RP:Iscattiva meets Jerica
Mountain Path
To the east and west the terrain is almost unbearable, but here the land is open and the earth not as rocky. Paths intersect here as the way to the north has been carved out of the mountains, and would take you in that direction. The incline is gradual as far as you can see, and goes up and over some mountains, blocking any vision of the north beyond. To the south is a spectacular scenic view from the edge of a cliff, and you see a small footpath that leads east from it to some unknown location. To the west, as well as east, the path dips down a little and goes into some very rough terrain. Further west you spot what looks like a small village, and you can also make out the two towers of Xalious, the Mage Tower, and another you cant recall the name of. From here they look splendid as they reach up into the sky before the great mountains of Xalious. To the north a path leads to a higher, more strenuous parts of the mountain range.
Iscattiva idles in the air above the mountain pass, kite-like wings spread wide to catch the thermals that carry her in constant spirals. Nothing about the dragon's body language speaks of hostile intent and the people below continuing to go about their business save for the occasional glance skyward suggests she is merely enjoying the mountain air. With measured slowness, the dragon begins to circle ever lower, the details of her features becoming more prominent with each loop until it's obvious she is a Gold dragon of reasonable size, scales unscarred and well-groomed to hint at being young and untested. When she's only feet above the ground, Iscattiva gives a powerful flap of her wings to stop her momentum and allow herself a light touchdown amid a dust cloud.
Jerica just happens to be on her way back north, towards Frostmaw, when a distinct shadow on the ground draws the woman's attention. Following the circular holding pattern for a moment with her eyes, Jerica eventually looks up to see a dragon descending. Stepping back from where it looks as though the gold is going to land Jerica slips one hand into a pocket sewn into the lining of her sable cloak. The small and specially made cross bow within is a comfort given how unpredictable dragons could be. Not that she has much by way of experience with them but Jerica's heard stories. And one she ran into recently near these very mountains had shown her that not all of them, dragons, are benevolent.
Iscattiva's wings fold against her glittering sides with a rustle not unlike papers being sifted into order. The dragon lifts her head and parts her jaws in a wide, cat-like yawn, letting the stretch course down her considerable length with a fluid ripple before she shakes her skull in relief. It's then that she catches sight of the human watching her warily nearby and she turns a huge eye of golden amber Jerica's way. "Greetings to you, fellow traveler," Iscattiva hails in a pleasant voice, a strange mixture of formality and child-like cheer, "My apologies, did I land where you were intending to walk? I do try to keep a wary eye upon the earth beneath mineself, but I admit I am not as vigilant as I should be."
Jerica remembers to blink after the dragon speaks. If asked, she wouldn't lie; Jerica had expected something else to come from the dragon's maw and words were not it. "I--I..n-no. Y-you're fine, Dragon." It wouldn't be hard to miss Jerica anyway, as small as she is.
Iscattiva does a sideways shuffle to bring herself around facing Jerica so that she can dip her horned head in a polite nod. "Please, my name is Iscattiva, daughter of Rhavid. It is a pleasure to meet you. Are you perhaps familiar with this mountain range? I am still learning the lay of the land, and I do not know the area well. Is it well populated?" While the Gold's attempt is to get the stranger talking, as she loves a good conversation, she is also fishing for information on whether these mountains might hold a suitable lair for a young dragon searching.
Jerica licks her lips nervously and glances around quickly. There is a large boulder to her right, just high enough that the dragon wouldn't have to crouch for long to be on a level with the human. As she scrambles up it, Jerica is talking, "Greetings to you Iscattiva, daughter of Rhavid. I am Jerica, the Bad Luck One, daughter of None." Which is true, in a sense. Settling atop the boulder, Jerica brushes dust from her clothes and stands with perfect balance on the rock. "I am as familiar with these ranges as anyone on two feet and without wings can be, I suppose. There is a village not too far, to the south and west, and plenty of mountain range between here and there."
Iscattiva cranes her neck over her back to look in the direction of the village. While she cannot see the buildings from here, her eagle keen eyes can detect the tendrils of smoke on the horizon that announce its location. Yes, she'd seen that from the air, and the strange tower as well, but, "Aside from the village, this range seems quiet. Is the weather poor, perhaps? I could not see much of the wildlife save for a pair of Roc and what I believe was a Phoenix. It seems rather pleasant. Oh!" The dragon whips her head back around then to look at Jerica. Tentacled whiskers flutter anxiously and her forepaws knead with tough earth beneath her as she dips her snout in silent apology. "Forgive my sluggish manners. Well met, Jerica, daughter of None." What a peculiar title.
Jerica shrugs off the apology and sits crosslegged on the boulder after a few minutes. "I have seen a few other animals. A Ho-oo, Benu. There's even a Yeti not too much further north. South is a forest filled with game that would surely satisfy such an appetite as yours."
Iscattiva follows the words with great interest, nodding along with her serpentine head even as she settles down upon the ground to be on comfortable eye level with the boulder-perched human. At mention of 'appetite', the Gold smacks her lips with a clatter of scales on scales. "Game is an important feature, certainly. As well these mountains are a short flight from Cenril, where they have the most delicious treats of human-make." Both sets of the dragon's eyelids close briefly to recall with ecstasy the pastries she's tried in the city. When they open again, they fix on Jerica with a sparkle of childish delight and her words come in an excited, breathy fashion, "Have you ever tasted a sticky bun? If I did not know better, I would think Cyris himself had blessed it with such a flavor."
