A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero))

Subject: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:33 pm

((The setting is Caspan, 8 years prior to the current year of 3709. The days are long and hot, the nights short and cold, and the native desert inhabitants are reveling in their enviornment, the rest hiding from the sun in whatever way they can.

I suck at settings, so just yell at me for any changes :L ))

Now typically, most creatures would be hiding in a cave at this time of day. The sun was at its peak, without a could in the sky to offer protection from its rays. Even some of the people who lived in Caspan were barricaded into their houses, using petty magics to cool themselves, only the strongest-willed being able to stand working in the blaring heat. But not far out of the city's boundaries, a young dragon was tossing sand high into the air, running as fast as her pubescent legs would take her, chest heaving as it took in air, tail whipping madly behind her. Being young, this young girl had very little inhibitions about putting herself out in the open, and her fur offered an odd reprieve from the blistering heat and stinging sands. She definitely lived up to the standards of her breed, as her time spent running increased immensely day by day, to the point of spending most of the daylight hours wearing herself ragged with exercise. Not for work, not because she was told, but because it was just how things went for her breed, using the high energy which came with childhood to prepare her body for adulthood. Most likely, she would follow in the footsteps of her parents and be a mount-for-hire, running people of importance across the country and exploring the land, shore to shore.

The young girl made quite a show of her play, bounding and kicking her legs when possible, running down small desert lizards until they burrow underground, out of the reach of her thick, heavy paws. With adults to provide meals, food is no matter for an excitable child, so no matter what she would have energy to spare. For really, what in the world could outrun the great dragons of the desert, the might desert chasers? Nothing that she had come across with, at least.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:47 am

He was disturbed from his afternoon catnap by a snuffling and huffing around the next dune over. At first, Sill tried to ignore it. He tossed and turned on his little outcropping of rock among the sands, burying his too-big ears underneath his huge paws in order to try and drown out the noise. But it was no use. Whoever was causing a ruckus was doing it loudly, and was disturbing his amazing nap. With a loud frustrated huff. Sill-Vitas sprung up to his paws and with a determined stride set off to find out whoever was disturbing him and put an immediate halt to it. Only he was allowed to do the disturbing around here.

When he crested the dune that separated him from whoever was making all the noise, Sill stopped dead in his tracks and crouched low to the top of the dune so as not to be seen, his eyes wide. Another dragon?! Well, that certainly put things in perspective fairly quickly. Sill waited where he was, his tails flicking behind him as he watched the desert chaser pup playing with lizards and such. Well, it did look fun to be playing. He hadn't played all day. Cautiously, Sill rose from his hiding place and stood on the top of the dune. Then, quick as a snap he leapt into a flat out run down the side of the dune, causing small avalanches in his wake as he bounded down the side of the large hill, sliding to a halt only long enough to snatch up a lizard that had gotten away from the desert chaser. With a grin around the small lizard in his mouth, Sill scampered away a few feet, though did so with a marked bounce to his step. "Bet oou can't catch me!"

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:04 am

Jumping when the younger dragon popped in front of her, lizard in is mouth, Suji pursed her lips and stamped her foot, obviously annoyed. That had been her lizard! "The only way you caught that was because I had distracted it, you arse! Give it back!" Jumping at the shade runner in a bound, she snapped at his mouth, trying to grab the lizard's tail from his gross mouth. How dare he steal away her effort!

