RP:An Adventurous Attraction

Part of the Dragging the Dragon Arc

Summary: Scandal convinces Lanara to stop moping around after the loss of Largakh, and the best way to get the witch back to feeling like herself is an adventure! The pair decides to kill two birds with one stone, but combining a fun visit to Frostmaw with retrieving some ice-capped mushrooms which will later be used in the ritual for Scandal's shapeshifting needs. However, their plans become horribly foiled as they have an altercation with a fabled bronze dragon, which leads to Lana being swallowed by Scandal! She carves her way out of his mouth, they then work together to defeat the foe, and later on they have a spat as Scandal confesses he's attracted to the witch. His affections are not returned, however, as Lana only sees him as a brother or best friend. All in all, the adventure was an emotional roller coaster for the pair, but at least they got their mushrooms!

Pen in hand Scandal sat in the study at a desk he had made for himself, from three trees in the forest, along with a chair with a hole for his tail. Wearing for himself a pair of soft flannel pants, a plum t-shirt, and a flannel checkerboard coat, staying with his sister had taught him that he needed a wardrobe and a towel was certainly not enough, He tried to put that one memory earlier that week out of his head, when she had walked in on him, and to put it lightly, it was embarrassing. Nevertheless it reaped a benefit, he was now fully clothed and with a wardrobe full of clothes for his anthro form. Sitting and writing, in the morning he had casually prepared some gumbo the two nights prior that he had made with Lana, and now left it slowly warmed on the stove. In the wee hours of the morning he had fed Tanner, and even bought him a new large bone which he had almost nawed in half by three days, the pup had fallen asleep on his lap has he continued to write with one hand while stroking the dog’s head with the other. Beside him on his desk was the thought to have been blank book, but thanks to spill of wine, and a bit of dragon blood, the book had revealed its nature of being a guide book to old burial tombs of dragons, including one in particular which Scandal had circled maliciously, on the page. On his desk several other books lay open referencing other tidbits of history and myth, which he had been eagerly putting together. Lifting Tanner up and placing the sleeping dog on his chair, he moved in the direction of Lana’s bedroom, as she was a little late in getting up. He had actually been planning on trying to get Lana out of the house, as he hoped to restore her spirit, or recover most of it, but he was still struggling on which to pick, there was that red brook in Venturil that needed to be further investigated but also he had wanted to take her to Frostmaw, to try to recover another piece and help get her mind off of well, Larz.

The curtains remained closed for the entirety of the time that the witch had occupied her room, the door closed, and the room in complete disarray. Piles of clothing are strewn about the room, melted wax from a lit candle clings to the dresser, and the bed hasn’t been made in a week. One would think the place had been broken into, that the valuables were stolen, and all that had remained was chaos. Fitting, as that was exactly how the elf’s heart had felt. Invaded. Broken. Missing something and someone. Lanara lies on her back, gazing up at the ceiling, with the covers pulled up to her chin, those dark chocolate hues brimming with tears. When would the ache in her chest fade? Would she ever find love again? She had always been unlucky in love… Thinking back to Krystan, the handsome assassin who had perished by the hands of a rival gang in Frostmaw. Their love was so short lived, yet so innocent, and her very first moment of mutual attraction. Next, was Eirik… The infamous witch-killing lycan, with berserker tendencies. They had a rocky start, and then something so real developed, and they had plans to take their love to the altar. But, he had his mind elsewhere oftentimes and Lana felt alone, and she realized that she loved herself more than the love she had for a distant fiancé, and she had left. Lastly, was Largakh, the half-orc who had died in the line of duty while patrolling in Gualon. Their love was the strongest, the longest, and she had never craved a man as much as she had craved Larz. He was taken from her too soon, and there was no closure to ever be gained. Finding a lover would be easy, as she was breathtakingly beautiful, but Lana didn’t want easy. She didn’t want a man that desired her solely based on looks. And she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready to give her heart to another, knowing that it could end in such a grave manner, again. She had an awful track record. As Scandal opens the door to her room and lets in a sliver of light, she shields her gaze, having grown accustomed to the darkness. Every day was much and the same for Lana. She slept late, ate minimally, bathed, and returned to her room to weep into her pillow until the wee hours of the morning. She had been an awful host to her brother, and she sighs as the dragon enters the room and checks up on her, which had become his ritual, as well. “Hey Scandal… How’s it going?”

Scandal’s eyes glance over the rooms disarray, his eyes sympathetic to the nature of the rooms dissarray and to that of its occupant, He left the door open as he entered and returned his gaze to her. "I am worried about you Lana, I think you need an outing, a long one," He came over to the bed, and took a seat nearby. It always shook him about how beautiful Lana was, but he saved those compliments when they didn't link him to admission, "Perhaps a trip to Venturil, amd then Frostmaw." Refusal he might expect, though he expected that dragon back might change her mind, "You know the thrill of flying there, It allows you see the northern lights. and like cooking perhaps adventure is a good distraction."

Lanara stubbornly crosses her arms over her chest, hating that Scandal was seeing her in her pajamas, and even more so that he was seeing her in this state of deep depression. The elf was still startlingly stunning, even with her chestnut locks a tousled mess against the pillow, and the mismatched tank top and shorts that she had shrugged into before bed. Her beauty was the one thing that had always remained, the one thing she could truly count on, though if one were to issue her a compliment they’d get an eye roll, at best. She didn’t see what others saw in her, and she was far from being vain. She sees the admiration in Scandal’s gaze and she brushes it off as concern, her lower lip jutting out in a petulant pout as he speaks of them going on a long adventure. Of all the places in the realm he wanted her to go to Venturil, where she had lived with Eirik, and Frostmaw, where she had been buried beside Krystan, a few years ago. Not exactly happy memories! Usually she would jump at the chance to travel and explore unknown territory, though since Larz died, all she wanted to do was cry and sleep, on constant repeat. There is a brief moment where he can see the longing in her gaze as he mentions the flying aspect, as she had never flown atop a dragon’s back before, and her ill-mannered reindeer was the worst mount! He was always cursing and sometimes he forgot to pick her up! “Oh… Um… I don’t know, Scandal. I appreciate the concern, I really do… But I’m not sure that I’m up to taking a trip. Why don’t you go ahead, without me?”

Scandal shook his head, "If I went without you, I would be putting my sister at risk of being left home alone," He stood up a bit and sat down on the bed. Perhaps if anything his time with Lana at her house had reduced his overly sensitive nature to the way she dressed. I mean sure the first day she had done it he was awkward the whole day, but now after a week and half, it didn't bother him the same way. "Lana, when I lost my friend, back before I slept, you remember I told you that I myself couldn't bear to even sit at that part of the road anymore, you are in a house, where you lived with Larz. Lana." He might have stopped himself had he noticed, but his concern might have shown through a bit more heavy then he let on, He put his hand over hers, and held it, " You remember how Taly looked, before she left, how frail she had become, and how taxed she was, Lana you’re becoming your sister in your grief, and like you were concerned for Taly, I am concerned for you," He held her hand warmly but firmly, "Lana I need to get you out of this house before it makes an end to you, if it’s an adventure I need to take you on, then an adventure it shall be, if I need to buy a house and keep you in so be it, what I am saying to you is Lana, your greatest gift you were given was your ability to make others smile, to laugh, and to remember that friends and family welcome you with open arms, Lana, its time you share in that, so I want to whisk you away from here, just the two of us, and while I am not the most talkative beast, I am one whose very concerned over your well being, and this house, this room, you won't find peace here, only grief, so let me take you somewhere else, someplace to rekindle that fire in you." He held her hand for a moment more letting her contemplate his words, before he let it drop and moved toward the door to let her decide, "There's a nice young girl at the tavern who told me she would be happy to take care of Tanner, so he will be well watched out for." He said if she decided yes. And if not, he would carry on as he had taking care of the place in her grief, in the end it got down to her choice, because she was the only one to answer.

