((@Vertigris i'm subbed))
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/31186411][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/311865/31186411.png[/img][/url][size=7][size=7][font=book antiqua][color=transparent]__[/color]Sangue[/font][/size][/size]
A cold breeze blew through the trees. Everything about the woods was strange and twisted. The branches curled and reached towards the sky, as though reaching towards an escape. Despite being full of life, the place was eerily silent. The silence was punctuated by sudden squawks of birds that didn't quite belong there.
Sangue sat perched in one of the oversized tree branches. Her mask dangled from her talons. Her pale green eyes scanned the area below her. It had been too long since she had a friend come to visit; she was getting quite lonely. The blood of her last friend still clung to her jacket and bandages. The smell was intoxicating. it made her senses feel alive, but she missed the feeling of fresh blood. The smell, the taste, even the color was so amazing. Red [i]is[/i] the color of life afterall.
She sighed and put her mask back on. She tightened the strap under her ears and pushed off from the branch. It creaked slightly as she left, but held strong. Sangue used her strong tail and a few flaps of the wings to travel through the trees much like a monkey. Her travel was nearly silent; the only sound she made was the flapping of her wings. She traveled fairly close to the ground. The higher branches were too small to hold her weight and she couldn't see her friends if she was up in the canopy.
It was all the same. It was always the same. Sangue humphed in frustration. Everyone was so afraid of the woods; no one came to visit anymore. Sangue held onto a branch with her tail and hung upside down, getting a new perspective on the woods. The blood rushed to her head and her face began to flush. She silently prayed to the gods to give her something, [i]anything[/i]. She was so lonely.
((@
Vertigris i'm subbed))
__Sangue
A cold breeze blew through the trees. Everything about the woods was strange and twisted. The branches curled and reached towards the sky, as though reaching towards an escape. Despite being full of life, the place was eerily silent. The silence was punctuated by sudden squawks of birds that didn't quite belong there.
Sangue sat perched in one of the oversized tree branches. Her mask dangled from her talons. Her pale green eyes scanned the area below her. It had been too long since she had a friend come to visit; she was getting quite lonely. The blood of her last friend still clung to her jacket and bandages. The smell was intoxicating. it made her senses feel alive, but she missed the feeling of fresh blood. The smell, the taste, even the color was so amazing. Red
is the color of life afterall.
She sighed and put her mask back on. She tightened the strap under her ears and pushed off from the branch. It creaked slightly as she left, but held strong. Sangue used her strong tail and a few flaps of the wings to travel through the trees much like a monkey. Her travel was nearly silent; the only sound she made was the flapping of her wings. She traveled fairly close to the ground. The higher branches were too small to hold her weight and she couldn't see her friends if she was up in the canopy.
It was all the same. It was always the same. Sangue humphed in frustration. Everyone was so afraid of the woods; no one came to visit anymore. Sangue held onto a branch with her tail and hung upside down, getting a new perspective on the woods. The blood rushed to her head and her face began to flush. She silently prayed to the gods to give her something,
anything. She was so lonely.
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/47630691][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/476307/47630691.png[/img][/url] [size=5][size=7][font=book antiqua] Lephyntylth
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/47690992][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/476910/47690992.png[/img][/url] and Greattail[/font][/size][/size]
Unaware of her presence, two dragons wandered lost through the woods. Greattail was a source of constant chatter, all but drowning out the sounds of strange birds. Lephyntylth walked beside him, steps oddly silent despite her size. Despite his largely one-sided conversation, Greattail's eyes never stopped roving over the trees. Lephyntylth gazed off into the middle distance distractedly as she hummed off-key, her eyes watching something no one else could see.
All at once, Greattail stopped and spun around in frustration. "We've been here before! I'm sure we've been going straight, but we just keep going in circles."
"We're lost." His companion confirmed, head tilted as she stared fixedly at absolutely nothing. Under her breath, she murmured "and what is making us lost, hmm? Interesting work, and subtle."
