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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 10:23:13 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
The night had been uncomfortable but not unbearable for Setcher, managing to get in a decent few hours of rest before he finally had to change positions and lie on his stomach tp spare himself a little suffering. The burns were still sore, but starting to heal, patches of shiny dark skin growing and starting to gain scales even after a day and a half. Once early morning came around, though, he could sleep no longer, and decided to see how well he could function with tender ribs and a damaged wing.
Not particularly well, it was decided, as he barely managed to stumble down the cliffside without falling. He dropped to the ground while it was still pleasantly dark, wings tucked in over his back as he carefully picked his way towards a small, shallow river that trickled through the forest.
It didn't sooth his wing much, but he filled his mouth and dribbled some of the icy liquid over his side and the burns ached a little less. He wasn't in the state of hunting, that was for sure, though the venison the boy had left had kept him from starving through the night. Once again, the boy, that strange human. He had pondered about him off and on, not really expecting to see him again but ever-so-slightly hoping to. He wanted to know what that small flicker of interest was, the sameness in their absolute fear of one another. It was getting lighter, and Setcher grumbled at the light shafting through the damp shield of trees dripping with rainfall. He snaked through the trees, finally leaving the shelter of the forest and quickly making his way towards the cliffside. Head down and ears back, he looked up at it warily, not positive if he would be able to climb it without making more damage. He swallowed, backing away a few steps and then lunging forward, digging his claws into the crags of stone and managing to carefully head back up to the dark cavern shelter, not aware that he was at the risk of being watched....
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 10:38:41 GMT -5
The sound of something brushing past through the shrubbery caught Thorgrim's attention and, instinctively, he leapt behind the rock, hiding, and drew his sword, his eyes narrowed. It could be a wild animal or, on if the odds were really against him, a wandering bandit. But it sounded too large to be a wolf, human or even a bear. That means it could only be one thing.
"...The dragon..." Once again, Thorgrim had to admit just how beautiful the dragon was - he had never really paid much attention to dragons before, but there was just something different about this one. What was it? It wasn't the fact that this was a new type of dragon that he hadn't seen before. No, it ran deeper than that. As he was staring, he glanced at his longsword, its blade polished. On its magnificent, steel surface, he saw a face staring back at him. He frowned. When he looked into his own eyes, he could see some stress and fear, but what scared him was the fact that he had seen the exact same things in the dragon's eyes when he had first met. Could their fear be mutual? If so, could they overcome it? Together? Thorgrim smiled, a surge of excitement running through his body. It was possible, but, then again, he hardly knew the dragon, and, once again, he would be taking a risk. But this was a risk he was willing to take.
He watched as the dragon ascended the rock cliff, and he let out a slight moan of frustration. Did that mean he would have to climb the cliff all over again to reach the dragon? He guessed so. After the fall he had yesterday, he was slightly nervous to try again, but he didn't want to have came here for nothing. And, even more, he wanted to see the dragon. He walked up to the rock shelf and, grunting slightly, planted his hands firmly onto the rocks and heaved upwards, gradually climbing.
Halfway up, one of his feet gave in beneath him, sliding off the rock. He let out a gasp of fright, looking down as the grains of rock fell down far below and clattered to the ground. His heart was racing and he forced himself not to look down. Breathing heavily, he continued climbing, his arm and foot aching. He was determined to reach the top, but, already, he could feel fatigue and exhaustion pluming into his body.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/color]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 10:51:40 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
Setcher's ears flcikered slightly, suddenly picking up a low spattering of noise... the same noise as the day before. Immediately he tensed, spines standing up straight in fear and unease. Anotehr dragon? There weren't many that wandered through here, simply because there wasn't a huge abundance of prey, and elsewhere had better nesting, other things like that. He growled sharply, hearing a low, frightened gasp, and suddenly he froze. Was it....? no, he wouldn't have come back, would he...?
Slowly, Setcher stalked forward towrads the edge of the cliff, wide eyes flickering around sharply and filled with unease at the other possible cause of the noise. Spines shivering, he nervously crept to the very edge and peered down, ears flat. He stiffened.
