[IC] Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

[Kyara]

6:30am (Warm-ups)

Tara and Zarketh arrived on time and eager to start training in the morning, it was a little earlier than Tara had gotten used to over the last few years but she had kept herself disciplined and it wouldn't take much to adjust to this new schedule. She didn't think much of the discipline of two of the other tamers as one arrived soaking wet and the other still wrapped in her sleeping blankets and required an encouraging burst of flame from her dragon to get started. Zarketh fumed and plotted payback after Porylucia's comment about the other tamers.

The pair set off around the edge of the meadow, Tara setting a fast but steady pace. After only few minutes of this and a couple of tamers overtaking Tara, Zarketh pulled ahead of her impatiently. I know you can move faster than that.

You also know I'm pacing myself, there's no point sprinting now and not being able to run at all later.

Zarketh sent back some rather uncomplimentary images and thoughts on the theme of Tara being slow and lazy and embarrassing Zarketh by letting the other tamers beat her. Tara growled something under her breath about children and sped up. Zarketh sped up in response, taunting her and soon Tara was running flat out.

That's better. Shame you still can't keep up with me though.

Unused to being inferior in anything physical and thoroughly infuriated by Zarketh's immature taunting, Tara drew on some reserve of strength she hadn't known she had and sped up again, closing the distance between them in a second and leaping onto the dragon's back, only just managing to get a grip and avoid tumbling over her head.

What was that? Tara tried to make sense of what just happened while Zarketh continued running, feeling a little surprised but mostly just smug. Tell me what you did! Tara insisted, shaken. She didn't like being surprised by her own body.

I didn't do anything, not deliberately at least. When a dragon bonds with a human they usually transfer some specific ability along with access to their mind and mana. It seems yours was speed, maybe you will be able to keep up with me after all.

Reassured that the change was normal for a new tamer and unlikely to be the first of many, Tara jumped down from Zarketh's back and continued running alongside her at a more normal speed. She wondered what the limits to this new skill were, there was a slight ache in her legs that was different from normal but otherwise she felt the same. How long could she keep that speed up for?

I felt something when you ran. It was similar to the drain of energy when I do the same thing, but less.

Then perhaps the limit is on how much energy I can take from you, I wouldn't want to tire you out and leave you vulnerable in a fight.

I think it would take a lot to do so, you need a lot less energy to move than I do, you are so small.

Tara smiled a little at the affectionate insult. We'll have to find time to test our limits. Not now, it sounds like we're both going to need our strength for the rest of today.

3:00pm (Magic Training)

Tara listened carefully and nervously to Merrik and Nova's explanation. Everything they had done so far relied on skills she already had, even if she was applying them in very different circumstances. Balancing on Zarketh's back while she did her best to throw her off was a lot harder than moving between and balancing on stationary objects. She would have several new bruises in the morning. This was something completely new, she didn't have any previous experience to draw on and she was aware of the destructive potential of uncontrolled magic. She could hurt someone, she could hurt Zarketh. They had only been together for two days and that thought already terrified her.

That won't happen. You have a sharp mind, and I won't let you lose control either.

Tara took a deep breath and calmed her mind, she could do this. She would focus and work at it like every other skill she had learnt and she would succeed. Merrik ended with a magical light show and the tamers spread out, Tara picking a spot a good distance away from everyone else. Right. Understanding. She knew how to start a fire and how to put one out but she had never really thought about how it worked, it not being of practical use to her before; she would have to rely on Zarketh's instinctive understanding. The two reached out to immerse themselves more fully in each other's minds, Zarketh focusing on her memories of breathing fire. Tara let herself become Zarketh for the second time, only holding back a small part of her own identity. She felt what it was like to breathe fire, to direct it to her will. She tried to tease out everything Zarketh knew about fire and used without actually thinking about it. She knew she needed to be more aware than Zarketh was to have control, she wasn't born to this like a dragon. When she felt like she'd gained everything she could she reluctantly pulled back to her own mind. She had learned a lot in a short time, she just had to hope it was enough.

According to Nova the next step was mana. Zarketh drew her attention easily to the pool of energy within the dragon that she herself used and Tara tried to reach out to it, touch it in some way. Nothing. How do you use it? Tara asked, frustrated after a few minutes of trying with no results. I can't explain it, I just do. No short cuts there then. She forced her mind to relax again and let herself become familiar with the energy. It took awhile but eventually she felt a connection and mana flowed through her mind and body in a sudden rush that shocked her into inaction until a nudge from Zarketh brought her focus back and she restricted the connection and stopped the flow. The power raced around her body, crackled under skin. It made her feel hyperactive and powerful, she felt a strong urge to release it, use it. She resisted and spent a few minutes just getting used to the new feeling and making sure she was in control of it, not the other way round. Then she focused on what she knew about fire and what she wanted to create, the mana responding eagerly to her wish and she let a trickle flow out of her and into a small patch of air in front of her. There was a sudden flash of light and heat as the air burnt and she took a reflexive step back and shut off the flow of power.

A burst of approval, pride and excitement came from Zarketh who had been doing her best not to distract Tara while she was trying to control magick for the first time. She roared and sent a stream of yellow fire into the sky. Tara grinned joyfully back at her. That was amazing! She spent the rest of hour practising and by the end she managed a steady flame the size of her hand hovering in the air in front of her.

[Ghirardelli]

Arameus woke to a spectrum of colors streaming across the room as the rays of the raising morning sun filtered through the stained glass window above the bed. Swinging his legs over and off the side of the bed, he rose and wiped the sleep from his eyes then pulled his sword from the scabbard, placed it point down on the floor and knelt down with his hands upon the pommel and recited his morning devotional. After a moments prayer, he got back to his feet and went over to the wash basin and filled it from the pitcher of water next to it, then knelt over and splashed the water on his face. The coldness of the water was unexpected and his breath caught a moment, in the back of his head he could hear a distinct Dragonish chuckle.

He dressed in simple britches and a loose fitting pullover shirt then headed down to the kitchen where the aroma of breakfast being cooked brought forth a grumbling from his belly. He offered a polite Good Morning to Lord Merrik before helping himself to a few slices of boar bacon, cheese and bread then excused himself and went outside where Alysia was already out and warming herself in the morning sun.

6:30 am (warm-ups)

Arameus and Alysia made their way to the training field in relative silence, for him, training was to be taken seriously, a trait that had been instilled in him by seeing far too many fellow Knights and Soldiers lying dead on the field of battle, many he had known that had trained with halfhearted regard.

"They smell disgusting"

He turned and gave Alysia a curious look, the statement pronounced in his brain was not her thought, evident in the disapproving look in her crystal blue orbs and the low grumbling in her throat. He followed the direction of her gaze to see the Pirate and his Dragon following behind them, not wanting to start a controversy, he encouraged Alysia to move on and he and she joined the other Tamers and Dragons as Lord Merrik began to speak on what was expected of them.

The end of Lord Merrik's instructions were punctuated by the increasing volume of incestuous cursing coming from a bundle trapped in the jaws if the Dragon named Felynne, who upon reaching the group unceremoniously dumped the bundle on the ground. Once Sparks pulled herself from the bundle, he and the other Tamers took off and started to run their laps only to cringe slightly as Sparks came racing past them with her backside aglow and Felynne on her heels, black smoking curling up from her flared nostrils.

7:00 am (Balance practice )

[ "Lord Merrik instructed us to use the straps" ] ,Alysia reminded him as Arameus climbed up and got to his feet on her back and settling into a comfortable stance, "Yes I know what he said, and if we were to take to the air, I would use them, but since we're to remain on the ground, the fear of a bruised backside will help me concentrate on keeping balanced", he stated. [ "Alright then, its your arse, not mine", she replied before taking off across the field.

8:00 am (agility practice)

Alysia sat with a smug look as Arameus sat in a tenderly fashion as this time Obsidian Nova instructed them on agility, once on their way to the woods, he made arrangements for her to take the lead and call out to him what we she was about to maneuver and he would sit accordingly. As they reached the woods, and since nothing had been said about not to, he had Alysia fly up so they both could get a birds eye view of the woods layout before diving down and joining the chase. Despite a few tree branches to the head, he managed to stay seated, due in part to his training and riding a Warhorse, as Alysia twisted and turned along the paths.

[b]10:00 am (flight training)

Feeling more at ease, he was able to relax more as Alysia lazily flew about, using the strong thermal up drafts moreso then her wings, though it still caused his belly to quiver, he forced himself to look ground ward, the view was incredible and through the breaks in the clouds he could almost see the entire expanse of the Kingdom. With a bit of encouragement, he convinced Alysia to do some simple aerial maneuvers in effort for him to get accustomed to the sensations that came with her diving and twisting till finally with the threat of losing his breakfast all over the back of her head did they return to a leisurely flight.

1:00 pm (swordmanship)

They were late in returning for lunch, not that he felt hungry or possibly keep anything he ate down after the improptu flying maneuvers. They landed just as the others were pairing off to spar when suddenly Sparks flew into a seeming rage and pummeled Lord Merrik as viciously as the blunted weapon would allow. For his part, Lord Merrik was doing extremely well in parring her attacks, but when words were beginning to be exchanged between the two, it was clear there was something far more personal in Sparks attacks that went far beyond simple sparring, and he considered stepping in between them least things got too personal, but to Lord Merriks credit, he dismissed Sparks ti her Dragon before he could hop down from Alysia.

3:00 pm (magic training)

Arameus folded his arms across his chest and listened as next Lord Merrik spoke of magic and mana, of all the aspects of the training this was going to be the hardest for him to learn. Since the time of his becoming a squire, he'd been taught that magic was a thing of witches and sorcerers, something to be used only by those with evil intent and not by honorable Knights such as himself. As the Black Dragon stepped forward and continued on, the whole ideal concerning mana seemed too far fetched for him and he looked at Alysia curiously, knowing his thoughts, she quickly spoke [ "It us truth, you received my mana as well when we bonded... but reading your thoughts and learning your feelings about magic, I hid its use from you, though you would of discovered it eventually, I was hoping for a time when you have a better understanding that magic in and of itself is neither good or evil, but its the intent of the person wielding it that makes it so. Just as the sword at your side can be used for either defending the innocent or slaying them were they stand... in your hands, the use of my mana will be but for good, or else you would not of been chosen by Lord Merrik, and then by me"] .

