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Content Warnings
CW: light blood, some violence, fantasy cussing. Medical Procedures,
Rockjaw ran down the mountain as fast as his legs could carry him. He had been running with his friends from King Crecial’s forces for the past three weeks. They had been chased to the Drum mountains in the south and with nowhere else to go they went over them. “Piss and vinegar! Are they still chasing us!?” he cried out, stumbling over a rock. “I haven’t seen them for a bit but I’m not turning around to check!” Fleecescut called out from the front of the group. In answer to his question a hail of arrows, slings and other missiles whizzed their heads. There was a yelp of surprise from a member of the group. ‘Someone’s been hit’ Rockjaw thought, clenching his jaw at the prospect. The group barreled out of the foothills and kept running to flatter ground. Before them lay a large and dense thicket of trees. The interior was shadowy and cerulean lit only by breaks in the leaf cover. Tall black barked trees stretched up high into the air, tops towering over the group. “In there! Quickly now pick up the pace!” Oxeye bellowed charging head first into the strange thicket. The others followed, eager to be free of their pursuers. The group ran till they were out of breath, Marthello collapsing onto the mossy forest floor. “Can we… rest up here… for a bit? I’m… mighty tired.” he panted out from his prone position.
The group agreed and stopped to rest, in various stages of exhaustion. Rockjaw and Blauten were doubled over wheezing, while Spike and Ashstripe had sat down on a fallen log. Oxeye and Fleecescut seemed not worse for wear, though Wolf was panting hard as he slumped down next to Ashstripe. “Let’s take stock. Is anyone hurt in ways I can assist with?” Ashstripe spoke while examining his comrades. Rockjaw, having seemingly recovered from his run, stood with one leg against a tree. In his hand he held a bottle of clear liquid which swished around, giving a sheepish grin. Marthello still lay upon the ground, his great chest heaving and panting. Oxeye stood tall and straight, in one hand he held his bow, the large wooden implement pointed towards the earth. With the other he shaded his eyes, scanning the breaks in the treeline. Spike was inspecting a small mushroom, its vivid red color striking against the brown earth. He gently cut the base of the mushroom and pocketed it. Fleecescut was setting up a perimeter, dragging fallen logs into place around them. Once finished, he gathered up loose sticks and logs for firewood. Blauten sharpened a pair of knives with a whetstone. He inspected the sharpness by cutting a small oran in half and then eating it. Wolf sat on a log, clutching his chest. A branch appeared to be poking from his chest, tearing through his shirt. Wordlessly Ashstripe got up and was unfolding a large brown satchel. Inside were a small collection of various medical equipment neatly organized and arranged. He took out a small lens, a pair of metal tongs, and a small knife. Carefully he gripped the broken end and pulled. “Ach! That smarts Ashstripe what are you doing?” Wolf shouted, swatting at his friend. “Testing to see if I can't pull it right out before I need to cut. Do you happen to know how you got this one?” Wolf carefully removed his shirt and sat watching the good doctor look at the edges of the wound. “Not sure… got it before we started down the mountain. Think it might have been an arrow… or some type of javelin.” Wolf explained, inspecting the doctor’s work. The offending object was the broken head of a Javelin. It appeared designed to break off the head and detach the wooden haft. “Ok, so good news. The point is only about 2 to 3 inches inside of your chest right now. The bad news is… It’s barbed and so I’ve got to cut it out rather than pull it. Let me get my disinfectant and i’ll…. Hell’steeth I appear to be out! Stopper must not have been on tight.” Ashstripe reasoned. Dabbing the yellowish blood off Wolf’s bright red chest. Oxeye strode over. “So… that means we need alcohol. Rockjaw! Do you have anything over 140 Proof on you soldier!” Oxeye commanded, causing rockjaw to snap to attention. “I didn’t really have time to check me stores for me best vintage! All I have on me right now is cheap 80 proof stuff and most of it’s spiced.” Rockjaw quipped, taking a large swing from his bottle. “I saw some houses across the forest while we were up on the ridge. Perhaps we could trade for what we need?” Fleecescut offered, resting atop one of the makeshift half walls he had constructed. Oxeye paused… scratching his chin. On one hand, they needed to get more supplies given how quickly they had escaped south Piram. On the other hand they were in strange territory and none of them knew anything about it. “Hmmm… perhaps we should scout the area. Decide what to do with more information” Marthello offered, standing up to stretch his legs. “I suppose that is a good course of action. Alright listen up! Looks like we’re gonna be here a bit while the doctor tends to Wolf. We should get a temporary camp set up at the least. That and we should scout every way except for what we came. Rockjaw you take