Re: The swamp several days later (Sunning in the swamp 3+ The Western Hive 4)

Arakk Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:05 am

Atteryv scowls at Emmae, listening until she relents and leaves it up to him, expecting her warning to affect him. Frowning and nuzzling into Tieree gently, he grimaces and sags slightly, shaking his head. "You're honor-bound to clean up your mistake with Ellairhri. Me, I have a heart... I can't let there be a chance that those hatchlings are still suffering, trapped in mangled bodies, and if I can save even one.. It will give us hope for Ellairhri. My mother taught me that bit, observing something similar but safe before you try the real thing.. I'm faster than I look, they won't get me. Watch out for my family, if you want to do something.. I won't be gone more than a day, just as long as it takes me to build a funeral pyre.."

**Lozziieeyy** Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:58 am

Emmae shrugged "Nothing makes me think that you should listen... But if you don't, then I will either have to kill Ellairhri, or keep running and chasing for the rest of my unlife. I'm not telling you to do anything, sometimes I just wonder if it really is me with the dead heart. Compared to Ellairhri, I am a minute amount of what she is. I rarely.... You know what, just forget it. I knew this was a waste of time. You're just like everyone else. I won't have any more or less respect by restraining myself from draining. If anything, this visit has given me more of a reason to give up trying and be as reckless as that fucker. But I want you to tell me. which is it? you either trust me and I will help kill Ellairhri, you kill me and let her have my blood, or even let her rip me apart limb by limb and have my only friend to eat me. Or I will go on a killing spree." She was shaking sightly by this point, and her voice showed no sign of anger or evil. It was even a little shaky too. "So you choose. I will do anything you wish. She sat down and kept as still as she could, her eyes flickered orange and black, upset that she really did have no heart.

SamusRisng Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:16 am

Marhri was very surprised by how Emmae was acting, it was so odd, but without any bad intentions, or at least none that Marhri could see. She was surprised to hear Emmae say that her sister would kill Emmae, or make Emmae's only friend eat her. That seemed odd, to Marhri at least. She turned to Atteryv and nodded before saying, "Please....relax, Atteryv is going to help, I'm sure. And...you seem very unsettled...uncomfortable." She nudged Isrir a moment before saying, "You can promise you mean no harm it sounds like...would you be a bit more relaxed if we were talking in the lair? I'd like to hear what you have to say now." She contemplated approaching Emmae for a moment before cautiously doing so and patting her shoulder gently to hopefully help her relax.

Arakk Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:44 am

Atteryv frowns at Emmae's tirade, feeling as though she was missing the point. When Marhri approaches, he goes with her, getting in Emmae's space and looking her over. "I'm not saying you haven't got a heart.. But your sense of duty is blotting out other things. Compassion, for example.. Those hatchlings are all suffering.. Though that's not my only motive. Know your enemy; they are also at their weakest and mortally wounded, according to Ellairhri. I stand to learn a bit about them that you wouldn't tell me, for fear of your own life or for lack of knowledge. And, if one is even partly whole.. I will learn if they can be rehabilitated. My mother taught me to study your enemy at their weakest... Precisely what I intend to do." He frowns at how cold his logic sounds, but feels fairly certain that it will calm Emmae, so leaves it at that. Observing her a few moments, he says, "I'll listen to you, and help you with Ellairhri, depending on what I find.. But I need to make this trip first. So, I ask you.. Will you protect my family tonight, in case I don't make it back by then?" He looks Emmae beseechingly in the eye as he asks this, then looks worriedly over his assembled family.

**Lozziieeyy** Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:45 am

Isrir ran from Marhri and hid under Tieree's wing, not sure what was going on. Tieree hugged him close.
Emmae sighed "I am... I don't do well with conversation... I know that most people can't trust me... I'm sorry" she flinched when Marhri touched her, and pulled away slightly. "I don't mind if we talk in the lair, but it is getting slightly hot now..." She nodded to Atteryv and sighed "Ok. I was just worried... I didn't know if you knew what could happen... I will look after your family. I promise. I don't break promises..." She tried to smile, but it looked odd, since she was fairly down. "I will tell you strengths and weaknesses though, I don't care that you could kill me easily with the knowledge. It would be horrible not to give you that information." She bowed her head slightly "I don't ask that you listen to me. There's not much to listen to. But I can tell you that." She looked over the family and nodded again "It would be my honour to look after your family."

