Some kind of dragon au

[occulthymns]

[Before you lies a picturesque kingdom of forests and fields and farmlands. Mountains rise up in the distance, and set at the edge of a massive lake is an elegant castle with tall spires. It looks out over the land - forests surrounding the lake, a small but pleasant medieval town pushed up against the castle walls, farmer's fields further out.

The land itself is fertile and full of wild game, unsual plants, and natural wonders like crystalline caverns and waterfalls. Rivers of all sizes wind their way down from the mountains, which alternate between covered in fir trees and bare, jagged rock with mazes of caves hidden within.

Dragon AU go!]

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[didneyworl]

[ It's all gorgeous--amazing, really. Compared to the high roost of his nest where there's scant little to see must cloud and cloud and the sharp spires of snowy mountain tops the land below is a lush haven of colour, light, and smells. Ven could hardly believe his eyes the first time he'd breached the thick veil of cloud and caught a glimpse of the land below. That had been as a hatchling, his wings wobbly and unused to holding him in the air for extended periods of time.

The goldscale was older now, still green but already feeling the drag and pull of wanderlust deep inside him. He's just about ready to leave the nest for good; most of his clutch already has. But then again he'd definitely been the runt of the group and even as an adolescent he's smaller than he ought to be at full wing span as he twirls and glides through the air, making great swoops that allow him to circle the ground below without the need to constantly beat his wings.

There's just so much down there he's not sure where to begin...until his eyes settle on a glittering vein of sun-glare and he changes course immediately to get a closer look. He's never seen a river before, not like this. The steady trickle of moisture inside of a cavern's much different than an open body of water. It looks like thousands upon thousands of diamonds...until he fans out his wings and crashes right down into it with a displeased squawk.

This is not diamonds, this is wet! And cold! ]

[showmeanguish]

[How graceful.

From the shore where the rocky pebbles meet the treeline, a pair of yellow eyes blink at the spectacle. There's a faint, rumbling sound that is obviously a scoff, before those eyes raise up through the bushes and between the tree trunks, supported in an angular head with matte black scales.

The black dragon isn't much older than the silly gold thing flailing about in his river, but he's bigger--about two yards longer from snout to tail, and at least a couple hundred pounds heavier--and stealthy despite his size as he moves from his resting spot further out into the open. But that stealthiness only lasts so long before he charges into the water, the ridge of spines along his back all raised and flaring to make himself look even more intimidating as he gives a challenging hiss.

There's no teeth, though, and his mouth remains closed. It's a clear warning, not an outright attack: this is my turf, runt.]

[didneyworl]

[ What a rude. Ventus barely has time to bat and squawk at the water in complete and utter bafflement before he's suddenly set upon, and honestly it startles him more than scares initially as he squawks again and trips over himself in the water. His feet scrap at the muddy riverbed before they're able to find purchase and he all but scrambles out of the water and onto the shoreline, blue eyes wide and pupils dilated.

Instinct of course has him tucking his wings in close to his body rather than fan them out in a display of aggression like Vanitas has done because he's just not that sort of dragon. TINY KNOWS HE CAN'T COMPETE, HIS CLUTCH SHOWED HIM THAT ALREADY. But he will hiss back, and follow it up with a few high-pitched clicks that are defensive in nature. Oh my god you butt he doesn't want it keep the wet diamonds )8 ]

[showmeanguish]

[The obvious submission should cool his ire some, but instead the larger black sees it as a sign of weakness. Usually the shinier dragons were always flaunting themselves and their 'higher' morals, challenging his own powers. It was incredibly annoying, and even though the smaller dragon was avoiding confrontation, he didn't feel like backing off just yet.

His spines remain raised, wings raising slightly though they don't unfurl off his back more than a few feet as his clawed feet and hands bring him slowly closer. His neck slowly bows back, into striking position if he needs to use it.]

What d'you think you're doing?

[didneyworl]

[ In return, Ven waddles backwards and sinks lower to the ground so that his belly rubs along it. Absolutely the least confrontational gestures possible aside from babyish croons, but even Ven's too old for those now. All he can do is flutter the edges of his wings restlessly and lash his tail back and forth. ]

I wasn't doing anything!

[showmeanguish]

Wrong. You're trespassing. [His lips curl back from his teeth for a brief second, revealing his top row of fangs before it disappears again.]

You can't just drop out of the sky anywhere you like.

[didneyworl]

Tresspassing?? [ The finned ridges on the sides of his face fan out at the same time his head cants in a very whelpish manner. He doesn't like that show of teeth one bit, wow. Not even a little bit friendly! ]

I was just trying to catch the diamonds...!

[showmeanguish]

Diamonds?

[He sounds honestly confused for a second--what the crap is this whelp talking about?? But then it clicks and he actually raises his head a little, jaws opening as he lets out a hissing laugh.]

What are you, an idiot? That's not diamonds, that's the sun on the water.

[didneyworl]

...Huh?? [ No what )8 He was sure there were--Ven even pokes his head up and high as he dares to try and peer around Vanitas' flank. And of course from this angle the sun hits it just right and again, it sparkles invitingly to his keen blue eyes. ]

But I can see it right there! [ happycoo ]

[showmeanguish]

That's what I'm talking about.

[His wings shift back against his body into a more natural pose, since this kid is clearly not a threat at all. His spines also lower a bit, though they aren't completely flattened back against his scales.]

Haven't you seen water before?

[didneyworl]

Not like this before! Only in the pools in our den. [ And as Vanitas tucks his wings in Ven lifts his head a little further, already wriggling a touch restlessly on the ground because he wants to go and inspect all the sparkling water again please. You can have it back when he's done??

