darkSpyro

"Don't worry-- I believe that's the idea.," Raclaw said looking back at Shade with a slightly reassuring smile and tone. It wouldn't be long until they had reached the ship and the rest of the crew. Chester would be no doubt happy to see him, while Angora would want to see Shade before day's end. As the returning party approached the boarding planks -- Chester's ears began to perk up sensing the return of his beloved master and friend. "Raclaw?! ..Latnok?," the little Beagle thought out loud as he quickly started to get more exciting again. There was nothing like the an excited dog to alert you to the presence of their owner, or anyone really, showing up at the 'front door.'

"I don't care what you feel the 'most powerful dragons' can do. You will find a way to control yourself in the future, or we will not be taking any more of these risks with you," Sere threatened. "We are only required to keep you for as long as we believe you to be controllable. If you make us lose any more faith in that than we already have, then we will not bother keeping you anymore."
As the group headed up the gangplank, Latnok was pleasantly greeted by the sight of Chester eagerly jumping about. "Chester! We're back, all safe and sound," he said. "Well, for the most part, anyway."
With Chester's commotion, Ilasi's attention was drawn to those boarding the ship. It didn't take long at all for her to notice Raclaw's wounds. She immediately dropped the game she was about to start to attend to him. "Raclaw! You're hurt. Let me take care of you," she urged. "Just sit still a moment while I figure out how to take care of you." Ilasi took a knee by Raclaw as she began inspecting his wounds.

As Ilasi took an knee, Raclaw laid down and lowered himself into a position where the mermaid could better attend to him. Most if not all of the damage seemed to be focused on the right wing-- where what looked like 8 arrow-like bone foreign bone structures could be seen having grabbed hold of and gotten stuck in or under one of his many wing feathers. One 'bone structure' or what could better be described as a spine projectile could seen sitting dangerously close towards the 'bottom' of his wing where it could do more or serious damage if not properly treated. Another projectile could be seen having struct the wing at an odd angle, where it had notched itself in several feathers and closer towards the main bone(s) of the wing. And upon further inspection-- the fur dragon even appeared to be missing an feather, no doubt taken by another projectile and left as evidence. As Ilasi inspected the projectile wounds... most of the arrow-like spines seemed be acting as more of a nuisance rather than an agonizing pain. A couple presented more of a sort spot with Raclaw reacting in turn.

"Raclaw-- you're hurt.," Chester said concerned. "It's-- it's nothing. I'll heal.," Raclaw responded with a reassuring smile trying to lighten the mood.

Dahlia followed Chester, greeting everyone as well but in a much quiet, motionless matter, all while staying clear out of the dragolet's way. Angora greeted Shade when she saw the group coming back. Nobody but him seemed aware of her little escapade. They were ignoring her.
"Hey Shady. Nice to see you again." she said, pretending this was the first time she has seen him since he left the ship. But as she greeted him, she couldn't help but notice Raclaw's wounds. Once again, he had been the most injured from the battle, but of course, he was the one who participated the most while his beloved Guardian remained mostly watching. Wasn't he seeing the kind of abuse he was enduring? Alas, it was his life and his decision and Angora wasn't going to interfere. Still, she wondered if her orb has prevented his wounds from being much worse. It glowed back then, which meant it must've done something.

Maverick greeted the rest of the group along with Ilasi, assisting the mermaid in whatever she needed.
"I welcome you back. Injuries aside, I trust your journey was a success?" he said, referring to no one in particular. He was expecting an answer from anybody. He saw how antagonistic Sere was being to Shade, but said nothing about it. Like Angora, he just wished the mission was a success so that tomorrow could come and be over. It was much too stressful to have Shade as a literal ticking time bomb and constantly putting others and himself in danger. The destruction in Redwatermad been enough. This had to end, and Maverick hoped nobody else had to die for it, not even Shade...

"The mission was a success. We'll have--," Raclaw started to say as Ilassi prodded at an sensitive spot. The beloved fur dragon briefly reacted, although managing to avoid any audible reaction to the painful poke. "We'll have the required materials by morning.," he then said looking up at Maverick. Chester laid near him and 'held' one of his paws, the size difference between dog and dragon paw presenting an funny contrast. Risar stood by and gave a nod, agreeing with the fur dragon's statement. The large minotaur and the others who had returned appeared relatively unharmed in comparison.

"Well then, that's very good news. Now all we need is leave Oscurito somewhere where he can do no harm. I want to help with that." Maverick offered, trying to be as optimistic as possible.

Angora however, wasn't as cheerful. She was still too worried about tomorrow's events. If it was a success, and would still have to leave the crew for a while, and now she started to think that if she did, Sere wouldn't wait for her. That was just one of the many bad things that could occur. And of course, there was also the chance of Shade being killed by the impatient Guardian, once again taking the easy road. Instead of focusing on him, he should try to focus on his evil. She wanted to say so many things to that old, grumpy hog, but she knew the consequences of that so she opted to swallow her own words and try to be more than Maverick. There wasn't much else to do but hope for the best...