4:00 pm (study)

Arameus sat in his room and flipped through the book concerning magic and mana, Alysia had gone off to hunt, with a reminder to keep her eating thoughts to herself as he climbed the ladder to his loft. Once more he started from the beginning of the book still filled with doubt, after only halfway through the first chapter, he pushed the book aside and grabbed a more interesting looking book about the past tamers then settled down on the bed, which was a mistake, for it wasn't look his eyes fluttered closed and he dozed off, whencing in his sleep now and then when he put too much body wieght on his bruised left arse cheek.

[Soulserenity20]

Sunday afternoon (End of week one training)

The week had gone by in what seemed like the blink of an eye. There had be hardships, but that was expected. Some of the tamers took to their training better than others. Some had personal issues that were preventing them from excelling in the way he knew they could, others weren't taking things seriously and this bothered Merrik to no end. ”How could a person, knowing fully what lies in the future, refuse to take responsibility and step up to the plate in the duties?” he wondered to Obsidian Nova as he carried plates of food and dishware to the large stone table in the middle of the meadow. Nova carried a large basket in his mouth with the larger items that Merrik himself could not carry. As they reached the stone table he began laying out the bountiful dinner that had just been prepared. Like every other night, apart from the night of arrival, the entire party gathered for dinner. This was to encourage socializing between tamers and gave the dragons a chance to catch up and relax with their siblings as they lounged about the meadow while their tamers ate. Merrik felt it was important for the group to get used to each other and openly communicate. This would be crucial when the war began and the party was split off into groups to be assigned to different missions and tasks. Today he would open up the doors to assignments and explain the tamers first tasks.

”The bond is a powerful magic Merrik, it is indeed possible that the high of its power is altering the sensible sides of some of the drakes’ minds. Surely they were not raised to act in such ways. Nonetheless, we must focus on implementing disciplinary tactics as well as working to heal the tamers of their burdens, be they emotional, physical, or magical.” Obsidian Nova was referring to Irin’s problematic bond and the two of them made a note to assist him in his meditation this evening. Merrik also insisted on working with Yennifer on a more regular basis to improve her understanding of magic and anatomy; a healer would be crucial.

