Make a Joyful Noise

[ωΘĿƒ]

The sound of the leaves as they shifted beneath the bright sun made the forest alive with noise. Birds sung, squirrels chirped, he was sure the centaurs were out somewhere, playing as he was in this softly shaded forest.

Le Cyll wondered how many squirrels he could swallow live before he got too full to finish one. His record was ten, but that had been a good squirrel hunting day. He would only be so lucky today.

Still, the day was turning out to be a fine one. Not every day did he feel the need to take a stroll in the forest. And the forest he so missed was his home, in French Canadia. The forests there were so beautiful, so alive with color and sound and crackling ice sliding off the fresh new leaves of spring. He remembered his time playing in the ice cold streams, the water so strong that it could drag him to his death if he was not careful.

But he was careful. Very careful. He had never been dragged through that ice cold water before, only swam in its crystal clear lakes. He had caught fish, and he had practiced his first vivisections on the bright, shimmering bodies of the salmon during their spawning season.

Ah, what good memories. They almost didn't bring up pieces of his bad ones. Almost, but not quite. There was still that burning sensation when he thought of his father's wrath, of his mother's sickly body, lying there in the snow while he wondered why she would not move.

He did detest memories, even the good ones. They always brought the bad ones back, and he did not like the bad memories. They woke up that voice in his head.

He heard it whispering now...

Romping playfully through the trees, his wings helping him glide gracefully along and just barely touching the trunks covered in bark, he glided to an abrupt halt.

There was someone else in the forest.

He stood his ground, steadfastly, wings sliding closed and tucking neatly into the curve of his back. He did not appreciate company. Not when he was in such a good mood.

His head tipped to the side, he waited and watched for the approaching creature.
[/size]

[Oren]

Kendryek pushed back his emotions. This is all for her, he told himself. Chasity was going to be alright. He had smelt her attraction to Whisper the second he had stepped into the clearing. It was good that he was letting her go. Worldly attachments were never good for an eternal creature like himself. They would bring happiness for a short time, or at least what seemed like a short time, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't fully enjoy himself anymore. The harsh pain from his first mate's death still left a subtle pain in his chest. He really needed to get over this. He had even thought of Whisper as worse off than himself because he still called his first love back to this world. Kendryek couldn't imagine doing that. It would be too painful. Not to mention that it was quite impossible.

Like he always did, he allowed himself to go back, way back, to the time when he and his first love first met. He could feel the love that radiated from her when she had fist kissed him. He remembered the passion that they had shared for the lost and dying world around them. This was life. No, it had been life. It wasn't now.

A small noise, one that was softer than any other noise around him, caught his attention. He stopped on a large tree branch. This was odd. Why did such a small sound interrupt his thoughts? Closing his eyes to concentrate on the air, he inhaled deeply. A kludde? Yes. That was it. It was near too. Maybe it was the scent and the sound combined that tore him from his thoughts? He would probably never know.

Glancing around quickly to make sure the kludde wasn't too close, he continued cautiously. It might not be good to get into a fight with a creature like that when he couldn't shed his skin.

There! It was a well built creature that seemed sure of itself. That was typically good. The creature looked at him. It was a he, Kendryek was sure of that, and 'he' was very perceptive. There was something about this creature that set off a small warning in his mind. That also tended to be a good thing. Well, as long as it was Kendryek dealing with the person it was. Jumping from the treetop he bowed politely. Perhaps this kludde would understand the meaning although he most likely wasn't from Japan?

[ωΘĿƒ]

The creature smelled of the reptilian type. Dragon. He'd heard of dragons. He'd heard of many creatures, but being so secluded for so long, the Kludde couldn't help but carry a bit of naivety with him into this strange new place. He was still uneasy of these things - these monsters just like him but at the same time so different. They were the enemy - an opposing force to be crushed underfoot, and he had been denying that instinct in himself as long as he had been here.

Apparently it wasn't nice to inflict grievous wounds on those he considered inferior. How sad.

