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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 21, 2019 6:31:57 GMT -6
Long ago in a distant world, there were two societies that lived in complete harmony and peace. These were the humans, primitive beings who sought to become greater than themselves, and the dragons, the architects of the world. Noble and powerful beings who once guided human civilization with their wisdom.
Unfortunately, as humans became more advanced, they became greedier and more selfish. The High Lords, governors of each region in the world, had begun to believe that the dragons were preventing them from reaching their full potential and claim the world as their own, so they united their regions and declared that the dragons must be exterminated and those who refuse to accept this new order would be killed.
As time went on, many villages who were loyal to the dragons were burned to the ground. In one of those villages just outside a vast forest there lived a 10-year-old girl named Taria with her humble family. She was slim, had medium skin, brown eyes and beautiful black hair that reached her back and wore a red choli top with matching lehenga skirt and brown sandals. Taria had always been fascinated with the stories she heard about the dragons, but had begun to doubt their wisdom and power once she heard rumors of the High Lords' armies slaughtering dragons and destroying villages.
The rainy season arrived and the High Lords' armies reached Taria‘s village one evening when the skies were grey. The men burned houses and killed everyone on sight including, much to her horror, her own parents. Acting out of instinct, Taria ran into the forest as fast as she could. She ran for several hours until she was sure she couldn‘t be followed.
She sat down to rest, taking off her sandals and rubbing her tired feet. She sat silently and almost motionless until she finally started to cry just as a pouring cold rain started.
„Mom...dad...“ she sobbed, trying to keep herself warm even though she was soaking wet. Her hair began to slide down her face.
Taria got up and looked around for a shelter with her arms crossed, wandering up hills hoping to find a dry cave. But the only thing she could find was a cliff overlooking a ravine. The fearful and confused girl tried to face the reality that she was now a freezing, starving orphan who had nowhere to go. An hour went by. It was getting dark and Taria was getting sick. She became desperate and decided it may be best if she just tried to put an end to her pain for good rather than waiting to die of hunger or sickness in an unfamiliar territory.
„There‘s only one way out of this.“ Taria whispered to herself as she approached the edge of the cliff, letting her tears of despair drop down the ravine. After a moment of more grieving, Taria prepared to jump when she suddenly heard someone approaching.
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 21, 2019 21:52:29 GMT -6
The poor cries from the young lass had reached into the depths of the ravine, for the darkening light of day had failed to show her a path towards a labyrinth of caves. One of which housed the very dragon of the area, the groggy groans of slumber reaching the girl. "Humans haven't ventured this far in a while, why would they-?" came a deep rumble through his throat, curious as his golden eyes reached for the skies, where the village he once protected before his kind was hunted down had fallen, the smoke rising for miles even through the thickening rain.
Red scales came into view for Taria, his shadow looming over her drenched form. "Come, little one, let's get you inside. It's not safe for you out here."
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 22, 2019 9:09:07 GMT -6
Taria turned around in fright.
"WHOAH!" Taria exclaimed, as she slipped on the wet stone she was standing on, rolled down and fell into Rakham's palm. She took a moment to observe the dragon. He had beautiful red scales, shining golden eyes, four legs, two great wings and a long prehensile tail. The dragon's tail gently brushed back her hair, revealing her puffy eyes, two stared at each other for few moments before either of them made a sound. Taria looked at the dragon in fright, amazement and sorrow while shivering with cold and sneezing.
"A..a dragon..." she finally said, sitting with her head on her knees and crying. "If you're going to eat me, j-just be quick. It doesn't matter anymore..."
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 22, 2019 16:34:36 GMT -6
"Eat you? My dear, you are more valuable than that." He carried her in his open palm to his largest of caves, opening his maw as he lowered his head, a gargantuan bed of coals warming to a welcoming orange hue. He circled his tail in two coils and placed her on top of it, the warmth cascading her small form. His eyes closed in sorrow, and would have roared in anguish, but held his heartbreak in, for the child already feared him. "Life is too valuable to take away from yourself. Too valuable." He laid his head and turned from her, but not before a tear streamed from his eyes, glistening in her view. He never had been much to speak to humans even when he was their protector, but now that his absence had greatly impacted Taria because of his existence, his heart yearned for her, but he knew it would take a lot to build her back up from the horrid experiences.
