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Introduction | Vitals | Story | Likes & Dislikes | Family | Friends | Petpet | Home | Adopteds | Farewell! | Links |
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WELCOMEIn this Brightvalian home, there are things you expect to see, and things you would never imagine could exist here. For instance, the colossal library, an enormous collection of books, scrolls, journals, and heavily bookmarked encyclopedias, surrounded by thick, comfortable chairs and couches, is no surprise. The water-spurting fountain in the middle of the room, populated by brightly colored bubblebee, however, is not expected. Neither is the Darigan Eyrie searching the shelves, with one paw holding a quill over what must be a catalogue of books. The Eyrie suddenly looks over at you. He's definitly Darigan, with a hooked beak, red eyes, black mane, and massive claws. Fyora, the entire Eyrie is massive, big enough that you might be able to ride him with minimal discomfort! But intead of screeching and diving at your face like an angry Pteri, the Eyrie smiles, and sets down his quill. Salutations! he says, in a surprisingly smooth, pleasant voice. I apologize for the state of the library...it's rather messy at the moment. The Eyrie waves a paw at the books scattered across the tables and chairs. I was in the midst of updating our library's catalogue, which Tiger has neglected to do for some time now. He winks, and as he does so, flicks his tail. You notice the spaded tip, of course, but you also see a flash of gold, and hear a soft jingle. When the Eyrie's tail stills, you see two golden rings near the tip, just loose enough to shift and hit each other when the Eyrie's tail moves quickly. Our' library? So, you live here? you ask. The Eyrie nods. Indeed. I'm actually the youngest pet here. What? I thought that psychotic Kougra... The Eyrie laughs. Most people say the same thing! Oh, but I seem to have forgotten my manners- I haven't introduced myself! My name is Cedarfur...I apologize for not shaking paws, but I don't want to claw your hands. Not a problem, you assure him. I'm guest. Cedarfur moves some books away from two nearby chairs, stacking them reverently on nearby tables, careful to keep them away from the table lamps or open bottles of ink. Please, have a seat! I'd hate to make you stand, you are a guest here! So...you like books? you guess, sitting down in one of the vacated chairs. Not just like, guest. I adore books. They aren't merely paper rolled into a scroll or bound in leather; books are portals to other worlds, into other creatures' souls. You must look surprised, because the Eyrie says, An odd taste for a Darigan creature, perhaps? Understandable. Perhaps I should explain... VITALS
STORYCompared to many Neopets I have met, my story isn't so exciting. I have never been in much danger, nor have I lost much in my life, certainly nothing irreplacable. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, many friends, and of course, books. 
I was created by my human, cpmtiger, as a green Eyrie. Tiger, as a newcomer to Neopia, was not fully aware of the many opportunities she would have to modify our coloration. Therefore, she chose the name "Cedarfur" for me. Though I hardly begrudge her for it, my name occasionally leads to odd questions about why I'm Darigan, and named after a variety of tree. At the time, of course, I was unconcerned about such things. I settled into my new home quite well, playing with Riverclash and Stubwing, my older brother and sister, respectivly, and going to my oldest brother, Nemo, for advice whenever I needed it. Tiger, of course, was eternally patient with all my questions, often confessing that she didn't know much about whatever I had asked, either. But Tiger knew a remarkable way of learning- books. For her whole life, Tiger said, she had been gathering books, and borrowing them from libraries in her homeland, a place called Real World. (On an entirely separate note, I have thus far been unable to find any recorded information on this Real World the humans come from. I suspect it must be a distant planet, but humans claim their space technology is inferior to Kreludor's.) Upon arriving in Neopia, Tiger began building an entirely new library. It was small when I first saw it, and the room had none of the opulence you see here- but the style of the room matters little when you are in the middle of a gripping story. Tiger and Nemo, both avid readers, could spend hours in the library, and soon, I joined them. My readings answered many of the questions I had about Neopia, and taught me about things I'd never realized existed. While reading a volume titled Everything Eyrie, I found a section on painted Eyries. There were pictures of Eyries with pelts of all varieties, beyond the simple red, blues, yellows, and greens. There were starry Eyries, silver eyries, electric, purple, plushie, Christmas...I was entranced! When I finally turned the page, I saw a full, pull-out poster of a Darigan Eyrie. The model on the page was an enormous, powerful figure, with a curved beak, magnificent claws, massive wings, and such an air of fierce pride that I immediatly fell in love with the color. And after reading a well-penned story simply titled The Eyrie Guard, I realized that this was the color I wanted to be.   