Malachi had explored most if not all of Duskorna's mainland. While a stanger may have slipped into the borders- nothing much eventful had taken place lately, so Malachi would roam.
It was quiet, and no one was around! His dad would enjoy this.
Malachi hated every second.
He wanted a crowd of people- wanted something to do. But what? He continued his climb in the forest until he reached the top of the bluffs. Malachi sat a tail length away from the ledge of the tall bluff over looking the falls. He couldn't help but think it was a long drop.
As he lay there he felt sad. His father risked his life to get him here. He still recalls the fall in the pit and meering Enya. The cold damp cave. Honestly he had presumed a life more knighly... But now? Malachi groaned and lay down, cossing one paw over the other as he looked out onto the bluffs.
Had he made a mistake in joining a pack. Sure- there were safety in numbers, but he found himself wanting to taste something new: like adventure or a spar. Something that might help him grow
.
It wasn't an uncommon feeling to enjoy the gift that wings gave. Being able to feel the breeze on your cheeks, the weightlessless, having all four of your feet touching nothing but the air. He loved it, enjoyed every second of it.
Roxanne wanted to come with, but she was just too young, too slow to be able to keep up with him. He didn't want to be tethered, so she stayed in the den while he went off to spread his wings.
The blue lion was zipping through the skies, making loop de loops in the sky, splashing water from the river as he flew by, and even closing his wings altogether just to fly through tight spaces. He would even go high into the air, just to close his wings again and let himself free fall for a while. But he knew just how much time he had before he needed to fly again, and he shortened that timer until its last possible moment before taking off once more.
At one point, he would stop in front of a cliff face, conjuring up lightning to strike it from an angle. Fragments of rock would crumble down the sleep slope, and he would watch with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. It felt good to be alive! Just then, on another cliff, he spotted a figure - and a familiar one at that. Feathered wings brought him closer, and upon further inspection he realized it to be the teen wolf from Duskorna. With a heavy breath, and mind still high off the adrenaline, Matthias would ask loudly, "Did ya see what I did to that cliffside? It's fuckin' awesome!" he'd begin to fly one circle around the wolf, "Hey, how'd you get so far up? I knew you were hidin' somethin'. C'mon, show me the goods," as he speaks, he'd land on the cliffside with them, though farther from the edge.
The roar of the falls around him were very loud. He hadn't even heard Matthias approach on the wing. Malachi only knew he was there, when he saw him floating on the wing in front of him.
They were conjuring elements of electricity, blasting sone side of the rock, sending smaller bits below. Some of them tumbling off to the side, some of then splashing loudly and foaming up into the water.
The teen lifted his head and nodded "yes, I saw what you did there." Malachi mused, increasing his legs and sitting up.
Malachi looked up as the other started to circle him from above. Part of him thought to leap up and shred a mouthful just to keep him down. "How about you land, pony boy!" He remarks with a smirk, glancing at the hooves above him.
Malachi sighed and let his magic unfurl. Feathered wings like that of his father would sprout into view. At first they are wet and sloppy; like a bird stuffed under the water, so Malachi took a long moment to groom the.. "I hiked up here you know." He admits to not using his wings. In fact, he couldn't recall a time he had. Using your wings made you weak-- sometimes, he liked his strength more inside his limbs. "In fact... I don't think I've even flown before." Malachi eyed the bluff and it's cliffs. It was wide enough- and no one else aas around. "Maybe you can help me Help you sparks. I need to learn how to fly...what do you want?" He was quick and to the point: evident the boy had many issues to work through in life without his dad.
"Pony boy?! Hah!" the little nickname only made him slightly offended. He was still riding his own high and, to oppose the nickname, made a show of showing off his stallion backlegs. Prancing elegantly on all fours, wings slightly outstretched to add bravado as he pranced in a line.