south, Marthello to the west, I’ll take the east. Fleecescut will head into town to try to make contact with the locals. Anyone comes across kith you run. Do not talk to anyone in our current state. The rest of you, Blauten and Spike. Set up some type of camp please. I’ll see if I can't hunt for our dinner. You all have your orders, good luck!” Oxeye drilled his friends with the makeshift plan. He had several years of experience as a military commander and often used that with his friends. The group dispersed to their various tasks. Rockjaw, Marthello and Oxeye all set off in different directions. Fleecescut took out a large cloth sheet and began tearing it into strips. He began wrapping his arms and legs with the cloth, attempting to guise over his scales. Next he brought out a cowl that he wore close to his face. To complete the disguise, he put on a set of gloves and a small hat. “That's a nice getup you have there. Are you going as a member of the infirm this time?” Blauten joked. He was cutting various bits of preserved food and placing it in a large stockpot. Once he was satisfied he started to light the collection of tinder, creating a small fire. “Should work well enough don’t you think? Sides, it’s not like too many kith are going to question the outfit. It’s the middle of Spring so it isn't that warm yet. My priority is medical disinfectant. Can anyone else think of something?” Fleecescut’s face covering muffled his voice as he spoke. The disguise did make him look a bit gaudy and the group was unsure if it would work. “If you can get Mugwort, Capenlia, and Bone scale that would be great. I’m thinking I can try my hand at making a Polymorph potion. That way you won’t need to dress like a corpse minus the smell.” Spike quipped causing Fleecescut to roll his eyes. Wolf took off a ring from his left finger. He reached out and placed it in Fleecescuts open palm. The ring was made of gold, with intricately carved depictions of a forest. Set in the center was a large green stone, cut into a hexagon. “That should pay for anything. I don't have need of fancy jewelry right now. Just make sure you come back safely in the event of danger. I would hate to have something happen to you out there.” Wolf cautioned. He grunted as Ashstripe removed small bits of wood from the back end of the metal shank sticking out of him. “Don’t worry your old bones Wolfie. They can’t catch me, the fastest runner in the third army.” Fleecescut boasted, hopping on his feet. He turned to leave in the direction he saw the houses at and walked away into the forest.
Fleecescut was no stranger to scouting missions. He figured that this wouldn’t be that difficult. Even if the locals didn't speak his language, he could probably sneak in under cover of night to get what he needed. What mattered right now was his friend and getting that metal out of him. Fleecescut stalked through the forest, careful to not crush the many branches that lay fallen on the ground. There was no easy trail to follow so he simply trampled through the underbrush, following animal tracks. After a short while of walking he came across a small cemetary at the edge of the forest. Fleecescut paused to inspect the headstones. Many of them were old and faded, though what caught his eye was that he could read the engravings. ‘Must be a small family yard. Don’t want to linger too long’ He mused, turning to leave the stones behind. He flinched as he registered a pastel yellow Equanid just a short distance away. She was walking over to the cemetery and gave a friendly wave to Fleecescut. “Oh hello, are you here for the morning market?” She asked. Fleecescut took a moment to size her up. She carried a basket underneath her arm and wore a light pink working gown. A white apron hung across covered her dress, It was dirty and spattered with filth. He was surprised he could understand her. She tilted her head and he took that as his que to respond. “My name is… Tantin. I’ve come here seeking trade, yes. I’m visiting my grandmother in the forest and she sent me some things. Could you help me around a bit?” Fleecescut lied, stepping forward a bit. He had one hand hovering over his dagger inside his cloak. “Of course! I'm always happy to meet new visitors. My name is Wisteria. I'll show you around, yeah?” She smiled, taking Fleesecut by the gloved hand and leading him deeper past the cemetery. The houses stood tall and numerous with thatched roofs and brightly colored walls. Many of them had flower pots on the outside growing all manner of plants that Fleecescut had not seen before. Wisteria led him to a grassy open field. There were numerous stalls with bright canopies overhead. Horse-like people roamed the streets, their fur various colors of the rainbow. Fleecescut’s heard the sounds of laughter and joyous conversation that drifted from the crowd. “My grandmother did not give me any money to pay for items with. She only gave me one of her old rings. She’s a bit… old fashioned. ” Fleecescut explained holding out the ring. Wisteria took a moment to examine it. Her eyes went wide at the shiny bauble. “Yeah I know someone who can do that. Follow me into the stalls. Stick close ok?” Wisteria pleaded diving into the crowd.
