<font color='#FF7F00'>Day: 15 Month: Dyo Year: 81377 -- The sunlight shone radiantly in the jungles of Watani. The place was alive in every sense of the word, the flora and fauna going about their daily rituals as if there was no tomorrow. Amid the lively place was a medium sized PenDragon, Ayrrk Ayr. Not that it was unusual or anything, though he did seem to stand out in that he was alone, in actuality, his marbled brown hide blended into the background with the greens and browns of the leaves and trees. At any rate the PenDragon walked on, his gait a lax one. For a moment he paused, spreading his feathery wings and appendages. Then he continued on, through the sauna-like temperatures of the jungle. On most days, he would have desired no company whatsoever. Being naturally suspicious of everything around him, Ayrrk didn't really trust many others, in fact, he had no friends, everyone he encountered hated the way he was constantly prying into their business, making sure they weren't plotting against him or anything. But today was diffrent somehow. Conflicts with his father had lead him to wander into this steam-filled jungle, and most likely it was the need to express to others how stupid his father had been to him that made him long for company. So he walked onward, seeking out anyone who'd listen to his rambling about his idiot of a father.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'> <table width=320 border=0 style="border:1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;" bgcolor="#6E89E2"> <TR border=0><TD border=0><font size=-2 face=arial color="#B5C5F6"> Pygmy sized femme traversed the jungle easily, knowing all its pathes. Her cobalt painted pelt did nothing to hide her among all the greens of the undergrowth. Her lavender eyes watched her path, while her auditives circled slowly on her cranium, catching the sounds of the jungle and translating them to her standards. She stopped slowly, focusing on a new sound, one not native to this wilderness. She raised her nose to the air and filed the scent as another pendragon. She moved off the path, placing her paws carefully, making little to no sound as she moved toward the new pendragon. Her oculi were focused in front of her, leaving the job of navigating to her ears and nose. Silently she came upon the male, curiousity the only thing powering her excursion. Adathiel moved onto the path behind Ayrrk silently. She rustled her wings loudly, announcing her presence, before speaking. "Hello." </font></tr></td></table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>OOC: Thanks for posting. Sorry for the delay, had to get off cause of a thunderstorm. BIC -- Ayrrk spun around in a panicked manner as the fae spoke. The voice had surprised him. He cringed slightly and tried his best not to look frightened in front of the female. After all, he was a guy, and guys aren't supposed to look scared in front of females. But she had surprised him, and in doing so scared him half senseless. Still, he mustered enough strength to reply, still unsure of this fem. "H- Hello. You kind of, sort of scared me.." He said.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'> <table width=320 border=0 style="border:1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;" bgcolor="#6E89E2"> <TR border=0><TD border=0><font size=-2 face=arial color="#B5C5F6"> The female flashed a smile at him as he spun around. At his reply, she laid her ears back for a moment in an apologetic gesture. <B>"I didn't mean to. Sorry."[/b] she replied, orals atoning. Her violaceous oculars watched him, wide and radiating honesty. A small frown graced her visage briefly. <B>"I've never seen you here before."[/b] she said, giving the implication that she would like to know why he was here. Her voice held simple curiousity. As she waited for a reply, the female shook her pelt out loosing droplets of water from her earlier swim. </font></table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- Ayrrk grinned sheepishly. He crouched down to a half-sitting position and sighed. At least this fem was friendly. And as for her question, in truth he hadn't been here before. He had virtually never gone more than a few miles from the home he'd been born in. What with his mother leaving constantly, and his father never coming within two yards of him, no one was really ever there. Add the fact he was a real pessimist and you get Ayrrk never going far from the lands he grew up in. He half-smiled, "I don't travel much."</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320><font size=-2> The cobalt flavored fae smiled slowly and sat in a large region of sunlight. Little sun shone through the thick canopy, but leaves were thinner in some areas more than others. Comfortable in this masc's presence, she licked a spot of water off her pelt near the complex sun shape on her right hip. She half stretched out her four-foot wingspan to dry it out in the sunlight from her swim. Her oculars returned to the male before her, considering a question. <B>"Then what provoked this excursion of yours?"