The air was warm, tempered by a gentle breeze that rustled the leaves below. If not for the wind, the silence would be maddening, like an uncomfortable hush that blanketed the landscape. Instead, it roared past her, slamming against her scales and pounding against her ears. It was refreshing. Soothing, almost, like some unnatural lullaby.

The horizon stretched out in a deep azure, speckled with clouds that gave it a mythical quality. Yet, where Thalassia flew, the sky seemed to darken, as if the sunlight itself recoiled from her presence. A shadowy veil lingered over her; her scales so black they absorbed the light entirely.

She had long ago taken flight, circling above the ruins beneath her. She had seen them in their prime, standing tall and proud. Now, the remnants of those grand structures lay scattered and broken, reclaimed by nature and time. The stone walls, once formidable, were now overgrown with vines and moss, crumbling under the weight of history itself.

The ruins were Thalassia’s home. It was a place of solitude, the broken archways and collapsed columns having been her home for decades. It was among the ancient stones that Thalassia found solace, a sanctuary hidden from the prying eyes of the world. Here, she could be herself, unburdened by the expectations and judgments of others. She had long claimed this desolate place as her own, weaving through the shadows and memories that lingered. The carvings and faded murals told stories; she couldn’t help but feel a certain kinship with those who had once walked these grounds. And now, she was forced to depart. Even now, her home was a mere dot in the distance as she lingered, waiting for two others to join her.

A single shimmer in her peripheral vision had caught her attention, her wings propelling forwards towards it.

Had it not been for her sister, Aýnabat, Thalassia would have sucked the brightness out of the sky entirely. Oh, how her sister’s scales shimmered in the daylight. She radiated sheer, ethereal beauty, an embodiment of moonlight even during the day. Even now, Thalassia’s empty eyes radiated fondness at the sight of her. Rather than greeting her verbally, she dove towards the shimmer, meeting Aýnabat in the air and extending her neck. It was then when she briefly touched her snout against her sister’s forehead, tapping it lightly before receiving a nudge in return.

And it wasn’t just Aýnabat by her side; Tatsuo was there as well. The sight of the third female warmed Thalassia's heart, her tail fighting against the wind to wrap around the light dragon’s arm momentarily in greeting.

Tatsuo was an old friend. Though not related by blood, she was considered family. Thalassia had gone to war with Tatsuo. Some may argue for Tatsuo, for when the dark dragon learned that her friend was to fight, how could she sit back idly? The bond between them was deep, forged in the fires of battle. They had entered the battle as friends and had left as chosen sisters. Even now, Thalassia ensured her place remained by Tatsuo’s side—specifically, her left side, acting as the eye Tatsuo lacked.

Like herself, both Aýnabat and Tatsuo felt the pull of a bond. How lucky she was to share this journey with her sister and friend; otherwise, Thalassia would have faced her fate with far less fondness. She would not have been as willing, nor as calm, to depart. Had she been forced to leave while Aýnabat and Tatsuo stayed behind, she would have worried endlessly. They had always been near one another, a mere call away. So, when the news came that all three needed to embark, Thalassia couldn’t have asked the universe for a greater kindness.

Interrupting her thoughts was a sudden pang within her, an uncomfortable, yet painless feeling. Had the others felt it, too? A grumble emerged, vibrating from her chest and escaping her flared nostrils. The sound was quiet, barely audible among the roaring of the wind, but she did not repeat herself. She knew that Aýnabat and Tatsuo would hear her and understand its meaning: they needed to go.

Now that they were all together, Thalassia felt comfortable leaving. She advanced, gliding through the air leisurely. Her speed was steady, almost relaxed. Some might even say boring. However, it worked for her—until another pang struck within her, this time stronger, more irritating. She understood once more what it meant.

That they were close.

Descending with a deliberate slowness, the beat of her wings straightened, set in a glide. Rather than aiming for the ground, she circled, her shadow growing larger the closer she came to the ground. Outstretching her talons like a feline, Thalassia hovered above a meadow, gliding so low to the ground that the grass beneath her flattened itself out. Before her, the woods grew closer, the trees dense and foliage thick. With a final beat of her wings, Thalassia tucked them in, diving into the darkness of the forest and vanishing within without so much as landing.

Her talons were outstretched, and suddenly, she had gone from flying to running, her claws digging into earth and propelling her body forward. She weaved through the trees like a snake, wrapping her body around bushes and rocks until she suddenly went still. She stopped short of a field still a mile away, her gaze sweeping across her surroundings. The air was thicker here and smelled different. It lacked the freshness of open land and the salt of the sea. It was.. suffocating.

For a moment, Thalassia remained silent, her eyes—blank pools of white void—sweeping across the landscape. Finally, she turned to Aýnabat and Tatsuo, her voice a low, resonant murmur.

