darkSpyro

Dahlia continued playing the same way, with such exaggerated caution it was almost boring. Her protective instincts were just so strong, it extended to other creatures, not just Maverick. All the while, Angora was still in the mines, watching over the group's back and ready to attack only if it was necessary. She didn't want anyone to notice her. She wasn't invited to that expedition, so the last thing she needed was to be scolded by Sere. But as she saw the battle and the group seemingly taking care of everything without further help, she wondered if it was better to watch over Shade...

Quote: A Guy

The mention of the situation back in Aelinon drew a frown from Ilasi. "The laws... they are harsh, but they are what is needed to protect us," she explained. "Historically, the nation has faced opposition from many, many enemies - sticking together was necessary then. We couldn't afford to be at each other's throats - a nation where criminals are made an example of is a nation where people are afraid to even consider breaking the law. A nation like that is a nation where you're confident in your safety. And when the citizens know that the government is on their side, they are happier to cooperate when they need to.
"And unfortunately, Angora and Shade did violate laws which would qualify them for the death penalty. Perjury is a capital offense in Aelinon, as is disobeying a court order. As the law sees it, they are guilty, regardless of their intentions." The discussion of Aelinon laws wasn't exactly how Ilasi was planning to pass the time, and it made her uncomfortable to discuss the subject.

Maverick regretted bringing out his opinion. He knew Ilasi had been raised in that environment, so he understood why she was firm in her belief. Wanting to keep a positive outlook, he tried not to make a big deal out of it. He still thought most of the laws and punishments were way too harsh, but perhaps Ilasi was right and they were necessary... sometimes at least.
"Well... I still don't like the way my friends were treated. I was even a wanted man in Redwater and I wasn't even there until much later... but... the important thing is that everything turned out alright in the end. Both of them were pardoned, and Angorita... she was a troll, yet she was also pardoned. I bet it was the first time a troll was forgiven. I think she made history that day, so not all was lost." he said with a meek smile, then opened his eyes wide, as if remembering something very important.

"That reminds me Ilasi, I never got to say thank you for taking care of Angorita during her prison days. She talked about you, you know. She told me that the soilders wanted to starve her, and that you appeared as if out of nowhere and gave her an apple. You gave her food and risked your job. It may not have been much, but that apple, I'm very sure it's what gave her the little boost of energy she needed to survive the behemoth long enough to win the crowd. It is thanks to you she is alive. So... thank you. Really. Gracias." he said as he grabbed her hand and nodded with watery eyes, believing that extra dose of kindness and energy is what motivated Angora to do her best in the battle and survive.

As Maverick gave his thanks, he looked briefly at Icestorm and shook his head,msomewhat in a playful mood. He has seen enough of this midget dragon to know he was spunky and rebellious, sort of like Angora. What was better yet, he has been pretty much the only one in the crew save from Ilasi that hasn't been mean to him or his friends from the very beginning.

The others began to pursue Raclaw and the mastermind he was chasing down, though they couldn't keep up with the fast pace in the air. As the mastermind moved on, it continued to nimbly avoid Raclaw's attacks - its sharp senses and tekekinesis enabling it to react extremely quickly to incoming danger. Soon, however, there would be another telepathic presence in the distance - almost identical in nature to the current mastermind - as the sound of whistler spines zipping through the air could be heard.

Ilasi wasn't quite expecting Maverick to bring that incident up, of all things - she was rather pleased that Angora had remembered it. "Oh, well, uh, I knew she didn't do anything too bad," she said. "I figured that I would just give her a bit of help until the whole deal got sorted. I'm glad that it was enough to get her through until that galud from the Silent Spear was able to change her cell."

Angora was watching the battle very carefully, trying to identify patterns in the enemies' attack so that she could expose a weakness and give them an advantage. Sere and company didn't have to know who did it, she just wanted to help. Using the darkness of the mines she concealed herself. And using her sensitive ears she listened to the area behind her. The group could be ambushed... but so could she. She wasn't going to take any risks. She was as alert as a sentry meerkat.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi wasn't quite expecting Maverick to bring that incident up, of all things - she was rather pleased that Angora had remembered it. "Oh, well, uh, I knew she didn't do anything too bad," she said. "I figured that I would just give her a bit of help until the whole deal got sorted. I'm glad that it was enough to get her through until that galud from the Silent Spear was able to change her cell."

Maverick was also aware of the incident concerning the man that abused his power over her, and his most likely excecution for it. Angora was rather pleased with that punishment, though Maverick didn't want to bring that particularly unpleasant subject up, so he brought another one.
"Well, Angora didn't forget it. She doesn't forget something like that so easily. She was really happy about it you know. She was glad that in that environment where everyone hated her, there was at least one soul that cared. Angora has been shown kindness so little times that when someone is nice to her, she doesn't forget." Maverick said sincerely, knowing the troll well enough. But it was clear from his sigh that Maverick wasn't done. He wanted to say something else, but didn't think it was a good idea...

