[IC] Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

[XxFellsingxX]

Garrock didn't respond to Fellwing's words right away, nor made any sign he had even heard Skobeloff's words. He just stared down at the black drake with pure fury. It was only when Stargaze spoke up that he finally averted his gaze and turned it on the Orphan, the rage melting away from his eyes and becoming somewhat dazed, as if he wasn't entirely sure how to respond to her plea. Clearly, he hadn't expected anyone to jump to Fellwing's defense, let alone offer to take the blame in her stead.

After a long pause, his face wrinkled to something akin to disgust and he turned away. "You," he said, rounding on Skobeloff. "Lead me to the Tessith stronghold. The sooner we start gathering up the missing dragons, the sooner we can get off this dreadful island." He looked like he was about to storm off when Fellwing uttered her comment about going alone, and he paused, turning to look over his shoulder back at her. "And that, right there, is the attitude you should have started with." He motioned with his wing towards Skobeloff before raising his voice slightly, addressing not just Fellwing but all being present. "Your little friend here was able to get far more done in the last couple of hours by himself than any of you were able to working as a group. He's already ensured the safety of three dragons while you have ensured the safety of only one." He nods towards Kyte, who, judging by their frown, clearly doesn't appreciate the older dragon bringing them into this. "If you end up taking anything away from this whole mess, let it be this: your clutchmates will only slow you down."

With that, he begins to take a few steps away, but not before Fellwing catches a glimpse of his wing, the same one that one of the the infected brownies bit during their confrontation. The Seer can just about see small black specks beginning to form on the membrane, similar to what had had happened to Kyte. Clearly, the Darkness is starting to take its hold over the older dragon.

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

When Garrock ordered him to lead the way to the stronghold, Skobeloff hesitated. As much as he wanted to get some one on one time with the bearded dragon, the Darkness had just found purchase in Fellwing again. Skobeloff didn't enjoy allowing darkness to fester within his friends. But at the same time, Garrock probably wouldn't like to be kept waiting and Fellwing herself probably wasn't in the mood to even speak with him, let alone let him convince her to focus on expunging the Shadow within her while he was the target of her anger.

Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself when Garrock stopped to have the last word in his argument with Fellwing. While that was happening, Skobeloff snuck over to Stargaze. "The Darkness just got through Fellwing's defences again." Skobeloff whispered to Stargaze. "That should probably be taken care of before you tangle with whatever is lurking in that lair." It was at that point that Garrock wrapped up his parting words and began to move. "Good luck out there." Skobeloff said to his clutchmates. "See you soon."

With that said, Skobeloff ran to catch up to and pass by Garrock to lead him to the stronghold. Despite his unease at leaving his clutch with one clutchmate dipping a toe into the Dark, Skobeloff had an obligation to fulfil. So he did his best to console himself with a belief that he wouldn't be away from the others for too long and that he'd be able to fix anything he'd actually be needed for upon his return.

[Vertigo]

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

__________________________________________________

The disturbing fury Fellwing had seen in Garrock's gaze had likewise simmered, likewise thanks to Stargaze, and Fellwing was stunned to hear the older dragon offer her a reasonable piece of advice for once. She couldn't refute his argument. Not the fact that Skobeloff had been more effective alone, nor the fact that she likely would have, as well. She had tried again and again to rush the others, to instil in them the same sense of urgency that had found purchase in her gut, yet they'd kept lingering. Talking. Confronting - and then comforting - a drake that would likely not offer their group any valuable help. She wasn't used to this. She was used to receiving a vision, then acting accordingly on her own, with no one around her none the wiser of what was going on.

Just her and the Darkness.

Then Garrock turned to leave, and as Fellwing raised her gaze, she had to stifle a gasp. Garrock's wing, then one she'd seen bitten what felt like ages ago by now, was festering. Darkness had taken hold of it - and therefore, of the older dragon. She was the only one who saw it; the others were busy gossiping. About her? Perhaps. Drakes tended to do that.

Skobeloff returned to lead Garrock away. If she wanted to say something, this was the time. What had Skobeloff and Stargaze talked about? He didn't tell her. Her claws dug into the earth. She was still angry.

Fellwing said nothing. She turned around, and did what she should have done ages ago: she hurried, dashing off towards where her visions had guided her earlier, regardless of whether others were able or willing to follow.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Stargaze

Well, at least everyone stopped arguing after she offered to take the blame. She gave a sad smile to Fellwing when she protested against it. That disappeared when Garrock spoke to all of them and gave his lesson: Everyone was better off and able to accomplish more alone.

...Was she slowing everyone down?

Before she could mull on that, Skobeloff slinked his way to her, and informed her that the Darkness got through Fellwing's defenses. When he told her to deal with it before they tangled with whatever had the other dragons captive, she nodded in agreement.

