Irian turned to look down at the man she'd tried to help previously. His words only solidified her certainty about the forest's sentience. Looking from Seiri to Ryu, she smiled a little. What an interesting bunch. "Well then, this forest isn't really smart." Poking at the tree for a moment, Irian wondered what dragon fire would do to the place. Dragon's fire, it burned nearly everything in it's path, especially for a Fire dragon like Tempo. Though his scales were black, fire was what defined him. "Besides, I would take comfort from the fact that it tries to stop my memories... Try being the key word, because it proves that you can indeed remember Ryu." Nodding to herself, the young woman turned to Seiri with her head cocked to the side like a lizard, or a certain dragon, did habitually. She wanted very much to know what he thought about all this.

For his part, Tempo was shocked to be so greatly thanked for such a small gesture. As the girl flung her arms around him he sat frozen, even after she left. Frowning as she left, the amber eyed man turned to watch the other conversation unfold. Then, sensing that his rider was about to do something very stupid, Tempo went to stand beside Ryu. Scales appeared on his forearms in anticipation of an act Tempo both reveled in and dreaded. Soon Irian would jump off that high branch, and Tempo would have to shift quickly in order to catch her in his powerful claws.

Irian scoffed loudly at his words. Ryu certainly was a downer, with no will to actually try and change his situation. "Well I'm telling you Ryu, Seiri's right about you regaining your memories. It will happen." Glancing down at the raven, the red head smiled. She certainly understood how annoying it was to be land bound when the skies called to you. It was this yearning which had made her accept the partnership with Tempo, and this same yearning which always brought her out adventuring. There was also the fact that in many worlds the dragons were failing, and Irian was single handedly trying to change that situation.

As her thoughts wandered to the sky, she remember a view of the strange pink leaved forest. There had been something there.... A bizzare tree, or a clump of them that had seemed out of place....

((I was wondering if there might be a central place for the 'intelligence' in the forest... Like a brain of sorts. Having flown in, Irian might have seen it if it existed, and Tempo too. It would give everyone something to reach in their wanderings..))

Tempo regarded his rider as she spoke, and nodded silently to himself. He remembered the place she spoke of. An ear twitched as branches broke. Turning around, Tempo smiled as he saw the woman he'd helped return with a dress and shoes. As the dragon walked to her, he noticed a strange wisp of a being floating there. "I see that the dress fits relatively well," stated the dragon as he silently asked Irian if the girl's behavior was normal.

Tempo sent to Irian was he had seen as he approached and received an answer immediately. As he shook his head dark locks fell to frame his face. Irian wanted to know the whole conversation, and why the girl was worried.

(Hi again guys :D! I'm sorry I was gone longer than four days... but I'm back! Again, sorry for the absence! Oh, and yeah, Esmme... Pyro's story is pretty sad O3o :/)

Pyro, still imprisoned in his memories, let out a terrifying growl, his lips unconsciously pulling back, baring ivory white teeth. His eyelids flickered in his dream-like state, and the young wolf opened his mouth just slightly, letting out a whine of fear, caused by an unknown danger
Something sharp pierced though Pyro's thick pelt, and drops of blood started to seep across his beautiful white fur, mingling in with his red tufts of hair. A few unintelligible words were spoken aloud as the young wolf was lifted effortlessly into the air, his paws churning the air uselessly. It was then Pyro realized that what was keeping ahold of him was not a wolf's jaws, but those tall, human-like creature's fingers, which pierced deeper into his neck, reaching towards his throat. Too shocked at the moment to take action, he felt the creature's fingers grip around his windpipe, restricting his breathing to raspy gasps of air.
Letting out a strangled growl, the desperate wolf made a sudden effort to move, escape, but he was running out of air and the attempts became more and more feeble. He could feel sunlight falling against his flickering eyelids as the monster strode into the clearing, to show his prize to the others. It was then, with a shudder, the beast dropped Pyro to the floor, and fell down likewise, with Ruin clutching the back of his neck stubbornly, her eyes shut tight. Almost immediately, the traumatized she-wolf backed up from the corpse, her fur rising in horror, and her eyes unable to take in anything else but the body that lay there. It was the first time she had ever done such a deed, or ever thought of performing one, and to the kind-hearted wolf, this was extremely distressing for her.
Letting out a cry of anger and shock, several of the creatures ran forwards, swinging their weapons with wild abandon as they moved towards Ruin, who was still locked in her mental woes. Pyro saw this, and, although he could barely take any breath though his damaged throat, took a few bounds towards the she-wolf, standing protectively in front of her, a glint of lust for bloodshed shining in his eyes. It was only now that the enraged wolf took time to observe his oncoming foes. They had short snouts, wolf-like but with only slits for nostrils, and cragged teeth were exposed against the dark skin of the strange animals. They had small eyes, almost all a dull, muddy brown color save for a few which had hazel eyes. A bundle of greasy hair shot out from their skulls, long and unkempt. It seemed they were only garbed in a few straps of cloth, though it seemed unnecessary for their thick fur which covered most of their body save for their heads.
Safe with the knowledge that the creature's wore no protection, Pyro lunged at the closest of the beings, sinking his teeth deep into it's arm. Instantly, dark red blood sprang up, streaming down along the animal's arm as it cried out in agony. With a roar, the beast dispatched the offender from his arm with a powerful throw, sending the white wolf skittering across the clearing. His head throbbing with pain, Pyro felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. Pain sweeping through his mind, muddling his thoughts, all that kept the wretched wolf from passing out was the snarling of his packmate, and her alternating bouts of barking and howling. There were a few words passed between the brutes, and then suddenly a loud, heart-wrenching yowl split the air. Forcing weary eyelids open, the young wolf suddenly felt his heart falter at the scene ahead of him.

