;;hidden fantasy of Eldor

[ᗩпїra]

Anira patiently lounged on the edge of the small camp she had set up in a days length of time. Twiddling her thumbes, her mind reached out with a gentle touch to the wilderness and nature around the lake. Fish, a few elk and white-tail deer, the presence of Hérion, and a grizzly bear off in the distance seemed to be the most exciting ones to study. The small ones such as the colorful beetle, red ants, and many other smaller insects never seemed to draw much attention to her eyes.

Oh, the birds really did fascinate her though. The feeling to fly, the feeling to have the wind whipping through the air, and the beating of your heart during a deep spiral downwards -- that is all she could ask for.

How goes your hunting, Hérion? Anira's soft voice echoed in through he mind when she reached out to exchange thoughts with Hérion off in the far distance.

It goes well. I've already feasted on an elk during the past hour, would you like anything in particular?

Hérion didn't even need to ask. He quickly read the images that flashed through her conscience, giving a satisfied nod of approval as he dipped his wings slightly to the right to catch a downdraft. Another elk wouldn't be too hard to catch since he mastered the technique over the few weeks away from Ellesméra.

Anira twiddled with her thumbs for the time being, eager to go running, swimming, flying, anything! Sitting around for too long always made her itch with annoyance and boredom. The only thing she had left was Hérion and her own identity. She left everything behind just to protect him and herself from the Empire and the Varden.

Would they be angry she had willingly touched the egg? Angry that he hatched just for her? Would they take advantage of her? No, she couldn't take the chance of any of that happening. It was best to stay in hiding for as long as possible. The Queen wouldn't notice our disappearance, would she? No, no, no.

Stop worrying! I'll protect you. Everyone fears a dragon, and they have the right to be frightened of us anyway. Hérion motioned in with slight annoyance at her fretting and he oblivious presence of him listening to her thoughts.

Anira blushed slightly, amused that she had forgotten the fact he was listening. No one fears a dragon, unless it is another dragon -- and rider.

[Nandon]

(( Didnt know if this is a open thread or not...but i figured you would like someone to post with so I shall if the thread is open...If not just ignore my post and accept my humbelest apologies))

Aysten was high up in the air, it was all a practice he had been working on recently to hone his magical skills and since he had long envied other animals who could fly, as soon as he learned the words himself he had set out to make himself fly. The first few times it had been disasterous and he had quickly learned not to become distracted for even a moment or else he would practicly fall from the sky.

Smiling lightly to himself as the thought crossed his mind he decided he was ready to go for a short flight and muttered the word that sent his body horizontal and muttered another word to set the speed at which he would go, Slow to start off with.

As aysten gained more confidence though he sped up slightly and then smiling to himself he muttered a word to stop his movement and then went vertical once again grinning from ear to ear. then he finally looked down and realized with some shock there was a camp down there. he tilted his head curiously as he noticed a lone elf sitting by the campsite.

And thats when disaster struck, thus distracted he lost his grip on the magic holding him in the air and he felt himself begining to fall.
"No no no no nooooo!" Aysten yelled in a frightened manor as he began falling. he looked at the ground fearfully as it rushed up to meet him and he realized he wouldnt be able to check his momentum so he settled for the next best thing. yelling a word in the ancient language he shot forward... right into a tree branch.
The branch cracked and aysten felt a flaring pain in his ribs then his momentum stopped he fell the rest of the way to the ground on the outskirts of the campsite. When he then tried to move his side flared in pain and he colapsed back down letting out a slight moan of pain before clamping his mouth shut, he had no idea if this elf would be hostile to humans and he quickly prayed that his slightly pointed ears would serve him well in this situation

[ᗩпїra]

She gently grasped the tip of the rough bark along her poker, gently dabbing at the small flame that remained from the fire. I'll have to gather more firewood tonight.

Or I could just tear a tree out of the ground. Hérion thought quietly to Anira, slowly advancing on his prey a few miles off in a dense thicket encased with a beautiful field in the center. Hunting had become a normal thing for him, taking care of himself and Anira was a hefty task -- but he was proud to do it likewise.

Anira's sharp hearing quickly alerted her to a thick rustling and a nearby thump that sent her up with weapon drawn in a fighting stance. "Who's there?" Her mellow voice rang clear around her, taking tentative steps forward and brushing aside a pair of densely locked branches to reveal what looked like an elf, but not quite. The ears weren't quite as tipped, and he didn't have the appearance of those in Ellesméra.

Hérion, we seem to have a visitor. I'll be fine for now, don't reveal yourself unless I get into some trouble. A slight hum of worry and approval shifted back through his thoughts, his concentration on tracking down the elk clearly visible with the image that passed between the two.