Greattail didn't seem to notice the last part. "I never get lost. I know we're far from home but that shouldn't matter, Rilin's never gonna let me hear the end of it when we get back-" He froze, head cocked. "Did you hear something?"
Lephyntylth
and Greattail
Unaware of her presence, two dragons wandered lost through the woods. Greattail was a source of constant chatter, all but drowning out the sounds of strange birds. Lephyntylth walked beside him, steps oddly silent despite her size. Despite his largely one-sided conversation, Greattail's eyes never stopped roving over the trees. Lephyntylth gazed off into the middle distance distractedly as she hummed off-key, her eyes watching something no one else could see.
All at once, Greattail stopped and spun around in frustration. "We've been here before! I'm sure we've been going straight, but we just keep going in circles."
"We're lost." His companion confirmed, head tilted as she stared fixedly at absolutely nothing. Under her breath, she murmured "and what is making us lost, hmm? Interesting work, and subtle."
Greattail didn't seem to notice the last part. "I never get lost. I know we're far from home but that shouldn't matter, Rilin's never gonna let me hear the end of it when we get back-" He froze, head cocked. "Did you hear something?"
Friends! Sangue licked her lips eagerly. She could hear them. They weren't flying. A low chuckle rose in her throat; grounded prey was easier to catch than flying prey. She pulled herself up and grabbed onto the branch with her front talons. Her ears twitched and turned towards the sound. Voices. They sounded like grown dragons. Goosebumps erupted all over Sangue. She was giddy with excitement.
She sat in her tree and watched. Her talons twitched. She was salivating. Her friends were usually so tasty and these ones would be no different. Sangue was silent as the grave as she waited for them. Even her breath made no sounds.
There they were. A skydancer and a ridgeback. The skydancer looked small. Easy prey. Delicious target. The skydancer looked as though he could fit under her wing. The ridgeback wasn't quite so small, but she was definitely smaller than Sangue. Sangue pushed off of the branch. Leaves and birds scattered as she plunged through the trees. She roughly grabbed the skydancer and held him tight under her arm.
Sangue flashed a smile to the ridgeback before plunging into the woods. A friend! A new friend! A squirmy orange friend! Sangue wondered if beaks were crunchy. She would find out soon enough! Sangue began to laugh. Her eerie laughter filled the woods.
Friends! Sangue licked her lips eagerly. She could hear them. They weren't flying. A low chuckle rose in her throat; grounded prey was easier to catch than flying prey. She pulled herself up and grabbed onto the branch with her front talons. Her ears twitched and turned towards the sound. Voices. They sounded like grown dragons. Goosebumps erupted all over Sangue. She was giddy with excitement.
She sat in her tree and watched. Her talons twitched. She was salivating. Her friends were usually so tasty and these ones would be no different. Sangue was silent as the grave as she waited for them. Even her breath made no sounds.
There they were. A skydancer and a ridgeback. The skydancer looked small. Easy prey. Delicious target. The skydancer looked as though he could fit under her wing. The ridgeback wasn't quite so small, but she was definitely smaller than Sangue. Sangue pushed off of the branch. Leaves and birds scattered as she plunged through the trees. She roughly grabbed the skydancer and held him tight under her arm.
Sangue flashed a smile to the ridgeback before plunging into the woods. A friend! A new friend! A squirmy orange friend! Sangue wondered if beaks were crunchy. She would find out soon enough! Sangue began to laugh. Her eerie laughter filled the woods.
Greattail shouted when he was grabbed, at first more startled and offended than alarmed. "Woah, hey! Put me down! I like hugs but this is too much, where are we going please let go-"
His words were almost drowned out by his captor's laughter as they both vanished into the dense wood. Lephyntylth stared after them for a moment. The other dragon had given her a friendly smile. But they had also carried off Greattail, which was unacceptable. She cast a line, a glowing trail between her and Greattail, and followed it, careful to feel for the edges of the magic that had been diverting them so she could avoid it.
With Greattail she had been careful to follow his lead, moving around obstacles and pushing aside branches. Greattail liked walking through forests for some reason. She was less careful now, relying on strength and wards to let her smash a more direct route to her goal. She slammed into the larger dragon like a meteor, knocking all three of them to the ground and pinning her target.
