The True Test

[Max452]

Ian nodded with approval. It looked like he had actually won this argument. Pleased with himself, he placed his spare cloak onto the heated rocks, letting it get warm enough before he placed it on Eos's sore spot. He muttered a little out of pain; the cloak was hot! but either than that, he was silent as he took his watch. The young man was half tempted to do it all night, but four hours in, he got incredibly tired. Not wanting to risk it, he gently woke his sister to take the next shift while he went to rest himself next to her.

***
Seth nodded, agreeing with Glory. "Let's get going then." He found his way to Hyperion and hopped into the saddle. He felt Hyperion tense from pain. Are you okay? Seth asked his bond with concern.
Just bruised, I think. Nothing to worry about. I'll be fine. Hyperion assured before replying to Sundavar. Yes, I think a cave would be ideal, but whatever we can find to create a protective camp around our bonds. We'll have to endure our pains for now, until we can rest properly. Hyp told Sundavar. I'll take one of the creatures; there's no need to leave food lying about. We can store it properly tonight and make it into a proper meal for our younglings tomorrow. Hyperion advised. He wasn't too hungry himself, as he made sure he had a good meal before starting the examination. He gripped one of the bears in his talons; it was quite heavy for a dragon his size, but not too bad that it was impossible. Let's go. Hyp announced to all present before taking flight and looking about to find a suitable shelter.

***
Tatiana growled out when Thane stopped her with his false promise. She twirled around, hair whisking behind her. She glared at Thane and Tylon as they both finished speaking. Her observant eyes caught sight of Tylon's wincing, but went to address her first annoyance. "As if you two know the meaning of REFRAIN and NEVER!" She groaned out in frustration, waving her hands up in the air like their mother sometimes did when speaking to their Father in irritation. "The day you two act like normal human beings, is the day I become a goat!" She seethed out. She jabbed a finger into Thane's chest, glaring at him all the while. "You! You're suppose to be an example, and now look!" She then took said finger and jabbed Tylon in the chest. "Now Tylon's wounded! You think I don't notice! Mother is going to kill you! And then me for not watching you! AGHHH! I can't stand you two sometimes!!!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "I should have just pinned you down with my arrows the moment Torreck and Trinity landed!!!!" She shouted in a aggravation before swirling around and proceeding toward their parents. "HURRY UP! Mother would want to heal you!" She declared, showing that she was actually concerned, but masking it with her anger.

[Trinn]

Eva woke up startled. She felt disoriented at first, until her sleep befuddled mind cleared. Her eyes focused on Ian, and she new it was her turn to guard against the night. "Get some sleep, brother." she said, giving him a smile. She shivered a bit when she threw the warmth of her bedroll off. Sheathing Skolir, she rolled her sleeping gear back up, then went to sit on top of Eos's sleeping bulk. She had decided to let Eos sleep through the night. Her bond would be doing most of the traveling, and she wanted Eos to be as rested as possible. Especially if they encountered any more fanghurs.

The night passed rather slowly, and Eva had some trouble staying awake. At one point she did doze off, but a sound in the night woke her. She found a pair of glowing eyes off in the night. They watched for a moment, and Eva stared back, her heart thudding wildly at the possible danger. But the eyes finally blinked and moved on. Her tiredness had not come back. Now the sun was winking up at her from the horizon. She waited an hour more, for the land to become fairly light, before sliding off Eos's back and waking her and Ian up. Eos cracked an eye open, then lifted her head and yawned mightily. She stood and shook herself, raising her wings and stretching them to their full span. Eva watched her, feeling proud to be bonded to such a beautiful dragon. The morning sunlight seemed to get caught in Eos's pale yellow scales, making them seem brighter and more vibrant. I am ready. I feel much better, too. Thank you, Ian She said, blinking down at Eva, then at Ian.

"Good, now, if Ian is ready..." she glanced at her brother.
***

Jason followed after Tezza. He didn't know what else to say, but he knew that Tezza was more than upset with him. He probably didn't want to know what she was thinking, but then again he did. He tried to think from her point of view, but was too angry to see much sense that way. They continued their silent angry walk until night had fallen completely. Logic returned, and Jason grabbed Tezza's arm to stop her. "We should stop for the night, Tezzie." he said, and gave her an apologetic smile. He found a group of boulders in the valley and made camp there. When at last he laid down to sleep, he found himself hoping that Tezza wouldn't sneak away during the night.
***

At the first light of the sun, Maude awoke. She was used to going to sleep when the sun set and rising when it did the same. Living out in the wilderness, people became more in tune with nature's time. The boar, she found, was already awake. It still lay beside her, but it had it's head turned down, nibbling on the grass. "Good morning, animal friend." She said, remembering to speak in the ancient language. The boar looked up at her and blinked a large, chocolate colored eye at her. "Let's be on our way then, yes?" she said, and the boar stood agreeably to its feet. Maude grabbed a fistful of fur and swung herself up again onto it's wide back. Without having to say anything, the boar took off at a gentle trot, heading northwest to the forest.
***

Thane watched Tylon from the corner of his eye. His brother really had hurt himself. He felt a pang of worry, and felt in sympathy with Tatiana's yelling. He even felt a bit ashamed after her accusal of being an example. "We can't go to mother!" he said then, grabbing Tati's arm to stop her from stomping off towards their mom. "Tylon must learn to deal with wounds and pain without magic! Besides, he's a man. He can deal with it! Can't you, Tylon?" he said, looking hopefully down at his brother.

