The Great Bird Hunt - finished! Items! See last page!

[LvSoulFriend]

Misery had to grin. He had a feeling the question would have come at some point, and it had. There was no anger, no disgust in the question however, this time at least. Only curiosity. "I live near the Rainbow Hotsprings, with my two mares. We founded a Song on one of the rocky spires nearby. The entire place is riddled with passages and caves, perfect for a Song that has wings, or can climb well." His admiration for his two mares was evident at that point, as was his love. "It's perfect for me to get close to the skies as well, and keep an eye on the storms. As to your original question," here he chuckled, as he had definitely strayed from the original question, "I heard on the winds about a giant bird attacking foals. I came to offer my help. I do not have foals yet, but perhaps in the future I might, and I would want others to come to my aid if something happened to them, despite what I am."

One ear flicked toward the stallion that approached. He wasn't sure why this stranger had decided to walk next to him, but he thought it might have something to do with the fact the he apparently had a mare in the group. He'd seen the exchanges between the mare and stallion. He didn't want trouble, and if need be, would take to the skies again.

Still keeping one ear on the stallion, he continued his conversation with the mare. "I am guessing that you are wondering how I came to be so friendly, when most of my kind are nasty, to put it mildly." Indeed, he's met a few other Miseries who were not nice, one foal in particular stayed in his mind. Pity he didn't know what had become of her. "My mother raised me with kindness, even though I was a Misery. It's as simple as that." He fell silent then, wishing he knew what had happened to his mother.

[Esperanza]

Gem felt relieved when he moved beside her. Not only was it difficult to run like that, it was also quite uncomfortable. She regained her position as she ran and continued to listen. "Yes, I would guess that it is differyent." She smiled, turning her ears toward him to listen. Well, at least he is nyot angry at me... She thought to herself, honestly hating that feeling. She watched him stumble abit and immediately got ready to help him back up if he did fall. But he didn't, but that must of upset his catgryph who flew up to naturally regain her balance. "You alryight?" Gem asked, her stride messing up for a moment before she quickly corrected it.

"Yes, I am cyold here. But I'm fine, running keeps me warm." She suddenly shivered again. "Eyr, sometimes."

[Origami_Dragon]

Gyre noted a hint of relief on the mare's face as he pulled up along side her and nodded slightly to himself. He couldn't imagine how she'd been running at that angle over this slushy surface. As she agreed with him that snow and sand were different he sighed softly, his thoughts turning briefly back to the hot desert sands of his birthplace, which in turn reminded him that he was getting tired. He'd not had much sleep this morning before his aunt had hauled him away to join this mission. But it wouldn't be the first time he'd been up all night and then all day as well.

While Moonlight's spooking didn't bother him...it seemed to disturb the mare. Gyre tensed as she stumbled slightly in turn, then relaxed as she managed to recover. At this speed and in this crowd it really wasn't a good idea to fall. That reminded him to pay more attention to the path they followed, though he gave her a worried look out of the corner of his eye as she shivered again. He whistled softly in concern...but he had nothing to offer her for warmth. Even if Moonlight would consent to ride her instead, she wasn't used to the catgryph on her back and would probably wind up hurt.

Risking a quick glance over Gyre decided there was room to move closer, and slowly did so, thinking that perhaps he could help her stay warmer. After all, in the desert you slept alone so as not to overhead each other with nearness. "Eyrr, I don't believe I actually intyroduced myself. I am Gyre of the Bleached Sands." He tilted his head slightly towards her, both to catch her name if she offered it and to judge her reaction to his approach.

[Echos]

"Not this time. I was only a days travel away when I ran into Shadow and learned of Glint's task and his need for samanayrs to join him. Since I had not been back to the rainbow hotsprings since leaving my birthsong I was more than happy to return home, even if only for a short time," Ferocity told her her eyes trailing over the sams ahead of them with interest. The other members of their party were settling in and starting their own conversations as they trotted along behind Glint. She'd seen the elegant Healer join their group and quickly find a place between the Kirin an Misery - an interesting group that she was almost tempted to join. She wasn't quite ready to risk conversation with a Misery though, no matter how unthreatening this one appeared, not after her last encounter with one of those creatures. Her thoughts still on that odd little bunch she mused, "Glint's really put together an unusual group here, I'm surprised how many turned up given how little time there was for them to gather. Hopefully this bird the Northerns spoke of won't be too difficult to deal with and the foals will have had the sense to remain where they're safe. I'd hate for anything to have happened to them."

