Ask and ye shall receive! Also... seeds. Flowers. Eh? Eh?
Day 113
Chapter 28
“You couldn't have warned us sooner?!” Spreading her wings and waving them back and forth, slowly at first, picking up speed Matar began to summon a mighty breeze with her Wind magic to knock the airborne threat from the skies.
“I did not sense them until now.” Ayaz growled in response, his usual dark humour absent in the moment as he flared his own wings in a show of dominance against the encroaching snake-people. “They must have travelled during the day when I was unable to detect them.” The Tundra kept his voice low as he backed up against the Coatl. It was too bright still; only just bearable for him to be walking around outside. He'd wanted to make a good impression – or at least as good as he was capable of appearing – to Ilmatar. It seems that in his preparations and searching for this gift and cryptic message he missed the enemy getting closer.
As the magical winds picked up the screaming harpies were knocked off-course, cursing as they fought to not be torn from the air completely. Moving around too quickly for any attacks to land a direct hit the birds circled around, riding the ethereal breeze as they searched for an opening. Several times they dived only to be swept one way or the other as Matar watched them carefully.
Her headache was only getting worse however. Once or twice the strength of her buffeting gales dropped momentarily as her concentration lapsed.
Always been better at biting and scratching. What she did notice amongst all the movement was that the harpies only had eyes for one target.
Venilia.
The great blue Imperial had stooped low, her own red eyes trained on the skulking snakes as they slunk from hiding place to obstacle that prevented them from being easily hit. In turn they hurled spears and glass flasks brimming with multicoloured liquids, releasing a foul stench when they shattered, further reducing Ilmatar's capabilities and choking and blinding the others. Even those trio born from Plague roots found it hard to overcome some of the concoctions; Vennie found herself pulling back to cover her nose with a paw, snarling in irritation.
Again, Ayaz this time noticed that the serthis were aiming more at the blue newcomer and her brightly-coloured companion. A few projectiles flew his way as well, lessening the more he pulled himself back into the shadows of the larger dragons around him. As he did this, while incomparable to the pitch darkness of his caves, he felt his power grow and let loose a cloud of dark mist to envelope their foes and obscure them from view.
All around were cries of anger and frustration, more than once an attack from one side or the other attempted to penetrate the wavering fog only to miss by inches.
“Cannae help but notice how few o' them there is.” Vunguza muttered as he, too, pressed against the now rather friendly bunch of fur, feather and scale. “An' t'maren ain't doing nowt neither.”
“A distraction perhaps.” Matar responded, not letting her magic fade just yet despite their gloomy cover. “There could be more.” Here she shot Ayaz a commanding glare. The leaden Tundra shook his head in response, pale eyes even brighter still as he held his spell.
“I sense no others beyond this group. If there are more they are well outside the boundaries of this place.” Suddenly his horned head snapped to the opposite direction as he spat a glob of congealed shadow at a faint movement in the rippling mist, a poorly stifled hiss of pain confirming a hit.
“Well then I don' see much point in hidin' then!” Venilia declared, bracing her legs as she rose to full height above the mist. “Let's get 'em!”
“Vennie, no!” Vegin called through gritted teeth, zipping up to get to his friend's head and tugging uselessly at an antler in a vain attempt to get her to duck back down. She ignored him, letting out a guttural roar and striking out at the airborne beasts above.
Almost instantly all attacks switched to the exposed Imperial as she charged out to meet her small band of foes. Most of them bounced off her scales or merely tore her already distressed clothing but her clumsy, miscalculated swipes and bites left her all the more vulnerable.
A flask of acid hit her square in the face and she recoiled, screaming as the liquid ate away at her scales and underlying flesh.
“Okay that's it!” Vegin cried, rolling up the sleeves of the white lab coat he'd been sporting all this time and dropping his pink-tinted goggles over his googly optics with a noticeable snap. “No one uses alchemy against us while I'm here!” A second, darker streak darted after the ruby one as Anvindr took this as his cue to join in.
But as they were preparing to gouge out the eyes of those serthis closest to them a familiar voice cried out: “Ssssstop! Ssstop you foolssss!”
Vin about fell out of the air at hearing that, grabbing the other Spiral's tail and causing him to jolt, pulling the former forward a little and resulting in the both of them getting tangled in a living, scaly ball on the ground. “Nathrach?” The dark Spiral managed to ask after wriggling his muzzle out of the mess of arms and wings.
