Thunder of Thanasis The Crash of Thunder

[Vhagor]

"Now. Have you all read your report?"

The wind threatened to rip the words from Vhagor's mouth as they flew in a standard formation towards The Borderlands. Twenty plus years of service in the Thunder of Thanasis made him well versed in communicating across the distances between dragons in almost any weather. He looked at ease twisted about in his saddle to speak to the new recruits and not at all fearful the unbalanced position might send him plummeting from the saddle. The same could not be said of the new recruits he had with him today. The High Ascended did not tend to like getting to know the new recruits this early on, not until they had at least proven they could at least stay in their saddle, but he had lost cards to High Ascended Lori last week and she had called in her debt today.

Babysitting.

Nyxondra was none too pleased either. She was tetchy at the best of times with other dragons but new ones straight from the Wylds always made her worse. She had already had one of the younger ones by the throat for looking at her in the wrong way and had nearly eaten a rider whole when the young girl had tried to get Vhagor's attention by touching his arm. Top form indeed. He rested a hand on her scales as he continued speaking, pitching his voice in that way that carried itself through the winds.

"The Borderlands is nothing like Thanasis. This is an active war zone with attacks nearly every week. Keep close when we are airborne and do as I say. When we're on the ground, just try not to piss any of the other soldiers off. Many of the men and women here have been stationed here without seeing loved ones for nearly six months, and some of them have never left at all," exiles, Thanasis called them, though still too close for Vhagor's comfort. Exiles were far more likely to turn on you and that was the last thing you needed in a fight. "We'll only be here the one night before we continue on to our target, try not to get yourself killed before you even see real action."

The Jarlax never truly stopped their endless onslaught against the wall. There was enough men and women stationed here to deter most of them but Thanasis always liked to send a message every now and then which would act as a reminder of their might. When a group of them were on the retreat, a small fist of dragons would give chase and burn them to ash. Brutal but effective. Those flying with him today were a mix of those who the Ascended saw great potential in and needed a chance to push themselves, and those for who this would be the moment they either flew or died.

Thanasis had no room for weak riders or dragons.

The low rumble in Nyx's throat that reverberated through her body made him turn back in the direction they were flying. Dragons dotted the sky and below them the wall glistened.

 

[Trask]

Trask waited.
He didn't like waiting, especially on fat, spoiled children.
Atop the many layers of the walls tresses dozens of eyes watched night and day for monsters, attacks from enemies and overly hungry plants but it never felt like enough and now more resources needed to go to helping these doltish eggs from falling on their heads.
He checked the battlements for gaps. All looked well enough but that was only as well as it could be, as well as it had to be.
"BALOR, TO ME!"
His voice sounded more threat than beckon but the great Wyvern slouched over the edge of the wall behind him and rested it's great head on his shoulder which he cupped in his arm.
"We're going to have company and I don't expect you're going to like them one bit."
The fins on Balor's head shivered and shook as it trilled out a dulcet tone.
"I know,"
Trask's arm patted the beast lazily and rubbed it's brow.
"They're all going to be on their precious *pure breds*. Give me strength."
A huff blasted forth from Balor's nostrils and Trask let a smile enter his words.
"What a splendid idea."
Trask patted the Wyvern again on the beak and moved to check his harness and saddle.
"Let's go and meet them."

It took less than an hour to bring the Dragons and their riders into view.
A pity since Trask was enjoying the flight right until Balor caught their scent on the wind.
He approached lower and at an off angle. No aggressive movement.
He wanted to take a look at them first but he hailed the head of the group anyway with a wave. That one's beast was far larger than the others and bigger than Balor.
The others were smaller though and Balor's need to prove something flared as he passed.
This was going to be interesting.