Fleecescut swam through the crowd, dodging people all around him. He focused on the fleeting glimmers of pink that he saw. Eventually Wisteria stopped at a stall with a yellow and red top. A larger forest green Equanid jawed away with Wisteria. Fleecescut stopped and stood next to his temporary companion. “Like I said, Aster this is Tantin. I saw them out by the old Malus cemetery. Since you’re here selling jewelry I figured you’d be willing to take a look at the ring?” Wisteria grinned pushing her new found friend closer to the shopkeeper. Wordlessly Fleecescut took out the ring from his side bag and dropped it into Aster’s waiting hand. The older man picked up the ring and inspected it with a small loop. He then ran the ring along a small plate and stared at it for a bit before whistling. “This is a mighty fine ring. It’s obviously custom made for a larger individual. Not the purest gold I've seen but better than plated. The level of detail is good but the stone is a little cloudy in character. I’d be willing to give you 1100 bits right here for it.” Aster offered looking up at Fleecescut. “Yes sir… that sounds good.” Fleecescut confirmed holding out his hands. Aster placed the ring in a small drawer and pulled out a large bag of gold coins. They were sheathed in brown paper with only the top most coin poking out. Aster handed 11 rolls to Fleecescut who inspected the coin face. It depicted a woman in profile with a circlet around her head. He pocketed the coins and then bowed low to Aster. Aster returned his gesture, waving as Fleecescut stepped away and turned to Wisteria. “Now you told me the things your grandmother sent you out for already. Is there anyone else to take care of her besides you?” Wisteria fretted, nervously rubbing her hands together. Fleecescut nodded “Yes… She sent out for my brothers and cousins. They are on the way but I fear it might be some time before they arrive. Do you know anywhere we could stay that could accommodate about… 8 souls?” He probed cautiously. Fleecescut knew that eventually their small camp would be discovered. He wanted to preempt that by hiding in the village directly. The group could probably find work and fit in, so long as they took a polymorph potion. “Yes! Mayor Lupin is trying to rent out an old house in the center of town. The couple who lived there packed up and left. I can talk to the mayor about letting you all stay there. Let me go do that. Petunia should be able to sell you the things you need. She’s in that stall with the blue and green stripes.” Wisteria pointed out a tall brown Equainid. She wore a simple white dress with light blue embroidery throughout. Fleecescut hesitated a bit before looking back to his guide. Wisteria had already disappeared into the crowd stranding him. He sighed before cutting through the crowd. A tall red equanid bumped into him spilling a basket of fruit onto the ground. Fleecescut ducked and ran to avoid any repercussions. Barreling through he came to Petunia’s stall. “A bit late for the heavy winter wraps. You’re not sick are you?” Petunia calculated, eyeing up Fleecescut. “It’s just a skin rash but I don't want to spread it to anyone. Wisteria told me you’re a herbalist? Could i get some strong alcohol and some herbs? My grandmother cut herself badly, chopping wood.” Fleecescut begged. He reached into his coat and pulled out one of his coin rolls. Petunia stared at him, eyes narrowing. “Where exactly did you say you and your grandmother lived?” She challenged. “In the forest close to town. She’s very isolated so we fend for ourselves mostly. She doesn't like coming into town often.” Fleecescut muttered. ‘Just keep cool, she’s not going to find out if you dont give her a reason to. If things go south we can just cut and run.’ He reasoned, thumbing his sheathed knife anxiously. Petunia rolled her eyes and sighed. “Figures… folk nowadays want nothing to do with Naterin. We’ve been getting strange rumors of monsters and beasties coming out of the Everfree. That was probably just you and your grandma right.” Petunia broke out into a deep laugh. Fleecescut forced himself to laugh along despite his nervousness. Petunia reached underneath her stall and pulled out a hefty bottle of clear liquid. It was marked with ‘Do not drink’ on a small paper label. She began pulling out various herbs and various dried plants, mushrooms and strange rocks and placed them all into a paper bag. “There you go hun. Should have everything you need to make up a couple draughts to help her sleep. I added some Mugwort and Capelini cause i find those useful for pain.” Anything else you need? She inquired, smiling wide at Fleecescut. He shook his head popping out 5 of the gold coins and placing them on the counter.
