[Benathorn]

Sihaya

Owner: Commander Shepard
Gender: Female
Breedable: Yes
Type: Emberfell Elkrin

A Ray of Hope

The Emberfell Elkrin are mainly located near desert regions or open plains. Once seen among herds that numbered the hundreds, these dragon type deer are only ever glimpsed at a distance now and hardly anyone has seen them for over a century, their image distorted and blurred by the heat waves from the fierce sun. A sighting of what appears to be a doe has been mentioned and whispered by the locals in the small oasis town called Dune. Go and search out this mysterious figure but be weary, the Emberfell Elkrin are known for their speed among the white sands of Eldamore's deserts, the deep grains do not hinder their wake and they are said to be able to withstand heat up to 200 degrees.

An old tale from the locals say that a lone Elkrin challenged the great sun of the desert to a race. If it won, then the giant orb would bless it with a single drop of it's fire and a life unhindered by the harsh desert heat, but if the Elkrin lost then the sun and it's desert kingdom would claim the deer's life and the creature would be lost to the sands of time. The Elkrin accepted and for thirty days and nights it raced, never once stopping, for it's very existence was on the line. The deer finally met the horizon after it's long and weary journey, just before the sun peeked over the dunes and the lone Elkrin claimed it's rightful prize. It's kind became known as the Emberfell, named after the Elkrin who raced the mighty sun and won, and all it's descendants are said to have this Elkrin's great endurance, but most importantly a heart of golden fire that compels them to never give up or ever give in...

[lemondropkitten]

Oh my gosh. Form will go here soon, she is so beautiful <333

[Flowerdust]

:3 reserved on phone

[ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ]

--

[SilverKitsune]

:Form:

Name:

Moribito

Breedable:

yes <3333

Short Story:

Salty liquid stinging as is slithered down my brow and the sun scorching my flesh. An arid landscape with a sad excuse of crystallized particles wanting to be called dirt. Somewhere in the middle of the desert, I was setting up camp, that’s what I was doing…camping in the desert. How did I even get here in the first place, would be something you’d ask? Well, let’s say a certain someone in my family thought it would be a grand idea to set me off alone in the middle of a desert to gain survival skills. At first I didn’t think much of it, like many other city dwellers I thought it would be a walk in the park but I was wrong. Never again will I underestimate mother nature. Well in a way it could be worse, I could have ended up stranded with no civilization around but lucky for me there happened to be a small oasis town called Dune. A mile or so from where I am. The people there were nice enough to give me suggestions about where to camp out as well as more water to prevent dehydration. I also have Lazhu, my rune dragon. If she wasn’t around I bet I would have been in serious trouble out around here, for a rune dragon Lazhu seemed to know a lot about the deserts of Eldamore or she read about them somewhere. Anyway the camp seemed good enough, a tent secured to the ground and a camp fire near it. Even though it was burning hot now I knew at night it would become frigid cold.

I sat around near my fire watching Lazhu hide in the shade of the tent, since being a candlewax rune meant she slightly melts under heat. With a smile I opened a bottle of water which turned lurk warm by now but it’s better than nothing. I take a sip then hand it to Lazhu who chirped happily before gulping down the water which helped to cool herto an acceptable level. I chuckled a bit at her relived expression but soon stopped at the sound of something running near my camp. Looking out at the sand I squint, trying to get a good but it was difficult with the bright sun and white sands. Soon enough I spotted something which reminded me of a deer…but it seemed to look different. This deer-like creature seemed to have a long tail, large fur tufts protruding it’s shoulders and more spindle like legs. As I wondered about what the creature was it ran by as if it were running for its life but…there was nothing chasing it. Now I was even more confused, why would anyone run like that if nothing was wrong? I yelled out at the creature “Why are you running?!?” For a moment I saw it look back at me but my answer fell to deaf ears as the creature continued across the dune, vanishing from sight. I sigh and joined Lazhu in the tent, might as well get some rest now then head over to Dune early tomorrow morning.

