Apollo and Tajy (A book lost in time)

Music and laughter surrounded Rae as she wandered through the town. Children were playing and giggling in the street, horses trotted by wearing all the colors of the rainbow, and elders gossiped on front porches, frowning disapprovingly at misbehaving teenagers. The rising sun glittered on the lake front and cast a glare into the Avian's eyes, and she had to shield them as she searched across the water. There were many fishing boats out already, and she wished that she could join them, instead of being forced to attend this semi-formal festival.

She looked away from the lake and grimaced, tugging on the itchy lace sleeves of her dress. Her attire was a dark moss green, adorned with lighter lace and intricate patterns of birds in flight. It was a pretty thing, yes, but extremely unfomfortable, and it clinged roughly against her curvy shape. Her parents had wanted her to look her best, and so they had given her the dress as an early birthday present; they knew she wouldn't refuse such a nice item of clothing when they usually had so little. And so she had worn it. Along with the clothing, she had her deep mahogany hair down, and it rippled against her back like a waterfall. Above the hem of the low-necked cloth hung a simple hemp necklace with a single gem, and emerald, resting above her breast. A fresh berry color stained her lips, and she touched them tenderly with her finger, as if they would burn her if she pressed too long.

Oh, how she hated these festivals.

Luckily, the only good part of this town was the fact that she could have her wings out in the open, and not have to worry about anyone gawking at her too openly. These people had seen everything from elves to orcs to dragons, and it seemed like nothing surprised them now. She let her mind wander, and her consciousness touched the familiar mind of her dragon, Icefyre, who was staying in a cave in the mountains not too far away. She wished that she had been able to bring him with her, but he was so large that he would have squashed anyone who got in his way. So she had to bare this alone.

Well, not entirely alone. As Rae looked up, she heard a familiar voice calling her name, and she groaned inwardly. Alberic. He couldn't stand to have her out of his sight for more than five minutes. And there he was, pressing his way through a crowd of laughing women, a frown creasing his face.

"I hate it when you do that," he said, reaching her. "Next time, make sure you tell me you're going to wander BEFORE you disappear." His cheeks were flushed with anger, but he appeared to be calming down now that he had found her. "For all I know, some drunken man could have carried you off without me seeing you, and then where would we be?"

"With a dead drunken main laying in an alley," she replied coolly. "You know very well that I can take care of myself, even without my staff." Along with Icefyre, she also had left her weapon outside of the village; this was a festival, and people would have gotten suspicious if they had seen someone carrying any sort of weapon.

Alberic grumbled a reply, then looked into the sky, squinting his ice blue eyes into slits. "It's still early in the day," he said, changing the topic. "And it's already hot out. Do you want to go-?"

"I'm going down by the lake," Rae said, cutting him off. She knew he had been about to offer to take her home already, since she hated getting too warm, but even though she was uncomfortable, she had to admit that she was having fun. "Maybe some fisherman needs some help hauling in their catch. If not, then I'm going to rest in the shade."

Alberic shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if that's what you're going to do, then I'm coming with you." Rae stiffled a groan, but didn't say anything. The pair then flared their wings, one pair a light beige, the other a deeper bronze, and lifted up into the sky. People stopped what they were doing to stare at the sight, and watched the two of them until they landed by the lakeside. There, they watched people on the shore splashing in the water and playing in the sand, and for a moment, Rae wished she was young again so she could join them.

Kol winced at the early morning light that hit his eyes. The soft sounds of a near by waterfall and chirping birds were all the noises Kol could hear from his mountain home. His house was rather large estate surrounded by nature. Kol's family was generally well off but there were many people living in this home so a steady income was needed. The home itself was just above a small city, that seemed to already be alive with activity. He had been to town several times a month. He would take odd end jobs in the town in exchange for food clothes, and medicine for his family.

Today was one of his favorite days. The Summer Festival. Each year the town would celebrate its independence from the Kings rule during the middle of summer. It was a time of peace and joy that gave Kol the chance to enjoy being in the villagers presence. He had made many friends with the humans, man and woman a like. The men were hard working, kind people who had Kol's respect. By Nature though, Kol seemed to be quiet the charmer, and he was always being scolded by his older sister for charming the ladies in the village.

In all honesty, Kol had no interest in taking a human partner. It was just in his nature to be kind to woman. He grinned at the memories that began to surface. In mid day-dream he received a smack to the head by another one of his siblings.

"Aren't you going to be late for the set up?" One of his younger brothers asked. He was a spitting image of Kol. He adorned large emerald green eyes and light blonde hair with jet black wings on his back.

"Enitan, you have no need to worry." He ruffled his younger brother's hair and took to the skies before he got another smack from the boy.

As he entered the town he was greeted by several people. An old lady, a shop owner, some children, etc. It gave him a warm feeling to be greeted by so many. He made is way over to a small booth being set up and gave the owner a hearty hand shake.

"Stephen, My friend. How is business?" Kol asked, already picking up a bag of food to help carry in. Stephen was one of the first people to accept his people as a friend and not a foe and he had been loyal to his family for many years.

"Well, the festival will be amazing this year. We have so many children running in our streets. Their laughter is our hope." Stephen smiled. The town had been rather small for years on end, due to a harsh winter. They had lost many people to famine and only now were their numbers starting to rebuild.

"No need for such talk today, it is a celebration!" Kol stated as he set down the food. It would turn out to be a good night, indeed.


(For image ref. on Kol's home, here it is. http://uniquemountainestates.com/North_Carolina_Palatial_Mountain_Estates_ExteriorPhotos/Unique_Mountain_Estates_Luxury_Estate_NorthCarolina_Front.jpg XD They are very well to do.)

After watching the people on the beach play for a while, Rae grew tired. The heat was starting to take a toll on her, and she could feel a bead of sweat run down her temple. She wiped it away, then stood, motioning towards her brother. "Come on, I need to get out of this sun."

They took a slower route around the lake, watching the fishermen with their nets and lines bobbing in the water. A few had been successful; she saw a large trout on the end of a heavy man's line, and a net full of freshwater shrimp by another. Alberic laughed as a man got pushed off the edge of his boat by a smug-looking woman, and Rae smiled tightly.

They eventually made it back to the other side of the lake, and by that time Rae was roasting. The sun was at it's peak, and it beat down relentlessly on her bare chest and back. Alberic appeared unaffected, and she pouted at him. He grinned in reply. They walked through the crowds of people to the center of the town, where many people were setting up booths and chatting with one another about the great weather. Rae grew more grumpy.

As they walked around the booths, trying to find one that was selling cold drinks, Rae let her mind wander once more. She knew that a friend of hers lived not too far away from the town, and he was sure to be here on this exciting day. As Alberic payed for two glasses of cold water, she glanced around at the different booths.

And there he was. She immediately felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him. He was helping a man set up his booth, and his arms were bulging with muscles as he lifted a heavy load. Oh god, she thought, how perfect he is. She continued to watch him work.

As if Alberic could hear her thoughts, he looked in the direction she was gazing, and his eyes hardened. He had heard about this 'Kol', and he didn't like the sounds of him. Too flirtatious, by the sound of it. He could practically forsee Rae getting her heart broken. Being the overly-protective brother he was, he put a hand on Rae's shoulder as if to direct her away.

But Rae wouldn't have it. Brushing back her hair, which had gotten a little messy when she had been shoving through the crowds, she quickly walked towards the booth, pushing away her brother's hand. As she did so, she suddenly felt much more self-conscious in her dress; it made her feel vulnerable. Pushing aside her fears, she reached up to Kol's shoulder. "Hey there, Kol!" she called over the din, a smile growing on her face. "I thought we might run into you here!" Alberic stood a few feet away, negative energy practically pouring out of him. His normally clear eyes were narrowed in a dark scowl.