"Lephy!" Greattail shouted in relief as he tried to flap out of his kidnapper's grasp.
Lephyntylth nodded at him, then stared into the lenses of the imperial's mask. Her own eyes burned like twin stars in the shadows of her cowl. Her grip was stronger than should have been possible given her thin frame, and this close her hood did little to hide the sigil-etched skull that served as her face.
"You can't take him," Lephyntylth told her. Her tone was calm, conversational, despite the fact that her claws were planted on the imperial's throat. "He's important." She tipped her head to the side in curiosity. "Why did you take him?"
Greattail shouted when he was grabbed, at first more startled and offended than alarmed. "Woah, hey! Put me down! I like hugs but this is too much, where are we going please let go-"
His words were almost drowned out by his captor's laughter as they both vanished into the dense wood. Lephyntylth stared after them for a moment. The other dragon had given her a friendly smile. But they had also carried off Greattail, which was unacceptable. She cast a line, a glowing trail between her and Greattail, and followed it, careful to feel for the edges of the magic that had been diverting them so she could avoid it.
With Greattail she had been careful to follow his lead, moving around obstacles and pushing aside branches. Greattail liked walking through forests for some reason. She was less careful now, relying on strength and wards to let her smash a more direct route to her goal. She slammed into the larger dragon like a meteor, knocking all three of them to the ground and pinning her target.
"Lephy!" Greattail shouted in relief as he tried to flap out of his kidnapper's grasp.
Lephyntylth nodded at him, then stared into the lenses of the imperial's mask. Her own eyes burned like twin stars in the shadows of her cowl. Her grip was stronger than should have been possible given her thin frame, and this close her hood did little to hide the sigil-etched skull that served as her face.
"You can't take him," Lephyntylth told her. Her tone was calm, conversational, despite the fact that her claws were planted on the imperial's throat. "He's important." She tipped her head to the side in curiosity. "Why did you take him?"
Sangue was calm underneath her mask. Her grip on the skydancer was tight enough to discourage escape, but loose enough to not hurt. She had no intention of hurting her new friend. Well, not yet anyway.
She reached up and undid the strap on her mask. She flailed about a little bit until her mask fell off. Sangue strained her neck up and took a deep whiff of the ridgeback. She giggled and licked her lips. Her eyes took in everything about the other dragon.
It was Sangue's lucky day. Two new friends had wandered in. She didn't even need to track them both. The skydancer felt soft underneath her talons. The feathery down was so delightful. Feathers would make a great coat lining, far better than the current silk that lined her coat. The ridgeback, on the other hand, was rough and gruff, but surprisingly collected.
"I was looking for a new friend." Sangue tried to wedge her claws underneath the ridgeback's talons, but she was neither small enough nor strong enough to get any sort of advantage. "It's been so long since I've had a skydancer." Sangue looked over at the skydancer with an almost loving expression. It looked like love, but twisted through the lens of a kaleidoscope.
Sangue was calm underneath her mask. Her grip on the skydancer was tight enough to discourage escape, but loose enough to not hurt. She had no intention of hurting her new friend. Well, not yet anyway.
She reached up and undid the strap on her mask. She flailed about a little bit until her mask fell off. Sangue strained her neck up and took a deep whiff of the ridgeback. She giggled and licked her lips. Her eyes took in everything about the other dragon.
It was Sangue's lucky day. Two new friends had wandered in. She didn't even need to track them both. The skydancer felt soft underneath her talons. The feathery down was so delightful. Feathers would make a great coat lining, far better than the current silk that lined her coat. The ridgeback, on the other hand, was rough and gruff, but surprisingly collected.
"I was looking for a new friend." Sangue tried to wedge her claws underneath the ridgeback's talons, but she was neither small enough nor strong enough to get any sort of advantage. "It's been so long since I've had a skydancer." Sangue looked over at the skydancer with an almost loving expression. It looked like love, but twisted through the lens of a kaleidoscope.