I was right about the night, it made me wish it was day again but then during the day I craved night. The walk to Dune wasn’t that bad, since Lazhu kept me somewhat warm while I carried her in my arms. While I bought supplies which mainly were dried meats, dried fruits, bottled water, and candy for Lazhu I overheard some of the locals talking.

They seemed to be talking about something called an Elkrin. I asked several of the villagers about this creature and they enlightened me with the newfound knowledge. Which made me realize the creature I saw yesterday was most likely the elusive Elkirin. My question was why it was alone, and if so running? My questions were confirmed and vaguely answered when I heard them talking about the Elkrin running around in the dessert, trying to outrun the sun every day. My question still desired a why.

Feeling more curious I approached the man who started talking about the Elkrin first in his casual consersation. “I couldn’t help but overhear you talk about an Elkrin racing the sun, I want to know more about it.”

The man told me about this race of Elkrin called Emberfell, which the race came to be after the Ekrin who raced the run and won. I learned how the Elkrin’s life had been on the line but it raced for thirty days and nights, not once stopping. The man then told me the legend had been from ages ago. Then he also informed me that Elkirin were a dying race that would soon reach extinction since there was few and far between to keep a stable population. Which made me realize that poor Elkrin I had seen earlier must think its life is on the line. It was probably the last one around and thinking that the other’s lives were extinguished, because they failed in some way. I guess such a proud tale was passed down through her species, causing it to believe they had failed in a race… Making her the last one left, a sole survivor? I thanked the man and started to head back to my camp. Lazhu chirped frequently while circling the sand and looked out at the same spot where we first saw the Elkrin. “Hmm…maybe it will return, since races tend to have the same track, huh? Maybe, we can give it a new hope. It must be so lonely…and frightened…” I told Lazhu who agreed merrily to my plan.

For the next three days we stayed there in that spot as each day the Elkerin would pass by. I watched the Elkrin during the brief timeframe between prior twilight and dawn. On the second of those three days it has paused long enough to briefly observe us in curiosity and then realizing it had neglected its objective and took off. On that day I learned she was female, the lack of horns and smaller and curved form proved me so. During those days we tried to call out to her, telling her she didn’t have to run anymore, that there was no point but every time she gave us an offended look then ran off. We both knew to expect her the next day for we camped on her racing path.

But what we didn’t realize that the next day when Lazhu and I went to grab more supplies from Dune that the Elkrin stopped for a while when she noticed we were not at the camp. Our stuff was scatted across the sands when we returned. Some food was devoured and the hoof prints still surrounded the tent. She had paced franticly as the prints were in a pattern written with distraught, possibly in engulfing worry. She knocked over several items in search for us or food, whichever had interested her the most at the time. We spent the rest of the day cleaning up in the intense heat of day.

The next day I was surprised to see the Elkrin pause her journey and wearily approached the camp. Thinking that this time I might be able to convince her that she was running a pointless race. I tried telling her “I know why you run…you’re scared. You want to keep living, because all the others dwindled into the sands. You thought they lost their races with the sun, right? That ancient story you know, it doesn’t correlate to now. What is now is that you can keep living and given companionship.” She looked at me with interest, but her eyes then swarmed with fury, just like the other times the Elkrin again felt offended and took off to race again. I sighed and looked at Lazhu with watery eyes. Telling my beloved rune “Maybe it’s time to try and show her that she has nothing to be afraid of…”

The next day we put our plan in motion, since now that the Elkrin seemed to trust us and enter our camp without fear. I felt that the plan might just work. Lazhu and I went off to Dune to gather more supplies, well mainly lollypops since Lazhu started craving those again.

Back at the camp the Elkrin came by at her usual time. She noticed that the human and dragon weren’t there. Every day they watched her and contradicted her, but it was still something there and she felt comfort by having them around. It felt like someone was cheering her on. Feeling terribly saddened the Elkrin, it waited around the camp to see if the two would show up. She cringed at the thought of them being in danger or threatened. She rummaged through the tent, but saw only a catastrophic battlefield inside. The Elkirin stamped her hooves into the ground and took off in search the two. After looking for hours the Elkirin returned to the camp. She saw the human and her rune had returned to the Elkrin’s joy Dusk and Lazhu were back and were safe.