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 22, 2019 17:36:24 GMT -6
Though frightened, Taria sat quietly in the dragon's palm as he carried her to his cave. Upon entering, she was amazed to see that the cave was actually warm and welcoming. She was put on top of the coils and let the warmth come to her. For about a minute, she sat back and let the warmth calm her nerves and dry her clothes and hair. In the meantime, she thought about Rakham's words about the value of life but remained somewhat doubtful that her life is worth anything now that she has lost everything. But she was too tired to think too much of it. For now, she was more worried about her fever, coughs and hunger. But even more worried about what the dragon's motive was and why he saved her. She wondered if he planned to keep her in his coils for later consumption or if he genuinely was like the dragons from the stories she read.
Suddenly she noticed a tear dripping from the dragon's eye. It shocked her for never did she expect to see such vulnerability from such a powerful creature.
"W-what's wrong?" Taria asked sheepishly, approaching his face slowly.
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 23, 2019 0:53:19 GMT -6
He blinked his eye swiftly, clearing his throat. "I can't hide it from you, can I? While i cannot sympathize with you right now, I too have lost some things dear to my heart this day. My cowardice rang true when rumors of folk spread, and I would hear less and less from my comrades. Now I pay the price in the most severe manner. It is I who doesn't deserve life, abandoning the townspeople, with perhaps only one survivor left."
He extended his neck out of view briefly, bringing forth some meat in front of her, laying it on his scales before using his breath of fire to warm it, silent for a while. "I don't expect forgiveness from you, but if you'll allow me, I'd like to set things right. For you, and for the ones I've let down. But that will be talk for another day. Please have a little something. There's a spring just down the way for drink, and I will offer you more warmth if you need. You might be the last spark to bring a dragon back to his old self. Though you are free to choose, but I do ask you at least stay until you are better, seeing as the rain did a number on you." He leaned in, cracking his maw as warm, yellow flames lapped at his lips bringing a soft wave of heat towards her. His gaze was averted, but Taria could see no hunger nor malice in the large golden discs, a heavy sigh blowing her face and hair.
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 23, 2019 10:00:09 GMT -6
Taria didn't know what to say, she had always expected the dragons to be without flaw and so wise that they would never have to deal with any turmoil of their own. It was surprising to know a mighty dragon and a little girl could have something in common.
"I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you." she said, sitting down next to Rakham's head, allowing the heat to slowly cure her cold and ease her sinuses. "I too can't help but feel I could have done something to help my family." she continued, shedding a tear but tried to hold back her grief and tried to change the subject.
"I...guess it's for the best if I stay with you for now." Taria said, sneezing into her elbow. "I have nowhere to go anyway...but if it's not too much to ask...c-can I have something to eat?"
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 23, 2019 20:45:00 GMT -6
"Well I have some roasting on my tail you are free to choose. Once you're rested and your strength returns, I see it fitting to help you catch your own meals." The tip of his tail gestured to a thick portion of his tail, the meat he had gathered earlier roasting to a sweet sizzle to the ears and a soothing aroma to draw her hunger closer to the depths. "And you didn't upset me, child. Though, I should know your name. Seeing as I can't call you child too long. I am Rakham," he added, dipping his head in respect.
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 24, 2019 9:45:16 GMT -6
The girl smiled warmly as the dragon introduced himself. "My name is Taria." she said, bowing her head in respect. Though as soon as the meat was ready, she gobbled it up. "Oh..sorry." she said sheepishly, looking awkwardly at Rakham as she realized she had forgotten her manners.
Taria was beginning to look past Rakham's intimidating presence. Though still somewhat uneasy, she felt comfortable enough to sit in Rakham's palm and enjoy her meal. She looked puzzled at Rakham when he told her she would learn to hunt for her food in the future, for Taria's village had very traditional roles for women, and hunting was not one of them.
"Help me catch my own meals?" Taria said, just before swallowing a mouthful of meat. "But I'm not a huntress and you are...I mean...dragons don't use tools to hunt...do they? And besides, I'm a g-" she continued, before the dragon's tail silenced her by gently wrapping around her mouth.