[Tismri]

Sundavar took flight and waited for Hyperion to heave up the dead bear. She considered for a moment taking another one, but a single one would likely feed their Riders for two weeks, and she wasn't sure she had the energy to lug one around very long.
As they flew in the direction of the mountains, she lifted her head in the air and sniffed. It was beginning to become damp, and the wind picked up a bit this high in the sky.
We had better hurry, she commented to Hyperion. A storm is on its way, I think.
~~~~~
Teza Mae had to fight the urge to shrug off Jason's arm and continue walking. She had still not gotten over her frustration with him, but he did have a point. She didn't want to keep walking during pitch-black midnight. Grudgingly, she followed him to a group of rocks that would provide protection from creatures. She unpacked a bedroll and lay down on it, not saying a word to her brother. She stared glaringly at a boulder for about an hour before she managed to relax enough to fall asleep.
***
Hours later, the princess awoke to a loud crack of thunder, and found herself thoroughly drenched in rain. She growled in annoyance. Surely Jason could have found a better spot than this. Cold and wet, she sat up and shook herself. She glared up the mountainsides, wishing they could have found a cave of some sort, or at least a forest clearing. Something that would have kept them at least a little bit drier.
Teza Mae's eyes widened as a thought suddenly occurred to her. She climbed up over a boulder and surveyed the surrounding area. They were at almost the lowest point of the entire valley, and the rain was coming down in buckets.
"Jace! JACE WAKE UP!!!" she screamed. "THIS WHOLE VALLEY IS ABOUT TO BE FLOODED!!!"
~~~~~
Tylon grabbed Tatiana's arm when she threatened to go to their mother.
"I'm fine, Tati, really!" he insisted, even through the burning pain in his side. "Please don't say anything to Mother about it!" He glanced at Thane, who was on his side on this argument. "A little pain won't kill me, especially since it was my own fault. I need to learn to live with my mistakes." He wanted to prove he could be tough and continue on despite injury. In a few months, with or without his family's permission, he planned to join the Ismalian army. He knew there was a war coming--he had heard the Queen Mother and the Alagaesian Rider talking about it. He wanted to help lead the fight in defending his entire country. How could he do that if he sat whimpering at a small, nonfatal injury?

[Max452]

Unaware of what had occured in the night, Ian arose soundlessly after hearing Eos move. He opened his eyes, listening for threats as he laid in his bedroll. After deducing all was well (mostly because he heard Eos moving about with ease), Ian got up and began to pack away his things as his sister and bond moved about. He heard Eos gratitude. "You're welcome Eos! It was the least I could do for you saving us." He went up and removed the cloak. It was a bit wet from the dwindling of the heat, but it was still all right. He gingerly folded it back up and placed it in his back. He went back to rolling up his bed. "I'm ready when you guys are." He replied, eager to be off. He glanced at the rising sun. This day, they would have to separate. "What's the point of the scrolls?" Ian finally asked. "I mean, why do we need them to enter the ruins?" He thought back idly to Master Roland's speech, musing on his words as he finished packing.

***
Hyperion flew onward toward their destination, lugging the dead beast in his claws. It was a heavy thing, and one he hoped to get rid of soon. He could feel Seth's thoughts as they flew. The young man was worried about Glory and Sundavar. He didn't want to separate from them. His mind also went back to Ebirithl Roland's words. There was something odd about them...and Seth felt like the Master Elf had mentioned something very important. He recalled many lessons with all his teachers, all usually emphasizing the importance of being one with their bonds and being righteous Riders. His thoughts staggered over to one of Ebirithl's known speeches.

You must learn that you cannot ever do things alone, my dear students. Not only must you be one with your bond, but you must do your best to unite yourself with the best allies. It is a painful road to do things alone, it is a more cheerful and life-changing road when done with friends. A rider must learn that his duty is to unite the people. A hard task indeed, but the burden is not meant to be carried alone...remember that students. Remember that you are never alone.

Seth mulled over that particular memory, before hearing Hyperion's words. Sundavar says a storm is on the way. We need to find shelter. I think I see a cave down below. He told his companions. Sundavar, let's check it out, or I think we'll get soaked. Hyperion angled himself downward toward the cave he had spotted. He hoped it wasn't anyones home.

***
Tatiana groaned. Where her brothers stupid!? Of all the Holy Emeralds...
"I don't care if he's a man. He's hurt!" Tati growled at Thane. "And you should know better than to make him endure such!" She then turned her glaring eyes at her brother. "Good! Learn it! Because its going to hurt much worse when mother tries her spell! You remember well when she did it on Father when he hurt his leg!?" She reminded them all.