But secretly, the other pup's arrival excited her. He had to have been very fast to come up on her so suddenly, and the dust was still settling in his wake, a testament to his agility. Would he prove to be the racing rival she needed to help wear her down? hardly she thought to herself, full of youthful pride. But he would be fun to beat, and perhaps she could pass off a few pointers to the little runt. But first, to get that lizard.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:25 am

Sill jumped backwards in a bouncy little jump when the desert chaser tried to snap his prize out of his mouth, grinning even wider. There was nothing from coast to coast that could keep up with him, after all. His tails flicked in excitement, stirring up some sand and he bounded lightly to her side, crouching just outside of easy swiping reach. "Godda be fas'er 'dan 'dat!" He said excitedly around the very dead lizard, wiggling his rear end and bounced backward, daring the slightly older dragon to even try and catch him. Of course, he'd never met anyone other than his family that could even hope of outstripping him in a race. He had no idea that there were dragons on the cove that were almost as fast as his breed were inherently, and so of course didn't know that he was taunting just such one of these. "C'mon slow poke!" Kicking up clods of sand with each bounce, Sill continued to taunt the older female dragon, having fun in his own strange little way.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:40 am

Grimacing, Suji kept going after the younger dragon, snapping and swiping at his head whenever possible, claws sheathed of coure so as not to actually harm him. The most he would get from such an impact would be a hard, dull smack, and desert chasers were knows for having soft bites. She didn't mean to harm the shade runner, no, she was just getting extremely pissed that he would try and take away what was rightfully hers. The little brat.

As the fact that he was much faster than her at short distances, she decided to try a new tactic. Slamming the sands beneath her with her hid legs, she quickly veered to the side, setting a few meters between her and her rival. Tensing her muscles, she stared the other dragon down and pawed at the sands, getting ready to rush him. "You'd better start running, jerk." She growled, then with a huff she barreled towards him, moving with a deadly grace which came from a lifetime of practice.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:11 am

Oh! Now this was more like it! The Chaser was finally playing his game! And it was appropriate that Desert Chasers were named Chasers because this girl was going to be eating his dust from here to Yarrowitz and back. With a little yip and a flick of his tails, Sill started running directly away from the female, his claws digging into the shifting sands and gave him a bit of a spring to his launch. All paws and legs, the young shaderunner was off like a thunder crack with a gleeful chuckle in his throat that drifted back behind him. She was fast, but one look over his shoulder and he knew that he was faster, if only by a margin of difference. The Chaser was simply bigger than him and had a longer stride, but his inborn need for speed refused to allow such a thing to stop him from being the fastest of the two.

He quickly outstripped the Chaser laughing to himself the whole way. It was only after he'd been running for a little bit that he realized they were heading out of the "safe" desert and into the territory that his parents had strictly warned him against entering. With the sun beating down on his back and the exertion of running taxing his muscles, Sill didn't think about why exactly that was that his parents might have warned him away. Until he saw something shift out of the corner of his eye along the dunes and in a flurry of panic suddenly came to a very abrupt halt, kicking up a huge puff of dust as he skidded on the loose footing.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:42 am

With little regard for the 'safe' boundary of the desert, Suji followed after the dark dragon with reckless abandon, legs pumping rythmically as her specially-designed coat helped her plow through the plumes of sand that he kicked up in front of her, keeping her at a steady pace behind him at all times. His sudden stop, however, caught her by surprise, only barely giving her enough time to jump to the side to avoid running into him, rolling a short distance away before momentum allowed her to stand still. Looking around, she scanned for watever had startled the other dragon, seeing just a small desert hare skittering about, startled from its burrow. This made Suji give a light chuckle, such an easily startled boy.

Her laughter was soon caught in her throat though, as in a flash the rabbit was gone in a flurry of sand, revealing a worm which outsized them by a wide margin. The sand worm was a formidable creature indeed, though this one was just an adolescent, most likely having ending its hibernation abruply and thus stunting its growth, as it was lacking the species' characteristic second head. It still made quite an adversary for two young dragons, however, so they would have to come up with a plan before the beast realized that they were there.

"Whatever you do, don't move."

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:37 am

Wide-eyed and slightly terrified, Sill wouldn't have been able to move even if he wanted to. His ears were cocked full forward, his gaze fixed resolutely on the shifting form of the sand worm shifting just under the surface. Unconsciously he gripped the sand when the female chaser tumbled, knowing that any disturbance of the surface would surely attract the thing and held his breath, waiting. Lizard not totally forgotten, it lay on the sand between his paws.