Quote: A Guy

The others began to pursue Raclaw and the mastermind he was chasing down, though they couldn't keep up with the fast pace in the air. As the mastermind moved on, it continued to nimbly avoid Raclaw's attacks - its sharp senses and telekinesis enabling it to react extremely quickly to incoming danger. Soon, however, there would be another telepathic presence in the distance - almost identical in nature to the current mastermind - as the sound of whistler spines zipping through the air could be heard.

As Raclaw just barely missed the flying mastermind again and again-- he soon heard the sound the flying projectiles and knew exactly what that mean. "RACLAW! Barrel roll left-- now!," the sound of Damon screamed in his head and extremely audible over the mental bond as well. Even though Latnok and the others were getting closer, the bonded Latnok still wasn't close enough for the sight to be fully in effect. And so... Raclaw instantaneously obeyed Damon's instructions and rolled left. 'Gah--! Wall!,' his mind shouted as dropped some feet before getting air again. Something else could be felt as well. "Gah! Stupid spines!," he thought out loud as a few of the projectiles had penetrated his right wing. He was still able to stay in the air somewhat, but not nearly as well as he could before. And that was when he saw what he was now up against. Where as before there was only one-- there were now TWO (!) masterminds to block and deal with. Risar followed the others as they almost caught up.

He could maybe deal with one and Damon could deal with the other one, but that would leave him both volvulable and unable to do much else. "GUYS! There are two masterminds and more creatures up ahead! Damon and I can block them, but whatever you're going to do... do it now!," he mentally shouted to Latnok. If he was blocking one mastermind and Damon was blocking the other mastermind-- he would be unable to use his expanded tail spike (not that it did much anyway) and more importantly.. unable to enact any sort of armor. Feelings of pain could felt over the bond of... Arrows? Spines? "Are you ready?," Damon asked from within his head. "Ready.," he responded as the two began to block the masterminds.

Elsewhere-- Chester continued to play although was he was hoping for more out of Dahlia. It wasn't that Dahlia couldn't run, but rather.. she was too protective of him and the others. That was an amiable trait, although it didn't make for a very good play session.

Angora watched the battle, thinking that she couldn't do anything from her position. If only she could have some long shot weapons on her. She could still throw the knife to the giant bug attacking Raclaw, which she correctly deduced was the brains of the operation, but she only had one shot. But even if she was successful, that would mean either losing the precious knife forever or have Sere spot it and recognize it. If only she had a bow and arrow or something similar. She had thought about rummaging though Maverick's hyperspace bag for weapons, but she didn't want to risk infecting it.

She could set a trap for the bugs, but Sere and company could get caught in it as well, so it was out of the question. What she could do to help? At a loss on what to do she grabbed her magical orb and whispered to it.
"Listen, I know we had our differences, but this isn't for me now. It's for them. I can't use magic, so it's up to you. Do something. Anything that can help them have the upper hand." she said to the orb, hoping it would work some miracle and help them out. However, she didnMt want to leave it in those mines, so it'll have to work it's magic from afar. Feeling like she couldn't do anything else, Angora left the scene using the trial she created, thinking that maybe following the group to those mines wasn't such a good idea after all. But there was something she could do. She could keep Shade company. It wasn't a smart move leaving him all alone out there, so already deciding what to do, she headed out of those mines as fast as she could to be with the dragolet...

Quote: redwes

Elsewhere-- Chester continued to play although was he was hoping for more out of Dahlia. It wasn't that Dahlia couldn't run, but rather.. she was too protective of him and the others. That was an amiable trait, although it didn't make for a very good play session.

Dahlia was still slow and gentle, but the beagle's overly energetic personality soon started to rub on her. When Chester brought the ball to her, the giant dirt buffalo then fell to her side, and looked like she was about to crush the poor doggie flat, but then she moved and fell in a way where the beagle was between her back and shoulders. She started to bellow along with snort sounds, almost sounding like a laughing hyena. Maverick saw this and was paralyzed with fear, having really thought his beloved mount was about to smother the puny canine, but when he saw what followed, he was starting to convince himself that Dahlia had just pulled another prank. He imagined she just gave Chester the scare of his life, as she did with Ilasi and him. Maybe this buffalo indeed was intelligent and conscious enough to play jokes on others.

