Irole - Male, age 18
Partner/Offspring: Tovih, son Terol

Irole is very fond of using his hands and getting dirty. His 'play' or sparring is often rapid, dangerous and vicious. His weapon of choice however, is a pair of small spade-shaped blades which he can use both to defend and attack. It gives him the opportunity to stab as well as punch, using his full strength to benefit his technique. Though others are more vicious when it comes to sparring, Irole is clearly the most animalistic hunter of the group. He can be found chasing animals on his hands and hindpaws - and has never been embarrassed because of it.

While he is a savage creature otherwise, Irole's powers almost mirror his vibrant orange-red hair. His abilities with pyrokinesis are strong already, and have only got to get better with time and practice. He can light fires on any nearby flamable surface, though putting them out is not his forte. He can shoot a bolt of flame (focused through his fingers, most times) almost 20 feet, and is working on a wider, more fan-like spread of it. Mostly to impress people.

"This is just dung," Irole spat. He and Hocayi and Iryudyo went out for a late afternoon hunt/prowl, and to gripe. "I mean, she's our female. Why should he have her first?"

"Why should you?" Iryudyo said. Though most were afraid of Irole's powers and temper, Iryudyo towered over all the rest of his tribe mates and hardly cared what others thought. "Perhaps she wants him. Maybe she's bored with us."

"That's why Oma wanted to have a contest," Hocayi reminded them. Irole snarled at that.

"What a silly idea. What a totally Human thing to do."

"And how else would you try showing off to her?" Iryudyo growled right back. "By bringing her mice?"

Hocayi almost let off a laugh, but it looked as though Irole's sense of humor had stayed back at the den.

"By having the sense not to listen to that foreign man-shifter."

"Don't you want to bond a dragon? It would be good to hunt with." Hocayi said.

"I want to do whatever it takes to get him out of here." Irole muttered. "No, I don't want to kill him. That would be stupid."

It would also be very dangerous to you, my little spotted friend, if you did. Zkoth interrupted them. They hadn't noticed, in the time the trio had walked away from the plateau, that they were headed almost directly toward the great night-bronze. To your credit, I can sense that you have no intention of harming my rider. But I will warn you now: if you did, I would dispose of your entire tribe.

All three Kin bristled, at those words. But they also understood something far deeper and more important. That this bond between rider and dragon went more than just as a superficial thing. That the rider was inexorably tied, that the dragon was completely devoted.

"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to bond," Irole stated, staring up into the whirling yellow-orange eyes of Zkoth. "But why does he have to be the one that Temih wants?"

Zkoth pondered this. My rider's family is very strong that way. They have many children - across many different times and places. And perhaps your tribe would benefit from his... nature.

"He cannot stay in one shape, how is that a good thing?" Irole said. The other two plopped down on the ground, watching their tails, as he discussed things with Zkoth.

It endears him to certain people who would otherwise find him completely repulsive. His personal habits and lifestyle are often... distressing to other Humans. Perhaps they are less so to your folk. He tends to ... rub up against people when he ought not to. Certainly not a trait that most Humans understand, yet you know as well as I do that it is merely a friendly greeting. A posture that tells someone he is mostly harmless. Zkoth rose and shook off his long neck and tail, scattering birds who had come to roost on his crest and sides.

This close to the great Ryslen-born dragon, Irole suddenly realized that the responsibility of having a dragon such as this would be quite demanding. "You're huge," he whispered. "I don't mean that in a bad way," he waved his hands, and the others laughed at him.

"But he said that the dragons come in smaller sizes than you."

Mostly, in fact.

"Good..." Irole said. "It'd be really hard to hide in the grass with as big a dragon as you."

"We missed him walking toward here," Hocayi pointed out. Irole threw a brief glance and a hot but harmless ball of fire at him. It didn't even burn the dry grass behind him.

That is also a very handy power you have. I can also throw flames.

The three Kin all perked up at that.

He didn't tell you? Zkoth rolled his eyes around, That idiot.

