Young Writers Society

Outcast

story: In the savannah islands survival of the fittest is law. If you can't contribute to your village's survival then you will be cast out into the desert to wander, friendless and alone. Everyone knows it is a death sentence.

When the children of the savannah turn nine-years-old they will Pairbond with one of the animals, forming a soul-link with them, so they can speak mind to mind and see through each others eyes. This magical bond is the foundation upon which the continent's entire culture is built.

Those who bond with the lions, cheetahs, and hyenas become warriors. The ones bonded with the birds and horses are the scouts. The eyes and ears of the village, watching attacks or storms or even a herd of antelope. Those bonded, with boars or rhinos will farm the land. Small animals like monkeys, mean their human will help around the town. While seaside towns will bond with dolphins to help catch the fish.

But something went wrong with the children of the newest generation. For some reason many of them couldn't Pairbond. They could not hear the animal's voices. Being without the Pairbond is the same as being crippled, useless. All the towns are shocked and horrified.

Disgusted the villagers throw them out beyond the town walls with nothing but the clothes on their backs. For seasons they wander the savannah learning to survive and in some cases, even thrive. Only years later do they learn the reason why they couldn't Pairbond with normal animals. They were meant for something far greater.

From the distant Northern continent where snow falls and an Empire rules. From the north where magic is woven through everything. Magical beasts flee from the north hounded and injured. These children who were cast out because they were 'broken' find themselves Pairbonding with the magnificent legendary beasts.

Afterwards, some of the children returned to their hometowns. While others wandered the savannah with their bonded, wild and free. But a fleet of warships is coming from the north. The Magic Beast's memories of their homeland are faint at best, but it's enough to scare their Bonded. They know that if the savannah is to survive an invasion they must stand united, and they are the only ones who can warn them.

The wanderers must go home.

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rules: The usual rules apply no god moding, no killing off characters without permission. Try to make it so that everyone has a different kind of magic beast. And please try and keep this storybook alive, I think it could be very good if we could finish it.
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characters: Please follow this character profile.

name-
age-
gender-
hometown- (Just make up a random name for a village)
Pairbond- (What magic beast are you bonded with eg:phoenix, griffin, heck it could even be a fairy) (also try and include a picture if possible)
appearance-
personality-
history-
fighting skills- (it stands to reason they would all be decent fighters, they survived years alone in the desert.)
other-

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name- Hunter (his birthname was Feather)
age- 18
gender- male
hometown- Jalia
Pairbond- Swift, a silver dragon. http://media.photobucket.com/image/silv ... .jpg?o=234

appearance- http://media.photobucket.com/image/blac ... cc.gif?o=6

personality- Wild, reckless, and competitive. Hunter avoids people as a rule and enjoys nothing more than flying with Swift. Incredibly stubborn, daring, and outgoing he hates sitting still. After the way he was treated as a child he's come to love the freedom and solitude of the savannah. He distrusts people as a rule but if you can befriend him he is incredibly loyal. Most of his clothes, weapons, and supplies were scavenged from caravans that met with accidents along the trade routes. (More to come as story progresses)

history- Hunter, or Feather as he was called as a child, was the firstborn son of the village chief. Up until he was nine he was petted and spoiled, everyone expected him to take after his father. After the disastrous nameday where he failed to Pairbond, his father started abusing him, but permitted him to try two more times to Pairbond.

Over the next two years the entire village treated him like a whipping boy, and a bad omen. By the end of it no one could even look at him without disgust. When his father stripped him of his clan name and cast him out of the town it came as a relief. Hunter expected to die but instead he survived. When he was sixteen he stumbled across a dying mother dragon. She had been injured, and drove herself to death flying from the northern continent. Beside her was an infant dragon, no more than a few weeks old.

After the death of the mother. Hunter performed Last Rites for the body, then he took the young dragon and left. The Pairbond was instant and irrevocable, Hunter knew right away that the dragon was his best friend. He named the small dragon Swift, and over the course of the next two years they traveled the width and breadth of the savannah.

