|
Post by Tigeress on Apr 20, 2010 19:32:50 GMT -5
It seemed like an eternity passed with her holding the thickness of the dragon's neck, feeling it arch down and try to forcibly remove her with fangs that would rend her into nothing. All the while the pressure was building, but then... he hesitated. Had he been able to hear her at all? She dared a look up to see the conflicted movements- angry, confused, calm, angry again.
Whatever was going on inside his head, the woman could barely begin to comprehend. She also would have no understanding why hers was the voice that reached him the most, and not that of a woman who actually knew how to converse with dragons or a dragon herself. In her mind, she was a simple woman, no more gifted than any other elemental except when it came to things involving humans.
Her dragon knowledge was limited to books, second-hand experience, and the pull she'd felt to help Draeth, for no other reason than that they shared something... that being their feelings for Kolir.
It shocked her almost to recoil when the other woman perched down near her, the situation preventing her from doing much but staying where she was, feeling something pushing at her like hands shoving at walls of glue. There was buckling, but it was hard to penetrate.
Then something clicked.
Was that... the dragon's voice? Was that how it sounded? She mentally memorized it, feeling it and rolling it around like a new taste on her tongue. She wasn't sure how, but the sensation was there, and below all of that was the slight knowledge that her mind was being invaded. But that was okay, it was Draeth, and he was himself.
Slowly, more and more access was being given to the mostly concealed man's form. Even in such a still sleep, he was handsome. But her mind couldn't rest on that, too worried about bringing him back to consciousness. Would this continue to happen? She wished she could help whatever it was that had caused such a sudden faint.
Though the dragon might find it bravery, she didn't have time to be brave. There was no thinking, no fear, no pushing past any mental barriers. There was just Kolir falling, and Draeth's pain, and her reaction. Like a predetermined sequence of events, she'd had no control.
Thank you, Draeth... She still wasn't sure of the sensation, how to properly project herself to him, but she could only try to follow the same channel she'd slipped into before, try to find that click.
She turned to see the elf, surprisingly ready to administer the basic methods of recovery for someone who had lost consciousness.
"I know this is a poor introduction, but my name is Salalali and I know him. We... are close. May I?" She held out her hand for the cold rag, using the other to loosen his tunic about the neck and upper chest area. She probably shouldn't have seemed so comfortable with that in front of the others, but so be it. Her experience in removing his clothes would prove to be good for his airways.
|
|
|
Post by Draekath on Apr 23, 2010 1:10:26 GMT -5
Pann shrugged slightly, almost as if to say "Eh, what the Hell." as he stepped towards the previously enraged dragon. He eyed Draeth cautiously, and yet he wasn't looking at him in any different manner than he had when they first met - if anything, having the man glance at the beast with the same amount of respect and curiosity as before only made it all the more noticeable after after the... incident.
He handed over the rag easily enough, resisting the urge to take another swig from the bottle. He seemed to want the fortification of it as he gave it one last glance before handing that over as well, rolling his shoulders uncertainly.
In an instant his bold smile was back in place once again, stretching his arms over his head and causing his thin chest to ripple under the tunic as he flexed his muscles, working the adrenaline out of his system as he reached down to help the man recover. He had no apparent qualms about helping pull Kolir's clothes off, by any stretch of the imagination.
"What better introduction than an honest one, Salalali? I am Pann, and though I just met the man recently he is certainly a unique fellow. In fact, the last thing I heard from him was something about a test and then, under his breath, some kind of grumble about the little voices. I would have laughed if he didn't seem so miserable."
He glanced up at this point, checking in Lissa and Shifra, as well as Draeth. He didn't speak, yet he did let his gaze linger over the pair, making sure they were still alright before he spoke to the great ivory creature.
"How are you holding up, Draeth? A bit of gin wouldn't happen to help you any as well, would it?"
