Post by Samantha on Dec 10, 2013 0:35:03 GMT
Ysera belongs to Opal.
Siru belongs to Samantha.
D belongs to 27th.
***
A snake slithered through the end of the Forest of Fang and Claw, emerging into the waving grasses of the Plains. This was an ordinary occurrence, but a few moments later a lynx trotted out from where the snake had hidden in spot with slightly more foliage.
"Slithering is so bad for my flying," Ysera murmured as she trotted off, looking like a perfectly normal lynx. "I mean, ugh. Next time I'm in the air, I'll be zigzaging around like some reptile."
The Earth Elemental (still in lynx form) continued on her way, making across the massive waving grass towards one of the few places the Forest touched the border of Earth Territory. Normally, each concentric band of the Earth Territory stayed in its tier, but not the forest. It had grown that way, and she didn't really care, as long as the Plains weren't enveloped in it.
D had been given the advice to observe life in his early years. So, thats exactly what he was doing when he flew over the Earth Territory and decided it was as good a place as any. He spiraled down and settled on an earthmote that gave plenty of cover and the waterfall cascading down the side in all its thunderous glory, helpd with his concealment. Naturally, his eyes were trained to seek out larger creatures such as other dragons or prey. However, for this mental exercise, he was supposed to look at all forms of life.
Thankfully, D did not have to strain his eyes too much to pick out a snake in the grass. He watched it disapear and then was confused when a lynx came from the same spot only a few moments later. What had happened to the snake? He shifted, watching in horror as a clod of dirt was pulled free by his claws and went tumbling down towards the plains and the lynx.
"Look out," D shouted, using his telepathy; in his panic, he didn't take into consideration that the lynx would not understand him.
Ysera looked up at the falling dirt clod. "You clumsy lizard," she said. Or meant to say- she'd forgotten to give this form the capacity to speak human, of course. It came out as a rather bad-tempered-sounding mrowl. Snorting out of her nose, the dragoness in lynx form continued her walk, the dirt landing only inches behind her bobbed tail. "Humph."
That dragon had been a Life Creation. But that was alright with her, she didn't mind too much. As long as he didn't try to get too far into the Earth territory (as in, the Drassil Basin), she really didn't care he was there, as long as he didn't cause trouble. If he caused trouble, well, that earthmote might be swallowing him pretty soon.
The Drassil Basin was the heart of her domain, no one but those of Earth were allowed there. In fact, she always had a garrison of animals and Creations stationed there to prevent any from even glimpsing the wondrous tree that served as the Earth Creations' home.
D breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the lynx had understood him and been unharmed by his clumsiness. He had no idea he had actually echoed the Earth Elemental's very thought. He was still puzzled by the entire snake/lynx predicament and decided that he would forget about other life forms and follow this intelligent lynx. He would wait until it moved towards the forest before he followed, not wanting to further interrupt its life. He resettled himself, this time far more carefully, and let his purple gaze lightly traverse the plains and the nearby forest.
With another humph, the dragoness continued on her merry and clumsy lizard-ridden way, her easy trotting pace making her pelt bounce slightly. "No respect for the Elementals these days," she muttered in a grouchy meow. "I tell you, we've gotten lax. Lax. We need to start, oh, eating things randomly again. Like good ol' Olorzxx. 'Course, Life won't have any of that. Eating other animals is as part of the natural cycle as birth."
The Earth Elemental was indeed in a rather grouchy mood. Not only were orange lizards dropping rocks on her, Kyanna had gotten herself lost. Again. That girl needed to get a sense of direction- there was no way Ysera was going to make her some sort of map.
Oh, it made her so irritated! The kind of irritated when she could just- just- just make a tree grow suddenly in front of some poor, helpless bunny or something and have it topple over. Or make an earthquake on the humans. Or cause a plague of ravenous rabid two-headed tigeresque wolves to suddenly and spontaneously materialize in the middle of a large city. Of course, there were some flaws with that plan.
With a sigh, she looked around, spotting the Life creation again as she entered the forest.
Shortly after the clod fall incident, D noticed something else that was strange about this lynx. It seemed to walk funny and, as it entered the forest, he glided down, landing easily in the area right before the plain gave way to the trees. He knew that a large orange dragon wasn't the best of camouflages in the forest (whose name he didn't know it had). He decided to become about the same size as the lynx, for now. With this size, he felt much better and steathily made his way through the trees, keeping his senses alert on the lynx.
D was eager to meet some new dragons and knew that a place like this would be teeming with them. If he saw a dragon in the distance, he would leave the lynx and make some new friends.
The Earth Elemental could easily see where the Life creation was, not only from his blazing bright orange pelt but from the whisperings of the plants and chatter of animals around him. "Yeah, I know he's there," she muttered crossly. Still following her! Incorrigible, that's what they were nowadays.
Sitting down, the Earth Elemental yowled loudly, her call echoing unnaturally through the forest. A minute later, a short, slim elven girl emerged from the forest. She grinned at the lynx. "Don't you dare call me foolish now," she retorted to the cat's call. "You're the one coming all this way in a silly little cat form. I don't understand your obsession with changing your form- you're awe-inspiring enough in your true form."
The lynx replied with a series of short and quieter yowls and growls. The elf looked around, brushing a lock of her wavy brown hair out of her face. "Little Life creation," she called, "I mean you no harm. Come out." Her tone was friendly, but commanding in an odd contrast that few could manage.
D had suddenly frozen at the sight of the elf. He had never seen one up close before and he wasn't sure if it was friendly or not. With sudden clarity, he knew that this was a Rider and that its Elemental was somewhere about. He began to look-almost frantically-not sure how to react around an Elemental, at least one that wasn't his own. He almost melted when he heard himself called, he knew by whom, and he dare not refuse.
Quickly, the Life creation stepped forward, not sure to make eye contact with the lynx or elf. This was an Elemental, with a power similar to his own but much stronger than his could ever be. He always stayed dragon but this Elemental could become any form at will. For what seemed an eternity, D was tongue-tied and quite flustered. He decided to let them make the next move.
Siru had heard the yowl of the lynx. Out of sheer curiousity, and a creeping suspicion, he traced it through the forest.