Lazhu who was busy sucking on her lollypop just watched me and the Elkrin from the safety of the tent. I smiled at the proud creature and said “You lost the race, you know? But look nothing happened… See?” I pointed at the sun which had stood proudly in the sky, stretching its arm of light.

The Elkrin didn’t produce a face of disdain this time nor did she run away. Instead she looked at me and trotted closer to my surprise. She lowered her head, lightly nudging my shoulder. With a smile I gently petted her head. Ruffling her fur silky fur and giving her the sense of a herd like she had wanted. After that day the Elkrin who I named Moribito decided to come with us, even trusting me enough to ride her back to doom. Everyday she had hoped to live with a wish to end her solitary life. That was the prize for losing the race.



A sketch of Dusk and Lazhu riding Moribito back to Dune.

[Diddlebug]

WOW!! Another gorgeous Elkrin

[jpano96]

Reserved

:Form:

Name:

(Give this
Elkrin a name)

Breedable:

(State weather
you wish for your Elkrin to be
eligible for breeding.)

Short Story:

(Give a small
short story on how you came
across the deer. You may only
place up one piece of art with
your form this time, but only if
you choose to do so. It is not
required.)

[Azure23]

Don't have the time, sorry. :c

[Ashenjay]

((I fought my worst enemy....thin lines. And lost *dies*
This took so long! I have no patience T.T))
Slighty larger!
:Form:

Name:

Amaterasu

Breedable:

Yes!
But for a soulmate only ;')

Short Story:

The local people advised that going into the desert in the middle of the day was a ridiculous idea, for the obvious reason- heat. I was definitely not fond of the baking degrees out there, so I thanked the locals and decided to travel out when it was night and cool, with perhaps some companions who could help me and my current companion, my rune dragon Ana, get across Emberfell. Though the white sand was a gorgeous sight in contrast with the clear, cloudless skies, heat made travels around the desert a terrible experience. Up until now I have done everything to stay out of heat, but it seems as I have no choice now.

I peer out of one of the low buildings of dune, out to the desert which glowed with amber sunlight, watching the sands shift and blow to create and disperse mounds of hills. Watching them for a time made me fall into a semi dream-like state, just staring at it without thinking much. However, as I saw a non-sand being emerging at the top of the hill, I perked my head up and blinked in astonishment. The next moment, it gracefully lowered it's...head? and disappeared. Ana, who was stirred from my movement from her nap, stared at me with a confused, sleepy look. I wished I could use her magic to find out what that was, but there was no way to communicate in detail. Despite the heat I wished to investigate; the being didn't strike me as dangerous or evil at all.

Hurriedly coming out of the building and bumping through the startled Dune villagers, I exited the small village and clambered up the sand hill, Anastacia right behind me. I realized how foolish I was; I should have worn something more efficient, or brought anything to shade me. Already sweat dripped down and it was hard to open my eyes completely. We managed to come to the top and looked around, but as far as we could see there was sand- and Dune, of course. Maybe I just hallucinated, I wondered. After a moment or so, Ana let out a soft note wishing me to just go back. Deciding I was just seeing things, I turned around.

Just then suddenly a shadow loomed over me. I felt instantly a lot cooler and my body relaxed from the shade, but I felt a jolt of surprise and almost screamed. However the shadow perked its...ears, probably in simple curiosity. Slowly I turned around, to see...a majestic creature, with soft but intelligent eyes and a richly colored pelt that fit so well with the desert sand. It was an Elkrin- I've never met one in my life, I've mostly spent my time with runes. I didn't know how to react, but the Elkrin certainly did. She stamped her hooves gently, and then gave me a look which resembled a smile. "...Hi," I say. "You.." the female Elkrin just blinks fondly, and then with a mischievous twinkle races back to the desert. She was gone in a split second, even faster than the white sand blowing around her. Though she had left, I somehow felt that she would return...perhaps, in time, we could be friends. I manage a little smile, and my heart swelled with anticipation in meeting the mysterious- but gentle- Elkrin another time.

