draconia277

Comic 277

113 Comments

 

Howdy, fellow Draconiacs!  RazorFox here.

Wow.

Last week’s comic threw a lot of people for a loop, or, more appropriately, a wicked, overhead suplex.  Shie once again proved just how dominant one of the “big cats” can be, but the question that everyone was asking was whether Briella had survived the hard landing.

Hopefully, this week’s comic can allay those fears.  Briella’s still alive, or as Shie put it, “breathing and beating.”  So for Briella’s legions of “Brielievers,” you can rest at least a little bit easier, knowing that she’s down but not out.  Thanks, everyone, for expressing your concerns about her, and thanks to all of you for having faith in me, and allowing the story to unfold the way I’ve planned it.  As for what happens next?  Well, that’s going to have to wait another seven days.  Stay tuned…  ~__^

Those of you looking for a soundtrack for this page can pull up “Miss Murder” by AFI.

Some of you might remember reading last week that I’ve undergone some major equipment upgrades, namely that I’m now the proud owner of a Wacom Cintiq 21UX.  Last week’s page featured colors done using that sweet new piece of hardware.  This week, I decided to take another step toward making the comic fully digital.  This week’s page is a bit of a hybrid, in that “core” inks–i.e., characters, props, word balloons, and gutters–were done by hand, just like most every page before it.  All background elements, along with the Tiger stripes, and the Dragons’ scales and tattoos, were done digitally.  The goal was to replicate what I’d otherwise do by hand, but to jazz it up a touch.  I’m rather pleased by how seamlessly the two sides integrated with each other.  The overall goal is to bring the comic to fully-digital production by the time the next chapter begins.

That also means that we’re just a few pages away from the end of Chapter Four.  Will the Tigers make luggage out of Briella?  Or will Briella make it out of the Calera and give her boss, Lady Red, a piece of her mind?  The answers are looming ever closer, but we can only get there one page at a time.  Tune in next week, my fellow Draconiacs!

Until then, take care, my friends, and thanks for reading!  ^__^

=RazorFox.

  • Therew

    Lol. Ahh and another string of a tangle web is relieved.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      It all comes back to Kess. ^__^

      • Therew

        Also amazes me how much larger Shie is over Kess. that close up on their faces just drives it home. Also wonder when Kess will learn that war shouldn’t be about murder.

  • http://www.furaffinity.net/user/maverikat/ MaveriKat

    And Briella is now in the hands of the Tigers. The chase is over… let’s see what they do with her now.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      The question is more along the lines of “What WON’T they do with her now?”

      • http://www.furaffinity.net/user/maverikat/ MaveriKat

        Sadly, I have a feeling, “make out with her” falls under the “What WON’T they do with her now?” category.

      • http://twitter.com/Draven_Long Draven

        Unfortunately you are *probably correct.

      • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

        LOL! Dunno if Briella would be able to withstand “muskrat breath.” ^o^

  • http://twitter.com/Draven_Long Draven

    Time for Briella to put on the most pity inspiring face in history if she wants to escape alive, forget about in one piece though.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Red and blue puppy-dog eyes? Q.Q

  • Silvertail

    Red dragon with a yellow marking on her left eye…and a pink…dragon…? Ohhhhh, dear. This explains a lot.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Woohoo! Someone’s paying attention! ^o^

      • Kobra

        Sorry didn’t catch that what’s happening?

      • Silvertail

        I get the feeling that the red dragon (presumably named “Flare”) is either Xhianil’s: A) Mother (hey, it’s possible); 2) Her sister who was her only family after her mother was killed in similar circumstances; or, most likely, Z) Her lover as Kess thought. Whatever the case, it’s a very powerful motivator and it certainly gives Xhianil a much greater depth of character.

    • Kobra

      Once again sicko Kess can’t learn when to shut her dame mouth. They really should have sealed it shut back when she was in the dungeon do the world a favor.

  • yupitsnick

    If she can just come to she can outwit those stupid flee bags. (Yells) WAKE UP BRIELLA!(/Yell) ;P

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Given what she’ll find when she wakes up, I think it’d be in her own personal best interest to stay unconscious. What she doesn’t know (yet) won’t hurt her… yet.

  • http://foreverknight13.deviantart.com/ JesterInaMask

    Still dont buy it, Shes alive now but that dosent mean you wont kill her later.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Doesn’t mean I will, either. ~__^

  • Darkguyver2020

    To quote Mortal Kombat. FINISH HER!!! *Insert fatality music here!*

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      “COME HERE!!”

      • Darkguyver2020

        “TOASTY!!!”

