Strangers In The Forest (Asra)

The night was young and cloudy, and the moon hung over the Earthwings forest nestled in a cradle of clouds. Somewhere, an animal cried out in distress, and a fleeing flock of birds gave away the location of a momentary disturbance of the night's calm.

Corrode stooped over his prey, a massive stag which was nearly unidentifiable after being hit with Corrode's acidic vapor attack. The skin and fur were half melted, half fused together, and the animal's breaths were short and wheezing.

Corrode brought his head down, and quickly snapped the stag's neck with his jaws, immediately silencing it. He laid down, and started to eat it.

Asra, careless of the risk and the warning words from by Gemini about the fact that the tribes would not like an intruder, expecially one that intended to claim the lands, was flying upon the vast forest of the eartwings, she had a self-confident expression because of her strenght and ability, but her attention was captured when she heard the moan of an animal, she was a little worried but she would never show that, so she flied lower, dodging the trees, to going to see what happened, caught by her curiosity, and fortunately the moon and the night were familiar to her and she had not too many problems moving in the darkness.
She opened quickly her wings and landed scratching the ground to stop herself, when she finally spotted the cause of this noise
She widened her eyes looking at his size and appearance, and wrinkled the muzzle sniffing the smell of the prey that was wounded by the acid substance.
She gave a worried look at the dragon, and suddenly managed to change her expression from surprised to a determined one
"oh...hello.." she said using, trying to not cause suspects, acting with caution for now because she thought this was a powerful dragon and didn't wanted to be attacked, expecially if she was not ready.
"so... it was you the cause of those scared birds that flee away" she said ironicly and gazed at the prey again, remembering that she had a bit hungry
After all she couldn't not notice that he has a good looking

Corrode's spines bristled and he tensed up when Asra seemingly came and landed out of nowhere, and he stood back up to his full height, his neck low and ready for anything. Corrode's glowing eyes narrowed at Asra, but he showed no signs of immediate hostility. Even if Asra wasn't trying to come off as threatening, Corrode was immediately wary of her.

He caught her surprised expression, and knew that she was impressed by him. All the better for Corrode, who was in no mood for a fight at the moment. He listened to her words, and then noticed that she was staring at the stag he had caught just mere moments ago.

Corrode stepped defensively in front of his prey.

"Yes, that was me. As for you, you shouldn't barge in on dragons in the middle of the night, you never know who you'll run into." He said, and huffed out some green vapor from his nostrils. It jetted downwards, and as soon as it hit the grass, the grass started to wilt and die away.

As he warned her she tried to recompose herself, noticing his actitude, she felt challenged and raised her head up, assuming a position that make her look bigger and intimidatory
"I'm going where I want to.." she said with no emotion in her voice, but it sounded cold and rebelling "anyway I didn't want to rush into you that manner...I didn't expected to see...a dragon like you" she looked at him with a challenging gaze "were you surprised or scared?" she said, joking and provocating him, half-smiling and ready to react
"don't worry for your prey, I would not even touch it" she said like to point out that it looked disgusting
but in fact Asra was feeling a bit of interest and curiosity for the dragon she just met

Corrode chuckled.

"Surprised? A little. Scared? Never." He replied, matching her determination as he made sure to stand at his full height. Not only was he an Earthwing, but he was ancient compared to Asra, and therefore much larger.

"It is not my prey I worry about, stranger. I can catch a stag like this whenever it pleases me. What I do worry about, however, is what'll happen to a pretty little thing like yourself if any Earthwing Guards catch you skulking around in the dead of night."

He walked forwards slowly as he spoke to her, never removing his emotionless and unblinking glowing eyes from hers.

She was indeed surprised by his reaction, and his size was very big compared to her, even if she was not tiny, on the countrary, for a dragoness, she was well trained
she smiled again, amused and with the usual challenging fire in the eyes
"so now I'm a little think and you are worried about my safety?" she made a grin "this sounds very weird, expecially if is a eartwing that is telling me this, because he should defend the territory ...I guess? Am I right?" she completed the phrase with a more sensual tone of voice "and do you realize it's not the size of a dragon that make it dangerous right?" she said not moving back when he stepped closer, and as he looked in her eyes she did the same, she had in truth a bit of fear, but she this dragon started to look intruiging and interesting at her eyes, and she didn't mind too much to risk a little

(Back from my cruise!)

