Blackfeather Woods When I came across this sign
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All Welcome 
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Set for the morning after this thread. @Damien

It was in the distance that she had spotted the forest the evening before, but had waited to approach. Prior to her departure, Asterr had warned the girl, instructing her to keep her distance from the forest cast in shadows. It was difficult, disobeying her mother so blatantly, but, without any details to better prevent her from inspecting the territory, she had been drawn to the woods. The night before, she had slept beneath the stars with the moon’s light reflecting off of the surface of the lake to her right, her nose pointed towards Blackfeather. Throughout the night, she had awoken several times, restless and wary, but for unknown reasons. She could not figure out what it was that lured her towards the forbidden land, but trusted her intuition; that trust had nearly driven her off in the opposite direction, but, ultimately, it had been beaten by her curiosity.

As the sun peeked out over the horizon, Kaori was awoken by the calls of the crows and ravens. She was still rather far from Blackfeather, but their shouts were so loud that she imagined they could be heard for miles in every direction. What caused their excitement was something that she wondered about, briefly, before pushing herself up from the ground and shaking her coat free of debris. After several moments of blinking the sleep away and stretching her body, the child was off, moving straight towards the woods that, unbeknownst to her, housed her blood father.

The closer she got to the woods, she realized that it emitted a rather unpleasant stench. At first, her nose was scrunched up at all times, her face having loosened back up only after she’d picked up on yet another scent: blood. Weary, her pace slowed to an eventual stop, needing not trek any closer to the pack’s land. It was with an ever growing lump in her stomach that she lifted her muzzle up towards the sky and loosed a howl, her song telling the story of her missing sister and the land whence she’d come.
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Terrible post, sorry!

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The morning was loud, louder than ever with the rise of the blackbirds' voices filling the perpetual darkness that lived within Blackfeather Woods. It wasn't unusual to be awaken by the caws and growls of the crows and raves, but something seemed to be altering them more than usual. There was nothing inside the forest, to Damien's knowledge, that would cause the hyperactivity, so Damien made his way to the borders to figure out what was going on.

There was nothing, nothing out of the ordinary other than the rise of spring, and Damien was disconcerted when the nothingness out there, in every direction, gave him no answers. But then it rang, it rang loud and clear, and it rang close. Somewhere along the borders was someone trying to call the attention of those inside Blackfeather Woods, and committed to his duty as the forest's guardian, Damien decided to attend the emergence himself.

It was a child, no more than half a year, who was sitting there under the shadow of the looming darkness cast by Blackfeather Woods. But it was no ordinary child. Her fur was so dark, so deep, that she, not unlike Damien himself, gleamed blue under certain light.

What could you be looking for in such a place? he asked from the distance at which he'd stopped, wrapped in darkness; fixated on the color of her eyes, eyes he'd seen before in someone else. There is nothing here that you'd find appealing he added, exposing his concern for the peculiar creature.

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It’s a great post~!

Over her the darkness loomed, the shadows memorizing. Kaori was not particularly fond of the dark—she could take it or leave it—but there was something about the woods that fascinated her. It was but a woodland, and yet, it had managed to cast the sun out of its realm. She wished to explore it, her curiosity urging her forward whilst her instincts kept her back. The land was not her own, nor was she acquaintances with any of its residences, thus leaving her without any right to creep over the borders. Her muscles twitched, wishing to continue moving, but a simple intake of air had her settling down—well, not exactly. No longer were her legs insisting that she throw herself forward, the eagerness replaced by a whole new wave of unease as she smelled the blood once again. She wondered if that might have been the reason behind her mother’s orders, having decided for herself that the forest was dangerous. She considered shedding the shadows so that she might once again bask in the light of the day but was suddenly trapped by them as a voice arose, startling her.

Snapping her head up, she could feel her heart racing within her chest, creating a loud, rhythmic beating that she was certain could be heard for miles in every direction. I—” She stumbled over her words, trying to think of what to say whilst continuing to try and settle the beating of her heart. “I’m—no, I am—Kaori Draconid, of the Ryūjin Tribe,” she introduced, remembering to use her manners. “I’m searching for my sister, Airi. Have you seen her?” The girl watched him carefully, hoping to receive good news, before realizing that she had forgotten to do something of great importance: describe the missing sibling.

“Oh! Uhm…” her voice trailed off and she gave a sheepish smile. It was her first time having traveled to another pack, and she was still rather nervous about the whole ordeal—especially since the woods seemed so dark and mysterious, as well as considerably dangerous. “She is dark, like me but without any white. She has pretty eyes, too. Has she been here?” Kaori had been tasked with the responsibility of locating and then returning with her sister and refused to go home without completing her mission. She did, however, kind of miss the lair, and so a part of her hoped that she’d find her sister right there in the shadows.
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She explained, holding her composure as though it was in her blood to be above, superior to emotion. Damien could not take his eyes off her, seeing things in her that he didn't know could be so familiar and yet so distant. The patch of white on her chest had earned most of the dark prince's attention. He wanted to look at himself knowing that he'd been born with that exact same mark, but he feared that he might wake up if he looked away from her. There was something ethereal about her presence, and yet she was just as real as him.

Draconid... he echoed, feeling the sound of the word scratch a hidden place in his memory. There are no Draconids here, girl. And the one you describe hasn't come to us... I cannot help you, he said, but had danced on the idea of deceiving her to get more information about these Draconids that sounded so familiar. It could be no coincidence that her presence and what she spoke both ringed so pleasantly in his memory, but the way she treated him made things confusing. It was as though they were complete strangers.

