Simi found herself stopping to beat her own wings against Attor's powerful flaps as he ran past, shutting her eyes against the rush of air as she struggled to regain balance. However, she needed no further incentive than his fleeing shape to resume running, herself, and before a moment had past she was a blurred shape of cyan blue against the most chaotic background.
The hippogryph galloped swiftly, although quite clumsily. She was still getting used to having fore-talons for fore-hooves, and was constantly struggling to regain balance from a stumbling close call. Fire spat around her all the while, singing her feather-tips in various places. She galloped through the fresh flowers, the dead grass, caked and sandy ground and mountainous taiga terrain before finally reaching the blizzard-blown snow drifts of haven. Simi made a valiant effort to leap over the highest one to reach the tree-cluster beyond, but her legs finally knotted together in a rather ungraceful series of interlocks. The hippogryph tumbled right through the snow and into the tree trunk waiting for her.
She stumbled back up swiftly, hardly registering the little bruises along her knees and shins. The sky was alight with ruthless fire-rain, which was now mixing angrily with the snowstorm directly above Simi and her friends. At first she was counting on the storms to neutralize each other, and was very, very dismayed when the fire only seemed to set the snowflakes on fire.
No, really, they were on fire. They weren't even melting. The snowflakes were just playfully settling toward the earth while on fire. A strong wind from another storm was successfully blowing most of them away from their refuge, but Simi knew better by now than to expect this to last.
"Wherever we go," Simi screeched out for Attor and Klinge to hear, "We should at least get away from this storm!" She glanced around wildly for any sort of safe spot to run for next, but the snow-storm had thickened at the moment and it was hard to see through. She would have to wait for the gust to die down, which would hopefully only be a few more minutes. The hippogryph turned again to eye the fire-storm on the other side, and to her immense relief, the flame-drops seemed to be dwindling in size. Was the storm dying? Or were even worse flamespits about to head their way?
News: ~August 18th 2022~ - (Old News)
The move has been completed successfully! Everything appears to have survived the move just fine, but if anyone finds a broken link or anything else that doesn't work as it should, please make a post in Away from the Woods to let me know, thank you.
RP News: ~November 19th 2015~ (Old RP News)
There is no current plot. The forests welcome new travelers within these lands.
Event Status: Not Active (each accepted character allowed to RP in multiple RP threads)
RP Season: Summer
This means everything is green, flowers are everywhere, and the shining sun creates a need for shady shelter on the warmest days.
The move has been completed successfully! Everything appears to have survived the move just fine, but if anyone finds a broken link or anything else that doesn't work as it should, please make a post in Away from the Woods to let me know, thank you.
RP News: ~November 19th 2015~ (Old RP News)
There is no current plot. The forests welcome new travelers within these lands.
Event Status: Not Active (each accepted character allowed to RP in multiple RP threads)
RP Season: Summer
This means everything is green, flowers are everywhere, and the shining sun creates a need for shady shelter on the warmest days.
[PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Moderators: The_Vizir, forgerofsouls
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Attor was very aware of the iminent danger. He could smell it in the burning wood, as fire worked its way past the heavy layer of snow and into the tree itself. Within moments alone, his 'shelter' would be set ablaze. Unbeknownst to him, the snowflakes themselves kindled like fine timber. This whole 'refuge' was beginning to look more like a death trap.
"We need to find something underground!" bellowed the dragon, his voice easily carrying over fallen logs and through standing ones.
Something cracked above. A small plume of ash scattered from the tree's bark. Flames began to lick at the corners of his vision. It was time to go! Attor wasted no time. He settled the palms of his forepaws against the wood and with a mighty shove, pushed it away from him. The debris clattered to the ground with a heavy thud, flames swelling at the disturbance. Then Attor was on the move. He ran past Skygaze, past Klinge ... and onward. He'd seena lake earlier. And an idea bemused him.
"Follow me!" he roared, taking no chance in turning his head and losing his balance. With the sky spitting out burning rain, a mistake like that could prove fatal.
"We need to find something underground!" bellowed the dragon, his voice easily carrying over fallen logs and through standing ones.
Something cracked above. A small plume of ash scattered from the tree's bark. Flames began to lick at the corners of his vision. It was time to go! Attor wasted no time. He settled the palms of his forepaws against the wood and with a mighty shove, pushed it away from him. The debris clattered to the ground with a heavy thud, flames swelling at the disturbance. Then Attor was on the move. He ran past Skygaze, past Klinge ... and onward. He'd seena lake earlier. And an idea bemused him.
"Follow me!" he roared, taking no chance in turning his head and losing his balance. With the sky spitting out burning rain, a mistake like that could prove fatal.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
"We need to find something underground!"
Simi looked at Attor's crouched form incredulously. "Under... underground?! Why would--" she trailed off as she began to notice the flurry of flaming snowflakes blowing right into their sanctuary, slowly- but surely- setting alight the very trees that sheltered her and her companions.
At this point, were she alone, Simi would have thrown caution to the wind. She would have set off running into her beloved, chaotic forest, searching desperately for a peaceful haven amid all this terror and madness. She would have done this despite knowing that there was no more place to run to, or that anything and everything the writhing sky spit out would certainly kill her before she could. It would have been her way of giving up and fooling herself into thinking that she at least died with a small but dignified drop of hope. ... In other words, she would have had a panic attack.
But she wasn't alone, she had two friends she felt very responsible for right now (considering that it was her brilliant idea that had brought them here), and she wasn't going to panic. Not when it meant abandoning them, when she was sure she could think of something better.
But Simi's brilliant mind wouldn't get much action today, for Attor seemed to already have a plan in the works.
"Follow me!" the dragon roared as he knocked down one of the trees with his mighty paws, setting off running toward the lakes.
The hippogryph didn't hesitate to follow him. "Come on!" she called out to Klinge as she set after Attor, spreading out her wings to keep herself balanced as she sped after him with very new and very clumsy hippogryph legs.
OOC: I suddenly felt the urge to express Attor's words in a nice booming text xD
Simi looked at Attor's crouched form incredulously. "Under... underground?! Why would--" she trailed off as she began to notice the flurry of flaming snowflakes blowing right into their sanctuary, slowly- but surely- setting alight the very trees that sheltered her and her companions.
At this point, were she alone, Simi would have thrown caution to the wind. She would have set off running into her beloved, chaotic forest, searching desperately for a peaceful haven amid all this terror and madness. She would have done this despite knowing that there was no more place to run to, or that anything and everything the writhing sky spit out would certainly kill her before she could. It would have been her way of giving up and fooling herself into thinking that she at least died with a small but dignified drop of hope. ... In other words, she would have had a panic attack.
But she wasn't alone, she had two friends she felt very responsible for right now (considering that it was her brilliant idea that had brought them here), and she wasn't going to panic. Not when it meant abandoning them, when she was sure she could think of something better.
But Simi's brilliant mind wouldn't get much action today, for Attor seemed to already have a plan in the works.
"Follow me!" the dragon roared as he knocked down one of the trees with his mighty paws, setting off running toward the lakes.
The hippogryph didn't hesitate to follow him. "Come on!" she called out to Klinge as she set after Attor, spreading out her wings to keep herself balanced as she sped after him with very new and very clumsy hippogryph legs.
OOC: I suddenly felt the urge to express Attor's words in a nice booming text xD
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Attor was certain of Simi and Klinge following him. He didn't need to look behind to confirm these beliefs - it was proven by the sound of their feet pressing against the dirt, spurring their desperate bodies to an area of safety.
His logic was as simply as this: if fire was raining from above, it wouldn't get them below. The river emptied into that huge lake near the Village he'd flown over earlier. Also an easy observation. The river's current was being pushed into that direction. And if that were he case ... well, where did all that excess water go? It had to continue underground, right? No doubt there was a subterranean system of caves carved out by underwater streams, uninhabited and undisturbed. Fire could not permeate the deep waters of the lake. They would be safe from this violent rain!
If only Simi and Klinge could read his mind ...