Once the meal was set out, Merrik took his place at the head of the table, his back to the stables in the distance, he had intentions of waiting for the rest of the group (they knew full well what time dinner was), but something in his conscience was itching. He rose and made his way back to the stables. He entered the halls and made his way to where Sparks’ quarters were, knocking on the frame of the entrance. ”I beg your pardon m’lady, but I’d request entry. May we speak?” He had been through a difficult week with Sparks but a part of him felt deeply for her and what she was going through.

~~~

As Merrik took his place at the table once more, he looked around at the group of unique individuals before him. Only a week had passed since they arrived and already their faces had taken a fond portion of Merrik’s mind and heart. He looked around the meadow at the dragons as they lumbered about in miscellaneous action and interaction. He smiled at the young scaled serpents, a sense of pride warming his being.

”You've all made great progress this week.” He said to the group as they ate and sipped their drinks. ”Some drifted through the training as if by second nature, others struggled with certain aspects, but you've all done well. I want to stress the importance of what we do here each day. Without our dedication and elite abilities, this land will most certainly fall to darkness. Families will be torn apart, lands ravaged and destroyed, all that we know and love will slip into the evil that seeps across these magnificent lands. It is our duty to protect Illos. We are the New Order; we are bound by our titles and by our bonds. Do not ever forget the weight of our responsibility.”

He paused to take a long gulp of sweet wine, a nearly non-alcoholic drink, as they had removed all alcohol from the property to remove the temptation from Sparks’ reach. ”Irin, this evening I’d like to work with you personally on your bond. Yennifer, I’d like to take some time to work with you on your healing magics as well if you wouldn’t mind. I shouldn't be more than an hour with either of you so you’ll still have your evenings to do as you please. Now, on another note, this week I will be assigning each of you a task to complete. Some will be done in groups, others alone. You are to consider these as real and as important as any mission I send you on during war. I need to get an idea of how seriously you will take your responsibilities. Some of your tasks will take a few days to complete, others will be a daily task of a few hours. When you are not working on these assignments you are to go throughout your day as normal; our training may be second priority to missions but it is a priority nonetheless and for your own sake, and for the sake of this army, you must remember this.”

[Erranruin]

5:00am (Breakfast)

When Merrick had come into the Kitchen Yennefer was already there, she had awoken about half an hour before the light. Methuzar was a very heavy sleeper compared to her and she had decided to quietly leave him to rest before the sun came up. The night before she and he had lain awake a little while, testing their bond's flexibility and stretch. Methuzar himself was very methodical and stalwart of mind, he found it difficult to change and shift his connection with her. However Yennefer herself had always maintained great control over her mind and after a half hour's practice she had figured it out to some extent. Therefore she was able to seperate her own experiences from Methuzar enough so that his sleep would not be disturbed by her own wakefulness, which he greatly appreciated. She spent a great amount of time perusing the anatomy book she had, finding it both useful and frustrating. The author had been of a cunning mind but certainly not a doctor, his languages and names sometimes difficult to transcribe into her own understanding of the body. However eventually she went to sleep, her dreams full of tall mountain peaks and windswept cliffs that made her heart beat in thrill. In the morning she had slipped quietly from their stall, tiptoeing past her dragon and into the kitchen where she began finding her way around and making some breakfast, greeting Merrik jovially and respectfully when he arrived.

"Good Morning to you Mentor, I trust you slept well?" She offered him a glass of the fruit she had been juicing, trying to find a balanced breakfast to make and always concious of the exceeding benefits of fruit. Her wild red hair was contained in a ponytail and she wore the redesigned jodhpurs and a moveable yet tight-fitting shirt. All in all she looked the most practical and ready person around, especially for so early in the morning. You wouldnt be able to tell she had only had five hours sleep, she had certainly survived on less. The anatomy book, she had taken to carrying around with her, was open on a clean and out-of-the-way table, a blue ribbon bookmark inbetween the pages.

Merrik was surprised and entertained to find the fiery red head Yennefer in the kitchen when he entered at the early hour. He was used to being the only human in these halls and most the dragons preferred to sleep in. The bright smile of another and the kind offer of freshly juiced fruits warmed his heart as he remembered his childhood: a more social time of his life.

He accepted the drink with a grateful nod and moved to the far corner of the room where a hatch on the floor opened up to a cellar which he used as a cool storage room for the perishables. As he collected various items he spoke "I slept quite well, Thankyou." As he dug about in the cellar he spoke louder to accommodate for the muffling distance, "I speak the truth when I say I didn't expect to find anyone awake at this hour, especially not after the exhausting event of yesterday, though your company is greatly welcomed. How are you at cooking, Yennefer? Would you care to assist me?"

Yennefer dipped her head a little as he took the glass, before sipping her own concoction and watching with interest as he went about the kitchen with obvious practice. He opened the hatch and she gave a little exclamation of understanding. "Ah! Thats where they were." She nodded quickly to his askance of help, jumping down to aid in the retrieval of various ingredients such as baskets of eggs and hashes of bacon before laying them out neatly on the table.

"Yes well, a sick body tends to survive the night, however everything always falls apart some few hours before dawn. Therefore my own sleeping pattern has morphed accordingly, I can never sleep past an hour before dawn. In all honesty I am also very glad to meet you here, usually it is hours before I see anyone. Even Methuzar is nowhere near consciousness!"

She grinned at him in a friendly manner and gleefully rolled up her sleeves before putting her hands firmly on her hips and looking hard at the work surfaces covered with ingredients, as a swordsman would look at a challenging opponent. She answered his second question. "Boiling and mixing remedies has an added skill benefit when it comes to the kitchen. I'll gladly help, its what I was endeavouring to do before but alas I did not find the food in time." She set to work in a slightly strangely methodical manner, measuring things in more scientific amounts and units. Still it certainly worked as a cooking style and she felt most comfortable this way.

"Wonderful, my thanks m'lady." Once they had gathered all the ingredients they set to work on cooking omelets, oatmeals, preparing bacon from the elk meat Merrik received the day before. He watched as she worked, using an unusually precise method, leading him to believe she had taken her trade as a doctor and applied it to cooking. Whatever worked; she was doing a wonderful job and in no time at all, the meals were cooking and the table was set. As he absentmindedly flipped the bacon and scrambled the eggs they carried on small talk about her past. He had know she was a doctor, but he wanted to know if she could be a healer.

"How confident are you in your understanding of the human body? It's anatomy, it's processes, and so on?"

Yennefer had to bite her tongue slightly before saying something that might be construed as awful immodesty. Instead she finished frying her final egg before wiping her hands down with a cloth and answering him. She looked up towards the ceiling briefly, trying to figure out a way to explain it properly so that he might understand the depth of her understanding.

"Without trying to sound overtly prideful..." She rubbed the back of her neck once before holding her hand out in front of her.

"Most men know they have bones and muscle and blood in their hands, they know it will hurt when cut and unconsciously know how to maneuver it into whatever position they wish." She flexed her hand in front of her and pointed quickly to a particularly visible blood vessel on her palm. "I know that this blood is about to return to my heart, I can feel the pulse, I can count the second exactly to when it will arrive at my Pulman- I am sorry I mean my Lung blood vessel." She tapped her chest and closed her eyes. "If I try I can become very in tune with my own inner workings, theory becomes experience in my mind and this ability has in fact lead me to change earlier incorrect assumptions about the body." She opened her eyes and shook her head a little, smiling in a slightly self conscious manner. "There was a time when I forgot how to walk for a while because I was so conscious of exactly what I was doing."

She turned back to her eggs, cracking some more into a pan before pointing to the anatomy book on the table. "I have a few questions about that actually, but firstly why do you ask, if you dont mind saying?" She gave him a curious, wide-eyed look that would have been childish if her eyes werent so obviously knowledgeable and she didnt look so dependable.

Merrik put down the rag he had been using to wipe down the cooking surfaces, "I ask because an army needs many components to become successful. We need rogues, trained to sneak and steal into the most impregnable fortresses, we need warriors, finely tuned soldiers with no fear of a vast army, and we certainly need healers, doctors of both herbs and of magic. But the healing magicks are a dangerous and complex area, even the simplest of spells can land a man with blood as thick as batter and bones woven to muscle and flesh. Few in our time know enough about anatomy to understand how these complex spells must be execute. Those that have the knowledge needed have mostly taken to the monasteries in the great mountain ranges. I see in you, a great level of precaution in all that you do; I see an eagerness to learn and understand things that few would think to notice."

He looked her in her eyes, truly impressed by the small traits he had seen in her; her careful nature, her precise actions, her method of procedure and her helping heart, all of which were important qualities in a magical healer.

Yennefer nodded with a pensive expression, she definately understood Merrik's meaning even though the idea of magic that could be used to heal was very exciting. She wrestled her wild thrill and excitement down before she barraged Merrik with a thousand questions. Finally she finished her eggs and laid them out on the table with the other mass of food and drinks and good things. It made her smile to look at it, all of the Tamers would be getting a well balanced diet if it killed her. She felt a certain sense of protectiveness and familial feel to all of her peers even though she had only known them but a day. Looking back to Merrik she nodded again with a very knowing expression, though blushing slightly from his praise of her character.

"I thank you for your words Mentor... When I was young I tended towards recklessness and because I came from a simple farmer's family I thought myself much cleverer than my tutors. Luckily I grew out of that before I killed anyone but I understand your meaning. If there is such a magic to manipulate the body, one would have to be so very careful for every body is different. I admit the idea exhilarates me and I have been thinking of it ever since you recruited me but... I will definately not approach the skill before you have recommended it to me."

She sighed, going thoughtful again, considering all the possibilities just the barest magical manipulation of a body could give. How many people she could save just by stopping someone bleeding for five second or less. Her eyes glanced over the book open on the counter and she lit up again, picking it up and showing it to Merrik.

"Before I forget, Methuzar can only tell me so much of his own physiology, he calls these 'fire sacks'? Or something similar, but he controls the release of chemicals out though not in. I suspect they are more ducts? But they have muscles surrounding them that contract to release their contents. Where are these chemicals created? Is it a production of his digestion? Or is it a cellular biproduct... Or-!"

Suddenly she realised she had been bombarding again and she smiled apologetically. "Ah, I'll let you speak and pause for breath." She chuckled at herself.

Merrik chuckled at her honesty about her childhood weaknesses and faults, then the chuckle turned into a laugh as she had to cut herself off just to let him speak. "Miss Yennefer, you're a lovely character. I respect your ability to locate your faults and work to change them despite your pride. It is a task few can face and fewer can complete. Now, as for the "fire sacks"; fire sack is a casual term for the organ once called the Calor Custos, or heat keeper.

You're in exactly the right direction by means of fuel production. The dragons' digestive fluids create an unusually high amount of methane and other trace gases, it is believed that primitive methanogens evolved and merged into the cells that would one day become the fire drakes, though little is known about the exact chain of evolution. The pouch containing the pool of methane is controlled by muscles very similar to the stomach and esophagus, though slightly different in terms of direction. In the back of each dragon's throats there is a hard plate which, when struck by an unusual tooth like formation far back on their tongue, will create a spark to ignite his methane supply. It is important for the dragons to clear this passage daily to prevent blockage which could prove to have detrimental effects."

He felt like a text book, although at this point in time he wasn't far from it. He had spent countless hours studying the knowledge bank provided to him by the tamers of old; a priceless collection of facts and methods.

Yennefer blushed slightly harder at Merrik's mirth and compliments, she wasn't used to such treatment or respect from men to be brutally honest. In her field she usually had to be fought to be counted or heard which was probably why her advancements in biology and science were not widely known. It frustrated her to no end. But this man seemed to have no such prejudices which gave her great hope for her future development. A respectful teacher - student relationship often produced the best results. It made her excited to start learning, knowing that this man was a trustworthy Mentor.

As he continued speaking er eyes grew wider and wider, his explanations slowly slotting into her own theories and understandings, filling the gaps in her knowledge until the puzzle was complete. She could cry she was so happy, not only did Merrik seem like a respectful and honourable man, he seemed to have a greatly advanced knowledge of scientific language and chemical reactions, a way of speaking that she was thrillingly familiar with. She sighed in happiness and satisfaction once he had finished his explanation, the feeling of a question answered one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. It did spring forth a thousand more questions and ideas in her mind but she could consider them on her own, now she had the answers she needed.