"Oh, that's great!" said Greattail. "We love new friends. Well, I love new friends at least. Don't worry, Lephy carried me around a bit when we first met, no hard feelings." He grinned, slightly awkwardly given his position. "But, uh, maybe we should all let each other go? Do proper introductions that way?"
He glanced back and forth between the two others, his smile just slightly strained. He wasn't as stupid or naive as some people seemed to think, but he tried to see the best in people; it was always there if you looked. So he'd be friendly, and talk his way out of this if he could. If all else failed he trusted Lephy's strength, but this other dragon hadn't actually been aggressive yet. Just uncomfortably eager, and hey, he was too sometimes. "It's not polite to carry friends around without their permission."
Lephyntylth would have narrowed her eyes if she still eyelids (the thought crossed her mind that maybe she should add eyelids for that). An aura of death shrouded the imperial, the shadows of slain dragons clinging to her like a fog. The necromancer certainly didn't hold that against her - she was something of a kindred spirit, if anything, and the feeling of death was pleasantly familiar. She didn't bother with friends but this dragon might be interesting. She certainly seemed friendly, even more eager to make new friends than Greattail. Still, probably best not to leave her alone with him.
Her claws flexed and her grip loosened. "Yes. Introductions." She didn't have lips to smile with but her voice was friendly. "I'll let go if you do."
"Oh, that's great!" said Greattail. "We love new friends. Well, I love new friends at least. Don't worry, Lephy carried me around a bit when we first met, no hard feelings." He grinned, slightly awkwardly given his position. "But, uh, maybe we should all let each other go? Do proper introductions that way?"
He glanced back and forth between the two others, his smile just slightly strained. He wasn't as stupid or naive as some people seemed to think, but he tried to see the best in people; it was always there if you looked. So he'd be friendly, and talk his way out of this if he could. If all else failed he trusted Lephy's strength, but this other dragon hadn't actually been aggressive yet. Just uncomfortably eager, and hey, he was too sometimes. "It's not polite to carry friends around without their permission."
Lephyntylth would have narrowed her eyes if she still eyelids (the thought crossed her mind that maybe she should add eyelids for that). An aura of death shrouded the imperial, the shadows of slain dragons clinging to her like a fog. The necromancer certainly didn't hold that against her - she was something of a kindred spirit, if anything, and the feeling of death was pleasantly familiar. She didn't bother with friends but this dragon might be interesting. She certainly seemed friendly, even more eager to make new friends than Greattail. Still, probably best not to leave her alone with him.
Her claws flexed and her grip loosened. "Yes. Introductions." She didn't have lips to smile with but her voice was friendly. "I'll let go if you do."
Sangue pondered on the implications of introductions. She didn't usually negotiate with her friends, but this ridgeback's talons were awfully convincing. On the other hand, Sangue knew better than to get attached to her friends. Knowing their names would make them actual people and then she would get attached and then she might feel bad about hurting them. It was so much easier if she didn't know who they were. If she didn't know, she could hurt them without remorse, but with names...
Sangue's head spun. These dragons weren't friends. No.... no. These dragons weren't friends at all. Friend didn't have names. Friends had their blood spilled across the stones in her dungeons. Friends screamed so loud. Friends became victim to her claws and blades. These dragons weren't friends. So what were they? Sangue puzzled it out in her head. She couldn't quite figure out a word for them.
Slowly, she released her grip on Greattail. She regretted it instantly; she loved the feeling of feathers. She looked up at the ridgeback and gave her a cheeky smile. "Ya mind letting go of me now? I can see now that you folks aren't going to be my new friends." Sangue sighed a little after speaking. She would probably have to wait a while for new friends.
Sangue pondered on the implications of introductions. She didn't usually negotiate with her friends, but this ridgeback's talons were awfully convincing. On the other hand, Sangue knew better than to get attached to her friends. Knowing their names would make them actual people and then she would get attached and then she might feel bad about hurting them. It was so much easier if she didn't know who they were. If she didn't know, she could hurt them without remorse, but with names...
