Sellenair

"Serenity!" The Pearlcatcher started slightly at the Fae's sudden appearance. "What do we do then?"

"You, Wilfain, will stay and ensure that Alzaria and Erelxa are updated on the situation." Elzranth cut in slowly. He kept his tail from twitching with pent-up urgency, lest something else happens. "It is dangerous even for Shadow dragons to traverse the Tangled Woods during the height of the Shadows, let alone those hailing from other lands. We will go and search for him, Serenity and I. We will return."

Wilfain nodded, calming at the clan leaders' steadying voices. "I will go then, and find them. I know Erelxa worries a lot. A little too much, though." She clasped her pearl tightly against her side and left.

"Elzranth." Serenity bent her head over his brow to look him in the eye "I know you're worried about Gilings, will you be fine returning to the Forum?"

"It has been a long time since that day" he raised his eyes to meet hers, "and I do not go there to challenge Her. At least I hope not."

She flicked her tail, fanning her wings slightly, "it will be assuring to have your presence."

"I will go too." A shrouded Skydancer paced towards them, one wing tucked at an odd angle at her side. "I too was born under the Shadows of this forest. Besides," she snapped her jaws with a slight click "Erelxa is so hard to deal with when he worries, and I don't want him to go back to that state. No don't say it-" her dark eyes flicked from Elzranth to Serenity when the latter started to say something "I know I am unlikely to keep pace on foot, but I can certainly keep within earshot."

"Well?" Serenity tapped Elzranth's head with a claw, the only motion betraying her emotions.

"It would be better to have her and know where she is, than to leave her without knowing if she's actually staying behind." He cocked his head slightly towards the Skydancer "We would be going too quickly to pay much attention to our backtrail, let alone stay long enough to ensure she does not go."

"Very well. We run now."

~

It was pitch dark all around him, yet Gilings was certain it was not even twilight yet. He saw nothing he could take as landmarks, save for the eeriely glowing clusters of fungi the occasional pair of eyes in the dark, and strangly enough, the bobbing head of the individual on his snout. All he could do was walk blindly while straining his other senses. He focused on the scents about him, which was stuffier yet clearer than the forest of the clangrounds. He also heard the buzzing of wings whenever something whirred past his ears, and felt his head grow heavier as yet another of the dragons landed on his horns.

"That song... that you were singing earlier," He began quietly, and felt the sharp attention of many pairs of eyes "what was it about?"

"It was a song for the Mother to keep us close to Her." Another voice answered him, "in the past she has veiled us from the sight of the outside world, here in Her forest. Now, with all the changes being wrought about Sornieth, the veil has been lifted and us having to fight for our survival."

"Hence why we are taking you to Her." The first dragon piped up by his ear.

"Why bring me to the- to Her?"

"If we petition Her enough, surely the Mother will look favourably upon us and protect us from the world once again. Tell me, little breeze,"the singer said "herald, watcher, keeper, fighter, which one do you think you would best serve as?"

"What?"

"All dragons brought to serve the Mother will be assigned a role. Some become Her sentinels, others Her heralds. Not many get the honor to become attendants, so they're a rare sight. Nearly all however, go forth to bring glory for the Shadows. Or so I've heard."

"Have no fear, little breeze. I'm sure it'll be alright." The singer assured him "you'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

"I... would just like to return to my clan, please." Gilings felt a dark chill settle upon him.

"After you've been assigned a role, you wouldn't want to return. None have ever wanted to return after meeting the Mother."

"Why leave when you are given the honor of serving the Mother?" Crowed voices all about him. "She will even ensure you are never blind in the Shadows ever again!" Claws tapped his brow "I'm sure even you wish to never have the wonders of the night shrouded from your sight ever again! That curse on your sight is nothing before Her might!"

Gilings' thoughts paused. That was a very tempting thought. The idea of not just having his curse removed, but to never be blind in the night again-especially in this forest- did not sound bad to him at all.

