Waiting, tag: Eben

[Nyx]

He stepped back and she fell flat with a gasp as the breath was driven from her lungs, and she heard an angry sound from nearby as her mare leapt forward. If horses could growl she would have said the mare was, and the animal stood over her as Eben shifted. All she could see was a green so dark it could have been black. That... was not him. This.. was not him. She knew, she could understand the hate he seemed to have for her, and to be honest she wasn't even angry about it. She felt she deserved it. It was her fault that he was now this way. She'd held him back. Yes he would have died but-

Blearily, she rolled onto her side, and when the rush of wind from strong wings had passed the mare whuffled gently and nudged her, which pushed her over onto her back. Groaning, it soon subsided to a whimper and she heard a concerned noise from the mare as her eyelids fluttered. Next she knew there was a big, warm body next to her and she curled towards the closest thing she had to a friend.

Nyx passed out, too weak to keep awake and even too weak to even think any longer. The mare nuzzled her friend, staring in the direction the male dragon had gone. What an asshole... She understood, afterall much the same thing had happened to her long ago and it was why she just... had not changed back. Now she was stuck this way for that matter, but she didn't mind it. Nyx treated her well. But the male.. he was going to get her friend killed and all the hybrid ever wanted was to help. What made it worse was this was the first being the dragon had reached out to in a long time. This... was going to crush her. Shaking her large head she kept awake and kept observing. It was all she could do, and if that dragon came back she would crush him with her hooves like the little mouse he was acting like.

======

The purple started awake a few hours later, gasping in panic. She'd been dreaming and all she could remember was that she'd been covered in blood. Looking at herself she realized she still was, though it was dry, and she groaned as she felt the pain. She was still so weary, where was-

Her eyes narrowed.

That's right, he'd left her. She'd healed him and he'd let her fall.

Nyx didn't realize why she was so angry, but another part of her did. The mare moved away when she smelled the beast so close, warily eying the young dragon. The hybrid was trembling, angry, scales whipping over her skin. The beast was angry because the beast knew what he could be, what she wanted him to be. Growling, she rolled to her feet, glancing at the mare with glowing, angry eyes before looking away.

She was going to find him, and she was going to make him pay. Not hurt him, she couldn't do that but... she didn't know what she was going to do. It was a mark of how agitated she was that she didn't even think to take the mare with her, but went moving into the forest. She didn't even realize that the scales had stayed, or the eyes, or the wicked claws that curved from her fingertips. She was just that pissed.

[Eben]

The charred remains littered the floor around him. His bear feet crushing over broken and burned wood. glass cut into the souls of his feet but he did not feel. Who was he again? Oh yes he remembered Eben. This had been his home, this had been where his family lived. They were gone now. The being moved through the scorched remains of the place that was once his home. In the ruins lay the bodies. Charred and burned beyond all recognition but he knew it was his family. His mother and father had been left to burn, their bodies nothing but trash to these monsters.

Flashes of the hours before assaulted his mind but he felt no pain, only hate and anger. The smell of burnt flesh caused bile to rise in his throat. He found himself kneeling beside the remains of his mother. He reached out soot covered hands to the body and touched the cheek. For a second he remembered the light, he remembered the love and the sound of her voice. Then it was gone suffocated by the grief and the hate. His hands moved to his legs and he looked down at the bodies. He knew deep inside these were just their husks that their souls lived on together in the heavens with the Gold.

The Gold, the fucking Gold. All his life he believed that the Gold would save them. He could have sworn the Gold saved him only the day before. But now? Had it been fate to be saved once then to watch his family murdered? He didn’t know, but he could not blame the Gold. The Gold was a myth and you could not blame such a thing. He knew who was to blame, the fucking slayers, the humans. They would all pay for what had been done to him.

His fingers touched the floor and he frowned as he found the gold locket his father had commissioned for his mother on their mating day. Lifting the scorched chain from the fire he looked at the locket. It was melted closed, he doubted it would ever open again. Lifting it before his eyes he felt a pang of pain but easily pushed it away. He slipped the long chain over his neck and the melted locket sat over his heart. The metal was warm, no doubt from the fire’s heat.

He was about to push himself up when he heart the foot fall in the broken glass and turned his head to the side. Damn he had not scented the slayer due to the smell of burnt flesh and smoke.

“We knew you would come back, your kind always do… told Mason I could do you myself… it will be a perfect birthday present to myself… ending your evil existence….”

Eben rose slowly to his feet and turned around to face the slayer. He was a tall man dressed in leathers and chainmail armour. His face was scarred and he held a long sword in his hand the blade tipped to the floor. He had a smirk on his face and evil intent in his eyes. Eben did not react he just stared at the man. Flashes assaulted his mind, he was the one who had held his mother down as they cut off her head. Eben’s vision darkened around the edges.

