Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 6, 2008 2:36:06 GMT -5
Caedyona stretched her wings as she flew through the night air, letting the wind do most of the work for her as she flew. Soaring above the treetops, she once again scanned the airspace around her as she searched for dragons. She wasn't sure if they were trying to prevent her from eating everyone, certain people, or if they themselves were on the attack. If she turned her beak to the right, she could still smell singed wing feathers from her last scrape with them, when she had been flying above the town.
At last, the camping army was within sight, but better than that, was within attack distance. Her wings paused in their flight as she began a quick circle to find easily caught prey. Upon sighting a single trouper walking outside of the camp, she cast her glance around trying to find the dragons. None in sight, at that exact moment, she tucked her wings and dove, pulling from the dive only a fraction of a second before she herself hit the ground, she caught the shoulders of the soldier, and instantly opened her wings, using the remaining velocity to rocket her and the soldier higher into the air. His sharp cry was cut short as she leaned over and mercilessly snapped his neck with her beak. Only a few yards further out from the camp, she landed, setting the beginning of her dinner carefully on the ground as she once again checked for dragons.
If there was one close by, she didn't catch sight of it, as she began to pick at the body before her, the action strangely delicate and birdlike...
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Post by narym on May 6, 2008 4:11:14 GMT -5
Fallow hovered nearby, hoping that all Leo's friends and their dragons had been warned. So far he had not seen or heard anything on the wing apart from Dyona. He watched as she dove straight for the helpless soldier and grabbed him. Just one scream, that was all he had the time for as the griffin ended his life. The griffin hadn't noticed him yet, without the moon, it was still very dark, even for avian eyes. But he could see her and her slightly damaged wing. Brynd's warning shot had been closer than he realized. Shortly after, Brynd flew up beside him.
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Post by leonyr on May 6, 2008 4:19:32 GMT -5
Cassandra and her friend are safe, Brynd reported. Merlin arrived just after you departed. I have left them to their squabbles! Squabbles? Fallow asked, curious. The ice wizard started to shout at Cassandra and her friend started shouting back. Brynd huffed. Not my business! It was certain that, even though he had travelled all his life with Leonyr, he still found humans strange at times! She has found prey? He watched the griffin daintily tearing off strips of flesh from the dead man. Poor devil! Wrong place, wrong time!
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 6, 2008 4:30:13 GMT -5
A thought pattern on the air halted her feeding frenzy, and Dyona paused in her meal, cocking her head to the side and listening closely. No...nothing there, shaking her head uneasily, she turned back to the soldier and nudged the body with her beak. In only moments, she had turned the form into something that resembled hamburger, and not a drop of blood stained her. But the lifeblood that she was still craving was now gone, and she turned her eyes back towards the sky as she daintily made her way from it.
Once out from under the low lying tree branches, Dyona again began to beat her wings, lifting into the air gracefully as she pounced right before take-off. Once above the treetops, she circled, catching sight of both dragons once again, and turned her circle away from them, but still within diving distance of the camp. More people were milling about, some already holding weapons, although her first victim had been easy prey, his call to alarm hadn't been entirely for naught.
Her sights set on another figure, far below her, and with silent skill, Dyona once again began to dive towards the ground.
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Post by leonyr on May 6, 2008 7:28:17 GMT -5
Danil squinted up into the night sky. He stood alone, just outside the huge camp. He had thought Leo and Brynd had concocted a story out of devilment, thinking to wind up their old friends. But he could see now that this was not so. The griffin dived down towards him. DANIL! Get out of there! Sapphire screamed in his mind. Don't worry me darlin', I ain't ready to be eaten yet! The griffin was within striking distance when Danil darted behind an upturned cart. The creature swooped overhead, screaming with frustration. Phew, that were close an' no mistake! he gasped. Can that really be the green turtle we rescued? Yes, I sensed familiar thought patterns, even though she has changed. Brynd says Leo wants her unharmed! Well he would, wouldn't he! Danil chuckled. We'll just have to see what we can come up with. Once she's got a full belly a'course!
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 6, 2008 11:10:01 GMT -5
Her prey darted away, and Caedyona screeched out her frustration, sending the already motivated camp into greater action. Now, as she circled once again, eyeing the place where the one had just disappeared, she watched as others gathered around, swords and spears being passed out. Her dinner now came with a price, and a caution. Almost instantly, Dyona fixed herself on her next target, and her gaze no longer searched for the dragons which hovered nearby. They had not stopped her from her lastest conquest, only the quick feet of Danil had done that.