As he rounded a massive tree trunk, the Creation almost ran right into the Earth Rider. He recoiled quickly, slinking back into the shadows, while his bright eyes sought for the source of the yowl. Had the elf seen him? At least her presence, unexpected though it was, all but confirmed that Ysera was near.
Kyanna jumped as she felt something else come from behind a tree. Looking around, she frowned. "Who else is there?" she asked, glancing at the scenery. Forest. Trees. Leaves. More forest, trees, and leaves.
The Rider turned her attention to the Life creation. He was the first creation she'd met other than those of Earth, and so her insatiable curiosity was sparked by his very appearance. He was orange, for one- bright orange. She couldn't help but smile.
The lynx let out an odd, rolling sound. The elf grinned at it- Ysera was laughing. She could tell that the Elemental was about to reveal her true form- always a sight, at least when others were around. Ysera liked putting on a show.
Mist swirled around the lynx, shimmering green in the rays of sunlight that pierced through the veil of trees as they shuffled their branches out of her way. The cat's eyes closed, and when she reopened them a moment later they were silver and lacking pupils. She began to grow, and the air began to vibrate from the energies emitted by the lynx. Wings of translucent green membrane unfolded towards the sky, turning the sunlight the same verdant color. Fur became scales, and her tail and claws grew, fins sprouting from her body and her teeth growing considerably. Once the Elemental was in her glorious, true form, the trees reclaimed the spot where their branches had been.
"Life creation," the Elemental intoned, ". It is wonderful to see you didn't trip on a tree root on your way here " She was obviously referring to D's perceived clumsiness.
D felt a shiver down his spine as mist swirled around him. He felt the very air move as Ysera transformed. He looked up, not sure what was happening. He felt his eyes widen in shock as the Earth Elemental showed her true form. He felt his face become heated at the mention of his clumsiness.
"Oh great and mighty Elemental, I apologize for that accident. I didn't realize something like that would happen! I...," D suddenly trailed off, not sure why he was speaking at all.
The elf had seen him. Siru hung back a while to contemplate this, and the Life Creation that stood awkwardly before them. The lynx was still an unknown, although Siru had his suspicions. And, as soon as mist began to swirl about the creature, his suspicions were confirmed.
"It is wonderful to see you didn't trip on a tree root on your way here".
Siru smiled at this comment. Still the same old Ysera, then. He supposed it was time to reveal himself.
As the Life Creation was speaking, he detached himself from the shadow of the tree and moved out into the open (or, at least, as far into the open as he dared).
"Hello, Ysera," he began. "It's good to see you again,"
D raced to keep up, staying well behind Ysera, so as not to overtake her. He gratefully went back to his own, much larger but normal size. He stretched his wings out and looked around. He reveled in the sun gleaming on his orange hide and he towered over Siru but still not quite close enough to Ysera's own size. Shapeshifting was quite the useful skill and he couldn't be happier with any other power, had his own Elemental created him to be a different creature.
"I've been experimenting. I met a few dragons a while back and they told me to observe life. Thats what I was doing when I...you know," D trailed off, feeling uncomfortable once more.
Siru too spread his wings, although for him it was more a matter of vanity- he enjoyed observing the play of sunlight across their colourful surface.
"I spent a while traveling, although nowhere matched this territory. But I'm here to stay now, I think,"
The Earth Creation looked up at D who, while much bigger than he, was still not quite as tall as Ysera. His power of changing his size intrigued Siru. What would it be like to have such an ability? To wield such power? For his part, Siru could only dream, and envy D.
D felt eyes on him and turned to look at Siru. He wondered what the dragon was thinking but didn't mind the study. He was a curious dragon, too. He turned once more to look at Ysera, wondering about her. She was an Elemental; other than her great position and power, how did that make her different from any other dragon?
It seemed too impertinent to ask, so the Life creation remained silent, hoping tha the Earth Elemental would reveal something...meaningful about herself while they remained in the same company.
Feeling the others' eyes upon her, Ysera only let slip a small, enigmatic smile, nothing more than a slight twitch of her mouth. They were most likely curious- it was the natural reaction of such little creatures in such a powerful presence like hers.
Turning to Siru, she let a pondering look meander across her face. "That's right, you left for a while..." she trailed off, squinting slightly as if trying to recall the reason for his brief disappearance. "Oh, yes! I remember now." She smiled has happily as before. Of course, she had remembered the whole while why he had vanished for a little vacation- but this was her way of reminding him why, and reminding him not to do it again while still attempting to be reasonably subtle about it.
Now regarding D, the Elemental nodded. "A wise occupation," she replied. "I would add to not only observe life, but to observe everything, from the way the wind tears at the clouds and makes the twigs of my trees bow to the ripple of Olorzxx's waves. It is all one never ending cycle." She closed her silvered eyes, and let out a wistful sigh, stopping walking for a moment. "Of course, you may perhaps never know the depth of it all," she continued, her voice dreamy, as if she were speaking to herself. Then Ysera seemed to start. "Oh, I'm ranting, aren't I? Apologies." With that, her face lit up with a cheery smile again.
Siru nodded. “It makes sense. But; madam, may I venture to ask a question? How is it that everything is one cycle? I can’t see a connection between the water and the winds,”
Ysera paused for a moment, thinking. It was difficult to phrase this- these were thoughts from ages ago, thoughts that were not ever put into words. After a moment, she finally spoke.
"On this earth, we have all Elements- those of Time, Shadow, Light, Fire, Ice, Air, Earth, Water, Death, and Life. They exist in a cyclical harmony, one that turns and turns.
"Time is easy to see the cycle of- the rise and fall of human cultures." She says "human" like they are the dirty diapers of the world. "They peak to greatness, and then descend into infighting and chaos. So, to, do come the years of the Elements. Time is a sort of pulsating undertone.
"Light and Dark, too, are easy to see, in the rise and fall of the sun, which is brought around by myself and Time. With the seasons of earth (another cycle), days lengthen and nights shorten, and then days shorten and nights lengthen.