"We've got to run." He said in a small whisper of a voice, remaining perfectly still though every one of his muscles screamed at him to move. Briefly he glanced at the Chaser, taking his eyes off of the sand worm for a brief span of precious seconds. "They can hear your heartbeat." Sill hissed at her, then flicked his eyes back to the sand worm, though didn't make to take up on his own suggestion just yet. "Our only chance is to outrun it."

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:53 am

"I know that, you idiot!" She hissed back at him, trying to not shift on her feet in agitation. But running posed a lot of problems; They had no idea how fast this monster could dig, and her sense of touch was not quite refined enough for her to sense vibrations under the ground, and her hearing left a lot to be desired compared to the other dragon's giant ears. Were the worm be able to catch up to them while underground, they might very well be captured. And, seeing as that rabbit had been decimated in less than a second,s he had little hope towards her survival should the worm get its ugly maw on them.

"Listen, you go first." She whispered, tensing her muscles slightly. "It may be fast underground, but up here I rule. You go and get help from the town, and I'll see if I can't keep it from getting underground. You got that?" The worm started shifting slightly, body squirming, sending a shiver up the desert chaser's spine ad making her fur fluff up in agitation. "As soon as you go, I'll start."

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:59 am

"Are you crazy?" Sill hissed back, lowering his head toward the ground and letting the sensitive nerve-filled whiskers touch the sand. It was hard to tell what was going on below the surface, but he had a better chance of "seeing" what was going on below than the Chaser. "It's big enough to eat you whole. If it gets back underground, you're cooked." He whispered up at her, looking at the Chaser fully now that he had his other senses dedicated to keeping the worm in check. "Come with me. We'll make it away together." He knew she could run fast. Not as fast as him, but fast enough that they might very well make it out of this rather hairy situation. Back to the "safe" desert where the rocks buried deep under the shifting sands made it hard for the burrowing sand worms to follow them for an easy meal. "I don't want to leave you behind to die alone." Even if she was a complete stranger, Sill wouldn't want that sort of thing weighing on his consciousness.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:21 am

"You idiot, we might not make it if we both go!" He barked at him, trying to not raise he voice too high. "If we both go, then that thing will almost certainly chase us. And I don't know if you haven't noticed, but we're a long ways from home. It might have time to catch up if we give it the chance." Annoyed at the younger dragon's impudence, she quickly lunged forward, launching herself with her hind legs at the sand worm, shouting at the top of her lungs "Now run, you idiot!"

The worm, which had been warming its body after a successful hunt, finally noticed the two dragons when the desert chaser launched herself at it. it let loose a guttural screech, the hundreds of spike-like teeth in its mouth bared and clacking together. The small dragon slammed into it, knocking it off of balance for a moment, but it quickly regained its composure , aiming a quick strike at the impudent little dragon. But Suji quickly leaped to the side, leaving the worm to strike air. As long as she stayed close, it wouldn't burrow, so she had to rely on her own agility to keep the beast occupied; and her hours of practice meant she really could go all day if need be.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:05 am

When he saw the Chaser leap forward, Sill's first reaction was to follow after her and tug her by the tail to get her to stop. It was just stupid to try and attack a sand worm by yourself! But she seemed determined, and far be it for him to try and tell her differently.

Springing into action, Sill was on his feet in a flash and in a flurry of tails had turned about. "Don't die!" he shouted over his shoulder, hoping that she would keep the sand worm from eating her long enough. The city was far away, and he didn't know if anyone in would actually help a Chaser. Besides, bipeds were slow. But his parents weren't, and he knew exactly where they were, and knew that they would help. Putting his fleet feet to the ultimate test, Sill-Vitas cut a path through the desert, leaving barely more than a small puff of sand in his wake as he practically flew over the dunes. He might not have had the endurance of a Chaser, but he could still run a fair ways with no breaks in between. By the time he found his parents he was heaving for breath and hot, but in enough shape that he could very briefly explain the situation.

