Fiona had always wanted an adventure.

This was not what she'd had in mind.

After weeks of pestering her mother to let her handle a few of the deliveries from their shop, she'd finally been allowed to do so- and to go to the castle no less! But of course, before she'd even made it through the gate something had happened. What that something was, she wasn't entirely sure, but some sort of alarm was sounded and people seemed to be panicking.
Truth be told, she was panicking too. Without thinking she ducked close to the wall, searching desperately for a place to hide.

That was when she heard the sound of shattering glass above her head. She leaped backward just in time to avoid a falling body and a sudden, concentrated blizzard. In the middle of summer. What the hell?

She pressed against the wall, eyes wide and mouth dropping open. "Wh-wh-wh-what?"

"My brother runs an inn, just a few streets over," the happy trader told her. "There's a large courtyard, I'm sure your dragon will be comfortable."

Kiara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course his brother ran an inn. Still, there probably weren't a lot of places that Kit would be able to stay near them. "Alright, lead the way. Sir." She remembered, belatedly, what her father had told her about Essyrn and manners.

The man beamed and set off. Kit grumbled something about not needing a stable like a damn horse but followed. Kiara returned her attention to Eihmo'tei, smiling. "This man is going to take us to a place where we can stay," she explained while Kit through translations over his shoulder. She stretched her arms over her head and arched her back, blinking against the glare from the sun. "Whew. I dunno about you, but I could use a bath," she laughed, rubbing Kit's side with her leg to get at the itchy patch of scales on his flank that had been bothering him since they landed.

"A doctor," River repeated incredulously. He wasn't lying- people reacted physically when they lied, an increase in heart rate, a change in their chemical makeup that she could smell, other little markers that even the most accomplished liar couldn't hide. This man was telling the truth.

That didn't make her feel much more charitable toward him; being called "cur" wasn't the worst insult in the world, but to someone who could actually take a canine shape it struck a chord. Not as bad as "bitch", but it still raised her hackles.

"I'm a hunter," she bit out, her grip tightening for a moment quite unconsciously before she forced it to relax. "I was sent after whoever did kill that man. I need to know exactly what happened." For all she knew, her real mark could be off to kill again. Any information the good doctor could give her would help.

But... Her stomach clenched unpleasantly. He really had been telling the truth- he had a patient somewhere in bad shape. She let out a growl of frustration and released him, though she stayed close. "Will you talk to me if I can get you to this patient?" she snapped, moving to cross her arms and then wincing as her wounds protested. No one else is gonna die tonight, not if I can help it.

River drew in a sharp breath when the man dropped his hands, taken aback by the scar. She rallied quickly, she didn't have time to stand staring, but then her heart jerked unpleasantly at those words: die because of you.

What the fuck was he talking about? She didn't let him go, but she eased the pressure of her hold and took a small step back. She could practically smell the aggression radiating off him, and the wolf wanted to attack, to fight back. She wrestled her back under control and bit out, "What do you mean? He's already dead, and from what I saw that looked like your doing, not mine!"

Her eyes flicked to his blade, very aware of its presence but gambling that if he hadn't used it yet he wasn't going to. Her gaze snapped back to his face, and again she was unable to stop some kind of visceral reaction at the old pain clearly etched into the skin. "Did you kill that man or not?" she demanded, not caring if she spoke too fast or asked too many questions, just needing answers. "Who were you trying to help? What are you doing here? "

Kai looked around the massive stable, eyebrows rising fractionally to show he was impressed (an intense expression of emotion for him). "Nice place," he said quietly from the doorway.

Next to him, Ka'lei snorted derisively, crossing her arms over her chest. His twin's eyes flickered around in a practiced manner, one he knew well; scoping the layout, the potential exits, where not to get cornered. She shrugged, scowling.

He leaned over and bumped her lightly with his shoulder. "C'mon, Lei-lei, it could be worse. And you like horses, don't you?"

"Hmph." She turned her nose up at him. "Doesn't matter what I like. Never has."

Kai sighed. Ahh, his sister. He loved her, but sometimes she truly was impossible. So, as usual, it was up to him to try to make nice, no matter how uncomfortable he was with the role. He took a hesitant step into the building, breathing in the smell of horse and hay. Ka'lei followed at his heels, her glossy black wings shuffling in irritation.

Hesitant was not a good look for her brother, Ka'lei decided. He was too big for it, too noticeable. Looking around, she tried to get a feel for the new hell they'd been dropped into. Barely an hour off the auction block and their new "owner"- her lips curled unconsciously just thinking the word- had lent them out to some stable master or another.

