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Darkseeker
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Sylvia "Sprout" Skarsgaard
Dragon Rider | 16 | Female | Mentions: Aerrax, Open
Delicate fingers subtly pulled at the tendrils of grass around her, absent mindedly rolling the torn bits into balls in her hands. Her eyes were unfocused as she was deep in thought, the soft features of her face pulled in concentration. Stress and nerves had settled into her forehead, causing it to crease with worry as she thought.
The petite girl wasn't in a bad mood or anything, but like many the looming intensity of their task today had made her nerves a jumbled mess. There was so much at stake, the most being her life, if she failed for whatever reason, it meant she could die. And based on what she was told about the First Ride, it didn't seem unusual for things to go terribly wrong for people. Now, she wasn't like a lot of the other riders who had winged dragons who could fly, given she knew Aerrax could glide if needed, but Earth dragons were primarily earth bound, unable to fly like their brethren. This meant she likely wasn't going to fall to her death out of the sky, but the prospect of potentially being buried alive underground sent her skin crawling.
A shiver ran up her spine, causing her eyes to focus and her attention snapped back to the present time. Gently she clapped her hands together and brushed them off, pieces of grass falling back on the ground. She pushed up off the ground carefully and brushed off her clothes. They were nothing remarkable, hand-me-downs that had been hemmed and tailored to better fit her petite frame. Her blouse was long sleeves, and olive green in color. It was a little frilly around her wrists, with some white ties on the chest that she had tied into a little bow. Her pants were dark brown, and were hemmed to be tighter around her ankles, but were loose on the rest of her legs and waist. She wore a pair of simple matching brown shoes, think something along the lines of mary jane sneakers or flats. They weren't the most athletic or flashy shoe, but they were reliable, they fit well, and they were secure on her feet so they wouldn't fall off. Truthfully, they were her favorite pair of shoes, so of course she had to wear them.
Turning she pushed strawberry blonde hair behind her ears, and offered a smile to the adorable dragon that was her own. She hadn't known him for more than a week and already Sprout loved him. His personality was something she enjoyed basking in, and the lizardly shape he had to him was absolutely the cutest thing in the world.
"Are you nervous for today?" Sprout asked him as she stepped up to him and gently scratched his neck, though it was as much trying to show him affection as it was to make sure he was real. She still believed a bit that this was all just a dream and she'd wake up one day and realize in despair that it wasn't real. "I'm a bit nervous," she admitted aloud, though the solidity of the dragon beneath her hands comforted her. "I'm the only one in my family, so far, that's been chosent to be a Dragon Rider. I don't want to let anyone down," and she didn't want to die. The words were left unspoken, but it was clear the were intended in her brief pause. "My parents are super proud, but I think both of them were just as shocked as me. I don't think any of us every imaged me being anything other than a Botanist," at this point Sprout was babbling like a brook out of nervousness.
Quietly she dug the fingers of one of her hands into her thigh, a bit of habit, or tell, that she had whenever she got too nervous. She knew they'd begin soon, and part of her was ready to rip that bandaid off and get it over with. But the other part of her wanted just a bit more time before she had to face whatever was to come. Hopefully, whatever it was, it would only be good. |
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Darkseeker
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Ana-Lucia Cabellero 16 | Female | Rider | Mentions: Syvne, Geneviève The morning of the first ride Ana-Lucia had twisted her long dark hair back into a singular large braid, pulling out a few side pieces to help frame her face. She had woken up early that morning, anxious about the day's events, and not wishing to wake up her dormmate. During her early morning time, she had gone for a walk in hopes of calming herself down a bit. There was a lot riding on her success, especially with her being the only rider in her family. Unfortunately during the choosing ceremony the week prior, she had come with her older sister to attend the event, and only she ended up with a dragon. She was disappointed for her sister Gene, yet thrilled for herself. This was the adventure of a lifetime, and Ana was excited