Vhagor

 

[Faye Valimir]

Had it really been almost a decade since she was a little recruit? Was she that small? No, no, of course not. She had been the same height until now, taller than average and a little sure on her own feet. She had just had her wounds heal up, and explored the bond she had with her dragon. Cathán found and came to her blind, yet Faye's insistence on making something broken into art made her put in the work to become a cohesive partnership with the thinned white dragon. He was young, most likely the runt of the hatching but he survived and also saved the life of his chosen bond mate.
Faye's fingers strayed from her side and went to touch the cool scales beneath the saddle, grateful for this gift.
While not so active with the Thanasian aerial army, Faye had been feeling cooped up in the workshop for so long, she put her hand up to volunteer with this group to fly as added company to show the recruits a taste of action.

"Look there, Cathán. They are so green." Faye clicked her tongue, readjusting her seat, hands and legs before the scrappy drake let out a cry and dove. His wings were made for this, folding close and trapping Faye before leveling out and coming to approach the gathered group at Vhagor's command.

She hated when he did that, but after a while, Faye began to trust in him and herself. It was through her eyes he would see, her mind he connected with. He knew the scents of every dragon in present company and that was enough information for him to move.

 

[Mira Winters]

Mira followed a little ways behind the group heading to The Borderlands. She hadn't known why she chose to fallow, but when she saw them leaving, she felt like she should go. Mira hadn't even been recruited into any teams yet as she was only 13 years young. That being said, she was probably one of the youngest riders in Thanasis. She often kept herself away from everyone though, which is why her choosing to fallow was not only confusing to her, but to her dragon Fafnir as well.

Mira laid down against Fafnir's back, earning a soft rumble in reply. Fafnir was a large red dragon, and despite his species being known for their aggression and random outbursts, Fafnir was Miras best friend and only family. She trust him with her life as he trust her with his.

"I wonder how much longer until we get to our destination..." Mira sighed as she pressed her cheek into the back of Fafnir's neck and sighed.

She readjusted herself, feeling herself slip off him a bit. Without a saddle, there was nothing besides his spikes for Mira to hold onto. Ever since Fafnir was young, Mira had never tried to put a saddle on his back. She never felt or saw the need to since they had never been trained to fight.

All of a sudden Fafnir let out a low growl letting Mira know he sees something. Up ahead was a wall and Mira was fallowing the group right to it.

"Lets just hope they dont notice us."

 

[Vhagor]

Ingrid's shrill scream broke the relative peace of the flight. The little feathered dragon she had bonded to six months ago lurched suddenly to the side as Balor soared up from beneath them dangerously close. Vhagor hadn't bothered to warn the cadets; if he had spied the approaching wyvern then the kids should have. The mutated beast reminded the old soldier more of a noodle than a dragon, but the years of service had meant he had a begrudging respect for the duo. He, after all, didn't give a rats arse about pure breeds or bloodlines. The feathered dragon unwisely chose to fly practically into the face of the much larger beast the young Murizi lad barely had under his control. The offence was enough to set off the black brutes signature temper and he lunged forward, snapping the smaller dragons tail between its sharp fangs.

Ingrid's scream was replaced by that of the injured dragon.

Trosten shouted something but his dragon chose to ignore him and began thrashing the poor feathered dragon about like a dog might a bone. One of the other cadets - Bodi, if Vhagor was remembering correctly - chose that moment to find an ill advised drop of courage and slammed their dragon into Trosten's side. In less than five minutes the shaky formation he had managed to teach them was gone and in its place was a ball of snapping fangs and tearing talons.

Vhagor quietly turned Nyx about at a safe distance away and with a deep sigh leant against the pommel of his saddle to watch. As Trask came to join him at a wise distance he waved a hand towards the carnage Balor had created.

"Thank you," he said with dry and little humour.

 

[Trask]

Trask felt more than a bit validated at the disruption himself and Balor provided.
In truth he would have been happy with merely scaring them but this... lawlessness made him wonder what they were teaching young Dragon riders these days and it had happened so quickly he had barely finished his ascent before there was ripping and roaring in the air.
Thankfully it calmed Balor somewhat to cause such agitation. His sadism would be sated for a while at least.
"This bunch seem even sorrier than the last, are you sure they're ready for The Wall?"
They didn't look up to it truth be told and even a beast like Nyx could not hope to protect them against all the horrors of a well coordinated Jarlax attack, not if they turned on each other so swiftly.