Lent. Like they were pack horses. Or some gardening tools.

Though, she had to admit, some of her anger was tempered by the animals around her. She did like horses, always had, and they tended to return the sentiment.

"Hello?" She was suddenly brought back to the present by Kai's soft call. "We've been sent to work. Who should we report to?"

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Fiona
Age 22
Gender Female
Species Half human, half dragon
Ethnicity Connlaothian...and, well, dragon
Height 5'8"
Orientation Heterosexual
Occupation Glassblower
Residence Connlaoth (for now...)



Credit: my awkward sketchbook

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description
Fiona has flaxen blond hair (often kept in a messy bun at the back of her head), a neutral peachy skin tone, and odd, glassy eyes that seemed to more reflect the colors around them than possess their own. Though on the tall side, she carries herself to appear as non-threatening as possible, trained from a young age not to draw attention to herself.

If one were to catch her with her clothes off (not recommended, as she will hurt you for it), you would see a trail of golden scales from the nape of her neck to the small of her back that wrap around her waist and legs, then just barely up the sides of her breasts, as well as a pair of golden dragon wings kept firmly folded to her back and a thin tail she honestly sometimes forgets that she has.

Personality
Naturally Fiona is adventurous and impulsive, but this instinct has been quashed by her over-protective mother (who, admittedly, has her reasons...but more on that later). She's a bit of a dreamer, but she works hard to make up for it.

Magic/Abilities
Hypnosis: Occasionally Fiona can compel a person to do something. Sometimes. Not often. It's iffy.

Fire: Fiona inherited her father's ability to breathe fire, though it's a power she keeps hidden. It does, however, come in quite handy when she works with glass- it also helps that she can touch the molten substance without harm.

Relationships
Family: Renkaryn, her dragon father, and Brigid, her human mother. Brigid didn't know Ren was a dragon when they met, and (being Ren), he didn't bother to explain until they he and Brigid had been together for several months. It would be hard for an observer to say what he felt when she threw him out, exactly, but he did seem genuinely sad when Brigid told him to leave, and that she never wanted to see him again.

Whether or not she meant that last part seems to have fluctuated over the subsequent years. Particularly with the birth of their half-dragon daughter that both had been unaware of when he left.

Karyn, a half brother she doesn't know exists.

History
Fiona was protected by her mother all her life; from the world outside, from other people, from herself. Brigid was convinced if people ever found out what her daughter was something terrible would happen to her. Fiona has never been quite as certain, but she loves he mother and doesn't want to upset her.

When she was eight, Brigid began teaching her how to blow glass, and it was discovered that she had an extraordinary talent for it. Thrilled, Fiona began working in the little shop that they lived above- though she was still kept out of sight ("Away from danger" as her mother put it) as much as possible, she felt a little bit closer to the world.

Recently though, the shop isn't enough...

__________________THREAD TRACKER
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Kiara let out a quick breath of relief, smiling at Eihmo'tei as his claws came free. Kit shook his head quickly; while his spikes were like her fingernails as far as sensitivity was concerned, it must be nice to no longer have someone attached to one.

She was surprised, then, when he stood and turned, balancing precariously on Kit's back as he pulled the necklace he wore over his head and held it out to her. He said something in his own language, every line of his body portraying remorse. She blinked, unsure how to react. "Um..."

"He says it's in exchange for something," Kit told her. "I think...because you gave that bauble away to him." He jerked his head toward the still grinning Essyrni trader.

"Oh." She raised her hands peaceably, smiling again. "No no no, tell him it's alright, really." Kit started translating, and she was suddenly reminded of their surroundings by a soft clearing of a throat.

"Excuse me," the trader said, "but I assume you are new to our fair city. Do you need a place to stay?"

"Ah-" Kiara glanced back and forth between them. Carrying on two conversations was hard enough when everyone spoke the same language, let alone this. "Actually, if you could point us in the direction of a good lodging house, we'd be very grateful," she told him, nodding, before looking back to Eihmo'tei with a reassuring smile, signalling for him to keep his treasure.

"Oi, stop that," Kit rumbled awkwardly as Eihmo'tei started to sniffle.

"Yes, really helpful and comforting, thank you," Kiara sighed, smacking his muzzle away lightly. The dragon snorted but didn't argue, probably because if anyone was worse with dealing with emotional outbursts than her it was her dragon.

"Excuse me?"

Both she and Kit whipped their heads around to find the owner of this new voice. A young man, maybe a few years older than Kiara, had stepped out of the bustling crowd and moved toward them, head tilted curiously. "Are you...having some trouble?" the stranger asked, taking another step closer.

