Fox and Dragon

--== New Scene: Westward away from the Elven Ritual - Day 2==--
Trees so tall you can't see the canopy line the dirt road, possibly a game trail, the party travels down. Innumerable to count and thick enough to where you can't see more than a few feet to the sides without staring directly into a mass of bark and moss. The sounds of terrible things, blood thirsty monsters, echo throughout the woods; but for the moment the party is safe.
Alcina is leading the party at a breakneck pace hurrying to make as much ground as possible. Probably missing her youngest Silas and trying to make time to return. Maple and Anna unphased playing with each other making the trip into a game. You wouldn't guess the danger that lurked from their demeanor. Lance and Rolf a few paces behind the children discussing the trials that had passed less than a two days before. Cylde bringing up the rear, disappearing hapazardly and reappearing just as quickly.
Rolf, a bit melancholy, wishes his family acted as kind and warm as the one he was traveling with. His was much more cold, at least toward him, and his father never gave him the smirks that Clyde gave his children. Though Lances' bolsterous personality gave Rolf a sense of belonging for the first time in his life; maybe expect some of those long nights on the merchant vessals below deck with the crew playing cards.
Realizing how far he was for home, with how much longer he had to go, he reached out to Anna and Maple: "Do you two travel with your parents often? You hold yourselves well despite being surrounded by possible death." Having seen them take care of themselves during the trial Rolf didn't want to lessen their skills: "I mean I know you two can handle yourselves but some of these sounds really give me the hibigibies. I'm glad we are traveling in such a large group."
A soft sun shimmers between green leaves of the forest which the group finds themselves traveling. Maple follows along the lead of her mother Alcina. She tosses her arms wide up into the air, stretching before they descend and find a comfortable place behind her head. “Hrmm?” Her green eyes shift to Rolf between strands of orange hair. “This far, yeah. We’ve gone out on our own around our homestead, but nothing like this.” Her eyes glance to the back of Alcina before she slows her gait and matches that of Rolf. “Of course, we can handle it!” She says matter of fact. “My parents are the strongest across ALL OF ARHOR’HA!” She grins wildly, confident of her statement.
“Although, I have a lot still to learn…” Her arms fall from the back of her head and one hand taps the sheath to one of her daggers. “It all has to be perfect. Every step I take and every stab I deliver.” She nods. “And these woods? Don’t you worry Rolf, I’ll protect you.” Maple lets out a laugh and nudges his side as they walk. “Hey, you know you did okay back there too. You just gotta keep your eyes open. You look a little goofy knocking down trees way outta target. What’s up with that?” The young half elf has absolutely no filter.
Sensing the humor in her just about protecting him still brought comfort to him knowing that he would be able to rely on someone to help out in a pinch. Her comment about the freshness of his abilities stung a bit; he knew he had a lot to learn and had to practice. It was just under a week ago that his entire life was turned upside down. Before that moment his plan was to make enough money to try and get into the crystalian Academy, perhapse house Fortuna, even though he was much older than the usual entrant. It was his dream to be able to do magic and here he is; great power coursing through his blood.
Realizing he might be taking too long to reply being a bit lost on thought: "I did make you a promise". Wondering how much to explain and what would be left unsaid he sheepishly says:
"I'm new at this...Not too long ago I lost everything. My father. My wealth. Nearly my life. When everything looked the most bleak a powerful dragon appeared before me. I thought I was lunch but he had other plans in mind. He gave me some of his blood as a gift and now I'm growing into my power..."
A wave of confidence sweeps back over Rolf as he finishes his sentence. He was chosen by a great dragon who felt...no...knew that he had greatness in him. The same greatness he always wanted. This was a gift and the first steps forward on the path of his greatness.
"The dragon was not nearly as scary as your parents. I guess I'm not the only one with monster blood running through their veins. Do you plan on following in your parents footsteps and leaving on adventures when you're older?"(edited)
Maples’ pointy ears perk up at the mention of his promise. “Oh! Yeah yeah! Tell me!” And so she settles and remains quiet as he continues to explain his past. The mention of a powerful dragon sends her eyes quickly looking up at him with a fearful expression. A foot pauses in her stride and she stands there for a moment processing his words as the group continues to walk along the trail.
