A wide open area of flat, grassy land and rocky trenches, supposedly a wide range of ancient civilizations once lived here. Species that like wide, open areas, such as Gyrophants, Serraptors, and Sahound, thrive here, though only the agile survive. (+3 Speed)

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Postby Jaykobell » 01/04/2014 11:17 PM

The last question made Koralia's heart stop. In an instant, her world turned upside down as she felt all the emotions rushing back. That little voice in her head woke up again, and it reminded her that the Placid was right. Whatever clan had had her, whatever parents had given birth to her, had never tried to find her and bring her back home. Her face contorted, and the Soveris couldn't help but to start crying, her whole body shaking in the process. "S-stop," she cried out to no one in particular, her cry barely loud enough for anyone to really hear her.

"Alcippe!" Izotz called out to the Placid, cutting the whole ridiculous debate to a close. "You will stop badgering Koralia! Her species has nothing to do with this matter!" The Frost's face had worsened then, his teeth gritted and his narrowed; whether a Paragon or another creature, he wouldn't allow the Placid to badger anyone for things that weren't about the discussion at hand.

"With all due respect, Izotz," Alcippe called out, and surprisingly, she was now much calmer than before. "Have you already forgotten she's the one who told me I was lying?" she pointed out, reminding him that Koralia had been the one to start this debate with the Placid just earlier by speaking out to the crowd. "Or are you going to accuse me of that mistake, too?" She waited quietly for Izotz's reply, and much to her delight, it never came.

Considering Izotz had nothing to say to that, Alcippe turned back to the crowd and spoke to them again. Although some seemed to be a little uncertain about the Placid's behavior from calling out Koralia on her species, the majority seemed unsure who to believe. "I'm asking you again, Dragon Hive: who do you believe more? Me, or her?"

From the back of the crowd, some Paragon started to grumble and complain to seemingly nothing. Alcippe ignored them and rolled her eyes, but she didn't find it quite as funny when she nearly found an old Ambia almost right into her face, a grey-brown muzzle barring razor sharp teeth. The Placid stepped back from the surprise, and she realized that she'd just avoided a bite straight to the face thanks to one of the most massive Paragon from the Hive. "SCUM!" Taniqua screamed out at the top of her lungs, her muzzle drooling like a wild animal out of control. "I'll kill you! Koralia wouldn't do any of that backhanded trash you just said!"
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/04/2014 11:33 PM

The Paragon that were close to Taniqua in the crowd started to back away; the Ambia thrashed madly about, wings beating and hands outstretched in an attempt to get the Placid. Despite her older age, those who'd doubted the fitness of the old Ambia had been shown that the farm Paragon was quite capable of fighting whatever came at her. "Let me at her! I'll kill her!"

"Taniqua, down!" Izotz howled from the cliff, trying to find a way to make the situation calm back down. "We don't need any more injured Paragon." Although it hurt him just as much to see the Soveris silently crying her heart out next to him, he had to keep things from going completely out of control. "Alcippe, your charade has lasted long enough," the Frost added, and he let out a powerful roar to call the crowd to order. "You will stop badgering Koralia, and you will stop manipulating the Hive for your own purposes."

"She accused me of lying, so I simply told the truth!" Alcippe retorted, admittedly still a little shaken from Taniqua's sudden appearance right in front of her. Considering her small size, just one bite from the Ambia would leave quite a mark on the Placid. That said, though, she turned back to the crowd, ignoring Izotz as often as she possibly could. "Dragon Hive, I'm still waiting for your opinion! Who do you believe?" It seemed that she wasn't going to stop until someone spoke up — Taniqua had seemingly not been enough, probably because the Ambia was the bird's caretaker.

Izotz's muzzle turned into a small snarl, and one could see even the Frost leader was starting to lose his patience. There was silence for a time, until there was one voice that did answer the Placid's question. "I'll tell you, Alcippe," the voice said, the Placid jerking her head towards the source right away; she knew that voice. That monotone voice that sounded like it didn't give a single care in the world. "I'll tell you who I trust more," the Paragon continued, and then the form shuffled out of the crowd and into the clearing. Juro stopped right at the edge of the crowd and shook his head sadly at the Paragon he'd once called a very close friend. "I'd take Koralia over you. Any day."