And then the bad boys were out, some not-so-elegant wings unfurling from the use of magic. He didn't believe the boy at first when he said he hiked up here, but judging from the state of the wings it wasn't entirely implausible. But the next words were absolute blasphemy: Never flown?! Never flown?! What kind of horse s-- "See, now, you're lucky you met a guy like me, 'cause I can see you're in a lot of need," He walked a little closer to the edge to look out over the landscape, judging almost immediately that trying to practice flight on sheer cliffs was absolutely not a good idea. "I was born with these wings, used them to get out of a lot of sticky situations," some he created, intentionally or otherwise, but that's besides the point, "I could do tricks around you in such speed your head would pop off just trying to keep up with me, so boy--" he'd stop suddenly, turning to face the wolf, "--ah, what was your name again? ... You won't find no better teacher around here. So what could you offer me in return?" then, he'd turn his whole body so it faced them, "Well, what're you good at?" came the curious question.
Malachi watches as the horse cat landed smoothly. Smoother than Malachi thought he would. "I guess I could use some help," the cynical words slipped from his tongue like a rotten fruit. Yes he needs lots of help- but he wouldn't just outright say that!
Malachi shook more ichor from his feathered wings and would start preening them so that they may dry. "I've only gotten them out once," he admits about the wings. "Never used them too much. My dad wouldnt allow it. He prefers a physical one; like fighting. Of course his stature to mine was comical- that guy was huge."
"Careful, some of them ledages are loose, espcially now." He eyes the cat, referring to his ealier use of magic. Malachi also has magic of his own but liked to keep it tucked away as if he didn't. It always came in handy that way- but he also needed to learn how to harness it.
He continues to listen to the one named Matthias speak about his tricks and wings. Why, he might be a good teacher-- but then Malachi's eyes rolled briefly. "Malachi Laviathan, that's my name Matthias." Malachi responeded, sounding somewhat bored.
Now he stretched the dark vulture like wings and shook then. They were a large and impressive wing fold; one that would allow him to soar for miles-- if he learned.
Then the horse-cat turns, facing him and prancing over, demanding to know what he knew. Malachi had to choke back a growl. Part of him wanted to say 'who the fuck do you think you're talking to catmeat.' But he held his tongue for now. "I can hunt good, run, and fight decent. Why, what about you?" He turned the question with the ark of his brow.
He couldn't fathom it; who in their right mind would forego the advantage of wings by choice? The boy's father is an idiot, but he wouldn't say that out loud.
Then the boy introduces himself as Malachi, and Matthias takes a better look at the wings now that they've been better cleaned off and pruned. Fortunately, their wings were quite similar - vulture to falcon, both birds of prey. But he also knew there would be some marked differences. He takes his eyes away from the wings for a moment and back to Malachi to respond back. The subtle snarkiness that came about by Malachi finishing his answer with the same question was not lost to Matthias. His brows would crease just slightly, "You'll come to notice, if you haven't already, that a lot of things are transactional, including relationships. If you can't offer anything good in return for learning how to fly, then nobody is going to bother wasting time trying to teach you to fly," his own words came out a hint more serious, but lacked any sort of condescending tone, "And learning how to fly, if you have the means to, can benefit you in a lot of ways your father probably failed to mention. Imagine being able to go from place to place faster. Being able to avoid any danger on the ground, any harsh terrain. Imagine how much more efficient you can be at hunting, pouncing on your prey from above. And fighting, too! Your melee opponens are going to have a rough time hitting a target who's in the air."
It was then that the lion would step further away from the edge of the cliff. His own wings remained outstretched. After a moment of consideration, he'd say, "I could always use more resources. I'll tell you what, if you can drop off the leftovers of your hunts: clean pelts, feathers, any body parts of interest like rabbit feet, talons, teeth, eyes, that kind of stuff, then I'll keep teaching you how to use those wings for as long as you provide these things, or until you think you can handle the rest on your own. Deal?" he'd outstretch a wing, the primary feathers at the end tilted outwards as a sort of stand-in for a pawshake.
All he could do at the moment was watch Matthis and listen to what he had to say. The cat wasn't wrong- most relationships were kind and mutual, something Malachi was still learning to do. "I don't lack those things you know. I just..don't offer that to many others. Not outright." He snorts, almost laughingly at the other. But then he wonders how often the cat offered the same things to others. Either way he tucks the words in and holds into what Matthias said before.
