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Description
Da'halan climbed the tangled tree limbs of one of the greatest Akakali trees in all of the Naigai territories. Her muscles moved smoothly beneath her scarlet coat, and her fur lit up orange the further she climbed up the Akakali tree. Even though her wings were folded neatly against her back, they were clenched there in fury.
Here in the Ajuani Forest, the law was that males ruled the clans, and females were to follow meekly. Every mate-head had a number of females that served him in his daily duties and were forced to bear pups for him. Under normal circumstances, the mate-head would claim his females when they were only a few seasons old, taking them from their parents and raising them as he desired.
Da'halan had been chosen by a mate-head who only took her in under his wing. He raised her to be strong in magic, quick in the skies, with the abilities to take down as many skyborne as was necessary to protect herself. Her mate-head had trained her to take down the highest level battle mages in the Naigai ranks, given her the knowledge and will to protect herself.
Her talons hit the smooth surface of the landing, where before her lay the one she hated most, seated on the most expensive cushions his fortune and looks could buy. Da'halan had loved her mate-head, but he had been slain by another.
"Armane," she said, climbing the rest of the way onto the landing, barely dipping her head in greeting. Behind him ranged skyborne females, from pups to adults nearly Armane's age. He had called her here, and Da'halan suspected her secret had come out.
With a twitch of his tail, Armane signaled one of his sentries. The sentry pounced on her, forcing her head to the ground in a fully submissive bow. She growled deep in her throat, enough that the sentry could hear her. The sentry's eyes widened, shocked that a female would act in any aggression towards a male, but he remained where he was until Armane dismissed him.
The Skyborne mate-head rose from his pile of cushions walked forward, circling Da'halan slowly at a respectful distance. His ear bore the results of the last time he had gotten too close, and a large chunk of fur had yet to grow back.
"So," he said, edging in closer. "The truth has come out. You are with pup, yet you never mated with me." Up close, Armane was beautiful. His green coat was long and silky, and the chartreuse rosettes which topped it seemed to make it glow. From looks alone, many assumed that Armane's demeanor was as beautiful as his looks.
His blue eyes flashed, and in an instant he charged her, knocking Da'halan back and crashing into the sentry in the process. Tail against the giant Akakali trunk, Da'halan shivered with rage. "Whom I mated with is no business of yours, fiend!" she snapped, nearly catching his muzzle in her teeth. She wished to kill him, to take revenge, but she held herself back.
Armane again paced around her. Da'hallan's fur was nearly sparking with magic, but somehow Armane was unalarmed. Foolishly, he prodded her. "It couldn't have been that old beast, now. He... passed... too long ago." Da'hallan's snarl grew, and her eyes glowed pure orange. "So then, who could it have been? Some fly-by-night? The stranger from the northlands?" Armane came in close, nearly whispering, "You do realize that you are going to tell me eventually, right, Da'halan l'Armane."
He had crossed the final line. "Do not you dare call me that," Da'halan announced, very slowly, enunciating each word. The females in the back half of the landing began backing away, feeling the pull of magic from the aether. Armane glanced at them, and gestured the sentry away.
"But you are mine," Armane said. "I won you from that worthless old beast." His eyes narrowed to slits. "And I believe it would be in your best interests to realize that. If not, I will rip open your stomach and leave you and your infant to the dendevels in the swamp."
Da'halan began speaking, a low verse none of the skyborne on the landing recognized. Because the Naigai disdained ornamentations of any sort, she was forced to use runic or verbal magic. For Da'halan, verses flowed quickly and easily from her tongue. Armane stared at her, uncomprehending, as she continued the verse. She paused, and a shock of silence rang across the grove. In one wingstroke, she was airborne, singing the final verse and unleashing a torrent of flame upon the landing.
At once, Armane's sentries flocked to his side, but fell one by one as they were assauled by flames. The akakali tree lit on fire, and as one Armane's mates fled, the older ones helping the youngest, for fear of becoming like the ashes of the now smoldering cushions.
Da'halan had only eyes for Armane. She hovered out of reach of the battle mages and their weak attempts at counterspells. Her spell had consumed most of the magic she had gathered, and she shone red under the sunlight. Da'halan screamed at her as a tree branch broke away from its burning cousins, stabbing the green skyborne in the face. She cast one more look at the destruction she had wrought and fled, flying high into the smoke-filled sky.