Skobeloff was counting on her on this, Stargaze realized that. Fellwing needed her! That quashed any doubt that threatened to creep into her mind for now.

As the clutch parted ways, Stargaze bounded after Fellwing calling, "Fellwing! Wait up! I'm coming with you!"

As soon as she caught up to her seer friend, she asked as they walked along, "...Fellwing. You don't think Garrock's lesson just now is true, do you?"

She quickly adds "I mean...aren't there a lot of tales that tell of how clutches and grown dragons accomplished great things by working together?"

Rolling...

Stargaze tries to get Fellwing to look to Other Clutches' Example to get rid of a shadow...

Rolled a 6. That might not have been successful...^^"

[Vertigo]

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

__________________________________________________

Fellwing wasn't sure whether anyone would follow, and couldn't decide whether she was happy or disappointed that someone did. With a sigh that heaved her entire body, she glanced over her shoulder but did not chance slowing down. Upon seeing Stargaze, she gave a nod to signal she'd seen the white drake, then focused her sights back to the path ahead. It took all the mental prowess she had to try and navigate according to a vision that was already fading from memory, especially when the path she'd taken then had been a bird's. She couldn't wait to be able to fly in earnest.

"Is it not?" Fellwing retorted, distracted, as she tried to parse both her friend's question and the road. Even in her agitated state, she tried to watch her tone with the Orphan, if only a little. "He's older and wiser than us. There must be some merit to his words." She didn't sound entirely earnest, her disdain towards the older dragon audible in her tone. As Stargaze continued, Fellwing glanced at her from the corner of her eye, one brow furrowed, one quirked in curiosity.

"Tales of working together? Such as?" She tried to think, though not very hard; her head was too full of things already, and all she could remember were the tales told by her housemates - which certainly didn't involve cooperation. "Stargaze, we've no time for tales now. There should be a crooked tree somewhere here, nearby, and I know we need to take a left from it. We're drawing closer to danger by the minute. I'm fine, so please do make sure you are, as well. Watch out for yourself first."

[XxFellsingxX]

During the argument, Alpin had sensed the growing tension among the younger drakes and had ended up edging closer and closer towards Kyte, who had remained silent the whole time. By the time Garrock had turned to leave, the brownie had clambered up onto Kyte's back, as if trying to hide behind the winged drake's wings and long neck.

Once Garrock had gotten out of earshot, Kyte glanced over at Shieldwing and gave a snort. "Who threw up in his nest this morning?" they joked, hoping to break the tense atmosphere. However, it was clear the Warrior was also not in the best of the moods, as he merely shook his head before following after Stargaze and Fellwing.

The three of them followed a slight distance from the black and white drake, and it was only when they heard Fellwing mentioning a crooked tree that Kyte attempted conversation again. "If you want, I could try and fly overhead," they said, spreading their wings out for emphasis. "Thanks to Stargaze, my wings feel stronger than ever. I could spot where we need to be heading from the air."

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

"The stronghold is this way." Skobeloff said as he led the way back to the Tessith Tree. "Keep an eye out as we get closer, the local pixies seem to hold dragonkind responsible for the island's ills. One of them attempted to confound me with pixie dust as I made my way there the first time." As he spoke, the wheels in the Trickster's head were turning. He'd accomplished a noteworthy task on his own, and now they were away from prying ears. Garrock's secrets were within his grasp, all Skobeloff needed now was an opportunity to seize them.

OOC

Skobeloff studies Garrock. He rolls two sixes and learns what Garrock is hoarding and how he could finally get Garrock to relinquish his secrets and vital pieces of information.

[XxFellsingxX]

"Yes, yes, you mentioned that already," Garrock responds as he follows after Skobeloff. Now that he's far enough away from the others, his anger seems to have quickly dissolved, giving way to exhaustion. It occurs to Skobeloff that, as a dragon nearing elder, Garrock would normally have had a nap at some point during the day, but given their current situation, he hasn't had the opportunity. It's also likely he's been pushing himself to keep up with the younger dragons, which hadn't helped his already obvious irritability and resentment towards them.

During the walk, his wings also relax slightly, allowing Skobeloff to catch a glimpse of the black specks on the membrane. At some point while the trickster was apart from the group, Garrock must have been injured. None of the drakes noticed, and Garrock has obviously been doing his best to hide and tend to the wound in secret. Bringing it up will probably lead to Garrock's defenses coming up again. The best thing Skobeloff can do at this moment is to try and start a casual conversation with the older dragon, allowing him to open up at his own pace and on his own terms.

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

"I have?" Skobeloff asked when Garrock told him that he'd spoken of the pixies already. Then he remembered the tale he told mere moments ago and laughed. "Oh of course I did. Silly me. That's the problem with us thinking types. We just get so caught up in what we're thinking sometimes that we stop paying attention to what we're saying." Skobeloff chuckled and shook his head as they continued on.