The dragon bowed before him, in his human form exposing a clean line of sight through his short black hair straight to the back of his spinal column. That was a little better, the Kludde had to admit. A sign of greatest subservience was the showing of a weak part of the body. It was the first and foremost law of nature that once a weak point is shown willingly, there will be no question of dominance. All credit goes to the creature that remains impervious to weakness.

Le Cyll's long wolf mouth smiled at this. He liked the way this strange new creature greeted himself. It was respectful. It was appropriate. It was an attest to his appeal to peace, and Le Cyll accepted it wordlessly.

He felt his muscles loosen up as he tipped his head to the opposite side. He could not speak in his wolf form, but he could use his mindspeak, and he did so to make the first move in this conversation.

"Good morning. And what brings you to the wilderness on this most perfect of days, hmm?"[/i]

He did not bother with asking a name. If this creature had any common courtesy, he would offer it up. If he did not, well then that would tip the scales of his wonderful day rating, now wouldn't it?

The most perfect of days cannot be had if you encounter a rude individual.
[/color][/size]

[Oren]

Kendryek smiled at the kludde and said, "Sorrowful tales that need not be shared between strangers." By the mannerisms of this creature and the way he sounded in mind-speak told a lot about him. he was definitely confident like Kendryek had first thought, and he seemed to think very lowly of others. This sparked an idea in his mind. How stupid was this creature? How long could Kendryek play him? How long could he have this creature convinced that he was lower than him? Knowing full well what mythical creatures usually took his polite bows for, he bowed again, but not as low, and introduced himself for only the second time at this academy. "I am Kendryek. And you, Senpai, are...?"

Playing the part perfectly well, the role of a younger classmate, he smiled childishly and curiously. Kendryek relished the naivety that he conjured. This could be fun. This was also another small flaw he still carried from his youth, but that was not fixable. Messing with people could bring such joy. Though, he thought ruefully, once in a hundred years is usually enough.

Speaking of messing with people, when would he show up here? Many came here for education, especially when they are young. There was no doubt in Kendryek's mind that he would come. 'When?' was the only question.

Well, enough about little bothers like that. Back to this kludde and his current plan to raise up to 'first place' then smash to the tiny pieces of 'last place'. Kendryek didn't bother trying to correct the error in the plan. It wasn't like him to do such a horrible thing to someone, but, wait. This was also apart of the routine.

[ωΘĿƒ]

The Kludde's ears shot forward at the mention of a name. Kendryek, was it? Interesting name, though he couldn't quite place the nationality. This creature, on the other hand - this boy was obviously Japanese. It showed in his countenance, it lingered on his mannerisms. It even appeared, quite slightly, in the sound of his voice. All native tongues leave their scars on additionally learned languages, and although this one seemed to have something of a head on his shoulders for words, he could not hide the subtle tells of his true self.

It was then that Le Cyll remembered why the Japanese bow. Not out of any form of submission, but more as a cultural trait. This Kendryek was being polite, not recessive.

Well, it wasn't as pleasant a thought, but there was still something to it. This bowing meant Kendryek was polite, and the niceties of civility were very rarely lost on the educated Kludde. He had read so much of the civilized world, and when he had tore himself away from those books, he came out into a very.... unpleasant reality. He had decided, after long thought on the matter, that if he must choose over tearing a weaker wolf apart over a scrap of meat and asking politely for someone to pass the salad, he would choose the latter. Call him crazy, but it was the wolf that learned manners he aspired to be.

So saying, this Kendryek was not so far lowered in his eyes. There was still some merit, and though he did seem a rather naive individual, he was still devastatingly polite. There were very few like that left in the world, it seemed. Le Cyll would take full advantage of this opportunity.

"Le Cyll." He paused only slightly in consideration of the "senapai" - the formal way to address someone - then returned it with a little native formality of his own. "Monsieur, sorrow, you say? There can be no sorrow for me. Not today. I come to this place in joy, not desolation."[/i]

There was something tickling at the back of his head. Something prickled the hair at the base of his skull, and he heard that little whisper speak to him in its softest tones. It wanted to tell him something, he knew, but he paid it no mind. Today would be a good day, and whenever this thing spoke, it brought on him misery. It wanted to warn him of something - something immediately around him, but he ignored it.