"And just how do you intend to help with that?" Sere asked Maverick. "Our allies will have a place to secure him to, if I am correct. Hopefully, we can finally put this business behind us once this is all done."
As Sere spoke, Ilasi continued to go over Raclaw's wounds - taking special care with the removal of the spines. They didn't seem to be barbed, at least, meaning that they could be safely removed. "Please hold still a moment. This may hurt a bit," Ilasi warned Raclaw before pulling one out. As she did so, Ilasi wondered how it is that Raclaw managed to suffer significant injuries while the others did not.

"I was just offering my help in any way señor... capitán. Not in a... specific way." Maverick replied in a neutral tone, thinking Sere may be too bitter with his whole ordeal. Angora could simply shook her head slowly as the Godfather responded. A simple no thank you or don't worry, it's taken care of would've sufficed, but he responded in a rather hostile tone. She hated how Maverick was being treated after how gentle he has tried to be with everybody, offering his excellent navigation skills and cooking delicious meals to everyone. He didn't deserve such treatment, but as recently, Angora decided to remain quiet about the matter, knowing she would make things worse if she said something.

Her gloomy demeanor was suddenly changed when she saw Dahlia very close to her, even being near Shade in order to keep the troll company. They didn't have the best of relationships ever since they met, but the dirt buffalo had great empathy for others, no matter who it was. It was a gesture Angora appreciated. The animal's instincts were very strong, and could tell Maverick and Shade's friend was suffering some severe internal struggle.

As Illasi pulled the spine out-- Raclaw remained still and managed to avoid any audible reaction to the pain. "Latnok was right you know-- you'll have to be more careful if you wish to continue to pursue this line of work. Think smarter, train harder, and try to do in a more responsible manner. At least until you fully understand your powers and what you can/cannot do.," the voice of Damon could be heard in his head and through to Latnok as well. "I.. I know Damon. If it wasn't for you and--," Raclaw responded via his thoughts before getting cut off. "My job is to keep you alive and to help you manage your powers. I will always be here for you, but you won't always have to depend on me. In time, you will be able to do so on your own and.. and you'll have Latnok.," the voice of Damon said. "Damon--," Raclaw then said as Damon went silent again. And although Damon's feelings and raw emotions were permanently hidden from him; It was clear that the collar entity was... Jealous? Lost? Unsure of his eventual purpose?

Whatever the collar entity may have been feeling-- Raclaw's feelings for Latnok were clear. And he had bonded with Latnok despite Damon's previous wishes. Meanwhile, Risar stood nearby and Chester remained by Raclaw's side continuing to comfort the injured fur dragon. The little dog wanted more and more to help with Raclaw's internal struggles and more than just a baseline sensing of his beloved friend's feelings.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Shade soon approached Angora. He then Nuzzled her gently. "I didn't hurt you when I threw you did I?" He whispered.

Dahlia moved away, still too afraid of Shade, but at least she wasn't bellowing in panic like she usually did. She was, very slowly, getting used to Shade. In the meantime, she let the dragolet console Angora while she watched from a distance. The troll felt very lucky to have some little bit of love among this anthill where almost everybody else hated her. She was very appreciative of Shade's gesture and his decision to nuzzle instead of licking, which she still despised.
"Don't worry Shady. Look at me. I'm fine. Told you I've had it worse." Angora whispered back, assuring him. While Maverick still helped Ilasi despite Sere's rough tone of voice earlier, Angora was still watching him and Raclaw, wondering what kind of magic her orb cast back in those mines...

"Don't worry, Damon," Latnok telepathed. "I'll take good care of Raclaw - as good as I can, anyway. I have a lot to make up for. I don't know where I went wrong in life.. but it went wrong somewhere. I don't know... ah, what am I getting at? Count on me to do my job - that's my point."
"Good, good," Sere said simply, in response to Maverick. "If I need your help in the matter, I will ask for it. But Latnok and I are far more trained in dealing with a rampaging dragon than you will ever be. Remember that, and resume your typical duties." Finished addressing Maverick, Sere turned to address Latnok next. "Latnok, help the men in the armory out for now, making sure that our weapons are free of corrosion. We may need them soon. Also, our ballistae - enchanted bolts would've been a great asset in the last fight, but I trust you will be able to provide us that luxury in our next fight if it comes to that."
"You can count on me," Latnok said, before heading off to fulfill Sere's orders. As he did so, Ilasi removed the last of the spines from Raclaw. "Now, just wait a minute please - there is a salve I have that should help those wounds out some," she said. "The biggest concern I have would be any potential infection, considering that they're organic - who knows what sort of things the creatures harbor."

With the preparations being made and Raclaw having been taken care of, the rest of the day was relatively uneventful - Sere in discussion with several of the islanders from time to time, including leaving once to see their plans for securing Shade. The rest of the crew attended to their typical duties, as far as they were relevant with the ship being docked. With the ship being static, Leoquin was not needed for navigation, so he took his place among all of the others.

Night went by relatively uneventfully - save for the same mental presence from earlier being palpable to those more sensitive to such things for a brief period before disappearing. Sere was up a little before first light, when the leader of the mining operation approached the ship.
"Sere," the leader said. "Preparations are complete. Bring your dragon friend to the site. We will bind him from there."
Sere nodded, before leaving to get Shade. He didn't know whether Shade was sleeping or not, but it didn't matter - they had to move.