[Dr. Paine]

Gaaah, I can't resist this pretty girl D: The colors are gorgeous and DESERTS I need more desert creature characters. (Especially if they come from near a place called 'Dune'. That was just too much )

:Form:

Name:

Sihaya. It comes from Frank Herbert's 'Dune', and is the Fremen word for 'desert spring (as in, springtime; rather than a well)' and was what the main character, Paul, would call his lover. I feel it suits this Elkrin fairly well, as the only way spring would ever come to Arrakis would be through the generations of effort, and unfailing determination, of the Fremen-- fitting then, for an Elkrin that possesses incredible endurance and is so well adapted to desert life.

Breedable:

Yes, but I would be quite picky about her mate.

Short Story:

(Um... I hope this counts as 'short' xD)

The Darkest Hour.

'Journal Entry for 1/17. Location-- an inn at the outskirts of Dune. Time-- just past sundown.

I knew it would not do to raise Ember alone, only in the company of a wayward merchant and a flighty little Rune dragon. She needed another of her kind-- an adult, if the gods allowed, one who could properly teach the fawn how to survive and how to be a proper Elkrin, but another fawn would do well. Anything to help get rid of that lonely look in her eyes. I stayed in Alabaster City only long enough for Ember to grow strong enough for travel; once she was, we took off along with the other merchants. She seemed, to my relief, unfazed by the move; if anything, Ember was quite excited by all the new places! However, during all of our travels, we never encountered another of her kind. We heard rumors of some, oh yes; a doe that could purify water, a stag said to be nothing more than a sliver of moonlight flickering in the dense evening fog, but we never actually saw them. So we traveled on, setting up shop when we could and always keeping an ear open for any sign of these elusive creatures. Our current location is the small town of Dune, and Ember seems delighted by the place! The desert must be quite agreeable for a creature of fire, and Bonnibel seems to enjoy the candies they create here. As for I? Well, I like it enough; though I am not all that fond of the heat. I have heard the most interesting rumors, though; little glass sculptures of what appears to be an Elkrin, which the locals say holds the power of the sun and runs like a ray of light over the sands, a creature that never tires and never loses heart, no matter how hopeless a situation may seem.'

-Marcy.

Marcy gave a low sigh, pushing the journal towards the back of the table so the ink could dry. At least she hadn't smeared too much this time, she'd learned that writing by day was about the worst mistake she could make; her last few entries were almost totally illegible from how badly her hand had been sweating. It was still hot even when the sun was down, but it was a more... tolerable heat. Barely. The merchant supposed some of her problems had to do with her heritage; after all, the northern tundras weren't well known for their warmth. She was used to being covered head to foot in furs and thick clothes, not the airy robes that were common out here in the desert; used to the bitter sting of cold and a dull grey bowl of sky lined by trees, not blistering heat and a blue (or deep, sparkling indigo as it was now) expanse that stretched out forever.

"At least you two are enjoying it," she said with a slight smile, looking at her companions. Bonnibel, a Rune dragon she had come across several months ago, gave a happy chirp-- well, tried to anyway, the sound was mostly muffled by a mouthful of chocolate-covered crickets. A slight movement (light, something gold or red or brown?) in the corner of Marcy's eye drew her attention to the window, however, where she saw Ember. The ruddy fawn was standing with her nose just touching the glass, staring out at the gleaming desert sands and occasionally giving a tiny whimper.

"Something wrong?" Marcy asked, getting to her feet and kneeling down beside the little Elkrin, a worried frown on her face. She reached out and lightly patted Ember's head, hoping it might calm her; but instead, the fawn cried out and reared at Marcy's touch, stumbling backwards a few steps and nearly falling onto Bonnibel. The dragon screeched and fluttered away just in time, perching on Marcy's shoulder and watching Ember's actions with wide eyes. The fawn started to pace about the room, still whimpering and going back to the window, occasionally rearing back and tapping her little hooves on the glass.

"Stop that!" Marcy said in a sharp tone, she did not want to have to pay to replace a window! Ember darted away and began pawing at the door instead, a wild look to her eyes.

