DragonBorn [[For Joyabe and Mischief]]

[Joyabe]

Hearing the others' response, Tristan's expression changed into a deep frown. Talking about his past was something he didn't want to do not only because he wasn't the type to open up, but also because it would bring back painful memories he was trying so hard to push to the back of his mind. Feeling her human's distress, Azar gently leaned up against him, letting out a low and soft rumble that reminded him of the way a cat would purr at its owner. This reassuring gesture made Tristan feel a little guilty. He leaned back against her, as he understood he was the one holding them back in that aspect, even though the entire reason they were going through all of this in the first place was his own selfish desires.

 

The things Tobias told him next, as he pulled out the items he brought with him and offered them to Tristan, only made his guilt worse. He felt ashamed, seeing the amount of attention and care the other was paying to him even though he had his own people to take care of, not to mention his own personal well-being. He hurried to close the distance between them, reaching out to accept the items he was offered and thanked the other man quietly. Even though Tristan was reluctant to use the herbs and berries, it was more due to his own stubbornness than to trust, as he never really used any medicine unless he felt he absolutely had to. Nonetheless, it would be ungrateful on his side to not accept what he was offered, and so he did.

 

This gesture, piled up with the previous ones, caused Tristan to blurt out an answer even he didn't see coming. "It's alright. I don't mind you knowing" he said, his voice almost a whisper and his eyes glued to the ground between them "It's the least I can do to reassure you I'm not a threat to your people. You can't have a stranger just roaming around the island" he said as he felt his body shake at the realization of what it was he was saying "I'll do it whenever you tell me to". As he stood there, his gaze not lifting up once, he could feel Azar in his mind as a gentle and a reassuring presence, very much the same way she'd been next to him just moments ago. It was her way to express agreement with his decision, he realized, as she tried to convey him the feeling that she thought he was, in fact, doing the right thing.

 

Tobias' offer to stop their training for the night was what caused Tristan's head to snap right up as he now moved from staring at the ground to staring the other man straight in the eye "No!" he almost shouted, barely letting him finish his sentence "I'm fine. I want to continue" he said, his voice full of urgency. Tristan was determined to learn everything he had to as fast as he could, and he wasn't about to let tiredness hold him back. "If that's okay" he added after a few seconds, realizing he was now eagerly leaning forward, giving the appearance he was almost demanding Tobias to continue his training. "What's next?" he asked, a little embarrassed at his outburst, as he leaned back again, trying to regain a more neutral stance.

[GodofMischief]

Looking calmly upon Tristan when the man murmured that he didn’t mind Tobias knowing about his past, the young Chieftain couldn’t help but worry for the man. It wasn’t Tobias’ intention for the man to feel that he had no other option but to do so. It was a required part of the bonding process, yes, but Tobias didn’t have to be here to hear about it and make the other feel less at ease. While the safety and protection of his home took top priority in the Chieftain’s mind, he would not gain it by causing discomfort in another person. Stranger or not. Tobias would rather that Tristan told him when he was ready to share his past with the outside world, not just Azar. However, he didn’t want the man to feel bad about having his offer rejected either. Exhaling a soft sigh of breath, Tobias weighed his words carefully inside his mind and that of Fenrir’s before parting his lips to speak. Without knowing what would affect the man or not, there was no easy way to choose his words but he would try to do so anyways.

 

“You don’t have to tell me your past or the secrets you carry close to heart in order to prove you’re not a threat to my people....I am not cruel enough to demand that of you. And you are no dog nor are you my slave to do so whenever I decide to express my power in such a way. This is not how I protect my people and land, my father never guarded our people with a cruel hand and neither will I. So rest easy, Tristan, I will not demand answers from you. Not now....not until you’re fully ready to face whatever demons your life bores. For the moment, Azar is the only one that needs to know of your years before you met her. She is to be your partner in every sense of the word and she needs such knowledge. Everyone else can wait.....Besides, you have yet done anything to make me feel that my people are endangered with you here. So you need not worry of such nonsense, just focus on your training, Fenrir and I will handle the rest” Tobias spoke as kindly as he could under the circumstances. His voice still holding traces of its monotonic nature but sounding much more gentle and full of compassion than before. Perhaps Tristan wouldn’t be able to understand why Tobias refused to force the man to spill his every life detail, why he refused to use any means to assure himself that his people were safe. However, that was just how the young leader was. It was with that kind consideration for others that his parents had raised him and he was not quick to forget that.

 

As composed as he usually was, Tobias couldn’t help but startle lightly at the sudden shout that came from Tristan seconds before the man was leaning forward with fierce determination in his gaze. Blinking comically wide eyes a few moments to try and gather his thoughts once more, Tobias couldn’t stop the soft, warm laugh that escaped him even if he tried. Casting a glance over his shoulder at Fenrir who had blinked equally surprised by the intensity of the young man, Tobias grinned at the sound of his dragon’s rumbling laughter. “Very well, we shall continue tonight. However, Tristan, if I feel that you need to rest despite your remarkable dedication to this training, I will call it a night. I won’t push you further than what is necessary. We have plenty of time still and rushing things can lead to mistakes being made. Believe me, I know that from personal experience” Tobias responded, taking a small step back in order to rack his gaze over the man and then Azar. A thoughtful frown touched his lips, wiping his smile away slowly as he wondered what would be the next best step to take.

 

“I suppose we can do some flight training now. Keep in mind, you will need your full attention for what is to come, lest you don’t mind sporting several scrapes and bruises. While I know you’ve flown on Azar to get here, I assume that your flight path was relatively unchanging and even. There were no need for any arial maneuvers of any sort and whatever hold you had to have on her was rather light” Tobias murmured pensively, raising a brow as he flickered his gaze between both man and dragon. “While that is good, we need to expand on it. If you manage to ever see my brothers and I doing arial sparring, you’ll notice the different maneuvers we perform while riding our dragons. Be it whether we are safely seated on them or we are free falling feet away from them. You need to know what your dragon wants of you and when. Tonight, we’ll work on opening your reception to her desires while we are high above the island ground. I want to test how fast she is and both of your abilities to communicate to one enough in order to avoid your grasp on her slipping and you plummeting to the ground below” Tobias added a moment later as he turned and began to walk back to his dragon.

 

“Even if you do fall, rest assured that Fenrir and I will catch you. You have nothing to fear. Have faith in you dragon and listen to what her mind and body are telling you. If you do so, this training will run far smoother than what you would imagine” the pale haired man called over his shoulder as he smoothly climbed up upon Fenrir’s back, hands finding their natural hold on his long mane. “Come” he called to them one last time before Fenrir was shooting up into the air with a mighty leap, his serpentine body easily slicing through the air and carrying them high above their home.

[Joyabe]

The idea of flight training got Tristan unbelievably excited. Although he realized this would be nothing like anything he'd experienced in the past, the time he spent on his dragon's back made him feel free like he never did before, and he hoped some of that feeling would remain even throughout their practice. He had to admit the talk about Tobias sparring with his brothers sparked his interest, as he tried imagining two younger versions of the man riding on the back of two other Fenrirs. He almost let out a laugh, trying to imagine the dynamic in such a family. He really hoped for their own sake that at least one of the brothers wasn't as cold-natured and serious as the one before him.