He's already licking his maw a little and chewing at the air as he cranes his neck to one side. ]

[showmeanguish]

[So he really is a whelp. As if there'd been any doubt.

Not that he was much different, but black dragons tended to leave the nest sooner. Or rather, their broodmothers weren't the most attentive parents, so when they were strong enough to fly they were on their own. And he'd come a long way in a short amount of time, riding the higher currents of air so he didn't have to expend as much energy, to finally settle in this patch of the landscape.

He wasn't the only dragon about by any means, and was far from the largest. But he was bigger than this gold, and that's all that really mattered. Yellow eyes narrow again at the childish display, before he chuffs and reaches out to swat at his head. Not hard or with his claws forward, but reprimanding.]

Well you still can't have it.

[didneyworl]

[ And predictably Ventus responds as a greenhorn would, yapping as he shirks his head back and hunkers back down, at least for a moment. His wings and haunches wiggle restlessly. ]

I don't want to keep it, I just want to see it! Come on... [ He lashes his tail again, the fins on his cheeks wiggling solicitously; the sort of thing one whelp did to try and coax another into play. Come ooooon grumpy! ]

Locale shift~ <3

[dark_to_dawn]

[Hm?

The pounding of water isn't enough to bar the sound of wings in the air. Sunlight flashes off the falls as it pours itself into the foaming basin at one side of the small gulf, fresh water spreading out into a pristine lagoon, and the reflection in the water shifts as a pair of aqua eyes open halfway, vertical pupils of ebony shrinking at the encroach of light. The pair of them shift towards the encroaching arrival and the larger head lifts from its current curled position. Enough to catch sight of a gold flash towards the opposite bank. A visitor... or prey?

The silver dragon remains silent and still as the gold approaches the lagoon. He's still an adolescent, in respects, perhaps a little older than the newcomer, but he's almost a third larger in both size and weight. No motion until claws touch the sand-like shores of the lagoon. And then promptly unfurls himself. Wings spread in a mixture of imposing and threat and his maw opens just enough to allow a dim of glowing aqua and ebony teeth. The spines crowning a line from the top of his head to the base of his neck tense, stretching a sail of glass-like skin between the quills. He's not attempting to make himself look bigger out of fear, instead just revealing exactly what the intruder is getting himself into.

A long tail remains half-concealed within the water, though the ripples that drift the surface suggest its presence. What are you doing here?]

*^*

[didneyworl]

[ It still catches the goldscale by surprise, enough that he squeaks a little and shuffles backwards until he realizes he isn't being charged or anything. That's a good sign.

It's also about all Ven needs before his posture goes from wary to curious as he cants his head and barks out a yap in the silver's direction, earstalks perking up a little. ]

o/

[dark_to_dawn]

[The edges of his jowls curl just a little, but upon seeing the shuffle backwards, his maw closes at least. It's not important enough to charge. Yet. Good sign's pretty hollow, actually.

He regards him with something mostly irritably dismissive tinged with the barest of interest. That little yap merely begets a silent rumble in his neck and he lowers his head again, the twin spires of horns crowning his head gleaming like blades in the sunlight. Not taking his eyes off him, he crosses one front leg over the other at the “wrists,” claws resting absently on the stone. For all intents and purposes, it's a pure body language of: Get lost.

Sulky wants to sulk.]

[didneyworl]

[ The request it totally denied, because Ven barely even understands it. He knows that body language is standoffish and unwelcoming but that's about all he garners before gargling a few clicks in the back of his throat and trying again--yap #2, inviting and curious and basically whelpish. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[The silver's eyes lid slightly and he turns his head enough that this time, the gold can hear the soft growl in his throat. His tail shifts in the water, threatening to rise and do... something. That little innocent yap and silver bleeds from the water as his tail pulls out. A wing flares and comes down between them like a shield. Or fan. Or wall. Better.]

[didneyworl]

.... [ That makes him deflate a little. This was absolutely not friendly behaviour, and as his ears droop he chances two or three careful steps forward, before he tries again: one more unsure little bark. ]

[dark_to_dawn]

[There's a reason for not friendly behavior, pup. His own senses perk when he hears the tentative steps forward, the ripple of water around the other's claws. And then that finally bark and the silver's wing pulls up with a folding 'snap' of air. Those aqua eyes are back and the sail on his head and neck rise again. A piercing stare spears across the pool.]

What?

[didneyworl]

[ Oh good, communication! Ven perks up almost immediately, negative grumpy attention or not. ]

Hi!

[dark_to_dawn]

[Someone's optimistic... His spines remain flared, but he's not making much motion at the moment. His tail stops leaving the water at least. Flat expression (as much as a dragon can make).]

... that's it?

[didneyworl]

...? Is there more? [ He's going for friendly introductions here, and he thought he did pretty well! ]

[dark_to_dawn]

I'm hoping not. [Somehow, he gets the feeling that's not going to be the case. Looks like one of the younger golds. Friendly. Unconsciously stubborn. His tail finishes slipping from the water and he slips it around to curl against his legs.]

[occulthymns]

[Euri flits from tree to tree, making fresh scratches on the trunks with her claws to mark her territory. She isn't exactly the biggest dragon (the size of a housecat can hardly be considered big) but she has the temperament of one, and she's deadly serious about her territory. The land is far too much for her but she's prepared to fight tooth and nail - there's a nice stretch of river with plenty of fish, lots of little caves to hide in, and a trail humans regularly take.

Excellent humans carrying all kinds of shiny things.

In fact, as soon as she's finished with this last tree trunk she's going to scamper through the trees, looking like a white and pink blur as she heads for that trail.]