“Dragon?” She says, eyes wide. “You saw… a dragon? And live to speak about it!?” She snaps back from her fears and scurries forward to walk alongside Rolf once more. “That’s..really…hrmm…..” She grumbles under her breath. “N-neat?”She’s curious and terrified at the same time to learn there is a dragon out there. A real dragon, not one from fables or myths. It shakes her core and she thinks about what it would be like to fight such a being. Close range attacks with something like that? Maple shakes her head to try and let the anxiety fade.
“Well, yeah.” She says abruptly. “There is no dragon that could stop them.” She grins brightly and does air punches as they walk. “Me? I want to be strong. I want to be better than my father.” She laughs “I have heard stories of this world and I want to see things with my own eyes, well minus dragons. I don’t want to see those.” She nods to herself. “Say… are you going to turn into a dragon now? Is that how this works? You said you’re growing power. I might be young but uh probably not the best thing to mention to random people. Someone might use that against you. Or kill you. Also an possibility.” She shrugs.
Rolf noticing the fearful expression on her face is quick to shoot her a smile as to try and assuage her fears. His encounter wasn't one in fables; locked in mortal combat with a blood thirsty beast. His was rather pleasant despite the near death experience that caused him to gain power.
"Not only did I live meeting the dragon; the fact is I'm still alive because he saved me."
Pausing to gauge her reaction to the news of generous dragons.
"I don't doubt that someday you'll surpass your father in skill. You have the advantage of being half your mom too... Just don't be in too much of a rush to grow up and see the world. Unexpected events pop up and make us long for the embrace of family."
Realizing that he may never see his again; Rolf wishes he got to say a better goodbeye.
"You're right, it's not the type of story you tell to every person. I have a feeling that if your family wanted me dead I wouldn't be long for the world. I also made you a promise back in the woods. I keep those. Besides, Lance seems to trust you guys enough to travel together. Lance is one of the strongest beings I've ever seen and I once thought I saw a kraken out at sea."
Thinking back on it how much is he really going to change? He never really asked.
"I'm not sure if, or even how much, I'm really going to transition. I've started to bronze and grow some scales."
Pulling up his sleave to expose his bare forearm.
"Hey if I do turn into a dragon I promise not to eat you" said Rolf in a sarcastic tone.
"What did you think of those trials? I thought you died for a second there on the ridge. I'm glad you didn't."
A soft wind comes flowing between the trees and makes the leaves shift and sway, scattering the day’s sun across the worn trail the group has been following. Even though there are so many dangerous creatures here that call this area home, this moment here is peaceful and it leaves a reminder to Maple of another thing she’d like to protect.
“I’ve never heard of a story where they saved people. Just the ones where they well.. eh.” She holds her arms out and slaps her hands together to make a chomping gesture of a dragon’s mouth.
Her green eyes glance down to his arm as he rolls his sleeve up to expose both skin and scale. She reaches out and tugs his arm closer to look. Poking at the bronze scales that have begun to form up his forearm. “Oh! You were being serious! Woah woah, if you turn and start attacking us I’ll have to kill you.” She lets go of his arm and steps a bit further past him, a skip in her step.
“The trials…eh, it went okay I suppose.” She says casually placing her hands back behind her head as she walks. “I just had to move differently than originally planned once I got pulled across that trap and knocked off the ledge. Frogs are dumb, It’s pretty easy to sneak around those. If it was something more preceptive? I may have died.” She lifts her head to look up at the canopy of leaves. “And that’s no good.” She lets out a small chuckle but in that laugh rests a faint tone of frustration. She’s not happy with her performance of the trials.
“Say.. do you ever plan on going back? To your family that is? You don’t talk very warmly about them...” She spins around on the heel of her boots quickly. “OH!” She appears quickly in front of him. “Are you on a quest of vengeance!?”
As the sun moves from east to west Rolfs stamina wanes fast. It's barely past mid day and his legs feel like a new born foal. If he is going to be an adventurer than he must get acclimated to the physical demands. The gentle breeze revitalizes the weary traveler instilling a new sense of vigor. Though it's short lasted; hunger begins to set in. Lucky he came prepared with some dried meat as a quick snack to munch on without losing pace. Alcina feels like a Legion Centurions with her breakneck pace toward a Destination still days away.
"Don't worry; I won't turn on you. I made you a promise. Though as a show of good faith remind me later tonight at the campfire to tell you the story of how a dragon saved my life. I'm sure you'll enjoy it; you'll get to hear about how my insides got forced outside."