[XxFellsingxX]

"In my experience, most drakes seem to talk without paying attention to what they're saying," Garrock responded. While his words seemed dismissive, they lacked the edge he had possessed only moments before. Clearly, he was too tired to be hostile at this point. "I hope it's not too much further to the stronghold. I'm quite done with chaperoning the lot of you at this point, especially with how little respect you all seem to give me."

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

"If it's respect you want, you won't get much through grumbling and abrasiveness." Skobeloff pointed out. "As the angels on New Nicaea are so fond of saying: Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

OOC

Skobeloff rolls an 11 to convince Garrock to be nicer.

[Vertigo]

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

__________________________________________________

Fellwing had been on the fence on whether she was glad Stargaze followed her or not, but she offered no such courtesy to the other three. Their presence, once she noticed it, was decidedly unwelcome. Why could they not go after Skobeloff? He was the one who wanted reinforcements in the first place!

"Do as you wish," Fellwing replied to Kyte, curt but not quite unkind, as she stared at another row of trees - that didn't much differ from the previous row. Flying... would make things easier, she supposed. "Look for the tallest trees, near the island's center."

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Stargaze

Stargaze listens to Fellwing as she answers, seeing that her attempt to try and help Fellwing fight off the Darkness didn't work. She started speaking again, feeling sweat bead as she too tried to recall stories from other clutches, "Well, Uh...E-Even Elders make mistakes, right? I mean there's whole debacle among Heads of Houses going on, right...?"

Kyte then spoke up, giving Stargaze a moment to think even more while he offered to fly and Fellwing answered, and she realized something.

Wait. I'm not Skobeloff. I can't do his...feats of trickery. I think...I need to be just straightforward here,

After Fellwing spoke, and there is a moment of silence, Stargaze speaks up,

"OK...I'm having trouble coming up stories of other clutches, but there is one story I can think of that outright refutes Garrock's lesson: My own,"

She continues talk to Fellwing earnestly, "If it hadn't been for Shieldwing, Skobeloff, and you, I wouldn't be here. I don't know what would have happened if a houseless rawscale didn't find a clutch to join. But I do know that I wouldn't have been able to just join a clutch on my own. You accepted me when no one else would,"

She finishes, "I'm sorry if I slow you down, but I am doing my best, and will continue to do my best to help all of you,"

She then informs her honestly, "I'm...saying all of this, because Skobeloff noticed that the darkness got to you. And I get it. I'm scared and agitated too. But I don't want to lose the friends I've made while trying to save my home. So, let me help as well! Maybe I can lead the way to this tree? After all, I grew up here,"

OOC

Stargaze tries again with looking to Clutch's example (this time their own clutch) to remove a darkness from Fellwing!

Hey hey! I got an 11!

[Vertigo]

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

__________________________________________________

Occupied once more with her memories, Fellwing was unaware of the internal turmoil of her friend - until the white drake spoke up, a sudden confidence in her voice. The Seer glanced back at her, surprised.

"Star...?" she quieted and listened, and though she didn't notice it herself, also stopped dead in her tracks. Did Stargaze feel like she was slowing her down? That wasn't... Fellwing hadn't meant to hurt her with such an implication; it was for Stargaze's sake - for the sake of all her friends - that she wanted to do her best in the first place, even if it meant doing it alone.

Accepted her when no one else would; now wasn't that a familiar tale?

Fellwing could remember what it had felt like, not being allowed to help; the glares thrown her way, when others learnt that the source of her visions was the Darkness they tried to fight. The feeling of powerlessness in the face of a friend's strife was, perhaps, one of the worst things she'd ever felt.

But had the Darkness gotten to her? That she wasn't so sure of. How would Skobeloff have known that?

It had gotten to Garrock, and Skobeloff didn't know that. No one did but her, and there was nothing she could do about it now. She would when she next saw him, though; she swore.

"I... yes, I'm sorry, Stargaze. You did grow up here, and I think-- I think I'm lost." Admitting it hurt. But seeing Stargaze in pain hurt more. "Let's find our way. Together. I will tell you what I remember of the way, and I will trust in your guidance to take us there."

ooc

Fellwing clears a shadow, then Helps Stargaze with an 11. Also, Stargaze gets a Friendship Gem for her creativity!

