The Elusive Lizard Fish? (Open to all)

Seeing as to how the dragon never even realized what happened before it was already too late. The initial "capture" would go exactly as plan. The now completely terrified fish dragon would begin to squirm in frantic actions as she was clasped around by paws of her captor. Letting out this blood curdling screech in sheer terror as she thought she was going to get eaten. Aimlessly clawing at the air, but luckily to Imperia she was held away from the dragon in a way she couldn't attack with her claws. Yet moment the Koi dragon was grabbed. She more then likely would be starting to slip out of the dragon's grasp due to her slimy skin. Which would also be coating whatever part of the captor's body the slimy skin touches.

Unless the dragoness dug her claws into her skin. The scared dragoness slips out after enough squirming, at around 25 ft. away from the pond. Falling with another scared screech before yelping as she impacted the ground and tumbled a bit. Stoping on her side. Now having mud and leaves sticking all over her body. She looked absolutely filthy with that all over her. But she pays no mind to the filth. Instead she was quick to snap her eyes wide open seconds after the tumbling stopped. Then quick to her feet, albeit a little stumbly and clumsy looking. Shaking herself off afterwards. An with the current heavy rain, that helped greatly to shake off some of the debri sticking to her skin.

The dragon was on high alert and defensive. Getting in a protective stance with leg's spread outwards and flaring out all her fins. Trying to look bigger and more intimidating as her head lowers close to the ground. Tail whipping back and fourth as the tail fin brushes along the ground. Baring her sharp teeth and hissing at the two. Narrow pupils constantly darting back and fourth between the two as she takes some steps backwards. She was obviously really scared and confused right now. An not even the fish was currently tempting her any closer to them.

But she wasn't in the best of shape either. Although she wasn't at the brink of death, the koi certainly hasn't been eating well. Her body look thin. An that frail skin was easily showing the cave-in of her stomach and the slight indents around her ribcage, legs, and hip bones. This was due to not hunting often and primarily only scavenging for food. Not to mention she not the greatest of hunters. But that doesn't stop her from currently showing she will be hostile if they get any closer to her.

But if there any time to try and hold her down and subdue her. It would be when lightning strikes in the not so far distant skies. Making a terrifyingly loud crackle. That easily startled the already frightened dragoness. Her attention for a few seconds were drawn to the source of the sound and bright light. Making her yelp once more.

(Okie Dokie. An thank you ^w^)

Soulcry's heart sank, and he fell into a vivid flashback upon hearing screaming and chaotic thunder:

The crowd was wild, Soulcry saw himself afore a dragon in a heated combat.  It was a tough battle for both dragons, the scape was clear sky, but it sounded like a thinderstorm with two skywings firing lightning back and forth.  Soulcry was losing, and desperately needed a win to maintain his streak.  The two lounged at eachother with great force, despite Soulcry's typical strategy of being in the air, he was caught up in the moment.  They collided, tumbled and fired lightning at close range.  His speed served him well in this fight.  With his back on the ground and atop him now he would intuitively move his head and avoid being struck.  Finally a surge of adrenaline after losing for so long gave him imense strength.  Soulcry jerked foreward biting the dragon's neck with brutal force and lightning surged throughout the entire body.  The dragon was paralyzed and helpless.  It struggled to get away, and cried in agony as best as it could.  Blood trickled past his face, and Soul rolled over on top now, refusing mercy.  He was fatigued, but relentlessly kept his jaws locked in the dragons neck, until it finally stopped twitching.  Skywing guardians lept into the arena and began trying to pull Soulcry off, thrashing his neck violently, teeth still embeded.

Soulcry couldn't bear to remember more.  He realized he was looking really stupid staring blankly into space nervously.  He gave a very depressed face for a moment.  He bolted towards the water.  His feet sank into the mud and he tumbled face first in the mud.  He smiled to himself, thinking, "Perfect," and he even rolled in the mud a bit.  He then grabbed a waterlily with his mouth from the side of the shore and turned around and bolted back, but slowing down greatly when he soon arrived closer to the Koi.  He wanted to be at her level when she saw him, thinking maybe if he was dirty like her, she may understand the humble approach.  He was going to place the waterlily gently in front of her maybe 15 feet away.  But, when he came to about 25 feet...

