the r a v e n

it is the hour of departure, oh abandoned one!

It was never hard for him to find minerals. They sang to him.

Their sweet sopranos were hard to resist, but today was not a day that he would attempt to delay their meeting. His shadowy, snaky green-black form slithered through the trees, slowly winding himself closer and closer to where the jewels lay. They called for him, each note they sang more beautiful than the last. His talons sifted through the dirt, at once longing to travel faster- to take flight and be there immediately, and wishing to slow down, to preserve the sweet ache that bloomed in his breast when they called to him. His tail swished back and forth with anticipation as he drew nearer and nearer and their high, clear voices grew louder and louder—

--and then he was with them, sliding luxuriously into the gravelly patch where they hide. Their voices dulled in a manner of shyness that was most becoming- but then he trilled a longing reply to the song they had sung to them and in response they lit themselves brilliantly, flashing lovely rainbows of blue and greens and yellows across his skin. With the minerals pressed against him, he felt revived. The Crow rolled amongst like a wanting lover, trembling under their touch. With a discerning claw he picked up the smallest, brightest mineral to be found, and popped it into his gaping jaws before rolling it around in his mouth.

Then there was a sound- a crackle from the woods, and in seconds the lounging, kingly beast that had lain in repose was a fearsome creature, all tooth and claw and horn. He rose on his hind legs, battered bat-wings outstretched to show his size. That large tail of his snaked from side to side as he spoke through bared teeth with a deep, velveteen voice that did not seem to match his appearance.

come out to play, come out to play! didn't your mummy teach you manners? it's unforgivably rude to trespass uninvited.

The 77' long 523 year old green dragon was in search of those vital minerals today. He was being drawn to the forest and at first he just circled up in the sky looking down at the tree's. HE could born them down but then he may kill othe rcreatures that they needed to eat. So he knew what he would have to do and he easily tucked his wings and spiraled down into the tree's.

He kept them tucked till the last moment and then untucked them and hovered before landing. After landing he stopped as he heard something big rolling around. Steam issued from his mouth as he stared in the direction. He moved slowly toward it and then heard the words. His eyes narrowed as he came out into the small clearing . Watch yah? Play? are you a hatchling now?He spoke back.

As the beast emerged from the forest, the Crow found himself to becoming more and more displeased. When he had awoken to the sweet melodies that the gems produced, he had looked forward to spending time with them in solitude. There was nothing so sweet as matching their pretty tunes with dipping and soaring trills of his own, which filled them with dancing, joyous light as their songs filled him with powerful urges. With a disdainful flip of his tail, the Crow scoffed at the mammoth of a dragon that trampled among the forest like a bull in a china shop. There was no art to his movement, no grace to his step. It was sad to watch.

dear oh dear- he clucked- aren't we testy. no, darling- "we" are not a hatchling. "we" simply would like to be left to our own devices

Coiling closer to the beast, each snaky swivel of his body slid across the ground like ink sliding down paper. He brushed the rich green sides of the other male, dragging himself slowly across the hide of the other before returning to his former position, curled protectively over his gems.

do you not have your own hoarde?