"Any other dragon would've eaten you without a second thought for such a trick." He stared down at the rope when the human tossed it at his feet, and then he covered it with sand. There really wasn't much he could do to a rope that was magicked for catching a dragon. So he buried it, though a piece still stuck out of the sand just a bit. Lila was shaking his head.

"Humans are very dishonest creatures, they always have ulterior motives." Such a thing, he just assumed was in their nature. Human nature. "There is no benefit for me to ally myself with you. Go away." Lila was turning, turning from the human and moving towards the cave in the rocks some distance away down the shore. He glanced over his shoulder at the human. "We have nothing to talk about. I am a dragon, I will not succumb to you the way my brethren have to others of your kind."

Calan followed. He made sure to avoid the dragon's swishing tail. The caves were an obvious place to avoid storms. Calan couldn't believe he'd missed them. Dune colored rock curved up and around, creating an opening for anyone with eyes to see. But it was hidden by outcroppings and branches. Calan had to assume that was why he'd missed seeing any opening in the stone cliff side. "But without me, you'd have no one to compliment you. To tell you how nice your voice sounds. How musical it is." He knew the dragon liked hearing about himself. The way he'd reacted to every good word had made that clear to Calan.

He had told the human to go away, but it was following him instead. This creature was rather annoying. Lila stopped, his tail moving in a manner almost to indicate he was trying to swipe the human with it. His tail never moved quite close enough, but he did turn his head to stare at the young man. "I can get along quite nicely with an absence of compliments. I have so far." But they were such nice compliments. It seemed almost as if the dragon was frowning. Did this human really think that his voice was nice, musical even? The dragon seemed to stand just a little bit taller, even a she continued to frown.

"You can't sway me so easily with pretty words, human." That tail flicked in agitation. True, he didn't want to lose someone that could say such pretty things about him, but he also didn't want to be dominated by some human. Succumb to his will. He might not be as strong as most other dragons, but he was certainly stronger than a human. Though, perhaps he could keep this human a while longer, make it tell him more compliments. There was a cage, perhaps big enough for the human, among other treasures in his cave. A very small hoard, but it was his own. He had gathered it himself. And the cave was just big enough that other dragons couldn't really fit inside of it.

He watched the human, his tail moved, intending to curl around the human's waist and lift him up a bit off the ground. Lila's intention was to carry the human into his cave and shove him into that gilded cage that sat sideways on a small pile of various gold and jewels and trinkets.

Calan rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm not trying to sway you." Not really, anyway. He just wanted to be seen as a friend by the dragon, nothing more or less then that. To have such a friend seemed like such a wonderful thing. No one else would be able to boas of such a relationship either. Normally dragons and people had a divided front. Not unless riders were involved.

Then a slender tail wrapped around him. Calan's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" The words leaped from his mouth, a strangled kind of yell. Calan wriggled about, trying to get himself free. His hands moved to the tail. He tried prying it away, but no matter what he did, the amber haired man was unable to get free. Now the cave walls seemed like a trap. Under any other circumstances, he would have been fascinated by the hard of gold and jewels, but then he saw the cage.

"Maybe." Was all he said in response to the human claiming he wasn't trying to sway the dragon. That tail had slid around the human, the man clearly not expecting such an action and it tightened a bit. Not enough to be painful or enough to squish him. Just enough so when he lifted the human up, he didn't slip away. "I'm doing whatever I want. Because I can and I have reached a decision with what to do with you, since you don't seem very inclined to leave me be." He had started moving again, carrying the human with him.

Lila entered his cave, and moved towards the very back where it seemed to turn into a large chamber. Bits of his hoard scattered about, and one small pile, where the cage was. He wasn't sure where he had gotten that cage, but it was gilded gold, so pretty and shiny. It seemed he finally had a use for it. It was just big enough for the human to sit in it, and the door did lay already open. He moved very close to it, and placed the human inside it almost gently and then closed the door. Satisfied when the lock clicked.

Lila had no idea where the key was to that cage. Somewhere in his tiny pile of hoarded treasure he was sure. His hoard was very small, almost scarce really, in comparison to other dragons. It wasn't much to guard and certainly not enough to be proud of. There was a large looking glass in the chamber as well, and the dragon now grabbed that with his tail and moved it to the wall closest to where his new pet was. He laid down, crossing a front leg over the other, facing the mirror. Admiring his reflection as he often did when inside his cave.

He was close to the human and cage too, the cage being on his left and only just a few feet from his front legs. His left eye seemed to be watching it some, even as he admired himself. "Now, my little bird, you can sing me all the compliments you want and I need not fear the things you might do to me with your magicked rope." Clearly Lila thought this a clever solution to his bothersome problem. Also now if he decided to leave, the human couldn't follow him.

