Xoyan Thief (Open!)

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"HEY! Stop her! Oi!"

The green dragon bulldozed through the crowd, yellow eyes blazing with outrage. Sparks flew from his talons with each step. He bellowed and turned the corner, knocking over a female in the process. He was chasing a small red blur that darted between the legs of the confused merchants and shoppers, a small bag clutched in her jaws.


Her heart was hammering. It was hard to run with the jewellery clanking around inside her bag. She hadn't expected to be caught. She had been sliding the last of the earrings into the bag when the merchant had spotted her and let loose such a shriek, it had scared her into knocking over the rest of the stands that displayed the necklaces on her way out. Now she was running. Now she was in trouble.

Taking a deep breath, Shula jumped, latching onto a rug draping from a stall. She scrambled up the side, clawless paws scraping the fabric. Panting hard, she dashed across the top of the stall and jumped despite the drop. She sailed over the heads of dragons and onto the next stall. And then the next. And then the next.

The merchant was in hysterics, clawing his way past the other dragons in an effort to catch her. But Shula was too fast. She began to rapidly increase the distance between them. A smile appeared on her face. She glanced over her shoulder, wanting to stick out her tongue at him.

She turned right off the roof of the stall and leaped onto the balcony of the two story shop behind it. For a moment or two she clung on by just her front paws, hanging over a good thirty metre drop to the ground. Then, she pulled herself up and continued, climbing up the railing and to the wall, where she stuck her talons into the cracks in the stone and slowly ascended to the roof.

She stood at the top of the house and gazed around herself, at the dragons below and the city surrounding her. Her chest swelled and she dropped the bag to release a a crow of victory. "I did it!"

She couldn't see.

The panic that set in at the loss of one of her senses was unlike any fear Shula had experienced before. She felt helpless. Lost.

I can't see.

Bandit's voice was like a ray of light in the only darkness. She froze, listening to his voice. She yelped at his touch, but it calmed her after a moment. She closed her talons over his, leaning into his warmth.

"Y-yeah," she whispered. "Shula. My name is Shula." Tears were leaking out of her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. "I can't see, Bandit."

They had to get out of here, fast. But Shula didn't know how long the effects were going to last. Oh gods, were they permanent?! She started breathing heavily, shaking her head. No, no, no!

Entertainment.
This was true entertainment. 

At least it was from Vortex's point of view on the continuously unfolding situation. It was never a dull day in the Xoyan kingdom, contrary to what most might believe, because every now and again, in some nook or cranny of the city, some excitement was happening. However, the masked dragon didn't have to hunt for it this time, as it was happening in the middle of one of the most populated places within the territory. What was it about? Hell, he didn't know. He might've been a little late to the party, but he did know that someone was chasing someone else, and that was plenty enough to draw him out.

In the present, Vortex had cloaked himself cleverly from the view of anyone dumb enough to care. He had his eyes on a pair of younglings, who appeared to have been the ones causing such a fuss in the first place. He'd have normally just stuck to the shadows and observed, but after the aggressive female attacked the red one, he couldn't help but feel pity for them. They must be scared... He thought, sighing heavily.

With that, he stepped out of the shadows, the sound of a blanket being pulled off a bed echoing off the buildings as Vortex appeared before them. "Hey there... You two alright?"

((I forgot to switch accounts.))

Bandit couldn’t help but tear up a bit at herring what Shula said, and how she said it. ”It’s ok, Shula. We’ll get out of here, and maybe my parents can help.”The hatchling could tell she was scared and wanted to help, but how? He couldn’t make her eyes work. At least he knew how to start.

The Solar-Lunar hatchling slowly led Shula to the edge of the balcony, looking down at the busy street below. He then looked at Shula, trying to figure this out. She couldn’t fly without eyes, and he didn’t know how the owner would like to see the pair inside. It was then that he had an idea, but thankfully another option came.

Another dragon, this one with a mask, asked if they needed help. Bandit let out a sigh if relief and called out to him.”Yeah! That creepy’ness blinded my friend somehow. We’re trying to get to my parents.” Once he answered the new adult, Bandit looked at Shula. ”I think we have help.”

Short post lol. Sorry! I hardly have the time, but I really want to post XD --

Azriel swept through the rapidly darkening sky, seeming aimless in his flight but in reality following his two Shadow Companions - at a distance, of course, keeping just within range of their telepathy that was limited only to him. The hatchling's entry into the Xoyan lands had definitely not gone unnoticed, but, well, a hatchling was a hatchling, they couldn't do much harm. And they were always fun to watch... even if they turned out to be a thief. He'd half a mind to stop the red one there as she fled from the stall she'd stolen from, but observing her was far more entertaining. Az would stop her later.

