ORIGIN

Silver woke some days later. He'd slept the whole time, exhaustion forcing him into a sort of magical hibernation. Now that he was awake, though, and feeling rested, Silver turned his attention to the dried gross on his body. He was stiff from it, and so when he stood, it cracked and he winced at the feeling. Water would clean this off. He'd certainly not be preening this out of his feathers without a rinse first. So he moved over to the lake- Aquarian's lake now, he supposed - and timidly stepped into the shallows. After a long moment to make sure the beast wasn't about to swallow him again, he began splashing and twisting in the water, bathing the ick away. An hour later, he'd be soaked but clean, satisfied with his hygiene enough to stand on one leg and preen.

Once cleaned, he turned his attention to the water. Black, softly churning currents, hid the monster beneath. Silver wondered...

"Aquarian!" He called out. "Aquarian, do you hear me!?" Another shrill call, not high pitched but not a yell either. He splashed a wet wing against the water, as if to add to his call. "I want to discuss something with you, sea beast! We have unfinished business, you and I!" He stepped into the water a little deeper, but stayed in the shallows so not to be surprised. "You ate me that day! You spoke of another! You let me live! Talk to me! Tell me why! Tell me who Nemean is!" He briefly realized that he didn't have that offering of food, nor could he ever dream of finding anything big enough for the beast to call a meal. Would he try to eat him instead? Would the king of the deep forgive him for his disrespect?

He'd fed the beast three days ago, with his own god damn self. That would simply have to suffice for now.

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The young alligator had been learning to survive on his own for the past few days. He'd crept back to look at the Heart of Cetus yet again, his mind returning always to the black water and what lurked inside.

He wanted it. He wanted to be it. He wanted it to be his. He didn't care how--he just wanted the dragon-in-the-water. He'd planned on bringing his own sacrifice, and had been visiting and pondering what would be best to bring. He was small. He had no sacrifices to offer--not yet. He'd find one. He would find one. But now he found something else--the bird, the one that the water-thing had spit up, standing and doing... something, at the water's edge. Calling its name. The creature's name. Aquarian. He was shouting about Nemean, too, the other name.

Dragon slipped slowly backwards. He'd hide deep in the roots of the marsh grass, beneath the very shallow water with only his eyes and nostrils protruding, utterly motionless, some distance away. He'd do his very best to just watch the exchange unseen, and then, once it was all over, to slip away.

Maybe he would learn something.

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The bird's voice may have been loud above the water, but deep below its surface, it emanated as nothing more than a drowned murmur. The air remained still, although all the sound from the jungle had faded, as if curious to see the results of this interaction. The stillness stretched on - but it seemed nothing would come of the bird's desperate attempts. The black, marshy waters remained still. Aquarian was still too busy nursing his wounds to pay the bird any mind.

Sillver

Dragon

Game Master Madison