The gold, there was so little of it, now that he took a second glance. Tiny piles. Scarce treasure for a dragon to have collected. Either the dragon was that young and inexperienced, or that clumsy at being one of his own kind. It was a sad sight, and explained a few things. No wonder the dragon had sounded ashamed. A dragon who frightened no one, a dragon without a hoard, a dragon who couldn't even flame.

He'd nearly gotten used to the sensation of being carried around when he was settled down. Calan sighed. He'd hoped he wouldn't be put into the cage. Leaning back, the bars dug into Calan. They were too hard, too uncomfortable. There was going to be no getting out of it either. If there was a key, it was probably hidden away with the coins, the jewels. He glanced at the dragon.

"I can't even be angry with you. I mean, you have no reason to trust me. " Calan shook his head. "But I don''t feel like singing much praise right now. Even if I did, I don't even know your name." The young man glanced up at the ceiling above. There were so many dips and rises there. He'd probably get familiar with them. "Oh and this means you'll need to feed me, and find me a place to do my ... business."

A clever solution, that came with a new set of problems. His head turned, away from that mirror to fully look at his trapped human. Food and a place to do is business? Those thoughts had never occurred to him until the human mentioned them. Those shoulders of his shrugged a bit. "Maybe I'll let you starve, it might be fun to watch." He didn't really mean that, and he did seem to be pondering something actually. What could he do about such things? There wasn't much, and he wasn't sure where the key was to the cage anyway. Certainly it was mixed in with the slight treasure he had.

"Do you really think I'd tell a human my name?" It honestly wasn't much of a name, not a real name. Not a strong name like everyone else of his kin had. Just a reflection of his color. That dragon seemed to be frowning again, but smoke was curling up from his nostrils. "Come now, little bird, I want to hear you tell me how pretty I am." He lifted a claw to gently prod at the cage, shaking it a bit.

Calan gripped the bars of the cage. Gilded gold, they were very pretty. A pretty cage for the dragon's new pet. What a mess! And the dragon kept insisting on compliments. He relaxed once the cage was still, and settled onto his butt. Sure he had wanted to befriend a dragon, but being captured by one hadn't even crossed his mind. The dragon ... Calan glanced to the side. He should have been afraid. Was a little.. But the feeling wasn't nearly as overwhelming as it should have been.

It gave him the chance to reach out and press his fingertips against the dragon's scaled foot. It was so smooth, and hard but soft at the same time. What a wonder it was to be able to reach out at all. "I won't. Do you think I want to be captured any more then you?" Calan glanced up into the dragon's eye. "I might consider it, if you tell me your name."

His new pet was refusing him? Lila growled a little at being touched and at being refused. So he prodded the cage again, shaking it a bit more. "You're just sore that you weren't clever enough to catch me before I caught you." He sounded almost proud of having the human in a cage. He snorted a little bit when the human asked for his name. "What makes you think I'd want my name uttered from the lips of a human. You probably wouldn't even be able to pronounce it properly."

There was no need, in Lila's mind for them to know each other's names. They were not friends, they would not be friends. This human was his pet now. Well, if his caged bird wouldn't sing him the songs he wanted to hear, then he would just..Lila wasn't sure what he'd do. He supposed he could actually eat the little guy. Or maybe just let his new pet go hungry for a few days, that could change his attitude. Even if the human refused to compliment him more, at least he wasn't alone anymore. There was that. Even if his company was human.

He grabbed the bars again holding the tight. Then he grinned. Smiled. "My name is Calan. Even if you don't want me to know yours, you can know mine." A dragon's pet. That was what he was. He laughed a bit more. There was a crazy edge to it. Caged. Trapped. Locked away. The human leaned back. He huddled away from the dragon. He wasn't afraid. He was feeling the edge of anger. He eyed the dragon warily.

The human was grinning, smiling. Did this situation amuse him? Lila sighed, blowing a puff of warm air at the young man after learning his name. The dragon shook his head a bit and moved slightly away from the cage, watching the human, Calan, almost carefully. The human had huddled away from him, but the dragon didn't smell any fear, perhaps it was resentment? Anger? There was a bit of wariness in those human eyes now though. It almost made him feel a bit satisfied.

Lila turned his head away from the human, looking at himself fully in the mirror he had propped up nearby. Admiring himself a bit as he spoke almost absently to Calan. "Why should I care what your name is?" His wings twitched a bit, and his tail was moving behind him, gently moving bits of treasure to this side or that as it swished slowly across the cave floor. He barely glanced at the human, a slight pang in his chest, now that he was less irritated at the human not leaving him alone when he told it to go away.