to take it on. During that week she had been working diligently in her classes, absorbing what she could about her dragon and what she needed to know for the first ride. In addition to her classes, she had also received a dorm room, and a partner to share it with. Never having been apart from her family for more than a week Ana did feel a bit homesick, the only thing the young girl was not missing where her parent's constant critiques. So she immediately brightened when she heard the voice of her sister from behind her. " Ana-Lucia! " Lifting a hand she waved in Gene’s direction, a smile spreading across her face. Ana was standing in front of her dragon, and she kept the creature in the corner of her eye. Syvne was a magnificent animal, but an intimidating one as well. She could tell the ice dragon was uncomfortable, based on the claw marks on the ground around her claws, and the way she positioned her tail to keep any others at bay. Ana could hear Syvne mutter something, but couldn't make it out, she nearly asked her about it, but thought better of it and looked back towards her sister. Despite not having actually started the first ride, the young girl's heart was already pounding, and she was sure her dragon could hear it as well. Are you nervous for the first ride Syvne? She asked the dragon through their link. She turned the face the creature before kneeling down to sit on the grass, plucking a long piece and twirling it around her fingers. Ana-Lucia didn’t wish to disappoint her parents if she fell from her dragon, and the thought of falling did make her nervous, but that was a problem she was willing to face in order to officially become a dragon rider. Her attention was drawn to her feet, as metal pieces on her riding boots clicked together, as she moved to sit with her legs crisscrossed. Ana-Lucia’s outfit was simple, she wore a cream color blouse, a looser piece of clothing with bell sleeves that cinched at her wrist, along with a pair of semi-fitted black pants. Ana was never one to go for extravagant outfits, she preferred a more simple style. She had stuck to this so much so, that even today she had not put on her normal jewelry. And Gene happened to have lots of desirable shirts that Ana had looked at in the past, speaking of her sister's wardrobe, the shirt she was wearing that morning had been stolen from her sister's room. Ana figured Geneviève wouldn’t notice if she had borrowed it, and so far it seemed as if she hadn't. |
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Darkseeker
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Syvne
Ice Dragon | Female | Mentions: Ana-Lucia, Gene
The dragonness turned her head to look in the direction of another human who had called out the name of her rider. She recognized her, though she didn't know her name, but she was pretty sure the two were related. She had noticed their similarities, as well as the portion of their scents that both shared. Sisters if Syvne had to guess. She felt no emotions towards the other human, but she could hear the heart beat of her rider and could smell the anxiety coming off of her in almost tangible waves.
Her eyes turned to Ana-Lucia, before her head followed, the sound of the human's voice echoing within the recesses of her mind. Syvne was partially grateful that her rider chose to communicate through the link instead of aloud, since Syvne wasn't much for conversation. It was easier this way.
"Nervous?" She asked for a second, before shrugging her furred shoulders gently. "I would suppose all of us are to a degree. It's a... natural instrinct to test riders, from what I've learned and felt. But we also have no desire malicious desire to hurt you either. I believe that's reserved for the Fire Dragons, the insolent beasts." The ice dragon scoffed in her own mind at the thought of the fire creatures, a subtle smirk pulling at her lips.
When Ana lowered herself to sit upon the grass, Syvne followed her lead and laid down, preferring not to tower over her rider since she already seemed on edge. Her claws sunk into the earth, almost beginning to knead it gently, and she let out a soft, humming trill, an attempt to comfort the woman before her. Deciding more was needed to try and set her rider at ease, she spoke through the link once more. "I have no intentions of dropping you, Ana-Lucia. Though, I would not recommend falling off, I don't think it would be a pleasant experience," Ah yes, Syvne, the epitome of perfecting the comforting word.
Gently she laid her head down on the woman's lap, hoping the cool temperature of her form wouldn't make the human uncomfortable. With not being an affectionate creature, this felt unnatural to the dragonness, but she felt it was necessary. Plus a tiny part of her enjoyed the company of her small human.
