Inquisitive Minds

[Draekath]

OOC| That's basically what Shine's was as well, I think, she just got a little excited.

I can't wait to see how your bonding goes... Or if the small dragon winds up going berserk and killing Pann. That would be an interesting plot twist.

[Talia]

((OOC: Sorry for leaving you all hanging! I’m a horrible human being for doing so. Ahem. Anyhow, I’m assuming that as soon as the bond’s complete, both Lissa and Pann will want some alone time. Poor guy’s a little mangled. I’ll carry on in this thread with Sala and Kolir and the final bonding, and we can reopen a joint thread later, just so Kolir can have the opportunity to speak to both of the newly bonded individuals about what to expect and where they’re going from here. It’s customary for new bonds to stay at Drahonkal for a few days anyway, just while they get accustomed to their unruly new companions. The power can be a bit overwhelming, and at least if they’re at Drahonkal, they’ll have plenty of individuals around them to assist them. If you and Shine feel like starting a thread in the meantime, be my guest! Also, you might want to take a peek at the dragon info posted in Drahonkal. I’ve posted the brass’ pic in the current dragons thread as well, and it will be up to Pann and the brassy dragon to come up with a suitable name for himself, now that he’s a bit more civilized. Both Sala and Pann will need a bit of tutelage when they’re better so that they know a bit more about what just happened. If you two (meaning Shine and Draekath) want to post at least one more post each just to conclude what occurred, that would be great! Draekath definitely needs to post once more, but Shine, I’ll let you use your own discretion.))

When Pann bared his teeth the hatchling’s jaws gnashed in response, showing a fine set of sharp, new dragonlet fangs. Perhaps this elf was just as feral as himself? He cocked his little head for a moment, oddly amused amidst his fervor for control by the situation. He fought back.

He was not supposed to fight back, was he?

The dragon hissed in objection as Pann shredded the little beast’s mental image, but even that noise, albeit ferocious, was beginning to sound half-hearted. As the elf’s mind intruded, insinuating itself into the feral’s being, he shoved back, digging his claws into the mental material of their bond, still resisting. He could feel himself sliding though, his claws giving away, scrabbling more and more noticeably against a will seemingly made of marble, unable to find purchase on the slippery surface…

In the back of the brass’ mind, he could already identify the victor. He could feel the elf’s spirit, his nature, and it overpowered and dominated his own officious personality. Much as he might try to deny it, he could identify the very real truth behind the situation. But he was stubborn. He would make sure that this creature understood that, above all else, before their battle was done.

As the man ripped one of his scales away from his tough hide, he roared in protest, his razor sharp jaws snapping mere inches away from the man’s fingers. And yet, his tirade was short lived. He was fascinated by this new and utterly unearthly feeling. Pain. This man had hurt him, injured him. The sharp, stinging sensation was a reminder that he was altogether too fragile, too young in body. And yet, the creature hadn’t killed him, as most predators would their prey. So he was not prey then? This man wanted him, as others had wanted to possess his kind. He could feel the man’s mind, enveloping his own, and he started, brilliant jewel-like eyes narrowed in apprehension as he judged this man before him. This mind was not seeking possession. It did not feel possessive. Even his thoughts seemed warm, his words wise. Had he erred?

Death comes to us all, you ridiculous creature, he declared, his voice full of faux scorn. Yet, he could not help but admire the man for his words. You cannot refuse it, but you do embrace it. Much as we do. We find acceptance in it, and while it is neither welcoming nor enjoyable, we realize its inevitability. You humans are so… fragile. For the remainder of your existence, you will remain in this shell, while my body grows and hardens to protect me. You court death openly. Your mere existence does.

He openly stared at this woman, this woman that this man had claimed as his mate. His mind trailed over that of Shifra’s, ever so briefly, satisfied that the dragoness felt no remorse over her own bonding. This woman was in so much pain and had so much feeling simply because of this elf’s trials. Did dragons experience this with their chosen mates? Quickly, his eyes flashed to the man that he knew understood such things, the man that he felt a certain amount of regret towards for damaging his mind. It had been necessary, however. Kolir, their guardian, could not identify their intendeds without their assistance. He watched the Dragon Lord’s eyes intently for a moment before feeling sufficiently satisfied that his questions could be answered at a later date.