  • JoeRaven

    Dun Dun Duuuuuuuuuuuuuun! Great job Danny!

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Thank you, good sir! Thanks for the suspenseful music vamp. ^__^

  • WizzardRabbit

    It’s as if a certain tiger had been learning Draconian language while in a jail cell for several years. I have my assumptions of course (like how Chuki (spelling?) is a double agent spying on Shaleigh’s handy-work and the Dragons after being raised a bit by one of the tigers.), but this point of knowledge is best left to the imagination for everyone else to be honest.

    On a side note: I laughed so hard once I found out that “oscuro” means dark/gloomy in spanish. So much personality in a name for a vengeful dragon queen. xD

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Interesting theories. As for Queen Oscura’s name, you got it! Her name is simply the feminine version of the word for “dark” in Spanish. I’m actually natively bilingual, so I draw a lot on Spanish for names. “Calera” comes from Spanish, actually. Dare ya to do some research! ~__^

      • Xch3l

        really? I thought that about Oscura, but Calera?

      • Xch3l

        man, I really need to know where I live u_u°

      • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

        @Xch3l: I’ve lived all my life in the USA, but when you’ve got a Colombian mom, it’s all Spanish at home. ^__^

      • WizzardRabbit

        haha. Man if it really does get to be 1000 Celsius in there everyone’s in trouble. I definitely wouldn’t want to be turned into lime cobblestone that way (or any way for that matter). That brings up the bigger question though. Will the surviving dragons and tigers work together to be able to escape this oven? Of course the resolution to this question is about 15 to 20 pages off, so I will be staying tuned, but that really makes me wonder about the ACTIVITY of that place.

      • m

        WELL. That’s interesting. I decided to look up what “calera” means. (I KNEW Calera was the original spelling! Thank the goddesses I’ve taken Spanish!) It’s a limestone quarry. And where have we seen a mine before? Oh, yeah. The very beginning. A scene, which, in light of recent events, might be this: A long time ago, tigers created a mine called the Calera. They wrote a prophecy or spell on the wall of the entrance about how five tigers could defeat four dragons. Then there was a cave-in. The Calera was closed to the tigers, but then as they continued to mine they stumbled onto the entrance– or more precisely, they discovered the rock from the original entrance into the mine. I say original, as another entrance was opened by the dragons when they built a sewer system. They recognized it as the cave from the ancient legend, which their speech had corrupted to be the “Khalira.” A cave that none of their dragons had returned from, and whose skulls were left in the caverns– they falsely attributed the dragons’ deaths to the tigers when it was actually a cave-in. The tigers, likewise, assumed that the dragons caused the cave-in. …I think my theory may have reached completion.

      • m

        Sorry for the long post!

  • Ferun

    Well, I guess it’s time to try and find those dragons referenced earlier in the comic. This is an interesting look at the bias that tigers have towards dragons. It’s probably the same way in the dragon’s eyes. I wish they could see it like we do, without all the evil eyes and bad smells that they always complain about.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Bingo! That kill was tragic to the Dragons, particularly to “the pink one,” but it’s a major bragging point for a Tiger.

      • The_Rippy_One

        And vice versa…

        Man, the fox’s are going to be in so much trouble if the races ever stop beating each other and compare notes…

  • hariman

    Well, that’s a relief. Briella, fortunately, now has a chance to talk her way out of this. Fortunately, there are tigresses more civil than Kess to talk to, although I don’t think she’s going to negotiate for her freedom easily.

    Plus, this is a chance for both sides to find out that the other was hurt just as bad by the volcano, and possibly let slip some info about the vulpine advisor, if they know.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      All good ideas, if only they can overcome their mutual language barrier first. Maybe then…

      • hariman

        Hmm. Odds are, they can. From the way Shie is acting, she’s either patient enough to learn to communicate herself, or she’ll be willing to keep Kess of everyone’s back long enough for someone else to learn.

        Plus, Briella’s too awesome to let a little barrier like language get in the way. ;)

  • razorbrun645

    Well Briella is still alive for the moment. I have to say it makes me smile every time Kess is told shut up.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      If you’re smiling at Kess being rebuked, then I’m doing my job well. Yay! ^o^

  • Haraio

    Come on, tear her apart! I want to see her face in a mess of tears, desperation and fear before they rip her to shreds! >:D

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Briella might have a differing opinion on that matter. ^__^;;;’;

    • Kobra

      SICKO WACKO!

      • Haraio

        *chants* Kill, kill, kill, kill… >:D

  • Kobra

    And they wonder why the tigers are considered barbaric?!

