How NOT to Train Your Dragon (Sil)

[Zero]

"Then you will be shielded. I will teach you how to shield yourself. Only energy and magic you want should be permitted to enter you. We will practice blocking unwanted energy later." Tatsu made sure his magic surrounded Eälis, the energy seeping into himself instead of moving into her. His head turned away again as he once again focused on where they were going. He had seen her slight blush, and could feel the negative emotions coming from her.

"Do not judge yourself too harshly, Miss Eälis. I do no think less of you. Everyone has their own limits. We will find and expand yours."

[SilmeriaElemred]

Eälis listened to his words and nodded. Yes. She was going to learn. And perhaps someday be safe enough to be around her own kin again or others. She lowered her body a little. Still amazed by the surroundings. Inhaling the cool evening air and very weak lights in the distance where perhaps a town was settled or just people camping. It was to far to see. She sat up straight again and slowly released her already soft grip from his manes. Merely doing this since she got the feel of it and how to keep balanced. For a moment she spreaded her arms. Preferably she wanted to release a sound of exitement but the chance of being heard by unwanted persons prevented her doing so.

Her hands took a gentle hold of Tatsu's manes again soon enough. ''Thank you for letting me experience this. It is amazing.'' she whispered.

[Zero]

"I could not leave you behind. This was the fastest and easiest method of traveling a long distance. We will not always fly, but you will fly with me again." Although Tatsu's body was moving in an almost lazy slither through the air, the ground was passing fairly swiftly beneath them. He was not merely taking her for a leisurely ride, they were heading for a destination. Not that Tatsu had told her where they were going, and not that he had been sure where to go. Once in the air he'd made up his mind, and the elf had agreed to follow where he led her.

[SilmeriaElemred]

Despite she did not know him for long she did trust Tatsu. Also she knew what she would temporarily leave behind. She had not been home for years but she could, if she dared doing so. But wherever their destination for tonight would be, she doubt it would be in Serendipity. Knowing that they would fly again made her smile. ''And I will treasure every second of it.'' she looked at her arms that still had the glowing marks on them. They had become less bright which for the time being she saw as a good sign. ''I suppose that Lunaria had not forsaken me after all...'' she paused briefly. ''My own kin never called me that neither thought it but outsiders that stayed and knew of me tended to call me the forsaken one. Because I did not receive the first light when I was born.''

[Zero]

"There is nothing forsaken about you." Tatsu rumbled softly before falling silent again. Their flight was smooth and steady, he enjoyed watching the world flow beneath him as he sailed towards Adela. He should have waited until he was in those borders before transforming. There would have been no injury and no need for healing. Dragon hunting was forbidden in the lands of the dragon riders. Not that there was never poaching, but it was much less likely.

It was hours before Tatsu finally began descending. Slowly gliding them towards the ground. His charge had gone quiet many hours before, and he could sense her sleeping on his back. Good, she needed to be rested. For himself, Tatsu felt revitalized by the flight, having absorbed a great deal of energy from the moonlight and even the air and clouds. The sun would be rising very soon. "Wake up, little elf. We are here."

He needed her to hold on when he landed, just in case.

[SilmeriaElemred]

Ealis, still with white hair although the markings had completely faded woke up. She couldn't believe she had fallen asleep during this wonderful experience but did not blame herself for it. She took off her charged jewels before looking around but she did not recocnise the area. She was very far away from home.

Even so it was beautiful. ''Where are we Tatsu?'' she asked. ''I doubt it is still Serendipity''

[Zero]

Tatsu was able to glide to the ground in a gentle downward spiral, landing lightly enough that his passenger wasn't likely to feel more than a slight jostle. "We crossed into Adela while you slept. We are near the Draconi Forest. I avoided the Thunderbacks. I did not wish to run into a wild wyvern or a hostile dragon."

He lowered himself to the ground carefully so that Eälis could get down from his back easier. "We will travel on foot for now."

[SilmeriaElemred]

Eälis softly touched the ground with her feet although her first two steps were a bit wobbly. ''Fair enough'' she said brushing her now moonwhite, lightly glowing hair behind her ear. ''The Thunderbacks... I read about it... on the list of places wise not to cross on my own. ''

She looked at a few of her crystals. They were not broken but out of precaution she took them all off and put them away in a pouch. The last thing she needed now was more energy. It would be best to get rid of some of the energy her body had taken in before having the crystals giving some off.

A thought struck her. ''I am most likely the first or second to be so far away from home.'' she said with a chuckle.

[Zero]

"Sage advice." Tatsu commented idly as he peered towards the very heavy forest they were skirting. Anyone that wasn't powerful enough to take on an enraged dragon would be wise to avoid venturing too deeply into those stormy peaks.

With his passenger safely on the ground once more, his body gained the familiar glow of his transformation as he shifted back to the mostly human form he seemed to favor. A hand was lightly smoothed over his blue and silver armor.

"Is that so? You will likely go much farther with me. I travel a great deal. We will go to Essyrn eventually, perhaps as far as the island nations, does that frighten or excite you?" He hoped that she would not fear exploring so much of the world. Not everyone enjoyed venturing so far from home.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''Of course I'm exited!'' she said and chuckled. ''And maybe a bit frightened. But that is more because I do not know what to expect.'' she admitted looking at him with a smile after she watched him morph. ''I am sure that I will be ok though. Wherever you take me and no matter how hard the training will be.''

