Howl glared at the human, who was filling his mind with thoughts and feelings that were not his own. It was too much right from the start as an introduction to the world. It was overwhelming and chaotic. Could no one understand this? Humans would probably freeze and not be able to function, if they came into the world like this bonded to someone else. They had to mature to be able to handle it. He glared at anyone who dared to make a move. Every sound was sort of screechy, and it grated on his nerves further.

If he were able, he'd be blowing his ice breath on them all, and freezing them into stillness. His mind began projecting his desire for silence, and a ravenous hunger for food, and some thirst as well, because all of the screaming was drying out his throat. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up," he looked at each creature present. "Food! Food! Food!" he screeched, demanding the appropriate response and action from Orrian. His stomach rumbled, and he needed nutrients to continue to grow like a healthy dragon. He was only a baby, and someone needed to care for him. Howl hadn't learned what was edible, and Orrian was fortunate that Howl wasn't demanding that he chew it up, and spit it in his own mouth. He just needed to put it in front of the young reptile.

Orrian would have to take the job of caretaker. Now that they were in the bumpy difficult process of becoming one, it would only benefit Orrian, if Howl were cared for. "Water! Water! Water" his voice took on a hoarse turn. He was very indigant about Orrian's anger. He hadn't asked to be bonded with this human. He was tempted to get onto him for daring to touch his egg, and bonding with him. It was all his fault they were in this situation. While Howl was in the egg, he had no control over who he would bond with.

"I won't stop! I won't stop! I won't stop!" his voice was high pitched and screechy. "What are we doing here? Why am I here? Where is here?" he asked not sure why he would, since he didn't understand all of those words. Howl began to crawl over in Azo's direction. He was the most familiar with him, as he was a dragon, and he had a few things that he wanted. "You have something I want," Howl's tail lashed agitatedly. It was in Azo's mouth, which must mean it was food. He could beat up this little dragon. He could already see that he was larger, and more aggressive.

Cathix|NB|Bonded to Zeb|Mentions: Aroa, Galladis, Zeb, Topaz

As Cathix reached out their nose to sniff the female dragonling, they suddenly felt intense emotion emanating from their bonded. Overwhelmed, Cathix could do nothing but attempt to process these feelings as Zeb rushed over to a prone Galladis, who appeared to be the source of her outburst. Worry, fear, anger, and a thousand other emotions Cathix had no name for coursed through the dragonling’s body, and they trembled slightly with the force of it. Finally, Zeb’s voice broke through the tidal wave of feelings and they began to subside somewhat. I am sorry Cathix. I don’t know...what came over me, she said. Wearily, Cathix stumbled to Zeb’s side before laying their head in her lap.

Cathix opened their eyes as they heard more footsteps approach. Their intense lavender gaze fixed on the mixed breed woman who had approached Zeb, proffering a small glass container. Zeb took the container and drank the contents therein, which worried Cathix slightly. The brief whiff of the liquid they had managed to smell did not seem like something a healthy humanoid should imbibe. Nervously, Cathix searched their bond in vain for any signs they had missed that Zeb might be hurt or ill. Their thoughts raced as they frantically tried to think when Zeb might have contracted this malady, as well as beratement that Cathix hadn’t realized there was something wrong sooner. Cathix’s concern ramped up a notch as they watched Zeb bend down and press her lips to Galladis’s, an activity which was decidedly abnormal in the time they had been together.

Thankfully, Zeb rose to her feet soon after the mouth to mouth event. Cathix hoped this was an indicator that she was feeling better, and was reassured once Zeb put one of Galladis’s arms around her shoulders. Now that was decidedly more normal. A male fae Cathix didn’t recognize came over to assist Zeb, and the duo began to carry Galladis towards the nearest door. Based on the last time Zeb had carried Galladis somewhere, Cathix assumed they were headed to the strong smelling tent with all the beds. Dutifully, Cathix followed after Zeb before overtaking her and leading the way to the healing tent, glancing back to make sure she was still following.

Sorry this is a mess I just wanted to resolve everything Cathix was doing

Azo | Earth Dragon | Bonded to Topaz | M: Topaz, Galladis, Howl (probs more)

Topaz was there, and then she wasn't. His claws reached out for her, into the air - it seemed as though a vast abyss had opened between the two, with the dragon's bonded out of sight. He would cling on to her neck for dear life if it meant she would stop dissapearing - the whole scenario was rather a mortifying experience. Topaz was very much gone, everybody was screaming, because maybe he bit the dragonborn? The squish-man? Was that it?

Eyes rounded almost laughably wide, his head whipped from left to right, jaw gaping slightly, a piece of dried firae clutched in tiny talons. His ruff and ears had began to turn an alarming shade of lime green.

"Topaz!" He cried, "Come back! I won't bite squish-man anymore!"