It was a simple hunting vacation they had taken a few years ago. They were enjoying their vacation when the family was attacked by a pack of wolves. Their dragons were out hunting and so their parents were left to defend them. It was amazing to see their parents fight and fend off the wolves, but their father had been wounded in the leg. Tatiana had seen her mother angry before, but the scolding Father received that day was scary, she seemed to be sobbing and wacking her father while she healed him, but all the while, her father held a calm and loving face, despite his yells of pain when he was being healed. To Tati, it looked like he was in more pain than when he was bit. She had continued to watch her parents interact. Her Father seemed to have whispered something to Mother after his screaming died down and that got her to relax a bit. Needless to say, her parents were strange. They would be screaming at one another one moment, but then making googling eyes the next. She hoped she never fell in love; it just seemed to weird.

"Let's go! I don't care for any more of your excuses! Move it!" She darted a finger toward their Mother. "That'll teach you all to learn from your mistakes!" She seethed, but her eyes still darted to Tylon. She really did hope he would be fine.

[Tismri]

OOC: Hahaha! The way Tati describe her parents kinda reminds me of Seth and Lucia!

Sundavar spotted the cave Hyperion had mentioned and began to wheel around above it. She went cautiously, knowing they could be in the territory of wild dragons by now. But when they got closer, she saw that the entrance was rather small. It would be a tight squeeze to get either her or Hyperion inside, and it would be crowded within if they both tried.
At the very least Glory and Seth can rest in here, she said. I won't mind the storm so long as I don't have to attempt to fly in it. She settled on the ground and took a good look inside while Glory slid off and landed on the ground.
"Are you sure, Sundavar?" she asked. "What if it hails?"
My scales are strong enough to protect me from such things, the dragon assured her. The cave seems unused...there are remains of an old nest in here, but its inhabitants have moved on a while ago.
~~~~~
Tylon's eyes widened as he mentioned what had happened when their mother tried to use healing spells. He stopped dead in his tracks, digging in his heels a bit and tried to keep Tatiana from going to her.
"No, Tati! Don't do that to me! Please! I'll be fine!" He turned to Thane with a desperate expression on his face. "HIDE ME!!!!" he yelled.

[Trinn]

Eva hopped up to Eos's saddle, strapping her legs in securely. As she waited for Ian to mount, she pondered his question. Master Roland said they needed to retrieve the scrolls in order to enter the ruins in the center of the boundary. "Perhaps they hold a key word or something. Or perhaps they are simply more directions. Who knows. But we will find them and pass this test!" Eos roared in agreement, the sound reverberating on the trees of their little camp. The call seemed almost challenging, and Eva silently hoped that it wouldn't draw more monsters towards them. Snapping her jaws shut, Eos launched herself up into the air. Her wings unfurled and caught the wind, snapping taught. She shot like an arrow into the sky, and Eva hunched low to avoid the ripping gusts of wind. Eos angled herself northwesterly again, where the forest was already visible on the horizon.
~~

The flight took them the rest of the afternoon. At one point Eos had spotted a large creature dead on the ground. They were too high up to see clearly what it was, but Eva could have sworn it was a giant boar. She thought about stopping to collect its meat, but decided against it. She still had enough dried meat and bread from her pack for another day. And Eos had went hunting just before the exam. So they continued on. Eos was now landed just at the edge of the forest, shuffling her wings restlessly. She wanted to continue in her and Eva's journey quickly. Eva did too, but she was concerned about her brother setting off into the forest by himself. "here, take some of this meat." She said, handing him a few strips of jerky. She had nothing else to give him though, and she felt nervous. "be safe Ian." normally she always new if he was safe or not because of the silver and purple ring she always wore. But because the test had forbidden magic, her ring, and Ian's, were not allowed into the boundary. Biting her lip, she hugged Ian quickly. "I'll see you on the other side, brother." She gave him one last glance, then mounted Eos. The yellow dragon crooned a goodbye to Ian, then returned again to the sky.
***

Maude looked up at the sky just in time. Off in the distance, she caught a flash of yellow scales. Her heart skipped a best. A dragon! She pulled on the boars fur and asked it to stop. The boar trotted on a few steps before halting. The dragon flew quickly, and soon it would catch sight of them. Thinking quickly, she gave the boar specific directions. She dismounted, and the boar lay down carefully, folding it's front legs first and then plopping the rest of its body down. It then rolled to its side and lay very stiff. Maude rushed around to it's stomach and pressed herself into the thick fur there, hiding. They waited there for an hour to let the dragon pass. When it was directly above them, Maude felt her heart pick up speed. Would the dragon decide to stop for a snack? She began to breathe easier when the dragon flew on, seemingly uninterested. For a moment she thought she recognized the dragon. But it could just as easily been wild. Better to have played dead then risk a hungry wild dragon. Getting painfully to her feet, Maude stretched her stiff muscles. She then went about rubbing the leg joints of the boar, so that it could stand back up and not experience incredible pain from lying still for so long, and in such a posture. After another half hour they were ready to continue on.
***

Jason woke up instantly to Tezza's shouts. The rain struck his face uncomfortably, chasing sleep away for good. He stood and looked around, realizing what Tezza was saying. Lightning crackled around them. "Come on! We have to run for it!" he had enough sense of mind to grab his and Tezza's pack before grabbing his sister's arm and pushing her on ahead of him. They didn't run for long before puddles began to form around their feet. How much time did they have!?
