The R.o.a.d. I {W}alk >Open<

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

It was a rare but accepted day in the ruined land, more sunshine then anywhere else was probably getting. The red water lapped at the dead soil quietly, leaving the overall scene almost peaceful. The only thing that really was strange, though, was the pack of wolves in the area. It wasn't a large one, only having a few members. Or, at least, from what anyone could tell. The pack stayed together, orbs looking to and fro as if expecting something to jump out at them. Though this action was usually taken as nervous, it didn't seem to deduct from the toughened wolves' appearances. The leader -- no, the alpha -- had a dusty brown pelt that had a long scar going from one shoulder blade to the beginning of its tail, fur not daring to grow over the scar tissue. The mate to this wolf wasn't as dangerous looking, having an orange colored pelt and bright eyes, no scars that weren't covered by her fur. A few other wolves followed, ranging from badly wounded in the past to fresh faces though there could only be five following. One of the wolves stood out from the battered ones though, a shockingly bright pelt for a wolf. One could tell, if looking at the canine, that it was naturally white or some other cliched light color that wasn't actually natural for wolves. It's pelt wasn't the clean, friendly white though. Dirt and dust clung to it, making it appear almost tan in color. Dried mud was on the canine's lower legs and paws, though the nails were well kept. The pack leader stopped suddenly, turning back to the pack. Most of the wolves looked down at the ground as a sign of respect, not meeting the alpha's eyes. The unnaturally bright wolf didn't though, not catching the hint. Instead she sat on her haunches, because there was no doubt that it was female by its actions thus far. It blinked its dark pink wine colored eyes at the alpha. By the leading male didn't snarl or growl at all, already knowing of the strange wolf's actions. Instead he ignored the fact that the female was looking into his eyes and his ears swiveled to one side, as if saying something along the lines of staying or resting here for a while. The wolves relaxed and most laid on ground, though the strange wolf stood as others sat. She stared into the eyes of the alpha for a few collective moments, attentive wolves holding their breath (figuratively of course, because wolves can only hold breath underwater automatically) as the two canines stared at each other. Then the strange wolf gave something of a small nod and walked over to the crimson colored water's edge. She wasn't stupid enough to brave the strange liquid to clean herself, however tempted. The wolf did, however, now lay near the water and away from her pack. This pack had "adopted" her long ago, though she would disappear for long periods of time before returning randomly and without any word as to where she had been. It had only been a few moments, the light furred wolf resting her eyes, until a sound was heard. Her ears swiveled backwards, towards the pack, though she didn't bother opening her dark pinkish hues. It was probably just one of the wolves messing around, after all.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

Sharp obsidian claws sunk slowly into moist dirt, weight forcing them only halfway through. The next step brought the talons forward, lightly brushing against the dry leaves that populated the next area. The paw hesitated above the leaves. To press down would mean a sound that would startle and alert any around to his position, but there was nothing for it. DharSii was a dragon, it was hard enough to keep his tail from dislocating a branch or bush as he went along, he couldn't stop himself from making at least a little bit of noise with the leaves under his paws. He was trying to make too many aspects of his body quiet at once, he couldn't focus on them all.

His paw came down, the leaves crackling beneath his claws and hesitant weight like he knew they would. He stood silently for a moment, shifting his wings, folding them better. His stance was low, prowling. His eyes gazed through the series of dead bushes that he hid behind.

Birds cried from above him, quickly leaving their tree and dislocating a few leaves to drop down and settle on his back. His eyes followed them as they left, cursing them in his mind. Dragons weren't meant for this kind of hunting... Two many obstacles on the ground. He preferred the air. He couldn't fly yet though... Too many trees...and the scent was so close.

He had been chasing the scent for a while, slowly and quietly making his way through the wasteland. He had been tracking the scent from the beginning of the charred forest, from an area he had been waiting for his partner in. She wasn't going to be done with her duties for the day for a while, so he went on his own to do a little hunting, to pass the time. He knew she'd call when she arrived.

This hunt had been quite an adventure in of itself though... Through forest, small passageways he had to skirt around, several low branches that scratched at his wings and frustrated him with their loud swaying and rustling, and of course, the birds that seemed to follow him around, warning everyone of his presence.

It had taken him maybe an hour and a half, traveling a distance that would usually only take him a few minutes to travel in flight, but he had finally caught up with the intermingled scents that he had been following.

In fact, he had stood in the same spot for the last 15 minutes, trying to think of how to go about entering the next clearing. He could hear the sound of the wolves, he could even make one out nearby him.

A lake rested nearby the wolf, its waters contaminated and impure. The beast remained still, but DharSii flinched as he saw the female's ears twitch and swivel. He knew she had heard him, but his luck still seemed to hold. She remained where she was, still breathing slowly, not startled as the Nightfury suspected she'd be.

Wide blue eyes wandered over to where he could hear other bodies shifting. He couldn't quite see through the dead brush, but it looked as if there were others of her kind.
He wasn't particularly worried about the wolves... But there was definitely a need for cautiousness. While they were smaller than him, they looked like they still had the potential to fight and possibly hurt him.

