uisgeannan | Some kind of dragon au

[There's enough moss and vegetation that picking out the smell of the horse is difficult, but as they get closer it becomes more apparent. As is the sound it makes, as it gives another snort and a small neigh.

Vanitas moves more slowly, his own nostrils flaring as he focuses on honing in on wherever it is. Oddly it doesn't seem to be moving, as the two creep in and eventually come to a break in the bushes.

There's a small clearing, with two fully laden horses tied to one of the fallen trees. They've come up behind him, so even though the animals' ears swivel a bit they haven't noticed the dragon's presences just yet. But more importantly... there's no riders to be seen.]

What're those?

[ It's the quietest rumble Ven can give without it carrying on the wind to spook the horses. He can't see them like Vanitas can--he's still hanging back carefully--but the wind shifts in their favour and he can catch hints of it. It's a weird, pastoral smell that triggers something in the back of his mind. Some distant or fleeting memory.

But that's about it ]

Prey humans ride.

[Lifting his head a bit more, he risks a more open glance around to check for said humans. But the horses appear to be alone. Appear, but Vanitas is wise enough to proceed with some caution.]

But I don't see the humans.

Why would they leave their prey alone though...?

I'm not sure.

[Ducking his head back down, he contemplates what to do. The horses are still oblivious to their presences with the wind blowing in their favor, and seem to just be lazily grazing on grass in the clearing.

Maybe their humans had made camp nearby? But it was still daylight, and awfully early for them to be sleeping.

Well, only one way to find out. Slowly, Vanitas breaks from the cover of the dense foliage, still keeping low and moving so that his footsteps are as muffled as possible. His eyes are open and barely blinking, spines partially raised in alert defense.]

[ Ohhh gosh. Ven's sure he ought to stay behind to keep from messing up, but even seeing Vanitas' spines raise makes him step in place where he's crouched, barely able to contain a chuff or two. He's restless and curious but trying to stay where he is, shifting his weight eagerly as if to pounce. ]

[The larger dragon doesn't even spare him a glance back, gaze instead focused on the two mounts ahead. They looked as if they were weighted down with more than just a saddle--bags hanging off of either side in what he could only guess were supplies. Which meant that whoever they were, they were planning on venturing off for a while.

One of the horses raises it's head, ears swiveling again before it stomps one front hoof a bit restlessly. Vanitas freezes, waiting until the nervousness passes before he moves again.]

[ And when Vanitas does, Ven does too like the good little copycat he is. The urge to get a look himself is strong and he has to hold back an eager yap, instead wiggling his haunches until he just has to crane and peer around the other's form, seeing if he can't catch a glimpse. ]

[And at almost that exact moment, there's a faint 'twang' of a bow being shot before Vanitas suddenly rears back, and an arrow goes thudding into the right of where his neck just was. He gives a snort, attention whipping in the direction it fired from as the horses also whinny in alarm and buck at their ties.

He can see the faint glimmer of sunlight off armor, as the two humans peek over the foliage. Vanitas gives a warning growl, spines fully raising though his wings remained tucked against his sides to give them less of a target to aim at. At the same time, his tail bumps and shoves against Ven, in an attempt to push him further back into the underbrush and out of the way.]

Oof-- [ He's knocked back successfully and rolls at least once before he's able to poke his head up out of the brush, eyes slit and earstalks poked right up in alarm. He bays twice at Vanitas anxiously. Shouldn't they be running away??

He remembers projectiles very, very well. And he knows he doesn't like them one bit. ]

[Luckily these are much smaller than the bolts that'd been fired at them from the ground.

And this time, he doesn't run. Instead, he lets out a bellow and opens his mouth, exposing his rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth as he slithers further out from his hiding spot and charges the humans'. But they're quick, too, and unfortunately manage to escape his snapping jaws and fire off another round.

This time, the arrows hit his hide. They sting, but only one manages to barely penetrate his hide and hangs off, the other bouncing harmlessly as he shakes the impact off and snarls again.]

[ It's the angry snarls that pull Ven from his cover, growling anxiously even are his own maw peels back to show his teeth. He wants to rush in and chase after the human just like Vanitas, that much is obvious in the half-lunges and steps he barely manages to keep himself from taking, head dipping and rising quickly as he barks several times.

Give him permission to help he can do it please-- ]

[NO. The roar he gives is also threatening and intended to intimidate the humans, as well as tell Ven to stay hidden. He knows that with his soft, molting hide he'd be an easy target--his own's grown tougher and his scales have had time to harden since they've grown in.

He charges the armor-clad humans again, teeth snapping and claws raking at them as he attempts to catch the closest in a trample. Unfortunately, they're quicker than expected, and manage to dodge a safe distance away before they draw their swords.

