((I failed to specify, oops! My bad! 
1x1 with Isirith))
The field was quiet and still in the predawn light, its vast flat expanse of golden late-summer grass marred only by the presence of a hulking black horse and the man standing beside him. Several strident calls broke the peace of the field, the noise startling a wood pheasant into a thundering flight for the tree-line.
Knew I should have hooded this one, Gareth thought to himself as he carefully undid the leash from the jesses of the bird on his glove. The falcon, for his part, darted his head forward, slashing at Gareth's invading fingers. He's a looker, but he's dottier than an old ash-tender. The leash now untied, Gareth gave the bird a hearty toss into the air, releasing the jesses at the same time to allow the creature flight. Instead of the glorious, inspiring sight of a bird taking wing, he watched the falcon beat its wings twice and then practically fall to the ground. It looked up at Gareth accusingly, its shrieks indignant.
"This is what happens when you raise one of these things like a pet," he muttered aloud, coaxing the bird back onto his glove. "You, my handsome fellow, have been coddled. Come on, we're going to do this til you can give me a little air time." Another toss yielded slightly better results. This time, the falcon glided awkwardly over to land on Plod. The gelding, unfazed by such a thing, continued to crop grass hungrily. Perching the bird again on his glove, Gareth sighed and rubbed his temple with his free hand. As he prepared the bird for another takeoff, he tried a few phrases aloud. "Well, Lord Orvage, some birds just weren't meant to be hunters." He looked at the bird, who shrieked again and bated, flapping his wings and tossing himself over backwards on the glove. "I hate to say this, my lord, but you've wasted your gold on this one," he said, righting the bird with minimal fuss and earning a slash on one hand for his troubles. "If you buy another bird, don't treat it like one of your children, it'll turn up just as unwilling to work."
A mournful, warbling sort of coo caught Gareth's attention, and he looked around excitedly for the source. Winging its way toward the forest was a great fat dove, of the sort most falcons found irresistible. His charge proved no exception as the falcon stared fixedly on the moving dove, crouching on Gareth's fist. "Alright, lad, alright! Go on, then!" Giving the falcon a helping toss, he watched as his bird made a swift beeline for the dove. The dove saw too, and began flying erratically, trying to maneuver away. Too slow, as the falcon, in a flash of striking red feathers and talons, snatched the dove on the downward spiral. Gareth whooped happily, grabbing a chunk of meat from his pouch for a recall. But instead of landing with his prey, the wretched bird continued to zoom into the forest, calling its triumph. "Damn, damn, damn," Gareth muttered, giving chase as fast as he could. His horse watched him go, flicking an ear before returning to happily cropping grass.
Out of breath by the time he reached the tree line, he fairly stumbled as he made his way into the woods. Though the morning sun was now out and washing the field in warmth, it was still shadowy here in the trees. He hoped he had predicted the bird's trajectory correctly, as he only had a small amount of time before the wretched thing finished eating. Gareth crashed noisily through the forest as he went in search of his errant falcon.";
1x1 with Isirith))The field was quiet and still in the predawn light, its vast flat expanse of golden late-summer grass marred only by the presence of a hulking black horse and the man standing beside him. Several strident calls broke the peace of the field, the noise startling a wood pheasant into a thundering flight for the tree-line.
Knew I should have hooded this one, Gareth thought to himself as he carefully undid the leash from the jesses of the bird on his glove. The falcon, for his part, darted his head forward, slashing at Gareth's invading fingers. He's a looker, but he's dottier than an old ash-tender. The leash now untied, Gareth gave the bird a hearty toss into the air, releasing the jesses at the same time to allow the creature flight. Instead of the glorious, inspiring sight of a bird taking wing, he watched the falcon beat its wings twice and then practically fall to the ground. It looked up at Gareth accusingly, its shrieks indignant.
