Precious Gems

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( OCC: This is dated one or two days before this thread-> http://www.rpgdragons.org/t3242-fear-and-courage#42869 )

Rii was running from the shadows of the dark. Every night she ran, knowing that the nightwings were weak in the light and hoping to keep ahead of them if they were chasing her. During the days Rii slept in deep tunnels under the earth trying to keep safe from other rogues or tribe dragons.

She kept out of rogue territory purely because she feared that the nightwings were or had already taken over the rest of the rogues territory. She hoped to throw anyone off her trail by keeping to the edges or just inside tribe territory. Her course meandered sometimes as prospects of an easy meal while she was on the run occasionally made themselves obvious to her.

It was early morning and the sun would rise soon as Rii crested a high hill top. Rii knew that she had to find a place to sleep in these cold harsh mountains. Digging was out of the question here, for the earth was too frozen to burrow into, and to amke things worse it was beginning to snow.

Mountain goats had tempted Rii further into ice wing territory than she normally would go, however they disappeared over a ridge before she could begin a real hunt. Now her foremost worry was finding a place to sleep. Her sharp eyes scoured the mountain side looking for any dark openings or crevices that might be caves. After constantly searching for interesting rocks and minerals throughout her life Rii was able to skim her eyes over the mountain quickly not missing any detail. Eventually she found a cave and quickly approached it.

The wind shifted, and a scent caught itself on her tongue as she tasted at the chill air. Stopping abruptly Rii stared into the entrance of the cave unsure of whether danger was near or not. The skull in he right front claw dug into the skin of her paw as she clutched it tightly. Scenting the area for a full two minutes for other dragons, Rii couldn't believe what she had found.

A young dragon was inside hidden from view, and she couldn't smell any other dragon scent around that was not younger than a week old. Who would leave a child alone in the cold like this? She wondered angry at the cruelty of her own kind. Just another reason she couldn't trust others easily. She wandered into the cave slowly, step after step, making sure that she couldn't smell any of the child's guardians nearby as she entered.

Vexilas looked up wide eyed as she spoke. He felt sorry for this dragon. He sat down the laid down. He turned onto his back and continued watching.

(Come on Rii, how hard is it? ITS AUYWATH! xD)

Not quite angry, but more annoyed at the fact that Rii seemed to be messing up his name on purpose. He was about to yell at Rii again before she lightly began to feel along his back, causing him to shiver slightly at the unexpected touch, but quiet down and calm him. So instead of making an outburst, he just settled on her back and looked up, listening. As she talked about the ugly dragon, AuSurath frowned at how others bullied him. When Rii paused and looked at them both, he asked "Am I ugwy?", figuring as this Totem was made fun of cause of his scale color, would he be made fun of cause he didn't even have those scales?

Rii was glad that both young ones seemed to be listening nicely. Then Awoo perked up asking her a question. Rii's brows creased as she thought of how to answer.

I think you look handsome. Maybe even more so when you get bigger. However there will always be at least one other dragon in this world who think you are ugly on the inside or the outside or both. You have to learn to pretend they are not there. Don't let their words hurt you because many other dragons still see you as pretty. She answered trying not to put the young dragons hopes up but also not trying to be a downer.

Rii truly disliked the look of most nightwings ever since her stay in their palace. However she knew that a few were truly good inside, like Awoo here, and that one male...

Now back to the story shall we? Rii shuffled her wings then yawned before trying to straighten out her wandering thoughts.

One day Totem found himself late to a clan meeting. As he arrived there the elders looked down on him with angry fire reddening their nostrils like glowing coals. They continued talking then, of how the sun would be swallowed by the moon in ten days time. Everyone was frightened by this news, and many asked how they could keep the gods happy so that they would not destroy and hurt them. Rii went on still pausing every once in a while to let the young dragons ask questions if they wanted to.

In the end the clan decided to give an offering to the gods. As they decided what the offering could be one of the younger dragons who always bullied Totem cried out "Send Totem to the gods to appease them!" Totem was scared of the clan then, and of the great dragon gods, but he kept his chin up in order to listen to what the elders had to think about the suggestion. In the end Totem was chosen to be given to the gods as a gift. That was when things really became scary. Rii tried to be as enthusiastic, dramatic, and scary all at the same time because this next bit was the part of the story where Totem would have to fight for his life.