As night became stressful and fatiguing, Angora had to take several strolls around the ship to tire herself out. She only managed to sleep two hours deeply. She slept on Shade's head, having been ready to pull his horns if he got out of control, not to mention it was the only place on his body his fire breath couldn't reach. She was still dozing off by the time Sere and his team woke up, ready to take him away...

That night, Maverick slept with Dahlia, not wanting to bother Ilasi, and still feeling rather bad for a while due to how Sere treated him like an ignorant little kid. He got more respect from his father, whom was despicably evil. But the feeling didn't last long once he touched his beloved mount's fur, being even good for therapy. For a long while, he prayed for Shade. He spoke to Orion, Ishulgu, and all the other deities he knew, not knowing who to count on. Even though nobody answered him, he knew that at least the first two were out there. Orion was probably very busy being a main deity, but he knew him, and knew he could send one of his little miracles to make everything alright. Ishulgu is someone he has never met before as far as he knew, but he was certain this mysterious deity helped him near Redwater in the desert where he met Dahlia. Perhaps... he could help again...

As the night approached-- Raclaw knew that he would need his sleep, not knowing exactly what Shade would do come daylight. He had returned to his own room along the little Chester. The little Beagle insisted on sleeping with him, having rather enjoyed the living pillow that was Raclaw just the night prior. And so Chester slept peacefully alongside his beloved fur dragon; Raclaw's tail gently wrapped around him and the left wing becoming a feathered blanket. As for Raclaw himself... he slept peacefully enough although the now very familiar mental presence did put him slightly at edge.

It was still not entirely known what happened during Latnok's disappearance, but the experience had at least brought them together. The right person was worth being claimed for-- and he had truly come to trust and love Latnok over the course of this last year or so. It would be his birthday soon. Almost three years had passed since he had left the old farm and now-- now he would never be alone again. As the daylight was just barely coming up-- Raclaw remained still sound asleep although the little Chester was just beginning to gently arouse.

Elsewhere, Risar was already up and getting ready for the day. Before putting on his custom-made armor and slotting the two heavy greataxes onto his back-- the minotaur's thoughts briefly reflected upon his past as placed a hand upon the back of his shoulder. Only without his armor, he would feel the indented grooves of where the symbol (now his symbol) had been burned into him. Each house had its own symbol and its own brand to match. Some brands were subtle, while others produced a deeper groove. As he rubbed his bare fingers along the deep groove-- he found feel the brand from the very tips of its upper spread out 'wings', to the bottom of its 'tail', and finally up to its 'head.' The symbol of the Phoenix -- the mighty mythical bird that would raise up from the flames. And while its house may have fallen, Risar himself had risen up out of the flaming remains of house Gentem. As the now free minotaur soon proceeded to put his armor and related apparel on, his thoughts shifted to the day ahead.

Angora, who looked almost like a tick compared to him, was unavoidably awakened by all his movements and wimpering. The dreadful tomorrow has come, and she could feel the tension within the dragolet. As Sere approached, she wanted to know just what and how this evil was living within him.
"Please tell me Shady, is this evil something that's part of you? Or is it a separate entity?" Angora whispered very quietly to his ear canal, needing to know. She trusted that after the blood moon, the evil will vanish completely, and the stressful ordeal could finally be over. Perhaps after the Guardians were convinced Shade didn't pose any threat anymore, they would finally leave them alone. There was nothing else she wanted more tha to return to the life she once had, just traveling with Shade and Maverick without a care in the world, only this time without the risk of Shade getting out of control. Whatever the telepathic stranger wanted with her, she trusted it would be something brief and silly, and that once she fulfilled the deal, she would finally be free.

At Dahlia's enclosure, Maverick was awakened by a hungry Dahlia, munching on his shirt trying to get to the delicious oats from his pouch.
"Ya ya Dahlia. Here. You can have the whole pouch." he said, leaving it all to Dahlia. Maverick had more oats in his hyperspace bag, so this was no problem. He decided to get up to take a walk, not having expected to be morning already. He was still rather sleepy, but today was a very vital day. Despite not being much in the mood, Maverick changed himself, took a quick shower and headed to the kitchen, making very hearty meals for the entire crew. He figured everybody was going to be overworked today given Shade's situation, so he wanted to make big breakfasts for everybody so they could be ready to tackle the day, even Sere, with whom he was still a little mad...

Angora simply shook her head, not caring about the exhaustion as long as the evil was gone.
"It shouldn't matter as long as it's over and you can finally have a decent life." she commented as Sere approached, knowing the Guardian's patience was running too thin. She has seen him and Latnok in action, and how they are willing to have killing for an answer. They almost ended the White Shadow's life for being a threat. Regardless on whether they knew or not he was a deity, the fact remained that they still wanted to choose death as the only option. Always the easy way out, which is why she was determined to make the captain see reason and go along with the restraining plan regardless on what happens. As long as Shade was very well contained and the evil ran it's unavoidable course without harming anybody, things would be better.

Still, it was a thought that still tortured Angora. She has heard about evil living inside every being, but why was Shade's so out of control? Was it because of his previous corruption by Darkmatter? Was it a negative perk from his species? Some malicious instinct he had due to a bad experience or something else? Angora didn't want to make Shade feel uncomfortable with the question. She wished she could stay with him throughout his entire ordeal, but knew the risk would be too great. Shade wasn't going to be himself, so he could kill her without meaning to. She wasn't going to let that into his conscience. Sere said he would kill him if he brought death upon anybody else again, though she doubted he meant her.