"Ahh, thank you so much Mentor, it was keeping me awake. I dont think I have received such a clear explanation since my apprenticeship. Though my Master was a very different person to yourself." She chuckled a little to remember him and make the comparison.

"Methuzar was telling me about his spark plate.... that would need maintenance as well, it sounds like a constantly growing protrusion so it would be important to wear it down so that it doesnt become to thick and protrude over airways or make eating difficult... ah but yes, I can read about that. Thank you again-" Suddenly her eyes took on a slightly distant look and a slow warm smile curved up her lips. A trail of slightly cloudy yet affectionate thoughts slithered into her head and she snorted in amusement at his morning head. She did realise she had cut herself off mid sentence.

"Apologies, Methuzar just woke up, he is not a Morning dragon apparently. As I was saying, thank you, I am suddenly very excited to start my training. I look forward greatly to learning more from you Mentor."

She smiled warmly at him and dipped her head in respect before giving a final check over the spread of breakfast, ensuring they hadnt forgotten anything and that they had enough for everyone no matter their taste preferences. She also was muttering quietly to herself about the various nutrient values of all the ingredients and dishes in front of her, Methuzar's slowly awakening thoughts sluggishly catching up with her conversations.

6:30am (warm-ups)

Warm-ups didnt sound too daunting, Yennefer could do warm-ups, she had had to stretch after surgery plenty of times. Methuzar had joined her and watched with intrigue as her small body stretched and bent quite easily. You are quite supple then? Why does your heart beat so fast? Yennefer laughed humourlessly was she touched her toes. "Its not the stretches that worry me, but I am a little anxious at what comes afterwards." Methuzar did not try to disagree or refute her anxiety, instead simply comforting her with soothing thoughts and feelings which indeed did slow her heart rate and make her feel more positive about what was to come. Running beside Methuzar was interesting, Yennefer had to learn to jump when his weight thudded against the ground or else risk being bounced off balance. However she was surprised to find her body very light to maneuver, she felt exceedingly strong which she was puzzled about until Methuzar answered her silent pondery. My strength has passed onto you I believe, it is more than just physical ability, the power of the earth flows through you. Yennefer had blinked curiously at this and quickly bet to pick up a pebble before tossing it a few times, trying to feel its weight in her hand. Then she threw it as hard as she could at another, larger rock, careful not to hit anyone else. It shot through the air faster than an arrow from a bow and broke apart on the rock so violently that Methuzar had to use his wings to quickly shield her from ricocheting fragments. Yennefer stared at her hands in wonder for a while both shaking off her amazement and continuing with her lap.

Their footsteps fluttered across the track, Cairene easily keeping up with her dragon's gait, and marvelling at the gleam rippling along her active muscles. She was a lean dragon, tapered perfectly at the front and back, streamlined, capable of running at the woman's side without disturbing her rhythm or risking injury. The same could not be said for their neighbours, however; jolting the ground at every footfall. Cairene focused on the duo just ahead, noting the way the great Methuzar galloped, looking very much like a mountain in motion. Asmara's delay cost them a whole minute, and even though it was merely a recreational exercise, the pair caught up to their comrades in little time. Before they were in sight, they could literally feel the presence of the Titan and his Lady. When they neared them, Cairene immediately felt the magnitude of the Brown's power, rumbling beneath and rocketing up her legs, making them stall for a moment. Asmara skid a few paces and gave a panicked growl, stopping to stoop over her Tamer with hot breaths gushing through the soft curls that swung, if they weren't clinging to her neck. The woman reassured her by bringing memories of the surprise to Asmara's eye, explaining that it was simply a loss of balance, very normal for bipedal lifeforms. She looked ahead and saw bright red on the horizon seconds after dust rising from a boulder further in the distance. Clearly, it was struck with a considerate amount force.

"Do you think it was one of the dragons?" asked Cairene, bobbing on the balls of feet in preparation for a relaunch.

Asmara didn't answer, her eyes were narrowed with interest, though, prompting Cairene to search her mind. That was when she heard it: their voices, loud and clear as if they were standing a few metres closer, within arms reach. Her brows lowered, almost touching the eyelashes raised upon her widened eyes.

"Oh my..." her voice trailed. Asmara didn't move or make a sound, but she was impressed at how quickly Cairene put two and two together. "You little eavesdropper! Is this why you went silent those times?"

["Let's go over if you're going to be so invasive."]

"Oh, we'll discuss this, young lady!" her head swerved at the Amethyst's eye-rolling gesture as she spoke. "But yes, let's."

Yennefer was stationary when the pair started, but that soon changed, and Cairene was increasing her pace to a brisk jog until their bodies levelled on the horizon.

"New super power, huh?" she chirped.

Yennefer gave a little start at Cairene's sudden appearance but she smiled warmly, acclimatizing to her sudden presences very quickly and enjoying her friendly demeanor. She nodded in an introspective manner. "Yes I'm slightly put off balance by it but... I feel much more capable than before." The woman had such a bright personality it automatically made Yennefer smile and Methuzar regally dipped his head to Cairene and then to Asmara, his eyes slightly wider as he stared at the dragon's glorious scales and mane. You are elegant and glowing as ever this morning Lady Asmara, your Tamer reflects on you well. He didnt say it any with any ulterior motive, she was just beautiful to him and he wished to express his emotions. Yennefer grinned at his warm and straightforward way of being, chuckling slightly to herself. Still she could see Asmara through his eyes and was slightly stunned by her beauty herself, with a dragon's eye she was achingly desirable.

"Capable of decapitating something!" Cairene remarked with a laugh. Even at the pace they were jogging, she could chatter without the splice rendering her breathless. "I can show you a thing or two about throwing, the form and technique. It isn't just about the arm, it's as much about the body movement, too!" At that, she swung her hip and bumped it against Yennefer's side, chuckling still. Perhaps it was the fact that Cairene hardly let the poor woman get a word in, but there was something so endearing about the manner she carried, the words just flowed easily when she was around. "Don't tell anyone but," suddenly her volume sank to a respectable level, "I think I can hear voices, and not the type that addle the mentally unsound. Spoken aloud, they could be from anywhere within eyesight, I can hear the words passed between others. You and Big Boy, for instance."

Asmara studied the humans for a moment, absorbing her Tamer's habits and how the small woman behaved around the one who wore rubies in her hair. She felt a little despondent at how her Tamer was compelled by some foreign whim to lavish others with undeserved attention. To be demoted to second choice was unheard of, and since there were no imperfections between the two of them, it moved her to question the integrity of their tether. How could she not be completely thrown by her presence, overcome with admiration for the beauty that shone through her every scale? Suddenly yet subtly, a gentle presence entered her swirl of insecurity, ushering it away almost completely. She turned to the familiar aura, purring approvingly at the Titan's compliment and taking it for every notion it was worth. [ "Honesty and fine judgement appear to be your stronger suits." ] Her tail flicked forwards and shook so that the fronds attached to its end quivered, creating the illusion of a soft breeze. [ "My Cairene is quite exceptional for a human, there are very few who can compare to her, as there are virtually none who can compete with me. Don't you agree?" ] Asmara circled behind Methuzar, from his right to his left, cooing at him as she floated on an airy trot.

Yennefer was quickly finding her step with the boisterous woman, playful and accepting and a person who welcomed un-bordered discussion. She reminded her a little of how she had been when she was younger, but now life had lead her to a more constrained and controlled demeanor. It was probably for the best. Still she could still giggle and push back at her playful hip bump and she found herself acclimatising fast to the physical closeness Cairene seemed to practice.

"You must teach me sometime. I am adept enough with a bow but physical attacks or co-ordination has never been something I have pursued."

At her description of hearing voices Yennefer gave a brief chuckle, sending a sideways glance to Methuzar before answering. "Methuzar and I were speaking mentally but we tend to lightly broadcast what we say to eachother. Secretive discussions between ourselves dont seem necessary."

Methuzar rumbled in pleasure and gratitude at Asmara's own, admittedly selfish, compliments toward his character. He sensed her slight annoyance toward Yennefer gaining Cairene's attention but ignored it for now. He was too dazzled by her lavish and luxurious tail and lyrical cooing in his direction to become truly angry at her.

In beauty, certainly, you are the fairest of us all. It seems to me you exist to be admired, your grace and beauty appreciated.

He gave a dragon equivalent of clearing his throat and his tail swayed in pleasure.

7:00am (Balance Practice)

Methuzar was like a giant platform, his body was so large and sturdy that Yennefer felt almost guilty about how easy it was. She tried to make it harder for herself, standing at weird angles or on one leg or on more awkward parts of his body. But in any case she had always been steady on her feet, even when Methuzar took a quick circle stroll that turned into a little gallop she still remained sufficiently secure on his back. Looking around she noted how others were not faring very well and felt a stab of need to help them, especially the Red Tamer who was obviously not adjusting to this change in her life very well at all. However she resisted, knowing there was little she could do to help them.

8:00am (Agility)

Despite her best effort to duck once facing the wrong way and Azadeth trying to alter her course the pair failed to avoid the inevitable outcome and the large branch smacked the back of Ryhana head. hard, it certainly made quite the sound as the tamer immediately went limp and unconscious from the impact and immediately Azadeth went for emergency landing to the ground feeling the sudden quick sharp pain and then nothing from her tamer. Using her wing to stop Ryhana from sliding of her body the green dragon made a loud thumping noise as she roughly landed onto the ground ensuring herself didn't get injured and Ryhana were not injured more, During this time the dragon let out a thunderous roar in distress and pain a couple of times, It hurt Azadeth so much to see her tamer like this as she carefully allowed for Ryhana to safely be on the ground, She was still alive despite the head injury. Azadeth only hoped and prayed one of the tamers was nearby to to help quickly as she would not leave her bonded tamers side.

Methuzar knew Yennefer's intent as soon as they both heard Azdeth's cries of distress. His own mind immediately went to soothing the Green dragon's thoughts as he crashed through the trees towards them and finally lowered his wing so that Yennefer could get to Ryhana in time. Yennefer herself was simply thinking of the Tamer's wellbeing, her own thoughts focused solely on her now patient and the various things that could go wrong. Methuzar related the exact incident and how it occurred which gave Yennefer a very good understanding of the concussion and possible complications. She slid down next to Ryhana, noting her unconcsious state and quickly used a few branches and stones to gently fix her head in place, ensuring that movement would not worsen the injury.

"Ryhana, can you hear me? Ryhana!" She firmly but calmly called her name and tried to engage her in conversations, asking her questions and coaxing her back into consciousness. Lifting her eyelids gently revealed no seeming blood tensions, to which Yennefer gave a relieved sigh. No blood build up in the brain meant no long lasting brain damage. It also meant that she could be moved somewhere warmer and also where she had her own remedies to help.

Time seemed to go on for Azadeth, But her roar didn't go unnoticed as the green dragon's thoughts began to be soothed by Methuzar as they came down to provide assistance to the downed tamer as the timing response was amazing and something that all tamers would or at least should be proud if and whenever the time was needed for a healer. Ryhana was slowly coming round as she heard muffled voices that eventually became to clear up enough for her to realize it was Yennefer that had come to her aid. To prevent sudden movement or distress Azadeth who was being calmed by Methazur put soothing thoughts in her tamers mind and apologising to the young woman.

She open her eyes slowly look at the beautiful face of the tamer, There was a little though in her mind in hoping it was Merrick being her knight in shining armour to which Azadeth calmed her thoughts but the pair were both relieved that Yennefer was there, there would be more respect and friendship forming there, even if it was from a silly incident. "I can hear you" She replied groggily. "I should of been more careful" she muffled out not really remembering much at all. But Azadeth could feel her pain and projected her thoughts to Methuzar that she felt there was bleeding at the back of her tamers head.

Yennefer smiled warmly at the downed tamer when finally her eyes opened. Her words were only slightly slurred and seemed clear and relatively conscious. "Indeed you shuld have! But this is what training is for I guess. Don't move your head a moment, I just need to make sure you wont do yourself more harm. The tests are annoying but humour me." She had her follow her finger with her eyes briefly before testing her hearing calibration and finally getting her to move her hands in sync and wiggle her toes. Once Yennefer was satisfied that there was no serious brain damage she gently coaxed Ryhana into a sitting position.

"I'm going to be touching the wound so this may hurt, bare it for a moment." She gathered the hair out of the way to inspect the congealed bloody mess on the back of her head. It was a skin deep abrasion, alot of pain and blood but it looked alot worse than it actually was. She smiled to herself and sighed in relief. "Ah, you'll be fine so long as I get some antiseptic poultice for that. I have some back in my loft, it'll only take a moment, come back with me and we'll get you patched up and ready to go." She looked up to Azadeth and gave her a brief bow before relaying her exact mental medical evaluation of her Tamer to Methuzar, ensuring that the Dragon knew just how fine her Tamer was going to be and how she had done no real damage to her. Methuzar gave the message to her with a slight hinted glow of pride for his own Tamer's abilities but mostly with sympathy and comfort for Azadeth's concern.