 

His feelings of amusement all but disappeared hearing the words "free falling", his mood only worsening at the mention of "plummeting to the ground below". Although he enjoyed flying, Tristan wasn’t very fond of the idea of falling from such height. His logical and methodic way of thinking only saw one possible outcome for such a situation, which included him in a slightly less solid state, as well as a slightly more dead one.

 

The promise of them not letting him fall did not reassure Tristan in the slightest. Even if they did, he felt the humiliation in itself will cause him to throw himself right off of Fenrir's back. Nonetheless he turned back to look at Azar, who also seemed to be slightly on edge at the thought of Tristan falling off, frowning as he placed his hands on her back, ready to get on it and follow the other two. Something about the way Tobias spoke to him just a moment ago bugged his mind. At first he thought it was the laughter- an almost unnerving sight on its own, considering the almost too calm attitude he showcased until that point. But there was something more, Tristan kept going through their latest conversation in his head as he lifted his leg, ready to push him self off the ground. It was in that moment he realized exactly what it was that threw him off, his body completely freezing at the realization. It was the first time the other man addressed him directly by his name. Not only that, he thought, it was actually the first time that anyone has called him by his name since that day, almost three months ago.

 

He shook his head as he quickly climbed up Azar's back, his hands wrapping tightly around her neck, his shins placed on top of the base of her wings, and his legs mirroring the hold of his hands as they clenched on both sides of her body. He would put that thought away for now and focus on his practice, he decided, especially since he didn't really know what to think or how he felt about that. "Don't let me fall" he murmured to Azar as he leaned down moments before she stretched out her wings and leaped towards the starry sky, following Fenrir and Tobias. Her voice resonated loud and clear in his mind as she did, promising him that there was no way the she would let that happen.

[GodofMischief]

Thinking about what would be a good “lesson plan” of sorts as he waited for the other pair to join them high above the island, Tobias exhaled a heavy breath of air the moment the sound of a familiar screech filled the air. Feeling Fenrir turn his head at the very same time he did from where they had been watching Azar rise into the sky with Tristan, Tobias felt loving exasperation fill him at the sight of two dragons making their way over to them. One winged and the other wingless but both bore a person on their backs. It wasn’t long before Tanit soared into reach, the young dragon wasting not time releasing a delighted chirping sort of noise as he brushed his muzzle against Fenrir’s and then rubbed it against Tobias. The white dragon seemed to soften impossibly at the act and while he had been cordial but still rather cold and standoffish around Tristan and Azar, that all faded in the presence of the other dragons. Fenrir gently nuzzled Tanit in return before brushing noses with Volos when the older dragon joined them, the easy natured creature’s eyes danced in amusement.

 

“What are you four doing here? I believe I told you to get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow” Tobias sighed heavily, looking upon the two males on the backs of the new dragons. Just like Fenrir, the man bore a much softer appearance to him in the face of these newcomers. No longer did he simply hold the air of Chieftain of this island, now he looked and sounded more like an older brother than anything else.

 

“To be fair, brother, your day is bound to be longer than ours. We couldn’t, in good grace, head off to bed knowing that you would be out here training a new DragonBorn” Zayne responded rather cheerfully, dark brown eyes twinkling in playful mischief before they turned to look at Tristan curiously.

 

“Zayne is right, big brother. As village Chieftain, you should be getting more rest than any one of us. There is no reason why you should be wasting your time with an outsider” Arwen quickly added on, a scowl on his young features when he turned to glare annoyed at Tristan and Azar. It was clear that he wasn’t pleased by the fact that his brother was straining himself in matters he shouldn’t be bothered by. At least in Arwen’s eyes.

 

“Manners, little brother. Mother and Father did not raise you to be rude to those who are in need of help. No matter who they may be or if they come from our land or not” Tobias scolded the youngest of the batch gently, tone far softer than he would have been using if it had been someone outside their land.

 

Huffing out a breath, clearly not in the least sorry for his rude words, Arwen continued to glare at Tristan and Azar but he thankful kept his opinion of the pair to himself. For his part, Tanit didn’t seem to share his Bonded’s hostility towards the newcomers. Instead, the young dragon looked more curious than anything else.

 

“Who are they anyways, Tobias?” Tanit’s young voice rang out in the air between them. Free to be heard by whoever was DragonBorn like his Bonded. The youngling was used to sharing his voice with those in what he deemed his immediate family, so he hadn’t quite mastered the art of shutting out anyone who wasn’t the brothers or their dragons.

 

Turning back to Tristan and Azar, Tobias spared them a moment to offer a clearly apologetic smile before turning back to his family. “Their names are Tristan and Azar. They come from a land outside our own and Tristan would like to be trained in how to become a proper DragonBorn. He and Azar are still very new to this and their Bond is nothing but a thin thread at best...I gave them my word to train them as best I can, and I plan to stick to it. Just like I mentioned when we discussed this at home” the young Chieftain answered Tanit calmly.

 

“Tristan, Azar.....These are my brothers, Zayne and Arwen as well as their dragons Volos and Tanit. I would have hoped to have you all meet under better circumstances, but it can’t be helped. I do apologize, however, for Arwen’s tongue. He still hasn’t quite learned to watch his manners unfortunately” Tobias introduced Tristan and his dragon to his family. Or what remained of it. The four he had and would happily give his life for again if it meant to keep them safe.

 

“He hasn’t given me a reason to bother being polite to him. If he doesn’t like my manners, he can very well leave....not like he belongs here anywa-Hey! Zayne, what the heck!?” Arwen snapped, turning an annoyed look at the second eldest of the batch of three the moment Zayne reached over calmly to smack him gently on the back of his head. Thankfully the space between them wasn’t too far, Volos had read his Bonded clearly and had moved close enough for such an act to be accomplished easily.

 

“I swear, your manners get worse every time Tobias spends too much time away from the village. Quit being rude already, Mom and Dad are probably turning in their graves listening to you, ya little brat” Zayne mumbled, shaking his head at their baby brother who grumbled under his breath and rubbed his offended head.

 

Hearing a chuckle from Volos, Tobias turned amused eyes down at the Earth Dragon who glanced at the newcomers in a much more welcoming way. “He doesn’t mean half of what he says, I promise you that. He’s just a little spite-fire and he gets annoyed if Tobias isn’t within sight, I’m afraid he’s quite attached to him” Volos spoke, letting his voice be heard as well and with it, the gentle hearted nature that made him who he was.

 

Shoulders lowering in defeat, Tobias turned his attention back on Tristan with an expression that could only be described as fondly exasperated. “Again, I truly do apologize for him. There are days where I’m not quite sure what to do anymore....despite that, I can’t help but love him” he murmured affectionately about the young male who smirked at the last part of his older brother’s statement. “Now that our flight training had been interrupted, let’s-“ Tobias began only to be cut off by an overly eager Zayne.

 

“You’re doing flight training? Well damn, why didn’t you say so. Flight training is always fun, Tristan, you’ll love it. We’re definitely on board to help” Zayne said happily, looking over at Arwen with a devious expression on his face. “Let’s get started, see if you guys can follow our moves” Zayne added a second before lifting his foot from against Volos’ side and sharply pushing it against Arwen. A move that made the unsuspecting young male lose his grip on his dragon and plummet to the ground with a resounding, irritated yell of:

 

“Asshole!!!!”

 

“Ya know ya love me, brat!” Zayne called down to his falling brother all too cheerfully as he too slipped off Volos’ back to follow the path of his falling brother towards the land far below them. Both their dragons exchanged amused glances before huffing and following after their Bonded.