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Never said they weren’t. ^__^

  • Kobra

    And unfortunately Razor this hasn’t allayed any fears just yet.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      I can’t win, can I? v__v;;

  • Kobra

    Is it wrong I want Kess’s tongue cut out? Is it too much for them to have do at least that to her in all that time they were supposedly torturing her? I don’t think that many tigers would be that upset if she could never talk again.

    • Crabby

      The dragons left her tongue intact because they wanted her to escape. Now their will be no end to her obsessive rambling. Before long the tigers will be so irritated with her that somebody will take matters into their own hands. That single action will cause a fissure in the tiger’s ranks. Many will be relieved with the news of her demise. Her killer will be hailed a hero. Though many (mostly those who never met her) will believe that the act was more than a tad bit excessive and demand punishment. With their ranks divided, they will be much easier to pick off.

      • Kobra

        I can see maybe Shalagly doing that, but not a dragon. Perhaps in this case it’s better for them that they can’t understand her.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Interesting. Yeah, Kess does have a tendency to shoot her mouth off. Sooner or later, I suppose it might just cost her dearly.

      • Kobra

        My money’s on sooner.

  • Xch3l

    hmmm… reading carefully I think Shie wants to light up Briella (if you know what I mean ñ_ñ), or, just some answers

    • Kobra

      You can’t set a dragon on fire?!

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      “You want yours rare or well done?”

  • Gavir

    “Child, Why do you hold still, beaten and bleeding? You seem to wait for them to kill you, day after day. Why must you hold back? You are stronger than this, child.” -Bekilip (I’ll be sending more relevant comments from my book’s characters from here, if that’s alright. ^_^)

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      By all means, please do. ^__^

  • Finlass

    UUUUHHHHH there is somting big happening there and it soundlike understanding that killing is not the pest way to solve old problems *g* and Kess get a nother lessen :D

    Nice work and the shocker will come in the next pages that what i guess :P

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Shocker? You mean the hand gesture? Maybe I should sneak that in somewhere. Oh wait, I already did! Cinder does it in the 2012 calendar. Don’t have one? You’ll have another chance this fall. ^o^

      • Finlass

        If i woud be in the US we can talk over that but here from the EU it is a bit out of the place to get it becaus i don’t trust the Postdeliverie serves i got to offen my stuff lost damang and somting but i realy woud like to get them some how :D

  • http://www.furaffinity.net/user/gentlemanplayer/ GentlemanPlayer

    Kess may be the leader of the bunch, but at this moment, Shie seems to be showing leadership skills. While Kess is just running off at the mouth.

    • Kobra

      Is Kess the leader? She just seems to like throwing her weight around and shooting her mouth off. Shie actually seems a better leader.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Maybe there’s a power struggle brewing. 9.9

      • m

        IS that a hint? Ooh, things could get ugly.

      • m

        *Is

  • Explosion Zuruck

    Heh. Cant wait to see what Riah is gonna do eh? This should be good. Hey razor! Popcorn and Soda? I also have the Wonka nerds ropes, nerds box’s, and several bags of runts candy. So were pretty much set, dig in.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Dibs on the nerds! My second favorite candy, after Skittles! ^__^

  • http://spiritkitsune-dr.deviantart.com/ spiritkitsune

    Can’t decide who should win! @_@

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Shall I flip a coin? Call it!

  • Sleel

    Despising Kess. Hoping she meets an end similar to the one she seems to want for every dragon. Seems more like a wanna-be serial killer then anything else.

    • Kobra

      Not really, I feel the same way.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Every serial killer has to start somewhere. ^__^;

  • DragonDred

    Hope she stays ok.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Who, Briella? Down but not out. Given the chance, as long as she’s alive, she might still have a rabbit or two left in her hat.

      Or not. ~__^

  • Chocothunda

    Woo, Shie’s fast becoming one of my favorite chars. Think I mentioned this a few pages back, but the few words that she says speaks VOLUMES.

    Enough to make Kess quiet up when she gets on her rants :D

    As for Briella, hmm…whe’s not dead, but the question is, what will they be doing with her?

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      As has been suggested here before, every Tiger grabs an appendage and makes a wish. ^__^

  • Chuck

    So much cyclical hatred and violence. Where’s that damn Empathy Gun when you need it?