"Are you alright?" Her ghostly optics scanned the length of the man with quiet suspicion and a royal bearing. Anira grasped the hilt of Orchid, her knuckles white against the beautiful golden sheen matched with the velvety violet. She had mentioned the daggers could cut through any substance, though Anira has yet to test the theory. A dark green cloak covered her smooth ebony hair that seemed to have a purple tint in a certain light. The belt around her thin waist glimmered with the diamond daggers that were given to her once by a herbalist known as Angela.

•

Hérion slowly advanced on the elk, his tail twitching with silent excitement at the unseen consent of his prey. The hunter, and the hunted, or the circle of life it could be called. Hérion knew that Anira refused to eat any meat, mostly because of the way she and the other elves thought of hunting. He didn't mind since he himself lived on the resource of meat. Herbs wouldn't suspend him for long, and honestly, they tasted horrible to him.

Now was the time to strike, and his claws slowly dug into the ground in anticipation. He pounced quietly and swiftly, extending out his wings ever so slightly to drift forward. Hérion roared swiftly and swiveled his neck outward, gripping an elk by the neck and quickly taking its life. Instead of dropping it downwards, he gained altitude and circled upwards till the air drifts could easily cast him out towards the camp.

She didn't say I had to be very far. Hérion grinned quietly to himself, a grin that showed rows upon rows of his teeth.

[Nandon]

Aysten heard the quick rustle of leaves as the person from the camp made there way towards him. When they finally appeared aysten was a bit taken back by what he saw. She appeared to be e elven female but he couldnt notice much else about her since she stood over him infront of the sun which cast a shadow over her face. He looked down slightly as he saw her hand move to grasp at something. A weapon he realized dimly.

Aysten the looked around him as his ribs throbbed in pain before his gaze settled on the hilt of one of his daggers concealed partially beneath him. He had heard rumors about the daggers he held and though he guessed half of the rumors where flaso he undoubtably knew they where very sharp.
he went to go grab his dagger when he heard the elf speak and he slowly let his hand drop to his waist where the throbbing had intensified.

Slowly starting to stand aysten grabbed a nearby branch and use it to pull himself up fully before finally leaning heavily against the trunk of the tree....then he turned his attention back to the woman. "Well... alright is not the exact word i would use....i feel as if a dragon just stomped on my ribs....ah but where are my manors.... My name is aysten." He said adding the last part as a after thought when he remembered his manors

[ᗩпїra]

"Anira." She pronounced softly, fluidly running her gaze over him in slight concern at the jarring pain he seemed to be in. Reaching forward with a dainty hand, Anira asked quietly,"May I?" Anira swiftly shut her eyes and dug into her store of energy that flowed inside her mind and making her argetlam shimmer underneath her thick gloves. "Gëuloth." The energy flowed out around her in a steady stream, though the spell was small, it would do the trick of dulling the pain. She couldn't entirely remove it, but pain was a good way to teach a lesson to ones self.

Anira pulled herself up, leaning back to silently observe him with quite an amused expression. "What exactly happened in the first place, if you don't mind me asking?" It seemed obvious that the man must have been in some magic accident. Was he using a spell to fly? She knew the exact words and everything, but she never really thought about trying it since Hérion hatched for her.

The branches where he fell through appeared to be broken and mangled from the fall, all the more reason for Anira to patch them up as well. It made sense for her to do so. Reaching out her hand, she reflected the magic towards the pine and quietly murmured the correct words. The mangled branches corrected themselves immediately with a short creek in response. Much better.

•

Hérion quietly reached out his mind and accidentally touched the foreign mind of the intruder that was negotiating with his Rider. He pulled back quickly with a slight curse, twitching his barbed tail in irritation. Probably didn't notice, though Anira would always have a clever response if he mentioned it.

He shuffled around the thick branches that seemed to entwine to their brethren only a few feet away at most. Branches broke and crunched as they snapped under his weight when he clumsily maneuvered over one or two. Traversing his way along the ground could never be as easy as flying would be, and if could only hope the intruder rid himself of his presence before he got annoyed.

[Nandon]

Aysten stared up and nodded as she asked if she could help. And he groaned slightly in relief as the pain was dulled slightly though he winced a bit as it didnt go completely away. Now pushing himself slightly away from the tree he stood on his own and frowned as he felt a foreign massive presance touch his mind. Then he put two and two together as he noticed her palm glowing even from under a glove.

"So your a dragon rider eh? Aysten said clearly and looked for her response while he waited he casually let his his wrist rest on the hilt of his dagger and then decided to answer her other question.