 

“For the love of the Gods....” Tobias groaned under his breath even as Fenrir released a deep, vastly amused chuckle from under him. Sparing a glance at Tristan and Azar, the young Chieftain grinned at them with a surprisingly playful, almost challenging air before saying “Try to keep up....but don’t do anything you don’t think you’re ready for yet”. Giving Fenrir a loving pat, Tobias wasted no time in calmly letting his body slide sideways and off Fenrir as gravity took hold and he plummeted down following the distant shapes of his brothers and their dragons.

 

If a dragon could grin, Fenrir would be doing just that as he quickly followed after Tobias, body moving like a bullet in the air. He wouldn’t catch him just yet, not yet, not until they were closer to the ground. For now, all the dragons would let their Bonded free fall to their hearts content until it was time to safely have them on their backs again.

[Joyabe]

The sound of the loud screech filling the otherwise silent night caused Tristan to jump in his place, and had he not been holding on tight he would have probably fallen off Azar. His eyes located the source of the sound moments later, as he found himself almost as nervous as he was when first encountering people on the island. He had a good guess as to who the incoming strangers might be, which was the only thing that prevented him from turning on his heels and making a run for it. Although he was certain enough that Tobias' brothers knew of him and would not pose any kind of a threat, at least for the time being, the encounter of any strangers, accompanied by two dragons on top of that, still made him feel anxious.

 

Unlike himself, Azar seemed more curious than she was worried. She didn't slow her pace as she quickly closed the distance between them and the others, maintaining only a small distance between herself and the rest- one that was way too close for Tristan's liking. They both silently watched, a little surprised, at the visible change in the others' attitude- more than Tobias, the dissonance between Fenrir's behavior up until that point and what they witnessed now left them both speechless and a little shocked.

 

It didn't take long for Tristan to realize which one of the brothers he was previously compared to. Although the things Arwen now said have gone through his own mind earlier, the way they were said caused Tristan to glare right back at the youngest brother, clenching his jaw in an effort not to talk back. He was pissing him off, but he already experienced the result of him being rude, and being outnumbered and way above the ground seemed like a bad situation in which to infuriate not one, but three other dragons.

 

Hearing a new voice ringing in his head, Tristan nearly fell off Azar for the second time in minutes. Something about it sounded almost child-like, which made the otherwise somewhat rude phrasing of the question not have a really offensive affect on the strangers in question. From the four new strangers, Tanit was the one Tristan perceived least as a threat, a feeling that might have seemed a little questionable given the fact there were two others humans in front of him.

 

Upon being formally introduced, Tristan observed the four strangers more closely, as much as he could in the dimly lit night. Tobias' brothers looked nothing like him, their dark hair and eyes standing in perfect contrast to his pale ones. Their personalities seemed to be as different as their looks were- and while he found Arwen to be irritating, it was Zayne he was having the hardest time trusting. While rude people might have been annoying in his opinion, an irony that wasn't lost on him given his own character, he tended to be more suspicious of nice people. It always felt like they had an ulterior motive, and he was always uncomfortable, feeling like he couldn't understand them completely.

 

Although his suspicion of him did not go away, Tristan also found himself growing somewhat fond of Zayne as the latter smacked that little brat brother of him. He would have probably done the same had he been within reach of him, and had he not feared for his own well-being upon doing something like that. He could feel his dragon was also annoyed by Arwen's attitude towards him. It wasn't exactly the same way Fenrir reacted to his own rudeness towards Tobias earlier, as she didn't perceived respect as the main issue. Azar simply didn't like others being hostile towards Tristan, and while the other three seemed even likeable in her eyes, the youngest brothers' words and attitude were getting on her nerves just a little.

 

Tristan was trying to regain his focus when Tobias started talking about their training, but lost it quite fast when Zayne interrupted him. It came to him as a complete surprise when he did what Tristan could only describe as pushing his own brother to his death. Furthermore, he was more shocked to see that he was the only one shocked by that action. Sure, the subject of free falling was mentioned to him only a few moments ago, but seeing it in reality he could still see only one possible, and very grim, outcome to their actions.

 

He was still trying to wrap his head around what just happened as Zayne hurried in Arwen's footsteps, feeling all the more shocked at Tobias' almost indifferent attitude. Tristan would have never willingly done the same, if not for the way the other man spoke to him. It was almost like he was challenging him, and although Tristan didn't know whether it was intentional or not, it seemed like Tobias learnt just how to push his buttons. He took in a deep breath as he looked down at the ascending figures one last time, and exhaled in a low growl. Before he had a chance to second guess himself or for Azar to protest, Tristan pushed himself off, a bit more forcefully than needed, as he began falling towards the ground much faster than he would have liked.

 

He could hear Azar's worried voice in his mind, as seconds later she was right next to him, letting out a dissatisfied whimper. She did not like the idea of him putting himself in such danger one bit, and would have never let him do so if it was up to her to make the decision.

 

After the initial terror of throwing himself off to what seemed like his inevitable death, Tristan was surprised to discover he was also getting a feel of exhilaration from the experience. There was something liberating about it, similarly to flying, and he wasn't sure if it was just the adrenaline, but he found himself not only scared, but also enjoying the new experience.

 

Azar, on the other hand, didn't share any of these feelings. It wasn't long before she angled her body to be parallel to that of her bonded, slowly tilting it so that he was once again placed safely on her back, before she continued ascending after the others with Tristan securely holding on to her. "You know" he said after his breathing slowed down a little "I'm pretty sure we could have gotten even closer to the ground than those three" he ran his hand through his auburn hair that was now sticking up in all directions "you're much smaller than them. It has to be an advantage…" he stopped in the middle of his sentence, feeling the irritation and anxiety of his dragon in his mind. He decided to let that go for now, at least until they both felt more comfortable with the situation. As they continued following the others, Tristan tried focusing his eyes and attention on them to see what would be their next step.

[GodofMischief]

Glancing behind him, or in this case above him, to the sight of Tristan having decided to join them in free falling off their dragons, Tobias chuckled before turning his gaze forward again. Just a few meters in front of him, Zayne was having the time of his life as they continued to fall and just a bit in front of them, Arwen bore a grin on his features despite his earlier protest. While it wasn’t the safest thing to do and no sane person would willingly leap off a safe platform to plummet to what otherwise would be their immediate deaths, Tobias couldn’t help but love the adrenaline that came with such an act. It made him feel free, almost burden-less in a way. As Chieftain, he didn’t get much time to simply enjoy life and spend his youth as he would have liked to. He had the worries of his people to calm and the safety of their home to concern himself with, as well as tending to the everyday needs of his home. He didn’t have the ability to have fun in the trivial things his brothers often enjoyed themselves, he had given all that up when he had taken on the responsibilities that came with his title.

 

However, the ability to fly high above the clouds on the back of his best friend and indulge in moments like these....rare as they were....well, he wouldn’t trade them for the world.

 

Seeing Fenrir grow closer to him as the ground approached rapidly and he could make out the individual details of the island floor, Tobias waited for both his brothers to be successfully “scooped” up by their dragon’s before letting such an act happen with him. Feeling his best friend accelerate a bit in order to dip under him, Fenrir’s back making contact with him perfectly, before rising away from a direct dive to the floor and bring them to fly horizontally across the island ground, had a laugh escaping Tobias. Through their bond, the young Chieftain could feel just how entertained and relaxed Fenrir was. A feeling he shared with his partner to near perfection. Rising to fly parallel to their family, Tobias glanced over his shoulder at Azar as she approached them, Tristan safe on her back once more. While Tobias had implored the other male to not do what he didn’t feel comfortable with, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the bravery the man showed. For one who had only just recently discovered what he was, it took guts to do what he had just done.