Clinging to the rock about fiteen feet down and looking as if he were about to fall, hung the same human that he had encountered the day priot. Setcher's emotions confused him -- a sort of wary anticipation, but at the same time... worry? It was a long fall,and humans had no scales to protect them, nor any other means of breaking such a fall. The rock crumpled slightly. It was only a matter of time. Setcher's eyes turned to narrow slits, and he tensed.
As quick as lightning, he gripped the edge of the cliff and leaned forward, latching his teeth onto the back of the boy's fur coat and pushing back with his hind feet, pulling him up and setting him down quickly, then retreating and watching the boy, spines tense and eyes glittering.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 12:09:29 GMT -5
As Thorgrim hung there, supported only by his firm hold on the rocks in front of him, he had his doubts that he'd make it. Not just make it to the top, but make it out alive. If he fell, chances were thar he'd either break too many bones to get up, or fracture his neck or skull, killing him instantly. But a fiery determination still burnt within him - a determination that the odds had little hold over. But, still, the predicament he was in was too daunting for him. And then he was helped by someone who he thought would never give him aid. Or, at least, that's what he had thought.
Thorgrim suddenly felt himself being picked up, and he nearly panicked, until he looked up and saw who it was. For a few seconds, he had to resist the urge to reach for his longsword, in case the dragon was trying to do anything less than be hospitable. But, before he knew it, Thorgrim was safely lying on the edge of the cliff, breathing heavily from what had just happened. Looking up, he saw the dragon inside the cave, looking at him intently. Thorgrim got up, shaking off some of the gravel and dust off him. He remembered he had a weapon and, just as yesterday, he undid his scabbard and tossed it aside, just to reassure he meant no harm.
[/size] "Hey there, big guy..." Slowly, he walked into the cave, being careful not to make any sudden movements that may startle the dragon. He reached for the medical supplies in his satchel which he had brought up with him - medical supplies he had brought to help heal the dragon's wounds. Lifting the supplies up so the dragon could see them clearly, he spoke.[/size] "Look...I want to help you, okay? I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going to need to touch you to help you..." [/blockquote][/blockquote][/center][/b][/color]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 12:19:55 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
Setcher watched the boy as he stood and repeated yesterday's ritual -- removing his sword, showing the dragon his intentions were pure. He flicked his ears forward.
"Hey there, big guy..."
The boy moved closer, reaching into some sort of pack across his shoulder and pulling out items that Setcher couldn't identify. Again, like yesterday... a gesture. A gesture of peace. His spines relaxed, though he continued to stare at the boy. He seemed harmless, harmless and good-natured and still nervous... but he was bold. Bold, and obviously educated on what generally happened to humans who A) crossed the line with wild dragons or B) fell off of high, sharp-edged cliffs onto solid spanses or rock and hard-packed dirt. And yet, here he was. And if Setcher wasn't mistaken, he was making a veritable attempt to help the dragon.
"Look...I want to help you, okay? I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going to need to touch you to help you..."
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't move, and remained silent for once -- the growl did not sound again, no hissing or glaring. Just a calm, wary watching as the boy moved a bit closer. He didn't quite trust him yet, but he felt no threat from the boy at this point in time. His mouth and nostrils flickered with electricity quietly, waiting for the next move.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 13:19:12 GMT -5
Silence reigned in the cavern as Thorgrim edged closer to the dragon. Even though they had, more or less, settled most of their differences under a veil of peace, he could still feel a slight sense of unease and tension between the two. This made him nervous. But, still, he trusted the dragon enough - and, for him knowing someone for little more than a day, that was quite something to say. Thorgrim, after a few seconds, was right in front of the dragon. He was sure the dragon could hear his heart beating in his chest, and he felt so nervous he was almost nauseous. Part of him still thought he was making a big mistake, but he wanted to do what was right, as always.
"Um...Please...Don't kill me."
He couldn't believe he was talking to a dragon, let alone pleading it not to kill him. Thorgrim thought he must be getting delirious from his nerves. But being so close to this great beast was something he had never experienced before. Opening up a small tin of herbal ointment, he smeared the cool ointment on the wounds, being terribly careful to not hurt the dragon or cause him any pain. His hands were trembling slightly, and, he was aware that, at any moment, if the dragon wanted, he could be killed. In an effort to calm himself, he spoke to the dragon.
"Thanks for saving me at the cliff. I know you probably don't...Probably don't understand what I'm saying, but I'm grateful."
