Venturing: Silently White

Upon the midnight hour where the crickets sounded echoed through our ears, I found myself staring ahead at the forest before me. Silent upon my lips as I grunted, frowning before shaking my head. We were told that several dragons disappeared inside of these woods and the forest itself. It never stopped there however. As my head was hanged and eyes were closed, I exhaled a sigh before returning back to level grounds and walked forth towards the entrance of the forest. Disappearing from the valley behind me. My unit had already started their investigation inside and from what I had known; Kyro and Natty were already at the warehouse searching for something. Zander was standing by the riverbed, looking onto the waters that hang upon his ankles. But neither of them saw anything that would aid in this case however.

I walked through the woods. Taking a deep breath to take in the fresh forest air that entered through my nose and deep inside my own body. While my mind began pondering about the case that I was handing too, I had wondered why the culprit had decided to put his stuff here. Including those corpse that he had buried upon the forest floor. I started frowning. Scratching my own scales as I moved through the forest. Stopping only once when I spotted Ozkun and Takaki before me, staring at one another in the silence that loomed over them. In front of them was the map of the forest. It was pretty big to say the lease. As I cough to gain their attention, their heads turned over towards me. Saluted but I waved it off before joining them upon their line. “What we got so far?" “Dead bodies and something inside the house, both Kyro and Natty were unable to figure out what was there." Ozkun said, I turned towards him. Tilting my head to one side and asked, “What other senses can they find out inside that?" “Well, Kyro did claimed it to be smelly like rotten cheese or something. Natty held her nose to conform it however." “ 'Rotten cheese?' “ I questioned, almost laughing a bit. A nod responded to my laughter before I settled myself altogether and spoke,

“Let them continue searching inside the house, surely then they would find something there indeed." “Hopefully so, Yang." “Its ling." I corrected him, he saluted again and turned back to the map as I rose my head and glanced out towards the horizon of the woods surrounding me. Lots of questions were upon my mind. None of which had answers however. Not like that matters though. As my head continued to be filled by questions and little answers were given straight towards them, I shifted my attention towards the river. Glancing over to Zander whom was always crouched, gazing at something upon the surface of the water. 'Seemingly busy.' I thought to myself as I spread my wings and take off. Remembering now of my own objective upon this given case. A gust of wind settled upon my wings as I flapped them to maintain myself upon the air. I hanged my head and glanced down. Staring upon the grounds below me in hopes of finding something there that would akeen to my interest at best.

However, it had seemed that the forest ran clean. Only trails of faint blood were painted upon the grass. Heading far into the horizon where it disappeared into the fields of trees. I stared at the blood trail and towards the trees for a moment, shaking my head before returning back to where Ozkun and Takaki were however. Dropped down to the grounds itself and folded my wings once more, Ozkun turned towards me questioning “What happened?" “I found a trail of blood. But they lead straight into the forest." “Forest? Let me look there instead then." Ozkun responded, motioning towards Takakri who nodded as the two dragons flew off, leaving me behind to oversee the process. With nothing else to do, I turned my attention towards the map laid out in front of me. Sitting upon the stump of some tree that was cut off already.

The map was a medium size. Yet it had showcased everything that had to be here in the real life forest of course. From the forest trees North and South of us; the riverbank over to the right and the house at the dead center. I nodded my head, satisfied that this was the correct map after all and smiled only faintly before pulling my eyes away from it. Raised to the horizon and glanced over to the left, staring down onto the riverbed once more where Zander was suppose to be however. “Yang." “Ling, Ozkun." I exhaled a breath, pressing the black button upon my walkie “Regardless, you are right. The trail of blood is cut off upon the forest. It is too dark to see anything here." “Get a flashlight from your pocket." I demanded, “Alright." Responded Ozkun while the connection was cut off immediately and silence fell over for another time.

I turned my attention towards the riverbed. Walking to it with curiosity upon my mind however. As I started hearing the roars of the waters and  Zander splashing his feet upon the surface of the waters, I hanged my head and gaze at the riverbed. Seeing nothing there other than rocks, I frowned before calling over the black dragon. He turned over and met my eyes; yet never smiled as he spoke “I found some dead bodies piled adjacent to the river. Pulled them back into here and tried to search some more." “Were there any marks?" “None, Ling." “This does indicate that they perhaps drowned somehow." Zander added more, I just nodded at him. Interested and curious about the statement that Zander had said, I frowned before lowering my head again. Staring down onto the riverbed below me before speaking to him once more, “Say. The dead bodies, are they reptiles?" “Not just that." Zander confirmed, “But canines too however. These canines were bitten onto their necks. There was fang marks upon their necks." “Dragged?" “No." Another pause of silence.

