darkSpyro

Mischief had only managed a pathetic whimper when Angora first approached. When Angora picked up the little vixen, Mischief simply curled up comfortably in Angora's arms, relaxing significantly. A tiny churr became audible. Mischief allowed Angora to carry her any which way, feeling safe in the troll's arms.
Digi whirred nervously as he identified the gigantic winged creatures. "Could they be...?!" Meanwhile Choco followed Angora for a ways to make sure his master was safe and comfortable.

"Well... I wish it were that simple," Sere answered. "The Ishulgites seek to bring about peace by connecting everyone mentally... and ridding the world of those who would disrupt such a mental network with their presence. Here, we finally have a chance to stop the fighting - if their plan works out, then we in the Ardent Guardians would never have to fight another sapient creature again.
'But... is the cost worth it? There would be no more individual. Is a life worth as much as that of a drone in an ant colony a life worth living? And this plan - dragons and similar creatures would be destroyed en masse, with the exception of those who were reconstructed on a genetic level to be subservient to others. They have threatened humanity and other sapient races before - but is that extreme necessary?
"I have my doubts. Fighting the Ishulgites would man fighting and killing people who have only ever wanted a better life for themselves and their families. There is no way for either side to proceed without killing innocent, well-intentioned people... I'll tell you what. We are headed back to the island we previously came from to sort out the matter of a fugitive. I will have a firm decision on a course of action then. I will not stop the Ishulgites in their attempt to gain control of Aelinon - we Guardians do not get involved in political matters as a point of policy. What we can do, however, is try to prevent things from ever getting to that point. We will need a plan."

Veris relaxed as Angora and Mischief mounted. He waited patiently for Angora to secure herself and the other passenger, and would be ready to take off as soon as Angora gave the command.

Angora had tried to ignore it for a while now. At first, Angora wanted to ignore it, since there were many weird things happening in her life already, but it was impossible now. She first noticed this large bird with Mischief near the island where she lived, and thought of it of nothing more than a native species. But it was becoming obvious that this bird was a constant companion of Mischief in the few times she has bothered to notice.
"Care to explain why there's an emu following you?" she asked Mischief, unable to ignore such tall animal any longer. Veris looked comfortable and obedient, and didn't seem to be making a big deal out of the bird's presence. Was it because the giants were too distracting? Was it because Sere was there? Or did the bird looked so weird Veris didn't even want to eat it? No, couldn't be that last part. Veris loved eating anything with meat, so it had to be one or both of the other two. As she waited for an answer, she was securing herself and Mischief tightly with the grappling hook, petting Veris' neck to keep him calm in case the two new presences made him uneasy.

Mischief was genuinely startled by the question. "That's Choco. And he's not an emu. According to my research and the other Black Mages, he's something called a chocobo. Apparently they're native to the same land as the original Black Mages. How one of their eggs ended up on the island next to my egg is anyone's guess, but he's been with me since the day we hatched together. He protects me, especially if I'm low on Mana. He's also handy for transport because he's faster and can go longer than me." She shifted ever so slightly, flicking her tail emphatically.

As Sere and his guests communicated by what was obviously telepathy-- Raclaw did not purposely listen in and instead focused his talent on Latnok. "I wonder what all this means for Shade-- I doubt the Godfather will ever release him to them.," the fur dragon thought looking up at his human counterpart. Chester remained nearby currently receiving a light 'petting' from Raclaw's own fluffy tail. Risar watched the Dragolets and shade, making sure that neither party caused any trouble during the proceedings.

In Ilasi's cabin, the environment was different. The couple didn't know what was taking place on the main deck, so they took this time to enjoy themselves. Mischief was entertained, Veris was being docile and lazy and Angora was having her turn with Shade. Everything was well, so Maverick believed he had nothing to worry. He played some board games with Ilasi, let her show off her magic and talked. Their relationship was growing, blossoming. But when they tried to make it more close and personal, Maverick felt like he was being disrespectful. He knew he shouldn't feel that way, but he did.
"Lo siento Ilasi." he apologized, feeling like such a wimp for feeling that way. He had seen his father mistreating everyone, even women, so Maverick didn't know what was respectful or not...

Quote: darknessdawn

Mischief was genuinely startled by the question. "That's Choco. And he's not an emu. According to my research and the other Black Mages, he's something called a chocobo. Apparently they're native to the same land as the original Black Mages. How one of their eggs ended up on the island next to my egg is anyone's guess, but he's been with me since the day we hatched together. He protects me, especially if I'm low on Mana. He's also handy for transport because he's faster and can go longer than me." She shifted ever so slightly, flicking her tail emphatically.