Meanwhile, the little Chester had gently began to arouse himself from his slumber. As his eyes slowly opened-- he found himself still wrapped up in the living bed that was Raclaw. The fur dragon's tail wrapped around and loosely 'held' him as if he were a living teddy bear, while the wing draped over him like some kind of heavy blanket. It was a super comfortable embrace that any dog would be lucky to fall asleep in. Except, he wasn't any dog. He was Raclaw's dog and while most non-strays 'had' a human-- he was lucky enough to have a fur dragon as an friend, companion, and owner. And then there was Latok, to whom he could now both understand and talk to. The duality of the Guardian "owning but not owning" their best friend aside, he considered himself a very lucky Beagle.

As the rays of light began to hit his eyes just right via the single window-- he squeezed himself out of the oh-so-comfortable embrace and gently tapped Raclaw awake. "Is it morning already?," a slightly drowsy Raclaw spoke as he opened his eyes to see his frame-of-view filled up by a very close Chester staring back at him. "You said you wanted to be awoken at daybreak, remember..? Just in case?," Chester barked as he looked into the eyes of his favorite fur dragon, whose head was down low to the bed. "That's right, that's right...," Raclaw said as he began to rise up and two furry companions would proceed to head towards the main deck. Along the way-- they would pass by Risar, who was arranging some details concerning the prisoners' work for the day. "Morning.," the minotaur greeted with a nod and a friendly tone. "Morning.," both fur dragon and dog alike greeted in unison; spoken in both common and dog-speak. Risar gave a nod the one whom he was speaking to and two-now-three individuals proceeded to walk out onto the main deck.

"Your promises are worth nothing until we actually see that for ourselves," Sere said harshly to Shade. "Now, let's get a move-on, we need to get you secured."
Latnok arrived soon afterwards, fully prepared with both weaponry and armor. prepared. He soon noticed the mine leader - it would seem that they were ready to secure Shade. "Good morning, Raclaw, Chester," Latnok greeted. "Good morning, Risar. Looks like we have a fun day ahead of us. The ammunition is prepared, as is the ballista; I'll have it set up by the area we're having Shade secured."
"Good to hear," Sere said. "Let's go." On cue, the mine leader began leading the way off the ship, with SEre and Latnok following soon after.

Angora decided to stay with Shade, remaining on his head to make sure Sere or anyone else hurt him. All they needed was a very deserted place for Shade to stay in so that the evil could take it's toll until the blood moon is over. This was just a phase Angora kept telling herself. Once the blood moon was over, she believed Shade when he said this would finally be the time where his rogue behavior would be over.

Almost an hour later, Maverick was done with everybody breakfast, decorating them as best as he could, but got sad and discouraged when he realized he missed his friends. He stil brought the cart to the main deck, deciding to have whoever was interested notice it instead of calling everyone to it like he usually did.

On cue-- Raclaw and Risar followed, while Chester stayed behind. Raclaw briefly looked to inform Mav before departing alongside Latnok. Chester, in the meanwhile, watched the others onboard when he soon sawn the hybrid himself arriving with the usual cart. The little Beagle gently prodded over, both to eat and to keep him company. He felt for the Hybrid not currently having access to his friends, but knew that it had to be done for the sake of everyone.

Maverick stayed with the cart, not moving it around but leaving it in a very visible place. He felt slightly better with Chester's company.
"Oh Chester, I really hope Oscurito and the team can go through this unscathed. We have gone through so much, especially Angorita. For so long she has been trying to get him under control and has always been under everyone's line of fire. We are so hated for wanting to help a friend who has troubles. After this blood moon, hopefully, those troubles will be over. All we want is a happy, descent life. Is that really too much to ask?" Maverick asked, knowing Chester wouldn't reply but finding it comforting to vent with an animal like him and Dahlia even if they couldn't answer. Similarly to Angora with Veris back in those caves, Maverick found much comfort in animals, since he still felt everybody else hated them. The only ones they have managed to befriend besides Chester and to some extent, Raclaw, Ilasi had been the only one who has treated them fairly, but it was only because a Dahlia managed to help settle a misunderstanding.

As Maverick spoke, Chester offered a sympathetic sounding whine and wished he could otherwise vocalize his support. He was lucky enough to be able to properly communicate with Raclaw and Latnok-- something that was only possible due to the former's dog-like upbringing. As Chester ate, he would continue to keep his favorite hybrid company. Favorite dragon, favorite Guardian, favorite hybrid-- it was good to have such unique friends.

"They're only temporary Shady. Please tell me this blood moon thing is true. Please tell me that after it's over, you won't return to these power surges. You know the Guardians. They've had enough patience already. This really has to stop Shady, and I don't want their final method to be the one they used." Angora asked in a quiet tone, rubbing his head to ease the pain. It was like rubbing a small hill with his size, but she didn't care. She knew Shade was too strong, and even though she hated the Guardian's method of kill first, ask questions later, she did understand that they have done everything they can to keep Shade alive. She didn't know why they were doing it, but she was certain that it wasn't for her, Maverick or Shade's sakes. She believed they were doing it to please Orion, who was still probably quite upset with them. Perhaps helping Shade was a way for them to amend for the deity? He was, in a way, their provider, and pride aside, the Guardians knew they had to respect and appeal to him.

