Post by Venus on Jan 7, 2008 10:28:53 GMT -5
Leander curled himself around the tree trunk of one of the ancient oaks of the forests surrounding Black Claw Mountain; it made him smile, remembering how it had been back home when he and Venus had jumped in the trees, enjoying the flight and, of course, the inevitable fall.
Shutting his eyes, he awaited the return of his long lost friend.
A few moments later, Leander snapped to attention as the wind currents changed in the clearing, and Venus settled back on to her haunches as she busied herself with folding away a wing caught in a tree. Freeing it, she looked up and grinned at him, the smile so familiar he couldn't help smiling back. However the grins soon faded. This would be no lighthearted banter, and they both knew it. This would be a progress report, from a Lord to his Leader.
As she settled, he leaned back against the tree, and waited for the inevitable question.
"Fancy telling me how you managed to survive the last fight?"
Her tone was light, but Leander could tell the question was anything but.
"I was struck unconscious - rolled over the rocks and down the incline behind. Ended up in the sea, and was washed out on the far Eastern shore about ten years ago or so. Couldn't remember a thing, just my name, not even my title; so I wandered. They came back bit by bit, ore in nightmares than anything. For years and I just walked and flew aimlessly, but then I got news of that battle at the Ivy Tower, and how Ebony and another dragoness had managed to heal the forest. The moment I heard the name I knew, and off I went to find you. And here I am."
Venus was silent for a moment, and it unsettled him to see that the happy, carefree dragoness he had known as a youngster could change so quickly and unerringly from content to preoccupied, even calculating.
The thoughtful silence stretched on, and Leander asked his own question which had been sat smoldering at the back of his throat ever since he'd seen the telltale blue scales.
"What did you do after you got sent away?"
Those gold eyes look up, and Leander spotted the subtle shuttering, the hiding of something that only someone who knew her well would see. He accepted she wasn't going to give him the whole truth.
"I've been around, helping where I can, meeting the dragons you met earlier. Wandering."
The unmentioned words hung unspoken in the air between them.
'Running away...'
Just sitting there, Leander couldn't resist speaking his other query, though he knew it would probably be very unwise.
"Is there any way we could reform the clan? I mean, if there are others who survived, like me?"
A slight stirring of the air around his snout was the only indication of the sigh that came from Venus.
"You know I'd love to see our clan alive and kicking again. There could be more survivors out there - but if there are, I won't be the one leading."
Leander felt the scales on his back rising, whether it was unease or shock he couldn't decide.
"Venus, it's your right - your inheritance..."
He was silenced when the dragoness shook her head sharply.
"I'm not the kind of dragoness you want for that job. I'm unstable, Leander. I can be unpredictable and make rash decisions that I end up regretting. The last thing I want to do is drag any of my family into a potential mess of my making. If there are others, one should be picked from their number. The time of my bloodline has long passed."
Leander felt anger building at his friend.
"But Venus..."
The dangerous look in her eyes told him to shut up. So he did.
Seeing his jaws click shut, Venus visibly relaxed, and smiled calmly at him again.
"Despite all of this, it is a relief to see you again Leander...I thought you'd...gone with the rest."
"Can't get rid of me that easily."
They shared a grin, before Venus rose to her feet again, readying for flight. Puzzled, Leander shot her a look.
"I have someone I need to talk to. Maybe you should head to the island..."
He nodded gravely. "I was going to anyway. I have some ghosts to settle with that place."
She dipped her head in return, but heading for the skies in a flurry of wings.
Shutting his eyes, he awaited the return of his long lost friend.
A few moments later, Leander snapped to attention as the wind currents changed in the clearing, and Venus settled back on to her haunches as she busied herself with folding away a wing caught in a tree. Freeing it, she looked up and grinned at him, the smile so familiar he couldn't help smiling back. However the grins soon faded. This would be no lighthearted banter, and they both knew it. This would be a progress report, from a Lord to his Leader.
As she settled, he leaned back against the tree, and waited for the inevitable question.
"Fancy telling me how you managed to survive the last fight?"
Her tone was light, but Leander could tell the question was anything but.
"I was struck unconscious - rolled over the rocks and down the incline behind. Ended up in the sea, and was washed out on the far Eastern shore about ten years ago or so. Couldn't remember a thing, just my name, not even my title; so I wandered. They came back bit by bit, ore in nightmares than anything. For years and I just walked and flew aimlessly, but then I got news of that battle at the Ivy Tower, and how Ebony and another dragoness had managed to heal the forest. The moment I heard the name I knew, and off I went to find you. And here I am."
Venus was silent for a moment, and it unsettled him to see that the happy, carefree dragoness he had known as a youngster could change so quickly and unerringly from content to preoccupied, even calculating.
The thoughtful silence stretched on, and Leander asked his own question which had been sat smoldering at the back of his throat ever since he'd seen the telltale blue scales.
"What did you do after you got sent away?"
Those gold eyes look up, and Leander spotted the subtle shuttering, the hiding of something that only someone who knew her well would see. He accepted she wasn't going to give him the whole truth.
"I've been around, helping where I can, meeting the dragons you met earlier. Wandering."
The unmentioned words hung unspoken in the air between them.
'Running away...'
Just sitting there, Leander couldn't resist speaking his other query, though he knew it would probably be very unwise.
"Is there any way we could reform the clan? I mean, if there are others who survived, like me?"
A slight stirring of the air around his snout was the only indication of the sigh that came from Venus.
"You know I'd love to see our clan alive and kicking again. There could be more survivors out there - but if there are, I won't be the one leading."
Leander felt the scales on his back rising, whether it was unease or shock he couldn't decide.
"Venus, it's your right - your inheritance..."
He was silenced when the dragoness shook her head sharply.
"I'm not the kind of dragoness you want for that job. I'm unstable, Leander. I can be unpredictable and make rash decisions that I end up regretting. The last thing I want to do is drag any of my family into a potential mess of my making. If there are others, one should be picked from their number. The time of my bloodline has long passed."
Leander felt anger building at his friend.
"But Venus..."
The dangerous look in her eyes told him to shut up. So he did.
Seeing his jaws click shut, Venus visibly relaxed, and smiled calmly at him again.
"Despite all of this, it is a relief to see you again Leander...I thought you'd...gone with the rest."
"Can't get rid of me that easily."
They shared a grin, before Venus rose to her feet again, readying for flight. Puzzled, Leander shot her a look.
"I have someone I need to talk to. Maybe you should head to the island..."
He nodded gravely. "I was going to anyway. I have some ghosts to settle with that place."
She dipped her head in return, but heading for the skies in a flurry of wings.