A/N: Sorry about the sudden hiatus again. Between the plague and my screen breaking (cat is an asshole) and having to get and set up a new laptop...it's been a time. The snow now doesn't help, but we totally intend to actually get better at this whole remembering to upload thing. I'm going to aim to upload this one every other Sunday. I don't think AoG will get updated again, we have stopped playing that campaign, however I will leave it up for posterity. Thank you so much for understanding. :)

Chapter 8

The dragons gathered in the festival field. It had been a long, tiring, year. A large number of dragons had passed from a mysterious illness that none of them understood. It was only through the grace of the Plaguebringer and Gladekeeper it was even stopped.

"I know this has been a difficult time for us all," Lixian stated from atop the stone dias. "It is in that light that I have elected to stay on another year as your leader. I do not wish to throw anyone into the tumult of trying to lead a clan torn asunder from something they could not stop. It is, however, that same tearing that forces this meeting."

Natyra lifted her head, "First, I would like to thank you for allowing Elder Douyun and myself the honor of serving you as elders. We know the loss of so many beloved members of a clan is hard for anyone." Whispers went through the crowd. Various dragons mentioned things that the lost clan members had done to help them. Questions were asked about what they were there for. "We have scheduled a special memorial later in the week for the souls that have gone on to serve the Windsinger."

Douyun twisted a few times in the air. "Today we would like to announce the names of the dragons taking on new roles within our clan."

Two hours, and many names later, they had reached the end of the list. "And last, but certainly not least, we have our new matchmakers. This team of three will review potential pairs and decide if the two dragons in question will make good parents." Inseza motioned to three female dragons standing together, "Imissa, Akarui, and Rideki."

"Any dragon that already had a task and was simply promoted, please help your new teammates. Any groups that were not altered in any way, be patient. Change takes time and effort. We know this will be difficult and we thank you. Go get yourselves acquainted with your new roles and positions. We hope to see you all in a week's time for the memorial."

"Hard to believe how bad it all was, huh?" Vasari shook his massive head, entering the library den. He felt odd filling Kojiki's position as head historian, despite having trained for the job under her in the first place. Everything felt awkward and hollow without so many of their clanmates suddenly gone forever.

"At least they gave us a young'n to teach. The archives could be worse off than the Scouts or Healers. They have to start from ground zero. We have you." Heruli shrugged, wrapping herself around the branches of a shelving unit designed to look like a tree from the Viridian Labyrinth. She was concerned about the...the...her mind completely blanked on what the tiny dragon sitting on the desk, wide blue eyes taking in her surroundings. Heruli had never seen one before.

"No idea. Let's see if there is an entry anywhere for her species." He looked through the books, starting with the current known species of Sornieth. "Check that pile. I'm going to look here in the historical section. There has to be something. An entire species couldn't just appear from nowhere."

"I see your idea, and raise you Bogsneak, Banescale, and Gaoler."

"Bogsneak were Skaron's fault. Alchemy gone wrong. I'm glad we only go to him when we need stuff reduced."

"Yeah. He was what, a Pearlcatcher before the accident, right?"

Vasari nodded, reading an obscure text from an old book, "I think I found it. Veilspun are ancient dragons who originated from the Wispwillow Grove."

"Where's that?"

"Deep in the Tangled Wood," he pointed to a map of Sornieth, specifically a deep purple forest. "Here to be exact."

"Oooh. What does the book say about them?"

"Veilspun are a small-sized ancient species of dragon. Their silky manes spill over fragile frames. Diaphanous wings beat a dozen times a second to hold these hollow-boned dragons aloft, allowing them to hover and move freely in all directions. Veilspun boast chitinous horns that vary in size, number of branches, and curvature. Veilspun are communal dragons. Swarms of Veilspun have the ability to fly and move in perfect synchronization with each other. While their aerial dance is a flawlessly executed marvel, there is no singular will of the swarm; each individual affects the movement of the swarm subtly through their emotional state and pheromones. Because of this, swarms are largely harmless unless agitated, when individual wills become aligned and emotions are riding high. Agitated masses of Veilspun can wreak havoc on sources of ire or fascination, when the combined magics and hypnotic movements of the Swarm are used to dire effect. The lairs of Veilspun dragons are claustrophobic affairs, made up of compact tunnels packed with favored trinkets and treasures. Veilspun prefer to sleep in tight clusters with their fellows. This behavior allows them to maintain their body heat while at rest. Veilspun that sleep alone frequently go into torpor, and may not wake until their bodies are brought up to temperature. Because of this, Veilspun that are travelling alone will not rest until they have reached another clan. Veilspun try to avoid direct combat altogether. Their favored tactics are to enthrall their foes with their hypnotizing wingbeats and mesmerizing dance of their manes. Hypnotized foes can be puppeteered into battle so long as the Veilspun who enthralled them remains in their peripheral vision. This effect is maintained through visual contact; a telltale sign of a spellbound dragon is their refusal to blink. It is notable that blind dragons cannot be hypnotized."

