Daily Writing Challenge - February 2024
Throwing myself headfirst out of the moving car that is my many-months hiatus and into the roadside ditch that is writing again, I have challenged myself to write for the @daily-writing-challenge's February prompts every day this week. The goal: remember how writing - particularly finishing a piece of writing - works. These will all be snippets from Prince Renathal and companion's continued adventures in the Dragon Isles (full stories here). Will they be any good? Probably not. But they will be done (maybe).
Day 1: Flirt - 600 words, no warnings
The saviour of Azeroth and the Shadowlands, champion of the Horde, former archmage and famous Maw Walker lay her weary body back against the sun-warmed grass and closed her eyes with a final, defeated sigh.
The Dark Prince raised one eyebrow, unimpressed.
“Not giving up already, are you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Oh, please,” he scoffed, pushing off the railing with a clunk of plate armour and descending the ancient stone staircase toward his motionless companion. “You cannot give up. I know you too well. You are incapable of accepting defeat.”
“First time for everything," was her petulant reply.
Renathal’s wordless disapproval was a masterful sound, full of throaty skepticism and dubiously clicking fangs. Elisewin refused to acknowledge it. Her eyes remained shut, limp arms drowned in the swaying grass, determinedly ignoring the vibrant butterflies fluttering curiously around her wild, windswept fan of dark hair.
Coming to a stop beside her would-be corpse, Renathal tried a different tact.
“An ignominious end for such an illustrious hero.” He announced the words like a eulogy, gesticulating elegantly to his audience of butterflies, who showed no obvious interest. “Imagine - grappling with gods, conquering whole armies, destroying any number of mountainous beasts, only to be beaten by -”
“It’s so stupid,” spat Elisewin suddenly from the ground. Her eyes snapped open in a blaze of blue-white fury. “It’s such a stupid, ridiculous test of an even more ridiculous practice, and I don’t see why I should have to learn it. I was perfectly happy with my old Undercity bat. Slow and steady. That thing -” She twisted her head to throw an accusatory glance at the proto-drake sniffing the bushes at the base of the nearby cliff. “It reacts to the slightest movement! I can’t even breathe without it changing direction. And it goes too fast!”
“I have never known you to mind fast. You usually request it,” remarked Renathal playfully.
Elisewin narrowed her eyes at him instead.
“Don’t flirt with me when I’m frustrated.”
Renathal laughed aloud at that. Mustering all her available dignity, Elisewin turned her face pointedly away from him and closed her eyes again.
“And I mean it. I’m done. I’ve tried sixteen times now, and I'm all over bruises. I am not trying it again. I’ll just walk everywhere.”
Wholly undaunted, Renathal swallowed the last of his laughter and fixed his tone into something that might have been mistaken for sympathy by someone who did not know him well.
“Very well, dearest, if you are certain." He stepped around her studiously still form and headed towards her waiting mount, calling behind him: “You can simply ride alongside me. I am happy to take the lead. I, personally, do not find the practice particularly taxing. Then again, I am much older, with a greater reservoir of power to draw from. You can hardly hold yourself to my standard."
A rustle of grass, a low groan, then a series of furious soft-soled footsteps assured Renathal this last hand had won. He turned expectantly, already holding out the proto-drake’s cracked leather reins. Elisewin snatched them from him. Her lavender glower as she swung one leg over the bulky creature's back only made Renathal smile.
“Ah,” he declared in affectionate triumph, propping himself against the rocky cliffside to watch his lover's seventeenth attempt. “That is the Maw Walker I know."
It was Elisewin’s turn to scoff. She wriggled uncomfortably, settling back into the saddle. Fixing her grim expression on the looming tower at the top of the cliff, she declared to the wilderness around them:
“I’d take the Maw over dragon riding any day.”
14 notes
·
View notes
Last Line Tag
Thank you @wordspin-shares for being the only reason I’ve written anything all weekend. I don’t think I’ve ever had less motivation.
If the engagment had been an elaborate and complex procedure, liberally laced with nuance and steeped in centuries of tradition, the ceremony itself was even more so, and Renathal even less attentive to it.
Tagging: @shipping-through-eternity @27fanficlilies @maidenwychelm @fluffleforce-mysdrym @minutiaewriter @darknightfrombeyond @cljordan-imperium @mrsmungus @mrsd-writes @residentdormouse @tananaphone @sarahlizziewrites @vcaudley @sam-glade
60 notes
·
View notes
A Quick Guide to Damian’s Furry/Feathered/Scaled Companions
LEFT: R:SOB #1 Cover RIGHT: R:SOB #6
GOLIATH THE BAT DRAGON
Introduced in: ROBIN: SON OF BATMAN (2015) #1
DAMIAN'S BABY AND BEASTY BESTIE!! On a mission during the Year of Blood, Damian kills the family of bat dragons guarding his objective. Goliath, despite being the youngest and last of his kind, forgives Damian. Goliath goes on to become one of Damian's most loyal companions, even featuring beside him in Batman Beyond (2016) #10, #11, #43-#47!
LEFT: B&R #13 RIGHT: B&R #4
TITUS THE DOG
Introduced in: BATMAN AND ROBIN (2011) #2
A Great Dane gifted to Damian from Bruce as an effort in fatherhood. Funny enough, Damian finds him a nuisance at first and briefly refers to him as "Dog". Titus is a good boy that follows Damian's every step, even joining Bruce on his mission to resurrect Damian!
LEFT: Batman Inc #1 RIGHT: Batman Inc #7
BAT-COW THE COW
Introduced in: BATMAN INCORPORATED (2012) #1
Bat-Cow, branded with a star signifying which cattle were contaminated, was saved from a slaughterhouse to run some tests (which they do find of a mind control variety). Damian declares himself a vegetarian, and calls her Bat-Cow! She also sorta has a running gag of literally standing in the face of danger to save the day.
LEFT: Batman Inc #6 RIGHT: Batman Inc #7
ALFRED THE CAT
Introduced in: BATMAN INCORPORATED (2012) #6
Considered a "hopeless case" by the animal shelter, Alfred gifts him to Damian. The cat is a bold lil guy, which Damian takes an immediate liking to, and names him Alfred (likely because tuxedo cat = butler lol). After hours of chicken, playtime, and scratches, Damian and Alfred become friends! He makes his first appearance alongside Damian’s first appearance as Batman in BATMAN (1940) #666
LEFT: Batman: Li'l Gotham #2/#1 RIGHT: Batman: Li'l Gotham #23/#12
*JERRY THE TURKEY
Introduced in: BATMAN LI'L GOTHAM (2012) #2 (Digital) #1 (Printed)
The Penguin unleashes an army of turkeys at the Gotham Thanksgiving parade which Damian turns into his own li'l turkey march by playing the trumpet. He ends up bringing one of them back for Thanksgiving dinner (as a friend), and Jerry becomes a fairly regular appearance in the world of Li'l Gotham!
*WIGGLES THE DRAGON
Introduced in: NIGHTWING (2016) #42
A sort of filler issue where Damian has been kidnapped for his blood by the "Crimson Kabuki" in Tokyo, and Dick goes through a series of boss battles to save him. The dragon's blood has been the group's main source of power, so it ends up teaming with the duo, and returns home with them.
Wiggles was originally named by a fan, "Shanootnoot" on Twitter!
*Goliath, Titus, Bat-Cow, and Alfred the cat have been Damian's main canon cast of furry companions, but SUPER-PETS SPECIAL: BITEDENTITY CRISIS (2024) may have just added Jerry and Wiggles!!
1K notes
·
View notes