With that in mind, he slowly and cautiously made his way up behind the female wolf, prowling as quietly as he could. The dead leaves rustled, but there was nothing to be done for it. Maybe the wolf would pass it off as wind. The only thing he could really hide was the weight of his steps. He held his feet with each step, making sure his paws didn't thud against the ground. His weight alone would shake the ground slightly, and he couldn't have that...not now...he was so close.

His luck held all the way until he stood next to the female wolf, his eyes on the bright wolf's pelt, his thoughts away from the rest of the pack so close to the two of them. He slowly reached down, sniffing at the wolf's side.

Feeling momentarily brave, he went so far as the reach down and nudge the wolf's shoulder with his nose...and that was when all hell broke loose.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

The pack of wolves rested, weary. The strange wolf did the same, feeling herself fall into a half state of sleeping and awakening. The noise quieted a moment later and her ears flickered back to the water, the sun feeling wonderful on her dirty pelt. They had been traveling for days and though prey had been enough, the wolves were tired from the fast paced journey. It wasn't even over though. They were going to assist another wolf pack further into this Kingdom, who were being pushed out by an enemy pack. She suddenly awakened further as she heard something approaching her. The alpha? It wouldn't be the first time something like that had happened, when he scolded her for her disrespect. It wasn't until the sound of sniffing reached her sharp ears that she actually fully awakened. Her head turned as something nudged her. A dragon stood there, looking down at her. The wolf froze for a few collective moments, hues staring up at him. Suddenly the pack was upon the dragon, taking as a threat even though they couldn't tell for sure. The scales protected most of the dragon, though some soft spots were found and either bitten or clawed, like his wings and such. The unnaturally bright wolf whipped into action as they attacked, snapping from her shock. She growled, not at the dragon, but at the pack. She let out a series of loud noises, telling them to stop. She sunk her teeth into one of the male's tails, trying to get him to stop attacking the innocent dragon. Instead the male kicked her in the head as hard as he could, knocking her away without even noticing she was a wolf as well. The white pelted wolf rolled onto her side, muzzle stinging. She got back up quickly and threw herself onto the same male, snarling at him to listen. It was the beta, who when he threw off the offending wolf, snarling and jumped at her. Not only had she interrupted his attacks, she had now dared to attack him. The bright wolf darted to the side, twisting out of the way as the beta landed on his paws not too far from her. Her pink orbs showed how frantic she was, though he growled deeply at her instead of worrying. The canine pulled back her lips, showing teeth as she told him to stop the pack. The male narrowed his eyes at her, torn between calling it off or attacking her again. She repeated the words, snarling this time. The high ranking wolf decided to help her, growling before making a loud, barking-like noise. The wolves, including the alpha and his mate, continued like nothing had happened, though one of the other wolves heard and pulled away, looking over at the beta and strange wolf with question.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

The dragon gazed into the female's own eyes for the brief interlude. The calm before the storm. What he read there made him turn, but too late he realized his mistake. The wolves were upon him, tearing at anything they could get their jaws on, wrongfully thinking that the dragon had meant harm to their pack-mate.

DharSii hardly noticed the female as he was suddenly thrown into fighting for his life against an angry pack of wolves. He instantly moved to stop a wolf who had taken upon himself to sink his teeth into the dragon's left wing. A snarl left the dragon's own muzzle as he slashed with his talons, gouging and knocking the wolf away. Others snapped at his feet, which were left alone while he used his tail to knock away those who had thought that was the best place to bite into.

There weren't many of the wolves, but there were enough to make the Nightfury feel overwhelmed. He was stronger than them, larger, and could easily defeat them 1 on 1, but a pack's strength was in numbers.

He continued his fight, hardly noticing that the female had come to his rescue, and had paid for it at the price of her own pain. He growled himself, pinning down a wolf with one paw as he snapped at another with his own jaws. As a claw tried to find his eye, he moved back, letting go of the wolf he pinned and backing up.

They continued even as he backed up, one jumping to try and get at his back. The Nightfury crouched and then stood again, turning as he knocked the wolf away.

He then noticed two wolves in particular who were attempting to attack both his wings at once. An orange pelted wolf and a brown one, both ferocious. The orange was female, a little less dedicated to hurting him as the brown one was, the latter of which seeming almost feral in his motions. A scar ran the length of his body, and that alone was enough to determine what kind of wolf he was. A fighter. An alpha. That made the other wolf his mate.

By this time, the other wolves had stopped, answering the beta's call. The alpha and his mate did not, and the only way he could think to stop the two wolves was to fight back. He didn't want to hurt these wolves, but they wouldn't stop until he could no longer fight back himself. He valued his life much more than these wolves... He had to return for his partner. She needed him. He wasn't about to fall to these beasts.

