[SE] over the edge

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stared into the void. The sun was a blazing eyes in the sky, staring with judgement upon the girl where she leaned out over the railing, hands outstretched. Even with her sleeves rolled up and the shirt untucked, and tied up to leave the midriff bare it was far too hot. The heavy, durable trousers did not help, of course, even without the boots. Yet the Dragoon uniform was not the reason for the sweating. Well, mostly not.

From down below, a sigh as from a Frost Giant's maw was heard, and suddenly a fierce gust of wind roared up through the planks. The rope bridge began to sway, and with a whoop of elation the young woman watched how a blue ball came shooting up, past her waiting hands. She grabbed for it, tried to catch, but missed; up and up it continued, until the rush of wind was suddenly gone. A second it hovered, suspended and motionless... then it dropped. Fell, tumbled, and with a sudden snap a pair of shimmering blue wings unfurled. Umbra righted himself deftly and banked, painting a wide stroke of color through the air. As he passed over her, a clawed foot extended and swatted her playfully over the head.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Seren laughed, and ducked as the young dragon turned and came back for another attack. "Next time I'll catch you properly. Again?" But the Blue was not done with the dive-bombing, it seemed. Still laughing, Seren found herself chased off along the suspended bridges, darting this way and that to avoid the pretend fury of her friend.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Her intentions had been to come along on this summer day, when the breezes were strong, to see how formidable the cloud wyrms had been lately. Eternally drawn towards animals, creatures, flora, fauna, of any shape and size, it was certainly another tenacious aspect when they’d been charges of her own – released back into the wild, ready and eager to fend for themselves. With one hand shielding her eyes from the sun, her head tipped back, gazing towards the bright, illustrious sky – no stars to be had, unlike in the pinnacles and arches of the Celestine.

She squinted before finding them amongst and amidst puffy endeavors; streaks of ivory, the length of their bodies contorting and coiling, unraveling in motions of wonder and awe. “There you are,” Lena whispered to herself, taking the notebook out of her customary basket, jotting down a few notes as she watched and observed.

But then there were more distracting pinnacles up ahead, shouts, volleys, and it had alerted the wyrms too, their bodies immediately coaxed towards the noise. Her stare only caught glimmers of blue, and a stranger laden among them, laughing, the nuances echoing and bounding off the rocks.

She couldn’t help herself from yelling ahead, hands cupped around her mouth so it had more of a range. “Oh, please be careful!” The bridges always made her nervous; especially when they started swaying in the wind. She counted on her own bravery and pluck to march onward, towards azure streaks and younger ladies, waving cheerfully despite the warning.

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

Light on her feet, the young soldier had no trouble keeping up with the sway. The trick was to keep moving, as she had learned on a similarly precarious path, and trust that the footing would continue to hold. But not everyone was as daring as her, so when the warning call sounded from up ahead, she slowed down. Ducking beneath Umbra's latest swoop, she waved back at the figure of a woman approaching, and smiled cheerfully in greeting.

"Sorry, we will be," she said, when they were close enough that she wouldn't have to shout. "I hope we did not startle you too bad." Curious eyes, blue as the summer sky above them, darted quickly over the woman, her notebook and the friendly demeanor. "What brings you out here on this fine day?"

Umbra, upon realizing that his playmate had become distracted, let out a warbling trill and began to circle above their heads. Mercury eyes darted between the humans and the wispy clouds over the sea, always on the lookout for something interesting.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

The fact that the blue object was a dragon completely interrupted anything Lena had set out to do – eyes opening wide, and then her smile curling wide and broad, genuine and true, towards the being with leathery wings and dominion of the skies. “Hello there! Aren’t you wonderful?” Meaning it; presuming all manner of animals were along these lines, no matter how raptorial, dangerous, or intrepid. On impulse, one hand went towards the treats eternally resting in her pockets, and reached out with a flat palm, attempting to entice the little beast.

As for the girl, she turned her head slightly, encompassing her in her sight. The Dragoon uniform was easy to discern, but the stranger herself not so much. “Not startled. Merely worried. It’s easy to fall out here.” At her notion, the wind whipped along, ruffling at her long skirts, and she placed her notebook and pencil back into her basket. “I was watching for the cloud wyrms.” Thereafter, she pointed to the puffs slightly in the distance, reigning along the splashes of blue and white. “They were released from the Celestine recently, and I wanted to see how they were getting on…” Realizing she was rambling, and without any manner of introduction, the woman stuck out her unoccupied hand. “I’m Lena. Who are you?”

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

Between treats and praise, Lena had gained a firm friend. Breaking off his circling, the Blue came drifting down and hovered in the air beside the woman, wind whipping away from the firm beat of his wings. He reached out a long, greedy neck to snap up the goodie, then made a wide circle around her. Just in case she might want to admire his shimmering, navy blue scales from up close. Not quite small anymore, he was already outsizing most cats, and threatened to grow vast indeed if wings and paws were any indication.

Smiling at the vanity of her friend, Seren too kept the majority of her focus on Lena. "Oh, I see. Not to worry, I am not afraid of falling. I know some tricks." Shielding her eyes against the sun, she gazed towards the clouds when the woman pointed. "Those are cloud wyrms? I've never seen any up close! Do you think they will come here?"