Before Rae could say anymore, a voice appeared in her head. Icefyre. 'Rae, I found something interesting,' he said, and she winced; she still wasn't used to his mind being in hers. 'You may want to come see this. It looks important.' As quickly as his consciousness was there, it was gone, and Rae blinked. What on earth had he found?

It probably wasn't that important; her dragon had a tendency to overreact to things, and he was probably just being dramatic. She focused back on the Avian in front of her. Alberic continued to glare. "Where's that cute little brother of yours?" she asked, hoping that no one had noticed her momentary lapse of concentration.

Kol let out a slight grunt as he lifted another heavy box. This was good hard work that he enjoyed. As he hoisted another box he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. Once he looked up from his work a recognizable face came into view. A young female avian with beautiful dark brown hair dressed in a flattering green dress.

“Raven, my lady, what a wonderful surprise.” He smiled and set down the box he was carrying. As he was about to approach the woman when he felt an icy stare on him. He shot the male avian a small smile, knowing it might enrage him further, but he could not help but intentionally anger the other male. He was far too protective, and it’s not like he would eat her.

He continued over to the woman, and per norm, took her hand into his own. “I hope you have been well.” He placed a kiss on the center of her hand and looked directly into her eyes. Making it seem like they were the only two people in the world.

He was soon interrupted when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Kol snickered as he released her. His eyes met with an even darker look from the male and Kol was only returned it by giving him a look of pure male amusement. Oh, how he enjoyed toying with him.

“My brother is well. I believe he shall be attending the festivities this night. I am sure you will be able to see him soon. Perhaps you would accompany me this evening to meet with him?” He was very fond of his little brother even though they were only technically half brothers. Their fathers were the same but their mothers were different. It did not really matter to him though.

Rae smiled at the familiar gesture that Kol gave her, but luckily, she didn't blush. She only saw his eyes staring into hers, andcompletely forgot that Alberic was even there.

'My lady?' her brother thought, his scowl deepening. What a bunch of nonsense! As far as he knew, Rae had only met this guy a few times, and that was little excuse for this man's behavior. Only his trust in his sister's judgement kept him from leaping between the two, although he was pretty sure that her judgement was probably out the window at this point. Ah, well. He couldn't protect her from everything, he supposed. She was going to have to learn some things on her own. Either way, he stepped a little closer to the pair, pretending to be looking at some of the goods on the booth while keeping an eye on the two to make sure they didn't disappear on him.

Rae ignored her brother completely. He didn't understand what was going on between she and Kol. He was so... So ignorant. She grinned at Alberic cheekily before turning her attention back to Kol. He, too, appeared amused by her brother's behavior. "Ignore him," she said, sighing. "He's far too protective of me. It's as if he thinks I can't take care of myself." She chuckled.

At Kol's question, Rae brightened. "I would love to accompany you," she said, smiling. Alberic stopped looking at the booth and turned his gaze back to the pair. Oh, how he wished he could beat this scum to the ground. His fists tightened on his dagger that was sheathed in his belt, and it was all he could do to turn back to the booth as a person offered to sell him something for a 'reasonable price'. Rae took his lack of concentration for granted and motioned to Kol. "Hey, there's something I want to show you." With a jolt of boldness, she took his hand and tugged on it, turning in the direction of the mountains. That way, she knew, led to where her dragon was hiding. As of yet, she hadn't mentioned her partner to Kol, and she suddenly wanted to let him meet him. Hopefully Icefyre would approve... And not act all jealous, like her brother. As they stepped into the shade of the trees, she sighed in relief. It was so much nicer here in the cool protection of the forest.

Once again, her dragon probed into her mind. Raven, come, he said, and an image of a piece of parchment appeared in her mind. I know that you are enjoying yourself, but this seems like something that shouldn't wait. Rae assured him that they were coming, and started walking with longer strides.

Before long, Alberic managed to break away from the vendor, only after he had purchased a charm which the man had assured,"Will protect you from any spells!" Grumbling, he looked around the square. Dammit. They had disappeared. Boiling with rage, he took off in the direction that led to the forest. He was pretty sure what she was going to show Kol. That man-whore doesn't need to know, he thought angrily.

Kol shot another amused look at the second male avian’s back, seeing him retreat from the situation, probably in order to keep himself from saying something that polite society wouldn’t allow. He noted with some interest that, despite trying to appear to be occupied elsewhere, he was stealing glances at them over his shoulder, all the while keeping close to them. What a dutiful brother. Kol thought with a bit of a laugh, and immediately wanted to steal Raven away just to tease him. Before that thought could develop any farther, he found himself being pulled away from the marketplace, Rae’s soft hand slipping into his own. Seems that it was time to be shown something interesting.

He allowed himself to be pulled along into the forest, intertwining his fingers with Raven’s almost unconsciously. Kol took in his surrounding, breathing in a huge lungful of the fresh forest air before exhaling in a great sigh of contentment. Above, the mid-day sun hovered in the sky, the canopy filtering the harsh light into a cool shade flecked with dancing rays of light that played on their skin in a slow and soft mesmerizing dance. Noon… Enitan would be leaving soon to help the vendors of the city, he reckoned, his mind venturing through some of the things that he would have to do upon his return before his attention drifted back to reality. They were venturing deep into the forest now, and he couldn’t help but wonder where exactly it was that they were going.

Instead of philosophically pondering the question, he decided to try and find out through a much easier and faster way. “Raven?” He asked, voice gentle as the summer breeze. “Might I inquire as to where we are going?” He adjusted his pace a little to keep up with her, his strides much longer than Raven’s so that even when she had picked up her own pace, he could easily keep up with her.

Rae winked at him playfully. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see, eh?" She didn't feel like explaining what they were about to see to him; she was enjoying the peace and tranquility too much. At that moment she realized that they were actually together... Alone. The thought made her heart start racing, and she hid her sudden adreneline rush by running, tucking her wings tightly against her back so that they wouldn't hit a stray tree branch. She dodged tree trunks and fallen logs gracefully, and, thankfully, didn't trip over a single root or stone. Eventually, they reached the side of a mountain, which was covered in an assortment of different caves and caverns in all different sizes.

Without hesitating, she turned to the left and approached a cave that was about two humans tall, and was too deep to see the end. She stopped at the edge of the cave, reaching out with her mind to touch the still unfamiliar mind of her dragon. His consciousness touched hers, and she sighed in content. There was such an incredible feeling of togetherness when she was linked with her partner. With a wave to Kol, she entered the cavern.

A few dozen feet inside, Rae heard the sound of shifting stones, and a bright blue head appeared and stared at her with bright icy eyes. You've come, Icefyre said, humming in content. He peered beyond her, and she felt a curiousity burn within him. And you've brought someone with you.

'Yes, his name is Kol,' she replied, speaking in her mind so that Kol wouldn't hear her. 'Be nice to him. I don't want you to scare him off.' Icefyre growled with amusement, flicking out his tongue to taste the air. By the scent of him, he assumed that this Kol must be another Avian; Rae and Alberic always had the slight smell of feathers, and he could detect that on him as well.

This is what I wanted you to see, he told her after he had concluded that Kol wasn't a threat, and pushed a dry, cracked piece of parchment towards her. It has symbols on it that I can't interpret, but there are images that are familiar. Look here, he said, tapping a claw on a small, faint blot of blue ink, next to a scribbled word that was illegible. I think that must be this village, and the lake next to it.

'Okay, but why is it so important?' Rae asked, irritated. She didn't have time to study silly little maps that probably led to nowhere. She had only wanted Kol to meet Icefyre, and hopefully to have him be impressed. Now Icefyre was acting like their life depended on this map.