[Sushidragon]

The path had been sloping up for a while, and the snow cover on the ground thickened slightly. The left side of the path now dropped off sharply and the right side rose up into a sheer cliff face. Although the path was easily wide enough for a number of Samanayrs to walk abreast the group as a whole moved much closer together, edging towards the protective face of the cliff. Nobody wingless wanted to get too close to the edge of the path.

Glint kept only half an ear on the activities of the group as they continued towards the Song of the High Ice's hotspring. He knew they were getting close, and his heart had begun to race in his chest as the Song members grew more and more agitated. During the trip he had been thinking hard about what might happen when they encountered this bird and what they could do if they weren't able to convince it to leave. Could they trap it somehow? Drive it away otherwise?

He was still deep in thought when one of the Northerns directly behind him cried out in alarm. Glint looked up just in time to see a large shape fall out of the sky and strike the lip of the path hard, scrabbling for a handhold with its front legs while its massive leathery wings flapped and threw up a spray of snow and gravel.

It was a very strange-looking creature, not one that Glint had ever encountered before. The build of its body resembled that of a bear, but rather than fur its body was covered in thick, overlapping olive-green scales. As it pulled itself up onto the path, its leathery wings folded themselves under protective scales on its sides and spines rose up from the ridge of scales on its back. Spotting the group of Samanayrs, the beast roared, exposing a mouth full of massive, sharp teeth while its mad red eyes rolled in its head.

"This was your bird?!" Glint shouted at the Northerns as the creature slowly began to advance towards them. Their only response was a whimper, and when Glint glanced over his shoulder, he saw Shear shaking his head rapidly. Okay, maybe this wasn't what they'd been expecting either.

[LvSoulFriend]

Whatever reply the mare might have made to Misery was lost in the roar of the creature that landed suddenly in front of the group. Startled, for the second time that day, he noted to himself, Misery's first instinct was to jump up into the air, and fly. Regaining a hold over his instinctive flight, he settled into a hover above the group, eyeing the creature. This was no bird. It looked almost like ...

Well, a dragon, strange as that may seem. Misery stared, for once uncertain of what to do. How in the world were they supposed to shoo this thing away?!

Idly, he wondered how it would react to lightning, and more importantly, if he would live to see his mares again.

[Echos]

Ferocity let out a startled cry as their mystery bird landed on the path a ways in front of them, snow and dirt raining down from the sky as it pulled out of its dive and its talons fought for purchase on the ground. The beast was massive and completely unlike anything she'd ever seen before. When Glint had spoken of the bird sh assumed they would be dealing with an over grown raptor, but this thing, this was much more than she'd bargained for. Up ahead she spotted the Northern sams huddled together looking utterly terrified.

She watched the creature advance toward them, massive leathery wings now folded against its back and spines glinting ominously along its back. Whatever the thing was it was clear to her that it was mad, very, very mad and it was taking her a fair bit of willpower to keep from acting on insinct and fleeing on the spot. Instead she darted up to the front of the group and asked, her voice shakier than she would have liked, "Is that the thing we were looking for? How do you want to handle it, I'm not sure its even a bird - looks more like a dragon or something."

[Esperanza]

Gem smiled when he whistled in concern, before she cooed softly that she was alright with the cold. When he moved closer, she shifted slightly in surprise but when she realized that he was doing it to try and help her warm up, she moved toward him slightly. Making sure not to inter-tangle their legs as they both ran. She did feel somewhat warmer and she whistled slightly in content.
She heard him begin to talk again and she immediately looked at him, "Its nyice to meet you. My name is Gem of the Scattered Sky." She smiled at him. She was completely at peace until she heard a large crash and the noise of falling gravel. She looked up and saw the bird. "Oh my-"

Seeing the bird she suddenly felt quite small, her eyes widened with fear as she looked at it. Even this brought no good thoughts to her mind and she fount herself staring at it with awe and fear. "What is that thing?" She asked Gyre. When it roared she immediately moved closer to Gyre, she didn't mean to, but now she had begun to realize what she had brought herself in to. When it began to move closer she began to shiver, but not with the cold, with fear.

