The berry blast storm was in full force, yet Cloud was in heaven. The wyvern was absolutely ecstatic that he was allowed to eat them all! Rory always made him stop because they would get a stomach ache or something dumb. He wiggled after Plip, but kept in time with Shiloh since his Rider had taken a sudden interest in the dragon.

“You’re…the dragon? Not the Rider?” he sighed. “Breeders these days make such weird combinations. But, well, I suppose that’s not your fault.” He didn’t mean to sound condescending. He never did. And yet, that’s how it came out. “I don’t imagine it’s comfortable to walk like tha–” he stopped mid-sentence. No, he shouldn’t offer the dragon a ride. The dragon had berry stains of his own, and it would get the saddle and fur and maybe even his clothes dirty.

Okay, all solved then. No ride for the non-Rider. Time to hunt some berries! Cloud vaulted forward and followed Pip closely now. This way, this way. We’ll have an excellent picnic today! Lots of jam, just like you wanted. I don’t even have to smush them myself!

Walking a bit behind his rider who waved her arms too and fro, shoving berries inside he gooey body to later be spit out at the locals as proof of their actions, Shiloh looked over as Rory as he spoke, his large ears drooping as the other rider called him weird. He had heard it many times, and always was told to ignore it by his rider, but it never made him feel any better when just another person called him weird. Many dragons thought him as normal, some even loved how he looked like he himself could be the rider, but he wanted to be praised by everyone.

“That’s very mean of you Rory!” Plip told him, sounding just as cheery as she stopped to reach out as Shiloh, wiggling her arms at him as he pulled out a map of some sort.

“It’s alright, Plip.”

“Nope! Rory should be nicer! A sad Shiloh is bad!” Taking the map to roll it up, Rory was bapped gently with it before she looked at the paper and hopped off a bit more. In her wake taking out more berries while Shiloh more so picked up berries to put in a jar where they could turn themself into jam. It was cleaner and he found it more pleasant to have them murder themselves.

Cloud did what might be a growl but could never be intimidating enough to earn the title. Rory, you were mean to the dragon-human. Say sorry. Rory looked back to the dragon with drooping ears and felt a hint of remorse. He hadn’t meant it–he shouldn’t have pointed out a circumstance the dragon was born with and could never change. You’re mean because you care about how he looks. He’s a good dragon! Treat him like a good dragon.

Right, right. A good dragon. He would have to bend his image of ‘dragons’ a little, but maybe at the end of the venture, he would apologize.

You will apologize.

Right, right.

Not later, now.

Rory sighed and then said with his most earnest acting, “I’m sorry, Shiloh. I was too forward. I’ll mind my tongue and be more considerate of your situation. It seems you are an excellent dragon companion to Plip, and that’s what matters.” He was a good actor. It should cover things until his thoughts actually matched the words.

Better, Cloud said. But needs work. Try again during our picnic together.

They’re not having a picnic with us.

Before any more words could be shared on the matter, a large form lifted up from the woods and turned to face them. Berries flowed away from it, covering everything in their path with a layer of jelly.

Just trudging along as Plip spoke to him through their bond, he tried to cheer up as the rider finally put the paper away. Holding her breath for a moment before her arms popped out a slowey sword. Was it soon to be battle time? He worried a bit, as he wasn’t the most fierce type, but he would help as he could if that was the case.

‘You are a very good dragon!’

‘I know Plip, it really is fine, he didn’t mean it…’

‘No! Was mean!’ Though so cheery on the outside, he knew his rider was unhappy that he was unhappy, a fair thing as they shared emotions. He kept telling her it was fine though through their bond, his ears going back to normal as he followed her and the small hoard of growing berries.

As the one that upset him spoke, he looked over again with his yellow eyes. Though still a bit sad, he was happy that Rory made amendments, even if he didn’t mean it fully.

“It’s fine, I understand.” Giving a smile, he knew many didn’t mean it and needed to learn to not take it to heart but he was currently very bad at that.

“AHEAD!” Plip shouted, her sword waving above her head as she hopped forward.

A large beast rose as small Berry Blasts were flung to the wind. A sheep-like creature that’s skin and ‘fluff’ was green and leafy like. The berries clinging to before flying off at the ‘enemies’ that have come for them. With a loud roar, Plip headed straight at the creature. Ready to fight a battle with what was soon going to be food! Tasty jam meat if you will, if that was a thing?