"So this is a female Veilspun? I don't know how they get their name, but you know, I don't think it matters." Heruli tilted her head at the small dragon. They could find a way to make it work. It would be fine. They would have no choice but to leave Alrada on the desk or bring her with them. At her age, she was barely over a quarter meter long. Not that an adult Veilspun was that much bigger. Cirilo, an adult male, was just over half a meter. "We may as well leave her on desk duty. She's that small. The two adult sized Veilspun are so tiny that we would lose them in the stacks. I'm not sure leaving such a small dragon in the library was a good idea."

Alrada blinked up at them, "I can hear you, you know. I don't appreciate you talking about me as if I'm not here. It's rude."

"I didn't realize, I am so sorry Alrada. I didn't know you understood Sorniethian…"

"Of course I understand Sornethian. My kind have been around far longer than yours. I would think about that the next time you're going to talk about someone when they are right there to hear you. I may be small, but I'm not deaf to your words." Alrada fluttered to the top of the stacks and paced back and forth. "I would also be good here, keeping an eye on things. Most dragons would think I'm just another Familiar hanging out in the library."

"True. Well, we have a lot of work to do to catch up to the legacy they left behind. I think we should start a new record for the clan in a fresh owlcat journal."

"Here," Heruli handed him a blank one with a Redwing Owlcat on it. "That doesn't have anything in it."

Vasari pulled the quill, made from a roc feather, out of its stand and began the first entry of the new records book for the clan. He had no idea where it would go from there, but he could only hope they would do a good job.

Saitai huffed. Ever since the accident, the forge had been closed down and he was on Healer duty. The Elders had thought it was the best, and possibly only, place for him.

"It'll be okay…" Ndabbi, a young Nocturne said, wings folded against her body. She couldn't really understand what he was going through, but she tried her best to sympathize with the irate Spiral. Or at least to keep him from working himself into knots. "You'll heal up and be back in the forges in no time."

"No, I won't."

"Don't talk like that!"

"I don't mean it in a bad way. It's probably for the best the forge was shut down. That sort of thing should only be in the Ashfall Wastes, where magma and molten metals are." Saitai laughed a little. Ndabbi meant well and he knew it. "After the accident, the one that took out Khouri, they should have dismantled the whole thing, but we were too caught up in what we could make."

Zuzhou, a dark blue Wildclaw, watched them silently. She'd never met Khouri, but every dragon knew the story. He had been out late, working on the smelter when one of the chains gave way and the whole cauldron of molten steel collapsed. Covered him instantly.

"He was quite a nice Guardian, from what I understand." She said, voice low. "What made him join the metalworkers in the first place, though? A Guardian like him should have wanted to follow in Rhethi's pawsteps."

"We don't know. Khouri loved the forge and fixing things. I didn't mind it, but I had always warned him to not be out past dark."

"We are sorry for your loss."

"Thanks. I just hope I can do this job justice now that the others are gone."

"Mhm." Zuzhou pulled down the manuals that were left behind in the Healer's Den and started reading through them. "Best way to start would be to learn as much as we can. Let's get through what we can today and we can start with more tomorrow."

Arrazi paced again. He still hadn't come up with a good excuse for why he wanted to leave the den. He was well aware of the fact that Lixian would ask him. There was no real reason at the time to be leaving the clan's borders. Unless...no, he couldn't do that. Arrazi turned in another circle.

"Whatcha doin?" Haegol asked, plodding across the pale grass toward the Shadow Elder. The fellow Shadow dragon had always been there. At first like a burr in Arrazi's side, but lately he had taken quite a shine to the dragon whose scales reminded him very much of a half-melted toxin. Something that Skaron would have come up with.