He had no way of expressing his intention now, not while running for his very life. They would just have to trust him. It was hard enough dodging potentially fatal blows from above without looking up. The occasional ball of flames pelted his hard exoskeleton when he wasn't quick enough to avoid its touch. Though Attor's outer shell was hard enough to resist cracking and falling away, the extreme heat burned beyond the protective casing and harmed the soft tissue underneath.
A silvery surface glistened in the tempermental sunlight.
Not too far now!
Ccchrrr ...
A fierce rumble was starting up somewhere. Soon the earth was shaking below their feet. Attor sped up, not wanting to be caught in whatever hell was throwing itself in their direction. 50 feet! 30 feet! Attor slid into the lake during the last 10 when the dirt beneath him loosened. His crash landing spewed water high into the air.
For a moment, he remained below the surface. Too long.
And then he burst through. Attor's body glistened with moisture, reflecting light as if it was made from fine glass ...
"Come!" He spat water, otherwise unabashed by his unplanned plummet. "There must be underground caverns carved out from this river! I'll search."
And with that, he vanished from their vision. There was no sense in having them dive with him if his suspicions were incorrect. So he would confirm. There was nothing preventing them from seeking the safety of River's Deep in the meantime!
His logic was as simply as this: if fire was raining from above, it wouldn't get them below. The river emptied into that huge lake near the Village he'd flown over earlier. Also an easy observation. The river's current was being pushed into that direction. And if that were he case ... well, where did all that excess water go? It had to continue underground, right? No doubt there was a subterranean system of caves carved out by underwater streams, uninhabited and undisturbed. Fire could not permeate the deep waters of the lake. They would be safe from this violent rain!
If only Simi and Klinge could read his mind ...
He had no way of expressing his intention now, not while running for his very life. They would just have to trust him. It was hard enough dodging potentially fatal blows from above without looking up. The occasional ball of flames pelted his hard exoskeleton when he wasn't quick enough to avoid its touch. Though Attor's outer shell was hard enough to resist cracking and falling away, the extreme heat burned beyond the protective casing and harmed the soft tissue underneath.
A silvery surface glistened in the tempermental sunlight.
Not too far now!
Ccchrrr ...
A fierce rumble was starting up somewhere. Soon the earth was shaking below their feet. Attor sped up, not wanting to be caught in whatever hell was throwing itself in their direction. 50 feet! 30 feet! Attor slid into the lake during the last 10 when the dirt beneath him loosened. His crash landing spewed water high into the air.
For a moment, he remained below the surface. Too long.
And then he burst through. Attor's body glistened with moisture, reflecting light as if it was made from fine glass ...
"Come!" He spat water, otherwise unabashed by his unplanned plummet. "There must be underground caverns carved out from this river! I'll search."
And with that, he vanished from their vision. There was no sense in having them dive with him if his suspicions were incorrect. So he would confirm. There was nothing preventing them from seeking the safety of River's Deep in the meantime!
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Stretch forward, push the ground, stretch forward, push the ground, stretch forward.... uh, breathe, push the ground, stretch forw...
Simi was finally starting to get the hang of this hooves-and-talons deal when the earth started to shake...
Again.
It wasn't quite as violent as the last one that had occured earlier today, but it was still enough to make the clumsy hippogryph slip and stumble over herself once more with a startled phoenix screech. However, it was then that instinct took over thought process and the wings on her back began to flap frantically as she struggled to regain balance. Simi wasn't sure what happened, but one moment she had found a way to start running again and the next... she was... she was flying?!
Her wings worked! she realized with a gasp. They still worked, even if they were on her back now instead of morphed from her forelegs-- and it was the greatest miracle she could ask for at this moment.
All the same, she kept low to the ground, hovering no more than a few feet above the trembling forest floor. She stayed near Klinge, should he also stumble and need her help in getting back his footing, but luckily no such moment came.
It was then that the earth before Attor began to collapse, making the dragon slide down with it. Simi immediately landed, digging her foretalons and back-hooves into the dirt as she skidded to a halt, spreading out her wings on the off chance that Klinge needed something to ram into if he had too much trouble stopping himself; once again, she was proven wrong.
But there were still some very urgent issues at hand, one being that Attor had yet to surface...
Simi took the liberty of flying again, hovering low over the bubbling lake. "A-Attor? Attor! Oh no, oh no please don't tell me you've--"
The yellow-jacket dragon then sprouted from the lake, his scales glistening brilliantly in the mad sunlight and stormy lightning.
"Oh, oh thank goodn-"
"Come! There must be underground caverns carved out from this river! I'll search."
He went underwater again, and Simi was trying very hard not to have a panic attack as she took another look at the unraveling forest she had come to call home...
Simi was finally starting to get the hang of this hooves-and-talons deal when the earth started to shake...
Again.
It wasn't quite as violent as the last one that had occured earlier today, but it was still enough to make the clumsy hippogryph slip and stumble over herself once more with a startled phoenix screech. However, it was then that instinct took over thought process and the wings on her back began to flap frantically as she struggled to regain balance. Simi wasn't sure what happened, but one moment she had found a way to start running again and the next... she was... she was flying?!
Her wings worked! she realized with a gasp. They still worked, even if they were on her back now instead of morphed from her forelegs-- and it was the greatest miracle she could ask for at this moment.
All the same, she kept low to the ground, hovering no more than a few feet above the trembling forest floor. She stayed near Klinge, should he also stumble and need her help in getting back his footing, but luckily no such moment came.
It was then that the earth before Attor began to collapse, making the dragon slide down with it. Simi immediately landed, digging her foretalons and back-hooves into the dirt as she skidded to a halt, spreading out her wings on the off chance that Klinge needed something to ram into if he had too much trouble stopping himself; once again, she was proven wrong.
But there were still some very urgent issues at hand, one being that Attor had yet to surface...
Simi took the liberty of flying again, hovering low over the bubbling lake. "A-Attor? Attor! Oh no, oh no please don't tell me you've--"
The yellow-jacket dragon then sprouted from the lake, his scales glistening brilliantly in the mad sunlight and stormy lightning.
"Oh, oh thank goodn-"
"Come! There must be underground caverns carved out from this river! I'll search."
He went underwater again, and Simi was trying very hard not to have a panic attack as she took another look at the unraveling forest she had come to call home...
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Down below wasn’t much better than above. At least Attor could safely say that the hazards were downplayed. Ripples here and there alerted him to the presence of a quake. A shift in the underwater currents pushed him in some directions that he didn’t want to go, but the dragon always righted his path when that happened. Fish of all colors and species swam past him, frantic in their motions. Trying to get away from something, or thrown off-balance by the tipsy-turvy overture of madness and destruction? No doubt they felt their natural habitat cave in and transform in ways that simply were not feasible.
No more calm, he imagined, than the folk in the forest …
Attor hung a left. Then he dipped down. The dragon was immediately faced by a wall of darkness, facing the deepest part of River’s Deep … yet something caught his eye. A blacker part of it all. Unbothered by the notion of fear, he sunk to its level and inspected.
Now, insects are notorious for surviving some of the most grueling environments, many times surpassing their intellectual superiors. A fly, for instance, can survive for 15-20 minutes submerged in water. Perhaps it was a blessing that Attor’s origins were connected to the world of invertebrates. Despite being below sea-level for five minutes, he felt no strain in his chest, nor any bit of dizziness associated with an unhealthy overdose of carbon dioxide within the body.
Few moments passed …
The dragon broke the surface again. He gulped in air despite the lack of desperation for it. Tiny red pupils scanned the water for any sign of Simi and Klinge. Attor began to worry when he didn’t see them, but the sun glinting off the gryphon’s feathers caught his attention and diverted it to the shore.
”Why risk your hides out in the open?” he said, a scolding tone in his voice. He shook his head. ”I found something. Can you swim well?”
No more calm, he imagined, than the folk in the forest …
Attor hung a left. Then he dipped down. The dragon was immediately faced by a wall of darkness, facing the deepest part of River’s Deep … yet something caught his eye. A blacker part of it all. Unbothered by the notion of fear, he sunk to its level and inspected.