At the end of two years Hunter is almost a man grown. And Swift is taller then two men put together. With his whipping tail, sharp teeth, and long ripping claws; with the breath of fire and the magic of his race, he and Hunter are two of the most dangerous predators in the savannah.

Hunter swore he would never go back. But with an invasion fleet coming, he might just have to eat those words.

fighting style- Hunter prefers close range combat, he fights with either a pair of short swords, or a long single edged katana. He's good with a bow, and a brilliant tracker and hunter. After two years hunting from dragon back his sight is almost as good as a hawks.

other- up for love.

Name- Nya (N-ya)

Age- 17

Gender- Female

Hometown- Cidade

Pairbond- Pegasus

Appearance-

Personality- Frightened, by everything. The slight lift of a hand has her flinching. When she first met the Pegasus she was terrified, and wouldn't go near it. Heck, she's been known to jump at her own shadow. She's a kind girl though. And despite how afraid of everything she is, she's brave.

She's the best example of bravery does not equal unafraid you'll find. Sadly she sees almost everything as a threat. Be kind to her and she'll warm up to you. You'll find her defending you soon enough. She gets offended easily, and if you offend her enough she'll go into a blind rage and beat you something fierce. Or run off crying.

She's very unpredictable. And very unstable.

History- She was a poor girl in the village. Her mother died birthing her and her father had a paralyzed leg. So it was hard for them to get by. Nya found herself working day and night just to feed herself and her father.

Fighting skills- Bow and arrow.

Other- Deaf in her left ear.

name- Sacha Wraith
age- 18
gender- F
hometown- Conia
Pairbond- Phoenix named Blaze (Original aren't I?)When Blaze isn't on fire When he is on fire:

appearance- Long black hair to her waist dark green eyes tan skin high cheekbones and a few burns along with other scars including one running along her left cheek bone and a few on her arms from when she's been to close to Blaze when he's set himself on fire tall thin but not to thin curvy.
personality- She is very quiet and stealthy and tends to keep to herself. She prefers to be alone but once she makes a friend she bonds with them and stays very close to them and will defend them to the death. She is very volatile when it comes to her anger she will start out yelling which you really don't need to worry then but once she gets quiet you want to get away. She isn't afraid to suggest new ideas and if someone disagrees with her so be it. She is extremely open minded and accepting. She can be rather childlike and seems more innocent at times than she actually is and because of this people often think they can best her in battle though they quickly find that they can't. She can be distracted by being tricked into thinking that one of her friends or Blaze is hurt.
history- She came from an abusive home and when she was kicked out of her village she saw it as a blessing even more so when she met Blaze. She has been refining her fighting skills since day one and is rather ruthless in battle.
fighting skills- She is a well rounded fighter though she prefers hand to hand combat whether with a pair of short swords or a long sword.
other- Up for love. She carries a few of Blaze's feathers with her because they're very good for healing. Blaze is very protective of her.

Name: Cassia Luxe

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Hometown: New Aster (A Port of Call)

Pairbond: A hydra called Aysu. He's a beast of the water as well as land. Customarily breathes fire, however has adapted to northern frost by breathing a freezing blast equal to (with the same characteristics(if not increased) a hose of liquid nitrogen. He looks like the picture but white with iridescent scales.

Appearance: She stands about 5'6'' and has a dancers build. She's usually very stern and poised. She dresses loosely with lots of cloth and carries a messenger bag with a bunch of odd items that usually come in handy in one way or another. She usually wears her hair up in a knot of braids or a loose bun.