“Not going to say anything beast? Do your kind even care when we kill those who gave you life… I guess not, no emotions I am told…”

The eyes of the beast moved to the slayer and he straightened and lifted the sword.

“Going to make this easy like your old man? Or cry and scream like your poor mother…?”

Eben… no wait. He was not Eben, he was dead, gone, nothing more. The being who lived inside this body now was something all together different. The slayer did not even get a chance to move, he liked it this way. Power rolled from his form and deep inside the ground. He seized control of the briar vines and pulled them under his command. As the slayer grinned the beast gave a slow, cold smile. The slayers smile wavered slightly then faded as he felt the ground rumbling under his feet. He didn’t even raise his sword as a nest of vicious briar thorns exploded from the ground around him and surrounded his body in seconds.

His sword arm was quickly disabled as the 2inch thorns sunk deep into his flesh. He cried out as they wrapped around his body. The beast did not move he just watched tilting his head to the side. The slayers eyes were wide watching as the dragon before him shifted from human form into Drakos and spread his wings.

“Look at your creation well slayer… for I will be the last thing you see, know I will now hunt your family, your women and children… they will all feel the pain of my thorns….”

The slayer tried to speak but the vines were tight around his throat. Blood rolled down his body and pooled on the floor spreading out like an evil cloud.

“I am Agon, your destruction… your fate… bleed for me slayer…”

He reached out and ran his talons over the bloody vines. He brought the bloody talons to his lips and licked off the blood. He would now be able to track his family and they would all die by his hands. Agon turned to leave as the slayer wheezed out his words.

“The… they will… hunt you…. You’r…. you’re al… already… de…dead…”

He laughed as blood filled his mouth and started to choke him. Agon paused folding his wings upon his dark green back. He turned and regarded the dying man. He gave the slayer a cold smile his eyes void of feeling and he watched with fierce joy the widening of the slayers eyes.

“Yes…. I know….”

He turned moved to the bodies of his parents, he knelt down and lifted the charred remains. They were so light, so fragile. With a gentleness this being hardly possessed he walked from the ghost of a home the bodies cradled in his arms. He would give his parents final passing ritual then nothing would hold him back.

[Nyx]

She knew she was behind, so far behind, knew that hours had passed and she worried for Eben despite how livid she was. There was something not just changed about him but wrong. She had not known him long but he had been.. sweet, and now was most definitely not.

If she had known it was the dragon driving her anger she may have understood that the beast was angry not at Eben, but at the other the more instinctual side of her knew was there. The beast understood it, but it still made her angry. This.. other was keeping her from the one she was curious about, the one that she wanted to get to know better, and that made the dragon in her very angry.

The influence of the beast was why she didn't realize how fast she was moving, didn't realize the scales were there or even the claws, the teeth... It was the main reason why she was surprised to find herself back at the scene, gagging on the smell of burnt flesh and old blood except...

Nyx stared at the tumble of briars and because of the life in the plants she almost didn't sense the nearly extinguished one in the center of them. Drawing closer, afraid of what she would find she stepped in something slick, and looking down saw it was a spreading stain of blood. So much blood... and then she saw a face, just barely through the mess of thorns and she gasped. By the Gold.. what had Eben done? She knew it was him that had done this, no one else could have made the briars emerge from the scorched earth like this but who- Her gaze hardened when she heard the whispered words from the ruined, dying man inside.

"Dragon.. should be dead... he.. going to kill my.. family.."

The purple shuddered as the life left the man, but more than that she was shuddering because of his words. Eben was going to do what? Killing the Slayer he could understand but the family? Would he really kill the children or had he just said that to leave the Slayer in fear? Yes, that was it. It had to be. The light she had seen in him would never let him kill an innocent, even if they were human... right? She whined as she backed slowly away. More Slayers would be here when they realized their fellow had not come back. She had to keep moving. Familiar hoofbeats signaled the arrival of the mare, and she looked up briefly, still backing slowly from the blood.

"We... we need to find him my friend. Before he does something he regrets." Why she was talking to the horse she didn't know, but she always had, and the mare seemed to understand, shoving her nose against Nyx's chest in comfort. The young hybrid whimpered, running her fingers through the black mane before she stepped back. Swinging up, she winced. She had the energy to move but not to heal herself, not yet. Even her fingers were.. black at the tips? She actually looked, seeing the talons, and blinked. What the hell? Shoving up her sleeves she saw the scales and swore. Oh gods... how... She tried to pull them back, but was unable, and she grew more and more frightened as the mare started to move, forcing her to hold on rather than look at herself. Was she stuck this way? What was happening? The panic spurred her, and the more frightened she became the more control she lost. Soon she could feel her teeth lengthening in her jaws, wings pushing to escape from her back. The dragon wanted out. Wanted to reach... Eben?

