Sleeping Dragon accelerating fast i could do this in a second

Backdated to a day or two after this thread.

It had taken several days for the reality to sink in. She was fleimkepa; she was Beta. There was still much that Magpie had to learn of Drageda and of the ways of her heda, but she was eager to rise to the occasion. It was different before, with trust lacking... without trust, why should she try? And why should she try, if there was no trust? But she and Thuringwethil had come to an understanding, recently, and she was glad that the Commander had extended an olive branch-- it was now, with the stakes higher than they had ever been, that Magpie would prove what she was capable of.

Still.

She was a creature of love, and she was not unaware of the conflict this sudden shift in power might bring. Indeed, she would have advised against Thuringwethil taking such an action if it were not her personal benefit on the line; but the step closer to a family that would be her own could not be forfeit. It was now, more than ever, that Magpie would need to tread carefully and ensure that both she and her heda remained safe from challenge.

There had been changes in the ranks of Sleeping Dragon in the last few days and Gavriel felt a little uneasy. The announcement had been made for Thuringwethil to take an advisor, a wolf that did not belong of Seageda blood, and to his knowledge knew nothing of their customs. Would she be prepared in the wake of Thuringwethil’s death, should it happen with war on their horizon? Would she be able to know what to do to pass that light on to Seregryn—or whichever Fos Goufa is there at the time, in the event of another—when the time comes?

He catches a scent he only recognizes in passing, though he’s uncertain it belongs to the flame keeper, but he followers it anyway until he sees an odd-patterned woman ahead of him. He knew his rank is low, regardless of the other before him, but on the off-chance she is whom he thinks her to be, he remains low with a wagging tail, chuffing softly to draw in her attention.

She was picking her way through the geyser field, finding something soothing (if odd) about the sulfuric steam that seemed ever present there. Magpie knew much of the earth, for the Corvidae were both travelers and storytellers, but there was a difference between hearing of such wonders and actually experiencing them yourself. Thus far, the geysers were underwhelming— there were various mounds in the earth, their centers hollow, and the earth seemed warmer than what was seasonally natural. She supposed it was pleasant enough... the heat was relaxing, and something about the acrid scent of the air felt cleansing.

Unfortunately, it seemed she was not yet used to it; Magpie couldn't seem to decipher any scents beyond the geysers, and the sound of the male's gentle chuff nearly startled her out of her skin. She spun around defensively, but relaxed immediately upon seeing him and that he posed no threat, even as a curse was exhumed from her lips, "Shi—!"

A geyser to her left, too-close, chose that moment to erupt in a tall spray of super-heated water. Magpie nearly fell over as she scrambled to dodge the unexpected "attack", yelping, "FUCK!" quite loudly.

So much for first impressions.

It happens quickly, even if his intention had only been to warn of his approach and not startled, but once she’s spun around, he can tell he has not succeeded. There isn’t even time to offer a sheepish smile and an apology before a burst of water erupts from the ground, startling the both of them, so much so that he doesn’t even see the woman stumble, but her shout is loud enough that when he turns back to see if she’s okay, she’s barely on her feet.

Mist of warm water dampens his fur and he takes several steps back, keeping his distance from the water coming out of the ground. It’s not the first time in the geyser field, but the first he’d been so close to one erupting. The warm water isn’t entirely unpleasant on this cool day but not something he’d care to spend more time in.

“Are you okay?” he finally asks, turning his attention back to the dark woman and investigating from a distance for any marks other than her own dampened fur.

Heart beating fast in her chest, she responded breathlessly, "I'm fine."

Adrenaline continued to flood her system, though Magpie knew she was in no danger. She didn't particularly feel like chatting with the male, not while she couldn't trust the solidity of her own voice. Her gaze swept over him, and she did her best to stand more proudly than she currently felt; after a moment, she said more firmly, "If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to elsewhere." It was catlike, the way she was "grooming" herself after an embarrassing and clumsy fall. She hoped he wouldn't see through it.

With a swift nod, not even bothering to ask for his name, she turned and made her way in the opposite direction. Only when she knew she was safe from observers did she loose a cleansing exhale, silently berating herself for such inelegant behavior.