"You should invite your sister over, it might do you well to have the company of... someone familiar.. before you go on our flight," the dragoness offered, though the growl in her voice made it clear that despite the offer she wasn't satisfied with the idea of another human around her. Though she'd tolerate her for Ana if she desired. |
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Darkseeker
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Brontes Water dragon | 259 | Male | M: Nico, and others[indirectly] This year's choosing ceremony had only taken place a week ago, and the fresh faces had the water dragon reminiscing the day he and Nico had bonded. The day Brontes and Nico had their choosing ceremony, Brontes had been lurking in the river. Just sitting among the weeds at the bottom of the river bed. He was blowing puffs of air out of his nostrils and watching as the rings floated to the surface, Brontes didn't really want to leave the water and was debating making his human find him, but eventually realized that wasn't possible. Now he normally was not one for dramatics, however, this was a special occasion. Brontes had burst from the water, launching a good 10 feet in the air, and landed on the ground, letting out a loud dominant screech. He proceeded to stomp, which, unfortunately, came across as a less intimidating version of a waddle, over to his human. He had felt the bond become stronger the closer he got, and had eventually spotted Nico. From there Brontes had puffed out his frills, let out a deep grumble, and shook himself off. Unsure if he had accidentally sprayed his human, he stared the tiny creature down and lowered his head to meet his gaze. Brontes had stopped inches from the boy's face and let a puff of air out, in an attempt to blow back his hair and see his entire face. It was not long after this, that their bond snapped in place. But to his dismay, Nico had just cracked a half-smile at him. Mission failed. With that Brontes had proceeded to try and drop Nico, not once, but twice during their first flight in order to try and strike some fear into the boy. He couldn't tell if it had worked since he couldn't see his expression during the ride, though in the end, they turned out to be a strongly bonded pair. He wouldn't choose a different rider. Returning to the present, the large Dragon knew that some of the new riders before him were nervous, and a part of him wished to offer them advice, but in his opinion, some of the best advice he could give them, was nothing at all. The first ride was not something one could really predict, and every experience was different. The riders must learn by doing, not everything could be taught verbally, they would just have to figure their techniques out now that they were well equipt. “Back in our day, we didn’t use these fancy contraptions,” The water dragon spoke, aiming a wing at the handcrafted dragon saddles. Head coiled partially around Nico. “All we had was our Witt and grit to get us through,” the rhyme had the dragon let out an amused snort, how the first ride had changed in seven short years. The saddles may make it easier for the new riders to hang on, but not every dragon would make the first ride easy, Brontes sure hadn't for Nico. Today would be interesting. |
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Darkseeker
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Nicodemus Brooks
Dragon Rider | 23 | Male | Mentions: Brontes
The obscenely tall young man was kneeling down next the beast he called his own, his eyes narrowed as he examined the various pairs of dragons and raiders. They were, in his opinion, a good bunch, a decent amount of variety that would be strong once trained. Having a variety like that meant they could protect one another when an enemy tried to exploit weaknesses. He was just grateful he didn't have a whole team of fire dragons almost like one of the other leads, Zachariah, had. The poor man had started going bald before thirty from the stress of it.
His head tilted to look at Brontes and snorted softly at him. "'Back in our day'" he quoted the dragon, a soft look of amusement on his features. "You make it seem like we're ancient, Brontes. It was only seven years ago that we stood where they do now," he commented. However, things had been different then. The first flights, or rides, took place immediately after the Choosing, giving the new riders no time to prepare for something they likely new nothing about.
"While I admit having saddles is... weird now, they do help," Nicodemus offered quietly. They hadn't had a saddle until recently, but he had to admit it made it easier to use his sword without having to worry about staying on as much. He imagined it would be especially beneficial for the riders on dragons who could fly, since Brontes could only glide.
A few years ago when a significant amount of riders had died during the first flights, the Elite Leaders, which were some of the remaining original dragon riders, had decided change was necessary. That batch of dragons had been particularly foul tempered, and it seemed many of them weren't fond of the idea of being tasked with a rider. It wasn't unusual, every so many years you'd get a group of dragons that was adamant about not having a rider, so it was bound to happen. The new procedure didn't even fully keep the riders safe, it just gave them better odds of surviving, even if they failed.
"When it starts, we'll head off once the last rider has started to leave the valley, I want to know if anyone fails right away before we leave. Plus, if we find any on our way, we can make sure they get help if needed," Nicodemus instructed, rising to his full height of over six feet. He reached out and patted the neck of the large dragon and lifted an eyebrow at him. "See anyone who particularly catches your eye?" He wasn't speaking of riders, but of the dragons.