Alcippe gave the Nago a look of pure, unfiltered rage, but the male ignored her and walked a little towards the cliff, raising his head to look and speak to Izotz. "Izotz, all due respect, I think the crowd has something to say," Juro said as he gave the leader a nod. "Sorry it took a while: I'm afraid they're a bit crippled, so I had to 'round them up over here," he added as he turned to Alcippe and the crowd, and he could see the look of disbelief on the Placid's face.
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/04/2014 11:54 PM

Juro waited for a comment from Izotz, but when the leader didn't object, the Nago turned to face Alcippe. He was typically a laid-back Paragon, one who didn't really know how to say what he thought or what he felt. He'd felt his heart pump in his head the day before after the accident, and now he could feel it race in his head again, but this time for a different reason. "Alcippe," he called out, although with how enraged she was, the Nago didn't need to ask for her attention, "kudos for turning one of the gentlest members of the Hive into a bad guy. I think it's my turn to do just that." He turned to the crowd, but before he could say anything, Alcippe cut him off.

"Paragon trash," she spat at him through gritted teeth, but even that kind of insult could really faze the Nago. "You'd stand up for her?" The fact that he'd told on her was one thing, but she couldn't believe that he was siding with the bird. After everything they'd go through together, and all the good times they'd had, he was switching sides at the last second when she needed him the most? "What could you possibly have to say?" When she asked him that, she cackled devilishly. "No one here trusts or believe you! I was the only one who ever listened to you!"

The words were like venom, and Juro visibly winced, his eyes narrowing sadly in pain. "You're wrong. Koralia listened to me. She listened to me more than you ever did," the Nago replied, and he shook his head, trying to shake the sorrow away. "I'm not the one who has something to say. The ones who have something to say are the others that you hurt in your 'accidents'. They're the ones who want to talk." He paused, and seeing Alcippe's face whiten was surprisingly pleasant. "You made Koralia look like a bad guy. Think you can do it with those guys too?"

The Placid had nothing to say to that. The Nago stared at her quietly, patiently, as he waited for her to reply. It seemed like the Placid was finally going to step down quietly, but then her face changed to a grin, and she laughed. "Really? Kudos to you for fooling everyone into thinking you have some 'crippled' Paragon who are going to talk for you," Alcippe retorted maliciously, making air quotes when she said the word "crippled". "Yeah, I'd sure like to hear them talk!"

There was a bit of a shuffle in the crowd, and this time, the Placid did pay attention. She jerked her head that way, just in case another rabid, senile Ambia was ready to try to bite her head off. That wasn't what she got; instead, she frowned curiously as a Paragon was revealed by the crowd, limping from one of his back legs. "You want to hear them talk?" the male asked the Placid, and suddenly her cocky expression was gone. "I'll start, then."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 12:08 AM

Alcippe took a step back when she recognized the Paragon as one of the flyers that were in her initial group. The limp was from an "accident" during a race. Ironically, a rock tower had been involved in this incident. While she was leading, Alcippe had noticed the male catching up to her, and she'd hurled a fireball to make the rock tower crumble. She remembered.

"Funny you'd try the same thing with the Soveris," the male called out to the Placid, narrowing his eyes as he limped a little forward. "We were racing when you deliberately made the rock tower crash on me. I couldn't avoid it, and the whole thing fell on top of me. If one of those rocks had hit my head, I doubt I'd even still be here to talk about it," he pointed out, gritting his teeth indignantly at the female.