Again, Dyona swooped, her actions, still cautious although becoming a bit more frantic. One man, holding a spear, but apart from the solid group, was her target. His eyes were cast skyward, as most were, and she turned into her dive, letting only her wingtips control her descent and direction. Her eyes were on the spear, she knew that she would have to time this just right, through an instinct rather than a direct thought. As she saw the spear moving upward towards her, she twisted on wing, spiraling down and missing the spearpoint by only inches. The extra momentum carried her all the way to the ground, her claws again grabbing for the shoulders and landing above the now still frame. Launching herself into the air, the Griffin screamed out her victory, and landed near the first prone figure, her beak nuzzling into the neck of the dead man she held...
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Post by narym on May 6, 2008 11:52:07 GMT -5
The griffin's seemingly reckless behaviour caused uproar in the camp. Soldiers came running fully armed and ready to attack. They had been kicking their heels for days now and were eager for action. As one Fallow and Bryn flew down, roaring. Brynd threw out streams of hot fire as Fallow sent bolts of blue ice. Faced with this ferocious bombardment, the men stopped in their tracks. But very soon archers were called forward and they began a deadly bombardment of their own. I think we have done enough! Fallow sent. The griffin is on her own now! Brynd sent his agreement and flew higher, out of range. Fallow joined him and they circled, hoping the griffin would finish her meal and leave.
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 7, 2008 11:45:35 GMT -5
The moon was peeking through the eclipse, beginning it's arc towards completion when Dyona finished her second victim. She had been listening, vaguely, with the back of her mind, to the dragons blasting the army with fire and ice, now she dashed into the sky, and circled, her eyes tracking the archers and their many arrows, as she skimmed the sky. Her need for blood was still pushing her to attack, and she dove, recklessly, towards the ground, trying to catch another person, as her need demanded.
Landing awkwardly in front of a man clinging to a spear, she had chosen an area away from the archers, but could already hear their rapid approach. Her paw came away from the ground, slapping at the spear, which the man was shaking as she approached. With unbelievable luck, he sank the tip of it into her hand, before dropping it and attempting to flee. Her screech of anger tinged with pain flooded into the air, as she pounced and cleanly took off his head, her meal this time quick and messy. Only moments after the man hit the ground, she turned and eyed the archers approaching with acclerity.
Her wings swooped down as she took to the air again, her eyes already searching for someone unprepared. Almost as soon as she hit the air, she began her next dive, catching an archer and trying to regain height. Her wings beat frantically at the air as arrows began to rain down around her, and she screamed out her frustration, turning to look down at the man she was holding. A rope twisted around his waist, tethering him to a wagon as archers appeared around, sending arrows flying her way. One arrow pierced her wing, high near her breast, and she screamed out her fury as adrenaline took over and the rope suddenly snapped, rocketing her and the screaming soldier into the air. Two more lodged into her back legs, and then a fourth struck a glancing blow to her beak before she was clear. Twisting as she flew, she bit the arrow stuck in her wing with her beak, biting through it as she coasted through the air, heading away from the camp...
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Post by leonyr on May 7, 2008 12:58:13 GMT -5
Every scream tore through Brynd afresh. After a short time circling, he could take no more and flew towards the dragon. Leo had charged him to take care of her and he had to try, despite the barrage of arrows. He swooped down, setting fire to arrows fired his way, just as Dyona sprung the trap set hastily for her. She had dropped the man tethered to the cart and was awkwardly trying to pull out an arrow. He called to her. Dyona, this way! Come away from the camp, you will die here! He flew beside her, checking her over for injuries. Three arrows had hit their mark, but in the form she was in, they weren't dangerous. But as an elf? Or another, smaller creature? He had to get her away from there quickly before she was hit again.
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 7, 2008 13:23:08 GMT -5
Her prey had dropped, and she looked down, furious at her failure to secure her meal. She could feel Brynd flying beside her and could hear his words, but her reply was uneasy and only revolved around pictures, she had lost the ability to speak properly, towards Brynd, she sent pictures of herself eating, and diving back to get the man below her. Shrieking, as she circled, she picked at the arrow embedded in her wing, as though it irritated her flying skills, and then stopped and turned her gaze back onto the prone figure lying on the ground below her.
She realized, instinctually, that she needed him, for something, but she could no longer remember what that something was. Uncertain, she looked up at the moon, and then towards the dragon that soared beside her. Sweeping in towards him, as though in attack, she diverted herself at the last instant, dodging arrows as she plucked the man up off the ground, and started to beat her way back into the sky. Screaming out her victory as she lifted off the ground, she felt the arrows that she had taken pulling at their wounds, and began to glide away from the camp, her burden dangling below her unsteadily. Her right back claw was no longer closing as it was supposed to, so most of his weight was being held by her left, and she was struggling to keep in the air. The bloodlust that was holding her in it's thrall was pushing her to go back, to find more, and she was trying to fight that compulsion.