Wings. They could be useful- Malachi was aware of that and wiggled them again, staring at them. They felt lighter compared to the rest of his bones- but it probably had more to do with not using them. "These wings..feel like paper." He admitted as he moves them again, testing the bones. How was he meant to fly and actually use them to help himself?
"They do sound more useful if I actually did something with them-- but I'm proud knowing I have good ground skills before flight. I've seen my dads wings hinder him as much as they can help."
More work?! Malachi didn't like work- but if it was going to be part of it he supposed he had to. The wolf eyes the outstreached wing and thinks on what Matthias has said to him. "I'm sure you could use the resources." He responds with a thinking sound, almost laughing. It reminded him of his dad. Always something in exchange- nothing comes for free.
"I can give you all my scraps I have to clean them anyways.." The canine streaches his own wing out and touches the outstreached feather with an agreeance. "Where would we be meeting for lessons?" He couldn't help but wonder-- "here is out of Duskorna's lands and its high up. I could help you build a den- if you get me in the air." .
______ Magic
ooc notes: in my next post we can do some hunting with dice or flight practice ❤ you can always start with dice if you like!
The deal has been made. Their feathers touched together and sealed it. Matthias grin shown brighter for just a moment. 'Where would we be meeting for lessons?' He'd ponder this for a moment, lips pressed together as he looked out over the horizon. Learning flight here was a dangerous occasion, but they could probably do it more at ground level. Plus, there was plenty of shelter under the trees, and fresh flowing water from the waterfall, "Here is good. But not here here. Down there," he decided, motioning towards the base of the bluffs, where the terrain was a bit more open, "We'll walk," and so, the lion would begin to make his way down the mountains, expecting Malachi to follow.
"A den here isn't actually a bad idea," it wasn't good for him and Roxanne to be in the same den for long. But he also didn't like the idea of someone knowing where he lives - only because Roxanne lived with him too. But it would also make any future transactions easier if people knew where to find him. Hmm. He decided to put a pin in it, "Alright, your wings have probably atrophied a bit from lack of use. You're definitely not going to fly immediately. So your first lesson, in the interest of not having you fall and die immediately, is to stretch out your wings. Like this," he would do several different movements with his wings. Flapping just the outer digits of the wings, then the outer and middle, then the whole wing. Lifting the wings up as high as they could go. Stretching them forward, stretching them back, "Then, once you've done that, I want you to try and take flight from standing. Just try to hover in the air - don't actually go anywhere," He'd watch Malachi to see what he would do. Nevermind that taking flight without any momentum is actually harder; he just wanted to see how much natural intuition the boy has. What kind of skill level he's working with.
The deal had been made that quickly; a wing touch and it was sealed. It felt odd, but not in a bad way he supposes. The wolf follows the tiger carefully toward the bluffs, looking down. They were rather high up.
Then he follows the lion down towards ground level, continuing to listen to him speak. "I've scouted this place, I think it would be an excellent place for one. I almost thought about making my own here as well- but probably higher up. I love the views this place offers." he afmits to the cat. Not that he didn't love his kingdoms terrtory- it was lovely too he just hadn't found he place there yet, he supposes.
Alright, your wings have probably atrophied a bit from lack of use. You're definitely not going to fly immediately. So your first lesson, in the interest of not having you fall and die immediately, is to stretch out your wings. Like this," Matthias says, as Malachi again spread his wings out. He streched his wings out as instructed to do, a few times even. They definitely felt weak from not veing used at all. He flaps the outer digits again, flexing them as much as he can, then the outer and middle as soon as he was able; he moves them forwards and backwards. Who knew that using wings could ve so tough!"Then, once you've done that, I want you to try and take flight from standing. Just try to hover in the air - don't actually go anywhere," Malachi nods to Matthias, but he knew flight wouldn't happen of he sat in one place! So the wolf leaps to all fours, taking off in a sprint, flapping his wings in hopes that with a hop he would at least glide.
---
Dice roll NPC
SUCCESS= he is able to take a glide and land easily.
Fail= he trips over a root and falls, no flight happens yet!
NPC Diceroll 1: Success Diceroll must be above 500 to be successful.
0 was added for Strength.
562 was added for Level 2.
0 was added for A. No Enchantment.
0 was added for A. No Buff / Penalty.