"This is what happens when you raise one of these things like a pet," he muttered aloud, coaxing the bird back onto his glove. "You, my handsome fellow, have been coddled. Come on, we're going to do this til you can give me a little air time." Another toss yielded slightly better results. This time, the falcon glided awkwardly over to land on Plod. The gelding, unfazed by such a thing, continued to crop grass hungrily. Perching the bird again on his glove, Gareth sighed and rubbed his temple with his free hand. As he prepared the bird for another takeoff, he tried a few phrases aloud. "Well, Lord Orvage, some birds just weren't meant to be hunters." He looked at the bird, who shrieked again and bated, flapping his wings and tossing himself over backwards on the glove. "I hate to say this, my lord, but you've wasted your gold on this one," he said, righting the bird with minimal fuss and earning a slash on one hand for his troubles. "If you buy another bird, don't treat it like one of your children, it'll turn up just as unwilling to work."
A mournful, warbling sort of coo caught Gareth's attention, and he looked around excitedly for the source. Winging its way toward the forest was a great fat dove, of the sort most falcons found irresistible. His charge proved no exception as the falcon stared fixedly on the moving dove, crouching on Gareth's fist. "Alright, lad, alright! Go on, then!" Giving the falcon a helping toss, he watched as his bird made a swift beeline for the dove. The dove saw too, and began flying erratically, trying to maneuver away. Too slow, as the falcon, in a flash of striking red feathers and talons, snatched the dove on the downward spiral. Gareth whooped happily, grabbing a chunk of meat from his pouch for a recall. But instead of landing with his prey, the wretched bird continued to zoom into the forest, calling its triumph. "Damn, damn, damn," Gareth muttered, giving chase as fast as he could. His horse watched him go, flicking an ear before returning to happily cropping grass.
Out of breath by the time he reached the tree line, he fairly stumbled as he made his way into the woods. Though the morning sun was now out and washing the field in warmth, it was still shadowy here in the trees. He hoped he had predicted the bird's trajectory correctly, as he only had a small amount of time before the wretched thing finished eating. Gareth crashed noisily through the forest as he went in search of his errant falcon.";
(PFFT my bad. Don't mind this, this was a mistake.)
(Ohhh the irony of that happening to a thread called 'Not According to Plan' XDD)
The falcon would be found in the quite unlikeliest of situations! It was perched on a rock, and a blue dragon, about the size of a large dog, was sitting behind the rock, watching the falcon with its head tilted to one side. The dragon was sitting quite still, wings folded behind her back, even her tail was settled on the grass. And there certainly was this...feeling, that the creature was female. Dark blue scales, fading nearly to black here and there, covered the dragon. She was very still, watching the falcon. But yet she was rather intimidating as well.
When Gareth crashed onto the scene, her eyes flicked up to him. The falcon started to take flight in surprise, but the dragon's paws moved quicker, wrapping around the falcon carefully. Very carefully, holding it in a little 'cage' of curved claws. The falcon was trapped, but quite unharmed.
The falcon would be found in the quite unlikeliest of situations! It was perched on a rock, and a blue dragon, about the size of a large dog, was sitting behind the rock, watching the falcon with its head tilted to one side. The dragon was sitting quite still, wings folded behind her back, even her tail was settled on the grass. And there certainly was this...feeling, that the creature was female. Dark blue scales, fading nearly to black here and there, covered the dragon. She was very still, watching the falcon. But yet she was rather intimidating as well.
When Gareth crashed onto the scene, her eyes flicked up to him. The falcon started to take flight in surprise, but the dragon's paws moved quicker, wrapping around the falcon carefully. Very carefully, holding it in a little 'cage' of curved claws. The falcon was trapped, but quite unharmed.
Though he normally enjoyed a nice stroll through the forest, it was not Gareth's morning. Branch after branch assailed him as he tore doggedly into the thick of the woods. Pausing, he heard the sound he'd been hoping for, the little grumbles of a raptor digging into the entrails of its unlucky prey. And there, yes! There was the spoiled, nasty beast now, mantling his wings over his kill like a greedy banker over a stack of coins.