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      I’d love to have one of those. 9_9

  • kittyluver

    0.o”" i have a really bad feeling for briella…

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Or a really good feeling for the Tigers, depending on your perspective. ^__^

  • Kobra

    What’s Riah got to do with anything anyway? She and Briella don’t even know each other.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      …Or DO they? o_O

    • Darkguyver2020

      It’s quite obvious that she wants Riah to help identify if it is indeed the same Light Dragon that took her eye. In any case, I hope they skin Briella alive.

      • Kobra

        How horrible to do such a thing to a innocent dragon!

  • http://www.digitalcharles.com Sinstarr

    Well she’s not dead, but I’m pretty sure we’re going to hear screams of torture through the caves soon. Poor Briella T_T. Makes me glad that Blue isn’t in the front lines of battle or really dangerous missions like this. Even though I’m sure her adopted daughter, Fiera, is going to be recruited into Red’s guard one day when she’s old enough. Then I’m going to be worried and scared to death for her everyday. >_>;

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      Normally, the Palace Guard actually has a pretty cushy job. Unless the Queen directs them on a specific mission, their job is to keep intruders out of the Palace, escort visitors, wrangle prisoners, and make sure every one of them stays in their cells. They’re nowhere near the front lines. In future storylines, I hope to show serving in the Palace Guard as being a great way to avoid serving on the front lines. It’s like serving in the Army… by working at a desk job. ^__^

      • http://www.digitalcharles.com Sinstarr

        Ah ok, well that makes me feel better. I’ll be looking forward to seeing how cushy the Palace Guard is. ^_~

      • Kobra

        Or flying one of thous drone bomber things.

  • snakehead

    I’m beginning to think that razorfox partially pays attention to the comments just so he can mess with our heads. and if that’s true, good idea, i’d do the same thing.

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      *Geep! They’re onto me!*

      Hey, snakehead! What’s that shiny, naked distracty thing over there?

      *scampers off*

  • Ice4smaster

    I have some hope, that the level headed tigers will be in bigger numbers and Briella life will be spared, and perhaps some beatting be the most she recive, and not wings and other limbs ripped off, and kept as a prisoner.

    Would be an good point to start to slowly turn over the conflict and began bridge the gap between the two race, Especially as the narrator, quite back did said this will happen.

  • Zachary

    Or a humane death. I doubt the group will let her go that easily. They are at war, after all.

    • Zachary

      oops. this was meant to be a reply towards Ice4master on the “not having limbs” off bit.

  • Zachary

    Anyway, Looks like Kess is starting to lose her grip on the group.

    You know? If she were to approach me (I had this thought for a while now, in some form or another), and I had a handgun, I’d probably pull it out and the following scene would be…

    Me: Don’t move! This thing’s loaded! What are you doing here?

    Kess: What am I doing here!? Whatever you are, what are YOU doing here!?

    Me: Just trying to stay out of the war! If you think to force me into anything, all I have to do is pull the trigger and there’d be one less bigot walking around attempting genocide on each other!

    Kess: Girl, if you knew more about the war…

    Me: First off, I’m male! Second, I know more than you think, which is more than I would let on! Now, turn around and leave, before I change my mind and shoot anyway!

    • http://draconia.katbox.net RazorFox

      You’d have to explain what that funny-looking metal thing in your hands is, first. Be sure to identify it as your “boomstick.” ^__^

      • Zachary

        I wonder what she’d say after leaving that scenario. I’ll bet she’ll rant on and on about it. lol

  • jmcallaway

    Even if Bri’s not the Dragon who messed up Riah’s eye, the Tigers are now in a trickier situation. While the more level-headed (not hate-crazed…) ladies might not kill Bri out-of-hand (-claw?), they can’t just let her go and report back. By the same token, taking a prisoner in their current situation is not advisable–they’re in Dragon territory, possibly lost, and have one badly wounded sister (plus 1 chipped tooth) to care for. The most expedient option would be to kill Briella–not out of malice, but because it would be tactically sound. The more “humane” option would be to break a wing (or two) so Bri’s mobility is severely hampered, leave her, and get the deuce out of Dodge.
    If, by chance, Briella IS the Dragon responsible for Rhia’s eye–Hammurabi’s Code would certainly apply here. And make for a nasty long-term grudge.

    Either way, it is unlikely that Briella’s going to get out of this unscathed.

    • Kobra

      Even if she was the dragon that cost her her eye Rhia should be grateful to her. After all the eye-patch look never goes out of stile and is as sexy as any scare.

    • Crabby

      A hostage would actually still be a sound decision in case they run into any other dragons. At least until they can find an exit. While that didn’t exactly work with Gaia’s example, the other dragons didn’t exactly care for her all that much.