[Slydogg121]

The trail was getting steeper, Shifting Sands kept an eye on the footing, the path was getting narrower and there was what looked like a very large drop on one side, that didn't concern him too overly much, he had wings and could catch himself if he should fall over, but the little blue mare had no wings, looking around there were a few others in their section of the group that were wingless as well. He started to drop back to get around to the drop side of them, not edging to close but between them and the drop.

Shifting Sands saw a large shadow drop from the sky and the strangest creature he had ever seen land in front of Glint. It was a hideous shade of green with scales and spikes, and TEETH! He didn't get a chance to have a thought when he realized that the entire group was stopping, fast! He skidded to a stop, his wings partly out to steady himself, trying not to hit anyone with them. His first thought after stopping was What is that thing, I hope its not the Bird we were coming here to shoo away! He looked around at the others nearest him, noting the little blue scaled mare was somewhat close, the other scaled stallion was near as well. He wondered what on earth this thing was, it didn't appear to be too friendly. His eyes kept shifting from The beast, to Glint, to the Misery who was hovering, glancing over the Sam-kin that were around him.

((editing to respond to actions in later posts, as per Sushi's request. edit would come after silvermoondragons post.))

Shifting looked around, saw that thew little blue scaleless mare was huddling close to the other scaled stallion. He heard him say "I think it's a dyragon." Ahh, that would somewhat fit what he had been told about the odd fauna in his world, he though to himself. Unfortunately he did not know how best to deal with a dyragon, if that is what it is.

He saw a Sa'grsayr stallion shove his way towards the front, mantle and spread his wings, trying to make the beast aware of the warriors in the group. Another was worming her way to the front, trilling and cooing a calming song to the beast. Opposite actions that might cause the same reaction, which was to have the beast back down.

Another thought occurred to him then. Though the beast had landed making a show of its size and armament, it had done nothing overtly aggressive at the group, hadn't snatched anyone off the path or knocked anyone off either, this was a puzzle. Why would a beast that size try to land on the path to scare them, instead of knocking one or to off the side with a diving strike, and save itself from landing on the narrow path. His mind, while paying attention to the others around him and the beast ahead of them, spun in circles trying to figure out that very question of Why?

[Origami_Dragon]

At first it seemed as though the mare might move away from him, and Gyre would let her go. But after that first start she settled back down pacing along side him. Her contented whistle seemed to imply that his idea was working. And as he looked around again Gyre noticed that the entire group was bunching up more as well. A glance to one side showed why. Without his noticing they had gradually began climbing up the side of some huge rock formation and the level ground and trees were now well below them. Gyre moved over slightly more, away from that steadily increasing drop.

He turned his gaze away from the fall, but before he could reply to Gem's returned introduction a dull booming thud rang out, swiftly followed by a vast, terrifying roar. Gyre's head instantly swung away from the mare and his eyes grew wide as he stared up at the...thing now standing in their way. "That's not a biyrd!" he cried out, voice going shriller than usual. It looked like something out of a nightmare, his mother's worst fear. He didn't even consciously notice that Gem had moved closer to him, nor did he really realize that one stubby wing had spread out in an attempt to cover her.

This was a far cry from anything Gyre had expected to see, no giant bird was this. Instead a vast beast loomed angrily over them, looking ready to devour them alive. And now Gyre was realizing just how little he could do. He was fast yes, but where was there to run here? The cliff went up on one side, down on the other, and all around were other Sams. Anyways, that would be abandoning them. Why should the beast follow one lone runner when an entire crowd remained here? He huddled there against Gem, heart in his throat, feeling very much like a helpless foal again. Softly he managed to almost whimper, "I think it's a dyragon."

[Tervenna]

Fissure stayed near the front of the group, off to the side, since Glint didn't seem to mind where she placed herself. The other sams had all been ignoring her, so she didn't trouble herself with trying to strike up any conversations.

She paid attention to the members of the Song who had come for help, and when they began to look agitated, she paid more attention to the trees, and the sky above, watching for any signs of large birds. Her attention had been behind the party, when she heard a cry of alarm from one of the Northern samanayrs.

Snapping her attention back to the front, she saw a huge winged creature on the edge of the path, just as it roared. Glint was yelling something to the Northern Song, but Fissure didn't pay much attention. She eyed the beast, doubting it was the "bird" they were called out to relocate. As the beast moved closer, Fissure lowered her head. Her horns may not do much against such a large creature, but they were definitely not for show.