Vhagor
Mira Winters
Faye Valimir

 

[Carlyle Arevalo]

Carlyle felt his jaw set in frustration at Trask's disturbance. He cared little for the Mercenary and his Wyvern, and it often baffled him that his presence was even tolerated, considering he had no true affiliation with The Ascended or Thanasis, aside from a contract. Alas, such things were not for him to question. It was irritating enough that he was stuck as a glorified chaperone for a bunch of fresh meat without the Wyvern Rider making them run into one another like frightened fowl.

Arevalo had been meaning to pay a visit to the Borderlands for a while now; Captain Akha had requested his services in aiding with a particularly nasty group of Jarax that had resisted any attempts at dissuasion. Akha also was a... 'benefactor' of sorts, and Carlyle knew the job would pay well, in addition to taking that much more pressure off of the weary soldiers here. The assignment to escort these young riders alongside Vhagor was as good an excuse as any to make the trip.

He was, admittedly, beginning to regret it.

"With such jesters in our midst, it's a wonder that our forces in The Borderlands haven't been vanquished entirely." The violet-haired man quipped perhaps a bit louder than was necessary from the massive black form of Zeodag, purple fumes leaking from his maw as he growled lowly in frustration. The two of them were quite synchronous when it came to their emotions. What one felt, so too did the other. Carlyle looked over towards his lover, Faye Valimir, who flew at his side. "If you held aspirations of becoming an Ascended, you'd wipe the floor with any one of them, my love. With a blind dragon, no less."

The pauper-turned-soldier wasn't short on confidence, in both him and his Faye. These 'promising' young buffoons weren't ready to tackle a Thunder Race, let alone defend The Borderlands as Ascended.

Still, Carlyle wasn't one to disobey orders. He came into formation at Vhagor's order, another grumble from Zeodag as he was told what to do. Now closer to Vhagor, he shot a decisively disdainful glare towards Trask, offering up a helpful suggestion.

"Perhaps we could have them practice on you and your pet, since you seem so insistent on getting them killed before they have a chance to try."

 

[Faye Valimir]

A humoured smirk was brought to life at her lips, something easily conjured when Carlyle was being himself. His pride in her ability to simply be was one of the many things she loved about him.
"Come now, Carlyle. Let the gods deem if they are worthy to ride their dragons." At least she had not openly starting on bets of who would be the first to fall. Valimir would give them until their arrival at the Wall before taking coin. "Steel yourselves, recruits! You ride on powerful beasts that are not cuddly pets." And they should remember that not everyone will get along. Humans were at the mercy of territorial dragons, and to interfere with god given bonds... Faye was only regretting she had not taken the rear of the formation and be able to catch every one of their mistakes.

She was not Ascended, at least she was given leniency due to her trade in glassblowing. Her dragon was no monstrous beast either, but Valimir still did her part for Thanasis. Years before she was gifted with this bond to Cathán, she had navigated out past the wards and explored the Wylds. She was an informed addition to this formation, capable of steering anyone in the right direction.

 

[Mira Winters]

Mira shook her head in disappointment at the recruits ahead. Because of the unknown wyvern spooking them, their dragons were easily scared. Was this what the team was gonna be like? It was disappointing to say the least.

Even though Mira had no experience being a warrior or fighter, nir has she been trained, she knew how to keep calm in hard situations and Fafnir rarely got spooked.

Mira was still far enough to see them, which means that the older riders more likely already seen her. Fafnir wasnt a small dragon, nor were his scales dull in color. So when Miras eyes met Vhagor's, she hid her body behind Fafnir's massive head, how hoping her great beast could shield her from his icy glare.

"Im pretty sure we are in trouble now boy."

 

[Vhagor]

Vhagor caught the reins before Nyx snapped in Zeodag's direction earning him a ripple of her spikes along her spine. It was very rare that the old soldier ever used them and as such they had reached an understanding a decade into their relationship that a sharp tug was one command she would not ignore. Of course, she would always make sure she knew how she merely tolerated such an understanding and might change her mind at any moment.