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 24, 2019 11:29:59 GMT -6
"Now, slow, down, Taria. And we may not use tools like you, but you could say my teeth and claws are tools we use. As for being a girl, I realize your village limits what you can do. But, you need to survive, and I won't always be around. And I'll give you a little secret. The girl dragons are often the fiercest among us, and you could say you are becoming part dragon now." He released her mouth with a smile. "Now rest, young Taria."
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 24, 2019 12:29:10 GMT -6
Being unable to say anything, Taria let her soulful eyes expressing her surprise, curiosity and amazement as she listened to Rakham.
She couldn't help but smile back at Rakham, whose tail formed a horseshoe loop on her forehead and gently stroking her hair from her face repeatedly.
"I...I guess my parents would want me to be safe." Taria said, lying on Rakham's palm and prepared to go to sleep as the tail continued stroking her hair, much to her comfort. "Well...good night." she said.
Half an hour went by, and Rakham watched over the now first human to be adopted by a dragon. The soothing sound of the pouring rain outside the cave, along with the comfort provided by Rakham, made Taria's eyelids get heavier and heavier until she eventually fell asleep.
A wolf pack, which inhabited the other side of the cave, approached slowly after catching Taria's scent. Rakham had always coexisted peacefully with other animals, so the wolves were familiar with him. But the wolf cubs had never seen a human before. They approached the stranger. Some growled at her and some sniffed her face in curiosity, tickling her slightly.
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 24, 2019 14:23:33 GMT -6
"Well, Taria, I believe you are a part of a new pack," he said quietly as the wolves approached. He lowered his tail and placed his snout on her forehead, peering to the wolves as a sign that she was family, then moved his tail about her hips, belly, all the way up to beneath her armpits. His smile returned, surprised how quickly the sadness had lifted, even though the scars from the events would still run deep for a while.
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 24, 2019 15:14:49 GMT -6
The next morning, Taria woke up to birds chirping outside the cave. After stretching her arms and letting out a big yawn, she was not only surprised to see that there were wolves sleeping all over the cave, but her cold was gone completely. Surely the warmth must have cured her. Her skin was even as soft and warm as a kitten. She climbed down from Rakham's hand and snuck outside, though little did she know how hard it was to sneak past a dragon even when asleep.
It was sunny outside, allowing Taria to explore the land. She could only appreciate the beauty of it, there weren't many lands left that are untouched by humans. She climbed up on top of the cliff she found the night before, where she could now see the forest spread for miles. But it certainly did not lift her spirit when she noticed partial ruins of her home village in long distance.
She sat down, and for a while she thought of her parents and what she could have done to help them. She didn't even have anything to remember them by. Though Rakham's hospitality and kindness had given her hope, her grief remained. And it was so strong that she stood up and shouted as loud as she could, hoping it would make her feel better. But all she accomplished was letting the whole forest hear her anguish.
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drow
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Post by drow on Mar 24, 2019 16:01:22 GMT -6
As she stepped out of the mouth of the cave, Rakham's eye creaked open. he silently left the pack to their slumber, watching the girl in her grief and sorrow. Letting out a scream cracked a grin despite the anguish she felt.
After she screamed to the heavens, a few birds scattered from the treetops. "Well, that was quite the roar you got there," Rakham said quietly. "You remind me of me in my anguish. Mind if show you mine?" he asked, extending his neck and letting out a deafening roar, swarms of birds in a frenzy. Taria could sense the turmoil in his own cry, where most would think of finding strength and intimidation. "Ahhh, that always lets out a little steam."
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Post by Raventheravenous on Mar 24, 2019 16:38:26 GMT -6
Taria was startled by Rakham's presence and nearly fell back. "I...I'm.." she stammered, but before going further, Rakham demonstrated his own anguish in the same manner as she did. The painful roar forced her to cover her ears. She had never heard anything like it.
"I just...I thought it would make me feel better." Taria said, taking a seat in Rakham's palm as his hand reached her. "I just feel like I should have done something. We could have escaped into the forest together. I-if I hadn't been so scared...I was so selfish..cowardly...stupid.." she continued, as she started to cry. "You don't know what it's like."
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