MagiStream

Sol took the slab of meat and impaled onto his staff, he waved his hand in a small circle several times before the staff started to rotate on its own. He turned to her and chuckled. The blood made her look absolutely horrific. "You might need another bath there...the river isn't far off, I can hold down camp if only for a bit" he said grabbing another chunk of meat and putting it over the fire. "By the time you get back these should be done" he added smiling at her.

Iona glanced at herself and grinned sheepishly.
"Alright, I'll be right back... again." She smiled and went to wash up.
It only took her a few minutes to wash away the animal grime. She returned to the mini-camp Sol had created. The smell of deer wafted around for a few yards. Iona gave a soft yummy moan at the smell as she walked up.
"Smells good." She said.

Sol watched the fire dance and lick the venison as it cooked slowly. He watched at it slowly changed color, getting darker as the flames seared it and locked the flavor in. As some blood and grease did slip off the bottom of the meat the fire would roar and shoot up over the flames consume everything in its excitement and just as quickly die down back to just its dance on the under side of it. He turned around as he heard a soft moan and smiled at Iona's return. "Well hello there" he said with a smile. "Indeed it does. It's almost ready too you're just in time" he reached over to the staff grabbed it and let the fire focus on the last uncooked side. The fire jumped one more time before dying out completely. He pulled the staff off the spokes as they shrank and grew into wooden plates with wooden utensils. He handed Iona one with her cut of the deer and put his own on his plate. He Thrust his staff into the ground in front of him and bowed his head before. He mumbled a few words to the staff, giving thanks to the earth-mother for a bountiful meal. He turned to Iona again before he ate and gave a huge grin. Without saying a word turned to his plate and began to eat.

Iona took the plate gratefully and sat down across from Sol. She returned Sol's grin and munched on her food quietly. They had traveled together for nearly a full day, and yet she knew very little about her companion. She studied him silently for a time. He had obviously been in personal contact with the dragons before, something Iona couldn't say much of. She had hidden when they attacked her home town and refused to move until she heard nothing but silence. It was also obvious that Sol had been alone for a very long time, although how long that was Iona didn't know. Finally she spoke up quietly.
"So, tell me about yourself, Sol." Iona said.

Sol was enjoying his deer and enjoying his company more. He still questions why she chose to hang around him but refused to question it too much, afraid to lose her. Then she asked something he hoped no one would ask. "My-myself?" he stuttered nearly choking on a mouthful of venison. "uh-huhhh...Well...there isn't much to me to be honest. I'm nothing special. Most people would just as soon try to stone me as they would shun me." He pointed to his eye again and heaved a heavy sigh. "This...this sign of my survival. For most of the world enslaved by the dragons they fear this. That I am a prime target for one of the grand-five dragons. The earth-mother, as I've learned, protected me when I was young. Protected alot of those like us...I just wish she saved my parents too..." he teared up a bit, as the past began to nip at his heart like the parasite it was. "I was just a lad...my folks had moved to the old states. Now it's called new lohg-haice." he doubled over tears pouring down his face at the sound of the name. "I've been alone for 15 years....parents slaughtered before my eyes when I was six years old..." he stopped talking lost in his bitter past. As his sobs stopped shortly and was replaced with rage. The ground trembled slightly at his anger. The earth resonating with his hatred and malice. "That accursed dragon" he whispered, slowly raising his head. His blind eye glowing with a hieroglyph of lohg-haice glowing brightly where the iris used to be. "I will see him suffer as I have, I will slaughter all of his kin. The blood of his consorts and concubines will paint his halls. I will rip his heart out of his chest, pierce it with my staff, and toss his head straight into the core of the earth, satisfying my earth-mothers own vendetta" he breathed heavily, sharp intakes of breath as quick and short as his exhaling. His eye slowly returned to a milky-white as his breathing mellowed out. The earth regaining its own composure. "Sorry about that..." he said averting his gaze from her. "what about you..." he asked meekly.

Iona listened intently to Sol's tale, her heart aching for him. She was about to reach out to give him comfort when the ground started to rumble and shake. She glanced at Sol warily as unadulterated hatred for the dragons was plain on his face. Her pulse beat faster in fear, and she pulled her legs up to her chest to hide it. Finally the ground became still as Sol calmed down again, and Iona glanced down.
"I'm so sorry." She said softly. "Well... a few years ago my brother went with his squadron into battle. My sister and a group of her scientists went to the same area for recon and testing. Only three known people survived the attack, my sister became one of the MIA." Tears stung Iona's eyes and she ducked her head. "Then a few months later a large Weyr of Dragons attacked my home city. Both of my parents were killed in the attack. I managed to get to a shelter with about two dozen others before the city came down around us... I don't think I can say I blame the dragons... nor do I hate them. I hate what they're doing, but they are hardwired to be destructive. As the moon is hardwired to circle the earth, or to raise the oceans I suppose. But then, I also can't say I will sit by and allow others to suffer for them any more."
Iona shrugged, glancing up at Sol slightly.

Sol listened to her tail and wept with her. In his eyes the dragons were the devil incarnate. A threat that had to be disposed of. "I'm so sorry" he he sobbed as she spoke of her siblings, he waited until she was done before he tossed his plate aside and stole her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry" he sobbed, only knowing what loss is like, he doesn't know what it means to loss something and not know if they are still out there. He kept in her in a hug as tight as possible with squeezing her, but keeping her close and safe.

Iona gave a soft yelp as she was suddenly embraced. But she relaxed immediately into his hug and wrapped her arms around him. She stayed that way with him for a while, bringing him comfort and being comforted herself at the same time.
"I said once before," Iona mumbled into Sol' shoulder. "But I will say it again. I swear to stand by your side and help you find justice against the creatures that tore your world apart."

"no, my world was destroyed...but I've found a new one in you and the earth-mother...you're world lies torn. I will keep you safe." he whispered into her ear. He pulled his head back enough to see her face. He smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "You are my life-star, the reason for me to fight, to live. i feel as though without you I would be like the earth-mother without her life-star. Dead, barren and cold." he pulled her in for another embrace after giving her another peck on the check.

Iona froze when Sol kissed her, her eyes wide and jaw unhinged slightly. Her heart felt torn between pounding at one hundred miles and hour and stopping all together. To say her brain was muddled was quite the understatement. Iona barely regestered the next words he spoke. She blinked rappidly and focused back on Sol, her heart still pretending it was a jackhammer. He pulled her in for another embrace and kissed her again. Iona pulled back and looked at him.
"You missed." She said.
Then she leaned in and returned a soft kiss on his own lips. She blushed furiously, and ducked her head, grinning.