"Oh- Yes." The girl responded, digging around her for more scraps. Quickly, she found another handful, offering that as well. "Here." She added, giggling as she held it before him.


Well, that didn't seem threatening. "Sure." Hotaru responded, half surprised with her response. Still, it wouldn't hurt. And a companion would be nice- Especially one less impulsive, or at least better at fighting their way out of what they got into, then Tomoe. "D'you've a name?" She added offhandedly, then paused. "You're hungry too, right? I could find something to eat before playing if you want." She was a bit reluctant- She'd no clue what he wanted to play, nor was she used to doing a large amount of playing anyway. There was rarely anyone to play with, after all.

An attack. Muttering beneath her breath, Hotaru was glad she'd come prepared. Hastily the girl withdrew two of her daggers from secret pockets in her clothes. They weren't long, and it'd be a risk getting close, but if the creatures went for either the blue, or Tomoe, she'd assist anyway. Hastily she took up a defensive stance between the two. "I think play will have to wait." She told the blue, hoping he'd assist if he could without being harmed. She was far smaller then the other creatures after all.

Dimensions away, a slim girl sat feeding a pair of dragonettes. Suddenly, her golden head shot up, unseeing gray eyes widening in panic. The twin dark-heart dragons sent curious and concerned messages to their Bond, but she was concentrating on the direction from which she had felt it. Yes, it, for the telepathic Ka'Ri could find no other word to describe the sense of danger she had just felt.

A sun cheetah and kyolite scrambled in, worried for their Bond's safety. The girl finally directed her split attention towards her young charges, and heard their questions. *Are you okay?* *What's wrong?* *Did something happen?*

Ka'Ri frowned, thinking. "Something's wrong. Somewhere, something went horribly wrong. It's being broadcasted loudly on the Wind..." She closed her eyes, listening. "Something about a Hatching...an attack..." Her eyes flew open in shock. "I have to get there!"

The dragonets and kits immediately clamored to go. I'm sorry, dear hearts, but it's way too dangerous. There seems to be some sort of battle going on, and you might get hurt, she sent. Standing up, she closed her eyes again, readying herself to 'port, but found herself smack against a barrier. "Why can't I get there?" she murmured to herself. "It seems to be protected by someone, but...why?"

Then she noticed a Spirit Fae maiden waiting patiently by a message. Choosing to ignore the Fae's raised eyebrow, she picked it up as the tiny creature flew off, muttering about oblivious know-it-all psychics who can't see what's under their own nose. Turning red with embarrassment, Ka'Ri read the announcement and picked up the crystal. Regaining her composure, she turned to face the quartet of worried faces in front of her.

Well, I'm off. I promise I'll come back. The Spirit Fae will take care of you until then. It won't take long. She directed her next comment to the sun cheetah. Falen, please behave. Kilita, you too, this last remark to the kyol. Ka'Ri closed her eyes and fed her limited teleportation powers into the now glowing crystal. She disappeared shortly after, leaving her Bonds to sit and mull over what had just happened.

Arriving smack-dab in the middle of the battle, Ka'Ri shrieked and 'ported over to a corner; incidentally, the same corner that Aithen and the hatchlings were hiding in. "Do you need any help?" the girl asked while sweeping worried eyes over the situation. As she waited for the startled man's answer, her stormy eyes focused on Marken and his attacker. Concentrating, she psychically tried to grasp the thing's mind. Receiving the same difficulty Jacob had had, she instead sent a tight shaft of fear, pain, and confusion towards wherever the creature kept its mind, hoping that that would work instead. Then she turned back to Aithen and the pair of hatchlings...

Casseopia arrived back from dimension space, having deposited Platinum and the hatchlings in safety. She burst into view in time to see Orion dive into the attackers followed by the flight of backup dragons. She screamed in shared pain as his muzzle was sliced open by one of the creatures. She dived down to join the battle.