He thought about wailing, but he didn't want to hurt her ears, and it was already so loud. But some weren't as conscientious as he, and took to screaming. At him, no less. Azo stared at the little demanding white dragonet, then back at the firae in his claws. Oh. He liked his fruit. It was nice. Green-brown wings fluttered to the ground as he pondered, staring at the tart strip of red. The grumpy igloo wanted it, but that didn't seem very fair.

Pulling his slice of dried berry close to his chest, azo fixed a stern expression on his features. "Be nice," he chastised, face furrowed. Azo was set on keeping his piece, but he didn't want frosty-face to bite. Then again, he had bit squish-man, so maybe that didn't make sense. Coming to a decision, the dragonet nodded faintly, absently nibbling at his firae once more. A curling prehensile tail reached back, curling a grip around a nearby bowl, and nudging it towards the igloo dragon.

"There's more here, see!" Azo said, ruffling his wings, delighted that a solution had been found. "Now go away. Goodbye."

Approved Timeskip Post, 3 or so months

Galladis Verael | M | Re'enalla | Zeb, Wren

Wake up.

Darkness enveloped him, subconsciously twitching his fingers.

Open your eyes.

He didn't know who was telling him. It certainly wasn't himself. Rather, the voice sounded female, needing, urgent. Is it the woman who gave me the antidote? Really, he couldn't tell' it was a voice in his head, placing him between unconscious and awake. He knew who he was, but... the strengthening voice in his head was barely familiar. Who was it? He desparately wanted to know, grasping at the voice with no success. It just kept slipping from his hands, a connection he hadn't yet made.

And then it came to him.

It was Zeb. Wake up, she was urging, come back from the poison. He couldn't quite say how he knew, but now... he felt a stronger connection to her. Silently, he opened his eyes, and iy all came back to him. Topaz. The poison. Wren and this... final memory that was just out of range. His vision blurred for a moment before clearing; when he came to, he noticed his apprentice by his side. She cares? He was touched, really, that she was sitting there, even appearing as exhausted as she did with a book in her arms.

Wren was behind her, lying on the hard ground, asleep. Wren. Reaching out to her, he aimed a mental arm to coax her, let her know he was awake. With a start, raised her head, giving a warm, dragonlike smile. "Addis! You're awake!" His face perked up at her interaction. She did look, sound, even acted older. And she looked tired as well, as if she had slept in their bright tent with him the whole time. Her scales were more pale, dull, a muted navy grey rather than her usual vibrant violet.

If she had been sleeping in the tent... she would've had a lot of sun, but not nearly as much moon. The tent itself was light and airy, the healers milling about even through the lack of patients. They paid no attention to him, in the corner, awake. Even though they could clearly see he was actually blinking. A thought came to his mind, mostly from how much older Wren looked. How long has it been? And he watched, unsurprised, as her grin vanished. "It has been many moons. She and I have been coming back to make sure you wake up."

She comes back...

He gave another thought at Zeb, mind puzzling over the anomaly she as a person seemed to be. She cared? A lot, apparently? But she'd never been so enthralled with him before, brushing him off from Apprentice to Dragonborn. He had a feeling that relationship would change permanently. Instead of Apprentice to Dragonborn... it would be Zebeythrae to Galladis. Zeb to Addis. More than he'd care to admit, he found himself almost excited with the idea. It was against Fae law, true, and even he couldn't weasel his way out of it.

...every day?

But he could sneak around it. Ah, look at me. Thinking like a fool just because of a someone. He pondered this. Him? Against the Fae? It seemed like a match determined to die. It doesn't help that the someone happens to be a very sassy attractive apprentice, he added. It also didn't help that he was practically head over heels, a secret his mind would have to keep for now. It made no sense. He'd fallen for someone who tried to kill him. And, judging by what he saw, she fell for him too.

"Zeb and Addis", Wren added in a quirky little tone. He wasn't exactly fond of constantly sharing his thoughts, but he was so used to it now that it really didn't make much of a difference. "Live together and eat together and have many mini Zebs and Addises." He had to stop himself from smiling at the comment. That bothered him. But still, Wren would be herself, and he couldn't be mad at her when she just was happy to see him doing well. And he was well! He couldn't feel any of the poison. He felt great.

Turning his attention back to Zeb, he took a long moment to just watch her, saying nothing. It wasn't a moment where saying something would be entirely appropriate. An embrace would be better, but still... he wanted to have somehing to do. Something to ensure he was alive and himself, something cheerful with little hints so something might happen, something that might show them both that Zeb truly admitted to herself what she felt. Not that he knew- a woman's mind was far too confusing.

But he could guess. And as he thought on what to do, his mind got more on the sweet side of things until it was far too sappy or laced (with what could only be his 'secret' emotions). It took him a while, but he finally figured out something he could safely do. It did involve talking. A broad smile crossed his face, inviting and energetic.