Kit growled and Kiara moved instinctively to shield Eihmo'tei, but she managed to remember enough manners to say, "Shh, Kit, it's alright." Then she addressed the newcomer, eyeing him in a practiced way. He seemed to be a native; black hair and eyes with nut brown skin, wearing loose linen pants and some sort of open vest. He had something in his hand, a vial of some kind half full of semi-clear liquid. "If we were?" she said cautiously.

The stranger smiled. "Then, I would tell you this is the answer to your problems." He held the bottle up. "Your little friend is stuck, yes? Some of this oil and everything's fixed!" His accent was heavier than the guards, though he was certainly friendlier.

Kit shifted, rumbling low in his chest. He didn't like this, thought it was probably some kind of scam. Kiara agreed, but she really didn't see what their other options were. Besides, it didn't need to be a miracle potion, just something slippery enough to unstick Eihmo'tei's claws. "How much?" she asked.

"Six silvers," the man answered promptly.

Kiara's eyes widened. "Do I get you for the day, too?" she quipped, searching out her coin purse from her pack. "Tell you what, I'll give you two silvers and..." she hunted around a bit more until her fingers brushed something serviceable, concluding with, "an Adelan luck charm," as she pulled out a carved pendant strung onto a leather thong. The charm was simple, but elegant, a twisting dragon with outstretched wings painted in red and gold.

The man's eyes flickered between her and the charm, face stony. Then he suddenly broke into a smile, saying, "Deal," as he tossed the bottle up to her. She returned the gesture, tossing the coins and necklace in his direction before uncorking the vial and dripping the fragrant oil onto Eihmo'tei's claws.

River slowed as she drew closer to her prey. She was an experienced hunter, she knew better than to spook her target. Creeping into the alley, she used the shadows to her advantage to get as close as she could. He seemed to be breathing pretty heavily. Good, if he was tired he couldn't run away as fast.

The wolf reared her head, itching to be on the outside. River clenched her teeth and forced the change away; shifting while wounded usually wasn't a problem, but the bastard must have cut pretty deep into the muscle when he stabbed her shoulder because now she couldn't even move her arm properly, let along use the limb as a wolf.

In one swift movement, she darted forward and grabbed her prey by the scruff of his neck- well, robes- jerking him to his feet and pressing him back against the wall. "I think you and I need to have a chat."

"Holy..." Kiara couldn't find an expletive that would properly finish her exclamation. Kit stepped into the city, and it was like walking into another world.

She gaped around at the buildings, the people, the colors. She'd never seen anything like it! Even cynical, never-impressed Kit paused, scanning his head around to take in the great city-state. "Alright," he conceded quietly, "this is...interesting."

Kiara nodded agreement, watching a group of brightly painted and spangled people pass to their left. As dragons were wont to do, Kit made a bit of a spectacle walking right into the middle of this crowded street; but the Essyrni people must have either been used to strange visitors or simply very good at hiding their curiosity, because no one did more than give than a passing glance or two.

Still, she didn't love even that bit of attention. Maybe if they got off Kit's back, walked in his shadow, it would be more comfortable. "C'mon, Eihmo'tei," she said, patting the smaller creature's shoulder as she swung her legs to one side of Kit's girth, ready to slide down. "Our own feet could use some work today."

It was only then that she noticed Eihmo'tei's predicament. It seemed he couldn't let go of Kit's spine. She frowned, tilting her head, signalling the dragon with a soft press of her leg to move off to the side of the road so they wouldn't be so conspicuous. "What's the matter?" she asked, Kit craning his head around- both to translate and to see what the problem was. "Look, I know new places are scary, but you've got to let go sometime-"

Kit gave an exasperated huff. "He can't," he grumbled, rolling his golden eyes skyward. "His claws are stuck."

Kiara's jaw dropped. She took a closer look and saw that the dragon was right; somehow Eihmo'tei had managed to dig his claws so far into the spike that they refused to come back out. "Oh damn." She bit her lip, then snipped at Kit, "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

The dragon shrugged, both her and Eihmo'tei rising and falling with the motion. "I didn't notice," he responded, seeming very calm for someone with a small fox-boy now attached to his back. Kiara grumbled in annoyance, tugging experimentally at Eihmo'tei's hand, hoping she didn't hurt him.

"Alright." Kiara let out a sharp breath, squaring her shoulders. "Let's get this over with."

Kit mimicked her movements, rolling his haunches and folding his wings into his side. He raised his head high on his neck as they approached the gate, an instinctive display of confidence he often employed when he was feeling little of it. He was too damn hot; now that hey were out of the air, Kiara could feel the intensity of the sun, particularly the way his black scales seemed to suck it in. She knew he was uncomfortable, so she leaned forward and patted his shoulder.