***

"Tati! You would expose your little brother to such suffering!" Thane said, astonished. He remembered the scene Tati referred to quite clearly. Their mother had meant only good will towards their father, but the pain he had went through... "I think a cast and bandage around the old rib cage will do just the trick, Tati. Come on Tylon, let's go find a real doctor!" he grabbed his brothers shoulder and turned him away from Tatiana. "join us if you wish, Tati, or be a party pooper and tell mom!" he said over his shoulder. He would prefer it if she came with them. Though he enjoyed annoying her, he also had to protect her. Who knew what kind of dangers lay around this Bromsland.

[Max452]

It was no surprise that Ian remained quiet for the rest of their journey on dragonback. His mind was preoccupied on the necessity of the scrolls and how he would be able to keep Eva safe when they would be separated. His silent thoughts occupied him the rest of the afternoon, while his emotions dreaded the time when they would have to separate. Finally, it was time.

Ian hopped off of Eos with practiced ease and accepted the hug from his sister. "Thanks, Eva." He muttered as he took the food. There was no point in arguing with her; she would yell at him if he didn't take it. Plus, she had Eos to hunt for her. "Be safe too, you two." He gazed up at Eos and then back at his sister. "Remember, find the water and stay close to it and if you run against anything bigger than you, Eos, you best fly swiftly the other way." He hastily reminded them, a worried look in his face. He wathced as they mounted and began their climb back into the sky. "You both better be in one piece when I see you next!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, wondering if they even heard him as the wind took them the other way.

Now alone, Ian shuffled the pack on his back more securely. Taking out his map, he was pleased to discover that he knew where he was. Sighing, he headed toward the Forest, watching ever so intently on his surroundings should something dangerous attack. In the back of his mind, he hoped that he could keep good time; he only had his two feet to carry him now.

***
Hyperion followed Sundavar with ease, landing beside her as the chilled air reached them. The blue dragon felt his rider shiver. "I can smell the temperature dropping fast; it must be a big storm that's coming." Seth mentioned as he counted the spikes on Hyp's back before hopping off at the appropriate spike, using Hyp's foreleg as a helpful stool. He twisted his head about, trying to get his bearings. It was a lot harder when a storm was about; the wind threw all the scents in various directions, handicapping the blind boy more than usual.

We'll be fine. Its just a little rain. Hyp assured as he nudged Seth toward the cave. Glory, can you help Seth, please? He looks disoriented. Hyp commented only to Glory as his own Rider unhooked his pack and bedroll from the saddle. ONce Seth retrieved his belongings, he took a hesitant step toward the cave, feeling the ground incline toward a smoother level, which usually meant something had made it that way. But after a moment, Seth hesitated. The wind had worsen, causing him to become nervous and anxious in trusting his own senses. Hyp? Which way? Seth asked cautiously, not liking that he couldn't trust himself.

***
Tatiana wanted to scream again at Thane. Not a real surprise. Did he just insinuate that she would purposely place her brother in harms way!? Okay, perhaps it was a bit true, but at least their Mother was the one doing it...maybe that wasn't such an appealing idea, but still, better trust her than some random docter. She seethed at both brothers as they walked off, debating whether or not to tell her Mother or to go and make sure her brothers wouldn't do something stupid. She growled to herself. Maybe it was better to make sure they didn't blow up the place. "All right, all right! I'm coming! But if we're going to find someone, I rather it be one of those Riders with the enormous dragons!" Tati declared, running after them before stepping in stride with her brothers. "Best come along in case you two decide to do something stupid..." She muttered to them, crossing her arms in a defiant huff.

[Tismri]

Teza Mae fled through the valley with Jason, running as fast as she could to reach the mountainside. After moments, they were splashing through puddles, and by the time they found some higher ground, it was over ankle-deep and rising quickly. She didn't slow down when they reached a sharp incline, although the ground was slippery and wet. She grabbed a tree branch to steady herself and glanced back at Jason just in time to see the water rising, nearly catching up to him. She could see no way he could get up high enough before he was swept away.
In a moment, all her hopes and aspirations swept across her mind. Her vow to be the greatest Queen Mother Ismalia had ever known, her longing to be chosen by a dragon, her daydreams of getting married one day. At every one of those moments, she'd always imagined Jason right by her side. Although his constant presence had always annoyed her, it also comforted her. It would all be meaningless without her twin.
She grabbed her brother's tunic by a fistful and, with a surge of strength she never knew she had, threw him up to a higher level, screaming "GET UP THERE!!!"
The moment she let go of him, she felt the torrential flood climb up her legs, icy cold, flowing at a speed that tore her grasp from the tree. She stared after Jason until he was out of sight, her arms reaching out for him. She tried to swim, but the current was too strong. She tried to scream, but only ended up with a mouthful of dirty water. She got pulled under the water, and what crossed her mind before she passed out was, I don't want to die yet...I need to tell him I love him.
~~~~~
Glory moved their supplies into the cave, the wind starting to pick up and blow her hair about in all directions. She turned when Hyperion spoke to her and was in a second by Seth's side with her arms around him.
"This way," she told him gently, trying to keep him calm. She could tell he was disoriented and didn't want him to start panicking or anything. "Just hold on to me, I set our stuff up right here. There we go." She helped him settle on the floor and then turned to look outside. The first few drops of rain had just started to fall, and she knew it was going to get much harder in a few seconds.
Are you sure you two will be all right? she asked them. Sundavar poked her head into the cave and nudged her gently.