With a certain amount of odd, alien timorous behavior, the dragon cautiously prodded the mental compartment that seemed so pained by the thoughts of this woman’s death. Now it was simple curiosity that drove the beast, rather than malicious intent. This bond… would it trump his own? Despite the fact that he stubbornly tried to convince himself that this bond would not take place, he knew that he was wrong. He wanted this man, but he could not ignore the insidious feelings of jealousy that usurped his own reason.

He watched the man as he held his scale aloft, the metallic smell of blood mingling with the stale heat of the air. As he sliced open his palm, the dragon’s tongue flicked forward, scenting the air, testing the man’s mettle. He watched without moving as the man drew closer, and resisted the urge to snap at his fingers once again. As their blood mingled, his whole body felt as if it were….singing. Vibrating almost with a sense of rightness. Of belonging. Cautiously he licked his wound, encouraging the man’s blood to enter his system in this macabre ritual. He almost snarled in alarm as the man’s hand grasped him tightly, surprising him. His words flooded his mind, full of promise and intent. He sensed his resolve, and applauded him for his determination. The dragon’s final few snaps in his direction were little more than a cautionary tale as he felt the elf release him.

They were equals.

He did not answer as the man spoke, and he watched detachedly as Pann drew his hand closer again, still reveling in his latest discovery. Equals. This was foreign to him, but he was beginning to understand…

It was then that he noticed the blossoming color on the man’s skin. They had injured each other. Certainly they had both had enough. He had intended to win, but perhaps the prize was not control, but merely acceptance.

With small, tiny steps, the dragon inched forward, as if stalking the man’s hand, ever aware of the injuries that they had both inflicted on one another. He was drawn, curiously so. Would this be so bad? Surely it would not…

Decisively and with alarming speed, the dragon pumped his tiny wings to carry him the last few paces forward. His muzzle grazed the man’s knuckles as his tongue brushed the elf’s lacerated palm, soothing the wound with the dragon’s own odd abilities. Finally, he stared back at the man, and as their eyes connected the dragon opened the final few doors to their consciousnesses, allowing the elf full access to his mind, to each other’s thoughts.

I have been bested, the beast said, infinitely intelligent, and rightfully so. I admit to being captured, and I come freely.

---

Kolir watched the process, intensely satisfied with the end result. He was finding it difficult to watch Lissa go through such torment, but he knew that it had to be done this way. No doubt the two of them would find many more challenges in their future. The brass was protective, possessive almost. He hoped that that quality wouldn’t hold true. Most hatchlings tended to be selfish at birth, but the ones with the adult mentalities typically were harder to revert, more difficult to convince. None-the-less, Pann had managed to complete the bond successfully. He could only hope that the brass would give him enough time to recuperate before attempting to pepper him with questions and delve into his past. He had already felt the dragon’s consciousness prodding at his own mind during the bonding. He would have much to discuss with them all later, no doubt. For now, however, Pann needed time to rest, and he had another bond to make.

Draeth rumbled in the background, satisfied that his friends had not come to any harm. Even he would not have been able to intervene. He knew that the brass would become a formidable opponent with age. He looked forward to the good-natured tussles that might result.

“You are exhausted Pann,” said Kolir sympathetically. “Feel free to use our facilities to your benefit. Some of the scholars and residents can tend to your hand, although I think that you will find it considerably better in the morning. You and Lissa are both free to stay at Drahonkal for as long as you are comfortable doing so, although I would encourage you to remain here at least for a few days, until you are more familiar with your bond. I’m sure you both have many questions. There are rooms available that will house dragons even as large as Draeth. The staff will direct you to them- Shifra should be quite comfortable there. You two will be feeling the full extent of the bond now. Shifra is mated to the brass for life, much as the two of you are. You will have to be careful not to… explore those bonds too early, especially since Shifra and the brass are both still juveniles, the brass mere hours old, physically.”

He waved a hand in the air dismissively as he winced, ever so slightly, at the intruding voice of the amethyst.

“I will talk to you both later. I must continue. I am glad that you are all well, truly.”

Draeth dipped his neck in agreement, his voice entering all their minds collectively.

Congratulations Pann. I look forward to challenging your bond in the future, when he is nearer my match, he said, highly amused. I am glad that you are relatively unharmed. I have seen, and been the cause of much worse.