Despite being called out for another accident, Alcippe tried to deny that one too. "You did the same thing she did! You started it!" she cried out, but everyone could tell the facade was starting to crumble. If more Paragon talked against her—

"So what are you going to say about what happened to me?" a female asked from the crowd, flying up from her spot and showing the bandage across her face that was covering nearly half of it, together with her eye. "You're going to say I wanted to have you starve by trying to steal your food? When I accidentally picked the same prey while hunting?" The female flew over closer and hovered right above the limping male. "Or you'll say I tried to attack you, and it was all in self-defense?"

"They're right!" a third voice cried out from the crowd, and the bigger male squeeze his way through the sea of Paragon. He, too, had ended up crippled from the Placid's tricks, and he, too, had initially been a part of her flying team. "What are you going to say about what happened to my wing?" he asked, twitching the crooked feathered wing that hung limply on his shoulder — if one could even call the remaining lump of feathers a "wing". "You'll say I crashed into that mountainside all on my own? That no Paragon rammed me against the thing until my wing was almost shredded to bits?" he challenged, his muzzle turning into a dangerous snarl. "I'll never be able to fly again because of you!"

Alcippe stepped back as more and more Paragon — all victims of the things she'd done — started to tell on her. Former friends, and all the stranger Paragon she'd injured for no reason, or almost. Fighting against the bird was one thing, but now it wasn't just the bird: it a good handful of the Hive, a good chunk of Paragon. They all had injuries of varying degrees, even some that were so much worse than Koralia's twisted foot. Some had to have been amputated, like the Angelic-winged male, and some had lost part of their senses, like the half-blind female. And she had nothing to say to defend herself.
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 12:23 AM

The more they came, the more they talked, the smaller Alcippe got. The more her confidence got shattered, the more she had no idea what to say to get out of this mess. There was no way she could lie her way through every single one of those testimonies. She'd asked the Hive who they believed in because she truly believed the Paragon would side with their kin. She was baffled to see her own clanmates side with the outcast, side with the frail little Soveris.

From the top of the cliff, Izotz watched the event unfold. He eventually cracked a smile, mostly proud to see Juro curb his rebellious nature. He'd had a few encounters with the Nago, and it was nice to see him change his ways for the better. With a light touch of his tail, the Frost urged Koralia to look again. "Koralia," he whispered, looking down at her, and seeing the Soveris still drowning in sorrow. "Look. Look what the Hive has to say."

Despite not wanting to get hurt anymore, Koralia opened her eyes and turned when Izotz urged her on. She'd been listening in just slightly, and she'd been grateful for Juro's help, but none of it had really eased her sorrow. The negative thoughts were still loud and clear in her head, but she turned down the volume just enough to be able to listen to whatever the crowd had to say. Needless to say, she was floored when she saw all those injured Paragon, all of them telling their own story as to how Alcippe had injured them and done wrong to them. She watched as the Placid tried to work her way out of it, but how the testimonies kept coming, one by one. She started crying again, but this time for a different reason.

"Did you hear them, Alcippe?" Juro asked once the majority of the injured Paragon had spoken. The Placid was at a loss for words, and while part of the Nago was hurting, he had to finish what he'd started. "You asked them, and they answered. They'd rather tell on you — tell the truth — than to go against Koralia."

Hearing the Soveris's name, the Placid's rage was renewed just enough for her to continue her argument. Juro had to wonder, in passing, just what it would take for the Placid to stop. "Why? Why are you defending the bird? She's not a Paragon! She's an outcast!" She pointed frantically at the bird while putting a hand to her own chest. "You should be defending me! I'm a Paragon! I'm your clanmate!"

Juro stared, and then the Nago slowly shook his head. "You're wrong. Koralia's not a Paragon, but she's still a member of the Dragon Hive. Not like you." He paused to let his words sink in before continuing. "You... You're not a Paragon, either. You're a monster."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 12:45 AM

Alcippe's eyes widened, and her body went limp when she heard Juro's reply. It hurt all the more when the other Paragon nodded in agreement with his statement, making her heart stop. Koralia had a similar reaction, watching the event quietly from next to Izotz. Juro's words had hit home, much like how Francis's words had just the day before. It didn't matter that her original family had never come to find her. It didn't matter because the Hive accepted her as one of them, regardless of her species, and regardless of everything else.