Corrode allowed himself a laugh. "I do not worry for the Earthwings territory, because I am confident you wouldn't be able to take it." He remarked, and started to walk around her in circles, sizing her up with his eyes.

He remained ready for anything.

"I know size isn't what truly matters. You're a Nightwing, after all. But size does have a part to play in how others judge you. What brings you to Earthwings territory?"

Asra decided to let him talk, not changing her expression, exception when he said she would not be able to conquer this territory, because she raised and eyebow in a ironic way.
When he started to walk in circle around her she kept and eye on him without moving from her position, with a secure expression on her eyes, then at his question she slowly turned on herself to look at him directly and made an half smile, similar to a grin
"I think You know why i'm here, to explore...and to conquer and gain respect" she said proudly, raising her head making her scales reflect the light and staring at his eyes showing no fear, even if in truth she was worried and cautious, she knew he was indeed a strong dragon, and interesting one too, but it would not be easy to beat him if they would have ended this conversation fighting,
"and...beside the fact i'm also looking for a good place for hunting, I'm here also to see in there are interesting creatures..." she said, showing a persuasive charming look
her muscles where visible in tension and her breath was controlled

Corrode let her last few words brush by him, preferring to dwell on her first statement.

"To counquer, hmm?" He repeated, giving his wings an idle stretch. "Well, if you're looking to conquer some Earthwings territory, I'm afraid you've run into the wrong Earthwing. I am Corrode, Deputy of the Earthwings." He said, and took a general stance. Neither aggressive nor defensive, but still enough to show he was readying himself.

More green gas came out of his nose.

Asra know he was strong, maybe stronger than her, but she would never admit that
she was aware of her streght too, but he looked to be too much relaxed, even if she teased him he just stretched his wings, which made Asra even more confused
she looked in his eyes in a challenging manner, her tail moved from a side to another and her craws pointed the ground
all she could see was that he was bigger, the scales looked to be strong, and the most dangerous thing was...the gas, so she reminded herself to try to avoid all his attacks with gas or acid, thinking again at the dead deer, and she didn't had any intention to end like this
After his diplomatic presentation she took a deep breath and showed a fiery look
"do your best then" she dared to say and her eyes sparkled before she decided to jump to a side in a very fast movement thant make her look like a shadow, trying to go out of his view and possibly make a side attack
he was very interesting yes, but she wanted his respect too and didn't mind a fight at all

Corrode kept his eyes on Asra as she talked. It would appear that his tactics of appearing relaxed were working, because it looked like he had her on edge. When she flashed to the side, Corrode was immediately on the defensive, orienting himself into a position where he could deflect her strikes easily.

After he defended against her attacks, Corrode shot a spray of acid out of his mouth, but it wasn't full potency. It would sting very much, but posed no threat to her life.

*luckily it was not a strong attack coming from corrode, so Asra crouched down, slipping forward escaping the attack
she turned on herself still moving foward because of the cinetic energy and growled at him, jumping towards the big dragon and faking a direct attack*

((I forgot to say: welcome back! ^^

Corrode's eyes continued to track Asra with the efficiency and focus of a tried and tested veteran of combat as she weaved around . The cloud of acidic vapor that he breathed lingered in the air, and at his whim, it disappeared.

When she jumped towards him to feint an attack, rather than go on the defensive like he had been in this fight did, Corrode leaped forwards to meet her, intent on putting his superior mass against her.

As he reacted that way Asra, taking advantage by her jump towards him, suddenly opened her large wings and flapped them, causing a sound generated by the movement of the wind that was pushed away, in that environment the trees could cause some trouble to her but she calculated it, and once she was over him she opened her jaws and concentrated her power, generating a beam of black energy and releasing it directly on the other dragon, not using her attack with full power, she didn't wanted to kill him, just to hurt, and she was looking at the ground, ready to land behid him and see if she successed, looking through the fog generated by their powers combined, the gas and the shadows

Asra's shadow beam struck Corrode in one of his thick shoulders, eliciting a grunt of pain from the large dragon. She had done little substantial damage with that preliminary attack, but the scales in that spot were now slightly damaged, which might leave it open for further attack.

Dauntlessly ignoring the nagging pain, Corrode wheeled his head around as he heard Asra land behind him, releasing another spray from his mouth as quick as lightning

Except this time, it was actually liquid acid.