"If they're not ready then they're not worthy of the rank," he shrugged with the air of someone who did not question he rules. He had seen first hand what happened when those rules were not followed and the devastation it would wrought upon those who had served for years. Green soldiers were always far more dangerous than an enemy to an old soldier. It was the only comment he offered as the rest of his so called 'support' bickered like the children they mocked.

The feathered dragon who had started the whole thing, who had still been stuck between the black dragons jaws, finally managed to get free and let out a shrill cry of triumph. Tracking the creatures erratic jerky flight movements was how his eyes came to land upon the tag along and suddenly his face hardened from one of disappointment to outright anger.

Nyxondra opened her jaws without a word of warning and let out a roaring jet of her famous green fire over the fighting dragons heads. The cadets separated as though their enemies touch burnt them and quickly reassembled into an even poorer version of their earlier formation.

"Enough," Vhagor announced into the following silence. A quick glance to the trio surrounding him suggested he directed the word as much to them as the children. "Mira Winters you best have a very good explanation as to why you are here, and why I should not let Nyxondra teach you the punishment for disobeying direct orders. You were told to stay behind."

 

[Trask]

The flurry of wings and talons died down as the blue dragons roar silenced their squabbling.
Trask ran a hand down the side of Balor's neck to calm him. Nyx was one of the few creatures Balor had never any intention of challenging and her great size was only part of it. Her temperament did the rest.
The roar was so powerful it rang in his helmet and Balor almost bucked him off his saddle he was so intimidated.
Trask did not like Carlyle at all and would relish the chance to throw him from the highest point on the Wall.
"Perhaps you should have been doing your job then maybe this Straggler would not have followed you Carlyle."
Trask pointed at the rider Mira, whom he did not know but was confident should not be anywhere near the Wall.

 

[Carlyle Arevalo]

Carlyle's eyes flickered over to Faye for a split second before returning to Vhagor and Trask. Whether sarcastic or not, she did have some point. It was not for him to judge these youths even further than they already would be by the City's scrutiny. It wasn't often his darling was given reason to be so far out towards The Borderlands, but she did have some knowledge of the area, and he was able to use that to talk her into a spot in this assignment if only to have more time with her.

Zeodag, meanwhile, let his narrow gaze rest upon Nyxondra, who'd just been reprimanded for making her disdain for him known. If a dragon could sneer, the massive black beast was doing just that, almost taunting the daughter of Nadrynn with his very presence. Carlyle could feel his companion's desire to fight with such a worthy competitor, and did his utmost to quietly dissuade Zeo from such thoughts. Powerful as he was, Vhagor's Blue Beauty was a battle Arevalo was unwilling to bet on.

"Pah." He spat at the Mercenary, his lip twitching in annoyance. "I'm here to protect these students from idiots like you, not keep a headcount. I don't care about the girl behind us." Zeodag had told him of her presence some time ago, but Mira's unwise choice to tail them wasn't really of any concern to Carlyle. She'd at least made certain to stay out of their way. Arevalo held his tongue from further insults, heeding Vhagor's call to order.

"Ser Vhagor." Arevalo spoke in a far less indignant tone, showing the proper respect to he who had very much earned it. "I recommend we make landfall and regroup. Faye can look over the feathered one's wounds and tend to them if need be, while the others calm down."

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye had thrown Carlyle a look, one meant to communicate that she was not truly ecstatic at playing nurse. Looking around those in formation, she knew that the most fit for the job would indeed be herself.

"I have Ransa tears." She called out, as if to help Vhagor come to the decision. Cathán let out a serious of draconic chittering, sightless eyes scanning upwards. Faye turned her attention where her dragon sniffed the blood, and her face settled into a grim assessment. "The wound needs attention. See there, Ser Vhagor? They will bleed out within the next hour or two." Without scales to protect itself, the bite had severed an artery deep into the neck.

She had seen many wounded or dead feathered dragons in her time traversing the Wyldlands.

 

[Mira Winters]

Mira let out an annoyed huff and poked her head out from behind Fafnir's massive head. Now that they were a bit closer, she really had no other choice but to obey and explain why she was there. "I dont know....I just needed to." She said in a half whisper then hid behind Fafnir's head again.