He was only half joking.
|
|
|
Post by Talia on Apr 23, 2010 23:12:44 GMT -5
((OOC: Thought it would be ok to post since, when I talked to StarShine, she said she wasn’t really sure what to post until Draekath had posted and such. And since I figured that the thread isn’t leaving her a whole lot of leeway, post wise, it wouldn’t be too horrible of me to hijack. Hope that’s ok!))
Draeth, now that he was a bit more lucid, was finding it increasingly easy to communicate with Sala. His mind was still having difficulties wrapping itself around the implications of this, however. He knew deep down that it was because he didn’t want to accept the consequences that this would have for both him and Kolir. So many things would change for the both of them, and Draeth had become accustomed to his relatively happy yet dysfunctional lifestyle with the Dragon Lord.
He also knew that while he was acutely aware of the implications and the situation at hand, Kolir and Sala would not be, and he could not be the one to tell them. This was something that they would have to discover on their own.
Draeth was also finding that he himself had a new and altogether odd bond with the woman. Her ability to connect to his mental plane of existence while his barriers had been firmly closed had created an altogether unique and deep connection between the two of them. She didn’t feel like an intrusion in the slightest- it wasn’t that she made him uncomfortable in that respect. It was the fact that the connection between them felt so familiar, so personalized, that he felt ill at ease inside his own mind at times. Like he was sharing a bond not just with one individual, but with two- not to the same extent as his relationship with Kolir for sure, but his link with Sala was more complex than any relationship that he may have created with any other individual, short of his bonded.
You are quite welcome, he replied. His voice still sounded strained as he wrestled with the voices, forcing their consciousnesses back into their own plane of existence, asserting his dominance as the alpha beast and the strongest of the existing dragons. She seemed unsure of her ability to communicate with him- her mental voice was tremulous at best, despite her confident exterior. He was sure that she would discover in due time, however, that communicating with him now would cease to be difficult.
He watched, curious now, as Sala and Pann administered to Kolir. The deft way in which Sala removed his armor and clothing made him chuckle, the sound a harsh rumble of draconic laughter. He knew that the two were no strangers to each other’s bodies. None-the-less, the absurdity of the situation, and the expression on the elf’s face, created some slight amusement- enough to occupy his thoughts from the eddying bouts of pain. If his ego had not been sorely bruised from the incidents of the day, he would likely have puffed up from the mere look of respect that Pann shot him.
The dragon flashed the elf a fanged smile as he rumbled again with what could best be described as laughter.
As well as can be expected, young elf, he said. I daresay that you would need far more gin than that to satisfy me in my current state!
He smiled inwardly, remembering the last time that he and Kolir had frequented a tavern. The Dragon Lord had had to request quite a few kegs to satisfy the dragon, and he had resisted indulging in such things since then, as he had not been able to walk, let alone fly straight for the remainder of the night. Not to mention that the tavernkeep had almost had a heart attack whilst serving the massive silver dragon...
Thinking of Kolir drew his attention back to his bonded, who was now having a cold cloth pressed against his warm flesh. At least Kolir would be spared the pain for the time being, until Draeth allowed them back into his consciousness. If only he would wake up...
As if on cue, Kolir’s eyelids fluttered as he absently wiped a trail of sweat away from his brow with a free hand. With a small moan, he made as if to sit up before deciding otherwise. With a tiny half-smile, he gestured towards the crowded individuals.
“I’ve created quite the scene, haven’t I?” he said, joking weakly. "I hope I haven't created too many problems..." Quite suddenly, he became aware of his nurse and his smile spread into a wide grin, which turned into a wince rather quickly when he realized that he still was not capable of much at the moment. His head was still throbbing with the remnants of pain, and smiling made him feel as if his entire face was splitting in two.