Lanara can see the concern in those eyes and as he firmly holds onto her hand, she can almost feel the lecture that was surely coming. The dragon was a close friend, confidant, and like a brother to her, so she gives him the respect that he deserves, though she looks up at him like a deer that was just caught in the headlights of a nearing vehicle. She knew he was going to scold her for her recent behavior, and the rebellious part of her reveled in a good tongue lashing. The depressed part of Lana, however, felt her eyes brimming with hot tears as he compares her to Talyara, and how he offers her a home elsewhere, as well as all the adventures she could handle. Scandal was, in a sense, offering to be her caretaker, at this point, and she feels ashamed as the tears spill onto her once sun-kissed cheeks. It had been two weeks since the elf had soaked in the sunshine or felt a gentle breeze, as she had avoided going outside at all costs. She even visited the sanctuary later in the evening, or flew her broom rather than walk on foot, and even her visits there had been scarce. Every breath of fresh air that she inhaled was one less that Larz would ever take, and it all seemed so hypocritical and unfair to Lana. Through her sniffling she listens to Scandal pour out his heart to her, his concern, his desire to bring back Lana and fill in the shell that she had become during the half-orcs absence. She was touched, and she felt that she had someone she could truly lean upon in her times of sorrow, so as the dragon rises from the bed to leave, she gives his hand a gentle squeeze. Larz wouldn’t want Lana to give up on living or loving, she knew this to be true, and Scandal had given her the gentle shove that she needed to get back on her feet. “Okay… I’d like to go to Frostmaw… We can get the ice cap mushroom that I will need to enchant your talisman. I feel terrible that our quest has been delayed, Scandal… Why don’t you bring Tanner to the tavern to leave him with this woman that you trust, and I’ll wash up and put on some fresh clothes? When you get back we’ll go over our plan of action and we can pack our backpacks for what we will need for the journey.”

Scandal let his look of concern stay on his face while he nodded to Lanara, "I will get him together now." Then when he was half way down the hall he said, "Might want to take the time to wash up, you reek of bed." He snickered audibly, hoping it would bring a smile, which he wouldn't have to time to watch. Patting Tanner awake, and offering him a meatball, he opened the front door, and gathered the bag of chew toys that belonged to the pup. Exiting the house, he made his way to the tavern up the road, only to find the girl standing outside of it, for which he offered a smile, "Here you go, Tanner, Alyssa you'll take good care of him while I am gone right?" He said handing her the bag of chew toys which contained a good sized gem at the bottom for her to find. Alyssa who was but twelve smiled, and nodded, not saying a word, was likely evidence by the scar on her throat. She made a hand signal to Scandal, who tried to push the thought out of his mind as she motioned of three figures who were seeking out a dragon in these parts, and tortured three people to find it. Scandal replied audibly, "They will stop looking around here as soon as I leave, hopefully then that will force them to look elsewhere for me." Giving the girl a hug, and the promise he would be back, he returned to Lana's house, where he opened the door, and made his way into the kitchen, opening up the ice box, he removed two meat pies that he had cooked, as well as a lasagna, he also removed the 18 dozen donuts he had made that one day when he was bored, and six dozen churros. He also grabbed 2 crates of wine, that he had bought and six bottles of smellale. Packing them into large duffles which he mounted to a large harness, he moved the harness outside. Then packing his clothes, he packed first three turtleneck sweaters, and three sets of brown sweat pants, namely because they could stretch to meet his leg requirements. He also packed Lana's heavy coat, he'd leave the other clothes to her choice, though he did pack her silk night gown he had bought, practically a lot of things he had bought to try to get her out of her room. Lastly he opened the bottom shelf of his desk and removed several large gems and few bars of gold, Emergency cash until he had to retrieve more from the hoard. Packing this into the bags, knocked twice on Lana's door to tell her he was packed, and that he was ready for the list of other items she might need to go. When all would be said and done, he would wait outside, having grown to a dragon about 70' long and about 35' high, and would be wearing the harness on his back, and a seat on him for Lana, which was simply a cloth to mind the scales, and some pillows to apply a cushion for her back and neck, and also a harness to keep her safe while he flew. Sure it was to Frostmaw, but as he had learned since he had no permit, that they would have to land west of Frostmaw, as he had never been able to get registered as a legal flyer, into the city. He'd lower a wing to act as a ramp for her when she came out.

Lanara had slipped out to the hot springs where she quickly showered, spritzed on some perfume, combed her long hair, and dressed in suitable clothing for their journey to Frostmaw. The warm water seemed to wash away some of her sadness and she was alert and eager to leave Sage Forest behind and go on an adventure with her brother. Wearing a hunter green tank top, tan leggings, tan knee-high boots, and a utility belt, she looked every part the leader of an adventure guild. Returning to the cottage, she packs several sets of clothing, necessary items for healing, her book of shadows, a set of twin daggers, several dozen cookies, and some heavy blankets. She then moves to her dresser where she fills a small pouch with some silver and gold coins, and she tosses in her pendulum, in case they come to a crossroads where they are forced to make a difficult decision. The bed would then be made, her dirty clothes tossed into a hamper, and she would water any household plants, before grabbing a banana in the kitchen and having a small snack. Finally, she returns to her bedroom, does another once over of anything she may need for the trip, and that’s when Scandal returns and knocks on the door. She hoists her duffel bag over her shoulder, unhooks a fur-lined parka from the peg behind the door, and she exits the cottage. As Scandal sets up his harness and their luggage, she locks up the house, leaves a note on the door should anyone come looking for her, and she walks over to the dragon. The male was massive in this form, and her jaw drops as she stares up at him in awe, watching as his wing is lowered and it’s assumed that she’ll climb on. At first, Lana appears hesitant, not wanting to implant her heel through any of his scales, and she hopes that her weight won’t hurt him in any way. Not that she weighed much, being the little thing that she was, and before long she’s up in the saddle and she plants her rear on the pillow and ties the rope around her waist for more security. She swallows, her mouth dry, as she had never rode upon the back of a dragon, let alone a close friend, but she trusted Scandal. “Ready?”

Scandal of course couldn't smile but made the gesture of one by opening his jaw and hiding his teeth, something he practiced while he had been with her, "You look like your ready for adventure." He said only faintly noticing the pressure of her heel against the flesh of his wing as she climbed up. "Normally there is a leap to this, and its kinda sudden, but for you, being this your first time, I will try to make the rise, a little more, easier on you, and we'll see how it goes from there." As soon as he got her okay, he flapped his wings once, then twice, and then steadily began to beat them, slowly he rose, taking it slow, it was little more work for him but he didn't mind. The ascent was gentle no more than two feet every two beats, once they were twice his height from the ground, he moved his wings to propel them forward. He kept the speed slow, and height low, so that the forest could be seen below, his neck rarely moved so that it didn't jostle Lana's seat. As he flew he would ask her if everything was alright, did she need him to fly slower, or faster. If she wanted faster, would plunge a steadily increasing force in his wings, minimizing their beats, but propelling them faster, the speed which if she wanted was fast enough that the forest was like a blur, as he would rise higher, until they were above the clouds, he'd allow her to feel the clouds, and if she wanted he would show her a fast dive. But if she chose the pace they were going was perfect, then he would resume, maybe rising a bit more, but not to the clouds, just out of the reach of some stupid hunters bow, yet the pace would resume, and it would be steady no faster than a trotting horse. "You alright back there, I packed some donuts, though i did see your banana there," He would ask.