"Egg?" Angora asked, although she has heard something about Star before. It was strange to know a mammal could come from an egg, though she has heard of a duck billed animal that could do so, so perhaps it wasn't so strange. After settling the grappling hook for the both of them, she decided to not ask questions anymore and get to the exercise. Whatever Sere discussed with the giants, she would find out sooner or later she expected.
"Hang on tight. Alright Veris, let's go, but gently alright? And stay on the edge on the island and near the ship." she instructed the wyvern, hoping Mischief would enjoy herself and mellow down some of that fear and shyness she had so often.

Mischief settled in as well as she could, although she was more comfortable when Angora was holding her. As she waited for take off, those enormous blue eyes peered out from under her hat. She tried to relax, worrying something would go wrong if she panicked. Her eyes began skimming Angora's setup. A grappling hook to hold her in? Clever. She made a mental note, adjusting her grip on her staff, which had been wrapped up with her. It was a fairly flexible wood, enchanted to resist damage from most sources, including flame. As her mind wandered she remembered her empty stomach. Thinking about her hunger just made it worse, so she set it aside and closed her eyes to wait in as relaxed a fashion as she could. She made a little "urf" sound as she finally relaxed a bit. Finally a sigh was audible, as she'd settled in.

"Come here," Sere telepathed to Shade, obliging Zera. He would let Zera be the one to divulge the news to Shade. He just hoped that she didn't think that he could just let Shade go free without answering for his crimes.

Ilasi had been around Maverick long enough not to know that "Lo siento" meant "I'm sorry." "What's wrong, Maverick?" she asked her boyfriend gently. "you've been so good to me... there's nothing to feel bad about. I just... ah, I mean, there's nothing to worry about... there shouldn't be," she continued, suddenly becoming a bit nervous. Was something she was doing giving Maverick the wrong impression, that he wasn't welcome?

Veris complied with the order, launching himself off the deck slowly and carefully. He began his flight by gliding around at a low altitude in the general area of the ship, not doing any of the rougher maneuvers he was used to in order to accommodate the new passenger.

Sere sighed "Very well. Shade - the Ishulgites, the religious followers we've seen here, have a plan which, if successful, will lead to the destruction of most dragons and similar species globally. This plan involves taking control of Aelinon - and they have the means to do so. With that, they will be able to assemble two pieces of a powerful artifact and locate and destroy every magical creature of their choosing for a long, long area around with little more than a thought. Their plan is to bring about unification and world peace - but their methods... I do not feel that these are healthy ways to go about it. There are still so many unknowns about their plan, such as how willing this god of theirs is to cooperate with them."

Latnok looked at the exchange from afar, and the seeming telepathic conversation. "Well, he sure as hell won't just hand Shade back over to them," Latnok answered confidently. "Likely explaining how Shade got himself in this mess by murdering so many people with his own carelessness." Was that it? Did this creature really think that she deserved her son back after what happened?

Mischief looked around, then looked towards Angora and churred sweetly. Heights, it turned out, didn't bother her. However, she mentally prepared a spell to lighten the landing should she or Angora somehow fall. Considering the grappling hook held her in a snug little cloth-wrapped bundle, there was little risk, but like most Zorua she felt it was better to be prepared for any potential threat. After mentally reciting the spell a few times she settled and watched the sky. "So blue... So pretty..." She made another little churr.

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Latnok looked at the exchange from afar, and the seeming telepathic conversation. "Well, he sure as hell won't just hand Shade back over to them," Latnok answered confidently. "Likely explaining how Shade got himself in this mess by murdering so many people with his own carelessness." Was that it? Did this creature really think that she deserved her son back after what happened?

"Agreed.," RaclAw said with concern-- internally comparing himself to Shade and wondering if Shade would've had better 'luck' had he been raised under a similar domesticated past. Would had having a collar the whole time helped the poor Dragolet from avoiding such troubles? Had he been given up for similar reasons? He couldn't help but to think of such things and the possibilities would no doubt make their way to his connected companion/friend.

Quote: A Guy

"Come here," Ilasi had been around Maverick long enough not to know that "Lo siento" meant "I'm sorry." "What's wrong, Maverick?" she asked her boyfriend gently. "you've been so good to me... there's nothing to feel bad about. I just... ah, I mean, there's nothing to worry about... there shouldn't be," she continued, suddenly becoming a bit nervous. Was something she was doing giving Maverick the wrong impression, that he wasn't welcome?

"I know Ilasi. Lo sé. It's just that... I'm afraid to do something wrong... you know? I know that's wimp talk, but I just... don't know if I'm doing things right, or if I will make a mistake along the way." Maverick confessed, showing his insecurity. He also wanted to make sure Ilasi knew she wasn't doing anything wrong. It was his own fear of failure that was holding him back too hard.

