the Rift


[PRIVATE] Past and Present [Destrier]

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#1


LACE</style>
before the sun sets
GLORY
</style>


It was snowing. Clouds had blown down from the north during the night, and as the cold air clashed with the moist winds from west the sky had begun to darken, effectively locking away what little sunlight there was to have these winter days. Howling winds and whipping perspiration more reminiscent of icy needles than of snow had chased the herd away from the few meadows, to instead huddle next to the blazing campfires with the back against the wind.

The Glazier still hadn't quite gotten used to being among the others of the herd again. Two seasons of self-imposed solitude had left him quiet and withdrawn, more introverted than before. His bond with Fajira had deepened if possibly even more, to the point where they rarely ever spoke anymore; they were simply connected, always sharing everything they saw and felt and thought. They were not really two separate entities anymore, but rather one soul split into two bodies. Now they lingered in the outer rim of flickering firelight, Lace nibbling in whithered grasses among the roots of the trees and listening with half an ear to the muffled conversation of some nearby herd mates, while the white dragon lay outstretched along his back like a lazy feline, gnawing on the remnants of her dinner.

"Maybe I should join them..." Lace pondered quietly through the bond and raised the head from the ground, thoughtfully chewing the tasteless grass as he glanced over toward the others.
"If you want to" the dragon replied and cracked a bone open with her powerful jaws, eager to taste the sweet marrow hidden within.
"I don't really know them though. I don't wish to bother them."
"Then don't join them." She began scraping out the jellylike substance of its pale chamber, using the sharp claws as often as a long, surprisingly pink tongue.
"You're no help at all... Do you have to eat on top of my back?" A black-rimmed ear sunk backwards in faint irritation, nostrils flaring at the scent of blood and sound of crunching bone.

Fajira paused in her meal and looked at him, chilly blue eyes narrowing until the slitted pupils were half-hidden behind scaly lids. An image passed over and settled at the forefront of Lace's mind, a vision of himself seen through the eyes of the dragon. He never really got used to seeing himself from outside, and this image felt particularly disturbing; like a dark cloud he seemed to disrupt the view of dancing snowflakes slipping down through the dense canopy, a black hole sucking away the light and peace of the afternoon. A taste of blood and marrow, the sensation of crushing hardened calcium between sharp teeth, a faint ache at the back of the head at the sound of his indecisive thoughts...

Now both ears slipped backwards and with little warning the stallion whipped the head around and snapped at the dragon, annoyed over her lack of support and interest in him. So he was a depressing bore who gave her a headache with his nagging? Fine. If it was like that then she could find another perch. The sensation of annoyance spilled over to her, and quickly as to avoid another snap aimed at the sensitive tip of her tail the little dragon sprung into the air and out of reach, her meal clutched firmly between the front paws.

"Grump" she accused scathingly and flew past him once, retaliating with a slash from a leg that cut three thin lines into his nose before Lace had the time to duck. Then the White disappeared in between the trees and left her bonded to sulk on his own.

"Dragons" he muttered to himself with distaste, having to pace a bit and thrash the tail wildly before he once again was calm enough to stand still. With slightly excessive force the glazier bent down and ripped out a few strands of grass, wincing as the cuts stung in the cold air, blood beading and trickling slowly down the skin.

CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden

Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#2
Destrier



The weather had picked up, growing more and more harsh as the days wore on and Helovia was shoved deeper into the bitter clutches of Frostfall. Back in Vallhea, it was a time where many would gather around bonfires to keep warm or hide away in their homes of wood. Old pelts often adorned Bran's shoulders throughout the cold months, but no matter how utterly cold it got, we would set out every morning to assure the safety of our borders before returning home.

In a way, the Edge was not much different than Vallhea. It wasn't as mountainous, but I found myself tasked with the very same duties as I had been given in my old home, minus a rider upon my back. I still patrolled the borders every morning and every evening, sometimes late at night if I was feeling particularly restless. I protected a new home now, but I fought with just as much determination to protect the World's Edge as I had in Vallhea and Gassul. The wind stung at my eyes whenever I would gaze across the snowy expanse of the borders, but onwards I pressed until I had finished, assuring that none were attempting an unseen breakthrough today.

Only then did I leave the borders behind, the warm fires spread across the Edge at the forefront of my mind. Little Suli could hardly be seen beneath the thick of my mane, which she clung and intertwined herself into to keep herself warm throughout our journey. I moved at a quickened pace for more her sake than my own; this was her first Frostfall, and having little knowledge of dragons, I was uncertain what conditions they could and could not withstand. "Perhaps I will ask Vikram," I thought to myself as I caught the sight of a flickering light up ahead, knowing that the scaly stallion would have just the answers I was looking for in relation to my young friend.

Others have already gathered at the fire it seems, but what is one more body to share the warmth? Dipping my head in greeting to the rest, I make my way to the fire and come to a stop a mere few feet from it. Feeling the heat of the fire, Suli began to shift beneath the blanket of my mane and forced her head through it, giving a throaty purr of contentment. Whenever Frostfall got to its roughest point, I would assure that the little dragoness stayed behind at the fires until I returned.

