Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 28, 2012 15:20:58 GMT -5
Canada was a lot different than her hometown of London, that was for sure. Things seemed a lot more spacious here than the crowded city, and much cleaner too. Her parents had moved here to retire from their careers, so she had made it a decision to come to the country and visit. While they didn't live near any sandy beaches, they lived near the next best thing, a lake.
She had done some reading before hand to find that the Greak Lakes of North America were rather unique. Despite being lakes, their ties to the Atlantic Ocean allowed them to have tides, similar to a beach in that way, but also somehow managed to still be freshwater. So she decided that before she went back to Europe, she would spend a day at the 'beach'.
Traveling a ways west from Niagara Falls (which she had investigated earlier as having been home to a dragon in legends), she set out her things on the sand, claiming her own little spot by the waters, before taking a dip into the water. Red shivered at first, the waters proving to be quite cold, and a bit uncomfortable. But slowly, as the waves continued to lap against her feet and legs, she slowly waded into the waters, her body slowly becoming more comfortable with the water temperature.
Though not really a strenuous job, her self assigned mission to try and find and prove the existence of dragons had been hard. She spent more time than she had anticipated in studying and reading books, and her funds had been nearly wiped out in travel. If it wasn't for Europe's rail system, she would have gone broke long ago. But with the help of some freelancing work online, and the laptop that remained stowed away in her bag, she managed to make some extra money, helping clients to design websites. It was this that continued to fund her dream, and to help her better organize the information she came across.
Post by Ancaladar on Sept 28, 2012 15:55:31 GMT -5
Cool water flowed around him in constant motion, sliding over his scales in a soothing way. Wings tight against his back the water dragon swam beneath the lake, fin tipped tail propelling him along with ease. The short limbs he carried close to his body were all webbed, but this was a leisurely swim and he did not want to tire himself out. Spinning as he moved forward the dragon sighed, eyes closed as he relaxed. The overcast day was promising rain at some point, and Ancaladar was just waiting for the clouds to open up.
As if on cue the water overhead began to be disturbed, dozens of tiny ripples spreading out from the impact of each raindrop. Ancaladar smiled, scaled lips drawing back to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. It was so much easier to remain hidden in the obscuring downpour that he knew was coming. Humans had such poor vision to begin with, and thought they might catch sight of him most would convince themselves that they were mistaken.
As the rippling impact of rain increased to a furious storm the water dragon swam to the surface, his long neck breaching the surface. Air even colder than the water below surrounded him as he took a deep breath, smile broadening at the fresh scent of rainfall. "Another beautiful day to be alive." he growled to himself, eyes turning to the nearby shore. His beady black eyes widened at the sight of a human on the shore, the dragon responding instantly.
The air rippled slightly as the dragon blinked from sight, the outline of the great creature barely made visible by the impacting rain. There were enough rumors of his kind in these lakes without him adding to them, and he could hold his invisibility for around five minutes. Wings spreading he took to the air, wanting to avoid the obvious void his body left in the lake water, invisible or not. He circled the human woman slowly, studying her with interest while staying in motion. The less he remained still the less time she would have to be sure of what she was seeing, if she saw anything at all.
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 28, 2012 17:05:57 GMT -5
Just starting to enter the water shoulder high, she saw the surface of the water quickly becoming disturbed as rain drops fell from the sky. As much as she hated getting caught in the rain, there wasn't much compromise in her situation, as she was already wet. She quickly vanished under the water, only to poke her head out again, making sure that she was soaked from head to toe, to lessen the annoyance of the rain.
Satisfied, she started to swim forward once more, not satisfied until her feet left the lake floor underneath of her. With her short height this didn't take too long, soon finding herself treading water. Every now and then she would cast her glance upward, checking to make sure that the rain that was coming down would only be rain, and nothing more. It wouldn't do to be caught in the water during a thunderstorm after all.
It felt nice to have the waterfront to herself, the only beaches she had access to at home always being so crowded and noisy. She never had time to think to do what she wanted, if she could even find an open spot to set her things. And there was always the worry of having your things stolen which, from what she had heard on the news, happened all too frequently.
Managing to swim out to a satisfiable distance, Red rolled onto her back, letting the rain drops pummel her front as she floated in the water. She looked up at the clouds, wondering if there was anything lurking above. Her mind still on dragons, she couldn't help but imagine that perhaps somewhere past the clouds, something was flying above, causing the rain.