Plip wasn’t the only one ready to feast. Rory evacuated the dragon before Cloud unleashed his unholy hunger on the food-laden creature. The berries flew into a frenzy, sensing that there was a clean surface and heading straight for it. At least, that’s what it felt like to Rory as his pants became stained with a permanent red hue from the depressed berries. Maybe he could dye the whole thing and pretend it was on purpose…no. No, that wouldn’t do. He would smell berry blasts every time he wore the pants again. They were condemned.

Cloud flew up and screeched directly at it, letting the burst of echolocation rattle its branches. Beyond the quivering leaves, the sonar had no impact–the plant creature had no ears, or at least not normal ones. Cloud circled around and dived at it, wings encircling the creature and body momentum forcing it down. He was used to eating big bugs or dining on fine, pre-cooked food. He was not used to the hunt. He held down the beast and waited for Plip or Shiloh to put it in its place.

Handing back for a moment as his ears drooped and his mane swayed in the noise of the roar and bat trying to attack via the power of noises as well, Shiloh let his eyes look around at the battle that had begun and sighed. He wasn’t sure he wanted to harm the Berry Blast God, but watching as Cloud swooped in and out of it’s reach and his rider had charged forward he knew he wasn’t going to stand idle either. Withdrawing a sword from under his layers that already hid baggy clothes that were covered in many other layers of clothing, it could make someone wonder what else was hidden under those clothes if the sword went unnoticed.

The sword itself seemed quite glamorous for the plainly dressed dragon, though fit his well. Adorn in tortoise colored gems that matched his own eyes well and a glimmering gold handle that blended in well with the silvery blade, it was a treasure Shioloh would always treasure. Picked up many years ago from a town they were traveling through, it had seen them through situations both calm and hostile since he acquired it many years ago.
He didn’t consider himself a fighter by any standards, but if his rider was going in he was as well. Watching the sherbet colored slime climb up to continue her own form of attack while the storm dragon was at work as a distraction, he dodged some more flung berries as he smiled at Rory before stepping forward.
He was hoping they could have done this more peacefully, but he supposed no animal wanted to go down without a fight for it’s life. Wild or tamed, they just wanted to live just as they did. He didn’t blame the creature, he just was a peace lover and wished they didn’t have to go the route they were.

Hearing another roar of agony, Plip was… well doing what slimes did with their ability to slip and slide into any place they wanted. His cute litter rider wasn’t all sunshine and daisies as she vanished into what he assumed was an ear hole.
“You may want to take cover, Rory.” He told the lightly colored other, dashing off as his sword raised. It was over, not for them, but for the beast that became their target and lunch.

Rory raised his eyes as the beautiful sword was drawn from seemingly nowhere. It certainly wasn’t expected from the robes of such an unassuming dragon, but he supposed he should stop having expectations about anything today. It was all going off course, if there was even a course to start with. Still, he really wanted to inspect the blade up close–it seemed like an heirloom or something. With all three others stepping forward, Rory was quite content to step back. He wanted to peacefully picnic, not fight some kind of suicidal berry elemental. This was the opposite of his plans. Watching the slime slip and slide into places it really didn’t belong was horrifying in its own way. He would have to find some way to erase this memory from his mind.

He was more than happy to dodge out of the way–behind a tree–when Shiloh instructed him. His clothes were most certainly ruined at this point, so he paid no heed to the berries currently making a mess of things. If that big elemental was taken down? Well, he didn’t want his skin stained from all that. Cloud made a screech of preemptive victory as he waited for the slime to do its work in there. And then they’d have the picnic! He made more noises of glee, completely ignoring the creature that was having a moment of terror beneath him.

Up in the air, Shiloh watched the location of his as his sword swung, cleaving the creature open as shrill cries of pain and anger rang out. Berries fled, becoming only faster in smashing themselves against surfaces not properly covered in berry guts, but as the large creature fell, the wooded area became silent once more. Landing on the ground, Shiloh examined the large monstrosity as his slime rider came out, beeping at him excitedly and shaking off as she looked over the body.

“Good job! Feast time!” Nodding, he did suppose it was time to put the beast to use now, and what better way than a moment to sit down and eat together with their new pair of rider and dragon?

“Care to join us for a small eatery event? I don’t think we can carry this all back home, so might as well sit and eat it…” Smiling at the rider and landing dragon, he supposed this was a worthwhile adventure.