I promise, Glory, she told her. She withdrew and turned to her kin. We should probably try to settle and get some sleep, she told Hyperion. I have a feeling that we are going to have a very long day tomorrow.
~~~~~
Tylon was more than glad when Thane began to help lead him away from their mother. He wasn't sure he would be able to stand the pain his mother's healing spell would cause. He could remember Father's screams and groans the whole while, and he couldn't imagine what that was like.
He made a face when Tati decided to tag along with them. He'd been hoping to get some time along with his brother. He still couldn't get out of his mind what he'd heard the Queen Mother and the Alagaesian Rider talking about some time before they'd suddenly decided to sent Teza Mae and Jason to Bromsland. He'd not told his brother yet, and he really didn't want his sister to know about it. But...she was bound to discover it anyway.
"Thane..." he said between winces of pain from his ribs, "Do you think our army has enough men?"

[Trinn]

A flash of fear swept over Jason. He wouldn't be able to reach a safe spot before the flood reached him. And then, suddenly, he was pulled up to safety by Tezza, nearly thrown, actually. He landed up higher on the slant of a cliff. He managed to get a handhold in the cliff wall, and he looked back to make sure Tezza was right behind him. What he saw made him shout out in fear. She was being carried away by the raging waters. "Tezza!" he shouted when she disappeared under the currents. His only thought was to save her. Pushing off from the cliff wall, Jason dove into the torrid waters. His head bobbed back up, and he gasped for air once more before returning to the depths. The water underneath was murky and bubbly. He couldn't see very far in front of him. But there was something up ahead... He pushed himself faster, arms sweeping water. At last he reached Tezza. He grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and dragged them both back to the surface. The air burned his throat but he gasped it anyways. He looked at Tezza, who was unconscious. His mind flooded with its own fears. Adrenaline served him readily now, giving him extra strength to push against the currents of the flood. He spotted a plateau not far off, illuminated by a flash of water. Determined, he struggled over to the plateau. It was a battle, his swim. At times he would gain ground, at others, the water seemed intent on pushing him back out. At last, he reached the safety of the rock. He pushed Tezza up first and pulled himself right up after her. He grabbed her under the arms and pulled her towards the center of the small plateau. "Tezza!" He shouted, slapping her cheeks, trying to get a response. He knew what he had to do now. Placing one hand atop the other, he pressed his palm against her chest rhythmically, trying to force the water out of her lungs. "Come on, Tezza!" He shouted, fearing the worst.
***
Eva looked down at the dwindling figure of her brother. It looked like he was shouting something, but she couldn't hear. She raised a hand in a final wave before Eos pulled away and to the east. To the ice lands. she said to Eos, and felt a shiver at the thought of such cold. She didn't look forward to the chill of the icelands, nor the threats that waited there. They still had half a day of travel. Eva estimated that they would need the whole next day still to reach the icelands. That would give her time to prepare something warm for herself.
***

Night had fallen again when Maude reached the edge of the forest. She felt comfortable at the sight of the trees. They reminded her of the spine. Pulling the boar to a stop, she pulled out her scroll and studied it one more time. The other piece of parchment was somewhere within the dark woods. She dared not risk navigating those depths in the night. It was time to camp again for the night. As they did before, she and the boar cuddled together for sleep, this time huddling near the base of a thick oak tree. Maude had pulled some large ferns up around them to disguise their sleeping bodies. The morning would bring more challenges, she was sure. And she looked forward to it.
***

"Hmm, what's that?" Thane said, looking down at his brother. Why was he thinking about the army? "I believe that it does." He said, tapping his chin. "Of course, I'm sure they're always looking for new soldiers to thicken the ranks. The Queen Mother has kept the army in pretty good shape. Probably can't help it since she was in that Empire war. Never know when the ranks will need to march out again, I suppose." he said, not realizing how close to the truth he was. "Why do you ask?" He looked over at Tatiana, smiled, and looked back at Tylon. He was glad that Tati had come along, even though she looked quite sullen about it. Perhaps he should let her be for the rest of the day. He didn't want her to be completely depressed.

[Max452]

OOC: Oh no! Rom is having a heart attack right now!

Seth felt immediate gratitude when Glory wrapped her arms around his waist and lead him inside the cave. "Thanks Glory. I guess I still need some practice seeing in a storm." He chuckled nervously as he seemed to find better bearings in the cave. He could smell the old nest that was abandoned here. It smelled like dry straw and wood, along with some foresty flakes of pollen. He sat himself down per Glory's instructions and gently laid out his bedroll. He glanced toward the direction of the wind.
You okay, Hyperion? Seth asked his dragon.
I'm okay. Don't worry. Just rest. We'll guard you and keep an eye out for anything fishy. Hyperion replied as he nestled himself against the cave, his head near the opening so he could peer inside and also out toward their surroundings. Are you okay, Sundavar? Hyp asked as the rain begun to beat down harder than before. He didn't mind it, as his belly was keeping him warm, but that didn't mean that it wasn't uncomfortable.

Seth rolled himself onto the bedroll and soon found himself exhausted from the day. "I hope everyone else is okay." Seth whispered to Glory. "Its only been the first day, but it seems like forever since we've started." He turned toward the sound of Glory's breathing. "Glory...I'm worried about when we'll have to separate. It just doesn't feel right to do so. I can't explain it, but I feel like this test is something more...I keep replaying all our lessons, and yet, I feel like there's something bigger that we need to learn here..." Seth confided his thoughts to Glory, wondering if she understood what he meant. Sometimes Hyp never did, and he was privy to his thoughts.