SamusRisng Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:33 am

Marhri nods, glad that she understood Emmae's discomfort. She looked up at the sun, peeking over the tress and said, "Relax then, please..." before spreading a wing over Emmae to block the sun from her. After this she nods to Atteryv, "...that plan sounds good Atteryv. Just...you won't like what you see, I assure you. If any of them can be helped, that's great...but I think most would rather just be put out of their suffering. And...coming from someone who likes hatchlings, you should know what that means Atteryv..." She looked a bit shocked when Emmae promised to look out for their family and said, "Umm...well thank you...that's very kind of you. What's your name? I'm Marhri."

Arakk Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:11 am

Atteryv nods solemnly to Emmae, finally smiling to reassure her. "Well.. I'll trust you with them then. Is there anything I should know before I go?" Asking this, he walks back over to gently cuddle with Tieree and Isrir while he waits for a response. "You two good without me a day or two?" Considering Marhri's words a moment, he shudders and nods. "I can imagine... But it's important. If there's a hatchling we can rescue, even one, my mother might find a way to reverse it. She's.. Good with magic. And if it can be reversed, Ellairhri can be cured, if she wants."

**Lozziieeyy** Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:34 am

Emmae nodded "I'll try." She nudged Marhri extremely lightly, hardly at all in fact, to show she appreciated her helping. She shrugged when she thanked her "Honestly, it really is the least I can do" then looked between them all when she asked her name "Uh... If you must have it, it's Emmae." She then nodded to Atteryv "Well. We can move impossibly fast, some have the power of hypnosis, telepathy too, some have extreme strength. We also have heightened senses. Because of this, Weaknesses are Sunlight, high-pitched noises and some strong smells. That just about covers everything. You might not need to know, but the most effective way to immeadiately kill one, is to drive a stake straight through the heart. You might not need that knowledge. But just in case." She stares at him for a while after this, quite scared now that she was vulnerable with these people.
Tiered hugged into Atteryv when he came over, and held on tightly before saying "We'll just about cope I think but... Be careful. Losing you... Would ruin everything." He pulled him into a quick kiss before saying "No pressure" with a smile to lighten the mood.
Emmae nodded "Good luck... I'm sorry all this has happened. I didn't mean for it to... And also for being so horrible before..." She sighed, hardly able to look at them any more.

SamusRisng Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:08 am

Emmae's change of mood being so drastic was starting to put Marhri well at ease. The fact Emmae shared all her vulnerabilities helped as well. She closed her wing around Emmae now, not feeling she needed to be ready to escape at any given moment and said, "...what Atteryv said, you don't seem to be missing a heart at all. You care about others...you even told us how we could...kill you if we wished...but I don't think we'll ever need to. If this is how you really are. And...it's okay, I don't understand why you were so aggressive, but you are being kind now..." She nods to Atteryv after this and says, "You don't think I'm being too lenient do you? And take care with where you're headed..."

( Short kinda >.< )

Arakk Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:02 pm

Atteryv nods, listening to the exchange between Marhri and Emmae (noting her name), and then listening to her assessment of her kind's strengths, weaknesses, and the method for dispatching them. "Thank you, Emmae, I'll remember that." Returning Tieree's hug, he smiles and nods solemnly. "No way I die with such an amazing drake to come back to.." Gently releasing his mate after a few moments, he pads over to where Emmae and Marhri stand. "No, Marhri, I think you're being fair.. She's done far less evil than Ellairhri." Smiling at Emmae, he steps forward to hug her gently, then steps back and gives a brisk nod. "Well then.. Welcome to the extended family. I've got to go now, if I'm to take advantage of the daylight with those hatchlings.. You should get inside." This said, he walks towards the center of the clearing, smiles at Tieree and Isrir reassuringly, and takes off, trailing the words, "I'll be back tomorrow.."

--

Atteryv would fly out to the Western Hive, gladly not terribly far, and arrive around noon; for him, the perfect time to hunt sunlight-sensitive undead. Sniffing about until he smells carrion and spilled blood, he stands at the entrance of the cave where Ellairhri's slaughter had taken place, calling out, "Hello? I've come to help."