With the others coming in - the fight being much too deep in the mine to be visible at the surface - more insectoid soldiers soon arrived to supplement the whistlers and masterminds - all of them setting their sights on Raclaw in a determined effort to protect the masterminds. Seeing the situation, Latnok gave his resonating chime a ring, focusing on the soldiers. With the ringing, the soldiers' carapaces once again lost their shine, signifying their temporary loss of adaptivity on their shells. The whistlers on the ground were currently unprotected; instead, they were quickly retreating as they fired more spines at Raclaw. The priority of the enemy was clear as day at the moment.

Though Maverick had finished speaking, his expression betrayed his thoughts. "Is anything wrong?" Ilasi prodded. "I'm sure that things will work out for Angora more in the future - as long as she has you and Shade. She certainly won't do anything too rash while she has you two to rely on." Little did Ilasi know that Angora was doing something rash right at that moment.

Maverick didn't want to bring what was on his mind, but since Ilasi could tell his uneasiness and was probably too curious to let the matter slip, he decided to tell her.
"It's just that... Angorita spoke so well of you in those days Ilasi. It made me so sad how angry you were at each other. I know how she is. I know she can say very wrong and offensive things. You were hurt by her words back in Redwater, weren't you? I know you never expected señor Sere to react in such a way when you told her about it. He kicked us out of the ship and it took a lot of convincing to take us back, but I know you never wanted us to be treated so badly. I... I understand. It just made me so sad how you viewed Angora... and how upset she was with you. She was upset, but also sad and disappointed on how you treated her all of the sudden. Treating her like everybody else did after you had been so kind to her... I know, I know. It isn't the case anymore, so it isn't worth mentioning. It was just... sad is all. I'm glad everything's better between you though." Maverick said with a small smile, very relieved to have gotten that out of his chest.

As Latnok and the others stormed in, Raclaw initially remained in a hovering position-- his eyes pure white as the two entities behind those telepathic eyes focused on keeping the two masterminds thoroughly blocked. The enemies' target was clear and Raclaw was prepared to defend himself and if possible... to take out any any nearby enemy forces. While his telepathy was focused on the masterminds, he would not merely stand idly and take out what whatever he could. And so as the sight became effective again; Raclaw would proceed to flame the enemies using foresight alone. He couldn't identify the source, but some outworldly feeling was telling him that he would be alright -- and that he wouldn't be harmed beyond his current injuries.

As the spines went flying and the flames commenced-- the pointy projectiles stopped short of penetrating him and instead merely dropped onto the ground below. It was as if they had hit some kind of force field although Raclaw's powers DIDN'T allow for such possibilities. As another set of spines went flying; the same exact thing happened. A glimpse of red could seen as each spine fell and it almost looked as if an bubble had formed around the fur dragon. He was too focused to notice the effect and had soon managed to destroy one of the grounded whistlers. Risar, meanwhile, was busy in his own combat-- hacking and slashing away at the remaining soldiers. And one-by-one, it wouldn't be long until only the two masterminds remained.

Meanwhile-- Chester had managed to 'climb out' of Dahlia's prank. "Hehe-- Good one.," he barked. He managed to give a good smile, despite the scare.

As Angora ran off guided by the trail she left behind, the orb around her neck started to glow an intense red. It forced her to cover her eyes while the shine lasted. She knew this effect. When the orb strained itself hpgreatly like this, it meant that it used magic, and if it used magic it meant that her praying worked.
"Thank you." she whispered to the circular object, although she was certain that unlike Raclaw's collar, it didn't harbor any spirit or entity or Neo would've notify her. It has worked her magic, just as she wanted, though she couldn't know what did it do exactly. Still, she was glad that the stubborn trinket had listened to her for once. What was better was that the hexphage wasn't affecting it, which made her conclude that the fungus could only affect magical AND organic matter.

Now certain that the orb provided the extra help the group needed, Angora left, resting assured that whatever dangerous creature had been around thinking of attacking or ambushing her was temporarily blinded by the sudden burst of light, although she wasn't sure if she was still close enough for Sere and the others to notice, so she accelerated her pace.

Quote: redwes

Meanwhile-- Chester had managed to 'climb out' of Dahlia's prank. "Hehe-- Good one.," he barked. He managed to give a good smile, despite the scare.

Dahlia lied down for a little while, pretending she was going to bite the little beagle every time he got close enough. She would the proceed to get up and very slowly put herself above him and lying down, once again making it look like she was about to crush him, though she always gave him enough time to get out of the way. She then repeated the pattern and lied down for a little while with her mouth wide open, once again pretending she would chomp on him if he got too close. She was very slow. Maverick didn't know if she was doing it out of extreme cautiousness or if she simply knew too well her own strength and was making sure Chester would always react in time on her attacks, but one way or the other, he was more than certain that Dahlia simply didn't want to hurt the cute little doggie and was making sure their game didn't ended up in an accident.