Yennefer was gentle and kind, Something that was different than most healers, although it is there job to heal and care there are many that find guards men and soldiers to be a pain simply because they were stubborn and wanted to get back into the field, funnily enough Ryhana was one of them kind of people, She was determined and stubborn when it came to get things done and normally she would be protesting and trying to get back to the training at hand but all that would of resulted in is further injury which could put the tamer in much worse condition than she found herself in. She did manage a smile when Yennefer did her tests which from the the looks of thing was positive.

She warned Ryhana but that made no difference really once she began poking around the wound on the back of her head, It sure as hell hurt a lot more than it possibly looked but the tamer didn't have eyes in the back of her head to tell and had to rely on Yennefer's medical opinion but she soon explained everything and to her relief she could move and get back to the grounds, Lying on her back in the middle of a forest with some one over her was not how she planned things to go but being helped up to her feet she was assisted by Azadeth and Yen to get on the green dragons back, She was still concerned but was happy the tamer would be fine and able to train more another day, But the dragon knew her tamer would be more stubborn than that. Carefully the two tamers and dragons set their way back to the ground and to the loft so Yennefer could finish up cleaning and patching up Ryhana so she could at least rest for a bit and see how she would fell later.

Methuzar had followed the little green dragon, trying to control his anxiousness and slight annoyance at having his Tamer ride on a dragon other than him. But he contained himself, knowing it was necessary. He had very briefly sent a message to Obsidian Nova for Merrik, ensuring that their mentor knew Ryhana would be ok and what they were doing with her. When they got back to the Halls and Azadeth had taken her tamer to Yennefer's loft she had quickly prepared five different concoctions and pastes, some to drink, some to soothe onto the bloody wound and to top everything off Yennefer masterfully bound the head wound with gauze. She hummed to herself while she did everything, very pleased to be doing what she knew best. Eventually Ryhana was dosed and bound up and should have been feeling much better.

"Well that should be everything, now I know you feel better but I strongly discourage you to do anything strenuous for another few hours. I'd like if you could rest here where I can watch over you for a few hours."

She sat down in a chair next to the bed and picked up a book, placing it on her lap and smiling at her.

"Your the healer" Ryhana replied as she got comfortable in the bed, She had let the woman do what she knew best and to be honest Yennefer was right, Ryhana did feel much better enough to going back out there and getting on with it, maybe that was her being stubborn or determined to get what was needed to be done either way it really did not matter right now as she would be resting and maybe if rested enough she could get back into the training later on the day and show her determination and desire to do what was needed to Merrick. Ryhana couldn't lie though it was strange laying in some one else bed and that was the case right now, she drifted after ten minutes or so in Yennefer's loft and in her bed. But she was like this for pretty much the duration till lunch time drifting in and out of sleep a couple of times but over all things felt good, That was what Azadeth kept of putting in her tamers mind, good pleasant thoughts.

10:00am (Flight training)

Again Methuzar seemed not to be looking forward to this section of the day however Yennefer was grateful for the rest. She settled snugly back into her little alcove between his shoulder blades and they took to the sky, remembering their forms and stances to make the take off as smoothe as possible. Methuzar soon found that flying with his Tamer was much more enjoyable than alone. Her opinions and experiences of the flight filtered into his own mind and effected the way he viewed the whole thing. The pair took the chance to try and thread more of their minds together, absorb eachother until they were one living, breathing organism with two minds that worked as one. Yennefer could feel and understand the intricate and methodical beat of his wings and knew every single muscle twitch that allowed them to stay aloft. Methuzar felt his rider's tiny beating heart and knew how it felt to really sit atop him. They experimented in moving eachother's bodies, Yennefer tentatively manipulating his tail so that they banked slightly left while Methuzar leant Yennefer's torso sideways to keep her balance. After their excursion they quickly snapped back into their own minds with a gasp and a tingling thrill, knowing just how truly connected they were to eachother. It was a very peaceful time for them both.

12:00pm (Lunch)[/hider

[hider= 1:00pm (Swordsmanship and Defense) (Ryhana and Yennefer collab)] When it came to combat practice Yennefer again felt the slight twinge of concern. Her comrades were quickly picking up weapons and falling into pairs, practicing and sparring with ease, most knowing at least the basics. Yennefer herself stood slightly to the side, she didnt want to impose on anyone else or embarrass Methuzar with her own incompetance. All the other dragons seemed very excited to watched their own Tamer's battle. She sensed Methuzar's derisive snort of disapproval at her thought process, she had far greater talents than the other Tamers in his mind. She watched through his eyes as he rose into the air and the Dragons all began their own battle training. She noted his general tactic was more tactile and in close rather than using quick attacks or ranged fireballs, though she knew he was quite adept at that too.

She tried looking over the various weapons and found a Bow and Quiver amongst them which she picked up and practiced with for a while. However she knew she would need more than just Archery in the long run and awkwardly she picked up a Sword, confused by how little it weighed in her hands as she tried to swing it tentatively. She nearly threw it a few times and dropped it alot but persisted without frustration, she had started learning something from scratch before now, she knew the learning curve very well.

3:00pm (Magic Training)

Yennefer listened with rapt attention to Merrik's detailed description, not wanting to miss one thing and carefully commiting each sentence to memory. She etched the sight of his flame into her mind, trying to understand its movements and intricacies and predict its next movements. However she could only get so far, it was when Methuzar got her to relinquish her control over the experience that she truly understood it, guiding her along a flames path with his own unique comprehension of it. She felt the fire, she saw its soul through his eyes, knew it like her own skin. It was such an intense experience that she shuddered and gasped once it was over, feeling as though she herself was on fire.

Then, ever so respectfully and carefully, she began threading her presence into Methuzar’s heart, seeking gently for the source, the well of energy that she could feel pulsing through his whole body. She touched it and felt his whole body shiver but he reassured her before she could pull away. Softly, she coaxed a small stream of energy through their bond, suffusing her small body with power and then just waiting for a moment, acclimatising to the feeling that she could do anything, not wanting to be pushed into recklessness. Eventually she focused the circles of forces into her hands and pictured the world in darkness around her, making her heart long for light. She felt the wind in her hair and simply struck her spark, a quick and flickering motion of thought that suddenly set the air cupped in her hands ablaze. She felt the warmth before opening her eyes to the flame and smiling, an action which briefly broke her concentration and almost let the fire die away. However she quickly rectified the situation, maintaining her hold over the powers at her disposal and fuelling her little candle happily.

Once she was confident in supporting her fire she began manipulating it, at first letting Methuzar guide her in control before finally letting herself take full control. She span the flames up above her head, judging the limits to its moveability and pushing the boundaries every now and then, exceedingly careful not to draw anymore energy from Methuzar than was necessary to sustain the flame. She tried then changing the heat of the fire, first cooling it to its lowest possible temperature, the sluggish crimson flames lazily licking at her fingers, before raising the temperature until the fire turned the brightest white and roared in her palm. She continued in this vein a while until there was a noticeable decrease in Methuzar’s mana pool, whereupon she ceased the flow and watched the small fire flash out of existence. This was definitely something she could get good at, it applied all her talents and was a genuine challenge for her mind. It gave her a small thrill, thinking of all the possibilities, most notably how simple cauterising would become. How many lives she could save with just that alone made her heart warm and her emotions made Methuzar rumble in gladness.

4:00pm (Study Hours) (planned collab with Irin, Cedric, Sparks and possibly others)

Yennefer had noticed throughout the day that many of the Tamers were having problems with various things themselves. Most of the difficulties they were experiencing she was either having herself or could not help with, but with studying she could definately be useful. She had politely gone around her peers, asking them if they would join her or if they wished for help with anything in particular. She specifically sought Cedric out, knowing he had left early and reserving her judgement while trying to ensure he didnt miss important knowledge about his dragon or his own abilities. She had used a quite stern voice and manner to slightly drag him into her little study group, using Methuzar's own presence to enhance the weight of her words. Who'd say no to someone with a giant Dragon backing them up?

But with everyone else she was more easy, she knew they were all adults and could try to learn as they wished. In the end the fiery woman Sparks, Cedric and the Silver Dragon's Tamer Irin agreed to join her. She already had a large amount of books picked out, Methuzar asking to carry them and not taking no for an answer.

"Where would people prefer to study?" She asked to her group.

[Stitches]

”I beg your pardon m’lady, but I’d request entry. May we speak?”

Throughout the entire week, Sparks made little to no progress. She was terrified of going onto her dragon's back, her magic training still came up with nothing, and she even had to sit out on some of the agility training because she refused to receive yet another bruise on her head. But that wasn't the only issue - her attitude to the entire situation hadn't changed in the slightest, and not only was it wearing down on her, it was also wearing down on Felynne. The two argued often. Felynne herself became snappy and violent to her own brothers and sisters, and on the other side of the issue, there were at least two occasions where Sparks and Felynne kept well away from each other, despite the piercing loneliness that their bond gave them (Which worsened their mood tenfold), just to try and stop the onslaught of negative emotion they were feeding each other.

Sparks herself wasn't inclined to eat much, or anything at all. She was sharply ripped from her usual alcohol consumption, which wasn't healthy for any addict. Not only was this causing even further problems but she was usually paler than usual, being sick, shaking like a leaf, sweating...most of her study periods were spent with Sparks vomiting in a bucket, whilst Felynne moved off to the meadow with books to try and read them so at least -she- knew something.

And, of course, her attitude towards Merrick hadn't changed.

"Come in!" she hollered, flopping onto her bed wearily. Felynne was out hunting, any excuse to keep a distance from Sparks. Whilst Felynne's' part of the stables was neat, it's clear Sparks' mood seeped out into her own room - books thrown everywhere, tables and other furniture upturned, pieces of paper and old bread rolls strewn across the floor in a mix between a feeding frenzy and a temper tantrum. Sparks looked a wreck, as per usual. She needed a bath, new clothes, and a good stern talking to. Whilst the idea of a bath could be approached, and the 'talking to' was about to be given to her, her wardrobe is completely empty. She's been wearing the same ripped up outfit for a whole week, making her look even more like a tramp.

Two amber eyes focused on Merrick coldly as he walked in. "What do YOU want?" she snapped.

Merrik struggled not to scoff at the blunt rudeness she still pushed on his presence. "Am I bothering you? If you'd like I can leave. I don't wish to cause you any more discomfort. But if you would have it, I'd like to talk to you." Truth be told, he had been worried sick about her. Obsidian Nova was openly connected with each of the other dragons, and they to their tamers. Through the stress of Sparks' bond with Felynne, Obsidian Nova could feel the pains that seeped through their connection. And through Nova's emotions Merrik could fell the sorrow and the pain and the stress that plagued Sparks, and therefore her dragon. He was not so proud a man that he would deny his sympathy for others. The fact remained that Merrik cared deeply through each of the tamers through their dragons; he felt as if he had known them a fair time longer than what reality would show. Sparks' had struggled throughout the first week and though things looked dim at this time, he would not give up on her. He would not give up for he saw a great strength, hidden beneath deep emotional pains. More than any of the other tamers, he wanted to help her to live up to her potential. Not because he thought she would make a fine soldier, though that was a blessing nonetheless, but because something about her made him feel like she deserved it.

"Sparks, I have to ask you... What do you want?" A broad question, a strange one even. But all things came down to want and need, and he could not help her to achieve her desires until he knew what they were. He was done playing games with her; the situation between her and her dragon had reached a breaking point and if they continued down this road their bond would surely kill the both of them, be it by sorrow or pain.

Whilst Merrick was over with playing games, Sparks seemed to still have a bit of her usual, irritating self despite a week's worth of wear and tear on her personality. She pushed herself up a little, a coy grin playing on her lips, but a very bitter one. She glances around the wrecked room approvingly, and chose her answer; "What I want, is a drink." Sparks sat up, groaning just a little. "And some old clothes. These ones are ripped to hell. Oh, and a bucket, so I don't have to stagger past my freaking dragon each time I want to be sick."

Referring to Felynne as "her freaking dragon" is only a confirmation of how bad things have gotten, like a wound left to fester. The real question was - is their bond too infected to be saved? Sparks pulled her blanket over her shoulders, still shivering from wracking withdrawal pains. She took a deep, shuddering breath and, realizing that's probably not the answer Merrick wanted, decided to repeat what she said all those days ago, in the spar:

"I want to go home, Merrick. I'm a drunkard, and a tramp, and a beggar living on an eternal alcohol debt to fuel my own bar brawling income, which barely gets me a square meal each day. Despite what you want to think, I have no grasp on magic, I am not able to fly on my own dragon after a week, I -clearly- haven't 'bonded' with that sap at all, and I'm not worth anything. Shouldn't you be finding heroes to ride dragons into the sunset with? Why pick me, of all people? I'm expendable. Nobody should care about me this much, either, which is why I asked you what the hell you were doing here."

