Shikoba Dilwyn-Rima Anschutz

New Rider | Seventeen | Mentions : Caelestis

Shikoba took a deep breath ; eyes roving about as they took in the sights of the others. Many had bonded with a dragon ; it was so interesting to see the creatures up close. They were even more impressive when standing in front of you - and it made you realize just how small one was compared to the beasts. It seemed most were brimming with excitement with the possibilities of the newfound relationship between dragon and man. But it seemed that a lot of the dragons were a bit territorial when it came to their riders and a bit demanding of them - some coming in with displays of power or dominance against their human. They felt sorry for some because what they were enduring were plain scary - but it seemed that most were subjected to that for a few minutes before getting to talk to their dragons normally and without the chance of dying. They then felt the odd sensation that they were being watched, and it sent a shiver down their spine, and that's when they felt a sort of tug within them . . . something telling them that they shouldn't run away, instead run towards the anomaly. And their heart's pace quickened, anxious as they help their hand to their chest and they could sense something creeping up behind them - and that's when they finally turned around.

They were met with a creature that seemed to have crawled from some abysmal hole from the depths of the earth. The dragon didn't even have eyes ! It felt downright odd to be gazing upon , had it lost its eyes in a fight or something? They put their hands to their mouth and look at the creature with a mixture of shock and confusion, but there was slight excitement as they were excited to be bonded with a dragon - no matter how creepy they looked. The pitch black scales glittered within the sunlight - giving them an almost ethereal sheen to them. And then the dragon appeared to have fur as well, beautiful and dense fur going down from the base of its neck to its tail. It had a sparse amount of horse. They were so enwrapped with chilling out the dragon that they groaned as their mental link pulled and tugged, before snapping into place - leaving them with a splitting headache and ringing ears. They gave a slight hiss of annoyance, and then realized - was this the Bond that they heard so much about. They heard about how riders could speak to their dragons with their mind - was that real? Or all just word of mouth?

Hello ? Came their echoey voice - they were speaking using their mind. You're the dragon to be bonded with me. I must apologize, I was taken aback by your appearance - you're different than most dragons I've seen. They explained sheepishly, as they began walking towards the dragon. They were ready to embrace this future, and they remembered that they had a satchel - and they had a beautiful pearl with an iridescent hue. I offer you a pearl as a gift to symbolize our future partnership and connection together. I hope we have a wonderful future together. They spoke their words earnest and true to the dragon. They truly were excited to begin a new chapter in their life - the chapter, of Dragon Riding.

Aziza Sterling || Female || 18 || New Rider || M: Tatsuo, Amuluk (Ind)

The parted jaw of her newfound companion caused some unease to stir within the pit Azzy’s stomach, the beast’s teeth glimmering like jewels in the light of the bubble surrounding them. Intimidating would be an understatement concerning these pearly whites, each one as sharp and pristine as a royal dagger. A promise, not a warning, was what they held – a certainty that those who tested their luck would be harmed. The more she stared at the wondrous but deadly sight, the more anxious she became. Her eyes shifted constantly, looking to the sharpened display every so often as though she were drawn to it. Her thumbs twiddled all the while, unsure about her next move let alone the dragon’s.

Should she say something or nothing at all? Wait for the dragon to react? Only address her further when addressed once more? Too many options, too little certainty.

A harsh and clearly noticeable flinch resonated through the girl following the series of clicks and grunts flows from the dragon’s open maw – eyes of pale gold now watching her twitching head and neck closely. Inwardly she scolds herself for this, disgusted to show such distrust so early on. Her hand balls up in a fist at her frustration as she glances away momentarily, bringing it down slightly in the air as though attempting to strike it. She shouldn’t be scared of the large being before her no matter how unnerving she initially appeared and acted. They had seemingly bonded after all! Surely no harm originating the blanche being would befall onto her… right?

A loud splash sounded by the lake during the midst of this pondering followed swiftly by the roar of an enraged behemoth. A strum of worry crossed her heart at this, concerned for whoever was involved in… whatever had just occurred. Leaning to the side, she tries to see past her own dragon and the enchanting bubble surrounding them but to no avail. Then again, the back of her mind argued, such an outcome may just be for the better.

The dragoness’ following statement had the brown haired girl jumping once again, thankfully not as bad this time around. She swiftly settles into her general “proper” and “lady-like” posture rather than a leaning one – head angled straight ahead. It was just her eyes that moved to meet those of the looming dragon, a void of white that seemed to swallow her vision whole. It was nigh impossible to decipher where her vision lay, so the girl was only left to assume it was directed right at her.

Parting her lips to answer she stutters, “W-well… It is not every day that one converses with a dragon. Let alone one they’ve had the honor of bonding with,” she trails off and glances towards the ground as best she could.