It did had me thinking however. Who could have dragged the canines here? At a far away place from them? “Whoever dragged them, must have strong fangs." “Thinking about a wolf or coyote?" Zander questioned me, I shook my head “No. Rather perhaps a shark or something." “A shark can only live underwater." Zander protested, “But this one however." I countered, recalling an earlier time of when we first encountered a species like that living on land. As me and Zander fell silent again, the walkie bursted into static which had startled me suddenly. Flinched upon the sound and upon Zander's chuckle and me glaring at him in response, I pressed the button onto the side of the walkie and waited. “Indeed we found it Ling." “Found what?" I questioned, the voice crackled for a few minutes before responding clearly to me now, “Four golden hats, silver wrenches and a flashlight were found. Yet the flashlight seemingly was pointing southward. In the direction of where that house was built." “Think you can meet up with Kyro and Natty now?" “Yes." Responded Ozkun as the connection was cut immediately and silence fell once again.

Returning my sights towards the river, my ears flicked upon hearing Zander spoke once more. But rather towards himself than to me, I turned towards him again and walked to his side. Questioning about his muttering, Zander turned to me and raised a claw, pointing straight towards a trail of blood that was beyond the river and the pile of dead bodies adjacent to it. It led northward and disappeared into the forest beyond us where darkness reigns. I stared at the forest for a moment, then turned to Zander before frowning as he nodded his head in response towards me. He pulled himself out from the river with me in tow behind him as we went to follow the trail of blood. Wondering where it leads towards.

The darkness reigns over my eyes as we began following the trail of blood Northward. It continued moving that way. Never stopping it had seemed however. Zander made a face, glancing around worriedly as if something there was going to jump at us. His eyes darted about, taking in the forest grounds and glancing at the fields of trees that now surrounded us however. We walked along the forest, following the trail as it leads us deeper north. Until it stopped afterwards and we planted our feet. Raising our heads high into the horizon, glancing at what we were seeing before us. An unknown house was there built at the center of the wood. In front of them was Natty and Kyro; the pair were sitting upon the steps. Glancing at the grass in silence, wagging their tails. As me and Zander approached the two; the two raised their heads high towards us and smiled.

“What have you guys found?" I asked immediately, resetting all conversations towards that one topic only while Kyro frowned and Natty said nothing for a pause in silence. Before the red dragon spoke again and reported everything found inside, “A dead body was found. Yet it seems that some other police unit had got to it before us however." “Some other?" I questioned, a curious look upon my face prompted Kyro to say more. “Yeah. There were yellow mark lines surrounding the body. 'Danger' was the label written in between the lines of that mark." “What other police unit was here other than us?" I frowned, but shook my head to address the body afterwards. “The body was dead. Cold after two weeks it seems. Although we could not tell if the body was a reptile or canine, due to no scales or fur found about." “Were they piled off towards the side or something?" I questioned, forcing the red dragon to shake his head again. “Nothing sir."

I just nodded and exhaled a breath. Shaking my head at the unfortunate news, I turned towards Zander who was busy staring at something else that perhaps had already caught his eye. At Natty's mention and me nudging him following, Zander turned to reality and glanced at the two of us in silence. But I peered upon him, questioning “What were you looking at far West?" “A trail of blood. Surprisingly, it made a sharp left turn from this house. Heading back into the woods once more." Zander answered me which forced Kyro and Natty to perk up immediately. “That must be it however." Kyro stated as I turned towards him, “That trail must lead towards something. Like the culprit behind this entire thing or something." “Go and find it." I asked of them and the two were relieved of their position, post. Fled towards the west to take care of the trail of blood and left me and Zander behind. As they disappeared through the woods itself, Zander turned towards me. I nodded in silence. Together we entered the unknown house. Curiosity was upon my mind as to what type of body that the two found themselves.

As we entered, the first thing we had noticed was how pitch dark the place was. Additionally, it never looked like a house. But rather a warehouse or something. Me and Zander were surprise at this. Yet we never expressed it however while we split up and heed our own direction through the place. The entire room was filled with junk and filled to the brim it was. Lots of paintings, drawings and piles of paper were lurking or lying about. Each of them were something unique; it was hard to tell what 'uniqueness' it was due to how pitch dark the place was however. Regardless, I continued onward. Weaving myself through the pile and heed upon the opposing side of the room where Zander was now waiting for me there, we turned our heads out in front before us; staring now at the body sitting upon the brown table underneath it. A flash of light illuminated the entire body briefly before disappearing altogether now. The two of us walked towards that body and stopped, hanging our heads as we stared at it.

It was exactly like what Kyro had said. The body was neither reptile or canine. Just plain. I motioned Zander and he nodded, parting from me suddenly as he walked around the other part of the room searching for a pile or basket of fur or scale. In the meanwhile, I shift my attention back towards the body in front of me. Stared at it in silence as if studying it. I looked over the plain body. Staring at its perfectioness and had noticed that nothing was there. A cut. A bruise. Nothing which was surprising for me. For as I was about to give up and heed towards Zander in his search for fur or scale, something stopped me suddenly. It was in the corner of my eye when I saw it that I had decided to look directly towards it however. Something was sticking right out from the table that the body was on and I crouched to look upon it however.