Snap!

I twitched an ear back at the sound, and Suli, too, stiffened within my mane and craned her neck to the source of it. There, situated at a second fire several yards away stood a grullo and with him, a white dragon whose form I only caught a glimpse of as she took to the skies and disappeared in the thick of the trees. The stallion seemed rather irritated at that moment, dropping his head and brutally ripping some shoots from their place in the ground. Shifting my eyes to exchange a quick glance with Suli, I moved away from the first fire and began to approach the grullo.

As I drew closer, however, it became apparent that this wasn't some newcomer I had yet to welcome. This grullo with the spider-webbed face and golden eyes had clearly escaped my memory at first, but now, I remembered the Glazier and the first time we had met on the borders of this very land. The fleeing form of white had surely been Fajira, but I was uncertain what had transpired between them to cause their separation. I only hoped that he wasn't in too bitter a mood to speak with me.

"Lace?" Came my voice as I settled to a stop, my eyes kind and twinged with excitement to see his silver form again. While I had not known him terribly well before, I did often worry over what had become of him. The warm glow of the fire seemed to illuminate his golden back, and I knew then that I couldn't be wrong in my accusation that it was him. A smile lit up my face, "It is good to see you again, I..." But then it fell when I spotted the blood beading upon his nose.

It seemed Suli had spotted it at the same time as I, and without warning she dropped from my mane, extending her wings to catch herself before just smacking into the ground. Crawling closer to the grullo, she tipped her head back and cocked her head one way, then the other, and gave an indignant huff... She was scanning the treeline for the other dragoness; not fretting over the fact that our Glazier's nose was bleeding.

Giving another sigh, I shook my head at met my gaze to that of Lace's. "Forgive her, she is looking for your friend; are you alright?"

Credits


You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#3


LACE</style>
before the sun sets
GLORY
</style>


Lace?

His head jerked up with a suddenness that suggested he hadn't heard the big stallion arrive. Pale eyes originally distant and unwelcoming softened at the sight of the WingLeader and with a faint smile the glazier took a step to the side, inviting the other closer to the warming flames. The little Green was given a curious look as she came closer, but as her concern proved to be directed more towards Fajira than himself the grulla sent a huff of frozen breath towards her just to show what he thought about the egoism of these beautiful little creatures. Following some impulse of curiosity the steed tried to reach out to her with his thoughts, like he'd done so many times with his White companion. He wasn't really surprised to find nothing at all; it seemed this ability really was only between two linked souls and had more to do with some inherent ability within the dragons than himself.

"It's good to see you too, Destrier" Lace said and turned the attention away from the dragon just as a trilling invitation reached his ears from the shadows of the forest; apparently Fajira was quite as curious over the fledgling as Suli was of her. "I'm fine, Fajira and I just had a dispute about manners, and I said something she didn't want to hear. We've had worse bouts than this; it'll be healed by morning anyway." He offered the heavy black a wry grin and reached down to rub the drying blood off against a sooted front leg, revealing that somehow the scratches had already begun to knit together.

"Is she yours?" he added and nodded towards the small green, who although she appeared young and newly hatched already was about the same size as Fajira. Within a season or two she'd be both longer and heavier, and quite possibly with an even worse temper. "Don't know if I should congratulate or offer my condolences..." Alright, so maybe his mood wasn't the brightest. But the company of the warrior was welcome none the less, and while the smile was wry and the tone gruff there was genuine warmth hidden within the steady gaze as Lace curiously glanced over the other. It had been a long time indeed since they came across one another, and it looked like Destrier had acclimatized well to the Edge. A dragon, a high rank... He'd even heard rumors that the other had become a father, if the sight of the filly by his side at the meeting last time was any indicator.

"You look well" he said, swallowed a sudden prick of jealousy and lowered the neck for a nibble at the rough grass.

CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden

Destrier Posts: 180
Outcast atk: 5 | def: 7.5 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 16.3hh :: 16 HP: 65.5 | Buff: ENDURE
Suli :: Common Green Dragon :: Fire Breath & Merlin :: Plain Black Dragon :: Frost Breath Dingo
#4
Destrier



Looking longingly into the forest, Suli sought the white form of the other dragoness, wondering why she had flown off in such a hurry and if she would make a swift return. The scent of a kill was in the air, and she could only assume that it was that of the pale dragoness'. The little green couldn't help but wonder, would she share? From above, a sharp huff was heard, snapping her out of innocent reverie and causing her to flinch in surprise. Twisting her head to look up at the grullo, she returned a fierce huff of her own and smacked her spaded tail against the ground to show she was just as capable of doing the same.

'Suli!' I scolded in the caverns of my mind, uncertain if the bond we held would even allow her to hear it just yet or not. My lips pursed at her little display, and though I wasn't angry with her, I was displeased that she would be so disrespectful in the face of another herdmate. She would grow out of it, I hoped, or perhaps the cold was simply getting to her and this would be the only time I'd have to worry. A trilling caught in my ears, then, surely from Lace's bonded, to which Suli perked up and returned a similar call of her own.