"I believe this has gone on long enough," Izotz called out after Juro's last words, considering the crowd had fallen silent after the round of stories. "Alcippe, I believe this is proof enough that your actions have caused enough pain to this clan. For the last time, do you have anything that you wish to say before we declare your sentence?" He would give her one last chance to go on with dignity, but if the Placid tried anything again, the Frost would put a stop to it in a flash.

But the Placid had nothing to say. There was nothing to say. Why was he playing that game again? She was so defeated at this point that there was nothing she could think of, nothing she could do to make it better.

Seeing Alcippe simply stand there, Juro took a few steps forward. "Alcippe, I'm tired," the Nago admitted, letting his head fall. "It's enough. It's time we start anew." He knew from the beginning that he was getting punished as well, and he was ready to welcome it. It would clean his name, and he would be able to start again. He would be able to turn a new leaf. God willing, he would leave everything in the past and start anew with Alcippe, and the two would learn from this whole mess. He still wanted to believe in her, and to find the Paragon that got lost in power, glory and pride. "It's time we take responsibility."

The Placid glanced sideways at the one she used to call her best friend, and then back at the ground. "I'm also tired," she eventually said, and that was the white flag they'd been waiting for. "Izotz, please get this over with."

With Alcippe and Juro both present, Izotz went on to finalize everything. "Alcippe and Juro, you have both been accused of causing pain and permanent injuries to many Paragon of the Dragon Hive. We believe it is fair to enact punishment for what you have done." He paused, giving the two a chance to let the words sink in, before passing judgement, starting with Alcippe. "Alcippe, you are exiled from the Dragon Hive of a period of ten years. You are not allowed to set foot in this territory: trespassing may result in fights and death, if necessary." He paused, and then turned to Juro. "Juro, you are equally exiled from the Dragon Hive, for a period of three years. Although you were an accomplice to Alcippe, you admitted to everything and saved many of the victims yourself. The same rule applies: any trespassing on our territory may result in fights or death."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 1:09 AM

When the judgement came down, the majority of the crowd gasped. Izotz was known for being ridiculously benevolent and understanding, so it was surprising to hear him pass down harsh judgement. Not only that, but the only Paragon that had been exiled from the Hive had been Jezebel: the one who'd literally destroyed the whole clan. The territories beyond the Hive weren't exactly dangerous — there were wild Paragon and predators, but nothing more — but they were surprisingly empty. Exiling Alcippe and Juro was condemning them to solitude, unless the two decided to stay together in exile. Even if that were the case, Alcippe had seven extra years over Juro, leaving her to fend for herself and to have no one to talk to but herself.

When they heard the leader say his decision, Alcippe didn't react. At that point, she couldn't care less. If her own tribe couldn't even get behind her and preferred to defend an outcast, then maybe she could use her time away to find another tribe that would be better this one. As for Juro, he remained neutral as the ban hammer hit him, seemingly in agreement with his punishment.

Izotz roared to the clan to come to order, as he still needed to finalize everything. "We hope that your time in exile will allow you to dwell on what you did, and that it will make you realize no one has the right to treat their fellow clanmates the way you have." He then turned to Slavica and motioned his head towards the two Paragon below.

The second-in-command spread her wings and glided down the cliff, landing right in front of Alcippe. As she did so, two Paragon slipped out of the crowd to join her. "Slavica will escort you out of our territory. Any attempt to try and come back here before the ten years are up will result in further punishment," Izotz continued, as Slavica and the two massive Paragon started guiding Alcippe away, the Placid giving no retaliation. Koralia watched the Placid get dragged away, recognizing one of the big Paragon as Dunstan. The other Paragon, a Sparkdrake, was also fairly big, but the Soveris couldn't place him.