Now, insects are notorious for surviving some of the most grueling environments, many times surpassing their intellectual superiors. A fly, for instance, can survive for 15-20 minutes submerged in water. Perhaps it was a blessing that Attor’s origins were connected to the world of invertebrates. Despite being below sea-level for five minutes, he felt no strain in his chest, nor any bit of dizziness associated with an unhealthy overdose of carbon dioxide within the body.
Few moments passed …
The dragon broke the surface again. He gulped in air despite the lack of desperation for it. Tiny red pupils scanned the water for any sign of Simi and Klinge. Attor began to worry when he didn’t see them, but the sun glinting off the gryphon’s feathers caught his attention and diverted it to the shore.
”Why risk your hides out in the open?” he said, a scolding tone in his voice. He shook his head. ”I found something. Can you swim well?”
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
When Attor emerged once more, Simi let out a small squeak of surprise, but quickly landed herself at the lake's edge.
”Why risk your hides out in the open?” the dragon scolded with a disappointed head-shake, and immediately the hippogryph lowered her head slightly, tucking her wings in with an expression of shame. Oh... they were supposed to follow him?
But this was no time for a suitable scolding, Attor had apparently decided, for he quickly moved on to the more important matter. "I found something. Can you swim well?”
Under any other circumstance, Simi would have stood there and stammered about how she had swum in a pond a total of, say, once? And how that 'once' was when she was a small foal and the pond had been, say, barely three feet deep? Or how she was soley a creature of land and air, not aquatic environments, or how she wished she had been like her friend, Kether, who could shift into a narwhal when in water, or how she was so desperately scared that the feathers would soak through and make her sink down and drown herself.
But the sky was raining fire.
So all these regular worries didn't even make it past her subconscious.
Caught up in the moment, Simi forgot to answer Attor's question and only tucked her wings tightly against her, calling out a "Come on, Klinge!" before leaping right in.
For a moment, there was only darkness and muffled waves of noise...
...And then, through some miracle, she suddenly was able to see the sky again, taking deep inhales of breath as her head-feathers streamed with water.
"Wh... Where do we go?!" she gasped, kicking her legs and even using her wings to keep herself pushed above the surface.
”Why risk your hides out in the open?” the dragon scolded with a disappointed head-shake, and immediately the hippogryph lowered her head slightly, tucking her wings in with an expression of shame. Oh... they were supposed to follow him?
But this was no time for a suitable scolding, Attor had apparently decided, for he quickly moved on to the more important matter. "I found something. Can you swim well?”
Under any other circumstance, Simi would have stood there and stammered about how she had swum in a pond a total of, say, once? And how that 'once' was when she was a small foal and the pond had been, say, barely three feet deep? Or how she was soley a creature of land and air, not aquatic environments, or how she wished she had been like her friend, Kether, who could shift into a narwhal when in water, or how she was so desperately scared that the feathers would soak through and make her sink down and drown herself.
But the sky was raining fire.
So all these regular worries didn't even make it past her subconscious.
Caught up in the moment, Simi forgot to answer Attor's question and only tucked her wings tightly against her, calling out a "Come on, Klinge!" before leaping right in.
For a moment, there was only darkness and muffled waves of noise...
...And then, through some miracle, she suddenly was able to see the sky again, taking deep inhales of breath as her head-feathers streamed with water.
"Wh... Where do we go?!" she gasped, kicking her legs and even using her wings to keep herself pushed above the surface.
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Attor was a little surprised. Weren't Gryphon's known to be lovers of the sea, the waves ... ? Many were great fishers, as the underwater dwellers were a particularly favorite meal amongst predators of the sky. But this one was hesitant. Why be afraid to jump into a lake with no dangerous outlet? It wasn't like there was a waterfall waiting to dump her into a bed of sharpened rocks ...
When Simi made her dive, the answer to all Attor's questions became clear. She wasn't a strong swimmer. Not from the length of time it took her to surface. Not from the way she struggled to remain above water. The dragon swam to her side, pitching his head this way and that to avoid a sizzling fireball. Each of his forelimbs wrapped around Simi's shoulders. He held on tight.
"Take a deep breath."
He gave her just enough time to do so before pulling the creature under. His grip was rough and possibly painful - the dragon was never known to be gentle with anything but his loved wasps ... It wasn't surprising if he accidentally ripped a few of Simi's feathers from her body. The intention wasn't cruel. And his grasp didn't allow free movement of anything but her legs. Quickly, the great winged beast pulled the Gryphon down below, jetting as quickly as his awkward frame would allow. While Attor might have been capable of holding his breath for a long time, he couldn't say the same for Simi ...
All this was taken under account, minus one thing. With the surprise of his action, the four-legged bird might be put in a state of fear. How was she to know that he wasn't dragging her to her death, eager to make a meal of her lifeless, drowned corpse?
In reality, Attor was a strong swimmer when the time demanded it. He was hoping to guide Simi into the cavern, as he doubted she would be able to keep up before terror seized her heart. The world around them was getting darker the deeper they went. Very shortly after their submersion, Attor swerved to the right and into an alcove hidden in the rock-face. Then he kept moving. With nothing but blackness around them, there was no way for any of them to see exactly where they were heading ...
... But soon, a luminescent glow ... Pale greens and blues ... Faint at first ... Growing more brilliant ...
When Simi made her dive, the answer to all Attor's questions became clear. She wasn't a strong swimmer. Not from the length of time it took her to surface. Not from the way she struggled to remain above water. The dragon swam to her side, pitching his head this way and that to avoid a sizzling fireball. Each of his forelimbs wrapped around Simi's shoulders. He held on tight.
"Take a deep breath."
He gave her just enough time to do so before pulling the creature under. His grip was rough and possibly painful - the dragon was never known to be gentle with anything but his loved wasps ... It wasn't surprising if he accidentally ripped a few of Simi's feathers from her body. The intention wasn't cruel. And his grasp didn't allow free movement of anything but her legs. Quickly, the great winged beast pulled the Gryphon down below, jetting as quickly as his awkward frame would allow. While Attor might have been capable of holding his breath for a long time, he couldn't say the same for Simi ...
All this was taken under account, minus one thing. With the surprise of his action, the four-legged bird might be put in a state of fear. How was she to know that he wasn't dragging her to her death, eager to make a meal of her lifeless, drowned corpse?
In reality, Attor was a strong swimmer when the time demanded it. He was hoping to guide Simi into the cavern, as he doubted she would be able to keep up before terror seized her heart. The world around them was getting darker the deeper they went. Very shortly after their submersion, Attor swerved to the right and into an alcove hidden in the rock-face. Then he kept moving. With nothing but blackness around them, there was no way for any of them to see exactly where they were heading ...
... But soon, a luminescent glow ... Pale greens and blues ... Faint at first ... Growing more brilliant ...
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Despite her obvious failure in getting along well with the water, Simi was more than ready to follow Attor wherever he happened to go, simply hoping that she'd be able to catch up.
All the same, she'd also failed to make the connection when the dragon turned back to her and instead grasped her shoulders in his claws. "Wait... what are--"
"Take a deep breath," he reminded her before plunging under the surface and dragging her down with him.
Simi resisted the urge to cry out when Attor's claws pressed into her, instead focusing very hard on keeping her breath held and her eyes shut tight. Out of simple instinct she kicked all four legs at first, swept up in a state of alarm and confusion as well as the water around her. This had to be a cruel joke, right? She knew that Attor couldn't possibly be trying to kill her; if he wanted to do that he would have done that a long time ago, right? ... Right?
Right, of course, so why on earth had he done this--
Simi's memories flashed briefly to the moment before the dragon took her, gasping and splashing around as she'd struggled to remain above the surface.
.... Oh.
So... so he was helping her? That was the only answer, with the other being cold blooded murder that obviously made no sense, obviously!
Besides, his hold was clearly too strong for her to escape, were the latter option true. She just had to believe that the dragon knew what he was doing, and that what he was doing had good intentions for the both of them.