Ooc:// okay I will change my post hold on

Imperia had suspected that the dragon was venomous. It was profiling to assume that a slimy dragoness would be poisonous, and she felt a bit overly judgemental for making that assumption but soon she was proven right.
She hoped that the slime on her neck, shoulders and chest wasn't poisonous as well, it had come from the dragon's body, not her mouth.
Either way she had no desire to be hit by poisonous saliva. Imperia used her wind magic to shield herself from any flying objects, which hopefully included spat poison. She extended her shield to protect Soul as well, walking up beside him. She wanted to immediately grab her spear, just for the sake of holding it, but she decided it'd be better to have no weapon, at least for now. She walked past the spear without touching it.
"We're protected from her long range attacks by my wind, but be careful not to get too close."
She threw a fish to the dragoness, then spoke in a soothing voice.
"It's ok, sweetie, we won't hurt you. Can you talk?"

The dragoness slimy coating is entirely harmless. It only used to protect her own skin from wrinkling up underwater for long periods of time. So it basically like being slimed by a eel.

But the frightened fish dragon seems to calm, if slightly, by the fact that they were keeping a good distance after her warning shot. The growling and hissing ceased for now. An instead she just bares her teeth while keeping that defensive stance. At first her main attention was drawn to Soul when he grew closer, but now it was mostly on Imperia. Seeing how she was moving and heading towards the weapon. She was wise to not pick it up at this situation because it now was making the dragoness second guess what their intentions were now

This was expressed physically by her fins not flaring out so much and her head tilting with a somewhat curious and skeptical expression. As she was trying to pick up whatever words she may understand from the silver dragon. But that thought was disrupted when a fish was suddenly thrown at her. As she quickly jumped back with fins flaring out and hissing again. But only for a few seconds before she realized what was just throw at her. Her head first brought back up at the two then back down at the fish. Her pupils easily notably expand to oval shapes as she cautiously first approached the fish. Sniffing to make sure she didn't smell anything off, till she easily grabbed the fish up with her jaws. Jerking her neck and head up in the air so the fish slide down her gullet with ease. Giving a satisfied lick to maw afterwards as her head lowers back down to watch the two. (That just instantly reminded me of toothless from the first HTTYD movie.)

She was still wary of them both but with her fins lowering down again, it shows her lowering her guard. Her pupils kept at a oval shape while she listens in on the silver dragon that appears to be speaking directly to her. Hmm, they aren't showing any hostility. But that wouldn't be the first time she'd be fooled by a fake sense of kindness. Thus why she continues to be suspicious until she certain they don't mean a threat. She can never be too wary being out in the wilds. But the dragon could certainly pick up that the other way trying to talk to her. So she lowed her head a bit. Her face looking conflicted and perhaps in some ways embarrassed as she tries piecing together words she knows in rough dragonic tongue. "Yes Talk. You bad dragon to I? why you dragon at water at I?" It's obvious that she have a very limited vocabulary. But not the worst in the world. Once she knows what a word means she can but what words she knows together in the best form of sentence to her capabilities. But she doesn't know what "by" means yet. Otherwise she would have used it in her third sentence. Yet she was basically asking what they are doing here and what do they want from her.

One must also keep in mind that she only knew roughly what Imperia asked from just the word "talk" in her questioning voice. But otherwise she hardly knows what they are saying to her or to each other. So if they plan to talk to her. They'll need to figure out what words she knows.

Soulcry was dumbfounded when the dragoness replied. He was not expecting illiteracy. He was embarassed as well, splotted with mud all around his body. But he was perhaps relieved their meal together was a bit unorthodox and adventerous compared to a luxury, fancy party of some sort where you'd be judged for not showing up prime and propper. Maybe it meant they would all have a laugh about it in the end. Soulcry, being an intelligent and intuitive dragon, quickly caught on; "I dirty too," he volunteered, fearless of sounding stupid in front of Imperia. "Does thou want a flower??" he offered with a glint in his eye. And he bent down nudged it foreward with his nose.

