Current Day: 23 Current Quarter: Tessera (Autumn) Current Year: 81378 The desert sun beat down with massive intensity onto the desolate wasteland below, super-heating the sands until they scorched the skin and made walking difficult. Even for Autumn, the desert was hot. It was midday and most creatures sought refuge where they could from the unyielding sun. Pyroth was one of these creatures. Although he had a strong affinity for heat in all of its extremes, the oasis he had uncovered was too good to leave. All around him plants flourished defiantly in the dying land. There was something poetic he felt about the whole thing, but he couldnÂ’t quite put his finger on what. He lounged with a lazy grace across the upper branches of a palm tree, his assassin training making him quite the adept and silent climber. From his perch, he could see out across the sands, the rolling yellow of the landscape hurting his crimson eyes slightly. It was lonely out here, no doubt about that, even for someone as antisocial as himself, but at least here his pursuers would never find him. If only this oasis sustained a decent food supply, he could stay where he was, adrift in a sea of sand. Unfortunately some things were never meant to be, and he knew that he would have to leave this place soon. So, for the time being he let himself relax a bit longer, he would have to regain his strength again before heading back out into the midst of the heat. Perhaps, he thought to himself, before leaving he would perform a brief refresher spell to ensure his magic powers still flow smoothly, either way there was water nearby to slake his thirst for a while. What he didnÂ’t take into account was that the oasis he currently hid in was a major watering point for merchants and the like and he probably wouldnÂ’t be alone there for much longer.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Character: Malvin Jethro – 4500 – Male</td></tr></table> The old brown hued male stumbled across the open dessert, having a hard time walking through the sand. It wasn’t the kind of terrain he was used to and it was making him aggravated, at himself and the conditions he was stuck with. With his right arm being held up to his eyes to block the blinding light of the sun reflecting off the sand. His brown eyes were half closed making it hard for him to see. His mind was racing with complaints he would have ready once he got back, never again would he take field duty. He was getting to old for it. Malvin kept his head low and trudged on through the heat. He knew that by now he most have taken a wrong turn or else he would have reached his destination or would have found someone. But no, he hadn’t looked over the map before leaving thinking that he would know well enough which direction to go in, and now he was where he was. He finally looked up again from going over a small sand dune. Where those trees he could see or was it a mirage that lost travelers saw. Either way he would take the chance, anything would be helpful right now. He knew that if there were trees there must be water near by. Within moments of walking at a faster pace he reached his destination and was overjoyed at what he found. He quickly went over to the nearest pool of water he saw and started to drink. He didn’t even bother to look around for any other ‘dragons in the area, he was to set on the water he had found. It soothed his throat and for that he was grateful. He then sat back on his heels and closed his eyes. Maybe he would just rest around here for a while before continuing. Hopefully he would regain his sense of direction.
Pyroth had spotted Malvin's approach a little late, being too concerned with finding himself a comfy position in his tree to keep lookout. It was for this reason mainly that he instantly froze dead still rather than leaping directly into a fight. Pyroth was a typically snappy pendragon, vicious and mean despite his years, the eternal adolecent in some respects. Nevertheless, fate had intended him to observe rather than attack, and that he did, for a time, until he decided that the other male on the ground posed no severe threat to him at the moment. With an almost cat-like grace he looped his long red tail around the trunk of the tree, sunk in his claws and silently slunk down to the ground, his every movement muted through habit. Coming to rest at the bottom of the tree, he seated himself, acting as though he had been there for some time, and let out a pointed cough. It was only courteous to announce your precence to others, he supposed. Still, the fact that he was trying to be pleasant still didn't quite conceal the fact that Pyroth was edgy around others, and with good reason, his tail beraying him in it's ceaseless twitching.