Who had time for introductions, when there were more interesting topics to discuss? Finer details like names and manners went right past Seren - but she did take the hand when it was offered. "Seren Taliesin. Nice to meet you! Do you work there? In the Celestine?" Intrigued, Seren flopped back against the railing of the bridge, without a care for the way it cringed and swayed under her careless movements. As always, questions were tumbling from her faster than most could answer, and the warm smile could fool anyone into thinking they were a longtime friend, rather than a new acquaintance.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Patience, compassion, tenderness, and a little bit of food always seemed to coax even the most wary, and the woman was forbearing with her outstretched hand, simply waiting and biding her time. Her eyes wandered over the blue dragon, searching for any potential signs of weakness, for any strain, for any particulars or peculiarities. But the companion seemed in fine form, young and enduring, strong and bold, and clearly wanting to be admired. So she supplied it, smile ample and genuine. “How very impressive.” She shifted slightly towards Seren, though she didn’t want to seem as if her attention was deviating. “Have you had him long?”

Whether or not the Dragoon had tricks; Lena certainly didn’t, and wasn’t aware of many that did. So she shrugged it away, keeping it to herself. “They are. Perhaps, given enough patience.” A wink went Seren’s way, averting the implication of the young not holding any.

Her brows narrowed slightly, and only because she began thinking, reeling, over the name. “Are you related to Ronin then?” Or the other fellow, the husband…though she couldn’t quite recall the title. Too many other nuances, necessities, and duties in between the moments of clarity; usually focused entirely on her work. “I do! I’m the Caretaker.” A broader smile ensued, and then she roamed through her pockets for more treats for the dragonling.

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

Umbra was patient. He kept circling as the woman dug through her pockets, and kept silvery eyes on Lena's movements, lest he miss the exact moment when more treats were offered up. Seren watched him in turn, with a soft expression that did not fade, even when her mouth split into a wide grin. Impatient? She? What a bold accusation.
"Not long, no," she replied, with a slight shake of the head. "I found his egg earlier this season. He is growing quicker than I thought he might." Dragging her fingers through the tangled curls of dark hair, she studied her companion. Here in the bright sunlight the blue of his scales became a living thing, rippling and shimmering in varying hues, like the ocean. In the shade he often appeared black; a little piece of midnight gone astray, or a shadow made corporeal - except the soft creases of his body always gave him away, as the scales were brighter there. Azure and lapiz, rather that ultramarine and navy. Still gangly and oddly proportioned, with the long limbs and oversized paws, it would be interesting to see what the dragon would look like when he was fully matured. Would he be stocky and heavy as a bear, or lean and sharp like a desert lion?

"Hm? Oh, yes. He is my dad." Pulled from her reveries, she smiled lightly; here was another person who knew her family. Would that ever start to rankle? For now, all Seren felt was pride over the connection. "I've been to the Celestine many times, but it has mostly been to see my mother. I never actually took the time to see the creatures there. Maybe next time, you could show me around?"

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Her eyes tracked Umbra diligently. Not predatory, not raptorial, but quiet, methodical, studious, and serene. Lena had always been a tranquil, compassionate being, and she eased it into her aura, feather-light and petal-soft, encouraging, insisting, the rest of the land do the same. Sometimes the notions stuck. Often times, unbeknownst to her, cruelty manifested straight back into the corners when her presence was gone. The smile remained, beatific and grand, soft and airy, all ethereal fixtures and conjectures, as she tilted her head once more. “Congratulations are in order then.” New bonds, new connections. New lines forged and formed. Much like Sera and her beloved Levi. Thereafter, she hummed, placating the sapphire edges and the grandiose wings, the fledgling ready to take apart realms, with a few more treats. “They must grow quickly, to be ready for the world.” To survive.

That Ronin was her father made more sense, and the youth nodded in accord, finally turning a majority of her attention to Seren. Lena grinned once more, eternally eager to show off the wondrous proportion of the sovereignty she kept. “Of course. The creatures change, so there is always something new.”

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

"Thank you!" Seren grinned affectionately at said companion as he swooped in for another snack. Umbra snapped up the treats as soon as Lena offered them. A quick fly-by, a jerk of the long neck and they were gone in a single swallow. No time taken to savour, to enjoy; though Seren was left with a lingering taste of something dried on the tongue. Meat? Vegetables? It was hard to tell for sure; mostly it made her thirsty.

"I'll look forward to it!" she smiled, when Lena agreed to show off her wards. "We were playing tag, just now. Do you want to join us?" Dark eyebrows wiggled seductively, as if the idea of running around the unsteady bridges under the blazing sun, with a dragon breathing down your neck was the most irresistible of offers. "Or maybe we can tempt the wyrms to come play some other game... what do you think?" Standing still was, at any rate, not her idea of a good time. And now that they had made a new friend, Seren was itching to do something.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

With the final swoop, fast and swift, Lena brushed the crumbs and remnants from her palms, holding them in front of her in a silent gesture of no more, before inclining her attention fully to the girl. Only a singular arch of her brow marred any of the previous radiance and serenity alight on her features – Lena rarely had time for games. Outings with her sister were one thing, but the token moments of amusements, unless she was with her wards, were usually put on the backburner. Or simply didn’t happen. “For a little while, perhaps.” Though her eyes still went down to the rickety bridge, wondering when they could put something adequate in that didn’t twist with the slightest touch of the wind.