Vexilas’ ears perked up at the end. ”Does he fight anyone?" He liked to listen to fights.

Listening to the story, and now absent mindlessly chewing the back of Rii's fur, AuSurath watched Rii with glazed eyes, picturing the story taking place right in front of him. "Wii, whai eet scawy to go to da goods?" he asked. He was very innocent in what was actually going to happen to poor Totem. "Do dat meen he liek a pwesent?" he asked too, before resuming his chewing of the fur. It didn't taste good, but he just had to teeth on stuff, and Rii's fur was there, so he was going to teeth on it, even if bits of hair clung to his tongue.

Rii chuckled at the youngling's questions.

You'll find out in a moment little one. Rii chided Vexilas before looking to Awoo. It's scary to go to the gods because you never know if they will like you as you are, or if they will try to hurt or eat you. Sometimes you are like a present, but sometimes you are more like their food. She explained before getting back to the story.

The many days later, just before the moon covered the sun, the clan brought Totem to the peak of the highest mountain in their land. The mountain had a giant hole in it's top, and the air was so hot around the hole that dragons could be burned from it. Liquid earth, colored red from being so hot, spit fire into the air at the bottom of the holy mountain. Totem fought hard against his clan, but he didn't want to hurt or kill them to be free. They were his family and friends, even if they hadn't treated him well. He pushed and shoved, and tried to fly away. However they always had a hold on him. There were too many dragons for him to fight off. Eventually they tied up his wings and legs then dragged him up the mountain. All Totem could do was watch the landscape go by as they carried him up the volcano. His eyes would trail along the beautiful flowers that passed by his nose every once in a while. Rii paused imagining the scene in her head. It was sad.

Vex stared up at Rii wide eyed. He was entirely focused on Rii and er story. Imagining everything that she said.

Deciding that fur in his mouth tasted bad, he started to lick his own paw to get rid of any loose hairs that clung to his tongue. "Mwiss, wai dey tie him lik dat?" he asked, not understanding why anyone would tie someone else up and drag them. It sounded painful and not nice, and why someone would do that was beyond the tiny hatchlings brain power to comprehend.

They tied him up because they didn't want him running away. They were scared of the gods, and not wanting to be hurt by the gods during the time when the moon covers the sun the other dragons made Totem their sacrifice. Rii answered hoping that she made sense. Then she continued the story.

The moon then covered over the sun, and the clan sang cheerful songs as they threw Totem, still tied up, into the growling mountain full of fire and lava. He disappeared into the flames and did not surface again. The clan of dragon then cheered and sighed in relief as the mountain stopped trembling. When the eclipse was over, that means the sun moved back out from behind the moon, the dragons all went home as if nothing bad had just happened. Rii got all quiet but still spoke loud enough for the two young dragons to hear. Then she shuffled her wings and blew two ovals of smoke from her nose like a little smoking volcano.

A day later all was quiet in the clan village. However up on the mountain, within it's fiery hole, a giant bubble of lava comes up at the edge of the rocks. Totem breaks through the bubble, unharmed and confused. He was free again, with no ropes tying him tight. As he gazed around at the  volcano and the top of the mountain in the sunlight he wonders where all the sparkling rainbow reflections are coming from. Rii paused a again her words louder now because she was trying to make the air and her tone sound happy.

Totem then looked at himself and saw the most amazing thing. He was bigger, longer, and more beautiful than when he had been thrown into the volcano. His horns were like mother of pearl, white but shining of many different colors. His scales were sharp and almost clear on top. On the bottom though they were also like his horns radiating rainbows. Like a million diamonds in the form of a dragon he rose up from the edge of the magma then looked up at the sun confused. Then the gods spoke to him. Rii paused to see if any other questions came from the two young dragons. She also wasn't sure if her story was getting too long or not.

Vexilas jumped up as she said that he came out of the volcanoe. "Wow I thought only us Firewings could do that!" He stared wondering at Rii and thinking about the story.