Nevertheless the grip was painful, and the hippogryph wasn't going to deny that, but she did understand that he was a rather huge creature, and thus holding something as little and scrawny as her might be hard. She could feel her feathers ruffling wildly in some places, but it could just as easily have been the lake currents... at least she wasn't bleeding.
At least... she didn't think so.
Oh, she hoped that Klinge was keeping up.
Bubbles collided gently with her facial feathers and the tip of her beak, and Simi finally built up the nerve to open her eyes.
..... It was black.
Everything was black.
Now she did want to panic.
Sure, underwater was quite dark, but not this dark, surely?! Was she going unconscious? Was she dying?
Great heavens, she couldn't even take deep breaths to calm down where she was right now!
The hippogryph turned her head upward, about to try and get Attor's attention, to somehow try and beg for a brief visit to the surface, when suddenly... there was light...
Simi turned around and, upon seeing the steadily growing light in their murky journey, nearly breathed a sigh of relief.
Not that she did, of course, that'd be silly underwater.
All the same, she'd also failed to make the connection when the dragon turned back to her and instead grasped her shoulders in his claws. "Wait... what are--"
"Take a deep breath," he reminded her before plunging under the surface and dragging her down with him.
Simi resisted the urge to cry out when Attor's claws pressed into her, instead focusing very hard on keeping her breath held and her eyes shut tight. Out of simple instinct she kicked all four legs at first, swept up in a state of alarm and confusion as well as the water around her. This had to be a cruel joke, right? She knew that Attor couldn't possibly be trying to kill her; if he wanted to do that he would have done that a long time ago, right? ... Right?
Right, of course, so why on earth had he done this--
Simi's memories flashed briefly to the moment before the dragon took her, gasping and splashing around as she'd struggled to remain above the surface.
.... Oh.
So... so he was helping her? That was the only answer, with the other being cold blooded murder that obviously made no sense, obviously!
Besides, his hold was clearly too strong for her to escape, were the latter option true. She just had to believe that the dragon knew what he was doing, and that what he was doing had good intentions for the both of them.
Nevertheless the grip was painful, and the hippogryph wasn't going to deny that, but she did understand that he was a rather huge creature, and thus holding something as little and scrawny as her might be hard. She could feel her feathers ruffling wildly in some places, but it could just as easily have been the lake currents... at least she wasn't bleeding.
At least... she didn't think so.
Oh, she hoped that Klinge was keeping up.
Bubbles collided gently with her facial feathers and the tip of her beak, and Simi finally built up the nerve to open her eyes.
..... It was black.
Everything was black.
Now she did want to panic.
Sure, underwater was quite dark, but not this dark, surely?! Was she going unconscious? Was she dying?
Great heavens, she couldn't even take deep breaths to calm down where she was right now!
The hippogryph turned her head upward, about to try and get Attor's attention, to somehow try and beg for a brief visit to the surface, when suddenly... there was light...
Simi turned around and, upon seeing the steadily growing light in their murky journey, nearly breathed a sigh of relief.
Not that she did, of course, that'd be silly underwater.
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
He sure did feel her struggle. The movements against him forced Attor to look down and tighten his grip. This was most unusual for this particular dragon ... the helping bit, that was. Some tantalizing fantasy pinned at the back of his mind had him biting into her neck, crushing the fragile vertebrae and trachea all in one go ... tasting blood as it slipped over his tongue, down his throat ... Attor may have had a love for honey and nectar and all things sweet, but dessert was, to him, a fresh kill.
But he did none of those things to Simi. His true nature kicked and lawed and scrambled inside, but on the outside ... he was in a hold. Whatever was happening to the rest of Deep Forest was affecting him as well, forcing him to be kind and compassionate. If the dragon had his way, this little bird would make a better dinner than a friend.
Best hope he doesn't fall out from the Forest's effects ...
The glowing lights got closer. At the right time, Attor pushed him and the Gryphon - and into a pocket of air! Exchanging old carbon dioxide for fresh, cool oxygen never felt better. As soon as his nostril hit the air, Attor was hit with the same scent he'd picked up earlier: dew, and something sweet. He released his grip on Simi, unaware if he'd done any damage, and looked around.
--
OoC
Okay ... I'm making stuff up as I go along. Feel free to do the same! And sorry for the short-ish post ... I'm at work, and hurrying.
But he did none of those things to Simi. His true nature kicked and lawed and scrambled inside, but on the outside ... he was in a hold. Whatever was happening to the rest of Deep Forest was affecting him as well, forcing him to be kind and compassionate. If the dragon had his way, this little bird would make a better dinner than a friend.
Best hope he doesn't fall out from the Forest's effects ...
The glowing lights got closer. At the right time, Attor pushed him and the Gryphon - and into a pocket of air! Exchanging old carbon dioxide for fresh, cool oxygen never felt better. As soon as his nostril hit the air, Attor was hit with the same scent he'd picked up earlier: dew, and something sweet. He released his grip on Simi, unaware if he'd done any damage, and looked around.
--
OoC
Okay ... I'm making stuff up as I go along. Feel free to do the same! And sorry for the short-ish post ... I'm at work, and hurrying.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Finally released, Simi let out her breath, gasping and exhaling again just to enjoy the feel of air down her throat. She scrambled out of the water, shivering a little, though not from the cold, and beat her wings furiously to rid herself of the extra water while fanning the rest of her body... and giving it a slight look-over. Attor had indeed dislodged many of her feathers, though luckily not enough to cause trouble with her flying. However, there were some scratches at her shoulders, the kind that didn't bleed but was just short of bleeding. They did sting, and she was missing feather-and-fur lines in a few places, but at least she was still in one piece-- and alive, due to Attor's quick generosity, rough as it was.
"Th-thank you," the hippogryph finally breathed out before taking a look at her surroundings.
Judging from the cold, rocky walls, the eerie echos of each footstep, and the freshly torn tree trunks here and there... Attor had found an underground cave, and a newly made one at that. It could have easily collapsed in earlier today, when the forest first started falling apart. Or should she say 'unraveling'? Yes... the world twisting apart... that sounded more right.
All the same, whatever was happening to the forest was likely how this cave had been born, and she did have to wonder how long it might last here or if it really was fixed tight into the earth. The thought of instability- as well as her last memory of the forest above- made her shudder, and she quickly moved on to more distracting things. With another shake of her wings and fur and feathers and whatever was on her skin anymore, Simi began to walk slowly around the cave, leaving Attor and Klinge to their own curiosities and trying to ignore the oddness of hearing only two hooves clopping underneath her.
There was only fresh, packed earth and mossy-smelling rock to coat the walls, and much of the grass here-though fresh- was either charred and smoking or turning into different colors that grass was surely unsuited for. She took care to not step on these patches. The roof, however, did have a very small hole where flickering sunlight shone through. Flickering, of course, due to the unsteady weather outside. At least it wasn't raining fire where they were...
She glanced again at the sickly and dead plants that sparsely covered the cave's floor, and thought longingly of the horn she used to have. If only she were still a unicorn. If only she'd still had the means to heal plants. At least then she'd have something to eat, and maybe, just maybe, Attor wouldn't mind self-grown berries for lunch.
Simi let out a sigh as she lowered her head, bringing a foretalon to her eyes and rubbing them with a small groan of frustration. The gesture actually rather startled her, and she craned her head backward to stare at her paw, musing on its sudden use of stress relief...
Maybe she didn't have a horn... at least not right now. But she had suddenly found a way to feel at least a little better, and this newfound dexterity, to a creature who had lived with hooves or wings for forearms all her life, felt nice, despite the very big situation at hand.
"Attor..." she started quietly, although her voice echoed loudly against the walls. "I know we can't stay here forever, but this is much safer and... and thanks. I wouldn't have been able to swim here by myse..."
She trailed off when she realized the dragon had his attention elsewhere. The hippogryph walked quietly after him, wondering if she should try and get his attention again, but stopped as she realized that there was something very sweet smelling in this cave. And this time, the smell was rather tantalizing even to her.
But what was it? And where?
"Th-thank you," the hippogryph finally breathed out before taking a look at her surroundings.
