Dissection (The Clan of Rot)

=="I am a mosaic of everyone I’ve ever loved, even for a heartbeat."==
Dissection is the current leader of the Clan of Rot, and has been for several years. He lives with his offspring Maniae in one of the larger dwellings of the clan. The dwelling is larger than needed, as it used to also house his previous mate, Wanheda. The two were a long time couple, and used to lead the clan together. No longer mated, the duty falls on Dissection alone.
He spends his days tending to the clan. His usual first step of the day is a quick morning meal with Maniae, before meeting up with the recently appointed treasurer, Daphne. Dissection had been sceptical to Daphne in the beginning due to her young age, but the colorful mirror had proven her worth, and is now Dissection’s most trusted advisor.
As he’s currently grooming Maniae to be the next clan leader, they tag along with his activities on the days when they aren’t training with the clan’s trainer Murphy. Daphne and Dissection then go through the schedule for the day. Usually there’s a few complaints, thoughts or other notes from the inhabitants of the clan, so the two (or three) of them do some home visits to sort out whatever the issue is.
They then survey the clan in general, seeing what needs upkeep, making sure everyone is happy and healthy. Dissection also makes it a point to make sure any visitors feel welcome, so he usually chats them up if there are any at the moment. Later in the evening they go through the budget and make sure everything is as it should be. They also discuss any reforms that should be done, though Dissection is very negative towards change. Dissection then heads off on his daily walk.
Whenever there is time his best friend and confidante, River, joins him. The two generally fall into easy conversation, mostly due to their long friendship. It’s one of the things that Dissection looks forward to the most every day, especially since his mate disappeared.
Despite being overall well liked as a clan leader, he doesn’t really have friends. Or rather, he’s a friend to everyone in the clan, while he doesn’t feel like he can rely on them. His unique position as “ruling” over everyone pervents this, especially with the newer members of the clan. The older members who’s been with the clan since before he took over are easier to converse with in his opinion, as they have a different attitude towards him. Not necessarily less respect, but they see him more as an equal.
==Past==
A long time ago, Dissection had lived with another clan, one he’d been raised in. His parents had been the leaders, and when his time had come he’d become the leader as well. He’d taken a mate, and they had had two beautiful hatchlings.
Unfortunately, a hunting party had come too close to a pack of longnecks’ territory. One night the clan had been awoken by the smell of smoke, and in an instant Dissections whole life had gone up in smoke. As hard as he’d tried, he couldn’t save any of the inhabitants in the clan. In just one night, he’d lost his family, and everyone he’d ever known.
The loss made him see red, and he spent a year stalking and tracking down the pack of longneck who’d started the fire. One by one he picked them off, but he knew that one family had escaped. He was tracking them when he ran into the Clan of Rot. The clan had been much different when he first stumbled upon it, being led by a ruthless mirror named Yachil. It had functioned less as a clan, and more like a pack.
Still reeling from the loss of everything he’d known, he’d tried to join the clan. The then leader however had sensed his strength and determination, and refused him. Filled with anger, Dissection challenged the leader and won. Although customs demanded that he kill the previous leader, Dissection had snapped out of his rage and offered the mirror another chance; leave and never come back.
His first year or so as a leader was rough. The clan was mistrusting after having followed a the previous leader, but with hard work he made them trust him. First on the agenda was settling down, and they chose the spot together through a vote, ending up on the edge of the wasteland, where it meets the Tangled Woods and the Sea of a Thousand Currents.
While building the new clan, Dissection found that the past was hesitant to let go. He missed his old family, and any longneck unfortunate enough to cross paths with him was swiftly put to death. The smell of smoke also brought back flashes of that fateful night, but this he forced himself to live through. Fire wasn’t an inherently bad thing, and offered a kind of protection guards alone couldn’t.
Gaining the trust of the clan was helped along by his quick friendship with River. The green mirror seemed to have chosen Dissection at random, and the two grew closer. For a while Dissection might even have fallen slightly in love with him, but that feeling faded as he saw how close River was with his mate. He forced himself to see him as a friend instead, and after a while the infatuation had shifted into a brotherly love.
For a few years, everything was peaceful in the clan. Members left or joined, dwellings were built or moved, alliances shifted and disbanded, but he was always a solid point of reference. When Wanheda happened upon them though, things changed.
Aggressive and unaccustomed to meeting resistance, she was used to dominating everything she came across. Dissection met her head on in a battle, that ended up wounding both of them mortally. The then healer seemed to have taken pity on Wanheda despite the threat she posed, and Dissection and her healed side by side.
Wanheda wasn’t an unintelligent dragon by any means, but she valued power, something Dissection had displayed plenty of. She decided to stick around, and as she no longer posed a threat (and knowing he would take her out should any harm fall on any clan member), he let her. The two grew closer, and before he knew it he was head over heels.
He never thought he’d meet a new mate after the death of his first one, but he figured that this was for life. The two had clutch after clutch of eggs, and he couldn’t have been happier. Things were going great in the clan, and Dissection saw no issues.
Looking back on it now though, Dissection could see where the cracks had started to form. The amount of times Wanheda had lashed out at him or a member of the clan was staggering, coupled with the constant restlessness... He knew she wasn’t happy, but put his own happiness before hers.
Then came Maniae, as a final cataclyst. As soon as Wanheda had seen Maniae, she had left without a trace and Dissection couldn’t fault her. Their relationship had been falling apart for some time, and Dissection knew she wasn’t meant to lead. She was built to roam the wastelands.
The arrival of Maniae was an enigma. It shouldn’t have been possible. With his bleeding heart, Dissection still loved his offspring to death, and could not stomach the idea of leaving them out for the elements. Driven in part by his grief of loosing his second love, he lavished Maniae with affection, doing anything and everything for them.
This continued throughout their adolescence, and when they expressed interest in becoming an advisor, and later clan leader he couldn’t have been happier. He knows that some are worried about the mean streaks in them, streaks that remind him so much of Wanheda. The concerns have been brought up from various members of the clan, but so far he’s been able to dismiss them. The most concerning one had been a whispered conversation between himself and River. River’s worry about his own offspring, Rill, had sparked some uncertainty in Dissection. Was he letting things go too far? Was the clan, or even himself in danger?
He couldn’t be sure.
==Relationships==
Maniae [Offspring]
River [Best friend]
Daphne [Friend]
== Short stories ==
To be written...
==Aesthetic ==
Category:Clan Leader
Category:Plague Dragon
Category:Mirror
Category:Male
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