He did not want to sink any lower yet. Not yet. He wanted to be happy today. It was so rare. Nothing would give him reason to pay attention to this loathsome warning.
[/color][/size]

[Oren]

Kendryek could sense the change in the atmosphere, the change in Le Cyll's thinking. Maybe he did understand the fine qualities of the Japanese way? That could be good, though it meant there was no longer any one to mess with. But that... that could also be a good thing. It would be another interruption in the endless cycle that devastated his life. It would be one more thing about Chasity that he could cherish. It would be something that changed because of her. Well, not so much because of her but when it was her.

He placed his attention back on Le Cyll. A few thoughts ticked through his mind in a matter of seconds. What was this person really like? What was he hiding? What pain had he been through? What was his reason for being here at the academy? Could Kendryek help? It was odd, really, that he went from wanting to crush this creature one second and then help the next. But then again, he didn't quite enjoy crushing people as much as he relished helping them. When he helped someone, there was that happiness that they would have. They would be happy because they knew that someone cared. They knew that someone didn't want to see them hurt. They were shown love, maybe for the first time in a long while, and they were often times confused. Yet Kendryek would always be there for them when they wanted answers. He would give them his best shot. The only times his past emotions emerged, those sickening desires to crush and kill and leave bare and forgotten and unwanted, was when he broke up with someone.

It must be the Lord's will, Kendryek thought. It is another sign, quite similar to the bright sun. It was good that Le Cyll was the first one Kendryek had run into. Otherwise, there could have been some blood spilled for no reason. That would have put even more misery into one day.

Though, Le Cyll seemed to be enjoying himself, and Kendryek wasn't the only person that mattered, so he would try his best to not dampen his spirits. He seemed like the kind of guy that didn't get this way often, so it was best to let him have his fun.

Something buzzed through Kendryek's mind. Maybe they could be friends? Not best friends, heck no, and maybe not even good friends, but just... friends. This was the first time in almost three hundred years that Kendryek had thought that simple-yet-oh-so-complicated friendship could be accomplished. But what would it take for this creature to open up? A lot of work, that was for sure!

Deciding to give it a shot, Kendryek sat cross-legged in front of the kludde. "So, Le Cyll, what is your idea of fun? If you don't incredibly mind, I think I might join you."

[ωΘĿƒ]

The Kludde, born to wolfish tendencies as many winged wolves are, had the first reaction of leaning back on his haunches and splaying his long, delicate forelegs out in front of him, clawed toes spreading out over the crushed autumn leaves. Fun? What was fun? No one had asked him that before, and his natural response was to stare at the boy with his head tipped to the side and his luminous gray eyes searching.

What was fun... to him? It was a thoughtful question, and one not posed and therefore in need of acceptance as an offering of sociality, but one best not answered unless in careful consideration.

Fun was power. Fun was absolute authority. Fun was finding someone with something he liked and taking it away from them in the most excruciating way possible; and many had things that he liked. He liked money. He liked beautiful works of art. He liked the livid life of something, and he liked the tasty section of flesh right around the stomach area.

Fun was a slab of steel and vials of acid. Fun was a cauterized knife just barely glowing from the flame, and fun was that funny little way people seemed to think that fun could not happen to them anytime in their life.

Fun was quite frankly... fun. It was not a wonder he hadn't been having a good time at this place. He hadn't done one fun thing yet. It was sad, really. There were people here that so needed a little fun. They were boring, and he could make them interesting with just an hour and a little lab time. He could make them so fascinating with so little effort, it should be a crime.

Ah well... it sort of was... but he didn't bother worrying about that. It was so depressing a topic, and he did not like to be depressed.