She knew this was a foolish thing to do. She knew she would get an earful from the commander and his mighty beast. But she didn't want to be left out anymore.

She shifted on Fafnir's back as she began slipping again, wrapping her arms around his massive neck, earning a low comforting purr from him. Fafnir sneered at Vahgor, showing his teeth a bit. He hadnt liked how Mira has been treated for her whole life and she didnt deserve harsh treatment in his eyes.

 

[Vhagor]

Nyxondra lunged.

As Mira joined the disorderly line of recruits in front of them the blue dragons teeth came to snap bare inches from Fafnir's face. Judging from Vhagor's white-knuckled hold the dragon had wanted to do far more than warn the youngster. Before it was his own mount that started the next round of fighting, the High Ascendant wheeled the mountain about, flying just below the Cadets' dragons. One might have seen it as a threat for Nyx was now poised to lunge upwards where the more vulnerable flesh of their throats was easier to get to, but Vhagor's true motive was to catch any of those struggling if they fell before reaching the wall. Nyxondra's mass meant the feathered dragon at least could have lain out across her without causing much complaint. The dragons large wing beats also provided those above with a wind they could glide upon rather than the need to exert more effort.

"Trask, fly ahead and have Commander Neilson ready the healing wards for the Lady Valmir and a few of our cadets. Tell him it was entirely their own fault and food is not to be held back for them if they miss the last service," the cadets above grumbled but nobody seemed keen to speak out loud. Those from the original group eyed Mira with a range of open hatred, to loathing and middling curiosity. Most of them knew if it had been them who had snuck out, Nyx would not have been so restrained.

The last half hour to the Wall passed in uncomfortable silence, but as they drew near and the true glory of what protected Thanasis revealed itself, the Cadets began to chat excitedly between themselves. It was the first time they had laid eyes on what back home was a story. Nyx's wings dipped and one by one the cadets followed to land. It was somewhat clumsy what with half of them sporting an injury but they'd made it alive for now.

 

[Trask]

"Yes my Lord. BALOR, GO!"
And he was off again back towards the wall glad to turn his back on Carlyle.
Balor flew quickly and quietly back to the wall. Commander Neilson was annoyed but he complied with Lord Vhagor's request.
When the flight of dragons came into view Trask was ready with teams of healers ready to take them to the wards on stretchers if needed. Most wore blue tabbards and those who knew dragon healing wore green. They would do what they could atop the wall itself. Both were at the ready as the signal flag from atop the nearest tower waved the approaching dragonsand their riders to land on the section of wall closest the Wards.
"HANDSOMELY NOW."
Trask barked as they shuffled to ready positions. Dragons needed space to land on the wide surface of the wall.
"You will not embarass the Commander or the Wall in front of Lord Vhagor. Am I CLEAR?"
"YES SIR!"
Came the many voices of the crews.
"Good."
Balor was hanging off the underside of the watch tower sleeping. The wyvern got excited by the bloodshed earlier and needed to calm down. A long night flight would be on the cards later to re-establish calm.
As the dragons approached in loose formation he marvelled again at the greatness of Nyxondra.

 

[Carlyle Arevalo]

She just needed to.

It was hardly an excuse, but Carlyle doubted that she'd be sent back to the city alone. Without skilled riders to guide her, Mira would become lost in a matter of minutes. If Nyxondra didn't kill her first, which she seemed all to eager to try her hand at. Zeodag grumbled underneath him, a low rumble that seemed to echo through the hulking black dragon and travel up to Carlyle's head, aching and throbbing with annoyance. Such was their connection, that even emotions were often shared between them.

If Vhagor's knuckles were white on his reins, Carlyle's hands were as pale as the dead from how he fought his Dragon's urges. Zeodag yearned to fight, pined for the challenge he saw in front of him. It was all that Arevalo could do to quietly dissuade him.

