I know it's been a while, so here's a recap from the last chapter:
Spoiler
Ryder has agreed to guide Chance and Jot to the kingdom Rale in order to rescue Chance's sister. Ryder knows someone from whom they can buy some horses: an old acquaintance named Daria. Daria is a tough, middle-aged woman with a young protégé named Jade that Chance is immediately attracted to. It's decided that Daria and Jade will accompany Chance, Jot, and Ryder so that Daria can make sure that her horses will return unharmed to her.
Thanks in advance for any reviews!
Here There Be Dragons
Part Ten
“Did you know that dragons will often dismember a human while it’s alive? The blood’s still gushing, you see, making it easier to lap up. And the meat’s very warm. Of course, the person will often start screaming and making a terrible noise, but if you just puncture a lung, that usually gets them to stop.”
“That’s fascinating. Do tell me more, Sir Jot.” Jade’s voice was bright, perky. As if I was telling her something lovely, like…well, I don’t know exactly what would be considered lovely, so just picture something yourself; I don’t have time for this.
I huffed. This girl was proving to be a lot less squeamish than I had anticipated. I figured that if I couldn’t eat her, then at least I’d be able to make her vomit, cry, faint in horror, or some combination therein. Sadly, she seemed to have a very strong stomach, and my tales of grisly battles, gruesome deaths, and ghastly tortures didn’t have any lasting effect on her.
“I’m tired of talking to you,” I said, trying to sound uppity and bored. I turned in the pack hanging from Chance’s saddle and faced ahead. Chance’s leg hung in front of me invitingly, and his face peered less invitingly from above.
“What’s the matter, Jot?” he asked.
“He’s tired of talking right now,” Jade answered, just as I was opening my mouth to tell Chance to go make a stew of himself. The girl urged her horse a little closer to Chance’s and she flashed him a smile, turning his face red. “I think I was too inquisitive for him. He’s probably not used to talking that long.”
“Er-em-yeah. You’re probably right.” Chance spoke in a befuddled kind of way.
There wasn’t much Jade could say in response to that, so she ended up falling back to ride alongside her mentor. Daria had insisted on bringing up the rear, a strategic move. She could henceforth keep an eye on Ryder and Chance, as well as overhear the conversations as they drifted back to her. Not that there was much worth listening to. Chance had yet to form any kind of functioning sentence around Jade, and Ryder was too intent on his job (i.e., finding our way along the very obvious dusty road) in order to avoid the consequences (i.e., me having a snack).
Personally, I felt that a lot was at stake for Chance. I could trust the grimy weasel-like man riding ahead of us about as much as Chance should trust me to not eat him—which, if you bar the bit about the vows, would be nil. But Chance felt like Ryder would come through, and I was just the back-up along for the ride, not the one in charge of making important decisions like whether to have a distraction in the form of an annoyingly un-squeamish girl accompany us.
I peeked stealthily over my back to see what she was up to. Whispering to her mentor in a gossip-like way, not a deadly secret way. I inhaled deeply to let out a hefty sigh, but ended up coughing into the pack instead. Daria had coated my scales in some kind of essence oil that smelled perfectly horrid, like fresh flowers on a spring day—this was, as she put it, to “mask your dragon-odor so the horses won’t spook.”
As if dragons could smell worse than flowers.
“I can’t take it anymore,” I hissed up at Chance. He glanced down at me, looking as if what I was saying surprised him. “I’ve got to stretch my wings. Find something other than your scrawny behind to eat. Take me out.”
“You won’t let yourself be seen, will you?” Trust the boy to keep priorities straight.
“Of course not! I don’t want to have anything to do with any more humans unless they are sliding into my gullet!”
“And you’ll return soon?”
“As soon as I’m full and satisfied.”
“You won’t go causing any trouble or—”
“I’ll go on a slaughtering spree right here and now if you do not open the pack and bring me out!” I could have easily torn through the pack, spread my wings before I fell to the ground, and flown off myself. But my wings would have cramped like hell if I exerted them in that short of time. Besides, I’d have nothing to ride in after that, and even though I could walk or fly along, why expend that much energy? Someone could comment that I sound lazy, but I like to say that I’m just being practical.