Orion was momentarily distracted by a creature slashing at his tail and threw it high into the air. Small as they were these were tenacious creatures! He threw hinself back int the battle only to have his muzzle split open by another one. He roared in pain then caught the echo from above.
*Casseopia!!! NO!!!* he shouted, mentally and telepathically *Take half of those fighting and head for the biggest* and as she hesitated he 'pushed' her away *Take them and GO! NOW*

Shaking with fear and anger for her mate she had no choice about going, he was so much stronger than herself.
*Come!!!* she roared to the others *Do as he says* she and the 12 mixed mirror dragons and starflares manouvered into attack formation and dove towards the largest creature.

Orion waited until she obeyed then reassured waded back into the fight, slightly happier, after all she HAD got Platinum and the hatchlings to safety and of course, she and the others were only going after ONE creature. Where was the danger.................

OOC: all of you are now free to control the dragonlings who approached your characters. If you're not sure if a hatchling went to one of your characters or not, send me a PM.
Whether the metallic yellow hatchling lives or dies is up to me to decide however.

IC.
Materializing from a strange blurr in the air to fully visible in midair as it launched itself from the cliff above Aithen and the hatchlings, a armored-- tall and well muscled humanoid landed between them and the approaching monster with a audible thump(although it wasn't quite able to surpress a grunt in response to the impact). And while still in a almost kneeling position, the armored humanoid titled its head to look up at the black creature, its eyes and any expression at its face hidden by the mask it wore.
An undulating rattling sound came from its throat, a split second before the burner at its shoulder shifted into firing position and a blast of what seemed to be solid light burst from the mouth of the weapon. Its head just about vaporized, the black monster had no time to make a sound at all, as it was thrown backwards-- already stone dead.

With a hiss of triumph, the armored humanoid glanced at its falled prey and then back at those standing behind it. However, forgetting to watch its surroundings in its moment of pride over its first kill, the humanoid started to reach for the retracted spear hanging from a strap at its back..
Then another of the black creatures launched itself from the cliffs, hitting the humanoid with enough force to knock it to the ground. Momentarily stunned, the humanoid moved weakly as it tried to regain its senses, then it hissed in fear-mixed anger as the black creature attacked again.

Raising her elongated, crested head-- the queen xenomorph spread her arms as she shrilled a reply to Orion's challenge. Certainly she could not take to the air because of her damaged wing, but she was no less capable of fighting because of that!
Then her long, ridged tail whipped upwards to reveal the long and deadly blade at its end-- slashing through the air as she moved up to the peak of one of the cliffs.
Her jaws parted to display the inner set of jaws-- noxious white steam emerging every time she breathed. Lips curled back as the queen hissed, and in the next instant, something far more deadly exploded from her mouth.
Hissing as it came in contact with the air, a jet of acid and gas arched up and out, creating a deadly and rappidly expanding cloud.

Casseopia, in the lead, saw the creature start to climb the cliff, and saw it stretch out an inner set of jaws which spat out a rain of acid and gas!
*Bank upwards* she screamed *Diomedes, use your ability!! NOW!!!!!!*

With a roar the bronze mirror dragon 'reached' for his element, air! He shaped the air around him into a dense mass and flung it towards the cloud of gas and acid sending it back, condensed, to the large creature. *Done* he roared *Look Casseopia, she is hurt! You have to admire her spirit*


*Well done Diomedes, and yes she is truly worthy of admiration, but her minions, guards whatever they are threatened the lives of many here and are currently swarming all over my mate and yours. NOW ATTACK HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


With a roar rising from every throat, the massed flight attacked, fire, air, water and spells rained down on the creature.


*UP!!!!* Cassiopia commanded. The flight rose and waited for the dust to clear.


Orion looked up when he heard the roar from above. *Right everyone, use your abilities too!*
Turning back to the creature which had torn his muzzle open, he unleashed a torrent of water, crushing it against the wall. With a snarl he ripped the thing apart and started in on the others.
*Casseopia* he sent *Platinum and the hatchlings, are they safe?*

*Yes* came the answer *And your little copper was still bawling when I returned, you will have fun with that one dear! Now let me concentrate!*


With a grin and a roar he went for another creature, he had more to live for than before! The copper MUST be reassured!!!