One manages to hack into his forearm, eliciting another roar of pain from him before he can draw back. His neck arches, lowering his head towards his chest as his gaze flicks between the two for a split second. Then, it suddenly lashes forward, underlids rolling over his eyes to protect them as his jaws open and he manages to catch one of them about the waist. It cries out, dropping it's weapon before Vanitas shakes his head rapidly, and dashes it against the ground in one, solid move, that takes it out for the count.]

[ He wants to help is in every bit of his body language no matter how cowed he looks when the blaring rumble comes, ears flattening back and body sinking back down. He's still an anxious, twitching ball of energy as he wriggles and looks on with worry.

A growl of triumph escapes him when Vanitas manages to dispatch one of them, snapping at the air a little and baring his teeth as his eyes quickly dart to the second. ]

[With one down, the other human seems to be less confident. Vanitas snaps at him several times, dodging defensive swings from the remaining blade, but it's all in retreat.

At least, until the human manages to unhook something from his belt, and throw it at Vanitas's face. It's a glass bottle that shatters upon impact on the dragon's snout, sending up a cloud of yellow powder right into his nose and eyes. Vanitas ducks, retreating away as whatever was immediately begins to burn and irritate, swiping at it with his paw in a futile attempt at rubbing it off.]

[ Auuugh he knows he's supposed to stay, knows Vanitas will get mad--but Ven can't hold still when he sees the other blinded. Unlike Vanitas he has no bellow to throw, but his lips curl back in a snarl right before he bursts out of the bushes in a building charge, feet thumping roughly on the ground as he beelines it for the second human.

He may not be large and hulking or impressive like the blackscale but he makes up for it in pure agility, claws digging into the ground right before he makes a good at Should Not Have Come Here #2 ]

[The human gives a small shout when Ven appears, not just out of surprise to see a second dragon come out of nowhere but because it's a gold dragon and they're usually not human aggressive. If he'd had the scales he had now, the farm probably wouldn't have tried to shoot him out of the sky, either.

But he still tries to defend himself. Ven has a few sword whacks aimed his way before the human turns and makes a beeline for his horse, that's still bucking and attempting to pull itself from it's ties.

Vanitas isn't having much luck getting whatever was thrown into his face off, or clear it up enough to see. But he hears the warrior crashing against the grass and brush, and lunges towards the noise, tripping him up with one swipe of his paw.]

[ Most goldscales are fairly docile, it's true. They rarely even challenged other dragons for territory or mates considering they're social dragons and they don't possess the bulk needed for bullying others from their space. They're social dragons after all and thrive best amongst others.

But that doesn't mean they won't put up one heck of a fight if one of their own's threatened. And Vanitas is his grouch.

He hangs back on the swings (hasn't encountered swords before, doesn't know how sharp or strong they are yet) but he snarls and snaps at the man's paws. He only hangs back for a second when Vanitas swipes before just launching himself onto the human and pinning him down to the ground with his front paws, nostrils flared and teeth bared. ]

[As soon as he's pinned, the man begins yelling and begging for his life. Not that either one of them will understand what he's saying 6u9;;

Vanitas finally is able to hazily see, though his eyes and nose still sting. He snorts, before he moves closer to the gold and drags the human's fallen weapon far out of reach.]

[ Yeah sorry dude, Ven just barks in his face when he starts making all that noise. VEN DOESN'T SPEAK NAKED MOLE RAT. And more than listening to his pleas Ven's intent on Vanitas when the other comes near, wings tucking in close to his body as he gives a worried pine.

He knows he's probably in trouble for not staying in the bushes like he'd been told to but )8 His want to check on the other pushes him past flattening--especially since he has human under him right now. ]

[This time, he's not upset--Ven actually did good by helping him. So instead of a reprimand, he simply shoulder-butts the smaller dragon out of the way.

So he can trample this dickhead into the ground >(.]

[ Wow breed him now???? That's almost-approval...or as close as Vanitas ever gets so even if he's about to make a mess of the poor guy Ven's ears perk just a little as he retreats back a step, sniffing.

...And yuck, whatever they threw in his face smells itchy. His nose twinges after just a whiff. As soon as Vanitas stops making biscuits out of this dude Ven is going to muzzle at him and try to lick at his face >8 that can't be pleasant to have on ]

[The cries are cut short into garbles and a wet gasp, before they go completely silent. It doesn't take long to do, either, when he puts his full upper weight on thin bones and tissue. In less than ten seconds the human is swiftly crushed to death, and afterwards Vanitas backs off.

--Only to sniff again and duck his head when he feels that lick on him. He still can't see more than hazy shapes and shadows, but knows what Ven's trying to do.]

Stop, it might be poisonous.

Are you gonna be okay...? [ It definitely tastes awful, poisonous or not. He'd be relieved not to lick anymore if it weren't plastered all over Vanitas' face. ]

I'll be fine. [Though he doesn't know that for sure.]

I just need to wash it off. Think you can find a way back to the river?

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*good lunge words are hard

/pats

;3;

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manly as fuq

he doesn't play around B(

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