The Only Thing Thats Constant

[amaranth]

Amaranth

Bi-colored eyes peered through the twilight darkness, glancing over the hills, ridges, and ravines that made up Keikoku Canyon. She sniffed the air as she padded amongst the dusty rock, her eyes constantly looking around for something out of place. She liked to be cautious and aware of everything around her; that's the only way it could be if you wanted to live alone in the land and survive. But then, it wasn't very hard for her to survive since she was generally much taller than most of the adversary's she came across, but you never could take something for face value. That's what Amaryllis had taught her anyway.

She sighed at the thought of Amaryllis. She didn't know who she really was, and would probably never find out. The thought disconcerted her for the simple fact that she liked to know everything...what truly bothered her though was that Amaryllis left her. She huffed and lengthened her walk in to a lope, shaking off the thought of not knowing. She simply went in no particular direction, nothing to do, and nowhere to go.

After a few more moments she reduced her gait to a slow, shuffling walk until she finally decided to stop altogether. She looked up to the moon and cocked her head. Sometimes she wondered what it was like there. Probably boring since it looked so barren... She smirked at the childish thought and sat down on the cool dirt, curling her long armored tail around the rest of her body. She merely continued to stare at the sky, glancing over to the stars, looking at the constellations. It was always the same really, one of the only constant things in the world...

Amaranth lay down, drowsy. She was tired since she had been walking for...two, three days, without rest? She sighed once more, and swished her tail around, throwing up some of the red dirt. She blended in to the canyons surroundings pretty well since she herself was such a red color. She smiled slightly; no surprise attacks on her. At that thought she drifted off...only for a minute...

[Aveilthé]

The moon cast an eerie glow upon the drifting fog, the wind being the only element disturbing it's fickle damp air. The canyons towered their looming shadows upon all creeping things. A feeling of submission would lurk into the soul, crippling even the bravest of hearts. But this was the Empress's kingdom... not even the glowering stares from the winged serpents chattering together in a threatening fashion in their rocky nests could agitate she. At least, she respected her distance from them unlike those poor fools rotting at the canyon's side. Though small, the Temuks are mighty and deadly in swarms. She had seen them attack an unwary trespasser, teasing and tearing at his flesh until he became nothing more than a bloody shell. Temuks were the piranhas of the skies... unlike real piranhas, they do not bother anyone unless they are provoked first. That would be the last mistake anyone would make.

As Lacrimosa tilted her head at the vast cooing family, she privately fancied that she could train one some day. What a fine thing it would be, to show Giaku what a strong Empress she is--to subdue a whole flock of violent Temuks! Ahh, perhaps some day... perhaps she'll steal an egg and raise it herself.

Now three years old, Lacrimosa quickly acquired an intelligent mind. Well, intelligent enough... she was still young and naive enough, and still harnessed her innocence that made her so loved as a ruler. Some did not appreciate a young leader, inexperienced and weak. But being involved in politics and war impacted her in many good ways, and bad ways. For one, it made her stronger. For another, it is steadily leading her down a path of corruption.

Lacrimosa paused as she trekked through the well-worn path through Keikoku. The fog was not troublesome here, which she was thankful for. It was a clear night sky, but it will not stay clear for long. Giaku hardly saw clear days. Bitterly, she thought how Valo the sun-god did not bless their world with his glory and warmth. He favored their enemy, Shinkou...

That is when she noticed an odd shape against the canyon's side. It looked out of place compared to the sloping rock structures, so she stared, straining her eyes to make out the shape. Thus she ambled forward, her dark fur bristling as she caught a scent. Blue horns glimmered as she pulled back her swanlike neck, scales catching what little light the goddess Lunele granted. Tufted tail switched the ground, an obvious sign of agitation, but she did not remove herself from where she stood.

"Hello? Hello? Beg your pardon, but are you a living rock-creature of legend?"

There was something like childish curiosity in her question, directed at the beast-thing dozing by the russet stone. Should it wake, it would probably notice that it was not a child that spoke, but a young adult, still foolishly clinging to old tales and innocence.

"Do you know Beos, the mountain-god? Could you take me to his treasure trove of gemstones?"