But from that digression, what was fun? Nothing this boy was interested in. He actually looked the romantic type. Le Cyll took a little sniff, and he could smell a sort of lingering pain in the boy's scent. Something bad had happened recently, and Le Cyll was willing to bet it was out of some form of love.

To wager a guess, the boy wanted an answer somewhere along the lines of his second choice of fun. The more benign kind of fun. He liked waterfalls, and he liked to gallop along through the forest until his lungs burned and he was smiling. He liked to watch the birds flit from one tree to the next, and he liked to see the fish as they glittered swimming through the water.

Yes that was fun too, he guessed. He decided to go with that option.


"Have you ever seen a phoenix before?"[/i] The Kludde asked, patiently. "There are some in these woods. They are quite the sight if you do see them. They burn little holes in the trees as they fly, and they leave burning cinders wherever they go. I was attempting to find one when we met. If you don't mind the traveling, you may join in my quest."[/i]

He nearly chuckled at his own little joke. Phoenixes were fun, but he'd much rather be hunting. Ah well, such is life. He would hunt later, after the moon came up.

[/color][/size]

[Oren]

Le Cyll thought a moment. Evidently, he wasn't asked to be accompanied by many people, especially when it came to fun. He seemed the type that would easily enjoy hurting someone. With slight sting, Kendryek remembered what he himself had been planning to do to Le Cyll if he really was that ignorant. That was probably also the only reason he could recognize the wild look in Le Cyll's eyes as the kludde thought: he had been that way once. His favorite thing had been to hunt down some unsuspecting prey that would squeal in immense fright as he swooped down from the sky to grasp their life away. The thrill of the 'fight' is what had kept him going during his youth. For almost eighty years he had terrorized cities and then disappeared without a trace, leaving them in fear and dreaded expectation and the torture of not knowing when he would strike again.

That reminded him of one such venture he'd had, once before. He had decided to appall the citizens of the city, so he had donned his skin and walked in as a stranger who had been attacked by the silver dragon on the road (himself) and was the only survivor. Of course, the two foot gash on his back and the multiple scratches and bruises, all self inflicted of course, were enough to convince the people that he had made a narrow escape. But this was the first time someone had 'lived through' one of his raids, so he was the town hero. Even the older men were happy to have him.

That being said, the whole town had bolstered his confidence and quite a few men even promised their older daughters to him if he could kill 'the dragon', himself. He had accepted, of course, because he knew that he would simply not return. They would either think him a coward or eaten. Though, the people of the town had been simple, so most likely the latter, which, in fact, was the desired effect.

In time he had been forced to stop his raids, for one warrior came through the town that had killed a dragon or two and was convinced that he could kill Kendryek too. Well, that had been a mistake on the warrior's part. Kendryek had donned his skin and doubled about to where he approached the warrior from behind so he could seem a youth from the village so he could kill him later on.

Kendryek almost shivered at his own cruelty. They had always been ingenious plans, but then he had met his love, and she was a gentle heart and wouldn't let him continue in his morbid practices.

Le Cyll answered Kendryek's question. It was a nice offer since the kludde most likely wanted to hunt something if he were to do an event with another creature. Kendryek inhaled deeply then exhaled before answering. He allowed a small glint into his eyes.

"Just... find? You only wish to find one? How long, young man, has it been since you hunted one? I must say, they are incredibly fun to watch... whether you are hunting them or simply scaring them half to death." Kendryek chuckled lightly at his own words. They were true, of course, and it had been a good long while since he himself had taken a mythical creature for a meal. This could prove fun, especially if their kill was big enough for both... though there was nothing that promised that Le Cyll would want to share if he was the one that made the final gash.

He would find out, now wouldn't he?


(OOC: Kendyrek's name is Anglo Saxon, since you were wondering. Its an varrient of Kendrick.)

[ωΘĿƒ]

At that moment in time, Le Cyll noticed several things. He noticed the mention of "young" man, implying that this at first foolish young boy was not actually that. He was much older than that. Much older...