Personality: She is very down to earth and easy going. She's not book-smart but very clever and street smart. Growing up in a frequented Port has given her knowledge of to farthest reaches of known civilisation. She is creative, worldly, quick to adapt and resourceful. She's not good with words though, and tends to stumble when asked her opinion on something. Because of this, Cassia does not voice her views on things very often and has a very "go with the flow" kind of attitude. This can be an issue because she usually trusts other people to know what's best for her. Certain types of personalities however, do not get along with hers. Arrogant types will receive nothing more than a cold shoulder and an eye-roll, and people who are too outspoken will often just be given the silent treatment. She admires people who are assertive and natural leaders. She's not shy, just soft-spoken and, if given the chance, would rather silently watch the world go by than jump in and join.

History: Cassia came from a family of very successful, very ambitious people. Her older sister Helena excelled in every way possible, and when she left New Aster, she left a set of impossible expectations and a looming shadow. Her parents were severely disappointed with her lack of bonding ability and tried to fake a bond with various water creatures while literally holding her head under water and calling to any sea creature that would come near. Of course, this didn't last more than a month, and she was kicked out of the city, her parents merely were showered in sympathy. (They were vital parts of the fishing business of New Aster.) She made a home in a grotto off New Aster as well as the surrounding areas, almost as far as the wetland/savannah area of Delaney and Conia, and developed her quiet, observant nature. She can swim as well as any dolphin, she memorised the weather patterns for the greater south-west area, and has picked up many forms of bladed combat as well as combat in rough terrain and improvised weaponry. She met Aysu as he was suffocating in a small cape. He had been injured in a territory battle already and had tried to freeze the water as it pushed him under, only causing it to freeze around him and trap him. After she rescued him, they formed the legendary pairbond.

Fighting Skills: Cassia's fighting skills are surprisingly impressive, but depended on as a last resort. (She's not an aggressive person.) She has observed the bladed fighting style of warriors on the walls of some savannah towns. She's adopted it as her own and it can be easily recognised as a combat style from those areas. She has also recovered the near-lost art of sodium-based explosives that's activating substance is water. (She found this out the hard way.) She is very good at using her surrounding as an advantage. She learned how through hunting animals in such conditions. So, though she is not quick to fight, when she does it's with precision and expertise that could only have been acquired through years of intensive practise. (She had to do something with her time alone. )

other- Up for love.

Hey there. May I join with a Kitsune (mythical fox that often has up to nine tails)?

If I can, I'll probably make a female...

Edit: Profile.

Name: Branwen Merla.

Age: 19.

Gender: Female.

Hometown: Melos.

Pairbond: A white kitsune named Sinopa.


Appearance: Branwen is about 5'9 in height with long (almost waist length) blonde hair, dark blue eyes and pale skin, despite her time in the desert. She's slim yet athletic but much stronger than she looks. Branwen is graceful but shy. Dressed in clothes she stole or made and never seen without her bow and arrow or her dagger.

Personality: Branwen, despite her somewhat shy, cold and distant first impression, is actually kind, loving, caring, smart, determined and sometimes easily distracted. She hates to see those she cares about hurt and often gets really defensive if someone she likes is harmed, but be warned--if you start asking questions about her past, she will snap at you and try to drive you off. Or Sinopa will. Branwen often gets mad—really mad. And a mad Branwen is not a good thing--Sinopa doesn't like it when her Branwen is upset.

Branwen is quiet more often than not and thinks a lot before speaking or doing something. She likes to plan things out, if she can. Especially surviving on the Savannah and the like. She highly dislikes when her plans are thoroughly screwed up by stupid mistakes. And she has made a few mistakes in the past. Branwen often has a blank, cold and uncaring edge to her expression, like she’s lost all emotion or just doesn’t give a damn about the rest of the world. This is a mask, to hide the pain she goes through and her true feelings. Not that she'd ever tell you what, exactly, that pain is or those feelings are.

History: Branwen was born in Melos, a small costal village in the far south. She was the eldest daughter of the Clan's cheif, the sister of two older brothers and three younger sisters. Life was fine growing up, until she turned nine and the time came for her pairbonding. At first, her father tried to pairbond her with a lion. The pairbonding failed. The second attempt was to a dolphin, but it also failed. The third was to a hawk....which also failed. Each time it failed, her father was devastated. After a few months of this, her father grew angry and, in a fit of rage, tossed Branwen out of the village with only the clothes on her back and the weapons she held.