Lanara finishes her banana as they rise into the air, the beating of the dragon’s strong wings almost soothing to her tapered ears and she reclines some in the makeshift seat. The wind picks up as she gives a nod, eager to collide with the clouds above at a rapid speed, as the witch wasn’t one to take things slowly. Plus, she had ridden on her reindeer and her broom in the past, both of which she had placed her trust in, and it was the same with Scandal. Her brother wouldn’t let any harm come to her, and she finds that she shuts her eyes and lets the wind caress her cheeks as they make their ascent. Her long hair flutters in the wind, wildly smacking against the middle of her back and around her shoulders, as for a moment the woman is one with nature, and forgets the heartache that she left lingering in Sage. This was her moment with one of the Goddess’ many gifts, the element of air, and she shudders, feeling as though she had been kept indoors for far too long. Plus, she was excited to go on an adventure, and this was the longest time span since losing Larz that she’d gone without shedding a tear. Moments later, Lana drifts off to sleep, be it from the feeling of content, or the higher elevation, whatever the reason, the elf turns onto her side, and her chin falls to her chest. The banana feel slips from her grasp as Scandal turns his neck to ask if she’s hungry, and it’s then that he’d feel the peel slide down his form and fall helplessly to the earth.

Scandal not getting a reply turns his head, to see her fast asleep. He turns back to the flight and smirks, "Slow and steady rocks them to sleep." he said. A few hours stretched by as they were traveling slow, soon he was over the mountains of Xailous and continuing on the longish journey to Frostmaw. Then a low bellow, caught him off guard. He craned his neck searching for where it came from, finally he spots the source, about a half a mile away another dragon a frost one, seem to be flying, and it seemed to be after them. "Lana, I need you to wake up, we got company." He tried flexing a muscle in his neck to softly jostle the chair she was in. The beast continued to move after them following them, as they continued towards the north, then he noticed the slight shift in its wing patterns, hunting season had begun. "Dazur thark." Scandal cursed.

Lanara slumbers peacefully, not remembering the last time she had slept so soundly, as the caress of the wind and the gentle rocking of the dragon beneath are akin to a lullaby. Her chest slightly rises and falls with each breath she takes, and her long locks fan wildly against her upper form, as Scandal aims to turn and wake her up. It as the reverse effect and the elf is turned completely onto her side and sent sliding down the length of his torso, before falling into the air. The frigid atmosphere of Frostmaw doesn’t seem to wake her as she’s in such a deep sleep, however the hunting dragon narrows in on the flying witch and he quickly flits through the sky, intent on devouring the form of Lanara. The frost dragon screeches loudly, alerting Scandal to his arrival, and in dragon-speak, telling him to divert his path and get away from his newfound prey. He wasn’t as large as the red and black dragon, but he was famished, and it was hunting season. He also had his mate coming from the opposite direction, and if both dragons met their target, the little elf would be torn in two and devoured.

You ever have those moments when your hair stands on end and you’re gripped with fear? Scandal was in such a moment, as he watched with horror as the closest thing he had to family slid from down his torso, and hitting the air, directly. Immediately the call of the dragon that claimed his family was telling him to divert his path, and get out of the way. Time seemed to slow each second stretching for a minute by the perception of Scandal. The two oncoming dragons beating wings, Lana's free falling body. He couldn't lose another friend, especially to another dragon, over thirty he had lost to dragons and of those eight of them were long time friends, he wasn't going to lose another, and this time, he wasn't the small fry in the bunch. His body bent at 120 angle diving, one second, his jaws opened, his tongue grasping for Lanara's waist, two seconds, his jaws closing over her body far from any of his teeth, three seconds, he swallows, pain in his heart, he couldn't trust his memories, only know his instinct, an instinct he was sure no dragon had any more, four seconds, the muscles in his throat soften the journey into his crop, six seconds, her body slips into the crop, and his muscles tighten above as to seal off his throat from any potential acid drippings. Eight seconds, his eyes burn with rage, and he slams his right foreclaw into the Frost dragons head. Times perception speeds up, as the dragon plummets down to the cliff below, its mate is grasped by the neck and by his tail and whipped to the cliff below. Scandal pulls his wings in and drops to the cliff face, just as the first dragon has begun to get back up, Scandal doesn't even give it time to attack unleashing a spew of volatile acid that not only berefts the ice dragon of its flesh, muscles, bones, and scales but also devours the cliff face itself in seconds before bursting into a massive fireball lighting up the sky bright green flash and fire, the fire ball rises the heat is intense, but for the one who is protected within not a single bit of heat can be registered, nor are the movements seemingly felt within. While the other dragon screeches at the loss of both its mate and the fact the heat is melting the ice dragons scales, Scandal's tail smashes into the dragon's snout shattering it. The beasts gasps for air only to have Scandal’s wings wrap around the creature suffocating it until Scandal is able to snap its neck with his claws, as its body falls he plants his right foot on top of its head crushing it completely. Scandal's eyes scan the horizon searching for other potential enemies, but finding none, he thrusts out his wings and leaps into the sky, his intent to fly to the western side of Frostmaw, and make the time in less than hour, he used his wings to climb into the sky before using his rapid descent to fuel his next rise, his wings streamlining in the air until the wind around the dragons body his harsh roar. Meanwhile within, the crop was spacious the walls smooth as silk and neither bone dry nor soaking wet, the flesh was warm to the touch and glowed only with the faintest of light blues like the skin on the inside of Scandal's mouth. The air was not stale rather it was fresh but neither warm nor cold, in here one was given the impression the flesh around the body within, was like hammock wrapping around the occupant but allowing a good portion to remain, so that they wouldn't suffocate, on the opposite side facing toward the dragon's chest cavity at the very bottom of the crop was a tube of flesh which was sealed shut, and tightly as the muscles seemed to be overdoing their job as the veins and arteries seemed bruised, and darkened, this obviously led to the second throat, which led to the stomach, but in here this safest haven that a dragon could offer, where the smell within was that of cinnamon, so that nothing the occupant could find within that would be harmful to them, but then if one placed their hand high up on the wall into the chest of the dragon, they might discovered that behind a thin wall of flesh the unprotected heart of Scandal beat slower and slower as the adrenalin left his system. To an occupant well versed in dragons, and even to close family, and friends, this act was one of complete trust, the occupant was held with the dragon, above certain death, within this safe sac, while the dragon's occupant lay within reach of dealing a fatal blow to the dragon, to Scandal. For those that knew, the deepest memory that Scandal cried the most about was how this very thing had been turned in by one dragon once, into the single most desecration of its purpose, by purposely grabbing Scandal by his throat and forcing the occupant within his crop into his stomach below, where the screams of his friend who must have felt betrayed cried out to him for hours, with Scandal unable to save them. At Scandal's size and might such a thing could never happen again, but the memory would have been haunting to anyone had they gone through that, and the occupant, would surely understand how much this bond would mean, and be angry as well that someone would desecrate it. This cozy space near this dragon's heart, where he says without speech, no harm will come to you dear one, for you and I are one in the same, and I shall protect us, as we are one. However the occupant was free to feel whatever she wanted, when she awoke. And when Scandal would land, he would lay on his back after removing their supplies, and stroke his crop from the outside like two giant massaging fingers, on the perfect comfy bed of flesh. "I am sorry, you were falling, the dragons they were, going to eat you, I am sorry," his sniffles would come from outside and no doubt the tears above would not be seen but heard in his voice. It would be low, and feel as if they surrounded one rather than come from a specific direction.