Quote: redwes

As Maverick spoke, Chester offered a sympathetic sounding whine and wished he could otherwise vocalize his support. He was lucky enough to be able to properly communicate with Raclaw and Latnok-- something that was only possible due to the former's dog-like upbringing. As Chester ate, he would continue to keep his favorite hybrid company. Favorite dragon, favorite Guardian, favorite hybrid-- it was good to have such unique friends.

Maverick was sure Chester understood him, and wished he could reciprocate.
"Poor Angorita. She has received the worse end of the deal you know. Suffering from the very beginning. Can you imagine her own parents tried to kill her? The ones that are suppose to be her protectors, the ones that are suppose to love her. She faced Darkmatter, taking a great risk for everyone's lives, and yet she is barely aknowledged for such an action. And then she was imprisoned in Orcford for practically being a troll, and after we won our freedom, we were kidnapped by this menacing blue dragon. And then in Redwater, she nearly died in that awful arena for a crime she didn't commit. And now here on this ship, hated for what they have heard about her instead of everybody trying to get to know her. She helped in the battle against the White Shadow, yet it didn't change a thing. She is belittled for trying to help a friend. Come on! Wouldn't you do anything for Raclaw? Yet she's criticized for helping Shade and for being bitter. I mean, wouldn't you be bitter too if you had suffered what she had?" Maverick asked Chester, not caring if he was ridiculed for talking to a dog. Chester was a great source of comfort, and Maverick felt he couldn't do this type of venting with Ilasi since he felt the mermaid still didn't like the troll too much even after the misunderstanding was settled.

Chester patiently listened to the trouble hybrid, appreciating the company. As Mav asked if he would do anything for Raclaw-- the tricolor Beagle actually offered a intentional nod in response. The beloved companion then placed a paw directly on Maverick as if to offer his support. He could certainly understand wanting to help, as he himself wished he could help more with Raclaw's internal struggles. Only-- he knew that the fur dragon purposely kept him out of the telepathy, perhaps to better protect his fragile mind or because he didn't want to worry him. He so wished at that very moment... that he could somehow display this desire to Mav. And for a brief moment, the little dog looked out as if lost in thought.

As a few sailors took meals from the cart, they seemingly ignored Maverick's communication with the beagle. While they still gave him some cold shoulders, the insults and glares have ceased, evidently thanks to Maverick earning some respect from his cooking and navigational skills, where he more than once have proven that he knew what he was doing.

Having vented enough, Maverick gave a big smile, feeling so much better. Even if Chester couldn't reply to him, he knew the beagle understood his feelings, since he had learned from Dahlia to never underestimate an animal's intelligence and empathy. Animals have been the only ones from the very beginning that have shown any kindness to him and Angora in their ordeal with Shade. Even Veris was very kind to the little troll despite his owner's negative feelings towards her.
"At least neither of us are entirely alone. I know you love Latnok too, but I just wish he could be a little kinder to Angorita. I haven't seen him make any attempt so be kinder to her, not even after learning how terrified he made her feel." Maverick expressed, feeling like Latnok didn't care that Angora was so afraid of him.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now. After tomorrow, let's pray everything will finally be better for all of us. Now eat up. We can play a game after you're done." Maverick then suggested after a brief pause, needing a distraction.

Dex and Sapphire had been going around the city of Redwater asking and looking for information. But they had got little out of it, just rumors and places where the ones they where after had been seen.

”Well we got nothing out of that, it seems that they dont have any place where these guys come all the time, so it is more about luck to find them” Dex said

”That or nobody wants to talk about them.” Sapphire said

”Yea, but if that was the case I am sure that someone in the blackmarket would know something. We just have to keep looking and hope we see something soon. This mission could be very short one if we found out that there is nothing special about them. Kind of weird to be after somebody without plans to kill or atleast stealing something” Dex said and looked at Sapphire. Without him even realising he started to smile, and he clearly was happy that he had found Sapphire and they where together.

”What are you thinking up there, you are looking at me and is that a smile.... should I come bit closer so you can see me better ....” Sapphire said clearly once again teasing Dex.

Dex quickly turned his head away blushing ”We have a job to do, so lets get going” he said and started to walk

Sapphire ran after him quickly nuzzling him ”You are so cute when you do that” She said

And so the two kept looking.

The group would escort shade through the hilly terrain, gradually going upward - until they reached a spot among several rocks with several supports in place, with large, steel chains prepared. In addition, the area seemed to have more vegetation growing out of the rocks than in other similar locations.
Several of the miners were prepared to assist in securing Shade to the supports as needed. "Once we have him tied down here, we will use some magical assistance to reinforce the bindings," the leader said. "With that, we will not only have strong bindings, we will also be able to siphon his power."
"Siphon..." Sere thought out loud. "Where would such power be going?"
"It will be dispersed throughout the environment," the leader assured. "Nothing to worry about - certainly much safer than not doing so."
Sere gave Shade an urging look. "Go on, then," he said gruffly. "Let them secure you. We will prepare the weapons in the meantime."