They may not have come for a fight, but Fissure wouldn't hesitate, if the creature insisted.

[Pathos]

Abandoning his attempt to support Misery, Tyger raced back to Reflection as that, that *thing* came down upon the party.

"What is* that thing?" he panted, shaking out his mane to bolster his confidence, he looked towards Glint:

"Do we have a battle plan?"

[Janalee]

Calamity had almost forgotten why she had bothered to come; she hadn't been able to get the Mystic's attention like she had wanted, and even if she had, she doubted it would have mattered. She'd watched as the Misery had landed among them, and not one of the Samanayrs had so much as whimpered at the occurrence, let alone done something more interesting. Maybe she should have expected it, considering how goody-goody the mission was; she couldn't help but feel bored and disappointed anyway though. It was enough to make her consider simply leaving, really.
And then, that glorious creature appeared before them. It was so unexpected, so very powerful, that she couldn't help but look up at it in something akin to awe, and a more malicious desire to conquer. Finally, something worthy of the trip; something to test themselves on. Instinctively, she moved forward, close to the Sa'krien mare; she seemed the best choice of a battle mate, if a fight did indeed break out of this. Beyond that, she merely waited eagerly, her fiery mane flicking quickly with the tension in the air as well as in herself- it was a good thing she hadn't departed from the group after all.

[Saiki]

Mystic didn't mind the steepness of the climb; it was kind of fun, actually, to have to watch your step so carefully. And the sheer drop was almost mesmerizing! She could only imagine how fun it would be to fling her self off the steep cliff and dive down, pulling back up at the last second. Perhaps on the return trip she'd do just that.

But the snow... it was so cold and alien to her. She really didn't like it, and every couple of steps she'd stop and try to shake the cold wetness out of her foot tufts. The scowl on her face deepened as she grew wetter and wetter.

A sudden cry of alarm from one of the Northerns made her head jerk up, and without even thinking about it, she roughly pushed past several other Samanayrs in the group to stand near the front.

...And then she devoutly wished that she was still near the back as she got a good look at it. It was massive. And those teeth... She shuddered slightly, and took a step back as it advanced toward the group. The sinking feeling in her stomach grew as it occured to her that any of this group's attempts at driving off this bird-dragon would be like sneezing on a forest fire.

"Don't be afraid," she muttered to herself. "Never be afraid." She couldn't show fear, not while other Samanayrs, like that Sa'krien mare and that strange Elemental, were being strong.

Shaking her head slightly and planting her feet, Mystic flared her wings and shouted up at the bird, "We're not afraid of you!"

[Takaeji]

Gust had heard of the group who would be traveling to save the foals, and having a Song of his own and most definitely thinking of having foals with his mares sometime, he couldn't ignore the cry for help. He had flown his way to the gathering, though stayed silent in the back of the crowd the whole time they prepared themselves for the journey ahead. He was one to stay quiet and absorb the whole situation, only making his presence known if it was needed. And as they set off for travel, being noticed still wasn't necessary. Being the only Sa'grisayr he had caught sight of in the crowd, to avoid any chatter, he had kept his head low and stuck to the back of the crowd. His stealthy mission had been going well so far, having not been approached by anyone yet. But, things quickly changed soon after.

Having been thinking to himself silently on just what type of bird this may be to leave so many Northerns in panic, his eyes were quickly shot to the sky as a cry of surprise was heard. Watching the beast land before them, Gust was quick to raise his head. Seeing those teeth as the thing caught it's footing and dared roar out at them, he was silently thankful now that his two mares wouldn't have been capable in joining them on this journey if they had caught ear of it. They were safe back at home, and immediately he glanced around at the crowd before him. There were many lone mares and stallions here, did they have Songs to go back to? Were they still searching for the perfect mate? What would happen to any waiting friends or family if they never returned from this trip?

Feeling protective instincts take hold over any fear that may have been clawing at his mind, the Sa'grisayr quickly shoved his way more in front of the crowd then where he had been. Making sure any Samanayrs that looked fear stricken were behind him, he found himself staring sternly at the beast as he clawed at the ground with those sharp talons of his.