Over the next eight years, Branwen wandered the Savannah, always moving and never stoppnig for too long in one place. One year, she found an oais and claimed it as her own, setting up a permanent camp there that she often left for months on end. Throughout her years of wandering, she never encountered another person close up. Sure, she saw them from a distance but she never approached,always sneaking away before they noticed her.

Then, when she seventeen, she returned to her permanent camp to find a little girl with reddish-brown hair curled up near her campfire. When she appraoched, the girl turned into a fox with more than one tail and vanished under a nearby bush. Startled, Branwen tried to coax her out. When the fox eventually emerged from under the bush and came into contact with Branwen, the pairbonding was immediate and irreversible.

Branwen soon realised that she wasn't a freak, or an outcast or even crippled. She was just different, unique. But it still hurt; her clan hadn't known that and because she hadn't pairbonded, they threw her out. Eventually, the fox told Branwen her story, her name and what she was. Sinopa was a kitsune. A magical creature in the shape of a fox with up to nine tails; the ninth being aquired when a kitsune turned a thousand. Sinopa, at the time they meet, was just under so close to her thousandth year that it didn't matter much.

Over the next two years, Branwen and Sinopa hunted, travelled and eventually fell in love with the Savannah. But then Sinopa told Branwen of the horror she had seen in the north and the threat heading south. Branwen agreed, even though she now held an intense disliek for the clans, to warn them, and so Branwen and her companion travelled back towards the clan villages. As she was once a Cheif's daughter, Branwen knew about the clanmeets. So she's headed for New Aster. With Sinopa's magic and Branwen's fighting and tracking skills, the pair will make great scouts.

Fighting skills: Long range (bow and arrow) as she doesn't like to be too close to her prey/enemy. Will and can use a dagger if she's forced to/backed into a corner.

other: Up for love.


Note; In case you need to check details or something: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune

Name- Kamau
Age- 17
Gender- Male
Hometown- Alamac
Pairbond- A 7 foot tall Minotaur named Carabol.

Appearance- Small for his age, he has scars all over his arms and back. His eyes are yellow tinted. He wears black robes, despite the Savannah's heat. An hourglass medallion hangs from his neck, given to him by a dying nomad.

personality- He is wary of outsiders, and mostly sticks to himself, but if Carabol accepts someone he views them as family. Though a pacifist, he is no coward, and will defend his friends and Carabol with his life. He views Carabol as his little brother, despite the Minotaur's huge size. He is angry at the villagers, but he will help one if they are stranded on the Savannah.
History- His father, one of the village's most renowned warriors, forced him to try to bond with a lion. Kamau failed, receiving brutal scars in the process. But they were nothing to the emotional scars he felt when his father threw him out of the village personally. He survived mostly by hiding in holes and sneaking out to steal kills from vultures after the predators had finished with them. But all that changed when he bonded with Carabol. Now, the Minotaur hunts for them both, while Hamau helps to sooth the berserk rages Carabol sometimes suffers.
Fighting skills- Is extremely good at hiding, and is almost invisible during the night. He learned how to use a swordstaff from a nomad, and when the nomad died, he took the staff for his own. If an enemy must be killed, he prefers to finish it up close and quickly.
Other- Not up for love

*Alright we have enough characters to start this thing off. One thing I should note is that we all met our Bonded two years ago. That's given the Pairbond time to grow and for both halves to find their footing in the partnership. In the case of an ordinary Pairbond the animal's lifespan becomes as long as the humans. But considering the life spans of mythical creatures in our cases it was the human's who gained longer life. *

Somewhere on the North Continent

The man stood at the window, his hand pressed to the glass pane staring out the stone city blanketed in snow. How those southern barbarians could live the way they did disgusted him. He glanced behind him at the officer that had been reporting on the status of the army and how far along the preperations were.