Marken screamed with rage and pain as he felt the creature scrambling up his back. He felt someone behind him trying to help psychically but to no avail. Deciding quickly on a plan of action Marken took off into the air then dissappeared out from under the creature. As the creature began to fall Marken reappeared and dived down after it much like he had with the yellow hatchling. This time however instead of cradling what he was after in his front paws he used his deadly talons to rip the creature apart. The acidic blood of the creature burned Marken's paws and he screamed with pain once again before dropping the bloody mess to the ground.

Trying to regain his bearings Marken circled once around the ring of cliffs and saw that more dragons had arrived to fight, this gave him an idea. Sending a pleading message back towards Triial, Marken shouted to his sibling Triiallan Dragons, *Come use the crystal I'm sending, Aithen and I need help!* With that Marken mentally searched out the crystal in Aithen's pocket and sent it to his sister Ryalla.

Moments later three more Triiallan dragons appeared in the skies above the battle. Leading the small group was Ryalla a dark crimson queen, she was followed by an orange female and a black male. It only took the trio on glance around the bowl to know that indeed Marken needed their help. Spotting her brother Ryalla flew to him, *Marken we are here!* she shouted as she approached.

Marken's head swivelled in the direction of his sister's mind voice and he let out a sigh of relief, *Ryalla, go help Aithen!* he sent back to her. Then to the two accompanying his sister Marken sent, *Help me get those creatures away from the hatchlings and their Chosen!* That said the blue, orange, and black Triiallan's dived back into the bowl determined not to let any of the hatchlings or candidates die.

~~~~~~~~~~

Aithen had been trying to apply healing herbs to the metallic yellow hatchling. While the little one had lost consciousness Aithen still would not give up hope. He had made his life's work as a creature healer and he wasn't about to let the truest -*test*-('") of his training pass him by just because he was frightened.

When a girl suddenly appeared in front of him Aithen nearly loosed his knife in her direction, if she hadn't spoke asking if he needed help she would have been dead. He waited while she turned towards the screaming Marken, his beloved bond, and when she turned back he nodded to her and said in a harsh tone, "If you can help yes I need it." Looking then to the hatchling Aithen said more softly, "We're losing him..." Aithen's voice trailed off as he fought back tears.

Both his crimson female and Marken's gold and green male had been nuzzling at their sibling trying to comfort it, even if the poor thing didn't know, and at Aithen's soft words the both looked up at him, *He's hurting,* they said in unison. Nodding his understanding he turned his tear filled eyes back up to the girl and asked, "Are you a healer?" hoping against all hope that she was.

Before the girl could answer a huge shadow fell across the small group and Aithen once again raised his knife to throw it. This time the sight that greeted him was his sister's Triiallan queen Ryalla. Completely dumbfounded he stared at her and asked, "How did you get here?"

*Don't worry how we got here Aithen, all that matters is that we are..." Looking at each of those gathered around her chosen's brother Ryalla saw a girl she didn't know and three hatchlings, one of them gravely injured. Instantly she was drawn to this metallic yellow hatchling, *Let me touch him Aithen,* she sent firmly.

Motioning the other two hatchings out of the way Aithen looked to Ryalla and knew what she was going to try to do. Being a queen she was gifted with more than one Talent, in her case Ryalla had the Talents of Time, Creation, Balance, Death and Sight. She was going to try and use her Talents to heal the little yellow male; he hoped she wasn't too late.

Heluar gave a faint cry of relief as the yellow hatchling was rescued by one of the other candidates. She did not even notice her mate’s struggle as she charged recklessly into three of the reinforcement xenomorphs, her assault fatally wounding one to leave it thrashing in the sands. A blinding globe of light suddenly surrounded her, brighter and hotter than any sun’s gaze. Arching her back and her arms thrown out in front of her, she hurtled rays of that same light against the creatures.

Jacob pierced the creature in the throat, severing the spinal cord at the same time. He had time enough only to retrieve his sword from the sizzling carcass, releasing it in shack when he found it deteriorating from the corrosive acridity of the xenomorph’s blood, when a second lunged. It grabbed him by the throat and he uttered a hoarse cry as he felt it’s jaws tightening when Heluar struck it clean in the back, causing it to drop him.