One minute he was walking on the forest floor; hearing the leaves crunch and feeling twigs and shrubs snagging against his fur. The next minute, the floor turned into what felt like moss-covered stone under his claws.

"Tread carefully now, for this is Her domain, Her fortress."

"Soon, when the moon is at its height, She will emerge."

Again he tried fighting the compulsion and turning back, to flee to wherever he came from. To his home. And again his body refused to listen. An excitedly chattering voice caught his attention. It sounded like a youngster, from the way it was speaking.

"That one, has only just entered the world. She will likely be chosen to stand among the Mother's attendants. Mother is neither unkind nor cold-hearted. She does not send hatchlings straight into battle to fight for her."

"You, however, appear to be quite skilled and not unfamiliar with fighting." Gilings' could have sworn he almost saw the gleam of fangs in a wide grin "good luck, little breeze."

~

"His trail will be winding and hard to follow, considering the efforts he took to not be seen." Elzranth said as he loped through the forest. Clinging securely onto his horns, was Serenity, her tail tightly wrapped around a tine for extra security. "We know he went East, but considering the fact that the clan lies on the Western edges of the forest, there is a lot of East to be covered."

"Slow down a little," Serenity urged him, as a chorus of caws broke out amongst the noise of their passage. "The ravens may have seen him. They're such busybodies and would rarely let something go unnoticed or undisturbed."

As Elzranth slowed to a stop, she beckoned the larger of the group to perch before her, holding out a glinting shard of crystal in her talons. It swooped down nimbly in a flurry of dark feathers, a large emerald eye on its breast glancing between her own eyes and the crystal in her talons.

"The grey wind, Watcher. Where is he?" Serenity asked, holding back the crystal.

In response, it let out a series of throaty caws, and another of the circling birds landed, a distinctive tuft of grey fur in its beak.

"Yes that one." She held out the crystal to the larger bird, who took it in its beak with a satisfied gurgle. The other bird looked expectantly at her. Serenity held out her claws, beckoning for it to hand the tufr of fur over, which it did. Muttering to herself about having to always carry several baubles on her, she knotted a loop of dyed leather about one of its feet, with Elzranth rumbling in amusement beneath "Show us where the grey wind went and all will receive your dues."

It launched itself, weaving skillfully through branches and thorns alike. Elzranth bounded after it, leaving Serenity to track it whilst he focused on navigating the forest floor. Night fell as they ran, occasionally another raven would burst down from the canopy to follow in their wake. Serenity did not speak much except to syeer him whenever the raven swerved, allowing Elzranth to save his breath.

"They're getting rather excited. We must be drawing close."

"Night's falling. We'd better hope She hasn't stirred yet."

~

"Higher and higher rises the moon

As we lift our voices true"

Around him a chorus sang, whilst the moonlight barely illuminated the broken stone pillars and floors of the ruined fortress for him to see. What he could see, filled the explorer in him with fearful awe. What he could not see; pools of what appeared to be pitch darkness scattered about the stone floor, filled him with fear.

"Lift the shrouds of the night

And scatter it about the land far and wide"

He could make out worn stone steps leading downwards. Before it was a wide expanse of darkness. Too wide for him to leap even with a running start. Still his legs took him forward, closer and closer with each compelled step.

"From the shadows we were birthed

Into the shadows we all return."

The hitchhiker on his head peered down at him once more "This is where I must leave you, little breeze. All who are not of the shadows must first be baptised in the darkness before they can go before the Mother." He leaped upwards, whirling and swooping in the air. "See you on the other side."

~

"That must be the Forum. I can hear singing." Serenity raised her head to get a better look at the moonlit structure of broken and fallen columns looming up before them. Not for long, as she had to swiftly duck as something swooped at her with claws extended.

"Intruder!" Voices shrilled as they approached.

"Leave. Us. Alone." She punctuated each word with a buffet of her wings as a swarm of minuscule dragons circled Elzranth. "We are here to take back what is one of ours!" Feeling the weight of compulsion magic settling upon her, she drew in her energies, immersing herself in it before purging both herself and Elzranth from the spells that were being layered upon them from their attackers.

