O, voyagers // private w Maleth // be wary, for the world is unforgiving

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    A screech pierced the heavens; the noise was one of pain, fear, and desperateness, but it seemed, even the gods refused to listen. For the sky itself had split open, and from the dark clouds, fell a never-ending torrent of rain. Harsh and cold, the descent of each droplet remained louder than even that of the creature whose cry tore across the rolling fields, and lands where mountains towered like spires. Lightning cracked across the sky like a whip, and suddenly, the only sound was the roaring thunder, drowning out all else, including the cry for mercy, which the gods seemed to find unworthy of their time. Like most in this war-torn world, they cared not for those who suffered.


    Beyond the fields and mountainlands, where forests stood tall, unyielding against the heavy rainfall, lie a beast, in severe distress. Laughter rang out, high-pitched and joyous, as men gathered around their catch, celebrating the life they planned to take. A hippogriff lay at their feet, an arrow protruding from the beast's shoulder, and rope tied violently around its limbs, including its magnificent wings which looked small and wrong in the twine's rough grasp. Another screech erupted from the hippogriff's beak, as it thrashed in its bonds, which resulted in a swift kick from the men who had dared to capture it. The creature grew silent then, realizing that crying out was no use. While it didn't matter to the beast's captors, to anyone who might have witnessed the scene, they would find that the hippogriff was a female, and a rather young one at that. Her name was Xingu, and she was terrified.


    //I just got home from work, so this isn't the best. It's kinda rushed, but here it is Drekarys !

    Xingu (shin-goo)

    (That's a hippogriff, silly 😂 But mine's technically a wyvern, so it matters not.)


    Teighenth (tee•genth)

    The storm will never yield to anyone. It rages regardless of the obstruction. And yet as a dark shape flew through the sky, the clouds almost seemed to give way, trembling as if in fear when wings of black brushed to close. The wyvern appeared not to acknowledge the storm's presence, a silent challenge against nature, he knew, but he cared not. He had places to be, and a simple act of the gods was not going to stall him.


    But a pain-filled screech certainly would, and it did, bringing him to a hovering halt miles above the ground. His head turned downwards, as he searched for the disturbance, but alas, he was too high up. If he left the path now, he would risk losing the precious time he had gathered plowing through this rain. However, he couldn't ignore a cry for help, even if it was a complete stranger. Growling, he dived, tail lashing to balance him out against the winds.

    The hippogriff's cries for help continued, escalating drastically as one of the men drew a hunting knife and approached her steadily, his cold stare glistening with the intent to harm. It wasn't enough that they had shot her with an arrow? Now they planned to kill her slowly, no doubt. Humans were despicable creatures, and Xingu knew this well. However, bound with rope and wounded, there wasn't much she could do, but lay there on the soaked earth and watch as the beast drew ever so nearer, whilst calling out to any soul who might hear her pleas. The man stopped suddenly, confusion clawing at his facial features as he twisted his head upward, gazing up at the lush forest canopy. Xingu lunged for him then, sharp teeth gleaming as her beak slid open, and fastened around the ankle of one of her captors. She didn't know why they hadn't tied her beak closed -- perhaps they feared losing a finger, or a hand. She didn't care now, though; as warm, copper-tasting liquid flooded her mouth, and the screams of the armed man filled her tufted ears, all she cared about was freedom. I won't die here.


    //lmao I know. I realized that after I'd finished writing the post. I was just too lazy to go in and edit it

    Teighenth had nearly reached the ground below when a new sound arose: the screams of pain from man. Perturbed, the wyvern pulled his wings in tighter, quickening his descent. Now the surface was beginning to come into focus, and he could see a group of men circling what appeared to be a roped down hippogriff. Or at least, it had been roped down. Currently, it had the ankle of the nearest man seized in its beak, blood gushing over the keratin surface. Served the man right, but Teighenth could already spy the others moving to bring it down again. Let's see how well you do with fire lapping at your heels, the wyvern thought with grim humour, and his chest expanded, before a ball of flame erupted from his maw and struck the ground by the hunters, the resulting explosion sending them flying.

    Xingu's golden-orange eyes widened in surprise as fire suddenly seared past her head, warming the feathers along her neck. She released the nearest hunter's ankle, who fell over from the close proximity of the fireball -- and from his wound, no doubt -- and looked skywards. The sight of the dragon was beyond startling. Of all the creatures that could have come to her aid, a dragon? The hippogriff couldn't quite help but be amused, especially knowing that the men who had roped her down no longer stood a chance. Bastards. But, whether the beast intended to make a meal out of her, or simply wanted to see humans go flying through the air, she was grateful. Xingu clambered to her hooven feet then, the arrow stuck in her shoulder making her wince. She would deal with it later. For now, she needed to get out of her weakened bonds. With a huff, she began shaking out of what rope still clung to her, as the fire that the dragon had spit at the hunters crackled nearby.