It was strange, she almost understood. Her dragon.. wanted to find him too? Nyx was afraid of the beast, but she wanted to find the green, and after a moment's hesitation she succumbed, letting her beast out. The wings came first, normal, full-size of her beast, lifting her from the mare's back and beating hard, taking her into the air. And as she flew higher her form changed, scales covering her skin, her body twisting and expanding and eventually her long, sleek form was there in the sky. She was a pale, pale violet with smaller streaks of a slightly darker blue over her scales and she was flying. Finally. She roared, a sound of determined, concrete intent but it was also a summons. Not of course that the dragon imagined the male would listen.

[Craven]

The cool wind at his face was a welcome occurance, but the scents it brought with it were not. Slayers were heavy on the breeze, and for this reason Craven was on edge. His wolf was very present in his movements, and even the hair on his arms was thicker than normal, a sign he was right on the edge of shifting. Looking over at his travel companion, Pax, he took another breath of the wind before asking,

"You smell 'em?"

He was referring to the Slayers, but the scent of dragons was potent in his nostrils as well. These lands were under his control, and as such he guarded them fiercely. The wind ruffled his short hair again, and as it passed Craven identified a few of the dragons... three made up a family of greens on his lands, and one was a mixblood he hadn't met, as of yet.

Their scent, accompanied with the Slayers', made Craven pick up his gait to a brisk walk. As he made his way over the well-worn trail, the Slayers' scent brought back painful memories of his first-born's death. It had been an average hunting trip, one that turned into his worst nightmare.

"Daddy! Come look! I promise you, mine's bigger."

He laughed, and bounding over in his dire form Craven bent over her kill and examined it. Yes, the deer was old and sickly, but he still had a good amount of meat on his bones. His rack, though, was hardly impressive, and Craven voiced this.

"Ah, Aspen. Yeah, he's a good-sized buck, but I have to argue. Obviously, mine has to count for more because of his antlers... Look at those tines, girl!"

Their banter was playful, though, and in response the dark haired girl snapped her jaws at her father.

"Fine, I'll just have to catch another."

Before Craven could say something about not wasting the meat, she was off, racing away in her wolf form. He grinned at her enthusiasm before shifting fully, sliding seamlessly into his wolf skin. With a hum of pleasure, he began to eat. After all, what good was a kill if you couldn't enjoy it?

He'd been eating for some time when it dawned on him that he hadn't heard anything from Aspen. When he lifted his maw to the air to try and scent her, he realized with annoyance she was downwind. Damn... well, she'd show up eventually.

He was finishing up the deer's rump when a howl rang across his ears, a pleading cry for help that was abruptly cut off. Immediately, without hesitation Craven was racing through the forest, flying as he pushed his body to the limit. His daughter needed him, and all he could think was, Oh Slaen...

As he got closer, boisterous voices got his attention and, now that he was closer, he furiously realized the voices belonged to Slayers. With a savage snarl he broke through the brush into the clearing where Aspen was being poked and prodded like a mere dog. She wasn't yet old enough to have learned the best ways to fight in her wolf skin; hell, they were still hunting with her!

As one of the bolder ones got close, Craven lunged for his throat, catching the human off guard with his ferocity. How had they known she was a Kin? Yeah, they were bigger than average wolves, but... damn. As Craven caught a glimpse of one of those god-damned enchanted talismans, he swore rather eloquently in his mind. Leaping off the now dying Slayer, he pushed in front of Aspen again, shielding her with his own body...

Closing his eyes tightly, Craven shoved down the painful memory. Gods... the Slayers were an abomination, one he'd be glad to help rid their lives of.

Eventually the house of the greens' came into view, and Craven was shocked to see it in charred ruins. Why had he not smelt smoke? Was he too busy reliving his daughter's death? Craven shot a questioning look back at Pax, wondering what the bear was thinking? Was this a trap?

[Pax]

The last thing Pax had wanted to do this morning was pull his friend from the arms of his wife. But they needed to be going. They had a long trip before them and they needed to get going and soon. The council would be meeting in days and if they missed the conclave they would have to wait another month. So the pair had left after Craven had finally left the warmth of his wife. Pax felt back and right now insanely jealous. Khelek would never be a house wife, she would never wait at home for him to come home from a battle or from a job. She was way too independent for that, and part of him hated it. He had watched Craven when he was courting Char he had watched the pair go through the motions until finally they have given in and become mates. It was not long after the pair met Craven had left the Cavel, he could not watch all that lovely stuff without a twinge of jealously.