Description
Da'halan climbed the tangled tree limbs of one of the greatest Akakali trees in all of the Naigai territories. Her muscles moved smoothly beneath her scarlet coat, and her fur lit up orange the further she climbed up the Akakali tree. Even though her wings were folded neatly against her back, they were clenched there in fury.
Here in the Ajuani Forest, the law was that males ruled the clans, and females were to follow meekly. Every mate-head had a number of females that served him in his daily duties and were forced to bear pups for him. Under normal circumstances, the mate-head would claim his females when they were only a few seasons old, taking them from their parents and raising them as he desired.
Da'halan had been chosen by a mate-head who only took her in under his wing. He raised her to be strong in magic, quick in the skies, with the abilities to take down as many skyborne as was necessary to protect herself. Her mate-head had trained her to take down the highest level battle mages in the Naigai ranks, given her the knowledge and will to protect herself.
Her talons hit the smooth surface of the landing, where before her lay the one she hated most, seated on the most expensive cushions his fortune and looks could buy. Da'halan had loved her mate-head, but he had been slain by another.
"Armane," she said, climbing the rest of the way onto the landing, barely dipping her head in greeting. Behind him ranged skyborne females, from pups to adults nearly Armane's age. He had called her here, and Da'halan suspected her secret had come out.
With a twitch of his tail, Armane signaled one of his sentries. The sentry pounced on her, forcing her head to the ground in a fully submissive bow. She growled deep in her throat, enough that the sentry could hear her. The sentry's eyes widened, shocked that a female would act in any aggression towards a male, but he remained where he was until Armane dismissed him.
The Skyborne mate-head rose from his pile of cushions walked forward, circling Da'halan slowly at a respectful distance. His ear bore the results of the last time he had gotten too close, and a large chunk of fur had yet to grow back.
"So," he said, edging in closer. "The truth has come out. You are with pup, yet you never mated with me." Up close, Armane was beautiful. His green coat was long and silky, and the chartreuse rosettes which topped it seemed to make it glow. From looks alone, many assumed that Armane's demeanor was as beautiful as his looks.
His blue eyes flashed, and in an instant he charged her, knocking Da'halan back and crashing into the sentry in the process. Tail against the giant Akakali trunk, Da'halan shivered with rage. "Whom I mated with is no business of yours, fiend!" she snapped, nearly catching his muzzle in her teeth. She wished to kill him, to take revenge, but she held herself back.
Armane again paced around her. Da'hallan's fur was nearly sparking with magic, but somehow Armane was unalarmed. Foolishly, he prodded her. "It couldn't have been that old beast, now. He... passed... too long ago." Da'hallan's snarl grew, and her eyes glowed pure orange. "So then, who could it have been? Some fly-by-night? The stranger from the northlands?" Armane came in close, nearly whispering, "You do realize that you are going to tell me eventually, right, Da'halan l'Armane."
He had crossed the final line. "Do not you dare call me that," Da'halan announced, very slowly, enunciating each word. The females in the back half of the landing began backing away, feeling the pull of magic from the aether. Armane glanced at them, and gestured the sentry away.
"But you are mine," Armane said. "I won you from that worthless old beast." His eyes narrowed to slits. "And I believe it would be in your best interests to realize that. If not, I will rip open your stomach and leave you and your infant to the dendevels in the swamp."
Da'halan began speaking, a low verse none of the skyborne on the landing recognized. Because the Naigai disdained ornamentations of any sort, she was forced to use runic or verbal magic. For Da'halan, verses flowed quickly and easily from her tongue. Armane stared at her, uncomprehending, as she continued the verse. She paused, and a shock of silence rang across the grove. In one wingstroke, she was airborne, singing the final verse and unleashing a torrent of flame upon the landing.
At once, Armane's sentries flocked to his side, but fell one by one as they were assauled by flames. The akakali tree lit on fire, and as one Armane's mates fled, the older ones helping the youngest, for fear of becoming like the ashes of the now smoldering cushions.
Da'halan had only eyes for Armane. She hovered out of reach of the battle mages and their weak attempts at counterspells. Her spell had consumed most of the magic she had gathered, and she shone red under the sunlight. Da'halan screamed at her as a tree branch broke away from its burning cousins, stabbing the green skyborne in the face. She cast one more look at the destruction she had wrought and fled, flying high into the smoke-filled sky.