The black dragon turned and leaped onto the alpha female, pinning her with his fore paws and crouching over her, facing the alpha. He made it clear to the brown wolf that he was not to be messed with, a low and loud growl emitting from his throat, his teeth bared. He would stop or he'd have to harm the wolf's mate.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

The strange wolf whined at the wolves, not wanting the dragon to be hurt for a reason like curiosity. That was what she had seen in the large eyes, anyway. After all, why would a dragon waste it's time on such a group? The wolves didn't have anything of importance, except for the strange wolf. And the hunters hadn't found her in this form yet anyway. Slowly wolves trickled away though and stopped attacking the dragon, backing away from the beast. Only the alpha and his mate remained finally, both intent now on just driving the dragon away. The alpha was a proud wolf and probably wouldn't stop until either the dragon submitted to them or ran off. The white wolf looked on, yowling angrily at the pair of wolves. She went to dart forward but the beta moved into her way, blocking her off. The wolf growled at him, frustrated by this whole ordeal. Suddenly the wolf changed shape, which looked painful. It wasn't really, but it probably had at one time. It's fur darkened and rose hues turned a bright, equally unnatural aqua. The wolf became a girl quickly, her hair a dark coal black as it shifted into pigtails. They hung past her waist while her bangs weren't nearly as long. She wore a string top and shorts and had quite a few scars on her pale skin. But before the shapeshifter could do anything the dragon suddenly pinned the alpha's mate. The girl changed back, hoping no one had been watching beside the pack who already knew of her powers. The alpha's mate was struggling for a few moments before going limp, growling softly to her mate. He stopped the assault, growling softly back at his mate in a comforting way. Suddenly a light noise pierced the air. All the wolves quieted and stilled as a song floated into the clearing by the lake. It was a clear melody, loud yet quiet as it floated to its target on the wind. Suzume wasn't far off, calling for her partner. Even the alpha stopped, ears tensing at the song though he stared at his mate and the dragon. Not too far off, a female sat in a tree on the highest branch she could manage without breaking it even with her light weight. Her eyes were closed, focusing, as her fingers moved to play the song on her flute. It was a strange but beautiful flute, made from something that looked like a dark wood that had many elaborate carvings twisted onto it along with runes, words, and more. Her dusty pink hair floating in the wind slowly as she played, wondering what her dragon had gotten into today. He hadn't been anywhere near where she had seen him last.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

In the tension that surrounded the scene between the dragon, alpha, and the alpha's mate, a sudden burst of movement caught the dragon's eye. He followed it out of the corner of his eye, making sure that the alpha wouldn't catch him off guard. What he saw made him loose his grip on the alpha's mate. He had supsected...but he hadn't known for sure. So that was why the scent had been altered...human and wolf mingled together. She didn't stay long in human form though, switching back to wolf but a moment later. The dragon nearly went to help her with the beta, but no...he had other obligations, and he couldn't leave the standoff with the alpha yet... He was still hostile...wasn't he?

The dragon's eyes went from the female wolf under him to the alpha. No, the fight was over. That was a relief. The female had stopped struggling, realizing that she couldn't win versus the dragon. She had convinced the alpha to stop as well. The dragon praised his own luck.

The dragon stepped off of the female wolf under him, letting her go. He hadn't wanted to fight in the first place, he was glad that he didn't have to any more. His gaze shifted back to the female shifter, but quickly moved away as a few musical notes floated through the air. The dragon raised his head, looking back behind him. Suzume.

DharSii hesitated a moment though. When he heard that song, he always answered it. He always thought their was something magical to it... He never did find out. So far as he could see, it was just an instrument...but he could hear it everywhere. And as he heard it, he instantly knew where Suzume was, where she was playing it, and he also felt the need she had of him to be by her side. Even so, he had one last thing he wanted to do before he joined his partner.

He slowly moved his gaze back to the shifter, the song still floating through the air. He walked quickly but softly over to the female's side, standing over her. The same curiosity still showed in his eyes, but also a thankfulness. Even though he was distracted by the fight, he knew what she had tried to do. He gently touched his nose to hers and then pulled away, looking once more at her before his gaze sharply rose to the sky, where the notes were drifting across. A moment later, and his feet pushed him off into the air, his wings quickly carrying him away from the lake and back to the clearing he had been waiting for his partner in, following the music.

The music resonated with him like it wouldn't with anyone else. He could feel the music vibrating through his blood, guiding his wings, shaping his thoughts. He loved the tune, loved the flute that it was played on, and that was part of the reason he was with Suzume. There were other reasons, surely. They had been through alot together, but he loved the music that his partner played.

His wings sifted the air and wind beneath them, bringing them together below his chest quickly, speeding his flight up considerably. It took him but moments to travel the distance that he had traveled for near an hour by walking. He circled around as he reached the clearing, slowing himself by drifting sideways in the air, his body completely vertical, his wings becoming the axis for the perpendicular flight his body was on. He quickly shifted, diving down and landing with a swoop. He took a few steps forward to even out his momentum and then gazed up at his partner.

He sat back on his haunches, just listening to the music for the moment, closing his own eyes, drifting slightly back and forth. The black dragon hummed along quietly, enjoying the mood that the song put him in. Happy, excited, relaxed; content.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

The shapeshifter, Roxiri, froze as notes fluttered through the air like birds. It was strangely loud, though there was no one close enough for it to be so. The canine watched with dark pink hues as the alpha's mate was released, ruffling her fur free of the ground's dirt, before walking over to her mate. They rubbed against each other, making rumbling noises at each other. Roxiri looked over at the dragon, who raised his head in response to the music. The dark form then looked over, meeting her gaze as he moved over to her. The beta moved out of the way in respect and the rest of the wolves also took a few steps back, away from the dragon. The shapeshifter looked up to the dragon, shifting her form to her normal one as the dragon's nose pressing against her nose and forehead. Her aqua eyes blinked at the gesture, head cocked slightly like the wolf she had been only moments before. But before she could do so much as open her mouth to ask or say something, the form was off the ground. Her hair whipped at the wind and then the dragon was simply gone. The shapeshifter looked into the rare sunshine-lit sky for a few moments, squinting to see what had happened to the strange creature. Seconds later she turned back to her adoptive pack, returning to a wolf form that, for some reason, bore the markings of the dragon though in the dark color of her eyes.