Malvin whole body quickly turned around at the sound of Pyroth’s cough, him never being one to pay attention to his surrounding he was taken completely off guard. He was pretty sure that Pyroth hadn’t been there when he had first stumbled across this oasis so for a few seconds he wondered where he had come from, but he soon decided that he didn’t care. What mattered was that he was there now. He quickly ran his paw over his front to remove any drops of water that had missed his mouth and tried to flatten down his hair that he was sure had been messed up while traveling. He hated to look bad in front of others, but under the circumstances he didn’t have much to help himself with. <span style='color:brown'>“Hello…I hope I’m not intruding or trespassing or anything."</span> By the stranger not saying anything he wasn’t really sure if he was mad he just getting his attention. And from all he knew this prosperous part of land could belong to someone. He knew that he would probably have done better in his joy if he had studied a map of some sort. He was still doing okay if you looked at this from one way, not lost in a part of the desert without water, but also not in the best settings he would want.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Character: Umoreul Paush Age: 65,000 Hathor might just pay a visit too</td></tr></table> <span style='color:purple'>"I hope you dragons know what your doing in this area...it can be quite dangerous."</span> A dark cloud seemed to condense and then drop the form of a black Anubi onto the ground gracefully. His eyes glowed red, there were no whites or pupils. He was wearing a brown poncho over a traditional Anubi dress. He wore what seemed to be the dress of a high priest. He had wonderfully engraved bracers on, gold of course. He stood up and shook the sand out of his poncho. <span style='color:purple'>"More so when it gets dark...This desert is home to some who really don't like outsiders, especially if they are not Anubi, Macy, or Cucu..."</span> His buisness here was the usual, he had a question to ask an old friend. Which friend it was, many did not know. usually he would not have the poncho, but as it was a rather long walk or fly, he wore it to keep the sand off his clothes. He loved the desert as it was his natural element, the heat did not bug him one bit as he had grown up in it. This desert he knew like the back of his hand, temples, ruins, you name it, he knew where it was. Many who live in the desert knew him, even the creatures seemed not to really care about his presence. Then again, he most likely knew their ancestors...
Pyroth merely kept himself to himself as the others introduced and defended their precence, he nodded his head politely first to Malvin, his voice cool and calm, his crimson eyes betraying nothing of their owner's emotion. It was a trick he had learned over the years, to mask his true feelings with a false pretence of optimism. In his usual, detached tones he dismissed Malvin's worries with a vague gesture of a well taloned paw <span style='color:red'>"Of course you aren't tresspassing, no one owns the desert, and if anyone did, it wouldn't be me." </span> He lets out a chuckle, a faint glimmer of emotion slipping through his veneer of composure. He still remains edgy however, after all, one never knew when who you were talking to was out to get you. On the arrival of Umoreul however, Pyroth only just manages to suppress a snarl, how dare someone else imply that he was unable to defend himself? He hadn't made it through life to this point being weak, and his pride was easily stung. Still maintaining a cool air, Pyroth gave the anubi a brisk, snappy answer. <span style='color:red'>"I assure you I know what I'm doing, you have nothing to worry about."</span> ((XD Pyroth is so damned moody, my apologies))
Mavlin was surprised at the appearance of the Anubi but now as much when Pyroth and cough. This time he had seen the black cloud in which he had arrived. He looked the new comer over and noticed the marks on his checks. He’s been graded. Other then that he could see much because of the poncho. If any one were to have own the desert it whould have been the Anubi, but that was long ago. He then just nodded to Pyroth’s response then also at the Anubi. Mavlin notice how Pyroth had snapped at the other which made him think that he thought of himself as being quit powerful. It was probably Mavlin himself that had the lest strength out of any one the ones here, he would have to be careful of what he said. <span style='color:brown'>“I know what I’m doing and what I’m getting myself into."</span> Even if he wasn’t powerful with magic he didn’t see why he could seem sure of himself. He bent down and washed his paws in the water beside him still, then rubbed them dry. He was just trying to keep his hands busy, he wasn’t really sure what to say to the Anubi just yet so he would wait to see why he had stopped here as well. It might be more then just looking for something to drink. <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>The moody ones are interesting XP</td></tr></table>
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>The moody ones are lots of fun...</td></tr></table> <span style='color:purple'>"Just be catious, I know this land and each of its creatures. They can be unpredictable, this used to be a very peaceful place. Now days all it sees is turmoil and restlessness."</span> Just as he said this a white kitten appeared from behind a bush and came up to take a drink. Paush took a glance at it that seemed to imply he knew it. <span style='color:purple'>"Damn it...she always knows when I come..."</span> He wispered under his breath. He turned to the other two. <span style='color:purple'>"You should not stay here long, caravans stop here and so do many who you most likely don't want to meet."</span> He worried much for the others, he would have to show them a safer spot. Those who still lived in the desert had been very violent to outsiders lately. Usually they don't kill them...now days they had been on a spree. As for fighting, he was a master at the Dark Arts, but he also had hand-to-hand training. Paush had fought for alot of his life after 50000. Before that, he says little about, he says it would break a code. He still keeps too the Anubi code, even though they dwindle in number.