With Alcippe being lead away, Izotz turned to Juro. "Juro, you will also be escorted out of our territory once Slavica returns. Remember that any attempt at trying to come back before the three years are up will result in further punishment. For the mean time, please say your goodbyes," the leader instructed before spreading his wings to the Hive. "This meeting is over!" The Frost gave another massive roar, one to indicate that the matter had been officially finalized. The Paragon started to spread and leave, some darting away, others taking their time to stick around and talk about the meeting.
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 1:29 AM

As for Koralia, once the crowd had started to spread, she stretched her wings and glided down the plateau. Izotz blinked as he saw her fly down, but he didn't try to stop her. He noticed the bird landing right by Juro, and he figured she had some things to say to him. She'd already expressed that she had hope for him, and so the Frost left her to her business as he headed back to his den, the elderly Sandshark following along.

Before Koralia even had time to land, Juro looked up to see the Soveris gliding down towards him. "Hey, twerp," he greeted, cracking a small smile. He took a few steps back to give her enough space to land, considering how awkward it was for her now that she was missing a leg. The landing was a little awkward, but for the most part, the bird had landed rather gracefully, all things considered.

"Juro," Koralia called out, and she quickly limped her way up to him. "Thank you, and... I'm sorry," she added, shaking her head at the Nago. "I tried to tell them you didn't deserve it, but they said they had to be fair," the Soveris explained, feeling all the more guilty that she hadn't been able to sway Izotz's decision in banishing the Nago temporarily. In a way, it was fortunate that it wasn't permanent, but still sad that it had to happen at all.

Juro blinked, momentarily confused at what the Soveris was saying, but he just shrugged it off. "S'okay, twerp," he said as he sat down close to her, finally relaxing. "I'm okay with it. It'll change the scenery. Might see some new things. Y'know?" he asked, and he gave a little laugh. Koralia could tell he was still shaken from having gone against his best friend, yet he was trying to push that in the back of his mind.

However, she was surprised to hear him say that he was okay with being exiled for a time. Granted, three years was a small amount of time, especially for a Paragon. That was about three minutes in the lifespan of a Nago like Juro, so three small years of self-reflection and discovery would probably not do much of anything to the Paragon. "Still, you'll be away from your family: from your clan. It's my fault."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 1:46 AM

When Koralia accused herself of bringing about that judgement on Juro, the Nago shook his head. "S'not anyone's fault but mine," he corrected the bird, and one could tell from his eyes that he was genuinely at peace with the decision, and the facts behind the whole ordeal. "I played along with Alcippe because I cared — and, well, I still do, I guess — for her, and because I liked the thrill, too. Told you all that earlier, right?" While she was listening, the Nago put his tail over the Soveris's back. "I should be the one thanking you, really. Should be the other way around."

Koralia was surprised to feel the tail sitting on her back, but she gave it no mind after the initial reaction. "What? Why thank me?" she asked the Paragon, a little confused that he would to thank her. She'd agreed with the decision of banishing him, and in the process of everything, she'd turned him against his best friend. When you put it all in retrospect, it was surprising he still wanted to talk to her.

When she asked, the Nago cracked a slightly larger smile. "Cause it's thanks to you I got the guts to turn my life around," he explained, and it sounded like the male was finally starting to learn how to put words to his feelings. "Told you I got scared when I thought you might be dead? That's when I realized it had to stop. Then I talked to you some, and I realized it's nice to do... nice things." It wasn't the most poetic thing he'd ever said in his life, but it would do the trick. "I liked that. It feels better when someone thanks you, than when you hurt someone or when you have more power than them." There was a pause, and then he looked around. "I'll try to be better when I come back. Try to do things: good things, this time 'round."

It was nice to hear that just showing gratitude to someone could make them think about certain things. Koralia smiled back at the Nago, and she felt her sadness grow at the thought of the Nago being away for the next three years. "You'll be okay. I can tell you're a good guy, deep down," the Soveris assured him, and she gave him a confident nod. "I'll be around when you come back."

