The Riders' Rebellion (Scarsmate and DH)

[Dark Huntress]

Rhinnëa was jolted out of her rest by the girls' laughter. It amused her when she looked around as Zaq was still steadily sleeping [and snoring!] and Eyulf had lurched forward into a crouch. His face had lengthened a bit and his skin rippled a little. His canines too had grown to nearly and inch long, and curved as well. The most unsettling things about him were his brown eyes were glowing yellow around his pupils and his near the nape of his neck had stood straight up.

Another glance at Eyulf sent Rhinnëa laughing on her knees. Her voice sounded like a brook gurgling happily and little clear bell notes. As she began to recover, Eyulf gave her a suspicious glance which sent her into a fresh fit of laughter. Zaq grumbled in his sleep and turned over.

"Somebody block that stream up and strangle the bells," he mumbled.

Rhinnëa shared a glance with Rivera before falling to the ground, crying with laughter. She hadn't laughed this much since...And she didn't even know why it was all so funny!

[Scars Mate]

Rivera made a shushing noise to all of the others.

I'm going to play a trick, she whispered to everyone, with the exception of Zaq, but you can't let him know!

Everyone nodded, and there were several smirks.

Rivera carefully stepped forward to Zaq, and crouched down by him. She muttered a spell, then retreated back to her perch on Lyrea's leg.

'Pretend you can't hear the bells,' she said, grinning.

'What be-' Nellas started, but at that moment, a quiet ringing began.

Everyone grinned.

All of a sudden, the volume of the bells shot up and Zaq shot awake, reducing Rivera and Rhinnëa to tears of laughter. The ringing didn't stop, though.

[Dark Huntress]

"What the-?" Zaq growled, glaring at each girl in turn.

Rhinnëa frowned. "Isn't the ringing supposed to stop?" she asked slowly. Her hand instinctively wrapped around Ignasia's hilt and she stepped backward to wards Gweir. A quick glance at Eyulf assured her: his hair was sticking up again and a snarl was forming on his lips. Sure, Eyulf couldn't be trusted about many things, but Rhinnëa was sure his instincts were the one thing about she could trust about the tall, dark boy.

She glanced uneasily back at Gweir. She didn't know why she felt as if something was wrong, she just did. Everything was wrong, with inhumanly quick movements she grabbed Eldárwen, the nearest child, and grabbed her around the waist. She tossed the surprised girl to Gweir who gently caught her with his mouth and dropped her on his back. She could sense an exchange between the girl and Gweir as she watched Rivera do similarly with Nellas. Her head snapped towards Zaq, who'd drawn his short, one-handed bronze-colored sword, then towards Eyulf, now a rather rather large, dark wolf. She thought she saw the wolf shrug a little.

She shook her head at him then looked at Rivera. What is it? What do you think? With a bit of panic, she realized the ringing had stopped and slowly drew Ignasia from its sheath.

[Scars Mate]

'Another shade,' suggested Rivera, her voice quiet.

No, came Lyrea's voice.

Then- Rivera started, but was cut off when a strange white substance, translucent a ghost-like floated up from the ground.

Rivera swore.

It's safe, she grumbled, glaring at the cloud. In it, there was a face staring intently. It was nondescript- neither male nor female. It spoke with a clear voice.

'You are welcomed in the elven city- but the price that is owed must be payed.' With that, it disappeared.

Rivera swore again.

The others didn't even get a chance to ask what had happened.

'Because I ran away, and they think I took Nellas against her will, they'll make us pay. We can stay, but I've seriously disrespected them,' murmured Rivera, but the whole group could hear. She looked up. 'When we first left, that thing followed us all the time. Then we went too far and it couldn't follow. It's because we have Rhinnëa with us,' she glanced at her, and quickly went to apologise. 'Its not your fault. It just uses elven blood to live. The further we got away, the more human we became. And now we're going back...' She trailed off, lost in her own thoughts.

[Dark Huntress]

Rhinnëa nodded. "Perhaps they will listen to me if I defend you," she said hopefully. "Either way we must return to Ellesmera as quickly as possible. If only to avoid creepy, glowing clouds." She put a hand on Gweir's snout. Are you too tired to leave yet?

No, and I'll be able to rest when we get there, your folk will ensure that.

Rhinnëa nodded and helped the short Eldárwen down from Gweir. The boys climbed up on the opposite side, this time Eyulf cut in front of Zaq. Rhinnëa climbed in front of them and Gweir pushed off of the ground and caught the wind with a smooth movement, sending them soaring into the sky.

[Scars Mate]

As they flew, Rivera remained deep in thought.

You are making the situation worse, little one, Lyrea said.

No I am not. And you know I'm not, she replied savagely. Lyrea sniffed and distanced herself from Rivera.