**Lozziieeyy** Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:24 pm

Emmae looked at Marhri some when she pulled her closer, she would have liked it better however if she wasn't so hot. But she appreiciated it all the same, so she smiled, properly this time "It's good to know you don't need to kill me... And I'm not always like this... Well, it's complicated. The aggression earlier..." She sighed "But yes. This is how I am. I do care for you, all of you." She looked around them all, sad that they were involved with something so horrible. She nodded to Atteryv when he said he would remember it "No problem.."
Tieree smiled at the compliment and nuzzled him again, being it Isrir's chance to climb to his snout and grab on to Atteryv's, gnawing at it "See you dad" he then dropped to the floor and snuggled next to Tieree again.
When Atteryv came back over, and hugged Emmae, she smiled. "Thanks, I won't let you down. And... Good luck." She briefly and lightly hugged him back, confused when he welcomed her to 'the extended family' not entirely sure what he meant, before watching him off then looking around the three remaining

SamusRisng Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:28 pm

Marhri watched Atteryv leave and smiled, "Oh...did you hear that?...Atteryv accepts you to the family if you want." She licked across Emmae's face and recoiled back, though she was hotter than normal, Marhri noticed she was much colder than was natural, and stared at Emmae oddly for a moment before nudging her and saying, "You're....it's okay..." She licked again, not recoiling this time and stating, "Let's get you inside...come on, and Isrir? It's okay, she's a friend. Might not want to touch her though she's kind of...cold. It'll feel weird. Go ahead if you want to though." She turns to the entrance and nods to Tieree, "It's Atteryv...he'll be okay."

At the hive, a voice, not from the inside of the cave, but rather out said, "Get away from there! It's dangerous..." A dragon landed by Atteryv's side and started trying to nudge him away from the entrance as the sounds of blood spilling and sucking came from inside the hive. "You don't want to go in there..." The dragon urged him before nudging again.

Arakk Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:58 am

Atteryv grimaces as he looks into the cave, ignoring the dragon trying to dissuade him. "I'm going in.. I'll see if any can be saved, then I'm going to collapse the cave. The sun should burn them and weaken any survivors enough to do what is necessary," he explains coldly. "They're faster than me, some likely stronger, but my bloodline should help me against the other tricks... And I know their weaknesses, too." He demonstrates, pulling an odd piece of stone and scraping a claw over it, producing a loud, high pitched, grating noise painful to normal ears, tenfold so to those of the vampiric dragons inside. "I'll be fine... Say, do you know where the supports are? We'll need to cave it in fairly quickly once they notice us. Someone knowing the structure would be great help." Regardless of the answer he receives, Atteryv puffs a few small orbs of flame that float near his body, illuminating his surroundings, and walks boldly inside.

**Lozziieeyy** Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:15 am

Emmae tilted her head "Urr... What? Really? But I hardly know you all..." She looked at them, with a nervous smile "Okay..." She looked at Marhri when she licked across her face, chuckling lightly "Yeah... Sorry about that. One of the downsides to being dead" she leaned into the second lick, smiling when she mentioned going in. She paused and said "Have you had anything to eat this morning? I'm sure I can get you something if not."
Isrir tilted his head, he thought everyone was warm. He was curious, but would rather stay by Tieree's side, not sure on Emmae still.
Tieree raised an eyeridge at the thought of her being cold, but decided that it was irrelevant. He smiled and nodded in agreement with Marhri "True. He'll be fine, I'm sure." He smiled and stood up, ready to make his way inside.

SamusRisng Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:30 am

Marhri nodded, "You hardly know us, but we also hardly know you, and you gave us information needed to kill you. That shows you have no ill intent to me at least, I doubt you're pulling a trick. And...dead. It seems hard to think of you as that when you're up and moving around, but easier when I feel how cold you are." He considers preening Emmae as she leads her inside and nods, "We....have not really had anything to eat, but that would involve you exerting yourself in the sun, right? And you, have you eaten or...do you need to eat I mean?" She pauses by the two drakes and says, "This is Tieree, and this Isrir by the way." Gesturing to both, but trying to keep Emmae a bit distanced from Isrir when she notices his discomfort. "I'm Marhri, and the one who left for the hive? He's Atteryv. Nice to meet you..."

The dragon growls, "But we can't be going in there, they kill each other and anyone else who enters and then rise again...it's horrible, and like you said, they're faster an-Gah..." their speech stopped abruptly at the grinding noise Atteryv made, but there was a sound of things scurrying away from the entrance at it as well. The dragon that had been trying to dissuade Atteryv looked inside and tilted their head, "They...dislike noise?" At the flames a hissing noise sounded from closer and one of the undead hatchlings recoiled away from the light and heat, its side would be cut open to the neck and its heart showing. Blood spilled from the wound and it stood shakily for a moment before collapsing and appearing to be dead. The dragon stared at it for a moment before saying, "...you can't be serious about making it all the way to the supports, can you?"