"Fire comes hand in hand with two other Elements- those of Light, and myself. The Sun has years of greater brightness, and those are from Fire and Light. Volcanoes have years of greater activity, from the Earth and Fire. We also have hotter years and hotter ages, which comes from Fire's influence.
"I could continue explaining each Element in its cycle, but it would take a long time... do you think you understand at least a little from what I have said?" she asked, her voice rather hesitant. She didn't mind sharing this with Siru, but D's presence when she was telling this made her feel uncomfortable. It was no matter, the Life Creation seemed rather dorky to her, simply tripping around, still learning the ways of his own Element.
D listened closely. So, Ysera did make sense. He saw and understood the cyclical patterns that she spoke of. For him, it wasn't that hard to understand. Or, does that just come with me being a Life creation, D wondered to himself; it was something he would have to speak to his Elemental about.
D cast a glance at Siru, How did he take in this information? Ysera spoke clearly and he is her creation after all. He must have understood. D mentally nodded his head.
Siru absorbed all this with a steady gaze. Only when Ysera had finished speaking did he blink, and nod.
"It makes sense, Ysera. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me,"
He looked to D, drawing strength and self assurance from Ysera's presence. He gave the Life Creation a polite smile, although inside he felt proud of his ability to interpret her words.
"Did you understand all that?”
D smiled at Siru, returning the dragon's friendly gesture. He nodded his head.
"Yes, I did. It makes sense to me. The circle of life wasn't just made up, you know," D said with a laugh.
Of course an Elemental, especially Earth, would understand that. It was just the way it was said. Some couldn't interpret such things but for others, it was the simplest of ideas. He took a deep breath of air, enjoying how there was room to do so. At home, in the Life territory, there was always some plant or animal breathing the same air.
"Its so open and diverse here. Everything in the Life territory is so...compact. There, everyone lives on top of everyone else. You rarely have a moment to yourself. You don't have room to stretch. The trees grow so thick in places that you can't see the sky. For some, it can be quite clastraphobic. I love my home but its refreshing to have such a change of scenery," D said, not realizing he had completely gone off topic; almost hijacking the conversation.
The dragoness paused for a moment before haughtily replying in the completely autocratic tone of an Elemental talking to a Creation of a different Element in an entirely polite voice, "In my personal view, I would say that if one does not have space to breathe, or stretch, or perform those easy normal functions of life, one does not live. The essentials of life are food, water, and shelter, but animals, humans, and dragons alike also value privacy, from what I know, at least."
Ysera stopped, shrugged, and regained her normal happy tone of voice. "Then again, I'm not the Life Elemental. That's simply my view, gained from what I've seen of the Earth and my creatures. A tree, in a crowded forest, cannot grow wide and large, simply tall, grasping for the sunshine of its little patch of light, fighting against all the other trees in the clustered forest. Perhaps in your territory, there is much life, but I would say it is not good life... though, perhaps that's the wrong word. Fulfilled life would be better." She nodded quite emphatically to accentuate the point, but in such a comic fashion one couldn't be entirely sure why she was talking about this or if she was serious or not.
D whisked his tail, taking in what Ysera said. He had to think it over. It sounded almost like an insult but her tone was difficult to decipher. He decided to say nothing more and wait out this encounter. He glanced at Siru, wondering if the creation would agree with his Elemental or have a different view of the matter.
Siru listened, absorbed in his Creator's words. When Ysera had finished speaking, he gave a slight nod. Then, noticing that D had glanced at him, he chose to elaborate:
"Everyone needs room to spread their wings," he mused. "I don't understand how you could tolerate such a crowded area,"
He shifted his weight to his left side, before continuing. This Creation was an odd individual. He felt sure that he had to be exaggerating his territory a little.
"What's your name, Life Creation?" he asked, in a cool but pleasant tone that he hoped would make him seem calm, interested, and in control.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The next section is absent. Ysera warns D about something. Not to go too far into the forests, I think it was, or else she will forcibly deter him.
****
' At Ysera's warning, D felt a thrill run through him as well as curiosity. He paused and cast a look back at where they had come from. What could be so secretive that not many were allowed in? He glanced at the Earth creation and Elemental and wondered...He decided it just wouldn't do to anger an Elemental, especially when he was visiting their territory and not the other way around.
D suddenly shapeshifted inot a lithe form, not unlike a cheetah, with a tufted tail. He leapt about his companions, hide still orange, eyes still purple. He was beginning to enjoy himself. He circled around Siru.
"So, whats your power?" D asked curiously.
Siru eyed D with a mixture of wariness and amusement. His change in manner came as a surprise- Siru hadn't expected the creature to even contemplate bounding about in such a way. It was somewhat...immature. As though he were a new Creation. Perhaps he was.
"My power?" Siru paused, adopting a calm and languid air. He took his time replying, but this was not- as he would have preferred the other to believe- to appear in control. It was instead to run his options through his mind.
What should he say? Should he admit that he, Siru, had no natural powers of which to speak? Should he lie, and hope that Ysera said nothing? Or should he be evasive?
"I don't speak of such things," he said, at last. "I'm sorry, but I believe that powers can be our greatest weapons. If we keep them secret, there's always an element of unknowing when another threatens us. They will be wary. If they know our powers, they will find ways around them,"
D cocked his head, letting his wings stretch into feathery appendages, much like a bird. He grew long whiskers that almost reached his paws and he took on a solemn face.
"You speak wisely, Siru. Thats probably a good idea. I suppose it won't work well for me. I look for friends, not enemies," D said, hopping about like a rabbit.
The Life creation wished they could play a game of some sort, just to get rid of his extra energy. However, he didn't want to suggest anything, just in case Ysera found such an idea displeasing. Siru didn't seem like the playful type. Then, D thought of another question for Siru. He padded calmly beside the Earth creation, matchig his size so that he didn't tower over his dark complected companion.
"What do you do for fun, Siru?" D asked.
Ysera was meticulously quiet as Siru took his time replying. When he finally had spoken, the Elemental coughed once to cover her "snerk" of laughter. Mirth sparked in her bright silver eyes, and she bounded forward for a few steps, still trying to subdue it.