[Zero]

"It is natural to have some small fear of the unknown, but you will never be in danger during training. I would never harm you, and would never intentionally put you in harm's way." Tatsu was studying her drastically changed hair, noting that the glowing symbols on her body had disappeared. That had certainly been an unintentional result of their late night flight. He would have to shield her from now on whenever they went up, at least until she could shield herself.

"I think we will work on drawing and releasing energy, and of preventing oneself from absorbing unwanted energy. I am truly sorry for earlier. I had no idea it would effect you so."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''No need to say sorry though I did not know either. But starting with drawing and releasing energy and keeping out what I do not want would be a good place to start. All of my crystals are at full capacity too. At the least it does not hurt anymore.'' Ealis gave him a warm smile. ''The markings are all gone so should be a matter of time for my hair to return to normal. If not well. I kind off like it.'' she indeed did not look pained or worried about her current condition and when they would be on  a place Tatsu would prefer to start training, she would do her best.

[Zero]

It was true that Eälis no longer appeared to be in any kind of distress. There were no hints of pain or undue fatigue. Tatsu's expression remained mostly neutral as he turned his attention to the forest laid out before them. The Draconi Forest was vast, and could be dangerous for the weak or careless, but he was neither weak nor careless.

"I think we should find a good place to make camp for a few days. We will begin training almost immediately. The sooner you learn better control the sooner we may pass safely through more populous areas without concern of an incident." Her safety was his primary concern, but the safety of others did also need to be considered. He would rather not laden her with the guilt of having harmed someone she did not mean to.

[SilmeriaElemred]

Ëalis nodded. ''Sounds fair.'' she looked around for a place where they could make camp. The edge of the forest was most likely the best option. Any form of training could be done just outside of the forest and when they rested, they could be concealed by the trees. Assuming Tatsu prefered her not to create illusions.

There was not really a spot that stood out however. ''We could camp at the edge of the forest. We will have the space to train, and the forest for cover. Or do you prefer a little bit further in.'' she asked.

[Zero]

"We should camp by a stream. A readily available supply of fresh water for drinking and bathing is essential when camping for several days." Tatsu did not know how long they would spend going over the first few lessons he had in mind, and they would not leave until she had learned them. Plus he enjoyed being clean.

He gestured for her to follow him as he started walking southwest. There were many springs and small rivers that fed into the much larger river that flowed through the region. It wouldn't take long to find one and settle themselves. "Miss Ëalis, tell me more about yourself and your people."

Her voice would fill the silence and he was certainly curious to hear about her and the moon elves. Learning more about his student was also important. They would be spending a great deal of time together during her training.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I come from a village in Serendipity. we are with about 300 moonelves and a small hundred of orphans and others who have no place to go. The first of my kin were born from elven couples blessed by the sungod Solos, and the moongoddes Lunaria. Using the stars, the moonelves found one another and made villages. We hide ourselves mainly though by weaving illusionmagic in the woods we live in. Those with bad intentions get lost. We live in a peaceful way. Life is sacred to us and despite some have learned how to fight, killing is a really bad sin to us and shall not resort to it until we really must. Like a severe wounded suffering animal. We wear no leather or suede. But mainly wool, linen and silks. We eat no meat either. But do drink milk and eat eggs. Also, we are dependant on moonlight or sunlight or starlight to live. The average is that we can last without for about a week. To make sure we are never without we have solid lightcrystals which we use to store the lights energies in. By either touching the stones or puting them in a glass of water we can take the energy in.'' She explained. She was curious about tatsu's kin too but waited wirh asking until she was certain Tatsu knew what he had wanted to hear.

[Zero]

It all sounded rather idyllic to Tatsu. Considering his extensive travels it was a wonder that he had never actually been to this apparently rather small settlement of unusual elves. "When you are ready to return home, I think I would like to see it. If you would not mind my presence, that is. I would not wish to intrude upon your private life, Miss Ëalis."

As they walked he had sent out his own energy, tentatively searching the surrounding area, finding what he was looking for, Tatsu slightly altered course to lead them to a suitable location for their camp. If you listened closely you could already hear the flowing water.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I would love to show you where I live and I am sure everyone there would be delighted to meet you. When the time is there that is.'' she said with a wide smile. She felt very much at ease right now. As the sound of the flowing water got louder she smiled even more once they reached their soon to be campsite. ''If it is not to much to ask. Could I ask about your home too?'' she had told some about hers and hoped Tatsu could tell about his.

[Zero]

Tatsu paused, standing in the center of the area he intended to see their camp laid out. It was far enough from the stream to be out of danger of high water should heavy rains come, but close enough to be convenient. The camp itself would be tucked among the trees, but was still adjacent to the open plains.

His mind turned inwards as he thought about his home. Did anywhere really count as a home to him now? No, he didn't suppose so. "My home has not existed for thousands of years. The land is still there, of course, but it has not been my home for a long, long time, and never will be again."

[SilmeriaElemred]

The moonelf looked at the spot. It was a good place for a camp. Would she need new star, moon or sunlight it was easy to get it from here, the plains or even the river when she would bathe.

Eälis was not sure how to respond to Tatsu's words. ''Can... can I ask what happened?'' she said. She did not want to force him to tell her, if he did not want too then she simply would never ask again. She did not show it but somewhere she had a really bad heavy feeling inside.