darkSpyro

Laszur slunk around through the fortification - being careful not to make any noise. His magic helped dampen the sounds of his own footsteps; his main concern would be avoiding the rustling of vegetation, or any terrain that would cause him to leave footprints.
Thanks to Raclaw's mental "map", he was able to navigate around with enough foreknowledge to avoid the patrols. Inside the fortification, past the walls, was actually a very large settlement, with houses made of brick; most of the inhabitants seemed to be inside, however. The few he did see out and about were elves for the most part; save one merman, who seemed to be wearing leather armor, and a helmet made out of the skull of some animal or other.
Laszur continued to slip around; taking the opportunity to take in all of the sights he could. He eventually came to another brick house, slightly larger than the ones he had seen up until then. The door was somewhat ajar; if he was careful, he would be able to slip his way past it...

...and he did. He was in the house without having made any noise, or having ruffled anything. Inside was a single human, wearing the same make of leather armor as the merman previously seen. The human wasn't wearing a helmet; however, a similar skull helmet could be seen on a table near him, albeit of a different animal. Across his face were several noticeable scars, including a brutal, jagged scar crossing both eyes, seemingly made by a claw of some kind; an eyepatch laid across one eye, while the other was shut at the moment.
Laszur took a few steps into the room; this man was apparently blind, at least judging by the wound and the eyepatch. Was this a care shelter? It didn't seem so; there were all manner of weapons and armor hung around, seemingly as trophies judging by their extremely varied make.
Laszur would have time to figure more out later. For now, he needed to complete his scouting mission. He slowly began stepping back, to leave the building.
Suddenly, the man's uncovered eye opened. It wasn't organic; rather, it was made of glass or crystal of some sort. Though it had a pupil, it was very lifeless, as if there merely for appearance.
"You there, galud. I see you. You're not leaving just yet."

After a few card games, with Random remaining victorious as usual, Angora got bored. She really wanted to visit the island, at least the part that wasn't the fortress, but it was getting late and she didn't want to risk any hostility from the soldiers, especially since her captain was imprisoned and the fact that she was a troll. A cyclops being there didn't help either.
"Well then, thank you guys for the time, but I think it's better if I sleep early. Haven't been resting very well and it's time for the wyvern's meal. He may have me for dessert if I bring his food too late." Angora said, trying to make a joke.
"You're remarkable Angora. Imagine that. Being friends with Blackie over here and also being friends with a wyvern. And the captain's mount no less. Befriending two different kinds of dragons! Now that's amazing." Sand Dune complemented, with his friends agreeing. It made Angora feel great. It was quite the funny irony that she befriended dragons better than she did people... at least until now.

She left the three men alone, happy with the fact that Sand Dune wasn't afraid of Shade and may even be interested of befriending him. With Tyraika gone, her giant friend could use the company. She headed to the kitchen, making herself a tuna sandwich and eating it right there. She noticed the large pile of dishes, and while she had no desire of doing them, she did them anyway to kill some time.

The chore took her almost an hour, making Veris' meal time a bit later than usual. She grabbed various pieces of lamb chops, heating them for a while and nearly doubling the ration to make up for her tardiness. She then headed to Veris' enclosure in high spirit.
"Hey there you beautiful beast. Your favorite troll is here. Sorry I'm late. Brought you some dinner. Better enjoy it, cause next meal will be tomorrow's breakfast." Angora warned, just in case he wanted more. As was routine, she got out of the way fast, already too aware of the wyvern's ability to completely erase his meals out of existence.

Quote: Cynder09

"Well, yeah, the cavers are at least," Kasidra nodded. "So I heard anyway. I never actually saw one for myself. I avoided any cave or whatever that looked suspicious. I just hunted the tongueans because they make good armor and it was something to do." She shrugged. The island was quite peaceful, but also quite boring. Kasidra figured she could never actually live there permanently. Her eyes widened at Maverick's story. "Oh, wow. Really? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make light of the danger. I guess I just have abilities that naturally countered theirs, so I didn't have any trouble with them. I'm sorry you weren't as lucky."

Kasidra's story made sense. She evidently had more abilities, and that made the tongueans seem harmless.
"Well, at least you were taken care of while on the island. And tongueans aren't so bad. One attacked this snake creature that was going after Ilasi. I mean, I know it wasn't it's intention, but it did saved Ilasi's life and left us alone afterwards. Funny how life can be." Maverick expressed, not forgetting that moment. Ilasi truly had some marvelous luck.

"Oh, really?" Kasidra asked. "It must have been satisfied with the snake then. Either that, or the two of you together looked just threatening enough that it didn't want to take any chances. Who knows?" she shrugged. "At least it didn't attack you afterwards. In my experience, those tongueans would leave you alone if you just made yourself seem like enough of a threat. My blood magic generally does the trick. Besides, with my magic, their camouflage was effectively useless, so they couldn't even hide from me." Kasidra was thankful for the wide range of abilities her form of magic provided, as it helped her in all sorts of situations.

"Well... maybe. That tonguean was much smaller than the one that attacked me and the sailor." Maverick observed, remembering it was small and a pretty blue color.
"You're lucky to have such magic. Their camouflage was very good." he then added, finding something as blood magic cool but creepy.