"Well i was flying since i just learned how to substain a long flight when i saw your camp from above....that caused me to lose my concentration and i fell...smashing into branches along the way."

[ᗩпїra]

Anira was slightly taken aback that he had discovered her secret so quickly, though she should have expected the sorts and cursed for not bringing along thicker gloves. Pulling back her hood, beautiful strands of riveting ebony and violet tumbled over each other, only disturbed by the slight portrayal of her ears. "You found out too easily." She murmured, still disturbed and pondering over better ways to conceal herself.

Hérion, he knows. He only took a few moments to think over the statement before letting out a jarring roar that stretched across the land like trembling bullets in mid-flight. Pushing off his strong back legs, Hérion released his giant wings in a an arc, taking the opportunity to cast away from the trees tugging at his sides.

It only took him a few minutes to traverse along the passage before he was hovering slowly downward towards the two lone figures at the camp. His elegant violet scales shimmered and danced, making his lighter white strands seem all the more amazing. He veered his head downwards, tunneling his wings to dive straight downward. Just before he could hit the ground, Hérion opened his wings and weaved his way forward similar to the way a dolphin would swim through the ocean. He came to a jolting halt beside Anira, digging his claws into the ground and huffing out a puff of dark gray smoke that fizzled and died as it rose upwards.

What shall we do? Flay him, disembowel, or I'll gladly take his head between my claws and stretch it a full ways around and call him the Wise Owl if it pleases him. Hérion let out a slight hum of amusement, glaring his giant oval optics at the man that stood haltingly before him.

None of that. He seems friendly, for now. Magician. She thought quietly to herself, repeating the verse of the "Twelve ol' Bears" to lock out her mind from intruders other than Hérion.

Anira cast a glance at Aysten with a slight innocent grin, knowing or amused no one could tell. "You know, you should really be more careful when your using magic." She had forgotten about his statement during her conversation with Hérion, though it was true that misuse of magic could have unlucky magicians in their death bed earlier than expected.

[Nandon]

Aysten looked at her as she realised what he said and then he cast his gaze upward as he heard the roar of a dragon and he frowned...the noise was filled with anger and he wondered why. When the dragon landed aysten backed up slightly to give it more room before he cooly returned its gaze. Unknowing of the conversation that was going on about him in there minds.

When the dark smoke flew up he frowned he guessed that the dragon was angry before he remembered the quickest way to please a dragon....flatery....

"O wise dragon...i must say your scales are magnificent. Fear not i would not dream of hurting you or your rider who has extended such kindness to me." Aysten said in the binding ancient language....though if push came to shove he knew he could still attack since he wouldnt dream of harming them.

"Oh i can handle myself....the elves have trained me well...i am only a human but i am almost at the level of most elves...."
Aysten said in response to her concerns...

[ᗩпїra]

Hérion blinked slowly and casually, consulting the compliment with a similar and intriguing manner. He quietly huffed another puff of smoke, a rumble of laughter tumbling outwards. Flattery? Ah, a dragon could live off the knowing of their magnificence. Flattery casually wouldn't work on him though, since his main concern was and always would be Anira.

Anira softly scratched under the scales in his neck, murmuring quietly,"Don't mind him, you just don't understand the extent we went to to keep each other a secret. No one can know we're here, for being found by the Empire or the Varden -- I don't know which would be worse, though neither of us want to be a pet slave. Unless we see the full extent of their authority or the terms and conditions, we might reconsider." She paused abruptly, wondering of his past and trifling over the wonder of actually trusting him. It wouldn't happen unless she knew more about Aysten.

Did he work for the Empire, Varden, or neither? Of course he must be familiar with the elven race if he was trained with their standards; but it didn't choose the personality or past of the one that stood before her. "Well-" She didn't know where to go from here. Aysten spoke in the Ancient Language, meaning no harm to her or Hérion. Anira knew she couldn't let him leave with the fact of their presence near the Eldor.

[Nandon]

Aysten smiled winningly as she spoke and then looked questionably around as he began thinking over the situation. She wanted this camp to be kept secret he knew this if she didnt want the varden or empire to find her. And if she didnt want to be found well then the most natural thing they would do is try to invade his mind and erase the memories of being here.

Or there was thhe possibility that they could just kill him. Which definitly didnt apeal to aysten and he wondered whether anira would want to take such drastic measures though he knew being backed into a corner could cause many people to do things they would later regret.

And thats when he came to a conclusion he thought would help all of them.