Lanara is completely oblivious to the entire fight that ensues amongst the three dragons once she rolls off of Scandal’s back and literally skydives, all while sound asleep. The woman looks like an angel being sent to earth as she helplessly flutters in the air, her long locks enveloping her in a silken shield, and her dancer’s physique gracefully twirling in the frigid air as she makes her unavoidable descent. The tongue that snakes around her waist catches her before she plummets harshly into the frozen ground below, and like a ragdoll her back, neck, and legs snap awkwardly, and though nothing is broken she will surely suffer some wicked whiplash. It’s the sudden jerking of her figure that causes the witch to rouse and she sleepily half-opens her eyes, wondering if they’d had a rough landing in Frostmaw, their intended destination. But no, they had not landed. They were still high above the icy tundra, she was being pulled into Scandal’s mouth by his tongue, and his eyes were burning with pure hatred. She doesn’t even notice the two frost dragons that are swooping and gliding through the air, intent on devouring her and dueling her friend. Fear grips Lana, and she is now fully aware that she’s in imminent danger, though she never had suspected that it would come from the jaws of her closest friend. “Scandal?!? NO!!!” She fidgets, helplessly punching at the slick tongue that encircles her slender waist, and as she draws into his mouth, her screams are muffled and she faints. Her last coherent thoughts, before she’s swallowed, are that Scandal had betrayed her, and that she was so panic-stricken that she didn’t even have a second to truly defend herself or blast him with a spell. The little witch is roughly jostled from side to side, while in the confines of the dragon’s crop, and she bounces from wall to wall as Scandal fights off their attackers, effortlessly ending their lives and flying them both to safety. The minutes tick by, the assault lasting far less than it seems, though it seems its ages later when Lanara wakes up. At first, there’s confusion, her dark eyes brimming with tears as she pokes the fleshy tubes and interior, searching for a way out. The beating of his heart is noted, though she’s too frightened to climb any further into the dragon, as she knew the acid that lurked beneath. After a few minutes of a close knit exploration, her fear turns to downright anger, and the scent of the cinnamon is enraging the young woman, as she tries not to inhale too deeply. She didn’t feel calm, even though that was what Scandal was hoping to evoke, with his mindspeak, massaging the crops exterior, and the odor of a beloved herb. It was odd that a mere hour or so before the elf had contemplated suicide as she was so distraught over losing Larz, yet now, she was filled with an urgency to escape, to live another day. Plucking a dagger from her boot, she begins to stab at the walls with a frantic fury, slashing and swiping until her arm begins to ache, and then she switches to her other arm, and that’s when she strikes a softer part and pierces through to the layer just beneath his scales. “LET ME OUT!” This was no longer an adventure she wished to be a part of, and she was going to give the dragon hell if she ever managed to escape or reason with him into vomiting her up. What would make him want to hurt her, his little sister?!

(Post 1 of 3)There is no known way to describe what Scandal was feeling at the moment. Much better was it to describe the area around him. It was Frostmaw, but it was part of Frostmaw only accessible by flight, the ledge that Scandal sat on had no access to the area below. Worse still was that there was something flying from the mountain top that glowed with the green fire of his acid. Could one of the Dragons still be alive or worse, was there a third dragon he had been unaware of? Scandal heard her cries in his crop, her screams her anger, he felt as if he were reliving his experience with a similar friend. Her blows to his flesh are puncturing yes, but the pain his so faint compared to the pain he has felt when he has shapeshifted and has grown dull to the pain. His first instinct is to let her up, for she is terrified, and angry and hurt, but his concern is also with the beast that suddenly lands. It wasn't a Frost Dragon, it looked almost golden, but then he saw the same malice in its eyes as he had seen before. This was a Bronze Dragon believed to be extinct, as it was said in legend all dragons arose to kill off their most malicious of dragons. Scandal's muscles in his crop slowly carry Lanara up to his mouth, but he doesn't open it. Even if she had assumed he had used mindspeak to her, he had once made a promise to her not to, and thus even when she might have assumed it he had not. His only hope was that she would listen, and use her intelligence to understand why.

(Post 2 of 3) The Bronze dragon didn't roar, it spoke, and the voice sounded angelic, to those of a pure good nature they would be fooled by its words, but those who had a dark side might find the voice slightly off putting as if something were terribly wrong. "So you dispatched a dragon and his mate, over what? A petty human? What kind of dragon are you? Oh you don't need to say you ate her, so don't bother to speak." Scandal pushed his tongue to hold Lanara steady as he swallowed, so she was not sent back down, and then his tongue rested.

(Post 3 of 3) "Is it not funny little one, yes I know you’re in his mouth, that this dragon would be willing to risk your hatred of him to save your life. I will give you credit though red and black one, who bleeds silver, that you performed Gara'path'cl most admirably, a pity, that despite all you have done and how spent you are, know that after I finish devouring you, I will play with your little creature until I grow bored of her." The bronze dragon opened its jaws and moved up to take a bite out of Scandal. Scandal would not spray his acid not with Lana inside his mouth, But if she was willing to trust him one last time, despite what he had done to save her, which she might hate him for, that he give her access to his vast stores of magic below, all she needed to do, was access it, he opened his mouth with his heart pounding with hope she might survive this if he didn't.

(Post 1 of 3) Lanara sniffles, giving up in her vicious assault of the interior of Scandal’s crop, as she’s now bathed in the dragon’s blood and he –still- hadn’t released her from this grotesque confinement. She flops onto her butt, crosses her arms over her chest, and begins to weep. Her wailing could very well be what contributed to the bronze dragon’s arrival, or maybe he had seen Scandal disable the two frost dragon’s from the sky. Whatever the reason, the new beast is here, eyeing Scandal with those intimidating iridescent eyes, a mixture of curious and hungry. The two dragons stare at each other and that’s when Scandal’s interior muscles propel Lanara upwards, into his throat, though he doesn’t open his mouth and she’s now in complete darkness. She’s scared, angry, and confused. Her shrieking and wailing carries on and she wonders what the holdup is, when the bronze dragon opens his mouth and unleashes a roar that shakes the very cliff they are mounted upon. It dawns on her then, that the roar didn’t come from Scandal, but another dragon! Were they in danger? Was that why he swallowed her up? Her sobbing ceases and she tries to steady her breath, narrowly avoiding another panic attack, as she listens closely to what’s happening on the outside.

(Post 2 of 3) The witch grimaces as the dragon speaks and refers to her as a petty ‘human’ when in fact she’s so much more! Lanara bore tapered ears, various types of magic, and she was an animal empath! She was a witch, an elf, and though she wasn’t coated in golden scales, she was something fierce when angered! How DARE this dragon chomp down on Scandal and insult her, and vow to ‘play’ with her when he had sated his hunger?! The golden dragon swipes at the red and black with his claws, and it’s then that Scandal opens his mouth, and the witch, using the dragon’s mana fountain, unleashes a fury unlike any other in Frostmaw have ever witnessed. Lanara bursts forth from Scandal’s jaws with such force that she at first collides against the scaled shoulder area of the dragon, sending her sprawled out on the snow. In her right hand is a ball of acid, encased in a magical orb that protects the wielder from handling such an item, and that will combust upon contact, once it leaves her palm. Narrowing her dark eyes on the beast the witch rises to her feet, covered in saliva and blood, her outstretched hand shaking as she takes in the sight of the fabled dragon. It turns towards her and roars, about to release a slew of fire from its mouth, when she hurls the makeshift bomb at its head, delighted when it makes contact and causes the dragon to take quite a few steps back as the right side of its face burns something wicked and several of the scales burn off and fall to the ground.

(Post 3 of 3) Lana looks to Scandal now, hoping that her friend would face off with the bronze dragon to weaken it, and give her time to think up a spell so that she could fully destroy their assailant. They wouldn’t be able to escape, they’d have to have a grand battle, and so she hides behind a snow bank and tries to think under pressure. What destroys bronze? Copper! Lana closes her eyes and tries to tune out the roaring of the two dragons as their forms collide with each other, and she focuses on a chemistry lesson she learned long ago from her time spent at the academy. “Okay… So copper chlorides will cause bronze disease… Right… And it causes the bronze to decay over time… It will erase him, in a sense!” Thinking up a spell on the spot though, was the difficult part, and she was feeling pretty weak after her time spent in Scandal’s crop, with all the shanking of his innards, so she peeks from behind the snow bank and waits to make her next move if Scandal doesn’t finish the job.