Grabbing the bag and the bottle Fleecescut exited the market and ran back into the wood. He sighed when he was out of sight. Undercover work was always so stressful, but no one else could do it better than him. He shook off his cowl and looked for signs of his companions. Fleecescut noticed the large even footprints of a dragon and followed them. He walked deeper into the forest, paying attention to the many roots and branches that littered the ground. For whatever reason there were small signs of civilization decaying in the forest. A rotten post of wood stood in a small group of ferns. Whatever directions it would have given were lost long ago. It did help him spy Oxeye who had just taken a shot into the forest. He swore when the animal he was aiming at bolted. Fleecescut cleared his throat and Oxeye lazily turned around. “I heard you approach. You scared off that beast… No matter, how fares your search?” Oxeye shouldered his bow and stood loosely. There was a great deal more blood on his overcoat than last time Fleecescut had seen him. “It went well. I got everything needed and asked for. You uh… alright? Coats looking a bit ragged there.” Fleecescut pointed out, hoping that Oxeye had not gotten into trouble. Oxeye snorted. “Just a bit of blood from an animal. Picked up two… cat things. Big furry motherfuckers that came at me. I’m fine… Ashstripe gave me a once over. Come on… we need to get you back, stick close to me.” Oxeye urged, walking through the underbrush. Fleecescut followed close behind the larger dragon. He had cut a path through the underbrush and was clearing it again. He held a large flat blade and was chopping trees and random limbs to get a clear path. Fleecescut worked to place the debris on the sides of the makeshift trail. With some effort the pair made it back to the camp. Blauten was cooking a meal in a large iron skillet. He waved to the pair and returned to his work. “Let’s go find Ashstripe then I can debrief you on what you saw.” Oxeye suggested heading into a small white tent. Wolf lay on a wooden folding table while Ashstripe prepared a set of tools. “Got what you need Ash! Here!” Fleecescut handed the bottle to Ashstripe. “We’ll uh… let you work.” Fleecescut muttered as he walked out. Oxeye gave a small salute and followed him. Ashtripe took out the stopper from the bottle and took a whiff. ‘Strong stuff. Should do nicely. Smells a little fruity but we can't have everything we want.’ Ash thought. He replaced the stopper and brought out a large collection of rags. “Ok Wolf… we have some strong drink so I can take that bit of metal out of you. I’m going to take a bit to prepare my tools. Do me a favor and bite down on the rags I gave you.” Ashstripe instructed picking up a large thin bladed knife. Wolf grabbed the bottle of drink and took a long swig at which Ashstripe tutted. “I need that you know.” The navy dragon chided, taking the bottle from Wolf’s hands and setting it down. Carefully he made an incision just outside of the wound. Warm mustard blood seeped out of the wound. Ashstripe dabbed at it with a rag, being careful to not press too hard. Wolf grunted as the doctor carefully began sawing around the edges of the wound. Completing a full revolution Ashstripe gripped the broken haft with a gloved hand and pulled out. Wolf bit down on the rag in his mouth, his sharp teeth digging into it. With a little bit of effort a fist sized chunk of flesh was cut off. The doctor gently placed it on a side table and began rubbing the interior of the wound with the alcohol. Wolf hissed in agony and writhed on the table, causing Ashstripe to shout “It’s almost over! Just a little more and then we’ll sew you up nicely. Stop wiggling around like a fish and chomp down.” He placed his hands on Wolf’s chest and began to chant. Bright blue tendrils flowed from his fingers and he repeated a chant. “Praious, Kintherous, ma Tenerous vät.” Slowly the edges of the wound closed up until a small coin sized hole remained in Wolf’s chest. Ashstripe stuffed spare cloth into the hole and then bandaged the hole over with clean off white bandages. “Thanks Ash… I was worried that you’d have to leave it in.” Wolf admitted getting up from the table. Ashstripe handed the injured dragon a shirt and cleaned his knife. Rockjaw popped his head into the tent. “Good, you're done. We’re discussing what to do next. Fleecescut found a good amount of civilization.” Rockjaw explained.