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The name of her family was repeated, creating a rising feeling of hope within her chest—a feeling that was shot dead only moments after awakening. From the male she could receive no assistance, for her sister was not there, nor did it seem as if she had passed through at any point. Discouraged, her ears fell back and her gaze sunk towards the earth, a frown replacing her previous expression. “Oh…” was all she could manage to say, defeated. Of course, it wasn’t the least bit realistic for her to have expected to find her sister at the first pack she visited, but a thread of that hope had weaseled into her thoughts nevertheless. She worried for Airi just as much as she resented her for having fled from the lair in the first place; the middle child wanted to believe that her sister had planned everything. She had ventured out on her own, and then she had wandered elsewhere for the sole purpose of making Kaori be given the task of finding her. Her lip quivered whilst her body was warmed by her anger before she reigned it all in and forced the negative feelings away. None of it had been planned, she made herself believe, and Airi was out there somewhere, possibly hurt or in trouble.

Looking back up at the man, she asked, “If she comes here, will you bring her home?” It was a lot to ask from a stranger, but her youth made her hopeful, believing in the better natures of strangers. “We live in a cavern, in the mountains. My mother, Asterr, will be there waiting.” She doubted that the vessel would leave her home, for her need to stay there was the whole reason why Kaori had been given the responsibility of finding her sister. She watched him expectantly, wishing for his cooperation; having another set of eyes on the lookout would better their chances of bringing Airi home.
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He's adamant to her request, he's repellent towards her expression of sadness and defeat, shielded from anything that could touch him from her presence. But all of it breaks the moment Asterr's name is mentioned. Damien's eyes come alive, looking back up at the girl's grimacing face with curiosity and excitement. Asterr? he echoes, befuddled by the sole sound of it. You're Asterr's daughter? he checks. The name he remembers, and a pretty face to go with it. Asterr was his friend, she was someone Damien hadn't realized he still remembered.

I will see what I can do for you, he assures, posing his eyes gently on her features once more, now more than ever surprised by the familiarity of her lines and colors. But I don't want you to come here ever again, he says while a frown marks the seriousness of his words This is a very dangerous place.... Suddenly he felt protective, compassionate about the girl and her cause. If they were Asterr's daughters then they had an ally in Blackfeather Woods... But no matter the circumstances he could not allow for a friend to come to such a dangerous place, especially not those that had the kind of purity in their souls as Asterr.

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The child perked up, her eyes widened with surprise as her mother’s name was repeated back to her. She knew not that her mother was familiar with those beyond the lair, and especially not with those that resided within a forest she had been told to keep away from. Tilting her head, she nodded slowly and said, “Yes, she is my mother,” with some hesitance clear in her voice. If her mother knew this male, then why had she been told to stay away from the forest? Was he a bad man? Her body grew rigid and she unconsciously took a step backwards, but stopped there. She stared at him, curious yet fearful, oblivious to the blood shared between them.

Again, the male spoke, but his words put her at ease. He would assist with the search for her sister somehow, which she was glad to hear. Her tail waved behind her, the calmed posture that she had been raised to display having been stripped away. To stay away from the woods would not be a difficult thing, she was sure, but she was curious about the why. “I appreciate you helping,” she began, and quickly followed it with, “But what makes this place dangerous?” All she had heard was that it was dangerous, but no one had ever told her what made it such a bad place.
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The urge that Damien suddenly felt to drive her as far away from Blackfeather Woods as possible had come out of nowhere, but still, it was not without reason. He knew, deep within, a fact covered by dust and scarred by his trauma, that Kaori was his blood. She, daughter of Asterr Draconid, was also a Melonii, yet her place was nowhere near Blackfeather Woods. Send my regards to your mother, he speaks calmly, but then he adds, but never come back here under any circumstances... You and your sisters, with grim remark.

The reason? Well, that was a simple question with a simple answer. The reason why Blackfeather Woods was such a dangerous place, and the only way to answer Kaori's innocent inquiry was "me" in Damien's thoughts, but he simply could not form the word. Not to her. Just promise me you will keep your distance, from me and everyone else who carries this mark, he says instead, turning slightly to display the dark mark that decorated his shoulder. Now go, he urges, pushing forward with a step to ward her off, I'll come to you if I ever find Airi,

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Told to never return to the woods, she could think of no argument that might be justly spoken in turn. Both her mother and the man before her—his blood a piece of her that might never be discovered—had told the child to stay away, and so stay away she would. Kaori had never been the daring type, often keeping to herself and following the words of her mother without question, which took away any urge to rebel. Someday, whenever she might grow and develop further on her own, perhaps she would counter many warnings with a challenge. For now, however, she chose to simply accept things as they were and go along with the belief that everyone spoke with her best interests in mind. With that thought drifting by, she gave a slow nod and said, “Okay. I will not come back here.” And there the matter was left, not to be touched again for an undetermined amount of time.

When he turned towards her, his mark brought directly into her line of sight, she could not help but stare. It was unusual, she could not say otherwise, but it was also rather enticing. For a long moment, she could do little more than stare, wondering what meanings lied behind it that made the mark so dangerous. Instead of asking, though, she merely nodded once more and began to turn away. Her manners were what stopped her, bringing her to look at the male as she said, again, “Thank you for your help.” And with that, she young dragoness turned away and continued her search, her path taking her in a lengthy arch around the forest.
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It felt strange to warn another of the dangers of Blackfeather Woods. It wasn't the first time he did it, of course... But this time Damien hadn't done it to impress or frighten a stranger. No, this time Damien honestly wanted to protect the girl at the borders, keep her away from danger in the name of his friendship with Asterr.

For some reason it wasn't hard to trust the girl's word. The way she'd said it, the honesty in her promise sent a wave of tranquility through Damien's bones and watching her leave harmless was all that he needed to go back to his shadows without the weight of guilt crushing him.
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