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!]

Comments

shhh shhhhhh

[showmeanguish]

[Which is a very submissive gesture, to be honest. But Vanitas doesn't seem to mind, and just lashes his tail back and forth in response, front limbs bending as he lowers his head further towards the ground and gives a chuff back.

Then he darts forward, nipping at the other's exposed belly carefully so his teeth don't actually penetrate, just slightly scrape against his hide.]

never shushes 9u9

[didneyworl]

[ Of course he barks and squawks at the blackscale for it, but the noises are playful and at worst, over-the-top exaggerations fuelled by his own excitement at play. The first few nips have him flailing and wriggling all over the ground until he rolls all the way over back onto his feet.

He'll rise up on them so that he stands almost entirely on his hinder legs and brings his paws up over his head in a silly waddle-pounce, coming down to the other as close as he dares with this "counter" ]

[showmeanguish]

[Vanitas backs out of it, but delays so that Ven just misses him by a few inches. Then, he raises up and pushes the other dragon back with one paw, shoving him again without too much force behind it.

The gold was still half his size, after all, and he was aware of his own strength. At worst it'd just send him tumbling again, before he could right himself.]

[didneyworl]

[ At worst, and naturally Ven bleats with delight as he stumbles back a few steps and crouches, tail swishing quickly behind him until he does a little wiggle and gives hop, pounce, flap and he flares his wings out in a single pump he he can try for a better little tackle.

"Tackle." Because it's still juvenile in nature and he's more interested in rolling around in the dirt and faux-kicking his legs at the other anytime he can get them grappling and wrestling. ]

[showmeanguish]

[And for once, Vanitas actually indulges him. Most of his attacks land, but the larger dragon isn't bothered by them. In fact, he just bats back at him and rolls the smaller gold a few times, pinning him with a paw before he'll nip and retreat, letting him back up.]

[didneyworl]

[ They're really, actually playing. Proper play, with pup-like fighting and batting and everything. Ven can't believe it. But he's sure as heck going to milk it for all it's worth, allowing the pins when they happen but being quick to return to his excited badgering. Pawings at, false nips, and tiny feet-pushes, you name it; anytime he's not being rolled over he's going for those, even bumping into Vanitas with his tail and hind quarters in a whelpish hip-check once or twice as he gets turned around in excitement.

This is like dragon christmas C8 ]

[showmeanguish]

[Wow, what a cute. Those hip-checks are returned a moment later, before Vanitas decides to really show his strength. It may not be exactly fair, but more importantly he feels the sudden need to just get close to the wiggly little thing when the sunlight glimmers off his new scales.

So he actually pounces, paws grabbing for the other around his sides before he rolls them both.]

[didneyworl]

[ Van practically chirrs in excited shock and delight the moment he's grabbed and they go rolling because he's been waiting for this and the rolling around on the ground, grappling and paws and harmlessly gnawing is his favourite part. When he was a whelp his broodmother used to roll him around carefully with one large paw.

Vanitas is obviously a little rougher but it serves to break off more of his older scales, wriggling and chuffing and curling his tail around whatever part of Vanitas he can get to try and gain leverage. Not to 'win' or anything, but just to hold on longer. ]

[showmeanguish]

[It only lasts a few moments before Vanitas rolls to a stop, breathing slightly harder than normal through his nostrils. He comes to a rest on his side, but doesn't let go of the other dragon just yet. Instead, he actually curls his tail around the other's and nips him again in an almost affectionate display.

Then, he lets go, and rolls back to all fours, shaking himself off from the grass and dirt clinging to his own scales.]

[didneyworl]

[ The uncharacteristic action actually garners a full stop and blink from the goldscale but...he supposes that's it, if Vanitas it pulling himself up now. He'll wiggle to right himself and promptly sit on his haunches so he can twist and scratch at one shoulder with his hind leg. ]

That was fun...! [ He's panting a little too after shaking himself out, but he's already bounding over to the other's side again with an eager wiggle--wondering if he can maybe solicit another round from him if he plays his cards right. ]

[showmeanguish]

Wasn't bad. [He snorts once, eying the other as he wiggles around. The amount of hyper energy in Ven is still surprising to him--not that he's lazy himself, but he prefers to reserve it for when it's needed.