The two adult Shaderunners collected their unruly child without a word and went straight back to rescue the Chaser.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:36 am

With the young shaderunner gone, Suji was free to focus all of her attention on the sand worm. She had to stay in very precise sweet spots, far enough that she had the space to dodge strikes, but close enough that the worm wouldn't be able to burrow. When she did make strikes at the monster, they were glancing at best, light pats and slams to keep it interested in her. She knew well enough that her claws were meaningless in this fight, so they stayed sheathed, since there was no way she would be penetrating the worms thick skin without a lot of force - force that the pubescent Suji just didn't have.

It felt like she had spent ages dodging the worm before Sill finally came with reinforcements, not from exhaustion but fear of slipping up. At their urging she quickly ducked away, going back to stand with the other young dragons, as the adults quickly circles and beat back the worm, landing jarring kicks which make Suji more than a little nervous from how devastating they seemed to be. Eventually the worm had just had enough, letting out a final, high-pitched scream before quickly slipping back into its hole, going deep underground to rest and lick its wounds. This time it would know better than to leave hibernation early.

Suji watched stunned at just how quickly they were able to dispatch the worm. Where she was surviving, they had dominated, beating back something with ease that could have easily kill her given the chance. She definitely had a lot to learn, so far as survival...

... She was still way faster, though.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:03 am

As soon as his parents took care of the worm, Sill jaunted over to the female Chaser, panting from running both ways at full speed. He made a full circle around the older girl, looking her over for injuries before finally bounding in front of her. "I was worried that thing would eat you for sure!" He said cheerfully, perking up despite being overheated and tired from his run. Looking over his shoulder at his parents to see if they were watching, he folded his ears back and took a few steps forward just in case they tried to eavesdrop on his conversation. They had remarkably good hearing, after all. "I sorta didn't tell them how we got out here." He whispered quietly and made a casual not towards where his parents stood scanning the sands below for any trace of more worms. "They'll yell at me if they find out how we got in this mess, so if you could not mention that I stole your lizard…?" There was a small amount of plea in his voice, all big eyes and huge ears cocked forward, eager to get the reassurance that she wouldn't get him in trouble.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:39 am

Wow. What a big baby. Now that he had brought it up, this all really was because he had stolen her lizard. Why, the very nerve! He was more worried about his parents than he was about the fact that she just took on that monster all by herself! Then again... she didn't want his parents telling her parents. Even if it was his fault, she'd be blamed for not being the 'bigger dragon.' Curses. "Oh, fine, I'll keep quiet. But you'd better figure out what to tell them, then." She snapped at him. If she was going to keep her secret, then he had better be prepared to do all of the coverup work.

But, she did have to hand it to the little brat; He really pulled through for her. It seemed like he had really given his all to get his parents and, if his smell was anything to go by, he really pushed his limit to get here when he did. Not that he had to go so fast, she could have gone for a while longer, right? She was just relieved she didn't have to keep jumping around anymore.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:49 am

His playful grin turned outright mischievous with the covert deal excepted and pulled himself to his full height, which was still a few inches smaller than the older Chaser girl. "Then it's a deal. Don't worry, just leave it all up to me." He glanced once more at his parents who seemed to have cleared the area of any more sand worms and were heading their way now. Turning his attention fully back on the Chaser, he dipped his head slightly. "I'm Sill-Vitas. Sorry for- well, you know." He nodded at the hole where the sand worm had disappeared. "Who're you? I haven't seen you around before. I figured that I'd seen everyone in the desert, but I guess not. Are you from the town nearby?" He was firing off questions one after the other, but hardly seemed aware of it. If he was tired by his run, he apparently wasn't tired enough to not grill Suji for answers.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:39 am

"Of course you haven't seen me before, idiot." She said, her head held high. "My parents are Runners, we transport people for money. This was just a stop, this is where my mom's customer wanted to go. I have to stay with her until I' old enough to go out on my own." She said this with a proud flick of her tail and a small grin, she was already getting to the point where she didn't need to be carried by her mother anymore. "I'm Suji, and my name is going to be on the very top for the fastest dragon in the world."

