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

manly as fuq

[didneyworl]

[ 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 ]

he doesn't play around B(

[showmeanguish]

[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.

[didneyworl]

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. ]

[showmeanguish]

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?

[didneyworl]

Yeah, I think so. [ They're not too far away. He can't smell the scent of fresh water on the wind but he knows they hadn't gone far from it considering how cool water had soothed the worst of his itch. It's only a mile or so off, and he perks his head up to listen again, just in case.

He can only hear the horses whinnying and struggling with their reigns for the moment, so he hope that bodes well. ]

--This way.

[showmeanguish]

[Vanitas follows the noise of his footsteps while trying not to run into any trees, and ignore the itching on his face as well as the sting of where the sword got his forearm.

He hopes Ven actually does know where he's going, instead of leading them further away from the den. If he couldn't wash this stuff off of him, he knew what it'd eventually do.]

[didneyworl]

[ Rude. He's been here at least ten years--if he didn't know which way water was by now Ven was hooped for life. So yes he is going in the right direction, just a little bit more slowly so Vanitas can keep up...and so he can gnaw any breakable low-hanging branches and the like out of the way so they don't smack into Vanitas' hide.

It's still a tne minute trudge for them, but the sound of running water's going to make itself known pretty quick and once the scent hits Ven's nose he's moving forward more eagerly. ]

Almost there... Does it hurt?

[showmeanguish]

A lot.

[It's not the worst pain he's felt, but the fact that it's in his eyes and nose makes it ten times more annoying. As soon as he hears the sound of the water, he picks up his pace as well, stumbling slightly over his feet as he follows.]

[didneyworl]

[ Ven can't help the unsure rumble he gives at hearing the confirmation, but it spurs him on that much faster as he finally breaks the treeline and the riverbank comes into sight. He'll beckon Vanitas to lead him as best he can now, closer. >: this way mom ]

[showmeanguish]

[He's still not your mom.

But he appreciates the lead. And once he's close enough and feels the shore's gravel under his paws he breaks away and charges into the water.

He dips his head beneath the surface, letting the current rush over his head and neck as he tries to rinse himself off. He also opens his eyes, letting the water wash them out, and when he raises his head again he can see a bit better and the stinging's more soothed.]

[didneyworl]

[ CLOSE ENOUGH alright, and Ven's right on Vanitas' heels after his beeline, coming up at his side and watching the other with clear worry. He'll chirr several times, both a comforting sound and a fretful one as he noses the other's shoulder and neck area. ]

Better?

[showmeanguish]

Yeah, some.

[He raises a paw and wipes it over his head again, further rubbing at his snout and eye ridges before he rinses again.

Then, he blinks and focuses on the smaller dragon, image still a bit blurry but much better than before as he bumps heads.]

Thanks.

[didneyworl]

...You mean it?? [ Ven perks up almost instantly, earstalks lifted and his own eyes bright for a moment as he takes as much she can get out of the bump. Those are even rarer than praise. ]

[showmeanguish]

Well, you didn't do bad.

[Meaning, he's proud of you, brat. |3] But don't let it go to your head.

[didneyworl]

I won't. [ but he's going to grin anyway (as much as a dragon can anyway) and chuff proudly. Totally defended mom, he's awesome c: and now that they're close to water, he'll lean his neck a bit so he can lap at the gashes on Vanitas' front legs]

[showmeanguish]

[Which earn him another small rumble, but Vanitas doesn't move away this time. The gashes are still oozing blood, but they're beginning to close and the water helps clean them.

He rubs at his face once more, dipping it into the water to make sure it's thoroughly cleaned before he turns and splashes his way through the shallows. Even though he's just now cleaned himself, he's eager to return to the site of the battle and see what the horses have on them.]

[didneyworl]

[ And Ven will toddle right along beside him, sticking a bit closer than normal after all that. Just in case B((( ]

...Why do you think they came out here? [ The humans, that is. It's been ten years since his last glimpse of one. ]

[showmeanguish]

[Ffff are you his protector now?? Vanitas notices, and almost almost thinks it's cute. But at his question, his voice turns a bit more serious.]

Who knows? Maybe they came here to hunt, or stole something and were looking for a good place to stash it. Humans do all sorts of stupid things.

[didneyworl]

[ SHH he is the littlest guardian okay ;^; mom got hurt now he is going to do the protecting thing and stick close like a dutiful goldscale. ]

Why did they attack?? We didn't take anything of theirs.

[showmeanguish]

They saw me before I saw them. They tend to attack first and ask questions later when dealing with us.

[didneyworl]

But why...? We didn't attack them first.

[showmeanguish]

[Vanitas snorts again at the question, and pauses to put a paw on the other dragon's neck, just behind his head. In an almost-imitation of a pat.]

Your sense of fairness is sorta cute, but listen. Neither side exactly plays fair. If I'd seen them first, I would've attacked too.

[didneyworl]

[ It receives a small chirrup from the smaller dragon, ears bending back and eyes closing with the gesture until he can lift his head again curiously. ]

How come? They don't smell tasty to me...and you squished them. [ So it doesn't seem like a territory thing to him. ]

[showmeanguish]

It's just the way things are.

[He lets his paw slide back to the ground, ruffling his wings a bit as he continues retracing their steps.] Humans fear most of us, and we know that. I guess you could call it a rivalry.

[didneyworl]

Huh...that's weird. [ But not a weird enough thing that he feels the need to interject or argue too much. If it's a rivalry that sounds familiar enough since dragons did tend to have those. But he doesn't think he has any reason to fight a human...not unless they make the dumb mistake of going after mom anyway 8T ]

Do you think they brought anything good?