He wouldn't like it if someone caged him. Tamed him. Though now that he had the human in the cage, his pride would not let him release Calan so easily now. He would look weak, and wishy washy. Perhaps the key would turn up in a day or so, close enough for the human to grab it from between the bars? Maybe. The dragon let out what could only be a sigh. "Lila'Vjola is what the others call me." He didn't take his eyes off his reflection in the mirror. Tilting his head this way and that as he admired his pretty purple scales.

Calan settled back against the cage. So, the dragon had finally told him his name. "Lila." He had no idea how to pronounce he second part of it. It had to be a shock for the dragon, Lila, hearing a human speak his name. Slowly, he inched towards the dragon once more. He always wanted to reach out and touch the scales. It was so hard not to. He'd get snapped at again. And yet, what could be worse then what he had already been thrown into?

The young man reached out. He placed his hand on scales once more. "I love your scales, the way they shine and gleam." He kept reaching and reaching. "You don't need to look in a mirror." What need was there of that? The dragon wanted compliments. He wanted someone to shower him with pleasant words. Clan sighed. There had to be something wrong with him, not being bothered by his sudden capture over uch.

It was odd, hearing his name from the lips of a human, but it didn't sound bad. Calan didn't mispronounce it and didn't even try to say the second part. Perhaps the human couldn't pronounce that part? What did it matter, his name was a stupid one anyway. Perhaps one day he would tell Calan what the words meant, but not today. He shifted a bit, as that hand touched him. This human seemed to be very touchy-feely. Did Calan like his scales that much, or was he just inspecting them for weakness? If so, he wouldn't easily find any weakness.

He turned his head from the mirror, to look at the human. No need for his own reflection? Well, perhaps not, now that the human was there to tell him how pretty and lovely he was he had no need of saying such things to his reflection. "You don't mean the things you say, but your words are pretty and I would have more of them, no matter how false or hollow they may be." He was no longer looking at his reflection. All of his attention was on Calan. He didn't snap or pull away as the human touched him. Deciding there wasn't much harm in letting those soft fleshy hands run along his scales. He didn't want to admit it, but even that physical attention was nearly as nice as the compliments.

He let his fingers graze across the scales, scratch them a bit. He liked the feel of them. They were wonderful. Calan slid and leaned forward so he could run both hands across Lila's foreleg. "They aren't hollow." Amethysts were beautiful stones, they sparkled and shone with every shifting of the light. Lila's scales were like that. They were mesmerizing. "I do like your scales, the way they keep changing with the light. And I still would like to be your friend." He smiled. "Though I really don't like this cage, it isn't a horrible thing if it means I can admire you." All day long if need be.

"Of course they're hollow." He said the words almost absently though, his attention had gone from Calan, to those hands that were touching his foreleg. This human kept insisting that they be friends, wasn't even extremely upset at being put in a cage, at least he didn't seem upset. Lila knew the human probably didn't like it very much at all but he seemed to be hiding such feelings as that. Those eyes moved from those hands back to Calan for a moment then he looked away with a huff.

"You are such a strange human." Another sigh. "What kind of food do you like to eat?" He couldn't let his pet starve after all, and perhaps he would actually look for that key, once the human was asleep later. Though if he did let him out of the cage, would Calan seek a bit of revenge on him for locking him away like that? He would have to get rid of that magicked rope completely, instead of just leaving it out on the beach.

Calan laughed. "And do you have much experience with humans, then?" He let his hand rest, even if it was uncomfortable. Every limb was stretched out to the fullest. It was either that, or crouching down in a tight little ball, and waiting for everything to turn stiff. It was a horrifying thought, losing the ability to move. To never be able to run again, to go outside and see the sea. Calan shook his head.

"I like fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, fish. Really, I'm not picky, as long as most of it is cooked." That would probably take the dragon by surprise. Humans had finicky stomachs. Just the smallest thing wrong could have Calan writhing on the ground. But no, he was sure the dragon wouldn't allow that knowingly. Lila wanted compliments. Without Calan around, that wouldn't happen.

"Well...no." He had never actually spoken to a human before, Calan was his first human. Still, humans were cruel creatures. He had heard stories of how they lied and cheated to get the things they wanted. Dragons were honest and up front, well. Some were not so honest, but the majority of them were up front about the things they wanted. A show of who was the strongest physically was generally how dragons got the things they wanted. No subterfuge involved or needed really.