Snapping her jaws at the creatures, Fehwyn carefully plucked up Jacob’s unconscious form and gently deposited him next to the cobalt hatchling that was currently hissing from behind the safety of the dragoness’ great wings. The hatchling nuzzled him weakly, the blood on her muzzle from the ferret dripping onto him to mingle with his own.

Utterly drained, Heluar staggered over next to Jacob, tears streaking her face. She could not use her powers to heal him; she no longer had the energy. All she could do was implore the spirits she channeled to help her mate. Meanwhile Fehwyn had rend the throat out of two of the xenomorphs who had come near her and those she protected, constantly reinforcing the barrier around them and trying to spread it around the others.

The tabby hatchling, forgetting both boot and meat alike, attempted to crawl into Heluar’s lap but found himself to large, instead leaning his head miserably on her leg. Jacob was breathing hoarsely, bleeding profusely from the wounds in his throat.

Noticing that people and dragons below were getting hurt Cassiopia cast around her and sentto a gold mirror dragon * Go help those on the ground Athene HURRY!*

With a nod Athene circled to the floor and landed in front of the one whose throat was torn. Bowing her head in respect, she sent *I have healing abilities, if you would like help I am able* and she waited in front of Heluar for an answer.

Bad ingury, She thought to herself, but it can be fixed. She glanced around the rest of the sands. The injured could be helped but she was afraid for the yellow hatchling, she could not sense whether he could be saved or not! Brow creased in worry, she waited patiently.

OOC: like mentioned to one of you in chat yesterday, the queen came from a black kiondel host. Not that she's nearly as powerfull as one though.

IC.
While the acid could not truly hurt her, the queen shrieked in anger as her attack failed. Then she ducked as the effect of the dragons spells roared down towards her, color and texture of her hide changing to match almost perfectly with the stone and cliffs around her.
A moment later, she slipped out of view between two cliffs which leaned at each other-- where she paused to determine the exact location of those of her enemies which she could sense. However, when she moved a few moment later, it was with blinding speed.

Vaulting to the top of another cliff, she needed only a split second to fix on the targets she had decided on, then she launched herself up and out to land on top of one of the mirror dragons. And while using her deadly talons to attack that one, she lashed down at another with her tail and sent a spray of burning acid at another.
It was a potentially suicidal tactic, but for the moment the queens berserker anger was too powrfull.

Talons digging into its victim, the xenomorph hissed mockingly as it realized that its weight alone was enough to hold the humanoid down. This one was smaller, perhaps younger, than those which had forced it and its kind to flee the hive.
As the plasma gun at the humanoid's shoulder shifted to target it, the xenomorph's hand-like talons darted forwards to rip the weapon off its mount-- tossing it away.
It was then the xenomorph was fataly distracted as something small, spitting and hissing angrily, attached itself it its back. Certainly the tiny and soft claws of the metallic crimson and copper hatchling was not strong enough to pierce its hide, but it was still a unnerving sensation.
The creature reared up, trying to shake off its tiny attacker or grab it, then the xenomorph's tail arched up and forwards-- the blade pointing at the hatchling.
Then..

With a hissing sound, a pillar of sand suddenly swirled up in the air beside Aithen and the others, and after a few moments where it didn't seem to be able to decide whether to collapse back onto the ground or take another form, it changed. Most of it was only barely recognizable as a humanoid body, but more effort was put into the face as it was a fairly good likeness of a elf-like male.
::I'm afraid that I must ask that you give me the dying hatchling:: it said, ::there is another swarm of creatures approaching, carrying something which you do not wish to encounter. I need what the young one has to make sure that they won't be able to pass the cliffs::

Sensing the approach of more of their kind and the precious objects carried by them, the xenomorphs hesitated briefly-- communicating amongst themselves with hisses and high-pitched sounds. Then they suddenly changed tactics, concentrating their attacks one the apparently weaker candidates and the hatchlings. Moving in teams of twos or threes, they attacked fiercely as they sought to disable their targets and carry them out of reach of their more powerfull opponents.