In the endless Tallsun, even the frostbreath steppe seems bleached and warm. The giant formations of rock rise around me like great formidable walls, and create a path that my hooves readily follow. I pick across the melting ice and snow with careful steps, making good use of my cleft hooves even as cool water pools around them and splashes up my hocks. My tail, having dragged across the ground, hangs wet and straight, while the moisture in the air brings curls into my mane and beard that the summer heat has deprived them of.

The coolness of the steppe offers some respite at last, but Arbutus seems less thrilled than I with the location. He paces along the line of my back, clutching my hide firmly with his claws and looking at the wet, snow covered ground with trepidation as I carry us further into the territory. Any and all of my attempts to soothe him are in vain- still he watches the surroundings nervously, as if expecting the water at my hooves to engulf him and extinguish his flames once and for all.

I feel his tenseness in every fiber of my being, even as the coolness of the water soaks my hocks and brings me relief from the sun. Worry begins to fall over me as Arbutus' pacing increases in speed and he begins to cry out in short bursts, his song beautiful like that of all bird on Loorien, yet it is tinged with fear. I begin to look around me nervously, searching for whatever could be upsetting my charge so. My tail lifts from the ground and flicks back and forth, shedding droplets as it does so, and my yellow eyes focus down the corridor made by the stone surrounding us. My wings flare suddenly with a snap of my feather, and like a spark from a flint stone, they erupt wildly and without limit. They brush the sides of the stone, leaving faint scorch marks as they give off incredible heat. Their light reflects in my eyes and dances across my hide, bringing light to the shining black of my coat and all the while soothing Arbutus as he dances from foot to foot. In the harsh daylight, aided by my fire, I stand appearing as a powerful force, ready to face whatever turns around the bend.



[[As discussed; magic and companions allowed, three posts each plus closing defense. Teaching spar, judged with VP. WC: 393]]

First there is a sound, and then I feel the earth quake beneath me. I pivot on cleft hooves, splashing up the ice melt around them and causing them to sizzle as they evaporate in the flames of my wings. Behind me stands a creature unlike any I've ever seen before; a hybrid of unknown origins, who reminds me of the mythical dragons I'd once seen in Isilme. Instantly my tail whips behind me and wraps around my legs in a nervous, fearful manner. My head dips, my body contracts, and I feel a fear of the unknown pass through me. There is something apparently ancient and strong about this creature; he exudes heat and I look in his eyes and see flame. Flame that I know is not my own; flame that is the reflection of something deep within the creature.

I dare not speak; fear holds me like a vice and I stand still as a stone, waiting for the monster to make a move. To harm me, perhaps- to give me a reason to strike up in defense. But I am not the one that makes the first move, and neither is he. From between my wings Arbutus darts up and bursts into a wildfire that seems to set the sky alight. Around us the ice dances with his reflection and the heat of the sun seems strengthened tenfold. Ice around us melts and the rivulets and tributaries around me flow faster than before. I have no time to speak or think, and then the silence is broken by the call of a thousand birds, and Arbutus dives.

He is a bullet of flame, flying faster than I have ever seen, crying out in such a manner that his voice echoes off of the formation's walls. I call out his name, scream "Arbutus!" out into the fray, but it is too late. The phoenix heads straight towards the hybrid's face, aiming for the eyes with outstretched wings and snapping talons as he banks to snatch at Vikram's eyes with his claws and and blind him with the embers that fly from his wings.

I run towards my charge at full speed, unable to stop him but hoping somehow I may bring peace to the situation. I forget about the dangers of my wings and fail to make them harmless in the heat of the situation- my horn looms as I run straight towards the stallion. It does not occur to me, as I try to stop, that I am only putting myself and the hybrid in danger. It does not occur to me that my own wings may burn him, and that, as we collide, my horn may break through scaled flesh.

I think of nothing but my bonded's safety.



[[ P: 1/3 || WC: 463 || M/CU: 1/2 || OOC: Thanks, I'm sorry for the wait. || SUM: Arbutus flies up and then gains momentum as he dives towards Vikram's face. At the last second he banks up by spreading his wings, and attempts to claw at Vik's eyes as well as send sparks from his wings toward him. Tares runs straight forward, fearful for Arbutus' safety, and forgets to make her wings not harmful. Potential dangers to Vikram from this instinctive attack are burn damage from her wings, stab damage from her horn, and simple ram attack damage.]]