"So then," He murmured. "We should be ready to leave within the week. The Emperor will be pleased." Hands folded behind his back he turned back to the view. "It's time we taught those Barbarians what a real civilization is."

"But what about the Abominations? We've had more than one report that several of those magical creatures escaped across the ocean. Everyone in the North knows of the Barbarians so called Pairbonding magic. What if..."

The man whirled around, cutting off the officer before he could finish speaking. His pale blue eyes as cold and hard as the arctic. "That is not your concern. Just make sure we are ready to leave in a week."

Hunter

Hunter swallowed a whoop as Swift turned sharply, twisting and soaring through the low lying clouds. Flying never got old ever since Swift had been old enough to ride he and Hunter had spent as much time as possible in the air. Moving through the sky as easily as others moved through the sea and the earth. Here they were the king's of their domain, safe, untouchable.

He lost his grin as he spotted an eagle flying below them, it flew in a staight line not the spiralling movements of a wild bird. Which meant it was someone's Pairbonded, the human was probably watching through the bird's eyes right now. It was the closest others ever came to flying.

They were just passing through the crags and coming out onto the peninsula where the bi-annual Clanmeet was to be held. Two weeks of games, festivities, and partys for the children. For the adolescents, the young men and woman, it meant contests of skill with their bonded, and flirting with people not from their home town. But for the adults it was a series of meetings as the different village leaders debated the ruling of the entire savvanah. The Clanmeet was held in a different town every two years, Hunter hadn't been to one since he was eight before the disastrous Nameday when he failed to Pairbond. This year the Clanmeet was being held in New Aster.

Hunter clenched his fists and glared down at the collection of tents and arenas that was growing up around the fishing village. His father was down there somewhere, along with his younger brother the 'proper heir'. His father despised him, this entire culture had cast him out. Still Hunter was going to warn them, not out of any lingering affection. He told himself. But to prove that he was better than them, that he wouldn't sink to their level. Idly he wondered how his father would react to the 'cripple's' return.

As if sensing the dismal direction of his thoughts Swift swung his head around to stare at his Rider. His emerald eyes shining with equal parts concern, humour, and excitement. Sunlight shone off his silver scales and wings making the young dragon shine like a small star. But they were too high up for anyone below on the ground to be able to tell what they were. Don't think of them yet Hunter. We're flying right now. You should be more like a dragon, live in the moment.

Hunter grinned at him then paled as he caught the quiet snicker in the back of Swift's mind. He glanced down to see that they'd flown out past the shore and were over the sea before staring back at Swift as the dragon hovered in mid air.
"Swift, don't you daaaaaaaaaaare!!!" His voice was lost in a scream half terror, half joy as the dragon dove suddenly.
With his wings folded tight to his body Swift shot downward like an arrow from a bow. Despite himself Hunter couldn't stop from grinning like a maniac as the crashed into the water several miles north of town. Which was good because the splash when they hit was huge.

Slicking his hair back, Hunter smacked a fist into one of Swift's harder than diamond scaled. But he was laughing as he scolded the young dragon. "You crazy beast! You do know we both could have died don't you!?"

Swift glanced back at him and grinned showing a row of white fangs as long and thick as Hunter's forearm. "It got your mind off the clan meet didn't it?" Smug, he actually sounded smug.

Hunter jumped off the dragon's back and started wading to shore. Mock glaring at his Bonded over his shoulder. Hunter froze as he heard quiet laughter ahead on the beach. Swift shot forward and curled around Hunter, wrapping a wing protectively around his Rider. Swallowing his fear Hunter called out to whoever was hiding. "Who's there?"

*I know this is pretty long for a post but I thought it would make a good beginning.*

Nya

Cuddles hide in the brush while he grazed lazily. Not knowing what had just happened. I covered my mouth and gasped when the boy realized we were there.

