Phaedra was awoken by a loud, shrill shriek. Drearily, her eyes opened and she let out a low, gentle yawn before stretching.
A moment later the ship dropped a few feet and she let out a terrified bleat, flailing her arms around while her wool instinctively expanded. She quickly shrunk it back down so she could stand. At least she didn’t have to wait about waking up again. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to sleep for the next hour with all that adrenaline pumping through her veins.
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Yroth gave a light shrug before covering her head with the covers again, and soon a little smoke came out from under the edge.
Phaedra rolled her eyes. Dragons. She ran to the door, barely having her hand on the handle before the ship jumped again. She was going to be sick at this rate, she knew it. She yanked the door open and stepped outside, quickly closing it behind herself. “What’s going on out here?”
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Phaedra shook her head and walked to the edge of the ship, peering over the side to look down below. Fortunately, she could see rather well in the dark due to her demonic heritage. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see anyone down there. They were so high up she could only barely make out some trees. “Someone is launching rocks at us? Where are they?”
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Phaedra looked up in time to see something made of feathers and anger descend on her. She was barely able to lift her arms and extend her wool in a makeshift barrier before whatever it was slammed into her. She let out a startled shriek, which turned to a pained one a moment later when a savage beak plunged through her wool and clamped down on her right arm. The scent of her blood filled the air and the beak pulled back, trying to rip her arm from its socket.
She let out an agonized, vicious howl and her vision turned red. Her left arm shot out, gripping the massive bird’s neck. The roc seemed to be stunned, unmoving. She lunged her head forward and her teeth clamped down around the beak, digging in deep. She then rolled herself to the right, dragging the roc with her and slamming it down onto the deck with such force the ship shook. It let out a startled caw, flapping its wings and kicking out with its legs. She didn’t let go, feeling the beak crack under her jaws. She released its throat and lifted her left hand, the ends of her fingers shifting into vicious claws. She slashed down, gouging the claws deep into her prey’s head and blinding its right eye.
Her right arm was released when the roc let out an agonized, terrified cry. Her right hand plunged forward, digging under the feathers of the bird’s chest. She could feel it, her prey’s heart. Pounding. She could smell the creature’s fear when claws formed on her hand, readying to pierce through flesh and bone to tear out its heart.
A sudden flurry of feathers on her left was the only warning she had before something slammed into her. She was thrown off the bird, tumbling back before something long and sharp hit her in the face, sending her rolling back.
Phaedra dug her claws into the deck, her hooves growing into claws as well before digging all four into the wood to slow her skid. She narrowly came to a stop, her back left claw against the deck railing and having left deep gouges in the deck. She stood there on all fours for a moment, looking around wildly to see what hit her.
A second roc. The first scrambled to its talons and gracelessly flew off the side of the ship. The second was readying itself, head low, wings spread, eyeing her.
Phaedra let out a low growl before licking her lips. Blood. Not just the bird’s, but her own. She shook her head and the blood red of the world seemed to fade. Slowly she retracted her claws and her hands turned back to their softer, delicate form. She stood up and took a slow, deep breath. “Go,” she told the roc. “Bother my voyage again and you will die.”
She didn’t know if the roc understood her, but it at least seemed to understand she wasn’t intending to kill it. It flapped its wings and dove over the side of the ship.
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Xenaris stared at her for a few moments in bewilderment. “As… you wish?”
Phaedra just gave another sigh before walking into her room. Of course. She was willing to bet roc and rock didn’t sound anything alike in their language. She slammed the door behind herself before glancing towards the bed. “Yroth?”
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“This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
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Yroth just gave a soft sigh before shaking her head. “Did you truly believe you were a burden to us?”
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Yroth went entirely still for a few moments before pulling back. “That… isn’t why they didn’t aid you.”
Phaedra blinked a few times staring at her. “Wasn’t it, though? I mean… I wasn’t the hero they wanted, so--”
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Phaedra gulped and slowly shook her head. “N-no. Not really. I… I just thought… I thought they were being tortured or… who knew what? That they were suffering. That every day they were trapped was another day of… torment.”
Yroth gave a soft sigh before shaking her head. “No. Again, I suppose I should have been more clear. I never imagined so much would have been hidden from you. The Wolf is cunning. He’d know better than to do such a thing, especially considering the number of names he has taken. Even weakened by torture, escape would be a possibility. Getting a message out as well. As far as I know, none have ever escaped him.”
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Phaedra nodded before glancing towards her again. “Hey… Yroth?”
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Yroth went entirely still then and, for a few moments, she thought she had gone too far. However, when the dragon spoke again her voice was soft and gentle. “Yroth is… the name of an Ascended Dragon unlike many others of my kind. It is special. Possibly why you had never heard of it, even in your home, as it follows a unique path.”
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Yroth started laughing, covering her eyes and flapping her wings as her laughter shook her entire body. Phaedra just stood there and stared, her face burning. Finally, the dragon calmed enough to speak. “Y-y-you truly are a gullible creature, aren’t you? Such a mewling lamb. The form suits you, Morgana.”
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Phaedra glared at her. “You know, maybe I should have just kept you in chains.”
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To her surprise, Yroth was blushing as well. Even through her scales and in the dark the redness in her cheeks was apparent. She gave a sigh before laying back down, pulling the blanket over herself. “Go to sleep, little lamb. By morning we will likely reach the edges of my territory. You’d best be prepared for what may come.”
Phaedra hmphed before stomping back off to her corner. Her arm didn’t hurt anymore, at least. The amulet did its job well.
She just wished she could get her stomach to not twist into knots whenever Yroth said things like that. It felt so pathetic knowing she could be made so happy by such tiny, simple comments.
She still couldn’t stop herself from smiling, though. Yroth thought she was endearing and cute.