"Not yours!" Voices yelled. "An offering to The Mother- Our Mother!"

"To veil us, to keep us, to love us!" The voices rang all around them. "We are Her children!"

"Offer whomever you want," Elzranth growled "just not one of ours." With Serenity's aid he shook off the last vestiges of magic in his mind and broke through the circling swarm. "You're not Her only children."

"Where is he? The grey one?" Serenity raised her voice above the cacophony, spreading wings and frills authoratively.

"Too late! Too late!" A color-flecked individual hovered before them, just out of Elzranth's reach. "The little breeze has already entered the shadow's pools!" He gestured with his tail at the large form, disappearing into a murky pool, step by step, oblivious to the commotion behind. "Soon he will only serve the Mother!"

With an exasperated growl, Elzranth surged forward, ignoring the biting swarm that besieged him. He ducked his head as he ran, shielding Serenity as she desperately clung onto his mane to avoid being pulled off.

"Ours! Ours! Ours!" The swarm cried, renewing their attack once they realized Elzranth's aim.

Elzranth dove into the pool, ignoring as it sucked and tugged at his fur. He felt his pelt tingling as the murk itched to change him, to take him. It was like what he imagined wading through honey to be like; sluggish, frustrating, and excessively messy. By then, Gilings was already nearly fully submerged, with only his head and neck still showing.

The moment he entered the pool, the swarm immediately ceased their attack, unwilling to risk falling in themselves, or perhaps waiting to see if they too would succumb to the shadows.

Taking advantage of the reprieve, Elzranth seized Gilings by the scruff, like he would with a hatchling, and heaved. "Move, Gilings, or do you want to be completely taken?" He growled past the clumps of fur in his jaws. "If you want to be left behind we will certainly do so."

"My legs, they're moving on their own." Gilings' eyes were wide as they stared unmoving forward, into the Forum. "Believe me, I've tried!"

Serenity- having managed to clamber back onto Elzranth's head- leaped onto Gilings' and shielded his eyes with her outstretched wings, while giving him a painful bite on the nose. "How many times do I have to pull your hide from trouble?" She thumped her tail on his head "This can't keep going on forever!"

The combination of sharp pain and shielded eyes finally broke the compulsion upon Gilings, and with Elzranth's help, he finally stopped sinking deeper into the murk.

"We have to leave now." Serenity said "The moon is nearing its zenith. She will be emerging soon."

"Wait- the hatchling!" Gilings cast about frantically, swinging his head from side to side in a desperate attempt to detect signs of them.

"What hatchling?" She narrowed her eyes "Gilings, we do not interfere with dragons chosen to serve. We only came because you are one of the clan."

"The small shadow is correct, little breeze. Do not interfere with others!"

"But-"

"No buts, Gilings. We go now!" Elzranth seized the other by the scruff again, ready to bodily haul him back to the clan if he needed to, but froze in place as silence blanketed the entire scene.

"What an eventful night this is, children. Why the noise?" Even the full moon's light seemed to shrink away as a looming shadow emerged from the Forum below.

"Do not meet her gaze if you still value your days with the clan." Serenity muttered, lowering her wings once more over Gilings' eyes "Do not speak, and do not ask for any boons you have no means of repaying. This is not the land of free winds you hail from."

"At ease. I emerge tonight merely to relish the waxing of the shadow's power this moon. Soon the land will return to its eternal struggle for dominance over the elements."

Some of the tension in Serenity's muscles eased, but she did not lower her guard. One knows to never drop defenses before a Shadow dragon, and least of all the reigning deity of their element. "It is still an honor."

"And who is this child of the winds I have been hearing so much clamoring about?" The looming shadow lowered her head to look at them with a glowing amethyst eye. "Your protegee, keeper?"

"A wayward one who wandered where he should not have." Elzranth said. "He is stil learning from the forest."

"Ours! Only for Mother!" Small voices piped up as the swarm of dragons simultaneously voiced their protests at Elzranth's words "We found him!"

