Lounging [Shinigami & Falke]

[Anonymous]

Xerias yawned, a deep rumbling sound that resonated across the clearing as he slowly blinked his eyes. It was a typical hunting day, though he had finished with that and eaten his fill. Oh, but a drink of water was always nice after a meal, so Xerias found the closest pond (that wasn't entirely filled with muck and algae) that he could find, and there he was.

The silver dragon approached the edge of the water, swishing away some algae with his tail, and dipped his head down. He opened his maw, and let a thin cloud of ice sweep over the surface, which started freezing just a tad. Xerias rumbled in satisfaction, then scooped mouthfuls of water into his jaws and drank. Ahhh, there really was nothing like a cool drink of water.

The dragon then slumped onto his side, yawning. He probably shouldn't be falling asleep here, and not back in his lair, but it seemed so peaceful now (other than perhaps the deer corpse that was lying nearby). But Xerias still laid his head down in the grass, napping, though not completely asleep, as he had to be aware of his surrounding, but he might just fall asleep in the middle of the forest. And it wouldn't be a good thing if someone looking to kill a dragon came nearby....

[Anonymous]

She'd lost her cloak somewhere around this area of the woods.  That damn bandit had snatched it, and had hidden it around here somewhere.  The bandit in question was currently unconscious and tied to a tree, about ten feet up the trunk, upside down.  Yeah, he'd pissed Tarka off.  At least she'd gotten the trinket she'd been hired to find, now if she could only find her cloak.  It was custom made, and had cost her a fortune as well.

However, as she stepped out into the clearing around a pond, she forgot entirely about the missing cloak.  Dragons were not a common sight, at least not for her.  And curiousity was beginning to settle in as she slowly approached, padding through the grass.  Hopefully this wasn't a dragon who'd be more willing to eat her than converse with her.

[Anonymous]

Two more were destined to join the queer gathering by the pond that afternoon.

A short distance away in the brush, a short but lengthy draconic being and her feline companion had more or less poofed out of thin atmosphere. With a short few minutes to get their bearings, the duo then set out into the forest like it was business as usual.

"So this is what th'Earth will look like in a couple million years. I've gotta say, I'm impressed. Vis wasn't kiddin'."

"Huh."

"That whole mass destruction and loss of modern civilisation thing really did the planet wonders. Where are all the volatile organic compounds? The exhaust fumes? The chemical spew? That giant hole in the sky? My god, why hasn't this happened sooner!"

"Remember, zis is not ze Earth you know. Cleaner, ja, but also more dangerous in many vays - "

"I know, I know. Th' magical reunification and all that or whatever it is you want to call it. I ain't gonna blow it."

"Because I don't veel like saving your asz again."

The orange tabby mustered an indignant glare. "My ass? Oh ho ho , aren't we forgetful...!"

He was unable to finish his sentence, as Tuli - the plumed serpent Watcher - had suddenly come to a halt at the edge of a clearing, where a large silver dragon, a blonde-haired...something, and a desiccated animal carcass awaited them. Larry the cat whistled in awe at the sight, then muttered to himself, "...This is so cool."

[Anonymous]

Xerias opened both eyes... only to be looking right at... was that a half-dragon? He stared at her for a brief second, then slowly raised his head, giving another small yawn. He blinked, then shook his head, looking down at the person standing before him.

"My, I hadn't expected to see others here," Xerias said. But he remembered something, which would probably end up proving to be a not so pretty sight and certainly smell up after a little bit. The dragon curved his head around to look at the deer carcass for a second, then swept it into the forest with his tail. "Sorry 'bout that."

"But anyway, might as well make introductions. I am Xerias." Though just as he finished that, he spotted another pair finding their way into the clearing. He wasn't quite sure what the long one was, though he was rather curious. At first, he thought of a basilisk, but he dispelled that thought when he saw the tabby cat with it.... But there was no knowing what they were here for. He didn't think the woman a threat, but these two could have been. Best to just stay cautious about this whole thing.

He certainly did have strange thoughts.

[Anonymous]

Oh, good.  It was the talkative type.  Or rather, he, since that voice sounded rather masculine.

She hadn't really noticed the deer carcass until the dragon had called attention to it, and she just shrugged at his apology.  Tarka was a practical woman, the sight of one dead deer was nothing.  Hunting was part of life, and had been her way of making a living not too many years ago.  Her adopted father had taught her the ways of life, and of hunting.  She finally spoke up then.  "It's part of life.  Nothing to be embarrassed about."