((Sorry! I was kind of waiting for everyone else to get some text in, but since that doesn't seem to be the plan...))

Ora shuddered as the wind picked up, more from Ariel's words than anything. He'd been bound here? "How could a forest trap us all here?" She thought for a moment. "It's not a living thing..." Her cheeks reddened a little at her own words. If Ariel was a spirit, and not a living thing, she may have put her foot in her mouth. Hoping she hadn't offended him, she spoke again, "N-not that, things that aren't living, can't d-do things, and stuff, I guess... I just meant, I think, that..." Was she putting her other foot in her mouth now? She sighed, looking down in embarassement. Quietly she mumbled, "There has to be a way out."

Irian watched and listened to the conversation as Tempo did, and found herself intrigued with the wisp of a man just as her dragon wanted to know the young woman better. Moving in tandem, the young woman jumped off the branch nimbly and ran over in step with her dragon to sit beside the other two. She beside Ariel, and he beside Ora. Addressing herself to Ariel, she grinned and extended a hand. Irian wasn't at all put off by his physical state, in reality she was quite intrigued. "Hello Ariel, my name is Irian. I only know your name because Tempo was listening into your conversation with Ora. Anyway, why such a downer? With such a varied group we'll all get out of here. "

Tilting her head to the side, Irian remembered the structure at the center of the forest and frowned. "Have you ever heard of a central part of the forest? Where things then to happen more? Maybe it kind has a brain. Now if we could get there.." Trailing off, the red head regarded the fire now with a serious gaze. The notion of being trapped was not one that sat well.

Tempo regarded Ora with a small smile on his face. It looked more like a grimace really, but the dragon wasn't quite used to this form. Usually he would have been in his draconian form without a care in the world flying trough the sky. Now though... "Ora is it? There is a way out, of that I am certain." Nodding to the words of his rider, Tempo watched with amusement as his flight sister tried to insert herself into the conversation also.

It was obvious to him that his human friend wanted to know more. Tempo knew what that curiosity usually led to. "Besides, this is a grand adventure. One of quite strange proportions. " In vain the dragon tried to bring some light to the little group gathered. He knew quite well that Irian wasn't bothered. It was difficult for Tempo not to worry about the other though.

((lol Irian irritated Seiri too.))

Rolling her eyes, the young woman felt a little disappointed with herself. This was the second time that night for her to so quickly get on someone else's nerves. Usually, the young woman had no trouble at all. Then again dragon riders were a quite tight knit group, even if worlds so often separated them. It seemed like this forest created rifts easily between some and brought others together quickly.

Discarding the thought, Irian tried to get Ariel's attention with a shy smile. "Look, I know I did wrong but at the same time there really isn't much else to do." There were things she knew and might have said which would only have angered Ariel more. Instead, she probably plunged into another mistake. "I must admit, I only listened in out of pure curiosity. You aren't like any elemental I've ever come across before." Stating plain truth, the young woman kept her gaze fixed on the flames. Not once had Irian looked to see how Ariel might react.