"I thought dragons loved their bonds!" Hocayi said.

No one ever said they did not. It is just that my rider is an idiot.

"He seems really smart to me," Hocayi said, entranced.

"A rock is smarter than you," Iryudyu said.

Do not underestimate your companion, Zkoth told the tall abrasive Iryudyo.

Eventually, after being told that no, Zkoth was not going to be blasting flames around such easily burnt plains grass, the trio decided to head back to the plateau where things had simmered down into a kind of staring match between Ivo and Temih.

A lifted eyebrow aimed at Omaciyu brought the elder over to the trio.

"Her idea." He said.

"Why don't we just go back out again," Irole sighed. "Call me back when they're done."

Irole walked outside, into the dusty evening. He never got enough outdoors time - and there were beautiful sights out there. Hardly anyone assumed that Irole would pause to enjoy the sunset.

And while that's what he was more likely to do than just sulk, this time he was staring at the western sky but distracted by the south. The glimmering star, the new ship, had gotten bigger and was moving.

Irole decided not to wait, to tell the rest of the tribe.

Irole stood motionless for a moment, near the sands. The intense psionic communication from the mother of the nest had been gearing up over the last few hours, and he'd come to investigate. He hoped there wasn't something wrong.

Of course, how wrong could an expectant mother be? Her eggs were hatching! There wasn't anything wrong with that, except that no one was there!

After the general call went up, everyone started filing into the spire. It was a lovely procession - of mostly human and demi-human inhabitants, visitors and the rare non-human bonder.

Irole felt most at home by the half-Lyron, but didn't feel very comfortable after getting to know him a little. That was all the tall humanoid would give away.

When all was settled, everyone had noticed the shaking eggs. One broke upen, and a marbled white male went to find his bond. Another pair of eggs broke, one upon the other, and a silver-streaked female bonded while her gigantic red brother decided that he would have to wait for his bond.

Irole was faintly disappointed. That big dragon would have been stunning. But, he thought, it was not to be.

Another trio of eggs shattered, showing off a tiny white, a blue-white, and reddish one. Two of them paired off, while the middle one chose to remain bondless. A pair of shells cracked open, charred red choosing to wait for a bond later, and his sister in pink and red stripes bonded to the elf female present.

Yet more eggs hatched. A grey pale female bonded to none, introduced herself to her mother and was joined by her sister in rose-darks.

But then the third of their group unrolled his long graceful wings, let his white-tipped tail drop onto the sand. He was not a large dragon, not like the huge red from before, but his coloration certainly was great - and his attitude said volumes.

He turned his head toward Irole. Well, aren't you going to come say hello, Irole? I am your new bond, you know. His mental voice purred with pleasure and a bit of excitement, though his lounging position on the sands hardly gave that excitement away.

Irole grinned, he could play this game too. He strolled over, tilted his head, and asked, "Whom do I owe this pleasure?"

Felinruad, greatest of the great, of course. His tail smacked the sands again, then twitched above it. Irole's was doing the same thing.

They were going to have a great time together...

***

Later on, much later after the other eggs of the nest had hatched in private (since Irole was the last candidate on the sands) the whole of Moire was left wondering what had hit them.

It was Felinruad, bellowing his triumph.

He's caught something big, Irole thought. He rushed out to see, and yes it was true. Felin had crushed the back of an enormous fish - he'd been diving since he was able to fly. Odd, that he would choose this though his rider was a fire shaper.

That fish would feed dozens, IF Felinruad would allow anyone to get near it! He had his fill - Irole helped himself, because frankly fish was delicious and a treat for the savannah-living cheetah-kin.

"Some day, you'll dive with me on your back, won't you."

You do not like that thought? You are ... afraid of the water?

"No, not really, I just ... well, hardly any of us know how to swim. We don't have much body fat you know, and we sink like stones."

That would be a terrible shame. Felinruad commented. They lay basking on the shore, while the others dragged the huge fish into the kitchens for butchering.

Eventually, Felinruad and Irole would head home to the plateau.