Second, he noticed the endearing, almost accepting way with which the boy offered a more violent tactic on the supposed phoenix, almost as if he himself had attempted - neigh - been intimately familiar with the forms of violent tenancies reserved only for those who enjoyed the thrill of the hunt...

And third, he noticed the near excitement with which this boy offered to slay the phoenix, as if he implied that Le Cyll need more than to simply see the magnificent blazing bird fluttering through the forest.

Two of these reactions brought intense suspicion and paranoia to the Kludde's immediate attention. The twin feelings boiled inside him, riling together and causing a long, low growl to escape from the lengthened snout of the Kludde. The third reaction brought something much more though. It brought to him an utter disgust.

"You want me to kill it?"[/i]

The polite, aloof inattention in his voice had blunted into a tense outrage.

"You want me to kill a bird? For what? Its meat? Its pretty feathers? Or do you just think I want to see it dead to amuse me? Make me happy?"[/i]

How revolting.... how revolting this thought - to kill something with the power of flight and the passion of weightlessness. The thought itself was much akin to the thought of him covered in trash, slimy and filthy and making him terribly dirty. It was a travesty, this thought. He was enraged by the very utterance of it! Him, kill a winged creature. Him, destroy something that had the power of flight. What a joke. What a bad, lousy joke.

His wings fluttered slightly, then pulled tightly into the line of his back, making them disappear from sight save for a few black feathers that adorned the base of his wolfish tail. This thing... this boy he met now with... what did he want? What was his purpose now? It was obvious there was something more than simple talk going on - that much had been obvious from the start - but now that he saw the extent of this speech, he had to wonder what exactly there was for this creature to earn through his connection to the Kludde.

Did he want vengeance for this apparent pain he had suffered? Was he out for blood, only in a daylight setting as the Kludde would have preferred the night? Did he want to hunt? He was dragon, but was there that need to kill something that drove him? Or was he simply seeking power - through physical or psychological means - over whatever soft headed weakling he could find?

He did look the part. This "boy" was most likely ages older than him - possibly centuries. There was no way to tell, nor any way to know for sure the intention. This, as you can imagine, made Le Cyll horribly disadvantaged. He needed to know, and if he did not know, he did not have a hold on the situation.

What chaos brought forth could happen then if he did not control it?

"What do you want of me...?"[/i] Was the only question of his many he could ask. It was a simple one, and one that could solve many another question if answered properly.

It all depended now, what would the answer be?
[/color][/size]

[Oren]

Kendryek could see a few light bulbs turning on inside Le Cyll's head. That made him wonder what he had said that would cause the kludde to pause. Oh! So that was it! Or at least it was one of the things. Once again, he had used the phrase 'young' without even realizing it. When Le Cyll spoke, he realized the other. This creature held respect and awe to those that had the same abilities as him. How... informing. Now he knew that he was young. Too young, at least, to realize that all creatures with intellect, no matter how small or large, were equal. But that was something not many would realize, even if they lived a few hundred years.

"Kill? Hm... I never really said anything about killing it... but I guess the word 'hunt' does imply kill. And even if I expected you to kill it, I wouldn't be so sure what for. Everyone has their differences, yes, yes, they do..." Kendryek stopped talking when he realized that he had switched to talking to himself. "Oh my, you must forgive an old man. Silly me, rambling on and on," he chuckled, though he didn't realize that he hadn't really said that much.

He thought a moment as Le Cyll posed his next question. Kendryek furrowed his eyebrows. What did he want of him? Now that was an odd question. Why would he ask that? Then he remembered that he typically did have a good reason for meeting someone, for talking to them. This time, it was simply coincidence that they were speaking. That too was odd.

There must be something wrong with the school, Kendryek thought. His reasons for thinking this was that everyone he had met so far had grabbed his attention outside of his usual plots. It was uncharacteristic of him. Then again, maybe he was just not used to running into people that were curious about who he was. Then there was the fact that he didn't usually run into people that interested him to the point that he would simply enjoy talking to them with no background thinking.