(Post 1 of 3) As soon as Lanara had exited his mouth Scandal rolled away, coughing up blood that pooled in his crop from her shankings. He had forgiven her for that, hell he had expected her to probably have stabbed him, still the emotional pain and that bond pain was sorely wounded, but he needed to keep the fight going, so he tackled the dragon causing it to rear up on its hind legs, he grasped the dragon by its foreclaws. But then to his own struggle the dragon was stronger than him it grabbed him, and bit deep into his left shoulder. Scandal roared his roar being much deeper and powerful, caused any loose snow to fall on both the cliff face and the surrounding mountains, Using his tail he tried to pull the dragons legs out from under him, but every time he did so, the bronzes tail whipped out smacking his own tail from its legs. "You are pathetic, can't even duel with your tail," The bronze dragon sent him hurling against the cliff face. Scandal was a bit dazed as the bronze grabbed him and kicked in his gut, causing blood to be upchucked from his crop and now his stomach. The bronze dragon looked at the blood that had splattered on him with his remaining good eye the other which had been cooked by Lana was useless until the dragon could heal his airborn eyelid. "Silverblood, as I recall only one Dragon had silver blood, and that's the one my Father Kyber would abuse daily at the city market." Scandal felt the bronze dragon grab him by the throat. "That explains so much, before you die, you can know that I am not the only one who used his tomb to extend his life, my father did as well, though I will have to see about some necromancers to get him full risen." Scandal gasped, "Funny, I think the necromancers will have to be for you." Scandal focused his right foreclaw into a fist, and punched just above the dragons legs on its belly, while the blow may not have seemed like a crucial one to a human, its affect would remind them of a similar such as seen on men when women think they deserve a kick below the belt. The Bronze dragon crumpled, falling backward. Scandal wrapped his wings around the dragons head, with some intent to suffocate it, and to hold it steady for Lana. “Whatever you are going to do, do fast, because it might not kill him.”

(Post 2 of 3) Scandal would say afterward, if the bronze dragon were still alive, that Lanara should try some kind of red light, as that was their biggest weakness. If the dragon was not, he may watch it collapse or disintegrate or whatever, falling into the snow himself, exhausted and hurt. His wings were in tatters, his shoulder wounds would be deep, blood would be pooling out of his mouth, and yet his breathing would remain regular. “I faired worse,” he would pant, “Don’t worry beloved sister, I am not going to die, not today anyway.” He tried to smile, though a couple teeth might be missing, as well as a bad cut on his lip of jaw, from her dagger when she leapt out,

(Post 3 of 3) “I am sorry, that you had to experience what I did to save you, in the moment I tried to kill the dragons trying to eat you, I didn’t want to make any fear in you, I just wanted you safe, and I think you may already know how safe you were now.” Scandal would cough for a moment, “If you hate me, I understand.”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara is eerily calm as she steps out from behind the snow bank, her chocolate hues tinged with a faint glow as she studies the two dragons, though the look she gives the bronze scaled one is downright menacing. For such a petite little thing, the look in those big brown eyes is rather intimidating, and the bronze at first is amused by the pathetic ‘elf’ before he gives her the respect that she deserves. His massive head turns to Lana and he pauses before issuing another insult her way, though the woman can tell that the insults that he had tossed to Scandal had stung her brother. She knew little about the necromancy business, aside from the fact that she was very much against dark magic, and that she was going to give karma a helping hand in ridding the world of this legendary dragon. Slipping both hands from behind her back, she holds them at her sides, with her palms pointing up towards the sky, as two wind spheres are swirling atop her hands. Remaining calm and focused, she speaks; her voice is deep and booming, filled with an immense power as she casts her spell.

“As above, so below, Goddess will heed me, in this, I know. You may be bronze, and seek to destroy, But I wield copper, you pathetic decoy. To think you can stand against a daughter, a witch, To belittle others with your stupid sales pitch? I call on the powers to aide in your decay, We will, but you won’t, live another day.”

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara ends the incantation by slapping her palms together in an animated clap, and a thunderous boom is heard, before the two spheres are filled with power and her fingertips begin to spark. The witch gives the bronze dragon a sadistic smirk, knowing that his time here was done, as she separates her palms and a large copper ball swirls in the air, hurtling towards its target at the speed of light. It intensifies as it gathers up the powers of the elements, earth, air, fire, and water, and upon contacting the flank of the dragon; it erupts, sending hundreds of other copper spheres at the head, torso, tail, and legs, of the dragon. Lana gives a look to Scandal and motions for him to take cover as the spell unleashes its hellish fury, the copper causing the scales to decay and fall off, as the burning balls sear the flesh and interior of the beast. Moving to stand behind the trunk of a snow covered tree, Lana’s eyes begin to dim to their natural hue, though if one were to touch her, they’d find that her flesh still hums with magic, as she requested the power of the Goddess to aide in her work. The elf watches as the bronze attempts to fly way, though his wings are so badly damaged and beyond repair that he clumsily falls onto his side, causing the tree to sway and a heaping amount of snow to fall onto Scandal and Lana’s heads. His harsh roaring becomes faint as he gasps for breath, blood pouring from every orifice of his body, and the once fabled dragon is nothing more than a carcass of ivory bones as the spell dissipates. Heaving a sigh of relief, Lana looks to Scandal as he explains his need to swallow her and offers up an apology, to which she shakes her head and waves her hand in a dismissive nature. He didn’t need to apologize, she understood, “I’m sorry that I tried to cut my way out… You are badly hurt. Why don’t we find some shelter and I will heal you, before we continue our journey to find the mushrooms?”

(Post 1 of 2) Scandal made the effort to dodge as soon as Lanara finished her spell and sent it hurling at the bronze dragon. Watching the bronze dragon die, brought a sense of justice in his face. As the bones of the dragon fell into mangled heap, Scandal breathed a small sigh of relief, followed by a coughing up of blood. He offered his apologies but when she waved it off, he replied. “Your Apology is accepted Lana, pity it hadn’t happened under better circumstances, you might have learned to like it” He coughed again. He offered his wing for her to climb up his neck as he grabbed the remaining harness full of supplies, as he managed the otherwise painful climb down the cliff to a sheltered cave. It would be here he would put the harness down and curl up inside the cave to let Lana treat him. “I guess having shape shifting problems is partly a blessing in disguise, the process is more painful than any of these wounds, tis but a scratch.” He painfully giggled. Scandal’s blood was a bit odd for a dragon’s. It was silver that was one thing that set it apart, second was its toxicity, it seemed to take large amounts of it to be ingested to be actually toxic to others, and lastly its acidity was no worse than lemon juice. Which of course probably made it certainly easier in healing as you wouldn’t have to worry as much getting it on you. Scandal unpacked some firewood from the harness, and soon had a fire going so Lana could begin her work, he covered the front entrance leaving only room the smoke to escape through a crevice in the ceiling so that the cavern could be warm. “Would be no good to lose my sister to the cold now would it, especially after all that, with the bronze.” He coughed. Under more closer observation it might be more realized just how skin and bones Scandal was, sure his shape shifting had lent him the ability to look like he was well, but this frailness seemed to come out of decades of hardship perhaps a little idea of what Scandal might have looked like back when the Bronze and he both ‘co-existed’. His large ribs could be seen, and the stomach area curved with exaggeration almost towards the spine, had he not been eating as a dragon?