Right now Craven was on edge, something was off. Pax could feel it too. The air was too still, the animals too quite. Something really bad had happened and it looked like they were going to be walking right into the middle of it. The pair slowed down and fell easily into their old rolls, Craven would move first, fast striker, move in for the fast hits. Pax would hold back and he the brawler, stronger with much more stamina then his wolf friend he could take on almost any fighter and win. The pair moved slowly as they both caught the scent of slayers. Great just what they needed.

"You smell 'em?"

Pax nodded and moved forward slowly his brown eyes skimming the forest edge. His eyes moving to the floor looking for tracks. He did not realise his friend had fallen into his past. Oh he had been at the Cavel when Craven lost his first born. His friend had almost lost his soul that night. As a family they had mourned the loss of one so young. And as blood-brothers the pair had taken revenge for the loss.

Pax moved around the corner and stopped still. By Slaen! The smell assaulted his nose, burnt flesh, blood and death. His throat would not work. Oh gods this was horrible. Pax looked at Craven as his friend seemed to come back to his mind. Pax lifted a hand and pointed for his friend to go into the forest and take wolf form. He would move in as a human and they would double team the site.

Moving forward slowly he moved to a pristine well built wall with a lovely carved wooden gate. It was all so perfect and simple and happy. It did not fit well with the remains of the cottage and the smell of death. Pushing the gate open Pax moved forwards towards the where the front door had been. His booted feet crunched on the charcoaled wood and glass. He looked left and right his knees bent slightly ready for anything. Then he came across a huge mass of briar thorns and the smell of fresh blood rolled to his nose.

Pax stood deathly still looking at the remains. What beast could control such things? He took a step back his eyes roaming over the body. Craven would need to see this. Lifting his hand to his lips he let out a sharp quick whistle. Craven would hear and know it meant you’re needed.

[Craven]

As Pax'd motioned for Craven to take his second skin, the dark wolf happily obliged. Slipping out of his deerskin pants, Craven left them in a heap on the ground along with his linen shirt and hide boots as he stalked off into the forest. Shifting right now was an easy thing, as his wolf was very much present after he'd scented the Slayers. After he'd melted seamlessly into his wolf skin, Craven looked back at Pax once more before moving into the thick brush.

Life was so much simpler as a beast, Craven mused as he padded silently along, a forest wraith. You ate, you slept, and you loved without any of the worries of the human world. Sometimes... sometimes Craven just wished he could leave his human skin behind and stay like this.

Coming around on the treeline, Craven watched, invisible. His dark brown coat blended seamlessly with the shadows, making stealth easy. Golden eyes followed his blood-brother as Pax explored the house, and absentmindedly Craven wondered how Pax could stand it. In this skin, the scents were so much more potent, thus it smelled like the Slayers were all around them. Gods, there must've been a horde for their scent to be this strong...

Craven then snorted, wanting the stomach-turning smell to be gone from his senses.

As Pax passed behind a wall and stayed there, Craven shifted nervously; with the smell of Slayers so heady in his brain, it was natural for him to want to see his friend; after losing one of his family to them, he was not going to go through that again.

Just then a sharp, clipped whistle caught his auds and immediately Craven responded, knowing Pax's signals. Ah, when they'd been younger they were quite the team... and even today their teamwork flowed without a hitch.

His paws left no trace on the hard ground, but in the ashes he left a trail of prints as he padded to Pax's side, snarling quietly as he saw the briars before him. Had he not had the nose to smell the blood, Craven would've just thought it was a pile of thorns, but upon closer inspection he caught a glimpse of human skin. The human side of Craven shuddered, while his wolf just took it in, all business.

What could've done such a thing? Green dragons could use such powers, but the family that had lived here wasn't at all dark; they were simple, nice people who enjoyed their lives, regardless of their possessions.

The only logical explanation Craven could summon was that maybe the Slayers had appeared and, in an attempt to save their family, one of the dragons had called up the briars. It made them less horrendous... Craven could sympathize. After all, if something threatened his family, he knew there wasn't anything he wouldn't use to save them.

[Nyx]

She was flying high, and Nyx was quiet in her mind, though the dragon knew the other part of her could panic very quickly. So she kept the flight fairly slow, fairly gentle, and it needed to be anyway. She was never going to see where her male had gone if she was spiraling around like a fiend after being trapped in human skin for so long. Leveling off she looked around, and when she saw movement back in the direction of the farm she saw red. The two tiny figures, well she could not tell what they were but it was probably Slayers. She was so, so angry at the loss of Eben's family and what it had done to him that she didn't stop to think and turning sloppily she flew back in that direction.

A couple of minutes later she was high over the farm, and folding her wings she dropped like a stone towards the ground. At the last second she flared her wings, landing with a thump, talons digging into the earth right beside the mess of briars, her long neck extended and low in threat.

"I will kill you," she rumbled, her form about as big as a small horse. From size alone it was obvious she was young. The spines along her neck and back stood on end, and she flared her wings, trying to make herself look as big and as threatening as possible.