"Nothing. Well, thinking, I suppose."

"What about?" He settled himself and chewed absently on an old bone from something. Haegol watched Arrazi go back and forth. It was amusing to see the normally relaxed Shadow elder so agitated for no reason he could fathom.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because you like me. Why else?"

"I do not like you."

"You just think that."

"Hae-" He gave up. There was no arguing with it. "Okay, fine. I'm worried."

"About what?"

"The dragons from our home. You saw what it did here. What did it do to the other clans around the area? I'm worried about the one I originally came from. Wouldn't you be?"

"Just go check on them then. I'm not seeing what the issue here is?"

Arrazi glowered, "Aren't you supposed to be at the Training Fields right now? With your fellow farm dragons?"

Haegol shot up and took off down the path. "If you're that worried about the other Shadows, just go see them~"

Haegol was right, as much as Arrazi didn't want to admit it. If he was that worried, he could just go down to the clans and not really have to explain himself. There was nothing stopping him from going down there. He was an elder of the clan and no one really had any say in what he did. How had he entirely forgotten that?

He flew back to the den wall where the Elders were. It made no sense for him to have to even come up with a reason to go. Arrazi quickly packed a bag for the trip. He whisked out of the lair and into the skies. He didn't bother stopping to check in with anyone before he left. There were no upcoming events, and he planned to be back before the end of a fortnight anyway, so what did it matter whether he told anyone where he was going to be or not?

The trip out was relatively calm and peaceful. He ran across very few of the feathered beast clan on the way, only seeing a few Talonok and Centaur as he flew overhead. It was rather unusual to not see as many beast clans out in the wood. He shook it off and flew toward the heart of the Tangled Wood, the Forum of the Obscured Crescent. That's where he would find the altar to the Shadowbinder and the Tikuri clan who worshiped there.

Arrazi made his way into the main area of the Crescent. His vision quickly adjusting to the darkness, "Kyanna? Are you here?"

"Yes, I am." A plum python Nocturne stepped from the shadows around the Crescent. "Arrazi, my darling. What a nice surprise to see you here. What brings you all the way out to our dark abode?"

"I've come to ask after the item I sent your way? Make sure it's still where it ought to be."

"So far as I know. We shall check together." She turned and padded deeper into the Crescent's basin. "Come. This way."

Arrazi followed, purring lightly at the feel of the Shadowbinder's presence around him. This was Her domain and there was nothing She hadn't touched. His heart felt oddly warmed by the idea that he was back where he was born. He followed Kyanna down to the Crescent. Hidden in the far back was an alcove. In that alcove lay an altar to the Shadowbinder. Covered in deep black and purple stones, tattered cloth, and one very oddly out of place bright yellow crystal. Any dragon coming to the altar would know right away that one of the crystals placed on it was not where it was meant to be.

"You are lucky that I am the only dragon that comes out here. Not even Mrenda comes out here any more. Spends most of her time down in the Rim with Zamola."

"How is that crusty old Mirror anyway?"

Kyanna held in her snort. Only Arrazi, a dragon as old as Mrenda herself, could even get away with referring to her in such a crass manner. "As crusty as ever. She is more agitated than normal these days with that Imperial so close to our border."

"Yes, Cayaha is quite troublesome. I have done my best to divert her away from the border we share with the Tangled Wood. Though she is also doing an excellent job of distracting herself from her task. I think being in a clan the size of Nifari and with so many happy welcoming dragons, she is overwhelmed."

"Really? Perhaps this job will be easier than we anticipated. She will be quite pleased with that. I will inform the priests after you go."

Arrazi purred slightly. Being told that She would be pleased was no small praise. It took a lot to make the Shadowbinder happy, even in these days. He followed Kyanna around the den, wondering not for the first time if the stone were in the right paws.

Haegol flew as fast as his wings would carry him toward the training field. He had entirely forgotten that he was meant to be down there with the other farming dragons to practice and train up to a higher level. He was late and they were going to yell at him for it.

"I'm so sorry!" He collapsed at the feet of the two older Imperial dragons, their crystal hides catching the light and temporarily blinding him. He saw one head incline toward the other as whispered words passed between them beyond where he could hear. "I was with Elder Arrazi, talking about the sickness."