"Do not show it fear!" Confidence was his voice as he spoke out softly to those around him who may be listening, his eyes not wavering from the target before him. If this was a predator, showing fear could easily provoke unwanted confidence. Rearing up just slightly with that thought, he stretched those colorful wings of his out to appear bigger as he simotaniously fluffed out the feathers resting about his head the best he could. But he made no loud sounds yet, merely wanting to warn the large beast to keep its distance. Gust would not be afraid to put his beak and those talons to use if it would be needed. He definitely wanted that to be clearly shown for if the creature had any ill intentions, which he feared it may.



( Jumping in rather late here, and RPing a Sam for the first time. Feel free to correct me on anything if need be. :3 ETA: ...And that post is much bigger then I meant it to be, lol. 'x3;; )

[Puuka]

"No" replied Healer to the handsome Kirin Stallion "I've heayred theyr'es a pyredatoyry biyrd thyretening a Northeyrn Song's foals. We ayre the yrescue payrty. This is all I've leayrned as yet. "
She smiled her warmest smile for him to make her words seem a bit less grim. As he opened his mouth to fill her in on their mission, a great winged monster - the stuff of legends - appeared from the sky. With a furious roar, it threatened their group. Healer reared back terrified. Though she fancied herself a brave Samanayr, this was more than she was accustomed to.

From behind her another sound stole her attention: a brave Sa'grisayr she had
not seen before was barreling through the crowd toward a place at the front of the herd. As he fluffed himself up menacingly and spoke encouraging words, she felt herself relax a bit and she turned her head to touch her pouch of healing herbs, ready if need be. She turned her gaze back on the fearsome beast and put on her most courageous face, determined not to show it that her insides had turned to liquid.

[CosmicDragon]

While the Misery's talk of his song was surprising, his reason for comming to the aid of the Northern song was noble, which was enough to elicit a warm smile from her. She was about to respond with a lengthy speil on how much of an impact ones parents can truly make when there was a cry of alarm. Instinctively, she edged closer to the cliff face (and, co-incidentaly, the Misery), wary of the long drop not far from her and the possibility of being pushed over if anyone panicked. Her gaze shot upwards and her pulse quickened with alarm. Out of the sky dropped not a bird, but a great beast, like one of the many tiny Kreenasa Dragonets she had come across in her travels, grown massive.

Her mind instanly went back to her own Dragonet, probably still waiting for her at the edge of the unhelpful song's territory where she had left it. It too flew into rages similar to this, and with strong, purposeful steps she tried to seperate herself slightly from the group, at the same time trilling and shushing calmly, trying to make eye contact with the great Dragon.

They were all so loud, this group, she thought crossly. Had they never delt with wilde creatures? They would only stir it further into anger! She kept up her soft, calming noises and low singing as she continued to step forward and away from the noisy group.

[silvermoondragon]

      The cold was increasing as they began an ascent up the mountainous terrain, steep cliffs opening up along the edges of the path with sharp rocks at the bottom looking like teeth when a Samanayr worked up the courage to look over the edge. Spirit’s breath was coming out in visible clouds as the small droplets of water condensed instantly in the chilly air. S’qui had long ago left the ground to rest himself comfortably in his favourite spot on Spirit’s back, reveling in the warmth that both were providing each other with.

      Spirit had been about to reply to the healer, explaining fully all he knew about their task when a sudden flapping caught his attention. He looked up just in time to see a dragon-like creature land rather awkwardly on the edge of the path which held barely enough room for the Samanayrs to walk let alone a beast of that size landing. Scrabbling roughly on the tiny ledge, the creature let out a huge roar as it turned towards the group. It did not look like any bird Spirit had ever seen before so he assumed that this was not the bird the Northern song had referred to. A quick glance over at Glint and Shear proved that this was definitely not the target of their mission.

      There were many scared Samanayrs in the group, their fear seeping over his mental barrier, and he hoped that this would not be the end of their journey, forgetting about the foals in the chaos and fear. Luckily there were those who showed some fight. Spirit’s eyes were drawn to a stunning sa’grisayr stallion he had not noticed earlier rearing up and spreading his wings wide. Glad to know there were other Samanayrs ready to fight for the group, he turned back towards the beast, puffing out the fur of his mane in an attempt to look larger. He lowered his horn slightly, it may not be as sharp and deadly as the sa’krien’s horn, but it was better than nothing. He then thought back on to the question from one of the mystics in the clearing, well it couldn’t hurt to try right? Slowly he pulled down some of the barriers in his mind and began reaching out to the creature, wondering if Glint was trying the same thing. Maybe if they combined their psychic powers?

