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Running is Always Uphill {DragonSong!}

Started by Celegwen, February 26, 2018, 06:27:18 PM

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Celegwen

Call it a power-trip or whatever, but part of Ash really liked making people uncomfortable. It showed that there was something that they were intimidated by.

He walked over to her, removing his cloak and draping it over her shoulders. "So, what brought you all the way out here?" Ash asked, sitting next to her and letting his legs dangle as hers did.

DragonSong

Kyoko stiffened under the foreign texture, then slowly relaxed into it. She eyed Ash warily out of the corner of her eye.

"We we're trying to get out of Adela," she said bluntly. "Been trying for months." Traveling while hiding from an aerial military was incredibly slow going.

Celegwen

"What good will that do?" Ash asked, looking at her with a slightly confused frown. "With all due respect, that's an extremely foolish move. Staying in Adela, if you're caught, you'll get treated fairly when you're arrested. Outside of Adela, you're a fleeing fugitive. They can hire people like me to go hunt you down and bring you back, dead or alive. More likely, the former. No, leaving Adela's not really smart."

DragonSong

Her lip curled. "You really have no idea, do you?" she snorted. "Treated fairly? Are you serious?"

She turned to glare at him, eyes snapping fire. "I was a slave, Ash. They didn't even see me as human, and that was before I broke the law. How could they ever treat me fair?"

Celegwen

Ash raised his hands, showing he wasn't looking for any confrontation. "I'm sorry for what happened, Kyoko," he said softly. "I didn't know. And I'm not going to pretend to understand what you went through, but please don't rush for the borders before really thinking."

He wasn't sure if anything he was saying touched any part of her, but he could only hope that something was getting through.

"What I do understand is anger and the want for freedom. I understand the bond between dragon and rider that goes beyond duty. That's why I started this place. The people are here because of those reasons. Before you run off again, stay for a little while. No one knows where we are, so you'll be safe here."

DragonSong

Slowly, the snarl faded from her face. She sighed and drew her knees up to her chest, resting her cheek on them. Her hair spilled forward over her shoulder, blanketing one side of her body.

"We have to stay until Se'zeh is better," she murmured. "After that...I dunno. We'll see."

Celegwen

Ash couldn't help but smirk a little bit. Kyoko clearly didn't have a defined path she was following: she was just trying to escape. He knew that it was instinctual response to get as far from danger as possible, but perhaps he would be able to convince her to have people supporting her, instead of just running forever.

Either way, that wasn't going to happen that night.

"You can go to bed, if you'd like," he said softly. "I have patrols flying around the area, and I'll stay here to make sure you're alright. Wouldn't want sleep deprivation being your undoing." He added a light chuckle for a feeling of ease.

DragonSong

Koko shot him a quick, hard look, then sighed and admitted defeat with a small nod. "Yeah...okay."

She stood and turned to slip back inside the cave, mumbling, "...Thanks."

Celegwen

The next morning, Ash watched the sky just begin to lighten, so he decided that he had to make his rounds. It was one thing for his people to know what he was doing, but another to be sure nothing would distract him from his duties.

Siccarius lifted her head and stood, extending her wings slightly and shaking the night off of her. She smirked at her rider, lowering herself again without needing his command. Ash didn't check to see if Koko was awake yet, as he'd see her stir from the air if she were to make a run for it. Then again, something told the man that wouldn't happen.

He mounted the wyverness and took to the air with a few quick flaps of her wings and a casual, not required salute to a few of the other riders.

DragonSong

Kyoko woke as streams of sunlight began to warm the backs of her eyelids, making her grumble and squint against the light. Se'zeh shifted beside her, raising her head with a questioning rumble.

"No, we're fine," her rider replied, patting her side absently. She glanced around, noted that Ash seemed to have left his post, and slowly sat up.

There are dragons outside, her partner noted, nodding toward the shapes wheeling through the air. She huffed out a sigh, wings drooping slightly.

Kyoko frowned, stroking her shoulder. "You'll be up to flying again soon. I'm sure of it," she tried to cheer her up.

Celegwen

"Could be sooner than you think," a reptilian voice said to Se'zeh.

Ash rounded the corner on Siccarius' back with a smirk on his face. "Good morning, ladies," he said, swinging off of the wyverness' side as she landed. He rested his left hand on the pommel of his sword and approached the girl. "How's she feeling?"

DragonSong

Se'zeh bared her teeth but didn't actually growl, and Kyoko eyed the approaching wyvern and her rider warily. "She's alright," she responded after a moment, laying a hand on her partner's shoulder. "She probably needs something to eat."

I'm fine.

"You hush."

Celegwen

Seeing the dragon's obvious defensive signs, Ash put his hand out subtly, silently telling the wyverness to stay where she was. Siccarius stopped, lowering to the ground with her head tilted attentively.

"Then you'll join us for breakfast," the man said. "I'm afraid food is served inside, though. The drakes and humans eat separately, which admittedly is the perfect opportunity for you to take a look around Cinder Castle." Ash smirked, shrugging as he looked up at the massive building. "I'm sorry, but I can't be humble in my pride for this place."

DragonSong

"Hmmm..." Kyko glanced at her friend, brow furrowed. "You'll be alright?"

Se'zeh shoved her muzzle into her rider's shoulder, rocking her back on her heels. I'm fine. Go get some food, before they start to hear your stomach growling.

Resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at her, she nodded and looked back to Ash. "Well...fine then, I suppose. If I need a tour, I'll take a tour." She glanced out at the fortress. Her eyes narrowed. "So you...built this?"

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