"We don't steal from other shadow clans, understand?"

"He's a child of the wind!" "He is not of shadows!" "He does not know of Mother!" The voices squeaked in response.

"If the other children say he's theirs, then he's theirs." The Shadowbinder soothed them. "Do you understand me?"

"No stealing from other shadows." They chorused disappointedly. "Yes Mother."

"If you see trespassers with no allegiance," the Shadowbinder said "take them." She turned "it is time, I think, to finally enjoy my walk in the forest."

"Mother," the bold flecked individual from earlier crept out from the amassed group "Will you take us back in under your veil of shadows? We'll be good and bring you many treasures."

"Dearest children, the reason I kept you was to hide you from the rest of Sornieth. Likewise now it is my wish for all of you to return to the world." The form melted into the dark of the forest noiselessly, like one shadow merging into another. "Remember what I said now

Hushed chitterings broke out among the group as they debated how to handle this new revelation.

"Mother said go."

"Go where?"

"The forest is our home!"

"We go anywhere!"

"All over the world!"

"We can take them, and stay!"

"Mother said no stealing!"

"Mother is not here now!" Jaws snapped and wings whirred as a squabble threatened to break out.

"Why not come live with us?" Xardril said, emerging from the cover of a rocky crag. "We have the space, we'll still be in the Tangled Woods, and what's more," her eyes glinted, "Mother said if there are trespassers you may take them for Her."

"Is that Xardril?" Gilings started. "She's been with you this whole time? I couldn't detect her at all."

"Because I was quiet the entire time, you blind dodo." She snapped at him. "I'm no help against a swarm of tiny dragons, and things seemed to get itself under control afterwards." She shifted her good wing. "So here I am now."

"Join you... Little Shadow?" All the heads followed Xardril's gaze in unison to look pleadingly at Serenity.

"I know this is a very important thing to be discussed, but we are not only covered in muck, but also in Her abode." Elzranth poked at Serenity with an outstretched claw, visibly uneasy. "Can we please go someplace else?"

"And the hatching too." Gilings dislodged a sodden lump clinging to his leg. It let out a squeal of dismay and latched it itself back onto him.

"Ours. For real."

"We found it. Not stolen."

What Gilings had not wanted to tell his senior was that about a week ago he had heard some mysterious singing in a secluded part of the Tangled woods, but upon closer inspection the owners of the song had fled. He had since been finding opportunities to go back and investigate further, until Risola caught wind of his search, prompting the lecture at the first chance she caught him. He would not return so soon, not right when Risola's attention was on him. He would return to that spot again in a couple days' time, when the other would have left for her journey with her Wing to the Eastern borders. So in the meantime, he would keep his thoughts and ideas to himself, lest someone else found out and took the wind from his wings.

Next week at midday, when Risola was long gone and his blindness at it's lowest point, he left, slinking through the clan's border walls and hoping that the speckled pattern of his fur would help camouflage him better in the dappled forest floor sunlight. The trail he left on his last return was beginning to fade, but he was not among the better trackers of the clan for nothing.

As he went, his trail was smooth and journey swift, he only had to stop for a quick meal of fungi and rabbit. He managed to avoid being noticed by Agim, doing his usual rounds of the surrounding forest by simple courtesy of ducking down amongst the shrubbery and giving the huge Imperial a huge berth. Not that Agim was hard to avoid, since the other was barely trying to hide or be sneaky to begin with.

By mid afternoon he finally arrived at the shaded glade where he had last heard the singing voices. It had been a while, yet through his keen sense of smell he could discern new scents intermingling with the usual forest smells of damp leaves and humid air. Unable to discern anything of interest, Gilings decided to settle in a small shelter and wait to see if the singers would make their return today. Sensing that he was not a threat, the birds and smaller creatures of the forest resumed their usual activity. He even heard the raucous calls of ravens in the tree above him, and ignored them. Ravens were abundant in this part of the woods and their antics were even amusing at times. When one particularly brazen individual landed on his tail, he let it be- until it decided to yank a solid beakful of his fur out with a sharp tug. Reflexively he swirled to snap at the guilty bird, causing it and the rest of its compatriots above to take wing in a flurry of protests.