Laszur froze in place for a moment. He had been caught... somehow. The man appeared to be blind at first, but there was clearly something with that artificial eye of his that allowed him to see Laszur.
"You're with the ship that just came in, aren't you?" he asked.
Laszur, seeing that the facade was over, dropped his invisibility. "Yes, I am," he admitted. There was no point in denying it.
"What brought you in here?" the man asked.
Laszur was very unsure of how to answer - but the man didn't appear openly hostile so far. If he wanted to, he was already in a position to provide a reason to turn on the Enduring Legacy.
Before Laszur could answer, the man continued. "I'm Martus," he offered. "It's a very long story... but I am part of a mostly human mercenary crew which was waylaid here many, many years ago. Our leader died of gangrene from his wounds soon after coming here; the rest of us eventually integrated into the population here - mostly comprised of elves, though there are some more unusual species among us. The head commanders among the crew became some of the chieftains; others were taken from some members of what consisted of a government here. Though we've been able to survive the threats here by working together, we... often have very different ideas on how to run things."
Martus paused, as if to offer Laszur a chance to offer his thoughts on things. "What does this have to do with me telling you what you want to know?" Laszur asked curiously.
"You're trying to find your captain, aren't you?" Martus asked. "You're sure as hell not planning an assault here."
"Yes," Laszur admitted. "I am scouting around for information regarding him, his whereabouts, and his condition."
"Exactly what I needed to know," Martus said. "Now, shut the door..."
Laszur obeyed, closing the door by swinging his tail at it. No one had walked by so far, but it was clear that Martus had things he wanted to say in confidence. "Now, how judgment for the less cut-and-dry cases typically works is by a vote. There are seven of us; and we, of course, have different ideas on how to run things. Duessul has always been a xenophobic, paranoid chieftain; he is almost certainly going to vote for some sort of punishment for your captain, if only to save face. Me? It's clear to me that your captain has many differences from the criminal they're accusing him of being. I've always been one for being more open - especially with our first chance to have contact with the outside world for a long time. You, or whoever else is in charge, will probably get a chance to speak to the other chieftains, and find out their stance on the matter; I know some may be leaning towards acquitting, and others toward punishment, but there may be a possibility to nudge them one way or another."
"What does this have to do with me?" Laszur asked.
"You're a stealthy type, aren't you? You see, the criminal everyone is after is the one who gave me my eye; I was blinded after a fight with a sea monster in defense of this place, before we built the fortifications we have today. Some policies pushed for by Duessul led to his declaration as a criminal; accusations of 'evil' magic. Pure paranoia, I tell you. Because of this, the 'criminal' ended up fleeing the island, killing a sentry in his efforts to escape. It's clear to me that Duessul is an anchor to our progression as a society; and to you, he represents an obstacle to freeing your captain."
"So you want me to..."
"Yes," Martus said. "I have never had an opportunity like this, but now that I do, I will take it. I want him dead. None of the others can see the invisible like I can; you can go in and out undetected."
"Will this not bring immediate suspicion on us?" Laszur asked. "We just got here."
"Oh, it will," Martus said. "But it'll also bring suspicion on myself, and others - and I'm not the only one opposed to Duessul. If you sneak into his compound, he will have died with guards posted; and that would likely narrow down potential 'suspects' to those who had his trust. Between all of the possible suspects, and the general sentiment, the council will be too paralyzed to act in one way or another - I can guarantee you that. Oh, Duessul likely has some bootlicker as second-in-command - but doing this will guarantee my vote, and may encourage the consideration of those who wouldn't otherwise oppose Duessul on such a 'minor' case. It'll also buy you some time as we figure things out."
Laszur wanted to give it some thought - but there didn't seem to be much to think about. Martus wouldn't need an excuse to launch an attack on the Enduring Legacy if he wanted it - so this was unlikely to be some effort to get such an excuse. And if what the man said was true, then it would definitely be in their best interest.
"I'll do it," Laszur said. "Give me the information I need. I'll see to it."

Ilasi was glad that things worked out so well for Kasidra, though the island lifestyle seemed a bit too hostile for her. Though she had been out in the field before, Ilasi much preferred safer, city environments. She didn't exactly know how to make herself appear threatening, either.
"I couldn't imagine living here regularly," Ilasi said. "Facing death every time you step out? Well, I suppose if you're trained well enough for it... but speaking of that subject, what would you say crime is like on that island? Does it exist? If so, to what extent?" Though Aelinon was generally safer in most of its major cities in regards to crime than other places would be, its sheer size meant that rooting it all out was impossible. Would a small town have an easier time? Or would criminals get away more easily?

Maverick understood Ilasi's question. Being raised in a big city with many guards and sentries protecting it was clearly very different from the humble countryside there was on that island.

At Veris' enclosure Angora remained, watching over the wyvern. She was still expecting Shepherd to contact her, but like before, she avoided the temptation of making the first move. Unaware of her blossoming abilities, Angora still wondered what Sheoherd meant by 'growing' when he bid her goodbye, but above all, why did she rejected his offer to happiness? She couldn't get it in the traditional way at this rate. Why would she said no to something she wanted so badly? She knew there was a good reason, but she couldn't remember. It was as if it was buried in the darkest and most inaccessible corner of her mind...

Meanwhile...
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Leoquin, though not startled, was rather surprised, not expecting the typically reserved minotaur to ask him a question. He knew what justice was like in Aelinon, but also knew that places outside its borders were more lenient. "I dunno,"Leoquin said. "Doubt the captain is dumb enough to come here if he actually committed a crime here. Perhaps they mistook him for some murderer or something? But then, it would have had to have been someone who looks similar to him, and he's not exactly a normal-looking human... but apparently the crime was a while ago? So their memory could be foggy. Or they could think he's trying to disguise himself." Leoquin didn't expect to be putting so much thought into a situation he could do little about - but if they could figure out what the deal was, perhaps their chances would be better.

"Risar agrees-- no criminal returns to the sight of the crime. And one does not simply return where one knows one will be captured.," the large minotaur responded with a grunt and a slow nod. "I'm sure that our captain will get out of this, rather by law or by other creative means. Perhaps the people will be forgiving and perhaps they will simply let him go on his own terms. Or perhaps not, but only time will tell at this point.," Risar then said sounding as if he were perhaps relating in part to his own feelings. Deep inside, he wondered what sort of reaction he would've caused had he ever returned to his land to go out in search of his still likely enslaved brothers. He had been fortunate to have a good master and to meet a good captain who had allowed for his now known freedom. The other two brothers were of less useful 'stock' and could've ended up in any number of different crueler lifes.