Sparks hunched over and into herself, keeping her face on Merrick. Her usual glare of hostility softened into a look of pure bewilderment, as if she didn't expect that sort of thing to slip out of her mouth. But clearly, she blamed Merrick for it, because she scowled at him and shifted her weight uneasily. "Besides," she muttered angrily, "Felynne shouldn't be stuck with a wreck like me."

The all to common furrow of Merrik's brow deepened as Sparks' spit her words at him in her usual way. He thought he was right when he assumed she would simple leave him with a snide remark and the threat of a swift kick to the groin. She seemed so lost, as if she had fallen to a dark place and could never truly be retrieved. But Merrik Tetra was not one to give up so easily. His caring personality and personal feelings for Sparks' and Felynne refused to let her break his effort. He was about to turn around and leave when he noticed a look on her face, a look of debate, and then she spoke. With each word she spoke he felt a sadness growing inside him again.

"It is strange, that you would title yourself as such. For I do not see a drunkard before me; I see a woman who's body trembles in proof of her defeat of her addiction. I do not see a tramp; I see a proud woman that none could step on. I do not see a woman living in debt; I see a Dragon Tamer. I see a woman with a sacred bond to a creature of legends, I see a woman who, despite many hardships and burdens that have befallen you in the last week, still stands before me. Still trying, still fighting. You say you have no grasp on magic, but I say you simply have not found a hold sturdy enough for a mind who's grip is as strong as yours. You say you cannot fly and take that as some kind of an offence but what you don't know is that it took my ancestor, Merrikhai Tetra, nearly 5 months to find his place on Cosmaur Sarpe's back. He went on to become the greatest legend in the history of the Order." He sat down slowly on the bed next to her, his eyes staring intently into hers.

"You say you have not bonded, and yet you are fully aware of Felynne. You have a connection with her that leads you to believe that she can do better. If you did not care, you would not take it to mind that she deserves better. Despite what you think, Felynne chose you and she knows everything about you. A dragon only chooses on person in the entire world to dwell with them in their soul. And Felynne chose you, and her decision was a good one for I did indeed go out seeking heroes. And before me, I see a hero. I see a powerful woman with all the makings of greatness. But those makings are shrouded in a pain that cannot allow your maximum potential to flourish. And whether or not you wish to believe my words, I will say them yet. You, are not expendable. You are not worthless, you are not weak, you are not a burden on your dragon. You are filled with potential that all but you can see. You have determination and strength to be envied by most. Felynne isn't stuck with you, she would do anything in her power to keep you near her. She would die for you, because she has seen into your soul and what she saw pleased her. So do not say that she deserves better, for it is an insult to her judge of character." Standing he walked to the other end of the room, leaning on the rail before turning to face her.

"So what the hell am I doing her? I'm here to tell you that I won't be giving up on you for it would be a great loss to this army and it would pain me personally to see a woman with such potential slip away into the gutter. I'm here I'm here to bring out a hero, one that sits before me in hiding. One worth more than all the gold and ale and want in the world. You are a dragon tamer. You are a legend now."

Sparks shifted restlessly under her blankets, watching Merrick like a hawk, listening to every single word he said. Her untrustworthy gaze turned rather quickly into one of disbelief, and she made sure to shuffle a little away from Merrick when he went to sit down next to her. She didn't show much of a reaction until Merrick said, with all the sincerity he could muster, that she wasn't expendable; at that point, her eyes widened in shock and she sat there, numb and speechless. She didn't move at all, even when Merrick got up and moved to the railing.

Whilst she didn't really get around to the 'speaking' part, she gave it a very good try to figure out some sort of snide remark to make it seem like this little chat did nothing to change her, but her face was an open book. Merrick would be able to clearly see that she hasn't had someone say something like that to her in decades, at the very least. Then her eyes narrowed and she looked away, muttering "Thanks." scathingly.

"Feels strange, having someone to care for you, doesn't it?" purred Felynne, drawing up to her fullest height to peer over at Sparks from her own stall. When she returned from hunting is indeterminable, but it's assured that she heard the whole thing. "Going to break down and cry a little?" she added slyly, a big grin on her lips, revealing the rows of ivory fangs.

Sparks picked up a ruined book from near-by, and hurled it at Felynne angrily. Of course, a book can't do anything against a dragon - Felynne caught it in her jaws and, with a jet of flames so hot they were white, reduced the valuable knowledge into ash in milliseconds.

"And I suppose you think all of that is true too?" snarled Sparks, rising up to her own height instead of sitting there on the bed, hunched up.

Felynne rolled her eyes. "Of course it's true, you idiot." she snapped, albeit not in frustration. "Despite what you want to think about it. You've done nothing but try to rip yourself to shreds ever since we arrived, and it's taking a lot out of me to stitch you back together again. Besides - and I'm sure you'll agree - Lord Merrick has a point."

"That...that you still think that I'm the only person in the entire world to bond with?" stammered Sparks uncertainly.

"No, that you're insulting my judge of character." replied Felynne, cocking her head to the side, smirking.

At that, Sparks stood up angrily, crossing the room in moments. She shoved up-turned furniture out of the way, slid books across the floor with her feet, rolled a bottle of nearly non-alcoholic wine that she smuggled from the feast across to Merrick's feet unintentionally, and stood face to face with Felynne, looking as if she'd kill the dragon.

But that doesn't happen - she just pressed her forehead against Felynne's, and shut her eyes. Almost instantly, that dark cloud of torment that hung over Sparks dissipated, and there was a distinct outburst of emotion from the two of them - something they didn't get the chance to do when they first bonded, as Sparks finally opened herself up to her dragon. Neither of them broke down crying, or laughed, they just stood there, Sparks with her fists clenched and Felynne glancing down at the top of a mass of dreadlocks pressed against her nose.

"Right," stated Sparks, her voice cracking with emotion - as soon as it did she glanced over at Merrick and blushed furiously, pointing at him threateningly. "Tell. No-one." she snarled. "I don't want them to think I'm soft." she added, after a moment's hesitation. Felynne watched with amusement as Sparks paced around her wrecked room for a few minutes, fixing her hair, trying to do anything to not look at Merrick. Then she span around again.

"First thing's first - You do NOT cut an addict off their addiction like that." she snapped. "I. Have been through. Hell. Just to try and fight this off. Didn't you know that you were supposed to wean someone off of their drink instead of stopping it altogether? You probably noticed that I've been trying to get those wine bottles all damn week, and even then it's only grape juice. I NEED a drink. Even if you kept brandy in your bedroom, I don't care, because if I get the shakes and the hallucinations on the back of Felynne, we're BOTH going to end up in trouble. Especially if she's in the air. I bet she can't do a dive maneuver yet, can she?"

Felynne looked at Sparks seriously for a moment, and Sparks slumped her shoulders, feeling Felynne's disapproval weighing on her back. "But don't-....Don't give it to me unless I need it, it's just....if I end up getting really bad. Only in case of emergencies." she mumbled regretfully. But at least she caught up with her own anger as she remembered what else she asked for. "And another thing! If you've got any old clothes, I'll take them. If you don't want me thinking I'm a tramp, you'd give me something else to wear - I've been wearing this ripped shirt over my boobs for a week and I'm constantly worried it's going to fall off."

"Don't forget the bucket," urged Felynne, finding the whole situation hilarious as she stifled a laugh. "AND THE BUCKET!" exploded Sparks, throwing her arms into the air, then hoisting the aforementioned shirt back up a little. "Who in their right mind wouldn't give an alcoholic a bucket?! Besides, you can carry things in it too! It's useful!"

With her little rant over, she looked over at Merrick expectantly. "Well?" she asked. "Bucket, clothes, booze. Simple enough, right?" From behind Sparks, Felynne glanced over at Merrick with a big grin on her face. She's still trying to keep in a laugh, but there's a grateful look in her eyes. Thank you, she mouthed silently to Merrick.

Merrik smiled as Sparks' true nature returned as she gruffly began barking out rules to him. "You have my word. Our private workings are of no concern to the others. Though I doubt anyone could ever mistake you for being soft" He furrowed his brow at the memory of the many times she had nearly damaged his manhood. No, she would never be a soft woman, she was a warrior inside and out. He listened to her continue on to lecture him on removing all her alcohol. For this he had no regrets; a woman with such will as hers needed drastic measures to make progress. He had no doubt that a seasoned alcoholic such as Sparks' could find the means to make even an ounce of liquor remain in her system for much too long. No, he had carried no intentions of letter her consume so much as a drop until he saw a definite change in her mindset. It wasn't her drinking that was the problem, he himself enjoyed the escape of a heavy drunk; the problem was her need for it and the reasons behind it. She did not simply enjoy drinking, she needed to do it. And until this moment, he knew that any brew offered to her would be used as an escape from facing her real inner struggles.

"I will not apologize for what I did. I know full well what it takes to wean an addict, but you are no weak minded, pathetic addict. No, you contorted your use to draw yourself into a well fortified fortress of seclusion within your mind. You needed to be ripped out of that fortress and held captive in the dungeons of sobriety until I could get through to you. You're too sly to be subjected to usual methods." He leaned down and slid his hand into his boot, retrieving a thing flask of pure, 60-year-old brandy. Laughing about her remarks about the usefulness of a bucket he straightened up.

"Here." He said tossing her the thing silver container."You'll get exactly 6 ounces a day, and no more. Make it work, and don't tell me you need more because I know better. I'll get you a bucket soon, but first, I want you to come join me at the dinner table. We'll eat and act as if we never had this conversation. Later tonight I want you to come with me to the manor. I'll explain more at dinner. We'll get you fresh clothes from the wardrobes there; you'll have a pick of some well made attire, perfect for training and everyday operations, so look forward to that."

A warmth entered into Merrik's heart. It was not the heat of victory, but the warming presence of comfort and relaxation of a portion of the strains in his mind. He hoped what had happened in this loft today had unlocked the true warrior with the dreadlocked woman that stood before him. "Now come, I have to return to the table to greet the rest of the tamers."

Obsidian Nova felt a rush explanation of the events that had occurred. Merrik had been too consumed by the happenings to regularly inform his dragon, but as he walked past his stall, the great black drake silently joined them, a warm smile, just hardly noticeable, tugged at his scaled lips. An aura of hope and positive aspirations filled the bonded space between him and his tamer.

Sparks reached up and grabbed the flask mid-air. She kind of tuned out for most of the conversation, but hearing scraps about heading up to the manor alone with a rich man kicked in a few little warning bells and she glanced up again, only to have her precious, precious liquid courage stolen from her by Felynne.

At that point, she really did punch her dragon, and damn-near broke her hand on the tough scales. Felynne hid the precious brandy. "You will get it when I know you're ready," she scolded, trying to shout over the incoherent yellings, whines, and curses of Sparks for getting her hope and joy snatched from her again. "Food first!" roared Felynne, loud enough to make Sparks stop complaining, her deadlocks billowing behind her at the force of the yell.

---

Sparks burst out of the stables, her mood visibly lighter and more upbeat than she was for the entire week. More importantly, she looked much less irritated with her dragon, who was prodding her in the back with a talon to get her to move towards the feast table. She took a seat between Tara and Arameus, grabbing the bottle of sweet wine by instinct, not even listening to Merrick. She gulped down a quarter of the bottle while he talked, her expression thoughtful, before putting it down on the table where her glass should be and glancing over at Arameus.

"See this?" she said bluntly, pointing at the wine bottle. "Merrick wants you to think he doesn't want his precious tamers with hangovers for training the next morning, but between you and me, he's a massive lightweight. I should know, we met in a bar." muttered Sparks, grinning mirthfully. "The name's Sparks. I need to get used to meeting you guys since I've been in a sulk all week. What's your name, then?" she asked. Whilst it wasn't exactly very polite, and her tone of voice was rough and hardened by years amongst the scum of society, she did sound generally warm, friendly and inviting.

Felynne glanced over at Sparks, and smiled just a little. Her elation and joy to see that Sparks is finally happier once again could be felt by her siblings, the other dragons, as she tumbled around and played with them, but she did not speak a word of the happenings within her stall.

[Ghirardelli]

Arameus shot up in a sitting position in the middle of the bed, his first thought was that he was about to endure another of Alysia's feeding frenzies, though not the largest of the Dragons, she had quite the voracious appetite. After only a moment he realised that it was the protesting hallowness of his own belly that he had awaken from a nap, he reached over and closed the book he had been reading concerning Dragon mana and magic then pushed himself up and off the bed, wincing slightly as his muscles ached with his movement. Whether it was the intense training of the first week, or the fact that he was no longer a young Squire, but he found himself suffering more aches and pains then he could remember from past training.

He gave Lord Merrik a polite nod upon seeing him in the hall in front of Sparks room, then quickly scampered down the ladder to Alysia's vacant stall before there was an answer to Lord Merrik's request to enter. Sparks near incessant cursing throughout the week had lead to some embarrassing questions by Alysia as to the meanings of some of the phrasing and choice of words that Sparks had howled during the training sessions and he didn't want to be within earshot of another round that was bound to come with Lord Merrik's entrance, nor try and explain anything new she might cuss to Alysia who now seemed to delight in making a point of listening to every foul word uttered and question him about.