"Sala?" he said in disbelief, as he reached out a hand to grasp hers. "What are you doing here?"
|
|
|
Post by Tigeress on Apr 24, 2010 16:48:04 GMT -5
Although Draeth had a lot to work off, experience-wise, Sala had never had anyone inside her head before even in the slightest. It was like the dragon had worked a new hole inside her mind that only he could fit through, but the more she tasted his voice, the more the shape shifted to suit him just right. It was easier to follow the path out as well and walk along the shared connection.
I've never done this before... but it feels more comfortable now. Did you do something to make it easier?
She was pretty sure that his control could enable him to make the process smoother for a first-timer, but she wasn't sure. Somehow, she felt really excited when she realized she was experiencing what Kolir did. But... could everyone do this? Were the other two talking to him privately as well? If so, what made bonding a dragon so special? What could Kolir do that they could not? She realized then, that she had still so much to learn. Thinking about it was giving her a headache.
Her eyes rose to Pann and she accepted the alcohol with only slight hesitation. She wasn't sure his headache would mind him taking a swig of it, even if just to wake him up, but if he asked for it she wouldn't stop him. Despite working in a bar of sorts, she had little taste for alcohol, she preferred to be entirely about her wits at all times. The introduction was met with a slight bit of concentration... a test? Little voices?
"It's a pleasure to meet you Pann, and you as well... Lady Lissa, I assume?" She took a moment to turn to the girl just off to her side, nodding her thanks for her having cared enough to risk herself for Kolir as well. "I'm a bit behind on exactly what's going on, but I'm sure it will be made clear when Kolir comes back to himself."
Dragons? Was that why he was there? But this man wasn't a... Oh gods what a strange situation. She practically felt Kolir stirring through some kind of sixth sense, looking down just to see his beautiful eyes flutter. When he opened them, her chest was tight. She hadn't realized how worried she'd been over something seemingly so small.
She wanted to respond to his light apologetic comments, but when he grabbed her hand and looked at her, his expression only made her lose herself. Leaning down, she took his face gently in her free hand and kissed him, meaning for it to be chaste though it deepened when her mouth felt such a familiar and stirring sensation. She didn't want to stop, but there were others around and she was just conscious enough of their surroundings to be wary of that.
Nobody would have guessed she was reserved when it came to that sort of thing because of her job, but she did like to take the comfort of others into consideration. She wasn't much of an exhibitionist, though it wasn't a problem in some cases.
Wondering if he could sense what was on her mind, she thought of the big dragon above her.
So tell me Draeth, how much of this do you get to enjoy?
Her smile transfered into her voice somehow, the comment teasing and playful to reflect her mood. She was unsure if Kolir would be able to hear, or if he'd be upset that she had contacted him so personally. He was and always would be Kolir's dragon, after all.
"I'm so glad you're well. We managed to keep Draeth from eating anyone. He was a bit distraught with worry over you when you fell." It wasn't the whole truth, she knew enough from what Pann said to know that it had to do with voices and not just his possessiveness of his bonded. But might as well spare the dragon some embarrassment.
|
|
|
Post by StarShine on Apr 27, 2010 20:21:32 GMT -5
Lissa grinned at the pair as Kolir came around, retreating to Shifra's side and then stepping forward with her bonded to nuzzle into Pann's arms. She hadn't hoped for any kind of mental link from her efforts, but some times there was a certain connection built from physical links all the same. It was strange in a way, but she found it to be true.
Lissa had no idea how well it had worked, only that Draeth was calm now. That's all that really matters. She hadn't wanted the dragon to hurt himself or anyone else - as far as Kolir, now that the beast wasn't raging, if they had needed they would have been able to fetch a scholar for the proper aid.
As it was, they had no need to call on anyone, not at the moment at least. The ice pack was pressed firmly against the poor man's bruised noggin and there was a bottle waiting to ease some of the pain. Thanks to pann.
She could help but grin at him for a moment.
"Aye, Lissa it is, and a pleasure to meet you, Salalali. May our next meeting be under kinder circumstances. This is my beloved Shifra."