"Nya, what's wrong darling?" he grunted, he sounded rather upset that his relaxing afternoon had been ruined.
"I think I was spotted, Cuddles. I'm scared. W-what do I do?" I whispered back to him in Cidadain, the language of my tribe. I often spoke in this language, it was easier to understand then me trying to speak in English.
"Be strong young one, and my name is Stallion. Not 'Cuddles'. How many times are we going to go over this ma'am?"

I took a deep breath and nodded at him, although my inner self was screaming to hide. I knew better, Cuddles had taught me better. I slowly began to rise from my spot behind the shrub, my knees shaking violently.
"I-I am. I'm here," I whispered, waving a little. My eyes didn't meet his.

Cuddles sensed my unease and took a step towards me, ready to snatch me up and run if needed.

Sorry If i'm a little late, hope I can still be a part of this


name- Tarot
age- 19
gender- Male
hometown- Fleetox
Pairbond- Sabir, A Djinni

appearance-

personality- Tarot is cold and bitter on the outside. After being cast out from his home by his own parents love became something that did not exist to him, yet on the inside he is craving for it. He isn't quick to judge, but will more likely ignore you than hate you. His only real friend is Sabir, who is the exact opposite of Tarot and is open, friendly and always making witty sarcastic remarks.

history- Raised by a single mother and a father who left her eight months pregnant he experienced early the hardships of life. He had to work from a young age to support his family, so did not make many friends. His mother wasn't supportive either; always drunk and not-caring. Tarot still loved her though, even after she personally cast him out of the village. His only possessions were the set of knives he stole from the warriors; and a black opal ring his father hid in the floorboards of their hut. He survived for four years in the desert, honing his knife-throwing skills to the point where he could knock a speeding hawk out of the sky. After he met Sabir he settled into a cave in the side of a dune, and lived off the warren of rabbits nearby and the water Sabir drew from the Earth.

fighting skills- Superb Knife throwing ability, as well as decent hand-to-hand combat.

other- Sabir's powers: Control over the four elements.

Up for love: Maybe

Hunter-

He couldn't see who had spoken. Irritably, Hunter reached up end pulled down the wing Swift had unfurled and wrapped around him. Staring at the girl through narrowed crimson eyes. She stood crouched in the bushes near the beach shaking a little, vaguely reminding Hunter of a lone gazzelle about to bolt.

"Hmmm. Snack time?" The dragon asked, and Hunter looked askance at him. Swift had a wicked sense of humor, when he wasn't pulling pranks on Hunter he was making morbid jokes. Case in point the thousand foot cannonball. Hunter reached up to Swift and pulled down his saddle bags. He stepped around the dragon, carefully avoiding the long tail that was swishing back and forth in the shallow water.

Dropping his pack on the sandy beach with a wet plop, he tossed Swift and exasperated glare. He turned to the girl and smiled hesitantly, it had been almost seven years since he had talked to another human being. "Hello, my name is Hunter. I apologise if I or my Bonded frightened you. He is young and it has been many years since I have been around another Clansmen." His Jalian accent was heavy but his english was clear enough. Unconsciously he used the formality of speech customary to Clan Nobles. He would be damned if his Father laughed at him for being an uneducated wanderer, best to get back in practice before that confrontation.

He bowed respectfully to the girl and glanced up to see her wide eyes. As if she would never expect a noble to bow to anyone least of all her.

Nya

I swallowed hard and smiled weakly. I had little experience with people, let alone nobles. I had always thought they were uptight and perfectly bonded with strong animals like, Lions and panthers. What was a noble doing out here? Cuddles urged me to talk to the boy.
"Dear, he's one of your kind. It's about time you find more company."

I turned towards him and shook a scolding finger, he stepped beside me, still defensive.
"I-I'm Nya." I juddered, quickly clearing my throat after, "This is Cuddles, my Bonded."