With that, the dragon nudged Sala forward encouragingly, his mind flowing over hers like a soothing balm.

One bond has been made successfully. You will manage, Sala. She is a different beast from the brass, but she is still your bond.

Kolir frowned worriedly, his brows furrowed. He felt an ache in the very core of his being, a painful sharp tug at the thought of Sala not being successful. Quietly, heatedly, he mentally promised the feral amethyst that she would suffer his form of retribution if she hurt Sala overly much. When he finished he was perplexed, distraught. He had never done such a thing, and the amethyst femme knew it. Recognized it.

Where had that come from?

Still frowning, he gestured to the elemental. They had to finish this soon, so the clamoring voices would ease their shouting.

“Sala, you must begin now. She’s demanding it.”

((OOC: PS, I couldn't kill off Pann. He's developed so nicely. ))

[Tigeress]

The pain still echoed over her in waves, waves that made her body rock slightly in rhythm, her one hand still using the warm press of Draeth's scales like a buoy in the middle of an ocean. An ocean of pain, demand, need. Despite how she fought back, the battle wouldn't cease, it had already begun and the dragon had the advantage of wearing her own before the official clock started ticking.

She watched the spectacle before her with open excitement, she was gaining faith in this elf. As the exchange was made and the dragon's fury started to die down, she grinned with only a few small winces here and there. He had done it, the first bond had been successful. And this was her small victory, too. She started pointedly at the Amethyst.

He has done it, one bond has been made. And one more will come. The corner of her mouth quirked wickedly even as the femme slashed at her mind angrily. Her head only tilted back a bit, letting the pressure filter through her body like a poisonous wine. The ends of her fingers quivered with the effort it was taking to hold up her defenses.

"Con...gratulations, Pann." Was all she could manage at the moment, tossing a momentary glance in that direction just as Draeth ushered her forward. Her steps were strong but robotic, like there was a great resistance in all her limbs. At Draeth's words of comfort, she merely sent him back a feeling, the pride she felt at knowing she had his support. In the span of mere hours, he'd become important to her.

With your faith in me, I know I will not fail now. It was a partial lie, she felt very confident but she was aware that Pann's success did not mean her own. And... She felt a prickle down her spine when she thought of Kolir behind her, but couldn't bring herself to look at him. Doing so might shake her resolve, remind her that she had something to lose. She would tell him what she'd told Draeth, the message would be from her own mouth.

Unaware of Kolir's interruption, she felt the pressure lighten as she came to a stop not far from the Amethyst female. Her slitted eyes were strangely beautiful, though the look was anything but inviting.

Hide it if you must, but I know a part of you wants this. So let me in. She began to press at the dragoness' mind now, though it meant lowering her defenses enough that she could feel feral claws ripping into her head as if she was actually tearing real flesh, and it wasn't figurative at all. Her mouth parted in a silent scream before she slammed back. It felt so good to finally be able to go on the offensive, and she had so much pent-up restraint that her own pressure felt surprisingly insistent, even for her.

But Sala had one small upper hand, though the Amethyst had been picking at her for so long, she'd gotten a glimpse of what drove her. Her weapons had been arranged long before they'd begun, and now she just had to wield them at the right times. Her hand convulsed in front of her as she used nails in her mind to tear at the dragoness, using her mind like a door made of spiderweb to rip through to the other side.

But it was like playing tug-of-war, every inch she gained meant giving up an inch of her own. If she wasn't careful, the little one would push through before her. She cried out and tilted her head upwards, closing her eyes to concentrate harder for a moment. Maybe she could get the dragon to let go just as she did, but it would take a lot of wearing down, and she wasn't sure she had the experience to best her endurance.

I will endure all that you put on me. I won't falter, test me as much as you want. I will earn your respect. She made sure to let the dragoness know that this fight was not against her, it was for her. Owning her, breaking her, was not in Sala's interest. But to become respected by her, trusted by her, to be seen worthy by her... that definitely was. She knew the pain had only just begun, and so her confidence was a bit hasty, but pain was a temporary price to pay.

She was still pressing at the link to the dragon, but her force had waned slightly. Her mind was bracing itself for the inevitable, and the chance to strike back when the amethyst focussed all her energy on getting into Sala's head and mentally tearing her apart.
Give me your best shot.