I'm sorry, she whispered. I'm scared.

It's alright, little one.

Rivera nestled in between Lyrea's shoulder blades, and tried to get some sleep. Nellas squashed in next to her, and when Eldárwen gave her a pleading look, she squashed in too.

'Sing me a lullaby,' whispered Nellas.

'You want one too?' Rivera asked Eldárwen, who nodded shyly. She chuckled and gently squeezed her shoulders, and began to sing.

Her voice carried over the wind, and she knew the others could hear her, but she didn't stop. She sang until other girls fell asleep, and slowly drifted off herself.

[Dark Huntress]

Rhinnëa smiled and leaned against the back of Gweir's silvery neck as Rivera's song drifted back to her. It was a common Elvish lullaby and it reminded her of her incinerated home. She sighed, shoulders shaking a little and knitted her fingers together under her face to make the dragon's hard, cold scales more comfortable. With a quiet, clear voice she chimed in with Rivera, singing about the trees and the streams and the creatures and the plants.

"Having fun?" Zaq grumbled drowsily over Eyulf's shoulder.

Rhinnëa glanced back at him, instantly ceasing her song. "Sorry," she murmured, trying not to wake Eyulf who was sleeping in a much appropriate and much less space-invasive way: arms folded across his broad chest and chin resting on his chest as well. "Forgive my nostalgia." Zaq rolled his eyes and leaned back against Eyulf, muttering about elves and singing.

The minutes turned to hours, Rivera and the others drifted to sleep and the gentle song faded to silence, but Rhinnëa still couldn't join them for whatever reason. Both Eyulf and Zaq relaxed more, Zaq slumping on Eyulf's back and Eyulf rested his chin on Rhinnëa's shoulder and his arms wrapped around her slender waist. After quite a boring, long time, the forest that marked Ellesmera came into view.

Look! she mentall shouted to everyone, excitement suddenly filling her.

[Scars Mate]

Rivera awoke to a sincere feeling of excitement, which caused her to jump up and see what it was.

Her stomach dropped when she saw Ellesmera.

Little one, murmured Lyrea.

I'm fine! Rivera said defensively, but that was a lie, and her dragon knew it.

She shifted about uncomfortably on the saddle. Already she could here the elegant hubbub of the elven home, and he knew some of them could see Lyrea and Gweir. Her eyes flickered uncomfortably back and forth, setting Nellas on edge.

'I'll explain to them!' She whispered in Rivera's ear.

Rivera shook her head.

'It's no good! They won't listen!' She replied.

They gently landed with a soft WHOOMPH.

'Here goes nothing!' Rivera muttered.

[Dark Huntress]

Eyulf yawned and as his brown eyes focused on the horizon and he become aware of his position, he sat back quickly, shaking Zaq off of his back. "Whoa," he yawned. "Sorry about that, I let my guard down in my sleep." He wasn't, however, referring so much to being unaware as he was to invading the beautiful elf's personal space.

"It's fine. You're kind of adorable when you sleep," she answered, focusing on the bag she was rooting through and not bothering to look back at him.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, your mouth hangs open a little and you make this super cute little snore thing and your hai-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he cut her off. "I'd rather not know." He smiled a little as he watched her laugh softly and brush a hair out of her face before unbuckling her legs and dropping lightly to the ground.

"Are you alright, Rivera?" she asked the dark-haired hybrid. Eyulf's eyes glanced from Rhinnëa to her friend. They were both extremely beautiful, yet...Rivera's deep curves lacked the slender grace if Rhinnëa's gentle ones, her eyes lacked the slanted, exotic shape and placement of Rhinnëa's, and her soft voice lacked the smooth, rare accent. Rivera would be a grand prize, but not at all his. There was also more to Rhinnëa. Seeing her sleep and suffer, toss and turn in fever, skin broken and bruised, and bones cruelly misshapened had given him a sense if protectiveness over her. It would've been hard for any man, any true, masculine man, to not feel protective, even without the lupine protectiveness of Eyulf's 'state'.

[Scars Mate]

Rivera muttered sown thing unintelligible, and started meaninglessly fastening the ropes and buckles on Lyrea's saddle. She kept glancing over at the others, but never lingering on any of them. They were safe.

Rhinnëa was an elf. Need she say more?

Eyulf, Zaq and Eldárwen were human (mostly). Elves respected humans, especially if they were travelling with dragons and riders.

Lyrea and Gweir. Dragons, for goodness sake! Like they'd ever harm them.

Nellas. A child, hybrid, who supposedly was taken away against her own will. They love her.

And then herself. A hybrid, who took her child sister away, has 'anger' problems and without them, wouldn't have found Lyrea's egg.

Great.

Inside, she was breaking down. Outside, she was pale and restless.

Rhinnëa gently padded over to talk to her.