"This place breathes unfamiliar smells,” she began, her tone layered with a cryptic depth. Her lips peeled back momentarily, only to fall lazily. “I fear that I may find the weight of mortal gaze... heavy."

Tatsuo

Light Dragon | Female | New Dragon | Mentions: Thalassia & Aýnabat

The Light Dragon had slept soundly in her cave, the near-silent drops of water occasionally falling off a stalactite and splashing into the still pool of water below. It was a calming, silent getaway, but one she could not stay in forever. She could hear the steady wing beats of her sister’s calling, as well as that tug on her heart that she could not ignore. Not blood born but bonded through blood. The blood they had shed in a war from years ago when they had been much younger. Thala saved her from an attacker, and the sweet Ayan healed her injuries. All that emerged from the war was her emotional trauma, a shimmering scar, and two new sisters. She hadn’t left her friend's sides since.

The silent beckoning of what she could only assume was the bond pulled Tatsuo from her slumber. The white dragon stretched her wings to their full length, giving them a few warm-up flaps before tucking them back to her sides. She took a longing glance back toward the depths of her cave, at the cool waters beckoning her for a dip, but tore her gaze from it and moved to launch herself out of the cave, and into the sky.

As she burst into the light the warm rays of sun washed over her. She drank in the sunlight, illuminating herself slightly in response to the feel of it. Tatsuo let it energize her, fill her up, and gather her consciousness. She had promised herself that she would do her best to focus, to not let the whispers of the past invade her mind. Today would be the ultimate test of her control. Hopefully, she wouldn't lose it.

You’ve already lost it. It seemed to whisper back.

Tatsuo faintly mumbled to herself as she checked over her trinkets. One wrapped around the end of her tail, and the other she had looped around her neck. All filled with random objects ranging from precious stones and metals to colorful shards of glass, to various human items she discovered from her travels. The clear blue sky allowed the sun to hit her trinkets at full force, sending sparkles of light dancing around. Perhaps if her human was worthy she would find it in her heart to part ways with one. Or perhaps not.

She sensed Thala soaring above her and moved to join her. Tatsuo noticed the female glide up on her left, just a dark blur hardly seen out of her left eye. She rumbled a noise in appreciation. Thalassia, her left eye.

Tatsuo felt the gentle flick of her tail as her sister greeted her, and she returned the gesture running her tail along Thala’s outstretched wing. She moved to do the same with Aýnabat once she had spotted the Lunar dragon. Giving her a nod of friendly acknowledgment as they neared their final destination. The dragoness felt an overwhelming sense of need pulling at her inner being the closer she flew. Noticing Thala’s dive, she copied the female and tucked her wings to her sides, diving low before pulling up and dropping to all fours last minute. Then taking off at a run after the Dark dragon. Her white eyes glittered with an emotion she couldn't place as her muscles twitched to keep running, yet she slowed her pace to a halt as the overwhelming stench of humans hit her.

Her snout crinkled in distaste and she let out a snort of annoyance, as if she forgot there would indeed be real humans at this ceremony thing. Tatsuo turned her head so her good eye could stare dead ahead, unblinking. Assessing her next moves.

“This is not a place I do not wish to linger either. Too many foolish mortals running around, hurting my head with their wretched noises…” The female trailed off in response, snarling softly to herself and nearly beginning to recoil as the sound grew louder.

Despite this, she knew she had to press on. Her human was waiting.

Zephyrus Howl | Air Dragon | Male | Mentor Dragon | Mentions: Open

Zephyrus watched the proceedings from a safe distance under a tree. He noticed that there were some prospective riders hiding underneath trees as well, which narrowed down the amount of trees Zephyrus could hide under. He'd prefer to be in a tree, but branches often cracked under his weight and he didn't feel like falling out of a tree in front of everyone. Even with hollow bones, he weighed more than a black bear. He also didn't want to be seen clinging onto a tree. It would limit his perspective and he'd look undignified.

He'd been here a time or two, and he didn't want to be in the way of the dragons who were coming in, but he didn't want to be near any...children. He glared at any that started to look at him sideways dumbly wondering if he was a prospective dragon. They needed some more education. No. He was not one of the precious unbonded dragons. He was already...happily bonded. He appreciated other dragons leaving him alone as well, but they were easier to see coming and harder to accidentally step on. They also didn't make annoying high pitched sounds like young humans especially when they were excited or nervous.

He would move closer to the other dragons once they actually started testing the bond. He would be happy to cheer the dragon on and tell them to make sure the rider was worthy. They didn't want to get stuck with someone who wouldn't be able to fly. Zephyrus secretly hoped, maybe even not so secretly, that they'd allow him to fly along and try to blow "riders" off of dragons. He hoped that Max, his rider, would hurry up. He wanted the ambitious desperate children to stop eyeing him as a potential bond.