I don't know, he admitted. But it has an air of importance and magic around it.

Alberic, at the moment, had finally caught up with Rae and Kol, but was keeping to the shadows. He wanted to see just what it was that the duo had planned to do without him, and so he was pressed against the outside of the cave wall, his pale form hidden by the shade of an oak tree. With any luck, neither would know that he was there, and he could find out why they had ran off without him.

(( FailPostUgh >.< -tired and uncreative- ))

Kol took notice that Raven’s hand had slipped from his own. She had taken off running full speed. “Raven! What’s wrong?!” He followed after her, matching her graceful moments through the forest. He sent of a silent prayer that running in the mountains was something he was used to.

He skid to a stop as Raven had suddenly veered off to the left and into a rather large looking cave. He turned into the direction of the ominous looking opening and ran after the female avian. “Raven, what-“ Before he could finish his sentence, a large set of glittering blue eyes met with his own. After a few moments of an awe-struck stare Kol realized what it was that was staring at him. A dragon, a full-grown dragon. A smile touched Kol’s face as he bowed, deeply, in front of the dragon. He has never done battle with a dragon but knew they were ferocious creatures indeed. A creature that deserved respect.

Only when Raven started to interact with the dragon did it hit him that she was a rider. He decided to keep his questions to himself as the dragon presented an old piece of paper to her. He poked his head around Raven to see what the object was. Kol inhaled sharply, it was a map.

“Raven, do you understand what this is?” He stared at the paper in astonishment. Maps of the land had been either burned or taken and it was punishable by death to even be suspected of possessing one. He slowly bent down and analyzed it.

Kol’s attention was torn when he heard the slight rustling of leaves outside the cave. He took a gently whiff of the air before relaxing once more. Alberic, silly man and is overly protective nature. He decided not to let Alberic know that he gave his scent away. The only reason Kol could even tell the other avian was due to his highly developed sense of smell.

Rae reached out her hand to touch Icefyre's snout. "Isn't she lovely?" she murmured, and Icefyre's humming increased. For a moment, Rae just stared into her dragon's eyes, and let the feeling of pure joy rush through her. There was nothing like the connection that she and Icefyre shared.

At Kol's sudden remark, Rae turned back to the piece of parchment that she had so quickly dimissed. Now that she took a closer look, she realized that it was, indeed, a map of the land. She let her eyes follow the winding rivers, the steep mountains and the rolling valleys of the map, and her heart started to pound. Her first thought was of fear. What if the king found out that they had it? But no, he would have no way of knowing, right? A surge of excitement burst through her, and she grinned. "You know what this means?" she whispered excitedly. "It means that we're probably the only people in this entire nation who has the chance to overcome the king!" No one knew where the king was hidden, since his position moved from place to place almost every day. Many had tried, and failed, to find the wizard's weakness, to trace him and find him when he was vulnerable, but so far, no one had succeeded.

She pointed to an intricate symbol located near the top of the map. It seemed to shimmer and dance, like it wasn't a permanent placement on the parchment. "That must be where he is," she murmured, and as she spoke, the symbol suddenly disappeared, only to reappear a moment later on the west side of the map. She had heard rumors that the king had found an ancient book full of old and powerful spells; moving buildings must be one of the spells that it contained. "Kol, we have to do something about this. I'm sure it wasn't just coincidence that Icefyre found this map." Her dragon nodded, eyes closed into slits in concentration as she studied the map.

It would be dishonorable to let this oppurtunity pass us by, she spoke, into both Rae's mind and Kol's, so Rae wouldn't have to repeat her words. Her claws scraped the floor and she stood, and a low growl erupted from her mouth. Many of mine kin have been slayed by this evil creature. It's time he had a taste of his own medicine.

Rae touched her shoulder for comfort, then turned to Kol. "I understand if you don't want to come," she said, sadness in her voice. "I led you here, after all. It isn't something that you have to do." As she said the words, she realized how dearly she did want him to accompany them. She loved Icefyre, yes, but they might have a better chance of finding and defeating the king if they had another person along.

Alberic listened to her words, stunned. Find and kill the king? That was absolutely absurd. No matter how powerful Rae and Icefyre were, they had no chance of defeating a spellcaster. He was about to burst in and tell her to stay here, to forget about this ridiculous quest, but hesitated. What if it really was fate? Would he be interfering if he told her not to go? He held his breath, and waited.

A frown flickered across Kol’s face at the sadness in her voice. He knew that she would want to go after the King now that they had an advantage but the King was not merely going to just surrender now that they had found them. No, this was going to take careful planning and a lot of time. Spell casters, such as the King, had been in training since they were born. They can wield the elements; create weapons out of anything surrounding them, and many more rather dangerous things. Each wizard had his own specialty and no one knew the Kings. It was said the only people who knew, are currently dead.

Kol looked down at the map once more. Perhaps, if they were to recruit people along the way they would have a much better chance at winning. That meant though, walking for a large duration of the trip rather then flying. They could easily reach the King’s hideout within a few days while flying but then they would be severally out numbered. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of what torture they would be put through before being killed. For Kol, he might be killed on the spot…but Raven could be tortured in far worse ways before her life was ended.

A sudden urgency to protect her from that ill fate fell over him. He had decided. “I can not allow you to go on your own so I will accompany you. But. We will need help Raven. I am not so full of pride that I cannot see that my own powers will not defeat the King. No…even your mighty Dragon can fall from a magical attack.” He had meant no insult by what he said, but if any of them were to come back alive from this, facts had to be stated. Kol was an excellent sword wielder but magic could easily take him down in one hit from long range.

He bent down and pointed out a route that they would be able to take. The route would lead them through the Elvin, demon, human, and some other creatures territory that would hold hostilities toward the King. “If we take a longer way around we can gain a larger force.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “This is going to take a long time and even if we make it there, we may not make it back. But, I am willing to follow you through this journey and protect you until my last breath.” While his words were serious, his eyes held a kind look to them.

“I suggest for tonight though, we enjoy the festivities and relax. We may pack and head out when the morning light first touches the sky.” Kol looked down as a sudden sadness reached his face but was gone as fast as it came “We must tell our families about this, so letting them enjoy the night before breaking the news to them might be a good idea.” He thought to his brother. Enitan was very fond of him, and Kol knew it. Since Enitan was brought to the clan as a baby, he had not left Kol’s side for anything.

“Oh. And Alberic, you can come out of hiding now.” He held amusement in his tone. Kol knew the male avian would be pissed that Kol had known this whole time that he was there. Though, perhaps it was a good thing. Alberic could help in their forces and protect Raven, even if he would be stuck to her like honey for the entire trip.

Rae felt a mixture of relief and anxiety when Kol announced that he would be accompanying she and Icefyre. Relief, because she didn't want to have to go through this alone; also, to be honest with herself, she was truly, deeply attracted to this Avian, and the thought of traveling on a life-threatening journey sounded, oddly enough, extremely romantic. But she also felt fear; what if, by bringing him along, she was bringing him to his death? She couldn't bare to lose him, especially if it was her own fault. She would risk her own life to save his, she realized with a start.

Icefyre growled discouragingly. Raven. She spoke only in her mind so that Kol wouldn't hear what she was saying. I would not become so deeply attatched to this boy so that you lose sight of reason. You barely know him, and yet I can feel the ache in your heart as if it were my own. Please, for the good of both of us, try to banish your longing of Kol. It could bring about the death of both of us. Rae dismissed the thought with an angry frown. Icefyre sighed, but backed off.