Tiger had begun to understand the economy by now; when I presented her with my request, she told me that Darigan paint brushes were very, very expensive, and Darigan Eyrie morphing potions not much less so. It would take a while, she warned me. I told her I was content to wait, but in reality, I was anything but. My time in the library was no longer dedicated to pleasurable reading, but research. When nothing in our library proved valuable, I went out to find books. At last, I discovered a ragged volume in a secondhand store that seemed to have the answer. I presented Tiger with my findings. At the time, purchasing all nine pieces of the Secret Laboratory map was far cheaper than purchasing a Darigan paint brush. Looking over my math, Tiger agreed that it would be easier to afford the map. We were optimistic. Tiger collected the pieces, slowly, but within a reasonable time. Soon, we were heading up a mountain path, and joining a line of pets outside the supposedly secret laboratory. My first time under the Ray turned me into a starry Eyrie. This seemed like a promising start, and I assumed it would only be a matter of time before I was struck Darigan. Instead, I spent many, many miserable months as other species, in undesirable colors, and even- for short periods of time- as a female. Tiger finally called a halt to my use of the lab ray, when I nearly had a mental breakdown upon being turned into a Darigan Lenny. She told me to spend some time finding myself again, to read stories again, to play with Fluffy, my bearog. In the meantime, she allowed Stubwing to have a turn using the Laboratory. I managed. It was difficult, being a completely different species, but I could fly again, and that was a glorious relief. I could turn pages better with Lenny wings than other appendages I'd had, and eating was far less awkward with a beak than with a muzzle. Several weeks later, Stubwing, then a red Scorchio, returned from the Laboratory as an Ice Hissi. She chose to stay in this form, and Tiger allowed me to resume my visits. She told me that she was saving money for a Darigan Eyrie morphing potion; if we could get the proper color and species through the Laboratory, she would be quite happy for the extra money, but she was not "going through this rigamarole again. Again, a downward spiral of species and colors. For a long, long time, I was trapped as a white Usul. I have nothing against Usuls in particular, nor do I wish to offend any of their admirers- but you must understand, to go from a proud, mighty gryphonic creature to a furry animal resembling a snowbunny wearing bows is not a comfortable transition. I began sulking again, though this time, I did so in books. I read constantly, choosing grim stories more and more often. I also reread The Eyrie Guard at least twenty times during those few months; it had become my cornerstone. And one day, Tiger practically fell through the library doors, ran straight toward me, yanked the book I was reading from my tiny paws, and shoved a glass bottle at me. I looked down, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw the deep purple liquid inside, the fake purple wings on the sides of the bottle, the ruff of black just beneath the stopper. Tiger told me in a rush that she had found the potion on sale for a discount at the trading post, and had decided to throw in the money we had to get it immediately. My paws trembled, but as the rest of the family hurried into the library, gathering around me, I managed to pull the stopper, and swallowed the entire potion in two gulps. It was the most disgusting thing I had or will ever drink. But immediatly, I felt the length and texture of my fur changing. My short white mane exploded into a torrent of black fur, my arms and legs grew longer, stronger, sprouted claws. Wings burst from my shoulders as pointed Usul ears shrank and shifted into feathery tufts, my tiny muzzle exploded into a hooked beak. My tail flattened, became a rope, and the tip gained a slight weight as my spaded blade formed. My vision sharpened, and I knew my eyes became brighter red. Looking down, I saw that my fur was purple, and I was a larger, stronger Eyrie than I had been before the Laboratory treatments. 
Shortly after my transformation, during a period where I rebounded back to my old spirits, reading novels for sheer pleasure, starting to organize the library, and ordering a custom pair of tail rings based on those of an island Eyrie, we moved from our home in a crowded portion of Mystery Island, and settled in Brightvale, a land of knowledge, learning, beautiful art, and, fashions that fit my human's, er, ecclectic tatses. There have been a few downsides to living here, but not many. Since then, my life has largely been uneventful. But I really don't mind too much; as long as I have books, my life will always be an adventure. LIKES & DISLIKES I am obviously quite fond of books. Though I read the classics of course, such as Gelert Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Lupes, and The Legend of Von Roo, I am even fonder of contemporary pieces of fantasy. While The Eyrie Guard remains one of my favorite tales, I also enjoy Claw of the Bori, Desert Badlands, and Mystery of the Kougra Paw. When I'm not perusing fiction, I may study other topics; science, history, magic, and math are just a few. 
I have been an Eyrie all my life, and so flying feels like a natural part of me. My time under the laboratory's would have been far less miserable if I had been able to enjoy a pair of wings through the entire affair; now that I have them back, I try to enjoy a long flight whenever possible. I've also mastered a fair number of arial tricks in my years, so no matter what my brother may tell you, I can and have outflown him on many occasions. Most bird and cat pets enjoy fish. Being both feline and avian, I suppose I ought to like it too- but in truth, there are very few fish I can stand to put in my beak, much less swallow.  The Darigan Citadel is a very interesting place to visit. Tiger has only taken us a few times, but we've gotten to see Lord Darigan once or twice. Not personally, I mean, but from a distance. In fact, we support the Citadel during the yearly Altador Cup tournament. FAMILY My human, cpmtiger, usually simply adressed as "Tiger". She can appear as an orange Kougra with black stripes whenever she likes, but normally keeps a human form, wearing one of her many brightly colored Brightvale robes. She has actually strained her eyes from all her reading, and must wear glasses with an ever-increasing perscription.  Nemo is my oldest brother. Tiger took Nemo in after he escaped from a human using him and many other kidnapped pets in vicious battledome fights. Quiet and brooding, Nemo retains a scar from his ordeal. Despite his own troubles, Nemo is always willing to lend a helping paw, whether that entails simply offering advice, or leaping into a fight. 