Nathrach the serthis alchemist had not been seen since the cave incident. Vin had lost control, forcing the red snake's partner to consume their own brewed toxins as a last ditch effort to drive off the last of the band of outcasts who dared kidnap them so. He'd made Nathrach stay with him and help with his potion making, designing cures and reversals until it was decided that it wasn't worth keeping the serthis hostage. Parting ways rather quickly Anvindr hadn't anticipated ever seeing his former captive again let alone so soon.
At the shout all the attacks broke off, the other serthis huddling together in the long grasses as the harpies came in to roost on the rocks behind them, watching the dragons within the mist carefully. In turn, after a few doubtful, considering moments Ayaz allowed the spell to dissipate so the two sides could interact more clearly. Even a small face bobbed up from Vunguza's pond to regard the goings on as Nathrach slithered between the two groups.
“Tend to the blue one.” He commanded, snapping thin fingers at the yellow serthis next to him and pointing at Venilia. “No one wassss sssupposssed to get hurt!” The dragons stared in bewilderment at the annoyance and betrayal present in the snake's lisping words. Not supposed to get hurt? Why? What was this about then? None of them moved to make way for the yellow one as she made her way to the writhing Imperial as all eyes flicked to one another, the snake in front of them, the group ahead of them and the few birds sat warily behind those.
“They were wary.” Nathrach explained apologetically, though a hint of humour danced between the words. “I had only dessscribed thossse of you I'd met at the river. When we sssaw three ssstrangersss my group acted out of fear. I apologissse for them.” The serthis, bowing low, waved an arm to address the other beastclans gathered around him. One of the harpies shifted her weight, appearing to only be standing on one leg. “We banded together, outcasstssss all, to ssseek refuge alongsssside yourssselvesss.”
“Refuge.” Matar repeated, still standing firm in denying access the wounded Venilia. “Alongside us.” For a moment all she and her troupe could do was stare at the interlopers as they pieced this information together. Why would beastclans seek to share a lair with dragons? Especially ones they'd encountered on bad terms previously.
“Pleassse let usss through.” the yellow-scaled serthis practically begged, placing a hand on the Coatl's shoulder. “The blue one will only sssuffer longer.”
With an unconvinced snort Matar spoke, deliberately loudly as if calling to her intended recipient, “We have an alchemist of our own who will help her.” Though of course it had to be the dumb, broken-draconic-speaking idiot who kept pestering and pestering to join. Guess she had little choice now.
“Little tied up at the moment I'm afraid!” The jaguar-spotted Spiral called out, the ball of dragon wobbling and threatening to roll off as the pair attempted to disentangle themselves from one another. “You know Vegin, we really need to stop meeting like this.” With exaggerated motion the ruby Spiral nodded vigorously for a few seconds before returning to his efforts. With a heavy sigh at this spectacle Ilmatar shook her crested head in dismay as she stood aside, motioning for Ayaz to do the same, allowing the serthis to nervously slip between them and busy themselves applying salves to parts of the Imperial's face.
“You already know my ssstory.” Nathrach continued, all eyes turning to the vermilion serthis. “Abandoned by my parentsss alongssside my brethren and the offssspring of othersss. Left to fend for ourssselvesss ssso our parentsss' sssect can cull the weak and ussselessss. A tiny band which you decccimated, holding me captive until alssso abandoning me.”
“So why did you seek us out after everything I got you to do for me?” Anvindr, having by this point half-freed himself from Vegin's coils. Part of him wondered if his fellow was holding onto him in places on purpose. “I made you teach me all that stuff and what to use and make more stuff and then told you it wasn't working as I'd hoped and let you go. And you did go. Now you're here again.”
Nathrach shifted under the scrutinising gaze of his assorted group of beastpeople. “Truth be asss it isss, I had nowhere elssse to go.” Pulling down the cloth veil used to hide most of his flat face the red serthis held out his arms to emphasise having nothing. “I would be ssseen asss weak, a failure. A ssympathissser of dragonsss for being made to ssspend time with you.” Lowering his arms and gaze he added, “Rather live with and help dragonsss than to never be treated asss a ssserthisss.”
The snowy-feathered harpy who stood on one leg hopped forward then, splaying her winged arms half a respectful bow, half to keep her balance. “We all were outcast from our clans one way or another.” She spoke, not lifting her head to face the dragons. “I met with another group of your kind. They had pilfered dragon eggs that my flock had traded for to use as bribery and distraction. I was a part of the retaliation squad only for them to strike us all down.” Hobbling slightly and casting her wings out further the white harpy lifted her deformed leg as proof, showing how she was unable to fully close or uncurl her talons or straighten the limb in full.