Vanitas pushes him back with a shoulder, snapping his fangs at him in a mock-threatening way.] You're getting better at least.

[didneyworl]

I'm not that bad! Yeesh. [ Just juvenile, at times. And excitable. He's used to making short bursts of energy all over the place and sleeping like a log; Vanitas holds the territory, not him. So he doesn't have need to conserve his most of the time. He's rarely on the same level of alertness as mr. alpha blackscale.

He just like to have fun, and lashes his tail quickly, once. He wants to jump on the other and he's sure it's written all over his huge little eyes. ]

[showmeanguish]

For a greenhorn, maybe.

[Because despite the time he'd let Ven live with him, he still had a loooong way to go. Vanitas had taught him a few things, but he still hadn't managed to shake off his whelp-like naivety and excitement.]

[didneyworl]

[ That's because you let him get away with acting like a baby 6u9 ]

You can't call me that anymore, I'm almost moulted! See?? [ He's more gold than muddy now! 60-40 split! ]

[showmeanguish]

[Shhhh.]

Almost doesn't count. [And with that, he reaches out and flicks the other on the snout with a paw.] Until all those scales are gone, you'll still be one to me.

[didneyworl]

[ Naturally, Ven snorts a little and chuffs, shaking his head out. ]

I got a lot off already... [ Or more correctly Vanitas did, but hush. He's going to turn his neck around to chew and nose at one of his hind legs to set lose a few more. ]

[showmeanguish]

[And in response, Vanitas just lets out a growling chuckle, and flicks his tail.]

Of course.

[didneyworl]

[ Man he's getting all the achievements today, he got Vanitas to play and now he's actually in a good mood. Ven can't help flopping his tail from side to side against the ground.

He doesn't lift his head until he's got a few more scales off, but compared to before? He's feeling much better and even goes so far as to stretch his front legs out in front of him...and then slump forward onto his belly with a pleased wiggle. ]

It's not as itchy anymore either...

[showmeanguish]

Y'know what it means once you get through your molt, right?

[didneyworl]

...? [ Ven'll cant his head. NO SENPAI, ENLIGHTEN HIM....because he's conveniently forgotten that moulting is usually seen as young-maturity, and he'd agreed to leave once he managed to make it that far. ]

[showmeanguish]

[Yup, about that...]

It means you're old enough to get your own territory.

[didneyworl]

Already??

[showmeanguish]

Yeah, 'already'. Don't you wanna have your own cave, or mountain...whatever? Find a mate?

[Not that he was in any hurry to do the latter, but he was odd like that. And was only half-serious about the topic to begin with.

He just wondered what the gold's reaction would be.]

[didneyworl]

I dunno...I haven't thought about it. I was having fun being around you. [ The cave was safer with Vanitas guarding it, and warmer for his company. Sure it would be nice to be able to hunt around and do whatever he wanted without needing permission (some things you just didn't do without it, familiar with another dragon or not. Scenting was one of those).

It'd be nice to think of someplace as "his", sure, but that'd be awfully lonely if he had to keep it all to himself wouldn't it? Even his broodmother had her mate around; and his progenitor, while not especially paternal, still indulged the whelplings and made sure they were protected.

So maybe if he had a mate it would be different? But if he was with Vanitas then any female would go to him automatically by rank; and that was if she permitted him her mate. He'd seen his broodmother chase off more than one additional suitor as he'd grown up. It sounded too tough to try if he could be relaxed and happy with his current living arrangement. he didn't have to worry about defending anything at all. ]

[showmeanguish]

[And fortunately, no large males had come sniffing around either, so far. Vanitas had gotten lucky in that regard, because if it was a much older dragon he probably wouldn't win a territory skirmish. Not unless he won by chance.

And likewise no females had come sniffing around, either. They were left alone because of the human village and farms that Ven had managed to stumble into on his first day, that resided just over the valley. Close enough that most dragons steered clear. Occasionally even they had to lay low when a caravan passed through.]

T'ch. I've obviously been too lenient on you.