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As you're walking along the river one warm spring morning, you enjoy the sights and sounds of the surrounding valley. Brilliant cherry trees in full bloom tower high overhead, as sunlight dapples the grass beneath, and soft pink blossoms spiral to the ground. Birds sign in the branches overhead, the melodious song of a nightingale rising above the rest. Suddenly, in front of you, a large, serpentine form rises out of the river, the water on its sapphire scales glittering resplendently in the bright morning sun. It is a scorchio, an elegant, aquatic scorchio, with aqua-green markings the shape of leaping flames, and deep emerald eyes. Hello there!" the scorchio greets you, shaking the water from his scales. "Taking a walk by my river? You must be new here, I've never seen you around before." You step forward, into the shade of a cherry tree. "Yes, my name's zafaracutie4." The scorchio smiles, dipping his head politely. "Welcome zafaracutie4! My name is Aylwir, and this," here he gestured around at the surrounding forest, "is my territory. Well, it's not entirely mine, but I rule over and protect it, and everyone coming with good intentions is welcome here. This is the Shrigash River, and it flows from the Haunted Woods, through the mountains, and into Shenkuu, where we are now, which is called the Shrigash Valley." Admiring the tranquil, picturesque beauty of the valley, you comment, "This is a beautiful valley. Do you get many visitors? You seemed awfully excited to see me." Aylwir shakes his head. "No, you're the first visitor we've had. For a few years, anyway…" You notice a flash of recollection in his eyes. You say, "So you say this is your territory. Does that mean you're in charge of the whole river?" Well, not really in charge…" he begins. "I belong to a species of scorchio known as the River Guardian Scorchios. There are very few of us, and we are each assigned part of a different river to watch over and keep in order. There are a few scorchios assigned to each river in Neopia." Aylwir walks away from the shore of the river to sit beneath a cherry tree. "I could tell you more about how I came to become a River Guardian, if you wish." You take a seat across from him. "Sure, I'm not in any hurry." Aylwir gazed thoughtfully out into the forest, smiling faintly. "It began many years ago, when I was nothing more than a hatchling…"
The sun rose over the fertile landscape of Shenkuu, a majestic orb bathing the fields and forests in a warm, golden glow. In a small valley, just at the foot of the mountain range separating Shenkuu from the Haunted Woods, the melodious sounds of early spring could be heard. Pteris could be heard twittering joyously in the morning sun, perched high in the branches of cherry trees, and the sound of streams winding throughout the trees filled the air with a faint trickling. A large river, known to the residents of Shenkuu as the Shrigash River, ran strait through the valley, providing the area with a steady source of water. Cat-tails and marsh grass grew densely around the banks of the river, and it abounded with a variety of aquatic petpets, such as Bluna and Tanizards. The water was clear and blue, as natural and unpolluted as could be. Near the bank, a mother scorchio lay in her nest, tending a single egg. The female was slender and elegant, long-limbed and blue-eyed, with cyan, translucent frills running from the tip of her snout to the end of her tail. Her scales were ice-blue, and she had lavender colored, kougra-like stripes across her back. She looked up at the sound of cat-tails snapping to see a large, male scorchio standing before her, with a freshly-caught Tanizard in his jaws. The male was tall and sinewy, but possessed a certain air of gracefulness, with a long, serpentine form. He had a bright coat of aqua-green scales, and striking violet eyes, the hue of orchids. A single, ivory horn sprouted from his skull, and whiskers grew from the sides of his snout. Stepping gingerly over the nest, he dropped the Tanizard in front of the female, and gazed tenderly at the egg she held between her paws. "So," he questioned, in a deep rumble of a voice, "has anything happened yet, Ahryael?" The female, named Ahryael, looked bored. "No, I wish something would. I'm sick of lying around here all the time waiting for this egg to hatch! This river valley of yours is far to warm and humid Amazahul, all I want is to return to my mountains!" The male, Amazahul, looked downcast. "I'm sorry you're so unhappy here, I know this is no place for a mountain scorchio. Just a few more days and the egg should be hatched, please stay here until then! I can't look after it by myself!" She eyed him skeptically, then began to nibble on the Tanizard he had caught for her. "Ugh, river food." Suddenly, the large, ivory-shelled egg sitting in the water-reed nest began to rock slightly. A faint, raspy growling was audible from the inside, as the scorchio inside attempted to claw