Resonant Chords (Open, read first post)

[Streak]

((Uh, SO uses a post order. I know you might want to post right away, but let other people post too. If you wanted a thread when you post when you want, you probably should have stated so. c:))

[Adurnak]

Lunara shook her head pityingly as she she stepped back, having darted forward and clubbed the crazed male over the head with her forepaw.
"He'd best learn to control himself. There are many who would kill him for acting like that. Besides," She added, flicking her tail, the blade hissing throught the air, "I'm not exactly a wolf. Nor am I abnormal, at least not for a Shal'Dran."
She would probably have to smack Mál'skra around a bit to get some respect out of him, even though his mate seemed okay, but she didn't want to have to actually hurt him. Much.

[cptkickercutleg]

"He'd best learn to control himself. There are many who would kill him for acting like that. Besides, I'm not exactly a wolf. Nor am I abnormal, at least not for a Shal'Dran."

Graal sighed as the shadowy newcomer knocked out the wolf, bringing up a paw to his mouth and taking a troublesome pebble out from between his blunted nails with his teeth.
He stands now, stepping towards the trio, turning his back on Streak to talk directly to them.
"Aye, I hope, Drappa, that he comes to realise that you are not alone, and that this land is populated largely with Vulfs with odd, and sometimes magical traits. Wings are not rare."
He smiles, his tail wagging slightly as he remembers his first days in this strange land.
"It didn't take me long to get used to it all, I hope he's as flexible. By Fenris, he's probably been here longer than I before I saw Midnight, but then, is he used to anything but Vulf and Druin?" he ponders, his eyes drifting up in thought for a moment, "Yershí, I will help carry him, if you could put him on my back, I will carry him to your den before I attend to my student-" he pauses a moment, his nose raising to scent at the air, "-who has just found prey of her own." he says, smiling slightly and stepping forth and crouching beside Mál'skra so the others can put the wolf on his back.

(( Sorry for the time lapse, I've had major internet problems :/ ))

[Deleted]

(Sorry this has taken so long. I just finished my first week of college and it is amazing they call these the 'best days of your life'. I swear my brain has died several times this week.)

"You really are very kind Graal," Yershí said, helping Lunara heave the obstinately heavy Mál'skra onto the old wolf's back. "I know it looks like Mál'skra has issues, but...well..." she paused attempting to come up with a good excuse for her unconcious mate's behavior. "No, he just has issues. Maybe just being around you all will make it easier for him. I don't really know, but he was very nice to me when we met. But, that was only after a few days." She glanced back at his closed eyes with concern, commenting idly to herself, "Why do you have to be so stubbornly skeptical." She started over a barely visible path that would take them back to the den. She had to check herself in her stride, to make concession for the old and burdened Graal, but it did not slow their pace significantly.

The den Mál'skra had chosen before even her meeting him was easily visible from all around, but also easily defensible for that same reason. Being situated on a rising crest of stone, likely a part of the mountain above them, there was no way any hostile creature could reach it without its occupants knowing. Yershí expertly bounded up the gravel, hoping any following her would be able to keep up. The last thing she needed now would be one of them falling and severly injuring themselves. She supposed this would not be an issue for the winged wolf, Lunara, but Graal and Streak were another matter entirely. Come to think of it, she considered as she unearthed the remains of a meal she and Mál'skra had stowed away, Did Lunara and Streak even follow me and Graal here. With this thought in mind, she came to the cave's mouth and said, words garbled by dead wild pig, " 're 'ou 'uys 'ere? 'ome 'n an' 'll I 'ell 'ou 'y 'e're 'ere!"

[Streak]

((Derp. I forgot that it was my turn.))

Streak sat stubbornly, unwilling to follow Yershí to the cave. She stared at a tree as though it was extremely interesting. At a second glance, it actually was. Streak stepped slowly over to it. Huge grooves were slashed carelessly onto the bark. Streak stepped closer and sniffed them. It was an unknown scent, but judging by the size of the marks, Streak guessed they belonged to a dragon. Streak looked around for any other signs of dragon activity, then called out,
"Uh, guys? Do dragons live around these parts? 'Cause there seems to be signs of dragon activity..." Her voice faded away as her dark eyes met the eyes of another. Streak stood frozen to the spot. Her legs would not move not matter how loud her mind screamed at them. There was a huge thing in front of her.

[Adurnak]

"You know I could have just warped us all up here, if you'd have given me a second." Lunara huffed, stepping out of the shadows at the back of the cave. "And Graal, surely you remember me? You fought alongside my father and mother at the battle of the courtyard in the Western Taoi Ruins, a few months ago."