Sangue's head spun. These dragons weren't friends. No.... no. These dragons weren't friends at all. Friend didn't have names. Friends had their blood spilled across the stones in her dungeons. Friends screamed so loud. Friends became victim to her claws and blades. These dragons weren't friends. So what were they? Sangue puzzled it out in her head. She couldn't quite figure out a word for them.
Slowly, she released her grip on Greattail. She regretted it instantly; she loved the feeling of feathers. She looked up at the ridgeback and gave her a cheeky smile. "Ya mind letting go of me now? I can see now that you folks aren't going to be my new friends." Sangue sighed a little after speaking. She would probably have to wait a while for new friends.
Greattail pulled free but didn't move far. Lephyntylth stepped back as well, though the sigil of a minor tracking spell briefly flared and vanished where one of her back feet had pressed against the other dragon. The death-stained imperial was interesting. Couldn't hurt to keep an eye on her.
Despite now being free, Greattail drooped at his former captor's words. "Sorry about her tackling you like that," he said. "She was just worried, is all. I mean, you did try to carry me off. Someone could get the wrong idea from that, you know? But we can still be friends! Here, we can do names now. Can't be friends without knowing names. I'm Greattail. Or you could call me GT, if you want. No one ever wants to, but you could! And this is Lephy. Or Lephyntylth, if you want to be fancy. Actually pretty much everyone calls her Lephyntylth."
Lephyntylth wasn't quite looking at either of them anymore. There was a lot of death here. A thick cloud of it, clinging to their possible new friend. A fainter scent of it, hanging over the forest like the smoke of a distant fire. Probably even more wherever the death had happened but here had plenty. There was power in that, just waiting to be gathered. A little dissipated but still useful, especially since she wasn't supposed to kill anyone herself right now. She wondered if Greattail and the other dragon would mind waiting while she tried some things, or if she would have to harvest and store it for later.
"Did you kill all those dragons?" she asked, almost absently. "Or were you just there when they died?"
Greattail hissed at her. "Lephy!" he whispered, outraged, "we're trying to make friends!"
Greattail pulled free but didn't move far. Lephyntylth stepped back as well, though the sigil of a minor tracking spell briefly flared and vanished where one of her back feet had pressed against the other dragon. The death-stained imperial was interesting. Couldn't hurt to keep an eye on her.
Despite now being free, Greattail drooped at his former captor's words. "Sorry about her tackling you like that," he said. "She was just worried, is all. I mean, you did try to carry me off. Someone could get the wrong idea from that, you know? But we can still be friends! Here, we can do names now. Can't be friends without knowing names. I'm Greattail. Or you could call me GT, if you want. No one ever wants to, but you could! And this is Lephy. Or Lephyntylth, if you want to be fancy. Actually pretty much everyone calls her Lephyntylth."
Lephyntylth wasn't quite looking at either of them anymore. There was a lot of death here. A thick cloud of it, clinging to their possible new friend. A fainter scent of it, hanging over the forest like the smoke of a distant fire. Probably even more wherever the death had happened but here had plenty. There was power in that, just waiting to be gathered. A little dissipated but still useful, especially since she wasn't supposed to kill anyone herself right now. She wondered if Greattail and the other dragon would mind waiting while she tried some things, or if she would have to harvest and store it for later.
"Did you kill all those dragons?" she asked, almost absently. "Or were you just there when they died?"
Greattail hissed at her. "Lephy!" he whispered, outraged, "we're trying to make friends!"
((In case you didn't know, Sangue's gembond is actually mushrooms growing on her.))
Sangue stood up from the ground and shook the dirt from her pristine white scales. The mushrooms, which grew all over her body, bounced slightly as she shook. She picked her mask up from the ground and hung it from one of her antlers. These dragons were quite odd. They were too interesting to be friends. Sangue still couldn't quite put her talon on the right word for these dragons. Allies, maybe. Yes. That word was suitable. Allies.