With all the pressure and suddenness of a geyser erupting, a broad, almost net-like spray of condensed acid sprayed from his mouth to shower the entire area he was aiming at.

Asra's attack succeed, but as she landed with an half-smile because of this, her eyes widened when he suddenly replied to her attack, she couldn't imagine that a dragon like him, expecially an eartwing, could be so fast, with a paw in middle air like to move away from this spot, she could do nothing but close her eyes in the moment that the acid invaded her and the environment around the dragoness. She released a painfull and surprised snarl, and managed to create a schield with her dark power, to protect her body and rushed foward, trotting for few steps before to fall tumbling to the ground
"ARGH!" she roared in pain and frustrated, feeling dumb and humiliated, shooking her head and smelling the acid on her, burning her scales, she tried to stand up again and shooked her body and pushed against a tree to take off the acid, now looking at him with a fury flame in the eyes, cursing him, while the shadows seemed to move around her
She was not sure if the would be able to continue the battle, but she felt the strong desire to bite his tail and sink her claws on him

Corrode kept his eyes on Asra and his mouth open in case he needed to spritz her with some more weakened acid.

When he saw that she was in no condition to continue fighting, however, he shut his mouth, and returned to his neutral stance. He took a few steps closer, his eyes locked onto here in case she decided to attack again.

"Still feeling like you can conquer this territory?"

The dragoness gasped and took several deep breaths, before to look at him with a cold look
"Darn you eartwing's dragon, you and your acid!" she growled "I've not finished yet!" she yelled before to jump against him with her claws ready to slash his flesh and scales, a furious flame in her eyes, and mysterious shadows all around her that looked to have life themselves, protecting her a little
she was probably going to lose, she was already injuried and weakened, but she couldn't just surrender, it was very hard for her to admit it and she didn't wanted to feel weak or to look like this at the eye of another dragon

Easily, Corrode sidestepped Asra's weakened lunge, and put some more distance between them with a powerful flap of his wings.

He focused his will on the acid that still covered her, and it started boiling on her flesh. Hopefully, the pain of having acid boil between one's scales would deter her from further violence.

"I'm not just an Earthwing, I'm a mixed race. Earthwing and Nightwing blood flows through my veins. I posess total mental control of all acid."

Asra, instead or give up, because of this extra attack become even more angry
She would have stopped but this was too much, she didn't used her true force against him, wanting to hurt and intimidate, but not do a true damage. Now she was almost full of rage
She roared, moaning in pain because of his manipulation on the acid, she took a quick look at her scales and the at him, now, it was very intimdatory look, no matter how this dragon could have seemed interesting to her, he was not anymore only just a honorable oppositor
"That's enough!" she snarled showing her white sharped fangs and spliting artound because of the pain it was hard to controll herself, her esmeral eyes brighted and her body reacted, some kind of shadows started to raise from her scales, from her body itself, like a sort of defense against the corrosing acid, and she jumped with a unespected move in the darkness, most or the acid was now boiling on the ground where she was just a second ago, and now she appeared again from the shadow of a tree on his side
"you will pay for what you did to me, I'll show you what I can do"
"and then you must respect me" she thought in silence, hoping to gain his respect, because a part of her already respected the dragon she was facing
she shadows on her body, like smoke, raised in the air freein her from the last remains of the acid, and the she snapped, suddenly everythign become black, she was using this ability to cause a sort of black out in the sight of the dragon, and the darkess was all he could see now, then she didn't losed time anumore and jumped in the air, opening her wings and her jaws, like it was in slowmotion, she realased an incredible bean of concentrate dark energy, with the intention of slashing the dragon and to hurt him with the true force of the impact, the trees were shaked of that violence and after that she landed again, silently, with her guard up, still angry for what he did at her
"you ruined my scales you B++++" she growled almost whispering, expecting a reaction or not, because she realead a very attack now, like when she faced shadowis, indeed one of the most powerfull dragon of the nightwings, and he was surprised.

To Corrode's great disappointment, it would seem Asra was still intent on fighting him, even after he kept hitting her with non-lethal, yet extremely painful acid attacks. Still, the ancient Corrode was intent on teaching Asra what happened to upstart young dragons to challeng others for territory.

Corrode said no words in response, preferring instead to analyze her movements for any telltale signs of an incoming attack. With her scales damaged like that, there was no way she'd be going in for an attack with claws or teeth, so he was mentally preparing himself for another beam attack before it could even happen.