(Post 2 of 2) Scandal’s groan was low as Lana applied her skills to his shoulder, and to the multiple wounds across his body, whether magic or herb, slowly knitting his body, he offered freely his own magic, so she wouldn’t have to strain herself, as he would surely refill when he rested. “That bronze, *cough* had to have come out of his tomb when I spewed acid at that other dragon, much of the acid did eat away at the mountain. Must have penetrated the inner chamber, where it must have used some kind of magic to keep time from passing within, the destruction of which led it to leave. Perhaps I should mark it on the map for the guild, surely such a tomb would have great treasures within, especially since he was from my era.” He sighed, as the more painful wound was healed in his lower stomach region. “Please Lana, oblige me and don’t look towards the tail.” As soon as his wounds externally were healed, ‘The crop.’ if she repeated, he nodded, He’d open his mouth and lie down so that the journey to it would be a walk not a fall. If she were inside amidst the cut marks and slashes, as she healed, she might still yet feel that kind of strange safety within, and then maybe this time take notice of where the heart was beating just behind the thick skin into the dragons chest rather than the thinner layer that led to his external side. If she placed her hand up against the wall where the heart was, he would say. “Now you know I keep my family close to my heart, and you can say now you have seen it.” Maybe it would be understood now the personal nature of which he had allowed her to enter, and maybe why dragons don’t have crops anymore, because, if one of malicious intent were inside his crop, a sharp blade could pierce the wall of his unprotected heart. Scandal trusted Lana enough not to stab him in his heart, and he had hoped that one day she would trust him not second swallow to his stomach, in this to dragon it might have the strongest show of trust between a dragon and non. When she exited, he would say, “I going to rest my eyes, wake me please should I snore.” He’d leave her to change, and remove a mattress he stashed in the harness, and use his tail to wrap around it and hold it close to him, so that she would have a bed to rest upon.

Lanara obediently climbs atop the wing as the two begin the descent and slip into an ice cavern nearby, the witch inspecting the confines before she slides down his form and relaxes. She had nearly died by falling from the air, being swallowed by a dragon, and then battling a bronze dragon with immense power and abilities. She wasn’t taking any chances on turning her back to anything, at least not in this foreign part of Frostmaw. She had been naïve to fall asleep on Scandal’s back while flying through the clouds, and thankfully he had her back and protected her to the best of his ability. The best way to repay someone for risking their life was to tend to their injuries, and she does just that, by sorting through her backpack and removing a flask of saline solution, several spools of thick thread, and bandages. For the deeper wounds, she’d rely on the combination of her magic, and that which was offered from the dragon’s fountain. She works swiftly, her touch gentle, and her movements practiced with years of expertise in healing others. Her focus is solely on the thick skin and scales, and she wonders how Scandal can appear to be so underweight when he was one heck of a chef in the kitchen! “We need to put some meat on these bones, Brother. It will aide in your healing and put fear in your enemies.” She says nothing further on the matter, as she wasn’t one to pry about personal matters. Lana would hesitate as he states that his crop needs internal healing, though she wouldn’t deny him this, as she steps into his mouth and gently heals the wounds which her dagger had inflicted. She hurries out though, and doesn’t think she could ever get used to being inside of a dragon, regardless if he was one of her closest friends and considered family. Still, the fact that he kept her beside his heart, that he trusted her not to kill him, showed that he loved her and she smiles faintly as she meets his gaze. “Thank you. I hope you feel better; those wounds should heal nicely… You rest. I’ll prepare something to eat while you slumber and I’ll take the first watch, should any predators come our way.” And she would. The elf sits beside the fire and keeps her dark hues focused on the cave entrance, while the dragon snores softly at her side.

Scandal's sleep of course was nowhere near the same level comfort he had been afforded when Lanara was healing him, she might even had unknowningly healed up the hundreds of cracks in his ribs from abuse when he had been younger, or that twist in his spine. Scandal's dreams were not pleasant, they never were, If anything they were flashbacks of those he had lost to other dragons repeatedly, and yet the one he feared the most, the memory that is, it didn't play so his sleep was slightly better. It was odd no matter how much turmoil his mind was in his body did not move as he slept. He awoke about an hour later, his eyes opening quickly. One reason being a fear of sleeping like he did once. In fact this was perhaps his third time sleeping since his long hibernation. As he opens his eyes, he offers Lana the mattress by his tail, so that she can sleep, and this he would set one of his wings over the body and the mattress so that, she would be hidden from what predators might lurk, as his crop was too sore for another bout, with his sister. While she would sleep he might eat something she had made, As the hours would click by the area under his wing would grow warm do to the Scandal's body heat, and it would remain comfortable. And when the dawn arose, and the sun was just beginning to rise, he would withdraw his wing, and nudge her with his tail awake so she could enjoy the sunrise. "So beautiful isn't it, the way the sun reflects off the snowy mountains and how the aura slowly fades away, course if not for the cold," He would pull a trunk full of clothing towards the mattress, and put his wing back over allowing her to dress warmly for rest of the journey."

Lanara had made some rabbit stew with potatoes and carrots, which was tender and delicious, and she had placed a warming spell on the meal so that it would remain warm while the dragon slumbered. As he slept, she remained awake and alert, ever the vigilant little watcher, as her dark hues never once wavered from the entrance to the cavern. Sitting campfire style beside the flickering flames of the fire, she pores over her map, tracing her fingertip from one end to the other, as though trying to figure out their best route for finding the mushrooms which were necessary for enchanting the talisman. “Hm…” She’s still reading the map and keeping guard on the cave when Scandal wakes up and pokes her with is tail, telling her to enjoy the sunrise, and she folds up the map and sits at his side, watching the morning come to life. Lana hadn’t touched the stew, and she isn’t all that happy to be watching the sunrise, either, as the sunset often reminded her of those Tuscan eyes which she’d never have the pleasure of gazing into again. Largakh. Would she ever finish mourning? Perhaps she could design a ritual to forget the man ever existed, if it would ease her pain? But then… She wouldn’t have changed. Trusted. Or loved, and she didn’t want to deny their relationship in any way. With a sigh she heads to the trunk of clothing and picks out what she desires to wear for the day; however she ignores the mattress completely and doesn’t accept the offer of Scandal’s wing to shield her from any viewers. The witch was capable of dressing herself, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not after yesterday’s events with nearly losing Scandal, being inside his crop, and battling a bronze dragon! So she excuses herself and heads to a nearby hot springs to wash the blood and gore from her figure, before she slips into fresh, warm clothing. As the minutes tick by, Scandal would dine on the rabbit stew, before Lana retreats to the cave and fixes a faint smile on her pretty face, the sun shining upon her back and lighting up her expression, as though she were some sort of angelic apparition. “How are you feeling? I was looking at the map and we aren’t all that far from where the ice-capped mushrooms grow. So long as we don’t run into any more dragons we should be there in about two or three hour’s time. It’s not a far walk, but in the snow and ice, we’ll have to tread carefully.”

Scandal still feeling a little guilty from having to have used a drastic method to protect his sister, allowed her access to the hot spring, even while he looked around the area to keep an eye on her. And yes he felt guilty about watching as well, but he was also concerned for her safety what with the events of yesterday and all, he couldn't have her getting eaten by something else. He also promised himself he'd never eat cloves again, they tasted too much like Lanara, or was it the other way around, he shook his head. As she slips into her clothing though he does look away. He held his breath a moment and sighed realizing that if he were going to make up for anything he'd better be a more manageable size, so while she dresses the last bit, he gasps, as his body shrinks in size coming into the anthro form, he tried to take because it was normally a less painful process than the human form. Each bone made a thunderous snapping sound, as the bones crunched and collapsed in size, the pain, from which caused blood pool out of his eyes with tears, until finally he stood roughly six feet tall, looking like a male draconian. He turned to see if Lanara was either on her way back from the hot springs or what not, but he buried himself in snow to get the blood off and then, reached into the trunk to retrieve a turtle neck long sleeved white sweater, and some brown sweat pants. Getting them on and then digging in to the rabbit stew, which he loved, he waited for Lanara to arrive, and when she did, he took note that she was now warmly dressed. He shook his head, “Lana...:” He couldn’t say more, he who thought of her as his sister, and she was like an angel among the tundra and snow. Swallowing down the last part of his helping of stew, he made an effort to smile, by cracking open his jaw, hiding his teeth. His snout bore several scars, along with a few micro scars along his neck, but he seemed otherwise, fine, “I am fine, and if it’s only a few hours journey I would love to walk with you there.”