 

“Well done!” Tobias called out to him, tone far friendlier and open than it had been during their previous encounters. It was almost like being in the presence of his family brought about the side of him that outsiders to their world rarely got to see.

 

“I didn’t expect you to have the balls to do that! I stand corrected, good sir! Now let’s see if you can keep up when you’re not falling to your death!” Zayne called out to Tristan as well, grin permanently fixed onto his face it appeared.

 

Arwen scoffed softly and rolled his eyes upon Tanit’s back despite his dragon’s amusement towards the situations and excitement to test his own speed and agility amongst those older than him.

 

“Tobi, you wanna do the honors and lead us?” Zayne asked, turning his attention on the eldest amongst them all. Volos turned to look at the pair as well, looking rather eager for his usual laid back nature.

 

“Very well. Just don’t fall behind too much” Tobias teased as he graced them all with one of those rare, genuine smiles of his. Patting Fenrir’s neck, he lowered his gaze to his partner who turned his head slightly to look upon his Bonded. “Are you ready, Fenrir?”

 

“As ready as I’ll always be. It’s been a while since we tested our speed....this will be fun” the dragon responded, flickering his long tail behind him as he looked around their group with what could only be described as barely restrained excitement for the next part of their flight.

 

“This next phase will be to test your dragon’s speed and her agility. And it very well might be to grow your confidence in both each other and other Bonded such as you. You do not have to do what we’re doing if you don’t want to, however, if you feel ready to join us....feel free to try your hand. If not, then follow behind us and see just how fast you both can go. As well as what you’re comfortable with and what you’re not” Tobias said, addressing his words towards Tristan and Azar. “This is a game we always played as children. It’s the equivalent of taking a ball from someone and having them take it back. However, in this case, we are the balls and our dragons are the ones who will be responsible in retrieving us once taken. The ‘ball’ doesn’t have to be just one person, it can be whoever you want to grab. The point is, our individual dragon’s must be able to successfully retrieve us by the end of the game. Open communication between yourself and your dragon is vital here. You should be able to advice your dragon how they can get you back even if you are not physically within their reach”.

 

Turning back to his brothers, both looking rather excited for the next event....even Arwen wore a smile now, Tobias let a genuine grin slip onto his features before murmuring down to Fenrir. “Let’s begin” he said.

 

Faster than the eye could see, Fenrir shot off like a bullet once more, flipping upside down for just a heartbeat as soon as he was above Arwen and Tanit. That heartbeat was all it took for Tobias to reach down with one hand and grab his little brother’s arm, tugging him onto Fenrir’s back just as the dragon flipped back around and headed off at alarming speeds through the forest. Not above it, but through it. His long body weaving neatly through trees and huge branches as he flew. On his back, Arwen laughed as he wrapped his arms around Tobias’ waist while the brothers pressed calmly against the large creature’s back.

 

Tanit wasted no time in bolting off after them, excitement and playfulness appearing clear on the young dragon. His wings folded and spread accordingly with every tree his dodged and branch he avoided, and his eyes locked on the target that was his Bonded on the back of the older dragon.

 

Whooping with delight, Zayne turned back to Tristan and Azar saying “Come on. Whether you’re playing or not, this is a good speed and reflex exercise. I’m sure you’ll both love it”. As soon as those words had left his mouth, he lightly tapped Volos on the side and with that, the two of them shot off after their family. Bright, happy laughter echoing out in the breeze behind them.

[Joyabe]

Tristan watched closely as the three brothers were retrieved by their dragons, unable to not be impressed by just how close to the ground they got. None of them seemed scared in the least, and he assumed what he just witnessed was the result of years of practice. Still, he had to appreciate the level of skill and trust required to pull such a feat.

 

The praises he received caused him to lower his head, his face turning slightly red, and he was glad it was dark enough to not be seen by the others. The current atmosphere was so different than everything he had experienced up until now, that it was almost unnerving for him. He felt almost as if he was intruding somewhere he wasn't supposed to be.

 

As strange as he felt, he couldn't help the quite snicker that left his lips hearing the nickname Zayne used to address his older brother. He had a hard time associating something so informal with the serious and stoic Tobias, not to mention the other responding to being addressed that way.

 

As they silently listened to the rules that were explained to them, it was clear that this time Azar was much more excited and willing than her bonded. While the both of them were curious about the others, she found the answer to this curiosity in interaction, whereas Tristan was a firm believer in observation. He knew it made absolutely no sense, but he actually felt more comfortable with free falling. To him, he had more control over that situation than in the current one that had to involve others, where he would actively and by his own will be pulling them into the imaginary space that was only his and Azar's up to that point.

 

Nonetheless, he could feel the excitement coming from his dragon, and knowing the emotional turmoil he had just put her through, he decided to oblige. He would not try and grab any of the others out of his own will, but rather listen to what Azar would have to say and go with her decisions.

 

Tristan could barely understand what just happened as Tobias snatched Arwen off of his dragon's back and headed into the forest when he heard Zayne talking to him. He turned to face him, barely processing what the other man said, before he rushed off into the forest after his brothers. Tightening his grip around Azar's neck and leaning forward, Tristan tried bracing himself for what was about to come. Still, he was not properly prepared.

 

Azar leaped forward, moving faster than Tristan have ever seen her move before, filled with excitement and clearly enjoying herself. He desperately tried focusing on her feelings rather than on his own, as he was feeling terrified at the moment. It wasn't just the abnormally fast speed in which they were moving that made him anxious, but also the fact it was the first time they were flying in such an enclosed environment. Although Azar seemed to be maneuvering flawlessly between the different obstacles in their way, Tristan couldn't help but think that in any given moment they would simply fly into a tree head first, a thought he didn't find especially pleasant. He leaned forward even further, almost flattening himself against his dragon's back, tightening his grip and clenching his jaw as they flew through the forest.

 

Though she could feel her human's distress, Azar didn’t slow down. She was enjoying the new and playful atmosphere, as well as the freedom to try and push herself to her limits. She tried filling Tristan's mind with her own positive emotions as they continued moving forward. There was no way she would let him get hurt, and she hoped proving so would make her bonded have more trust and faith in her and her ability to protect him. However, she did not want to make things too hard on him either. They caught glimpses of the other dragons beside and ahead of them as they moved forward slowly catching up to them, but she decided not to actively bring him closer to any of them. Should Tristan be taken by one of the others, she would gladly participate in the game and try to retrieve him, but she would not make her human go even further out of his comfort zone than he already did.

[GodofMischief]

Holding onto Fenrir with sure hands that had lived through these games for many years now, Tobias glanced behind at Tanit who was valiantly trying to catch up with them and Volos who wasn’t far behind. Flickering his gaze over to Azar and Tristan not far behind them, Tobias turned his gaze forward once more. He knew the boy wouldn’t be too excited to participate in a game such as this, he was not a trusting individual and his bond with Azar was still very young. While he had been impressed that Tristan had literally taken the jump and joined the brothers in their free falling exercise, he didn’t want to push the boy any further than he had to. While his brothers and himself had had years with their partners and trusted one another with their entire souls, Tristan couldn’t say the same. He more than likely would take a long time to come remotely that close to being able to trust them, so Tobias didn’t want to push that fine line. Nevertheless, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to have the other man participate. Heck, his dragon seemed particularly eager to play along even if she was holding herself back a bit.