Which was when she took a moment to actually look. Nyx slowly relaxed, her bright purple eyes whirling violently still. Bear and wolf, they were Beastkin. Folding her wings back down she snarled, raising her head and staring at the pair. "Slayers were here not long ago. They killed Eben's family. I held him back because he would have died too. He came back here, I think he did this... something changed... I have to stop him before he does something horrible. The Slayer said something about his children being threatened and human or not I can't.. let him.. do that."

She was panting, and babbling, and quite obviously panicking. It was Nyx in control, at least of the speech. The coordinated, sleek way she was moving was instinctual and therefore her dragon.

"Can you help me track him? If he killed this one I think he is going to go after them all and he was so sweet before. This is not him. He hates me for holding him back but he would have died and I couldn't have that so please help me." Nyx had stopped growling by this point, and was panting instead, staring at the pair. "I'm sorry but I'm panicking. This is the only shift that I actually remember and a male I think I like has gone crazy. My name is Nyx and I'm a trader. Who are you?"

[Pax]

Pax looked at his friend and then back at the patch of briars. This kind of dark killing came from a soul which was hollow and empty. This was revenge pure and simple, Pax could feel the darkness in the air. He snorted slightly as he looked down at his friend and moved closer to the thorns. The blood was very fresh maybe only an hour if not less. This was not good, he knew a green dragon could control such things he also knew of the green rule of do no harm with your power. If this had been his family home, he understood the drive, oh he did. His nature could be very dark and cruel but he fought against it for his sanity.

He was about to speak his mind when he heard the beating of wings in the sky. He looked around in alarm, if this was the green and he was angry, they were screwed. The pair of them could not take on such a beast and live. His honey eyes moved to the sky and he watched the dragon land. Well this was no green, this was something else. Blue and purple? He frowned as she hissed and puffed her chest up her wings out.

She spoke of killing them and he made no move to attack her. He waited, it did not take long for the dragon to suck in a breath of air and realise that these men were not slayers. Hell he wondered if Daemon had known about this attack or had it been just a random, non planned execution. He watched as she hissed out air and lowered her head so she could see him and Craven. Narrowing his eyes at the dragon he refused to step back. He would not be seen as weak by a beast that could eat him in one mouthful.

"Slayers were here not long ago. They killed Eben's family. I held him back because he would have died too. He came back here, I think he did this... something changed... I have to stop him before he does something horrible. The Slayer said something about his children being threatened and human or not I can't.. let him.. do that."

Pax looked at Craven and waited as the dragon clearly was not finished. She was rambling a bit. Which coming from a dragon mouth was actually really strange looking. So the green had come back to kill the slayers. In truth he did not know if he would do any less then the green. But go after the slayers children? Was this green that far gone?

"Can you help me track him? If he killed this one I think he is going to go after them all and he was so sweet before. This is not him. He hates me for holding him back but he would have died and I couldn't have that so please help me. I'm sorry but I'm panicking. This is the only shift that I actually remember and a male I think I like has gone crazy. My name is Nyx and I'm a trader. Who are you?"

Oh dear, so it was not just coming home and finding what was left. He had seen what happened. That made more sense, at least to the point of how a green could do something like this using the essence of nature. Pax dropped his eyes and looked at Craven. Yeah he now understood and yeah he got it, seeing your family butchered would drive anyone to insanity, that had to be the reason, the green had lost his mind through tragedy and pain.

“I am Pax, Master of the Order of the sun, this is Craven leader of the Geddon Cavel… are you sure that he wants to be found Nyx? Maybe he needs time to calm, if he is angry at you, you may be the last person he wishes to see….”

[Craven]

The wingbeats flooded Craven's senses, jerking him from his musings on the Slayer before him. He shot a glance at Pax before turning to watch the dragon drop like a stone and land close to them, it's neck held low in defense. Well, at least it wasn't the green who'd done this, as Craven knew it wouldn’t be inclined to listen to reason. Revenge was a mind-consuming madness; Craven knew exactly what the green was going through.

As he dragon proceeded to give them a death threat, Craven just stood his ground next to Pax, refusung to show any weakness. His head was lowered, his lips curled into a soundless snarl, and his tail was held high as a banner, proclaiming his rank. If it came down to a fight, the odds were certainly not on Craven and Pax's side, but they could always try. Maybe a double-team would do the trick?

Eventually, the dragon relaxed, and Craven did the same, pulling his head back up high and alert and softening his body language. At least, this encounter with the blue and purple scaled dragon wouldn’t be a fight. Apparently, it had just dawned on her their heritage... the thought amused Craven slightly, but he kept his features passive and hard as stone.

