Djuhah came out to meet the dragon.
"I give you greeting, O mighty dragon. And what has brought you to our humble temple this day?"
I require to speak with Azuri'ith, the grandfather of the late Lynora-Jill, the dragon responds to the djinn. I have something which may be of interest to him.
I require to speak with Azuri'ith, the grandfather of the late Lynora-Jill, the dragon responds to the djinn. I have something which may be of interest to him.
"Azuri'ith is not presently here, O mighty dragon. He took the little girl Arielle to search for something. If you are willing to wait for a moment I can send an air elemental to find their current location."
A moment, perhaps, yes; but I will not tarry long here, if he is engaged upon something time-consuming.
Djuhah asks one of the smaller air elementals to go and quickly locate Azuri'ith. It leaves and after a short time comes back and whispers something to Djuhah.
"Azuri'ith and the girl are currently at the Bazaar of the Bizarre. They are likely to be occupied there for some time, so you would have a good chance of finding them there, O mighty dragon."
Perhaps. And then there's this whole problem that I am, as you observe, a mighty dragon, who firstly has trouble squashing into most of those tiny little streets and alleys - and demolition and property damage is guaranteed if I try - and secondly whose presence will likely cause a panic, partly due to the property damage, and partly de to my natural majesty and power.
When I need something from that place, I have to send agents or arrange to meet someone on the edge of town, and frankly I'd rather handle this personally.
Perhaps. And then there's this whole problem that I am, as you observe, a mighty dragon, who firstly has trouble squashing into most of those tiny little streets and alleys - and demolition and property damage is guaranteed if I try - and secondly whose presence will likely cause a panic, partly due to the property damage, and partly de to my natural majesty and power.
When I need something from that place, I have to send agents or arrange to meet someone on the edge of town, and frankly I'd rather handle this personally.
"Yes, I can see where that might pose a difficulty, O imposing and magnificent one. If there is a matter that is urgent, I assure you that either myself or the Starsong's herald, Sky Cloudgather, have the necessary authority to act in matters of importance."
The more people who know about this, the more people might let something slip to a particular infernal relative of Lynora-Jill; which is why I prefer that as few people as possible know of what has been done.
If it is inconvenient for Azuri'ith to meet with me right now, perhaps you could give me some idea of when he might not be quite so busy?
The more people who know about this, the more people might let something slip to a particular infernal relative of Lynora-Jill; which is why I prefer that as few people as possible know of what has been done.
If it is inconvenient for Azuri'ith to meet with me right now, perhaps you could give me some idea of when he might not be quite so busy?
"I understand completely, O prudent one. I do not know how long this errand will take. There are many, er, items to collect, but I am certain that Azuri'ith will bring the child back here to rest at the end of the day. If you return at that time, then I am certain you will find him here."
Perhaps.
The dragon seems to consider a moment.
I shall simply have to have a watch maintained on this place, and to drop by at an appropriate time convenient to me.
The dragon departs, taking the sack with him.
:Soon though, he tries to see Nimora's dreams, hoping to join her in Dream even if he can't sleep.[/i]
:Soon though, he tries to see Nimora's dreams, hoping to join her in Dream even if he can't sleep.[/i]
About midway through the afternoon, Blodwen wakes up, tears streaming down her face from the dream she had been having. At first she isn't sure what time it is. She's gotten so mixed up about day and night. Too many months of guard duty during the day and then taking care of chicks who wake up and want to be fed at all hours. She quickly checks around the nest to make sure all the chicks are okay.
About midway through the afternoon, Blodwen wakes up, tears streaming down her face from the dream she had been having. At first she isn't sure what time it is. She's gotten so mixed up about day and night. Too many months of guard duty during the day and then taking care of chicks who wake up and want to be fed at all hours. She quickly checks around the nest to make sure all the chicks are okay.
:The chicks are fine Blodwen. You missed a black dragon flying in, but nothing really happened, all he did was say something to the Djinn and left.:
About midway through the afternoon, Blodwen wakes up, tears streaming down her face from the dream she had been having. At first she isn't sure what time it is. She's gotten so mixed up about day and night. Too many months of guard duty during the day and then taking care of chicks who wake up and want to be fed at all hours. She quickly checks around the nest to make sure all the chicks are okay.:The chicks are fine Blodwen. You missed a black dragon flying in, but nothing really happened, all he did was say something to the Djinn and left.:
She blushes a little as she wipes the tears off her cheek with the back of her hand.