Pyroth maintained his vague aura of dislike towards the anubial, still not entirely sure where this feeling was sourced from. Perhaps it was the sheer arrogance that many of the creatures that he had encountered had been so hostile towards him, perhaps it was just his own mistrusting nature, but either way, he was loathe to take orders from anyone else ever again. Putting on a somewhat false grin, he attempted to remain externally amicable and replied to Paush in as neutral a manner as possible. <span style='color:red'>"Thank you for the information, but I am pretty sure that anything this land can throw at me, I will handle."</span> Pyroth however, may have been proud, but he was not foolish, he noted the other's reference to the trade route that must have crossed this oasis and decided that to stay here was no longer safe, even if he could kill most things tossed his way without hesitation, some of the graders and warriors hot on his trail were too strong to risk a fight with. His tail lashed behind him as he got to his feet, a betrayer of his emotions, it's fierce red flame glowing vividly, even in the daylight. Slowly, he considered his options and then, looking from Malvin to Umoreul, asked the question he had been mulling over. <span style='color:red'>"Well then, do either of you know of a place within this area that /won't/ be hassled with traffic, somewhere secluded where a 'dragon could stay in peace for a time?"</span> He was willing to take the risk of revealing his plight to the others for the sole reason that he reckoned that neither of them were graders -graded maybe, in the case of Umoreul, but not hunters- and either way, if the worst came to the worst, they could always be dispatched. Dead men told no tales. <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Really his arrogance knows no real bounds ¬_¬ </td></tr></table>
Malvin left eye brow rose at the sight of the white kitten that walked out from a bush. He had no idea what it was doing there knowing that it was probably not a normal creature for the middle of the desert. When the other referred to it as a she he was even more confused. Maybe this feline was a shape shifter, or just small and not wanting to talk. He decided not to ask. Mavlin however was a little hesitant at hearing there would be other showing up at any time. He knew this place was too good to be kept secret. He wasn’t suppose to be interacting with anyone before he name his delivery, they were worried that it might be intercepted. When Pyroth asked if he knew a place he just shook his head. There was no way he could bring others with him, it would mean death to them and probably himself as well. But not knowing where this place was anymore would cause him problems. <span style='color:brown'>“I don’t know of a place but I could also use a place to rest for a while. I’m not used to traveling in the desert."</span> He glanced around, worried a little that someone could show up at any second. Sure he had already run into these two by chance but he would probably be better off to keep it just these to who knew where he was. But could he trust them right now, not openly he was sure, but enough to stay with them for a while? Would he have to give himself a different name if they asked, good chance. But maybe they wouldn’t ask for a while. Just nod and go along with what they said for now, if that doesn’t work he would have to think up something else.
<span style='color:purple'>"Well it depends...Do you like empty temples or forgotten cities?"</span> Paush said in a slightly sarcastic tone. He knew of many hiding places, most of them old cities and temples he used to frequent. He knew that some of them still had Anubi living in them, most of them were abandoned after 50,000 though so he usually did not go to them anymore, except for a few hidden temples...He knew the location of them all but whould never tell. For it would be breaking the Anubi's highest code. The hidden temples were said to house gods, but no one really knew except the Anubi, for if a normal dragon ever found one, they would not come out alive. The white kitten had found its way over to Paush and sat down infront of him and mewed as if to say 'Someones waiting for you'. Paush glared at the cat. <span style='color:purple'>"Tell her I'm going to be late, tell her she should be ready for me, if not I will be upset. Also tell her that if she hides anything from me I will personally kill her."</span> He gave the cat a swift kick and it tore off across the desert. He smirked <span style='color:purple'>"Stupid Cucu..."</span>