Lanara was beyond annoyed that Scandal had followed her to the hot springs, as she wasn’t all that comfortable with being watched when she was in the water or when dressing. She knew he was trying to be discrete, but when you had the looks of Lanara, men often stole second and third glances. She didn’t only turn heads, she broke necks, and though she didn’t see the beauty that others said she possessed, she didn’t want to be ogled by a man that was like a brother to her, it felt wrong. Why did he follow her when she made it obvious that she wished to bathe in private? The scalding hot water washes the gore from the previous day, the fresh clothes remind her of new beginnings, and the aspect of adventure manages to tear her attention back to the task at hand. Scandal knew better than to cross that line and the elf hopes she’ll never have to have that ‘talk’ with him, for she didn’t think he’d handle rejection all that well. She is pleased that he enjoyed the rabbit stew, and as he mentions he’d like to walk rather than fly, she’s all too eager to accept. She didn’t want to fly on his back again, at least not so soon after being swallowed and confronted by a bronze dragon. Plus, she had been cooped up in Sage Forest for quite some time and she wanted to inhale the fresh air and stretch her dancer’s legs. “Come on, this way…” She leads a few paces ahead, which he easily would match as he was much larger than her petite frame, and she gives him a sidelong glance. “You look to be healing well… Is it still painful to transform? Once we get this… We are halfway to getting everything we need for the ritual!”

Scandal cracked his jaw a bit, "Is it painful...?" He paused, "Are my sisters so hot that men are burned alive as they pass?" Maybe the comment was an exaggeration, the pain was not, in fact at this point the pain was so intense during transformation, that had he been stabbed with speared right then and there, he might have shrugged it off has a mere scratch. "Lead on," he said as she led the pace, he kept up but gave her some distance, he had been more than enough of burden, and he hadn't afforded her the private time that she had craved at the spring. "halfway, what a joy not to struggle with this anymore." he said. Removing that, would allow him to focus on his other problem, getting his damn hormones under control. He had never agreed with the in family affections his race had possessed, when he was younger, and now he was irritated that he found himself, feeling like he was looking at his sister, in the wrong way. Provide she was better after this, he might give her some space after this trip, he feared damage was already done to their bond, so he make a point of giving some time to her to let her heal from the damage he might have inflicted. As they continued to walk along, he detected a low growl. It wasn't dragon, and it wasn't a bear, but he knew that sound. Turning to his right looking down the slope, he could see two ice blue Razurath, carrying a cart, and several children who were in it. The cart would stop and the two Razurath would unload the children, and then hand them each picks and axes, for which the children would then, begin hacking chunks of ice from the glacier, and loading them into the carts. Scandal remembered seeing this once, and it had left him fascinated how such a beast like people could be both caring and productive to so many different species of children. He counted almost three elves, four humans, two drow, and an orc, hard at work, while the Razurath, began to build a fire, and stirred a pot of something steaming, which from here smelled like a meat stew. "Razurathian Ice collectors." He shook his head, and proceeded onward, sure it was interesting to watch, and unless Lanara stopped to watch he needed to keep following her. It never stopped surprising him how much the Razurath could be such good adoptive parents.

Lanara blinks as Scandal refers to his ‘sisters’ as being hotter than the depths of hell, and whereas she normally would laugh off such a comment or blush, she now is more confused than ever. She knew that the dragon was struggling with newfound hormones, and she knew that he found her attractive, but the witch honestly didn’t see what others saw in her looks. Growing up in Kelvar, one would be severely punished if they were caught with a looking glass, as faith in ones appearance bred vanity. She hadn’t looked in a mirror until she was in her late teens, and even then she wasn’t blown away by what she saw, sure she was exotic when compared to other elves, but she always thought it was the inner beauty that showed through the eyes that was the loveliest thing of all. Most elves were sickly thin, with pale skin, blonde hair, and blue or green eyes, and Lana was the exact opposite. She was slender, with obvious curves on her bosom and derriere section, and she wasn’t ashamed to wear skimpy clothing, as she worked hard to keep in excellent shape. Her long locks were of a deep chestnut hue, her eyes were pools of molten chocolate with impossibly long lashes, and she had full lips, and a breathtaking smile. Another elf perk? She doesn’t visibly age, so not a wrinkle or gray hair on her person! None of that mattered to Lanara, as the attention of men often made her uncomfortable. If one wanted to show their interest they’d have to notice her sense of humor, the way her eyes lit up when she spoke of her animal companions, her protective nature over her sibling, or the way she told a story through the art of dance. Those were the real reasons for attraction! So as the dragon is focused on the Razurath’s working in the valley below, he would miss the glare she gives him for his comment about her being ‘hot’ and how she was the downfall of some men. He was like a brother! How could he have those feelings towards her, let alone speak of them?! She never thought that Scandal was a surface level person, but she’s giving him her best expression of resting bitch face as they turn and she leads on, annoyed beyond belief. After an hour or so of walking, she finally breaks the silence, “I’m going to sell the Rolafir’s Cottage. They no longer wish to live in Sage and I don’t want to live there without Larz. I took the animals from the barn into my sanctuary to rehome them, and the gold from the sale of the house will be donated to the orphanage in Gualon. That place and those kids were very important to him, and the Rolafir’s are in complete agreement. You and Larz are about the same size in your human form, so if you want any of his clothing you are welcome to it. And thank you for looking after me the past few weeks, making sure I eat, and such… But it’s time I’m on my own.”

Scandal listened to his sister, and stopped moving. "Lanara, we need to talk." Confusion bred mistrust, and misinterpretation, and if he needed to speak the truth he damn well needed to share it. He stopped by a tree and leaned against it. "Lanara." He used her full name because at this point he was pretty sure she didn't want him using her friend name anymore. And yes that felt like a stab in his heart, but he needed to speak his mind. "I am sorry, that I watched, part of me, wanted to keep you safe, and yet part of me, also had other reasons. Its for those reasons, I am sorry I watched. I have made you uncomfortable, while you have respected my wishes when I had wished to have been alone. I have been hypocritical, in our family relationship, and for that I apologize deeply. You should know I consider you a sister, and that I understand your wishes to sell, and to go on alone after this, I agree, I am not well, and I need to have time alone from you, our close quarters living has caused the possibility of us losing our brotherly sisterly connection, of which I do not desire to lose. I may have already." He paused only a second to take a breath. "I wanted to be honest, so I am being honest with you, when this is done, I will depart from the close living we have had these past two weeks, and I will try to find for myself someplace to live, I will consider you my sister whether or not you consider me a brother," He listened for her response before adding, "I do not love you as a mate, you are my sister, and my closest friend, and by Arkhen, your goddess, and heaven help me to impart that I wish for only the family relationship that I have with you, and if I have mislead you to believe otherwise, please tell me now." Whatever her answer, he gave his honest one right then, "I have misspoken, I have done what I shouldn't have, and for our family ties and your trust, and love as family, I will depart as soon as we retrieve what we need, and then I will drop you off in Frostmaw, I will maintain communication, and I will meet with you, and I will continue in the guild, but until I am able to control myself and not misspeak or give assumption, I will give you the space you need, because losing what we are, and who we are..." He couldn't finish. He wished with all his heart something could cover him, because in that moment, he gave up, holding it back. He slid down the tree, and buried his face in his knees, sobbing heavily. It wasn't manipulative, but it was a realization, he was still a kid, sure his body was maturing and sure he had sprints of high maturity, but at the end of the day, he was a child who had endured so much pain, so much loss, and so many mistakes, and at the risk of losing someone to some impression he was giving, he couldn't hold it in, and so the tears flowed. His voice even cracked a bit, becoming much lighter, this wasn't intentional but it would have been surprising to learn that such a dragon, had a much more child like voice, and now he was trying to explain himself, so that he wasn't going to lose someone precious to him, and believed himself to failing in that has well.