Laszur had received the details he needed. He wouldn't need to return to Martus; the result of the task would be obvious.
After stealthily navigating the streets for some time, cloaked in invisibility as the stars began to show themselves, he found the place Martus indicated; another building, much like the one Martus was in. This time, however, there were guards posted. He had been informed that Duessul always had guards posted around his compound, in his paranoia; however, such a thing could, in fact, be made to work in their favor, if Laszur carried the task out correctly.
With the weather still being rather warm for the time of day, there was a window open on one side; however, there was a guard near the area. No matter; Laszur would ideally be able to get himself through the window without being seen or heard. Waiting for the guard to pass the window in his pacing, Laszur took the opportunity to slip into the window, first getting his head and shoulders through...
...and he made it through to the other side, where he found another guard posted inside, with a dim lamp burning. Duessul truly was as paranoid as he was told. Laszur couldn't risk any interference... but he had an idea.
Taking soft, quiet steps, he approached the guard, who was seemingly pacing around in his boredom. Keeping track of his path, Laszur waited for him - until they were adjacent. At that moment, Laszur's tail quickly made its way around the guard's neck.
The sentry couldn't cry out; he simply struggled for a few moments, before falling unconscious. Laszur grabbed him and put him to the side somewhere; Laszur would ideally be done before the guard regained consciousness. He would have to work quickly.
Entering one of the larger rooms of the compound, Laszur found a skull helmet and many trophies posted in this room, with a man sleeping in the bed. Duessul, undoubtedly. The galud creeped closer and closer to the bed...
...until he was right next to the man. Laszur wasted no time, his tail darting out and reaching the man's neck. The man shot awake briefly in a futile attempt at struggling; he would, too, fall to a choke, except Laszur did not release it prematurely. This wouldn't merely render the chieftain unconscious for a minute or two; it would be fatal.
When Laszur was confident enough, he pulled his tail back. A brief autopsy confirmed no signs of breathing or a pulse.
His work was done. Laszur left the compound the same way he came in, past the other room, and out through the window; the guard inside the building was just regaining consciousness. Duessul dying while the guard inside was alive would raise much suspicion as to how such a thing would happen without the guard noticing. His story of having been brought unconscious would be one of many stories the many potential suspects would have in their defense; the truth would be impossible to discern. The choke didn't crush any bones or leave any bruises on the guard; it would be hard to verify.
Laszur's task complete, all he had to do was report back to the ship, informing whoever was in charge on board at the time of what happened. There would be an appointment with the chieftains tomorrow; and the actions tonight gave the Enduring Legacy a much better chance at reclaiming their captain.

Veris was dozing off when he smelled the food Angora was bringing; he immediately became fully animated, ready to devour whatever meal it was she brought. As Angora brought the food in, he eyed it hungrily, drolling somewhat; the meal took no time at all before it was completely devoured, bone and all. Veris was satisfied for the time being; he laid back down, though he looked over at Angora to see if she had anything to say.

Angora noticed Veris staring at her, and as usual, she believed he was begging for more.
"Sorry Veris. No dessert tonight. Besides, I gave you almost double the ration this time. No complains, right? Had to keep that belly in check you know." Angora commented, playfully poking his stomach after finishing the sentence. She was getting quite sleepy, though she felt like sleeping under the stars tonight. Since she couldn't sleep with Shade, perhaps the three fun men could keep her some company just for tonight. She would've invited Veris to sleep on the main deck for once to get some cool fresh air, but then she stopped to think that if she brought him there, he may start to ask question about his disappearing master, or maybe overhear one of the gossiping sailors talking about his current predicament, so it was a bad idea. It will have to be for another time.

As Laszur was approaching the walls of the settlement, a loud, heavy gonging could be heard in the distance. It would seem that Duessul's death was discovered quite quickly - but with all of his footsteps having been on paved roads, there was nothing to lead anyone back to Laszur.
The galud carefully passed through the port gate, as many armed guards were retreating into the settlement and many lights could be seen turning on in houses. None of the guards posted would be able to say that they saw anyone leaving the ship; this would make it even harder to get any accusation against the Enduring Legacy and crew to stick.
It wasn't long before Laszur was back up the gangplank and onto the ship; he would have to avoid dropping his invisibility within sight of the sentries on the tower. He instead entered the inner ship, dropping his invisibility there before stepping back out.
It would seem that Risar was on deck at the moment; seemingly in a conversation with Leoquin. Laszur came in by them smoothly, looking for an opening before starting his report.
"Good evening, Risar," Laszur said. "I have quite the story to tell; but the short of it is, I was caught, but the chieftain who caught me asked me to assassinate a rival of his instead, a rival who is in large part responsible for the capture of the captain. The council will be too paralyzed by all of their doubts and suspicions to act one way or another, and I have made sure that nothing I've done can be tracked back here. We will likely have an opportunity to speak with the chieftains tomorrow; the captain's fate will be decided by a vote, and with the assassination, it'll be easier to have people vote in our favor, or so I've been told."

"Excellent-- I'll make sure to inform Latnok. I'm sure the others will want to hear the full story.," Risar said with a respectful nod. "You got caught, but you also got out of it and bought us some time. That is.. commendable.," the large minotaur then said complimenting the Galud on his efforts. Indeed; getting caught was less than ideal but they now stood more of a chance of reclaiming their captain.

Kasidra let out a breathy laugh. "Luck has nothing to do with it. I got my magic from my dad. It's just one of the things that came with my demonic heritage." She shrugged as if it were no big deal. The tiefling looked to Ilasi when she spoke up. "Oh, me neither. I couldn't wait to leave. The island was much too boring for my liking. So, no, there wasn't really any crime there. It was pretty peaceful, if you could stand that simple, monotonous lifestyle. The main thing you had to worry about was the environment itself and the creatures that lived there. The people were fine," Kasidra explained.

Maverick liked the way the island was, well except for the wildlife, but he did understand how it could get boring. You could be happy and calm there, but too much of the latter could indeed be boring. He left Kasidra and Ilasi talk for a while, having nothing else to ask, when it occurred to him to look at the window.
"Mira. Night already? This day has gone by fast. Señoritas, I'll be leaving now to bring you a small dinner. I'll be right back." Maverick said, leaving the girls to continue talking among each other. Asides Angora, they were the only girls on the ship, unless there was some non human crew member there that was female and he didn't know or haven't met?

It wasn't important now. He headed to the kitchen, hoping he could encounter Angora on the way, but she was nowhere to be seen, probably with Veris. It still scared him a little how much time she spent with the wyvern, but nothing has happened so far, so he believed there was nothing to worry about.