Now, if he got to ask so many questions, surely she could ask some of herself. "What about you? From the way you talk, it's like you live here. have you really never been outside of the desert?" She talked of the desert with no contempt; It was her favorite place to run, wide expanses of smooth sand for her to tear through. But seeing the sights was what she loved, and her parents have carries some very quirky people. Not to mention all of the delicious food they came across in towns all over.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Fri Sep 27, 2013 5:52 pm

"I do live here, idiot." Sill replied with a fair amount of snark in his voice, obviously mocking Suji for her earlier brashness. "Why would I leave the desert? It's the best place of all to run! Though…" He cocked his head to the side curiously. "I doubt you could ever beat me in a race. When I grow up, I'm going to be the fastest dragon alive. So, you're free to try and beat me, but…" He shrugged, the fur on his shoulders ruffling slightly. "But what's it like outside the desert? I see travelers and stuff, but never very up close. Mum and da say that they're dangerous to get tangled up with. Not really sure why, I mean, they seem harmless enough. Humans are pretty slow. That's why they need to use dragons like your parents, right? But I've heard that outside the desert is really cool. Is it true that there are seas of grass out on the plains? I've heard it's like the desert, but with grass instead of sand. You know, all flat-like. It sounds like it'd be really cool for running. I think that when I get older I'll go visit. That sounds like fun, doesn't it? Wanna come with?" He was babbling again, talking all in one breath as fast as he possibly could with all of his words colliding together to make one long endless stream of consciousness.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:04 pm

"Psh, as if you could ever beat me in a race! I spend every day running, like, a lot! I bet you can't even run for an hour you mouse!" The spines along her back flared up, partially out of their competitive speak was riling her up and partially because deserts are really hot. A girl has to keep cool, ya know?"

But oh, had the shade runner only known the can of worms he had opened. "You mean plains!" She immediately exclaimed, eyes lighting up with excitement. "You have no idea how cool they are! The grass is all thick and soft, there's always stuff hiding in it and there are really powerful breezes that help keep you cool! And there are giant mountains with big, winding paths where you can see all kinds of crazy rocks! There's even places where there's a bunch of snow around! Mom made me wear this weird fur harness when we went through one because they are super cold. The world is just amazing and awesome and, I dunno... epic." Was epic a word that fit there? To be honest, she only really hears the travelers say it, typically when they run across something exciting. Like that one time with the bear. Her exposition left her riled up, breathing heavily and shifting on her feet, riled up to start running again. "Maybe if you ever get out of here, I can take you! You jsut have to keep up, cuz this is the no stop express trail to adventure!"

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:55 am

"Really?" Sill's excitement betrayed him, the petty insolence he was so fond of flaunting sliding away in the face of his rampant curiosity. He fired off a million questions, reveling in the fact that there was someone else who would so enthusiastically talk about all the things that he'd only ever heard of.

Beyond the two chatting youngsters, the adult dragons watched with mild amusement and let them be for now. It was rare in the desert to come across fellows, so every meeting was a golden opportunity. Eventually Sill's parents pulled him away, much to the young dragon's regret and he said his obstinate goodbyes.

"I hope we meet up again!" He called from the top of the dune before Suji could disappear from sight and reared back on his hind legs, pawing at the air like he'd seen humans do. It was supposed to be a gesture of friendly goodbye, he supposed, but wasn't really sure. After that, he turned in a flurry of fluffy tails and took off running after his parents, who had kept walking, trusting him to keep up and not get lost in the desert twice in the same day.

*~*~A Few Years Later*~*~*

"STOP! THEIF!" A man yelled, bolting out of his stand in the market and waving his hands over his head. "SOMEONE GET THAT DRAGON!"