My words convinced Chance, and he unbuckled the pack, lowering his hand for me to clamber up. Well, maybe he was going to pick me up, but I took the initiative and used his long arm to hook my claws into and scale up; the way the boy squealed on about the pain, you’d have thought he didn’t have a sleeve to protect his preciously pale skin. I perched on Chance’s thigh, extending my claws every time the horse’s awkward gait threw me off balance, spreading my wings slowly and then pushing off. Between the rush of air from my wings and the yelp of pain from Chance, I think the horse spooked, shying away unexpectedly and so unseating Chance. All I know for sure is that as I glanced back, I saw Chance on his bottom on the road, his horse trotting off, and Jade hiding a giggle behind her hand.
Good luck ever living with a girl who’s as sympathetic as that.
I glanced at Daria; she was watching me with a little smile on her face, the kind that made me feel like she knew something about me that I wouldn’t like. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, I soared high, reveling in the wind and the power. For a time, at least, I was free.
*****
After consuming four rabbits, two pigs, and a human (he was a bard, one of those nomadic musicians who wouldn’t be missed), I figured it was about time to return. The sun was setting and casting the skies in a bloody glow; the humans would be setting up a camp.
We hadn’t traveled that far, but since we had only started mid-afternoon, that was to be expected. Daria hadn’t wasted any time since striking the deal to pack up, Jade naturally emulating her mentor. It was within the hour of payment that we had all set off, Ryder leading the way and the rest of us strung out in a scraggly line. Daria and Jade’s horses were loaded with an assortment of dubious-looking baggage and paraphernalia.
I discovered that said rubbish was used to construct a shelter that looked as skeptical as the stuff it was made out of. There were three tall poles, stuck into the ground, surmounted by a large, heavy, blue sheet. The edges of the sheet were pinned in the ground with little wooden stakes, and the top of the sheet was tied off at the top of the poles with coarse rope. All in all, it was a pretty shoddy tent-thing, and I admit I didn’t feel too bad when it collapsed due to the strong wind being buffeted from my descending wings.
“Jot! That took ages to put up!” Chance’s welcomes could use a little work, I decided.
“So-rry. I was just landing, you know.”
“You don’t have to land right by the tent!”
“Oh, so that’s what it is! Thought it was some kind of malformed cloth-monster about to topple over from faintness. In which case, I would have done it a favor.” I folded my wings and eyed the mass of sheet and poles. “Although I think I still did a favor.”
Jade sighed. “Could you at least help hammer in the poles again? You’re so strong, you’d be able to do it in seconds.”
Like I would fall for flattery. “Sorry, I just finished eating an odd-tasting human; he has the flavor of music. I’ve got to get it out of my mouth.” I started to shuffle off.
“I guess he’s just too weak then,” Jade observed too loudly to Chance. “Obviously if he was strong enough, he could pound them in without hesitation.”
Like I was going to fall for that, either. I waddled off without seeming to have heard, leaving the children to their shelter construction.
Ryder, I noticed, was trying unsuccessfully to build a fire a little ways off; he had the circle of rocks and the wood and dry grass piled neatly up, but the flint was refusing to give him a single spark. I coughed as I passed; a little blaze happened to leap from my throat, and the whole thing was soon alit with flames. Ryder muttered an ungrateful thank-you, and I continued on.
Daria was attending to the horses, picketing them to the ground and removing their tack, and I watched from a polite distance, having refracted my scales so the nervous beasts wouldn’t take alarm at my impressive size and terrifying visage. I still stank of flowers, albeit bloody flowers now.
“Did you have a good meal?” Daria suddenly asked, her back to me as she undid a horse’s saddle straps.
I belched. “Oh yes.”
“Good. A satiated dragon is much easier to deal with than an irritated, hungry one.”
Daria’s face gave nothing away, no matter how hard I might peer. “Oh, so you’ve had a lot of experience with dragons before?”
She set a saddle on the ground some feet away and flashed a tired smile in my direction. “I’ve had enough.”
I watched in respectful silence as she finished rubbing down the sweaty horses, then joined the two tent-makers. There was a certain gravity about Daria that just seeped with the secrets of a tough past. I have to say, if it came to it, she would have been the one out of our group that I’d have left alone and let live. Better to lose one human than an eye, wing, or tail. Or all three, in Daria’s case. I had no doubt that she could manage to give me a good showdown before I prevailed.
Watching the horses graze proved to be too boring (and tempting) for me, so I reluctantly joined the rest of the group, changing back to my cat size and slinking close to the warm flames. They were busy making a meal of the provisions Daria and Jade had brought, as well as a few pitiful additions from Chance. Ryder had nothing to contribute, food-wise. And other.
“We’ll need to hunt along our way,” Daria said as I slunk up to sit beside Chance. “When we reach Thornbone Forest, we won’t be able to find as many animals.”