Suzume continued to play, melody filling the silence of the dead forest around her. Some trees, such as the one she was in, were still strong even though poisoned by the tainted water and now dead. Others slumped over or stood like normal ones, but would lean unnaturally at the slightest breeze. Speaking of breezes, the tamer soon heard the familiar beat of DharSii's wings as she played. One of her greenish grey eyes opened as she watched the Nightfury fly around her before landing on the ground. Her branch wasn't that high up but she continued to play, smiling mentally as DharSii hummed along to her song. Suzume ended the song a few moments later, flute sparkling with an off white light before disappearing from view. She then sat on the branch before jumping down, landing easily before looking over to her partner. She smiled at his presence, walking over to graze her hands over the dragon's face lightly. "What trouble have you gotten into now, DharSii? You look like you were in a fight." she asked teasingly and lightly, pulling her hands away to look at him.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

As the flute's music drew to an end, DharSii continued for a few notes before opening his eyes slowly and then watching Suzume walk over to him. The calm from the tamer's song was reflected in his sapphire orbs, his eyes closing once more as Suzume's hands brushed against his face.

DharSii thought about his partner's question for a second, but he couldn't deny it. He hadn't looked, but he could feel the sting on the lower part of his left wing, and he had no doubt that he had some form of dirt and the blood of the wolf he had swiped at on his talons. There really was no deceiving Suzume, and why would he? She was way too nice to the dragon for him to lie to her...and it would befit neither of them.

'Sorry Suzume...Wolves... I should have known better...' He answered back quietly, his eyes still closed, his tail swishing slightly.

His eyes slowly opened again as her hands left him, his eyes reflecting his apology. He had heard the taunting tone, but he took his job with Suzume seriously.

He recalled in the back of his mind where Suzume had been and where they had to go. He knew better than to run off and get into a fight before appearing before their commander with his partner....but it really wasn't his fault.

The werewolf... Was she a werewolf? No...more than that. There were so many things he had scented...

Something to be worried about at another time. His gaze focused again, meeting Suzume's own.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

Suzume smiled before her face became slightly serious as she walked over to his left wing. it wasn't seriously harmed, a few shallow scratches that had already stopped bleeding. There was dirt in them though, probably making it feel worse. The tamer hung her hand into the empty air to her side before a sack of water appearing in the empty hand. She uncorked it and carefully poured the cool liquid onto the small wounds, hand running over them to make sure there wasn't anything else wrong. She pulled away, standing up from her earlier crouched position before corking the water once again. It sparkled as well before disappearing into seemingly empty air. "No need to apologize. After all, most of the time you did this you were merely acting on curiosity." she said kindly, moving back in front of DharSii. Some things like this had happened before, though the dragon usually didn't start them on purpose. She held out her hands once again as a sort of saddle appeared in her hands. It was a leather-like material with bits of metal that were carefully sewn in places where it wouldn't bother either of them. Suzume hadn't made it herself, though the creator had been one of her siblings. The saddle was comfortably worn, though not torn or worn out. It was close to the scale color of DharSii and wasn't overly large, hooking into place easily enough. "Next time, though, you have to be more careful." she said a bit sternly. The dragon tamer carefully put the saddle into its place before she began to hook it up so she wouldn't end up falling off while her partner flew. They were to meet their commander in only a little time and she didn't want to be late, though her movements weren't rushed as she went through the familiar process of it all. She wasn't sure what kind of mission they would get, though she doubted it would be anything that tough. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time Suzume was wrong. The pink haired female's hands worked while she thought, now wondering what had DharSii zoning out. Maybe what had happened with the wolves? She didn't ask about it though, finishing on putting the saddle onto him.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

DharSii held still through Suzume's cleaning of his wounds. Another thing he liked about her. Always caring for her dragon. Even when he was stupid and got himself into situations that he shouldn't have been in with his cat-like curiosity. A smile came to his thoughts at that. It hurt at first, but the sharp pain from before dissolved as Suzume finished with her water treatment of his wound. The gentle touch of her hand on his wing was enough to rid his wing of any remnants of remaining pain.

He wouldn't argue with her, even though he felt differently about it. It was due to his curiosity, but that didn't excuse him. He let it go. He watched as his partner used one of her magical abilities to call forward his saddle from the Aether-pocket that she kept it in. DharSii wasn't much of a connoisseur of saddles, being a dragon, but he liked that one. The color matched his own scales, and he honestly felt like the air was still wafting against his back in flight, even with it on. It added little to no extra weight, and since it worked with Suzume so well, it was perfect.

At his partner's reprimand he nodded slowly, quietly but honestly replying 'I will Suzume.'

The black dragon held still while his partner put the saddle on him. It was mandatory that it was done right... DharSii didn't even want to think about what would happen if it wasn't. His own mind drifted away as Suzume went through the process she had done many many times before. He himself wasn't sure what their commander would have them do. Scouting missions were common...but every now and then they did some hunting of their own. While it was exciting to be on the hunt, and do something they usually didn't do... It was by no means DharSii's favorite thing to do. He may have been a dragon, but he wasn't inclined to random acts of violence. There had to be a pretty good reason if he was to fight.