"I suppose I can let that slide, then." Zakura shook his mane out, scales glittering in the sunlight. He was a fellow Shadow dragon and could understand the concern they would have had with the Tangled Wood. "Zaulen would not be as happy with you as the rest of us."

"I know, I know."

"Why were you there when you knew you were meant to be here?" Kogane was as frigid toward most as the Southern Icefield itself. "Zaulen will not be happy…"

"Zaulen?"

"Hmph. At least these two could bother to show up on time." A weathered black Guardian stood and stretched, wings popping. "I had come down here because I wanted to see what the new crop of dragons that birdbrained Spiral brought us. Turns out he did a terrible job of it."

Haegol flared his wings. How dare this dragon talk about Lixian like that! He geared up to fight off the big male Guardian.

"Don't get your scales in a twist. I've known that Spiral since he was not more than a hatchling. I have the utmost respect for our clan's leader. I, however, do not appreciate when young dragons are not respectful of their elders. What on earth have they been teaching you while I was away?"

"Not much."

"Not much, huh? That's obvious. Ah, well. I'll just have to have a word with Aerena when I finish with you three. We're going to level four today. You may try for level five tomorrow if you are brave enough to face the stronger beastclans. For now, simple things. You may only use scratch or shred. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Zaulen." They said together. Despite their size, the dragons were in fact still young and rather unsure of themselves. They lined up in the small field and waited as Zaulen released familiars in groups of one to three for them to practice their moves on.

These three are not bad together, but it was an unwise move to pair two Shadow dragons together, even if they are of differing species. I am sure the others knew this. We try to keep the flights separate to avoid any unnecessary damage. Zaulen watched them sparring with the familiars, keeping track of who was good and who was not. They were all even as far as their strength went, no one dragon seemed to be doing much more than the others. Though it occurred to the Guardian that what the Imperials lacked in their speed or defense, the Bogsneak made up for it.

"That's enough training for today. Let's see where you are at." He hadn't failed to notice the dragons hanging along the edge of the field. They were not yet trained to meet the same level as the three males before him. "Would you like to train to match their level?"

A metallic female tilted her head for a few seconds, then shook it, "No. We're not here to train. We're here to observe and make minor decisions."

"Oh? What sort of decisions would those be?"

"I am Imissa, daughter of Ilynni, head Matchmaker of Clan Nifari. You are?"

"Too old for whatever nonsense that was. Name's Zaulen. What's it you do, then, Matchmaker?" He shuffled his wings tighter to his back. Zaulen didn't trust these females for some reason. He didn't like the way they looked at the four male dragons as if there were meat to be sent to the market.

A bright green Skydancer stretched her neck out, "We make the matches of course. Using our intimate knowledge of the clan in conjunction with the Historians, we decide which dragons would make the best offspring together and suggest them as pairs for the clan records. Of course they don't have to choose the dragon that we select for them, but it is customary that each dragon should come to see us at least once in their lifetime to be paired with someone of our choosing. And I am Akarui. New to the clan."

"Right. And are any of you paired off?"

"I am." Imissa dipped her head again. "Paired with Elder Kalayo."

Zaulen blinked, "Who's that?" He'd never heard of no Elder Kalayo in the lair. "Don't talk nonsense."

"I'm not. He's the Coatl that is in the Council representing the Ashfall Wastes and element of Fire. I'm surprised you've never heard of him, since you've been a Nifari dragon the longest."

"I've also been away on a mission for a long time in the Wispwillow Grove. Unlike some dragons I see who spent all their time lazing about." Zaulen had stopped paying attention to what the three young male dragons had been doing and was quite surprised to find them in the Scorched Forest. Only dragons of at least level seven were permitted to train there and these three were only...he blinked at the record on the card, they were level sevens. They had even managed to find and use stones to help strengthen their attacks and they had picked up knowledge of elemental attacks even Zaulen himself didn't know. "Anyway, as you can see, these young dragons are a bit busy. They will have to talk to you when they are finished with their training for the day. Why don't you three go down to the Nesting Grounds and see who you can bother there."

"Of course," Rideki purred languidly before taking off across the fields. She had no interest in watching dragons show off skills anyway. It would be far more fun to check out the nests already laid and see how the dragons were doing anyway. Who needed a bunch of smelly training dragons anyway?