Shifra nodded in acknowledgement, looking at Draeth with unconcealed curiosity and concern. Apparently there was much for her to learn and remember. Just how badly had their education been stunted?
She was eager to move on now that Kolir was awake, but she supposed it would be best to see if the small creature could walk first...
Lissa couldn't hide a smirk at the thoughts that shifted through her bonded's mind.
|
|
|
Post by Draekath on May 1, 2010 12:53:32 GMT -5
He grinned and wrapped his arms around his woman, resting his chin in her hair and eying the couple on the ground. He looked to be perfectly comfortable, even if he had absolutely no idea what was going on.
"He'll be alright," Pann asked Draeth, pausing a moment before cocking a brow "You'll be alright?"
A trickle of foreign emotion flicked over his mind for a moment and he looked at Shifra again, smiling broadly. "Eager?"
At a glance he seemed to be doing fine, but as he shifted his weight to hold Lissa tighter, the muscle under his tunic could be seen rippling tensely. With a low, animalistic growl he ducked his head by her ear and grumbled "And you, the next time you decide to face down a rampaging dragon, give me some warning first."
His hands were shaking slightly against Lissa's stomach, but his face was still placid. This was a Hell of a day so far, but he had every confidence that he could handle whatever happened.
He just hoped his test wasn't facing a raging dragon or anything like that.
|
|
|
Post by Talia on May 1, 2010 14:22:23 GMT -5
Draeth cocked his head to one side, as if “listening” when Sala spoke to him- the sight would have almost been considered comical had the gigantic silver dragon not tried to eat everyone in his presence mere moments before. A serpentine tongue snaked out to kiss the air as he replied, his chuckle reverberating between their mental link.
I have done nothing child, he said. It is merely a by-product of the unique nature of the bond.
At that he paused and would say no more. He could not divulge any more information to the woman- after all, his bonded had not even been made aware of all of this. Not yet at least. He feigned disinterest and licked a foreclaw, focussing his attention instead on quelling the other noisy inhabitants of his mind. It was true that dragons could instinctively make the link less complex for individuals that were not experienced in doing such things. Mental communication could flow easily between a dragon and another if they willed it. But the strength of the bond and the level of communication that he had reached with Sala was not of his own creation.
Kolir felt slightly confused by the dull buzzing sensation in his ears. Draeth was still... there, in his mind, but it felt as if his bonded had closed and locked a door, deep within some chamber of his mind. And he could still hear him talking from behind that door, muffled and discreet. It was, however, the voice that was responding in kind that had him confused. The voice that Draeth was communicating with was definitely feminine, and close in proximity, as their conversation didn’t sound so strained in his mind like it usually did when communicating with someone over a large distance. That only left a couple women, as Draeth would not ever feel the need to connect directly with any of the scholars at Drahonkal. It was possible that he could have connected with Lissa... or...
... was it Sala?
He blinked in confusion, still muddled, however he wasn’t given too long to recuperate before Sala kissed him. The gesture caught him completely off-guard; none the less he felt his blood all but sing as their lips met, the gentleness and the emotion of her kiss creating a hard knot of something in his stomach. That same deep attraction from earlier began to rise and take shape once more, and he found it difficult to not lose himself completely in the moment, despite the crowd of people and the press of two large dragons.
When the two finally broke contact he lingered a moment; selfishly, he did not wanting to relinquish her quite yet, but he was forced to acknowledge his surroundings and knew that perhaps this was not exactly the right moment to be considering the things that his mind was currently toying with...
His lips still tingled from the enduring sensation of the kiss, his hypersensitivity at a record high as he was still currently unable to really focus on controlling it or anything else. He kept a hold on her hand either way; if he had to put a stop to the kiss for the time being, this would be good enough. He wondered for a moment at this new-found feeling of possessiveness. When had this developed?
Draeth insinuated himself into his mind for a moment, disregarding him when Kolir mentally tried to take control over his previous charges.