"Alright, you want out? That's all?" she asked, shaking her head. "Alright, come on then, we can ta--" Marcy's voice died when Ember squeezed through the door, taking off as fast as her little legs would carry her. "No... no, no, get back here!" Marcy shouted, almost tripping over her own feet as she ran off after Ember, not even lingering long enough to grab her shoes; a choice she regretted once she was out of Dune's boundaries and trying to run barefoot on the still-warm sand.
-----------

The waning sliver of moon had risen high and fallen below the horizon, which was now streaked with the first pale yellow rays of dawn. Marcy's robe was soaked through with sweat and her pale face was flushed a deep red, her run had slowed to a walk sometime around midnight, and it was now little more than a crawl. Even though there was little more than a faint breeze, the shifting sands had nearly erased any of Ember's tracks. All Marcy could see were faint impressions, and those could have been made by anything. Or made by nothing at all. It was only now that she thought that she might have to be afraid. Dune was far, far out of sight, and she couldn't even begin to imagine how to go back. Her own tracks were long gone, and she had changed direction so many times she couldn't simply turn around and go back. She had no water, no shoes, no food, no shelter or anything and now the sun was coming up. Could she even survive a day in the desert? Could Ember survive, she was just a baby! She shivered despite the worsening heat, the thought of Ember alone... at least Bonnibel was still in town (unless the Rune had taken off as well, a thought that sent another chill through her overheated body). Who knew where Ember was, if she was safe or had anything to eat, or could drink.

And why had she run off in the first place?

That thought burned in Marcy's mind as she kept walking (the alternative, sitting and just baking in the sun, was unthinkable). The fawn had such a longing look, so intense and focused. Had she seen something out there on the sand? Had...

It had grown too hot to think. She could barely even swallow, her as tongue raspy as sandpaper and sticking to the roof of her mouth. Her skin stung, and when she could bear to look at it, she could see it had grown cherry red and even blistered on the back of her hands. She needed shelter. She needed water, she needed to know Ember and Bonnibel were safe, she needed the--

Marcy stopped and stared up at the sky. Somewhere during her half-mad stagger across the desert, it had become night.

A very bright night, there was... something on the horizon. Or was it another hallucination?

No, it was real, or at least it seemed real. It didn't flicker in and out of her vision, and it seemed to be coming closer. Marcy squinted, shielding her eyes to try and get a better look at it; and when she realized what it was, she fell to her knees.

It was the Elkrin the Dune residents had spoken of. A cream and brown doe with luminous orange and cinnamon markings, eyes like molten copper, galloping over the sand faster than the wind. Marcy whimpered, tears pooling in her dry eyes and running down her burned cheeks, but the pain didn't register to her. Perhaps this was what Ember had seen last night, a glimpse of this doe; a hope that she wasn't alone in the world. She had run off to find her, perhaps to make a friend, and instead gotten herself lost and would never get to see her, it wasn't fair!

Marcy's sobs were strangely quiet in the still night air, perhaps she just lacked the energy to properly cry; quiet enough that she could hear the soft, whispery sound of shifting sand. She grew quiet and looked up, her pale blue eyes meeting the shining copper of the doe, who was now standing above her.

"S-she... she just wanted to see you," the merchant rasped, closing her eyes and looking back to the desert ground. After a few moments, the doe lowered her head, gently touching her nose to the top of Marcy's head. For a moment-- just one fleeting second-- she felt something similar to when she had first met Bonnibel, a profound sense of peace and companionship, like she would never be alone again. They stood like that for several minutes, neither moving or making a sound, each just appreciating the presence of the other. It was the doe who finally raised her head, taking a step back and looking at Marcy with a serene gaze.

Though she heard no voice, the woman felt as if she knew just what the Elkrin was thinking.

"You have seen her. H-haven't you?"

The doe nodded, and to Marcy's astonishment, knelt down on her front legs.

"I... I've gotta get on, huh?"

Another nod.