Thinking back in that moment he was sure he was going to die. But it would have been a good death. A worthy death. If he could pick a way to die; it would be surrounded by young beautiful women and mead in a giant keep with his grandchildren visiting. But he would settle for a heroic death.
Sensing the frustration in her voice Rolf turns over several ideas in his head that might cheer her up. Eventually coming up short and settling for the very basic: "I agree, frogs are dumb. You're lucky you have your sister. You guys can always rely on each other".
Motioning to Anna and Making his best impression of her Dire Fox bites and yelps.
"I bet she would like me better if I could actually turn into a dragon."
Though she might be the only one who would welcome a dragon. It was only a few years ago, in the grand scale of time, that people knew dragons were a myth. A fairy tail to scary children into behaving. Just look at Maples' reaction: dress and terror. Though if given the option to turn back into a normal human; Rolf would pass.
As the wind dies down and the heat starting to pound into the back of his neck he grimaces at the thought of returning to his family unaccomplished.
"I was never really treated warm by my family. Ever...Though I still love them. They always considered me weak and unimportant. I was always chasing after my brother's coat-tails trying to be just like them. But the moment actual tragedy struck they folded like a cheap deck of cards."
Realizing the growing harshness and resentfulness in his tone, Rolf takes a deep breath and sighs...
"I am going to make a name for myself. Prove my family wrong; show them I am not a waste but the savior of our line. No...The first of a new stronger line. I am going to grow our family's, no my family's, standing in this cold dangerous world or die trying."
Letting out the a chuckle at his last sentence.
"Though the later seems much more likely unless I improve quickly."
“Ha! I’ll will hold you to that promise as well. Blood and guts are always a good story to tell around a campfire.” She keeps laughing but it slowly fades to a silence.
Nothing but the foots steps across a worn trail, sticks and leaves cracking with each step. “Anna is a lot stronger than she likes to believe. She takes after my mom…more than me anyway. Her dire fox form is powerful, but you already know that, you saw. I guess we should have mentioned that ahead of time… bet that was a bit of a shock. OH! But you met a dragon, maybe not so much?”
She looks over her shoulder back to him. “Family is a pretty big motivator huh? I guess in some way were a bit alike. You want to prove yourself and so do I. Though I am sorry your family has not been kind to you. Think you have a solid plan, go out get stronger and show them they were wrong about you the entire time!” She smiles warmly. “What happened to your brother? Or do you not want to say?”
Understanding the innocence in her line of questions. I mean she wasn't there and doesn't know much. It's only natural to be curious of those you travel with. Especially after he had been so pessamistic about his family before.
He pauses and takes a deep breath. The wind stagnates and falls flat. The forest is quite for mid day. Maybe a predator nears. Though Rolf isn't scared. The predator would have to be extremely desperate to try something now. Taking in his surroundings as he gathers his thoughts...
"Brothers, I have two. Björn is the oldest and heir. Xander is the middle and spare. Both are physical freaks. Great swordsman. Greater sailors."
Letting out a sigh signifying the pain that this story brings.
"My family, for several generations, have been running a highly lucrative and successful merchant/shipping business. Veterans of the sea and masters of the art of the deal. My Father, Max, was a risk taker. Always calculated though. A few of his risks didn't pay off in a row and he got a little desperate. We, as a family, pooled together all our resources to strike big on what he explained was the perfect risk. It would have made me enough to afford the Academy and spend my time learning magic. The first leg of the trip was smooth sailing and actually pretty fun. It felt like I was able to show my value as a sailor and as a map maker. We picked up our cargo and we're headed back. Around 80% of the way back out luck ran out. Our ships crashed, my father lost to the sea, many of the men I grew up and was raised by died. I nearly did. My brothers and I made it to shore and watched as the last of our fortune sank to the bottom of the ocean. It felt like my brother's died out there too. Giant men who were full of confidence; they folded in on themselves. Depression and anguish set in quickly. They lost all hope. It felt like looking into a crying Husk. They gave up. I didn't. Now I'm pushing forward as the third son while they wallow back at our estate."
The old Rolf might have slinked away and licked his wounds. This happened very recently and he wasn't use to loss and difficulty. But he was no longer that meek boy.
"It's kinda a rough story. It's still pretty fresh. They say talking about it helps so I don't mind."
Hoping she doesn't see through that simple white lie.
"What is it like with your family? How was it growing up? Well...I guess you're still growing up..."
Rolf let's out a Hardy chuckle.
"Growing up around those three (gesturing towards her family) must be lively on game night."