~~~

Arameus noted the gravity of Lord Merrik's words as he spoke while they all sat and ate, the mans devotion to his cause seemed to mirror that of his own devotion to the Knights code and found a sense of kinship with the man, despite not having engaged him in any sort of lengthy conversation other then the night following the revealing of the Black Dragon. He perked up and listened intently as Lord Merrik went on to speak about assigning tasks to them all, eager for the chance to prove himself and Alysia's abilities. As he listened, he spotted the rolled parchment in front of his plate and took hold of it and read it carefully, his mind already forming a plan as he glanced up at both the Tamers Talisar and Rhyana to see if they had gotten similar parchment's.

His thoughts were interuppted by movement on his right side and he turned to look, only to advert his eyes quickly at the flash of naked side boob revealed by the tattered remains of garment that the Tamer Sparks had refused to change from for the entire week. He was then taken aback by her unexpected turn of mood and regarded her with a perked brow as she spoke,

"See this?,Merrick wants you to think he doesn't want his precious tamers with hangovers for training the next morning, but between you and me, he's a massive lightweight. I should know, we met in a bar, The name's Sparks. I need to get used to meeting you guys since I've been in a sulk all week. What's your name, then?"

Arameus looked at her suspiciously, though slightly boisterous and rough, it seemed she was making an attempt at being friendly, which given her mood for the past week, caused him to wonder what had been said between her and Lord Merrik that had caused the changed, he looked at the bottle she was holding up for him to see, then replied,

"Given your manners, choice of language and demands for drink, there's little reason to think you met him anywhere else but a Tavern", realising that might of sounded abit harsh, he softened his expression and offered a warm smile, not wanting to be the one that caused her to slip back into her fowl mood,"But I make a poor jest at your expense, forgive me M'Lady, I'm Arameus and tis a pleasure to met you, and if I may be so bold as to say, I was quite impressed with your ability to handle a sword, with a bit more technique and balance added to your raw power, I would wager you could of bested his Lordship, but then again we're not here to fight amongst ourselves are we?...so what manner of task have you been given, if I may ask?".

[Draexzhan]

3:00 PM (Magic Training)

Irin marveled at Merrik's little magic show, oohing as the tendrils of flame and shadow shot into the air. Merrik then provided them with their first task: to create a flame and to twist it at will. Irin thought for a minute. He was right handed, meaning that in battle his right hand would be occupied with his sword. Therefore, he'd want to use magic with his left hand. Fingers folded, but palm wide open, he stuck his hand out and thought about fire. Symbol of life, bringer of death and destruction, power in its physical form. Smoke began to slither out of his palm, which, being as unnatural as it was, completely surprised him and caused him to lose focus, the smoke quickly vanishing. Regathering his senses, he stared at his palm, feeling it with his other hand. If this were any other circumstance, he would have convinced himself he was just seeing things. He took a few deep breaths, and held his palm out again. Feeding off of energy found in the air around it, it is a producer of light and heat. It is power, and as such, requires caution to control. A flare of light shot out of his hand, and quickly vanished, leaving a steady candle flame levitating above his hand. Fire.... fire... That is fire. But what moves fire? He paused for a second, and the flame faltered, but he quickly regained focus and the flame became steady again. Air. air directs fire. Air... energy and force in a state of dormancy. Only when it becomes wind does it awaken itself. But that is not all it does. It has the life in it to keep everything alive. Without air... nothing would survive. Not even fire. He cupped his other hand, and held it in front of the flame. The flame danced and flickered, leaning away from his right hand. He moved his right hand underneath his left, and made a circular motion with it. The flame writhed and twisted, slowly forming the twisted shape of a corkscrew. Irin breathed heavily with concentration, but a grin appeared on his face as he marveled at what he had just done. He had performed a miracle of miracles...

Magic.

As Merrik wandered about the group as they discovered magic for the first time he kept keen eyes out for anything that may have appeared dangerous or unusual. Magic came in all sorts of forms as a result of variation in thought processes and will. He saw a variety of different approaches to the simple task of creating a flame, but as he passed by Irin and Uram he couldn't help but furrow his brow at what he saw. There was a flame before the man no doubt, but it twisted and wove about in a way that was unnatural of fire. It was if it was it was being pulled up into a small tornado of air. This was enough to bring about Merrik's protest.

"Irin, could you halt your workings for a moment?" He made his way over to the man and his silvery dragon, nodding politely to Uram as he always did in the presence of a lady. "I wonder if you could explain to me the process behind your manipulation of the flame. If you cannot put it into words, I'd like for you to feel it and open your mind to Uram that she might work as a vessel to help me understand."

Irin released his mind from its concentration and the fire vanished instantly. He shifted his gaze over to Merrik and responded to him. "I'm manipulating the fire by controlling the uh... I don't really know. He turned his head so that his gaze was on Uram, who acknowledged his silent request, and conveyed his thoughts through to Merrik. Partway through, she faltered, as she realized just what the issue was.

Oh, uh, Master Merrik, I believe I see the problem. He's using wind magic to manipulate the fire as opposed to just fire. My apologies, I must have mixed my thoughts a bit when giving him the necessary knowledge.