***
OOC: I like how the days seem to just rush pass...Ian, Eva, and Maude are like a day ahead of everyone else. lol. Let's get to the ruins already!!! lol

Ian found himself sweaty, bloody, and tired when night fell. He had traveled for hours across the edge of the Mountains and toward the Forest. He was lucky that he only encountered a few beasts on the way. One, a large carnivorous bird, attacked and wounded Ian's right shoulder, hence the blood. The young Einarson had found some plants that held soothing juices and had applied it to his wound. He had wrapped his shoulder up with bandages that he had found in his supply pack, and was inwardly grateful that that crazed bird's talon had missed his tattoo. Test or no test, Ian would have used magic right then and there to fix it!

Despite his wound, Ian managed to move forward and soon found himself near a large oak tree. Unaware of Maude or the boar, Ian continued by, trying to be as quiet as possible as not to attract any more hungry beasts. Gazing around, Ian was thankful for his father's bloodline; it helped his eyes to see sharper at night than normal humans did. Determined to gain more ground in his journey, Ian pressed forward into the night but was immediatly stopped when two glowing eyes peered at him. Ian froze. His left hand steadily going for his blade. He could hear the creature purring as it stared at him. He was surprised that it hadn't remained hidden to attack him, but probably thought he was an easy kill. Ian unsheathed his sword. "Come, if you dare." Ian stared straight back at the glowing eyes, his heart hammering with adrenaline and a twinge of fear. As if it now had permission, the jaguar jumped out from its perched position in the foliage with a roar. Ian grunted and instinctively managed to dodge the cat's claws as he dove to his right, slicing the cat's side slightly with his weapon. Ian whimpered a bit from his previous wound as he dove away. He got up quickly and faced the jaguar who seemed to be circling in for the kill with more caution. It growled at him, as if annoyed that it managed to get a flesh wound. "Come on!" Ian yelled at it. The cat lunged again and Ian dodged more precisely this time. He moved to his left this time, and plunged his sword into the cat's front paw, blade imbedding it to the ground. The jaguar yowled in pain and began to hurry to try and free itself, but not before giving Ian a good swipe with its free paw. Ian rolled away, but felt the claw strike at his side. The young boy hissed as he found himself backed into a tree as the large cat flicked his large paw upward, sending Ian's sword flying with a twang.

The jaguar was now angered and further determined to kill Ian as it ignored its wounded paw and lunge once more at the young warrior. Ignoring his own pain, Ian stripped his other sword out and jabbed it forward. The jaguar yowled once more in pain, its voice dying out as Ian's blade pierced through the beast's jugular. After the cry of pain ended, Ian was vaguely aware of his heavy breathing in the silent air. The adrenaline of the fight was slowly dying away as the boy shuffled out of the cat's weight and toward his thrown sword. Finding it, Ian felt strangly exhausted. He sheathed one of his swords, but held onto one in case something else unexpected happened. A daze look was on his face as he looked around. He groaned in pain as he moved, feeling the wound on his side. Glancing down, he noted it wasn't too deep. He needed to get it clean, but he was so tired. His adrenline must have all gone out. Don't pass out. Don't pass out. He told himself, but felt his body ignore his brain as he collasped near the dead jaguar.

***
Tatiana listened quietly to her brothers' conversation, still pretending to be annoyed and angered. With her arms folded she followed them along, wondering what Tylon's question was all about. She listened in closely, being oddly quiet for once. Yes, the Queen Mother was use to war, but why did Tylon have to think about it? Sure, there were those rumors that she heard on her way over here...but war? Nah, who was foolish enough to start one up again? They had so many Riders now. Anyone going up against those scaly beasts were insane, in her humble opinion.

[Tismri]

Drifting...floating...so cold...Teza Mae struggled against it for a while. It was like leaving home in the middle of winter without any protective clothing. She was so chilled, and unable to think of anything except the cold.
At the edge of her consciousness, a warmth beckoned to her. It promised her relief, free from all trials and stresses. She wouldn't have to worry about anyone or anything any longer. The warmth seemed so inviting, even pleasureable. She reached out for it.
I love you, Princess, a foreign, unfamiliar voice called to her. It was in the opposite direction, leading back through the icy veil. She didn't want to go that way; she wanted to dive into the warmth and leave everything else behind. But she suddenly became distressed, filled with an absolute longing to find out where the voice had come from. It had been deep, rather authoritative, but so filled with love she wanted to hear it again and again. So she turned away from the warmth that beckoned her, and went again through the cold darkness, determined to find the voice. As she went, a few more things became clear to her. She hoped Jason was all right, hoped that he survived the flood. The flood! She remembered being pulled under, and that was the last thing before the icy darkness. She struggled through, trying to force herself back to consciousness. She refused to die like this.
Her eyes flew open, and the princess coughed violently, forcing all the water from her lungs. She tried to sit up, but felt woozy and uneasy, and her head was throbbing. She found that Jason was with her, and she gave him a weak smile. She was still so cold, but she knew she was alive.
"I love you, brother," she told him in a singsong, sleepy voice as she struggled to not fall unconscious again.
~~~~~
Glory rolled out her bedroll opposite Seth's, her head next to his, and settled in. She thought about the concerns he shared with her. She really didn't want to separate from him; she didn't want to go alone in this place.
"I hope we'll find we don't have to part," she said. "I don't want...to be alo...zzzz." Within moments she was asleep, the events of the day having tired her out more than she'd originally realized.