"Slayers were here not long ago. They killed Eben's family. I held him back because he would have died too. He came back here, I think he did this... something changed... I have to stop him before he does something horrible. The Slayer said something about his children being threatened and human or not I can't.. let him.. do that."

"Can you help me track him? If he killed this one I think he is going to go after them all and he was so sweet before. This is not him. He hates me for holding him back but he would have died and I couldn't have that so please help me. I'm sorry but I'm panicking. This is the only shift that I actually remember and a male I think I like has gone crazy. My name is Nyx and I'm a trader. Who are you?"

Craven thankfully was able to resist the urge to snort at her babbled words. Poor child… her only shift? He couldn’t imagine the emotions she must be feeling. All angry and scared, but confused as well about her own body. His teacher persona kicking in, Craven wished there was a way he could help the girl. As it was, he had no knowledge of dragons and their changes…

“I am Pax, Master of the Order of the sun, this is Craven leader of the Geddon Cavel… are you sure that he wants to be found Nyx? Maybe he needs time to calm, if he is angry at you, you may be the last person he wishes to see….”

After asserning it was safe, Craven shifted up and into his dire-form, as he didn’t want to embarrass the poor girl by standing there in only his own skin. His arms and legs covered by a dark layer of fur, Craven rolled his shoulders back and stretched before adding his own piece to Paxon’s advice.

”I have to agree, Nyx. Revenge is a dangerous emotion… the rage can consume you so much that you might end up forgetting who you really are and who you care about. Trust me… I know.”

[Nyx]

She didn't know what to do and was so, so close to panic, which was really why she was babbling. Well that and the fact that the more human part of her still wasn't on board with the whole being a dragon bit. She didn't know what to do, and a surge of that part of her had her stumbling a bit in her pacing. Though the dragon quickly took control of the physical aspects and her gait smoothed out.

The young dragon was actually worried enough that she wasn't even looking at the two in front of her, which was silly. Just because they were Beastkin didn't mean they weren't a danger. She just... it wasn't even on her mind at all. She was worried and upset and her the dragon part of her was freaking out. Not because the green it liked was acting unnatural, she recognized that there was darkness to nature, but because he had changed so quickly and was planning ton hurt children. Human or not children were innocent and should not be harmed. The fact that he was killing them didn't bother her, she'd seen and felt what had happened, but it was the viciousness of it. She could never inflict suffering on others. If she ever had to kill something she would make it quick and as painless as possible.

“I am Pax, Master of the Order of the sun, this is Craven leader of the Geddon Cavel… are you sure that he wants to be found Nyx? Maybe he needs time to calm, if he is angry at you, you may be the last person he wishes to see….”

She swung her scaled head around to look at him, and tried to calm down enough to consider the words. Maybe he didn't want to see her... it hurt but she could accept that. But she still couldn't let him kill any children. "But... what if what the Slayer said is true? Human or not no child deserves death. That and... he is not himself. What if he wakes up? What would that do to him..." The wolf shifted, and she glanced at him, shaking her large head. She knew the truth of what the bear was saying but she didn't want to accept it. The dragon part of her really wanted to get to know the green better, and so did she. He had been so unlike any of the males she had come across before.

”I have to agree, Nyx. Revenge is a dangerous emotion… the rage can consume you so much that you might end up forgetting who you really are and who you care about. Trust me… I know.”

Nyx looked at the dire wolf, meeting his eyes, and when she saw the stark pain there she looked away, hanging her head on a long neck. She looked defeated, and in fact she felt like it too. "Yes... I do not no of revenge but I know what it feels like to lose someone. Maybe.. that's why I want to follow him. I'm afraid I'll lose him too." She flushed, which was quite an odd thing to see in a dragon. Her pale violent scales deepened in color, starting from her nose to the tip of her tail, and she looked away from the two males. "Not that I ever had him of course I just mean-" She stopped talking, her tail twitching in embarrassed agitation as she collected herself, and then began to speak again.

"I just... I worry for him. I don't know why, I don't know him that well I just.." She heaved a great sigh, her wings finally settling fully and the deepened color fading from her scales. "I have to trust he won't do it don't I? And I have to trust that he'll come back..."

[Pax]

Pax looked over at his friend as he spoke of revenge. Oh he remembered all too well the years where Craven was nothing but a ravaging beast or a man or angry he lashed out at everyone and everything. Char had needed him but Craven had been so lost in his own pain that even Pax could not break through. Finally he was tired of seeing his friend hurting himself and other and confronted him. Craven had near killed him that day. The fight had been bloody, viscous and almost deadly. Bear against wolf, man against man. Pax bore the scars from that fight still.