His boot found a twig with a loud snap and the bird looked up sharply. Gareth's curse as the animal took flight turned into a loud shout of surprise as the falcon's flight was curtailed by what he thought was a bear. His shock froze him to the spot, though a small part of his mind bemoaned the loss of an animal worth at least eight fine horses to the maw of some hungry woodland animal. After a moment, however, he saw, really saw the creature in front of him and his blood froze in his veins. How on earth could he have thought this thing a bear? For one thing, this creature was watching him with a curious intellect far more searching than any wild creature he'd ever encountered. He'd had a run-in once with a pack of wolves, and though their regard was certainly calculating and intelligent, it was nothing like this.
The falcon, for his part, was demonstrating no intelligence as it railed against its imprisonment. Trying to spread its wings and finding itself stymied, it slashed at what flesh of its captor it could find with beak and claws.
"Ye gods," Gareth murmured, trying to get his wits to run and failing. "Ye gods," he said again, stupidly frozen in place, transfixed by the creature before him.
His boot found a twig with a loud snap and the bird looked up sharply. Gareth's curse as the animal took flight turned into a loud shout of surprise as the falcon's flight was curtailed by what he thought was a bear. His shock froze him to the spot, though a small part of his mind bemoaned the loss of an animal worth at least eight fine horses to the maw of some hungry woodland animal. After a moment, however, he saw, really saw the creature in front of him and his blood froze in his veins. How on earth could he have thought this thing a bear? For one thing, this creature was watching him with a curious intellect far more searching than any wild creature he'd ever encountered. He'd had a run-in once with a pack of wolves, and though their regard was certainly calculating and intelligent, it was nothing like this.
The falcon, for his part, was demonstrating no intelligence as it railed against its imprisonment. Trying to spread its wings and finding itself stymied, it slashed at what flesh of its captor it could find with beak and claws.
"Ye gods," Gareth murmured, trying to get his wits to run and failing. "Ye gods," he said again, stupidly frozen in place, transfixed by the creature before him.
The dragon watched him, and seemed to...roll her eyes, at his repeated exclamation! At the irritating scuffling of the bird in her claws, she gave a low, soft growl of warning. Like a mother, telling her child to stop tugging on her dress and be patient. The dragon sat back on her hindquarters, and held out the caged bird towards Gareth patiently.
"Well? Are you going to come take him? He is yours, I believe." A distinctly female voice sounded in the poor man's head, potentially startling him half to death. After all, when one hears voices in their head, they often think themselves crazy. The dragon however was looking straight at him, waiting expectantly, with the captured bird held out in offering. Patient though she was, she would not hold the creature forever.
"Well? Are you going to come take him? He is yours, I believe." A distinctly female voice sounded in the poor man's head, potentially startling him half to death. After all, when one hears voices in their head, they often think themselves crazy. The dragon however was looking straight at him, waiting expectantly, with the captured bird held out in offering. Patient though she was, she would not hold the creature forever.
"He's not mine, he belongs to a Lord who'll have my head if even a feather is so much as bent on that bird. But what does that matter now? I'm about to get eaten, anyway," he added, hardly giving pause to wonder that he was talking with what appeared to be a dragon in the middle of the forest. "I'm on to you, you're going to lure me close and then eat me. Well, why not? I'm dead either way. Just make it quick, would you?"
He took a step toward the dragon, seeing the tail ends of the bird's jesses poking out between two large claws. Maybe he could make a grab for the jesses, and when the dragon let go, in the split second before she'd snake her jaws out to bite him, he'd run as fast as he could, bird in tow. He might get a few feet before he was mauled, but at least the falcon'd have a fair shot to get away clean. "I have to get hold of it first, by those things attached to its feet, there. Just let me get those and then you can let go." Every muscle tensed to run, he edged closer, extending his arm toward the unexpectedly caged bird. Grabbing hold of the jesses, he winced as the action caused the bird to shriek and flutter anew. Even mortal peril wouldn't stop the dratted thing from being a complete pain, it seemed.
"I have him, you can let go," Gareth said, preparing himself for a swift about face back the way he had come.