As the group continued to fight their way through the remaining enemies, the enemy eventually became more docile - giving way to a telepathic announcement by one of the masterminds. "WELL FOUGHT. WE SURRENDER," the creature telepathed to the combatants. "YOU HAVE PROVEN YOURSELVES TO BE THE STRONGER. WE SHALL WITHDRAW FROM THIS AREA."
Sere, wary as ever, nevertheless ordered the rest of his fighters to stand down. "So... that's it?" he asked one of the creatures. "All that, and you will just peacefully withdraw?"
"FURTHER COMBAT WILL PROVE TO BE FUTILE ON OUR PART," the mastermind responded. "THIS IS AN AGREEMENT WHICH IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. NEITHER OF US WILL HAVE TO RISK MORE POTENTIAL LOSSES. WE WILL FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE TO ESTABLISH OURSELVES."
Latnok was somewhat confused - were these monsters really just going to surrender like that? They - or at least the so-called masterminds - showed some degree of higher intelligence.

Ilasi didn't immediately have a response for Maverick. Was he accusing her? No, no, now wasn't the time to get caught up in that sort of thing... nevertheless, the doubt persisted. Rather than respond immediately, Ilasi looked off into the distance, at nothing in particular, trying to think of what to say.

Maverick put his hand behind his neck, knowing Ilasi felt offended. He has seen that expression before. This is why he didn't want to say anything in he first place.
"Don't feel bad Ilasi. We now know it was all a silly misunderstanding. The important thing is everything's better now. I know Angorita too well. I'm sure she really offended you back then, even if she didn't mean to, and that you had every right to be mad at her. It's alright. Come on, just forget about it. Let's... play a game or something? Dahlia and Chester look like they're having fun." Maverick suggested, looking at their playtime and how preciously careful Dahlia was around the beagle and wanting to get off the unpleasant subject. As he did the comment however, he was more than certain that Latnok and Sere had much to do with Ilasi's previously ill view of Angora, though that was an opinion he was going to keep for himself.

Back in the mines, Angora had successfully managed to find the exit thanks to the trails she left behind. From the mouth of the mines, she saw Shade's unmistakable giant paws. She was thinking of pulling a prank on him to have fun... but she immediately desisted from the idea when she saw Shade seemingly struggling? Was he having a nightmare? But he was awake. Was the evil taking over? She couldn't tell exactly, but felt he needed help. She already took a risk entering those mines alone. Another one wouldn't make too much difference. Without hesitation, Angora left the mine and hugged one paw, usually working on him whenever he was rogue or in pain...

As the combat ended-- Raclaw landed and the otherworldly forcefield that had briefly appeared around him soon ceased to function. His right wing was unable to settle properly due to several spins that had notched themselves in it, but the fur dragon appeared to be otherwise unharmed. 'That was it? They actually just surrendered?,' he thought to himself audible to the bonded Latnok as well. It seemed rather odd and what seemed even more odd was that these so called masterminds appeared to have a very familiar mental presence akin to the same entity that blocked him earlier on the marsh island. 'Were they actually surrendering because we had proven ourselves? Or had the whole thing been planned.. perhaps as a test?,' his thoughts repeated his concerns. Raclaw looked at Latnok with a look of both confusion and concern, concurring with the Guardians own thoughts on the matter. Risar, although somewhat pleased to see the enemy combatants recognize their strength and battle superiority, was somewhat disappointed that the fight had ended prematurely. Regardless-- the battle was over and they would now be able to get that which they had come for. It was an victory, at least on paper.

MEANWHILE...
Quote:

Dahlia lied down for a little while, pretending she was going to bite the little beagle every time he got close enough. She would the proceed to get up and very slowly put herself above him and lying down, once again making it look like she was about to crush him, though she always gave him enough time to get out of the way. She then repeated the pattern and lied down for a little while with her mouth wide open, once again pretending she would chomp on him if he got too close. She was very slow. Maverick didn't know if she was doing it out of extreme cautiousness or if she simply knew too well her own strength and was making sure Chester would always react in time on her attacks, but one way or the other, he was more than certain that Dahlia simply didn't want to hurt the cute little doggie and was making sure their game didn't ended up in an accident.

Chester went along with the Dirt Buffalo's games-- respecting Dahlia's wishes to be cautious or the very least, not knowing how to properly communicate otherwise. As the two played, Chester eventually settled in a position near Dahlia. He was happy that he and Mav's companion could appreciate each other, despite their differences in species and despite the slight difficulty in communicating. He occasionally rolled the ball to her to ether briefly enjoy or to roll back as she wished. The company of Dahlia, Maverick, and Illasi made missing his own Raclaw easier... and helped to pass the time.