Only when Pax had been close to death his body bleeding from a hundred wounds. Craven faring no better had something clicked in his friends mind. Pax didn’t remember but after that but he woke days later with his friend camped out beside his bed looking like Slaen himself had knocked some sense into him. Forgiveness was eyes to give when you knew why someone was acting that way. He remembered it had taken a few weeks of emotional crying and mourning for Char and Craven to make up fully. Now he was amazed at the strength they held together as a mated couple. He wanted that for himself some day. Pushing the memories back into his mind he looked up at the dragon. The sight was spectacular.

"Yes... I do not no of revenge but I know what it feels like to lose someone. Maybe.. that's why I want to follow him. I'm afraid I'll lose him too. Not that I ever had him of course I just mean-"

A small smile played over his lips. She liked him, aww that was sweet. And it may be the only thing to save the male at this point. It was clear from the destruction all around then that it had been a horrible sight. No wonder the boy had sunk into the darkness only Greens seemed to have a weakness for. With her all babbling he was surprised at how young she actually was. He had met older dragons of course, but one who had only just changed, that made her what? 17, 18 maybe?

"I just... I worry for him. I don't know why, I don't know him that well I just. I have to trust he won't do it don't I? And I have to trust that he'll come back..."

Pax felt for the young dragon and gave her a smile.

“He will come back, but you may have to beat some sense into his thick skull….”

He looked to his friend and lifted his hand to the faint scar which vanished into his hair line. One of Cravens better placed strikes during their fight. He knew Craven would never forget that day, hell neither would he. Ruined a perfectly good shirt and pants, along with some nice leather boots when he was forced to shift to defend himself.

“Come young one…. Change back… we shall see what we can do for your friend. But what he needs right now is space…

I do not believe a green is capable of killing an innocent… his anger his blinding him right now… greens I hear have a weakness for the darker side of nature…. He may yet need your strength to lead him from that darkness….”

[Craven]

Craven noticed the look Pax gave him as he'd mentioned revenge, and a rueful smile played at his lips as he immediately realized what the bear was thinking. Oh, he remembered it so well, though he'd been out of his mind with grief at the time. They'd fought for hours, neither willing to give in. Though Craven'd knew it was so wrong to do so, he wanted someone to take all his rage and grief out on and, when Pax had finally confronted him, he snapped, shifting and savagely attacking.

It was bear against wolf, and though Pax was bigger and stronger Craven was faster and quicker, and the fight was even, their strengths balanced. Hell, he'd nearly died after a couple of those blows, one of which had been a massive paw to the stomach that nearly ripped out his intestines. It'd ened, though, when Pax blacked out from blood loss, and Craven, looking down on his friend with the wolf's intention to kill, was shocked and disgusted with himself at what he'd done. This was his best friend, and he was about to kill him. It shook Craven to the core, shut out his grief, and gave him a fierce reality check... One that he isn't likely to ever forget. After he'd tended Pax's wounds as best he could, Craven made a shelter and built a fire, praying to Slaen that his friend would live, and if Pax didn't make it, well, he'd wanted to die, too.

“He will come back, but you may have to beat some sense into his thick skull….”

Pax's words broke him from his memories, and snapping his eyes to the bear's face he tightened his lips again, remembering a certain blow where it seemed Pax had tried to do just that. Damn bear. That had been a helluva headache, one that lasted long after the fight. Watching him finger one of the scars, Craven smiled wryly before rubbing his stomach, the jagged scar there barely visible under his fur.

“Come young one…. Change back… we shall see what we can do for your friend. But what he needs right now is space…

I do not believe a green is capable of killing an innocent… his anger his blinding him right now… greens I hear have a weakness for the darker side of nature…. He may yet need your strength to lead him from that darkness….”

Craven nodded, adding his agreement to Paxon's words. This green dragon, however angry he may be, would probably have his base nature override the anger if it did ever come down to where he was about to kill a child. Hell, he was a vicious, cold-hearted wolf, and he wouldn't dream of killing a child for the sins of the parents.

"Pax is right, Nyx... We will do what we can to help you, but I don't think the wisest course right now would to be to confront this green. We will track him from a distance, let him cool down a bit, and then decide on the best course of action.

Really, though, you need to shift back. Though he's in the air, I think I can get his scent and follow it... I just need you to get in your human skin so I don't get the two of you mixed up."

Thinking of something, he looked to Pax and told the bear,

"I'll be right back...

Slipping seamlessly down into his wolf shape, Craven took off at a run and headed into the dense trees, and when he found his clothes and pack he stopped, shifting back up into his human skin. After putting his clothes back on, he grabbed his pack and began striding back, rummaging through his belongings as he went. Just as he made it back to where Paxon stood with the dragon, Craven pulled out another set of clothes, holding them out where Nyx could see.

"Here, you can wear these. We... don't need you walking around in just what you were born in. We try not to draw so much attention to ourselves when we can help it..."