She meandered forward, back along ground, before Seren prospered the potential for the wryms. Her eyes went to her former charges, pondering, one finger lifting to tap on her chin. “I’m sure they could be enticed.” Mischievous  and foolish to a fault, they could probably be compelled without much prompting – especially for something as simple as tag. “Give me a moment.” Conversations and bonds applied, circumvented and circulated towards the awaiting creatures, and with an obvious whirlwind of delight, they glided, slithered, and puffed their way over, hovering just above.

Then Lena turned back to the demigod. “Now, what are the rules?”

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

A little while was plenty of time, and Seren was determined to make the most of it. Obediently waiting until Lena was ready, she watched how the cloud wyrms came dancing closer. They were delightful creatures, some strange mixture between dragons, weasels and some mythological serpent she had seen in passing in a book, yet completely their own beings. There was quite the number of them, and as she was asked to elaborate on the rules, Seren had to think for a bit. Most games she had played as a child were done by herself, alone and without others. This time though...

"Hm, have you played chain-tag before?" she asked, as an idea popped up. "One person begins as 'it'. When they catch someone, they link together, and both continue to pursue. The chain grows longer as more links are added, and the person who remains the longest without being captured wins." Looking around, she noticed Lena's concern about the bridges, and gagued the area between the bridge-heads. It was a flat terrace-like section, carved from the rock and fairly big. "If we keep to the area over there, no one will fall off any cliffs," she suggested with an airy laugh.

With dragons to add another dimension, this could turn into quite the interesting chase. Umbra whistled enthusiastically at the prospect of chasing both the humans and the shiny little wind-dancers; he did not much care about the rules as long as he got to fly. "Perhaps one of your friends might start as 'it'?" the raven-haired girl mused, with a dubious side-eye on her dragon.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Lena knew tag and it’s variants; but not this particular scenario. So she pondered it, imagining the scene within her head; played with wryms, dragons, and humans alike could be more than interesting. “We can try,” she enlightened with a warm smile once more, placing her basket down where the chosen ground had been deemed safer, and solid.

Per the suggestion, the Caretaker tilted her head at the cloud wryms. They seemed thoroughly engaged with the prospects (perhaps too much, based on the amount of sudden volunteering). “Now, now, I’m sure all of you will soon have an opportunity,” and she laughed as they ghosted, gusted, and maneuvered forward – the larger winning out the prospects of beginning the game.

It fanned out in great aplomb, diving and swooping through the air, and Lena laughed, sprinting to one portion of the flattened area, while the wrym seemed intent on chasing Umbra – perhaps eager to gain a swift ally.

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all

Who am I, that the morning star would light the way for my wandering heart?

Already laughing, Seren was almost taken off guard by the abrupt start to the game, and hurriedly dispersed along with the rest. It was difficult to see which of the slithering wyrms that had taken point, but that was easily dealt with; she simply avoided everyone. It was a challenge to keep her eyes on both the ground and the sky, but for the time being no one was coming her way, and all was calm.

The same could not be said for Umbra. Huffing with the indignity of being chased by such a small morsel, the Blue darted downward to the ground in a sharp dive. At the last second he broke the fall, spun like a cork shot from a bottle and then began to ascend once more. A quiet reminder from his bonded to stay within the limits of the area, he found his options on where to go quite limited. There were little squigglers all over the sky. Which one, which one was coming for him...?

Suddenly there was a sharp nip at his tail, and the dragon let out a roar of dismay as he found himself tagged. There was an inclination to whip around and punish the bold cloud-swimmer... but then he remembered the game. Did this mean he could chase now?

With the poor wyrm still attached to his tail, Umbra warbled in delight and set his sight on the food-giver-Lena-person. Either he would boop her, or find her treats. Perhaps both.

Seren

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Oh, Lena thought, muffling a round of laughter at the triumphant undulations of the cloud wyrm. She was half tempted to offer congratulations to the little creature, but then that might’ve caused a mess in between the dragon, its cousins, and the whole proportion of her actual pursuit – i.e. not being caught.

As there were now two to watch for.

The poor wyrm was subsequently dragged, not given any benefit of its recent victory in any direction, by Umbra’s far more potent prowess. It was a shame Lena didn’t practice daily running, as her various sprints along the chosen knoll were already winding her down; used to her springing steps at a versatile pace and walk, and not all out rampaging. Easing a breath for a moment, ducking down to take in a swifter gulp of air, left her entirely vulnerable.

And of course, immediately tagged by a blue snout.

“Well that was quick,” she giggled, joining the interlocking group. But with her range, interweaving her arm with Umbra’s tail, there was only one individual to seek out: Seren.

So they began to give chase.

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all