Then, another one entered the fray - one that he'd been monitoring very closely with the Shadow that wasn't occupied with watching over the hatchlings. Now, now - here was a grown adult that should've known better, he thought disapprovingly. Yet, he only just exited the palace; a scuffle between his guards having kept him occupied. He could only take action now, and hope that the adult wouldn't cause too much trouble.

Until it did. Two of his guards, down. Admittedly not one of the more experienced ones - fresh out of their training. Spending a second to mourn how their life had been cut short, he changed direction, carving a smooth arc in the sky. Vortex was there, he'd take care of the hatchlings, he hoped. The adult meanwhile... Azriel would land right in front of them moments within his change of direction, for it hadn't been very far from where he was. He would say, "Stop right there. Killer of my two guards and wounding hatchlings- What have you got to say for yourself?" If they'd done their homework, they'd recognise him as the General of Defence; and the commander, in a way, of those guards. If they'd done their homework, they should be scared.

But of course life was never that nice. His voice was sharp and cold, his gaze unforgiving, even if he knew he would be met with hostility.

Zollyunis was slowly making her way back through the alleyways in which she had so expertly removed the guards. If she had it her way, she’d have just gone to the roofs again. However, Zolly had spent a little too long in the sunlight and was beginning to feel the burning heat of the sun, even in the shade.
Once again, she cursed her sullied origins. She needed to find those dragonlings. Her mother always told her to kill whomever encountered her.
No survivors.
How many times had she been told that? Now filled with dread over leaving a victim alive, Zollyunis began to race through the alleys. She had to find them, for her own sake. The last thing she wanted was living victims knowing what she looked like. The guards would be on her within an instant. Zolly would have to go in hiding for weeks, again. Zollyunis paused in another alley and took a breath. She needed to calm down.

A hunter never panicked. A hunter would be calm and collected at all times. At least, that was what she was taught. Her mother, a witch at most, taught Zolly many useful things. Voodoo magic, tracking spells, puppet making... 
Puppets....
She could make a puppet to search the dragonlings out. How could she have forgot? Zolly was halfway to her destination when a dragon landed in front of her. A handsome one at that, at least, that’s what she’d think if she wasn’t so irritated at the moment.
“Stop right there. Killer of my two guards and wounding hatchlings- What have you got to say for yourself?” 

She recognized that voice. She’d only been in the Xoyan territories all of three times. Zolly had heard this one speak before.
“Oh, I’m sorry, they were yours? Aziel- was it? General of Defence eh? I’m honored.” She added a flirtatious tone to her voice. She had no interest in this character, but maybe she’d irritate this high dragon a bit.
“And I have much to say. The wounding of those hatchlings, I admit to. However, culturally, if my kind is challenged, we fight back. It’s not my fault your two weaky guards, and annoying hatchlings decided to challenge me.” A complete lie. But Zolly didn't care. She paused, approaching the General. She gave him quick lookdown, this dragon would definitely overpower her in a close-combat fight. She continued, fangs retracted to not induce fear. Not yet.
“You don’t plan on challenging me… Do you General?” She whispered in the face of the other dragon, waiting before walking around him.
“I wouldn’t. If you value your handsome hide.” Zollyunis ran her tail under the General’s chin, flicking the barbed tip as she walked by. A glimmer of excitement ran through her black scales. There might be a chance for her to kill this one, but the chance wasn’t then. She continued down the alleyway following the scent trail the guards had left behind when they chased her. She didn’t know if the General would follow. She turned her head and chuckled.

“I didn’t think so.”

I'll post now, since whisper and my characters are in a different location, tell me if there's a problem. I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of your topic to rp with someone else Athy, so I'll try to get Az back asap, don't know about whisper though. --

Azriel didn't rise to the stranger's bait, instead seeing through it as easily one would peer through glass, this move having been tried on him by many amateurs, this one no exception. Contempt would flash briefly in his eyes, unnoticeable unless one paid much attention to them, while his angry expression melted into a more neutral one that he wore often. His guards... The training they received was far from weak; perhaps, as individuals more new to their occupation, they had not been alert enough, a mistake the older ones would not have been stupid enough to make. However, he wasn't going to pin it all on their greenness; their training could've been too basic. Az would review it when he got back later.