Though his clothes would probably be too long and loose on her, it was better than nothing, and she would probably be more willing to change if she knew she had something to put on. Modesty was long ago lost with him, but this girl was still young, and probably not so comfortable in just her own skin.

[Nyx]

The more muscular of the two men smiled at her, but it didn't really help calm her any, though she appreciated the attempt. “He will come back, but you may have to beat some sense into his thick skull….” She blinked when she saw the faint scar on the male's head, and leaned forward to sniff it, her warm snout just brushing his skin, a forked tongue flicking over it. She was going to have to beat Eben?

"I will if I must... and I can heal that for you if you wish." Or she was pretty sure anyway. She could at least make it fainter.

“Come young one…. Change back… we shall see what we can do for your friend. But what he needs right now is space…

I do not believe a green is capable of killing an innocent… his anger his blinding him right now… greens I hear have a weakness for the darker side of nature…. He may yet need your strength to lead him from that darkness….”

She backed away a couple steps, looking between the two males. She would love to turn back, but she wasn't sure she could. "I will try to change back," she murmured, "and strength? I don't really have any. I am young and I can't even control what power I do have. Still... I will try, and hope he doesn't do it.." She didn't know if she would ever look at the green the same if she found he had killed a child. It was funny though, her thoughts seemed to indicate that she had known him for a long time, but she hadn't, not even close.

"Pax is right, Nyx... We will do what we can to help you, but I don't think the wisest course right now would to be to confront this green. We will track him from a distance, let him cool down a bit, and then decide on the best course of action.

Really, though, you need to shift back. Though he's in the air, I think I can get his scent and follow it... I just need you to get in your human skin so I don't get the two of you mixed up."

The young purple nodded and started trying to shift back. She struggled, getting a little upset when she found she couldn't, and in frustration just stopped... Which of course was when it worked and suddenly she found herself flat on her ass and staring up at Pax. She flushed, covering herself, and scampered behind a nearby bush. Which was when the wolf was back and passing her clothes and she smiled at him. "Thank you.."

"Here, you can wear these. We... don't need you walking around in just what you were born in. We try not to draw so much attention to ourselves when we can help it..."

She nodded and took them, slipping into them and yes they were huge but they covered her at least. "I know not to walk around naked by the way," she chuckled, "I lived among humans for awhile after my parents passed." She heard hoofbeats and tensed, but when she identified it as a single set she relaxed slightly, and when the beautiful bay burst through the brush she smiled. "Milly!" She waved to the mare, who changed directions slightly and got closer. Though when she got very close she skidded to a stop several feet away, prancing nervously. "Milly..," she murmured soothingly, "it's alright. They're friends.. no danger." The mare looked suspiciously at the pair, taking a couple steps forward, slightly more than normal animal intelligence in her eyes.

[Pax]

Pax watched in avid fascination as the dragon began her shift. She seemed to be having some trouble and evidently no one had gone through the riggers of the change with her. In his mind the Dragons and the Beasts were not much different. He would see if he could help her grasp her dragon soul and embrace it. If she could learn to accept it her changes should ease and like all of their kind she should revel in her change. He watched as he finally grasped her human form and she fell on her ass before him. He raised an eyebrow and gave her a soft smile. She was cute, but she was no Khelek. Thoughts of the dragon pulled memories of her lips on his. Turning his head away from the girl as not to embarrass her he looked at Craven as he handed her some clothing.

"I know not to walk around naked by the way, I lived among humans for awhile after my parents passed."

He chuckled and gave her a smile. “That’s a good thing Miss, there are hot blooded men about and some might be struck by lust if they could see you as lovely as we see you now…”

Yes he was a charmer and he enjoyed the soft blush which graced her cheeks and her upper chest. His ear suddenly picked up the sound of hoof falls and his hand moved to the sword at his side. He was not going to take risks with his life, or the life of his friend. The young dragon, well she seemed innocent enough and he always did have a soft spot for the young. Pax watched as the horse came out of the forest and walked up to the woman without so much as a command. He narrowed his eyes. Odd.

"Milly!”

Pax felt his hairs on the back of his neck stick up. He eyed the horse carefully she was more then a horse he was sure. Tilting his head to the side he looked at his friend to see if he had noticed the difference in this beast.

"Milly.., it's alright. They're friends… no danger."

The realisation struck him and he felt a surge of pity for the horse. His whole body language changed as he moved towards her. His hand out, he wondered how much of her human mind still remained. It was a curse to be stuck in one form, either a Beast kin who could not change or a Beast Kin who could not change back. By Slaen he hated this.

“Hey there… you poor soul…. I am Paxon… Of the Order… I know you understand me, How long has it been since your change young one?”

He was not speaking to the dragon that much was clear. His hand touched the horse’s nose and he ran it slowly down the length of her head. The council would pay for their arrogance. He would make sure of it.