After cooking for a while, Maverick returned to the cabin with small pieces of sausage with lettuce and apple slices for the girls. He already ate a few grapes and a loaf of bread while he waited for the meals to be done. He hadn't been very hungry.
"Here you go señoritas. Had fun? No we preocupen about me. I already ate on the way. " he said beforehand before they asked about him, handing over the platters. While the food was the same, they were decorated differently. He was ready to call it a day once the girls ate.

The rest of the night went by uneventfully, despite the commotion within the fortified town. No one stepped outside of the boundaries of the walls in order to approach the ship. It seemed that Martus was, indeed, correct; if there was any suspicion towards the ship, there were too many other possibilities to encourage the islanders to do anything.
Laszur stayed on watch, the night being his normal time of activity. Guards eventually began to return to their posts on the walls. Overall, there didn't seem to be anything to worry about.

With the sun peeking over the horizon, Latnok was already awake; however, he wasn't sure whether he should wake up the wild dragon with them. He decided that he would at least wait for her, provided she didn't sleep too long. There would likely be a lot to do today, so he couldn't wait forever.

Meanwhile, at Crystal's cell, before breakfast had been handed out, an Ishulgite with a staff and a scrying orb approached the thunderbird. Nor caring for whether she was awake, he would begin. "You, creature. Perhaps you are not aware of the things we do," the Ishulgite said. "We bring hope to the hopeless. We bring peace to those who know the cruelties of war. We bring health to the ill. Allow me to demonstrate."
The Ishulgite began focusing the scrying orb, until an image appeared - a clearing in a forest in Silvianesti. All around, elves gathered together around an obelisk in the center. They were gleeful and engaged with each other exuberantly, in preparation for their morning prayer.

Maverick awoke with the first few rays of sunshine, being more bright in Ilasi's cabin and his and Angora's. He was in a great mood today, even if Sere was still imprisoned as far as he knew. Yesterday was his free time, but nothing was said of today, so in order to make sure Latnok knew he still took his responsibilities seriously, he headed to the kitchen, tiptoeing and opening the door very slowly. Luckily, it didn't creak like the one in his cabin. He was going to cook his delicious meals for the whole crew, but first, he would make sure to attend to the ladies' first, including Angora. He didn't know if she was happy or uncomfortable with Sere under arrest, but he knew her enough to suspect it was the former. He couldn't blame her though after the way Sere has treated her, and she was still his friend and doing a terrific job with both Dahlia and Veris, so she also deserved a hearty breakfast. He reached the kitchen and started to cook many meals with a low fire, giving priority to Ilasi, Angora and Kasidra's meals. He wondered if he should cook something for the new dragon as well. It took him a while to decide, but he made up his mind. He was going to make a meal for Tyraika as well, although he was going to let Raclaw or Shade give it to her. Once she got a taste, perhaps he wouldn't be so mean to him anymore the next time they saw each other...

At Veris's enclosure, the young little troll was sleeping besides Veris. She had wanted to sleep under the stars that night, but knew she would feel guilty sleeping freely with the fresh air of the night while a dear friend was cramped in a small space. When she opened her eyes, she felt well rested. She was ready to begin the day. She was in an even better mood when she remembered the horrible Sere was behind bars, likely feeling exactly the way she felt because of him. She got up, ready to tackle the day, when she noticed the cloth of her shoulders being stabbed by one of Veris' fangs. Did he bit it during her sleep? Or did she accidentally stabbed it there? At least it didn't get the skin. What's better, Veris didn't accidentally crush her. She usually sleep in a corner to avoid him from squashing her during his sleep, but Angora took the risk this once so that he would feel her company better. And thankfully, nothing happened.

Since Veris was sleeping so soundly and he was too tall to lift the cloth up, she had to tear some of it and leave it stuck on his fang. Finally free, Angora quietly took his bucket of water and left the enclosure, replacing the water with clean one and then left it on a corner of the hallway so that she could head to the kitchen and get his breakfast. But first, she headed to Dahlia's enclosure to make sure the dirt buffalo was alright. Now that Maverick was more busy than usual too with a girlfriend and a sturdy job, it was up to her to make sure his dear mount was well...

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The rest of the night went by uneventfully, despite the commotion within the fortified town. No one stepped outside of the boundaries of the walls in order to approach the ship. It seemed that Martus was, indeed, correct; if there was any suspicion towards the ship, there were too many other possibilities to encourage the islanders to do anything.
Laszur stayed on watch, the night being his normal time of activity. Guards eventually began to return to their posts on the walls. Overall, there didn't seem to be anything to worry about.

With the sun peeking over the horizon, Latnok was already awake; however, he wasn't sure whether he should wake up the wild dragon with them. He decided that he would at least wait for her, provided she didn't sleep too long. There would likely be a lot to do today, so he couldn't wait forever.

It wasn't long until Chester would awaken, usually rising before his larger dragon companion. Raclaw, for a few brief moments, could actually be seen 'running' in his dreams and a brief flashback would be inadvertently transmitted to Latnok. A younger Raclaw could be seen; the sound of the than still-enabled collar tag making an almost bell-like noise as he gave chase to what seemed like a small rabbit. It wasn't entirely clear what the young Fur Dragon's intent was. The noise caused by the tag would mean that he would've had little hope of actually catching the small critter. Perhaps he had just been playing or perhaps he had been genuine trying. Raclaw's eyes began to open as he soon awakened from his dreamstate, unaware that his distracted mind had shared the moment with his human counterpart. "You were dreaming, weren't you?," Chester barked looking at the Fur Dragon with a funny look. "You.. you could say that.," Raclaw responded in common with almost a sly smile. The two looked at each other and at the already awake Latnok.

Meanwhile, Risar had eventually gotten some sleep upon Lazler's return and would wake up in due time. The large minotaur would have dreams of his own, although he had no bonds from which to accidently share them. As he awakened-- he placed a hand on his shoulder feeling and remembering the past. Perhaps he had dreamt of his previous life or perhaps he had dreamed of what could be to come. His past was his alone to bear; the only hints of it being his publicly visible nose ring and the odd story he told from time to time. The other 'visible' marker could never be seen unless one was to see him without his armor. And the chances of that happening were slim at best. Perhaps a crew member or two had noticed that he seemed to favor a certain shoulder, but it was unlikely that anyone would ever ask. Anyone who suspected probably figured it to be a old wound or the like.