After his outburst towards the ravens, the forest now seemed far too quiet. Neither tree frog nor insect stirred. The whole glade was now almost too dark for him to see far. He had stayed for too long. Sighing to himself at an afternoon's worth of leisure time wasted, he stretched and got up to return.

"These distant lights that I see

Their soft voices it calls to me

As the dark lifts and our hearts stir

Into the shadows we hold dear"

A small flurry of movement caught his eyes. Crouching down in the shadows, Gilings stalked forward with all the care and stealth he possessed. Using his ears to guide him towards the voice's owner. He kept to the shadows, using bushes and shrubs as cover as he approached step by step. Then he finally beheld it. A slender, tiny creature with diaphenous wings perched on a thorny vine. It was even smaller than Serenity and Valrion, and moved with odd jerky movements that he could not seem to tear his gaze away from.

As he stalked nearer, it appeared to be a dragon. Yet not one he had ever seen before. And then more piping voices rose up to join in its song.

"When sun falls and moon wanes

Into the skies our song takes

Higher and higher it rises

As the shadows grow on the winds"

Gilings continued forward, following after the bobbing and weaving figure as it seemed to beckon him deeper into the forest. He could barely make out the pathways in the dark, yet somehow the twisting figure flying before him managed to remain bright in the shadows.

Chitters emerged softly around him as he stepped under a large naturally twisted arch comprised of thorns and thick vines. He balked at the sight of the tunnel, the shadows within amplified by the blindness of his sight until it became a pitch black hole in the forest, yet his legs kept going forward, one step at a time.

"The words on the wind may go far

But whispers of the night never strays

It calls with the sweetest of voices

And beckons with all her might"

Their slight weight almost barely discernable, an individual alighted atop one of his horns, head bobbing and weaving along to the song being sung, its color-flecked mane swinging with each movement.

"On the moon of Her walk

Let Her children not be known to forget

To the heart of all that is dark

Where no light can pierce its reach"

The individual bent snaked a grey head forward to peer at him with a golden eye "I hope you're prepared, little breeze," they? He? said, baring a mouth full of tiny teeth in a grin "not many get to witness the Mother in her full glory as she walks amongst the tangles this season. You're one of the lucky ones!"

"W-what?" Gilings managed to force himself to speak, his voice emerging as a hoarse whisper "meet who?"

Cackles of laughter burst out in response to his question. "Why," the one on his horn grinned yet wider "have you not read your lore before residing in these woods, little breeze? There is only one Mother of the Tangled Woods, the one who cloaked the forest with shadows, the one who created and gave us life!"

"The Shadowb-" his mouth shut itself before he could finish.

"Hush now little breeze, and do not speak Her name so carelessly, lest she decides to give you more attention than you have ever wanted!" The dragon brought its head yet closer to his face, " you wouldn't want that, let me assure you."

Gilings did not want anything to do with wherever he was being led to, yet his legs still refused to obey.

“The Shadowbinder? No way a dragon like that could have met Her in the flesh, Sabri” Titian ruffled her wings “I heard she was cursed by her mate for leaving his clan to join the Ravenwatchers.”

Xardril ignored the conversation behind her back up above. She could not really hear them, but at that range she was able to skim over the surface of their thoughts. Such gossip no longer upset her. If anything, she was always intrigued in how they always seemed to grow yet more exaggerrated with each passing moon. Not that their opinions on her appearances mattered anyway. the only ones whose comments mattered were her clan leaders; Serenity and Elzranth, and her Wingleader; Erelxa.

“I never heard anything about a mate. If I had to guess who’s the most likely one to have done it, it’d be Serenity.” Sabri lowered her voice even further “I know it seems like baseless superstition, but those pitch-black eyes of hers aren’t normal.”