Jerica can not help the soft laugh that comes at the child like excitement in a dragon who has surely been alive longer than Jerica has drawn breath. "I have. They are very good." Nothing like the fried and sugary sweets the circus vendors concocted, but they would do well enough when nostalgia forced Jerica to buy one of those sticky buns. "Do you plan on staying around here long, Iscattiva?"
Iscattiva nods again, still momentarily lost in blissful memories of sweets. Ranok had unfortunately created the mother of all sweet tooths when he treated the young dragon to sticky buns and tea. Jerica's question pulls her back to the matter at hand however, leaving fond thoughts to trail away like smoke. "Aye, I hope to remain for however long it takes for me to complete my task. By what I have seen in a small number of days, I believe I will be here for a long time. There is much to learn of humans alone, not counting the elves, dwarves, and other varied races. But I look forward to the task. Through it, I can better mineself and perhaps better the lives of those I entwine my fate with. There is much enmity between dragonkin and the other races, I wish to remedy this as best I can for the sake of us all."
Jerica 's smile is there. It is small and faint but as she watches the dragon in obviously remembered bliss, Jerica can do only that, smile. Shifting the cloak around herself more closely, the woman leans forward to rest her chin in the palms of her hands while elbows rest on knees. "I am afraid there are some prejudices you may never over come. I do hope your first clutch arrives in a time where all races are not fighting with dragons." She imagined, as young as this gold seemed to be, that clutch was a long time in coming. Jerica was going by what knowledge she has so far gleaned of dragons, for her current job.
If dragons could blush through scales, Iscattiva would most certainly be blushing now. Jerica's guess is correct, a clutch is a long time in coming for this dragon, although it is not because of her age for she's in her prime. Iscattiva is fully devoted to her God and her quest, so much so that fantasies of mates and hatchlings are ones rarely entertained and hardly dreamed of. That part of dragonhood has yet to blossom in this young paladin. These thoughts cause the Gold to knead at the ground again and produce a low huffing sound not unlike a cough to clear one's throat. "Ah, yes, one can hope for such things, and I shall strive for it. I have seen already a hint of the prejudice that pollutes the lands, as much from my own kind as others. However, I have also seen those that do not carry the inherit hatred. You yourself did not greet me as a monster." The scales around Iscattiva's eyes crinkle as she draws her lips back from teeth in a thin line to offer a draconic smile.
Jerica might flinch back at what would be a dragon's version of a smile. Hopefully she managed to hide it. "I do not see all dragons as monsters. Only some." Which is to say that Jerica does not judge by the act of one. "I wish you luck in your quest, then."
Iscattiva's nod is solemn and a little crestfallen. "Yes, sadly, a good number of my kin are monsters. I met one such not long after my arrival here. He viewed your kind as mere morsels and play things. If you venture to Cenril, beware the Black soaring nearby!" Arching her neck forward then, the Gold presses her snout to the boulder Jerica sits on and breathes a soft 'huff' that's accompanied by a meager tongue of golden flame. The fire barely kisses the rock's surface before disappearing in a puff of smoke, but the dragon seems satisfied with herself when she draws back again. "I wish you luck on any quest you follow as well. May you be as free as Cyris intended. As his follower, I will do my utmost to defend it for you and yours."
Jerica nearly tumbles back, so startled is she by the sudden resting of a snout and the burst of flames, "Oh! Goodness," she laughs nervously a hand fluttering to the base of her throat. "That was unexpected." The corners of her eyes crinkle on a smile of her own. "I thank you for your vigilance, Madam Gold. I enjoy my freedoms as much as the next person and I will be sure to beware the black dragon in Cenril." As though an after thought, she asked, "What name does this black dragon go by?"
Iscattiva doesn't seem bothered by the human's reaction. So far, she's found they seem to be a panicky sort, jumping at the slightest movements, which is why she's usually careful to remain as still as possible when in conversation, no matter how much it makes her twitch internally. One such twitch reveals itself as a rigid jerk of her tail tip, caused by Jerica's question. "I wish I knew. I only know he was a male Blackscale, large, and took a perverse pleasure in circling the city to frighten the citizens." She has half a mind to patrol the city herself and see if she can't chase off the brute, although she fears such an encounter will come to blows.
Jerica 's brow furrows in a frown at the description. "Thank you, Lady Dragon. I will keep an eye out for him should I go to Cenril."
Iscattiva said to Jerica, "I hope you do not cross his path. None deserve the fate he intends for your kind." Rising with careful slowness to her claws then, the dragon looks toward the east where Cenril lies far in the distance, far beyond even her eyesight. "I bid you farewell now, miss Jerica, and I thank you for our conversation. I hope we can meet again, perhaps over sticky buns and teapots."
Jerica said to Iscattiva, "I cannot promise anything but I will avoid him if I can." She meant it then and got up to her feet as it seems the gold is leaving, "I would like to meet for sticky buns and tea. It would be a great honor."
Iscattiva spreads her wings and crouches, preparing to spring into the air, but not before she says to the human, "An honor to me as well. Cyris's freedom be with you!" With that, the dragon launches herself skyward with a powerful thrust of her legs and a hearty beat of her wings, rapidly climbing until she's no more than a golden speck among the clouds.