Leave them be, the dragon rumbled. You need not worry about them right now, as they will no doubt be yours again soon enough.
Kolir grumbled, put out. His bonded seemed to be hiding something; he had always been able to tell. His questions were cut short though by Sala’s inquiries.
I enjoy as much of it as I wish to enjoy Lady Sala, replied Draeth with a laugh. It is not altogether disagreeable, although we dragons have.... different ways of displaying such emotions, however. Your human ways confuse me, for the most part.
Kolir blinked again as he heard the conversation between the two. When had Draeth begun to communicate with Sala? He shook his head vigorously at Sala’s last comment, now utterly confused.
“Eating people? I couldn’t have been asleep that long,” he said with a frown.
What had occurred while he was unconscious??
Draeth’s head swivelled to take in the hatchling’s expression as he regarded her with pale reptilian eyes. He was beginning to respect the emerald female. She had proven herself to be bold and fierce, despite the obstacle- himself. He turned then to look at Pann in kind, and inclined his head in response.
I am quite myself again, thank you Pann. I appreciate your concern.
He watched the interplay between Pann and Lissa with amusement. Mates. He did not know if he would ever understand such things, although he was beginning to grasp the concept more as of late.
His attention was returned to Kolir when he saw the elemental stumble upright. With a snarl, Draeth turned and made as if to gently prod his bonded back into a seated position with his overly large maw, but stopped outright as Kolir shook his head.
“No,” he said aloud. He didn’t have the energy to mentally communicate. Verbalizing was easier at this moment. The dragon blinked in confusion and continued to rumble, utterly malcontent. Kolir glared as best as he was able and managed to draw himself fully upright. “If you are as good as you say you are, then you must release them back into my control. We must get on with it. You cannot do what needs to be done. You know that.”
Draeth hissed but calmed quickly, his expression dismal, even for a dragon. He was loathe to give them back- the pain was hard to bear, even for him. He was only satisfied knowing that the trials would soon be over if he did, for the both of them. For the time being. None-the-less, he could not cope with the knowledge that Kolir would be set upon again by those... fiends.
Kolir’s expression darkened as Draeth wallowed in abject misery. He understood that it was hard for a bonded to legitimately agree to a situation that caused pain to his bond, but it was what needed to be done. His voice cracked across Draeth’s wretchedness like a whip as he summoned the most authoritative voice he could, given his current state of weakness.
“Now Draeth.”
With that the locked door came swinging open with a crash, and they surged towards him like an angry tide, invading his mind, perpetually prodding, and feeding his pain. They did not like to be caged. They were wild, after all, and Draeth’s imprisonment had angered them.
Draeth growled as he felt them batter at Kolir, but he bonded remained resolute, despite his deteriorated condition. His expression contorted into a wince as he addressed them all. At least he understood now.
“We must hurry to the central chamber. I have to begin the testing. Draeth, grab the bag. Lissa, you can watch with me once it begins, but you cannot take part or aid Pann, much as you might want to. You must promise this. To aid him is to make him suffer more, and so he must suffer alone. You cannot succeed as a pair. Sala, you must come as well. You did not ask for this, but they ask for you.”
Without waiting for a response, he strode forward, however awkwardly, Draeth supporting him as best he could as he made his way to the central building of Drahonkal.
|
|
|
Post by Tigeress on May 2, 2010 12:58:49 GMT -5
Her mind traced his words with a sly suspicion, the implications seemed to be large but she didn't yet understand it fully. Something told her it was worth paying attention to, and that he did not, in fact, communicate with everyone like this. But then part of it could have been her closeness with Kolir.
Speaking of, she moved her hand in his, the delicate ends of her fingers rolling over his knuckles and through his palm, winding a rhythmic path that probably comforted her just as much as him. Truthfully she didn't find it too possessive, or perhaps that was simply because she wanted it too.