"Did you miss me?"

I'd have missed you, but the days have gone by like lightning.

Sol Saanvi Dayal | F | Bonded: Salacia| M: Salacia, Sana, Manon, Howl (ind.), Camila, Galladis, Aztiello

Obviously, there were trees back home, among rocks, rocks, and more windy rocks - but the smattering of trunks in Arfearnann couldn't compare to the forest here, and she found it oddly peaceful in the quiet, among swaying branches and fluttering leaves. Must be the sappy, sentimental elf in her. And besides, Orrian wasn't bad company, if she had to be with anyone.

His dragon was less pleasant. She distinctly felt as though the icy creature just did not approve of her in any way, which wasn't a foreign feeling, really, but was a little irritating considering that he had been alive for three months. As the pond came into sight, Sol instinctively reached out to Salacia. Hey, it wasn't much, but they certainly didn't hate each other, and she wasn't sure she could say the same about Howl and Orrian. In fact, he seemed to have a stronger bond with his raven. Spoiled little thing - she almost found it amusing, how much he cared for the feathered creature.

Sol's brows raised at his words, a crooked smile on her face. "What, too afraid to mess up your pretty hair to go for a swim?" She teased, with a scoff. Had anything strange every happened to her? She went off a cliff, a while back, and her blasted magic didn't decide to kick in then, did it? The only thing she had to show for it were some scars and trauma that she really preferred not to think about, as of now. By the River, someone took a burning knife to a twelve year old, and if some bizarre powers didn't decide to kick in then, she suspected they weren't going to pop up anytime soon. Sol let out a breathless laugh. "Yeah. I'm still alive, which is pretty weird. I'm too stupid to live much longer, but I'll take it. Also, I bonded to a dragon and she hasn't eaten me yet. "

It was true that she seemed to have a strange knack for survival, when odds seemed to be against her. Even if the risk was self-induced, from sprinting across the rooftops of her small city, to leaping into rocky waters, or getting herself into stupid fights. But that was sheer luck, nothing else.

She huffed as the rock he skipped bounced unnaturally high. "Cheater," she muttered, with an amused quirk of her lips. She reached down, pick the flattest stone she could find, and stood to skip up her own rock, only to have it plunge into the water after a single bounce. She had never been much good anyway, and she certainly didn't feel any sort of sparkly fancy magic. Just a normal rock, and a normal hand, and not-so-normal ears.

She scoffed a little at his words. "I'm a terrible swimmer, if that's what you're asking. And if you're planning on pushing me in the pond to force some sort of magical awakening or whatever, you're going down with me," she offered with a pleasant smile, as though threatening to drag people into ponds was a very normal thing. Comparatively, anyway. Really, this was the most ordinary thing of the week.

Oh! And your ice monster hasn't smothered me in my sleep or snowed on me or otherwise dropped a glacier on my head. Does that count as magic?

Zebeythrae (Zeb) Leoriethty | F | Bonded: Cathix | Mentions: Galladis, Wren, Cathix

Cathix, I will finish reading this chapter and then we can meet for training once more. I believe that if we hit the training hard again we will be ahead of schedule. She reached out to her bonded while her eyes read the words on the pages in front of her. The movement of the others around her dulled as she focused on reading attempting to get farther ahead with the knowledge as she sat waiting.

Her hair was put into a loose braid which showed that she hadn't been sleeping as much over the past three months as she probably should have been. She closed the book with a soft thud before rubbing her face turning to look at the large dragon that was behind her before jumping out of the chair she had been sitting in falling flat on the floor with the book sprawled open on her lap at hearing his voice. It took a few more seconds before her senses came back and she quickly stood up reaching a hand out to take his giving it a gentle squeeze as relief filled her features.

Though the relief didn't last long until she removed her hand and with a huff folded her arms across her chest. "Of course I missed you, not much could be done with the competition without the Dragonborne." Feigned annoyance flicked across her face as she gathered the chair and sat back down resting her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward.

"But yes I missed you...more than I would ever like to even admit." Her words were barely above a whisper as she ran her hands over her hair avoiding looking at him as she spoke.

"I should probably let the others know that you have awaken. I think there are a couple that would like to talk to you." Even though she had spoken about letting the others know, Zeb didn't make any motion to get up from her seat. He is awake Cathix! He woke up. Instead Zeb looked over and offered a tired smile before standing once more. "I can't hog you all to myself...at least not anymore."

Sanasiliare Areauveçh Latitharen | F | Elf Judge | Sol, Orrian, Howl (brief), Galladis and Zeb (brief)

It was a not-very-good very good day.