He figured Le Cyll wanted him to answer this last question promptly, so he spoke. "Well, now that you mention it, you might be a good ally if ever the school was to have a civil war, unless..." He caught himself this time. "That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you think that I'm up to something, when, in fact, I am not. Now, that might sound suspicious to you, but I'm telling the truth."

Kendryek realized that he was still unexplained about the Phoenix thing, and with someone like Le Cyll he deemed it a good idea to explain himself fully. "About the Phoenix, I was simply suggesting a good hunt as it seems you are the type that truly enjoys a good kill, but maybe I was wrong. Also, it's been a while since I've been allowed to hunt at will. Girlfriends are always so bothersome about that. But, I can see you have a respect for those with wings, so might you pardon me for mentioning killing one?"

Now that seemed a suffice answer. Kendryek never gave answers to questions he didn't see fit to answer, but every now and again he would encounter a question that he felt the need to elaborate on. This was one of those times. He hoped Le Cyll didn't mind his prattling.

[ωΘĿƒ]

The Kudde could only hold back a bitter laughter as the dragon backpeddled in an attempt to explain himself. It was very odd - very odd that someone would want to be this nice to someone else. He had never quite understood the concept himself. Why be nice? Why be apologetic in the face of anger or mockery or scorn? What was there to gain from it? What was there to benefit you? Sure, the formal greetings and niceties of politeness were not to far a stretch to make. You did not want to make enemies wherever you went. but what of this intense need to make things right and find good terms with another individual? What was that? Was it a social inclination? Did people enjoy this companionship of two? Did they sleep better at night because they knew there was someone out there that they could trust and befriend?

It sounded all nice, yes, but the practice of actually carrying out something so complex as a friendship - or any other sort of relationship - in actuality as opposed to as a study was absurd. Why? What was the point?

Again, he felt confronted with questions that it seemed the wasn't able to answer, and it infuriated him. Why must people be so confusing? Why must there be this love and this need for the attention of another? If people acted on their immediate and long term needs instead of their pitiful little emotions, how much more easy and understandable life might be.

Yet, that was the most fascinating thing about people. They did want to be complicated and idiotic in the search for companionship. They did want to find love and friends and a family for themselves. It was the most lunatic thing he'd ever heard of, but people wanted it.

Why - was the question - did this Kendryek want one with him? Obviously he was not fooled by the niceties, and obviously he was not an idiot like so many others were. So why? No one liked the creature that would take advantage of them and use them in a moment. Sure, they thougth they did. They thought they could "help" or make something "better" but what did they ever really do? Give off some hope, some devotion, some affection for him to play with until he was bored and either ate them or killed them for sport. Sure, people thought they could help, but they never really got it until they were dying. They weren't "helping" anything but his insatiable need to destroy things.

Which, by the way, was not a bad thing. He did not mind fools with a messiah complex and spare time enough to be doting. They were the very definition of fun.

Kendyrek on the other hand was not like that. At least, not to the immediate senses. There were only two kinds of sentient things in the world by his definition - those weaker, and those stronger. The weaker had no power over him, therefore he had full reign to do what he wanted to them. By the same token though, the stronger had every right to enforce their will on him. That... did not turn out well for him. He had enough understanding of the power of things stronger, and he had decided that he did not like any of them.

His father had been stronger than him. He did not like his father. His mother had been stronger. She had left him. This thing that demanded flesh was stronger than him. It sent him out on tyrannous errands of destruction. See? All stronger, and all brought forth pain. It was enough evidence to conclude that things of greater power could bring pain, and he did not like pain.

He liked to be happy. He had been happy before this encounter. Now he did not want to speak to something that could inflict pain if it wished.

But... this thing that could inflict pain wanted something. It wanted to form a connection... Why?

Le Cyll came to the conclusion that it did not matter why. For some incomprehensible reason, Kendryek wanted to be nice. This meant that he most likely would not cause any form of pain. This was good, but it still made the fur around the scruff of his neck rise. It did not make sense, and yet it did...

Le Cyll leaned to center his weight properly, standing squarely on all four legs now.