"Heh, thanks, twerp. I was gonna ask, 'cause I'll need at least one person who'll be willing to give me a chance." He took his tail off the Soveris, and then got up on all fours before giving himself a good stretch. "You're real special, twerp. I gotta get going, now. Got a few folks I wanna talk to before Slavica's back."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 2:00 AM

Koralia smiled sheepishly when Juro called her special, unsure what to think of it. She figured it was probably his way of saying that he was glad to have her as a friend, or maybe he was impressed by her kindness. Either way, it was appreciated. "I'll see you around, then," the Soveris added, and then she paused. "In three years," she added, a tint of sorrow in her voice.

Juro spread his wings, and he smiled one last time at the Soveris. "See you 'round, twerp. Thanks for finding my conscience: I really needed it." With renewed energy, the Nago flapped his wings and flew away, going off to finish his business. She could imagine that he had more goodbyes to say, maybe things to finish around here. When you had other people around you, three years could seem like an awfully long gap to them when things were left unfinished.

Koralia didn't have a single instant to herself, that as soon as Juro was gone, she felt a Paragon ram into her at full force. The Paragon was careful enough not to touch her injured leg, but the force of the tackle and the ensuing hug was almost too much for the bird to take, and the Soveris squeaked in surprise.

"My baby! Oh, Koralia, my baby! You're safe! You're safe," Taniqua cried out as she squeezed her daughter tightly, as if their lives depended on it. The Ambia was crying quietly as she finally got to see her child again; she kept her arms wrapped tightly around the bird as she rocked her slightly, just enjoying being reunited with her baby after one nerve-wracking day that was seemingly never-ending. "I was worried sick!" Taniqua whined after a while, although she still refused to let go. "You weren't coming back, and no one had seen you! And then they told me...!" The Ambia was clearly in hysterics, and her words barely understandable as they were muffled with her tears and sniffles.

Following right behind her, Koralia recognized Francis, tagging along with her mom. "Taniqua, she was in good hands with Nyala," the cook pointed out, and he gave a light chuckle as he watched the mother go into hysterics over her child. "But you'll send her right back if you keep squeezing her like this — you might want to let her breathe."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 2:17 AM

When Francis pointed out that she was literally squeezing Koralia, Taniqua quickly let go of the Soveris. "Oh! My baby, I'm so sorry," the Ambia apologized, brushing off her child and putting her fur and feathers back in their rightful angles and positions. It was only then that Koralia noticed how unkept and tired the Ambia looked. Her wings and mane were in a mess, and it looked like the Paragon hadn't slept in days. Although Koralia had only been unconscious for a day, it was probably the stress that made the Ambia look so much worse.

No sooner had she let go of Koralia that Taniqua was already right back at her. "Oh, my baby, are you all right? Do you hurt anywhere? Tell me," the Ambia insisted, inspecting the Soveris in as many angles as possible. It was somewhat nostalgic; it reminded her of that time when she'd found the bird, all alone, eyes closed, and freezing in her chicken coop. How things had changed since that fateful day. "That Placid, I'll kill her for what she did," Taniqua added, gritting her teeth and glaring in the sky, probably imagining the Placid flying right there where the Ambia could reach her.

"Taniqua, it's okay now. Izotz punished her," Francis pointed out, trying to calm the Ambia down. The female was so hysterical and stressed that she was switching between being worried for Koralia to being madly violent at the thought of the Paragon who had hurt her child. If they wanted to have a nice conversation, the Ambia would have to calm down some. "She won't be able to hurt Koralia anymore." Well, at the very least, not for the next ten years. The Hive had night Scouts, so the chances of the Placid sneaking in was unlikely, as well.

"I'm okay, mom," Koralia said, trying to help Francis keep her mom calm. She let the Ambia survey her from head to toes, though, if only to put her mind at ease. If her mom saw for herself that she was fine, then maybe that would help her nerves.