She brought her attention back to Kol, and what he was saying. She listened quietly, nodding at times, but saying nothing. She really didn't know much about this king, only that he was extremely powerful and hated by many people. She shivered at the mention of trekking through other creatures' territories; she had never been fond of other species, especially demons, so she hoped that Kol could be persuasive enough to have them join their forces; she would have to try hard enough not to run in the other direction. She placed a hand on Icefyre's thrumming side, but leaned into Kol as he touched her shoulder.

As he spoke of his willingness to sacrifice his own life for her's, Rae stared at him, shocked. The rest of his words floated dully through her head, but she scarcely heard them. Did she really mean that much to him? As she thought it over, she realized that she, too, felt such a deep connection with Kol that she would be willing to give her life in order for him to live. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Rae managed to murmur,"I agree; my parents would kill me if I ran off without telling them that I was leaving. And the people of the village would be angry with us if we didn't attend their festivities." Without really realizing it, Rae had taken her hand off of Icefyre's shoulder and onto Kol's arm, and she was leaning in closer, until his face was just a handsbreath away from hers...

Alberic grunted, surprised and frustrated that Kol had obviously known that he had been there all along. Without knowing what he was interrupting, he stepped into the cave and approached them. Rae flinched away from Kol, waiting to be scolded by her brother, but he had appeared not to have noticed. "Well, I heard the entire conversation, and Rae, I can't let you and Icefyre go alone with... Him." He nodded in Kol's direction. "I may not be of much use for fighting, but I know how to survive out in the wilderness, and I can be persuasive... When I want to be." He glared once more in the other male Avian's direction. He didn't mention that he would also be there to keep an eye on Kol, and to make sure that he didn't try anything on his sister that he wouldn't approve of. Lips pursed, he turned around to the now-darkening sky. "If we're going to get back in time for the show, we better go now." Without another word, he walked into the trees, motioning at the pair to follow him.

Rae watched him go angrily, and she felt bitter tears building in her eyes. How dare he eavesdrop on them! She blinked the tears away, then sighed. "Alright, I guess we should go." Reluctantly releasing Kol's arm, she trudged off after her brother, muttering curses under her breath. Icefyre crooned after her softly, but she didn't say anything. She paused at the edge of the trees, waiting for Kol to follow.

A boyish grin came to Kol’s face when he saw Alberic step out of the shadows. His reaction was just so perfect. “Come now, Alberic, if it is not possible for us to get along, it will be a very long journey.” A hint of male mockery slipped into his voice. “I do agree that we should be leaving though.” He watched Alberic move out first and then Raven. He looked back at the mighty dragon and bowed. “May the stars shine upon you this night.” He said formally before leaving to catch up with Raven.

Kol caught the tears threatening to leave her eyes out of frustration and he shot her a comforting glace. Once Alberic had turned his back to them in his puffed up anger Kol snaked his arm around Raven’s shoulders and whispered in her ear, “ He will lighten up eventually.” He knew that his gesture would get him a death glare from Alberic but he thought it would be worth it.

Later that night the entire town was out and about in the streets. Paper lamps hung from every home in the village which gave it a light glow all throughout. The gentle breeze sent a hodgepodge of smells through the streets ranging from roasted meats to fresh baked pies. There were people in summer dressed and several children played with sparklers along the edge of town.

Kol scouted the streets for his brother. Finding someone in this crowd was not easy, even if they were avian. Several people stopped him to say their hellos and whatnot, which slowed him down even more. He caught sight of a pair of black wings and quickly made his way over to them. He was slightly disappointed to find those wings attached to his sister.

“Celo…Have you seen Enitan around? I was supposed to met with him over an hour ago.” He said with a hint of exasperation.

His question was answered by a rather emotionless stare. His sister had bright green eyes and blond hair like him. Save for the fact that her hair was always in pigtails and her wings were speckled with white spots here and there. “I have not seen him.” Her eyes flickered over to Raven and Alberic but that was the extent of her interest. She went back to eating a rather large piece of meat that was in front of her.

Kol gave an apologetic glace towards the other avians. “I’m sorry about this.” He continued on his hunt when out of nowhere he found himself being tackled to the ground with a large amount of force. When his senses came back to him, he found Enitan sitting on his chest with a rather victorious look on his face.

“Well, aren’t you the sneaky one? Attacking me while I am off guard.” There was a hint of playfulness as Kol pushed his younger brother off of him. “Enitan, I’m sure you remember Lady Raven and Alberic.” He mentioned to the two.

“Sure I do. She is pretty and this one is always barking at people to get away from her.” He said innocently enough as he spoke of Alberic. Kol had to look away from them to keep from letting a laugh escape him.

Rae's shoulders relaxed slightly at Kol's touch, and she smiled up at him. "He'll have to get used to you. I'll force him to, if necessary." Luckily, Alberic was out of hearing at that point, and didn't hear her comment.

Later that night, Rae followed Kol and Alberic through the town, gawking and staring at all of the marvelous sights. There were foods that she had never seen before, and all sorts of different goods and toys for people to buy. At one point, she found a large knapsack that she thought might be useful to have on the journey, but it was far too expensive, so she passed. She caught sight of Alberic fingering the charm he had bought earlier, which he said was supposed to 'repel some spells'. Rae didn't believe it, but if it did have any use against magic whatsoever, they could use it.

She was tempted the entire walk through the town to lace her arm through Kol's, but with her brother on high alert, she didn't dare. She was relieved to see that he had simmered down somewhat from earlier, but he still didn't act extremely kindly to Kol. When Kol ran into his sister, Celo, she saw Alberic soften slightly, but she knew it was only because he always felt shy around women.

When Kol got tackled by his 'little' brother, Rae grinned, and Alberic managed a soft chuckle. He was an exact replica of Kol himself, only slightly more boyish-looking. When he acknowledged her, she bowed slightly, holding back a giggle at his comment about Alberic. She saw Alberic flush slightly, and he tensed up once more. Rae glanced at him and placed a hand on his arm, and as he looked down at her, she could feel his anger melting away. Even though he had a gruff, tempermental outer appearance, he really, truly, cared about her, and only wanted her to have the best.

She turned back to Enitan. "It's nice to see you again," she said, offering her hand. "Kol tells me a lot about you. All good things, of course," she said, winking at the both of them. As she spoke, she felt a stirring in the air, and looked up just in time to see Icefyre shoot through the air and land on the opposite side of the lake. The people around her gawked up at the flying creature, but luckily, none of them appeared too frightened. Once the dragon had landed, she let out a spew of icy flames, and Alberic stared enviously at her. It wasn't the first time he felt a twinge of jealousy that Icefyre had chosen his sister instead of him.

Against Alberic's pleas, Rae had decided to change into her normal form-fitting tunic and leggings, and had also grabbed her dagger and belt. She thought that they would probably be leaving early the next morning, and she wanted to be prepared the night before so she wouldn't hold them up when it came time to leave. Her hair was now pulled back into its normal braid, although she had taken the time to tuck a lily behind her right ear, so she didn't look too shabby. She also wore a pair of knee-high boots, which were both practical and comfortable. She had seen a few disapproving looks from dress-wearing women, but she ignored them.

The show that she had heard about earlier would be starting soon, and so the trio, along with Enitan and Celo, trudged down to the lake edge to get a good spot. As they walked, Rae caught up to Kol's side and said,"After this is over, Al and I need to go home to tell our parents that we're leaving. Hopefully, it won't take too long. If I know my parents, they'll be against it at first, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to convince them to let us go." Her parents, though not as over-protective as Alberic, would probably disapprove of the idea at first, but she was, after all, an adult, and they would have to accept that she had made this decision, and they wouldn't be able to change her mind.