its way out. As minutes passed, a tiny, clawed paw broke its way through the shell. A few minutes later, a newborn scorchio tumbled out blinking clumsily in the bright sunlight. The young scorchio was small, but had a brilliant pelt of sapphire-blue scales, and stunning emerald eyes. A large pair of pale blue, translucent wings sprouted from his shoulders, and frills of the same fair hue grew from the sides of his head and down his spine. Aqua-green markings that looked like leaping flames ran from the nape of his neck to the base of his tail, and he had the same build as his father, strength mixed with elegance. Look Ahryael!" Amazahul exclaimed to the female, who was watching the young scorchio impatiently. "It's our son! Isn't he amazing?" Ahryael replied, curtly, "Yes, amazing. Well, he's hatched, I think you can take care of him yourself now. I can finally return to my home." She gazed fondly at the icy peaks of the Illeisen mountains looming overhead. In a crestfallen tone, Amazahul questioned, "Don't you want to help me give him a name before you go?" Ahryael stood, and began to walk toward the Illeisen mountains. Pausing, she turned her head and called over her shoulder, "You're the one raising him, it's up to you to choose a name!" With that, she disappeared into the trees, never to be seen in those woods again. Amazahul watched until she was just a tiny speck walking towards the mountains, and then, sighing forlornly, he returned to the nest where his new son had fallen asleep, exhausted from the effort of breaking out of his shell. He smiled at the young draik proudly, and then out at the Shrigash, where, at this section of the river, the current flowed lazily, its waters lapping idly at the shore. Amazhul belonged to a regal species of scorchio down as the River Guardians. Each River Guardian was assigned a different body of water to protect and keep in order. They presided not only over the river itself, but also the surrounding environment, watching over the area and assuring that everything was in balance. Since there were so few River Guardian Scorchios, it was each scorchio's duty to raise a son or daughter to watch over their territory after they were gone. In this way, the same stretch of water stayed with the same family throughout generations. The father scorchio smiled at his son, who growled, and swatted at a passing dragonfly in his sleep. "You are going to be trained to be a worthy River Guardian, who will learn to summon or cease rain, calm storms, and keep the Shrigash Valley a just an balanced environment. My son, you will learn to take my place as protector of the Shrigash, and make decisions that will not only affect you, but everyone under your rule." As he spoke these words over his son, Amazahul reached out and wet his paw in the river. Placing his paw on his son's forehead, Amazahul drew a sign with the river water. "I give you the name Aylwir."
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Firreter: I met this Tonu a few years ago when he was passing through my territory. Apparently, he's a ghost, but this doesn't seem to affect him negatively at all. Firreter is very amiable, understanding, and friendly, though he has a pet Albat that follows him everywhere, which he talks to and treats as an equal.
Flieyt: I met this Techo about a year ago, when he moved into my territory from some place in the Haunted Woods near Neovia. He lives in a dark, secluded spot in the forests in a small cabin that he build himself. Flieyt prefers solitude to the company of others, but he doesn't mind if I stop by for a visit. Though he may come off as cold or rude, Flieyt is a wonderful, if a bit eccentric, person once you get to know him.
T_Ichi: Ichi is another ghost, a Hissi. I'm not exactly certain what caused his death, and he does not seem willing to share that with me yet. He is solemn, serious, and extremely disciplined, but he is a doggedly loyal and trustworthy friend. I will never hesitate to share any of my problems with him, and I hope that one day Ichi will be able to get ride of the suspicion he holds for anyone outside his family, and learn to trust others.
Ahryael: She is my mother, an ice scorchio who dwells in the frosty peaks of the Illeisen mountains, the mountain range that separates the Haunted Woods from Shenkuu and Altador. My mother is rather indifferent towards me, as if she doesn't want to acknowledge me as her son. I've learned from my father that she has always been slightly aloof, and rarely concerned herself with anything other than her own interests, but I hope that one day she will make an effort to accept me as her son.
Amazahul: This is my father, River Guardian of the Shrigash River in Shenkuu, and one of the most important River Guardian Scorchios of Neopia. He and I share the duty of protecting the Shrigash and the valley around it. My father is a wise and noble scorchio, who cares deeply for those living in our territory, and treats them as if they were his own children.