Tyraika was still asleep, curled up in her corner. Her mind was lost in a dream, a simple one where she was flying around her island home. A cool, ocean breeze blew through her fur and everything felt peaceful. For a brief moment, everything was perfect, as it should be. Then a bizarre sound could be heard, a barking sound, which sent her on high alert, in case there was a threat. Tyraika's eyes shot open and she quickly raised her head to search for the source. Before even focusing her gaze on Chester, she remembered where she was and realized she had simply been dreaming. Tyraika sighed and laid her head back down. While she was relieved there was no immediate threat, she was disappointed that she wasn't back home on her island. Seeing that the others were already awake, Tyraika glanced at Latnok. She would have preferred to continue sleeping, but she waited to see what the Guardian would do first.

Veris began to open his eyes, coming awake after a long, satisfying sleep. After taking in his surroundings, he started to look around for Angora, who he could smell but not see; it seemed she was not present. His water was gone; it seemed that Angora had taken it out somewhere.
That is what Veris thought at first, at least; he then noted a weird feeling on one of his teeth, however, and poked at it with a tongue. Off came a piece of cloth; cloth that was very clearly from Angora. O his teeth.
Veris began to panic. This couldn't have happened... right? There was no way he'd eat Angora! She had to be around somewhere! His search intensified, as he began to toss around objects in the enclosure in his futile efforts to find his troll friend. With the search being completely fruitless, however, he sank down, with nothing he could do but panic and shriek in his anxiety. How could this happen? It had to be a mistake!

Ilasi woke up to the sun peering through the cabin, Maverick already being gone. Today might be the day she had to face the dragon; she would find out for sure later. She would have to get back to her task of water purification, at the very least; before that, however, she had a bit of time.
Reaching by a dresser, she grabbed the violin she had learning against it. Thinking of a short tune, she slowly moved the bow across the strings in deliberation, trying her very hardest to not miss any notes, regardless of how long it took her to play them.

Latnok returned Tyraika's glance, figuring she was anticipating further instruction. "We're headed up to the deck," he told her. "From there, things will continue like they did yesterday - as much as they can. We'll see what happens. We'll likely be speaking with some of the leadership in this place today." Latnok got up, opening the door to the hallway.

Leoquin was up early, looking out at the walls of the place. For such an aggressive-looking place that arrested their captain, the people here seemed rather laid-back. There was, of course, the matter of the captain's imprisonment to settle; nevertheless, Leoquin couldn't help but wonder as to the possibilities this place had to offer.

Angora cleaned Dahlia's feeding area and filled it with hay and clean water, though if she wanted oats, she would have to get it from Maverick. He always kept some in his pocket, but she began to think she should do the same now that the dirt buffalo's caring was more often. The troll headed to the kitchen to find to her delight the beloved Maverick. The feeling was mutual.
"Oh! Hola! Buenos dias Angorita! So glad we could find each other this morning. Don't worry about your breakfast. I'm already making it, unless of course you're here for Veris' meal?" he asked, assuming that was the reason for most of Angora's visit to that place. He didn't noticed the small piece of torn cloth in her hood.
"Indeed that. And so glad I find you. I was just with Dahlia. I think she would do well with a handful of oats." Angora suggested, with Maverick leaving her to search his pocket and pick the food. He was happy to have someone to take care of Dahlia, though with the wyvern in tow as well, he hoped little Angora wasn't so overworked.
"I trust Ilasi is better now?" Angora asked after putting the oats in her own pocket.
"Yes she is. I'll send her your greetings. Hope you slept well Angorita." Maverick said, almost asking how he felt about Sere being imprisoned, but he didn't want to bring such an unpleasant topic at hand, especially since he already knew how she probably felt.

Since Angora was there, Maverick made sure her meal was cooked first, and once it was finished, Angora took it away, as well as Veris' breakfast, and the two friend bid each other farewell while the little troll ate on her way to Dahlia's enclosure, leaving the two legged dragon's platter in a corner outside while she was with the buffalo. She was in a very good mood that morning, and Maverick seeing the first face she saw besides Veris' really improved her day. She was helplessly oblivious to the overwhelming sorrow she had accidentally caused to her dear wyvern friend...

"I understand," Tyraika replied to Latnok. She raised her head with a yawn before standing up. So much for continuing that nap. Tyraika stretched out her body and shook off the sleepiness, all while being careful not to move her injured wing too much. It still hurt, but at least it wasn't infected. She didn't feel like she had the energy to do much, and would rather be sleeping still. Tyraika hoped it wouldn't be too much of an eventful day for her. Maybe the crew would be too busy dealing with their captured captain to make her do much today.


Kasidra woke up and did some stretching in her cabin. She had a rather restful night and felt refreshed this morning. She would be ready to eat breakfast soon, but didn't know what she wanted to do until then. With nearly all of her belongings lost somewhere in the ocean, there wasn't much the tiefling could do alone within the confines of her room. Kasidra wished her things hadn't been lost, or that she could retrieve them somehow, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Besides, the items were likely ruined now anyway.

After taking care of Dahlia, Angora left the enclosure with Veris' meal and water, knowing this was one of his favorite times of the day. When she entered the enclosure, she had a wide smile, as was usual.
"Hey my beautiful beast. How aaaaare…" her smile vanished after seeing the mess around.
"Dang, what happened here? Did you have a nightmare boy?" Angora asked, never seeing the enclosure in such a state. She still had no idea the distress she accidentally caused the poor wyvern.

Maverick entered Ilasi's cabin almost at the same time, being very glad to see her.
"Hello mi querida. Brought you breakfast." he said when he took notice of the violin.
"Oh. Practicing? No matter. I can come later." Maverick stated, seeing he had interrupted her practice.

Raclaw didn't need to be told to follow-- the fur dragon and his smaller canine companion ready and eager to do so. "Don't worry-- I'm a heavy sleeper too. You'll get used to it.," Raclaw said with a slight smile usually being the last to wake up.

Meanwhile, Risar soon made his way to the deck no doubt making it before Latnok and company.