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Post by narym on May 7, 2008 14:06:04 GMT -5
Fallow and Brynd kept pace with the griffin, increasing the distance between themselves and the camp. Blood was now flowing from her wounds and one claw was damaged. He hated to think what damage had occurred to her elven body. Somehow they had to keep her away from the army. But at least one good thing had happened. The army now knew they had more than human enemies nearby. Narym. Yes Fallow! How is she? Wounded. We are trying to steer her away from the camp. I am going to nudge her towards my hunting grounds. Hopefully she will be satisfied with food with four legs! Leo is going crazy here! The eclipse is ending, let us know if she starts to change again. Of course. Gradually he altered direction, gently steering her towards the lakes and forest outside town, where he usually hunted himself. He looked up at the moon. It was almost full again. But what would that mean for Dyona?
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 7, 2008 15:49:56 GMT -5
Fallow hovered near her wing, and she turned edging carefully away from the larger dragon, without realizing that she was heading towards the hunting ground that the two dragons often used. Below her, she spotted something running on four legs, and dove after it, catching it in with her talons and dropping lightly on top of it. She began her feast only moments and was frantically tearing into the animal when the shift back began.
Her breast heaving with the attempt to pull air into her lungs, the griffin stumbled to one side, and then fell over, as she lost conciousness. Slowly, her body shifted back to normal, the arrows standing out starkly in the newly lit clearing that she lie in, next to the shattered bodies of one animal and one human. Her arm was bleeding freely, only a stub of the arrow left in place, and the flesh around it was torn and swollen. A cut on her face was clean, but deeper than one would have thought. She hadn't awoken yet, but her breathing was painful to hear, almost a gasp on the night air and openly filled with pain. Mercifully, she stayed asleep...
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Post by leonyr on May 7, 2008 16:20:41 GMT -5
I am going to return for Narym and Leo, Brynd sent. After receiving Fallow's agreement and watching him land beside the griffin, he flew off towards the castle. Landing in the courtyard, he informed Leo of Dyona's injuries. Narym had already gone for her healer's pouch and was hurrying back across the courtyard. They climbed on the dragon's back and soon he was carrying them back to where Dyona lay. How serious are the injuries? Leo asked fearfully. For a griffin, not very, Brynd replied. For an elf......... Hurry pal. Hurry.
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Caedyona
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Caedyona ~ Life and Truth
Posts: 174
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Post by Caedyona on May 7, 2008 16:54:14 GMT -5
Dreaming dark dreams of flight and death, Dyona slept fitfully, her breathing uneasy, and her body twitching as though her dreams were plagued by nightmares. Beside her, Fallow landed, and watched over her prone figure, as her body completed it's transformation back to normal. With a great heaving breath, Dyona opened her eyes and sat up, looking around in shock. Only feet from her, two dead and mangled bodies lie, their warmth steaming up into the chill air, and beside her sat a large dragon, Fallow. She was still taking all of this in when sudden pain hit her, and she reached for her leg before stopping and letting her hand hover in the air. Her arm hurt, her leg hurt, and her face hurt...wasn't she just kissing Leo? "Oh, my gods, what's happened?" It was as much as she could say before she swooned, the pain sending her back into oblivion. Leaning back uncertainly, she felt her eyes close against her will, and then lightly fell back against the cold earth.
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Post by narym on May 8, 2008 2:58:11 GMT -5
Hurry! Fallow sent. Dyona is elf once more, but has swooned from her injuries. Nearly there, Narym returned. In just a few moments they were flying above Fallow. Brynd landed nearby and Narym and Leo scrambled off his broad back. She ran to Dyona and knelt by her side. She examined her quickly, frowning. " She has four wounds, two in her leg, one in her shoulder and as you can see, one to her face," she told Leo who hovered anxiously the other side of the unconcious elf. "That one is superficial, but I don't like the look of the others." She rummaged in her pouch. "I will apply field dressings, then we need to get her home, I'll be able to treat her wounds better there."
In a few minutes she was finished. She knelt back and allowed Leo room to bend and pick Dyona up. He carried her to Brynd and gently laid her across his back and climbed up after her. Narym climbed onto Fallow. Take us home Fallow. She looked at the two dead bodies on the ground a few feet away. We'll worry about them later!
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