Name: Phoenix's Ashen Fire

Gender: Female

Age: immortal

Species: phoenix (flamingo-based humanoid/fire spirit)

Bond from: the Bower

Phoenix's Ashen Fire was never one to talk about herself. Not in the self-effacement sort of way, more because she just didn't talk to that many people, ever. The greatest extent that anyone ever saw her in any kind of discussion was with Wenona herself, about joining the Spirits of Paragon. And after that, she was merely the strongest, fastest fiery enforcer they had. Even the crazy little wolf deferred to her, even Trickster's Jackalope did. The two of them shared many powers, however it looked as though Phoenix was far more comfortable with hers - she was a fire spirit, and he was ... well, he was Coyote's joke. Where Trick was jovial, Phoenix tended to be eerily quiet. Not unhappy, she smiled and even laughed enough to show that she understood everything going on around her. She just didn't tend to react that strongly to anything other than hunting down evil-doers.

And she did that stupendously well. She had a fan following - there were people who would wait for her to show up and take photos and try to get an autograph. Usually all they got for their trouble was a singed piece of paper... Which for some was good enough. Thankfully her flames never injured those who didn't deserve it; her sense of right and wrong was not vague in any way. This did mean that she sometimes had trouble working with temporary allies such as Rikti or even villainous folk who needed help fighting off something even bigger and badder than they were.

And if Wenona was said to be a workaholic, Phoenix was very clearly in another whole category of 'work'. When she did rest, it was always with her bright, slitted eyes scanning the room for danger. In the winter time, she had an absolute field day with the snow-creatures and frostlings that the so-called Winter Lord created to cause havoc. Wenona approved of that, her own ice powers were of only so much use versus them.

None of this was to say that Phoenix's Ashen Fire was shallow. Though she disdained many Human pursuits such as reading or movies, she enjoyed physical sports and was very competitive. And thankfully, she was never a sore loser - there were others in Paragon who were faster, stronger or even burned more brightly than she. And to them, she offered a sincere smile and even a wink if they seemed like her 'type'. Whatever that could be.

But it would be Trick who informed her, via his own brightly burning dragon bond, that there was another clutch at the Bower where he himself had bonded. Descended from the same line, apparently, but at least a couple generations between them, his dragon and this clutch were related.

Phoenix said little more than, "thank you, I shall see." She did go. She did see.

What she saw made her heart burst with adoration. Here were dragons that had her own true magic - phoenix fire. She understood them immediately. Knew their needs. She would make sure that the one, the most beautiful one, would always be able to return to her original form - to grow back a body beaten down by time or effort. This brightly glowing nest and its hot, hot egg called to her. Sholoon, she knew, inside... She knew the name of this beautiful dragoness.

***

Though she was a flighted creature, Phoenix tended to stay near the ground - or more accurately, near sulfur lakes. There, the legends had grown ages before, of phoenixes rising from their ashes. Humans dared not go near these lakes, they would die from the poison gasses and harsh toxicity of the water. But flamingoes? Well, they were the base stock that phoenixes had indeed risen from on that world. Some of them did grace the world with bright flames, and immolated themselves to become young again.

So Phoenix's Ashen Fire had done, many times in the past. But now, she had a companion.

Sholoon was far more outgoing in most ways - she was talkative but not domineering in conversation. She was a bridge-maker, she certainly knew how to get on people's good sides. It would be the dragon, generally shaping herself closer to her bonded companion Phoenix, who would take care of public relations and sign autographs. But she never took more credit than she was due... Though that too was considerable!

Between the two of them they patrolled the skies and streets of Paragon. Though the Spirits' main base entrance was in Atlas Park, their teleporter devices allowed them to manifest nearly anywhere the group had put down beacons. Phoenix's Ashen Fire and Sholoon would patrol around Talos Island frequently, but also enjoyed dropping around Croatoa - the smell of burning autumn leaves almost always following them when they were there. That place was infested with spirits, mostly evil ones. Stuck between their world and the spirit realm, Croatoa - or Salamanca, the township was properly titled - always had something to clean up with their fire.

Mate: Fahrlanath Mai

Offspring