Quote: darknessdawn

Mischief looked around, then looked towards Angora and churred sweetly. Heights, it turned out, didn't bother her. However, she mentally prepared a spell to lighten the landing should she or Angora somehow fall. Considering the grappling hook held her in a snug little cloth-wrapped bundle, there was little risk, but like most Zorua she felt it was better to be prepared for any potential threat. After mentally reciting the spell a few times she settled and watched the sky. "So blue... So pretty..." She made another little churr.

Angora wasn't exactly expecting Mischief to be so calm, but she was, and Veris was flying more gently than he ever has before. He was being respectful to their new passenger after all, despite their rocky first meeting. Things couldn't have gone better than they were.
"Very good Veris. You're such a good boy. Keep up the good work, and I will give you another double ration." Angora said happily, knowing how lucky she was to have such an obedient wyvern at her disposition. She didn't know if it was because Veris liked her too much, or that he was too trained to obey orders from both masters and caretakers, but whatever the reason, she was glad that things were going so well.

Whenever Veris passed near the ship, she tried to take a glimpse to what was going on down there, but it was impossible, so she had to please herself with finding out later after everything had taken place.

Ilasi was surprised to hear that Maverick was afraid of doing something wrong - considering that was her main fear. Did the whole incident with Grea have anything to do with it? Perhaps she overreacted there?
"Maverick... Often, I worry if I'm making mistakes as well. But regardless of it all, you always make me feel loved. That's more than I could ever have hoped for before. Maybe I can do a better job of making you know how much I love you," Ilasi suggested, still feeling as if she wasn't meeting her obligation somehow. Regardless of progress, it always seemed that Maverick kept his distance just a tiny bit.

Veris licked his snout at the suggestion of extra food. Being compliant was something he wouldn't have an issue with. He continued his gentle flight, not making any of the sudden movements that were typical of his more frenetic exercises.

Mischief was strikingly calm... Until food was brought up. She found herself salivating as her stomach rumbled. She shifted slightly, less comfortable due to hunger but unwilling to complain. She hated forcing herself on people. She was hungry before they took off. Now she felt starved. Her tail swayed thoughtfully, showing her emotions as plain as day. All the while her eyes were locked on the sky above. Finally she tilted her head, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, back on the ship, Darkheart was becoming steadily more irritated. What was going on up there? And why didn't she think her plan through?! She shifted, hungry but unwilling to reveal herself. Not until there was a reasonable chance she wouldn't be caught. She glowered out, her eyes gleaming red for a moment before becoming invisible in the shadows again.

With a smoother flight meant Angora could hear her surroundings better... and one of that sounds was that of a stomach rumbling. But she knew Veris long enough to know that wasn't him. And that wasn't her either, so that left just one.
"You hungry too?" she asked Mischief, knowing that meant their flight had to end prematurely. Mischief was hungry, and Veris likely was too now that she promised him more food.
"Alright Veris. Time to be grounded. Dinnertime for both of you. Don't worry Veris. We'll play a game to compensate the shorter ride, but only after I spend more time with Shade, alright? I only have until today." Angora explained, hoping Veris wouldn't feel too jealous for spending a large amount of time with the dragolet. She didn't know when she'll have a break like this again, so she wanted to make the most of it.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi was surprised to hear that Maverick was afraid of doing something wrong - considering that was her main fear. Did the whole incident with Grea have anything to do with it? Perhaps she overreacted there?
"Maverick... Often, I worry if I'm making mistakes as well. But regardless of it all, you always make me feel loved. That's more than I could ever have hoped for before. Maybe I can do a better job of making you know how much I love you," Ilasi suggested, still feeling as if she wasn't meeting her obligation somehow. Regardless of progress, it always seemed that Maverick kept his distance just a tiny bit.

Maverick knew by her words that he was making her uncomfortable and even like It was her fault, so he was trying very hard to know what he should say, how he should act, to stop making her feel that way.
"I just... you know. I don't want to be disrespectful. Often times I've seen men being so rude and such jerks to women that I can see how uncomfortable they were when they get too physical. I mean, I know our relationship is real, and there shouldn't be any discomfort, but... I just don't know how to do this. You know, this relationship thing..." Maverick confessed, feeling like a little kid who was barely learning about the difference between men and women. He knew it was stupid to feel this way, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to be a good man, a good boyfriend, and even though he has attracted women before, this was the first time he has been in a real relationship, and it terrified him...