[/b] she asked, once again her orals exuded simple curiousity. The fear she had once felt for all males had dissipated into nothing. Perhaps visiting her father again would reawaken that fear, but for now, it visited rarely. She kept these thoughts to herself, loyally waiting for a reply from Arryk. Her orbs showed him nothing but kindness and patience. Determining that her wings were now dry, she refolded them against her back, pillowed against her shoulder blade and the middle of her back. The warmth of the sun entered her fur, and she almost shivered in pleasure, despite the humidity of the day. She prefered the sun to the days of rain that had assailed the jungle previously. During those days she had rarely left the den, and the boredom led to loneliness and depression. The newly born sun lifted her spirits and the smile upon her visage was truly meant </table></font></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- Ayrrk Smiled weakly. "Well.. My father returned home.. We don't get on well you see.. and well.. I ran off and now I'm lost." He flicked his tail once, and glanced at the femme. She seemed nice enough, though Ayrrk's policy wwhen it came to meeting a new face was to never judge a book by it's cover. This mistake had proved near-deadly several times in his youth. But Ayrrk was a quick learner. He easily recognized his mistake, and instead of correcting it, decided to avoid others all together and not risk it at all. Better safe than sorry. But Ayrrk was indeed sorry when his pessimistic views and ways of life seemed to ward off potential comerades. Many a kind PenDragon had he met, and the always suspicious Ayrrk seemed to think that they were ALL out to get him. Many times also had he regretted this, because they always left when they couldn't get through to him that they were indeed trustworthy. He sighed. It would be different this time. He would try to ensure it. "Yes.. I'm rather lost indeed."</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320> Adathiel looked up at him in shock as he mentioned the reason he came to be in Watani. Her visage crinkled into a smile, and the smile turned into a small giggle of amusement. Not wanting to offend him, she stopped her laughter after a moment, and decided to explain her amusement to him. It was so ironic, you see. "Its kind of funny," she said. "I ran off because of my father as well." This was as far as she would explain it to him unless he directly asked her why she ran off. She didn't want anybody's pity. And surely that was all she would gain if she told anyone about her circumstances. As to Arryk's being lost, that was easily solved. Adathiel had lived in this jungle for well over a year, and was very familiar with its paths and dead ends. "Were you heading anywhere in particular? I can help you get there, if you want." </font></table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- He grinned. How ironic indeed. "Really? What did he do that made you come out here?" He inquired. As for her second question, Ayrrk needed little help getting around. Though he did appear lost, he most certainly wasn't. He didn't really need to know where he was headed, just so long as he knew it was safe. "Nay, I don't need any help as far as directions are concerned." He said kindly, but still trying to get a firm point across.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320> Adathiel hesitated, face uncertain. Her tail swished, expressing the hesitancy on her anatomy. Her face became smooth once again, as she thought carefully. Finally, she decided avoid the question for the time being, and replied to his last comment. "Okay, but if you change your mind, feel free to ask me." she said, smiling sincerely. "And about my father," she added, having made up her mind, "he was sexist." Her voice lowered on that last word, hating it. That comment was probably about the biggest understatement she had made in her life. She hadn't lied, but she had avoided telling the whole truth to the male, and she felt guilty for it. She was beginning to like him. A curiousity was born inside Adathiel, and thinking to change the subject, she asked him. "You never said your name. Mine is Adathiel." </table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- Ayrrk could feel the spite in her tone before she suddenly changed the subject. His instincts told him to simply leave it alone. Still, concern was evidently his expression, wondering if, and yet somehow knowing that the fae had not been telling him the complete details. He did not mull over this for much time, he decided that if she desired to tell him everything that had transpired prior to their meeting one another, she would. So he answered he second question without much hesitation. " It's Ayrrk Ayr. But you may call me Ayrkk." He paused. "My father and I had an nasty little spat. Not like it's anything new, though." He said. And he too, was making an understatement. His father and he had never gotten along, not even when Ayrrk was very young. And now that he was growing up, his father's temper had become more malignant and his fueds increasingly violent. Ayrrk feared that one day he'd have to confront his father, and that one of them would die, possibly both, seeing as his father was growing weak with old age. These thoughts decorating the walls of his mind, he waited for the femme to reply.