Dahlia was glad with her company, although she wished Chester wasn't so energetic. Despite wanting to be as playful as him, she refused to be too hasty, knowing that someone from her size and strength could cause some serious harm to someone as small and frail as the beagle.
"Minuscule wolf... moving so much! Me could stomp it. Me no bad. Wolfie moving too much. The ball! That was human's ball? Bell! Pretty bell! Me so hungry! Me no stomp! Me too much hair! Me hide in hair stuff! Wolf! Little wolf! No move too much! Me could stomp! Me not bad! Did I said hungry?" Dahlia said, once again proving she couldn't keep one thought at a time. Her tummy was rumbling, the oats having been mere snacks than a breakfast. She wanted to keep playing and keep an eye on Chester, but at the same time she wanted to eat something, but she believed Maverick wouldn't give her food for a while after the rather scary prank she played on Ilasi.

As Dahlia talked-- Chester laid down and relaxed, at least for the time being. "Was human's ball-- yes. Gave it to me.," he said as the ball rolled between the two companions. "The bell reminds me of Raclaw-- of the gold on his tail. Best friend, best owner-- like your Mav. Except he protects me.," the little Beagle than said simplifying his speech in an attempt to make it easier for the Dirt Buffalo to understand. He wondered how Raclaw was doing at that particular moment. And the beloved Latnok too.

Dahlia took a while to reply. She had to process what Chester had said. She didn't know Raclaw's name, but she was smart enough to know whom Chester was talking about given the amount of time they spent together.
"Human me protect. Me protector. All too dumb and weak. The Raclaw dragon. Dragons bad. Dragons... eat everything. He fluffy. But no dragon? Or dragon? No dragon here eat buffalo. No human. Dirt buffalo confused. The ball. Pretty ball. Me hungry. But dragons hungrier. Danger! Me protect all. But me hungry. Is little wolf hungry? Play too much. Me could hurt. Buffalo strong." Dahlia snorted, understanding Chester's language well enough but needing time to process it. She rather liked spending time with him, but it made her uneasy how much mobility he had. She feared that one little stomp from her part could injure him, so she was still excercising extreme caution.

"Raclaw-- Raclaw is a dragon, yes. Dragons can destroy, can eat. Not all dragons are the same, however, and Raclaw is a gentle dragon. He was raised by humans you see and even grew up alongside another dog, like me. I believe that is why he is the way he is. And why he and Latnok-- why he and the human connected as much as they did. He and Latnok bonded; They protect each other now. Many dragons are wild, but are some are not. You can trust those on the ship-- Raclaw, Shade, Veris, Icestorm. They won't hunt you-- they won't eat you. And you don't have to worry about me-- I can handle it. And.. I could eat.," Chester responded understanding Dahlia's concern about his and the others' safety. He was willing to take a break from playing if that was what the Dirt Buffalo wanted. Even the most active dog took a break once in a good while.

Angira had the perfect reply for his question.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking care of you! I saw you in pain and knew I had to do something. I figured you'd be too big for he mines so I followed you. Never imagined they would actually leave you alone though. Good thing I came." she said, having suspected Shade wouldn't be able to fit the mines. It was a dumb move leaving him alone, so she was glad she made the decision to be with him right now.

Quote: redwes

"Raclaw-- Raclaw is a dragon, yes. Dragons can destroy, can eat. Not all dragons are the same, however, and Raclaw is a gentle dragon. He was raised by humans you see and even grew up alongside another dog, like me. I believe that is why he is the way he is. And why he and Latnok-- why he and the human connected as much as they did. He and Latnok bonded; They protect each other now. Many dragons are wild, but are some are not. You can trust those on the ship-- Raclaw, Shade, Veris, Icestorm. They won't hunt you-- they won't eat you. And you don't have to worry about me-- I can handle it. And.. I could eat.," Chester responded understanding Dahlia's concern about his and the others' safety. He was willing to take a break from playing if that was what the Dirt Buffalo wanted. Even the most active dog took a break once in a good while.

Dahlia stood still with a dazed like face, looking like she was dozing off. Her expression gave the impression of sleepiness. It almost looked like she was a bout to drool, but then she finally responded.
"Dragon with humans? Dragon like me? Me protect. Dragons eat, kill, destroy. Dragons evil. No trust. Me hungry... but not like them." Dahlia replied, this time keeping things brief. She didn't like dragons despite getting well enough with Raclaw. Being her species one of the main food source of wild dragons, her fear of them was quite reasonable. Despite the ship's dragons not attempting to hunt her down right now, she still believed they were waiting for the perfect moment to strike, particularly the big ones like Shade and Veris. The wyvern sort of tried once, so he couldn't be trusted.

"I... forgot you have that connection. But I'm sure he's fine now. I mean, you don't feel the pain anymore, right?" Angora asked with some stammering. She almost gave herself away by saying she saw the fight, but then Shade would've known she was inside the mines, and if he knew, Raclaw could know and tell Sere. She didn't want any trouble with the Guardians, especially that old coot whom she believed was kind before.