Aýnabat

| Lunar Dragon | Female | New Dragon | Mentions: Thalassia and Tatsuo (Dir)

Aýnabat basked in the warm air, the wind almost playful as it rushed by her. The trees danced in the distance, their leaves rustling in a harmonious rhythm that filled the air with a gentle whisper. She felt the breeze lift the tension from her wings, its touch a soothing balm. The scents of fresh grass and distant blooms mingled with the subtle hint of rain on the horizon. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the wind caress her scales and lift the tension from her wings, feeling a sense of calm wash over her.

Aýnabat lay near the entrance of her cave on the cliffside overlooking the vastness of water. Below, the water stretched out endlessly, its surface shimmering with reflections of the changing sky above. Waves danced and sparkled in the sunlight, their gentle rhythm a soothing melody against the rugged cliffs.

She noticed the sky began to darken, which only indicated Thalassia’s descent upon her. It was as if the sunlight itself feared her sister's presence. Thalassia's scales, black as night, seemed to absorb all light, creating an aura of profound darkness around her. Aýnabat felt excitement race through her as she took off to join her sister in the azure sky. The sun hit her intricate array of blue scales, casting a soft, delicate glow that shimmered with every beat of her wings.

Aýnabat nudged her sister’s shoulder with her snout, sensing Thalassia's nervous energy was palpable in the air. Thalassia wasn't the only dragoness that Aýnabat traveled with; their dear friend—now sister—Tatsuo, arrived shortly after. Aýnabat bent her head, returning the Light Dragoness’s greeting.

Aýnabat was always in awe of Tatsuo, who seemed to embody the sun itself and glows in the darkest of realms—even next to Thalassia. This earned Tatsuo the nickname of "Nightlight", her presence was a constant beacon.

Thalaissa had introduced the two after a battle Tatsuo and Thalassia had been in. Aýnabat had helped heal Tatsuo’s wounds, leaving behind a shimmering white scar over the left eye. She adored the Light Dragoness, though Tatsuo was a bit spicy at times - the three all balanced each other well. Thalassia and Aýnabat welcomed Tatsuo into their family quickly after the battle.

As the three began their journey, Aýnabat’s heart raced through her chest. She heard her sister grumble as they neared the valley, which only hinted that Thalassia was feeling the pull towards her rider. Aýnabat glanced at her sisters, her teal eyes vibrant with happiness. This wasn’t the first time Aýnabat had ventured to Dragon Valley to bond, but it was the first time she felt a pull. The realization that Thalassia and Tatsuo also felt the pull filled Aýnabat with ecstasy. The joy of embarking on this journey together calmed any nerves Aýnabat felt herself.

In the past, Aýnabat's spirits had been crushed when she didn’t find a rider during her bonding attempts. Thankfully, Thalassia had always been there to offer her support. But this year was different—Aýnabat could feel it deep in her chest. It wasn’t a painful or uncomfortable sensation, but rather a warm ebb that filled her veins. Aýnabat felt a surge of anticipation coursing through her, an excitement tinged with a hint of trepidation.

Upon arrival, Aýnabat followed Thalassia's and Tatsuo’s descent with keen interest, her own wings adjusting subtly to mimic her sister and friend’s graceful movements. As the two disappeared into the darkness of the forest, Aýnabat remained airborne, circling above the canopy with a watchful eye.

Sensing their stillness below, Aýnabat descended slowly, her talons skimming the tops of the trees as she landed softly on the forest floor. With a fluid motion, she folded her wings against her sleek form, blending seamlessly into the shadows cast by the dense foliage - or perhaps it was her sister’s shadows that enveloped her like a hug. She was always grateful for her sister's shadows, often shielding Aýnabat from the raging sun that weakened the Lunar dragon.

Keeping her senses sharp, Aýnabat moved with silent grace, following their path through the tangled underbrush. She weaved between trees and shrubs, her movements calculated and precise, as she navigated the unfamiliar terrain with ease.

As she came up beside her sister, Thalassia turned to the two, and Aýnabat could sense the unease in her sister's demeanor. The closed space was something Aýnabat had experienced before, but she knew it must be overwhelming for her sisters. After all, the two spent their lives in the openness of the water or among the ruins. Aýnabat pressed against Thalassia, offering silent comfort as she heard Tatsuo voice a similar opinion.

"My dears," her tone soothing and filled with gentle reassurance and an undertone of confidence, "all will be well. The weight of the mortal gaze is indeed heavy, and the unfamiliarity of this place can be unsettling. But remember, we are all together, as we have always been." Her voice was soft yet carried the strength of the moon's glow.

Aýnabat moved closer, her wings folded neatly against her back, the tips shimmering like silver in the dim light. "The smells, the air, the sights—they are new and strange, but they also hold secrets and possibilities we've yet to uncover. The mortals," she paused, searching for the right words to describe them, "they may not understand our kind nor do we understand them, but they are just as nervous - and excited - as you and I."