The two headed out into the camp where a lively discussion was taking place. Oxeye was angrily gesturing at Fleecescut who stood against a tree. “We can’t risk any contact that would expose us. What if they have contact with Crecial? What if they don’t understand us and attack?” Oxeye postulated speaking in rapid tones. “If we use Spike’s talent for alchemy we can slip right under their noses. Pretend to be them and maybe work on dropping the ruse once we earn their trust. We can't keep holding up in these woods forever.” Fleecescut pointed out, eliciting a gentle murmur from the assembled group. “To add onto Fleecescut’s point. I was unable to fully close the wound in Wolf’s chest. He will need bed rest and the woods are not a good place for that.” Ashstripe added cleaning and organizing his surgical tools. Oxeye scowled and brought his voice low. “Need i remind you all that we are currently fugitives. If Crecial comes over that mountain he's going to torch this town. Is that what you want? Do you want us to be responsible for the safety of an entire town!?” He hissed eyes crazed with fury. “We can't just sit here camping while a town gets torched! I’d rather do something to try and help them than sit by and watch my own ass” Fleecescut roared trying to match the taller dragon's height by standing on a log. Wolf hobbled over from the entrance of the tent and held up a hand for calm. “Oxeye… I understand your concerns. However, I think Fleecescut is ultimately right. With or without us Crecial will seek to conquer this town. It is only a matter of time before he seeks us out again. There is safety in numbers, however different they may be.” Wolf’s speech rallied many of his companions. Their faces were set with determination and purpose. Oxeye’s rage softened into a disapproving scowl. He picked up a twig and tossed it into the fire. “If you think that’s the best course of action then I will follow. Just know that makes us responsible for the townsfolk now… whatever fate befalls them.” Oxeye warned grimly, taking out a small horn pipe and smoking it. He exited the group and began walking the perimeter of the camp… puffing away at his pipe. A dismal silence hung over the camp punctuated by the sound of the crackling fire. “Well… Let’s discuss the plans over dinner. Can’t think on an empty stomach.” Blauten quipped.
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Wolf sat on a small worn out chair reading a book. It had been several months since the group had moved into Naterin. So far everything was going well, minus the regular hunting trips they had to keep secret. Oxeye came in through a back door, a cat-like animal slung over his shoulder. “Good hunting today Ox?” Wolf called out not looking up from his book. Oxeye grunted a response and shifted into the kitchen dripping blood along his way. Rockjaw barreled out of his room and into the small living room. “Quick Wolf! Do I look ok for me presentation with the children? I’m worried something about the mane isnt right this time around.” Rockjaw called out. Wolf set down his book and glanced over at his friend. Rockjaw was wearing a simple striped flannel and tough leather pants. He was in his Equanid disguise and his long dark red hair was styled into many braids. “You look fine Rockjaw, just play it cool. What nonsense are you filling their heads with this time?” Wolf accused setting his copy of Recent history of Equestira on the table. Rockjaw scoffed at the accusation. “Just a bit of folklore and history. We were going to be talking about dragons today” Rockjaw beamed, a mischievous grin forming on his face. He ran out the door as Wolf shook his head.