But their targets... His mind drifted back to the one he had tracked down to the wolf pack. There was a reason he was good at tracking down those of her kind... While they weren't the only one the commander was interested in... They were the most common. While he felt like he should tell Suzume about it, he couldn't. He couldn't tell anyone. A part of him wanted to return the favor the shapeshifter had given him. Protection, safety. No... No one could find out. He didn't want to see that woman hurt... Not after what he had seen in her eyes...

He knew that speech had been right behind those azul orbs. He hadn't given her the chance. He knew she had questions...but he couldn't answer them, couldn't grow any closer to someone that he may have had to hunt later down the road. Already he knew that he had indeed gotten too close, even if he had tried his best not to. It was almost like a physical tug, much the same as Suzume's flute, but weaker, and more bound by curiosity than duty and love.

It was inexcusable, he knew that. Their position was precarious as it was. The only thing that kept them from being hunted down themselves was their successful missions. But the commander grew more and more impatient with each one. Pressure from superiors and the trying times of gorilla hunting and warfare were probably the cause of it... But DharSii could see beneath the layers of frustration to the core of hate that the man held toward dragons and anyone who dared to get close to them.

To help just one shapeshifter would tip the already unstable scales and bring everything they created for themselves down around them. They would be hunted like the Shapeshifters, but not given the chance to be enslaved under their command. They would be killed... No quarter, no mercy. They would become traitors in the eyes of all that knew them.

His eyes moved to follow Suzume as she worked and put the finishing touches on securing the saddle. He couldn't help the shapeshifter for one simple reason. It had nothing to do with the commander. It had to do with her. His partner. He would do anything in his power to protect her, and if they disobeyed...it would put Suzume in danger, and DharSii would have none of that.

The commander may have looked poorly on dragons, but the black dragon knew better. He was better than the delusion the commander had inspired in his own mind of all dragons. They weren't ravenous beasts to kill and maim all those that stood around them. He would prove it. He would show them all. Even if it meant a lost opportunity to help someone who may have been the next target on the commander's mind...

The Nightfury looked away from Suzume at that, his gaze going to the ground and then to the air. Such a bright day to be thinking such dark thoughts... But that was their life...as much as DharSii wanted to change it.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

Suzume's mind wandered as well as she put the saddle into place, slender fingers automatically putting things into place with no need to even think. They would have to hurry to the meeting place, unless they wanted to anger the higher ranks further. She nodded absently as DharSii responded, though anyone who could be watching couldn't tell whether she heard it or not. The dragon tamer knew what position they had both gotten into, easily replaced and balanced on a thin beam. It wasn't as bad for her as her dragon, though there was some sort of disgust or disdain or something when she was spotted by a higher ranking person, including the commander. The man himself was a large human with no hair atop his head, though he did have strange, bushy dark eyebrows. He was also, strangely, older then most would think. His body type was just...kind of creepy. He looked as if he was much too fit and his head had -- figuratively -- shrunken from misuse. The commander was often seen in full leather armor and with two swords at his waist, though nothing was really intimating about the man until you looked at his face. His eyes were small and beady and his face what often blood red, as if he had just finished running a few miles. But his voice was threateningly deep and clear, all while managing to sound like a growl or snarl. And when he yelled, you didn't want to be in his cross hairs. The man held some sort of hatred or grudge against not only DharSii but any other kinds of dragons that were every brought up. If anything went wrong, Suzume thought while a shiver ran through her, one day they would become the target of the Hunters. Her fingers had finished putting everything into place and were now resting, clammy, on the part she had last checked. The tamer blinked, snapping from her thoughts. Her body had become cold, though the sun was shining down into the place where they had ended up when Suzume had called for her partner. Hopefully, they wouldn't end up like the ones they ended up either reporting back about or hunting themselves. The pink haired female couldn't even really remember why they had started doing this. Where were her siblings? They hadn't taken the dark turn she had accidentally stumbled upon with DharSii. In fact, they were probably all at their homes with families that she wouldn't ever see or friends she hadn't seen in years. Something tugged on a heart string of hers but she forced herself to not tear up for no reason. Suzume pulled out a hair tie of sorts, made of some strange material, and tied back her long layers of wavy pink before looking over to DharSii. She gave a half smile, looking more tired then she had before for a few collective moments, before motioning to the dragon that she was ready when he was. Her voice was stuck in her throat, so she didn't dare try to speak. After all, it would probably end up cracking like it always did when she got the least bit sad. But it wasn't like DharSii wouldn't notice either way really. Suzume could always tell when he was, so it would probably be the same the other way around.

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

Suzume was right. It also didn't help that his thoughts had ended right when her's began. He could feel the mood shift, he could sense the change. His gaze worriedly found his partner's own, his eyes diverting from the sun above. His worry eased slightly when he saw her sign that she was ready to go. She looked weary, but she would be fine. And, true to the unspoken agreement they had between them, he wouldn't ask. She would tell him what was bothering her if she really wanted him to know. He could find out, he had that talent, but he wasn't going to use it against his partner.