"Your power is interesting, D," she conceded. "But perhaps not the best for fighting. I know that dearest Siru can be quite dangerous when angered." It would do no harm to increase the other dragon's caution of her poor little Creation.
Ysera coughed again to cover her giggle at D's next question. Siru, do something for fun? The idea was preposterous! If he did do something for fun- a large IF- it would probably be something like... scheming. Or plotting. Or sulking. The Elemental could barely contain her joy at her own jokes.
Siru smiled. Thank you, Ysera.
"What do I do for fun?" he said, turning his gaze to D.
The Creation seemed mercifully less dangerous in this state, but Siru knew better than to let his guard down. Acacia, the smallest Creation he knew, was armed with deadly poison. Perhaps D had some similar skill.
D. That was his name. What an unusual one. A single letter. Or, perhaps, it was short for something?
"Well, D," he continued, "I have many ways to pass the time. Conversing is evidently one. I also birdwatch, when the mood takes me.”
D turned his attention to Ysera,"I always could overpower someone by shapeshifting to be larger than they are. Though, you are right for the most part. As a shapeshifter, all I can really do is avoid conflicts as much as possible."
D looked back at Siru, to hear what the creation had to say. Ysera's words had appeased the Life creation somewhat but he was just buzzing with more to say. He still had a spring in his step and his purple eyes glowed with good humor. He was having such a good time, he hoped his companions were, too. He thought about Siru's response for a long moment and then he spoke.
"Birdwatch? I suppose that could be fun. You aren't a dragon that enjoys physical activities, now are you? I enjoy activities that work my mind and my body," D said, all the while holding his other questions in reserve for later; perhaps he wouldn't even have to ask them.
Spend enough time with him and I'm sure to find out what makes Siru tick, D thought to himself.
The Elemental smiled. "Oh, yes," she replied. But something in the way she smiled and the way she looked at D as she said it, and something in the spark in her eye, said that she knew there was a downfall to his power and she also knew exactly how to exploit that weakness.
/Ah, the oblivion present in this Creation!/ Ysera thought, almost with a laugh. However, she prevented her giggles from bubbling over. /Siru is such an introverted, secretive, untalkative dragon, and this little Creation seems to not be catching on to poor Siru's subtle hints to stop prying./ The Elemental bit her lips, turning away to hide a smile. This was a hilarious encounter!
"Siru enjoys a good game of horsengoggle sometimes," she replied for him, knowing that they likely wouldn't know what horsengoggle was- because she'd just made up the word herself. ((There is a game called horsengoggle, but it's not one that's good for excersize, and I don't think that's how it's spelled either.)) "As well as the occasional mid-morning noshing."
D completely missed the deeper meaning that Ysera had. With close friends, he was actually very perceptive and wouldn't have missed it. However, Ysera was the first Elemental besides his own that he had ever met. Besides that, she was a difficult dragon to get to know and understand, if anyone had that ability to begin with. D swished his tail, not sure what to think of the games that Ysera mentioned.
D furrowed his brow,"What types of games are those? I've never heard of them. Are they fun?"
For now, the Earth Elemental had distracted this Life creation from pestring Siru.
Ysera's eyes glimmered with humor as she answered D with energy in her tone. "Oh, quite secret ones," she replied. "They're ancient games, not often played nowadays. They came from Siru's extensive travelling." The Elemental was having trouble containing herself. One of the "games" was a completely made-up word, and the other, "noshing," meant actually to snack. ((It's a real word.))
So, in other words, the games? Well, she wouldn't call them that. But then again, these silly Creations didn't bother to learn these things, so who would mind a little joke now or then of the Elemental's? Obviously not her.
Ysera frowned at that thought. "Silly Creations." Her son was rubbing off on her. Bad Kess, bad! She hummed in a quiet, happy manner as she thought of her two precious babies. Then, with a smile, she turned back to D, hoping to have distracted him from Siru for a bit. To her joy, she had. She grinned at the Life Creation and blinked innocently.
D smiled to himself, delighted that he now had a reason to direct his questions to the Earth creation. He completely missed the fact that Elemental and creation were having a game of sorts all their own, using him as their toy. His head turned to look at Siru and this time he did smile. He didn't say anything for a moment, tail flicking. It showed his hesitation; the questions he was about to ask may or may not be a good idea but he wasn't that cowardly a dragon and jumped in anyway.
"Siru, before I ask about how to play these games of yours...I was just wondering exactly what sort of things make you angry. I mean, I don't want to deal with your wrath, like Ysera mentioned earlier," D said, purple eyes darkening slightly with unease.
Siru almost laughed, but managed to regain his composure. Ysera's redirecting of the question had at first made him nervous; however, Siru felt that he was in no immediate danger. In any case, D had changed the topic. And he seemed nervous, the pathetic creature. One as powerful as he, nervous around Siru? It was almost laughable.
"Many things can make me angry," he said, with a polite smile. "Fighting. Fire. Trivial questions."
D mentally tucked Siru's answer away in a corner of his brain. He had the answer he had been looking for and would keep it in mind whenever he was in Siru's company. Without really thinking about it, he switched back to his larger form, the form that he had been created with. Walking between Siru and Ysera, his wings were tucked closely to his sides, so he didn't accidently hit anyone upside the head, or in Siru's case, knock the Earth creation over. He was silent now, trying to figure out what counted as a trivial question and what didn't.
Ysera smiled, enjoying the Life Creation's response to her and Siru and the Earth Creation's rather defensive answers. She almost felt bad for creating him with no power, but oh well!
Having successfully deflected D's persistent questioning, the Elemental sort of toned out to what was going on, watching a butterfly carefully flit by. She almost joined it in a form similar to its, but then remembered what had happened last time. A grimace momentarily passed over her visage, but soon vanished, as today was too beautiful for things like that to make her unhappy.
"You know, Siru," she blurted out randomly, "Your wings are like a butterfly's for a purpose."
D had admired Siru's wings and when he heard Ysera's comment he wondered if Siru really did have a hidden power that he didn't know about. He looked closely at the butterfly wings but couldn't find anything really that stood out. Was he supposed to be a butterfly? Could he fly really fast? D turned away and followed Ysera's gaze for a moment to the actual butterfly.