Lost in thought, she didn't realize that she was swimming a little too close to nature. A sudden rustle stirred her from her thought, and as she suddenly shifted upright, the first thing Red could see was a large, angered grizzly bear. She was dumbstruck for a few moments due to the danger of the situation, before in panic she started swimming away, hoping that perhaps it would see her as no threat, and move on. However that was not the case, as the lumbering beast was now pursuing the fleeing girl.
Post by Ancaladar on Sept 28, 2012 19:11:02 GMT -5
The puny roar made Ancaladar chuckle slightly, tempting him to roar back and show the bear what a real predator could do. However when the bear began approaching the human girl he grew nervous. Hoping sincerely that she would turn out to have hidden talents the dragon continued to circle overhead, rain falling all around.
The bear was a male, likely trying to find enough food to bulk itself up for the coming winter. At least it was not a mother bear protecting her cubs, but the males could be dangerous at this time of year also. As the large mammal continued to close on the panicked girl, Ancaladar realized that she was a normal human. She was not a shapeshifter or some other supernatural that could fight the thing off. If he didn't do something she was going to die.
Many dragons would have shrugged and flown away, but Ancaladar had spent much of his time observing the mortal race and had grown sympathetic. "I know I am going to regret this." he mumbled, banking in the air and diving through the pouring rain towards the bear. At the last second it caught the scent of the dragon, rearing up and roaring in panic. Ancaladar smiled, mouth opening wide as he swept towards the bear. The rain had masked his scent until it was far too late for the bear to escape.
Still invisible the thirty foot dragon swooped over the head of the girl, jaws clamping tightly around the bear. Not even slowing down he flew over the trees, front claws grasping the mammal as well. It was still struggling, one claw tipped paw smashing against his cheek. The blow did nothing against his scaled flesh. Growling in anger her pulled one way with his jaws, neck straining, and his claws tore the other direction. The bear was pulled clean in half, blood spraying the dragon as it let out a roar of victory, his need for stealth lost in the excitement. Both halves dropped as he banked back, eyes locked on the girl, wondering if she knew what had just happened.
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 28, 2012 19:18:34 GMT -5
For a brief moment, her mind played tricks on her, making her think the bear's maw would soon be upon her, foul breath breathing onto her neck as it would prepare to eat her. However that did not happen, for instead a sudden wave of air knocked her off balance, causing her to fall backward into the water. For the moment Red was stunned, but curiousity got to her, as she resurfaced to the sight before her.
Mouth gaping, Red watched as the bear... flew, into mid air, before being torn clean in half. Quickly though, the rational side of her mind began to reason. There was no way a bear could fly, and even if it could, it would not tear itself apart in the process. She then remembered the blast of wind right before, making her wonder if there were other forces at work.
The creature had also been struggling too, so something that she could not see, had just saved her life. Nervously, she started to swim back to shore, a bit anxious. "H-Hello?" she called out to the seemingly empty sky as she left the waters, the biting rain starting to chill her skin. "W-Whoever you are...thank you." This day would prove to be one she would never forget, her desire to discover the unknown starting to become much more exciting, more than she had hoped.
Part of her wished to see the thing that had saved her, but another part was terrified at what it may be, the possibility looming of something that may also see her to be a snack. She had to take that chance though.
Post by Ancaladar on Sept 28, 2012 19:31:16 GMT -5
Ancaladar did not know that the woman was speaking English, but he heard every word in the Dragon Tonguet. Hearing that language coming from the mouth of a mortal startled the dragon enough that he became visible without even noticing it. Once again the massive creature was visible, staring at the human girl with disbelief and hope in equal measure. Wings spread to slow his descent he drifted gently to the ground before her, clawed feet sinking deep into the sand.
Moving slowly so that he would not scare the girl, Ancaladar folded his wings against his beck. Settling onto all fours he lowered his head so that his chin rested on the sand, his eyes level with her own. He had heard that Draconians were able to speak with dragons and understand them as well, but he had still not been prepared to meet one face to face. Forgetting all about keeping himself and his race a secret in his excitement he watched the girl, trying to find words that fit the situation.
"I am surprised to run into one of your kind in this place." Ancaladar finally rumbled nervously. "I have searched for a Draconian for many years and you are the first I have encountered." and he had looked all over the continent too. Ancaladar rarely crossed the oceans since getting to them would be risky. Besides, there were all manner of beings in those waters that could test even the strength of the dragon, namely larger dragons. "Tell me mortal, do you know our tongue instinctively or has it been taught to you?"