Alberic, on the other hand, was lost in thought. He glanced up and caught sight of Celo, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to try to talk to her. "So, you're Kol's sister?" he asked, though the answer was obvious. "I don't believe we've met before." He stared at her for a moment, wondering why she looked so familiar, even though he was sure they hadn't met. In fact, now that he thought about it, both Enitan and Kol seemed oddly familiar, as if they had met a while ago, but he had forgotten about the encounter. With a jolt, he realized that he knew their last name. Serenoa. How could he have forgotten? Talos had warned him about the Serenoa family; according to him, they were all a bunch of stuck-up pricks who only cared about themselves. He was about to mention this to Rae, but then thought better of it. To be honest with himself, Kol really hadn't done anything to make Alberic an enemy. So, he decided, he would just keep quiet and watch him carefully. He just wouldn't let any of them know what he had remembered.

((Sorry there wasn't a lot of dialogue x.x ))

Enitan gave Raven a boyish grin that made him look younger then he was. “It’s nice to see you again as well.” He shook her hand gently. Kissing hands, like his brother, was just not his thing. He would never admit it, but he was far too shy for him to be able to kiss a woman’s hand without courting her first or even knowing her for that long.
Once Icefyre had started her magnificent display of power, they made their way down to the lake. Kol looked down at Raven as she had caught up to him. The clothes she was in now suited her better to show off her feminine curves.

“Of course, I will have to go back to my home as well. Please do not rush with anything. When you are ready just meet me on the edge of town, my lady.” He took up her hand in his own and placed a soft kiss on it. He kept his hand entwined with hers as they continued to walk. He looked back to Enitan and Celo and saw Alberic attempting to make conversation with his sister. He let out an amused snort. His sister never showed emotion or interest in anything or anyone. Outside of looking like one another, he had no idea how they were siblings.

Enitan stared up in amazement at the dragon. He had never seen one up so close or even for one to show its great powers. “Oi! Kol! We should go see if we can get closer!” He said, excited.

“No.” He stated bluntly. Though he knew the dragon belonged to Raven and it would be no danger he could not even imagine the lecture he would get from Rylah, Enitan’s mother. His tone was enough to know that there would be no argument to this and Enitan kicked the closest rock he could find to take out his frustrations.

“I do not believe we have met either.” There was a cool, even tone Celo’s voice as she made her way over with Alberic. “An-“ As she was about to say something more when her attention was caught by a shrill scream coming from somewhere behind them in the heart of the town.

Kol whipped around in time to see smoke starting to rise and several people running in their direction. In emergency situations the mountains were the place for people to escape. He bit back a curse as he released Raven’s hand. “I’ll be back.” He managed to say before taking to the skies.

He nearly dropped from the sky at the sight he saw once he was hovering over the town. A number of wizards had set fire to a couple of homes and there were several human guards following them, going into the other homes as if they were in search of something. His heart sank further as he saw that the guards were not thinking twice about slaughtering anyone who put up a fight. His horror turned to a deep seated anger, welling up from somewhere deep inside his soul to come exploding forth in a terrible rage, sense and sensibility leaving him as if it were but a whim at the sight of such a terrible atrocity.

As the glinting of something caught his eye, he saw a blade being raised and about to strike a small child paralyzed by fear. Without thinking, Kol dropped from the sky. He folded in his wings to nose drive right to the man and with full force knock him from his feet. Kol and the man went flying into the nearest home; luckily the man had softened the blow for Kol so when he landed on the ground he was relatively unharmed. He stood; shaking his head to clear the stars from his eyes and ran to the child.

“I am here to help you.” He picked up the child once he was able to convince him that Kol was not going to kill him and he once more took the skies. A bitter tear escaped his eye as he flew higher from the rising smoke. This town would never be the same.

Rae stared dreamily at Kol's hand, so gracefully intwined with her own. All of this felt surreal. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever guessed that she would be able to snag a man as perfect as Kol. His voice was like music, his eyes like a lake so vast that she could stare at them forever and never see to the depths of his soul. For a moment, he was all she could see, and all that she could hear. She could feel a tickling sensation in the back of her mind, presumably Icefyre trying to contact her, but she ignored it. "I'll be waiting," she murmured after he told her of his plans.

Her concentration was finally broken when Enitan loudly announced that he wanted to meet her dragon. She was about to tell him that he could meet her if he wanted to when she, too, heard piercing screams fill the air.

Alberic was listening intently to Celo speaking, wanting to learn more about the Serenoa family, when a loud CRASH and more screaming caught his attention. He whirled around and gaped at what he saw. Fires were burning in the town, and each second they grew larger, until it seemed everything was covered in a veil of flames. Before he could think about his actions, he raced into the town, his protective instincts overriding any fear or anxiety that he had for himself. As he stumbled into the smoke-filled streets, he was hit with a vision of dead people strewn in the streets, and animals lying, slain, near the buildings. He nearly gagged at the scent of charred flesh in the air, but he forced himself to keep going. Some people were still stumbling through the streets, and he rushed toward them and helped them get to the safety of the lake. Most, though, were either already dead, or so badly burned that they had no chance of surviving. His throat was tight with a mixture of disgust and fury as he saw what damage these invisible foes had caused, and after he helped the last few children escape from the burning town, he leapt into the air and flew towards the center of the mess. There, he saw a number of cruel-looking men, some who appeared like normal warriors, and others dressed in silk robes, with mean, glaring eyes and nasty scowls on their faces. He knew instantly that they were wizards, and also that he had no chance of defeating them, even if he had help from Rae and her dragon. Before he could get back to the safety outside the burning village, one of the wizards locked his gaze on Alberic. Alberic froze, and knew that this man would slaughter him as quickly as he had the other innocent villagers. The old man lifted his arm and pointed at Alberic, and Alberic watched helplessly as the wizard started chanting some spell. He closed his eyes, waiting for the worst.

Rae, too, had rushed into the town, following behind Kol until he disappeared into the fray. Smoke filled her lungs and threatened to choke her, but she continued into the town, trying to find where the two male Avians had disappeared. She heard a tremendous roar, and Icefyre flew by overhead, towards the mountains. Thinking that her dragon was heading in the direction of the problem, and also toward the boys, she jumped into the air and took off after her. When she was high enough to see clearly, she noticed that her brother, too, had taken to the sky. But something was really odd; he was hovering in midair, and yet he was still, frozen; his wings hung limply in the air, as if some thread was holding him up. She glanced at the ground, saw the wizards, and immediately realized what had happened. She flapped her wings powerfully and crashed into Alberic, getting him out of the way just before a beam of crackling red light laced through the air right where he had been.

They crashed to the ground in an area away from the wizards, but still in the middle of the town. The fire had spread to a different area of the village, and so Rae could see somewhat clearly. She gasped in relief when she saw Kol, helping a terrified young boy, flying above them. "KOL!" she yelled, pulling a dazed Alberic to his feet. "We have to get out of here! If we don't we could be killed!" She didn't mention that if they were killed, then the possibility of finally killing the king might die with them.

Alberic felt numb, and his body was reacting like it should. His movements were slow, sluggish, and he wondered if the wizard had managed to cast some paralyzing spell on him before Rae had saved him. He tried escaping into the sky, but his wings were too limp to hold his weight. "Rae, we have to get to the mountains," he gasped, choking on the smoky air. "I can't get out by flying. We have to get out by running." Rae relayed the message to Kol, then wrapped one of Alberic's arms around her shoulder and took off as fast as she could into the trees, making sure to skirt far around where the wizards were at. Icefyre appeared above them, and with a soft thud, she landed and deftly placed Alberic on her back. Come, little one, she said, and slinked away into the trees. Rae cast one last desperate look at the town, and was relieved to see that the fires appeared smaller, and the wizards were nowhere to be seen. Calling once more to Kol, she too, disappeared into the forest, keeping by Icefyre's side for safety.