Angora resisted the urge to give a glare to Sere. Not even the restraints and magic was enough for him to reconsider using those infernal weapons.
"Stronger is not important. As long as you can finally control yourself. I miss the way things were Shady. Just let this be an annoying phase you'll be able to overcome. Maverick and I... we look forward to being with you again, without risks to ourselves and to others." Angora stated, wanting to have faith in that everything will be alright in the end.

Knowing there was nothing else she could do, Angora jumped to the ground, giving a quick look to their creepy guide. She wondered if he was the one, or maybe one of the ones who had contacted her telepathically. She knew that soon after this ordeal was over, there was still a matter of the deal. It pained her to have kept it secret from both Shade and Maverick, but they were worried enough as it was. This stranger had a right to claim her after the blood moon was over. For now, she bid farewell to Shade, giving a quick hug to his paw and heading to the group, though at a considerable distance away from them. She was still too afraid of the Guardians...

Raclaw watched alongside Latnok as Shade allowed himself to be binded-- truly a last resort. The poor dragolet had been collared, power restricted, Hexphage'd, and even mind linked with Raclaw himself. If this last final attempt at holding back the darkness failed, he knew that there would only be one alternative. He was mentally prepared to hold back any excess power on Shade's part and to help calm him down if need by. Or at least-- as much as one with his experience could be anyway. Risar stood by as well, prepared to use his mighty great axes if the situation called for it. And in the meanwhile, they had additional weapons to set up. They would be as prepared as they possibly could be given what they knew about the blood moon legend.

MEANWHILE...
Quote: Felines

"At least neither of us are entirely alone. I know you love Latnok too, but I just wish he could be a little kinder to Angorita. I haven't seen him make any attempt so be kinder to her, not even after learning how terrified he made her feel." Maverick expressed, feeling like Latnok didn't care that Angora was so afraid of him.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now. After tomorrow, let's pray everything will finally be better for all of us. Now eat up. We can play a game after you're done." Maverick then suggested after a brief pause, needing a distraction.

Chester offered an encouraging bark before chowing down on his breakfast. From what he knew-- Raclaw liked Angora and she seemed nice enough, even if he had rarely interacted with the strange short being. Of course, Latnok seemingly didn't care for Angora and it was no secret that it had been a source of tension between the two. Neither of his two best friends had approached the troll since nor had they talked about her. As for himself, he was curious.

As Maverick was having a better time than her with Chester, Angora remained with the group, staying very far away from the Guardians, Risar and the scary guide, and being closest to Raclaw. He was the only one Angora didn't feel uncomfortable with, and as she got closer, she started to inspect his wounds discretely. She wondered just what the orb did back in those mines. She wished she could tell Raclaw or somebody else about the event, but she desisted in the fear that he, or especially the Guardians, would dismiss it as her trying to find a way to get attention, or simply lying. And even if they did believed her, she was certain Sere was going to punish her anyway for being there uninvited despite her stealthy assistance. There was just no way around him or his protégée. Even though she wanted to leave behind her desire to appeal to them, deep inside, she still wanted to be recognized. She was convinced she has helped them very much, yet they still made her feel like a load who didn't deserve any love.

As Angora inspected Raclaw's wounds, it could be clearly seen where the spines had initially pinned themselves. The cuts appeared clean, however, and fortunately no permanent damage was visible-- at least not to the naked eye. Upon a closer glance, it would be be seen that few feathers were missing as a direct result of the wounds including one of his tip feathers. It was very likely, however, that the missing wing feather would eventually grow back unless the underlying skin structure itself was too damaged for such a thing to happen. If Angora looked beyond the wing; it would be seen that Raclaw had seemingly taken no damage to the rest of his body. His head, neck, torse, left wing, legs, and tail all appeared to be unsceathed. Perhaps the orb had isolated the damage or prevented more damage? Or perhaps it had somehow relocated the damage to one specific body part? The exact nature of the magic could've been one of many things or perhaps he had simply been lucky? At the very least-- the wounds didn't appear to be actively hurting him.

Once the chains were in place, the mine leader began to channel a spell - and the vegetation around the area seemed to become more lively. The vines wrapped around the supports expanded, as if they had a mind of their own - fully wrapping around the steel chains, as well as Shade himself, as they became more intertwined. As they did so, they would proceed to absorb some of Shade's power in conjunction with the hexphage.
As this process went on, Latnok began preparing the balllista with the components set up nearby - on top of an elevated location, with a clear angle at Shade's prison. They were going to take every precaution they could. Latnok wanted more than anything to just activate the collar and have it kill Shade right now - but, without Sere's order, he wouldn't do so unless there was absolutely no other option.
"You know, Godfather Sere," Latnok called out, "I was thinking of potentially breaking Shade's wings again. It would limit his ability to move around if he somehow became free."
"...it's something I was considering," Sere said. "I need to give it some thought. I'll make my decision on that matter come the right time."

Meanwhile, in Redwater, the two foxes would soon happen upon a most interesting conversation - a man and a woman talking about a supposed miracle worker.
"We should take our daughter to him," the woman said. "Who knows, he could be the real thing!"
"It's always the same!" the man insisted. "Some big show, some panacea, and they all want your money before giving you some worthless plant oil. Waste of our time. She will heal on her own - just give it time."