Sill-Vitas, fleet of feet and always up for a challenge sped out of the marketplace. At full-speed, even the most surefooted of Shaderunners had a hard time with sharp turns. But at this casual jaunt he had no problem navigating the twisting roads that made up Jiluria's city. A few horses startled at the sight of him, nearly throwing their harnesses. It wasn't every day that an almost-horse-sized dragon came pelting directly at them, after all.

Snorting under his breath with a mouth full of beef leg, Sill turned another corner and the shouting of the distraught merchant was lost in the babble of the crowd. He smirked around his pilfered meal. It really was too easy. These merchants weren't even a challenge.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:02 am

With Sill running distraction, both figuratively and literally, Suji was able to go as quickly as she pleased, neatly grabbing a much larger chunk of meat while the store owner was preoccupied. With a have she set it on her back with burlap, a crude but effective method of keeping it from falling off as she began running at breakneck speed through the street, dashing past an angered but exhausted man who could no longer keep chase with the two thieves.

Her years of constant running have only improved her form, and though she still can't math the shade runner's top speed, her endurance and tight turns more than make that up for their difference in ability. In no time Suji was running side by side with her friend, lifting her legs high as she ran to flaunt her much heavier load of food. "Works every time, am I right?" She laughed to her friend, following his lead to wherever they took their prize.

This was by no means a new thing; the two speedsters have been pulling heists like this for years as a method to test each other's speed and satiate their vicious hungers after the fact. They kept their crimes innocent enough; They only stole when there were sales on, and whatever they didn't finish they shared with other hungry people and dragons. They didn't necessarily need the food they took, both of their parents were plenty capable of feeding the two, but they enjoyed taking their own food when they could. They would do chores for the various shops around town when they could, as well, so their logic made it all a fair transaction.

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:26 am

His ears flicked up when he heard the staccato scrunch of sand under paws and turned his head in time to see Suji catching up with him. He held his pace steady until they were shoulder to shoulder then casually lengthened his stride to match hers until they were running at the same pace. Sill tried to mumble through his leg of beef in answer to her question but stopped halfway when he realized that all he was managing to do was slobber on himself.

Sucking it up with as much dignity as the act could allow, Sill put on a little extra speed and led them over a few dunes, getting suitably far away from the city before deciding that enough was enough and slowed to a trot, then a walk and finally stood still. Dropping the leg on a grassy bit of sand, he heaved a huge breath and grinned. "Works every time." He finally agreed now that his mouth wasn't full of leg and nosed the burlap full of meat that Suji carried. "What'd you get? The rest of the cow?" He snorted his amusement and tugged on her carry straps, helping her unload to get a look at their prize. "Maybe these vendors will finally get a clue and set up some real challenge."

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:03 am

"Did you expect any less? With how slow you were going, I could have taken a whole herd and still catch up to you!" She helped Sill set down the carcass, the aromatic mass of meat falling heavily to the ground, the burlap protecting it from the sand underneath. "Hah, that'll be the day." She laughed, tearing off a chunk of cow side and swallowing it. "The day they can keep us away is the day we can't run together."

But that day was closer than she thought.

Later that day, as the two were wearing each other out playing chase in the sand, a figure made its way towards them, with speed to rial both of the young dragons. As it got closer, her identity became clear; Suji's mother. She was an imposing figure, laden with leather flaps and satchels, chest thrust forward and head held high. She was a kind dragon, if a bit quiet, and having seen her daughter's fondness of the runner male she made sure her jobs stayed nearby his home, that she could improve herself competitively. But she couldn't stay in one place forever, and today was the day she decided that her daughter should start finding work. The news was not well received.

"But I'm happy here!" The daughter testified, her paw thudding heavily on the sand in defiance. Suji was grown, but there was a marked difference in the two; Her mother's features were fuller and balanced, while her child was still growing into her adult frame, legs still a bit too long for her body. She still had to look up to address her mother as well, though not by much, and the mother looked down coolly at her as she rebuked her. "We can't stay here forever, and you know that. Our job is transport, and we can only do so much in the middle of nowhere. I'm sorry, but it's decided."