To my surprise, I saw a drill. Adjacent to it was a bandage that looked the same color as the body's itself. It had suddenly dawned on me what the body was like that I shouted for Zander who came running back towards me. For upon his appearance, I explained “its neither a fur or scale." “How was that even possible?" He questioned me, yet I shook my head. Frowning before turning back towards the drill and bandage in front of me. At my silence, Zander crouched down too and widened his eyes also upon what he had saw. For thus he turned towards me, his mouth hanging opened suddenly before returning his sights back towards the items at hand. “That cannot be. A species such at that is gone from these two realms." “Yet one exist somehow." I added, Zander gradually turned his head towards me. Slowly shaking his head and picked himself up as I did the same.

A small silence fell as we take in our mental words. But that was snapped in half when a walkie call came from Ozkun and Takaki. Something that I took immediately. For by the time I raised my walkie and pressed the button was the following time that Ozkun spoke through the speaker of the walkie. He stated, “We found out that four of the same species were found camping about." “Can you tell me what they were eating?" I questioned him, a pause of silence acknowledged my answer “Sure. Weird statement however though. It was the same common kind however. Bread, drinks, eggs-" “Eggs?" Exclaimed Zander as his voice filled the room we were in, causing me to flinched as I turned towards him with a scowl. He remained silent, but his frown was there. We briefly made eye contact shortly before I returned my attention to the walkie as I allowed Ozkun to continue, “A picnic blanket was also found here too it had seemed. Red and white pattern it was however. Nothing else." “Got it. Regroup with Kyro and Natty for me please." “Where are they-" Immediately questioned Ozkun but I had interrupted him, “Over to the left. Heading straight through the woods, they are found on the other side." Silence followed afterwards while I turned towards Zander who remained silence.

We headed out from the house behind us. The door closed just as Zander turned his attention towards me. We fell to silent. Neither of us talking. Yet our minds conversed with ourselves. We had pondered about the body that we had saw. The body that neither fur or scale. Questions filled our mind to the point that I had gained a headache because of it that I forced myself to stared out towards the horizon before me and exhaled a breath, before nodding to Zander. For we had agreed to heed towards the left, regrouping with the others as to what they were doing in the meantime.

We flew through the treetops as the flaps of our wings caused the leaves to wave upon the animals below us. We stared out front towards the horizon before us, silence upon our lips as the flapping became our own conversation. We never had to leave that far out from the forest itself however, for the rest of my unit were gathered in a circle. Staring at one another while a conversation was held in the air; laughter came afterwards. But was shot silent when we had arrived and their attention was turned towards us. Walking up towards them, I raised my claw and smiled only faintly. Kyro and Ozkun only mirrored me. Everyone else stayed silent at best. For as we joined in onto the conversation, Takaki turned towards me and questioned about the body inside the house.

At Kyro's request, I spilled the answered immediately. A long pause of silence became my answer. I glanced at each of them, frowning as my head was tilted to the side. My voice was heard, echoing through everyone's ears as I questioned “What is it? What was wrong with the body?" “Do you think… Someone placed it there to scare us? To think that two legged creatures roamed the realms?" “it is farfetched. But it could be the possibility however." Chimed Kyro as Natty added, “Other than the body being ripped of its fur or peeled scales. Yes." “Wait." I interrupted them, growling to gain their attention as Kyro, Natty and Takaki turned towards me again “You guys believed something else differently than mine?" “Yeah." “But the body was a bit larger than all of us combined. How do you even know what a canine body looks like or-" “We can see it." Protested Ozkun, “But through the skeletons?" I argued back.

A sudden silence came between me and Takaki as we just stared at one another. No one said anything. Not even the ones outside of our argument at all. As I found myself staring down onto Takaki, she snorted and growled. Turned her head away and glazed towards the forest while I find myself staring at her before shaking my head also. “Besides, if it were a body of a two legged creature. Would that be impossible considering that they are not living anymore?" Kyro argued, trying to defused the situation between me and Takaki as I just snorted and crossed my arms. Facing the red dragon before stating, “No. I know what I saw." “You are in disbelief. There is no way that a two legged creature would exist in these realms. It is pure animalistics." Takaki argued back, I growled in answer towards her. “Guys" Started Kyro as he walked between us, “Despite the difference. Think logically. Why would our culprit put that there?"

A short silence fell. But our eyes grew gradually wider as a slow but hard realization struck us instead. For me and Takakri turned to one another, then towards Kyro and the others who stared back upon me and Takaki in the silence that follows. “Oh." Was I can say, “Oh!" I exclaimed afterwards and turned back towards the others growling, “Come on! We need to go now." “Where are we going!" Exclaimed Takaki, a bit surprise by my sudden wing movement just as I had spread them and headed back eastward, disappearing straight from their sights. FOr in a momentarily struggle of realization, I flew fast. Beating my wings in a hurry, I raced back with my team back towards the house where I last saw the body. And immediately, opened the door and glanced inside.

Upon which, the body was gone. In its place was a golden note, something that I had picked up immediately. For when everyone else had arrived upon the door; Takakri and Ozkun waltzed right inside, I muttered towards them “You are right." Then turn to face them, a slight growl vibrated my throat as my eyes narrowed “Come. Lets return towards Vaster. Something horrible had happened there." So we fled, retreating back towards Vaster instead.