 

“Fenrir....let’s see how close we can get the pair to participate a bit further” Tobias called to his partner over the rushing of the wind around them.

 

“As you wish....this should be rather interesting” Fenrir’s deep voice rumbled in his ear even as Arwen raised a brow at the pair and tightened his arms around his older brother’s waist. The young Prince didn’t know exactly what to expect but he was sure it would be interesting if the pair planned on truly making the newcomers feel remotely more comfortable in this game.

 

Changing direction in a sharply abrupt manner that had Tanit unable to correct himself nearly as quickly, causing the young dragon to release an undignified screech, Fenrir whirled between trees with his infinite grace until he flew parallel to Azar. Not quite touching her, but within range should there be a need for a more physical interaction. He had slowed his speed down a few notches and as the brothers glanced at Tristan, Fenrir turned his attention to Azar. He wouldn’t draw too close as to make her newly Bonded panic at the thought of someone taking him off his dragon, but he would bend the game a little bit to their favor. Hopefully it would cause a crack on the uneasy ice between them.

 

“Try and catch us. Nor you or your Bonded need to take any human if you do not feel comfortable with the thought. Nevertheless, try and catch us if you can, it’ll help you in participating in the game. If you manage to catch us, then I will come after you and we can see just how truly fast you are capable of being.....My tail, or if you feel confident enough, my human will be the target. Should you succeed, then you will become the target” Fenrir spoke calmly, still holding that calm, easy natured tone that seemed to have developed in him at the presence of their family.

 

Picking up speed once more, the serpentine dragon flickered his tail once at Azar, brushing the softness of it briefly against her flank and her human, as if to start a playful challenge before vanishing as quickly as lightning between the trees. Though he might be snow white in coloration and it would be particularly hard for him to be unseen in the darkness of the night around them, Fenrir was an old dragon and he knew exactly how to use the moonlight to his advantage. His form was nothing more than a streak of white in the blackness around them, even so, if one blinked they would miss him moving with such silent ease through the forest surrounding them. Feeling Volos picking up speed a few meters behind him and Tanit catching up again as well, Fenrir huffed an amused air. While he would still focus on keeping Arwen away from the grasp of the rest of their family, as per their original game, he would mostly concentrate his attention on keeping away from Azar.

 

Leaning low on his partner at the sight of the narrow entrance of one of the numerous massive underground caverns that their island sported, Tobias felt a grin lift his lips when Fenrir angled his body just right to fit through the narrow hole without injuring his human or Arwen. His dragon didn’t slow down even in the face of the new terrain, if anything, Fenrir flew with just as much ease around the stalagmites that made their homes in this underground world. Knowing Zayne and Volos, Tobias knew his brother would have followed him into the cavern at a slower pace, Volos a bit more careful despite being the same body type as Fenrir. Tanit would have raced in after them, slower than either due to his wings and wider form but still the young dragon would not give up his determination to get his human back.

 

“Do you think they’ll actually be able to catch up with us?” Arwen’s question filled Tobias’ ears against the loudness of the cavern’s otherwise still air. His little brother pressed closely against his back as he sported a clearly entertained grin of his own against his usually scowling, annoyed features.

 

“Who knows....They’ve already impressed us once, maybe they’ll manage to impress us a second time” Tobias responded, body moving easily to accommodate to any sharp movements Fenrir made as he kept them away from running into any of the jagged rock formations in the cave. Tobias didn’t know what to expect of the newcomers, but he wouldn’t say that he didn’t think they’d answer to the challenge provided to them.

[Joyabe]

Fenrir aligning himself with them, caused both Tristan and Azar to glance at him- one cautiously and the other curiously. His words seemed to have reached the both of them, though, again, with a different effect on each. The explicit invitation to come and play called to the very nature of Azar, who was eager to interact with the others in such a light atmosphere. Tristan however was deeply offended by being handed a handicap. To him, feeling like he was begin looked down at had a very similar outcome to that of being challenged.

 

It was much easier giving in to his dragon's wishes now that he was provoked himself- even if the other party did not mean to do so. Flinching for only a moment at the feeling of Fenrir's tail, feeling both his and Azar's surprise at the soft touch, Tristan leaned forward again. "Like hell we're going to half-ass this" he grumbled, as Azar who seemed to already understand his intentions started heading after the ones who just left "let's go get young chief".

 

While he himself found it nearly impossible to keep his eyes on Fenrir given the speed he was moving in, Azar seemed to be doing just fine. Moving even faster than before, she followed the large pale figure slithering through the woods, trying to close the distance between them. Even though his bond with his dragon was fairly fresh to him, being a part of a pair was anything but new to Tristan. Although it clearly wasn't the same thing, having been a twin for his entire life he was well familiar with the strange mental connection that can exist between two people, one that's hard to explain in words. He tried tapping into that same feeling, finding it easier than he thought. While outwardly nothing about him changed, he could feel most of the anxiety he was feeling leaving his body, giving way to a more focused and even playful feeling. His small movements on the back of his dragon now seemed to compliment hers better, as he felt more secure about maneuvering through the objects in their way.

 

Seeing their target duck into the cavern, it was clear to him that Azar realized just as he did that not going in after them would mean losing them completely, as neither of them had the slightest idea as to where they would come out from. Given their current speed, Tanit was well behind them, but seeing that Volos and Zayne were not, if they were to enter the cavern before them they would have a huge obstacle in their way, metaphorically and physically. With that realization in mind, Tristan once again found himself flattening his body against Azar, as she quickly slid under the other dragon, her smaller frame allowing her to use the gap between his body and the ground to get ahead of him as she quickly entered the enclosed space her target did just moments earlier.

 

It was that same small frame that allowed her to navigate with relative ease even in the small space, now neither she nor Tristan finding it difficult to see Fenrir just ahead of them, his light color clearly visible in the dark. Still, even moving as fast as she could in the small space, there was this slight distance between them she just couldn't close. However, once they would be back in the open, it would be even harder to close in on them. Having realized that, Tristan gritted his teeth, more in determination than anything else. Once he made up his mind there was no persuading him, a personality trait that was now showing as he started to pull himself up on his dragon's neck, until he was right on top of her head.

 

Although clearly not a big fan of the idea, Azar decided to go along with Tristan. If he would miss, she could simply catch him again, as she could move faster if he wasn't on her back. She felt more than she saw her bonded slide down her snout, crouching down and using his hands to balance himself. The moment she was sure Fenrir wasn't about to make any sudden turns, she nudged Tristan forward, in a flat as she could line, watching anxiously as he was flying through the air for only a moment before landing on the very edge of Fenrir's tail with a loud thud.

 

Instinctively grabbing at the large dragon beneath him, Tristan started inching forwards, keeping his head low so that he wouldn't hit it on anything. He could only imagine the number of bruises he would have after tonight, especially given the considerable amount of weight he lost in the last couple months. Not that it was bothering him too much, he thought as he got closer and closer to the two brothers on the dragon's back. After all, he sustained some much more serious injuries lately, and besides he was now much more interested in the goal he set his mind on.