The dragon gave a brief nod of his head. His wings flexed, spreading out, fanning them carefully. The muscles and body were ready, his mind was set, ready to go. The only thing that wasn't in place was his soul. Knowing the odds that they would have to commit some other act for the gruesome man that commanded them in order the stay in good graces sickened DharSii. Having to do anything for any human was outrageous in of itself, but this man was far worse than any other human he had ever seen. There was such a stark difference between his Suzume and the Commander that he doubted he could even think of one thing they had in common. If only more people could be like her... Nice... Caring, compassionate... Idle hopes and fancies. He could hope though... He could hope...

The Nightfury crouched slightly and waited for his partner to hop on, watching her with somewhat wide eyes. He was still worried for her, but they were both in the same boat. Both were unwilling to go see the commander, but both knew there was no choice.

Even so... He didn't like to see such a happy and joyful woman be so grim and sad...

His eyes took in her pink bow and moved down...the half smile ruining the image of the peaceful and caring human he had come to know.

The dragon turned and faced his partner, his eyes meeting hers, promising with both his eyes and his words, 'I will protect you Suzume. I won't let the commander near you.'

His muzzle moved to her chest, gently brushing against where her heart would be.

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

Suzume took a half step back, giving her partner room to stretch his wings. Not for the first time she wondered what it would be like to trade places with DharSii. The tamer had no idea which of them had it worse, though she doubted there was much of the difference in their partnership. The way one was treated usually reflected onto the other, whether it was a good thing or not. But at least she had the nightfury and not some other dragon. She liked others well enough, but her partner wasn't just something to replace. DharSii, if anything, was part of her as she was part of him. Her feelings, whether she knew it or not, was common in tamers. While some tamed many for short periods of time, others like her would pick one partner for a long time, probably until one or both or them died. Sometimes, though, Suzume wished she hadn't been born into her powers. Sometimes it was for the selfish reason as not wanting to have to tread such a small line while doing unspeakable things. But the main reason that usually popped up was the fact that if she hadn't, DharSii wouldn't be here either. Her head shook lightly as a new breeze rolled into the area, twisting her short and spiky layers along with her tied up strands. The twenty one year old actually did smile as the dark dragon moved towards her and met her greyish green eyes. "Don't worry for me DharSii. It's you I'm worried for." she said, closing her eyes softly as his muzzle brushed near her heart. Her hands fluttered down and brushed near where the dragon's cheeks would be if he really had them. She couldn't really be sure if he did or not, though if he did they couldn't have been too large. Then she pulled her hands away and moved to his side, taking care to not hurt him or to put too much weight on him at first. Once in the saddle she got into her riding position, feeling much better now. Flying was one of the best things to do and she missed the feeling already. Her rider's position was like a crouch on DharSii's back, feet carefully strapped with thin but strong leather. Her hands clutched the two holds at the top of the front section, though she usually only held on when flying very quickly. When not, one hand held on while the other was against the tough scales of her partner or another part of the saddle. Suzume parted her lips, making a small circle, before letting out a drawn out whistle. It wasn't loud enough to bring people or animals, but it was her signal that she was in position. The meeting place was only so far away but they were expected in mere minutes. Being late wasn't much of a big deal, seeing as everyone usually trickled in late anyway, though Suzume would rather be on time or early just in case. One never could be sure about the commander. A heavy weight settled upon the tamer as she wondered what their mission could be this time. Little did she know that she had much more to be worried about...

Let the freedom

begin

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[Shadow]

~When A Choice Arises...

Worried for him? DharSii looked up at that. He was a dragon, she was a human, why did he need worrying more? He had his claws, his teeth, his wings, his fire... Suzume had nothing to protect her. Nothing but him. That was why he worried over her. Even so, he let her run her hands across his cheeks, hoping she'd draw some comfort from them. He was fine, he would always be fine. He was a dragon, he could take care of himself. How little did he knew of what was coming...

The black dragon stood still as Suzume hopped on, careful to not make her fall right back off again. He waited for a count of 15 before he heard the tell time sound of his partner's whistle signifying she was ready for flight. He took a moment of his own time to steady himself beneath her weight. It wasn't much of a difference, but it was a difference, and it would matter when he was flying. He moved his wings experimentally and then crouched, tensing his back and forelegs.

He then rushed forward, pushing off with both his wings and legs, swooping into the air with a running jump. He normally wouldn't need it, but with the extra weight, he wanted to make sure he had the momentum to hold them both in the air. The first swoop was the giddiest, coming into a short dive before he flapped his wings quickly and propelled them into the air, his tail keeping his direction and altitude even.

They were now in flight toward their destination, and DharSii sped them up further, knowing that they had little time to arrive at the facility before they would be late. They would arrive with plenty of time, he could see that from the sun's position, but it was always good to be cautious. He brought his wings together harder and faster as they got to proper distance from the ground and then he started cycling between flying, gliding and diving to reach the fastest possible speed he could while still keeping Suzume and himself safe.

Quickly they passed out of the dead forest, the marker between the greenland and the poisoned clear below them. A tree line seemed to stretch between the two, dead on one side, healthy on the other, creating a natural barrier. All the while his eyes kept on the sun above him though, switching between that and the ground below, making sure the time they had left was matching the distance they were traveling, all the while keeping his tail fans and his wings in equilibrium.