    Teighenth could not help but to grin evilly as the men rushed out of his way in terror to avoid his flames, and equally could not resist toying with them as well. He landed on the ground with a thud, his head snaking this way and that. "Come now. Don't be shyyyyy," he hissed, his chest glowing orange with fire. "Step into the light!" With another roar, he sent another wave of flames racing towards the remaining hunters, upon which they immediately fled, crying out to whatever deities they worshipped, screaming of the devil come to take them to hell for their sins. Teighenth simply shook his head scornfully. "Loathsome creatures, humans," he sniffed, tucking his head to groom an imaginary spot on his claws, before turning to look at the hippogriff. He tilted his head, curious. "You were quick to break free."

    The hippogriff watched with something like wonder as her rescuer, the dragon - well, wyvern technically - sent the remaining hunters on their way, screaming to whatever gods they believed in. Now free of her bonds, Xingu glanced up at the winged creature as he addressed her. It was then that she realized just how massive the beast was in comparison to herself, and felt a sudden flare of relief that he hadn't eaten her yet. "Well," she chuckled nervously, "with all due respect, you do... leave quite the impression." She blinked, her golden-orange eyes wide as she stared up at the wyvern. Shaking out her wings, mostly to make herself seem less concerned about the fire-breather's presence, she was glad to finally be free. Her wings were sore from being bound unnaturally behind her back, but the pain in her shoulder from the arrow embedded there was more pressing. Turning her head, Xingu brought her beak to the arrow's shaft, and with a hearty and painful tug, popped the projectile from her flesh, and tossed it to the soaked earth.

    "Yes, I imagine I would," Teighenth replied, a small smirk playing along the corners of his jaws. At this point, the heavy rain had soon become a torrential downpour, and the wyvern stood back on his legs to flap out the water that threatened to log down his wings. He paused to watch the arrow skitter to a stop at the foot of his talons, the obsidian edge glinting in the low light, and with a grimace he stamped it into the earth, snapping the shaft in half. "May I ask how you got yourself into this predicament?" He asked the hippogriff, grinding the remains of the arrow until there was nothing left but splinters.

    Xingu watched the wyvern expectantly as he ground the arrow into nothingness, all sense of caution slowly beginning to dissipate. Her feathers clung uncomfortably to her slender frame, soaked from the torrential downpour that threatened to flood the very ground the two stood on. Blinking rain from her golden-orange eyes, she stamped a hoof, pawing almost in a horse-like manner at the muddy soil. "Funny you should ask," she huffed, tossing her head in what was clearly annoyance. Not at the wyvern, as he would understand from her thoughtful expression, but at what memory bubbled up in her mind's eye. "I went out for a hunt, as I always do around the same time. My guess is, those... bastard humans must have been tracking my patterns for several sunrises, and knew where I would be. They came out of nowhere. I did not even hear them. One moment I was chasing a stag, and the next, I was being shot with an arrow and captured. It was not long after, that this blasted storm rolled in, and I thought for sure my life was theirs." The hippogriff paused then, thoughtfulness melting away, and gratitude warming her facial features. "Then you arrived. Thank you, wyvern. I am grateful. My name is Xingu, and you are?"

    "Humans are evilly clever," Teighenth rumbled in agreement, lowering himself back down on all fours. When his name was asked, the wyvern drew his neck up proudly, his wing flaps fanning out slightly. "I am Teighenth, son of Reganth, son of Darcthane, Mighty of Wing and Claw in the Northern Wastes, my homeland. Though, I haven't been there for some years now," he admitted, tilting his head to look at Xingu. "I left as soon as I was able to fly, to soar the winds of freedom and taste the bitter sweet of a fresh storm, much like this one." A clap of thunder boomed to punctuate this statement, and looking up the wyvern smiled grimly. "It is quite enjoyable, and I must have come at good time if this started just as you were captured."

    "It is a pleasure to meet you, Teighenth," the hippogriff would reply. Xingu watched the wyvern calmly, taking in his appreciation for the storm that released a mighty boom of thunder overhead. With this clap of thunder, came a sharp breath of gale that sliced through the trees, sending a cold shiver down the hippogriff's spine; her soaked feathers provided no warmth, and she anxiously pawed the wet ground with a hoof. "Yes, well... One's enjoyment is another's displeasure. I much prefer small rainfall to storms of this magnitude." Another shiver crawled down her spine. Xingu snorted, clearly uncomfortable and overall miserable.