[XxFellsingxX]

At Skobeloff's words, Garrock pauses mid-step and turns his head towards the trickster, fixing him with a scowl. He opens his mouth to say something, maybe to sling another insult, maybe simply to defend himself... then pauses. His expression fades back into exhaustion as he reconsiders his words and he gives a loud sigh. "I'm sorry," he says after a long pause. "But you don't understand how frustrating this is for me, wanting to help my own Housemates and being told I can't, as if I can't be trusted to do this task by myself. As if I'm weak, as if I'm not enough..." Beneath his frustration, Skobeloff detects a hint of hurt in Garrock's eyes. Not just any hurt, either, but an old hurt he has been hanging onto for a long, long time. He shakes his head. "I know your lot don't want me around either, you know. Is that why you're taking me to the stronghold?" He gives Skobeloff a searching look. "When you were in that cave, did you all draw straws to see who was going to be the one to escort mean old Garrock back to the stronghold so he can stop slowing everyone down?"

---

Once the arguing had died down and the Darkness withdrew its hold on Fellwing's heart, the group had a much easier time navigating the swamp. Stargaze's knowledge of the terrain, Fellwing's vision and Kyte scouting overhead allowed them to make their way to the spot the Seer had envisioned. The ground becomes firmer under foot and the group has to start treading carefully to avoid the mess of thorny vines that seem to entangle all the trees and bushes in the area. It occurs to the drakes that it was probably a good idea that Garrock hadn't accompanied them as there is no way the bearded dragon would have been able to make it through this area.

As the group attempts to locate the captured dragons within this mess, Fellwing - and only Fellwing - suddenly hears a familiar voice. "Fellwing... over here... Fellwing..." it beckons from somewhere further back. Fellwing recognizes it as the voice of Endora, an elder dragon from Kebros and a fellow seer who had helped in the past with interpreting her visions. Given that she is quite old, blind and not known for traveling far from Kebros' many strongholds, it does strike Fellwing as very, very odd to hear her mentor's voice on this strange island.

But it does sound so, so much like her. What will the group do?

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

When Garrock was finished speaking, Skobeloff frowned and shook his head at Garrock's theory that Skobeloff was just trying to get him out of the way. "Come now, don't be like that." The Trickster said consolingly. "You aren't slowing anyone down. And while you may be old, I find it hard to believe that anyone who shows concern like you did after Shieldwing crash landed on the beach could be truly mean." Skobeloff smiled at Garrock then. "You're a good dragon really, Garrock. It's just your concern for your missing Housemates and a lack of sleep has shortened your temper somewhat. I don't hold that against you. And I'm sure the others won't as well."

[XxFellsingxX]

At Skobeloff saying he was a good dragon, Garrock ducks his head slightly in embarrassment. "I, err, wouldn't go that far," he says after a moment. For the first time since Skobeloff met the yellow dragon, Garrock seems to have been rendered speechless by this single compliment, and the trickster gets the sense that this might be the nicest thing that has been said to the bearded dragon in a long time.

[rush99999]

Skobeloff

Skobeloff grinned as Garrock became flustered and denied the raw-scaled trickster's claim that the bearded warrior was a good dragon. "You say that, but your willingness to come to a dangerous, Shadow infested island dropping dangerously close to the Cloudstalker for the sake of your Housemates suggests otherwise." Skobeloff jabbed playfully. "You can't hide the truth from me, you big scaley tsundere."

[XxFellsingxX]

Garrock gives Skobeloff another look, though one a lot less hostile than before. "Well, don't go telling everyone," he grumbles. "I've got a certain reputation to keep." He raises his head to look around. As he scans the area, Skobeloff just catches the trace of smile. "Anyway, err, we should probably hurry along." He gives an awkward little cough.

[Vertigo]

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

__________________________________________________

Fellwing did have to admit that at least this once, teamwork truly did help their cause. Much faster than she'd expected, the ground under them turned solid the way it had in her vision, with familiar vines looming wherever they looked. They made her feel uneasy. Who was to say they weren't going to end up entangled like the very dragons they were here to save?

"Be careful," she whispered, more out of habit than necessity. No one was going to go near the thorns on purpose, she wagered.

Just then, she heard something. Wings still glued to her sides, Fellwing craned her neck towards the sound, eyes wide from disbelief. She hadn't heard old Endora's voice in what felt like ages, but there was no mistaking it. She'd spent countless hours listening to her, and even now, in this moon-forsaken place, her voice filled the young drake with relief.

No. She quickly shook away that thought. Any relief she felt was misplaced. Endora could not be here, and as far as Fellwing was aware, the old dragon didn't have the magic to communicate from far away. Surely, if that was something the Moons - or indeed, the Darkness - could grant her, she would've told her years ago.

But then, how...? Eyes narrow, Fellwing walked a few steps past Stargaze, who'd been leading the way, and surveyed the area. Were they no longer alone? Had someone - something - spotted them? Or could it really be...

Just in case, she leaned closer to the others and asked, hesitant: "Did... did you hear that?"

ooc

Fellwing Surveys an Area, and with a 4, doesn't see shit.