[Draekath]

Yes, death will come, Pann thought almost absently as the little creature curiously explored their new bond and the aches in his body hit him full force for the first time. I court it by my own choices; such things as this are not recommended for a long lasting life. A wry smirk curved his lips as the dragonlet glanced up at him with a bit of an amused spark in his eye, carefully cradling the creature to his chest as he stood - he moved as if he had aged a thousand years. Resting a hand on the smooth scales of his new bonded and holding him with his other arm, Pann turned and smiled boldly at Lissa, looking as if he may be up to running around even yet.

It was of course a falsehood, but there was no mistaking the look in her eyes. He wouldn't let on, not just yet.

Still, he thought as his newly bonded's attention was diverted first by Shifra and then by the other woman grappling with his clutch-mate, There are many ways to refuse such a thing. I don't refuse to acknowledge or face it - I simply refuse it. Not once have I faced my own mortality and found myself knowing that I was going to die. I refuse to let it happen, not until I'm ready... Or the hunter bests me, as it will, as it always does.

He explored the little dragon's mind himself as he carefully moved towards Lissa and Shifra, nodding with a mute smile and heading for the doorway. He felt he owed this Sala the respect of seeing how she did, but every inch of him ached in such a way as to make it hard not to simply curl up on the spot and sleep.

He couldn't remember his mind being so full and busy before. Nor could he say, before Lissa, that he had ever felt such a connection with a creature - it was as if he and the dragon were each their own part of the same being, now. He found himself thinking towards what he could call the little beast, beyond bonded and friend, and gently wound his mind through the other's, searching for a name that would suit. Something exotic, powerful, rough, without being harsh - that's what he felt in the mind, what he explored, and the direction he found himself guided towards when it came to choosing a proper namesake for him.

Explore more later, the surprisingly aged voice within the little creature instructed, sounding just as tired and wary from their struggle. If I can't prod Shifra right now, this female I'm to be mated to as she is bonded to the one you chose, then you can't be digging around for a name. We need rest... And food. Not in that order.

Pann found himself grinning at the feeling that came from the creature - almost as if it came from himself, in a way, the predatory urge to devour and eat until he simply rolled over and slept. They could find food easily enough, he was sure - he very much doubted that part of a hall of dragon scholars would include room service, but they would indeed find food.

"Come," he murmured aloud, automatically wrapping Lissa in along side the new bonded, "Let's rest. We'll talk in our room."

The dragonlet looked up at the woman as they walked out of the room, sparing her a quick glance as he took in her deep skin, the hint of freckles, the flaming ringlets - and the scar, bold and thick, across her beautiful face. His instincts said she had been marked, branded as lesser - battle wounds did not frequent across one's face.

He also knew that many who were marked in such a cruel manner rose above those that had stricken them down, greater than they had ever dreamed. This elemental seemed to be one of those - he felt no hint of a subordinate or lesser creature when he touched her mind.

He couldn't feel her mind without feeling the other's, however, this Shifra. She was stunning, with long, glorious ears and the most decorative face. Without thinking he hummed a little, already growing long enough so that his tail hung down over Pann's shoulder as they walked out of the room.

Pann made a mental note to make sure the little fellow didn't tax himself overmuch with his growth. This, at the least, had been deliberate - he didn't know about growing beyond this, but the moment itself had been deliberate.

And then both of their minds were focused fully and wholly upon the task of eating and passing out for a long, long while, each breath sending a thin lace of pain through them as they shared in mental and physical pains.

[Tigeress]

[[OOC: pokeprod?]]

[Talia]

((OOC: I'm a horrible admin!! Hun, I promise you I will post here this week. Keep checking in. Work's had me swamped. I have to study every night it seems for training. They test you pretty heavily. >.< This week will be quieter though. Sorry chick!))

[Talia]

Kolir watched Lissa and Pann leave detachedly, his expression fixed into a grimace of pain as he shared in the turmoil that was the final hatchling’s emotions. He was happy for them, and relieved, but he found it difficult to express such things physically as the amethyst femme ravaged Sala’s mind- and his own. The last few sentences that he had uttered to them would be all that he would be able to manage until this bonding came to a close. Meanwhile, the others had fallen eerily silent, as if their eggs had turned into stone-cold, hard and lifeless. Quiet once again, until the presence of another compatible bond was felt.