The excitement of the day was quickly dropped at this, Suji's ears hanging low as she turned to Sill-Vitas for support. What could she do?

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:48 pm

Sill rolled his eyes at her bluster but chose not to comment in favor of digging into their lunch. By the time that Suji's mother ran up, he was full and content, ready for an afternoon nap basking in the desert sun. The appearance of the older Chaser had him forgetting all thoughts of napping and he was on his feet, standing next to Suji in silent preparation. For what, he didn't know, but if Suji was tense than he was too automatically.

The declaration that his best friend had to leave the desert caught Sill by surprise, and his cry of disapproval was quick on the heels of Suji's on. "She can't leave!" He shouted suddenly, then glanced at the younger Chaser. "You can't leave." His ears folded back, his expression turned dour. "We live just fine without taking jobs." Sill said, addressing Suji's mother now. "Why do you have to leave and work for those humans anyway?"

Subject: Re: A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero)) Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:06 am

Their objection was well-founded, her mother knew that. Children have a hard time coming to terms with reality, so she would try to explain it as best she could. "Sill, the life you live won't last forever. One day, you will see that your life is not just your own, that there are things you can't do by being alone. The humans I work for pay me plenty to eat whenever I need to, even when I had to stop work to care for my egg." With this, she nudged Suji gently, bumping their noses together. "If something happens, you'll want something to support you. Stealing meals isn't going to win you any friends. Maybe someday you'll see that."

The two were allowed to say their goodbyes, an arduous process dominated mainly by sorrowful silence. At day's end, Suji was fitted out in a smaller version of her mother's harness, saying her farewells before setting off. The pace wasn't the high-action workout that she was used to, either; sticking to her breed's abilities, they maintained a much slower, constant speed, one which they could both sustain well into the next morning. And so they were gone, Suji promising to herself that someday, she would find her way back.

~*~'Timeskip'~*~

Fifteen years. It had been fifteen years since Suji had been to the one place she's ever really been home. In that time, she had blossomed into a magnificent dragon; as large as her mother, with speed and endurance worth boasting about, she quickly became highly sought for as a mount and guide across the continent. Her time running had made her wise to the world around her, barely even needing a map to get the majority of her jobs done, relying simply on the sun and breeze to guide her. Like her mother, she slowly became adorned with leather straps, buckles and sacks, all of her earthly belongings and everything her customers need to keep a hold of her, while still retaining all of her mobility. A true running dragon.

To her annoyance, and eventually her dismay, there was nobody ever really interested in going to her home; those that were weren't interested in making their way quickly, or needed large loads brought as well. And besides, it had been so long; would Sill even remember her? Would he even be there, waiting? It seemed doubtful; he didn't seem like the kind to stay in one place, given the chance. Still, it would be nice to see some familiar faces, for once in her life. The years might have been fulfilling, but they weren't happy. Her mother had died, her old age catching her hard and fast, and she'd been screwed over more than a few times by people who snuck out of paying. Nowadays, she takes payment up front, and she won't carry anyone she thinks is suspicious.

But she was willing to make an exception today. She was faced with a rather lanky man with dark hair and a long, tattered cloak. He didn't look like the sort who had any money whatsoever, but he came to her with a bag jingling with coins and a request to be taken exactly where she had been wanting to go. She had no clue what business he could have moving; perhaps to escape a past life, to get a second chance at success. Normally ,she would probe more into his plans, but honestly she couldn't care less. She was finally going to where /she/ wanted to go, and she wouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth.

The run was long, but not unbearable. For the three days they ran, the man never complained, merely clutching onto her and resting when she did. They were there in no time and, as soon as they got into the town he dismounted, waving before melting into the crowd of people. He was no longer her business. Ordinarily, she would immediately start looking for her next client, and she would... but maybe it'll take a while before she finds one. She walked slowly through the streets, breathing deeply the smell of home. Where did Sill live, again?

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