Judging from the cold, rocky walls, the eerie echos of each footstep, and the freshly torn tree trunks here and there... Attor had found an underground cave, and a newly made one at that. It could have easily collapsed in earlier today, when the forest first started falling apart. Or should she say 'unraveling'? Yes... the world twisting apart... that sounded more right.
All the same, whatever was happening to the forest was likely how this cave had been born, and she did have to wonder how long it might last here or if it really was fixed tight into the earth. The thought of instability- as well as her last memory of the forest above- made her shudder, and she quickly moved on to more distracting things. With another shake of her wings and fur and feathers and whatever was on her skin anymore, Simi began to walk slowly around the cave, leaving Attor and Klinge to their own curiosities and trying to ignore the oddness of hearing only two hooves clopping underneath her.
There was only fresh, packed earth and mossy-smelling rock to coat the walls, and much of the grass here-though fresh- was either charred and smoking or turning into different colors that grass was surely unsuited for. She took care to not step on these patches. The roof, however, did have a very small hole where flickering sunlight shone through. Flickering, of course, due to the unsteady weather outside. At least it wasn't raining fire where they were...
She glanced again at the sickly and dead plants that sparsely covered the cave's floor, and thought longingly of the horn she used to have. If only she were still a unicorn. If only she'd still had the means to heal plants. At least then she'd have something to eat, and maybe, just maybe, Attor wouldn't mind self-grown berries for lunch.
Simi let out a sigh as she lowered her head, bringing a foretalon to her eyes and rubbing them with a small groan of frustration. The gesture actually rather startled her, and she craned her head backward to stare at her paw, musing on its sudden use of stress relief...
Maybe she didn't have a horn... at least not right now. But she had suddenly found a way to feel at least a little better, and this newfound dexterity, to a creature who had lived with hooves or wings for forearms all her life, felt nice, despite the very big situation at hand.
"Attor..." she started quietly, although her voice echoed loudly against the walls. "I know we can't stay here forever, but this is much safer and... and thanks. I wouldn't have been able to swim here by myse..."
She trailed off when she realized the dragon had his attention elsewhere. The hippogryph walked quietly after him, wondering if she should try and get his attention again, but stopped as she realized that there was something very sweet smelling in this cave. And this time, the smell was rather tantalizing even to her.
But what was it? And where?
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Attor wasn't ignoring her, but his eyes were indeed fixed on something ... He was still treading water and made a slow escape from the stiffened pond. A satchel that had been hidden under his forearm made its appearance as he shifted muscles - and it was surprisingly dry, considering the circumstances. Not a drop of water remained on it once it was brought to the open air.
There were few noises in this place. Not much but their voices and the gentle drip-drop of fluid off their hides. And something else ... a low-tuned humming that was just faintly heard, so low was the octave. It was coming from the direction that Attor was staring at. The same place the smell was coming from. And the glow ...
Drawn by the honey-scented goodness of whatever awaited them, Attor damn-near floated ahead. It was so alluring: a light to a moth, so to speak. The dragon paid little attention to his two comrades. Feeling plush earth beneath heavy paws was soothing. But then he came to gravel and dirt. And then he stopped ... because the ground just disappeared. But it wasn't because of some reality crisis, oh no. They'd reached a cliff. And beyond that cliff spawned a valley, darkened due to the lack of sunlight, yet illuminated by strange plants of different colors. Mushrooms, flowers ... even a few trees! The leaves and petals all shimmered like brilliant stars.
"This is ... " The word failed him, for his jaw hung open. But it was safe to assume that he meant beautiful. Had this place existed down here the entire time, undiscovered? Or was it truly just a fascimilie - a fake, spawned by the shredding of time and space?
At the moment it didn't matter. Attor exposed his wings and spread them wide. There was barely a thought crossing his mind as he leapt from the drop's edge, gliding down in a gentle slope. That sweet smell was calling to him. He was going to find the source.
There were few noises in this place. Not much but their voices and the gentle drip-drop of fluid off their hides. And something else ... a low-tuned humming that was just faintly heard, so low was the octave. It was coming from the direction that Attor was staring at. The same place the smell was coming from. And the glow ...
Drawn by the honey-scented goodness of whatever awaited them, Attor damn-near floated ahead. It was so alluring: a light to a moth, so to speak. The dragon paid little attention to his two comrades. Feeling plush earth beneath heavy paws was soothing. But then he came to gravel and dirt. And then he stopped ... because the ground just disappeared. But it wasn't because of some reality crisis, oh no. They'd reached a cliff. And beyond that cliff spawned a valley, darkened due to the lack of sunlight, yet illuminated by strange plants of different colors. Mushrooms, flowers ... even a few trees! The leaves and petals all shimmered like brilliant stars.
"This is ... " The word failed him, for his jaw hung open. But it was safe to assume that he meant beautiful. Had this place existed down here the entire time, undiscovered? Or was it truly just a fascimilie - a fake, spawned by the shredding of time and space?
At the moment it didn't matter. Attor exposed his wings and spread them wide. There was barely a thought crossing his mind as he leapt from the drop's edge, gliding down in a gentle slope. That sweet smell was calling to him. He was going to find the source.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
"This is..."
"... Shiny," Simi softly finished for him, apparently in a stupefied trance herself. She may have kicked herself for using such a ridiculous word were she not so enthralled by the secretive forest.
Beyond the cliff where she and her companions stood was the most beautiful hidden valley she had ever seen. The grass blew gently in spontaneously splashed colors. The flowers, in all sorts of shapes and sizes, gleamed with a cheerful soft glow brighter than even the dim sunlight that found its way here. The mushrooms' outlines had eerie pretty lights that came from the pores underneath, and the trees proudly wore leaves of every color along their greens. It wasn't like the derealized trees she'd seen above-ground, conflicted with spring greens and dying reds and sickly blacks. Even the bark was beautiful!
Everything... everything here shimmered as if there were tiny crystals embedded just under every surface.
Now, the bright and many colors the shifter was used to. Deep Forest was the most diverse and beautiful forest she knew, even in the winter, but not even it could rival the strange grace of this place. It reminded her of Silvertree Grove, in a way... only more... amazing. And here, there was such a sweet aroma, warm and soothing. Even if this had come about only through the derealization, this was the lovliest mistake she'd ever laid eyes on.
It's like it rains starlight here, instead of water, she wanted to say dreamily, but thankfully some part of her remembered to try and not look stupid in front of the two dragons.
When Attor spread his wings and glided down, Simi could barely remember even remember flying after him. However, whereas the yellow-jacket dragon seemed to keep going in a straight direction, she had glided down into valley itself.
Now having landed among the place, Simi could feel her head clearing up again. She trotted through the forest, pausing to stare at the berry bushes and flower patches, sometimes even dancing around things to get a better look from all angles. At times she just felt a burst of excitement and simply ran through the small fields to see the glowing 'dandelion' seeds swirl around her, whicker-chirping in a hippogrpyh's quiet giggle. She wasn't drugged, or being intoxicated by the valley's aromas. She was only ecstatic and curious and enthralled, and the workings of her mind allowed her to forget the worry and fear of Deep Forest and trade it for sweet peace.
"... Shiny," Simi softly finished for him, apparently in a stupefied trance herself. She may have kicked herself for using such a ridiculous word were she not so enthralled by the secretive forest.
Beyond the cliff where she and her companions stood was the most beautiful hidden valley she had ever seen. The grass blew gently in spontaneously splashed colors. The flowers, in all sorts of shapes and sizes, gleamed with a cheerful soft glow brighter than even the dim sunlight that found its way here. The mushrooms' outlines had eerie pretty lights that came from the pores underneath, and the trees proudly wore leaves of every color along their greens. It wasn't like the derealized trees she'd seen above-ground, conflicted with spring greens and dying reds and sickly blacks. Even the bark was beautiful!
Everything... everything here shimmered as if there were tiny crystals embedded just under every surface.