Angora remembered the battle and found the connection, though she still kept it a secret.
"Well you seem fine now, which means Raclaw must be too. He had it worse with the White Shadow. This must've been a picnic to him." Angora assured, looking at the entrance of the mines with alert ears to see if she could listen to something, but nothing could be heard right now, which meant the group was still very inside.

"Listen Shady, I'll stay with you for a while. I won't leave you alone. But once we hear Sere and the rest returning, you have to hide me. Being here right now is not a good excuse to get angry, but you know him. He'll just find anything to scold or punish me. I don't want to take any risks." Angora explained, not wanting any trouble with him.

"Glad I came. Those idiots know how you are. Can't believe they left you all alone here. They should've left someone here to take care of you." Angora commented as she searched for a hiding place, still very worried about what Sere's reaction would be if he found her there. She couldn't believe his oversight about leaving Shade alone here, knowing how unstable she was. Even if she wasn't magically capable of restraining him or didn't have the resources to do so, she still did a better job than him as far as she knew.

Though Sere was hesitant, the mining operation leader was more than happy to make the decision for him.
"We will accept the surrender," he said. "As for you, Godfather - or is it 'Captain' now? - you can expect the preparations to be complete by tomorrow morning. Time is of the essence."
"... that's it? Are you sure you feel safe enough to continue mining?" Sere asked. "How do you know such creatures won't betray you?"
"They have shown themselves to be intelligent," the leader said. "They certainly know that further conflict will not end well for them. I much appreciate your assistance in this matter. Now, you have fulfilled your end of the bargain; let us fulfill ours."
Sere, though he had doubts, wasn't going to insist on pushing the attack further, especially for what was apparently a for-profit mining operation run by those who clearly knew the risks. Motioning, he indicated for the group to follow him out - the bodies of their fallen foes seemed to have completely autolyzed, leaving nothing recognizable behind.
"You were very good out there," Latnok complimented Raclaw. "Though try to be a little less reckless. Who knows what would've happened if those creatures overwhelmed your telepathy." Indeed, Raclaw showed a recklessness born of confidence that reminded Latnok much of himself - but Latnok was more familiar with his own capabilities than Raclaw was of his.

Quote: A Guy

"You were very good out there," Latnok complimented Raclaw. "Though try to be a little less reckless. Who knows what would've happened if those creatures overwhelmed your telepathy." Indeed, Raclaw showed a recklessness born of confidence that reminded Latnok much of himself - but Latnok was more familiar with his own capabilities than Raclaw was of his.

"Thank-you. And-- and I will.," Raclaw nodded looking up at Latnok, his affection for the Guardian clear as day. Through the bond... such feelings could be be felt now more than ever. It was a deep emotion akin to feeling your own love. As for the fur dragon's capabilities-- more training was always a possiblity. Risar followed alongside the others and was reminded of his old master. He once felt such emotions for the man; a small part of him still did.

---

Quote: Felines

Dahlia stood still with a dazed like face, looking like she was dozing off. Her expression gave the impression of sleepiness. It almost looked like she was a bout to drool, but then she finally responded.
"Dragon with humans? Dragon like me? Me protect. Dragons eat, kill, destroy. Dragons evil. No trust. Me hungry... but not like them." Dahlia replied, this time keeping things brief. She didn't like dragons despite getting well enough with Raclaw. Being her species one of the main food source of wild dragons, her fear of them was quite reasonable. Despite the ship's dragons not attempting to hunt her down right now, she still believed they were waiting for the perfect moment to strike, particularly the big ones like Shade and Veris. The wyvern sort of tried once, so he couldn't be trusted.

"Yes-- Raclaw is with the humans. He is with Latnok, just as I am with him. You.. you can trust him.," Chester said trying to reassure Dalia. As he spoke, his love and affection for the Fur Dragon was clear. He truly trusted his two beloved companions.

While Angora remained with Shade, paying attention to the mines, Dahlia stayed with Chester, saying nothing else to him. She did trust Raclaw, but she was still also very uneasy around him being a dragon, even if he looked nothing like one. Maverick watched them and wondered if they were communicating, giving glances at Ilasi, knowing that once again, he has somewhat offended her. He just wished he could use better words when talking to her...

Angora nodded, still paying close attention to the mine.
"Well, the important thing is I'm here and you aren't alone. Sere may not find me valuable, but I don't care what he or Latnok think about me anymore. It's not worth it appealing to them." Angira assured, having once trying to find their approval, but all the mistreatment and belittlement made her think it was impossible.