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320> Violaecous occulars watched the concern flit across the masc's visage before answering her question. She wasn't certain about what he was concerned, but had a good idea that he knew she hadn't told the whole truth. Perhaps if they forged a friendship, he would find out the whole truth. Until that time, however, she felt no inclination to enlighten him on her past. He, however, apparently felt no such qualms in informing her about his problems, which she was not against. "By a spat, do you mean you fought with him?" she asked, a bit of concern evident upon her dial. Not sure if he meant physically or verbally, she scanned his body with critical eyes. She couldn't see any wounds or bruises, but then, she wasn't looking too hard. Their conversation was bringing back painful memories, ruining her concentration. Even her calm, fueled by the natural sounds of the jungle she resided in, was shattered by these. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, shoving those memories away. When she had new control over her emotions, she opened her eyes again. They were a bit darker purple now, reflecting the shields set strongly about her soul. When she wanted to share her emotions, she would. Until then, she would be the kind, polite pendragon she normally was to strangers. </table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- Ayrrk's grin melted away slightly. He glared at Adathiel for a moment, then his gaze shifted to his paws. By the term "spat", he'd meant fought with verbiage, not hurting each other really, but somehow the tendency and the need to fight was growing more constant and the battles themselves ever more violent. Now his father was lashing out at him, and Ayrrk, being something of a weakling, always retreated because his fears overtook his anger. And yet, if he let it alone much longer that anger would build and build until he could hold it in no longer. Ayrrk loved his father, there was a certain bond between father and son that transcended beyond words or actions. It was buried deep within their souls and always had been, not once had their compassion toward one another been shown in a way that both could interpret as what it really was, kindness. Instead they'd always kept it locked away deep within the furthest renches of their spirits and never showed it daylight, if they had perhaps Ayrrk and his father wouldn't be so sour towards each other, though even this wouldn't have patched things up completly. The main thing Ayrrk was afraid of wasn't hurting himself, and this circumstance was rare indeed, but rather hurting his father. Despite never really showing it, he did care, and it would totally devastate Ayrrk to lose a family member, regardless of what they'd done. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why his father was getting so rough. It may have been that he acknowledged the fact that Ayrrk was getting older and stronger, which made him a threat to his superiority. Whatever the reason, Ayrrk put his problems aside for now. " Yes, we fought, but the most that happened was some mild cussing." He said, glancing back up at the fem. As for Adathiel, he thought she was right to exercise caution in not relating to him the enitre tale of her father's behavior. If he had been in a similar situation he might've kept it to himself as well. He laughed at himself then, he knew he wouldn't have been able to, seeing as he was a bit of a whiner. Still, her problem probably exceeded his own, and so he decided not to inquire further about her family life. "Adathiel, I'm sorry I was so nosy. I just was concerned, seeing as we're getting a tad closer to being friends, I just wanted to make sure he wasn't hurting you or anything. I mean, disrespecting a lady is just palin wrong." He said, smiling slightly.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320> [.character.] Adathiel Liral [.in.character.] Â adathiel smiled at his last comment. her worries were put away when he explained that the fights with his father were only verbal. she was glad that arryk didn't have the kind of relationship with his father that she had with her father. or at least used to have. she wasn't sure if she ever intended to go back. her patience was running thin. if she got desperate enough, she would end up going back and demanding to know where her brother was. "He killed my mother." she said unexpectedly. she even managed to surprise herself with this outburst. deciding she couldn't just leave it there, she went on. "When she gave birth to me, he killed her, because she was contaminated." her voice trembled on that last word with hate and disgust. "After that, my brother Milal took care of me. Father beat me to relieve his anger and annoyance. When I was sixteen, he wanted to marry me off to his friend's son, who was