Marcy stood up and walked to the doe, her legs trembling with every step. She gingerly pulled herself up onto the Elkrin, taking care not to accidentally pull too hard on her fur. Once the woman was seated, the doe sprang up and, undisturbed by her rider's shriek of surprise, took off across the sand. It was all Marcy could do to not fall off, she had never imagined anything could be this fast! It was an insult to even call this running, this was so much more! And the doe never seemed to tire, her pace never flagged even though she was carrying Marcy, she just ran on and on; until at last they reached a tiny oasis. It was nothing much, just a small pond underneath a large slab of stone protruding from the sand, but there was water and bits of grass and--

"Ember!" Marcy said, her cracked lips pulling into a wide grin. She tumbled off of the doe before she had even stopped and ran towards the fawn, hugging the little Elkrin tightly once she was there. "Ember, I'm so, so sorry I couldn't find you, I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered, a few stray tears falling into the fawn's fur. Ember gave a happy grunt, nuzzling Marcy's neck where the skin wasn't too raw.

"I can't thank you enough, either," the woman finally said, looking up at the shining doe with a weak smile.
--------------------------------------

Three days after their arrival at the oasis, Marcy awoke from a sound sleep to find the doe gently nudging her with her head.

"W... whas' going on?" she said, frowning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes-- well, that was her intent, but the surge of pain from her sunburns was what really woke her up.

The doe nudged Marcy again, as if trying to make her stand up; and in a moment, the merchant understood.

"You... want us gone. Right," she sighed. She had been expecting this, even if she didn't like it. Ember had been so happy in spite of her ordeal, the fawn stuck to the doe like a little red shadow; and Marcy had just been happy to have a place to recover. After studying the stars, she had finally figured out which direction Dune would be in, and with any luck she'd be able to get there within twenty-four hours. "Thanks for helping, though. Really," she said, getting up and gently patting the doe's head.

"Come on Ember. Time to go, I'm sure Bonnibel's worried sick," the woman said, gently rousing the younger Elkrin from her sleep. The two took a quick drink from the pool before turning away from the outcropping, and together, they walked out into the open desert.

They had been walking for nearly an hour when Marcy heard that whispery swish of sand, a sound that didn't come from herself or Ember. She turned around, and nearly shouted when she saw the shining doe galloping towards them. Marcy felt a strange... hum in her mind as well, a sense of 'don't go without me!'

Marcy smiled, turning to face the doe and gently placing a hand on Ember's head to stop her from running off.

"You want to come along, don't you?" she asked softly. The doe nodded, touching her nose to the top of Marcy's head once again. So this was what Thorn had meant, to bond with one of these creatures? The woman smiled, and gave the doe a brief hug around the neck, while Ember pressed close to her side, like any fawn would with its mother. They broke apart a moment later, and the new trio made their way back to the city.
----------------------

'Journal Entry for 1/01. Location-- an inn at the outskirts of Dune. Time-- three PM.

My hands have healed enough to where I can write again! I'll record the full tale later, right now I want to focus on the most recent events.

The townspeople couldn't believe it, when I returned. This Elkrin had been a legend of theirs for over a hundred years, almost everyone thought she was nothing but a myth! She's regarded as a living embodiment of determination, all Emberfell-- that appears to be her type-- Elkrins are; after the first of their kind was said to have outrun the sun itself. The first couple of days were really rough-- I actually had to stay in the little clinic-hospital place they have, I was that burned and dehydrated. Ember seemed to do a little better, and she's been perfectly calm again ever since we got back.

The doe is doing well, too. She's very... serene, I guess. I think this... bond thing has let me get into her head a bit, because I've always got this feeling of being... regal. Like there is nothing on this earth, or in this universe, that can stop me from doing what I need to do, and I'm going to do it right.

I'm a little concerned though, about Ember, I thought she was supposed to imprint on me and that would be the bond! Can you be bonded to two Elkrin at once? Or is she meant for someone else? Well, I'm starting my journey home tomorrow, maybe Simon will know something; he's read up a lot on Eldamore's history and creatures.

Oh, and I think I've finally found a name for the doe. I've spent most of my free time trying to see what she likes, but she's rejected all of them until I told her a word I picked up... oh, ages ago, I barely remember where. I always thought it sounded nice, and I think it was supposed to mean 'desert spring' (because she brought me to the oasis, eh? ... oh shut up, it's still a nice name).

Sihaya.