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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 17, 2008 1:59:17 GMT -5
Tali held out her arms as the wind ran through her long black hair, her slanted green eyes were closed. Beneath her, her dragon Zaaka was enjoying the flight just as much as she was. The black dragon did a backwards loop while Tali held on with just her legs.
Want to go for a swim? Zaaka asked, sending a picture of the lake below them into Tali's mind.
Not like this, Tali thought back, but Zaaka had other ideas. The huge dragon dived down out of the sky and folded his wings in so they entered the water like a javelin. He would have stayed down longer, but he could feel Tali's mind fizzing with anger so he angled himslef upwards and took to the air again.
You really suck, you know that, Tali thought angrily as she dried herself with magic.
You've reminded me often enough, Zaaka thought back coolly. Tali took to looking around on the forest floor, while Zaaka zipped around joyfully through the air, and pretty soon, her annoyance had dissappeared into the wind too.
We need to do this more often, Tali told her dragon.
Well its not my fault if your so busy being a wonderful weapon creator Zaaka growled to her, though there was no anger or annoyance in his thoughts.
Tali was quiet for a moment before she became aware of another conciousness close to her and her dragon.
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 17, 2008 8:05:54 GMT -5
Mari really hated trees sometimes.
Stupid spinters.... she thought to herself while picking at the shard of tree bark that had implanted itself into her palm.
Mari slid down the enormous trunk and out of the tree. She sat down, legs crossed, at the base between some knotted roots.
Normally, she was a good tree climber. Her strong muscles helped a lot. But today... she didn't know what was wrong with her. That was the fifth time she had fallen from that tree. But she had to climb it!
Now she was determined.
I will not be defeated by a tree!
She gave a violent yank on the splinter and it came out. That would have been easier with magic, she knew, but what challenge was that? Mari jumped to her feet and gave a huge leap into the tree. She gripped the tough, brown and gray bark and soon found footholds. She reached for the nearest branch.
Got it!
Gracefully, she pulled herself up to the branch.
She hoped this marked the end of her bad luck streak. It made her feel... less elven. More human with their obvious setbacks.
Nothing against humans of course!
She realized how harsh she sounded toward the humans.
She took down her mind barriers and inhaled all the life around her.
Ants, birds, squirrels, beetles, snakes, a rabbit family, and... another elf? Dragon too, she could tell. Oh! Such powerful barriers these two had.
She hopped down from the tree to spot where the Rider and Dragon were. Mari looked to the sky and, sure enough, there they were. A magnificent black dragon and a black haired female riding on his back.
What acrobats! They flipped and looped in the air.
They stopped.
She was sure they knew she was there now.
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 17, 2008 8:36:07 GMT -5
Go down Tali told Zaaka and sent him a picture of what she wanted to do. Zaaka gave his approaval and the 2 dived down until Zaaka's legs were skimming the tips of the trees. Suddenly he rolled and when he turned back the right way, Tali wasnt on his back. The black dragon kept flying and flipping in the air, completly ignoring the fact that Tali wasnt on his back.
The elf herself had felt Mari touching her conciousness and set up iron barriers, that were nearly inpenatrable. The dark haired elf had lept lightly off Zaaka's back while he was upside down and landed safely and neatly on a tree branch. She and her dark clothing blended with the shadows in the canopy and she lept from one tree branch to another like a cat, soft, silent and graceful. She jumped silently to the branch behind Mari and said quietly to her
"Who are you?" her hand rested on the ruby in her sword, pulling back her black cloak slightly.
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 17, 2008 13:13:10 GMT -5
Mari twisted her head to look around the large tree trunk, a bit startled. There sat the black haired elf, her green eyes curious.
She had not heard the elf approach even with her excellent hearing and saw the dragon above her.
Mari noticed the elf's position, one hand on her sword...
Mari stood up on the branch.
She automatically became formal, touching her first two fingers to her lips. She spoke in the Ancient Language.
"I am Mari. May good fortune rule over you." She stated the proper greeting first, knowing that she was speaking with a Rider.
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 18, 2008 0:12:09 GMT -5
"And may peace live in your heart" Tali twisted her hand into the same gesture and spoke the greeting in the ancient language.
Can we trust her?
Zaaka's thought entered her mind
I think so,
Tali thought back and then said "I am Talithia" to Mari
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 18, 2008 13:18:46 GMT -5
"Well met, Talithia svit-kona." Mari said.
She looked above as a shadow passed overhead.
Magnificent, she thought.
She saw the dragon fly through the clouds with amazing grace.
"What brings you to these woods?" she asked politely.
((Really short post, sorry.))
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 18, 2008 22:16:39 GMT -5
(That's ok)
Tali thought for a moment and Zaaka flashed a warning into her mind.
After a smal pause Tali said simply;
"I live here"
The black haired elf gestured to the forest and the mountain that was a small distance away.
Was it wise to tell her that?
Zaaka's accusing thought flashed into her head
Well it's done now, and it's very well hidden. She wouldn't find it unless we showed it to her.
Zaaka cut off the conversation, but dipped out of the clouds and landed through a gap in the trees right next to Tali. Up close he was bigger than a lot of people thought when he was flying. Tali, as tall as she was, only came up to Zaaka's elbow (or knee, whichever you want to call it) and his icy blue eyes stared at Mari like his gaze would pierce right through her.
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 19, 2008 12:16:13 GMT -5
Mari's eyes widened. The dragon.
It landed between a gap in the pine trees with superb elegance.
And it was much bigger than she had first thought. Very muscular, too.
What amazing creaures, she thought to herself. Mari bowed to the great black dragon.
"What a wonderful place to live," she said.
Then she quickly added, "I hope I didn't intrude."
She didn't want to upset the Rider or her Dragon.
Mari was suddenly embarassed.
Pfft! Of all the people to have caught me climbing a tree, it had to be a Rider. Not that she normally cared who saw her, but a Rider with her dragon! She started picking at where the splinter used to be, even though there was no real damage.
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 20, 2008 5:37:54 GMT -5
"No" Tali said "You're not intruding"
And there is no need to be embarassed for not being able to do something the first time.
Zaaka thought, projecting his thoughts to Mari.
"Zaaka is right" Tali agreed "In fact, this is not the first time we've seen you climb trees. We know that your success rate today is not what it is normally."
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 22, 2008 12:03:04 GMT -5
Mari smiled sheepishly.
It probably shouldn't matter, but the thought of having them watch her made her nervous.
How much had they seen?
She pushed that thought away.
"Thank you," she said to Zaaka, she also letting down the barriers.
Just then, a cat came bounding down from a nearby tree.
Serlo, she smiled, back from hunting I see?He just purred proudly.
"This is Serlo, we travle together," Mari explained to Tali and Zaaka, though she knew that they probably heard what she said to him about hunting already. "I enjoy his company; traveling alone would be very... lonely."[/b]
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Jul 23, 2008 7:49:56 GMT -5
"I understand" Tali said "I would not be able to travel without Zaaka"
Greetings Serlo
Zaaka thought to the werecat, giving a growl of welcome.
(sorry it's so short, I have to go to bed soon)
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Post by ~[Juniper]> on Jul 25, 2008 15:09:04 GMT -5
((No prob! Sorry it took so long for me to respond))
Serlo meowed, Greetings, Zaaka, with a slight bow of his head. Hello, Talithia.
Her padded over to where Zaaka was sitting and sat down beside him, his tail curled around his legs. While the elves were talking he may as well get a conversation in too.
In all my years -- not saying I'm old -- I have not once met a Rider nor a dragon. I have a question, if you are willing to answer. Serlo paused for a response, tilting his head slightly toward the black dragon.
Mari sat down, now getting more comfortable with the Rider and the Dragon's presence.
"I know this may be confidential, but I have to at least ask. What is training like? My grandfather was a Rider long ago and a few secrets have been passed down, but I won't jump to conclusions."
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Post by †ä£¡thïα on Aug 1, 2008 3:14:47 GMT -5
(Im so sorry about how long I took. I've been really busy lately)
Zaaka dipped his head in consent
What is it that you wish to ask me?
"Training is..."
Tali thought for a moment. What could she say that wouldnt give away to much? She thought about the hours of meditation, rimgar, reading and writing. The history lessons, the flying, the battle practice.
"Training is strenuous for most, but now I have been training for several years, it is not as much hard work. There are a lot of things to cover, though it is mostly very enjoyable, and learning with Zaaka is always fun. I cannot give you any more than this vague idea. You were right, is is confidential"
The elf lay a long-fingered hand on her dragons warm side, but the tone of her voice said the conversation was over. Talking was not one of Tali's strong points. She had no friends, nor did she want any, other than Zaaka of course. If an elf started asking questions about her training was only good if they wanted her to leave, and it certainly accomplished that. Tali liked secrets, and if some tried to pry into them, even unintentionally, she would set iron barriers around her mind and she would automatically stop the conversation.
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