Once again, the claws of the female raked across his mind like hot coals, a fiery burning brand deep in the tissue of his mind. He wondered at the significance- dragon kin rarely lingered long in his mind once the presence of their bond was felt. As soon as they were able, they usually leapt across that mental barrier to occupy the others’ consciousness, focusing all their efforts on the mind of one singular individual. This female seemed content to torment Kolir just a few moments longer. He found himself unable to focus on discovering the reason behind the dragonlet’s ire however- the pain was too great to allow him to grasp onto one thought, too terrible to allow for processing time and recuperation. She was equally as strong as the bronze, equally as fierce as her egg-mates, yet with her own distinctive characteristics.

Belatedly he wondered if the female was punishing him for promising her pain if things did not go according to plan.

Draeth, even amidst his bonded’s pain, was jarringly silent. Kolir had expected something, anything- an antagonistic snarl at the very least. But his bonded’s attention was fixated on the egg, as if he too were connected to the amethyst female inside on a level that was uncharacteristic of the eldest dragon. Pale eyes watched Sala carefully, marking her movements, tracing the ripples of her thoughts as he attempted to “listen in” on the bonding.

The great silver dragon felt her rage flood over him like a rising tide. Could she prove to be untameable? Though she was distinctly less feral than the others, the complexities of her emotions made her that much harder to grasp; she was an intricate creature, silky, sinuous and coy. Her mind was artful, pure cunning and feminine intelligence. Just when he believed that he was beginning to understand her, she slipped from his grasp like smoke in the wind. And, for reasons that he could not understand, she was most resentful. Sullen. Her power and presence was a bitter draught to him. The thing that the dragon found most puzzling was her anger towards him and his bonded. He hoped the bond could prove to be healing for her, at the very least.

Draeth nodded at Sala, acknowledging her mental speech with a mere nod, trying his utmost not to distract her. The silver glanced at his bonded, as if to, unnecessarily, confirm his pain. It was as he had guessed. Kolir was special- no doubt this experience would be altogether unique, as it had been thus far for him. An experience that would never again be repeated in the lifetime of either of the elementals, the Sages willing.

As the lithe female pried herself from her egg, wasting no time with complicated interplay inside her shell, Draeth observed her with utter fascination. Bright, overly intelligent eyes fixed first on Sala in a challenging slitted stare, and then focused ever so briefly on the two males left in the room. The dragoness casually lashed Kolir and Sala’s minds like a whip; she was a cat, toying with a half-maimed mouse.

Her voice was mellifluous, seductive, opulent and entirely feminine. A rich purr of emotion and promises unkept. Under the surface of that deceptive calm was a bubbling, boiling lake of fury. She watched Sala and listened with all the patience of a born predator, ready for the final pounce that would spell the end of her prey’s life.

Perhaps you are too late in coming, she hissed ungraciously before ripping at Sala’s mind, reeling the tiniest bit at the recoil. Bright alien eyes regarded the woman with new respect, before focusing on the other arrayed individuals.

You know very little. You are more vulnerable than you realize. I am still very much a part of him, she reminded Sala viciously in a private conversation, with a pointed glance at Kolir. I know him. I know his mind.

The little femme was dug solidly into the fabric of the three individuals now. She knew that Draeth and Kolir would not harm her- they would not risk damaging Sala’s mind in the process. She scrabbled around in their minds deftly like a spider on its own familiar web. She had been imprisoned in Kolir’s mind for years, knowing him, recognizing him for what he was, resenting his inability to free them both. And now that the woman had come, she resented her for not finding her, for not recognizing what seemed so evident to the little female. She was not a patient creature.

She had been imprisoned for years. Years![/b] And now she would make them both pay for their ignorance and incompetence, despite that insidious, creeping sense of guilt and longing for what she had been denied...

She snapped in irritation, gnashing her jaws together in the face of Sala.

Respect is no longer an option. I will test you. I will not fail, she stated resolutely, simply.

Why hadn’t this woman fought for her years ago? Why had she taken so long, left her so miserable? It didn't matter if she was fighting for her now... did it?

To the dragoness, the woman had betrayed her merely by not knowing. Ignorance was unforgiveable, despite the fact that the woman was fighting most fiercely for her now.

She should have known!