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 28, 2012 22:54:31 GMT -5
Red fell on her backside as the creature revealed itself before her, completely awestruck. She didn't even realize that he was a dragon until a few moments later, when the fact clicked in her mind. Her legs still refused to let her up however, especially as he began to step toward her.
Despite having wanted so badly for them to exist, somewhere deep down she had thought that her search was a dead end, that they could never exist. But here was a living example, standing right before her. She should have been happy and excited, knowing that what she had wanted most was here. But Red was still frightened, remembering that not all dragons were friendly. Some had been known to be malevolent and dangerous.
However, as the dragon settled into the sand before her, she couldn't help but feel that she could dismiss her fears, at least for now. Then he began to speak, and much to her surprise, she found that she was able to understand every word that came from his mouth. She was speechless, until he asked her a strange question. At least she wasn't the only nervous one.
"I...I don't understand what you mean." she started, rubbing her eyes to ensure that she wasn't just seeing things. "I dont know...how I'm able to talk to you... and how I can understand you." she explained.
Ancaladar tried to keep from smiling in amusement at the fear the little creature had of him. He had never revealed himself to a mortal before and had not considered how they would react. He did however assume that the sight of his fang filled mouth would unnerve the skittish little thing. Seeing that she seemed confused he decided to start from the beginning, setting his head in the sand with a sigh.
"My name is Ancaladar, and I am a dragon." he explained, though he assumed that was fairly obvious. It was also clear that she knew little to nothing about dragons, so he was taking nothing for granted. "The fact that you can speak with me, and understand me, means that you are a Draconian." though he had to wonder how she grew up without knowing this. To him it seemed strange for a being to not know what it was. Then again it was hard for a dragon to mistake itself for anything else.
"So tell me young Draconian," he continued, rolling onto his side to get more comfortable. "how is it that you have gone your entire life without knowing what you are?" One clawed limb reached up and scratched at the side of his neck, some of the sand having slipped between his scales to irritate the soft flesh underneath. Luckily these same scales reduced the rending power of his claws to a soothing scratch.
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 29, 2012 1:09:18 GMT -5
To Red, it seemed that this dragon was quite relaxed, though being a creature of such size and power likely meant that he had little to fear in this world. Compared to her kind, being what she thought was Human, until the subject of 'Draconian' came up.
"I'm afraid I've never heard the term before." she admitted, shivering a little. Sitting out in the rain while being soaking wet was chilling her skin, making her feel a bit uncomfortable. "And the fact that Humans, or rather most of them, have considered your kind to be nothing but myth, something that I've always wanted to prove false." she explained, before offering the creature a small smile. "Also, my name is Red. It is nice to meet you, Ancaladar." she replied, pronouncing his name slowly to try and ensure she pronounced it properly. She didn't wish to offend him after all.
Watching him roll onto his side, Red was unable to help but smile a bit, shuffling a little closer to him. "You know... I've always wanted to meet a dragon. I feared I would never have such an opportunity...no... privilege, to see one for myself." she admitted, watching as he tried to get some sand out from his scales. "I am curious though: why did you save me back there? You had nothing to gain from it."
Ancaladar chuckled, amused to hear that he had apparently fulfilled this girls lifelong dream on accident. And he had even managed to fulfill his own at the same time! "Well I am honored to be the object of such flattery my dear Red," he admitted, neck arching back so he could bow his head in appreciation. A claw moved to touch his chest over his heart. "I am quite touched. I must confess that it has long been my own wish to meet a mortal, and being able to speak with you is certainly more than I could ask for!"
The girl was being impressively polite and even flattering. Ancaladar had to admit that it was a nice feeling, especially since he was used to being mocked for being the runt. The girl did not seem to mind his relatively small size however, if she was even aware of it. She seemed to think that he was just about the most majestic being ever.
He considered the most recent question the girl asked, not entirely sure when or why he had decided to help the girl. " I have to admit that it was not an easy decision for me to make. It is typical of my kind to hide from yours and it was a major risk." he sighed, imagining the lectures he would get if any of his kind found out about this. "However I found that I could not just stand aside and watch a mortal die when I could save them."
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 29, 2012 1:46:20 GMT -5
"Well I'm more than happy that I've been able to help you in your wish." Red smiled, offering him a small bow in response, though more of a simple bow by the waist. "I always like to be helpful when I can."
As the rain continued to pour, Red suddenly got to her feet, clearly a little uneasy with standing as her feet had fallen asleep. Slowly regaining the feeling in them, she walked over to grab the towel she had by the rest of her things. Her other belongings were safe, protected in plastic bags as she had predicted water damage. She tossed the towel over herself, to try and warm herself as the rain continued on.