At the proceeding affirmation, all Aziza could do was nod. Her orbs flicker back to the being before her afterwards, daring to (most likely) meet her unreadable gaze. Her mouth holds a thin line across her face, showing neither delight nor fear but the slightest case of uncertainty. Though she should feel elated to have bonded, having not ended up a disappointment to her family, she just couldn’t seem to think that way. The whole situation was just… immensely overwhelming.

A third and hopefully final jolt strikes the girl’s senses at the winding of the female’s tail around her form. It was much, much larger than herself – more so than one would expect thanks to her shorter stature. Watching as the mass of blindingly white scales wraps around her ankles, then legs, then torso, she finally comes back from whatever daze she had entered at the touch. She lifts her arms up before they become entangled within the coil, wishing to have some “free reign” in this situation. A look of infinitesimal worry rises onto her face, mending into the uncertainty from before. Once the dragon seemed content with her containment, she began to lift the small human upwards – something which caused said human to place her hands on top of the female’s scales to secure her upright position. Her eyes watch the ground grow distant with unease, not used to being so high up in the air without her feet touching anything. It honestly wasn’t until she felt her companion’s breath that she came to realize her new position and how close she was to her face. She meets the dragon’s unwavering gaze again.

A name. Finally a name to the face before her. Tatsuo. It was quite the pretty name the girl thought, one she had not heard before. Like her class, it was rather exotic… She tries her best not to flinch at the tightening of the dragon’s grip as her words hang in the air, choosing to focus on the name given instead of the action.

After a tick or so of silence, she answers her question; “Aziza. Aziza Sterling. It is… a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Tatsuo,” she goes to bow, just as she was taught, but stops herself at the remembrance of her present… predicament.

The ringing of another unnatural voice sounds with her mind, one she believed was meant to be present no matter how much she felt otherwise. Azzy shudders – not used to the whole ordeal. Was this Tatsuo speaking through the bond? She had heard her brothers mentioning something akin to this before based on their own experiences, but…

Taking a small breath, she tries to test this theory – reaching out for… something. Something present yet not, unseeable but all too real. Like a distant memory.

Amhuluk

| Water Dragon | Male | New Dragon | Mentions: Marina, Avery (dir)

"Marina West," he repeated, his voice rumbling deeply. The name felt foreign on his tongue. He watched carefully as her eyes widened at his nickname, though she remained steady, adding a small joke under her breath. Despite her being his rider, Amhuluk believed it was healthy to have some fear towards one another. He observed her as she pulled her cloak tighter around herself, her smirk not going unnoticed at her nickname.

"You handled yourself well, little beast," he continued, his tone carrying a hint of approval. "Many would have succumbed to fear or despair, but you... you fought." He tilted his head slightly, studying her with those piercing blue eyes. "It seems we will make an interesting pair, you and I."

As the sunlight danced on his scales, he shifted slightly, the mist from his breath dissipating. His scales gleamed even brighter, reflecting the light in a mesmerizing display. Despite the sun's warming rays, the water beast still appeared glistening with moisture, water dripping off him or trailing down his body.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted again by a tall young man with dirty blonde hair. Anger blazed in his hazel eyes, and his hands were firmly planted on his hips as he confronted Marina. Amhuluk observed the scene with a hint of impatience, his tail swishing behind him as he eyed the young man. His demeanor remained relaxed yet alert, muscles subtly tensing under his scales.

"Miss So and So" was what the young man called her. Amhuluk sneered in distaste at the name; it was not a fitting nickname for Marina. As the young man rambled on, Amhuluk realized this was the angry dragoness’s rider, the rider carried her scent. Amhuluk let out a heavy sigh, casting a gaze upwards. "Humans," he grumbled in disdain. He saw why the two paired well together, both lecturing about the same nonsense.

Amhuluk began to turn away from the pair, his tail twitched subtly again with a hint of irritation. It was clear he was signaling the end of the conversation on his end. "Get rid of him," he snapped through the bond, carefully moving away from Marina, his massive form casting a long shadow. His movements were deliberate, almost languid, but there was a coiled tension in his muscles, like a predator ready to strike.

It wasn’t until the young rider called Marina “rude” that Amhuluk stilled. His head whipped around, his eerie blue eyes narrowing dangerously as he regarded the young man with a level gaze. His Little Beast was far from rude.

"Mind your tongue, human," the water beast warned him with a low growl, his dorsal fin flaring slightly in agitation. It was all he said; he expected Marina to handle the situation from there as he turned away once more towards the lake.

Amhuluk submerged himself into the cool, shimmering waters, sending ripples cascading outward. His posture remained relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, taking in every detail of the interaction on the shore. His dorsal fin lowered as he observed the young man greet Marina in a more friendly manner. Again? These two have a history, Amhuluk mused silently to himself. His gaze shifted back to Marina, giving her an incredulous look.