All was going well. Perfect, really. Though she had seemed to find herself in a rut when trying to look for Sol and Orrian. Orrian. Upon making actual friends with Sol, Sana had gotten closer to him too, so much so that it made him more fun to be around. Well... She had fun watching him flounder around like a beached fish trying to get Howl to 'cool off'. Pun intended. He probably thought she was too annoying. She totally didn't want to kiss his ten-inch-below-her-own face most of the time though.

Nope. Never.

Turning to her surroundings, she looked up at the only familiar thing: the sun. It burned her retinas just to look in the general direction, but she didn't particularly care. Let's see... turning in the direction she thought they went earlier, she stumbled upon the clearing they just happened to be in. Well, well, well. They were both skipping stones, awkwardly chatting and glancing at eachother.

"What do we have here?" In feigned surprise, she covered her face with her hand. "Secret trysting, is it?" Picking up a stone gruffly like Sol, she skipped it across the water and watched as it bounced five or so times before splashing in the water. She blew a mock kiss in Orrian's direction, winking at him suggestively. Ha, Orrian and Sol. Not a chance with me here. Bursting into laughter, she elbowed Sol before wagging her eyebrows at Orrian.

Her intimidating nature, and possibly sanity, went away when she started hanging with the two. Not that she should hang around the contestants, but it wouldn't have made a personal difference to her. Unbiased was practically her middle name.

"So what unsuccessful tactic are you two trying today for Sol?" Keeping an eyebrow raised, she threw an arm around Sol as if they were sisters and not having to hunch down to even wrap an arm around the incredibly-shorter-than-her woman. Instinctively touching the scar over her eye with her other hand, she turned to her thoughts inward. Orrian doesn't exactly have Sol tactics. But what did he have?

Textbooks, that's what.

Since the hatching, things had changed without the Dragonborn. He had been in the tent with his dragon and apprentice... she only hoped he'd make it back before the Games. Not that she cared, but he was the only real leader they were able to have for the occasion. Anyone could tell, even if from a distance, that his Apprentice felt for him. I mean, who stays with a nearly dead man all day every day? It was against the Fae law, far as she knew. She hoped she got to judge that obviously guilty case.

In the meanwhile, there were definitely groups of friends emerging from the riders. Orrian, Sol and herself were one of them, even if Sol and her were better friends. Orrian's just a sea slug. A cute sea slug, but still a little boring.

"I've always had my magic. My sister didn't get hers until... well, ten or so years ago." To be honest, she was a bit reluctant to talk about the person who hated her and still lived. But if it could help Sol, then she had no problem with it. "She's only a few years younger than myself. What worked for her was focusing on familial attributes. Do you know what sort of magic your father had?"

Sana knew of her mother, and her mother was most definitely human by the way she looked and even acted. It must have been her father who'd give her powers- not that she knew if she even had any. Sol was a halfling. Halflings didn't always have magic, depending on genes. Sol might, though. The woman had the luck streak of a rich gambler.

The most lucky thing she might've seen Sol do so far was bond. It was something Sana had always inherently wanted- a dragon to help her keep away Hveit. Figure I can have their dragons to help, though. Hveit would surely be back for her. She could hear his psychopathic drawl in her head now: "I'm coming for you, little human." A pause before a jaw snap and hiss.

"You can never escape me."

More than she cared to admit, she didn't want to run into Hveit. She was sure she could take him- they did have a gang, after all, plus a healer and herself with being able to nearly tase him. Hveit also wasn't what he used to be, diminished to nothing after Kurionzhe got killed. Even if the dragon was to endlessly hunt her, she was still glad the man was dead.

Menace.

Aztiello Menlo | M | Elf | Bonded: Aelius | Mentions: Open

Were his family proud of him for being here? Were they excited about this great opportunity that had fallen into their lap? Were they scheming at the moment? Were they disappointed at the skill level he had shown getting caught? Who would have thought that an egg would have hatched for him of all people? He missed home. Having his dragon was comforting, but he wasn't used to being here. There weren't many humans, so he felt like he was even more in a sea of strangeness. He didn't feel like he had belonged at all.

He wasn't supposed to be here, and he had had no prior training or preparation. He had never even considered that this could happen. His family was good, but stealing the ruling authority from all the species present would be quite an impressive feat. Nobody had expected Aztiello to even inherit the family business. It had been hard giving up his life of crime. However, if he was going to compete against everyone, he didn't want them all hating and targeting him, because he had lifted something off of their person.

Even with his dragon, he felt alone, and he wasn't sure if anybody understood. He often wanted to seek out Topaz, but he doubted she would appreciate him, trying to make a connection just because she was human. He wouldn't have mind talking to Sol, but she was just about as prickly, and she was a halfling to boot. He knew that he needed to pick himself up. It had been three months. Even though it had taken a while to get over the shock of becoming a rider, he needed to bond with his dragon. He needed to start planning their next steps. They needed to become a team, if they were going to defeat everyone. He would make his family proud.