“Really? I thought they would be more abundant.” Chance frowned.
“In any other forest, perhaps. Not in the Thornbone, though. It’s too rife with…unusual creatures. Most of the normal animals can sense the danger and instinctively avoid the forest.”
“What sort of unusual creatures?” Chance leaned forward, peering at Daria sitting across the fire.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “You mean to tell me you haven’t heard the stories?”
“Oh.” Chance leaned back dismissively. “The ones about lost travelers and witches and unspeakable horrors? Of course. But they’re just tales, aren’t they?”
Ryder snorted. “You believe that, boy!” Chance shot him a glare and glanced back at Daria.
She was silent just long enough to make Chance start to doubt himself. When she finally spoke, it was in a low voice, and everyone leaned forward to hear her words.
“I used to think so, too. I went out there with a friend, on a dare. I got out, four days later, injured and half-mad.” She stared at the flickering light of the fire.
“What happened to your friend?” Chance whispered.
“He died.” Daria’s voice was clipped, as if she was only letting the words out, not the emotions. “Or, more accurately, he was killed. By something dark. I never got a good look—all I remember seeing was a dark shadow, then hearing his screams, and then—” she broke off, glancing down at the ground and taking a deep breath. Jade placed a comforting hand on her mentor’s shoulder.
The group sank into a weighty, depressed silence, each human staring into the fire with their own thoughts dancing in their minds.
It was ridiculous.
“That’s something to look forward to,” I said cheerfully. Everyone blinked and looked up at me. “Fighting off killing shadows in a dense forest? Sounds like we’ll have a jolly good time. Can’t wait. No wonder you wanted to bring us all along, Chance—share in the fun, eh?”
Chance’s cheeks turned awfully red as furtive glances were shot in his direction. “I didn’t choose this route! It was the fastest one, that’s all I heard.”
“It is.” Daria’s tone was straightforward. “It’s also one of the most dangerous. But right now, speed is the key to your journey being a successful one,” she looked at Chance as she spoke. “Hence, the Thornbone Forest.”
“We’ve still got the Squalling Fells to cross before we reach the forest,” Ryder added. “That’ll give us plenty of trouble before we near any trees.”
“What sort of creatures are there?”
I nearly sighed in exasperation at this. The boy was such an idiot. It was almost as if he had never been out of the four walls of his own courtyard. I peeked at his pale face. Perhaps I was closer to the truth than I thought.
“Best to save that kind of talk for the daylight,” Ryder said, lowering his voice in a pitiful attempt at an ominous tone.
Chance was quiet, glancing from Daria to Ryder, probably pondering on this new information of unspeakable terrors. Jade watched him, I noticed, her green eyes looking odd in the orange light of the fire. She seemed to be a little sad, no doubt at Chance’s ignorance.
Again, as the group degenerated into melancholic quietude, I felt it was up to me to rouse their spirits.
“Well! I’ve had a long day, and I could use some sleep. What say you to a bit of sleep now? It’ll be much easier to face these big beasties when it’s morning.”
Daria rose. If one could ever be described as having stood smoothly, she certainly did. “Jot is right. We must rest now. Ryder, you will take first watch. Then Chance, then Jade, and finally I shall watch until morning.”
“Two hours each,” Ryder piped up.
“Sitting by the fire, unless you hear something.”
“In which case,” Ryder finished Daria’s instructions, “you move away from the light, so you can see without being seen.”
“And yell if it’s something dangerous; we’re relying on you, too.” Daria spoke especially to Chance, who nodded somberly.
As the humans cleaned up their camp and snuggled into the tent, Ryder staying by the fire, I tried to figure out our new companions. Daria and Ryder had obviously worked together before—as noted by her complete lack of trust in him. However, it seemed that they were too much in sync to really have been at complete odds during their whole acquaintance. I vaguely wondered what could have happened. Friends until one betrayed the other? Love story gone sour?
I shook my head. Thinking about humans too much would get me feeling some kind of attachment to them. And then what would happen once my side of bargain was complete and I would be free to devour them? I wouldn’t be able to, that’s what. Because I’d feel connected and start dredging up memories of our time together and it’d be simply horrible. I’d become the laughingstock of all dragons for centuries to come. Couldn’t eat a human because I became partial to my supper? Ridiculous.
With a huff, I marched away from the campsite, to sleep by myself. I’d had enough of humans for the day. As I curled up by a shrubby bush in the dark, I couldn’t help but think that the fire had been rather nice and warm to sit next to.
Excellent, glad to see he's still a dragon and not a pet.