((Again, sorry for such little dialogue x.x ))

As Alberic and Raven had taken off, Enitan had tried to make a run into the burning town to help people. He was caught off guard when a leg had extended in front of him just in time to make him face plant right onto the ground. He growled as he looked up to see the foot belonged to his sister, Celo.

“What was that for?” He bit the words out from his clenched teeth. He was old enough to be able to help now and his sister had no right to stop him, damnit!

“We have to make sure everyone is safe at home.” She said calmly. While the licking flames had not reached their home, there was still a possibility that wizards or soldiers had found them anyway.

Enitan blinked up to her in surprise. He had not even thought about that. He nodded his head and unfolded his wings before taking to the skies and heading in the direction of their home. Celo looked at the town as several more people ran past her. This was not going to be fun to clean up, she thought and followed after her brother.

Kol was brought out of his thoughts when a familiar voice had called out to him from below. Once he looked down he saw Alberic being slung over IceFyre and Rae leading the dragon into the forest. He dropped from the sky in a slow descent, the child clinging to his neck was slowly cutting off his air supply and he had no wish to make it worse. Kol snapped open his wings a few hundred feet from the ground to slow his fall and in a half land, half run made his way into the forest after Raven. Once he had finally caught a glimpse of her he slowed to a light jog, still holding the child against his chest.

“Raven!” He yelled hoping to stop her advancements into the forest for a moment. As he was about to catch up to her, someone ran straight up to Kol, stopping his movements.
“My baby!!! Thank you Kol! Thank You!” The woman cried as she ripped the child from Kol’s arms and cradled him to her. She mumbled thank you, a few more times before taking her child and disappearing back into the forest.

Kol mumbled a curse as Raven had gotten further from him and he had to flat out run so as not to lose sight of her.

“Raven!” He yelled once he finally caught up to her. He took a second to breath and then grabbed her by her shoulders. “Raven, are you hurt? Are you okay?” He looked her over several times before finally releasing her and looked at Alberic. He snorted and pointed over to him.

“Great use he was….Is he okay?” He interjected a bit of softness into his voice as the end of his question. He knew that they were close and was sure this was causing her distress.

Raven didn't realize that she had gotten so far ahead of Kol until he ran up to her and grabbed her shoulder, breathing heavily. She stumbled to a halt, also panting, and did a mental check of her body. Nothing seemed injured or broken, but she did have a nasty scar on her right shoulder, probably when she was helping people escape from the village. "I'm fine," she told him, wincing when her shoulder trobbed in pain. "Icefyre came just in time, and so I'm pretty sure we can get away safely. Even a powerful wizard wouldn't want to take on a full-grown dragon." Icefyre growled to further her point. She gazed worriedly at Kol, but he didn't seem to be harmed too badly. "That was really close. I can only wonder if it was a coincidence that those wizards attacked after we had found that map, or if something warned them..." She assumed that the wizards worked for the king; there were some magic-users who didn't, but they typically kept to themselves, and didn't travel in packs, like these ones had. As Rae thought about all the damage and death that the fire had caused, she doubled over in a mixture of nausea and grief. "All those poor people..." she murmured, closing her eyes tightly. She took a moment to get herself back together, then stood again, glancing at Alberic to see his reaction to Kol's question.

Alberic had recovered slightly, but his reactions were still slow, and Kol's voice seemed fuzzy and distant. In fact, he didn't entirely understand what Kol said, and so he wasn't offended in the least. "'m fine," he mumbled, leaning against Icefyre's neck. "Damn wizerd musta parellizzed me somehow..." His tongue felt thick, and his eyelids were heavy. Rae reached up and grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her. "Hey, stay with us. I'm not sure what happened to you, but I'm thinking that one of the wizards must have performed a freezing spell on you. Hopefully, it will just wear off soon." She bit her lip, wishing she knew something, anything, that might make the spell wear off faster, but she couldn't think of anything. "For now, just rest, and Icefyre will carry you." Alberic nodded dimly.

Rae turned back to Kol, worry shining brightly in her eyes. "I think we need to find somewhere to stay for the night," she told him quietly, looking at the surrounding mountains. "There's sure to be a cave or something that we can stay in, somewhere where no one can find us." She led the way towards the not-too-distant mountains, making sure to keep her footing over the rough terrain; her legs still felt weak with exhaustion from the attack. Eventually, they made it to a small crevice in the crags, which Icefyre had only seen because of her keen eyesight. It had a small opening, but it was deep, and it got larger farther in. Biting back a wave of claustraphobia, Rae entered first, followed by Icefyre, who was barely able to squeeze her large form in; Alberic ducked his head to keep it from hitting the ceiling. Rae glanced around the cave, nodding in approval. "This will have to do, I think," she called to Kol. Without another word, she sat down and leaned against the cool rock wall, eyelids fluttering. She didn't know why she felt so weak; maybe it was bloodloss? Oh well. She strained to keep her eyes open long enough to watch Kol enter the cave.

(Fail, ergh >.< )

Kol nodded in agreement. Finding a place for the night was going to be very important so as to regroup and get the good-for-nothing back on his feet. He frowned once he noticed Raven had winced but decided to drop it for now. He followed her until she had found a rather small looking cave and waited for the others to go in first. He watched Raven slump against the rock and he walked in.

"Oh Raven..." He said softly. Sadness welled up within him. Such attacks were not something people just get over in one night. He bent down in front of her. She looked so tired. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this..." He mumbled. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap, careful of her shoulder. He cradled her to his chest as he planted another soft kiss on her forehead. "I just want to look at your shoulder. I promise, my lady, to be gentle." He slowly move the cloth of her shirt off of her shoulder to look at the small, angry looking laceration on her skin.

Another frown flicker on his face as he ripped part of his sleeve off to use as material. He gently wrapped the shoulder, he was no healer but this should keep it from being infected. He looked down at her and a rush of emotions hit him. Such a sweet girl. Before he knew it, he leaned over her and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

((so...I epic fail....))

Rae sighed in content as Kol pulled her closer, and tried not to wince as her shoulder panged again. "It's not your fault..." she murmured quietly, as once, twice, he kissed her forehead. She tensed slightly as he ripped open the tear in her shirt, but then relaxed, trusting that he wouldn't harm her in any way. Her eyes were half-closed in exhaustion as he looked over the small wound, and she felt a wave of guilt and self-loathing that she was so weak. She couldn't get the pictures of the dead and dying out of her mind; she had never seen such chaos and terror before, but she knew it shouldn't be bothering her this much, right? If they were to go on this quest, she would have to learn to be stronger when it came to fighting. She bit her lip as Kol wrapped the cloth around the cut, but the bleeding had already stopped, and it wasn't as painful as it had been.

She was about to thank him when he suddenly leaned down and planted a slow, gentle kiss upon her lips. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind -surprise, shock, bliss, plus many others- and she was nearly overwhelmed. This was the first time that she had ever been so close to a man, and she didn't know, exactly, what to do. It was out of pure instinct that she returned the gesture, closing her eyes and leaning closer into him so that he wasn't in too awkward of a position. She forgot that Icefyre and her brother were there, for a moment, and just let herself get lost in the moment. After what seemed hours long, and yet lasted only a few moments, Rae finally pulled back, though she wanted it to last forever. She felt a slight blush on her cheeks, and her heart was still pumping wildly.

"That was... Amazing," she sighed, resting her head against the hollow of Kol's neck. She rested there until her pulse slowed, and her breathing got deeper, until she was nearly asleep. Is this what it feels like to be in love? she thought, and then drifted into sleep.

