second thought, they leapt through the gate.

---

Entry 5: A New Home

Time had past as the pair searched long and far for a new clan. They soon decided to travel to the The Wandering Contagion. The pair had planned to go to the place for a while. Hoping to see new things, and learn more about the place of disease.

Not to long after taking flight, Lazuli spotted the strange place. She flew in circles with Zephyrus, looking down under them at the rotten plague ridden place. It send Lazuli shivers down her spine. As she had not been here before, she was worried. But ready and willing for the adventure. As they continued to fly around; Zephyrus saw a clearing near a few huts which had looked empty. As if nothing had been there for so long. Upon further inspection, he saw movement. He called after Lazuli hinting her to land.

Lazuli continuously looked around, attempting to seek out a dragon or two. But there was nothing to see except bones in the distance.
Zephyrus on the other hand, had walked right past her and up to one of the huts to inspect it. He was startled to see a young male nocturne searching through a pile of objects. He tried to call to the noc, but with no luck. Only to have it stare right at him. They both stood still for the moment, until the noc turned away slowly and started to rubbish through the pile once more. Zephyrus Took a long pause before hearing a voice off into the distance. Lazuli looked off into the distance, seeing a charming teal colored tundra male. As he walked closer, steadily and with a slow pace, he stated his name as Ezra. Lazuli was mesmerized by the tundra, staring off into his eyes and not moving an inch while doing so. As the tundra talked to them both, he soon started to pay more attention to the female noc. what a beautiful creature; he thought to himself. He let a smile creep up on his face as he told them to follow him to meet the rest of the clan.
Zephyrus and Lazuli looked at each other before nodding and following him. As did the younger male noc, he was fast on his feet and still had not said a word, but looked upon the female noc, turning his head at her. Studying her.

As they reached the clan, Lazuli took a good long look around. Seeing the dragons walk up to her and or stand their in curiousty. Ezra exclaimed that it was new to them to have visitors, especially two at a time. Zephyrus looked on and shivered at the site of the dragons, then ran up to Lazuli when he had sought her flirting with Ezra. They exchanged looks, before she walked away.

After some time of thinking, early one morning Lazuli woke up to see her pair mate leaving. Ah laid there for a moment, trying to think of what to say. But before she could, he had trotted up to her, kissing her forehead and hunting a smile as he turned and took flight.