Throneview

Deciding to take the southern path to Talon's Roost, you turn at the fork in the path. Unlike the rest of the Chakaani, this side isn't a cliff or sheer drop, but nevertheless it's pretty steep. In spite of the twisting, rocky path that switchbacks on itself several times to make your going easier, you skid down the mountainside a few times, using scraggly trees or large rocks to slow and stop your descent. After a while, you've made a noticible drop in altitude, though you are still high in the mountains. Taking a break on a smooth, wind-worn rock shaped like a throne, you look out at the starlit view.

Dark shapes are most of what you can see from here, as the moonless sky provides little illumination, but what you can easily see are lights. Straight ahead in the small valley formed by the curve of the mountains is a half-cirle of lights, tiny as pinpricks, that seem to surround something. Far to the southeast is a much larger, much brighter light; this must be a city of some sort. The rest of the dark landscape is difficult to pick out. There might be some meadows ahead of you, and some forest off to the right, but it's hard to tell -

"That is not your seat, huma. I'd get up, were I you."

Surprised, you stand and whirl to see a blue creature perched on a larger boulder, positioned so that he could pounce on you if he wished. The creature seems male, and perhaps a dragon, though no wings sprout from his strong shoulders; his hindlegs are powerful and lean, giving the impression that this is a two-legger dragon, and have short but sharp claws. His forearms clasp the rock for balance, the claws longer and wickedly curved, while a long balancing tail curls around him. Back eyes watch you with a tilted head, and the one horn you can see is long and black. The other horn is hidden in a mess of grey-specked mane like tarnished silver, that starts above his eyes and extends down his neck and back to end at the beginning of his tail. He's not the largest dragon you've ever seen at around thirty feet, but then again, thirty feet is nothing to sniff at, either....
"That's better," says the dragon, smirking. The sharp fangs gleaming from his muzzle ruin the effect somewhat. "That seat is only for the ruler of the realm. And you do not look like the Dragontamer."
He moves forward sinuously, incredibly graceful for a creature not meant to walk on four legs. Then he stands, balancing himself, with his head high above you and his foreclaws right in front of you.
"Maybe I should take my meal now," he muses. "Throneview is my protectorate, after all.... I would be within my rights."
Uh-oh.... you could be in real trouble here. You stammer out that you're just a weary traveler who wanted to sit for a few minutes, and that you'll just be on your way....
"I don't think so." The dragon grins wide and moves forward again, forcing you to back up. "I think I'm too hungry to let you get off so easily -"
"Oh, come off it, Aoryu!" calls a new voice from behind you, further down the path next to the rock throne. "Everyone knows you wouldn't hurt a fly!"

The creature that appears on the path is difficult to discern at first - it seems just a dark shadow - but as a glowball bobs into existence alongside it you get a clear view. It's another male creature, this one a feline-equine looking one, with the strangest coat and wings you've ever seen: cobalt blue and blood red, mottled and clouded together, becoming purple in places and either parent colour in others. His eyes are dark green like old-growth leaves, with metallic gold hooves and horns curling from behind his furry pink ears; his volouminous mane is darkly shiny, like blackened chrome, and the magelight's illumination turns it a shade of dark grey. Aoryu, which seems to be the tall creature who only a moment before was threatening to eat you, looks down at him, almost pouting.
"You always ruin my fun, Kii."
"Didn't the Dragontamer tell you not to frighten travelers like that?" the creature, apparently Kii, chides. "The last one nearly broke her neck tumbling down the path!"
"She lived!" Aoryu shoots back in his defense.
"She was lucky. Stop."
Aoryu slinks back to his rock perch as Kii approaches, the dragon pouting. Kii look apologetic.
"Throneview doesn't get many travelers.... so Aoryu terrorizes them whenever he can. I'm here to make sure that nobody else gets hurt."
He nods to the circle of lights below.
"That's one of the entrances to the Roost, and the closest one from here," he says, then he nudges the pale glowball. It bobs over to you, floating a few inches above your shoulder. "This is a mage-light, or glowball, as we call them. There's little light in the Roost - the dragons that make it home can see just fine in the dark - so you'll need it more than I. As for me... I'm off to check for any more distressed travelers." He smirks at you, then Aoryu. Aoryu looks up at the sky, face innocent.

Kii is off down the path, and Aoryu watches. So, what now, hmm? Continue south towards Talon's Roost, or try to find another path? Or, you could just go back to Dragonsteeth Ridge.... though heaven knows what you'll find there. It's getting late.

Name	Aoryu	Kii
Gender	Male	Stallion
Sire	Wild	Touketsu
Dam	Wild	Namarra
Birth Pri~erd		Night's Reflection
Mate/Pri~erd	None	None
Type	Whorling, Draconic	Leagus
Origin	The Everrealm