"Why dont i just come with you?"Aysten asked still speaking in the ancient language. "Because if you want to stay hidden i know first you will try to invade my mind...if you could find it."Aysten remarked crypitically before letting that sink in and then contiuning. "And then you will try to kill me which dosent really appeal to me and i wonder if it appeals to you..."Aysten paused once again for effect before continuing again.
"So if i come with you there will be no chance of me rating you out....and i can get a adventure out of it. Besides i have longed to leave these forests and the people who disrespect me based on my being a human."

[Aelodil]

((Sorry, don't know if I could join, have asked ye Anira but not sure, if I'm not welcomed please ignore me and accept my humblest apologies O' Fair Lady))

Flying around on Belgabad's back in his saddle Vlaer looked around wondering why his master and Belgabad's master, Oromis and Glaedr attacked Gil'ead. In the end he became more confused than before. "Settle your mind," said Belgabad, "we have other things to worry about and I just saw the shimmer of scales that belong to a dragon. Shall we go check?" "Aye," responded Vlaer, "however try not to be noticed." When they got down what they saw astonished them. A man facing a girl and her purple Dragon. "What is your name?" asked Vlaer with his tongue and Belgabad with his thoughts.

[ᗩпїra]

{ooc; Of course you're welcome to join in! It'd be foolish of me to say no.}

She was slightly taken aback by the statement he mentioned at the end. Killing -- was that really what he thought she'd do? Anira wasn't one to kill someone that has done no harm, it was unjustly. Though she understood why he would conclude to that, since there was very few solutions to solve the problem that faced each other.

"No, no. I would never kill you unless you attacked first, or if you managed to get on my bad side." Anira grinned slightly, tucking a stray strand of purplish-black hair behind her ear casually.

Hérion hummed in silent agreement, knowing that the odds of the magician winning against a dragon and his Rider was unfair at the most. It didn't seem right, but what about him coming along? Was that really the safest route to wander along?

The two quietly talked it out among themselves, letting their guard down and not even noticing the presence that quickly passed through their mind and back around. Another dragon and Rider!

Anira blinked up in surprise at his sudden appearance, a little agitated that the two could be spotted so easily from the ground. Turning around quickly, she scattered the remains of the fire and covered the smoke over with a ragged blanket before responding. "Anira, and that's Hérion." She patted him along the sides nonchalantly before her eyes caught the saddle along Belgabad.

That's exactly what we need!
We could always make one on our own if you obtained the proper supplies.
That's true. Either that or I continue to have my legs scraped clean and bloody after each flight.
You could heal them afterwards like you always do.
Well, yes. Though magic has it's limits.

"What is your name, Argetlam and Bjartskular?" Anira carefully asked in the Ancient Language, casting a marvelous and curious glance at Aysten. She'd have to speak with him later.

[Nandon]

Aysten grinned in response to her. "No i didnt think you would...but i know that when pushed into a corner things can happen."Aysten said studying her face for a moment before he heard a whirl of movement behind them and a dragon landed. He quickly stepped forward so he stood beside anira. He frowned despite hhaving let is guard down for the moment he didnt like the fact that such a large thing could sneak up on him.

He studied the two for a moment he had never seen them before and that made him warry. But none the less he spoke. "I am aysten."he said his breathing momentarily picking up as his side flashed in pain.

"The greater question would possibly be who are you...and why are you here?"Aysten asked curiously before looking towards anira studying her face for any emotion that would show she was fine around this person

[ᗩпїra]

Her soulless-looking eyes betrayed no emotion of what she felt, heard, thought, or believed -- though it was true she seemed a little on edge. Night was on its way, already the sun was sinking below the horizon and she'd need to collect firewood before it was too late to do so.

"Please excuse me a minute." Anira tossed her hair back, pulling the hood back over her head before quietly bounding into the brush and quickly disappearing through the darkened shadows.

A few minutes later, she returned and swept past the two, avoiding the curious glance as she removed the blanket from atop the bed of coals and tumbling the wood along the base. "Brisingr." The fire swept alive in a deep blue inferno, shading into a lighter orange and yellow that cast a beautiful glow against the beautiful glare of sunset.

[Nandon]

Aysten watched anira recede into the forest for a moment before his eyesight lost traack of her....but then she was back and she placed the fire wood in the hearth and then lit it...he felt the rush of heat hit him and his stomach rumbled a bit and he realized he hadnt eaten yet. Then his thoughts turned to his fate....would they take him with them or would they try to erase his mind and kill him when they found they couldnt.