He had looked away, but his gaze returned to Calan as he named off some things. That snout wrinkling a bit almost in disdain at the mention of fruits, potatoes and tomatoes. Clearly Lila was not fond of eating such things, though fish was good and he could catch fish fairly easily, his speed and agility helped with that. That head tilted to the side just slightly. "I see." He stared at the caged human, almost as if studying him. That cage really did look very uncomfortable. "Are you hungry now?" He could perhaps gather some fruits for Calan, he could effectively gather meat for the young man as well, but Lila had no way of cooking it, or any idea how to cook it properly for a human. Lila would never understand why humans cooked things, in his opinion it ruined the flavor. Dried out all the blood and took away from that flavor.

Calan rolled his eyes and leaned back. He considered rocking the cage back and forth to see if he could make it fall, but decided against it. Lila was right there. Besides, even if he could get it to fall, what point was there in that? There would be no moving it from where ever if fell until the dragon returned to right it.

"No, I ate before coming out to get your attention. Oh beautiful one." He laughed a bit. That was what he had to do, act like it didn't affect him. It was the only way to get free, or so Calan thought. Just gain the dragon's trust, and then perhaps he could run , if they hadn't become friends by then.

"Do you have any friends?"

Lila inched just a bit closer to that cage, letting his claws shift and move some of the treasure that the cage was perched on. He was careful, moving it so the pile didn't shift and make the cage fall over. "A dragon doesn't need friends." There was a bitterness in his voice that he couldn't hide, and instead of looking at Calan, he was looking down at the treasure he shifted and moved. Lila was really looking for that key, but the human didn't need to know that.

The dragon was somewhat glad the human wasn't hungry, and somewhat annoyed by it. He didn't want to leave Calan's side to go hunt for food, but at the same time he wanted to get away from the young man and think. His tail flicked behind him slowly. "Do you hate me now, for putting you in a cage?" He would, if he were in Calan's position. He would hate anyone that trapped him in any kind of way. He was certain of that. Probably.

Gold glittered in the sunlight that managed to get its way into the cave. Calan had to wonder how everything would look at night. Used to city life as he was, the young man couldn't think of a time without candlelight, the light of flames or of a place without any sight of stars or moon in view. Calan shook his head, and stuck his legs between the bars of the cage. He was only able to get the lower half of them out.

"I don't know you well enough yet to hate you. Too soon for that." It was understandable, the way the dragon had reacted. Lila had been obviously afraid that he would be captured. And in fear, he had acted instinctively, or so Calan thought.

Too soon? Really? Lila would have hated anyone immediately if they put him in a cage, trapped him in any way or form. The dragon looked rather confused at that, this human was strange wasn't he? Then again, maybe all humans reacted to being trapped like that? What did it matter, the cage was too small for the man to be comfortable in, that much was apparent, Lila did feel guilty for looking the youngman up. He huffed lightly, still gently sorting through some of that treasure, he stopped.

Standing the dragon heaved a light sigh. "I must dispose of your magic rope, lest someone else find it and try to use it." That tail swished just slightly as he moved, the tip brushing away a bit more treasure, the cage tilted slightly as part of the pile moved. It didn't dump the cage over though, and the dragon seemed not to notice as he was already on his way out of the cave. If Calan spoke to him, he would ignore the human. Getting rid of that rope was rather important.

Rather close to the cage, just barely peeking out from some of the treasure was what looked to be like the end of a key. It was within arm's reach of the human. The dragon's pride, and unwillingness to openly admit he was wrong for imprisoning Calan kept him from just handing it over. His idle playing with the treasure though, should make it seem like the key just happened to appear by accident.

He waited for the dragon to leave before starting to run his fingers through the gold. There was more of it then he'd thought, but that wasn't what Calan searched for. Surely somewhere in the pile there was a key just as ornate as the cage he rested in. Rubies twinkled, sapphires shimmered, and amber pooled together in piles like pools of warm honey. Yet no sign of a key.

Where could it be? He could have sworn he'd seen it! Dragon claws had teased it into sight. Now where had the dragon last been digging? Ah! Calan grinned and eased himself around til he looked like a pretzel, and his fingers wrapped around the key to the cage. The young man didn't free himself tough. Didn't even think of it yet. Instead the key went into the pocket of Calan's pants. With a sigh, he made himself as comfortable as could be, considering his chair was hard meal decorated ornately with leaves and things.

