[Training] if I'm a star I'll be my own worst enemy (SE)

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

As he’d promised, he’d sent a letter ahead of time. Not addressed to be from anything of a Governing position, instead, it's addressed to Queen Maeve after the recent switch up of leadership. The letter itself asks her to meet him at the edge of Torchline with her bow, that they’d be going for a ride into the wilds to search for the pumpkins to slay.

And so he waits for her arrival, already shifted into that dragon shift of his, poised and ready to take her toward an open space where they might both be able to get some practice in. The trek itself is cut shorter by the wings and bulk of his dragon shift, lowering himself to the water of the Mistbanks as he’s spotted another rogue herd of vampire gourds rolling about on the banks.

They seem to peek and disappear with the constant fog, though Sunjata doesn’t mind. Hopefully his lightning can strike through it with ease.

The dragon ensures that she’s on the bank before he looks back to the edge of the jungle, misted and hidden in fog, before a rumbling growl leaves him at the sight of some amount of movement, as if to direct Maeve’s attention.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Maeve

It was still an adjustment seeing such a title before her name. The looks of respect and quiet murmurs thrown her way for something other than her looks. She's still adjusting, but she likes to think she's taking it in stride. They haven't spoken since that night and definitely not since Safrin decided to raise herself and Aurelia to these positions of power.

The letter is straightforward enough and Maeve arrives just as he asks her to, dressed for the Wilds and with her bow and quiver strapped to her back, wasting no time in climbing onto his back. It's the first time she's ever flown and to say she's a touch shaken would be a slight understatement. The Nightshade manages, though. Just as she always does. Her grip is sure and by the time they make it to the Mistbanks, she's relaxed significantly, finding it hard to care about anything when it's so far below her.

He brings them down onto the bank, allowing her to slip from his back, drawing her first arrow from her quiver and knocking it on her bow. Maeve glances around, squinting to make out the various gourd shapes in the fog, but his growl pulls her attention in the opposite direction. She draws her string back, the weapon taut with tension as she holds, waiting for another flash of movement before releasing the arrow. It disappears into the fog before the a satisfying thunk is heard a short distance away.

I'm undone about to burst at my seams
'Cause I am picturing you beside me
So let me be everything that you need

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

He stays in this shift, large head looming above the mist, above the woman beneath him where he’s directed her attention, watching with a silver gaze as the arrow plinks itself into a pumpkin in the distance. Another shift of movement catches the Flood’s eye, head swinging slightly to the left as lightning flickers along his maw, sharp teeth bared at the few of them that come bumbling through the undergrowth through the fog.

He lets his lightning loose, watching the electric blue spark and crackle through the air with a buzzing sensation as it threads through the pumpkins and the scent of roasted pumpkins lifts into the air, mixing with the mist as it remains thickly coating everything around them. There’s another pulse of movement, Sunjata gesturing toward it with the apex tip of a wing, sharp and gilded with the reflected light of the water as he points to it for her.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Maeve

The crackling electricity through the, the distinct metallic smell that came with it, made her hair stand up on her arms. She hadn't seen him fight this way. The Nightshade had only seen the large dragon shift a few times and none of them were during combat. He unleashes a bolt of lightning that arcs through the gourds, exploding them all on impact, sending guts sizzling across the ground as they rain back onto the shore. Maeve drew another arrow, readying herself for the next wave that was brave enough to come through the mist, clearly drawn by the commotion they're making.

She keeps close to his front, situating herself so she's almost pressed against his chest, knowing that should she miss a shot his superior reach would take them out before they could get close. It was the safest place for her to be. Maeve follows the movement of his wing, seeing the swirl in the patch of fog that gives away the position of the pumpkin, arrow flying through that patch and landing. There is a hiss and a wail as vines flail about, stirring up the fog further before movement stops once more and her eyes snap towards a series of shadows all varying in size. "Straight ahead."

I'm undone about to burst at my seams
'Cause I am picturing you beside me
So let me be everything that you need

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

The nostrils of this shift flare a fraction as the lightning hits and his head swings a fraction toward the new threat in the mist. It’s not quite enough to ward them off yet, though, another few pumpkins continue to traipse through the foliage, heading their way and he watches with the arrow she shoots zips through the fog and lands with a hiss and a wail. He can feel her at his chest, along the heavily armored plates there.

She offers her own help, however, and his attention shifts to the new set of threats, wings flaring a fraction as he calls the lightning again – crackling and fizzling along his teeth, alighting his throat in a blue glow as he aims it right at the pumpkins again and they melt away under the heat and accuracy of this shift and the net of lightning that’s been sent out to them.

It lowers in a rumbling sound as more seem to appear, coming near their side, blocked to Maeve by the bulk of his legs in this form – in fact, he only notices when he hisses and swings his head over, lifting the leg to reveal the pumpkin that’s attached itself to his leg with its teeth and vines.