What adventures they could have; she, the Empress of Giaku, with a rock-thing as her traveling companion, traversing many miles to the home of Beos where trekking there could mean certain death. Oh, what her empire would say when she brought back an ocean of rare blue diamonds and white sapphires! She and her mate Ammon could roll in their new riches!

[amaranth]

Amaranth

Amaranth woke suddenly at the high voice of a young creature. Hello? Hello? Beg your pardon, but are you a living rock-creature of legend? She lifted her head lazily at the question, still tired, and also not wanting to appear like she was caught off guard. Though she was, she certainly wasn't going to let it be known. As her head lifted, her long, ebon, scale-covered neck glimmered slightly in the moonlight as she turned toward the being that had spoke to her. Do you know Beos, the mountain-god? Could you take me to his treasure trove of gemstones?

She smirked at the questioning. She had heard tales of this Beos across the land, and of living stones, but she thought it strange one could see her as something of the like, even in poor lighting conditions. She herself did not attach herself to any sort of belief in particular, certainly not one that had her believe in living stone and strange gods. She believed in the earth mostly, that which surrounded her and helped her to live. She didn't worship it as others did and have some thing personify it, but she believed in the things she saw.

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but nay, I am not a living stone beast and I can not lead you to this god Beos that you speak of. I do not even harbor any magic at this time, but I'm still young and hopeful."

Amaranth gave an icy smile as she spoke, her voice as smooth and cool as ever. After a moment of looking over the creature before her with her strange bi-colored eyes, she stretched out her legs and arched her back, shaking the dirt from her body. After a few moments of stretching she stood up elegantly, trying to make herself appear regal in the face of the femme before her as she liked to give everyone the impression that she was much older and wiser than she truly was.

Truth was, she wasn't even entirely sure how old she was. She could be older than the young one before her, or she could be younger. Who knew? Amaranth shrugged inwardly at the thought, none too complacent over it.

"I suppose an introductory statement is needed now. I am Amaranth of nowhere."

This was always how Amaranth introduced herself. Most she met would introduce themselves as someone of somewhere, so as to appease them she merely said she was Amaranth of nowhere. No home, no family, and no need of either one for the most part...she let out a faint sigh and shuddered as the wind picked up, now looking directly at the creature before her. It was an interesting thing to behold for sure with its beautiful blue coloring, and tasseled tail. She had never seen another like the femme for sure, so she assumed that she was a crossbreed of some type or another. It merely peaked her curiosity, but she wouldn't ask for the moment. She had learned from past experiences it was a rather rude question to ask.

[Aveilthé]

The young wolf's muscles twitched and leaped in anticipation when the thing moved and stared at her. That is when she felt a twinge of shock steal through her body, overcoming her excitement. Taking one step backward, she lifted her crown and allowed her ears the indulgence of listening keenly to the thing that decided to speak.

Yes, she could see that the young drunin was not a rock-beast. Her words uttered certainty. She even sensed the slight irritation borne from her body language. Hopes dashed, she dropped her ears and averted her eyes, resentful at this notion. But she was an Empress, therefore her mannerisms were of utmost importance. She was a good-natured little scamp, albeit a bit of a spoiled thing. A poor child taken from her poor mother, whose father was hated by all the world and murdered in front of the wolfkind... she should have known a more humbler nature. Perhaps there was some left in her yet, after having been thrust a great responsibility.

"Well, you are far greater than a stone-creature. You're a Drunin!" She divulged an apologetic smile. At least it looked genuine enough. "I was so ready to embark on this great adventure when I thought you were a rock-beast. How funny!" She did not laugh, but gave a fixed, awkward smile instead.

"You do look young, and that is swell. We might even be the same age. That would be so odd if it were true... There aren't very many here my age, except..." She blushed, not ready to tell much to this creature yet, either. She sensed that they both had secrets, but it was not like her own secret could be kept in the dark for long. After all, she was--for want of better word--popular around these parts. But most importantly, Lacrimosa did not want to immediately tell Amaranth that she was an Empress of the vast Giaku land. It was her chance to make a new friend her age. It was an ideal hope, but a hope nonetheless.