 

Once he got to the two men in front of him however, a new problem presented itself. If he wanted to get to Tobias, Tristan would have to somehow go through Arwen first. As he tried coming up with a solution, his lack of attention combined with a sudden turn of Fenrir caused him to lose his grip on the dragon, as he found himself dangling from his side, his left hand behind Arwen, while his right placed between the two brothers, both holding on tightly to Fenrir. Before he had the time to panic, he realized that this new problem could very easily solve his previous one. Swinging his right leg, he hooked it around Fenrir right in front of Tobias, as he pulled himself, albeit not very gracefully, to sit in front of him, facing the opposite direction of which they were going in.

 

There wasn't much more he could do as long as they were still in the cavern, but Tristan had an idea of what he would have to do as soon as they would inevitably exit it. For the first time since they began chasing the others, a sense of discomfort filled him again as he knew what he had to do next. Letting out a small grumble before he did, Tristan snaked his arms around Tobias, wrapping them tightly around his back just above his younger brother's grip. If he would like to release that grip in order to take the older brother, which he did, that would be the best position to be in. Tristan lowered his face, allowing the other to see only the top of his head, as he held on tightly and waited for the moment they would be back outside. He could practically hear Azar laughing in his mind while she continued following them, cheerful as before now that he was safe again, as she waited for the right moment to snatch her human back.

[GodofMischief]

Feeling a heavy weight land on his tail, Fenrir grunted in surprise and turned his head just a bit to be able to see what exactly was holding onto it. Spotting Tristan gripping his long appendage tightly as he inched his way up his long frame, the dragon had to admit that he was impressed. Not just by Azar’s ability to catch up long enough to successfully allow her human to land on him, but also because the human had the courage to leave the safety of her presence and land on a dragon that hadn’t shown him much kindness. While the pair had a long way to go yet before Fenrir considered them trustworthy, he couldn’t deny that he wasn’t finding this young man to be rather entertaining. And by the look on Tobias’ face as he too glanced over his shoulder to raise his brows at the sight of Tristan on Fenrir, he knew it was a sentiment he shared with his Bonded. Something told them that Tristan and Azar would be far more interesting than either had previously thought.

 

Having been forced to change direction sharply to avoid hitting a ragged piece of rock, Fenrir steadied himself once more the moment he felt Tristan slide sideways off him. Normally, Fenrir wouldn’t care much if he was shaking off an opponent, but this boy wasn’t an absolute unknown and he didn’t truly want to cause him harm. He knew Tobias wouldn’t be pleased if Tristan ended up more injured than what he should be by the end of their little game. With that thought in mind, Fenrir kept his movements smooth and without any more abrupt movements until the boy managed to get a better grip on him again. Knowing the human, he more than likely wouldn’t appreciate being helped all that much by strangers so while Fenrir wouldn’t have minded stopping long enough for Tristan to climb on correctly, he didn’t think the human would find that thought appealing.

 

As for Tobias, the young Chieftain had to bite back the instinct that surged in him the moment Tristan slipped from Fenrir and dangled between him and Arwen. He would have preferred reaching down to grasp the man’s arm and hauling him back on Fenrir before he slipped further but like his dragon, something told him that Tristan wouldn’t enjoy that. So as hard as it was, Tobias forced himself to allow the young man to figure out his plan without the help he could have possibly thought unneeded. Keeping his gaze on Tristan with a healthy mixture of surprise and amusement in their depths, Tobias raised a brow at the boy who valiantly clung onto Fenrir even as Arwen snorted a soft laugh behind him. His little brother was obviously openly entertained by the antics of their newcomer and Tobias couldn’t blame him. Had he been a bit more emotionally open, he might have released a soft laugh of his own at the sight Tristan made. The boy was daring, Tobias would give him that but he wasn’t entirely sure just what Tristan had planned in that surprisingly cunning mind of his.

 

When Tristan made his next move, something that brought him up in front of both brothers, Tobias’ second brow rose to join the first. He hadn’t been expecting for the boy to angle himself just right in order to face him and Arwen instead of settling back behind them once more. Then again, if Tristan was planning something, he supposed this would be the easiest angle to accomplish it from. The question was, would Tristan willingly take one of them off Fenrir and if such, who exactly did he have his sights on. Blinking rapidly in surprise when the younger man leaned forward to wrap his arms around him tightly, Tobias froze for a moment at the suddenness of the man’s decision and he felt Arwen inhale sharply behind him. However, it took him not longer than a heartbeat for a soft chuckle to rumble out of his chest before he lifted one arm to wrap it securely around Tristan’s waist. Just as a precaution should Fenrir make anymore sharp movements now that his dragon knew that Tristan had managed to climb back onto him once more. Keeping a hand buried in Fenrir’s fur to keep them all relatively steady, Tobias turned his gaze forward once more after sparing a considering look at the top of Tristan’s head.

 

“Impressive....though I can’t help but wonder what exactly is it that you’re planning next” Tobias murmured, angling his face down a bit to speak those words close to Tristan’s ear so they would be heard more clearly. He had meant it when he said that he was impressed, the boy was surprising him in just about every turn, something Tobias could truly say he had not been expecting. It just made his want to learn more about the other man, expand all the more along with his curiosity about both Tristan and Azar. It wasn’t often things quirked his interest anymore and having something so unique and complex like this new pair of Bonded in his lands was something that felt almost like a brush of fresh air. And while he still wasn’t sure if he could trust this pair, something inside him seemed to consider that they really didn’t appear to be that bad.

 

Seeing the exit of the cavern just ahead, Tobias felt Fenrir pick up speed once more as his dragon easily maneuvered them through the narrow opening once more in a short corkscrew movement and out into the cool night air. He kept his flight path as fluid and smooth as of which he always seemed to move in even as he put distance between them and the cavern that they had left behind.

[Joyabe]

Feeling the arm wrapping around his waist, Tristan's body stiffened immediately. While being the one initiating the contact was one thing, being touched by others was a whole different story. He was never one to have too much physical contact with others to begin with, and in the past few months the only type of touch he experienced was never the good kind. The shivers sent up his spine following the words spoken into his ear only proved further just how sensitive he was.

 

Nevertheless, moments later he forced himself to relax a little, shaking his head as if trying to return to his usual self. "Ha" he let out a small snicker as he took in Tobias' words "as if I would tell you" he replied. Although his words bore an air of sarcasm, very much the same way they did in their initial interactions, this time he was not hostile. Instead it was almost like Tristan was teasing the other man.

 

As soon as they were out of the cavern, Tristan only waited to make sure Azar was in fact behind them in order to move. Throwing a glance over the two brothers' shoulders his eyes spotted her coming out of the same opening they did just moments earlier, and he made eye contact with her for only a moment before making his next move.

 

He loosened his grip on the man in front of him, only to sharply send both his hands outwards, breaking his younger brother's hold on him, pushing him slightly backwards in the process. Tristan was no fool- he knew it would only take Arwen a few moments to grab his brother again, but a few moments were all he needed. Quickly regaining his own grip on the man and hooking one leg around Tobias for more leverage, he used his own body weight to throw the both of them off Fenrir's back.

 

This fall was nothing like the previous one, as they only spent a few seconds midair before Tristan felt his back hit Azar that flew behind them, keeping a lower altitude for that exact purpose. He couldn't help but grunt quietly as his back absorbed the shock, but it was quickly followed by a short laugh. He wasn't sure if it was the result of the adrenaline, the surprise at that contact, Azar's influence on him or some combination of all of those, but nonetheless Tristan was surprised to find himself in a better mode than he had been in in a while.