Arakk Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:48 am

Atteryv winces as he scrapes his claw along the stone, as well, then nods. "They have sensitive ears.. Many times stronger than ours. Works to my advantage." Looking mildly upset when he spots the hatchling, he sighs as it collapses and darts forward to mercifully cleave its heart in two, ensuring it was dead. Boldly remaining in the shadow, even past the point of necessity, he nods. "Oh, yes. All the way.. In life, these hatchlings were warriors in training, the sort that the swamp chews up and only occasionally spits out again, dead or broken.. I grew up there. I'll be fine." As a sizable blue leaps at him, he smashes it into a wall with his tail and effortlessly slices through flesh and bone to rend its heart, giving a small growl, then looks back at the dragon. "If I don't come back out, wait for the sun to shine in the cave, flood it with oil, and burn everything inside." This said, he assumes a fighting posture and proceeds rapidly into the cave, dispatching any hatchlings that seemed to have lost their minds to bloodthirst or that were too severely injured to be healed and live any sort of life. Reaching the back of the cave, he would quickly locate the first of several supports and start slamming himself against it, likely riling the cave's inhabitants who might not have noticed him yet.

**Lozziieeyy** Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:11 am

Emmae nodded "Yeah... I'm confident enough that you won't kill me, even if you did, it saves me the trouble of anything more." She chuckled when she mentions the thought of her being dead and shrugged "I know, strange, isn't it? I often wonder what it feels like to have a beating heart..." She thought for a moment, before shaking her head. She followed Marhri in slightly and shrugged "It's hot out, but I'd only be out for a minute, not even that... And I don't really eat much... But I can eat out... While I'm out even." She smiled, then turned to Tieree and Isrir, Bowing her head. She didn't look any of them in the eye, and just said "Hi... Sorry for the visit." She nodded and mulled the names over, memorising their faces. "Anyway. I'll be right back with that food." She went quick as a flash, and came back, as she said, less than a minute later with a swamp gator and a couple of deer carried easily on her back. She nodded once before standing right at the entrance, waiting for an invite in.
Isrir simply nodded to the creepy black dragoness, and stared her over for a while, wondering what really was going on. Tieree hugged him close and smiled breifly at Emmae "It's ok... It will be over soon, Atteryv will make sure of that."

SamusRisng Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:04 am

The rate at which Atteryv was attacked would notably increase after he found the support, but his flames deterred them enough for him to react to them. Not many seemed able to tap into that speed that Emmae mentioned. And some notably didn't even attempt to harm him. Though most of these were the ones too heavily injured to move. He would notice that they were not only attacking him but others. The hive was constantly filled with bloodshed, and some dragons lumbered around with their bodies beyond recognition due to all the injuries. One example was a dragon whose chest and belly scales had been ripped free, and most of what was inside dangled as it staggered about. the rest of its body appearing fine. Some others still had enough sanity to actually speak, or whine in terror. The ones that could speak asked Atteryv to help them get out. Though most of them were not in survivable condition.

Marhri made to tell Emmae it was fine, but Emmae had headed to grab the food herself before Marhri could. Surprised, Marhri waited by the entrance and tilted her head as she noticed Emmae waiting for their invitation. "What are you doing?" She asked before walking up to her and nudging her towards the inside of the cave, "Atteryv said you were family...don't be shy. and yes Tieree....we will figure this out..." She was still a little anxious for Isrir, he seemed very intimidated by Emmae from what Marhri could tell. But that would have to be dealt with later.

Arakk Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:22 am

Atteryv had taken the journey to steel himself, and so mercilessly finished anything that was too injured to otherwise be alive, gathering the hatchlings that stood a chance at being cured close to himself, though watching them warily as captured enemies. Shattering the post in front of him, he moves on to the next, slowly tiring. As he reaches the last post, in his fatigue, he leaves an opening, exposing his throat to anything that should leap for it; one of the undead hatchlings takes advantage of it, nearly reaching him, until it is taken down by a streak of blood-red, revealing itself to be a hatching, bitten but still mostly whole and seemingly strong. Not questioning it, but keeping an eye on that one in particular, Atteryv smashes the last support and runs for the entrance, knowing the gouge he had made in it would break under the pressure of the ceiling, though hopefully not before he was outside. He fights with renewed effort to make it out in time, the black and red hatchling defending him every time he left an opening in his exhausted state. As he approaches the sunlight, he spreads his wings to create shade for the few mostly whole hatchlings following him, among them the black and red one, and sits to stare into the darkness, panting and waiting for the cave-in he had engineered.