Veris almost didn't notice Angora in his distress - upon seeing her, he immediately settled, giving a grin of elation. Bringing himself to her, he lowered himself, opening his mouth and poking at the piece of cloth on his tooth with his tongue, giving the closest thing he could to a whimper to try to communicate the feeling of anxiety and sadness that overcame him. How glad he was that he didn't eat his friend like he thought he did!

Once on the deck, Latnok found a place to set his bag and bow (which he grabbed on the way out.) With Tyraika on the deck, he could continue his typical tasks while being able to keep an eye on her. Sere being gone would deeply complicate matters in regards to the wild dragon. Latnok wondered what he would need to do to compensate - could he really manage this without just collaring the dragon?

Ilasi paused when Maverick entered the room - immediately picking up the scent of the delicious breakfast that he provided. "Thank you, Maverick - much appreciated," she said. "Oh, I mean, about the food. You can, uh... stay if you want..." Ilasi was reluctant to have Maverick listen to her practice and embarrass herself, though she dared not say as much.

Maverick sensed how uncomfortable he was, and was ready to leave once she finished eating.
"It's alright Ilasi. I know you'd rather practice alone. I don't want to make you nervous. I can keep you company while you eat, but I can leave as soon as you're done. I'll have to leave eventually anyway. I want to cook for the entire crew and demonstrate to señor Latnok I still take my responsibilities seriously." Maverick explained, though he hoped Ilasi didn't mistook his attempts as trying to appeal to him too much.
"También, I want to cook something for the new dragon. I know she doesn't like me very much, but if I give her some food, perhaps she'll start to mellow down a little." Maverick then added, knowing that the best way to win most animals, if not all of them, was through the stomach. And if the dragon was well fed and in a well enough mood, she was going to let Ilasi take care of her without any further incidents.

Quote: A Guy

Veris almost didn't notice Angora in his distress - upon seeing her, he immediately settled, giving a grin of elation. Bringing himself to her, he lowered himself, opening his mouth and poking at the piece of cloth on his tooth with his tongue, giving the closest thing he could to a whimper to try to communicate the feeling of anxiety and sadness that overcame him. How glad he was that he didn't eat his friend like he thought he did!

At first, Angora didn't noticed the piece of cloth, and mistook his open mouth with him wanting to be fed. Although the wimpering sounded like too much begging.
"Want the food directly in your jaws? Heh. Feeling lazy, aren't you boy?" she asked playfully, when she finally took the time to see what his tongue was pointing at.
"Oh. That. Is that bothering you? Sorry I didn't take it out earlier. Didn't want to wake you. Allow me." she said, removing the piece of cloth from between his teeth without fear or tremble. She trusted him that much.

But even after the removal, Veris still looked horribly distressed.
"Why are you so sad my friend? Was it a nightmare? It's all over now. Now here. Brought you your food. Pork with lamb chops. Sounds delicious, right? Go ahead, eat up. You'll feel better." Angora assured, knowing eating always made Veris feel better. She left the water in a corner while she put the food in front of him and kept her distance, still believing his distress was the cause of a nightmare. As smart as she was, Angora didn't associated what the cloth stuck in his teeth implied, and since Veris settled by communicating with sounds, neither he or Angora knew about her growing ability yet.

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Once on the deck, Latnok found a place to set his bag and bow (which he grabbed on the way out.) With Tyraika on the deck, he could continue his typical tasks while being able to keep an eye on her. Sere being gone would deeply complicate matters in regards to the wild dragon. Latnok wondered what he would need to do to compensate - could he really manage this without just collaring the dragon?

"Morning Latnok.," Risar greeted with his usual respectful nod. "While you were sleeping-- Laszur returned. Long story short; he was caught, but was able to buy us time by helping to assassinate a rival of a certain chieftain. We should be able to speak to the chieftains some time today and should have a better chance of retrieving our captain.," the large minotaur said with Chester almost finching at the mention of the word 'retrieving.' Raclaw offered the little Beagle a smile, while also keeping an eye on their guest and current roommate. Both fur dragon and canine alike were pleased at the good news.

Tyraika simply gave a slight half-hearted smile back at Raclaw. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to anything here, and she didn't really want to. She still didn't like these people and would much rather be back home on her island. Tyraika figured the fur dragon would never understand that, so she opted not to say anything. Instead, she simply followed Raclaw and his companions up to the main deck in silence.

Once she arrived on the deck, Tyraika gave a small smile to her friend when she saw him. "Good morning, Shade." Tyraika sighed. "Slept well enough anyway, all things considered. Still feel a bit tired, though." She sat down next to him.

Veris spit out the cloth, dissatisfied that he couldn't communicate the cause of his distress to Angora - her presence, and the food she presented, made him feel much better, however. Soon he was back to his old self, devouring his food and making it disappear in seconds. Once done, he stood up and looked at Angora, waiting for what she had planned next.

Latnok listened as Risar gave the report. "Eh... I'm not too sure about that whole deal, but I guess it's the best choice he had at the moment. It makes sense, overall." Laszur was definitely not a reckless person; Latnok knew that he had a very good reason to follow through with such a request.
Latnok took one look at Tyraika before looking back at Risar. "Looks like you're going to be representing us," he said. "I'm stuck here with... that thing until we can make sure that she's safe and the islanders approve of her. I'll be here if you need me."

Ilasi was grateful that Maverick was understanding enough to know why she wanted to be alone when practicing, though she tried not to emphasize it too much. "Well, I certainly hope she warms up to you," Ilasi said apprehensively. "Though I would recommend having Latnok nearby before trying anything." Ilasi was, of course, still very untrusting of the dragon, and hoped that Maverick's gregariousness didn't get him hurt.

Maverick stayed with Ilasi for a while, having a small breakfast on his own, and once he was done, he was ready to leave.
"Nos vemos Ilasi. Keep practicing. Nothing like music to soothe the soul. I'll be cooking for the crew and dragon now. Wish me luck." Maverick said, opening the door.
"Take a small rest after you practice, cause later today, I have the feeling that señor Latnok will be looking for you." he then said, believing that he'll want Ilasi to get back to work after having the entire day yesterday free. Even if the captain wasn't with them, Maverick suspected Latnok would want things to get back as normal as possible to ease up the tension that caused Sere's arrest.