"Sorry, just a bit chilly." she admitted, before turning to face Ancaladar once more, her tired green eyes examining his being, as if needing to confirm once more that she could believe what she saw. "I don't wish to offend, but why do your kind hide from humans? There are some cultures that think dragons as gods, beings to be worshipped." Red questioned. Of course she felt the same way in some aspects, considering how powerful many stories depicted them.
Post by Ancaladar on Sept 29, 2012 12:54:29 GMT -5
Ancaladar stretched out one wing, holding it above Red and resting the tip against the ground. Rain beat down upon the wing that sheltered the girl, but he was not bothered by the cold or the water at all. He spent most of his life in cold water. "My apologies, I forget how sensitive mortals are to the natural elements." Ancaladar rumbled, curling his neck so that his head sat beside her in the sand.
He knew, as did most of his kind, how revered dragons were in many societies. It was indeed possible that many of them could be worshiped as gods were they to be revealed. But there would always be those who hated them for their power, or those who would use them for their own gain. "I for one have no desire to be treated as a god," he said with a heavy sigh. "And even if I did wish for it, the Hunters make revealing ourselves dangerous at best."
Every year there were tales of how the Hunters had become more aggressive, more powerful, more organized. They were mostly rumors of course since dragons had rare contact with those in human society, but the fear was still there. Each of them dreaded to be discovered by the dangerous group of humans, and the risk was not worth the potential rewards for revealing yourself.
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 29, 2012 21:28:18 GMT -5
Lowering her towel, Red watched as Ancaladar encircled her, sheltering her from the weather, much to her surprise. He was much friendlier than she could have hoped for. She took a moment to try and dry herself off as best as she could, before wrapping herself up in it once more.
"That's horrible!" Red frowned, almost dropping her towel in surprise. To think that someone would actually seek out and hunt dragons was disgusting. "Why would someone do such a thing?" To ask almost felt stupid, as she knew that humans feared what they could not control. It was almost natural for them to want to hunt dragons, and as stories told her, the feeling was mutual throughout the ages, as many European stories told of brave knights who would go out and slaughter dragons. Whether or not it was true was up for debate, but it seemed like such feelings had been passed down to the more modern era.
"...Have you ever seen a Hunter, then?" she questioned, laying down on her side, a bit closer to Ancaladar. She couldn't help but feel much more at ease near him now.
Post by Ancaladar on Sept 29, 2012 21:38:25 GMT -5
Ancaladar chuckled, recalling the many times throughout his long life that he had run into the intolerant humans. "I have." he admitted, flashing a fang filled smile to the human. "And I have to say that there is nothing quite as tasty as boiled rib of Hunter." to illustrate he took a deep breath, head turning away from her to face the lake. He roared, mouth wide as a powerful jet of scalding hot water shot out. Steam rose from where the cold rain hit the hot stream, a cloud of fog engulfing them for a few moments before the wind carried it away.
It was a rare occasion for him to have to use his draconic breath, particularly since he avoided it most of the time when he was on the lake. Other dragons could be injured simply by being nearby, and this lake was fairly heavily populated relative to most areas. Besides, what in nature could threaten a dragon enough to force him to use his breath power?
"Hunters are simply those of your species too intolerant, too ignorant and frightened, to accept that humanity has peers in this world, much less superiors." Ancaladar growled, suddenly dour. "They hunt every supernatural being, not just us dragons, and somehow no matter how many die there are always more."
Post by Blair Von Drake / Red on Sept 29, 2012 21:49:32 GMT -5
Red stumbled back a bit a bit as he shot forth a blast of water, covering her ears at his sharp roar as she watched the jet of water hit the surface, enshrouding them in a brief cloud of steam for the brief time. She was definitely impressed, having imagined that he, like most dragons, would have some kind of trick up his...sleeve.
Then he explained about how her kind acted, causing her to frown. "To be honest, hearing such a thing makes me feel a bit ashamed to be Human." she frowned, laying back down once more. Why were so many people afraid? They had so many opportunities to learn, yet they refused to do so, only hindering mankind's progress. "But just know I would never do something like that. I'm not fearful or stupid."
Something in his words suddenly caught her attention, causing her to look over at him once again. "When you say every 'supernatural being'... do you mean there are more beings with power out there other than your kind?" she questioned, realizing how ignorant she must have felt right now. She couldnt imagine what else there could be, unless the other myths of the world were true.