He took a step toward the dragon, seeing the tail ends of the bird's jesses poking out between two large claws. Maybe he could make a grab for the jesses, and when the dragon let go, in the split second before she'd snake her jaws out to bite him, he'd run as fast as he could, bird in tow. He might get a few feet before he was mauled, but at least the falcon'd have a fair shot to get away clean. "I have to get hold of it first, by those things attached to its feet, there. Just let me get those and then you can let go." Every muscle tensed to run, he edged closer, extending his arm toward the unexpectedly caged bird. Grabbing hold of the jesses, he winced as the action caused the bird to shriek and flutter anew. Even mortal peril wouldn't stop the dratted thing from being a complete pain, it seemed.
"I have him, you can let go," Gareth said, preparing himself for a swift about face back the way he had come.
The dragon growled softly again to the creature, but stayed quiet. Once Gareth had a hand on the jesses, the claws slowly let go and she put her paws down. "See? He's not harmed, don't worry. Completely fine. Just startled. Rather jumpy little thing. Don't know why anyone would pay money for him." Again, the voice was in his head.
The dragon stayed completely still. If he DID run though, she would slowly follow. Cantering calmly along, a good distance behind as to where he might even think he was safe. She had no reason to chase. She could feel where he was, knew at this exact moment right where he was in the forest. She just went along at a brisk, but not fast, pace.
The dragon stayed completely still. If he DID run though, she would slowly follow. Cantering calmly along, a good distance behind as to where he might even think he was safe. She had no reason to chase. She could feel where he was, knew at this exact moment right where he was in the forest. She just went along at a brisk, but not fast, pace.
"Yes, well, some people have the oddest predispositions," Gareth murmured in a strange watery voice as he gets the falcon securely on his glove and backed a few steps away. Once he was certain an about face wouldn't result in him tripping on a tree root and ending his escape, he turned abruptly and bolted into the scrub, intent on his horse.
Even if he hadn't been crashing crazily through the woods, the falcon's shrieks were alert enough to his movements. Upon reaching open ground once again and seeing Plod still peacefully grazing, he fairly leaped for the great black horse. The falcon screamed and shrieked, his flapping wings knocking brutally against Gareth's head. Not feeling a whit of it as adrenaline coursed through his veins, Gareth wheeled Plod like a knight preparing to enter the lists for a joust. Not seeing the hungry dragon but hardly daring to try his luck, he legged the gelding into the fastest possible gait the creature could manage.
Once home, Gareth dismounted and bellowed for his apprentice. When she darted around the corner, she gasped at the sight of her master.
"Master Gareth, you're-"
"Plod will need seen to, Paeli," he said shortly, the shortest he'd ever been with the girl. He tied the by now hysterical falcon to a perch, looping the leash through the ring with shaking fingers.
"Yea, but Master Gareth, you've got-"
"Paeli! Do as I say!" He looked up and saw the girl's lip quivering, and he sighed. "It's been a long morning for me. I didn't mean to be cross. Please see to Plot and then get the scale, we'll start weighing. Alright?"
"Yes'm, sir. You're bleedin'." Paeli zipped back around the corner in a flash of fox-red hair and Gareth sighed again. He just needed to get a bit of a sit down. He'd probably hallucinated the whole thing. Touching his hand to his temple, he came away with a bit of blood indeed. He'd have to see to that first thing, to be sure! Now that his shock was over, he was beginning to feel the beginnings of a tremendous headache. The bird had certainly knocked him around, though of course it was nothing compared to what those teeth-
No! Stop it!
Heading back into his quarters, he silently thanked himself for forgetting to bathe that morning. It meant there was a rag and a bucket of clean water handy to pat at his bird-induced wounds. Dipping the rag in the bucket, he hissed as he patted the cold water against his now throbbing temples. "Dragons! Haha!" He laughed heartily as he worked.
Paeli, unsaddling the horse outside, heard the master falconer's voice floating through the window and shook her head. "Mama said I was fair silly to take this spot," she confided to Plod, "I'm starting to think she was right."