Being inside Kolir’s mind had not been entirely unpleasant. But it was the sluggishness of their intelligence, their inability to make the necessary connections, both of them, that had her enraged. He should know as well as she! He had made her wait, because he had been unable to find her. And she had not been able to feel her, not initially, despite the female dragon’s attempt to reach out to her, to claw feebly at her for attention and release.

Always slow, always plodding about, the dragon said scathingly, projecting her voice to the three of them.

She was hurt. She was injured...

Could you not see me for what I am? You kept me caged! Both of you!

She screamed her wrath, and plunged her claws angrily into Sala’s mind, rending and tearing before turning her attentions pointedly toward Kolir.

If it comforts you, I will see the end of him just as promptly as I witness your demise, she promised Sala, her voice full of purposeful intent.

You... left... me...

[Tigeress]

Sala was unprepared for the level of intrusiveness, the sheer power and her lack of knowledge in how to create barriers against it. Like waves slamming against the face of a cliff, it felt like the rocks of Sala's mind crumbled a little with every blow and fell into that angry water. So hot, so incredibly hot. When the female emerged before her, she regarded her with surprise. Were she not in so much pain, she might have been able to focus on the fact that she was actually... beautiful.

Seeing a dragon like this might have taken her breath away under other circumstances, but as it was, she had no breath to give between trying to keep breathing past the pain. At the whip across her mind, her head went backwards, expressing the pressure inside.

I don't believe anything is too late until there is no longer a realistic possibility of it. Neither you or I are dead, so there is a possibility. One thing Sala had going for her was resilience, and, experience. For a human she was strong, she'd built her own business from the ground up and run it from a young age. She was successful, and that took intelligence and a little bit of natural-born leadership ability. God knows she'd need that now.

Did I express fear over who or what you are a part of? By joining into my life, you would also have to be part of Kolir and Draeth, this much I know. If anything, your experience would be beneficial. She expressed with a strained mental chuckle. Salalali was not a perfect woman, she would be jealous if she had a right. But really, threatening her place in Kolir's life? If she could easily accept Draeth's influence over the man, what was one more dragon?

She could taste something bitter and acidic on her tongue, knew it was all in her head but couldn't shake the sensation. Her anger, her bitterness, it was... bitter. She had lost herself to her loathing, where was her mind in such a state? She'd never felt so much scalding, painful anger. She grimaced outwardly, though her eyes expressed a pain that was not physical. Past the mind games and clever retorts... she did feel guilty. Even if it wasn't her fault and she knew it, she couldn't imagine what it felt like...

Her sympathy was jarred for a moment by the sudden physical response, feeling the dragoness' breath hot on her face. Though she startled in place, she did not move back.

Then test me, punish me, do whatever you must to ease your pain. For her, this wasn't a test about who was the bigger, badder being in the room. She knew she was outclassed, she couldn't win on mental strength or resolve alone. But one thing she did have on her side, was the fact that she cared. Even though the amethyst female threatened her with death, she could taste her agony, and it hurt her to feel it and know that for so long, she'd had to feel it alone. She wanted to share it, to prove that for an eternity she would shoulder burdens with the dragoness, she was strong enough to want to make it better.

Pain was often an irrational emotion, she knew that the dragon would use her sense of injustice to justify her feelings. Knew that a lot of what she knew to be true was not, but felt true simply because she'd convinced herself of it. It made things harder, you can't argue with an irrational argument. You can only try to ease the source of the behavior- and in this case, it was her pain, fear, anger.

Do you think you are the only one who suffered? Her eyes, though shimmering with pain, regarded the dragoness dead-on. Do you not know yet from being in my mind, how many years I have only dreamed of ever getting to even glimpse one of your kind like this? I know you can feel my feelings, my longing, the loneliness. Fate works in its own time, and neither you nor I can be arrogant enough to think we can change fate. Her hands were quivering from trying to contain a well of emotion stronger than any rage.

Nothing worth having comes without a fight. This was our fight. And it ends here today. She reeled and nearly lost the strength to stand when the female pointedly attacked her mind, feeling like the bones were shifting in her skull. She cried out and then locked her jaw hard in place.

You will not hurt that which I love. I protect all those dear to me with my life. She angrily pushed back, aiming to distract the amethyst from all thoughts of Kolir or Draeth.