Imperia watched this interaction curiously. She had no idea if it would work.
Automatically her mind began trying to figure out ways to explain concepts to the other dragoness. She liked teaching young dragons, so she might hopefully be able to communicate to this strange dragoness.
First she'd see how Soul went at talking to her. The flower was a nice touch, she thought. She automatically liked Soul, and hoped that they'd get along.

(sorry for the short and crappy post. I'm just a bit busy at the moment. My next ones will be better.)

"Right," Soulcry thought, "Bad dragon...."

"Pretty fish, do you have a name?" He said very slowly, and softly.  "Curious, er," he paused, he may have had a harder time than he thought he would, always so used to talking in big words.  He wasnt exactly a natural, like he thought he would be.  What could replace curious?  
 "Not bad, good Dragon, um...  Dragons...  um..." and he paused again.  Clearly he was overthinking it.  

"Friendly, er, friends, er, LEARN!" He boistroisly shouted the last word, then hung his head thinking he may have been a bit obnoxious.  He meant it like a synnonym for curious, but immediately felt like the impulsive thought process might have been detrimental.  It could seriously have been taken as a command, when he was clearly trying to make peace.

He sort of stuttered and mumbled as he spake, the typical dialogue of his friends were of elite studdies in Skywing territory, who often studdied magic, and went above and beyond their collegues, in their free time always talking philosophy.  This, however may have been a little too simple for him.  Such a contrast was perhaps intimidating if he tried to speak like he usually did.  "Imperia, I suck at this, heh," he said quietly to Impera, "Thanks for the sheild by the way, that acid looks mortifying, I may have been a bit careless, I always get impulsive and careless trying to distract myself from recently had flashbacks...

The poor Soulcry meant no harm.  He hoped Imperia and The new Koi would accept him, though by now, he may have blew it for both dragons.  He used to be pompous, although still a bit sarcastic today, he only seeked to be humble since his mistake.  He didn't realize how humiliating it would pay off...

Imperia smiled at Soul brightly, she had an idea that might help the three of them get along.
"Soulcry, I think we have something that she wants. Look at how skinny she is, she hasn't eaten well recently. If you'd be willing to catch fish for us then we might be able to tame her and teach her to speak properly. I hope you weren't going anywhere in a hurry, because we'll probably be staying near this river for a few days at least."
She hoped he would be ok with that, but she didn't have time to wait for a response at the moment. She instead refouced her attention at the other dragoness, trying to make up for Soulcry accidentally yelling a word at her.
"We good dragons to you."
She gestured at herself.
"My name Imperia."
She pointed at Soulcry.
"He name Soul."
She pointed at the fish dragoness.
"Do you have name?"

Imperia decreased her shield slightly, having spotted the fish dragoness keeping clear of it. She grabbed the last fish from their little stash in her tail and then transferred it to her front paw, very slowly moving forwards and offering it. She kept her head low to the ground and moved in an nonthreatening and submissive way, hoping to overcome the dragonesses' fear and give her the fish directly.

As the strange four-winged and partly transparent dragon tried to speak to her. She could only understand so much. Guessing that when he said fish while looking at her. He could only assume he was talking to her. Seeing how many would often call her something fish whenever she was spotted. So at the very least, he got her attention. Listening and was prepared to answer until he well, began to speak out even more words that cause her to get confused. Yet things like "not bad" and other short worded sayings she knew clearly. Which making her lower her shoulder blades but giving this puzzled look as he seemed a bit, nervous? Not really knowing why until her whole body jerks back as he boldly says a word she also knew. Her fins pinning against her body. But she only took a single step back with one of her hind legs.

This male dragon was confusing her more that scaring her at this point. See how they seem to be kind dragons as they say, but it doesn't take much convincing til this naive dragon will actually begin to believe them and lower her guard. But last time she did that, she got hurt pretty badly. But for now. She was baring narrow brows, thinking hard to understand what he then began to say to the other strange dragon. But he was going too fast for her to comprehend. That is, until Imperia spoke out.