[ᗩпїra]

Anira's web of hair coursed down her back in rippling waves of ebony and violet, casting deep shadows and valleys that shone with the slightest movement. Her intense crystalline optics were void of all color, almost like shards of broken glass ringed with a onyx ring to outline it all -- to make it seem real. Thick eyelashes cast a depth shadow below her thin eyebrows. Darkness finally spread across the valley as the last shimmer of light slipped from the grasp of the horizon. She sat cross-legged, holding her hands over the whipping lash of fire while Hérion quietly loomed over her, perception gleaming with a legendary power filled with pride and love of his Rider. A olive hand automatically reached over and slowly rubbed his snout, speaking with intensity as she spoke,"Are you two hungry? I believe Hérion has an elk farther down that he could track down."

It was Hérion's offer in the first place, though he was unable to speak it out to him directly in case of him feeling it was a threat or an attack against his mind.

[Nandon]

Aysten felt the night growing cold and he quickly moved towards the fire...he hadnt brought a jacket when he set out earlier that day and now he was growing quiet cold. When he sat down at the fire he took a great breath, aysten loved the smell of pine smoke. Then he cast his gaze across the fire to watch the shadows as they danced on both the ground and anira's face. When he heard the offer of food. Elk at that aysten was very tempted. Then he recalled how much young dragons ate. And heron was definitly rather you so he took the safest course not wanting to have the dragon go hungry.

"No i ate earlier. And though i thank you for your hostpitality. I do not require food at the moment" aysten said politely though knowing he would never pull off saying it in the ancient language he didnt even try.
he then cast his gaze on the fire and watched the dancing flames.

[ᗩпїra]

"You lied." A simple statement, yet said in a monotone voice with a sheepish shake of her head. "It's fine. Hérion is well fed, and sincerely requests that you dine with him - and me." Anira grasped her saddlebag, pulling out a few carrots, beets, roots, and a few delicious shrubs that she'd end up eating by the night was over. A gentle supply was safely stored in the saddlebag, everything that they had found through the trip from Ellesméra to the Eldor.

"There's no need for hospitality. We won't harm you, unless you dare to harm us, and I don't believe you would do that. Unless, as you said, were cornered with no means of escape."

Hérion lumbered away from the fire and leaped over the rows of trees surrounding the camp and opening his wings to catch an updraft to carry him towards the starlit sky.

A few minutes later, he returned with a full elk carcass gripped carefully in his jaws. Spreading out his wings to full length, he came to an almost standstill before touching the ground with a jerk. Hérion bounded over, shaking the ground slightly in the process, and set the carcass down near Aysten with a snort of humor.

Anira gave a curt nod, casting a smile towards Hérion as he curled up next to her protectively. A sharp crunch broke the silence, quietly gnawing on a baby carrot with similar amusement. "So, tell me about yourselves. If you wish, that is."

[Nandon]

Aysten shrugged as she called his bluff and then didnt even bother speaking as heron flew away. "I wonder whether your dragon truely wishes me to dine with you...or me to be his dinner...."Aysten muttered jokingly before he returned.

When heron returned aysten glancced at the elk in suprise then shook his head looking instead at anira's own suplies.
"You know i could make a vegatable stew... and that would be much better im sure than just bland vegetables...."Aysten asked curiously. He had a pack back at his own minature camp and that held the stuff he hadnt used when making lunch earlier.

Aysten took one last glance at the elk steeling his resolve before he turned away finally when he was amongst the elves aysten had taken a slight distaste to meat.

"Well... there isnt much to tell really....my father was tortured to death by the empire...my mother died in child birth... i have no siblings or brothers...I am a human if you havent figured it out yet...and both the elves and the humans dont really care for me because of my ties to each race.... annnnd i have a pair of enchanted daggers...and there is my life in a nutshell"

[ᗩпїra]

"I'm just... normal." The word felt bland in her mouth, simple and contempt. Nothing was exciting about it, unless you count the two vowels in the middle.

"My parents have died during the war that is taking place against the Empire. Eragon Shadeslayer visited Ellesméra transporting quite a Eldunarí and a few dragon eggs. Little did I know that one was lost along the way, and that's how I happened upon Hérion. He hatched for me, and then I changed. Literally, changed." Anira forget to mention the story of her sword Orchid or her twin daggers that she acquired from a herbalist named Angela.

She twirled a strand of her hair numbly through her fingers, contemplating with her glassy gaze and furrowing her brow in quiet thought. "Oh, but I love the thought of a stew. I'm sure, since you were around my kind, that you know we don't take kindly to meat."

A rumble from Hérion signaled his amusement at the twos dislike for meat. Must everyone dislike succulent meat such as pork, ham, cow, sheep, rabbit, deer, elk, moose, and many more? I understand your reasons, Anira, though I don't understand how a mere human would take such standards as well.

Anira blinked away his thoughts with a flick of her hand, gesturing towards her pack which held most of her supplies. "I have many spices inside my pack to flavor the stew, if you need them that is."