They were at the gate. Two guards wearing Essyrni purple and gold kilt-like garments, bare chested, eyes lined thickly in kohl, straightened up to attention at their approach. "State your name and origin," the one on the left drawled lazily in accented Common.

"Kiara and Kit of Adela, and Eihmo'tei of..." she trailed off, then finished lamely, "of the Moraki."

The one on the right looked them over. Kiara noticed his eyes linger on her small companion, then...on her? Honestly, wasn't the dragon more interesting?  "Business?" he asked.

"We were recommended here for a job transporting goods," Kiara told him. Kit snorted, shifting impatiently underneath her.

"Very well." The guards nodded and stood to the side. They must have given some sort of signal because the gate began to creak open. "Welcome to the nation of Essyrn."

River yelped- actually yelped, like a soft-furred pup- when the cloud of smoke blossomed up in front of her. She reeled away, gagging and sneezing, her sensitive nose overloaded by the stench. "That son of a bitch!" she snarled, blinking to clear the tears from her eyes.

She didn't have time to hang around making her decision. Holding her breath, she leaped through the smoke, tears streaming and sneezing all the while. Once through, she ran a few paces to make sure the air was clear before drawing in a breath, still gagging as her senses tried to readjust. "Son of a bitch," she repeated, looking around for the masked man and seeing nothing.

Fine. If he wanted to play this game, she was more than willing to oblige. She took a deep breath through her nose, sneezed four times in rapid succession, and tried again.

There! His scent, as plain a trail as if he'd splashed bright paint with every step. She knew it now, thanks to her (admittedly botched) earlier plan. His scent, and that of the blood that covered him; she still wasn't sure what to make of that. But, like any good hunter, she knew that sometimes you had to stake out your prey. And people tended to show their true colors when they thought no one was watching.

Ignoring the pain from her various cuts and bruises, she set after him in a steady lope. I warned you, she thought, nowhere you can go that I won't find you.

"Wow,"Kiara breathed as Kit approached the ground. Essyrn's immense wall rose above them as the dragon smoothly touched down, running a few paces to burn through his momentum. She craned her neck back to take it all in. "It really is beautiful," she murmured. Ancient and battered though it was, there was some sort of inexplicable grandeur to it.

Kit snorted in begrudging agreement, shaking his head like a horse trying to rid itself of a fly. He approached the gate set into the stone slowly, wings fanned slightly from his side to help his balance on the shifting sand.

"Alright," Kiara said softly, laying a hand on Eihmo'tei's shoulder, "Once we get into the city, we'll find an inn to stay at, then Kit and I are going to try to find a contact for our...job." She paused, waiting for Kit to translate, then added, "I'm as much a stranger here as you, little friend, so let's stick together, yeah?" She leaned around to smile at him, hoping to convey a confidence that was perhaps only half forced.

"We're getting close," Kit called back to her. Kiara squinted, wishing- not for the first time- that her eyes were as strong as her friend's. She could just glimpse the city on the horizon, though it was approaching fast.

The oasis that surrounded Essyrn, on the other hand, was much easier to make out. Stark green against the golden sand, the glittering ribbon of the Niafi cutting through the sudden foliage, it made a striking sight. "Wow," Kiara murmured, awestruck. She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I gotta say, Eihmo'tei, maybe you desert-folk are on to something."

Kit snorted. She could practically feel him rolling his eyes. "Yes, if it weren't for the heat. And the sandstorms. And the raiding slavers. And the freezing nights. Oh, and the giant sandworms-"

"Are you ever happy?" Kiara snipped, exasperated. "Look, I wasn't thrilled about this trip either. But Da said there was a job here, and gods know we need the work." She realized her voice had been growing progressively louder as her irritation spiked and took a breath. Lowering her tone to be more soothing she added, "Let's not scare our guest, yeah? And you can pick where we go next, deal?"

The dragon grumbled agreement, banking into the wind. The city was quite clearly a city now, no longer a geometric blob in the splashes of green. Kit began his descent, much more gradually than he would have normally in an effort to spare his extra rider.

River burst into tears.

It was a trick she'd perfected as a child, usually to get her brothers in trouble. Who knew it would come in handy later in life? Stumbling forward, sobbing dramatically, she choked out, "It's j-just awful. Please help."

The guards hesitated. Well, Alden was a small town; it probably wasn't often they had to deal with situations like this, let alone adding two strangers covered in blood, one crying her eyes out. Her eyes flickered over them, calculating. Yes, they were hesitating, but that didn't mean they bought it. Shit. She didn't have time to turn in a better performance.