"That punishment wasn't nearly enough!" Taniqua complained, turning the conversation on its head. "He should've exiled her permanently! She didn't only hurt my baby, but so many others. They should've let me at her!" The Ambia was almost frothing at the mouth as she spoke, but another small cue from Francis just got her to sigh. "Izotz said so! My girl will be stuck with a limp for the rest of her life."
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 2:28 AM

It was true that being stuck with a limp would be disheartening as time went on. Running would be near impossible, and the Soveris would have to resort to flying. If she ever lost her wings... well, it was best not to think about that. For now, she was young and healthy. Hopefully her leg would heal well enough to the point that the limp would be barely noticeable. Nyala hadn't specified just how bad her limp would be, so the Soveris could always hope.

"She might limp for the rest of her life," Francis pointed out, putting an arm around Taniqua's shoulder, "but at least your baby is still here. Remember that Nyala and Izotz mentioned a wild Paragon could've snatched her away," the cook reminded the female Ambia, a finger raised in the air matter-of-factly.

Taniqua went paler than pale, putting her hands to her face slowly, as her expression turned to that of unbearable fear. "Oh, by all things holy, don't remind me, Francis," she literally begged the other Paragon, losing a few years off her lifespan as she thought of it again.

"Well, that's why I'm saying, you should be happy she's safe, sound, and healthy," Francis pointed out, motioning to Koralia with his free hand. "So instead of thinking of ways to kill that Placid, try to look forward to the future, right?"

There was a loud, heavy sigh from the female farm Paragon, but Taniqua nodded slowly. "Oh, you're right... But that doesn't make me forgive that Placid!" She raised her head to the sky, hissing to nothing; probably another image of the Placid flying overhead. "She comes second only to Jezebel! I've never seen such scum in the Hive before!"

Francis grimaced worriedly when Taniqua mentioned that one name, and he put his free hand over the clutched fits of the female. "Let's... not talk about that particular Voidbringer, shall we, Taniqua?" he requested, smiling sheepishly and awkwardly at his longtime friend. He agreed that Alcippe had been disgustingly vile, but it was best to avoid the topic of that Voidbringer, if at all possible. "How about we talk about something much nicer... Like food?"
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 2:43 AM

Despite Taniqua having freaked over being reunited with her daughter, it had been surprisingly easy for the Ambia to get caught up in another conversation entirely. Koralia explained it by the Ambia being so relieved that she could finally afford to do other things besides prancing about and thinking about her child for every single breathing second. Admittedly, it was somewhat entertaining to watch her mom and Francis interact; the cook was always so blunt in the strangest of ways, and it always made Taniqua turn pale with worry every time he mentioned something.

While the two were discussing, Koralia felt a small tap on her shoulder. She blinked and turned to look at her shoulder, only to realize she should be looking for whatever had tapped her. She was surprised to find a pair of colorful Paragon standing right behind her.
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One of them was a small female Sparkdrake with unnaturally large Hybrid wings, and the other was a bigger red Carapace male with particular wings that looked like that of an insect's. The female had a hand raised up, and was apparently the one who'd tapped Koralia on the shoulder. "Um," the female started timidly, but then she tried to talk with more confidence, "h-hi! My name is Sequoia," she introduced herself, grinning with confidence. "And this is my buddy, Sanjiv," she continued, motioning to the Carapace next to her.

The male, seemingly timid as well, smiled a little sheepishly. "Hi. I'm Sanjiv," he repeated, only to be polite and to introduce himself properly.

Koralia blinked at the two, wondering why they were coming to her out of the blue. She wasn't going to turn them away, though, and simply smiled timidly at the two. "Heh, hi. I'm Koralia," she replied, although she was certain the two probably already knew who she was.

"Yeah, you're our Soveris!" Sequoia pointed out, bouncing once excitedly. "Hey, so... I heard you can fly really fast. I love flying too!" the Sparkdrake squeaked out, and it was obvious to see she had a clear passion for flying. "My wings don't always work well, but I'm getting the hang of it." She flapped her strange half-furred half-webbed wings, and they awkwardly lifted her off the ground for a bit.