"Still, I don't want any trouble with them, especially the old guy. Knowing him, he'll probably make a big fuzz about me coming here uninvited. I need you to hide me when he returns. Too bad you don't have a pouch like a marsupial." Angora said, trying to joke a little to keep Shade happy and his evil at bay.

Angora had thought about it, but didn't think Sere would be fooled by that.
"I don't think so. He would sense me. And if you move, I may fall or not react in time. You could hide me behind your wings, but then he would get suspicious. Too bad your scales aren't big enough to hide someone inside... hmm..." Angora started to think further, but didn't like the other ideas.

She then decided on something.
"Know what? Forget about the hiding. When the group comes nearby, you'll catapult me towards the direction of the ship. Don't worry about the fall. I've survived worse." Angora suggested, thinking that no matter the hiding place, Sere would discover her. It was better if she literally disappeared from that place, and the safest and most direct way to do it was to have Sere throw her away. I'd she got injured, she doubted Sere would even care, so it was the best way to prevent the senseless punishment she firmly believed the old Guardian would give her if he saw her. After all the abuse she has received from both him and Latnok, she thought they were capable of anything, even create lame excuses in order to keep hurting her. That was just how much trauma the pair has implanted on her.

Ilasi's expression regained its previous happiness. "Oh? A game? What do you have in mind?" she asked, intrigued. "I don't think you'll quite have to worry about accidentally crushing me with this game, at the very least!" The animals' play didn't go unnoticed by Ilasi; though they were having fun, it was clear how limited the dirt buffalo felt, at least if she was interpreting things correctly.

With the business settled for now, the group began to leave the mines. They had done what they came to do, learned of some new monsters, and were all still in one piece. Soon, the surface became visible, with Shade being quite easy to see. Angora, however, was not yet within view.
"Doesn't seem he burned the house down yet," Latnok said. "Let's hope it stays that way." Latnok was just itching to give the command to the collar to finally rid them of the burden of Shade; the dragon had apparently very limited capability to control himself. Such a creature was extremely volatile and dangerous, and hundreds in Redwater have already paid the price for it.

With ears moving around like a cat and with the help of the mine's echo, Angora was already listening to the conversation. There they were. The group was nearby!
"No time Shady! They're coming! They can't see me! Fling me now! Or hide me however you can! I don't care how! I don't want any trouble with them!" Angora rebuffed in a frustrated whisper, referring to the Guardians specifically. She managed to camouflage very well on top of Shade's snout from that position, but knew that if the group came closer, it was only a matter of time before they noticed her...

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi's expression regained its previous happiness. "Oh? A game? What do you have in mind?" she asked, intrigued. "I don't think you'll quite have to worry about accidentally crushing me with this game, at the very least!" The animals' play didn't go unnoticed by Ilasi; though they were having fun, it was clear how limited the dirt buffalo felt, at least if she was interpreting things correctly.

Maverick chuckled as he also saw the animals.
"Poor Dahlia. She's so overprotective and careful. I guess that's the reason she decided to travel with me." he commented, having correctly interpreted that part of her personality, and recently noticing it didn't extend to him only.

After pondering a little about the game, he had an idea.
"I know! We can play charades! That's one of my favorite games. It could also be useful in a situation where we can't talk or hear each other." Maverick suggested, having only played that game with Angora, Shade and a few of the pirates in his father's ship in the few times they were in the mood. It would be interesting and fun to play with someone probably new to the game for once.

"Charades? I'm not familiar with that game," Ilasi said. Ilasi had never been one to spend much time playing with others; though she knew some basic games, anything more sophisticated eluded her. "Would you mind explaining the rules to me?"

Angora flew far away, Shade having the throw worthy of a javelin user. His aim however was just a bit off. She ended up in the shallow end of the beach, with the water cushioning the fall but still falling face first into the wet sand. Her neck hurt a bit, but it wasn't anything serious. The ship was to her left, a little less than a mile away.
"Well that was a journey. Still beats giving that bully reason to punish me." she talked to herself, cleaning the wet sand off her face. She doubted anyone was looking at that direction when she came by, and knowing those sailors, they were probably too drunk to see anything or even care what came flying into the distance. Feeling safe and relieved, she started heading to the ship...

Quote: A Guy

"Charades? I'm not familiar with that game," Ilasi said. Ilasi had never been one to spend much time playing with others; though she knew some basic games, anything more sophisticated eluded her. "Would you mind explaining the rules to me?"

Maverick explained the rule gladly, having figure out that merfolks didn't have games like that.
"It's really very easy. You just do gestures, faces or something in your body language to describe something. It can be anything, objects like chairs, tables, weapons and such. It could also be animals. You cannot use your voice at all." he said, imagining this was something Ilasi was going to enjoy greatly once she got the hang of it.