When, not if. For he was confident enough to surpass and win in a fight should the aggressive female engage him in one; but he wasn't stupid enough to underestimate an opponent. Easily, he evaded her tail by a minute shift in the position of his head, remaining unperturbed. He took into flight then, flying and landing right in front of her at the end of the alleyway, where he had more space to move. He didn't stand particularly close to her, so that he would have time to dodge if necessary; should she want to challenge him to a hand-to-hand duel, she would have to come to him.

The path he'd taken was not directly above her, lest she tried to attack; rather, he flew up onto a roof to his left, above it, and curved his direction and landed in front of her. Blocking her way--but with no trace of hostility in his seemingly relaxed body stance. He said in a voice that could never be ignored, "I understand what you took from those guards was a necessity. And I will not shun you for it. But." He narrowed his eyes then. "It wasn't necessary to take their lives, was it? You could knock them out, and feed, but leave them alive. Or am I wrong? Is there no way to stop the process of feeding while it starts? And, if you're going to challenge me with the problem of not having enough blood, why are you even in Xoya? Why not in the rogue lands, where they are scattered and easier to target?"

If she wanted to get by him, she'd have to physically do it, or fly above him. As he spoke, shadows peeled away from behind her, forming an unnoticeable spike underneath her tail. No, he wouldn't kill her, but spearing through the tip of her tail should she try to fly was an easy way to stop her. Azriel's one shadow companion hovered behind him, unnoticeable smoke that had been dispersed so as to be harder to notice, but watching his back, ready to notify him of any attacks from behind.

(Its totally fine, Arty!)

Shula tried to have hope. She felt numb. If she couldn't see... How was she going to get home to the Stormcallers? Well, what sort of a home she had there. The idea of being shunned by the other hatchlings for her blindness appalled her more than anything. How was she going to have fun? To play? She refused to cry, but it was becoming harder not to as Bandit led her to the balcony. Afraid of falling over the edge, she kept her talonless paw on his wrist, gripping tightly.

A deep, adult voice halted her increasingly depressing train of thought before it could drive any further. It seemed kinder than the frightening female that had taken her sight. Shula turned her head in his general direction, but her misty eyes betrayed her loss of sight.

As Bandit responded to the stranger, Shula began to see soft colours dancing before her eyes. Light. After a few more moments, vague shapes began to swirl into place. The silhouettes of the buildings, framed by the sunlight, appeared in front of her.

Shula gasped. She was healing! "M-my eyes!" she cried, a smile spreading onto her face. "Bandit, I'm starting to see!" she looked at him and there he was, a washed out, murky white and gold shape. Her vision was clearing!

(Short post is short, I'm just mad at Forumotion).
Vortex nodded in understanding as the youngling asked for his assistance, as he was more or less expecting them to ask him for help. Although frankly, he wasn’t all that interested in them. He was more interested in the female who had blinded the red one. There was something… peculiar about her. Either way, he wanted to have a little ‘conversation’ with her. Besides, perhaps he could use them as bait, purely to lure her out. No, that would be rude. He thought to himself, grimacing at the possible outcomes of that scenario. And possibly end in their demise.

“Your parents, huh?” He asked, trying to keep a conversation going with the not-blind one. “Where are they? I could call them down here if they are close. That is if you even live here. Or anywhere, for that matter. You know what? Nevermind. Just tell me where I can bring you where you both will be safe.” Vortex began to get the idea that they weren’t from the Xoya, the red one in particular as her scales stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of black and grey scales which made up most of the Xoya.

Looking back towards the innards of the city, he gave a short, empty chuckle. “Someone stirred up quite the hornets' nest out there.” He mused, a few cogs turning. “Would that have been one of you?” He still wanted to know where the aggressive female was, as he had a few questions for her of his own.