While she did that, Sanjiv took over the discussion. "So, well..." he started, pawing a little at the ground, "... we were wondering if you'd like to hang out with us?"
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 2:54 AM

When Sanjiv extended his offer to Koralia, the Soveris' eyes widened a little. "Hang out? With you?" she asked, her voice letting her disbelief shine through. Why did they want to hang out with her? There were lots of other Paragon around, so why pick the Soveris?

"Yeah! We heard you're nice, and a super top flyer, too!" Sequoia chipped in, walking over to Koralia. "We could fly together! I want to train my wings to a point where they'll be the strongest and fastest wings the Hive's ever seen," the Sparkdrake said, pushing her chest upward with pride. "Like I said, my wings are still a little finicky, but I'm still practicing." The way she spoke, it reminded Koralia of Alcippe: a Paragon who thought she was the fastest flyer, and that no one in the Hive could rival her. But unlike the malicious Placid, this Sparkdrake sounded passionate and genuine. She didn't sound like she was after glory and power, but simply after the thrill of flight.

"Lots of Paragon are saying she won't be able to really fly well, but she won't let anyone discourage her," Sanjiv pointed out, letting out a small chuckle as he turned to his friend.

"Yeah, well, they're all wrong," Sequoia pointed out, turning her head away in a fake pout. "I'll keep practicing, and I'll show them!" With that said, the Sparkdrake clapped her hands together and turned to the Soveris. "So hey, do you want to hang out with us? We could fly and learn together!"

"Oh, well..." Koralia looked behind her shoulder at her wings, and while they were feeling just fine, the question was mostly her broken leg, which she had to be careful with. She still wasn't quite used to limping and getting around without it, so she knew she was going to slow the two of them down. "I'm not sure. I can fly just fine, but I have to be careful with my leg," she explained, letting her ears droop. She didn't want to deny their invitation, but she didn't want to be a burden, either.

"That's okay! We know. We heard during the meeting that you got hurt," Sequoia assured the Soveris, giving her an encouraging nod. "We can fly slow! Sanjiv's a slow flyer, anyway." She felt the Carapace give her an indignant stare, but the Sparkdrake just continued to smile at the Soveris as she waited for an answer.
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Postby Jaykobell » 01/05/2014 3:07 AM

When Sequoia assured her that her broken leg wouldn't be a problem, Koralia cracked a smile. It did sound nice to hang out with some Paragon: with nice ones, this time around. "If you don't mind my handicap, I'd love to hang out and fly with you," the Soveris replied timidly, feeling a little embarrassed.

The fear went away the moment Sequoia yelled out happily. "Yes! Awesome!" The Sparkdrake pushed herself off the ground with her wings and did a turn all around the Soveris. "Come on, let's get going!" She started flying away, and Sanjiv started to follow along.

Koralia grinned and spread her wings to follow along, when she looked down at her foot. "Oh!" Looking down, she noticed the small bottle of gel that Nyala had handed over to her just earlier. If she was going to fly around, it would be best to leave it with her mom, just to make sure she didn't lose it or break it. "Wait just a minute!" she yelled to the two Paragon as she turned around. "Mom!" she called out as she headed towards the two Ambias, whom were talking about whatever they came across.

"Oh! Yes, Koralia? Do you hurt anywhere?" Taniqua answered instinctively, now seemingly more insecure over the health and wellbeing of her child.

"What? No, I'm okay. Can you please just bring this home?" She slipped her head inside the little bag-like contraption of the strap and pulled out the gel bottle, which she then handed over to her mom. "I'm going flying with Sequoia and Sanjiv, so I don't want to lose it."

When her daughter said she was off to fly again, Taniqua's eyes widened. "What? You can't go flying like this! What about your leg?" She bent down and put her hands on the Soveris' shoulders, looking positively sick with worry. "I just got you back, and you want to leave again?"

"Taniqua," Francis called out, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Koralia's not a baby anymore. Sequoia and Sanjiv are two good kids; she'll be in good hands, this time around," he assured the Ambia, knowing the two Paragon Koralia had mentioned. They were careful kids and would make sure to watch out for Koralia's injury.
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