Now, the bright and many colors the shifter was used to. Deep Forest was the most diverse and beautiful forest she knew, even in the winter, but not even it could rival the strange grace of this place. It reminded her of Silvertree Grove, in a way... only more... amazing. And here, there was such a sweet aroma, warm and soothing. Even if this had come about only through the derealization, this was the lovliest mistake she'd ever laid eyes on.
It's like it rains starlight here, instead of water, she wanted to say dreamily, but thankfully some part of her remembered to try and not look stupid in front of the two dragons.
When Attor spread his wings and glided down, Simi could barely remember even remember flying after him. However, whereas the yellow-jacket dragon seemed to keep going in a straight direction, she had glided down into valley itself.
Now having landed among the place, Simi could feel her head clearing up again. She trotted through the forest, pausing to stare at the berry bushes and flower patches, sometimes even dancing around things to get a better look from all angles. At times she just felt a burst of excitement and simply ran through the small fields to see the glowing 'dandelion' seeds swirl around her, whicker-chirping in a hippogrpyh's quiet giggle. She wasn't drugged, or being intoxicated by the valley's aromas. She was only ecstatic and curious and enthralled, and the workings of her mind allowed her to forget the worry and fear of Deep Forest and trade it for sweet peace.
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Shiny?
Definitely.
Attor began circling around the center of the place. Something huge was sprouting out from the ground. By all means, it looked like a tree. It had bunches and bunches of leaves all around it and thick roots sprouted out from the ground below. But that was where the resemblance ended ... because this tree had indigo bark that glowed faintly and leaves that shimmered like a thousand suns. Hundreds of different hues of every color were flecked upon these. Whenever one fell, it became iridescent.
Every few seconds, a blast of pale blue light would travel from the roots and up the tree's body, disappearing into the fauna's growth. As it did this the leaves would suddenly blare a brighter illumination, then fade again. This strange event continued with the certainty and consistency of a pulse. Truly amazing.
The dragon followed his nose to a spot along the side of the bark where the scent of sweetness grew irrevokably strong. Here was a huge flower, its lunar-white petals peeling outwards and easily encompassing at least two feet. Little prongs emerged from its center. At the tip of these prongs were little sacks of pollen, screaming a bright yellow. Attor never noticed it until just then, but the whole of the tree was littered with these strange floral decorations. He couldn't tel if they were parasitic or not. But the relationship between tree and flower seemed perfectly harmonious. Attor flew in close. He fixed his body in a vertical angle and clung to the tree's body like an insect.
Now that was weird. The tree was warm, like it were a living organism.
But then, everything was strange about this hidden valley.
Attor braced himself for the blast of pale blue light. It passed right underneath his latching claws, doing no damage but leaving a sensation that he'd just been shocked by a very weak form of lightning. Everything was all ... tingly, but nothing hurt. The fact that he was left unharmed gave a major boost to his already-high confidence. The dragon arched his head towards the flower's core, its aroma positively entrancing him. His long tongue dipped into the pool of nectar waiting for him and he was immediately nostalgic, remembering the hives back home ... when he was younger ...
Definitely.
Attor began circling around the center of the place. Something huge was sprouting out from the ground. By all means, it looked like a tree. It had bunches and bunches of leaves all around it and thick roots sprouted out from the ground below. But that was where the resemblance ended ... because this tree had indigo bark that glowed faintly and leaves that shimmered like a thousand suns. Hundreds of different hues of every color were flecked upon these. Whenever one fell, it became iridescent.
Every few seconds, a blast of pale blue light would travel from the roots and up the tree's body, disappearing into the fauna's growth. As it did this the leaves would suddenly blare a brighter illumination, then fade again. This strange event continued with the certainty and consistency of a pulse. Truly amazing.
The dragon followed his nose to a spot along the side of the bark where the scent of sweetness grew irrevokably strong. Here was a huge flower, its lunar-white petals peeling outwards and easily encompassing at least two feet. Little prongs emerged from its center. At the tip of these prongs were little sacks of pollen, screaming a bright yellow. Attor never noticed it until just then, but the whole of the tree was littered with these strange floral decorations. He couldn't tel if they were parasitic or not. But the relationship between tree and flower seemed perfectly harmonious. Attor flew in close. He fixed his body in a vertical angle and clung to the tree's body like an insect.
Now that was weird. The tree was warm, like it were a living organism.
But then, everything was strange about this hidden valley.
Attor braced himself for the blast of pale blue light. It passed right underneath his latching claws, doing no damage but leaving a sensation that he'd just been shocked by a very weak form of lightning. Everything was all ... tingly, but nothing hurt. The fact that he was left unharmed gave a major boost to his already-high confidence. The dragon arched his head towards the flower's core, its aroma positively entrancing him. His long tongue dipped into the pool of nectar waiting for him and he was immediately nostalgic, remembering the hives back home ... when he was younger ...
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Upon recalling her hunger, Simi had returned to the shimmering bushes to inspect the berries growing on the branches. They were like the leaves on the few trees here; vibrant and glowing with many different gleams. She reached out a fore-talon again to pick at one, holding it close to her face, and again marvelled at the new things she could do with her claws. The shiftergryph never would have been able to study a berry like this had she stayed a unicorn!
She pushed the berry into her mouth rather clumsily, but soon got the hang of it as she began to consume many berries with this technique. They were different from the ones in Deep Forest, more tangy and rich, but all the same she loved them; whether that was because they really were delicious or because she hadn't eaten all day due to the reality chaos, she couldn't care less.
Simi first took notice of the pools when a berry had dropped from her grasp, rolling down the shallow hill where she'd been indulging. The sound of a *plop* breaking through a water's surface was what reminded her that she was thirsty and should probably clean herself after this messy business of learning how to eat again. She cantered downhill, catching sight of refreshing clear water, but paused as she slowly began to realize that this was not a small pond, but a cluster of many smaller puddles, all forming an image that seemed eerily familiar to her.
The shiftergryph forgot all about her sticky talons and beak as she quietly circled around the ponds, fairly transfixed by them. It occured to her that instead of a reflection, the pools together seemingly formed the complete image of a forest. One of them had a village, and the other a swamp. There were some with mountains and another with a cluster of...
Silver trees.
Simi's eyes widened as she made a soft gasp. Silvertree grove!? But... but how? This was water, not sky. And yet that was what the view was from. She knew this, even though her phoenix shape was only accessible in the winter and her bird's eye view had seen a forest covered in snow instead of flowers. It was hard to see or identify the figures moving around, but they were indeed there. What sort of magic was this?
Her last held berry suddenly rolled out of her grip, falling into a puddle depicting part of the unravelling forest, only... instead of rolling around, simply dropped. Dropped right through the sky to fall down into the woods under it.
It occurred to Simi that washing her face and talons in a pool like this might not be a good idea. In fact, the very thought made her think of tripping and falling into these cluster ponds, and that quite frightened her. She backed away, still intrigued but fairly nervous, although a small part of her did acknowledge that should she and the others need a quick escape out of here, she may have found the hypothetical answer.
"Att-" she started, but paused and tipped her head when she caught the dragon clinging onto a tree and licking flowers. What an odd thing for such a large dragon to do! Although something within was very, very relieved to know that it was nectar that Attor thirsted for and not... not well, blood.
Heh.
Heh...
She pushed the berry into her mouth rather clumsily, but soon got the hang of it as she began to consume many berries with this technique. They were different from the ones in Deep Forest, more tangy and rich, but all the same she loved them; whether that was because they really were delicious or because she hadn't eaten all day due to the reality chaos, she couldn't care less.
Simi first took notice of the pools when a berry had dropped from her grasp, rolling down the shallow hill where she'd been indulging. The sound of a *plop* breaking through a water's surface was what reminded her that she was thirsty and should probably clean herself after this messy business of learning how to eat again. She cantered downhill, catching sight of refreshing clear water, but paused as she slowly began to realize that this was not a small pond, but a cluster of many smaller puddles, all forming an image that seemed eerily familiar to her.
The shiftergryph forgot all about her sticky talons and beak as she quietly circled around the ponds, fairly transfixed by them. It occured to her that instead of a reflection, the pools together seemingly formed the complete image of a forest. One of them had a village, and the other a swamp. There were some with mountains and another with a cluster of...