Even tho she repeating some things that the male already said. She certainly had the better confidence and relaxed state with her simplified words. But the most major help was her gestures. As this dragon was more of a observant type then a talker. Making understanding her a whole lot simplified. Then as she pointed at this Koi dragoness. The dragon tilts her head. Fins relaxing as she spoke in this primitive rough language. "Man boy name Erik say I Elisa. Man boy at end of snake water. Man boy call me friend. Give me new word to say." What she was truly talking about is a human child who works at a farm that is beside a human city. The farm at the edge of the forest border. But also beside the river that runs down past the city as well. This is where she learns most of her words from. Elisa is unaware of just how dangerous these encounters are but she trusts this boy and the boy treats her like friendly pet. Sometimes even giving her something to eat. She goes there at least once a day in the evening. An this routine has starting about 3 months ago.

Soulcry did indeed notice Elisa was quite skinny. He immediately took the compassionate initiative unreluctantly to get more fish. He left Imperia's side, lept and glid towards the water by the larger rocks he first came to. Again, his foreye would emanate wispy static as it charged, and a focust bolt clashed against the surface of the water, where fish once more rose to the surface. Soul jumped in with his three eyes closed, and began cleaning himself off. He didnt know what she understood or didnt. It rather stressed him out. He didnt want to sound abrasive or like a maniac, he knew he had a lot on his mind and thought if he didn't play his cards right, he may never have friends to heal himself. He emerged with his eyes open, and took a deep solemn breath, he grabbed a few fish, one being an unlucky crayfish, he saw lurching around at the bottom of the sand, and started walking back towards the females. He held a crayfish in one hand, in the other two fish and in his mouth another fish.

Imperia smiled brightly, happy that Soul was willing to do as she'd suggested. This whole situation would have been a lot more difficult if he hadn't been around to catch fish.
She also noticed him wash himself off, reminding her that she was covered in mud and slime. She blushed and used her wings to shroud her body mostly, not wanting to look too obviously filthy.

Imperia gave a friendly smile to the koi dragoness.
"Elisa... You have pretty name. Imperia, Soul, Elisa."
She pointed to herself, then to Soul and then to Elisa, clearly saying each of their names.
The comment about a man boy child confused her, she wondered if Elisa was talking about some sort of human creature that had been living near the stream.
She realised that she'd trailed off and stopped talking, so she started smiling again.
"All friends. Three good dragons, all friends. Soul will go catch fish for eating, he gives fish to friends. Does Elisa want fish?"

While Imperia had distracted this dragoness. She didn't watching what Soul was doing until imperia ask if she wanted fish. To which she looked over to Soulcry when he zapped the water. Her eyes widening in shock when the fish floated up. This caused the dragoness to whimper and look guilty as she spoke to Imperia while watching Soul returning with the fish. "You make fish friend die. I don't make friends die. I eat friends that found dead. I don't like kill friends. I will eat green and dead friends found."

This basically stated her reasoning behind her lack of nutrition. She was omnivore that been eating plants and scavenges off dead carcasses. Meaning she will rarely, if ever, kill something. Thus why she didn't seem to be so happy knowing the fish she ate before were killed recently. She does know is a normal thing to do, but that doesn't change the fact that she hates seeing things die. It's more then likely due to her kinder-hearted nature and maybe past experience. So she rephrases her words again as she looks between the two. "Elisa know you no bad for dead friends. I do not like see friends deading." She meant dieing but doesn't know the word "die" yet. Just dead. As she finally sat down and shakes her wet and dirty skin. Splattering slime, water, and mud alike around her. While her fins had wilted from her saddened mood of seeing her fishie "friends" die. Though she considers everything her friend unless they become "bad" to her. If that happens she just calls them bad.