Alberic's temporary paralysis had nearly worn off by the time they arrived at the cave, and he scowled darkly at the other male avian. Kol thought he was weak, didn't he? As much as he tried to like him, for Rae's sake, there was just something about Kol that he didn't like. He was about to suggest that they get some rest, but then Kol suddenly pulled his sister into his lap and began tending to her wound... And acting intimate. He decided that he was okay with it, until the male avian suddenly leaned over, right then and there, and starting kissing her. His sister. A wave of jealousy and disgust ripped through Alberic like a wave, and he had to turn away from the sight before he did something that he might later regret. He reached up and pressed his hand against Icefyre for support; she, too, appeared slightly uncomfortable at the sight. It's fine, he told himself, it's not like he could protect her forever; he would eventually have to realize that she wanted to have relationships with other people, and there was nothing he could do about it. Without another thought, Alberic limped over to the other side of Icefyre, away from the couple, and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke abrubtly, a nightmare having crept its way into his mind and disturbing his sleep. Even as he collected his thoughts, he couldn't remember what the dream was about, so he yawned, stretched, and then tried to remember what had happened the night before. Oh, right. That. His sleepy mood was immediately turned sour, and he stood abrubtly, glancing over at where Rae and Kol had been the night before. There they were still, Rae wrapped snugly in Kol's embrace. As he looked at them, he wasn't sure why he hated it more; the fact that he would no longer be Rae's only protector, or that she had found someone to care for her... And he hadn't. He turned away from the sight and snuck out of the cave, blinking in the morning sunlight. It was a cool morning, but he could tell that the day was going to get warmer later on; there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the sun burned brightly, even at this early time.

Kol chuckled lightly at the female Avian's reaction to his kiss. "I only wish to please you, my lady." He said softly as he watched her get into a more comfortable position against him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alberic becoming rather distraught. A smirk found it's
Way to Kol's face. Oh what fun this trip would be. That was the last thought he had before
drifting off into a comfortable sleep with Raven nestled against his chest.

Kol awoke to a soft ray of light hitting his face. He winced and buried his head into
Raven's soft hair. He inhaled her scent for a long moment before opening his eyes. He noticed Alberic was no where to be seen. He leaned against the wall more until he had seen Alberic walk back in and see them. Instiantly, Kol tightened his grip around Raven and gave a devilish grin to Alberic, almost in a teasing manner. Watching him storm off in anger was just was just far too amusing for Kol to pass up. He looked down at Raven's sleeping form and smiled gently.He leaned down and placed a long, but gentle kiss on her lips, stealing her first conscious breath.

"Good morning, my lady. We really should be heading out soon." He whispered into her ear and waited for her to be fully awake before moving her back onto the floor. He frowned as the joint warmth from their bodies had left him but stood anyway, streching. "Oh, Alberic, I didn't see you there." He grinned, innocently.

He began to make preperations to leave when he heard a flutter of wings just outside the cave. He drew his sword, the black blade glitting in the sunlight. He took a cautions step foreward and was about to strike when a lock of golden hair flash in front of him. He sheathed his sword and walked outside of the cave.

"For heaven's sake, Celo, don't scare me like that." He repremanded.

"You should have known it was me, little brother. Do you not know my own scent by now?" She asked, trying to sound like she was hurt, but it came out more monotone then anything.

She was answered with an annoyed snort as he walked back into the cave. "Is the rest of the family safe?"Kol asked looking back over his shoulder at her.

"They are all well. The mages never made it up the mountains. I was instructed to go with you. Rylah informed me you planned on going on a journey." Celo said, looking over Raven, and then Alberic.

"Fine...You wield the twin blades rather well, so I could use you...unlike him..." He gestured over to Alberic.

The rest of the morning went rather smoothly, going back to the village to pick up supplies.It was a rather sad sight to see the charred buildings just hardly standing in the mid morning sunlight.Each of then went to their perspective homes to say their goodbyes. After a half hour in the village and then they were on their way.

For a few hours of flying it was the fimilair landscape. The snaking river following along the edge of the Golden plains.The plains had gotten their name from when the sun had set in the evening. If one were standing in the fields you could almost see a soft gorlden glow that gave off a warm, happy feeling. The fields went on for two hundred miles west before it reached the forests of the elves. It also streched north and south for several hundred miles, almost reaching the cost.

They had only stopped once to take a short break to eat and drink water and then they were once again back into the sky. The day had been rather warm, the afternoon sun sending waves of heat through the sky. The plains below him had slowly started to change into more of a green landscape. The wheat colored grass had started to have bits of grass and small shrubs growing within it.

It soon gave way to a lush green landscape as the forest came into view. There were briallent shades of emerald green trees and soft rolling hills. Kol looked over to his sister and the group and flicked his hand, signeling for them to land. He landed first just outside of the towering trees that had formed the forest.

"It's likely that the elves already know we are here. So, when we go in, be VERY careful. And you..." He looked to Alberic "Don't end up needing to be saved." He winked over to Raven and then turned to face the forest. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and drew out his black blade.

Rae blinked sleepily up at Kol, then her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Am I still asleep? she wondered briefly as she returned the gesture, but no, it felt too real. She was still curled up against Kol's strong chest, and, she realized, her hand was wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She broke away after a moment, still half-asleep, and smiled shyly at him. "Good morning," she murmured, then, after forcing herself entirely awake, she stood and glanced over at the cave entrance. Alberic was there, watching with a guarded expression. Oh, Alberic... she thought, biting her lip in embaressment. She had nearly forgotten that he was even still with them. He must have seen, then, what happened last night... Rae grimaced. She knew that her and Kol's actions would only make her brother dislike him more, but she couldn't help the fact that she was so deeply attracted to the male avian.

Alberic knew that Kol was purposefully trying to get to him, so he looked away and instead studied the scales on Icefyre's neck, pretending to be deeply interested in the deep indigo colors that radiated off of the dragon and onto the cave walls. After a slight wave to indicate that he had seen the pair, he turned back to the entrance and headed outside, only to be followed by the male avian. He was about to confront him when he heard the whoosh of wings, and the thud of a creature landing in the dust. Tensing, he grabbed the hilt of his knife and crept outside, only to come face-to-face with that other female avian he had met earlier. What was her name again? Celo. He released his grip from the weapon and nodded kindly at her, wondering what she was doing all the way out here, and how she had found them. He listened as Kol spoke to her about their family, and he briefly wondered if he should let his own parents know where he and Rae were going. No, he decided, they knew that he had a tendency to wander off on his own, and they wouldn't be surprised if his sister decided to accompany him.

He held back a smile when Celo announced that she would be going with them, not because he felt close to her or anything, but because she would be a huge relief to have around so that he wouldn't be traveling alone with the couple. The first chance he could get her alone, he confronted her and nodded at Kol, and Rae, who had just exited the cave, along with Icefyre.

"Did you know about... Them?" he asked meekly, gesturing vaguely in their direction. Before she could reply, he continued,"I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time watching my sibling become so close to a guy I hardly know." He glared at Kol out of the corner of his eye, but didn't approach him, as he and Rae seemed to be having a personal conversation. He was relieved when they finally decided to leave.

He, too, was distraught to go back to the village they had escaped the other night, but not so much as Rae, who kept her gaze trained straight ahead, not looking at anything unless she had too. The stench in the air made her want to flee and never return, but she forced herself to stick by her friends' side, for their sake. She eagerly took to the sky after they had gotten supplies, and spent the rest of the day watching the changing landscape, while also stealing glances at Kol. The wind ruffled his hair so that it whipped lazily around his face, framing his deep green eyes and giving him a wild, air-blown look. She was annoyed by the bits of hair that had escaped her braid and was catching her in the face, and tried to tuck the stray locks behind her ears, but eventually gave up when she realized that it was useless.