Rockjaw walked the short distance from their mutual house to the school. Each one of the newcomers had come into the classroom to teach the children various things. It was now his turn and he was excited to fill the children's head’s with wonder and mystery. He greeted the various people who called out to him. Naterin was a nice small community that accepted the dragons with open arms. ‘Still… they don’t know who we really are. No matter how close we get, we need to remain vigilant.’ Rockjaw thought. He arrived the short distance to the bright blue school building and knocked on the door. A short bright red Equanid woman answered the door. “Oh welcome Mister Jasper. You are a bit late but that's perfectly fine. I’ve set up everything for you to give your guest lecture today. Come on in.” She gestured for him to come inside. Rockjaw stepped inside and stood in front of a large blackboard. A handful of children sat at simple wooden desks. Their eyes were fixed upon the newcomer, waiting for his next move. “Class please welcome our guest speaker today. He’s going to teach you about… Dragons? Is that right Mister Jasper?” The teacher asked? Jasper nodded, pinning a small collection of diagrams and images onto the board. The class murmured as the strange posters went up. One depicted a stylized dragon, tall and scaly, snarling in profile. Another showed the difference in size between Dragons and Equanids. A final showed a sketched footprint and sharp claws. “Yes! Thank you Mrs. Cherry Blossom. Alright children, What do you know about Dragons?” Jasper looked over the crowd and called upon a student in the front. “My mom says that they’re fake.” the student called out, sticking her tounge out. Jasper picked up a piece of chalk and started to sketch something on the board. “You might think that. Dragon’s have never been seen in living memory. We have books and myths about them but no one has seen one. Now I’m sure all of you are asking why this is important. The answer is to help you all tell fact from fiction. Can anyone give me a reason why we don't see Dragons anymore?” Jasper questioned. He got a variety of answers, ranging from ‘they never existed’ to ‘they all died’. One student claimed his cousin had seen a dragon last week flying over the mountains. “Aye, all good answers. The reason we don’t see Dragons anymore is because they are somewhere else. Now we have descriptions, sketches and all of this background information. It would be hard to dismiss it as all fake. The question is, could we still find Dragons today? I would like it if we could break into groups. One in support of that idea, one against.” The students rushed around to form their groups. They chatted with each other about strategy and how to debate their point. Jasper had finished drawing on the blackboard and stood awaiting the results. A neatly organized chart was drawn on the board. He dutifly wrote down the arguments for and against, taking into account all the evidence and supporting information. By the end the consensus was that Dragons probably did exist, but no one could know for sure. “Now not to put my thumb on the scale but I actually saw a dragon recently. Just last week in fact!” Jasper declared to a hushed class. The tension in the air was palpable as he slowly walked to the front of the class. “I was out on a walk near the Everfree when I saw it. He was up on the hill staring down at me. I could see his deep red eyes fixated on me… watching my every move.” Jasper explained to the kids. One student from the back of the class shouted out “Dragons aren’t real! You’re just lying to us!” Jasper shook his head and tutted “I used to think that way as well. Till I saw them… Who knows… maybe you all will too.” He finished ominously. Jasper only received horrified stares from the children. Puzzled, he looked down at his hands to discover that they were as scaled as when he had woken up. He did not feel the potion wearing off but he was certain as the room shrank around him. Rockjaw felt his face flatten and his teeth elongate into their natural points. His hair receded into his body, replaced by ruddy red scales. By the end Rockjaw stood, hunched over in the cramped classroom. No one breathed as Rockjaw anxiously flitted his eyes around to Cherry Blossom. She was pressed against the wall, a look of shock on her face. With no plan and little forethought, Rockjaw burst through the front door and out into the street, leaving the silent classroom behind.