Something snapped in the back of Xardril’s mind. She could tolerate rumours about herself, but one thing she would not stand for is rumours about her clan leader.

“Sabri!” Titian hissed “Not another word, you don’t know who might-” her crests flattened against her head and she shrunk back into her nest as Xardril’s dark form stood silently behind Sabri.

“What is it? You look like you’ve seen a-” Sabri turned and saw Xardril standing wordlessly behind her “BY THE SHADE’S DARKEST-” she bit back the rest of her curse as she almost flung her beloved pearl at the Skydancer sitting behind her.

“You called?” Xardril waited expectantly. Their frightened reactions were mildly amusing, at least. To her credit, she did not even flinch at the threat of a huge pearl being thrown at her head.

“We did not call you.” Sabri retorted weakly “We were just…”

“Speaking about our dearest clan leader, of course.” Xardril shifted her wings and said sweetly “Don’t worry about it. Neither of us are going to curse you for it.”

“We didn’t mean anything by it.” Titian stated “It was just a harmless conversation. You know we respect Serenity as she deserves.”

“Xardril!” She had been about to tease them a little further when a powerful voice echoed through the forest clearing. From the sound of it, it was probably Erelxa.

“Lucky break for you.” Xardril muttered darkly at them before taking off in the direction of the voice. She beat her wings powerfully and wove gracefully through the thick brambles of the forest to where Erelxa stood in the clearing before his lair. The giant silver-black dragon seemed to stick out amongst the darkness of the forest. Compared to Xardril, he was huge; rivalling even Elzranth in size. Unlike their sub-clan leader; he had an impressive spread of translucent silver wings, and was able to fly for long periods of time on sorties.

“Xardril.” He said as she landed in the clearing, smug that not a single one of her feathers had caught in the thick brambles.

“Yes, Erelxa? I was about to leave on my patrol, as you asked.” She settled her wings and folded them loosely against her.

“Forget about that, there’s something else that’s come up. Idryianc’s wing will cover for us today.” Erelxa lowered his head to frown at the smaller dragon “What did I tell you about disturbing the nesting caves? I don’t want to have to ban you from going there at all.”

“I meant no harm. I was just having a friendly conversation.” She shook herself complacently “That was all.”

“Friendly conversations do not result in someone cursing loudly enough for half the clan to hear.” Erelxa said gently “Anyway, I did not call you here just for that.” He gestured with his head for her to follow him into the caverns that he called his lair.

The inside was cluttered with all sorts of scrolls and packages. On one wall was a large map of the Ravenwatchers’ territory, with an even larger map of the Tangled Woods right next to it. A solitary lamp, enchanted with light provided illumination for the Imperial’s work. A stone slab took up most of the workroom, she stood up on her hindlegs to see over the top of the polished surface. An opened scroll was spread out on it. Messy writing covered most of the paper. Probably Serrinos’, Xardril thought to herself.

“Our Wing will be gaining a new member, this will hopefully help ease the workload we have to handle by a bit.” Erelxa said, tapping a claw against the stone table “Serrinos has reported that he should be-” he squinted down at the scroll “arriving at the clangrounds sometime by midday.”

“What’s he like?” Xardril tilted her head to try and read Serrinos’ message. She was unable to decipher most of the scrawling script save for a few scattered words.

“He’s been wandering about Sornieth for a while. Serrinos says he’s quite easygoing and amicable, despite his looks.” Erelxa looked at her sternly “I know what you’re thinking. We’re all Wingmates, so I don’t want to see you pulling any pranks on him.”

“Yes yes.” She flicked her tail dismissively and stretched her head out “I won’t do that. I know how to read moods. I’ll treat him the same as you.”

“You’d better.” Erelxa sighed “Because Idryianc wagered a fortnight of cleaning duties that you would cause trouble with him the moment he arrived. Not-” he added “That you should be causing trouble even if there aren’t menial duties on the line.”

“I wouldn’t do anything so drastic.” Xardril said “Within the week, maybe.”

“Xardril. Please.”