Sundavar placed her head under her wing as the rain came down harder, trying to ignore the thundering drops and crazed wind. I'll be fine, she assured Hyperion. She didn't much care for the rain, but there was nothing she could do about it, so she tried to put on the best face.
***
A few hours later, an enormous roll of thunder startled Gloriann awake. The rain was still coming down hard, and the sky lit up periodically with flashes of lightning. She shivered, cuddling under her blankets for a moment. The thunder caused her to jump continually, so eventually, she moved to where she was lying next to Seth, finding being next to him comforting. After several moments, she found herself starting to drift off again. Then, just as she edged to unconsciousness, she was pulled back out when lightning struck the mountain just above the cave entrance. The sound was deafening and the ground shook. The rocks above began to crumble and came down, covering the entrance. A few smaller ones fell on her and Seth, but thankfully, the bulk of them missed them by a few feet. But the entrance was now completely blocked off.
Glory jumped to her feet and ran to the closed off entrance, calling out, "Sundavar!!!!!" with both her her voice and her mind. She was wide awake now.
Glory! Sundavar called in worry. The bolt of lightning had jarred the dragon, leaving her momentarily senseless as the rocks covered the cave entrance. She began clawing away at the rocks, trying to open up the path for her Rider to get through, but it seemed like whenever she moved one, another fell to take its place.
~~~~~
Tylon thought over Thane's answer to his question for a moment or two. It was true, the Queen Mother did keep the army in fit condition all the time, but he was afraid that without knowing the actual threat of war, they may have become too lax. He glanced at his brother when he made his last statement.
"Because...I think we are on the verge of war," he said in a low voice. "Do you remember when that Rider came from Alagaesia? I overheard her and the Queen Mother talking. There's an enemy army gathering there. Apparantly they've been very quiet about it, so no one noticed until it was almost too late." He glanced back at Tati. She was very quiet, and he was sure she was listening in on the conversation, but he figured she might as well know too. He was quiet for another few moment.
"If we are going to march to war in Alagaesia's defense, I want to be with them," he told his siblings, admitting his lifelong desire to join the Ismalian army.

[Trinn]

Jason laughed in relief when Tezza came back to consciousness. He pounded her back to keep her coughing the water out of her lungs. "I love you too Tezza" he replied in a shaking voice. How close had he come to loosing her! "Now stay with me, Tezzie." he said, keeping her in a sitting position. The rain was still falling hard, and it would only be a matter of time before the plateau was flooded as well. They had to keep climbing higher. "We're not out of danger yet. Come on now, we have to get higher". Taking her by the hands, Jason tugged Teza to her feet. He held her steadily in case she decided to fall. "Come on Tezza. I know you're a tough little princess, eh."
***

Maude awoke to the sound of growling and shouting. She sat upright in a hurry, grasping the hilts of her swords. The boar was awake beside her, blinking anxiously at the dark forest. Maude remained still, listening to the horrible crys of some sort of cat. The skirmish lasted only a little while, but to Maude it felt like hours. "Stay here." she said to the boar as she stood carefully. Rearranging the ferns around her mount, Maude then set off into the woods to investigate. Looking up at the stars, she figured the night was only half over.

moving on the balls of her feet, Maude moved like a ghost through the foliage. The irony smell of blood met her nose, and she looked at he ground for tracks. After a moment of searching, she found a set of clawed paw prints. She followed these, until she came to he body of the dead cat. It was a beautiful and powerful jaguar, probably quick and deadly in life. Soon after she found what had slain the animal. "Ian!" she said aloud in surprise. He had killed the jaguar, but not without a price. She could see the glisten of blood in the moonlight. Acting quickly, Maude searched the surrounding area for herbs and natural bandages. She found no herbs, but she found plenty of sturdy ferns. Moving to Ian's side, she found that he had already tried bandaging himself. She felt herself smirking. Varden children weren't so tough after all. Double bandaging he wounds with the ferns, Maude then hooked her arms under Ian's and, wih some effort, managed to lift him over her shoulder.

The journey back to he boat took longer than necessary. Ian weighed her down considerably, and it was all she could do not to drop him from the strain in her arms and shoulder. Finally she found the boar again, and she clumsily deposited Ian next to it. Kneeling down beside him, she slapped him hard in the face. "Wake up!" she demanded, feeling grumpy that she had decided to drag him back to camp.
***

Thane stopped in his tracks. "join. The army!" he said in disbelief. "I think hat's a noble notion, Ty, but, well, I don't believe you're old enough to join any army. Don't take offense brother, but you're hardly a man yet." Thane hoped he didn't sound too cruel, but he was worried about his brother. The army was no place for royalty! Tylon. Sponged in the royal guard, just as thane belonged as Tatiana's personal protector.

[Tismri]

Teza Mae felt like her head was spinning against an ax blade as Jason pulled her to her feet. She swayed for a moment, dangerously close to toppling over back into the water. She was freezing, but felt too weak to even shiver. She tried to take a step, but then fell over onto her twin.
"It's so cold," she murmured. She knew their lives were still in danger, the water was still rising, but she was unable to make herself move forward. She knew Jason would have to carry her to safety, but what if he couldn't move fast enough? She knew she was just going to slow him down. At the very least, she wanted him to get out of this ordeal alive.
"Go on...ahead," she told him. "I'll catch up." Blatant lie, she knew. He probably knew it too. But at the very least, she hoped he would understand the message she was trying to convey; that she didn't consider her life above his and would even sacrifice herself to keep him alive.
~~~~~
Tylon snorted at Thane's protest. "I'm man enough to be forced to choose between protecting my sister or my cousin," he stated. "I think I'd rather be on the battlefield that be faced with that choice." He glanced away from both his siblings, staring instead at his feet as they trudged onward. He'd never confided in anyone these thoughts he'd long held. "Because if it came down to it, Teza Mae is going to be Queen Mother one day, and when that time comes, I'm going to have to be ready, willing, and able to give my life for her. I would in a heartbeat, of course. But what would happen if ever I was placed in a situation where I had to choose between protecting her or protecting you?" he directed the question toward Tatiana. "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would choose you above her, but then I would be counted as a traitor. I would rather not be faced with that situation if at all possible." He quieted down. Thane and Tati were probably both thinking he way over-thought the possible scenarios, but to him it was a valid point. "I still want to serve our Queen Mother, but I think I would be better suited as a soldier than a guard."