Luckily there were no more displays of aggression for the short remainder of the trip towards the wall. Perhaps Nyx's warning was enough to convey the consequences of such foolishness to the other riders and their dragons, or perhaps thirty minutes just wasn't enough time for an even more boneheaded move to be made by one of them. When at last they approached the wall and the shouts of the men and women below as they made way for the landing of their beasts, Carlyle smiled at Faye flying beside him. "Take care of them for me, darling. I'm going to help Vhagor with the uninjured."

Breaking from his lover and flying in a little ways behind Nyx, Carlyle called out corrections in formation to the trainees, moving them back into position when they began to drift or veer.

"Keep to the right, Miss Winters! Taara, you're sliding left of center, pull up and focus! Marik, both hands on the reins at all times!"

 

[Faye Valimir]

Dark green eyes flicked into the direction their flight path would change, and Cathán was quick to accommodate. With only time for a knowing smile to Carlyle, Valimir and dragon made their way towards the Wall. It was not hard to miss, having made this trip many times in the past.

By the time they arrived, Faye was quick to dismount, stalking towards the medical wing. There were few like her, self taught dragon healers that learned how to best care for their dragon's health. Cathán had seen many wounds in their training together, pushing them both to work together, to understand commands and each other's tone and body language.

Valimir's boot clicked against the stone, carved and polished enough that the footfalls echoed in the hallway. Her blind dragon remained outside, smelling his way to somewhere to perch and wait for his rider.

"Show me to the medical landing." She held no rank, but no one bothered to deny her polite requests. Faye walked with purpose, determined to get to where she was needed. For those that knew Carlyle, they knew the woman he claimed as his love and life. As a junior Ascendant rushed towards her, falling into step with her, Faye ripped her leather gloves from each hand.

"Trask has cleared the landing. Equipment is being brought up for you, Lady Valim-"

"No need for titles." She held none. "Just show me the way."

 

[Mira Winters]

Latching herself onto Fafnir's massive neck, Mira hugged him tightly. She only hoped that Vhagor wouldnt be too harsh on her today. She looked down at Vahgor and yelled out, "Are you going to tell my guardian?!"

Yes, Mira did have a guardian. A skinny, tall, old woman who had a sharp attitude. She didn't like Mira much, nor did Mira like her. The woman had a hot headed temper, much like a Red Dragon in human form. The only thing that keep her from lashing out at Mira, is Fafnir. But if word ever got back to her that Mira disobey direct orders, she would be sure to take Fafnir away.

Mira buried her face into Fafnir's neck, "Im so stupid."

 

[Vhagor]

Nyx landed before the cadets lest she send the truly injured sprawling to their bellies; a humiliation even a feathered dragon would remember. Foot soldiers stepped back as her tail lashed the courtyard, head turned upwards as she watched with critical, narrowed eyes, the descent of the rest. One by one they came down and Vhagor barked for them to either follow after Faye or to be shown to their barracks for the night. It was a much gloomier affair than he had been hoping for from this trip.

Eventually all that remained of the cadets was Mira.

Vhagor slid from the saddle down Nyx's foreleg before hitting the ground, peeling off his leather gloves as he strode across the courtyard.

"What were you thinking?!" he demanded as Mira dismounted from her own dragon. He wanted to take the girl and shake her. "You could have died! And if you care so little of your own life, then think of your dragon. Do you know how many survive the death of their rider?" he ran a hand down his face to keep them to himself.

 

[Trask]

Trask observed the approach critically, letting Lord Vhagor deal with his own.
Attendants and medic quickly saw to the injured and most were taken to the barracks to be assigned sleeping quarters.
Faye stormed into view like a woman on a mission.
He was overseeing the handling of the feathered dragon that Nyx had bitten. The rider had gotten down but was in deep shock. Nearly being eaten will do that.
"No, easy, gently now. The poor beast has a damned fool for a rider don't punish it."
He berated one of the handlers who had pulled so tight on the reigns the dragons sudden resistance nearly alleviated her of her arm from the shoulder.
He gave her a look that translated even through his helmet.
"Sorry Sir!" She said through gritted teeth.
"Are you hurt Bondsman?"
She answered with a wince as she tried to cradle her shoulder.
"Get that seen to and CLEAR THIS AREA, IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING OR BEING SEEN TO GET INSIDE!"
It was remarkable how plenty of space turned into none at all once a few dragons parked their tails.