This much I do know, I've done some light research on your kind. I suppose I'm sort of a fan. I do wonder how different the sensation is for you. She couldn't imagine what it'd feel like for Kolir if Draeth were ever to show his version of affection with a dragoness. But then perhaps she'd never know, she had a feeling it was something you wouldn't find in most books, and even if it was, words could probably not do it justice.
She was completely unaware that Kolir was puzzling over her connection to his dragon, instead focusing on his confusion about what had transpired while he was unconscious. "No, not that long. But, long enough. Don't worry so, Kolir, nobody was harmed." She wouldn't divulge what lengths most of the party had gone through to wake him which could have ended in them all being very harmed, some things were just better left unsaid.
Sala moved like a shadow to Kolir, she didn't try to help him up, knowing the dragon lord would not want to appear weaker than he had to. If he could stand on his own, she'd let him, but she'd also be right there in case he became dizzy or fell. She didn't blame Draeth's reaction, but it seemed like whatever was going on behind-the-scenes was important to Kolir. She just wanted him to solve it before he ended up in a coma.
Release them into his control?... Well they were at Drahonkal, and it seemed the Lady Lissa had recently taken a mate, was this all about the other unbonded dragons? She'd heard whispers of it, but it had also been said that all the living dragons had been bonded. Perhaps it was untrue. But still... an elf? She wondered if this was going to work out well. If her inklings were right, then whatever was in Kolir and Draeth' minds had to do with the wild dragons.
The command caught her off-guard, but her attention snapped to Kolir like a hawk, hands tense to grab him should something go wrong suddenly. Somehow Draeth's growl was soothing, it felt like she released some tension through the sound, and she resisted the urge to look at him curiously. Kolir seemed to be handling his mental link much better now than before, though the wince made her brush his waist secretly, just to let him know she was there if he needed her.
As if on cue, Kolir began to explain the condensed version of what was going on. Aiding Pann, Lissa could only be aiding him in one thing... he meant to bond a dragon like her. The explanation made sense now up until a point. You did not ask for this, but they ask for you. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to make a sound, but sheer shock took it away. Her pulse must have been speeding at that point.
If there was one thing she'd always thought about, it was bonding one of the dragons that the royals of their race had proudly paraded about for years. But she was no royal. Since when had the dragons stopped being so picky? This was no time to question it. Sala nodded resolutely and followed Kolir at a brisk pace, ignoring anything they moved past until they got to the central chambers, nothing else really mattered at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by StarShine on May 4, 2010 8:08:21 GMT -5
Lissa scowled and shook her head, though not in denial. She hadn't planned on having Pann go through any sort of testing, much less for what she was now beginning to suspect was a dragon bond. She'd simply found her mate, the one that gave her a spark in life.. And reacted instinctively, snarling to keep him from being run off.
What's more, she couldn't help. Ah, this was a right mess, alright.
He shall do fine, my beloved. He already understands the instincts you've obtained, and he seems fairly wild himself at heart.
A mental sigh crossed their link and Lissa placed a hand on Shifra's wing joint, as if for support, following Kolir and sneaking glances at Pann. She couldn't help but wonder what he thought of all of this.
Their testing would soon begin.
|
|
|
Post by Draekath on May 4, 2010 21:10:09 GMT -5
He frowned and cracked his neck as Kolir began striding across the lawn, the scowl vanishing instantly as he glanced first at Lissa and then at Shifra. His eyes hardened in determination and he flashed them a bright, reassuring smile as he followed the dragon keeper.
His legs flexed visibly under his britches as the cloth brushed against his thighs, the lean muscle barely rippling as he strode forward. He moved in the same manner as when he was hunting and facing a particularly large prey; if he missed, it could and more than likely would trample him for the injury.
His gazed was fixed ahead of him, in that same glare, but this time there was no single object it fixed itself on. It actually seemed that he didn't see ahead of him at all as he followed Kolir's lead, a playful grin toying on his lips as a light sweat coated his brow.
|
|