"I want to believe that there is a middle ground that can be reached between us," Sere telepathed. "This plan of theirs - it is not how I've envisioned a world at peace. When we reach our previous location, I will speak with one of the Ishulgite leaders. They asked me to make a judgment on the situation between them and some islanders - I believe I can do so." What could be done besides that, though? He doubted that there would be any way to dissuade them, after how far they've gone.
Sere listened to Zera's suggestion for training. "You can train him, but I'm afraid that training will do little to free Shade at this point," he answered. "His crimes are rather great, and he must answer for them. Nothing will change that."

Mischief blushed a little but nodded. She hadn't meant to interrupt, but it seemed her stomach had no qualms about drawing attention. Though,.why would it? Her tail wagged cheerfully as she began wondering what was available to eat? Maybe they had something suitably sweet to sate her preferences. If they didn't though, she wouldn't complain.

"NO," Sere telepathed forcefully. "The collar will stay, just as it will stay as he serves his sentence. That is non-negotiable. I'm honestly shocked that you would even suggest such a thing." Was that all this was about? Some ploy to take Shade back without him serving the punishment he was meant to?

Sere shook his head. "The collar is non-negotiable. It will stay. The power restraints will be controlled as we see fit," he adamantly insisted. "As I said, that is non-negotiable. You will have to accept that - the collar will not come off until we deem him safe and he has served his sentence."

"We will release them slowly over time," Sere said. "We need to first be confident in his ability to handle certain levels of his own power before we can escalate that. Should he prove capable, we can keep going, to a point."

"Oh... I see..." Ilasi said, with uncertainty rather than disappointment. "Well... sometimes I wonder if you keep your distance because I'm just not ... I don't know. Open enough? Do I ever seem closed off to you? Because... sometimes I wish you'd come just a bit closer... but I don't know if I'm doing something to make you decide against that." Well, it was out there now - as best as Ilasi could put it, anyway. She only hoped she didn't cause any further trouble with her thoughts.

Angora returned shortly thereafter after a smooth flight, feeling very proud of Veris for being so calm and obedient. It was convenient, yet in a way sad that he was so restricted. She ordered Mischief to wait on her shoulders while she lead Veris out of the main deck, needing both hands. She was curious as to what was going on in the main deck, but not wanting to distract herself from the job, she didn't even looked at the mysterious giants, not even knowing they looked awfully familiar without their hoods. They reached the wyvern's enclosure, a task that took them several minutes due to the ship's size.
"Alright big boy, in you go. Great job on the flight today. Hold it a moment. I'll get you your double ration in a few minutes." Angora assured, closing the door behind him and heading to the kitchen with Mischief in tow. That way, she would know where it was in case she wanted a snack herself.

It took them a couple of minutes more to reach the kitchen, which was a huge place. The refrigerator was as big as three average cabins, and could contain plenty of food for several cooking, although someone would have to soon go to the cellar and get more.
"Alright then, what appetizers you? Fish? Poultry? Red meat? Maybe a fruit cocktail?" Angora asked Mischief, not knowing what she ate. She did have some of Maverick's cooking earlier, but that alone wasn't enough to tell what was her preferred food...

Quote: A Guy

"Oh... I see..." Ilasi said, with uncertainty rather than disappointment. "Well... sometimes I wonder if you keep your distance because I'm just not ... I don't know. Open enough? Do I ever seem closed off to you? Because... sometimes I wish you'd come just a bit closer... but I don't know if I'm doing something to make you decide against that." Well, it was out there now - as best as Ilasi could put it, anyway. She only hoped she didn't cause any further trouble with her thoughts.

"Open enough? Ilasi, you can't be more sincere with your feelings. It's just... well, you know, me. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but well... maybe I can be a wimp sometimes." Maverick said, believing Angora was right about that sense. He had flirted with girls in the past and had been quite a ladies man, but when it came to a real relationship and the physical sense, it was a whole new level. Bit he knew he couldn't spend the entire relationship being afraid of offending Ilasi and making the wrong move, so he decided to try and take a leap of faith. He decided to be closer to Ilasi and be closer.
"I guess it works... like this?" he said, putting his arm around her hip, feeling so nervous his hair looked like porcupine quills ready to defend their owner. He was blushing so hard it extended all the way to his ears, though he didn't know if it was because he was afraid to make a mistake or the fact that he was trying to make their relationship more intimate.

Ilasi, though not completely taken off guard, was rather unsure about how to respond, or what to do next; one thing that was certain, however, is that she felt surprisingly pleased, more than she expected anyway. A simple gesture meant so much more than the act itself; it meant the two were becoming much closer, something she could only dream of before having met Maverick and having this opportunity to go on a journey with him.
"Yes... like that, I think..." Ilasi answered after a bit of hesitation. Ilasi herself began to blush uncontrollably. Why wasn't there a guide on this sort of thing? She was thoroughly untrained in this sort of matter - having worked hard her whole life, she had never had time to concern herself about things like love. For now, she leaned into Maverick's grasp.