Lila'Vjola had gathered that rope, deciding it would be best to bury it deep in the forest. He had flown over the forest and landed in a place that was deep in the woods, humans rarely traveled that far into the forest. It hadn't taken long, with his claws to dig a very deep hole. Too deep be dug up by animals by accident or washed out by the rain. Only if someone knew where to look and what they were looking for would they find it. He had finished covering the deep hole and packing the dirt over that magicked rope when he heard a noise behind him. His mind had mostly been on Calan, that human in his cave, wondering if the boy would have found the key and run away. He would have noticed the approaching danger if he hadn't been so distracted. Lila growled.

His wings unfurled and he began to lift up into the sky, a sudden pain ripped through the that delicate gossamer of one of his wings. A spear. It had sailed clear through, ripping a hole in that wing, it caused him to falter a bit. Almost fall back to the ground, but he had to get away, the human was getting ready for another attack. Teeth grit against the pain, he beat his wings hard. Another spear sailed through the air at him, the tip of it barely grazing the edge of that delicate wing. Lila roared, smoke curled from his nostrils but he refused to let the pain or human bring him down.

That poor wing, he had to beat it furiously to get it to keep him aloft, but soon he was too high for the human to be able to hit him with a spear. He flew towards his cave, flew as fast and as long as he could before crashing just at the edge of the forest. Where trees met beach. His form shimmered and trembled, sounds of pain left his lips as bones and muscles shifted. Growing smaller until the dragon had been replaced by a very girlish looking male. In the years of a human he seemed to be only seventeen. His hair was long, so very long that the purple tresses streaked with bits of sky blue, dragged on the ground behind him.

Two golden curving back horns, elegantly extended from his forehead, just as they had in dragon form, but much smaller. Proportionate to this human form. Those gossamer wings extended out from his back. Much smaller than before, one torn at it's edge, and with a large hole more towards the center. It hurt so bad, but he had to keep going. He had to get to the safety of his cave. Those golden eyes, still very dragon like with their slit pupils, were narrowed, and his tail swayed gently behind him. Shorter, more proportionate to this body, and still decorated with those pretty purple scales.

His skin held a slight purple tint to it in places, and was dotted here and there with tiny bits of purple scales. It would be far too easy to mistake this dragon in human guise for a woman, especially in the clothing his feminine form conjured up. Lila finally made it across the beach, and into his cave. All he wanted to do was curl up on his tiny bit of treasure and heal. Sleep and heal, then he'd go flying across that village and threaten it with fire...fire he couldn't even breath.

He collapsed in a heap not to far from Calan's cage. Half ignoring the young man. Those golden eyes only looking at him for a moment and then looking away. Embarrassed, ashamed. Humans, even caged ones, shouldn't see how weak of a dragon he was. He was mildly surprised that the human was still there.

He heard the dragon before he saw him. Though Calan really couldn't be sure what Lila was. The name, the body, they had always all been entirely feminine. Now, in human form, the dividing line between the two was even more blurred. One thing was obvious, a delicate wing had been torn and the dragon was in pain. Quickly, or as quick as could be while hampered by cramped limbs, the young man scrambled up and slid the key into its lock. With a twist, he was pushing the cage open and stepping out.

"Not your day, is it?" Creeping forward, Calan crouched down to look at the prone dragon. "Can I take a look, and see if there's anything I could do?" Though not an expert, he knew a rudimentary of what herbs might help heal such a wound. Of course, there was no telling if the herbs would work on a dragon.

Lila shied away as Calan crept closer. Obvious the human had found the key, and why shouldn't he have? Lila had pretty much placed it in those hands himself almost, though for a moment, after seeing Calan still in the cage he had almost hoped the human hadn't noticed the key. Now it made Lila wonder why the young man had stayed, since he had the key. With a way out, why choose to stay inside the cage? Those things weren't important right now though, and the thoughts were quick, fleeting.

When Calan crouched down, Lila pushed himself up a bit, strands of that long hair falling infront of his face. Those golden eyes pinned the young man with a wary look for half a moment and then the dragon had moved. Shoving himself up from where he lay and those arms wrapping around Calan as he practically pounced on the human. "Please.." His eyes were squeezed shut, and his hands clung tightly to the back of Calan's shirt as he hid his face against that chest. A warm chest, a strong chest.

Lila'Vjola was in pain, he was injured and though he was just showing how weak of a dragon he was, he did not want to be alone. Injured and alone was the worst. Yet now it would be so easy for this human to capture him, even without that magicked rope. Still, Calan said such pretty things to him, so maybe the human wouldn't do anything to mean to him. Lila whimpered softly and nuzzled that chest. It felt so nice, clutching to another, even though he was still a little apprehensive of the human. Still a little ashamed at himself for being so bad at being a dragon.