She shook her head slowly, a note of sadness in her eyes at the last, because she understood and she knew deep down the dragoness knew she understood. You can say a lot of things that are believable, but that is not one. To end either one of us, would mean to live the rest of your life alone. To taste this connection we share, and never taste it again until you die, can you stand it? I won't let you hurt yourself any longer, so I will not fail.

[Talia]

His head throbbed now with a rhythmic pain that was not his own- a monstrous pulse had taken hold, chipping away at his carefully placed barriers and blockades, eating away at his core and covering him in a blanket of agony. His head lashed back once more, and he fell awkwardly to his knees as he writhed with the amethyst’s torture. He had not anticipated her attack. They had always been fierce, persistent. All of them. But they had never taken a personal interest in him, not since Draeth. Sure, they fought quite intensely when they wanted to be released, when they found the ones they were meant for. None-the-less, those attacks were little more than pinpricks, and were as a direct result of impatience rather than malice. The amethyst was something else. She was using him- she had coiled herself around their connection, solidifying it while she assaulted Sala. He was little more than a tool at this point- an implement that she could use to get her point across. She was the conduit for pain, channeling it across three fronts, manipulating it in ways that he had not been able to imagine.

She was determined to make her point clear. Crystal clear. And she was taking them all down in the process.

The silver dragon that had been resting previously in the corner was now coiled, hissing in agitation, his muscles bunched and taut, ready to spring at a moment’s notice. His target was evident- the small draconic figure at the epicentre of it all. Something stalled him however- whether it was his love for the two individuals involved, or his recognition of the potential of the female before him, he could not tell. His world was being torn asunder, and he was doing his best to keep his rage in check for many reasons, none of which he could clearly isolate and identify while being painfully and magically accosted.

The amethyst female regarded Sala with a certain amount of smug satisfaction. The fact that this woman had reacted to her threats involving Kolir and Draeth made her that much more susceptible... and weak. The Dragon Lord was strong- that much she could identify with. She knew his mind well, after all. But she was his weakness, and he hers. Likewise, the silver male could be used as well. He was, after all, Kolir’s bonded. Not to mention the fact that the femme had picked up on the subtle beginnings of a connection between the male dragon and Sala.

No doubt. The elementals were both so oblivious to the parts that they each had to play in the other’s lives. The silver dragon could identify it, as most dragons could- it almost made her re-examine her motives a bit more closely in regards to harming the silver- or the others for that matter. The dragon was an intelligent male, and the eldest of his kind. And she knew what he was to her. They would both be useless without the other, however, now that they had bonded.

She pulled back a little at this, examining the bond’s significance, its importance. Her race was a dying one, and she was inexorably drawn to the male, and the woman before her. Seeing as how they were all interconnected, she was finding it more and more difficult to attack without provocation.

Brilliant jewel-toned eyes swiveled back, once again, towards the woman before her. The struggle almost seemed... one sided now. The woman put up very little fight, unless provoked with threats against those that she loved. Even though the woman really didn’t understand the significance of the other two males in the room, she fought for them, as she fought for the right to earn her trust and respect again. Sala’s submissiveness calmed her slightly. She would allow her to attack her? Surely she would resist, as all normally did. To the dragon, it seemed as if the woman was accepting the fact that she had caused her pain; she was willing to replicate that pain, have it inflicted on her tenfold in order to right the wrongs that had been done to her potential bonded.

It was satisfying, and distressing, all in the same breath. She was now stuck, manipulated into inaction. She could not harm the other dragon- he was everything, and she had no doubt that if she refused him and all that he meant by attacking him that he would not hesitate to kill her. She could not attack the Lord- to inflict harm upon him would be to destroy both of her potential bonds. And the woman... if she persisted in her attack upon Sala, the other two would take the initiative and destroy her out of vengeance.

They had reached a stalemate, and she was clever enough to recognize it for what it was.

Did she really want to hurt the woman? She had acted rashly, like a hatchling rather than the centuries old creature that she was. Had she really been reduced to something this impulsive, this sullen? Had she really nursed this hurt for that long? Truth be told, she didn’t hate them. She couldn’t. She could sense her life, see her future, and she was being pulled towards it like a moth to the flame. She resisted, but she knew it was futile.