Siru belongs to Samantha.
D belongs to 27th.
***
A snake slithered through the end of the Forest of Fang and Claw, emerging into the waving grasses of the Plains. This was an ordinary occurrence, but a few moments later a lynx trotted out from where the snake had hidden in spot with slightly more foliage.
"Slithering is so bad for my flying," Ysera murmured as she trotted off, looking like a perfectly normal lynx. "I mean, ugh. Next time I'm in the air, I'll be zigzaging around like some reptile."
The Earth Elemental (still in lynx form) continued on her way, making across the massive waving grass towards one of the few places the Forest touched the border of Earth Territory. Normally, each concentric band of the Earth Territory stayed in its tier, but not the forest. It had grown that way, and she didn't really care, as long as the Plains weren't enveloped in it.
D had been given the advice to observe life in his early years. So, thats exactly what he was doing when he flew over the Earth Territory and decided it was as good a place as any. He spiraled down and settled on an earthmote that gave plenty of cover and the waterfall cascading down the side in all its thunderous glory, helpd with his concealment. Naturally, his eyes were trained to seek out larger creatures such as other dragons or prey. However, for this mental exercise, he was supposed to look at all forms of life.
Thankfully, D did not have to strain his eyes too much to pick out a snake in the grass. He watched it disapear and then was confused when a lynx came from the same spot only a few moments later. What had happened to the snake? He shifted, watching in horror as a clod of dirt was pulled free by his claws and went tumbling down towards the plains and the lynx.
"Look out," D shouted, using his telepathy; in his panic, he didn't take into consideration that the lynx would not understand him.
Ysera looked up at the falling dirt clod. "You clumsy lizard," she said. Or meant to say- she'd forgotten to give this form the capacity to speak human, of course. It came out as a rather bad-tempered-sounding mrowl. Snorting out of her nose, the dragoness in lynx form continued her walk, the dirt landing only inches behind her bobbed tail. "Humph."
That dragon had been a Life Creation. But that was alright with her, she didn't mind too much. As long as he didn't try to get too far into the Earth territory (as in, the Drassil Basin), she really didn't care he was there, as long as he didn't cause trouble. If he caused trouble, well, that earthmote might be swallowing him pretty soon.
The Drassil Basin was the heart of her domain, no one but those of Earth were allowed there. In fact, she always had a garrison of animals and Creations stationed there to prevent any from even glimpsing the wondrous tree that served as the Earth Creations' home.
D breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the lynx had understood him and been unharmed by his clumsiness. He had no idea he had actually echoed the Earth Elemental's very thought. He was still puzzled by the entire snake/lynx predicament and decided that he would forget about other life forms and follow this intelligent lynx. He would wait until it moved towards the forest before he followed, not wanting to further interrupt its life. He resettled himself, this time far more carefully, and let his purple gaze lightly traverse the plains and the nearby forest.
With another humph, the dragoness continued on her merry and clumsy lizard-ridden way, her easy trotting pace making her pelt bounce slightly. "No respect for the Elementals these days," she muttered in a grouchy meow. "I tell you, we've gotten lax. Lax. We need to start, oh, eating things randomly again. Like good ol' Olorzxx. 'Course, Life won't have any of that. Eating other animals is as part of the natural cycle as birth."
The Earth Elemental was indeed in a rather grouchy mood. Not only were orange lizards dropping rocks on her, Kyanna had gotten herself lost. Again. That girl needed to get a sense of direction- there was no way Ysera was going to make her some sort of map.
Oh, it made her so irritated! The kind of irritated when she could just- just- just make a tree grow suddenly in front of some poor, helpless bunny or something and have it topple over. Or make an earthquake on the humans. Or cause a plague of ravenous rabid two-headed tigeresque wolves to suddenly and spontaneously materialize in the middle of a large city. Of course, there were some flaws with that plan.
With a sigh, she looked around, spotting the Life creation again as she entered the forest.
Shortly after the clod fall incident, D noticed something else that was strange about this lynx. It seemed to walk funny and, as it entered the forest, he glided down, landing easily in the area right before the plain gave way to the trees. He knew that a large orange dragon wasn't the best of camouflages in the forest (whose name he didn't know it had). He decided to become about the same size as the lynx, for now. With this size, he felt much better and steathily made his way through the trees, keeping his senses alert on the lynx.
D was eager to meet some new dragons and knew that a place like this would be teeming with them. If he saw a dragon in the distance, he would leave the lynx and make some new friends.
The Earth Elemental could easily see where the Life creation was, not only from his blazing bright orange pelt but from the whisperings of the plants and chatter of animals around him. "Yeah, I know he's there," she muttered crossly. Still following her! Incorrigible, that's what they were nowadays.
Sitting down, the Earth Elemental yowled loudly, her call echoing unnaturally through the forest. A minute later, a short, slim elven girl emerged from the forest. She grinned at the lynx. "Don't you dare call me foolish now," she retorted to the cat's call. "You're the one coming all this way in a silly little cat form. I don't understand your obsession with changing your form- you're awe-inspiring enough in your true form."
The lynx replied with a series of short and quieter yowls and growls. The elf looked around, brushing a lock of her wavy brown hair out of her face. "Little Life creation," she called, "I mean you no harm. Come out." Her tone was friendly, but commanding in an odd contrast that few could manage.
D had suddenly frozen at the sight of the elf. He had never seen one up close before and he wasn't sure if it was friendly or not. With sudden clarity, he knew that this was a Rider and that its Elemental was somewhere about. He began to look-almost frantically-not sure how to react around an Elemental, at least one that wasn't his own. He almost melted when he heard himself called, he knew by whom, and he dare not refuse.
Quickly, the Life creation stepped forward, not sure to make eye contact with the lynx or elf. This was an Elemental, with a power similar to his own but much stronger than his could ever be. He always stayed dragon but this Elemental could become any form at will. For what seemed an eternity, D was tongue-tied and quite flustered. He decided to let them make the next move.
Siru had heard the yowl of the lynx. Out of sheer curiousity, and a creeping suspicion, he traced it through the forest.