His thoughts now confirmed by the presence of wind magic, Merrik lifted his hand to his chin in a thoughtful manner. He knew the flame wasn't right in the sense that it did not behave in the way fire would naturally behave; he knew there was something off about the manipulation, yet he didn't expect Irin to be harnessing wind magic to manipulate the flame. This meant he did indeed understand fire to some extent to have created the flame at all, but his bonded instinct had shifted in wind magic to flesh out the idea of how the fire would move. "Hmm, this I did not expect. I hadn't planned on introducing your specific elemental magicks until a strong understanding of basic fire magick was grasped. You certainly have the basics, your flame was strong and very much alive. But it seems Uram's air-prone instincts were portrayed. I know you've long used wind to manipulate your flames Uram but we do need to get Irin to focus on and understand the fire magicks before anything. Though, seeing as you've picked up on Uram's instincts rather quickly, I think it might be best that we get you started on your elemental magic sooner than planned."

He paused for a moment and turned his head to where Obsidian Nova lay watching, his attention was perked at the strange use of magic just as Merrik's had been. For a few moments he simply stared at the dragon, obviously locked in unspoken conversation with his bonded drake, but eventually turned back and spoke to the pair before him. "It's settled then. If you can prove to me that you can fully grasp fire magick, I'll start you on wind magick. Take your time; if you're going to be using flames at all I expect you to have a full understanding of them just like everyone else. Work hard and quickly and soon enough you'll be expanding this new instinct to contort the wind. You may go on to do great things; wind magic users can be very powerful, and it's not uncommon that Atmosphere Dragon tamers of the past have gone on to control even the most disastrous tornadoes, twisting the wind in a nature not unlike their own breathing. But promise me, we take this slow. Magick is dangerous, no matter how natural it is to you."

Irin nodded at Merrik's statements, a look of surprise on his face. Magic was not something he would have thought he'd be good at, but then... how would he know? Barely a few days ago, he would have laughed at the whole concept of magic. Yet here he was, apparently with natural talent, too.

Holding his left palm up and open, with the fingers folded, he stared intensively at it again. Fire... he thought about it hard until a flame appeared levitating over his palm.

Fire is a representation of life, but life doesn't just bend to the will of what's around it, it has its own will. It hungers, it eats, it grows, it dies. But it follows its food, like a wolf follows a deer. Fire feeds off of fuel, and this flames fuel is my magic. The focal point of my magic is what it burns off of. If I move or change the shape of the focal point, the fire will obey. He shifted his magic slowly left and then right on his palm, and the flame followed. He then moved his magic in a small circle, clockwise, then counterclockwise, and the flame did likewise. Then Irin intensified his concentration as he attempted to turn the focal point into a shape. A short bar shape. The flame widened, as though it obtained more fuel to feed off of. Irin's brow furrowed, and the right side of his lip was twitching from concentration as he made the fire rotate about its center. The fire dimmed briefly and then began to rotate and twist about the center. The speed at which it rotated was inconsistent at first, but it soon came to maintain a steady speed, slowly increasing as Irin put more and more effort into it.

Merrik watched as Irin tackled the concept of fire once more, this time with a refreshed understanding of the element thanks to Uram. He watched Irin concentrate and begin to understand the true natural working of the flame and slowly begin to contort it to his will. "Yes! You're understanding fire's true nature now." He circled around the pair, observing their actions. "It won't be long before you have a strong base of understanding for the use of mana. I figure by next week we'll get you working on implementing wind magic into your pool of ability...How's your mind training coming? Do you think you're nearly ready for your first round of lucid meditation?"

Irin felt proud when Merrik praised him, but the pride was replaced with embarrassment when Merrik mentioned the lucid meditation. "I... suppose so. But I'll have you know that I could not study that journal, for..." He stared down at his feet. "I... can barely read at all. I could read bits and pieces of it, but it was difficult enough to read a couple sentences. I don't think I could read a whole page, much less a whole journal."

Shock was Merrik's first reaction; he often forgot about the lack of necessity for people to learn to read and write. But a moment later he settled his surprise and nodded in understanding. "My apologies, I often forget that reading and writing are of little use to many folk in these parts. In my life, and the duties I've been assigned, I could not go a day without these crucial skills. You must know, this cannot go on forever. You'll have countless hours of studying to be done; you will be taught to read. A Dragon Tamer stands above nobility in social stature. Not because we seek out standing, but because our work requires high skill in many areas. Yennifer, you've met her I assume? She's got a keen mind for teaching and she is a highly literate woman. I'll work with you personally as much as I can but when I cannot, she will help you until you learn to decipher our unusual language. We'll begin tonight, come and meet me in my chambers if you would. By the end of the week I expect we'll have worked through a number of journals and hopefully, after reading past tamers' experiences with this ailment and after you've spent at least 10 hours in meditation, we'll concoct the potion and send you into the land of Uram's soul.

In the mean time, I expect you to work on focus on improving your understanding of fire magick. When you can convince me you've mastered the concept, I'll begin working with you and Uram in expanding your experience with wind magicks."

Irin nodded at Merrik's request, "Yessir." He said, and he held his hand back out in front of him, and created another flame, concentrating on the finer properties of the flame.

[Stitches]

"Given your manners, choice of language and demands for drink, there's little reason to think you met him anywhere else but a tavern."

Sparked raised an eyebrow, before bursting into a laughter so loud that it briefly overwhelmed the chatter around the feast table. She leant back in her chair, shaking her head, and giving Arameus a toothy grin. "I like you. You're funny." she said, trying to give him a hearty and slightly painful slap on the back.

"But I make a poor jest at your expense, forgive me M'Lady, I'm Arameus and 'tis a pleasure to met you, and if I may be so bold as to say, I was quite impressed with your ability to handle a sword, with a bit more technique and balance added to your raw power, I would wager you could of bested his Lordship, but then again we're not here to fight amongst ourselves are we?...so what manner of task have you been given, if I may ask?"

"M'lady?" spluttered Sparks, practically choking on the sweet wine she started guzzling between one sentence and the next. "Arameus, I am no lady. I'm a woman, yeah, but I'm not a lady. You and Merrick, goodness...I'm sure you can flatter all the other birds on this table but I just find it irritating. I'm sure a couple of them swoon over gentlemen, at least." snickered Sparks, glancing down the table at the women in particular. She wipes a bit of wine off the side of her mouth with her knuckles, giving Arameus her undivided attention the moment he makes a comment about her sword skills.

"I find it amusing that people call Merrick a lord. Anyways, thanks for the compliment." she grunted, hoisting up the aforementioned boob rag to cover her decency just a little more. "And I have all the technique in the world - he's just flighty and avoided a kick to the manhood, which means he's scared of having his manliness tested. I'd put him down as a 'crumple up in pain' kind of guy. There used to be a man who wandered around Freya who could take several and not even stop to think about it. Mind you, I think all the tattoo ink made him completely numb."

Sparks reached for the wine bottle, but then hesitated. Her expression became one of grim determination as she stood up and hurled it as far away from her as possible - Felynne picked up the bottle grudgingly, as to not cover the meadow with litter. Sparks glared at Merrick with as much hatred as she could possibly muster, waited until he was looking at her, and jerked a thumb to the now-empty spot where her drink was. Hopefully, it wouldn't have taken him that long to look at her - after all, she did just stand up and lob a glass bottle away for no apparent reason.

Somewhat pleased that particular little episode was over, she returned to her conversation as if nothing happened, the only explanation she gave is "I think I would've bested the poncy sap if he didn't decide to give me a shove like a temperamental child and fly off on his dragon. But, haha, just you wait; I will personally kick his arse one day. 'not here to fight amongst ourselves' indeed."

"As for a task, I, uh..." Sparks trailed off, looking around her seat for a roll of parchment. "...Was apparently too good for one..." she manages uncertainly as she glances around the table at everyone else's parchment, wondering if one of them had two. "...So clearly I'm up for some very important task." finished Sparks, with not nearly as much confidence as she had before.

No parchment. No task. Merrick didn't even trust her and her dragon enough to give her a mission. Sparks suddenly regretted throwing away the wine behind her, she just found a much better target; Merrick's chair looked easy enough to fire a breadroll at without anyone looking, right? She folded her arms, scowling. "-Way- too important to have written down on parchment, Arameus. Don't worry about that." she muttered sulkily, turning her attention to Tara. "Did you get two rolls of parchment or something?" asked Sparks hopefully; perhaps there was still a chance.

[Kyara]

Tara had been busier this past week than she had been for years and she was very glad for it. Between training, flying, studying and spending time immersed in Zarketh's mind she hadn't had time to wallow in her own thoughts and guilt like she spent most of her time over the last five years doing. Merrick's talk of evil brought back things she had been gladly distancing herself from though, memories of her home and people she had lost. She didn't need to be told what would happen if Ogual went unchecked, she had seen it herself. She wouldn't forget her responsibility, and she wouldn't fail it this time either.

Tara was relieved to see Sparks, as she introduced herself, in a better mood. Perhaps she would progress more in her training and attitude now. Tara was used to working by herself, relying on herself. It had been 15 years since she had fought in a unit and she knew that their success and her life would be dependent on the skills of her fellow tamers and how well they worked together. So the inexperience and lack of dedication of some of them made her uneasy. But she was enjoying the company, although she hadn't got to know any of them very well or spent much time socialising. It was nice just to have people around. She took the parchment Merrick handed out and read it as Sparks and Arameus talked. She frowned as she read; she wasn't a builder, her father had been a carpenter and she had worked with him as a child but she had joined the army because she didn't enjoy it. Not exactly a first mission suited to her skills, but that wouldn't be enough to deter her.

She put the parchment down just as Sparks turned to address her. “No, sorry.” She replied then added with a friendly smile, “My name's Tara, if you hadn't already caught it. Nice to meet you properly.”