Riverclash is also older than I am, though it can be difficult to tell his age; on the one paw, he's much larger than an average faerie Kougra, larger than Nemo certainly, and perhaps about as big as I am. In personality, however, he seems like a child, very cheerful and hyperactive. I will admit, there are days when he tries my patience with his antics and his boundless energy, but most of the time I try to ride the bouyancy of his spirit. 
Stubwing is my older sister. She is an Ice Hissi, and a mage. Since her color change, I haven't seen as much of her as I would like; she has a second home on Terror Mountain, and spends her evenings searching for lost and stranded travellers with the aid of Mystic, her Noilkeet. When Stubwing is around, we often talk about magic. I have actually been compiling information about Stubwing's branch of magic, and intend to perhaps create a true book someday, a resource for outsiders to this type of magic. FRIENDSWork-in-progress PETPET Name - Griffin Color - Brown/"Basic" Species - Gobbler Gender - Male As mentioned earlier, I have a pet Gobbler. He was a prize from the Advent Calendar in Year 8, so many people consider him "cheap". "Wild" Gobblers like Griffin, however, are quite different from their ancestrally domesticated cousins; they are in fact quite intelligent, and are considerably more graceful and agile than your typical Thanksgiving dish. Tiger suggested the name 'Griffin' to me; I'm still not quite sure how she came up with that one so quickly. Normally, she has to do a great deal of what she calls "syllable-mashing" to obtain a name that doesn't actually mean anything. On April 9th, 2009, the Gobbler was honored by the Petpet Protection League. As one of the oldest Gobblers in Neopia, Griffin earned approximatly 8,000 Neopoints for our family. He is, of course, worth far more than that paltry sum to me. MY HOME My family lives in Brightvale, which, as you must have already seen, is a land dedicated to scholarship, the creation of art, and the appreciation of beauty. Tiger was attracted to all of these things, and so we moved from Neopia Central shortly after I was transformed into a Darigan Eyrie. Our house is rather "modern" for Brightvale, or so Tiger says. We stick to conventional architecture, for the most part- but, well, a fountain in the center of the library is not quite a normal sight. Neither are the gargoyles Tiger enjoys placing around the house. Living in Brightvale is usually quite pleasurable. It's very quiet, peaceful, and there are plenty of lovely places to go if you want to read somewhere besidest the library. The skies are almost always clear, and the winds good for long flights. It's also quite fun to look around the shops, and King Hagan's castle has a spectacular tour. I hear very little about my color, and even then, the comments are usually compliments. In early summer, however, things can get rather tense. You see, our family supports the Darigan Citadel in the Altador Cup, rather than Brightvale. Some of our neighbors are rather...vehment in their attempts to force us to switch sides. Riverclash doesn't help, often going out in Citadel swag and drawing the Brightvaleans in an angry mob to our doorstep... ADOPTEDSUnfortunatly, I cannot offer you any adoptables yet, guest. I'm still studying plushie-making, wood-carving, sculpting, and several other art techniques in the hope of creating small souivineirs for guests with Eyries of their own. However, if you would like to take a look at my collection of figurines, you are welcome to go down the hallway and into my room. They're right on the shelf against the far wall. 
 FAREWELLAs Cedarfur falls silent, a human wearing orange and black Brightvale robes pokes her head into the library. She bears uncanny resemblance to a picture you saw earlier... Cedarfur? she calls, Cedarfur, I found some really nice deals on a few books you wanted- that Altador Archives book is one of them! You'll need to come now if you want to snag any! Cedarfur's ear tufts lift slightly. Oh, wonderful! he says to you. There's a book I've been trying to hunt down since I was a Lenny! I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly... Oh, it's fine, you say, standing up. I know the way out. Before he leaves, Cedarfur pulls a few maps from a bookshelf, and lays them out before you. If you aren't sure where to travel next, I've marked some excellent destinations on this map. Also, if you would like to come again, I've marked our home with a star. Please, feel free to visit again! 
OTHER LINKS I take Eyrie, Darigan, and bird-based/flying pet Links. 
 Gryph_31733 Robeta869134 Terazon   All writing and artwork on this page not credited to Neopets or another Neopets user belongs to cpmtiger. Stealing, modifying, or obviously copying my ideas and/or work is unacceptable, and will be reported. |
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