Hopeless and Alone ((Rogues and EarthWings!))

Rylatha didn't mind being blind as a hatchling-- but now that she had gotten a chance to see the world, that was so full of wonder, color, and beauty...She could do everything without worrying about bumping into things. She could fight. She could hunt. She could see the marvels of Pyyria, to see what her father looked like... To see how everyone looked like!

Only to have it stripped away.

Rylatha was heartbroken. There was no more color. No more watching sunsets. Just... Darkness. Ry was even more upset at the fact that she could no longer go off by herself; she would need a guide. Of course there was her great eagle, but it was so humiliating. To be walked around by a beast that couldn't speak, didn't have the same mindset as dragons. An animal that was as blind to the world as she was, but can walk and fly around as it may.

Insulting, wasn't it?

So it was today Rylatha had enough. She wanted to do something on her own, without anyone's help. She went to the old forest, which was still overrun by humans. It wasn't like she could die or anything... Right?

Wrong.

The first few minutes of the hike was perfect. She hadn't even tripped or ran into a tree!! And the smells... Well, the scent of the forest was awful since it had the stench of humans, but that was only a mask. Behind that reek was home. Rylatha's place of hatching. The dragoness even smiled.

But then she walked into a pit.

Ry landed with a loud thud, her wing getting crushed by her weight and the earth. She released a pathetic yelp from her maw. It felt as if splinters were racing through her bones. Rylatha had broken her wing. For a long time, she didn't move. She was conscious, but she didn't feel like moving around. After a few minutes, she sat up. "Hello?"

The sound of her voice came from the pit, barely audible. No, that wasn't enough to get attention. "HELLO?!" Suddenly the EarthWing shut up. She would attract humans, calling out like that. All she could do was wait for help to come to her, before the humans came out to check their traps. And, if help didn't come... Well... Rylatha would be dead.

((The trap is a large pit, with javelins surrounding the edges to prevent dragons from flying out. It is located right below a cliff so it is not seen by dragons walking along, minding their own business.))

(( I know I am not a rogue, but, Anila has an EW form? o3o Can she join in with her disguise o3o ))

((Totally! Hop right in!)

Rylatha waited for what seemed like a long time, but at last she perked up her cat-like ears at the sound of pawsteps. Her tail tip began to scattle around, the scales on the base standing on end. The movements were involuntary, but this is usually what happens when Ry was excited, scared... or both. The EarthWing stood to her paws, wincing in pain as more needles jostled up and down her wing. It dropped pathetically to her side. Rylatha "looked" back at it, ashamed. She should've been more careful. What she did was reckless and an act of pride. Hubris. Tears sprung to her eyes. If she died, it was her fault.

Rylatha perked her head up higher at the sound of a voice. So someone was there! And they were asking if she was alright! Ry released a sigh of relief. "I- I'm down here! I- I'm fine..." Rylatha wondered if it'll be asking too much if she pleaded the newcomer to help her. "I... I broke my wing, and I can't climb out because I'm blind." Rylatha took a deep breath. She didn't want to seem selfish. She didn't want to pull this dragon out of whatever business it was going along with... What if Ry had interrupted a serious journey? The thought made her ears burn with guilt.

((My posts aren't as long and glorious but I think I'm improving!)

Enter, The Manticore

Servius lay napping in the shade of the ruins he called home. And then that nap was interrupted by a loud crash--except that crashing fell on deaf ears. The Manticore was deaf... as if being a member of a near extinct species wasn't enough. But he did feel the earth shaking beneath him. Slowly, Servius' eyes opened, as did his maw. His tongue rolled lazily past his off-white teeth to taste the air. Then a low growl rumbled in his throat as the yawn ended and he looked around. The ruined city of the EarthWings, a relic of a once mighty Draconic species, destroyed by simple bipeds... Now it belonged to Servius Eirene Koinonia. With no Human daring to enter in fear of running into the feline, The Manticore had the city to himself. Occasionally, a Dragon would enter, in hopes of making a home here, but Servius chased them away. His paralyzing toxin was deterent enough, but Servius wanted to instill fear into the lizards who invaded his territory, so he struck at night when they were vulnerable. Worked every time.

Standing, the giant winged cat stretched, first his limbs then his wings. He shook out his mane, freeing it of dust and water from the leaky roof. Then he spread his wings and took to the air, going in search of the source of the rumbling earth. It could be Humans; perhaps they were bringing down trees to make a new settlement. But more likely, this quaking was caused by something much heavier than the dense forest, perhaps... a Dragon? Servius glided over the canopy, his sharp eyes looking for the slightest movement, anything to indicate what might be lurking in his forest. And then, he saw them, two EarthWings. One appeared to be caught in a Human trap, the other was on a cliff above it. The feline frowned. How dare they come here, after what the Tribe did--or rather, didn't do--to cause the loss of The Manticore's pride. Another low growl sounded in Servius' throat as he circled around to land on the cliff one EarthWing perched upon.

He landed some distance away, since his toxin would be useless against this species. At least he might be able to use his quills if needed, though the Dragon appeared to be more preoccupied with the other below. The predator's claws scraped the earth beneath them, his mane bristled, his scorpion tail lashed back and forth, indicating his wariness. Slightly, his upper lip curled to reveal his teeth. At last, The Manticore open his maw and he spoke, "You dare return here, EarthWing?"

The Manticore watched as the EarthWing took a defensive stance against him. His tail lashed in irritation; if the Dragon attacked him, he could not use his toxin against it. But the predator was resourceful. He had his strength and years of living in this forest. It was as familiar to him as his paws. Before Servius could decide on how best to rid himself of these lizards, the one before him spoke. His eyes watched her maw, the words it formed. The Manticore was hardly moved by its claim of care. "This is my home, my forest, my hunting grounds. EarthWings have no claim here. You abandoned your home, why would you care about it now?" And then the ground moved, shook. A tunnel opened in front of the EarthWing, Servius guessed down to the Human trap. The Manticore frowned, "You refer to the other in that trap? They can help themselves. You lizards are good at that, helping yourselves."