The group soon exited the mines, meeting up with Shade - who had apparently had a rather uneventful wait. "We've done what we came to do," Sere informed Shade. "We should have what we need to secure you by tomorrow. I trust you will be able to control yourself until then? Need I remind you that we are taking a huge risk by not just killing you now?" The Guardian's frustrations, though veiled for a while, were becoming more apparent. "Do not give me any more reason to regret being as merciful as I have been so far."

"Oh... I get it," Ilasi said. "So like a guessing game, and a game of pretend combined, with no words! That sounds easy!" Ilasi was eager to get started - but remembered one key detail. "Uh... exactly how do we determine what we're supposed to be guessing? Are their points? A winner or such?"

Angora made her way to the ship as she cleaned the wet sand off her face. It was good for the pores, but she didn't like how soft it made her skin.

She arrived to the giant vessel in a matter of minutes, finally clean. Nobody seemed to have missed her, not even Maverick, who was still distracted with Ilasi. So in order to distract herself and keep herself from getting depressed, she watched Dahlia and Chester, never imagining those two would've thought of interacting with each other.

Quote: A Guy

"Oh... I get it," Ilasi said. "So like a guessing game, and a game of pretend combined, with no words! That sounds easy!" Ilasi was eager to get started - but remembered one key detail. "Uh... exactly how do we determine what we're supposed to be guessing? Are their points? A winner or such?"

Usually, we have cards and pieces of paper with the name of the object or animal, but since we don't have that right now, we'll just have to use our imagination. We can keep track of the score and also give ourselves a timer. The more with the most guesses at the end is the winner." Maverick commeted, believing the game will be more interesting by improvising.

"Don't worry-- you'll be alright. Everything.. everything will alright.," Raclaw said reassuring Shade. One of the spines stuck in his wing had began to settle into a uncomfortable position. The pain was negligible, however, when compared to the likes of the White Shadow and the 'shock' of what he had personally experienced. As he walked, Raclaw 'sheathed' his tail spikes and gently walked alongside the beloved Latnok. Risar walked behind them; keeping an eye on the soon-to-be-unstable Shade. The large minotaur was impressed by just how much Raclaw could handle, despite the 'arrows' that the fur dragon's wings seemed to attract.

ELSEWHERE-- Chester relaxed near Dalia and awaited the others' return.

While Maverick started to play a game Angora knew well, the troll watched team pet as they went very comfortable around each other. At least Dahlia had Chester and Maverick had Ilasi. In her condition, she only had Shade, but by tomorrow, his future was uncertain. She was going to be all alone. But even if the chains suceeded and Shade got rid of that infernal evil trying to corrupt him, it would be her future the one uncertain. She still had to deal with the end of a bargain...

Risar had one of his hands in place-- ready to unseathe one of his great axes should the need call for it. He quickly withdrew his hand upon Shade regaining control, however. Raclaw's eyes ever so briefly turned black-- although the fur dragon had much greater control of Shade's unique blend of dark energy. The blood moon was a concern, however, considering the connection he and Shade still shared. A small part of him still desired the sustenance, even though he had promised not to purposely draw upon it again after the last time.

"Well, you better handle them," Latnok urged. "Kill one more person and I don't care what happens, I'll ensure that it's the last person you'll ever kill. Now come, we're headed back." With all matters settled, Sere began to lead the way back to the ship, Latnok following dutifully along.

"Okay, I can manage that, I think..." Ilasi said. "Now, who starts? Ah, I think I'll start by imitating... oh, a dog?" Ilasi briefly started pantomiming Chester's behavior, before realizing one small issue.
"Oh - I'm not supposed to spoil it... I think. Uh, let's see..." Ilasi thought out loud, resuming contemplation of what to emulate.

Angora kept watching the two animals, starting to feel rather envious. How she wished and pray tomorrow could be over so that Shade could be safe and finally have a decent life. She didn't care anymore what awaited her later. She just wanted tomorrow to be over. Perhaps the deal was something silly and nothing to be worried about, but even though she couldn't shake off the feeling, the priority was Shade and stopping the corruptions. She knew the Guardian's patience was running thin, so it all depended on this mysterious man and his society. It was all up to them. They were Shade's last hope...

Quote: A Guy

"Okay, I can manage that, I think..." Ilasi said. "Now, who starts? Ah, I think I'll start by imitating... oh, a dog?" Ilasi briefly started pantomiming Chester's behavior, before realizing one small issue.
"Oh - I'm not supposed to spoil it... I think. Uh, let's see..." Ilasi thought out loud, resuming contemplation of what to emulate.

Maverick chuckled at Ilasi's indication, not getting the game the first instant.
"Well, you practically gave the answer, so point to me." Maverick said, but then specified he was only kidding. He saw Angora rather spaced out in the distance and wondered if he should talk to her, but didn't wanted to interrupt Ilasi...