[Max452]

Aradan was flying through the storm, trying to find a safe place to stay for the night when Veryan spotted two people stranded on a small plateau. Aradan! They're trapped! The black dragon informed his rider while he battled against the merciless wind and rain.
Let's go help them then! Aradan stated as he quickly searched for his fellow students. Soon, they were just hovering above them, Veryan's wings beating hard to stay bit, but swayed eversooften.
"Hey! Get on!" Aradan shouted over the wind as Veryan lowered himself a bit more. The small island was too small for the dragon to land without knocking the Ismalians off. "Hurry! The water is getting higher!" He yelled out to Jason and Teza Mae, an arm outstretched to help them as he angled himself off the saddle to reach for them; one hand hooked to one of Aradan's spikes.

***
OOC: Maude is so mean...lol

Pain. That was all Ian felt. Pain! Sharp Pain coming from his face. Groaning into awareness, Ian jerked up after being slapped by Maude. He reached for his sword, but froze when he discovered who had awoken him. "Ma--Maude!" His face blushed crimson and he hoped that her beatings was masking it. In his jerky movements, his wounds thundered in protest, sending him more feelings of pain. Ian hissed, darting his hand toward the slash at his side. He glanced down, finding that Maude had placed ferns to cover the wound. "What. What happened?" He asked, trying to remember how he got here, his eyes darting everywhere but at Maude.

***
Seth couldn't help but chuckle as Gloriann fell asleep while they were talking. "Night, Glory." He muttered to her. Night Hyp and Sundavar. Seth sent out before drifting off to sleep himself. It seemed like sleep would be hard to find that night, as Seth awoke from hearing the booming thunder. He felt Glory move toward him and sleepily smiled. Unconsciously, his arm popped out of his blankets to wrap itself around Glory. After a moment though, Seth was jerked awake from her sudden movement and the banging sound around them. Seth felt the ground shake violently and he quickly got to his feet. He felt Hyp panic and through him realized that they were caved in!
HYPERION! Seth mentally called out.
SETH! SETH! Hyperion jumped to his feet, and with Sundavar tried to free their bonds.

Seth could feel Glory panic too and quickly reached for her. "It's okay, Glory! It's okay!" His blind eyes darted over to the rocks that had caved them. "Can you see Glory? Or is it completey dark for you?" He asked her as he tried to remain calm for her.

SETH! GLORY! Hyperion whined, clawing at the rocks, but to no avail. More seemed to take its place.
Calm down, Hyperion! We're okay. Seth told his dragon. If you guys keep clawing, you might trap us in more! Stop! Tell me what you see so we can figure out the best way out! He asked Hyp, who also told Sundavar to halt.

[Tismri]

Gloriann groped around in the darkness at the rocks that covered the entrance. She heard Seth trying to calm her, and her terrified screams quieted down to scared tears.
"I can't see anything, Seth," she told him. "I can't even see you." She reached out to where she'd heard him, knowing he was there but wanting some sort of physical confirmation of it. "Seth, I'm scared!"

Sundavar halted her frantic clawing when Hyperion pointed out to her the uselessness and danger of it, pulling back. She sensed Glory's fear--she never did like completely dark, confined places. She tried to comfort and calm her Rider at the same time as she tried to figure out what to do.
Do you think we should call for our Ebrithils' help? she asked the others, remembering Roland telling them that their masters would come to their aid if they called.