Mischief looked around the selection, and gravitated towards sweet fruits and such, as well as some of the various meats. Gesturing to those items, she half explained and half requested "I really prefer sweet fruits and breads. Meats, well, I occasionally crave them but I mostly crave sweets. I don't suppose you have sweet berries?" Like ordinary foxes, Mischief loved berries. Of course, she was actually omnivorous, so she could eat anything a human could, but she wasn't really too fond of meat. And since she only bothered differentiating most food by flavor and whether or not it made her sick, she really wasn't all that picky an eater. Although, she disliked anything that was very spicy.

"Let's see... we have these blueberries. Strawberries, grapes, and ooo, a papaya. And an avocado." Angora commented as she observed the fruits available. The sailors didn't like fruits and vegetables despite being needed, preferring meats and alcoholic beverages, although they got motivated whenever Maverick used them to decorate their platters. He made everything look so delicious. She took a platter and gave it to Mischief to fill.
"Help yourself. There's plenty for everyone in weeks. And whenever the fridge looks like it's going to empty, the cellar has a ton of extra food. Go ahead, take what you need. I'll be over here preparing Veris' meal." Angora said, going to the fish section first. Veris ate plenty of red meat, so she decided to fill his extra ration with fish and mix it up with poultry. There was some leftover gravy from Maverick's last cooking, so she decided to use it. Since it was a double ration, Veris was no doubt going to be exaggeratedly voracious with this meal, so he was going to need something to help the food go down easier.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi, though not completely taken off guard, was rather unsure about how to respond, or what to do next; one thing that was certain, however, is that she felt surprisingly pleased, more than she expected anyway. A simple gesture meant so much more than the act itself; it meant the two were becoming much closer, something she could only dream of before having met Maverick and having this opportunity to go on a journey with him.
"Yes... like that, I think..." Ilasi answered after a bit of hesitation. Ilasi herself began to blush uncontrollably. Why wasn't there a guide on this sort of thing? She was thoroughly untrained in this sort of matter - having worked hard her whole life, she had never had time to concern herself about things like love. For now, she leaned into Maverick's grasp.

For every relationship Maverick had, this certainly was new. He believed it was the man who had to make the first move, but above all, make his lady feel great.
"Guess... something has to be done. No relationship ever progresses if... there is hesitation..." Maverick said, ironically hesitating himself. He was still afraid of doing something wrong, though surprisingly, Ilasi was taking it remarkably well. It was as if... she wanted it? Was there really nothing wrong to be that close? He had been so worried about being rude and disrespectful to her, he didn't know how to act. But this wasn't just a friendship anymore. It was more, and thus more could be done. The rest Maverick wanted it to come naturally. After all, why did it had to be so difficult? They had something special going on, and nothing could ruin it...

Mischief looked over the food and began sniffing to identify what she'd prefer. The larger red berries with visible outer seeds (strawberries) especially intrigued her. Popping one into her mouth, her eyes went wide for a moment. She quickly filled her plate with a variety of berries, with slight emphasis on the strawberries. She also took a bit of the various meats, treating them as a side of sorts. Her sensitive nose was certainly to her benefit, allowing her to guess what she'd like most. Glancing around, she noticed the gravy and readjusted her plate's contents to add a little to her meat. After selecting everything she wanted, she settled down and paused, murmuring in what was presumably a prayer before digging in. Her tail wagged happily as she ate. After realizing just how steady and certain meals would be, she kept reminding herself to enjoy the well prepared meats and delicious sweet berries and such she'd chosen to sate her appetite. After finishing, she sat back for a moment, grooming carefully to ensure cleanliness. She didn't like being dirty or messy, even if it was just a small amount of berry juice or gravy. She had to keep her fur clean, as dark as it was. After grooming and letting the meal settle in her stomach, she cheerfully looked about.

Having been returned to his pen after the relatively gentle flight, Veris predictably began to salivate at the thought of a double ration of food. He was still wary of the new crew member, but with Angora approving of her, and his human seemingly having no issues with her, he had no reason to act against her - even if she would probably make a good meal.

Ilasi was just a little impatient - Maverick was working on it, but he still seemed to be a bit nervous. Maybe she needed to do a better job of showing Maverick how she felt? She was somewhat nervous herself - ironically not wanting to be too pushy, even after Maverick confessed that as his own fear. But... the very least she could do was enjoy the moment. As Maverick embraced her, she slowly leaned in more - just like she did before for a kiss.