Soulcry heard Elisa's second bit when he arrived to Impera once more...  He didn't feel guilty?  He was atop the food chain! Thats what he told himself at first, but he looked at the fish in his hand, still twitching from shock.  But, in fact Such compassion made Soul feel bitter and ashamed, like he wasn't a murderer enough.  He better not tell her of his brutal fight.  He may be seen as bad not a friend, if ever she could forgive something unimportant like this.  But who's he to judge what life is unimportant.  It was nothing he considered in the past, all of this seemed to teach him a lesson.  He considdered Elisa's innocence, and simplicity, how she was so concerned about a simple thing he had been doing all his life.  It was a shock to him, but maybe not as shocking as the poor fish in his mouth or hands.  The crayfish in the other was struggling for its life, and the very feeling in his hand now had gave him bitter emotions...  This existential considderation he noted intently, made sure to himself he would remember it always.  His journey learning to cope with his past was striving for good heartedness, hoping the Gods would oversee his intentions.  The rain was pouring still, his fur was wet and just getting out of the water made him feel cold.  He was only trying to help.

"I'm Sorry," said Soul sincerely.  He didn't know what to do with the fish.  He placed them down, as his disheartened mood voided his own appetite.  "But if you don't eat, you will die..."

After he said this, he looked at Imperia shrouding herself.  He smiled brightly, if there was one thing his humility taught him, its to not care about appearance.

"You look lovely, even in slime..." he affirmed.

"Ohhh... that explains that, then."
Imperia frowned, now understanding why Elisa hadn't been eating well. She didn't really care about preying upon things to feed herself, she made sure to give them quick and respectful deaths, but she had never felt bad for hunting living things. The idea that she might be coldhearted didn't even cross her mind.

She took a moment to collect her thoughts before talking again. This was not helped by Soul returning, he distracted her when he sorrowfully put the fish down, and then he surprised her and made her blush with his comment about her looks. She gave him a smile and instinctively she preened herself a little bit. She'd enjoyed the compliment.

After a second she refocused and looked at Elisa with an apologetic gaze.
"I see a lot of children who feel the same way. In the library of the Skywings there is research related to this sort of belief. It's called Animism, and it's the idea that everything, even non living objects, has it's own life and feelings and that they're all important."
She was about to try to put this into simpler words for Elisa to understand, but then realised that if she started talking about 'Tree-friends' and 'cloud-friends' and 'rock-friends' then the koi dragoness might get totally paranoid and be terrified of hurting things that most dragons didn't care about. Fish didn't think the way dragons did, but if Elisa thought that everything thought the way dragons did then she could get really upset. Imperia didn't want to distress her like that, sometimes it was better to be ignorant.
"On second thoughts, forget about animism, let's not talk about that. Umm..."
She faltered, trying to come up with something to say. She believed that the best thing to do was to respect the beliefs of children, teach them how to be respectful and thoughtful, and hope that they grew out of the idea.
As for Elisa, well, they should at least try to find something that she could happily eat to stay healthy.
"Umm... ok. Elisa friend asks, so Soul and Imperia will not kill fish friends. Umm... Elisa friend eat fruit? Eat vegetables? Eat plants?"

The scrawny dragon watching the twitching fish and squirming prawn. Still baring a saddened look in those glossy eye's. Fins still wilting before they perk up to listen to the two. They both seem apologetic for killing the fish despite her already suggesting she knows they were not bad for killing them. But as one says she needs to eat or die, the other offers questions. Not knowing what most of her words were until that very last one. Plants. As she seemed to liven up while quickly getting up to her feet. An adorably innocent grin at the corner of her maw while swaying her tail around. Nodding her head quickly. "Greeny's yes yes. I like greeny's. Little black ball in big group on bush. Elisa like black ball most." This interpreted, meant the wild blackberry bushes around here. She looks to pick them off and eat them due to the sweet taste. But if she were to get something with enough calories or protien. Potato's, spuds, roots, and beans, and nuts are the best choices. An it seemed that Elisa didn't pay much mind to this Animism since she didn't hardly know what she was saying at all. Only getting her confused as usual. As the Kai Dragon scampers around in a circle. her tail swaying around. " There lot and lot of greeny's to eat here. Yum yum. But dead fish friends taste best. Even if I don't like fish friends dead." When she talked about the dead fish again. She stop. Baring both a satisfied yet guilty expression. Feeling bad for like the taste of fish so much. But now that they see to twiddle away her guard against them. She started to be a bit more open towards them, and talkative. " Why dragon friends here? come to eat? Nice sky today. To her, any rainy day is a good day.