:Sorry, I don't mean to be paranoid. It's just getting to be a habit, checking to make sure they're okay first. I think this is the first time since they hatched that I didn't wake up because they were screaming about something.:
:My song helps them get restfull nights. But I have to agree, I don't need to trance a lot, but even so these chicks are pushing me to my limits. I might actually sleep like a human! And you know what, it will be worth it.:
:My song helps them get restfull nights. But I have to agree, I don't need to trance a lot, but even so these chicks are pushing me to my limits. I might actually sleep like a human! And you know what, it will be worth it.:
She laughs. :My sleep schedule has been cut up for a long time. Since I'm one of the few shifters, I was frequently forced to take day watch since I can adjust my eyes to the light. Most of the last year I was so tired I barely knew which way was up.:
She laughs. :My sleep schedule has been cut up for a long time. Since I'm one of the few shifters, I was frequently forced to take day watch since I can adjust my eyes to the light. Most of the last year I was so tired I barely knew which way was up.:
:Most of the time the direction of the ground is down.: he teases playfully.
She laughs. :My sleep schedule has been cut up for a long time. Since I'm one of the few shifters, I was frequently forced to take day watch since I can adjust my eyes to the light. Most of the last year I was so tired I barely knew which way was up.::Most of the time the direction of the ground is down.: he teases playfully.
:And being able to heal your own broken bones when you forget that comes in handy,: she adds dryly.
:And being able to heal your own broken bones when you forget that comes in handy,: she adds dryly.
:Oh you aren't a morning birdy are you?: he says, already knowing the answer.
:Perhaps we can fix that with a music lesson?: he says, pulling a willow flute from his pack, already inscribed with the words: To my love, Blodwen Pefhlawae.
:And being able to heal your own broken bones when you forget that comes in handy,: she adds dryly.:Oh you aren't a morning birdy are you?: he says, already knowing the answer.
:Perhaps we can fix that with a music lesson?: he says, pulling a willow flute from his pack, already inscribed with the words: To my love, Blodwen Pefhlawae.
She runs her fingers over the inscription on the flute, smiling. :Thank you, Eranoyeh. I will treasure it.:
She examines the flute carefully.:Where do I begin?:
She runs her fingers over the inscription on the flute, smiling. :Thank you, Eranoyeh. I will treasure it.:
She examines the flute carefully.
:Where do I begin?:
:We can begin with the placement of your fingers, then move on to simple tunes.: For the next few hours, Sky teaches Blodwen how to hold the flute and breathe into it to produce notes. It isn't long before he is scratching simple bars of music on a scroll and teaches her which note goes with each hole on the flute.
As night begins to fall, Arielle and Azuri'ith return to the Eyrie.
Several hours into the flute lesson, Blodwen is interrupted by a loud growling. She blushes.
:You wouldn't happen to have something to eat? I don't think I've eaten since before the battle, and that was two, no three? days ago now.:
Several hours into the flute lesson, Blodwen is interrupted by a loud growling. She blushes.
:You wouldn't happen to have something to eat? I don't think I've eaten since before the battle, and that was two, no three? days ago now.:
:Would you like to go hunting? We shouldn't rely on my pack all the time. I know somebody who can watch the chicks for a little while. He's an old friend and he did want me to tell him when the eggs hatched.:
:Would you like to go hunting? I know somebody who can watch the chicks for a little while. He's an old friend and he did want me to tell him when the eggs hatched.:Several hours into the flute lesson, Blodwen is interrupted by a loud growling. She blushes.
:You wouldn't happen to have something to eat? I don't think I've eaten since before the battle, and that was two, no three? days ago now.:
:Yes, that sounds wonderful. I could use the chance to stretch my wings, too.:
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strength.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
Oh, the wind beneath my wings.
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,
so high I almost touch the sky.
Thank you, thank you,
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.