Sere nodded. "We will be observing," he answered. "We have to be on the move right now, however. We are expected back, and it would be in the best interest of the islanders for us not to keep our guests waiting." There was so much he had to think of within the next few hours...

Quote: darknessdawn

Mischief looked over the food and began sniffing to identify what she'd prefer. The larger red berries with visible outer seeds (strawberries) especially intrigued her. Popping one into her mouth, her eyes went wide for a moment. She quickly filled her plate with a variety of berries, with slight emphasis on the strawberries. She also took a bit of the various meats, treating them as a side of sorts. Her sensitive nose was certainly to her benefit, allowing her to guess what she'd like most. Glancing around, she noticed the gravy and readjusted her plate's contents to add a little to her meat. After selecting everything she wanted, she settled down and paused, murmuring in what was presumably a prayer before digging in. Her tail wagged happily as she ate. After realizing just how steady and certain meals would be, she kept reminding herself to enjoy the well prepared meats and delicious sweet berries and such she'd chosen to sate her appetite. After finishing, she sat back for a moment, grooming carefully to ensure cleanliness. She didn't like being dirty or messy, even if it was just a small amount of berry juice or gravy. She had to keep her fur clean, as dark as it was. After grooming and letting the meal settle in her stomach, she cheerfully looked about.

After Angora was done with the gravy, she didn't notice Mischief grabbing it as well. It was alright though, since the gravy could be easily spoiled and it was better if it was consumed fast. At least it was useful for more than one today. Angora was done preparing Veris' meal shortly after Mischief was done with her own food, and looked pleasantly full.
"Well now, seems like you're already done." Angora commented casually, grabbing another platter to prepare food for herself. She grabbed an orange and surrounded it with bits of sardines and tilapia. She was craving fish today, and after she was done, she grabbed her plate in one hand and Veris' in another one, and ordered Mischief to get on her shoulders again.
"I'm going to take you to my cabin now. Stay there, take a nap if you need it, or read the book. It's a very good one. Just don't come to the enclosure unannounced again. You don't want to disturb that wyvern's eating. But if you need to go someplace else, let me know, just wait for me to get out of there." Angora instructed, knowing things could've gone so wrong in that meeting. Veris was very wary of strangers, like he was once with her, and Angora had no doubts that if someone like Mischief had entered Veris' enclosure while she wasn't there, he would've eaten her without question.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi was just a little impatient - Maverick was working on it, but he still seemed to be a bit nervous. Maybe she needed to do a better job of showing Maverick how she felt? She was somewhat nervous herself - ironically not wanting to be too pushy, even after Maverick confessed that as his own fear. But... the very least she could do was enjoy the moment. As Maverick embraced her, she slowly leaned in more - just like she did before for a kiss.

Maverick obliged, knowing that move and feeling more comfortable with a kiss than other physical interactions. It wasn't the first time they kissed, so it felt more natural and right. Slowly but surely, his hesitation was vanishing, and these intimate moments with Ilasi were feeling more natural. He was still worried about what the future held fir his friends, but he had faith for them. He had Orion, and this mysterious deity to pray for if things got out of his control. For now, he wanted to enjoy this close time with Ilasi, just be a good boyfriend as it was suppose to be...

Mischief nodded and, eager to please, cooperated quickly. Once in Angora's room, she got comfy with the book, lazily browsing through it and copying down anything that she could potentially use. Her robe made a good blanket, and after a while her excitement fully wore off and she fell asleep. Her dreams were of warm sunlight and a soothing nest hidden in a forest. In her dreams she climbed out of the nest to play and frolic until a shadow passed over, causing her to bounce back into the nest a great pitch black dragon flew over. A moment later it was gone and she resumed playing and rolling in the leaves and flowers. Finally she pounced on a familiar white mask, then recognized it. The black winged being continued to appear in her dreams! But yet, it seemed less hostile every time she met it. She tugged at the mask, asking it to show its face, but it refused. "Not yet..? Whaddya... Mean... Not yet...?" she mumbled in her sleep, shifting. Who was this masked presence haunting her dreams, and why were they there? It gently nudged her away, before gesturing back to the nest. "Who's... Threatening us...? What're you... Talkin... Bout..?" She rolled over, her dream ending, fading from her memory as suddenly as it had changed. Now the usual playtime dreams begin, resulting in occasionally frantic yipping of playfulness.

Angora was glad to see Mischief being so obedient and cooperative. She looked very distracted with the book, so she decided to leave, but not before telling Digi to keep an eye on her and report if anything goes wrong. The thingamajig liked to be useful, so this was it's moment. Angora closed the door without locking it, trusting that things will be alright. She was at first upset about being a babysitter, and while she still believed Latnok stick her up with Mischief in order to overwork her and make her flinch, she couldn't wait for him to notice how well she has managed to balance the time between teaching her and taking care of Veris, and that was without including today, where she had spent time with Shade as well.

