Meraxes loves his twins, but it is obvious to anyone observing him that the stallion was not ready for children. Almost daily he brings them to the Playground ("To run off some of that energy," he says), and to young Shrykos, it is a bit distressing. The young drake yearns for his family's company, and even though most days Meleys plays with him, he has a hard time making friends with his frightening appearance. It is especially hard when he strikes out on his own, and this morning Meleys had complained of a tummy ache. Meraxes had taken one look at her and sent the little dragon back to bed, and Shrykos had rolled his eyes and set off for the Playground alone.
When he is alone, he likes to practice his stalking - he is more dragon than his father and sister, and sometimes the ache in his belly is only placated when steaming hot blood drips down his throat. He has only taken down smaller prey so far - mostly rabbits and large rodents, but once he had managed to pin a doe to the ground by her neck and watch as the life faded from her eyes. That night he had feasted and had flown back to Loess with the corpse clutched in his talons, crowing in delight as he laid it at Meraxes's feet.
His eyes find the strange boy from a distance, and his head tips to the side as he watches him nervously skirt the other playgroups. The boy has a goofy smile on his face as he approaches, and Shrykos is frozen with curiosity as his eyes take in the boy's - Reynard's - cloven hooves, small horn nubs, and floppy ears.
Reynard asks for his name, but Shrykos is still motionless as his reptilian eyes trace those weird ears over and over again. "What are you?" he rasps after an awkwardly long pause, wanting to reach forward to nibble on one of Reynard's ears, but knowing that it would be unforgivably impolite to do so. "You smell... like prey?"
Finally, his attention span wavers and he meets Reynard's eyes, head still slightly tipped in confusion. "I'm Shrykos," he finally responds, reaching forward with one taloned foot to politely tap his new companion on the leg. It is a weird ritual, he knows, but it is something he has done with Meleys since they were born.
He's going to run off this new friend of his, he can already tell.
@[Reynard] um.. he's weird
@[The Monsters] mess with his mood color changing pls
When he is alone, he likes to practice his stalking - he is more dragon than his father and sister, and sometimes the ache in his belly is only placated when steaming hot blood drips down his throat. He has only taken down smaller prey so far - mostly rabbits and large rodents, but once he had managed to pin a doe to the ground by her neck and watch as the life faded from her eyes. That night he had feasted and had flown back to Loess with the corpse clutched in his talons, crowing in delight as he laid it at Meraxes's feet.
His eyes find the strange boy from a distance, and his head tips to the side as he watches him nervously skirt the other playgroups. The boy has a goofy smile on his face as he approaches, and Shrykos is frozen with curiosity as his eyes take in the boy's - Reynard's - cloven hooves, small horn nubs, and floppy ears.
Reynard asks for his name, but Shrykos is still motionless as his reptilian eyes trace those weird ears over and over again. "What are you?" he rasps after an awkwardly long pause, wanting to reach forward to nibble on one of Reynard's ears, but knowing that it would be unforgivably impolite to do so. "You smell... like prey?"
Finally, his attention span wavers and he meets Reynard's eyes, head still slightly tipped in confusion. "I'm Shrykos," he finally responds, reaching forward with one taloned foot to politely tap his new companion on the leg. It is a weird ritual, he knows, but it is something he has done with Meleys since they were born.
He's going to run off this new friend of his, he can already tell.
@[Reynard] um.. he's weird
@[The Monsters] mess with his mood color changing pls