"I'll forgive you."[/i]

He then started off to look for the phoenix, snout raised to find the scent again.

The was still something he could do about this, but he had to verify a few things first...
[/color][/size]

[Oren]

Kendryek could see the puzzled look in Le Cyll's eyes. He was confusing to the young man. This was good. It meant that he would probably ask more questions than he typically would. It meant that he would most likely be at least somewhat interested in what Kendryek’s ‘true’ meanings were, which, oddly enough, he hadn’t really thought about till now. Although Le Cyll probably didn’t realize it, if Kendryek wasn’t plotting during a conversation, it was best not to mention anything related to it because he would not remember otherwise. But, the kludde had mentioned it, so now his brain was working overtime. He even had a few reasons already to befriend this new acquaintance.
Kendryek raised his eyebrows at what Le Cyll had said. He would ‘forgive’ him? Well, he supposed the two words, in reality, were pretty much the same, but in his mind, they weren’t. Almost no word was. The way someone said something always showed what they really meant. Even the words ‘yes’ and ‘yep’ had slightly different meanings. ‘Yes’ was typically used as a more polite form when talking to someone older or when explaining some topic that was more… in depth than the typical genre. ‘Yep’ would be a word more used between friends when talking about some random thing that happened in, say, science class, or if they were slightly bored with what was happening around. He was tempted to correct Le Cyll, as ‘forgive’ implied excusing some wrong doing while ‘pardon’ implied that one did not know offense would be taken and was more of a ‘forget I said that’ word than an ‘oh, I’m sorry’ word.

Who was to know his mind, though, that they would recognize the difference?

Well, no one. No one ever truly understood how his mind worked, and no one ever had, but he was fine with that. In fact, he relished the thought. The reality of knowing, without once speck of a shadow of a doubt, that he would never be understood by any being that currently walked the earth was strangely comforting. It gave him security. Part of that security was in knowing that any intruder would most likely be very confused with his thoughts and decide to leave before they were overwhelmed with the many new ideas and concepts that dwelled there. Another part was that he could always claim to be the most different from everyone else, but that was simply preference and in no way was a necessity. Weirdness had been so commonplace amongst his clan that when he was growing up it was a good thing to show just how different you were. He had never really broken out of the routine, and he didn’t care. There was nothing wrong with being different, it just meant sometimes being lonelier than one would like. It also meant that you could get along with almost anyone.

He wondered if that ‘almost anyone’ included Le Cyll. It most likely would, but he would be treading on a very thin line unless he could get a hold of even a small patch of common ground: something they shared interest in and enjoyed doing together. Now THAT would be an obstacle. Le Cyll seemed the type that didn’t like companionship or at least hadn’t experienced it enough to know its benefits. That was just one more reason on the relatively large list of reasons to attempt a friendship with him.

Kendryek smiled to himself as Le Cyll turned and started testing the air. Looking for the Phoenix, Kendryek thought. He would leave the man alone… at least for right now. He’d come back to him, for sure. A voice whispered something into his mind and he looked up at the almost covered sky. Really? he asked the voice. The reply was still a whisper, but it was a decisive whisper. He sighed inwardly. Ok. Now he had no choice in the matter. Ok, he did have a choice, but the consequences were too great if he didn’t listen.

A thought started to stir in his brain. If he helped this creature find the Phoenix just for the heck of finding it, and helped him with some other things, maybe he would realize that Kendryek really didn’t want something from him… no, he wasn’t that type of creature. Still, it was a place to start.

Knowing that his next statement would most definitely arouse suspicion and, even more so, curiosity, Kendryek hesitated a moment. Only a moment, however.

“Le Cyll, can you carry me into the clouds, drop me, and then catch me, all with no forewarning, just in-the-moment signals?”

[ωΘĿƒ]

There was a slight second of pure confusion in the Kludde's delicately aligned facial features. Even as a wolf, he must keep an appropriate mask. Even in his true form he needed to be calm and not as he naturally would be. This though, this was something else.