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye strode over to where Trask was, eyes immediately going to the wounds he was tending to. "Deep. Very deep." She almost marveled at the serious wounds, but the woman chanced approaching closer to the neck. Faye made soft, soothing sounds, gingerly bring a finger up to move a stray piece of feather to the side and inspect the smallest wound. "This one can be healed by Ransa tears." A quick fix.

Taking a few steps back, Faye turned her attention to the mercenary. "Ever stitched up a dragon before?" She raised a brow. "That is going to need to be closed up before the dragon bleeds out." A procedure she had performed plenty of times on her own dragon, but Faye was not liking the chances, which she left unspoken in that moment as the bonded rider was still close by.

 

[Mira Winters]

Mira looks down at her feet as the commander yelled at her. She didn't know what to say. It was a foolish choice, and she knew. Looking back at Fafnir hanging onto the side of the wall, she watched as he moved over to the other dragons, sniffing at them curiously. He then disappeared towards the medical wing.

"I just wanted to be a part of something. I been trapped on those mountains for nearly a year and there has been no news about if I was going to be trained!" She looked up at Vahgor, eyes watering and on the brink of tears, "I might have made a stupid choice, but you know better than anyone that Fafnir wouldn't have let me come here if he felt he couldn't protect me! I would risk my life for him as he would risk his for me..... I had thought really hard before following you guys, but even Fafnir has had enough of being up in the mountains." She said finally, storming off to where Fafnir was standing, watching Faye tend to the feathered dragon that was hurt earlier.

"And no matter what you say, I do care about Fafnir!" She yelled over her shoulder.

 

[Carlyle Arevalo]

After overseeing the landings, which were mercifully uneventful after the tumultuous ride here, Carlyle slid from Zeodag's broad back and his boots met the wall. His brobdingnagian companion shifted his head, turning to follow Arevalo with his thin, violet eyes as he walked around the Dragon's backside to meet with Vhagor. A snort and a puff of steam from the black beast stopped Carlyle in his tracks, and he turned to look up at Zeodag with a frown.

"Yes." Arevalo muttered. "I know. I'll be ready."

With that mumbled assurance, Zeodag launched back into the air, preferring to fly overhead than mingle with the others. Carlyle wasn't about to tell him otherwise; There were other matters to attend to, like Miss Mira Winters, desperately trying to explain herself in a way that didn't make her out to be an irresponsible fool. Standing beside, Vhagor, Carlyle crossed his arms and listened to her pleas, placid.

But for as unmoved as he appeared, Arevalo did feel the slightest pang of sympathy for the girl. Had he not once been in her shoes? A lover of Dragon-kind, forced to watch as those around him trained and bonded with their beasts while he toiled in obscurity and poverty? Were he in her place, he couldn't say with certainty that he wouldn't do the same.

Swallowing that lingering feeling of pity for the girl, he tilted his head towards Vhagor, speaking quietly to him.

"She's already here. May as well see what she can do." Carlyle shrugged. "Tailing us from that distance without getting lost speaks to some level of talent, at least. More than some of our trainees have shown us."

 

[Vhagor]

Vhagor wasn't sure what he found more infuriating - teenage humans or adolescent dragons.

He pinched the bridge of his nose as she stomped away.

"This isn't the place for a child, Carlyle," he said softly lest the words upset the girl further or she take it in her head to go prove herself on her own. "Jarlax attacks happen nearly every other day here, if she makes the wrong move - if her dragon is hurt... you know as well as I that it is as good as a death wish for a pair so young," seasoned soldiers had fallen to those foul creatures more frequently than the ruling Houses liked to let on. He had brought cadets that had at least had a years worth of training and practise, Mira had had nothing aside from the odd flight lesson.

"Can I leave her as your responsibility whilst I deal with the other puffed up idiots," Nyx blew a ring of smoke to echo her agreement.