It felt so strange; to be talking to a dragon. But, for some reason, Thorgrim felt as if his words were landing upon sympathetic ears which could interpret exactly what he was saying. It was as if he was talking to a true being. It was weird, but he knew it was true. After he had smeared the herbal ointment - which would kill off any infection, he stood up and took a few steps back and packed the supplies back in his satchel.[/size] "There...That's some of it done. That ointment will help you heal..." [/blockquote][/blockquote][/color]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 14:22:19 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
Setcher remained stock still as the boy spoke, moving to within an easy killing range should the dragon will it. But he didn't. He didn't growl, didn't hiss or glare -- simply watched the boy and moved his head to keep both eyes on him at all times. His ears were flattened, spines tensing every moment or so as he felt the boy's hand touch his wounds. That nearly caused an urproar in itself, and Setcher growled warningly, low in his throat.
After a few seconds' time, though, he realized that the strange salve that was being covered over his wounds was helping, not harming him. It was tense and mostly silent, except when the boy spoke. He was terrified. Terrified and rambling somewhat, and Setcher almost would have grinned had he been less nervous and in about a third the pain he was. The fact that the boy thought he couldn't understand him was almost... amusing.
Stepping away, Setcher watched as the boy knelt and began to replace the salve and the other suplies in the pack, nerves still off. " There...That's some of it done. That ointment will help you heal... " the human said. He had never understood human medicine, but whatever the boy had done was helping tremendously. The burns were cooled, and the gashes stung a little less fiercely, the herbs fighting away the pain. Setcher looked down at his side, then up at the boy. He flattened his ears again, standing slowly and tentatively, then folding his wings back with caution and letting out a low rumbling noise from his throat. Spines stiffening, he took a step towards the boy, head at eye level, then another. It wouldn't take much for him to jump the boy, and he doubted the human would be able to get down the cliff before then.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 14:46:27 GMT -5
While Thorgrim wasn't the best healer in Berk, or was he neither the most learned in that aspect, he did have a hands-on knowledge of basic healing techniques; a skill that most Vikings needed to learn as, inevitebly, they would have to come to use at one time or another. Still, he was satisfied with his healing work he had performed on the dragon; sooner or later, those wounds would heal. But what then? Would the dragon fly away, never to return? For some reason, Thorgrim felt depressed at that prospect. Would the dragon really leave?
However, Thorgrim was snapped out of his thoughts when the dragon stood up, an eerie rumbling noise emanating from his throat. The dragon edged closer, and Thorgrim took a few steps back, his eyes growing wide with fear. What was the dragon doing? Thorgrim looked behind him. If the dragon decided to attack, there was little he could do to save himself. His longsword was too far away, and jumping off the cliff would be sheer suicide. All he had to go on was the trust he had in this dragon, and so he stood still. Despite this, he could feel his veins pulsing and his forehead sweating.
Thorgrim was unsure of what to do. If the dragon attacked, he had to admit that he would be killed. But surely that was not what the dragon was thinking of, was it? No, that wouldn't make sense. But, still, Thorgrim had to keep in mind that this was a wild animal...wild, but there was something so different in this dragon. Something so humane. But now was not the time to meditate on such things; far more pressing matters were at hand.
[/size] "W-What are you doing?" [/blockquote][/blockquote]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 15:00:42 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
"W-What are you doing?"
Setcher could sense the boy's fear growing as he stepped towards him, spines bristling dangerously and ears swiveling beneath the gleaming grayish horns that swept back from his skull. He paused, eyes boring into the human's with a short moment of understanding, a kinship of fear they both had shared -- the human, of Setcher and what he could do, and Setcher the same with the boy. They both were still, frozen between a moment's gaze. Setcher let out another, more snarling growl, shoulders tensing and teeth flashing.
He suddenly darted forward with a snarl, nearly colliding with the boy but stopping short, his own forehead nearly an inch away from the human, hunched and towering over him by a good couple of feet. His eyes were slit-pupiled and stared straight into the boy's, green against gold-flecked turquoise, his mouth crackling with flickers of white-hot blue as he bared his teeth. It was static for a moment, Setcher blowing out a half-breath of cold air and watching.