On to Plan B then, she decided. She was close enough now. Lightning fast, her leg snapped out in a high kick, knocking the head of the lead guard into his companion's, sending both to the ground. She winced (kicking helmets with bare feet was not a good idea), hoping it had been a hard enough hit to keep them down for a while. Then she sprang toward the last guard, delivering a solid uppercut to his jaw.

Unfortunately, the element of surprise was somewhat lost on her last opponent. Her blow landed, sending him crashing to the cobblestone, but not before he managed to swing his blade, slashing a deep cut over her collar bone. She reared back with a growl, shaking her head to put the pain from her mind. She didn't have time for it- she wasn't even sure if they were all unconscious. They could be back on their feet in a matter of seconds.

Still, that bought some time. Spinning on her heel, she faced the masked stranger. "What are you waiting for? Run."

The sudden knock made her jump, then roll her eyes at her own skittishness. "I'm coming," she called, gathering up her things. Pack, bow, and a mostly full quiver were slung across her back, and she double checked the pouch at her hip. Cloak on, hood up- well, that was as ready as she was going to get.

With a deep breath, Dusk opened the door.

For a while it seemed as though Eihmo'tei might be relaxing, maybe even enjoying himself. It sounded like he was laughing, at any rate. Then something changed- perhaps he'd looked down, or a gust of wind had jolted him- and he yelped again, curling himself as close to Kit's body as his position allowed.

"Easy, easy," Kiara soothed, trying to put the thrill of flying from her mind and be more considerate to their extra passenger. She locked her arms on either side of him, palms against Kit's neck, in a sort of "safety brace". She glanced toward the ground, smiling slightly as she watched the desert speed by below them.

She was a forest girl, really; green was her home. She'd never even been this far south before. But, she had to admit, that was something strikingly beautiful about the endless spread of sand, somehow almost glinting in the sunlight. And apparently it produced some interesting people.

Her mind began to wander as she aimless murmured a string of comforting words, thoughts circling around their little companion. What was he exactly? Where had he come from? Were his people common in this part of the world?

Maybe I can get some answers in Essyrn, she thought, glancing up to judge the time. Not much further now, hopefully.

"Not too high, Kit!" Kiara called into the wind. "It's his first time flying and all."

And it was quite clear their little friend was not enjoying himself, his babbling in his own language suddenly breaking off into a high pitched cry not unlike a fox's yelp when Kit took to the air. The dragon leveled off with a snort, one powerful beat of his wings shooting them forward (not as fast as their usual pace, but fast enough that the girl was mildly concerned Eihmo'tei may simply pass out). Kiara, unsure how to calm her companion down, raised a hand and hesitantly patted his furry head.

"It's alright," she said calmly. "We do this all the time. See, Kit won't let you fall, and neither will I. Really, it's alright." She closed her eyes and tipped her face into the wind, sighing contentedly. She couldn't help it, despite her panicky flying partner. "We'll get to the city soon, I promise," she continued, tranquil, with Kit translating, "Everything is going to be alright..."

It was better than alright; this was what she was made for. This- the open sky surrounding her, Kit's breath and heartbeat thundering in through her skin- this was home.

"Here we go," Kiara said, helping Eihmo'tei pull himself up and situate himself in front of her on Kit's back. She was sure he was nervous- hell, she'd been nervous her first time flying, and she was practically bred for this- so she tried to sound comforting as she leaned forward and indicated he should hold on to one of the dragon's spikes. "Kit, tell him he's gonna be fine, we'll make sure he stays safe."

The dragon craned his head around to relay her message, spreading his wings wide as he did. Kiara couldn't help the small flutter of excitement that her heart gave; she loved flying. Granted, she'd never done it with a partner before, but how much different could it be? She reached her arms around Eihmo'tei, gripping a spike for her own security as much to reassure her new friend. "Alright, let's fly!"

Kit rumbled and bunched his legs underneath his body, then launched himself into the air.

Alright then, it seemed like they were ready to leave. Kiara hefted her own pack, double checking her sheathed daggers quickly as was her habit. Then she tapped Kit's shoulder briskly. The dragon rumbled low in his chest and bent his forelegs, bringing his front half closer to the ground. "Thanks, love," Kiara told him brightly, gripping one of his spines and using his shoulder as a step to swing herself up onto his back.

She twisted in her seat, leaning down toward their small companion and reaching out a hand. "C'mon then," she said brightly. Kit twisted his head and huffed at Eihmo'tei, waiting.