Sangue took the opportunity to get a closer look at the skydancer while he talked. He was quite small. He was a beautiful dragon though. Greattail? His tail seemed pretty alright she supposed. Greattail and Lephy. They seemed to be an odd traveling pair. Sangue wondered what their story was. Everyone had a story.
Lephy's question made Sangue smile. "The name's Sangue and you're standing in my hunting grounds. My friends wander in." Laughter bubbled up from Sangue. "They never wander out. I take them home and we become well acquainted and then I give them as gifts to the others. The leftovers are delicious." Sangue's mouth began to water. She couldn't hurt these dragons. They were nice and they had names.
((In case you didn't know, Sangue's gembond is actually mushrooms growing on her.))
Sangue stood up from the ground and shook the dirt from her pristine white scales. The mushrooms, which grew all over her body, bounced slightly as she shook. She picked her mask up from the ground and hung it from one of her antlers. These dragons were quite odd. They were too interesting to be friends. Sangue still couldn't quite put her talon on the right word for these dragons. Allies, maybe. Yes. That word was suitable. Allies.
Sangue took the opportunity to get a closer look at the skydancer while he talked. He was quite small. He was a beautiful dragon though. Greattail? His tail seemed pretty alright she supposed. Greattail and Lephy. They seemed to be an odd traveling pair. Sangue wondered what their story was. Everyone had a story.
Lephy's question made Sangue smile. "The name's Sangue and you're standing in my hunting grounds. My friends wander in." Laughter bubbled up from Sangue. "They never wander out. I take them home and we become well acquainted and then I give them as gifts to the others. The leftovers are delicious." Sangue's mouth began to water. She couldn't hurt these dragons. They were nice and they had names.
Greattail took a small step back towards Lephy, wings half-raised in alarm. "That's. Uh. That's." For once, he was speechless. "You... you eat your friends? Do you... do you know what friends are?" He shook his head. "I think maybe we don't want to be your friends, actually. If that's okay. We're... we're going to pass on that."
"Yes," Lephy added cheerfully, "We are not friends and if you eat Greattail I will make you beg for death. It's much harder to bring people back properly a second time, especially if parts are missing."
She stepped forward, more curious and friendly than she had been before. Yes, this dragon might just rip apart others for fun, but it almost sounded like she was some kind of harvester. Even if she wasn't, the remnants could still be useful. Not to mention the dragon herself. With a cloak of death and a carpet of crimson mushrooms, she was one of the most delightfully interesting dragons Lephy had seen in a very long time.
The necromancer tipped her head to the side, wondering if Greattail or Henare would mind if she broke the rules to kill a killer, especially this far from home. Henare probably wouldn't, she was always defending things. But Lephyntylth had promised. Besides, Sangue was probably better alive. Most things were. Dead things could be useful, but they were boring; that was the whole point of necromancy.
"What do you do with your friends?" she asked Sangue. "I'd love to hear more about your work."
Greattail took a small step back towards Lephy, wings half-raised in alarm. "That's. Uh. That's." For once, he was speechless. "You... you eat your friends? Do you... do you know what friends are?" He shook his head. "I think maybe we don't want to be your friends, actually. If that's okay. We're... we're going to pass on that."
"Yes," Lephy added cheerfully, "We are not friends and if you eat Greattail I will make you beg for death. It's much harder to bring people back properly a second time, especially if parts are missing."
She stepped forward, more curious and friendly than she had been before. Yes, this dragon might just rip apart others for fun, but it almost sounded like she was some kind of harvester. Even if she wasn't, the remnants could still be useful. Not to mention the dragon herself. With a cloak of death and a carpet of crimson mushrooms, she was one of the most delightfully interesting dragons Lephy had seen in a very long time.
The necromancer tipped her head to the side, wondering if Greattail or Henare would mind if she broke the rules to kill a killer, especially this far from home. Henare probably wouldn't, she was always defending things. But Lephyntylth had promised. Besides, Sangue was probably better alive. Most things were. Dead things could be useful, but they were boring; that was the whole point of necromancy.
"What do you do with your friends?" she asked Sangue. "I'd love to hear more about your work."