I patted the Pegasus' neck lovingly, he shot me a very stern looking glare, mumbling under his breath about Stallion. A light breeze rolled by, making me shiver. I hadn't a clue of what we were supposed to do next. Were we supposed to stick together, head off on our own and hope to never see each other again? They never did explain this to you when they banished you from the clan.

My stomach interrupted my thought by growling loudly, making me cringe at my own noise. I hadn't had a successful hunting day in a few days. Living out of the village was harder, and some times I would go days at a time without catching anything. Cuddles never had this problem, he just ate grass and whatever else was leafy.

Name- T.J (Not saying what it stands for.)

Age- 15

Gender- Guy

Hometown- Geono (I don't know, I couldn't think of anything.)

Pairbond- (Since dragon is taken I'll have to go with this.) Rex, a Griffin. (Sorry it's so long.)

Appearance- He has brown eyes and black-brown hair that is normally messed up. He is pretty tan (He has lived in the desert for six years.) and stands at about 5'9. He is muscular and stays pretty fit. He has a scar on his forehead but he covers it with a red bandanna so one-one will ask him about it.

Personality- Being thrown into the desert has toughened him up. Now, he is hard to make friends with, and gaining his trust is near impossible. He wants to go home but he fears that everyone will hate him if he comes home. He no longer loves his family for letting him be thrown in the desert, so all he has is Rex.

History- He was thrown out of his village when he was only 9, and he met Rex after a while. When they met Rex has been wounded and had a slash in his wing. He could barely fly but T.J helped him and he can fly again. He still has the scar though. He has been able to survive because they will fly up, find food, and Rex will kill it.

Fighting skills- Before the two met, T.J had to survive on his own. He is an excellent tracker and always has his knives on him. He has two at his side which are quite a good size, but he also keeps one in his left boot just in case. He can throw his knives ver accurately and can hit a moving target from up to 25 feet.

Other- He still has a scar on his forehead from an incident as a boy. (Will reveal more later.)

Do all the characters know each other? *Looks at posts* Ugh. Now I'm confused. Could someone clear this up?

Hunter:

Hunter stared admiringly at the winged horse it's long mane tousled by the breeze, it's feathers looked incredibly soft. The animal tossed it's head and stomped a hoof in warning. Hunter glanced back Swift brows raised in surprise. Swift was crouched down in the water wings half unfurled tail lashing back and forth in agitation. "I never knew there were others like me. Mum never lived long enough to tell me.

The dragon crept onto shore and hid behind Hunter, or at least as well as a thirty foot long dragon could hide. Both Rider and Bonded were soaking wet. Hunter rubbed the dragon's muzzle affectionately as he switched his attention to the girl. "I take it you're here for the Clanmeet Nya? I was banished several year ago because they thought I couldn't Pairbond. I had heard rumours there were other children like me. But I never ran into any on the Savannah, and after I found Swift I was too busy playing mother to an orphaned dragon."

He gave her a lopsided grin, taking a deep breath he rushed on before she could run. Nya seemed to be the shy type. "If you're heading into the Clanmeet, Swift and I can escort you. I could use the company and people would be less likely to bother you." Hunter slid a look at the winged horse. "I'm not saying Cuddles there can't protect you. But Swift is much more..." He glanced back over his shoulder at the dragon before finishing. "Intimidating."

The dragon snorted in amusement and, as if emphasising Hunter's point, a small jet of flame erupted from his mouth. Hunter scratched under the dragon's chin and a distant thrumming could be heard as the dragon purred. As always reminding his Bonded of an enormous cat. The pair turned back to Nya and waited for her answer.

*There seems to be some confusion about whether or not the characters know each other. The answer is that it's your own choice. They were all born in different towns and banished as children. The Savannah is a big place but it is possible for them to have met each other before. Personally I'm making Hunter completely clueless about other people. He and Swift staked out a territory so deep in the wilderness no humans ever go there.

But if you want your characters to have a friendship or aquaintanceship with one or more characters go ahead, just make sure to ask the other party first.*