[Sushidragon]

"Th-th-that's not the bird!" Shear stammered as he backed away a step, visibly trembling.

"What do you mean?" Glint said sharply. He didn't turn to look at the terrified Northern, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the creature. It remained where it was for the moment, massive clawed paws rooted firmly on the path, but it had the air of something that was ready to charge. The cries and exclaimations of the group came to him as well, but he dared not take his eyes from the beast to address them.

One of the Northern mares spoke up, voice slightly steadier than that of her stallion. "It had feathers, a beak... what we saw was a bird. This is not a bird!"

The creature was indeed not a bird, but it was also unlike any creature Glint had ever seen, as if a bear had been combined with a dragon. Perhaps an escaped mage construct? Whatever it was, at the moment it was a problem.

Glint opened his mind to it, hoping against hope that it was sentient and not the animal it appeared to be. To his surprise, his mind seemed to slide over the creature as if it was surrounded by a seamless shield, preventing him from making the connection. It was a sensation he had never experienced before.

As the Mystic and the bright Sa'krien shouted at it, and the Samanayr mare approached it, the creature roared again and slammed a forepaw down onto the path, claws splayed. Glint thought he was imagining it at first, but he discovered he could make out words in the cries of the creature.

"Huuuuuurt, huuuuuurt, whyyyyy!" The words were in the Samanayr language, the notes harsh and almost incomprehensible in the mouth of the creature. How could something like that be speaking the language that only Samanayrs knew?

Glint opened his mouth, not sure what he wanted to say to the creature, but before he had the chance to speak it uttered another ear-splitting, wordless roar. Head lowered, the creature began to advance down the path. It was so wide that it filled the path completely.

"Kill, kill," it hissed in the Samanayr language, red eyes rolling and mad.

Glint didn't hesitate. The Kirin stallion reared onto his hind legs and screamed his challenge at the creature, his small body framed against its olive-green bulk. "Stay back, or we will be forced to -"

Before he could finish, the creature roared again and swiped at Glint with a massive paw, catching the Kirin squarely on the side. The force of the blow was so strong that it carried him into the air, neatly up and over the edge of the path. If Glint made a sound as he disappeared, it was drowned out by another roar from the creature as it faced the group, as if waiting to see who would be next.

[CosmicDragon]

A by-product of her focus on the dragon-like creature was that she blocked out the words and actions of the other Samanayrs, registering them as meaningless noise and blurs in the corners of her eyes. Her ears flicked back as she winced, the slamming of its paw a little to close for comfort. She quickly controlled herself, making sure she didn't shy away or react in fear, and the strength of it's next roar made her shut her eyes...

Causing her to miss the swipe that pushed their illustrious leader off the edge.

But this day hadn't surrendered the last of it's surprises even then. Though it took her a moment to realise it, the great creatures bellows were words, in the language she had thought only spoken by Samanayrs. Hurt? A spark of understanding lit her eyes for a moment before fading back into careful obscurity. It was in pain... Of course! Just like when she had first found her little Leer, the thorn driven beneath the skin where the little Dragonet couldn't reach it...

With renewed intensity, she walked with careful but assured steps, changing her mindless singing to a looping repeat of the same, low but insistent questions. "What hurts? Where is it?" Interspersed with the same calm shushing, she stop trying to make eye contact and instead started to examine the creature. If she could just remove the pain, perhaps it would leave! She tried to ignore it's repeated mutterings of 'kill, kill', knowing that the faster she worked, the faster this was likely to be over.

[AsaraDragon]

Reflection was intrigued when the Lamanayr mare mentioned that she had not been far away "this time". She realized then that this mare did not have a Song, and was wandering the world.

"So you are a traveler, then? How interesting that must be! Myself, I was mad for a Song as soon as I came of age to join one, but sometimes I do wonder what things I missed by settling down so quickly. Perhaps you might stay in the area a while after we have finished with this bird, and tell me some stories of your adventures?

She smiled at the other mare, but before Ferocity could answer, a mad, scaly thing dropped down out of the sky and attacked Glint! Ferocity dashed off to help, and Reflection stopped dead in her tracks. She could do nothing but stare as the creature yowled and growled. It sounded like Samanayr speech, but she was too terrified to make any sense of it. She was dimly aware that Tyger had rushed back to her side, but that was all.