As Raclaw watched the living steel seemingly come alive, he felt a bit of pity for Shade. "It may become necessary-- for his sake and for ours. If only.. if only to avoid the alternative.," Raclaw said with bit of resistance in his voice. Shade, for everything he had done, was an variant of dragon and an variant that would have to suffer for things possibly beyond his control. And despite his own wing still healing; he had come to understand something had to be done about the situation. This was the last last last resort and Shade would no doubt be put to death if it failed. He was fortunate enough not to come in direct contact with Darkmatter and to have better control of his native powers-- be it his via own will, Damon, or even Latnok now. He was also fortunate enough NOT to inherit the same darkness from intentionally drawing upon those same powers. Shade, on the other hand, hadn't been so lucky.

As Risar watched and made sure that the dangerous Dragolet didn't make any wrong moves-- the large Minotaur looked over at the claimed Fur Dragon, who currently appeared harmless in comparison. "I'm curious...," he started to say opting for the singular pronoun. "You and Shade are both dragons, fur and scales aside. What makes you so different that you can control your powers, while he-- while he cannot? I have seen you and know that you the occasional power surge and yet.," he paused looking as Shade sparked a little. "And yet there he is and here you are. Despite everything that you no doubt go through-- the headaches, the connections, the surges. Despite everything, you are still stable. It's-- it's impressive.," the large minotaur then said with a nod. "Well-- I suppose part of it is our backgrounds and our life experiences. And we all struggle in our own ways, only my struggles are of a different nature. They're more internal and not nearly as... as visible to the naked eye. Latnok knows what I mean.," Raclaw replied looking up at the Guardian.

”Well now we are getting somewhere” Dex said to Sapphire. Thinking that the two humans would probably be afraid of talking foxes and also to make sure they where not known about, because humans talking with foxes would become a topic which Dex did not want. So he made a plan.

”Wait here ” He said to Sapphire and quickly got close to the two remaining in the shadows. ”Hey you two, dont worry even if i stay in the dark. My face looks horrible because of an injury and i dont want anyone to see me. I think those healers are my only option..... so I will pay you if you can tell me where could I find them.” Dex said and throwed a small back of coins close to the two. ”There is more of that If you can help me” Dex said again from the shadows.

After Angora inspected Raclaw, trying not to get caught in the action, she was left wondering what exactly did the orb did. Only she knew she has entered those mines, since Shade was under the impression she simply followed them. The fact remained that she didn't want to be discovered, so the orb's magic and whatever it's effect was something she wanted to keep with herself.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted when she listened to what Sere and Latnok were talking about. It angered her so much that they were considering something as despicable as cutting his wings again. Wasn't all this overwhelming restrain enough for them? A dragon's wings were quite delicate and important for them, and knowing how rough and cruel they could be, she was afraid they would do permanent damage. She had an idea, but terrified of the belittlement she was going to receive, Angora took quite a while to talk.
"What if... we give him much food? Veris... he can't fly for a while if he has eaten too much. Perhaps if Shade eats too much... he'll be too full to fly? I... I can do the hunting." Angora suggested with a trembling lip, quickly adding that last part since she doubted very much anyone there would volunteer to give food for her friend. She almost looked like a chihuahua with a cold when addressing to Sere and Latnok. She was so afraid of their retialation, she had to go as far as to hold on her tears.

Sere gave Angora a verbal shrug. "A worthy suggestion," he said. "However, considering Shade's rate of healing, he will most likely metabolize food too quickly for it to be of any use slowing him down for any etended period of time. We will keep him as-is for now - perhaps some hunger and thirst will make any potential upcoming battle easier. Strengthening Shade is not in our best interest at the moment."

"Raclaw works pretty hard to keep his own power in certain limits," Latnok elaborated for his fur dragon companion. "The collar helps him control them to an extent - both the device itself, and the entity which exists inside it, known as Damon. Raclaw hasn't yet fully mastered his powers - but he's certainly fared much better than Shade has. I don't have to worry about Raclw blowing up half a city if I leave him alone for two seconds, at least. We've been doing certain joint exercises - improving both synergy and knowledge of our own limits. When Raclaw is done, he'll be more capable than we could possibly imagine - at least that's what I see."

Angora once again waited a while before replying. Sere wasn't being hostile to her, but he was still using a grumpy tone, so she wasn't going to take any chances. Even though she hated the idea of starving Shade, she hated even more the idea of damaging his wings in any way, so the former idea was much better. She ignored Latnok's comment, feeling as if he was practically rubbing into her face that his dragon friend had much better control of his powers than hers. She has heard about Raclaw having some sort of entity within him, though it was the first time she has heard the name clearly. If she has before, she was either distracted or not listening those times. Either way, it wasn't an important issue right now.
"A... cramp? Perhaps the wings can be tied in a way where they have cramps and render them useless for a while..." Angora suggested again, not as nervous or fearful as before but clearly still as cautious. She has suffered enough because of them, but despite that, she was still willing to lend her voice for Shade's sake. Cutting his wings was just too much, and even though she was aware that a flying dragon could do the most damage, there had to be many ways to incapacitate one that didn't involve cutting up such a vital extremity...