The forest faded swiftly into plains, the last leg of their journey coming to a final conclusion, a fort clear on the horizon. The fort itself was surrounded by a palisade wall, establishing the boundary between it and the rest of the land. Further in, an open courtyard stretched, surrounded on all sides by a stone wall, enclosing and separating it from the rest of the camp. As the dragon slowed, he could make out the scouts below reporting on their position to runners, yelling for them to report to the commander.

The Nightfury swooped around the courtyard, watching the messenger run inside the building housed on the other side of the courtyard. He banked once more in the air before slowing completely and swooping down to softly land on the stone paved ground that made up the courtyard, just short of the fountain that marked the middle of the enclosure. His talons clicked on the stone, but his legs absorbed the shock that came with the landing. With the saddle and DharSii's own precautions, Suzume would hardly feel the landing.

The Nightfury waited as his partner dismounted, folding his wings. This is how the other meetings had gone. The commander would be out a moment later, seeming in a hurry to get the deal with them done, give them their target and get rid of them and quickly move back inside to his other duties. Until then, the Nightfury's gaze traveled to the second story of the courtyard where convenient stone boundaries had been set up to where archers could effectively fire down at anyone who would try and invade the small fort.

------------------

Almost immediately after the Nightfury's gaze left the balcony above, the commander walked out of the double doors enclosing the next area. Distaste imbued itself with the commander's every move as he walked briskly toward them. His eyes were as furious as usual, and DharSii was already awaiting the harsh words that would come next.

The commander stopped near 15 feet away from them and came close to yelling his next words. "Late!" The man held out a hand with his index finger pointing directly at the dragon.

"Again you ruin the important operation of this facility with your lack of wit."

The dragon had seen the sky when they had came in, there was no doubt they were early... But there was no arguing with the commander... The first rule with interactions with him was the commander was always right, even when he was wrong. The Nightfury seethed quietly in his mind, his outside appearing enduring and appearing just as willing as he always appeared. No objection made its way forward, there was no point to doing so.

The commander shook his head and dropped his hand to the hilt of his sword, pacing back and forth. "I thought long and hard about what to do with you, menace." He spat on the ground, his words harsh and near a growl.

"For far too long you've had a good time of being under the benevolence of my command and of this imperial facility. That ends today."

DharSii's facade dropped, his eyes narrowing, his mind wondering to what the man was talking about. Obviously there was no grace involved, nor any kind of benevolence in the commander's earlier orders and thankfulness. The dragon was lucky to not have the commander threaten he and his partner. What was unusual was that he was addressing DharSii directly, which the commander usually did his best to prevent. The conversation was usually short, limited to a few words, and was usually between Suzume and the man.

The commander smiled as he looked back at the dragon again, looking straight past Suzume for the time being.

DharSii had never seen the man smile, and it was more of a grimace then anything. He could tell there was nothing good intentioned behind it, nothing for any of them to be happy about. Anything that the commander could and did smile about would be just as cruel and twisted as he was.

"I have made an arrangement. For the first time you will finally be useful to this operation. As it turns out, you abominations are worth quite a lot of coin to the right people."

The man turned and called out a command that DharSii didn't quite recognize. Perhaps it was a name? Two men stepped out the side of the courtyard, carrying either side of a chest. They set it by the commander and quickly retreated, leaving the three by themselves again. The beady eyed commander gestured with his hand as he gazed at the Nightfury. "This much in fact." The man kicked open the top and circled around it.

DharSii couldn't believe his eyes. The chest was nearly filled to overflowing with gold. Who in there right mind would pay that much for a dragon? Obviously not another army official. No one had that kind of money except for... Hunters, private collectors... That led to only one possible solution. A dragon hunter. One who specialized in hunting and selling off either the live dragon himself to the right buyers, or the dragon's scales, heart, blood, and anything else bidders would buy off of the hunter for various purposes. Either way, DharSii saw all the way to the conclusion of the meeting today. 'Suzume...'

The commander continued, moving closer, but staying on the other side of the fountain. "With this, we can quickly surpass any other military force in the land. With this we could even extend our grasp to even more of you vermin, and put you right where you belong." The commander laughed, a dark and sinister chuckle that carried throughout the small courtyard.

This the dragon could not keep quiet about. A low snarl came to his features and throat as he answered back. 'You would sell your own soul if it brought you profit'

The commander's smile slipped, and his voice matched the dark and hostile atmosphere that the beautiful day had dissolved to. "I already have dragon. You don't know anything about profit. Nothing of what my life has been reduced to because of you twisted animals."

His mouth curled up into a smirk. "But you will learn." He gestured with his hand, archers stepping out from where they had been hidden on the second floor, warriors with a cross between large blades and various other weaponry spreading out from both entrances to the courtyard.

DharSii moved instinctively closer to his partner, as if to protect her from the force that hunted them. His teeth were bared, a growl rose from his throat, and he took on an aggressive stance.

The commander smiled again, but one could see that it was closer to a frown than a smile. "But I am not entirely without pity.

"Suzume."

The commander's gaze moved to the dragon's partner, DharSii's growl growing louder as he did so. "You've lived a majority of your life with this creature. You know how they operate. These fiends deserve to be eradicated. I have an offer for you. Leave now, walk over to me, and you will get a small share of the profits. It's the least I can do for someone who has been working for me for as long as you have."