After a moment, his spines relaxed suddenly, and he pulled back, inhaling and then falling back on his haunches slightly, eyes no longer slitted but calm. He stared at the human with curiousity, ears limp, mouth no longer crackling with electricity. Setcher blew out another breath through his nostrils, head tilted to the right a little. The growling had ceased, the only noise in the cavern the low, rough swish of his tail every once in a while.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 15:21:25 GMT -5
There was an unsettling tension being aroused as the dragon stepped ever closer. Eventually, the tension formed an aura of unease so thick one could probably cut through it with a knife. Thorgrim mentally cursed to himself - what had he gotten himself into now? But the Viking couldn't think of anything he could've just done to displease the dragon, or incur the dragon's wrath. So what could he have done? This didn't make any sense.
Then, suddenly, the dragon lunged with the precision and agility of a natural-born hunter. Within a span of a few nanoseconds, Thorgrim's mind automatically processed a rather obvious message: he was dead. Thorgrim's head darted back to his longsword - should he try to defend himself? No - but not only because he would probably end up getting killed anyway, but also because he didn't want to hurt the dragon in the process. And so, instinctively, he leapt to the side in a desperate attempt to avoid the vicious blow. But that blow never came.
Thorgrim hit the ground and rolled away and then stepped up to a crouch, breathing heavily with anxiety. It was only then he realized how big the dragon really was - he seemed so much bigger now, standing at his full height. It only added to Thorgrim's fear. The tension grew again as he saw what looked like sparkles of lightning building up in the dragon's mouth. This couldn't be good. He shouldn't have come here! What an idiot he was! Now he was going to die!
But his death never came, just like the blow he was expecting never came. All he received was the intent stare of the dragon. Seeing nothing bad was happening, Thorgrim bent down, still breathing heavily. He had no idea what had just happened. Had he upset the dragon? As far as he could understand, the dragon probably wanted him to do one thing...
"I'm sorry if I upset you...I get the message - you want me to leave. Okay, I'm going...Sorry." [/center][/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 15:36:10 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
"I'm sorry if I upset you...I get the message - you want me to leave. Okay, I'm going...Sorry."
Setcher cocked his head almost vertical at the boy. He was obviously more frightened than he had been a moment ago, probably having the mindset that Setcher was going to kill him if he stayed in the cavern. The dragon's tease had proven what it needed -- the human wouldn't hurt him even if he'd had his weapon with him. He stood a short distance away doubled over and breathing heavily, the waves of nerve rolling off of him from the scare Setch had given him.
Ears flickering, the dragon snapped his eyes skyward and then down, almost like the dragon equivalent of a human eye-rolling. He set down on his forefeet and stepped towards the boy again, snorting out another sharp puff of cold air and thrumming low in his throat. Less than two or three feet away now, he stared at the boy and once again rocked back on his hind, his own eyes meeting the human's inquisitively. His ears flickered forwards like that of a horse -- a large, scaly horse, that would be -- and he blinked. It was silent for a long moment, though Setcher's spines were still flat, the growling still gone. The dangerous tense of the cave faded as he tilted his head a fraction of an inch. The similarities were unusual -- the same fear, the same curiousity and unease -- between them, but Setcher didn't find it to be displeasing. His pupils relaxed, looking down at the boy calmly.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 15:53:29 GMT -5
Thorgrim raised an eyebrow at how the dragon had "rolled" his eyes. Thorgrim felt a flicker of amusement. It was so strange - before this encounter, Thorgrim had always assumed that dragons were little more than semi-intelligent beasts, but now...Now he realized how wrong he had been. There was far more to them, you just needed time to find out just what it was. But Thorgrim still had to admit that he knew almost next to nothing about dragons. But, somehow, he figured that would change soon. The dragon began stepping towards Thorgrim again, and the boy instinctively rose to his feet, almost as if ready to dodge another attack. But, for some reason, Thorgrim figured that was not the dragon's intention. This time.
Instead, the dragon simply stared at him, while rocking on his hind legs. Thorgrim couldn't understand what this meant. What was the dragon trying to say? Once again, Thorgrim was shocked as to how "human" some of the dragon's actions really were. Nothing happened. The dragon continued staring at him, but, while this did make Thorgrim slightly uneasy, he felt most of the tension that had accumulated just seconds before was relieved. A peaceful calm had settled in the cave.