While Angora was waiting for Sere's decision, Maverick was still watching over Chester. He really wished he could have a dog of his own, but he already had a pet of his own in Dahlia. He also had his friends Shade and Angora, who were suffering so much already. He couldn't bring another soul into a life of misery and sadness. As he waited for the beagle to digest his food and be ready to play, he was looking at the horizon, wondering how the pair was doing. As he did, he wondered if last night's prayers were heard. Orion especially... how was he taking all of this? He really cared for Angora, and such a powerful deity has acknowledged more than once the little troll's big heart. So why it wasn't enough for the Guardians? Why do they keep disrespecting her so much? Latnok himself has learned how much pain he has caused to the poor creature, yet he has done nothing to try to correct things. Were the Guardians so proud that they refused to admit that the Galaxy Dragon himself cared so much about a troll of all creatures? Or were they jealous that Angora has been chosen by the mighty deity over them? Maverick couldn't really comprehend it, but it was no mystery how much those two disliked the mistreated Angora. How much they abused their authority over her, and how they have managed to bring the entire crew against her by just a few words.

Orion... being a deity, and a very busy one most likely, was someone reclusive, who only showed up personally after some big event. Maverick knew that him interfering directly was something that no deity should do, for that could be an abuse of power too, not to mention they couldn't be available all the time for the sake of just one creature. Even so, Maverick was certain Orion knew what was going on. The pain that his chosen one was going through, even after her mission with Darkmatter was over. Just how much more suffering will she and Shade have to take? Even if the Galaxy Dragon couldn't be there for them personally, Maverick begged for his help, for him to provide their divine protection from afar, aid them in this desperate time wherever he was. He prayed for Shade to overcome his difficult trial, and for Angora to recover from the ordeal she has been through. He prayed most of all, for her sanity and happiness, for she deserved it. Maverick didn't care how criticized he was for caring for a troll. He loved Angora too much. And now that the misunderstanding between her and Ilasi was settled, he hoped the mermaid could understand his, and befriend her one of these days so she could see for herself how wrong everyone was about the special troll...

Quote: A Guy

"Raclaw works pretty hard to keep his own power in certain limits," Latnok elaborated for his fur dragon companion. "The collar helps him control them to an extent - both the device itself, and the entity which exists inside it, known as Damon. Raclaw hasn't yet fully mastered his powers - but he's certainly fared much better than Shade has. I don't have to worry about Raclw blowing up half a city if I leave him alone for two seconds, at least. We've been doing certain joint exercises - improving both synergy and knowledge of our own limits. When Raclaw is done, he'll be more capable than we could possibly imagine - at least that's what I see."

Risar gave what seemed like a nod of approval. "As I said-- impressive. Your synergy, your bond-- Risar has seen it grow and mature into something substantial. And now... now he has chosen you. It takes a lot of trust to place one's own life into the hands of another. And to do so willingly. The relationship between man and companion can be a powerful one-- and yours will be legendary.," the large Minotaur then complimented. The two best friends had seemingly only gotten closer since the collar claim, despite the now uneven influence that placed Raclaw under the 'ownership' of his own friend.

Elsewhere-- Chester finished up his food and was soon ready to play.

Quote: redwes

Elsewhere-- Chester finished up his food and was soon ready to play.

Having his prayers finished, Maverick went to pay attention to Chester, who seemed eager to play already.
"Hey boy, ready to play already? You just ate. Wouldn't want you to get a tummy ache." he said as he gently rubbed the beagle's belly. He wanted to be distracted, but he couldn't stop thinking about his friends...

"Who's to say that you won't just manage to break whatever bonds are keeping your wings secured?" Sere asked Shade rhetorically. "I don't know for sure if I'll decide o break your wings; it is a decision I'll have to make before too long, however. There are many factors to be weighted. My top concern is for everyone out there who is not you - innocent people that don't deserve to die because of your own lack of self-control. I am taking a large enough risk already leaving you alive."
As if in response to the suggestion, however, the vines soon began to grow tightly around Shade's wings, forming a strong binding. "Nature serves us," the mine leader says. "May it continue to do so in this time."

"I'm confident that we'll be able to take on the challenges that will be thrown at us," Latnok said. "We're still alive right now after what we've faced. What's a few more challenges here or there to us? I'll keep a good eye on him - and I know he'd do the same." Latnok very briefly recalled falling asleep in his drunken stupor the other day, before brushing the memory to the side.

This time, Angora said nothing else. Sere has become so hostile and impatient that it was almost as if he and Latnok have exchanged personalities. Latnok was still a jerk, but at least he wasn't as much of a bully as he was before. She'd rather have him ignore her than belittle her like before. Their guide was becoming far more likeable than those two. He was so serene and calm troughout this whole ordeal. Even with Raclaw Angora was becoming more hesitant given the fur dragon was Latnok's best friend now, and that was without even knowing their special connection. Risar she didn't know well, but being Sere's second in command made her not trust him either. He really seemed like one of the many who could really dislike her. So their guide was all she had. She looked at him beggingly, wanting him to be in charge of Shade's restraints and convince Sere to desist of such despicable decision. The deal was for him or whoever contacted her to get the chains, but if they could go the mile extra, then better. This man and his society have demonstrated to have magic even more powerful than the Guardians, so they were better suited for this task. Angora didn't care anymore if she had to extend the deal. She was willing to do it if it meant Shade going through this trial without any harm to the innocents OR himself.