Returning my gaze to the other stallion, I dropped the displeased look from my face and replaced it with a gentler one, listening to the grullo's woes between himself and his scaly partner. I resisted a chuckle as I stepped closer to the fire, its glowering embers illuminating my dark hide in a vibrant shade of reds and oranges. "How long ago did you two bond?" I asked curiously, uncertain the age of the white dragoness. I recalled her from my first day in the Edge, but if my memory served me right, she had grown no bigger since that time.

The attention had drifted back to my own green, who was currently making her way up a nearby tree, scaling it much like a cat would. I couldn't help but smile at the action - she simply wanted to play with the other of her species - what was so wrong with that? But as Lace continued, I turned my attention back to him, my eyes dancing in a medium of confusion and intrigue. "Your condolences?" I asked with a gentle chuckle, "Why would you feel sorry? Sure, Suli's a handful at times, but... she's still a child. Has your Fajira always been the bickering type?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I found myself regretting them; I hoped I wouldn't upset the silver stallion with them, for I was merely curious.

But then, talk of dragons seemed to drop, though I wasn't complaining. While I didn't mind conversing about the creatures we shared our hearts with, I yearned to speak with Lace and his recent whereabouts. Not only that, but I wanted to learn more of him in general. Where had he come from? Had he always called the Edge home? What was it like to be a Glazier? Shifting where I stood, I cocked a hindleg beneath me to where I was most comfortable and cast the grullo a gentle smile. "Thank you," came my reply, and as much as I wanted to say the same back to my comrade... I couldn't.

I couldn't place exactly what it was, but something was off about the grullo. Maybe it was the slightest undertone of an edge in his voice, the despondent underlay of his golden eyes, or the gruffness in which he spoke of his bonded. It wasn't my business to say how he should react to his dragon, but something about the Glazier simply bothered me beyond comprehension. What was it? Drawing in a deep breath, I braced myself, but kept my expression gentle and my voice steady. "Lace... I don't mean to be so bold, brother, but does something trouble you? I am always happy to lend a listening ear."

Credits


You may attack and use magic on Des at any time for any reason.

HP: 66.5

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#5


LACE</style>
before the sun sets
GLORY
</style>


Following the path of the little green as she moved about, most of the glaziers attention was directed towards her black companion as he spoke, asking questions and voicing concern over Lace's well being. A black-lined ear ticked in the direction of the forest when Fajira's trill sounded through the air, then he raised the head again and gave Destrier a faint smile, quite surprised by how accommodating - and curious - he was.

"Oh it's been many years since she hatched. I was four, maybe five at the time, so she's been with me for half my life. In time I've come to realize that as much as I love Fajira, I will never completely understand her and there will always be areas where we don't agree. I particularly dislike when she uses my back as a dinner table."

The smile twisted into a wry grin, and with the faint swish of a white tail the former soldier followed the example of the WingLeader and made himself comfortable, hips slanting in steep angles as a rear hood came to rest with only the tip nudging the ground. Heat radiated from the flickering flames where old logs and fallen branches had been stacked high enough to last the night. It chased away the worst of the stormy chill from the night, like the flickering light terrorized the shadows in their wild dance; a good night for long conversations. Perhaps it was better with some company after all.

As the inky draft asked for the thoughts that weighed on his mind, however, the smile faded and Lace allowed a heavy sigh to slip from the nostrils. Was he so obvious? He'd never been good at keeping his thoughts and mood to himself - not like Mirage, who could be overjoyed or beside herself in rage without it being obvious, unless she wanted it to be. No, the grullo was an open book in comparison to their mysterious Queen and WeyrLeader, and maybe it was stranger that no one had asked or intruded upon him earlier.

"If you kept this to yourself I'd be grateful" he mumbled and turned to stare into the flames, attempting to put into words the restlessness he'd been struggling with as of late. "I'd rather not that Mirage heard about this and came running... She's got enough to worry about as it is."

Taking a deep breath, Lace wrenched away from all sensations of loyalty and duty, diving deep into himself and pulling out something he rarely spoke about; his own wishes.
"I've been feeling restless lately" he admitted, eyes locked determinedly at the bonfire. "I've lingered in Helovia for over a year now, gotten involved in wars and magical adventures... I really hadn't planned to join a herd again when I came here, Destrier. I was just going to stay over the winter, rest and eat and take it easy, and then be on my way again. And now it's winter once more, war is brewing once again - I'm just so tired of it. To always have to worry about where your friends and herdmates are, worry about who you can trust and who's likely to take a stab at you whenever they get a chance. "

"I miss the road. To see new places, to be tied to no one but myself and Fajira..." He sighed and made a faint grimace. Would he ever be able to go back to those days? He had made promises, sworn himself to Mirage and whatever she decided to do, and the more time went the tighter he felt the bonds become. Would they choke him before they broke, or would he be able to turn his back on everything and walk away?

A stone rolled into the fire as he kicked it loose with a hoof, gloomily watching as the ice and moisture on it caused the flames to crackle and hiss in displeasure.

CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden


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