(Not sure if there's a post order or somthin, but i'm just gonna post real quick)


Fear
Zollyunis didn’t feel fear often, but this dragon, how did he know? He must have seen her feed... Her fangs slid out instinctually as he jumped in her path, claiming such things as if he knew what she was, WHO she was.
“Everything I do is necessary. There is no way to end it. Besides, you wouldn’t know. No one does.” She turned her head to a dark corner of the alley. 
Mouse remains.
Silently she animated it, quietly telling it to search out the hatchlings. She turned back to the General, acting like she was nervous.
“The rouge lands? Are you kidding?” She was in hysterics.
“They’ll string me up and skin me alive.” She hissed.
“Those rogues are vicious, even more than I am. Its to dangerous for me to hunt there. But these cities…” She stiffened, her puppet had found where the hatchlings were. Now she had to find a way out of the problem she’d gotten herself into.
“So intricate and confusing. Perfect for me as a hunter. Besides, dragons who hunt my kind live there, so I’ve been told.” She sighed. If there was a time to be truthful, it was now.
“Besides, I’m on a job. I’ve been hired by some unsavory dragons to make someone “disappear” for a while. Nothing bothering to you of course. Just someone whose been digging in a bit to deep.” Zollyunis tucked in her wings, sitting and gracefully wrapping her sweeping tail around her paws.
“In reality, i’m sorry for killing those two, but I had to. I’m guessing you know what I mean. Anyway, is there a way we can form a sort of deal?” 
She scornfully thought.
One that I’d break quick.
Zollyunis cocked her head.
“I need to do this job. I can’t do it if i’m rotting away in some cell of yours if you plan to arrest me.” Zollyunis glanced at the General, he didn’t seem like he was going to attack her.
“Azriel, you seem the reasonable type… I won’t hunt anymore in this city, heck, I won’t come here anymore if you let me do this job.” She intensified her gaze.

“If I don’t get this done… well lets say someone will be very angry.”

Bandit looked at the masked dragon with a smile. He was actually willing to help them. This was great! He asked if there was somewhere they’d be safe, though he started to ask whether or not the hatchling’s family even lived there. The Solar-Lunar hatchling was about to say something when he heard Shula speak again.

She... She was seeing again! Bandit couldn’t help but smile. He soon yelled out ”You can see!” He gave her a quick hug before looking back at Vortex. His tail wagged a bit as he spoke. ”My parents may be the safest spot. Their back that way.” The hatchling then pointed in the direction they’d need to go. ”They’re Solar-Lunar dragons, so Daddy should at least be easy to see.”

After Bandit pointed this out, the adult dragon asked if a commotion in the market earlier. The hatchling thought for a moment, thinking if he had caused it, but the dragon just shook his head. ”No.”

For all her shows of confidence, the smaller dragon seemed unable to mask her surprise when Azriel made his silent arrival in front of her. Clearly, she hadn't expected him to follow - was her opinion of him that low? Utterly unfazed, he stood and waited patiently for whatever excuse she might attempt to fool him with. "No one does," he echoed her statement, a trace of amusement in his voice. "So you don't know how to end it, either. How would you be certain that you can't, then?" he pointed out coolly, watching as the recipient of his words turned her head to a corner of the dark alley. Was she looking for something?

When she turned her gaze back to Azriel, her attitude had changed, switching from a sort of hopeless bitterness and fake confidence to... Hysterics. The change felt unnatural, and very abrupt, and he wondered what exactly she'd seen in the alley, to change her like that... Or had she been doing something, and her show of emotions a trick to distract him? What was it that she sought to accomplish while his attention was diverted? Not to attack him, not yet, for his Shadow Companion reported no movement.

"In this world, it's kill or be killed," he interjected, unmoved by her hysterics, "even if you have it harder than anyone else. And you realise that hunting in cities are even more dangerous in the rogue lands?" One by one, he pointed her logic errors with no small amount of satisfaction. "Numbers are scattered. If a body goes missing, what's the chances of it being noticed, if the body belongs to a lone rogue with no family? As for being hunted, hide your teeth, simple, or any other weaknesses you have. Move frequently." He shrugged. "Of course, this is completely up to you, I couldn't care less; but since you're hunting in my city, I have no choice but to interfere. Who is this unfortunate individual, if I may ask?" If she would be wordy, he would be too.

He cocked his head, considering. If she weren't lying, that would answer his question of what she was doing in Xoya. On an unpleasant mission. "I won't arrest you until you give me a good reason to. And don't assume what kind of dragon I am. Doesn't work," he said, smiling. "As for your boss being angry, too bad. You'll have to disappoint him. And if it's YOU who'll be mad - well then, it's time to see what you're made of, but your remaining time spent here will be very unpleasant if you choose to attack, I must warn. And then your revenge on the hatchlings will be... Delayed. And they will get away."

A Shadow Companion would materialise beside Vortex and trace letters slowly on a nearby dirt ground with its tail: Azriel is holding up the intruder in an alley approximately five wingbeats to your right. Increase distance or prepare for battle.