Perhaps they are more like Fangorn than he originally thought.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Maeve

Each bolt of lightning he sends out causes a shiver to run along her spine, jaw to clench upon impact as if she was the one being struck, the energy of it coursing through her. Maeve keeps her eyes peeled for more to come, knowing that they always do, drawn to the noise as they are. Seeing none, but knowing better than to lower her guard she starts to reach for another arrow when Sunjata hisses, a rumbling growl in his chest.

Jade eyes snap towards the lifting leg, spotting the assailant that’s decided to attach itself foolishly to a rather large dragon, a snort leaving her at the sight of it. Maeve recalls what Noah told her about using her bow as a close combat weapon and with a flourish of a spin, she brandishes it as suck, hitting the gourd hard enough in the side that hurts her hands to brace the weapon in such a way.

The gourd releases Sunjata, vines flailing as it falls from far enough above the shore to bust apart upon impact with the stone covered ground, guts splattering every which way. A smaller one, about the size of a ball attempts to try its luck only to be met with the toe of her boot, punting it with force through the air.

I'm undone about to burst at my seams
'Cause I am picturing you beside me
So let me be everything that you need

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

She is quick to take care of the pumpkin Thats latched itself to him and Sunjata rumbles his appreciation, watching from the corner of his steel gaze as the pumpkin releases itself and another takes up its place. His leg comes down and as she kicks at the pumpkin and sends it soaring through the air, a crackling maw finds its way right there. It’s like nothing in comparison to the bigger gourds and the size of his mouth but he still catches it, chomps it down in a spray of pumpkin seeds and innards.

His attention is brought yet to another bound of bumbling gourds, this time a trio. One is tall and relatively thin, closer in shape to a zucchini rather than a pumpkin, but the rest of the trio come in varying shapes. They’re closer through the fog now and Sunjata’s nose lowers, baring his teeth at them for the next attack.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Maeve

It shouldn't be as funny as it is to watch Sunjata snatch a Vampire Gourd from the air like a dog catching a toy, chomping it between his jaws and sending guts everywhere, but it makes Maeve laugh anyway. "That's one way to do it." She huffs, grinning as she knocks another arrow, eyes scanning through the fog for more assailants. Now, she knew that they came in many shapes and sizes, but seeing one that's so tall and skinny has her brows arching. It's a first and it's even kind of cute, but it can't be allowed to continue on terrorizing innocent bystanders. Even if that only included her and Sunjata at this point.

Maeve draws back her bow, eyes narrowing at that ridiculously skinny not zucchini, but questionably gourd shaped being before lets it go. The arrow sings through the air, piercing through the gourd with such for that it pins it to the ground, vines flailing as it hisses in irritation. "Go on the, get the rest."

I'm undone about to burst at my seams
'Cause I am picturing you beside me
So let me be everything that you need

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

It certainly is one way to do it and he’s more than happy to keep it up should the gourds get too close. They don’t, though, and so Sunjata watches as the trio arrives off in the distance – unable to keep his wings from flaring and his teeth baring into a feral snarl at them (letting his predators shift a bit looser here than he has previously). And he watches as her arrow zips through the air, pinning the tall skinny one to the ground, which leaves Sunjata with a mouthful of crackling electricity to let his lightning loose once more.

And so he does, it snarls out of his maw with a crack and a boom as it soars both to and through the creatures there, Sunjata watching as they end up completely burnt to a crisp ash. He pulls his large head back and high with a snort of amusement and confidence, peering through the mist and the fog to see if anything else comes their way. It seems as though they’ve warded them off for now, though, which leaves the dragon lowering his head to peer at Maeve – wondering if they should walk back or fly back.

All he knows is it might be a bit difficult to take to the air in this space than it had been leaving Torchline. So perhaps a walk would be best.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Maeve

That same crackling energy sparks through his maw, bolting through the air and making her skin prickle, hitting both of the remaining guards. The blue light is so bright she has to turn away for a breath, looking back just in time to see them drop into a pile of ash. The smell of roasted pumpkin is one thing, but burnt pumpkin? It's enough to make her stomach turn and for a moment Maeve thinks she might be sick. Her hand comes up to cover her mouth and pinch her nose, eyes squeezing shut before the feeling passes, affording her the chance to take a deep breath.

She can feel the feral snarl rumble through her with the way she's practically tucked against his side. It rattles her bones and teeth, vibrating through her chest, and she's suddenly very glad that the dragon is on her side. Sunjata moves then to peer down at her, his horned head much larger than she realized and almost without thinking about it Maeve reaches forward and pats his nose. "I think that'll do, beastie. Let's head back."

They had a bit of a walk ahead of them.

~FIN <3~

I'm undone about to burst at my seams
'Cause I am picturing you beside me
So let me be everything that you need