Quote: A Guy

Veris spit out the cloth, dissatisfied that he couldn't communicate the cause of his distress to Angora - her presence, and the food she presented, made him feel much better, however. Soon he was back to his old self, devouring his food and making it disappear in seconds. Once done, he stood up and looked at Angora, waiting for what she had planned next.

During and after Veris was done eating, Angora spent a few minutes cleaning up his enclosure. It was her least favorite part of the job, but she knew it was necessary. She then groomed the wyvern, removing loose scales and scratching him in the places he couldn't reach.
"Sorry I can't get you out Veris. And... sorry I can't understand you. I should've taken your master's advice and practice when I had the chance, but I've had such bad experience with magic before I refused to give it a chance... but that's over. I'm gonna practice. For my sake. For the sake of my friends... including you." Angora expressed as she continued grooming the large mount.

"I've been searching for Latnok to help me train. He'll probably say no, but I'll still try..." she stated, knowing that if there was a tiny chance of him agreeing, it'll be worth it. How she wished she could understand Veris. She was already making up conversations in her mind as she groomed him...

Tyraika nodded, as the cabin hardly beat the comforts of home. Her lair was more spacious and she never had to share with a human. She glanced at Latnok briefly. His words didn't really phase her, as she didn't care about his opinion of her. Tyraika didn't think much of him either. While she wasn't as sure as before that these people were hunters, she still wasn't convinced they could be trusted.

Tyraika looked back to Shade when he spoke. She shook her head gently. "No, you're just another dragon. You've been very kind to me and your advice has helped a lot. Honestly, I see you as more of a friend." Tyraika smiled softly.

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Latnok listened as Risar gave the report. "Eh... I'm not too sure about that whole deal, but I guess it's the best choice he had at the moment. It makes sense, overall." Laszur was definitely not a reckless person; Latnok knew that he had a very good reason to follow through with such a request.
Latnok took one look at Tyraika before looking back at Risar. "Looks like you're going to be representing us," he said. "I'm stuck here with... that thing until we can make sure that she's safe and the islanders approve of her. I'll be here if you need me."

"Very well. Risar shall do his best.," the large Minotaur said with his usual respectful nod and almost instinctively calling the captain-in-acting second 'Captain.' He wasn't entirely certain how convincing he would be verses that of someone who had served under Sere for far longer, but knew that Latnok was right when it came to the so-called 'thing' that was Tyraika. Raclaw and Chester remained close to Latnok's side.

Risar glanced at the nearby Raclaw and wondered what would eventually come of the Fur Dragon-- Tyraika represented what could've been and both Latnok and Raclaw would have many many years ahead of them. Would Raclaw only continue to remain with Latnok, would he instead eventually choose to go off on his own, or would he perhaps even form his own family while still under the 'claim' of his human Guardian counterpart. Only time would tell...

Reaching the kitchen, Maverick arranged the pots and frying pans, graduating the heat and using the measures he always used in each utensil. Once everything was ready, he started the procedure, taking extra care of a large ham he picked especially for Tyraika. He wanted to win that dragon's heart, and the stomach was often the best place to start with any creature. He took a glass of water and an orange to kill some time and waited for the food to be over, putting gravy in some of them.

Once it was all done, Maverick picked the trays and started arranging the meals, though he didn't want to take too much time, so the decorating was going to be simpler this one ocassion. He decorated Tyraika's meal as well, wanting to make it visually appealing, though if she was anything like Veris, she probably wasn't going to bother with the appreciation. But he still did it, and once everything was ready, he began the arduous task of putting the trays in the cart and getting it all the way upstairs to the main deck. After a few minutes, his voice could be heard everywhere.
"Breakfast! Get your breakfast everyone! Breakfast!" He called, as always, putting special meals apart so that the rest of the crew would know not to take those, such as Shade's, Latnok's Chester's and Raclaw's meals...

"You're welcome, Shade." Tyraika returned the gentle nuzzle. She appreciated having him as a friend. It had been awhile since Tyraika got to spend time with another dragon, so it was nice to be among her own kind again. She just wished she didn't have to deal with the humans.

Tyraika heard a call for breakfast and turned her head to see Maverick with the food cart. She stared at him warily. She wasn't too pleased to see him with the food. Still, she was hungry and wanted to get her breakfast. However, Tyraika wasn't sure if she wanted to approach Maverick, or if she was even allowed to after what had happened. These people obviously didn't trust her, so she doubted they would want her to just approach anyone. As hungry as she was, Tyraika decided to wait to see what would happen, instead of immediately going over to get food herself.

Maverick saw the two dragons approaching, and he almost greeted Shade, but then he suddenly remembered he still wasn't allowed to interact with him, not even a simple greeting, so he desisted the attempt and left Shade's food on top of a barrel nearby so he could take it himself. Tyraika was someone he wasn't forbidden to interact with though, so after leaving Shade's platter aside, he took Tyraika's.
"Hey girl. Look what I made for you. Especially for you. I know we were off to a bad start, but that doesn't mean it has to remain that way. Go ahead. Take it. Just don't bite my arm off por favor." Maverick said as he nervously approached Tyraika with his arm extended to offer the food. He didn't get very close though, wanting the striped dragon to walk the rest of the way herself so he could demonstrate he respected her space. He felt a bit lousy for trying to buy off Tyraika's friendship like that, but it was the best way he knew in circumstances like that. He didn't know if she could understand his words, but he hoped his soothing voice would show he had no hard feelings for what happened the day before yesterday. Plus Shade was there, and he knew that if anything went wrong with the approach, he would intervene, and knowing his dark scaled friend, he most likely has been talking nicely about him and Angora these last couple of days, so perhaps there was still a chance for amend the relationship.

Tyraika kept her distance and watched Maverick carefully. She didn't want anymore mistakes to happen, so she decided to be extra cautious around this human. However, he started to approach with food. Tyraika considered backing away, but she was hungry, so she stayed put. Maverick's words sort of confused her, though. She was told to just take the food, no mention of manners or anything? It seemed strange. Why did the rules change so suddenly? Was it a trap? A test? Whatever it was, Tyraika refused to fall for it. She glanced at Latnok briefly. He was busy with the Minotaur, so she didn't know if he would intervene or not. Perhaps this was a good chance to show good behavior. If she just managed to treat this human the same as Latnok, it would surely show progress, right? Only one way to find out.