As he rounded a massive tree trunk, the Creation almost ran right into the Earth Rider. He recoiled quickly, slinking back into the shadows, while his bright eyes sought for the source of the yowl. Had the elf seen him? At least her presence, unexpected though it was, all but confirmed that Ysera was near.
Kyanna jumped as she felt something else come from behind a tree. Looking around, she frowned. "Who else is there?" she asked, glancing at the scenery. Forest. Trees. Leaves. More forest, trees, and leaves.
The Rider turned her attention to the Life creation. He was the first creation she'd met other than those of Earth, and so her insatiable curiosity was sparked by his very appearance. He was orange, for one- bright orange. She couldn't help but smile.
The lynx let out an odd, rolling sound. The elf grinned at it- Ysera was laughing. She could tell that the Elemental was about to reveal her true form- always a sight, at least when others were around. Ysera liked putting on a show.
Mist swirled around the lynx, shimmering green in the rays of sunlight that pierced through the veil of trees as they shuffled their branches out of her way. The cat's eyes closed, and when she reopened them a moment later they were silver and lacking pupils. She began to grow, and the air began to vibrate from the energies emitted by the lynx. Wings of translucent green membrane unfolded towards the sky, turning the sunlight the same verdant color. Fur became scales, and her tail and claws grew, fins sprouting from her body and her teeth growing considerably. Once the Elemental was in her glorious, true form, the trees reclaimed the spot where their branches had been.
"Life creation," the Elemental intoned, ". It is wonderful to see you didn't trip on a tree root on your way here " She was obviously referring to D's perceived clumsiness.
D felt a shiver down his spine as mist swirled around him. He felt the very air move as Ysera transformed. He looked up, not sure what was happening. He felt his eyes widen in shock as the Earth Elemental showed her true form. He felt his face become heated at the mention of his clumsiness.
"Oh great and mighty Elemental, I apologize for that accident. I didn't realize something like that would happen! I...," D suddenly trailed off, not sure why he was speaking at all.
The elf had seen him. Siru hung back a while to contemplate this, and the Life Creation that stood awkwardly before them. The lynx was still an unknown, although Siru had his suspicions. And, as soon as mist began to swirl about the creature, his suspicions were confirmed.
"It is wonderful to see you didn't trip on a tree root on your way here".
Siru smiled at this comment. Still the same old Ysera, then. He supposed it was time to reveal himself.
As the Life Creation was speaking, he detached himself from the shadow of the tree and moved out into the open (or, at least, as far into the open as he dared).
"Hello, Ysera," he began. "It's good to see you again,"
D raced to keep up, staying well behind Ysera, so as not to overtake her. He gratefully went back to his own, much larger but normal size. He stretched his wings out and looked around. He reveled in the sun gleaming on his orange hide and he towered over Siru but still not quite close enough to Ysera's own size. Shapeshifting was quite the useful skill and he couldn't be happier with any other power, had his own Elemental created him to be a different creature.
"I've been experimenting. I met a few dragons a while back and they told me to observe life. Thats what I was doing when I...you know," D trailed off, feeling uncomfortable once more.
Siru too spread his wings, although for him it was more a matter of vanity- he enjoyed observing the play of sunlight across their colourful surface.
"I spent a while traveling, although nowhere matched this territory. But I'm here to stay now, I think,"
The Earth Creation looked up at D who, while much bigger than he, was still not quite as tall as Ysera. His power of changing his size intrigued Siru. What would it be like to have such an ability? To wield such power? For his part, Siru could only dream, and envy D.
D felt eyes on him and turned to look at Siru. He wondered what the dragon was thinking but didn't mind the study. He was a curious dragon, too. He turned once more to look at Ysera, wondering about her. She was an Elemental; other than her great position and power, how did that make her different from any other dragon?
It seemed too impertinent to ask, so the Life creation remained silent, hoping tha the Earth Elemental would reveal something...meaningful about herself while they remained in the same company.
Feeling the others' eyes upon her, Ysera only let slip a small, enigmatic smile, nothing more than a slight twitch of her mouth. They were most likely curious- it was the natural reaction of such little creatures in such a powerful presence like hers.
Turning to Siru, she let a pondering look meander across her face. "That's right, you left for a while..." she trailed off, squinting slightly as if trying to recall the reason for his brief disappearance. "Oh, yes! I remember now." She smiled has happily as before. Of course, she had remembered the whole while why he had vanished for a little vacation- but this was her way of reminding him why, and reminding him not to do it again while still attempting to be reasonably subtle about it.
Now regarding D, the Elemental nodded. "A wise occupation," she replied. "I would add to not only observe life, but to observe everything, from the way the wind tears at the clouds and makes the twigs of my trees bow to the ripple of Olorzxx's waves. It is all one never ending cycle." She closed her silvered eyes, and let out a wistful sigh, stopping walking for a moment. "Of course, you may perhaps never know the depth of it all," she continued, her voice dreamy, as if she were speaking to herself. Then Ysera seemed to start. "Oh, I'm ranting, aren't I? Apologies." With that, her face lit up with a cheery smile again.
Siru nodded. “It makes sense. But; madam, may I venture to ask a question? How is it that everything is one cycle? I can’t see a connection between the water and the winds,”
Ysera paused for a moment, thinking. It was difficult to phrase this- these were thoughts from ages ago, thoughts that were not ever put into words. After a moment, she finally spoke.
"On this earth, we have all Elements- those of Time, Shadow, Light, Fire, Ice, Air, Earth, Water, Death, and Life. They exist in a cyclical harmony, one that turns and turns.
"Time is easy to see the cycle of- the rise and fall of human cultures." She says "human" like they are the dirty diapers of the world. "They peak to greatness, and then descend into infighting and chaos. So, to, do come the years of the Elements. Time is a sort of pulsating undertone.
"Light and Dark, too, are easy to see, in the rise and fall of the sun, which is brought around by myself and Time. With the seasons of earth (another cycle), days lengthen and nights shorten, and then days shorten and nights lengthen.