This was something Nicodemus always asked Brontes when new dragons were brought in, and it was even recommended of Leaders to see. If if dragon took a special interest in a female dragon, it was good to have it noted so if she became gravid she could be placed under protection until eggs were laid. Recently the Kingdom had taken an interest in obtaining eggs from current dragon riders, believing it was the next step in the new generations of riders. Dragons born and raised around humans were more likely to accept and take riders. It was even believed that it could bring the bond and choosing out sooner, though it hadn't yet been tested. Dragons and riders that bonded from a young age, and not once puberty occured, could create stronger and better riders. And, of course, Nicodemus secretly enjoyed the idea of baby Bronteses running around causing havoc. |
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Neutral
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⸺「 Ava Aldine 」⸺
Female || 18 Yrs || Rider || M: Nico { ind. }, Dragons { ind. }, Riders { ind. } Shoteka { ind. } ⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺ Usually, Ava would be all for judging these worthless 'riders,' but in this case, she was sitting on a large boulder, a book in hand, her eyes scowering the pages. Granted, she didn't give a flying fuck if any of these bozos' die, but she didn't plan on dying herself. Even as much as tempting as it was to distract herself and shove these morons into the dirt beneath her boot, she couldn't let that get the best of her! Focus. Focus. FOCUS. With one knee extended, hanging off the side of the rock, she held her other leg over the other, resting the book ontop of it, as her finger followed each and every line, mesmerizing every single word. Ava wasn't a nerd, not a book worm, but her literal life depended on this. And her dragon, her dragon wasn't going to go easy on her.. they never do, and she highly doubts this dragon would be different on their first ride. Ava was lucky when she was chosen by such a large, incredible dragon, now she needed that luck on this first ride. Man. Would these pages even help? Would they even give her the advice or even encouragement she needed? Gods. This sucks ass. She missed one day of studying, and she's basically missed everything on basic First Flight training! Her fingers latched onto the golden necklace that wrapped itself around her throat, her fingers rubbing back and forth against the golden tooth that hung from the silver chain. In all honesty, she has no clue as to where she found or even got ahold of this, but for as long as she can remember, it's been there. Looking up from her book, she glanced over to "boss" of this group. Nicodemus. Such a weird name.. he began speaking, instructing something? Probably something she should have listened to, but she paid no mind to it, she stared back at her book, reading the endless lines of words. |
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Darkseeker
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Sihir Seer Dragon || 250 Years || Male || Mentions: Kristopher ━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━ Light had cascaded down from a break in the clouds, falling in such a way that it resembled a waterfall. He had missed the warmth of the sun; the feeling of it upon his scales as he promenaded through the land. He had spent the last few weeks beneath the shade of a forest, embracing its coolness. For a while, it was nothing but darkness, but that was before he came here, to the valley where there were but a few trees and even fewer places to wander in. Oh, but he didn't mind it, rather, he enjoyed the area more than he fathomed he would. For one, there was more company. Sihir certainly enjoyed encountering new individuals. The stories they must have! Better yet, Syvne was near, a dragoness he had had the privilege of meeting many moons ago. Like him, she had forged a relationship with a human. He espied her now, teetering near her newly bonded. Raising his head like that of a deer, he surveyed the scene, loitering alongside of his own human, a male with black hair (though he was informed it was actually a dark brown). Staring at him now, Sihir grunted to himself like an elder, head bobbing with satisfaction. He had truly lucked out. He had bonded with the best human here! He was obedient, too, never straying too far, and pleasurable company. Now he understood why humans carried small creatures around, throwing balls for them and whatnot. Of course, Sihir didn't have the opportunity to name his human like they did their own pets, but he was satisfied nonetheless. He did hope that his human was as satisfied with him, especially given the current circumstance. They were to have their first flights, and while Sihir proved to be a strong flyer, he was anything but graceful in his takeoffs. He was one for wandering upon the ground rather than flying, for it helped conserve energy, and oh, how his neck ached at times, his numerous sets of antlers weighing his head down like an anchor. However, he would do his best, graceful or not. "Do forgive me if it takes me a moment to initially take flight, it has been a while." He admitted sheepishly, eyes upon Kristopher, "It is not my intention to make things difficult for you." While not the most graceful choice of wording, it was mandatory to announce. "I do advise you to hold on tight at first. Once we are in flight, it will be much easier," he added on, head lowering to signify the importance of his message and motioning to his antlers at the same time. If Kristopher needed to, he could grasp onto them for further stability, though Sihir had full confidence in his rider. |