Rylatha couldn't see, but she could hear. And as she heard a non-draconic snarl and tension in the other dragon's voice, she knew that she-- both of them --were in the deadly grasps of a manticore. She... She had to help her! She just had to! If Rylatha was the reason a dragon died, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. So the female dug her claws into the sides of the trap. It was only earth.

Rylatha began to climb up the sides. "H- Hey... Lousy cat! Y- You... Don't want m- me to come out there!!" It was unlike Ry's personality to insult someone, but she knew she had to aid. Of course, she didn't know the feline was deaf, so she wasn't sure if her threat would be effective at all. Well, she didn't know that... Confusing, I know. But Rylatha was determined to do something right for once, ever since she lost her sight. She had only caused trouble and worry. She didn't want that anymore. She was determined to help.

The words of the trapped EarthWing fell on deaf ears. Never would The Manticore hear her threats. His attention was focused solely on the Dragon whose maw he could see, words he could read. And now that maw formed a question, a question to which the feline scoffed. No EarthWing had any equal or more right to be here than Servius Eirene Koinonia. His den was not open to traitors, his food was not to be shared with the ones who had abandoned a young and orphaned cub.

Then the maw moved once more, going on about its owner dedicating their life to restore the world, life. The Manticore's upper lip curled again slightly at that. Only a god could do such and even so, who were they to make such a claim and not act on it? What foul creature spoke of restoring a shattered land or life to its former glory, before it was destroyed by those lizards or bipeds, yet let that beauty be ripped away? Only a Dragon.

The maw's last words were of the trapped EarthWing down below. It was blind? Servius growled, his quilled scorpion tail lashing behind him. His shoulders quivered to coax a fly away. The EarthWing was blind? Inwardly, The Manticore hissed. Above all other species, he hated this breed of Dragon the most, and here, a blind one stumbled into a trap created by his prey. He had seen many fall victim to the spiked hole in the ground. They had been sick, lame, even deaf, but able to escape on their own if they survived the fall... But this one was blind? Outside, the predator was stoic, within, he struggled. Servius hated most of the sentient creatures on this floating rock, but he was not without the compassion his once-tribemates lacked. The Manticore had been known--though only by those he helped--to aid a Hatchling--even a Human one--in need.

Why? Of all, why an EarthWing? Why be it blind as I am deaf? But before this, the thoughts, the maw and its words, Servius witnessed something. The EarthWing before him used some sort of magic to do some odd thing with the elements. It puzzled The Manticore, entranced him, so much so he almost missed the words the female"s maw formed after. He shook his head and responded, "No, you haven't. And no, you cannot possibly have such power to restore what has been taken. A tunnel will do little if she is blind, and less within that trap. I know it, I can... help."

Rylatha kept climbing. She didn't hear much, not even a response to her threats. That's fine. But as feisty the feline was, Ry was surprised that he didn't reply at all. Why reply to a dragon who was making peaceful conversation and not one who had threatened you? (Note that Rylatha doesn't know Servius is deaf) It was all rather befuddling to the EarthWing, but she couldn't hear with her claws scrabbling at the earth. So she let herself drop down to the trap floor, sat down, and listened to the conversation going on above.

The dragoness listened as her aid spoke to the manticore about.. hm... something serious... Like, that kind of 'deep conversation' stuff. The female listened to her ask the manticore to help her without any trouble.

Then the cat said something that surprised Rylatha.

I can help.

That was... shocking, especially to hear it from this hostile feline. What had made the manticore's attitude change so suddenly? Once again, confusing... But then, this was quite an eventful day...

Rii was hunting in human territory again. Something her tribe mates had cautioned her on ever doing. However some of the best prey items like mammoth, and herbivorous dinosaurs lived there, seemingly knowing that the earthwings and other dragons wouldn't hunt them so near humans.

Rii was unafraid though, not of humans anyway. It was nightwings she feared, and she figured that they wouldn't be so far west of their normal territory. She was one of the ignorant earthwings who had no idea that the nightwings and firewings had cleared out most of the humans in the area and claimed much of the land above the deep dark tunnels of the haven.

With a light huff the blue dragon strode beneath the trees and undergrowth. The dappled sunlight through the trees hit the top of her body making the fur and scales reflect metallic green. While her fur and scales were beautiful they actually served a purpose in helping to hide her in a forested setting. Much like a hunter wearing camo her blue hue in the shaded underbelly blended in with the shadows, and the metallic green showing off when the light hit her blended with the leaves the sun stroked upon.

She had no idea of the commotion being caused up ahead, all Rii was doing was tracking an interesting scent. It was rather feline, but not like the cave lions, and mountain tigers she was used to tasting. Many years ago now her king had ordered her to try to make acid resistant but strong armor. The first things she had crafted had been leather armor that was acid resistant. Made from leather out of the stomachs of predators and scavengers who ate tough and often disgusting food, their stomachs had plenty of acid, and that acid was pretty potent when compared to earthwings acid and poisons. That was Rii's first success in her experiments. Now she was always on the hunt for large carnivores to kill eat, and harvest their stomachs. The larger the carnivore or scavenger, the better the quality of stomach leather she could get form them. However leather armor was not as strong as what Baldirak wanted. So Rii was still experimenting trying to make the armor stronger as well as acid resistant. The cat she was following an old trial of would certainly help her with this. Still she was miles away, and at her slow patient pace would not reach her destination for some time.