 

He carefully sat up, making sure not to throw Tobias off balance in the process, as he proceeded to turn around to sit on his dragon the way he usually did. As his hands found the familiar grip once again, he was well aware that it wasn't over yet. Even as part of the game, he was positive that Fenrir would come to retrieve his bonded shortly. In fact, he specifically told them he would do so earlier. In accordance to that same train of thought, as soon as she felt the two men placed safely on her back, Azar made a U-turn, heading back in the same direction she came from, this time trying to put distance between herself and Fenrir, rather than close it. Still, Tristan realized, that wouldn't be enough. He had no doubt that the other dragon would be able to catch up to them shortly.

 

"Hey" he suddenly said, leaning forward even though he was pretty sure Azar would be able to hear him regardless "did the other two went in after you?" he asked her, referring to Volos, and more importantly Tanit. "They did" she confirmed, her voice expressing curiosity at the question. A small smile appeared on Tristan's lips as he spoke again "good. Then let's put them between us" he told her, as she immediately changed her course, heading straight towards the other two dragons.

 

While it might have been hopeless to try and outrun Fenrir, he was not alone. Tristan hoped that by putting Volos in his way they could at least stall the ice dragon, even if just for a little while, by having him face another dragon trying to retrieve his own bonded from him. He had no idea how well this plan would work, or what would be his next step, but for the moment that was the best he could come up with. He held on tightly to Azar as she flew first past Volos and Zayne, and then past Tanit, alert and waiting to see what would happen next.

[GodofMischief]

Chuckling and rolling his eyes as Tristan’s seemingly teasing words, Tobias kept his gaze forward as they soared through the cavern. He couldn’t say that he had the least of an idea what the other male was up to but that just made it all the more exciting, did it not? In a way, it seemed that Tristan was opening up a bit more by engaging in activities like these with them while he had no need to. That the boy had been willing to activity pursue and place himself in the position he now was, was amusing and interesting to say the least. Tobias had not been expecting it and he knew that Fenrir hadn’t been expecting it either. So while Fenrir was a bit weary about what exactly the human had in that remarkably devious mind of his, he wasn’t overly concerned. If Tristan wanted to finally play along with them, then that was good, they would play. However, Fenrir wouldn’t take it easy on him just because Tristan and Azar were new to this.

 

Once they had left the cavern, Tobias had not been expecting the next move Tristan would make. Hearing Arwen gasp behind him at having his grip taken off his brother, Tobias had been in the mindset to turn and assure himself his younger brother was well before he felt Tristan hook his leg around him and push them off. For just a moment, panic set in and his fingers curled desperately around Fenrir’s fur even though he knew it was a futile attempt to keep his place on his dragon’s back. Feeling his grip on his dragon slip, Tobias tensed as they plummeted briefly through the air even as Fenrir released a shriek of surprise and concern. Clearly neither of them had been expecting Tristan would be bold enough to actually remove Tobias from Fenrir’s back. His dragon kept his flight steady as Arwen took a firm grip on him, however, his gaze was turned to where his human had gone.

 

Landing on Azar short seconds after plummeting from Fenrir’s back, Tobias steadied himself even as Tristan arranged himself to ride Azar as he naturally did. Finding good purchase on the female dragon’s scales, keeping his hold firm but gentle enough to not hurt her, Tobias turned to look towards his dragon. Usually if it wasn’t his brothers briefly taking him from Fenrir, the pair were inseparable. To have Tobias on a dragon he barely knew was alarming but he couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped him, one that answer the laugh he had heard come from Tristan moments ago. The young man was cunning, there was no way of denying that. Now, it was a matter of time to see how long he could keep Fenrir from reaching them once more and taking Tobias back. Because if there was one thing the Chieftain knew, it was that Fenrir never hesitated from answering to an challenge.

 

Fenrir, for his part, shot off instantly after Azar as soon as he felt Arwen secure on his back. Pale gaze locked on Tobias, Fenrir picked his speed up as much as he felt it safe to do so with Arwen on him. He would get Tobias back if it was the last thing he did. It wasn’t often that he found himself in the position of having to retrieve his Bonded from another, but that didn’t change the fact that the game was still in play. Azar might have his Bonded at the moment, but that wouldn’t last for too long. Not if Fenrir had his way. However, Fenrir had not been expecting for the female dragon to make her way between Volos and Tanit. Nor had he expected Tanit to be so determined to get his own Bonded back that the dragon didn’t change course from heading straight towards him. Growling under his breath at the young dragon’s determination, something that truly amused him more than it should at the moment, Fenrir was forced to change course reluctantly to avoid Tanit succeeding his task. And to avoid Zayne’s reach for Arwen as well.

 

Glancing back at the sight of Fenrir weaving his way between the reaches of the other members of the game, Tobias chuckled softly and shook his head. His dragon had his paws full, there was no denying that, Azar and Tristan had made sure of that. But that didn’t mean Fenrir couldn’t beat the odds. The Ice Dragon was his partner for a reason and they were the village leaders for a reason as well. The game was far from being over. Something that Fenrir didn’t hesitate to show as he used a maneuver that the other two dragons couldn’t hope to be able to follow.

 

Twisting this way and that, growing a bit more frustrated by the delay forced upon him by his family, Fenrir turned his attention on a chuckling Arwen and murmured “Hold on tight, little one”. When Arwen’s grip tightened, Fenrir inhaled a deep breath and sharply turned to head directly for Volos and Tanit. Just as he was about to reach them, the white dragon performed a sharp, impossibly quick crock screw maneuver between them, successfully managing to get past them and snap out of the turn in order to make his way back towards Azar. Both other dragons were left trying to autocorrect and follow in his path, however, valuable distance had been placed between them already. With those two out of the way, Fenrir’s attention once more focused in on his Bonded as he closed the distance between him and Azar.

[Joyabe]

Throwing back a quick glance, Tristan discovered that his tactic wasn't as helpful as he hoped it would be. He groaned quietly as he watched Fenrir evade the other two dragons with ease and hurry after them. Not only that, but it was as clear as it was before that they did not have the upper hand when it came to speed, at least not compared to Fenrir. As no brilliant ideas came to his mind, Tristan tried to at least come up with another way to buy some time. The only possible solution he could think of at the moment was flying through the forest again. Even though they would probably be outrun shortly in that environment as well, he hoped Fenrir would still be slightly slower in it than out in the open.

 

Almost as if she could read his mind, which wasn't too far off from the truth, Azar lowered her altitude, maneuvering between the dark trees once again. Finding himself constantly occupied by the sight of trees coming their way, Tristan quickly discovered that the new environment was more distracting than the previous one, as his mind involuntarily focused on things other than ways to get out of the situation they were in.

 

Getting more and more frustrated, he turned once again to appraise the distance between themselves and Fenrir, only to find it quickly decreasing. He was surprised not only by how close to them he was, but also by how quickly he managed to get there. With that feeling of urgency in mind, Tristan rushed to turn back around, only to get momentarily dizzy by the quickly passing view, as he lost his grip for the second time that night.

 

The position he was now in was actually much better than the previous one, as he still had both arms wrapped tightly around Azar's neck, as well as one of his legs on her back. Getting back on only required a small movement to pull himself up, but as he did, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back as he was hit by a sharp branch. Letting out a hiss due to the surprise and pain, it took him an extra try to return to his dragon's back, which he successfully did moments later.