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Darkseeker
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Kavik Forger || 17 || M: Rhiannon, Others (Ind) Kavik stood next to Rhiannon, eyes slightly glazed as he stared past the scene around him. Everywhere, dragons and their riders were paired together, some moving into groups and some remaining just the two of them. There was a murmuring sort of chatter in the air. The clearing itself was tense, watching its occupants with baited breath: in just moments, it would be emptied, and the skies would claim the bodies that were currently grounded. The noise was loud, yet each individual seemed to be speaking in a low buzz, if not a whisper. Kavik himself was silent. He glanced over to his dragon companion. A hulking mass of dark, gleaming scales; an elegantly curved neck and refined head; a sleek, muscular build; and massive wings made up the shadowy female. Kavik, who did not know much about dragons and who had never cared to court the idea that he would get his own, was still in mild shock considering his current state. It had been a few days now, but while those days felt stretched, they also seemed condensed into mere hours. Kavik brushed a hand lightly over Rhiannon’s saddle. It was well-made, at least. The blacksmith in him could appreciate the handiwork, regardless of how simple it was. The dragon before him deserved something better than this, though. He'd have to begin working on the ornate details coming to mind – after the flight, of course. He snapped back to attention and, instinctively, asked, “Did they give directions?” No, no… not yet. At least, he couldn't recall hearing any. Now that he was paying attention to the various conversations taking place around him, though, he noticed Percy, his roommate, blatantly flirting with Mircea. Public displays of affection. Ew. Kavik wrinkled his nose and shook his head, turning away from them. People were so… overrated. “Well, this first ride ought to be interesting.” He decided to strike up a conversation with his new life partner, who so far hadn't seemed to tolerate the sappy aspects of life. Kavik appreciated that. |
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Darkseeker
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Deirdre || 200 || Fire Dragon || M: Juniper, Others (Ind) Deirdre surveyed the various pairs of humans and dragons with an impartial gaze, her golden eyes showing little interest in the happenings of the clearing. She released a snorting sigh and flared her nostrils; she was, though she would never admit it, rather anxious over the whole “first ride” ordeal coming up. She was not one to place her trust in another being, let alone a human who had been around for such a short time that an egg wouldn't have even hatched yet. Of course, she loved little Juniper. He was her rider, as she was his dragon. But still… the nagging worry and doubt, both in herself and in her juvenile companion, put a damper on the exhilarating experience. She peered down at Juniper as he ran a hand beneath the bridle. Aw, what a thoughtful child. If anyone dared to even look at him wrong– oh, he was speaking. Deirdre had to pause and recall what had been said mere seconds ago. It took her a moment, but she was able to bring back his words. “I would never forgive myself if anything were to happen to you under my watch,” she told him, her tone unusually serious. Deirdre quickly switched to one that was more lighthearted. “Please - we will blow them all out of the water, and then we’ll leave them all in awe of our raw talent.” A mischievous glint entered the red-orange dragon’s eye as she tilted her head and added in a playful mutter, “Even Brontes and Nicodemus won't be able to hold a candle to us.” She knew it wasn't true; that pair was far more experienced. Yet, she had to say it for Juniper. His excitement was contagious, and she found it to be rather adorable. Yes… for him, she would make sure they would outshine even the veteran duo. Deirdre stood as still as possible while her rider clambered on, and then she raised herself to her full height and carefully unfurled her wings. Stretching them out until the tips quivered from the tightness, she released a satisfied sigh and turned to peer back at Juniper. “I am excited to ride with you, too, my friend.” My friend. |
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Lightbringer
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Edited at September 11, 2022 12:22 PM by Spellbound
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Fall 
Day Weather: 
Hurricane