“I was held captive while my sisters were forced into retreat. It was during the time the great winds failed; we had no strength to fight back without them.” There was a pause as she considered the words she had just spoken. “No,” she began to correct herself, “not captive. I'd felt it at the time and yet...” Behind the scuffed bone mask her eyes closed as she took a staggering breath. “One of them wounded me, yet they offered to repair my wounds. The great white one told me of a view I had not considered. Perhaps did not wish to. Her words allowed me to see the error of my people's ways. Neither side deserves to perish, though neither deserve peace either.” Despite her injured leg the avian creature stood tall, opening her eyes to finally address the dragons properly, removing her bone mask and casting it to the ground.
“They healed me and let me go. I left them with nought but my name. I shared my new thoughts with my flock, asked if what we had done was truly deserved. For my efforts I was maimed further. They lashed at my leg, the leg the dragons had healed. I could have walked again and my own people stripped it from me and almost killed me. It was only by sister Ociara's intervention that I was able to flee.” With one feathered arm she gestured at a blue-plumed harpy sporting a blood red mask, shawl and sash, who bowed deeply.
“She is an envoy from the Stormcloud clan in the barren Fire lands, come to deliver news from the east. She too believes that poaching eggs from any dragon clan is not right. Though she believes deserving dragons should be targetted as such my flock chased her away for it, as well.”
A ripple of murmuring washed over the gathered beast tribes, some in agreement, others of sympathy, mostly an indiscernible language the dragons did not recognise. “We all have been treated thisss way.” Nathrach continued, slithering forwards once more. “While we will not all ssstay here, if you allow usss to ssstay at all, thossse that do are willing to aid you. Give adviccce and sssecretsss of our people.”
An uneasy silence gripped the draconic group save for the whimpering from Venilia as her face was cleaned of acid. As they had worked the yellow serthis had explained to her that it was meant as little more than a deterrent and will not cause lasting damage. Though the Imperial was luck not to get it in her eyes. “And t'maren?” Vunguza asked curiously, waving a thick arm at his pond and where the creature in question shyly ducked back under the surface at the attention. “How'd ye e'en get 'er in there while ah were layin' nearaboot?”
An amused smirk crossed the serthis' tanned face as he folded his arms over his chest. “Your 'pond' goesss much deeper than you may realissse, dragon. Long before your kind flew our ssskiesss maren carved tunnelsss underground to link bodiesss of water sssuch asss thisss.”
Vunguza's deep blue eyes threatened to drop straight out of his head as they widened to their fullest. “There's... there's more to it?” A broad paw lifted to rub his jaw thoughtfully. “Mus' be filthier than firs' thought...”
“Laika will be very happy to help you explore if you desssire it. Though ssshe isss rather ssshy and doesss not ssspeak much draconic unlike Ariana and myssself.” The white harpy in question bowed again.
“Nor sadly does Ociara, though she is very willing to learn given the time.” Next to her the blue harpy, Ociara, bobbed her head in agreement as another, darker-plumed avian whispered to her in their native tongue.
Another long, uneasy pause hung over them all after the beastclans said their piece. “It would appear that we have found ourselves in quite the predicament, eh Clan Leader?” Ayaz whispered almost mockingly to Ilmatar, his usual grin returning as he spoke. “I'm very curious to see how you will handle this.”
“Not helping.” Matar snapped under her breath to the Tundra, who merely chuckled in response. Lifting herself to full height the copper Coatl regarded the ragtag crew of serthis and harpy, then the maren as she poked her head out again, then back down at their leader, Nathrach.
Come on Matar, this is what it means to be a clan leader. This is what you've always wanted to do, right? Think. Think! What should I do? An unbidden, tuneless hum worked its way up her throat as Matar murmured to herself in her own native language, ignoring the baffled expressions her clanmates gave her for it.
They've tried to hurt us, hurt me
several times. But then why come to us now? Like this?
Forked tongue flicking in and out of her snakelike mouth Ilmatar puffed out her chest, displaying the curls of feather and fur that converged there, purposely drawing out the time it took for her to answer. For she had none. When the assorted creatures began to wither and whisper, shift and bunch together under her gaze the Coatl finally asked, “What will you do if I say no?”
“Then we will sssearch for thossse who will take usss in.” Nathrach replied defiantly, the statement sounding rehearsed in case of such an outcome. “Or die.”
Having at last separated themselves from each other Vin and Vegin took their places either side of Matar, the ruby Spiral turned to study the extent of Venilia's wounds and the tactic the yellow serthis was applying to treat it. “R-r-remember Mat-
Ilmatar,” Anvindr stammered, drumming his bony fingers together, debating internally if this was a good idea, “th-they are being hunted by their own clans now. They can't give us away because they'll be killed first.”
