The Chronoscape Chronicles

In the days she worked with the dragons Tsillah was fortunate to see all shapes and sizes, beginning to learn the differences between each. She took care to learn how each preferred to be treated and tacked up. Her whole frame tensed as the patchwork dark flexed its claws, avoiding the metal claw guards cutting into him with a flit of faster motion than the human eye could follow. Stepping back and tugging her hat lower as her rider stepped back up to her. Mounting and moving out as she moved to tend the others. 

There were a few hatchlings she was paying special attention to, and it was only as darkness crept over the city that she stepped out. Enjoying the contrast of the last rays of gold setting every surface to molten gold above, and blue creeping in beneath like some phantom. She took the opportunity to move through the streets, there was some coin in her pocket now - that wouldn't get her strange looks and too many questions - though it was a challenge remembering that. Habits hard to break, but time had made her decent at it. Her knuckles rapped the wood as she moved through a doorframe, motion discrete as she browsed the wares. Managing to make a few deals, haggling was the same no matter the world, it seemed... with few exceptions where it was the eighth deadly sin notwithstanding. 

She was popping fried scallops and ocean-bright calamari into her mouth as she moved along the docks and slipped downward farther still. The sand cold, squeaking beneath her weight it was so fine, but closer to the water shells were fragmented into it. Glittering in the last rays of dawn, but she was waiting for the darkness. Everything shifted brighter with the blue light, even the scents became more vibrant to her, and she relaxed in the silence. Seabirds tousled above, and waves swirled below. Soft sweeping rolls meeting the cackling above and she tossed a chunk into the air. Smirking as a daring bird nearly brushed her hair retrieving it. 

There would be scraps, and she would share them with the birds, and in turn there would be more scraps later. Being stingy never got you anywhere, and the little ritual continued as she moved off down the coastline. Until the moon above was the only light and the sounds of civilization had fallen away. Where only brine and wind existed, her and the birds. The quiet embracing her, rejuvenating after so many people, so much crowd and bustle. She wasn't made for it, though she could toss the mask up as well as anyone. Better, maybe, if history was any indication.

She shook the thoughts, letting her clothes fade away and replacing them with a second skin of shadows. Diving into the water and letting the hot upper currents fade away into cool depths as she shifted. hands gaining webbing and gills forming with a ripple of opalescence and silver until she was completely comfortable beneath the waves.

That was when routine became something distinctly... not... and yet it was, still. Taking note of the serpentine shape was slow, too accustomed to similar features, but the reminder she wasn't home came sharply as she was suddenly faced with a face. All face, ears flicked and she refocused. Searching the creature's eyes, but hummed as she sensed no malice, a soft sound shifting the water, and she stretched a hand out to the patch of white-ticked orange on it's brow. Smiling at the coils that came up around her, but stayed loose. Playing, gentle. "Hi there, ana'croi." She whispered silently, watching the play of color over her. White and orange breaking the purple shadow within the darkness. In view and then out again, beyond even the reach of the predator's eyes. 

She laughed, not entirely certain what to make of the encounter, but as the serpent moved she was more than willing to follow. Moving more smoothly through the water as she let her native affinity take hold. It was something she had enjoyed since she was a baby, spirals and corkscrews like an otter through the murk. Collecting shellfish she enticed from their little fortresses for herself and the dragon alike. 

She was the size of some of those shadows in the Chronoscape... and smaller than others, she was certain of that. She lost track of how long they had been down there, but the dragon suddenly perked, glowing eyes staring out into the depths, and she smirked. "Hear someone waiting for ya, hm?" She guessed, laughing, but giving her a gentle shove. "Go on, don't keep your pals waiting... and thanks for the memories, eh?" She grinned, belaying any sadness to see the serpentine dragon go. She watched her new friend until the last spot of white was flicked out of sight, and for a time after. Not epecting her to come back, not really, but settling the images into her mind.

The feel of seaweed as they darted through, and the enjoyment the gentle giant seemed to take from the treats she didn't imagine were normal in her diet. Or maybe they were and she was just gullible, shucking each needlessly. That was always an option, either way it had been fun. One of the more memorable encounters since she had come to the worlds, and she let it settle into her mind comfortably before turning back for shore...