Lanara is going on and on about how she’s going to give Largakh’s possession to his three closest friends, the profit from the house to the orphanage, and how she’s rehoming the barnyard animals, when she realizes that she’s gone about fifty feet ahead of the dragon. Turning around, mildly annoyed, she finds that Scandal is leaning against a tree with a pensive look on his face, and she nips her lower lip. She knew that he had more than brotherly feelings for her; she could see the lustful look in his eyes whenever he forgot himself. Lana had only friend and familial feelings for Scandal, and she knew they wouldn’t amount to anything more, ever. He just didn’t give her butterflies like the scant few in the past that did, and she would never entertain even trying more than friends, for fear of losing their closeness in case something did go wrong. She backtracks the short distance and listens to his lengthy speech about how he’s struggling with his hormones and she’s pure eye candy, how his heart and head love her as a sister, and then he gives her another lengthy apology. The witch scowls at his statements, her expression darkening, and she blurts out, “How dare you! You are being so selfish right now, Scandal! I said that I was selling the house because the Rolafir’s gave it to me and I don’t want that memory looming over me at every turn. How can I heal when I’m in a place that reminds me of my heartbreak? It has –nothing- to do with wanting space from you, and I’m not kicking you out, I’m merely giving you a heads up. I have the Guild and the Sanctuary to focus on now, and lots of fun adventures to plan with my friends.” And then, to top off this already awful morning where she was ogled in the hot springs, the dragon bursts into tears and his wailing is heard for miles! He was being such a man-baby right now, and Lana is growing more and more angered by his behavior. It was a good thing she was unable to have children, since she wasn’t so good when dealing with immaturity of any kind. “Scandal… I think some space is a good thing… At least in the sense that we shouldn’t be alone together for a while, at least until you get over this ‘crush’ or learn to control your hormones better. I am flattered that you find me attractive, I really am, but you and I will –never- be more than close friends. I consider you to be a brother, nothing more, not now and not ever. I’m sorry if that hurts you, but I don’t want to lose our friendship.” Her tone is stern, though there’s a softness in her expression as she watches him slide down the tree and head into a full on cry session. The witch looks uncomfortable now and fidgets with the hem of her parka, diverting her gaze, and wondering how all of this had transpired. It wasn’t her fault that she was born with good looks, and she refused to believe she had led him on in any way, for she knew she had not. Yes, at times she wore skimpy clothing, but she had worked damn hard for a toned figure and she was most comfortable in bathing suits. She had no qualms of showing off or feeling comfortable in her skin, as many years ago she had hit rock bottom and was an exotic dancer for large crowds filled with men. Lanara felt that this journey was supposed to take her mind off of Largakh’s death, to refuel her desire for adventure, and to connect more with her close friend. Now it was turning into an emotional nightmare, for both parties. She wants him to stop hurting, and they are almost to the location of the mushrooms, so this day would be over soon and they could head their separate ways. Kneeling before Scandal, she extends her hand and rubs his shoulder, her dark eyes locking onto his tear stained face. “Hey… Don’t cry. I don’t hate you, we are still best friends, and I wish I could help you through this transition. I forget all the time that you’re still just a child, at least in dragon years… I love you, like a brother, and we are going to be okay. You will get through all of this, I promise… So come on, Scandal, let’s go and finish our quest, okay?” She gives his arm a reassuring squeeze and rises to her feet, hoping she had softened the blow of her words.

Scandal's head did look up, but the tears were still there, "Lana, I have never wanted to be with you as lovers, from day one. I thought of you as a friend, and that grew to be close friend, to a sister even, we have positions in the guild, we have adventures to attend to, each of has been." He breathed, "Your selling of the home, was not in any way the reason that I am wanting to be away, for the very same quote that you wanted reason I need to separate from you is, I need to get control of my carnal instincts of which I have little choice in the matter to follow, and I pray Arkhen help me, that it is resolved and that right soon. You asked me if the pain was bad, and I sarcastically replied that men catch on fire when you are near, I tried to take one extreme hyperbole to describe how painful experience has become, the actual intention of the quote was not, to flirt with you." He paused, "You’re right I am selfish, damn solid right I am, and no matter how much I try to fight it, one I am a dragon, it’s incredibly hard not to be, and two, in case you have forgotten the color scheme, these two colors happen to be the two single most selfish dragon breeds on the planet." When Lana told him that they were still friends and they needed to finish the task at hand he slowly rose. "Once we have it, I will offer one last flight, to get you and the stuff we packed to a place you can find transport the rest of the way. I think it’s time, I finally went to Venturil, and I had an offer to meet someone that I have been neglecting to connect with. And while I am at it, I will check out that red brook, and when we meet again, we will explore it in detail." He walked with her but in silence, maybe she noted that his voice wasn't as deep as before but it wasn't as high as it had been he was crying. His wings opened and closed on his back, slowly and carefully, and repeat. His tail didn't sway it just kind of stayed straight. Maybe he was focused or maybe in thought, he wasn't mad, otherwise as she probably had seen his eyes would have told it, his scales would have become sharper, and those spines on the back of his head and neck, that for the most part would kind of hang like loose flesh or hair, would have been standing straight up, no he wasn't mad, but he wasn't conveying what emotion he was feeling now.

Lanara rolls her eyes as the dragon now tries to backtrack and say he wasn’t flirting with her, when in fact she hadn’t made that accusation. She was referring to his peeking while she was bathing, and the ogling of her assets on most occasions, but she lets the comment slide and merely nods. He was all over the place with his hormones. He was attracted to her, and it was wrong as she was considered to be a sister. He was confusing her with all his words and actions as of late, and she’s relieved when he rises from the snow and stops sobbing. Lana could deal with a lot things, but lately the realm had been a little too rough with her and she wasn’t as soft as in the past. His misplaced affections and outburst had caused her own feathers to become ruffled, and she sighs and merely leads the way. The rest of their walk is made in silence, aside from one of them warning the other of a slippery patch of snow, and the crunching underfoot. Finally, they come to a valley of trees and the witch narrows her eyes as she spies the familiar caps surfacing just above the snow, around the base of the trees. “There!” She’s excited to have made the discovery, and she crosses the short distance, before dropping to her knees and beginning to collect the mushrooms. Each is dusted free of snow and then placed into a small cloth bag, and when she has about a dozen, she closes the bag and places it into her satchel. Their journey was now complete, and they were halfway to the point of collecting all the necessary items for the ritual which would ease Scandal in his shapeshifting. Looking up at the dragon, she smiles and pats the satchel at her side, “We are almost there! I’ll head back to Sage and get the house prepared for any showings that may come up, and dry out the mushrooms. I’m also going to arrange a guild meeting for next week, and I need you to be there. So I hope that your meeting with your friend and the river goes well, and you can fill me in when we next meet.” There’s a pause as she realizes they’re not alone and she turns to her left and sees hoof prints in the snow, before she catches sight of her beloved reindeer. Rude-Off snorts at Scandal, though he circles Lanara a few times and waits for the witch to mount him, as he would be more than happy to give her a ride. “I won’t be needing a flight, but thank you, Scandal… Really… Thank you for the meals, the adventure, and for being there for me after Larz died. You truly are my greatest friend and I won’t forget this… Be safe, Brother.” And with that, the reindeer dashes through the snow and takes flight, eventually fading from view.