Ah, introductions, of course.  "I'm Tarka..." Whatever she might have said next was cut off, as the dragon-hybrid caught sight of the duo entering the clearing.  A tabby cat, and a feathered... thing.  Her left hand started for her bow, resting in the quiver alongside her arrows, and then stopped.  She glanced up at Xerias.  Hmm.  "Do you know those two?"

[Anonymous]

"No, he does not," the Watcher responded shortly, tail whipping around behind her. Larry was looking sadly off in the direction the deer had been swept. He hadn't eaten in a while.

"I am Tuli of Sol, and he is my assistant and pupil," she introduced, elegantly winding her long body a few steps closer toward the duo. Her whiskers moved in the air without the aid of any breeze. Although they were among the shortest present, neither serpent nor feline appeared to be particularly concerned. At least Larry had taken a cue from his plumed tutor and was in a somewhat calmer mental state...

"Ve are only here to observe, so please go about your busi-ness as usual," she intoned. Larry, dragging his brain away from the thought of that perfectly good carcass laying the brush over there, nodded importantly and sat beside her.

[Anonymous]

Xerias nodded, eyes glancing briefly to the place where he had swept the deer, though quickly turned his attention back to the half-dragon, though, more properly, Tarka. He rumbled, then spoke back, "True." Xerias nodded his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," he said, turning his head to look back to the other pair on the edge of the clearing. Now that introductions have been made... what other subjects were there of any interest? He gave a small, almost inaudible hum as he thought, though he had to think of something quickly in so as to not bore his "guests," so to speak.

Xerias' tail swept back to the edge of the pond. He spoke up again. "So, what brings all of you here, if I may ask?" Now, he was feeling a tad nervous because it was an obvious question, considering it was only a distraction to try to think of a more interesting subject.

[Anonymous]

Here to observe?  She hated being watched like that.  Brushing aside the thought, Tarka sat by the pond's edge, her long tail coiling around her hips.  As to what brought her here... "I'm a bounty hunter.  I was hired to retrieve an item from a thief around here.  And he stole something from me in the process.  So I was looking for my cloak when I spotted you."  She was being rather chatty, considering how aloof she usually was, but... in a way, Xerias was kin, so it was alright to relax a little.

She couldn't help the way she was listening to every movement the other two made, tracking their progress across the clearing even though she'd somewhat turned away from them.  Her suspicious nature wouldn't give it a rest, especially with something as bizarre as Tuli around.

[Anonymous]

Tuli seemed oblivious to the others' feelings...though it was difficult to read an expression on her blunt face and in those six staring beads that were her equivalent of eyeballs. The Watcher pressed her belly flat on the cool grass, every limb neatly folded against her flesh and a fiercely clawed fore-paw resting across its neighbor.

Her head pivoted smoothly to gaze at the bounty hunter who had just finished speaking. One would get the impression that Larry found the woman's predicament a bit humourous, but he quickly tried to cover his snickering by pretending to clean himself. As per his training, he would remain quiet until Tuli required his input.

"Vhat do ze inhabitants call zis place?" she asked, ignoring Xerias' question - this had, after all, already been answered. 'Observing'...that was her duty for now. Observant recon. These native creatures didn't need to know anything else just yet. "Name of closest settlement and government officials?" She turned her steady gaze on the dragon. "How do you live here?"
Dry rapid fire queries, like she was conducting a simple interview.

[Anonymous]

Xerias nodded, listening to Tarka. Bounty hunter, eh? Luckily she wasn't after his hide, though... there was a difference between a bounty hunter and a dragon slayer, he figured. His scales bristled a bit at the thought of thieves. Oh, how they made his skin crawl. The simple thought of one of them stealing so much as a coin in his hoard was enough to make Xerias nervous.

His tail coiled around his side. "Thieves," he hissed, "They're despicable little things." Oh, how he wanted to just go and... squish one! There was always one snooping around near his lair, though they had ended up a mess by the time he found out about it....

"I suppose I should tell how I got here myself," he said, "I was merely taking a flight and hunting, and I came here to rest. Not an interesting story, I know." Xerias shook his head slightly, then listened to what Tuli had to say. Odd... she had to have been an adult, at least, and in a well-known place, too. But, might as well give some answers.

"This is the Draconi Forest, on the continent of Ler'aana," he rumbled, "And this land is Adela's. I believe... the nearest city is Ketra? No idea about government officials." OK, maybe he wasn't too good remembering things. He shook his head, thinking again. This whole thing just seemed like some sort of interview now. Xerias cleared his throat, then answered the Watcher's next question.

"Things are usually peaceful for me, and living's not too hard. I merely hunt and sleep to survive, though a simple life like that would be dull. I normally roam all around the continent, taking small jobs that appear interesting and just doing what I wish to do."