"You're strange, you know that?" [/size] he said, almost amused. He then looked outside the cave, "but, then again, so am I."[/center][/size][/color] It was true. He had always been different - most Vikings were hardhearted and one-minded. Thorgrim was the exact opposite. For some reason, emotional logic had crawled its way into most of his actions, and it was for that reason that some may have considered him unusual. But, then again, everyone is special in his or own way. Or at least that's what Thorgrim thought. Turning back to the dragon, something popped into his mind."Do you have a name?" Thorgrim, once again, couldn't believe he was talking to a dragon. It felt so...awkward. He didn't know whether it was just his nerves, or whether he really meant the question, but he guessed it was probably a combination of both.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/color]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 16:05:51 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
The boy had called him strange? Setcher snorted lightly at the comment -- he hadn't been the one to climb up a forty-foot cliff and get himself nearly killed. He understood the reason for the thought, though -- by now, most dragons would have either taken off into the day and disappeared for good, or stay huddled away until the human left. But not Setcher -- the boy interested him, there was something picking at the back of his mind that told him to stay. He didn't know what it was, but his intuition usually made decent decisions.
"Do you have a name?"
Setcher paused, looking back at the boy and blinking with wide eyes. A name... of course, he had one, but how to communicate that to someone he didn't share the ability to speak with? he paused, ears flat and looking skyward in thought. He snorted slightly, leaning forward on one paw and wriggling his claws. Gingerly, he reached out and tapped the floor, then scratched a long line in the stone, leaving a thin back mark. It took him a moment to remember -- he hadn't seen human runes in a long, long while -- but eventually he managed to scrape out a ragged string of characters in front of him. they would be upside-down to the oy, but it was the only way he knew how to communicate his reply.
...Fight water with electricity
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Post by Ӊ ӑ z ҿ on Apr 17, 2010 16:18:01 GMT -5
Thorgrim didn't expect any form of a response from the dragon. In fact, he considered his question to have been rhetorical. After all, how would a dragon reply? Especially to a question such as that. And so the boy simply started out the cave, his gaze settling on the distant horizon. He wondered what everyone else at the village was busy doing right now, and if anyone was expecting him back there. He doubted it, though - he had been sure to have finished any and all chores and tasks before he had slipped away to come here. He smiled. To think he'd do all of this just to visit a dragon who enjoyed faking vicious attacks. He held back a laugh.
He then heard a thin, wispy scratching sound, and he looked behind him. Thorgrim's eyes grew wide with awe at what the dragon was doing.
"What the...Are you writing?" He recognized some of the runes, albeit most of them were done in less than legible handwriting. Had the dragon really understood what he was saying? Were dragons really that intelligent? Thorgrim was dumbfounded, not to mention speechless. Okay, so he had been very wrong before. But, to be quite frank, if dragons were really this intelligent, howcome they had not won the human-dragon war years ago?
Thorgrim stood up and examined the handwriting, still too much in awe to speak. After a few seconds of close study, he attempted to pronounce the name."Sotchor? Oh, no, wait...that's an E, not an O...Setchor? Oh, the second one as well..." He paused, and looked up at the dragon, his gaze one that held intense curiosity. He could not believe that dragons had true names, either, but here he was - learning things he had thought impossible."Setcher?" [/blockquote][/blockquote]
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Post by steampunkepsilon on Apr 17, 2010 16:27:35 GMT -5
SETCHER
Fight fire with fire...
It amused the dragon quite obviously as the boy attempted to read his chicken-scratched rune, fumbling over the name until it finally came out correctly. It took him a moment to get past his E's and O's, but the boy spoke it correctly. " Setcher? " he said tentatively, not quite sure of his answer.
Setcher gave a brisk nod and a low thrumming, a positive answer. The boy had seemed shocked that he could write, that he could even understand what Setcher said, but the dragon wasn't offended. Some dragons were of human intelligence, others of animal level, and some simply acted that way and were quite a bit smarter than earlier thought. It wasn't human err that some dragons were actors of the age. He looked back down and reached out again, drawing a straight line and a crooked one above it, towards the boy. An arrow -- a scraggly-looking one, but an arrow. He looked towards the boy expectantly, head tipped to the side. He had given his name -- it was the boy's turn now. He waited patiently in silence.
...Fight water with electricity
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