He was the oldest living Earthwing, and it showed in his fighting.

When the area went dark, Corrode didn't bother trying to lash out or to dodge an attack he knew he wouldn't see.

Instead, while it was still dark, he expelled a large, billowing cloud of acid gas from under his scales and his mouth, and when the beam DID come, the acid gas cloud around him solidified into a solid shield. It didn't stop the entire beam attack, but it did soften the blow considerably.

Corrode did stumble a few steps back as he hissed from the pain of the massive beam, but due to his quick thinking, he was spared the full brunt of it.

When it was all over, he locked his eyes onto Asra, giving her look that was at the same time disappointed and angry.

"Of course I messed up your scales. If they're messed up, they'll take a few weeks to heal, so you'd have time to think twice about coming back to Earthwing territory. Still, that was a rather impressive beam attack there. If I wasn't the oldest living Earthwing, that attack might've actually injured me." He said, stalking closer and closer to her.

Asra was a little disappointed to have done almost no damage to him, but when he came out of the dust she noticed the shards of the kind of shield he used as protection, she was indeed amazed and curious about this trick, and she gave another kind of look at the other dragon this time, more curious even if still angry.
When he mentioned her scales she grabbed the ground with the claws, in anger and the eyes brightened while a silent roar came from her throath as a warn.
"Probably you will need to think twice too before to face me" she said proudly, even if he was indeed more expert and stronger, and she was not a greenhorn
But she stayed quiet, speechless when he admitted she did a good attack. It was like she wanted him to recognise her strenght
But her heart was running, Asra was looking at him in alaert, studying every movement, and when he was too close she stepped foward with a paw, marking the ground
"stop...don you dare to make another move, it's enough" she took a deep breath, not movin her eyes from his "you already ruined my protection!" she admited growling, even if the growl became gradually silent, and she licked a little her scales on the back turning her muzzle to obtain a bit of relief.
Asra was watching now him with no intention to attack, she stayed in alert of course, to not be caught unready, but this time she started to walk towards him, and then she made few step around the great dragon
The dragoness of the night was now looking at him more relaxed, exploring with her eyes his body and colors, that captured her attention, thanks to the personality, because she knew in the deep that he holded himself from killing her, and she could not ignore that
"I respect you" she said at the end stopping and staring at him, meeting the eyes with no fear.

Corrode stopped advancing when Asra put her foot down, and demanded that he didn't take another step. She was hardly in a position to be making such demands, but Corrode decided to humor her request. He stood there silently and motionlessly, only turning his head to keep his eyes on her as she started to take some steps around him.

He knew she wouldn't attack him, doing so would be an act of suicide. At this point, all it would take would be a well-placed jet of lethal acid, and Asra would be finding out what it was like you have your chest melted off.

His eyes narrowed at her as she studied him. It was a look not completely unfamiliar to him. When he had first met Shrillix, she studied him in the same way.

Finally, Asra broke the silence.

"I respect you"

Corrode smiled, chuckling a little bit. "It is my honor to accept your respect, Nightwing. It should be your honor to accept mine." He replied, giving her a slight bow of the head as a mutual sign of respect between warriors. "Tell me your name, warrior."

Asra felt relief when he stopped, accepting her request.
It looks like the battle between the two was over and the black dragoness looked with surprise at him when he chuckled, she felt very glad that he said these words, so a bit of stress left her and she could chuckle a little too, to take a deep breath after that and bowing her head in response "it's a honor to have fought with you, great earthwing" she spoke with a formal voice, but you could hear the happines in the tone.
She left the shyness behind, because she was amazed to recieve that compliment, which for now was all she needed and wanted, respect, and this dragon was really surprising her, he was inteligent and loyal, apparently.
She proudly raised her neck, but there was also humilty in her eyes
"My name is Asra, born in a rainy night, some knows me as the night traveller....what is your name proud dragon?"
she asked with interest, like to give back the favor and with the intention to know better him.

// wow let me say it again, you are a great roleplayer!!!

"I do wish we could've met under better circumstances, Asra. My name is Corrode, former mate to Shrillix, former Queen of The Earthwings" He said, a hint of sadness entering his voice. No matter how many time's he'd have to say it, it didn't hurt any less that Shrillix was gone.

yet...

Perhaps Asra held some potential. "What position do you hold in the Nightwings, Asra? I'm presuming that you're a tracker, or maybe even a guard?"