[cptkickercutleg]

"You really are very kind Graal," Yershí said, and Graal felt the weight of Mál'skra's unconscious body being lowered onto his back, and the old wolf smiles a little, shuffling to balance the weight more easily on his back.
"I know it looks like Mál'skra has issues, but...well..." and now she pauses, giving Graal time to stand, grunting quietly as he raises the larger wolf on his back.  "No, he just has issues. Maybe just being around you all will make it easier for him. I don't really know, but he was very nice to me when we met. But, that was only after a few days." And at this, Graal chuckles, half-grimacing.
"Doth nort warl, Drappa. Drag es gút mais oh Man oh Ash tarl." he says with sour humour, smiling grimly, "Lead the way." And so she did, though not before Graal turned to Streak,
"Oh aye, Drappa, there are Dran here, a sign that this land is yet to be tainted by human industries, as they were in my homeland. Come along, there is no need to stay and be prey for a larger beast, eh?" he jokes, turning without seeing what had spooked her.
And so he followed Yershí, his paws never straying despite the obvious strain on his body.

"You know I could have just warped us all up here, if you'd have given me a second."
Graal grimaces, his face creasing with apology even as he opens his mouth to talk,
"I don't trust even the most common powers in these parts, no offense meant to any of their users, you especially Drappa. Where I am from, magic is wielded solely by Man and Vulfen, never Vulfs. That is why only two of us escaped that land with our lives, the humans sent magic to kill and destroy, it is still going to take some getting used to, I'm afraid..." Lunara steps quietly from the back of the cave, and Graal wondered if she'd even had to try to get up the slope, or did it seem effortless for such a young body.
"And Graal, surely you remember me?" You fought alongside my father and mother at the battle of the courtyard in the Western Taoi Ruins, a few months ago."
And now the old wolf cocks his head, casting his memory back, or perhaps reeling it back to more recent memories, he couldn't be sure, for the older memories seemed to get clearer as the new thoughts get foggier. He shakes his head, dislodging the loose thoughts with an irritated sniff, though his face alights with mild surprise.
"You? You're one of the ones we saved? I will admit that my memory is hazy from pain and disorientation, but I remember the battle, a small skirmish against far fewer numbers, yet they lost, I don't think there were any survivors, either..."
The old wolf shakes his head again, he felt tired, and kept rambling, as if the thoughts were leaking out through his mouth, as if his mind was-
"No! I can't be that way! I have others to protect, illness is not allowed to me!"
He thinks to himself, shaking his head one more time.
"I am tired, can someone take Mál'skra from my back?"

[Deleted]

Hey guys, I know it's been a long while since I posted, and I apologize for any who anticipated a quick response from me. College has been brutal, and I have been unable to post as I would like to. A short spring break is coming up next week, so I promise a post from myself then.

Thanks and don't give up on this story!

[Deleted]

Okay, I know it's double posting, but I just wanted to make sure you saw that the post was new. Onward with the story!

"Oh, I'm so sorry Graal!" Yershí hastily swallowed her hunk of flesh, and drug her mate off the old wolf's back. "Stop obsessing over dragons silly," she laughed to Streak. "Even if there is one around here, he would think twice before taking on five of us." She set about humming mildly, scrounging through a pile of kills, searching for something suitable for them all to eat. Normally she and Mál'skra would eat whatever they could catch, and if they caught more than they needed, they would stash it away for harder times. Yershí was normally a very picky eater, but her mate had no qualms with eating food not fit for crows. Thus, they had a rather ungraceful pile of old meat stowed away.

"Get...inside!" Mál'skra's breathless voice rang out. Yershí's head whipped to the entrance of the cave. Her mate was standing boldly at its entrance, barking wildly for their companions to all get inside immediately. "Blasted creature..." she heard him growl under his breath, "always interfering at the worst possible moment."

Yershí was about to ask what exactly Mál'skra was speaking of, but a moment later, his Incendiary Protection spell coated the cave entrance. This, along with a skull-jarring roar from outside was all an indication that one of their greatest foes had finally tracked them to their current home. Sub-consciously, Yershí began preparing her ice magics, for what good they would do.

[Streak]

It was much clearer now. Many red scales glinted in the light in the form of a huge lizard. A huge lizard with even bigger leathery wings. Its spine was covered in spikes that looked as sharp as... a sharp stone. The end of the tail had a spikey ball that could kill with just one hit. And if that wasn't all, yellow eyes glared at Streak as she trembled. It opened its mouth and let out a ferocious roar, exposing its deadly teeth.

Streak stared, almost in awe. She took in the dragons' appearance and began to sum up the chances. So far, she was outnumbered. The dragon slowly stood up and grunted. It looked around and spotted Streak. Slowly, a cruel smile curled upon its lips. Finally, Streak's legs responded and ran. The chase was on.

As quick as Streak was, the dragon was quicker. In one swift movement, it scooped Streak up by the tail and let her hang. It smiled and began to bring her closer to the cave of terror. It opened its mouth and began to bring a wriggling wolf closer.

[Adurnak]

The only warning is a faint hiss of air, and then a thin ray of black fire strikes the dragon's right eye, causing it to scream in pain, dropping Streak. Lunara shimmers into veiw and moves between them, her voice a rumbling snarl as she speaks.
"Back off, lizard."

Almost the second she had heard the roar back in the cave, and had seen the protection spell activate, she had started gathering power for a Shadow Gate, targeting the area at the base of the incline outside the cave. From there she had tailed the dragon under cover of invisibility, waiting for the right moment to strike.