 

His second almost fall of the night, as well as the voice that escaped him, caused Azar to slow down and get even lower at the same time. As eager to play as she was, nothing was more important to her than Tristan's well-being, and all her thoughts about the game were all but gone in that moment. "It's nothing. Keep going" Tristan told her as he shook his head, trying to get it back in the game. Although his back was still stinging where he was cut, the pain really wasn't that bad. The sensation of dampness as well as his shirt sticking to his back informed him that it was more than likely he was bleeding- either from a new wound formed or a healing one or even a scar re-opening. Still, he was way too focused on the goal he sat his mind on to care at the moment.

 

Azar clearly didn't share any of those sentiments as she landed, coming to a complete stop only moments after the incident while making sure neither men on her back would fall in the process. She quickly wrapped her tail around Tristan only to take him off her back and bring him to her face to be able to take a good look at him. "Come on, I'm fine." Tristan murmured as he tried to wriggle free from her grip that, even as gentle as it was, kept him restricted seeing that his arms were pinned to the sides of his body. She continued looking at him with worry in her eyes, one that only got stronger as she inhaled the air around him "you're wounded" he heard her voice in his head, the air of panic in it matching the one he saw in her eyes. "I said it's nothing…" he told her again, as he continued to wrestle her hold of him, only to wince slightly as the movement caused the cut to sting. That small movement caused Azar to instantly put Tristan down, loosening her tail but keeping it loosely looped around him, this time lower around his waist. The playful atmosphere of the night was beginning to fade away, with both Tristan's and Azar's moods quickly changing, each for a different reason.

[GodofMischief]

Tobias honestly didn’t even have to look to know that Fenrir with close behind them. His dragon was one of a kind, and his speed was truly remarkable. When Fenrir had a goal in mind, nothing and no one would slow him down, not even their brothers. In that regard, he was very similar to Tobias which truly wasn’t surprising as they did share a soul. Something uniquely theirs and something that held them apart from being the same kind of DragonBorn as their family. The bond between the chieftain and his dragon was in a way much stronger than that of their siblings and it wasn’t because they had a stronger love for one another. No, Tobias firmly believed that Zayne and Arwen loved their dragons just as much as he did. But Fenrir had literally dragged him back from deaths door, had offered a part of himself in exchange for his Human’s life. They shared more than just the typical DragonBorn bond and that was what made them the deadliest team to have been created. They were nearly unbeatable when they set their minds to it and focused on that task at hand. Right now, for Fenrir and also for Tobias, it was to take the white haired young Chieftain away from Azar and her Human.

 

Frowning in concern when Tristan almost lost his grip on Azar, the second near slip of the night, Tobias didn’t have a chance to reach out to secure the boy. No, Tristan managed to pull himself up easily enough but not before Tobias took note of a branch finding purchase on the young man’s body. It wasn’t surprising when Azar took notice nor was it surprising when the dragon brought them to a halt soon enough. Feeling Fenrir’s ever constant presence in his mind as the dragon came to a stop feet away from Azar, Tobias flickered his gaze to his companion before his gaze landed on the boy who struggled in the grip of his dragon. Slipping gracefully off Azar’s back the moment the female had set her human down, Tobias watched Tristan with a growing frown as Fenrir tasted the air and narrowed his eyes on the male, tail coming around to wrap itself around Tobias and pull him a bit closer to his side.

 

“What’s going on?” Arwen asked with a soft note of mild annoyance, not truly annoyed at Tristan but confused as to why they had come to a stop. It wasn’t long before Tanit was landing beside Fenrir to pluck his human off the white dragon’s back. Zayne and Volos soon touched down beside them, both sporting confused looks to each of their faces.

 

“It would appear that Tristan has managed to hurt himself. It wouldn’t be proper to continue the game with an open injury” Tobias responded calmly, tone not unkind and holding concern to it even if he didn’t openly approach the boy. Tristan was still weary of his brothers and himself and he truly didn’t want to overstep any boundaries the young male might have set up at the moment.

 

“How bad is it?” Zayne asked, hints of concern in his own voice as he eyed the still unfamiliar man amongst them. His eyes showed no malice, they simply matched the worry in his eyes.

 

“I do not know” Tobias answered, eyes never quite leaving Tristan from where the male stood with Azar’s tail around him. “Would you be opposed if I were to take a look? If it’s a small cut, we might be able to tend to it out here. If not, I might have to request you come to the village with us. I do not wish to cause you further discomfort, but I truly would not wish to turn a blind eye to an injury.....no matter how small it might be” the young Chieftain spoke, this time turning his words to Tristan even as he leaned ever so slightly into Fenrir, his dragon eyeing the pair with his own traces of concern.

[Joyabe]

The bigger their audience got, the more uncomfortable Tristan felt. Of course it wasn't an audience per se, but he felt like he could definitely do without the attention. He silently watched the exchange between the brothers as the eldest explained the situation, unconsciously drifting closer to Azar to find refuge in her non-existing shadow while they talked. He couldn't help the frown that settled into his features when he heard they wouldn't continue as long as he was injured. He was determined to learn as much and as fast as he could, and although it was quite an eventful night he didn't want things to come to a halt like that.

 

When Tobias asked if he would mind him checking his wound, a negative response was ready to leave his mouth. He didn't want to make a big deal of this, and more importantly, he didn't want to expose his bare back to the others. He knew the moment he would they would be able to see the road map of long cuts and scars, a souvenir from his last few months in captivity. He knew that in the best case scenario those would bring up a lot of questions he wasn't sure he was ready to answer, and in the worst case make them turn against him immediately. Tristan was extremely anxious about this option coming true- whether that would cause them to attack him or just demand that he would leave immediately. Actually, he wasn't sure which one of the two he thought was worse.

 

He would have turned down the offer immediately, had it not been for the other continuing his sentence. It seemed he was set on making sure he was okay, something he couldn't help but feel grateful for somewhere in the back of his mind, but at the moment it was mostly dominated by worry. And so, not being able to give him a straight out refusal, Tristan found himself saying nothing at all instead. The questions he was scared of coming up would probably arise anyway if he would refuse him. And more importantly, he had the sneaking suspicion Tobias would refuse to train him as long as he was injured, and by the feel of it the cut in his back would take a while to heal on its own.

 

What tipped the scale was the soft whimper that came from right next to him. Clearly, Azar was worried, and was convinced that he should have someone look at his injury. Although he was closed off in his own mind before, the moment she made that sound, he became instantly aware of the anxiousness she was feeling and the moment he did he wasn't able to just ignore it. And so, after what seemed to him like a small forever, Tristan gave out a small nod in return, not meeting the other's eyes as he did. He then proceeded to remove his own shirt and turn his back to the others, without getting any closer. Of course he knew there was no way anyone could properly assess his injury from this far away, but he hoped it would at least decrease the number of people seeing his incriminating back from up close. He also had the slight hope that in the dark it wouldn't look as severe, although he wasn't naive enough as to think it would make it completely undetectable.

He stood exceptionally still as he could feel Azar unwrapping her tail from around him to allow Tobias easier access. Clearly she was happy with his decision, but he wasn’t as enthusiastic. His hand gripped at the scales on her leg unconsciously as he stood there waiting. Never in his life has he ever felt this exposed and vulnerable. It's not like he haven't been in worse predicaments, but up until that point he was never the one to voluntarily place himself in such a position.