Tyraika turned her attention to Maverick and took a deep breath. She had no idea if he would understand her or not, but she didn't care at the moment. She wasn't about to get caught breaking any rules now. "Good morning," she began in monotone. "May I please have some food, sir?" She repeated the words just to show that she had learned them. Since the food was already offered, she slowly stepped forward to take it. "Thank you." Tyraika quickly grabbed the meat from his hands, careful not to bite him.

Once she had it, she walked away and laid down with her breakfast. Tyraika quickly ate the ham, but she did enjoy it. While it wasn't her favorite thing, it was good, and she did like it better than the bacon and corn she had.

Maverick knew Tyraika had said something, but he understood nothing. Tyraika looked like she enjoyed the food, but not in the excited matter that was usually shown when his meals were tasted. Maybe it wasn't her kind of meat? Would she had preferred it raw? Or did Latnok surpressed her so much she didn't show all her feelings? Maverick didn't know, and he'd rather not ask. He was curious about what the dragon said, but he couldn't ask Shade, and he wasn't certain if Raclaw had heard her.

With Shade and Tyraika feeding, it was time to move the cart around again. He headed to where Latnok, Raclaw, Chester and Risar were, since they were the closest and he already had their meals excluded.
"Morning caballeros. Breakfast." he greeted, indicating which platter was for each, through they were welcomed to exchange it among each other if they were in the mood for something else. Maverick didn't know what each of them liked exactly, so the meals were random. He took a brief glance at Tyraika and was left with the mood to approach her again after she was done eating, but this was barely the first day and he didn't want to be a pushover, so he was going to continue with his job normally until he could have another chance later.

On the dock, there was the typical clearance space, with the guards seemingly content with just standing around and watching from the walls. Suddenly, the gates opened; out came an older man, wearing the animal skull and pelt that signaled his status. The crystal eye and jagged scars would give him away as Martus, the man Laszur spoke to. He had no escort; he was alone as he stepped out, though the guards on the wall oversaw the situation.
Martus quickly made his way to the start of the gangplank, where he held. He took a quick look with his crystal eye before continuing. "Good morning. Martus here, one of the island chieftains. Requesting permission to board," he called out.

Latnok gladly took his food from Maverick. "Thanks," he said simply - to be interrupted by Martus. This would likely be the man Laszur reported about. "Please, come on board," Latnok responded. Marduk did so, marching up the gangplank.

Raclaw, Chester, and Risar took their food as well-- although all three would soon be interrupted. "Thank-you. Smells great!," Raclaw complimented upon receiving his food. Risar would offer an respectful nod, while Chester's bark would seem to imply the same as his larger dragon companion.

Maverick gave a small nod in greeting to be polite, since he couldn't return his greeting a verbal way. The man creeped him out. Probably the clothes. Once the rest took their meals as well he continued with the food distribution, waving them goodbye as he headed to another part of the deck.

Meanwhile, Angora was done with Veris' grooming, giving him a brief belly rub before finally getting ready to leave.
"I'm going out now Veris. You ate, you're clean, now you just need your excercise. I'm getting off the ship with Latnok's permission and see if I can convince the islanders to let you fly around for a while. Though I can make no promises. If not... well, I'll improvise some toys for you." Angora assured, willing to make the attempt but warning him about the possibilities of failure. She hated the idea of getting to both the main deck and the island, first because of Tyraika, and second because of the cyclops that was part of the military ranks, though her care for Veris was enough for her to attempt doing things she despised so much.

Tyraika was quiet while she finished up her ham. Although, she wasn't sure what to say in regards to Maverick anyway. He apparently was a good cook, but she was still debating the friendly part. Tyraika hadn't seen much of him so far, and he didn't seem much friendlier than the other humans. Maybe a little, as he was possibly more willing to give her a second chance than the others, but she still wasn't quite sure. Tyraika still had little to go on, aside from what she had seen so far, and her friend's word that Maverick was a good person. Shade considered him a friend, but she still couldn't quite see why. It was hard for her to grasp the concept that not every human might be a pirate or a hunter, so it was still difficult for her to trust these people.

Tyraika turned her attention to the gangplank as she heard a voice requesting permission to board. She kept watch to see what kind of person would be coming up to visit them. When she saw Martus, she emitted a low, quiet growl. Tyraika quickly rose to her feet and visibly tensed up. She kept her gaze firmly locked on him. "He's a hunter," she whispered. The crystal eye and scars didn't bother her too much, but the animal skull and pelt were like warning signs to the wild dragon. Tyraika took a deep breath, but it didn't do much to help her nerves. She just hoped that Latnok would quickly send him on his way, if nothing else.

Angora reached the stairs, already hearing Maverick calling the breakfast above. It was nice that he took his job so seriously, even though cooking wasn't his main job, though he clearly earned the respect of everybody by doing his job and so much more, even with a girlfriend in tow. Taking care of Veris, and unofficially, Dahlia as well was her only job so far, but she doubted she would earn some respect if she started going the mile extra. She already tried that with a large pile of dishes one time and Latnok still treated her like crap. Perhaps it was too late to improve her image, so she stayed with the only job she had.

And right now, keeping Veris happy was her main priority. A few minutes of excercise would suffice, but she had to make him fly quickly and make him go very above so that the wyvern wouldn't overhear anything about his master being a prisoner. She couldn't begin to imagine how angry he would be with her for not telling him, so Angora had to be cautious.

She went upstairs to find herself in the main deck, only to find to her frustration that the new dragon was there again. But she wasn't going to conceal her face this time. She could care less if the dragon saw her, even less hated her. She needed to find Latnok and talk to him, but what she spotted him, he was talking to a strange looking man, clearly one of the islanders. The little troll went someplace else, not only to stay very far away from Tyraika, but to avoid interrupting Latnok's conversation. She was going to wait until he was done, although she knew she was going to despise talking to him, especially when it was about making a request...