      They already have one injured party member that they need to worry about, so it’s not as if dragging around an additional body will be much of a hindrance. Once they get out of there and to the safety of some cover her usefulness would drop down a bit. Trying to be stealthy with a hostage can be tricky, but you’d still have a hostage should you need one later on.

      I hope that Bri finds some way to get back at Lady Red for sending her down there in the first place. Even if that means risking certain death at the hands of her captors just to get a bit of vengeance.

  • Surun the Scroll-Writer

    Well well this is quite the outcome, I would say that she’s up a creek without a paddle. Not that its too late for her, but just yet the odds are against her that much is a fact. To see her escape this in one piece, indeed that will be something to see.

  • Kobra

    What I want to know is were the hell is Kilani during all this? If there is anyone that would want to let poor little Briella go it would be her.

  • Gavir

    Just a heads up to anyone who read the little quotations up there that i placed from my book (that i’m still writing), five names to look out for if you see any really dark ones: Bekilip, Gavir, Hexlith, Sventar, Sjach. Happy hunting!

  • Alex Warlorn

    And we keep getting reminded that both sides 99% perfectly decent people with pet peeves, loved ones, personal fears, and goals they’ve set for themselves besides ‘kill the enemy.’ And that they’ve had this blood feud going on for so long it serves no other purpose than ‘exterminate the other species.’ All wars start with the public being indoctrinated that ‘the other side isn’t composed of people’ (until the war ends and suddenly they have to be people again and fast!), but it’s no longer even a product of any propaganda or speeches, it’s simply hardwired into their culture! The other side is composed of monsters who will eat your babies and don’t feel any love for each other at all and ARE just identity-less monsters.

    And unless something changes, something BIG, this cycle shows no signs of stopping, at all.

    The one tiger who DARED show compassion to a completely innocent and helpless non-combatant who hadn’t even hatched yet is now a pariah. And when the queen found her daughter had experiences that showed Tigers weren’t inherently evil . . . sigh, they got swept under the rug so she can be groomed into the great exterminator her mother ambitions her to be.

    And we still don’t know if the fox (or foxes) is trying to end the war, or simply escalate the it so the two sides finally free up all the elbow room they’ve been taking up.

  • Elora

    Good grief, Kess. Get over yourself, already. Yes, yes, we all know what you did a long time ago. We get it. To act like a condenscending fool about it is getting to be a bit much, don’t you think? I feel bad for Briella, Shie AND Riah because namely, Briella done got suplexed into next week, and Shie’s acting like the big cat she is again (and hopefully will be acting more normal in the weeks to come) and Riah is now talking again and she seems to have snapped out of her comatose state. Besides, where the hell IS Kilani in all this? Anyway, sweet Loessa Kess get over yourself for crying out loud! You’re turning into a condescending bitch with a really bad vendetta and who won’t listen to reason and who needs to be bitch slapped to come to your senses! /end rant about Kess

    Poison-Stripes: Does someone need to be smacked upside the head? I’d be happy to oblige.

    • Kobra

      THAT’S WHAT I’ve BEEN SAYING!!!

  • Kobra

    You know what the real problem is for the dragons… No solidarity, this I put squarely on Oscura. She’s so concerned about dividing the dragons by class and keeping everyone under her foot with her strangle hold on who has kids she’s turning her nose up on real game changing possibility’s.

  • http://hotmail turok

    well the same thing they did on china when Chinese goverment say they could only have one child each

  • killatitan64

    this would be my encounter with the tigers
    me: drop the dragon NOW

    kess: who the !@#$ are you

    me:a little less about me and a little more about you shutting up and dropping the dragon(pulls out sword) that way noone gets hurt

    kess:look behind you dumb@!#

    me:(turns around and see all the other tigers) oh Shiii

    • Ice4smaster

      You do it wrong XD

      Get the following:
      -Starcraft 2 ( or Warhammer ) Armoured suit, the top quality one
      -Gauss Rifle
      -Smash a nice decent rock with your hand, and shot another to peices
      -Then say what you say, well if they still there

  • killatitan64

    now i just need a way to turn that into a comic

  • MrAMP

    Hm…I’m somewhat impressed. I would’ve thought that blow to the head would’ve killed her. But that does beg the question as to why she’s still alive. I mean after all, Kess seems to be over zealous about killing any dragon. Unless…I wonder if it’s possible that the tigers learned their language, kind of like the green one back in the calender series. But man oh man, Shie seems to be a little “ticked” off at Kess. Wonder what her beef is.

  • Mezdermu

    I’m really starting to hate Kess. Immature little warmonger, that one.