"Fire comes hand in hand with two other Elements- those of Light, and myself. The Sun has years of greater brightness, and those are from Fire and Light. Volcanoes have years of greater activity, from the Earth and Fire. We also have hotter years and hotter ages, which comes from Fire's influence.
"I could continue explaining each Element in its cycle, but it would take a long time... do you think you understand at least a little from what I have said?" she asked, her voice rather hesitant. She didn't mind sharing this with Siru, but D's presence when she was telling this made her feel uncomfortable. It was no matter, the Life Creation seemed rather dorky to her, simply tripping around, still learning the ways of his own Element.
D listened closely. So, Ysera did make sense. He saw and understood the cyclical patterns that she spoke of. For him, it wasn't that hard to understand. Or, does that just come with me being a Life creation, D wondered to himself; it was something he would have to speak to his Elemental about.
D cast a glance at Siru, How did he take in this information? Ysera spoke clearly and he is her creation after all. He must have understood. D mentally nodded his head.
Siru absorbed all this with a steady gaze. Only when Ysera had finished speaking did he blink, and nod.
"It makes sense, Ysera. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me,"
He looked to D, drawing strength and self assurance from Ysera's presence. He gave the Life Creation a polite smile, although inside he felt proud of his ability to interpret her words.
"Did you understand all that?”
D smiled at Siru, returning the dragon's friendly gesture. He nodded his head.
"Yes, I did. It makes sense to me. The circle of life wasn't just made up, you know," D said with a laugh.
Of course an Elemental, especially Earth, would understand that. It was just the way it was said. Some couldn't interpret such things but for others, it was the simplest of ideas. He took a deep breath of air, enjoying how there was room to do so. At home, in the Life territory, there was always some plant or animal breathing the same air.
"Its so open and diverse here. Everything in the Life territory is so...compact. There, everyone lives on top of everyone else. You rarely have a moment to yourself. You don't have room to stretch. The trees grow so thick in places that you can't see the sky. For some, it can be quite clastraphobic. I love my home but its refreshing to have such a change of scenery," D said, not realizing he had completely gone off topic; almost hijacking the conversation.
The dragoness paused for a moment before haughtily replying in the completely autocratic tone of an Elemental talking to a Creation of a different Element in an entirely polite voice, "In my personal view, I would say that if one does not have space to breathe, or stretch, or perform those easy normal functions of life, one does not live. The essentials of life are food, water, and shelter, but animals, humans, and dragons alike also value privacy, from what I know, at least."
Ysera stopped, shrugged, and regained her normal happy tone of voice. "Then again, I'm not the Life Elemental. That's simply my view, gained from what I've seen of the Earth and my creatures. A tree, in a crowded forest, cannot grow wide and large, simply tall, grasping for the sunshine of its little patch of light, fighting against all the other trees in the clustered forest. Perhaps in your territory, there is much life, but I would say it is not good life... though, perhaps that's the wrong word. Fulfilled life would be better." She nodded quite emphatically to accentuate the point, but in such a comic fashion one couldn't be entirely sure why she was talking about this or if she was serious or not.
D whisked his tail, taking in what Ysera said. He had to think it over. It sounded almost like an insult but her tone was difficult to decipher. He decided to say nothing more and wait out this encounter. He glanced at Siru, wondering if the creation would agree with his Elemental or have a different view of the matter.
Siru listened, absorbed in his Creator's words. When Ysera had finished speaking, he gave a slight nod. Then, noticing that D had glanced at him, he chose to elaborate:
"Everyone needs room to spread their wings," he mused. "I don't understand how you could tolerate such a crowded area,"
He shifted his weight to his left side, before continuing. This Creation was an odd individual. He felt sure that he had to be exaggerating his territory a little.
"What's your name, Life Creation?" he asked, in a cool but pleasant tone that he hoped would make him seem calm, interested, and in control.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The next section is absent. Ysera warns D about something. Not to go too far into the forests, I think it was, or else she will forcibly deter him.
****
' At Ysera's warning, D felt a thrill run through him as well as curiosity. He paused and cast a look back at where they had come from. What could be so secretive that not many were allowed in? He glanced at the Earth creation and Elemental and wondered...He decided it just wouldn't do to anger an Elemental, especially when he was visiting their territory and not the other way around.
D suddenly shapeshifted inot a lithe form, not unlike a cheetah, with a tufted tail. He leapt about his companions, hide still orange, eyes still purple. He was beginning to enjoy himself. He circled around Siru.
"So, whats your power?" D asked curiously.
Siru eyed D with a mixture of wariness and amusement. His change in manner came as a surprise- Siru hadn't expected the creature to even contemplate bounding about in such a way. It was somewhat...immature. As though he were a new Creation. Perhaps he was.
"My power?" Siru paused, adopting a calm and languid air. He took his time replying, but this was not- as he would have preferred the other to believe- to appear in control. It was instead to run his options through his mind.
What should he say? Should he admit that he, Siru, had no natural powers of which to speak? Should he lie, and hope that Ysera said nothing? Or should he be evasive?
"I don't speak of such things," he said, at last. "I'm sorry, but I believe that powers can be our greatest weapons. If we keep them secret, there's always an element of unknowing when another threatens us. They will be wary. If they know our powers, they will find ways around them,"
D cocked his head, letting his wings stretch into feathery appendages, much like a bird. He grew long whiskers that almost reached his paws and he took on a solemn face.
"You speak wisely, Siru. Thats probably a good idea. I suppose it won't work well for me. I look for friends, not enemies," D said, hopping about like a rabbit.
The Life creation wished they could play a game of some sort, just to get rid of his extra energy. However, he didn't want to suggest anything, just in case Ysera found such an idea displeasing. Siru didn't seem like the playful type. Then, D thought of another question for Siru. He padded calmly beside the Earth creation, matchig his size so that he didn't tower over his dark complected companion.
"What do you do for fun, Siru?" D asked.
Ysera was meticulously quiet as Siru took his time replying. When he finally had spoken, the Elemental coughed once to cover her "snerk" of laughter. Mirth sparked in her bright silver eyes, and she bounded forward for a few steps, still trying to subdue it.