Drop him....? Why? For what reason? Was there really a reason, or was this some fort of game?

And more importantly, if it was a game, was Le Cyll winning it?

For a second, he was frozen in indecisive chaos. Then, very carefully, he composed himself.

"Yes, yes I think I could do that..."[/i]

What was this? Was it a test? Did he pass or fail depending on if he stood up to the rules of trust or not? He knew this creature had wings. He was a dragon. He also knew that one of the funniest ways of killing something was dropping it from a very tall height. The end result was... all pretty and splattered. It was like an elegant design if you did it just right.

But that was not what Kendryek wanted here. He was sure he did not want to be splattered all over the forest floor. This was something slightly different, and until he could figure out what, he did not want to make any mistakes. Dropping the seemingly frail boy would be a mistake. Dragons could get... big, and he did not do well with big things. He had better play along with whatever this dragon wanted, just for now.
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[Oren]

Kendryek didn't even try to hide the excitement dancing in his eyes at this new development. If Le Cyll was willing to trust him, which wasn't too very likely but possible all the same, he might just be able to be himself for the first time in ages. He almost chuckled at the immensely confused face that the kludde displayed but decided that it would be a bad idea. Le Cyll was a creature that rarely showed emotions that he didn't want to, and confusion was definitely on his list. The amount of turmoil and confusion in his head did not need to have 'anger' added to the list. No, certainly not! That could prove fatal... well, for Le Cyll maybe.

Kendryek suppressed his urge to move. He would need a quite a bit of strength if this was actually going to ensue. Finally! Le Cyll answered! Adrenaline raced throughout his body making it almost impossible to stand still. This was good. Le Cyll was somewhat willing to participate. This was very good. If everything went according to plan, they would find the Phoenix in no time.

"Good!" He said, very decisive and sure of himself. He started to pace back in forth, his mind moving ten times faster than his feet. He ran through the scenario that he had conjured as many times as he could while he talked. He could almost hear the wind whipping past his ears, caressing his body. His mind dived into past memories of free-falling, plunging toward the earth with his heart almost bursting with the excitement of it all, spreading his wings just in time so that his claws brushed the tips of the trees or rocks or grass, whichever was below him. Good times, good times. This would be similar, and he was really looking forward to it! The only difference was that this time he had a job to do... and possibly a small creature to look after.

Just then, a thought occurred to Kendryek. He hadn't realized before now that Le Cyll might not understand that this was about the Phoenix. Oh well. He'd find out, now wouldn't he?

"If you are willing, I need you to carry me as high as you can then release me. It would be safest for you if you latched onto my back and switched to your human form. That way we could be sure that you were out of harms way. It will only be that way for a little unless you prefer hunting in the air versus land. If you like land better, I will change back to this form and you will have to catch me before returning us to the ground." He stopped and looked at the wolf, eyebrows raised as an indication to either reject the idea now or forever hold his peace.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Going over these rushed words with some trouble, Le Cyll could only nod docilely in confusion. He did not know exactly what was going to happen. Nor, did he think, he wanted to know. The only important information he knew and that satisfied him was the knowledge that whatever they were doing, they were doing it in the air.

Le Cyll had wings. Le Cyll could also fly very, very well. He did not care much what this dragon had planned. He would make sure to be ready for it, an if anything should happen, he would be ready to fly out of harms way.

That was all he needed to quiet the sense of self-preservation he had. Anything else he would attend to as needed.

Doing as instructed, Le Cyll crouched slightly to let Kendryek get on. He was just a wolf, and therefore not as tall as the full grown human form, but he was much larger an animal than any normal wolf, and that meant the very top if his head easily reached to Kendryek's shoulder height. Now flicking his ears back and staring at the sky blotted out through the branches, Le Cyll could only wonder exactly what this plan would accomplish.

He did not have much faith or trust in things he did not know, but he did know this boy couldn't possibly shift fast enough to do anything drastic. Not if he was in his right mind, at least.

No one would ever be crazy enough shift in the air, would they..?
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