A sceptical green eye swivelled to look at him side-on. “You believe that?”
“Y-yes.” Vin gulped. “I do.”
“Not all of usss will be joining you.” Nathrach reminded them, gesturing to himself, Ociara and the pond where Laika was lurking. “The othersss will continue their flight lessst our former clansss ssseek usss out.”
That made things a little easier. Having only a few of them would be simpler to keep an eye on as opposed to effectively a miniature beastclan... clan. “Alright.” Matar spoke at length. The gathered group of creatures let out a collective sigh of relief. Bubbles rose from the depths of the deeper-than-expected pond. “But we will be keeping a very close eye on those who stay. We have a lot of work to do here and one of ours is currently nesting. You will all be under strict order to not leave your assigned dragon's side. Do I make myself clear?”
Heads bowed and bobbed as a chorus of agreement was heard, the group then turning to themselves to bid each other good luck, safe travels and hopes to see one another again. Anvindr yelped as he felt his tail being tugged, twisting around to see the yellow-scaled serthis holding out a bottle of clear liquid. “For the blue one.” They said simply, not meeting his wide stare. “For the acccid.”
Blinking a few times Vin reached out to take the bottle as he realised what they meant. “Oh! O-of course. Thank you!” The serthis bowed, still avoiding eye contact as they slid quickly over to join the departing group.
As they all splintered off, possibly to reconvene in separate parties to avoid drawing suspicion Matar was a mix of disappointed and relieved to see only Nathrach, Ariana and Ociara left standing before her, with Laika in the water that Vunguza had gone back over to inspect. Ariana, the white one, hopped forwards. “I will not stay,” she admitted, bowing again, “I simply wished to ask that, should you meet them, to please extend my thanks to the travelling dragons who healed me.”
“You're not upset that they caused you to be kicked out of your flock?” Matar asked curiously, tilting her head and catching an unwelcome glimpse of Ayaz still lurking at her side from the corner of her vision.
Ariana shook her head, dark hair dancing with the motion. “They helped me to understand you in another light. One day, if we were to meet again, I would join them. Until then,” she turned, spreading her white wings wide, “I pray your god spares me the same way. May the winds forever fill your wings and grant you swift passage.” With some effort and a few hopping leaps Ariana took to the sky to follow her darker-plumed sister. Ilmatar watched them all go, the serthis slinking off through the grass in different directions and the harpies overhead until they were all out of sight.
“Well. That happened.” The Coatl remarked, half unsure if what had happened actually had. Clearing her throat she waved the remaining two over. “Na...thrak? Right?” The serthis nodded, a hint of an amused smirk on his lips at her attempt to recreate his name. “You know Anvindr already. I suggest the two of you stay together.”
Obediently Nathrach sidled into place next to the Spiral. “And Ociara? One of these?”
Matar thought for a moment. Who would a harpy best suit? A passing glance showed her that Vunguza was already trying to coax Laika to the surface so that they could attempt some form of communication. It seemed best those two be paired in that case. She herself didn't fancy a beastclan companion so her emerald gaze searched Vegin's. Which turned out to be rather troublesome as his eyes shared almost the same shade of red his scales did.
No, he and Venilia had only just arrived here. She knew nothing of him except that he apparently knew Vin and Venilia was a pain in the proverbial. Maybe Whisper? Or Noelani? Meifeng was too young yet so that left the two Lightborne.
“Follow.” The Coatl commanded, waving a paw to beckon the harpy. Nathrach said something to her in their combined beastclan language and she nodded, falling into step behind the ruddy-furred dragon. “I need to get Whisper to help escort Venilia somewhere she can recover anyway.” Not needing to look over her shoulder Matar was very aware that Ayaz was hovering in her shadow as they they made their way back towards the main part of the clan grounds, followed by the two Spirals and the serthis.
Barely halfway to the hollow the Wildclaw and brighter Imperial had taken up residence a minty blur careened towards them as the young Ridgeback came tearing over, kicking up stones as she ran and her hook-claw leaving ruts in the soil from the force. “Mama! Mam- Matar! Come quick! Come quick!” Skidding to a halt in front of the group and basically ignoring the strange newcomers as she forced herself to correct her speech – turns out Matar didn't like being called Mama – Meifeng's rear end wiggled with the exertion from her excitedly lashing tail and she hopped from foot to foot. “They hatching! Lani's eggs hatching!”
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Next Chapter
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Inventory/Notes: Breed/Gene x2 OR Gen 1 purchase x1, Hyacinth Badly Injured for 3 days
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