"Your power is interesting, D," she conceded. "But perhaps not the best for fighting. I know that dearest Siru can be quite dangerous when angered." It would do no harm to increase the other dragon's caution of her poor little Creation.
Ysera coughed again to cover her giggle at D's next question. Siru, do something for fun? The idea was preposterous! If he did do something for fun- a large IF- it would probably be something like... scheming. Or plotting. Or sulking. The Elemental could barely contain her joy at her own jokes.
Siru smiled. Thank you, Ysera.
"What do I do for fun?" he said, turning his gaze to D.
The Creation seemed mercifully less dangerous in this state, but Siru knew better than to let his guard down. Acacia, the smallest Creation he knew, was armed with deadly poison. Perhaps D had some similar skill.
D. That was his name. What an unusual one. A single letter. Or, perhaps, it was short for something?
"Well, D," he continued, "I have many ways to pass the time. Conversing is evidently one. I also birdwatch, when the mood takes me.”
D turned his attention to Ysera,"I always could overpower someone by shapeshifting to be larger than they are. Though, you are right for the most part. As a shapeshifter, all I can really do is avoid conflicts as much as possible."
D looked back at Siru, to hear what the creation had to say. Ysera's words had appeased the Life creation somewhat but he was just buzzing with more to say. He still had a spring in his step and his purple eyes glowed with good humor. He was having such a good time, he hoped his companions were, too. He thought about Siru's response for a long moment and then he spoke.
"Birdwatch? I suppose that could be fun. You aren't a dragon that enjoys physical activities, now are you? I enjoy activities that work my mind and my body," D said, all the while holding his other questions in reserve for later; perhaps he wouldn't even have to ask them.
Spend enough time with him and I'm sure to find out what makes Siru tick, D thought to himself.
The Elemental smiled. "Oh, yes," she replied. But something in the way she smiled and the way she looked at D as she said it, and something in the spark in her eye, said that she knew there was a downfall to his power and she also knew exactly how to exploit that weakness.
/Ah, the oblivion present in this Creation!/ Ysera thought, almost with a laugh. However, she prevented her giggles from bubbling over. /Siru is such an introverted, secretive, untalkative dragon, and this little Creation seems to not be catching on to poor Siru's subtle hints to stop prying./ The Elemental bit her lips, turning away to hide a smile. This was a hilarious encounter!
"Siru enjoys a good game of horsengoggle sometimes," she replied for him, knowing that they likely wouldn't know what horsengoggle was- because she'd just made up the word herself. ((There is a game called horsengoggle, but it's not one that's good for excersize, and I don't think that's how it's spelled either.)) "As well as the occasional mid-morning noshing."
D completely missed the deeper meaning that Ysera had. With close friends, he was actually very perceptive and wouldn't have missed it. However, Ysera was the first Elemental besides his own that he had ever met. Besides that, she was a difficult dragon to get to know and understand, if anyone had that ability to begin with. D swished his tail, not sure what to think of the games that Ysera mentioned.
D furrowed his brow,"What types of games are those? I've never heard of them. Are they fun?"
For now, the Earth Elemental had distracted this Life creation from pestring Siru.
Ysera's eyes glimmered with humor as she answered D with energy in her tone. "Oh, quite secret ones," she replied. "They're ancient games, not often played nowadays. They came from Siru's extensive travelling." The Elemental was having trouble containing herself. One of the "games" was a completely made-up word, and the other, "noshing," meant actually to snack. ((It's a real word.))
So, in other words, the games? Well, she wouldn't call them that. But then again, these silly Creations didn't bother to learn these things, so who would mind a little joke now or then of the Elemental's? Obviously not her.
Ysera frowned at that thought. "Silly Creations." Her son was rubbing off on her. Bad Kess, bad! She hummed in a quiet, happy manner as she thought of her two precious babies. Then, with a smile, she turned back to D, hoping to have distracted him from Siru for a bit. To her joy, she had. She grinned at the Life Creation and blinked innocently.
D smiled to himself, delighted that he now had a reason to direct his questions to the Earth creation. He completely missed the fact that Elemental and creation were having a game of sorts all their own, using him as their toy. His head turned to look at Siru and this time he did smile. He didn't say anything for a moment, tail flicking. It showed his hesitation; the questions he was about to ask may or may not be a good idea but he wasn't that cowardly a dragon and jumped in anyway.
"Siru, before I ask about how to play these games of yours...I was just wondering exactly what sort of things make you angry. I mean, I don't want to deal with your wrath, like Ysera mentioned earlier," D said, purple eyes darkening slightly with unease.
Siru almost laughed, but managed to regain his composure. Ysera's redirecting of the question had at first made him nervous; however, Siru felt that he was in no immediate danger. In any case, D had changed the topic. And he seemed nervous, the pathetic creature. One as powerful as he, nervous around Siru? It was almost laughable.
"Many things can make me angry," he said, with a polite smile. "Fighting. Fire. Trivial questions."
D mentally tucked Siru's answer away in a corner of his brain. He had the answer he had been looking for and would keep it in mind whenever he was in Siru's company. Without really thinking about it, he switched back to his larger form, the form that he had been created with. Walking between Siru and Ysera, his wings were tucked closely to his sides, so he didn't accidently hit anyone upside the head, or in Siru's case, knock the Earth creation over. He was silent now, trying to figure out what counted as a trivial question and what didn't.
Ysera smiled, enjoying the Life Creation's response to her and Siru and the Earth Creation's rather defensive answers. She almost felt bad for creating him with no power, but oh well!
Having successfully deflected D's persistent questioning, the Elemental sort of toned out to what was going on, watching a butterfly carefully flit by. She almost joined it in a form similar to its, but then remembered what had happened last time. A grimace momentarily passed over her visage, but soon vanished, as today was too beautiful for things like that to make her unhappy.
"You know, Siru," she blurted out randomly, "Your wings are like a butterfly's for a purpose."
D had admired Siru's wings and when he heard Ysera's comment he wondered if Siru really did have a hidden power that he didn't know about. He looked closely at the butterfly wings but couldn't find anything really that stood out. Was he supposed to be a butterfly? Could he fly really fast? D turned away and followed Ysera's gaze for a moment to the actual butterfly.