Sky leans over the nest's edge, waiting for the hippie to stop singing. :Watch this Blodwen...:
"Hey down there! If your looking for work as a singer I heard Emperor7 wants one down in the Grove."
Sky shifts to his eagle form and lets out an almost primal shriek, which strangely doesn't wake the chicks. Soon Blodwen can see a small speck in the high in the air, getting bigger as it hurtles down towards the Eyrie. Sky leaps into the air, meeting the speck head on. When they finally can be seen from the Eyrie, their talons are locked together and they are spinning widly. About a hundred feet above the ground, they let go and glide smoothly arounf the Eyrie until they land smoothly in the nest. Shifting back to his human form, Sky can't help but laugh at the look on Blodwen's face. "It's okay my little nightwing, this is the friend I was telling you about. Freefall this is Blodwen, Blodwen this is Freefall. He's been my companion for years. He's a tough bird, and never backs down from a chane to air-spar." Freefall is a grayish dire eagle, who is currently looking the chicks over with an avian eye. He let's out a caw when he turns back to Sky and Blodwen, which causes Sky to laugh again. "He says the chicks are doing quite well for being in the care of a landwalking eagle like me. He'll gladly watch them while we hunt, they shouldn't wake for a few hours anyway, and he can keep Keehaar company. Hmm, I should probably cast a spell so they can talk to each other..." Pulling a scroll from his jerkin, Sky reads it over Keehaar. Magical light flows from the scroll into Keehaar's sleeping form. :Now my dear, shall we hunt?:
Arielle's dreams, besides ones of other more cheerful matters, are disturbed by images of a dragon with shining black-blue scales and eyes which burn almost as brightly as the stars for which she is/they are hunting.
:It is an honor to meet you, Freefall.: she says with a smile. Turning back to Sky, :Yes, now we hunt.:
With that she stepped onto the edge of the nest, shifted into her natural form and took flight. She sped over the mountain peaks, daring Sky to try and keep up with her.
:It is an honor to meet you, Freefall.: she says with a smile. Turning back to Sky, :Yes, now we hunt.:
With that she stepped onto the edge of the nest, shifted into her natural form and took flight. She sped over the mountain peaks, daring Sky to try and keep up with her.
Doing his best to whistle using a beak instead of lips, Sky easily keeps pace this time. :Your not the only shapeshfter with 'abilities' dear Blodwen!: He laughs as he takes the lead.
Doing his best to whistle using a beak instead of lips, Sky easily keeps pace this time. :Your not the only shapeshfter with abilities dear Blodwen!: He laughs as he takes the lead.:It is an honor to meet you, Freefall.: she says with a smile. Turning back to Sky, :Yes, now we hunt.:
With that she stepped onto the edge of the nest, shifted into her natural form and took flight. She sped over the mountain peaks, daring Sky to try and keep up with her.
:I'm not about to give up that easily, eranoyeh,: she laughs making some further adjustments, internal and external to allow her to once more pull ahead. She couldn't keep up this streamlined shape for too long. It wasn't practical for hunting, but it was surely fun for racing.
:I'm not about to give up that easily, eranoyeh,: she laughs making some further adjustments, internal and external to allow her to once more pull ahead. She couldn't keep up this streamlined shape for too long. It wasn't practical for hunting, but it was surely fun for racing.
:So we're shapeshiting now? Two can play that game!: His entire body spins, and when it stops, Sky looks like a mass of solid air. He begins to fly circles around Blodwen, literelly, before taking his eagle form again to fly side by-side-side with her.
:We're working up quite an apetite, aren't we, my eranoyeh? Should we look for elk or cave bears while we soar above the land?:
:I'm not about to give up that easily, eranoyeh,: she laughs making some further adjustments, internal and external to allow her to once more pull ahead. She couldn't keep up this streamlined shape for too long. It wasn't practical for hunting, but it was surely fun for racing.:So we're shapeshiting now? Two can play that game!: His entire body spins, and when it stops, Sky looks like a mass of solid air. He begins to fly circles around Blodwen, literelly, before taking his eagle form again to fly side by-side-side with her.
