Dark Shadows

ever onward went Poem walking across the rocky terrain, mountains covered the right side of his view, deep cliffs and their heavy water below on the left. night was almost near, the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon of the ocean. He dragged the heavy blade at the end of his tail, growing ever so tired. he knew he had to find someplace to sleep, he was so used to sleeping on sand he was a little worried. but he knew he felt better closer to the water, as he felt its pull. he looked over the cliffs to see some sand below. it was black as ash, "well its still sand" he looked on how to get down. it was at least a 200 foot drop. He paced in a circle as he wondered if he was really this desperate. but he felt the call of the ocean, it gave him some courage. He slowly backed up, as he ran knowing he could try and glide, the blade behind sparked across the rocks as he ran towards the edge. He stretched his wings out as far as he could then jumped, he winced from the pain, as they still hurt to use. The sting upon holding them out was manageable for the distance he needed to cover. He slowly glided over the ashy sand and eventually over the water, then he just let go. falling a hundred feet into the ocean. He dove into the welcoming waters. He noticed that the waters were surprisingly clean from his understanding of what the condition of the sand was. "how is it so clean?" He shook the thought from his head and began to swim to shore. the sand was just like normal sand, it felt the same smelled the same, it just looked different. he began to dig a hole in it one that would fill with water, enough to submerge him completely. he then curled himself up in the hole. the sun now has set entirely, and the moon appeared before him. in his achieved comfort he shut his eyes and then let everything go to black.

Tenebris found himself flying aimlessly without purpose, he was consumed by feelings of peace. Despite the Nightwing territory's renown for being an inhospitable landscape for the majority of species on Pyyria it now seemed like a haven of serenity away from the monster scourge what plagued elsewhere. The Archon found this brief respite from the courtly life of the Palace as pure serenity, and allowed himself to internally muse, he thought back to the days when life was simple before the machinations and intrigues that occupied his mind so frequently, he thought of his younger days as an aspiring Scholar and how he first marvelled when he looked upon the ominous black Citadel of the original Nightwing Palace and marvelled at its grandeur, and how insignificant he felt when called upon to serve the Queen of old, Gemini, so long ago those feelings were, in a time when the would be Archon was but a humble servant of little ambition or position. The ponderous memories brought relief to the Archon, almost harmonious with the life he once lived as compared to the ever tiring ventures he now found himself in.

The contemplations of Tenebris's youth came to an end as he began to descend upon the beach, there was a slowness and grace to Tenebris’ flight, stars filled the night sky like pale corn into a freshly turned ground which complimented the reflective speckled scales that adorned the Archons wings. While there was a practical sense for not just Tenebris but all Nightwings to travel at night, there was a much more spiritual connection the Nightwing patriarch had with the vast blackness of midnight. As the stars themselves gave a promise of life in said darkness, a sense of warmth springing from the cold. It was a vastness to bring humbleness and an eternal space to bring gratitude for the mighty Archon. No matter the years that passed, Tenebris would always see the night sky as a fresh gift given anew and a promise of new opportunity. He landed with splendour, and despite his relative predatory night vision due to him being lost in thought, he'd unknowing not notice Poem's makeshift nest or his presence. Despite his thoughts of being alone, the Archon would walk over the smooth sand with pride and regal posture, allowing his ink-stained talons to linger and trail through the sand in an almost therapeutic manner as he spread his wings wide once more, not to gain flight, but merely to bask in the magnificence of the night sky. At this point he would unknowing be about twenty feet from Poem as he moved slowly towards the shoreline, still lost in his silent contemplations.