also abusive. Milal helped me run away soon after that. I've been here ever since, over a year." she smiled a sad smile at him. reliving her past was painful, and this was the first time she had told anybody about it. she supposed she had only told him because he had apologized for being nosy, even though adathiel disaggreed. the pain fled from her eyes in a moment. living in the jungle was paradise for her and had healed her pain quickly. to hide her discomfort, she turned her head and smoothed down a ruffled feather. her tail moved forward and wrapped itself around her front paws tightly. she waited for a reply, knowing arryk must have some kind of reaction. </table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- The grin on his face suddenly turning upside-down, Ayrrk moved his head away from her. He regretted ever asking. He'd known whatever it'd been, it would be nasty. Just how nasty, Ayrrk had seriously underestimated. Her past was indeed far rougher than his own. He though for a moment how furtunate he must've been to grow up with only an obnoxiously loud father.. and she.. she endured this pain, this burden like it'd been nothing at all. He admired her courage and indomitable spirit. But he pitied her also, he wished that she didn't have to tell him this less-than-pleasant detail of her life. He spat onto the ground in disgust. What a horrid persona her father must've been. Ayrrk was, and had always been, an all-out ladies man. If a fae was mistreated in front of him, he'd make sure it was stopped instantly if not sooner. That was the single exception to the pessimistic ways that Ayrrk lived by. Females were his achille's heel, his weakness. And those who hurt them were his enemies. He hated that kind of Dragon, for often it was not just the opposite sex they abused, but everyone and everything around them. That wasn't always the case, but many of the nastier denizens of Ramath-Lehi had that same spiteful disregard for any and all lfe, be it another dragon, the enviroment, whatever. And that, to Ayrrk, was one of the worst crimes you could commit. Just because he was afraid of most of the world, that didn't mean he couldn't make sure it was treated correctly. He spun back around. How rude he must've seemed, to just back away from her like that. Now he was the one being disrespectful. He smiled back at her in a comforting way. "I'm.. I'm sorry.. Adatheil.. I hope no one ever treats you that way again.. and I thought I had it hard.. no matter.. I'm sorry he was like that.. Dragons like that make me want to vomit.. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't go home." He said, a sagacious and knowing expression on his face. "As for me.. I may return after all.. home, I mean.." He added. Indeed, though she probably hadn't intended it, she'd made him see his life in a whole new light. Perhaps there was more he could yet do for his father. Time was against him, though. With every day, his father grew older and lost his mind more and more.. it wasn't entirely his fault.. but it still cause him to lack good judgement. Ayrrk had been lucky thus far, to only encounter mean words from his father and not his fangs or claws. Although, his dad was getting so weak with old age that he wouldn't be able to fight Ayrrk anymore. Perhaps he could just wait till his father perished and avoid conflict altogether. But no.. he had to make this right.. he had to apologize.. even though he had done nothing wrong. He smiled at her. She was wiser than she knew herself to be. She'd provoked this sudden outburst of thought in him, and now, perhaps his life would improve because of that. "Adatheil.. maybe there is something I can do about my dad yet.. but not yet.. I'm going to wait a little while.. ", he laughed just then, "He's probably still fuming about his arguement. " Ayrrk grinned.</font>
<font color='#ABCDEF'><table width=320> <B>[.character.][/b] Adathiel Liral [.in.character.] adathiel shook her head at arryk's apology, and grinned. he probably did have it better than she did, but now that adathiel knew what freedom was like, she was never letting it go. her eyes shone with confidence again, all traces of old pain and sadness dissipated. the only reason she would ever go back there again for was her brother. she wanted to know where he was. a thoughtful look crossed her visage. "Actually, lately I've been thinking of going back." she said, her voice calm. "Not permanently, just to find out where Milal is. He promised to come and find me, but its been over a year." she looked at arryk to see what he thought about it. even though they had just met, she trusted him to give her a direct, truthful answer. going back home to her father would be dangerous. she knew that. he might try to take her back, and he would be furious. perhaps if she could just talk to her other brother. but no, he would bring her to their father. with a mental shrug, she decided she might as well try it. </table></font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>-- He sighed heavily, preparing to enter a long void of thought. He knew there would