Alberic was amazed at the different landscapes that they passed, and often commented on it to Celo. She wasn't extremely talkative, he soon realized, but she was better company than the other two, who didn't seem to see anyone but themselves. Icefyre soared lazily high above them, high enough so that any farmer who saw her would think that she was only an oddly-colored hawk or eagle.

Eventually, the five of them landed near a forest, and Rae tensed when Kol mentioned elves. She hadn't had very many encounters with them, but she heard that they were fierce, and often acted before they asked questions. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she murmured to Kol, staring uncertainly at the dense trees.

(I didn't take the time to edit, so forgive me if there are mistakes ^^' )

Kol nodded at Raven's question. They were going to need help and the Elves would be a very useful force. They were known for their unimaginable swift moves and uncanny ability to see in the dark. Some elves were wise in the ways of magic, which would help in the battle against the wizards. "Prepare yourselves. Be on guard and don't make any sudden moves." Kol warned as he walked into the forest. The interior of the forest was dense yet lush. Bright greens of every shade came to the eye as they swept the immediate area. On closer inspection small wild flowers grew in every direction. Multicolored vines hung limply from towering trees that seemed too close for comfort. The ground was a soft bed of leaves and black soil, rich in minerals.

Kol walked close to Raven as he kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. The elves knew the moment they had entered their forest and would just wait for the moment to strike. Celo gripped her Twin Blades tightly. She knew nothing of the elves, thus being a time she almost wished she had cared to look into the creatures so more. What made it worse was it seemed that the air in this forest stood still. The leaves never rustled and the air itself held an oppressive feel to it that made you want to turn and leave.

Kol turned to Raven and gave her a soft smile. "It will be fine..." He whispered to her, snaking his hand to the small of her back. As he looked back up he was met with the pointed end of an arrow head. He stopped abruptly and hissed out a sigh. He knew this would happen, but was still unprepared for the swift moves of the elves.

"Shi tar tai shyraes..." (Be calm, my brother.) Kol said to the man directly in front of him. The arrow head was now touching his skin and a small drip of blood began to form.

The elves were not as as one would normally think. Their skin was an ashy Gray that was as smooth and soft as if it were any other color. Their eyes were dark ranging from shades of black to brown, their hair was as white as snow. Men and women alike had long, flowing hair that was tied back. The people out now were all warriors so they were adorned with beautiful silver armor that was light yet strong.

"O Elsi BIA skyraes os toli, eilol." (You are no brother of mine, avian).He elf hissed out at him.

Kol sighed as he tried to reason with the man. "Shi cali ailysarol ol si col. Shi baer sai mael shor os jhaedaes." (We have information on the King. We need to speak with your leader.)

The elven man glared at the group thinking about it for a moment, looking over the females and then Alberic and the dragon. "Sael ialaesal shi saji o saesi ialaes sholol. Shi cali bai vaeryl sai se.Si thos mol os shaerar eil shi shor byr caerorari sai cor o." (Then understand we take you there under bindings. We have no reason to trust you.The first sign of betrayal of trust and we will not hesitate to kill you.)

Kol nodded. "They are going to have to bind our hands and wings...perhaps blind us.. It is the only way we are getting into their city." He smiled as a way of trying to reassure them. He felt a hard tug at his hands and a rough rope being wrapped around them, soon his wings were pushed against his back. He wasn't surprised when he felt a cloth on his head being pushed over his eyes. The elves had remained in control over such large amount of land because no one could ever find their homes, or so it had been said.

Celo frowned as she was roughly handled by the closest elf, feeling herself be tied down and then her eyes being covered as well. The other elves did the same for Raven and Alberic. The main elf frowned looked at the dragon.

"On byrdi taeresi, vaeri shar thys os vodaes sai tar sai o. O ter ialaesal os baer thys maelesoria ail saeri ialesi sostaer." (Oh mighty creature, please do not come until your rider calls. You must understand our need for security in these unsure times.) The elf spoke to IceFyer before leading the group back into the forest.

It seemed as if they had been traveling for hours before they were abruptly stopped and their blind folds were ripped off. In front of them there was nothing but trees and the forest floor. Celo gave a confused look before she saw Kol point towards the sky. Suspended several hundred feet in the air were small homes being supported by large branches. The homes seemed to be made of wood themselves with intricate wood carvings and many small lights which gave the floating city a light amber glow to it.

Rae tensed at Kol's words. He obviously had encountered elves before, but apparrently, they weren't very predictable. She reached behind herself and grabbed her weapon, a staff tipped with a knife on each end. She whirled it expertly around and held it, quiverinf slightly, by her side. "What are we waiting for, exactly?" she asked as Kol came to her side and wrapped her arm around her. Before he could answer, the elves had appeared. She tried not to flinch at the sharp arrow aimed towards them, but she couldn't help jerking backwards slightly; they had come out of nowhere!

Alberic, the ever-protective one, had stayed close to Celo's side ever since they landed. He wanted to be by his sister, but she was already taken care of, or so Kol seemed to think. Alberic kept his gaze on the trees, and showed little surprise when the elves appeared. He whipped out his own blade, a short, tapered blade that glinted evily in the dim light; it appeared rather harmless at first, but at second glance, you would be able to make out the slight purple tint that edged the blade. It was always doused in a layer of posion, not deadly, but enough so that one cut would render the opponent partially paralyzed for a good few minutes, enough to let Alberic get away without causing too much harm to the enemy. He didn't see the point in killing when he didn't have to.

Rae stared in bewilderment at Kol as he started speaking to the elves, and even more so when one of them replied in the same odd dialect. He actually knew how to speak elf! She wished she could understand what they were saying, but waited patiently while they spoke. Finally, Kol told her what was happening, and Rae held back a shudder.

"Kol, I'm not so good with being blinded..." she whispered, and winced as one of the elves grabbed her roughly and started binding her arms, wings, and finally, put a cloth over her eyes. She fought to control her panic; she wouldn't be weak in front of Kol, not again. She managed to take a deep breath and wait calmly while the elves led them out into the forest. We'll be back, she told Icefyre, who was spewing smoke in anger and fruststration.

I will tear apart the forest and slay all the elves if they harm you, Rae, she replied, tearing at the ground. Be safe.

Alberic wasn't a huge fan of being tied up and blinded either, but he summoned up a wink at the attractive female elf that was binding him. "I'm pretty sure you can't understand a word of what I'm saying," he told her as the blindfold was slipping over his head,"So you won't know that I'm saying I would love to take you dinner sometime." He wasn't normally as talkative as this, but he started chattering when he was nervous. When the blindfold was securely over his head, he reached out to make contact with Rae and Celo. "Don't let go," he told his sister sternly. "I don't want them to separate us."

Rae nodded, and then they went on their way. It was only Rae's light steps that saved her from tripping over the roots and plants of the forest; her brother was not so lucky. He muttered a few curses as he stumbled over an especially gnarled tree root, and managed to hit his head against a low-hanging branch. "Nice hospitality," he muttered bitterly.

Finally, they reached their destination. Rae breathed a sigh of relief as their blindfolds were ripped off, and though the elves had taken their weapons away when they had binded them, she felt much more secure when the ropes were cut and she was free to move her arms and wings. Alberic flared his wings as soon as they were released, and accidently clipped a young male elf under the chin. "Oops, sorry," he said, grinning.

"What now, boss?" Rae murmured to Kol, grasping his forearm gently. Alberic's light mood vanished, and he scowled. He looked down at Celo's hand as if hoping she would do the same, but she appeared distracted by their surroundings.