At Sala’s admittance, the dragoness visibly recoiled, as if struck. She could sense the woman’s despair... but her own selfish desire to right her own injustices had prohibited her from seeing the larger picture. She quickly sorted through the woman’s memories, verifying the information, testing the woman’s honesty and loyalty. She could see her own feelings mirrored in the woman’s heart, in her voice.

It was no wonder that she had chosen the mate that she did.

The sheer weight of Sala’s words had a noticeable impact on the femme. She studied Sala now, prodding at her hurts with something almost akin to tenderness. Her previously smoldering gaze was now more tempered, more knowledgeable. She understood, she recognized. This woman was her match, this silver her world, and the man attached to the both of them her keeper, her Lord, and worth her respect.

The dragoness stared, carefully piecing together speech before answering. She would not apologize- this was all part of the test. No excuses would be made, and the wrongdoings done to both of them today and in the past would be put to right here and now.

To live without your other half is similar to gasping, to being without one’s breath. My life has already been made for me. You do not see it, she added pointedly, her fangs flashing in a parody of a sad smile at her soon-to-be bonded. Not yet at least. I cannot let my personal hurt ruin all the opportunities that have been presented to me. At her words, realization lit up in Kolir’s face, quickly replaced by an unreadable expression. He still had yet to leave the floor, struck as he was by the blinding pain of the dragoness’ earlier attack.

No doubt he would need a bit of time to absorb her statement...as would they all.

[Tigeress]

Everything had started to take on a hazy edge, the pain she'd been absorbing like a splintered battering ram, it was starting to take her down. And though she stood on shivering legs, she knew her show of persistence would come to a dramatic end when her body forced her to acknowledge the stress her mind was under. She wasn't made of steel, even if she tried to pretend.

That same sixth sense from before told her that Kolir was in pain, she wanted to look back at him so badly it burned. Her pulse was speeding with the mere thought that he was suffering, but her eyes were locked on the amethyst like she was under a spell. Maybe she was. Even with her physical form under control, her mind kept flicking to Kolir, and in a distanct echo, Draeth. She worried that after his episode today, Draeth would be delicate and react quickly. She needed him to be strong, for her and for his bonded...

Kolir... She knew the more she concentrated on it, the more reason she gave the dragoness to attack him. But it was fruitless to feign ignorance, she knew the other creature was smart enough to have known about her feelings for some time now. There were certain things you just couldn't hide from dragons, and with her piercing Sala's mind with red-hot claws of ownership... there were probably few things she didn't know. It was all in there, if she dug for it. It was a terrifying sensation, but she didn't resist it. Why? She still wasn't entirely sure.

And then she felt it. Like honey melting over honey, there was a sense of the dragoness' empathy sliding into her, coating her in a warm blanket of understanding. Like pieces of a puzzle, their emotions connected perfectly. She did understand, she did know Sala's daydreams and secret desires about her kind. It had always seemed like a fairytale, but the knowledge that it was even humanly possible had driven her to be near them.

Draeth's connection had felt like a blessing, and so she clung to the bond forming between herself and the amethyst like a drowning man. She was right to assume Sala wouldn't try to fight or dominate her, and her thoughts were entirely accurate to the woman's personal feelings. It didn't matter whose fault it was or why, but the dragon had suffered and now she'd suffer with her as an apology for that having ever happened.

There was a hanging in the air, a period where time seemed to stand still, only blood pumping in Sala's ears reminding her that she was still here. And then like water coming to a still, the female spoke.

It was shocking, and somehow Sala realized she'd accepted the fact a while ago that she might not succeed. She might have died trying to prove herself, and coming through to see the light on the other side was actually an unexpected surprise. She went to one knee with a sharp exhalation of breath and stared up at the amethyst as she spoke.

"I would be honored to walk these opportunities with you. If you trust me, as I will you." At this she slowly extended her hand, rolling it in mid-motion so that her wrist pointed within easy reach of the lithe femme and her dangerous fangs. Her eyes were locked on the draconic orbs before her, though the gaze was calm, still, empty. She truly believed that even if she were to mark her, the dragoness would not take the easy fatal strike offered.

Everything else had gone to a subtle buzz in her mind. Though a part of her still yearned to run to Kolir, and to check on Draeth, there was a sense that everything would be alright. So she focussed on what was important at the moment, the reality of a lifelong dream.