:We're working up quite an apetite, aren't we, my eranoyeh? Should we look for elk or cave bears while we soar above the land?:
:Elk, I think. Cave-bears don't taste nearly as good.:
She adjusted herself back to a more practical shape.:I think there is a herd of elk about two mountains that way,: she says changing direction slightly. :At least that's where the last scouts spotted them.:
:Then lets begin! Should we see show each other how we hunt?:
:Then lets begin! Should we see show each other how we hunt?:
:Agreed. May I go first?:
:Then lets begin! Should we see show each other how we hunt?::Agreed. May I go first?:
:Ladies first. Or in this case my starhawk wife first.:
:Ladies first. Or in this case my starhawk wife first.::Then lets begin! Should we see show each other how we hunt?::Agreed. May I go first?:
He can feel a wave of affection from her before she veers off, circling the valley below on silent wings until she spots her prey sleeping below. Her circles narrow as she focuses her attention on an elk sleeping well away from the rest of the herd. She makes some alterations to her claws and beak before she swoops silently down on the animal, grabbing it in her talons and biting down on its neck, snapping it before the creature ever woke. She perches silently on her kill.
:Your turn, eranoyeh.:
The attack on the sleeping elk seems to have startled the herd. As elk scatter this way and taht, Sky flies steadily higher. Soon he is only a dot high in the air. Blodwen can barely see his wings close tightly around his body, and he descends in a steep dive.
:Guess how Freefall got his name!:
Blodwen can actually hear the air sweeping past him as he dives. He slams into a bull elk, snapping it's neck and killing it quickly, only slightly ruffling his feathers.
:Hm, I think you beat me. Your elk looks bigger.:
She laughs. :That is because I am so careful about which prey I stalk before I strike. That is how a starhawk hunts, silent death. I was a little clumsy though. I should not have scattered the herd like that. My apologies, eranoyeh.:
She laughs. :That is because I am so careful about which prey I stalk before I strike. That is how a starhawk hunts, silent death. I was a little clumsy though. I should not have scattered the herd like that. My apologies, eranoyeh.:
:A moving target is more fun for me. Do you want it cooked or do we dine raw today?: He thinks for a moment. :Perhaps we should save the hide for clothing. The chicks will be needing it soon.:
:I prefer raw. I have not as yet acquired the landwalker's taste for burnt food. And yes, it would be a good idea to save the skins.:
Blodwen carefully skins her kill and sets aside the tenderest bits to take back to the chicks before she enjoys her meal.
*Circles the thread looking for some roadkill*
Shortly after sunrise, Arielle skips out onto the balcony.
"Hurry, up, Grandpa. We need to go find the rest of the shinies," she chirps, cheerfully.
Azuri'ith sighs. "It is completely hopeless to expect that you will refrain from calling me that? It is risky allowing people to know who you are."
Arielle shook her head stubbornly. She wasn't the slightest bit moved by his arguments. Just like her grandmother. He shook his head, wondering what he was going to do with this child. Keeping her safe was no small task. He picked her up and they both headed back to the Bazaar to find the rest of the stars there.
Mmmmm....roadkill
:If that vulture would hunt for himself he might stop needing roadkill.: Sky thinks to Blodwen as he carefully skins the elk he downed. He tries to keep his next thought to himself. (Should I tell her? I didn't expect to fall in love here, and the time may come when being LJ's Herald won't be enough to protect everyone, I may have to undo the binding, and then she'll know...) Sky begins to eat his kill with a single-mindedness to distract himslef from such thoughts.
:If that vulture would hunt for himself he might stop needing roadkill.: Sky thinks to Blodwen as he carefully skins the elk he downed. He tries to keep his next thought to himself. (Should I tell her? I didn't expect to fall in love here, and the time may come when being LJ's Herald won't be enough to protect everyone, I may have to undo the binding, and then she'll know...) Sky begins to eat his kill with a single-mindedness to distract himslef from such thoughts.
:And then I'll know what, eranoyeh? Whatever your secret, I will not turn away from you. And I do not think it is a good idea for us to keep secrets from each other.: There is a certain amount of guilt attached to that thought. :How about this; we both actually tell each other the thing that we're afraid that the other will find out?: