Finding The Way Back From Destruction

Mikhail and a few of his men fought their way through the barrage of Lizonians, scaled arms, hands, even legs littering the path behind them that they were cutting, Mikhail determined to reach his daughter and son.  His men fought like beserkers, their deep growls resounding throughout the air admist the clanging of swords and hissing of the Lizonians.  He didn't look back at Randal or Ulric, trusting them to fight as the seasoned fighters he knew them to be.

Upon reaching Torlief and Sienna, Torlief's men opened a small part in their line of defense to allow him in, kneeling next to his injured daughter, kissing her forehead before chastising her, lifting her small form in his muscular arms, lifting her as if she were nothing.

"Sienna...daughter", he sighed, "You will be the death of me yet of all of my cubs.  What must I do....collar and leash you, child?"  At the mention of the dreaded collar and leash, Sienna lifted narrowed, amber eyes up to her father's stern gaze, a small growl coming from her, drawing a surprised look from her papa.  "If you collar me I will run and never return", she growled out at to him, drawing a chuckle from him and Torlief both as they made their way out of the fighting to a safe outcropping of rocks, their men surrounding them.

"I would never collar you, pup.  You know that.  Twould kill your spirit as you are like the wind and I would rather die than do that to you but it is very tempting", Mikhail said to is willful daughter laying her down gently on the ground, their men making sure that they were protected from any attack while their alpha and his son administered aid to the princess of the pack. 

Sienna looked up in the air, looking for Marwo, worry filling her eyes as she searched, feeling her father's large hand cup her cheek, turning her eyes to his.  "I am sure your bear is well.  He seemed very capable of taking care of himself as well as my daughter but you have much explaining to do, Sienna and I very much want to meet this bear man of yours."  She blushed a deep red, turning her gaze away only to gasp in pain when the bandage was removed so that Mikhail could see her wound which was bleeding freely again.  He called for his healer, the older Canintonian coming forward, tsking as he looked at her leg.


Ellie saw the sorcerer turn his attention to Talon and Irin and made her move, Sooner flying in close, his claws reaching for the black dragon's neck as Ellie drew her crossbow, aiming for the sorcerer's back when suddenly Marwo was there.  Uttering a curse, she quickly lowered her weapon so as not to risk hitting Marwo.  She turned to see Saihara and Azulan, amazed at the youngster's ability in fighting and pleased.  She would be a great asset to the rebellion. 

Turning back, she raised her crossbow again, waiting for the perfect opportunity to fire, determined to not hit Marwo.

Ulric was in the midst of rallying troops for a push with the wolf warriors all growling seeing the fighting was swaying quickly he heard the great bellows over the din turning he saw the dragon on an outcrop frowning as he looked up still seeing the great black fighting the dragon riders he frowned the sky was almost clear now. He moved across to Talon seeing Irin under his claw wondering if the dragon was mad in crushing his rider but Irin's eyes wide in unknown fear he saw her cut side and the wild dagger he closed his strong hands around her arm. "Oi Irin." The words were lost on death ears he reached forward and carefully began tapping her arm in a code hoping her fear diluted mind could cut through the message she was dreaming, prying the knife slowly from her grip at her panicked gasps.

Marwo moved in range the slab swinging with a frightening ease his form not for show as the metal slab slammed onto the staff of the mage as it twisted in a blur to keep the centrifugal force of the sword off balance to stop Marwo simply picking up the Sorcerer with the follow through the weapons slamming hard again and again the green eyes not even holding his as they peered around Marwo form time to time almost goading Ellie to fire and hit Marwo still laughing that bass broken laugh as his sword finally attempted to lick out for Marwo's armour only to almost be batted out of his hand as the slab slammed into the runes with a flash that even had Marwo blink and take a step back as the black dragon suddenly dived Marwo feeling his weightlessness he tilted the sword and slammed it into the scales the sheer strength prising between two kept him in place his arms bulging under his armour the Sorcerer simply let a green light emanate his feet seemingly glued to the dragons scales as the great black dragon dived down and spun Marwo grunting as he knew he had placed himself badly as the huge jaws of the dragon tried to tear at one of Sooner's wings as they passed under him.

Saihara ordered Azulan to breath fire balls at the black dragon to distract him from Sooner and Saihara readied here how with an arrow and aimed at the sorcerer and fired at him. She had Azulan move away a bit tring to get the black dragon's attention. She ordered Azulan to attack him head on and he did as he dug his claws into the dragon'a hide biting at him. He went for his neck tryin to bite it and choke him.

Ellie saw what the black dragon was doing, going for Sooner's wing.  If he got a hold of it, it would be a devastating wound, sending both dragon and rider plummeting to the ground.   She breathed a sigh of relief when Azulan fired his fire balls at the black dragon, Sooner veering away from the deadly jaws.

She saw Marwo, her eyes widening at what he was doing, Sooner coming back around, claws extended, zoning in on the black dragon's neck only to pull up quickly when the black dived, causing Marwo to hang on for dear life.  Ellie watched, holding her breath, only letting it out when the black leveled off.  She caught a glimpse of his 'eye', her eyes narrowing at what she thought she saw, knowing that she would ask him later, once everyone was back at the caves.  Now all she felt she could do was stay close and wait for an opening to give Marwo any aid she could.


Irin didn't feel her own blade cut deep into her side as she tried to stab Talon's clawed foot as her fears escalated when she felt the tapping on her arm.  It didn't sink in right away but after a few moments she began to calm, her eyes still darting about blindly, her sight slow to return from the spell.

"Ulric?", she whispered in a hushed voice, her green, slitted eyes beginning to focus as her sight returned.  She moved, looking in confusion at Talon's claw covering her prone form.  "What happened?  Why is Talon holding me down?  Why are we not in the sky fighting the sorcerer?"

She turned her gaze to Ulric's golden one, feeling Talon relax his claw she moved to scoot out from under him when she cried out, feeling the sharp burn in her side.  She laid her hand over the area, confused when her hand came away smeared with her blood.  It was then that she realized that she had no connection to Talon, her eyes filling with panic once again.

"I can't feel Talon in my head!!", she cried out, looking up at Talon who's eyes were sad as he kept trying to connect with his rider.  It was slow to return but bit by bit the two began to feel each other again, the connection re-establishing itself.

Ulric told her to stay calm slowly holding out her dagger allowing her to reclaim the weapon approving of her current state as he reached up and patted the side of Talon's leg. "Magic is dangerous." Looking back over his shoulder the battle almost over already as he watched Mikhail sweeping up the remnants that were retreating again. "I feel the tide won't change." Though both Talon and Irin felt the Sorcerer was testing the strength of the Drakonians and this may be the first attack today of more to come.

Marwo was still slamming his blade in anger the sorcerer made space with a quick backstep from the huge blade he measured how far the other dragons were as Marwo ran forward sword raised. "It was a fascinating meeting Dragon Slayer just remember your mind may be safe but your body." The Staff glowed blue and with a whistle as he spun it the black dragon dove hard Marwo feeling his body lift barely bringing his sword to block the staff another wave of mage flash as blinding light emitted from his blade Marwo's sword glowing blue as he was hit with what could only be measure as a dragon's strength as he was launched upward a look of stern anger still on his face as the dragon Rider's realised the flash was made to disorientate them all and the black pulling up into a thermal gained large amounts of speed which made the Drakonians pull back on chasing

Irin looked up at Ulric, nodding in agreement about the dangers of magic, looking up at Talon as they reconnected, beginning to feel Talon again inside of her head when she winced, feeling a burning sensation in her side.  Looking down, she saw the blood and quietly cursed at the wound, thankful that it wasn't deep just painful and seeping.  She shakily got to her feet, the spell having taken it's toll on her.

"I need to get back in the air, Ulric.  The fight is not over yet", she said, her green slitted cat eyes looking into his golden ones.  Talon gave a snort, ~That spell knocked you all but out, Irin and our connection is not at full strength yet plus you are injured.~ 

Irin snarled at Talon, baring small, sharp, curved canines at her dragon who just stared patiently back at her like he would a tempermental child which just infuriated Irin more, a low feline growl coming from her.  She looked over at Ulric to see if he would help her convince Talon that she was capable of getting back into the battle in the air.


Ellie watched the sorcerer and Marwo when she saw Marwo flying up, suspended as if hanging by an invisible wire only to start to plummet to the Earth.  She mind spoke to Sooner, the dragon diving for the falling Celtian Bear.  Sooner dived so that he was now underneath Marwo, easing his massive body up so that when Marwo landed on his back it wasn't with a bone crushing hit, instead Marwo and Sooner would simply connect.  At least that was the plan, Ellie keeping an eye on where Marwo was, trying to also maneuver so that Marwo would land behind her and not on her.

Ulric smiled and tapped her on the shoulder pointing up where they both gave a quizzical look at seeing a large crow flying before it clicked it was a human being both raising an eyebrow though both relieved that the huge black dragon was leaving and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of person would find themselves free falling and seeing the arms not even flailing the stupor of calm evident before a different dragon swooped under him to pick him up. "Some people... crazy."

Randal was finishing the last few Lizonions off using a procured spear from a Drakonian slamming the blunted head from so much use into another chest the weapon sticking he growled slamming another paw into another Lizonian the jaw splitting from its face he smiled as Mikhail met him in the middle the crushed lines of Lizonian. "Death or Glory no a single escaped like the man asked." Grinning the blood speckling thier faces as both had killed thier fill this day easily.

Marwo losing the momentum of the blast finally began to fell his calm holding as he caught sight of Sooner sliding beneath him watching Ellie carefully navigate Marwo quickly closed his eye and using the great sword as a sail he brought himself easily down directing himself behind her landing easily with her planned ascending descent he sheathed the sword. "Magic should be like a double edged sword but he wasn't hesitant." Marwo tearing a ribbon from a shoulder pad that had many of the bear clan emblems on to use as an eyepatch over the closed eye continuing to feign its blindness was going to be difficult at best.

Azulan flew beside Sooner and mind spoke to him askin if he is ok while Saihara looked at Marwo and Ellie. "Are you guys ok? Are you hurt and how is Sooner?" Saihara then looked at Marwos eye and how it was covered but she did not want to ask what happened to it.

Then Azulan and Saihara heard the bellowing from Azualns mom. As Azulan's mom got closer, he sees Sooner getting a questionable look on his face and sensed him becoming defensive as he heard Sooner mind speak to him. ~Who is that?~ Azulan than recognized his moms bellowing, face, and her scales. His mom flew up to them and looked at Azulan, and Saihara. ~Sooner, this is my mother, the one who told me about this place and she is also the one who raised my rider, Saihara when she came up to the mountain, to our cave and she was ten at the time." He looked at Sooner and then at his mom.

Ellie and Sooner watched the large female dragon fly closer to them, Sooner taking a defensive posture as he looked questionably to Azulan, hearing the younger dragon speak to him in his mind, telling him that the female dragon is his mother.  He nods his head to Azulan, relaying the missive to Ellie who in turn tells Marwo.

Sooner bows his massive head to the female dragon in respect and greeting as Ellie smiles to her, turning to look over her shoulder at Marwo, her voice low as she spoke to him, "Perhaps you can explain about your eye upon our return to the caves", she says, her voice holding no accusations, just curiosity and concern.

~If Ellie agrees to it as well as your mother, she can join us back at the caves in the nesting area.  I'm sure Talon would move his nest so that your mother can have his nest which is closest to yours~, Sooner mind spoke to Azulan.  ~She does not have a rider, my friend?  Oh my.....it has been a long time since anyone has seen a truly wild dragon and to have raised a human child on top of that.  Your mother is truly special and one of a kind, Azulan.  She will most definitely be welcome into the dragon community at the caves.  Perhaps, if she is willing, we can see if any of the young people have a bond with your mother to be a potential rider.  If your mother is agreeable that is.~



Irin looked up into the sky where Ulric pointed, seeing the great black dragon and sorcerer leaving, agreeing with Ulric.  The tides weren't going to change anytime soon.  She turned her cat eyes to Talon, his massive head lowering to touch her cheek gently with his nose then do the same to Ulric, his eyes holding a silent thank you to the white wolf for coming to his rider's aid when he'd called. 

Irin smiled at Talon then turned back to Ulric, "Tis time to head back I suppose.  I thank you, White Wolf, for helping me", she said softly to him, a small purr coming from her.  She blushed turning away upon hearing the purr coming from her, squelching it quickly only to catch Talon's amused stare.




Mikhail instructed Torlief and his men to get Sienna to safety and back to the healers, Sienna gasping when she saw Marwo falling only to breathe a sigh of relief when Sooner and Ellie caught him, stopping his fall to his death.  Mikhail kissed his daughter's cheek, squeezed Torlief's shoulder in a warriorly fashion then turned back, he and his men making their way back to Randal and the others, continuing to push the Lizonians back. 

Sienna was cradled in her brother's arms, his men surrounding them as they made their way further away from the fighting that was quickly dying down, the Lizonians clearly realizing that they were losing now with the Canitonians having joined the fray.  But at the same time, Torlief and Mikhail noticed that when the sorcerer began to fly away, it was like it was a call to them that the battle was over for now and to retreat. 

Sienna had her arms around her brother's neck as he carried her away from the fighting but her amber eyes kept looking up at the sky, seeing the new dragon but keeping her sights on Marwo sitting behind Ellie on Sooner's back, wishing he was down on the ground with her where she knew he was safe.

Azulan's mom looked at Sooner, Ellie, and Marwo as she mind spoke to Sooner. ~My name is Saphira and I will agree with finding a rider here and Talon does not have to move his nest for me to stay near my son. I will pick my own nest but if it is alright I would like to explore the mountain. What is your name anyway? I forgot to ask after I said what my name was.~ Saphira looked at Azulan and Saihara as they looked at each other and Saihara smiled at her. Azulan flew to his mother's side and mind spoke to her. ~It is good to see you again, mother.~ Saihara looked at Ellie and Sooner and asked, "Will she be able to come into the mountain with us?" She had a worried look from then as she wondered if Saphira could or couldn't hoping that she could come into the mountain with them.

Ulric couldn't help but let a grin edge at the corner of his mouth winking up to Talon noticing the smile he couldn't help but raise a hand in a wave. "We won't be heading back to the cave just yet have to set up new boundries and agreements with our latest brothers from the Wolves." Shrugging a little at the concerned look he got but he was already walking down the hill towards Randal who was organising the removal of the dead and the transportation of the wounded Ulric organised a rearguard for the position ordering a good twenty soldiers to hold the entrance to the box canyon while they asked for fresh troops to replace them and send engineers to fortify it with stone. Mikhail had already ordered his men to begin heading to the caves to collect his next orders and to meet with the new addition to the Drakonians it was at this point he saw a cart dragging what he recognized to be a bear clan emblem on his coat Llafn sweating in the back barely concious both his legs wrapped heavily he had survived his crash to have a number of bones broken he would not be able to help the counter for the Drakonians Ulric smiling when he saw the lad still alive. "Must have the devil's luck himself." Walking alongside Mikhail the White Wolf and the Wolf King... both a legend in their own right one of war and the other a everlasting broken to bring a great warrior. "You wish the Drakonians never retreated into these mountains little brother?" Ulric asking the King with a informal ease.

Marwo tilted his head. "I don't know if I can the Bear's secrets are usually highly protected but I would rather we stayed strong as a side of Good, Clan's will do little help but sheer us apart as my elder brother has shown us he wants the rest of our family to join the Lizonian's" Remembering the Emissaries head he was sent to deliver knowing they had hoped they would execute him. Benefits of having been a political prisoner before the Lizonian's began to push outside of the city again. "Though I will try my best to shed light on it." His own hand rubbed at the rough shod eyepatch he had made looking across to Saihara. "I'm fine thank you." His grip tightened a little at seeing the riderless dragon slowly edge in the sudden emergence of the misguided dragon fed a small piece of worry of other dragons but seeing the relaxed nature of the dragons let him relax his aching arms pushing the iron slab back into its sheath on his back letting a long breath out he had been holding when he had been launched into the air really not wanting to yell any panic the idea of being splatted across the earth wasn't a satisfying one

Ellie thought on Marwo's words for a second then nodded.  "If you can promise me that your eye is not evil I will believe you for the simple fact that Sienna believes in you.  You can keep the Bear clan's secrets and tell me only if you wish, I will not speak of your eye to anyone."  She gives him a smile over her shoulder then turns back to Azulan's mom.

"Tis nice to meet you, Saphira.....I am Ellie, daughter to the general who runs the rebellion.  This is Sooner, my best friend and fighting companion and the large man sitting behind me is Marwo of the Celtian Bear clan and recent allies to the rebellion", she says to the older female dragon.  "I welcome you to the caves, Saphira.  Just follow us and I will instruct a squire to see to your needs."  She turned to look at Marwo over her shoulder, "What about you, Marwo?  Do you return to the caves with me or do I ask Sooner to take you to ground?"



Irin smiled to Ulric, "Aye.  I will join you then and help you and Randal do whatever needs to be done", she says to him when she too sees the cart carrying Llafn.  She gasps, looking around for his beloved eagle then realizes what has happened and her heart breaks for the young bear, sympathy filling her expressive cat eyes, following Ulric to the Wolf King, her eyes widening when she hears Ulric call Mikhail 'little brother'.

~Talon?  Did you know that the White Wolf was the older brother of the Wolf King?~

Marwo smiled to Ellie thankful she was so understanding of his predicament. "The eye is what saved my clan from the raven though we doomed their clan in winning the feuds." He looked to the new dragon as he couldn't help but stroke his beard. "We should report to the caves your father will want to know what happened here and the Wolf clan will be briefed to see what exactly they will be doing though I fear Ulric has a motive if Mikhail doesn't shoot him down as a warmonger." Knowing very well the clashing between the two brothers it was almost legendary echoing past the Wolf Clan into their bitter childhood always rivals the White wolf born of a whore their father had taken once the lad was full of vengeance. "I hope this will be the day they will work together... the Lizonian's are bringing too much damage upon thier front Mikhail may have to accept Ulric's logic of eliminating the Lizonians to the last creature but rumours had been propping up not all had been evil." He drew into his silence as Ellie informed Sooner they would be landing in the caves.

Saihara ordered Azulan to land in the cave with his mother following him close behind. Saihara unmounted Azulan as she asked him if he can show his mother around the cave and showing her the nesting area. She walked out of the entrance, into the hallway, and down to the mess hall and she sat at a table alone.

Azulan looked at his mother and mind spoke to her. ~Do you want to wait for Sooner and Ellie to land in the cave with us to find you a squire or do you want me to show you around, mother?~ ~I will wait for Ellie and Sooner to land and find me a squire to show me around. But I want to know how you and Saihara have been, Azulan?~ Azulan looked away from and stared at the entranced of the cave and then turned his gaze to the floor. ~We have been doing fine and we met new people. I am going to head to the nesting area and rest for a bit.~ Azulan walked away from his mother, down the hall to the nesting area and laid down in his nest. ~Are you ok, Saihara?~ ~I am fine.~

Saihara got up from her table, got herself something to eat and sat back down as she started to eat but she took her time eating. She didnt get up from the table when she was done, instead she rested her head on the table and sighed.