**Lozziieeyy** Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:58 pm

Emmae still didn't move, and shrugged "I.... Kind of have to be invited in..." She chuckled "I suppose it makes it fair, right?" If she got invited in, at that moment she would hurry inside, and put the meat down. She had noticed that hatchlings fear, he had a slightly faster heartbeat. She looked at him with a sigh before sitting down, placing her head on her paws, and going quiet.
Tieree would stand up and go in further at this point and sit opposite Emmae, a respectable distance away. Isrir would follow him closely, every now and then looking around as if something had was going to happen. He could tell from the tones of the voices that there wasn't alot to be happy about. When they sat down, Isrir cuddles into Tieree.

SamusRisng Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:30 am

Marhri tilted her head and said, "Hmm....how odd....but yes, come in." At Tieree and Isrir's reactions, she frowned and walked over to them as well, "What's the matter? I'm sure she's safe...if she wanted to harm anyone, she would do it after Atteryv left and flee."

( Short! )

The cave-in would start about five minutes after he destroyed the supports and about a minute after he got out of the cave. One of the dragons there would be leaping at him, despite him being outside already, when a walk would crush them, leaving their head and forelegs hanging out of the cave entrance. It would start writhing in pain and whining for help frantically as scales started to burn off its face, showing bone. the hatchlings with Arakk crowded closer, and under the shade of his wings at this, some shivering in fear.

Arakk Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:39 am

Atteryv watches this morosely and frowns sadly until the dead hatchling burns away to ash, giving a small sigh and surveying the five hatchlings shaded by his wings, among them the black and red one. Taking a few moments to breathe, he turns and looks towards the dragon he had left outside, nodding to him. "I've done what I came to do.. Sun is about to set, but if you start digging tomorrow at noon, you should be able to finish the ones I didn't get... Please, do; they deserve rest." This concern addressed, he shields his charges until the sun goes down, and then lowers his wings to question the one who had aided him. "Who are you then?"

The black and red hatchling smirks at Atteryv and shrugs. "I'm Jarokk.. And you're not too bright, going in there alone.. Still, thanks. Made a change from having to act dead most of the time... So, what are you going to do with us?"

**Lozziieeyy** Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:01 am

Tieree shrugged "No offense to her but... she kind of made Atteryv put himself in danger... Plus Isrir doesn't seem too keen. After all, I'm meant to do whatever makes him comfortable, yes?"
Emmae sighed at this and shut her eyes, trying to get a few minutes of shut-eye before it got dark again.

SamusRisng Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:24 am

The other hatchlings all sounded off their names too and one of them nudged his side before mentioning that they were hungry. They did not bite him though, luckily. Most of them seemed very weak compared to the others in the cave, and they all looked very shaken by the sight of the other turning to ash.

Marhri sighs, "Aterryv is there because he wants to be, it's not her fault, if anything it's mine for making him go, but you seem worried, he said he'd be okay, right? If I remember, something to do with you being a great drake to come back to, so he wouldn't die."

Arakk Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:46 am

Atteryv nods, thinking a moment as the hatchlings around him mention they are hungry, with the exception of Jarokk. "Alright, you lot stay here.." Turning to Jarokk, he answers, "I'm going to get you some food.. Non-dragon. A couple of the deer around these parts should feed five hatchlings.." Stretching, he takes off with a single powerful wingbeat, expecting the hatchlings to stay put as instructed, to fetch first one deer, then a second, able to keep them alive even in his tired state. Nodding to Jarokk as the five hatchlings drain the deer, he shrugs and eats the bloodless meat left behind when they finish. "Go find your parents... Explain what happened, and make sure you come back here in three nights.. I'll send someone to come get you, hopefully able to fix you.. Any of you want to come with?"

Jarokk perks up when Atteryv asks if any of them would like to come along with him, standing up and nodding enthusiastically. "I'll gladly come.. I don't have any parents, I'd be killed at some point.." Stretching, he takes advantage of the hints of speed that had leaked past the spells keeping him more stable than the other hatchlings to dart up onto Atteryv's back and drape himself around the large drake's neck, ignoring his apparent discomfort and enjoying the warmth of his new spot. "Whenever you're ready, let's go. I don't want to burn up on your back."

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