"You no longer have to protect this monster. He will soon be where he belongs. You don't have to share his fate."

The commander's gaze darkened.

"Or... You can stay. You will be escorted

[/b] out, and will be exiled, your name erased from all records and you will be killed on sight if you ever set foot here again." [/color][/color]

"Your choice."

DharSii's eyes were only for Suzume now, watching what she would do. He didn't doubt her, not at all, but the situation demanded it. He didn't want her hurt. He would give his life for her. He didn't agree with the commander's offer either way... But he'd rather she accept it then be prone to whatever these people meant by escorting her. There was nothing more the dragon could do, the situation had quickly escalated out of his hands. It was now in the hands of his partner. And he knew there was little that even she could do.
[/color]
'Suzume...'
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...Is There Really A Right Answer?~

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

I wanna start a revolution
A type of personal solution

Pink hair whisked and pooled behind Suzume's head as DharSii took off to the skys. He body tensed, ready for anything that could happen in the first seconds of flight that may happen. Nothing did, as usual, and the tamer relaxed slightly, just enough not to cramp as she kept her position. One hand gripped the saddle as the other rested comfortably on her partner's obsidian scales. The sun warmed her skin and her hair stayed out of her face, even though her bangs usually did. Yet, throughout this lovely flight, something felt off. The tamer leaned back slightly, careful about her weight so she didn't ruin the balance they had. Her head turned, looking down at the dead forest that was quickly running out. The trees continued, of course, but they were clean of posion and perfectly healthy. But, ever so slowly, the ruined water would spread through the area and make the dead forest larger. The dark greens quickly faded as well, leaving her to only look at the last stretch on the short journey. She shifted back into position, looking forward as a pair of black goggles appeared on her face. She didn't really mind the wind in her eyes, but she hated when her eyes teared up due to it. That and the commander would probably draw amusement out of it. Her greyish green hues looked back to the side, seeing that they were almost there. The feeling stayed with her and she wondered why she was worried. The feeling was then promptly tucked into a corner of her mind, goggles disappearing into white sparkles. The pink haired woman looked over and down to the scattering people, rushing to report the odds and ends of the middle of nowhere. A few new trainees stared upwards at the team, gawking openly with mouths drawn open before realizing what they were doing. She didn't respond to the treatment, merely checking her position as DharSii swooped around and banked. The trainees also gawked at this before older ranks either snapped at them to pay attention or took some sort of violent action if their words didn't work. Or if they didn't wish to use words and skipped straight to the violence. Suzume always felt odd here, if not only for the appearance of the base camp. Only humans were here, running slower then something like a werewolf could but running anyway because the commander had something against every other species. Before she knew it DharSii swooped once again before softly landing with the click of his talons against the cold stone ground. Suzume quickly dismounted her dragon, hands quickly undoing the saddle's various straps and such. It was much quicker, mostly because she only had to undo the major ones before she could just make it disappear. The twenty one year old finished just as the commander and the dark leather disappeared before he could make some prude comment. She cringed slightly as he yelled loudly. She looked at the sun before opening her light pink lips before closing them again, knowing better then to argue. It then took a moment to see that he was pointing right at DharSii, as if it had been his and only his fault that they had actually gotten here early. She bowed her head slightly as the man spoke, not looking up from the cool stone under her feet. She didn't feel bad, but the commander frightened her to no end. The woman looked up only as the red faced man spat onto the ground, staining the stone with green and clear. A growl was in his voice at this point and she looked surprised as to his words. What was he talking about? She became even more confused as the commander spoke further of something ending today. She looked around, none of the usual guards meeting her orbs as they either stared up into the sky or down at the stone. When she looked back to the commander the beast of a man stood, looking right past her to her partner. The man had some sort of twisted smile or grimace on his face and the female's eyes widened at his next words. She backed up to her dragon, left hand finding his side in some sort of lifeline. Two men brought out a large chest, which they strained with. Normally Suzume would help if she something like that, though she was frozen in place as the commander kicked open the large and regal chest. Things overflowed from it, things that sparkled and twinkled like gold. The tamer's hands went clammy and she merely blinked her eyes in understanding as her partner called her. Her skin had broken into a slight cold sweat, even as the sun happily shone. She zoned out, knowing what was happening and also knowing that she was utterly helpless against it. The twenty one year old flinched slightly as a harsh voice brought her back to reality, calling her name. Her eyes began to tear up but she blinked them back, moving closer to DharSii even though archers and warriors were all staring at them now, ready to deal with them if needed. Suzume looked to her partner, hands shaking slightly, as he said her name again. This nightfury wasn't only something she could merely throw in for slaughter. He wasn't even her partner. He was a piece of her, or she a piece of him. "No...No. I would never hand over a part of my soul." the female said, looking smaller then she was. A bow and arrow appeared in her hands, though they were shaking. She didn't aim for anything, not even notching the arrow into the bowstring. She stood there, next to DharSii, staring at the command. "You can't just do this to us. Do you know how much of your dirty work we've done? How people we've killed because you're..." the woman trailed off before finishing. "Because you're just a sick bastard!" she yelled, voice cracking as her eyes teared up. The words were so harsh in both choice and tone that no one who knew her would ever guess those words would come from her.

Let the freedom

begin

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