With Mischief well fed and taken care of, Angora headed to Veris' enclosure with both platters.
"Hey humongous. Look what I got." she greeted, as was routine, leaving the larger than usual platter in front of him and getting out of the way immediately, settling into a corner so she could start eating her own meal. She took it easy this time, since she doubted Veris would beg for her food with a meal that size, although it was Veris, so anything was possible. Still, she was going to take her time, since she rather enjoy herself than treating mealtime as a simple necessity.

The brotherhood member finally stoped his movement ”You will not take me alive. He opened his mouth and there was a little class Bottle, the man swallowed the Bottle. ”You will all die. There is few minutes and then I am dead do what you want!” The man shouted

The dwarf looked at the situation. Then he looked back at Huntress ”We would like to talk with you after this is over” he said to Huntress

Huntress was too focused on the man to listen to what the dwarf was saying.
"Somebody! Do something! I think he's trying to poison himself." she said to the guards, using her whip to surround the man's neck, finding it cowardly and disgusting how someone would resort to taking their own life in order to prevent themselves from getting punished. They just thought they could escape justice? This man along with others just tried to kill her, and she had to know why...

Mischief shifts about in her sleep, murmuring. Digi, as requested, monitored the pup. Nothing really seemed wrong, so he started to run interruptible tests, checking to find out if she had any special talents beyond her intriguing magic. While he didn't find anything, he did become curious about the gemstone she never let out of sight. Checking his database got nothing. What kind of gemstone even was it?
In her dreams, Mischief was chasing butterflies, leaves, and birds. Why? Well, they were there. Eventually she pounced on what appeared to be a mirror, but when she looked down the recurring masked presence was in place of her in the reflective surface. At first she squeaked in surprise, but then she saw that while it didn't match her appearance it still acted as her reflection. Fear turned to relief, then amusement. After playing at the reflection a bit, she bounded off after a butterfly. She woke with a start upon catching a bird. Looking around with some confusion, she waved to Digi and resumed her studies.

One of the guards nodded to the other, with the first guard reaching to forcibly open the captive's mouth, as the second reached in a hand to force vomiting. They weren't going to let the man go that easy...

Angora ate peacefully, not worrying about Veris, Mischief or anyone else. She didn't know what will happen after they reached Redwater, but she knew that she always had Shepherd's offer on the table, and it was hers for the taking whenever she wanted. She didn't want to see herself as selfish for considering such an offer and leaving everyone else behind, including Maverick, who already had a life ahead of him, and one where she wasn't welcomed, but she has struggled so much already. She didn't find anything wrong to wanting to live a happy life with the help of somebody that offered her the option.

Quote: A Guy

One of the guards nodded to the other, with the first guard reaching to forcibly open the captive's mouth, as the second reached in a hand to force vomiting. They weren't going to let the man go that easy...

Huntress made sure she got a good grip, being tempted to strange this man with the whip for such a devious move, but she knew she had to contain herself. She had to know who wanted her head. First Dex's letter, and now this. Just what she has gotten herself into?

One of the Dex`s men had took a Bottle from other brotherhood members mouth and gave it to the dwarf. He looked at the Bottle.

The brotherhood member and the Bottle came out.

”Use those” the dwarf said and one of the men threw a dart to the brotherhood members leg. Few seconds the brotherhood member was trying to struggle what he could, and after that he was paralyzed.

”That should make your work easier. That dart is only for paralysis, so he will be fine after an hour or so” the dwarf said

Huntress was so mad right now. Ever since meeting Des, she got into this mess. She made sure not to let go of the crook while the Aelinonian soldiers did their job. She then addressed to the dwarf.
"You got some explaining to do." she said to him, almost threateningly. She was sick and tired of this pursuit, people always looking for her, either to ask for help, or in this case, kill her. She wanted... no, NEEDED answers right away...

Veris couldn't wait for his food, pouncing on it as soon as it was presented, making it disappear in a whirlwind of movement. Though he could always appreciate some more, he was content with having more food than usual, so he laid about as Angora ate her own food, not pestering her for it.

There was relatively smooth sailing as the ship went about its return journey. There was a relatively calm environment on the ship, with most of the crew not having been invormed of the new stakes. At this point, Sere was glad that most of the crew were mercenaries - they were loyal to money, not ideals, and so were much less likely to be persuaded by promises of a better future.
As the day went on, Maverick was eventually put on navigation duty. On its course, the ship was due to arrive some time past midnight.