Feeling her body relax, she stretched out her forelimbs and let herself lie down. "You can't be from no where. You're in Giaku, aren't you? It's somewhere. Oh, and I guess it's only fair that I tell you my name." She paused, hesitating. "You can call me Lacri." Another pause. "Here, a little fire," she mumbled, breathing a stream of brilliant blue flames to the ground where it burned steadily on the spot, without any means of support by wood or other materials.

[amaranth]

Amaranth

Amaranth cocked her head at the mention of the word Druinin. Others had called hr one before, but she was still unsure of what is was. She merely gave a light smile and nodded. When she noticed the apologetic smile, she caught in herself a twinge of anger. She felt it was something more of a pity thing when people looked at her like this. She merely kept smiling though, no need now to start something; she wanted to find out who this little creature was.

"Well, I go out on adventures all the time, stone beast or not. I don't really have a home so I kind of have to I guess. It's interesting the things you find out in the world. Lots of different plants, and beasts. Its all pretty interesting really...well sometimes anyways. Sometimes I think it'd be nicer to even stay in one place for a longer while to really figure out everything thats in it. You know, all the lands secrets."

She smiled at the thought, fancying it slightly. This was truly a moment where Amaranth's thoughts were more of an innocent child's than of a calculating, and struggling adolescent. When she looked over at the young femme before her and noticed her awkward smile, she gave her own apologetic smile in hopes it might lighten the mood slightly. She knew that she was slightly embarrassed at thinking Amaranth was a mythical creature, but she wasn't going to exploit tis fact.

She listened passively as the little blue one spoke again, this time of their age. It would be interesting if they were the same age...Amaranth supposed anyways. She cocked her head slightly again as the other began to trail off and ended her sentence with a blush. She gave another light smile, but knew she was hiding something. Probably something interesting...but she wasn't going to pry for now...perhaps later.

Following suit, she stretched out and lay down again, curling her long, half-armored tail around her lithe body. She perked up her ears as the female began to speak again. Giaku. Amaryllis had told her of it before. She said it was the place most populated by demons, and that some evil god creature had once lived and then died here. That was all she had told her of Giaku really, but when Amaranth had asked her about it some more, she merely strode on silent.

"Well, I suppose I can't really be from nowhere, but I'm just not sure where I'm really from." she said, sounding almost kind of lost. She gave a meek smile and looked to her, waiting for her to finally reveal her name. "You can call me Lacri." It was a pretty name, though she assumed it was a nickname by the way she had said it. After another small pause she mumbled something about a fire, and then blew out a stream of bright blue fire.

She stared wide eyed at it. She had never seen anything like that, and thought it strange that a fire could burn on nothing...or be a true blue. She backed off from it slightly...not that she was scared...just cautious. "So, Lacri, what is that? And how'd you do it? It's...cool." Amaranth continued to stare at it, and even looked slightly excited now. She smirked, looking up to Lacri with an innocent and extremely curious look in her eye. If she had seemed intelligent and grown up before, that perception must have passed by now.

She composed herself after a moment, to try and hide the more childish aspect of her actions, but continued to look at Lacri curiously. Sure, she had seen magick performed before, but nothing so...interesting and brightly colored as this. It was some weird fire magick if it really was fire magick at all.

[Aveilthé]

Comfort was key when having company. Fluffing out her fur and giving her forepaws a good grooming, she listened to her new friend as she spoke. She regarded the Drunin a little too dignified for her age...

"That is really... really cool. I've never been outside Giaku before. Well I have when I was a cub, but I was way too young for me to remember it."

Crossing her forepaws, she picked up her head with alert ears, showing that she was intrigued by the conversation.

"Hey, so what's the world outside like? It can't be all just desert, can it?"

The realization that she could exit Giaku whenever she wished now that she was old enough to do so struck her like a ton of bricks. The ability to see new worlds gave her such a high that she began wagging her tail.

"We should so go out on little journeys beyond Giaku some day. But I'd like to bring Ammon too, he'd like that I think. He's the only one I know that's been outside but he... didn't exactly have too good of an experience..."

She grimaced, thinking of his leg he lost by a bunch of rogue wolves when he was a baby. The thought made her angry, and felt obliged to go out and find them and avenge her mate.

At the mention of the fire, she cocked her head. "I dunno... it was something I was born with, I guess. I'm getting some help on how to control it though because I used to do some bad stuff before. It wasn't fun. What about you, got any cool talents?"