be benefits to her going back, and there would be complications. It was the same way with him and his old man. In his case, his father was so old and sickly that he wouldn't be able to do that much damage, but there was still a slight risk that Ayrrk would obtain an injury. With her, that risk was highly elevated by the fact her dad was much stronger, and probably could overpower and kill her fairly easily. The benefit, in both scenarios, was that they would possibly patch up bad relationships with family. He wondered if her father would be agreeable, or if he'd murder her outright. He didn't exactly sound like the kind who'd listen to reason. Going there alone might be suicide. Indeed he could hurt himself visiting his father, but he realized now there was little chance that his dad would win any sort of battle between them. Ayrrk had the brawn, and a fair amount of brains as well, though he'd never really tested his physical or mental abilities to their limits. He had always doubted that he would have to, he'd sincerely hoped that he would stay out of trouble his entire life, and as everyone knew, that simply wasn't possible. Fate had a cruel way of never giving anyone exactly what they desired in life. But at any rate, his dad wouldn't be around that much longer, and Ayrrk didn't want either of them to die without at least trying to make things better. He was exicted a little. He'd never done anything quite so reckless in his life. It made him feel stronger, and considerably more confident in himself. But still, he had been pessimistic all this time, there was simply no way to reverse it completely. So he decided it. He would go to his father. He would try to avoid all forms of conflict, and get across the one thing he had aimed to in the first place; an apology. He smiled briefly. But then his mind veered back to Adathiel and her problem. He glanced at her briefly. She had been his first real friend. He didn't like to see friends or family hurt. So he made the second reckless choice of his life. He would go with her to see her dad. "Adathiel, I'll go with you.. to your family.." He began..</font>
<font color='#FFFFFF'>00c| -sniff- Hai Rika. ist Eppie...feel very small and lost amongst this big new site...but Ill fnd my way ^^; I hope IC| an ivory male casually strode up to the other, blue optics scanning the new being, creating an image to store in his mind. walking beside the male, he smiled "er...Ello." he said flatly, tail flicking in a nervous matter round his ankles. a small leather pouch fell round his nape, in it a sketchbook and a book of verses, representing his love for the two arts. mouth fell ajar, but no sound were amitted in his attempt to stir up conversation</font>
<font color='#FF7F00'>Brief OoC -- Hello Eppie. Welcome to RaL. Just have fun and you'll be fine. BiC -- Ayrrk Turned away suddenly at the sight of the new dragon. He'd been startled again, seeing as he'd been fairly involved in his conversation with Adathiel. This new male appeared friendly, and perhaps he was true to his appearences. Ayrrk glanced down at the pouch the dragon had dropped. A sketchbook, and some poetry were among the contents. He grinned slightly. This fellow seemed to have a passion for the arts. He looked down at the mascu and raised an eyebrow. This PenDragon looked intimidated. That hadn't really been Ayrrk's intention. He laughed at himself and the new face at the same time. He felt rather embarassed, jumping up like that when this dragon had approached. He decided that he would make a good first impression on this chap. " 'Lo there stranger. I'm Ayrrk Ayr. No need to be afraid of me." He grinned. Then he turned towards Adathiel once more, awaiting her reply to his previous sentiment. He hoped he hadn't offended her or anything, saying he would go along with her to meet her father. That in itself wasn't offensive, but the implication that she needed him to go with her and help might've been. After all, she seemed to Ayrrk an inferno of a spirit and fairly strong physically also. Such a fae wouldn't need his assistance at all. He waited for one of them to reply, spreading his wings briefly then folding them again.</font>
<font color='#FFFFFF'><center><table width=400><tr><td><font color="darkgreen"><center>Zaequa: depression is when the soul seeks to fly but the mind fears the height<p><center>The mascu peered down at his dropped contents, scooping them back up and flinging them roumd 'is nape once again. He blinked; the blue optics changed to brown. This feature, of his eyes changing hues after each blink was useless as well as quite unusual, and tended to scare away most other pendragons. He himself thought it was awfully strange, for he could feel the color changing beneath his lids. THough for he was born with it, a gift from his deceased parents, he had become used to it. He smiled happily, and did an awkward bow "Hello Ayrr. I go by Zaequa...or Zaeq, if you prefer," he glanced to the other femora, and smiled happily "Hello there too. Im...well, you must have heard, but Im Zaequa. Zaeq....whatever."</table></font></font>