Silver trees.
Simi's eyes widened as she made a soft gasp. Silvertree grove!? But... but how? This was water, not sky. And yet that was what the view was from. She knew this, even though her phoenix shape was only accessible in the winter and her bird's eye view had seen a forest covered in snow instead of flowers. It was hard to see or identify the figures moving around, but they were indeed there. What sort of magic was this?
Her last held berry suddenly rolled out of her grip, falling into a puddle depicting part of the unravelling forest, only... instead of rolling around, simply dropped. Dropped right through the sky to fall down into the woods under it.
It occurred to Simi that washing her face and talons in a pool like this might not be a good idea. In fact, the very thought made her think of tripping and falling into these cluster ponds, and that quite frightened her. She backed away, still intrigued but fairly nervous, although a small part of her did acknowledge that should she and the others need a quick escape out of here, she may have found the hypothetical answer.
"Att-" she started, but paused and tipped her head when she caught the dragon clinging onto a tree and licking flowers. What an odd thing for such a large dragon to do! Although something within was very, very relieved to know that it was nectar that Attor thirsted for and not... not well, blood.
Heh.
Heh...
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Through the buzz of his own thoughts, the dragon faintly heard Simi calling up to him. Attor lapped up the last bit of nectar before looking down. "What is it?" The normal Attor would be irate if somebody should disturb his meal. This looser version of him could care very little ... and there was a tone deepw ithin his voice that hinted at possible inebriation. Some of his words slurred together. But it was a subtle thing. You'd have to be listening very closely to notice.
There was urgency when the Gryphon spoke. Attor didn't like the sound of that. As quickly as a slightly tipsy dragon could, he spread his massive wings and one again took flight. This time he descended to the valley's floor. Grass lit up beneath his paws as soon as they touched the ground. This briefly illumination lasted only for a few seconds before the patches of earth resumed their dark green hue.
His vision blurred a little. Squinting at Simi to get a look at her full-on, something troubled him. Was she bigger than she was a little while ago? And ... a different color? No, it wasn't her. The whole world was wavering. Technicolors splashed here and there, dotting the landscape with sudden vibrancy that didn't previously exist. All this undulation made the dragon's legs quiver and his stomach spin. Attor rolled his eyes a little, blinking rapidly as it that would dismiss this obnoxious strangeness. It wasn't working.
Was it the nectar?
"What's wrong?" he asked of the other, doing his best to keep himself steady and firm. Although the territorial behavior fled him, his pride was still adamant. Weakness was not to be shown ... even if the effort it took to hide it was difficult.
There was urgency when the Gryphon spoke. Attor didn't like the sound of that. As quickly as a slightly tipsy dragon could, he spread his massive wings and one again took flight. This time he descended to the valley's floor. Grass lit up beneath his paws as soon as they touched the ground. This briefly illumination lasted only for a few seconds before the patches of earth resumed their dark green hue.
His vision blurred a little. Squinting at Simi to get a look at her full-on, something troubled him. Was she bigger than she was a little while ago? And ... a different color? No, it wasn't her. The whole world was wavering. Technicolors splashed here and there, dotting the landscape with sudden vibrancy that didn't previously exist. All this undulation made the dragon's legs quiver and his stomach spin. Attor rolled his eyes a little, blinking rapidly as it that would dismiss this obnoxious strangeness. It wasn't working.
Was it the nectar?
"What's wrong?" he asked of the other, doing his best to keep himself steady and firm. Although the territorial behavior fled him, his pride was still adamant. Weakness was not to be shown ... even if the effort it took to hide it was difficult.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Simi stared at the dragon for a moment, wondering if something might be, well.... off with him. However, he seemed adamant on having her continue, and she decided that the ponds might as well be the more important situation at hand. The shiftergryph walked carefully as she led Attor to the bird's eye pools.
"Do you see this? These ponds..." she began as she lifted a foreleg and pointed with one of the fingers, reveling in her more convenient means of communication. "It's as if you are seeing Deep Forest, the whole of it, from above. When I dropped things in them, they didn't stay in the pool but... fell. Way down into the forest, itself. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's like a... a door? A door to outside, only from high above." For someone who knew nothing about portals, no less their name, Simi's explanation was going along... adequately, at least. "I bet if we jumped in we could be right above whatever place we wished to go, although it would mean leaving here. We don't have to go now or anything, of course!" she said hurriedly, "But if we do need to leave, this is where we could go. It'd be easier than going back the way we came... Which is covered in fire anyway..."
She glanced up to see her companions' reactions to this find, but blinked and made a hippogryph's slight frown when she noticed Attor's rapid blinking. "A... Attor? Are you okay?"
She felt quite shy asking the question, but it was the least she could do after the dragon had brought her here.
"Do you see this? These ponds..." she began as she lifted a foreleg and pointed with one of the fingers, reveling in her more convenient means of communication. "It's as if you are seeing Deep Forest, the whole of it, from above. When I dropped things in them, they didn't stay in the pool but... fell. Way down into the forest, itself. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's like a... a door? A door to outside, only from high above." For someone who knew nothing about portals, no less their name, Simi's explanation was going along... adequately, at least. "I bet if we jumped in we could be right above whatever place we wished to go, although it would mean leaving here. We don't have to go now or anything, of course!" she said hurriedly, "But if we do need to leave, this is where we could go. It'd be easier than going back the way we came... Which is covered in fire anyway..."
She glanced up to see her companions' reactions to this find, but blinked and made a hippogryph's slight frown when she noticed Attor's rapid blinking. "A... Attor? Are you okay?"
She felt quite shy asking the question, but it was the least she could do after the dragon had brought her here.
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
The notion of a pond being a teleportation device struck some strange funny bone he didn’t know he had. Attor found this outrageously funny for. He began laughing. Simi’s changing colors and the wobbling world didn’t help matters.
”So you could just jump in and … Poof! Fall right in?” He had the sudden idea of dropping berries from the sky. Any poor sod trudging through the woods would get pelted on the head by an exploding fruit!
Around this time he lost the strength to stand. Attor fell to his knees, promptly rolling to his side. Or rather … all over the place. The laughing became louder. Uncontrollable. It seized him so roughly that at time he forgot to breath, pausing to take in air only when he could no longer make noise out of empty lungs. That was no ordinary nectar up there on the tree. It was starting to act like a hallucinogen. Or a poison.
Even at this moment strange things began to happen. Large ants the size of wolves were crawling from underneath the tree’s roots. Their bodies were black with erratic streaks of pale blue striking across their sides. Dozens of them began to appear. Lightning zapped between their antennae. They congregated into a group huddle at first, exchanging charges and bolts … and then they turned towards Simi and the more-or-less incapacitated Attor, trudging forth like an army with large pincers CRRRK-ing together.
Purposes unknown, they marched on. Were they looking to communicate or did they see the dragon and Simi as food?
”So you could just jump in and … Poof! Fall right in?” He had the sudden idea of dropping berries from the sky. Any poor sod trudging through the woods would get pelted on the head by an exploding fruit!
Around this time he lost the strength to stand. Attor fell to his knees, promptly rolling to his side. Or rather … all over the place. The laughing became louder. Uncontrollable. It seized him so roughly that at time he forgot to breath, pausing to take in air only when he could no longer make noise out of empty lungs. That was no ordinary nectar up there on the tree. It was starting to act like a hallucinogen. Or a poison.
Even at this moment strange things began to happen. Large ants the size of wolves were crawling from underneath the tree’s roots. Their bodies were black with erratic streaks of pale blue striking across their sides. Dozens of them began to appear. Lightning zapped between their antennae. They congregated into a group huddle at first, exchanging charges and bolts … and then they turned towards Simi and the more-or-less incapacitated Attor, trudging forth like an army with large pincers CRRRK-ing together.
Purposes unknown, they marched on. Were they looking to communicate or did they see the dragon and Simi as food?
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
”So you could just jump in and..." Attor began, slurred at first, then muffled with giggles "… Poof! Fall right in?”
