Her dragon responded to her growls and hisses with some of his own as he spread himself out to look bigger. His scales glimmered in the light where hers were dull and cracked. She had a fair few recent wounds, some that were clearly not made by beastfolk hands. Certainly she had the size advantage, but he was younger...quicker...healthy and with thicker armor.<i>This old crone is a chance at a well needed foothold. My blood boils and I desire blood as much as you. you had your piece at the ceremony, now I shall have mine!</i><br/>Raw emotion filled Noxaura from the link between them as she was shared a glimpse of his point of view...He was a young male, recently hatched but birthed to adulthood through the magic she had been feeding him since she was gifted the egg. Like all males of his age he desired land, fighting and a mate. His species was dying and the gods knew it, causing his desires to prepare a place for reproduction and rule all but overwhelming..but he did not crave the dragoness before him...no, he craved everything else.<br/><br/>Letting a dull rumble fill the air he tilted his head back, letting Noxaura see the dragoness through the crown of horns atop his head. The dragoness's head whipped towards him, her growling intensifying as his true intentions became more apparent as time passed. "I AM ASTAROT OF THE BLACK FLAME, CHAMPION OF THE NEW QUEEN!!" His great head lifted more as he showed off his naturally armored head and crown of black bone.<i> YOU HAVE BUT ONE CHANCE...SURRENDER YOUR HOLD ON THESE LANDS AND YOUR CLAIM AS GUARDIAN TO THESE LANDS!!"</i><br/>The dragoness let out a deep hatred filled hiss and began to move. Astarot mimicked her own movements, his head matching her own head's movements like a cobra as they circled each other in the clearing. "YOU ARE YOUNG...AND FOOLISH. LEAVE, ASTAROT...OR I SHALL LAY YOU LOW AND DEVOUR YOUR QUEEN LIKE SO MANY OTHERS BEFORE HER."  Showing off her fangs she snapped in his direction before shaking her head and rumbling darkly. "<i>YOU DARE TO CHALLENGE A GUARDIAN OF THE VALLEY?! I AM THE KEEPER OF THE WEST...AND AS OF A WEEK AGO I AM NOW THE KEEPER OF THE SOUTH AS WELL!!!" </i>Revealing her fangs in wrathful manner again.<i>"I HAVE JUST CHASED THE BEASTFOLK CLAN FROM THIER HOLLOWS IN THESE WOODS...AND NOW THEY HAVE SOUGHT REFUGE IN THE OPEN...SO I NOW FINALLY HAVE THE CHANCE TO TAKE THE LAST OF HIS FILTHY BLOODLINE..."</i>Venom now dripping from her draws she stopped and reared slightly, making her desire for combat clear to be seen.<br/><br/>Astarot however...was not moved by her words or threats. in fact he gave a wide, flaming grin."<i>AYE...AND IT WAS A SHORT REIGN FOR YOU...I SEE YOUR WOUNDS, AUNT...YOUR FIGHT WITH THE BEASTFOLK AND THE GUARDIAN WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS PRICE..."</i>He licked his lips with a molten tongue and reared up slowly, meeting the guardian eye to eye.<i>"YOU ARE NOT FIT TO FIGHT ANOTHER LONG BATTLE, BELLRYNN. IT HAS BEEN LONG SINCE YOU LAST FOUGHT ONE OF YOUR OWN AND YOU DO NOT REMEMBER ITS PRICE."<br/>
</i><br/>The dragoness let out an enraged roar and lunged for Astarot! but astarot was quicker. Ducking his head back his great wings flared and lifted him into the air! a wingbeat later and he was out of her reach. Astarot was quick to move Noxaura to his back, away from the dark crown of bone on his brow. She was his rider and would need to get a feel from combat on his back, a fighting style he was certain she lacked knowledge in.<br/>A stream of acid spat out over Astarot's flanks, the liquid hissing loudly as it caused steam to rise from his scales. Her dragon was largely unharmed however. Letting out a deep growl of his own Astarot lunged forth!<br/>The next moment was felt more than seen. All the muscle, scale and bone that made up Astarot  slammed into the dragoness with all his might! The sound of the impact was as if a god had slammed two mountains together, the loose scales knocked off each the dragons forms from the strike.<br/>She hesitated from the strike, her earlier wounds aggrevated from the dragon's charge. She managed to hiss and snap at him, but by that point he was already on top of her, a tempered claw pressed against her engorged gut. Bearing his fangs at her he let out a low growl. "<i>YEILD."</i>He commanded her, his fangs within reach of her throat.<br/>The dragoness growled at him and turned her viscious glare to noxuara.<i>"I WILL KILL YOUR WHORE."</i>she hissed at her then bared her fangs as Astarot's jaws closed around the side of her face.<br/>The dragoness squirmed for a moment before going limp.She was not dead, her enraged hissing sound enough to show she still yet clung to life. A few breaths passed and finally he released her.<i>"LEAVE. THIS IS NO LONGER YOUR LAND...NOR IS THE WEST. AVERT YOUR EYES FROM THE QUEEN, FOR YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TILL SHE ASKS FOR YOUR APPROACH."</i><br/>With that Astarot released her form. For a moment she simply lay there...then she slowly rose and slunk off without a word, beaten and in shock. As her tail slipped out of view astarot turned and looked to noxaura. His eyes beaming with pride as he swelled in a swaggering jesture...<br/>"<i>HER HOARD IS OURS...THE FOREST IS OURS, AS ARE THE LANDS IN THE WEST AND THE NORTH." </i>his tail then thumped against the earth and he grinned. "<i>NOW...WE CAN START THE SEEDS OF THE REIGN."</i>