((Sorry it took so long to get this up. No Internet, arrrrgh! If she's chasing Gareth, she'd probably come upon his apprentice Paeli outside, first. Sorry again!))
Even if he hadn't been crashing crazily through the woods, the falcon's shrieks were alert enough to his movements. Upon reaching open ground once again and seeing Plod still peacefully grazing, he fairly leaped for the great black horse. The falcon screamed and shrieked, his flapping wings knocking brutally against Gareth's head. Not feeling a whit of it as adrenaline coursed through his veins, Gareth wheeled Plod like a knight preparing to enter the lists for a joust. Not seeing the hungry dragon but hardly daring to try his luck, he legged the gelding into the fastest possible gait the creature could manage.
Once home, Gareth dismounted and bellowed for his apprentice. When she darted around the corner, she gasped at the sight of her master.
"Master Gareth, you're-"
"Plod will need seen to, Paeli," he said shortly, the shortest he'd ever been with the girl. He tied the by now hysterical falcon to a perch, looping the leash through the ring with shaking fingers.
"Yea, but Master Gareth, you've got-"
"Paeli! Do as I say!" He looked up and saw the girl's lip quivering, and he sighed. "It's been a long morning for me. I didn't mean to be cross. Please see to Plot and then get the scale, we'll start weighing. Alright?"
"Yes'm, sir. You're bleedin'." Paeli zipped back around the corner in a flash of fox-red hair and Gareth sighed again. He just needed to get a bit of a sit down. He'd probably hallucinated the whole thing. Touching his hand to his temple, he came away with a bit of blood indeed. He'd have to see to that first thing, to be sure! Now that his shock was over, he was beginning to feel the beginnings of a tremendous headache. The bird had certainly knocked him around, though of course it was nothing compared to what those teeth-
No! Stop it!
Heading back into his quarters, he silently thanked himself for forgetting to bathe that morning. It meant there was a rag and a bucket of clean water handy to pat at his bird-induced wounds. Dipping the rag in the bucket, he hissed as he patted the cold water against his now throbbing temples. "Dragons! Haha!" He laughed heartily as he worked.
Paeli, unsaddling the horse outside, heard the master falconer's voice floating through the window and shook her head. "Mama said I was fair silly to take this spot," she confided to Plod, "I'm starting to think she was right."
((Sorry it took so long to get this up. No Internet, arrrrgh! If she's chasing Gareth, she'd probably come upon his apprentice Paeli outside, first. Sorry again!))
((No problem, glad to see you back!))
It was kind of a nuisance, to follow him like this. What was he, a baby? The dragon kept along at a fair gait, soon reaching the house. The horse was certainly the one he had ridden away on, though the girl was different. Hmm. Isirith continued nonetheless, trotting on all fours contently, walking right past the girl. Who would probably have a fit at the sight of her, but that wouldn't stop the dragon from going to the door.
The dragon leaned back on her hind paws and opened the door with her front ones, then pushed the door open and went in. "It's not nice to run away from a friend, you know." the voice echoed in his head. "Nor is it nice to imagine you are hallucinating that friend." She came to where he was washing his wound and just sat there on her hind legs, paws in front of her calmly on the floor. "Hmph. That's what you get for running around with such a bird."
It was kind of a nuisance, to follow him like this. What was he, a baby? The dragon kept along at a fair gait, soon reaching the house. The horse was certainly the one he had ridden away on, though the girl was different. Hmm. Isirith continued nonetheless, trotting on all fours contently, walking right past the girl. Who would probably have a fit at the sight of her, but that wouldn't stop the dragon from going to the door.
The dragon leaned back on her hind paws and opened the door with her front ones, then pushed the door open and went in. "It's not nice to run away from a friend, you know." the voice echoed in his head. "Nor is it nice to imagine you are hallucinating that friend." She came to where he was washing his wound and just sat there on her hind legs, paws in front of her calmly on the floor. "Hmph. That's what you get for running around with such a bird."
(Just budging some RPs that might have gotten lost in notifications 
It's your post for whenever you're able to make it 
)
It's your post for whenever you're able to make it )
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