Although Veris wasn't begging, Angora could see his intentions.
"Don't tell me you were about to ask for some food?" she asked with a smirk, rolling her eyes. He just had a double ration, yet Veris looked ready to ask for more, though understandably, he resisted the urge. Angora ate her meal in peace, not concerned about the wyvern, and once she was done, she closed her eyes to rest them... though before she knew it, she fell asleep in that corner. Taking care of both Veris and Mischief, plus balancing her time with Shade really took a toll on her. And with a heavy meal on her belly, it weighted the tiredness.

The troll slept without even knowing the ship was already on the move again. Maverick spent a wonderful time with Ilasi, and when they were done, he went to the main deck to see how Shade was doing. The giants were leaving, and he was tasked with the navigation of the ship. He wasn't in the mood for such a chore, especially since he wanted to spend more time with both Shade and Ilasi this time, but it would be a nice change from cooking. He was looking for Angora, but assumed she was either with Veris or Mischief. As Maverick navigated the ship, he asked Ilasi to check on Dahlia, figuring she must be bored and hungry by now. He gave her his bag of oats, telling her not to worry about getting hurt.

Mischief's tail swayed as night approached, a unique excitement swelling within. She was rather fond of nighttime, the cool air and soft light being comfortable for wandering about. She finally gave in to the urge to move and rose to her feet, wandering outside to Digi's distress. He demanded of her "Where are you going?!"
She simply told him "I'm going for a walk. It's not like I'm going far." Once outside, she looked at the sky. The giant dragon things were gone now, so she wandered about the deck. It wasn't quite dark yet, so she settled out by the edge and watched waves lapping the sides.
Digi was having a panic attack. How was he supposed to to let Angora know Mischief went outside? It's not like the little vixen had the courtesy to bring him along, so now he was in an empty room helpless. He rang a quiet alarm before surrendering. "I hope that pup returns soon, it's not like I can go fetch her. I wish I could move without help... Why'd she even leave me here? What could a little Zorua like her possibly need to leave me behind for? ... Uh oh... She's not going to play pranks after nightfall, is she?!" He continued fretting, with little else to do.
Meanwhile, Darkheart fumed with impatience. In the shadow she shifted, utterly famished and extremely stressed. Surely Raclaw would come back. It was unlikely she'd made an error and teleported to the wrong room, but possible.

After a peaceful but quick slumber, Angora woke up startled.
"Veris! Why didn't you wake me? Oh... oh no... are we on the move?" she commented, after feeling the ship's movement. Just how long has she slept?
"Gotta leave now boy. I'll come later to play a game." Angora said, bidding him farewell and locking Veris in, not giving him the chance to say goodbye himself or give one of his traditional licks. If Sere or Latnok found out she fell asleep in Veris' enclosure, she believed they would punish her without a second thought. She walked throu the hallways, searching for her room, but her vision was still blurry from waking up, and the yawning and watery eyes didn't help. The hallways were dark and quite creepy, so Angora hated navigating among the,pm, even though nothing interesting ever happened there...

Maverick continued with his duty, trying not to get in Leoquin's way. He didn't know if the merman still despised him, but he rather not have any interactions with her. He had very offensive nicknames for him and Angora, and while Leoquin hasn't used them in a long time, Maverick preferred to avoid him.

Darkheart finally slunk from the shadow, traveling silently in hallways as dark as her own hide. Only her glowing red eyes gave her away. Her first encounter was a familiar troll. Darkheart forgot for a moment her need to remain silent. "Angora?!" she hissed in a tone both hushed and surprised. "I forgot you were aboard... Still." Angora was trustworthy if the dark dragoness' memory served her right. A fellow outcast, rejected by all.

Angora reacted with some sparks coming from her hands and feet. They didn't hit Darkheart, but was enough to stain the floor black, and break some floorboards. Something that never happened before, but it wasn't her first time some weird magic came out of her when she was afraid, or in additional cases, angry.
"Who is there!?" she demanded to know, the fright being enough to awaken her completely. Once her heart stopped beating too fast and she processed what happened, she could see the intruder better.
"Wait. I know you. How do I know you?" Angora said, for a moment losing her memory of this dragon, but her unique features made her remember completely.
"You're back?" wa all she managed to say, though she wondered what did she meant by still. It was almost offensive.

Darkheart's eyes flashed as she whispered a response, twisting herself around to surround Angora for a brief moment in snakelike fashion. "Indeed. I'm searching for Raclaw. I can't live without him anymore. It hurts too much..." She blushes as her stomach growls, utterly empty. "I've been down here all day without food... I don't think I should wait much longer for a meal." Her eyes return to Angora. "I don't suppose there's a way to reach the kitchen undiscovered?" The trust was implicit.