"I know what animism is," said Soul confidently, "in fact, I kinda believe it myself...  but as for the fish, well," he continued, "I am on top of the food chain."

He then perked after feeling hopless like nothing would pacify Elisa, when she suddenly began to brighten.  He was delighted to hear her not so scared or guilty, it brought him joy.  But if she meant a fruit of any kind, it wouldn't be enough to make her well.  He was empathetic, she shouldn't have to suffer for the fish's well being, they'd die someday anyways he thought.

"Well, Imperia," he said after a great deal of consideration, "I think she needs sustenance if she's to be healthy again, but it's your turn...  If all this is to make her like us in the beginning, then that's fine.  But you know the old saying, intillegent as you are, 'Give a dragon a fish, they'll eat for a day, teach him how to fish, they'll eat for a lifetime.  I'm not sure, though, if she doesn't like fish to die, I mean, but if we don't do something about it, she'll end up this way again.  It's just a matter of time..."

Imperia looked thoughtful. Soul was correct that they needed to teach this dragon how to keep herself fed, preferably without her needing to eat fish.
The most logical thing to do was take her back to civilisation, somewhere that she could make a living without ever needing to hunt, and could choose from a large selection of plants and already killed meat. However...
Two problems were obvious: Firstly was that Imperia didn't know what civilisation to take the koi dragon to. She was a Skywing, but Elisa might not enjoy the floating islands. However she also wasn't sure about taking her to Seawing territory, as Elisa might not survive in salt water. Earthwing territory? Maybe? But Elisa was very small...
The second problem was that Imperia was quickly growing fond of Elisa, and did not want to leave her.

"You're right, Soul... But... but..."
She sighed.
"I'm trying to think... there has to be some sort of solution that works for all of us, but right now I'm not sure if I can find it."

She looked back at Elisa, smiling playfully to cheer herself up.
"Very nice sky today. Lots of rain. Imperia friend came here to find fun. Imperia found Elisa and made friends. Got dirty too. Lots of fun."

As the two seem to converse before she asked questions. She tried too listen in and understand what they were talking about. Already realizing it was about her. But not sure why they seem a bit unsettled about her current state of health. So she finally gave up trying to understand as she waiting before speaking out the questions before. To which Imperia replied and cause her to bare her sharp teeth in a very human-like manner. Despite the gesture looking more scary to a human than it would be friendly. Guess this was just something else she learned from her human friend. While the giddy dragon was in a playful stance. her upper half low to teh ground. while the rear raised way up and tail swinging around. Much like a dog would act when wanting to play. "I Happy friend is happy. Erik friend like dragon. He like see dragon friend. Friend follow I to see friend Erik? See Erik when water bye bye? Seeing how these two were now apparently her friend, despite not really knowing them. She wanted them to see her other friend that she cares about a lot.

Soul was firmly placed with no recoil, fear was not in his vocabulary. Well, perhaps, maybe just as a figure of speech. Though she meant it as a smile presumably, and Soul figured this, given Elisa's composure which seemed to cease intimidation and defensiveness. Since his banishing from the Skywings, he always feared the isolation he experienced. This made Soul worried about being with Imperia, hoping she was a rogue like himself. But even if she did belong to the Skywings, the company brought him more comfort than worry. Afterall, it wasn't like there was a bounty on his head, and it's not like they were cruel enough to lock him up. They were always kind to him it seemed.

However, he had never seen a human, the very idea to experience something new and again distract himself from his past was very alluring.

"Why don't you lead the way, show us, bring us, um... meet Erik please?"

Hearing Soul, the Koi dragoness looks to him before shaking her head and responding soon after. "No no. No go. Sky water go bye bye.Then friend Erik come see Elisa."

Imperia nodded happily. She always made optimistic assumptions, and the idea that Elisa might have been threatening to bite them never crossed her mind. She returned the other dragoness' smile and adopted a similar playful stance.
She listened as Elisa said that they had to wait for the rain to stop, then she bounced forwards slightly and chirped at Elisa.
"Imperia friend and Soul friend will stay here with you until the rain stops. Then we can go and see Erik!"