"Well, y.... yes..." Simi said in a smaller voice, her ears going back as she stared up at the dragon with a confused and suddenly timid expression.
"Ha.. Aha..."
"AAAAH HA HA HAH HAH-"
The ground shook and rumbled along with the dragon as he rolled around, wheezing and booming with laughter while Simi just stood there, feeling rather stupid and a little hurt.
"I-I mean it," the shiftergryph insisted as she pawed the earth with a fore-talon. "I swear, th-the ponds just let the berries fall right thr-"
"A-HAHAHAHAHAAAA...."-gasp-"AAAHAHAHAHAHA-"
Lying her ears flat to escape the loudness of the dragon's voice, Simi was only now beginning to wonder if Attor's hysterical giggle-fit... had anything to do with her at all. She tried repeating the question she had asked before, only louder, and perhaps a little more frantic. "Attor! Are you ok.....oka...."
She trailed off at the flash of blue from the corner of her eye, and turned around slowly.
"A.... Attor...."
Her voice. It had gone quite cracked and squeaky right about now.
Simi usually loved ants. They were such tiny, sturdy little creatures, orderly and brave and steadfast in their tasks. She used to love watching them at their work when she was a foal, and would fall asleep at their tiny, holed mounds.
These... these weren't those kind of ants, were they.
They were the sizes of wolves, and Simi knew this because her sister's second shape had been a wolf. Streaks of Cerulean flashed at their sides, and lightning flashed and crackled between the long antennae on their heads. They spoke in tiny hisses and clicks, pausing at first to clack between each other before slowly advancing on the shiftergryph and her drunken draconic companion.
Now, Simi was a sensible unicorn- or rather, phoenix- when it came to the blue fire that would sometimes coat her feathers, often sprouting to life in the heat of anger, fear, or desperation. She couldn't summon this fire, but she could at least suppress it so as not to needlessly frighten her companions, as she had been striving to do the whole day.
However, this moment most definitely called for desperation, and with a small shriek of warning, the hippogryph spread her wings wide. Bright cyan flames bloomed across her wing-feathers, which she beat forward a few times. The familiar heat of the flames was no longer felt, which meant that her fire must have regressed back to the harmless state it was before she had reached adulthood. Hopefully these humungous insects wouldn't know...
"Who... who are you? G... G-get back! S-stay away!" She called out fearfully as she turned back on Attor, shoving him frantically with her front feet. "Attor! Attor, get up they're... ATTOR, ANTS!"
"Well, y.... yes..." Simi said in a smaller voice, her ears going back as she stared up at the dragon with a confused and suddenly timid expression.
"Ha.. Aha..."
"AAAAH HA HA HAH HAH-"
The ground shook and rumbled along with the dragon as he rolled around, wheezing and booming with laughter while Simi just stood there, feeling rather stupid and a little hurt.
"I-I mean it," the shiftergryph insisted as she pawed the earth with a fore-talon. "I swear, th-the ponds just let the berries fall right thr-"
"A-HAHAHAHAHAAAA...."-gasp-"AAAHAHAHAHAHA-"
Lying her ears flat to escape the loudness of the dragon's voice, Simi was only now beginning to wonder if Attor's hysterical giggle-fit... had anything to do with her at all. She tried repeating the question she had asked before, only louder, and perhaps a little more frantic. "Attor! Are you ok.....oka...."
She trailed off at the flash of blue from the corner of her eye, and turned around slowly.
"A.... Attor...."
Her voice. It had gone quite cracked and squeaky right about now.
Simi usually loved ants. They were such tiny, sturdy little creatures, orderly and brave and steadfast in their tasks. She used to love watching them at their work when she was a foal, and would fall asleep at their tiny, holed mounds.
These... these weren't those kind of ants, were they.
They were the sizes of wolves, and Simi knew this because her sister's second shape had been a wolf. Streaks of Cerulean flashed at their sides, and lightning flashed and crackled between the long antennae on their heads. They spoke in tiny hisses and clicks, pausing at first to clack between each other before slowly advancing on the shiftergryph and her drunken draconic companion.
Now, Simi was a sensible unicorn- or rather, phoenix- when it came to the blue fire that would sometimes coat her feathers, often sprouting to life in the heat of anger, fear, or desperation. She couldn't summon this fire, but she could at least suppress it so as not to needlessly frighten her companions, as she had been striving to do the whole day.
However, this moment most definitely called for desperation, and with a small shriek of warning, the hippogryph spread her wings wide. Bright cyan flames bloomed across her wing-feathers, which she beat forward a few times. The familiar heat of the flames was no longer felt, which meant that her fire must have regressed back to the harmless state it was before she had reached adulthood. Hopefully these humungous insects wouldn't know...
"Who... who are you? G... G-get back! S-stay away!" She called out fearfully as she turned back on Attor, shoving him frantically with her front feet. "Attor! Attor, get up they're... ATTOR, ANTS!"
*~Old as the sky, old as the moon, and quite obsessed with oreo icecream~*
Re: [PLOT] - The Unicorn and the Dragon
Hah ...
Simi was definitely on fire. Buaha.
Too bad Attor was loose enough to not care ...
The ants, on the other hand, were very observant. For being related to petty insects who did nothing but aggrivate those who's homes they stole into, they were certainly a lot more ... intelligent? If that was the word for it. Maybe it was just instinct. But as soon as flames licked all about the former-phoenix's form, they held back on their assault. Bolts flicked between antennae. Jaws clicked Were they communicating?
Whatever was being spoken about would have to be left unheard. There was no way Attor or Simi had the ability to translate that ...
Speaking of Attor ... Hey, the laughing stopped! But one look at him hinted that silence was not exactly a good sign. He seized up. All muscles went rigid. Even with a rising and falling diaphragm, and eyelids that remained open ... there was nothing to his vision. Those eyes were blank, rolled backwards to the depths of his skull. If he saw anything, it was only going to be the edge of his brain. The dragon's sharp jaw hung open. Curled tongue rolling onto the grassy floor, it hung limp like the rest of him. Despite all this, saliva was continually being produced. Large drops of drool spilled from his open jaw, coating the ground with its thick film of mucus.
A familiar scent of nectar was emitting from deep within Attor's esophagus. This variation was more pungent than its former form. There was a hint of ... something. Something off. Perhaps this was a meaningless clue to Simi and Klinge. But the ants picked up on the odor and turned all attention to the massive dragon, entirely ignoring the burning gryphon's presence.
In waves of four, the ant army advanced, inching closer to the hulking black-and-yellow beast that beckoned to them.
Simi was definitely on fire. Buaha.
Too bad Attor was loose enough to not care ...
The ants, on the other hand, were very observant. For being related to petty insects who did nothing but aggrivate those who's homes they stole into, they were certainly a lot more ... intelligent? If that was the word for it. Maybe it was just instinct. But as soon as flames licked all about the former-phoenix's form, they held back on their assault. Bolts flicked between antennae. Jaws clicked Were they communicating?
Whatever was being spoken about would have to be left unheard. There was no way Attor or Simi had the ability to translate that ...
Speaking of Attor ... Hey, the laughing stopped! But one look at him hinted that silence was not exactly a good sign. He seized up. All muscles went rigid. Even with a rising and falling diaphragm, and eyelids that remained open ... there was nothing to his vision. Those eyes were blank, rolled backwards to the depths of his skull. If he saw anything, it was only going to be the edge of his brain. The dragon's sharp jaw hung open. Curled tongue rolling onto the grassy floor, it hung limp like the rest of him. Despite all this, saliva was continually being produced. Large drops of drool spilled from his open jaw, coating the ground with its thick film of mucus.
A familiar scent of nectar was emitting from deep within Attor's esophagus. This variation was more pungent than its former form. There was a hint of ... something. Something off. Perhaps this was a meaningless clue to Simi and Klinge. But the ants picked up on the odor and turned all attention to the massive dragon, entirely ignoring the burning gryphon's presence.
In waves of four, the ant army advanced, inching closer to the hulking black-and-yellow beast that beckoned to them.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."