[Esperanza]

Gem gaped her mouth open when she heard the northerns say that the creature was not the bird they had been expecting to find. She looked at Gyre who had said that he thought it was a dragon. She stood there, shaking, "I-I think your r-right, Gyre," She stammered, her eyes dim with fear. When it roared, she shuttered again and once again moved closer to Gyre, she felt safer next to him. But she was somewhat nervous about how he felt about that. She suddenly heard the creature talking, but in a samanayr tongue. Was this creature a Sam? Or did it just learn the language? She looked at Gyre, "Did you hear that? Or am I imagining things?" She asked.

It came closer and closer and she stood there, watching it come nearer. She suddenly saw it swipe its huge paw at Glint and watched as he fell off the path. She stood there, scared out of her wits.

[LvSoulFriend]

Misery dove out of the sky. The only thing on his mind at the moment was catching Glint, if he was able to. The Elemental mare and some others were near the front, and to be honest, she could probably hold the thing off by herself. But he might be the only one who could catch Glint, with his abilities with the wind. And so he dove off the cliffside after him.

[RikkuGirl]

Chilling was flying high above the group when a dark shadow fell from the sky. It perched on the ledge where her fellow Sams were. She watched as Glint tried to make contact only to be demolished with one swipe of the huge dragon like creature. "Oh no you don’t!" She screamed as she tucked her wings to her sides.

Chilling fell face first down to the creature, her speed picking up with every second. Like a falcon she swooped in and hit the creature dead on its nose as she flew past it, her legs streak with pain from the sheer impact. Her wings opening up as she did a quick twist, an evasive maneuver most likely. Her wings opened above the crowd as she soared over them and then turned back up to the sky.

"Come get me you hoyrrible monsteyr!!!" She screamed, turning once more. Her bat wings were light and swift, helping her body to move VERY swiftly. She attacked the creature once more, swooping in from above, her hands/paws hurt from the sheer force of the hit but she had to try to get its attention while others helped Glint and got away. She looked like a mother bird attacking an innocent by standard, flying up and swooping down to attack once more. She thought nothing of her own health, just that of the others.

"Come on! Come get me! I’m not pudgy but id make a good snack!!! Huyrry! Get Glint! We need to move, anywheyre with coveyr!" Her voice was loud and high pitched when she yelled at the monster, high pitched things normally gained more attention; Which was exactly what she was trying to do... distract the monster. She screamed in the air as she swooped over and over, mimicking her bird brethren.

[Origami_Dragon]

The deep booming roars and the varied shrill and angry cries of the crowd made it hard to hear Gem even though she was right beside him, even closer than she had been before. On his back Moonlight was adding her own shrill cries to the general chaos, though from what he could tell she sounded more angry than anything. Gyre's wide eyes flicked over the crowd, mind stalled as he tried to think of what to do. What to do? How did he think he was ready to found his own Song if he couldn't even react to this danger other than to huddle there between Gem and the monster.

Gyre rolled his head slightly so that one huge eye could see Gem as she tried to ask him something. It took a moment for the question to sink in before he turned back and tried to focus. After a moment he shook his head. "It...it's talking? But I can't undeyrstand..." The old Sam speach he knew was deep desert, and this creature, whatever accent it had, was far from his desert dialect. He couldn't make heads or tails of the creatures' words, not mangled as they were by that tooth filled mouth.

He had turned his attention to the creature just in time to see Glint rear up in challange...and the beast bellow a responce and dashed him from the cliffside path. Gyre's angry scream was nearly drowned by the beast's roar, even to his own ears (err...lack of ears ). The young stallion was torn. That was their leader, his aunt's stallion! But Gyre could no more fly after him than Glint himself could fly. And he could feel Gem trembling in what looked like near panic behind him. As he saw that Misery, the frightening thing that shouldn't be by all the stories he'd ever heard, dive after Glint he whispered, though it was unlikely any could hear, "Let him catch Glint..."

So many voices cried for them to remain calm. So many braver Sams than he headed for the front lines, towards the monster. Gyre simply stood his ground, neither fleeing nor advancing, standing guard over Gem and trying to control his own fear. If he was honest with himself...he wasn't sure he could move anyways.