As Rockjaw tore through the village people ran out of the way. There was much shouting and pointing as he rounded the trail to the group's home. “Shit Shit Shit! Fucking weak ass potion! When we get to him I’m gonna tan the hide off Spike!” He growled, leaping over a small fruit cart. The terrified vendor cowered low and only looked up to see Rockjaw sailing overhead. Landing and continuing his mad dash he checked over his shoulder. There were no purserors yet and it appeared to be just a trail of shock and fright in his wake. “Hightail it home boys!!! We’ve been found out!!!” Rockjaw bellowed for his friends. Although he did not see them, he was certain that each would be having their own mad dash to the safety of their dwelling. After what felt like an eternity of running he came upon the small rundown hovel the group called their home. Throwing open the door he ran inside. The door was quickly shut by Wolf, who had grabbed his sword and shield. “Alright! Stations everyone! Backdoor squad into position! The Windows are barred and safe! Rockjaw! Grab your weapon and prepare to strike if needed!” Wolf barked orders and the group rushed around to get ready. Rockjaw picked up and unsheathed his greatsword, holding it at the ready by the door. Marthello and Spike pushed a large dresser in front of the door. Blocking its movement. Oxeye took his half of the cohort and saw crouched at the backdoor, an arrow nocked and ready to fire. “What the fuck happened? I thought the potions were supposed to be good for 12 hours!” Rockjaw hissed at Spike. Spike gripped his spear tighter and shot a glare at the taller dragon “Bad ingredients! I can’t work with subpar mushrooms! Maybe if you had gotten them sooner we wouldn’t be in this mess!” Spike seethed, gritting his sharp teeth together tightly. The two warriors looked like they were going to come to blows, until a quiet knocking came from the door. The room froze up as Spike aimed his spear at the sound of the knocks. No one dared to make a sound, lest they give away their position. A small, meek voice came through the solid oak door. “Um Hello… this is Mayor Lupin. We uh… noticed something a bit… different about you all today. Are you in there?” Spike pulled his speak back to strike but Wolf held up a hand, mouthing a stern ‘wait’. Rockjaw swung his arms out testing his strikes, the energy in the room was palpable. The knocking came again, this time louder and accompanied by Lupin’s voice. “Hello? We’re not mad… we just want to talk. It’s… not every day we get large dragons in our village.” Lupin spoke reassuringly. Wolf glanced at Oxeye who nodded in approval before acting next. “Yes… We’re in here Mayor Lupin. This is Attakus speaking right now. Can we have your word that we won't be harmed if we open this door?” Wolf interrogated, loosening his grip on the sword. The reply came slow and uncertain as if the Mayor did not expect an answer. “Uh… I’m sorry? What do you mean exactly?” The mayor blurted out “Are you going to try to hurt us if we open up the door?” Wolf repeated louder, causing a slight sigh from Marthello. “O… Oh! Yes I can assure you that none of you will be hurt if you open the door and come out here. We just… want an explanation of what happened today. Lots of people are worried they’re going to be eaten…” Lupin explained. Wolf got up and started to push the door out of the way. He grunted with exertion as the heavy wooden dresser slid out of the way. Oxeye wordlessly got up from his position and took a place near the door, aiming his bow at the handle. Wolf gave him a puzzled look and held his shield out in front of him. He turned the heavy brass door knob with a free hand and pulled. Standing beyond was Mayor Lupin. She was a shorter equainid and her fur was a desaturated yellow, like that of old parchment. Lupin jumped back in shock as Wolf placed his shield between the outside world and the house. After a momentary pause he popped his head over the large iron rimmed heater shield. “Good afternoon Lupin. Apologies for the suspicion, just a momentary bit of caution. We’re going to come out now… all of us. Please make room.” Wolf explained, sheathing his sword and stooping out into the daylight.
The crowd gasped as Wolf stood in the full light. His bright red scales glinted in the sunlight. The others stepped out from the small hovel. Most had discarded their weapons save Oxeye who held his bow and Rockjaw. Wolf glanced over at the crowd to see if anyone else was armed. Besides a few pitchforks and simple spears the crowd was unarmed. Seeing this, Rockjaw stowed his sword in its sheath. The crowd began chattering at the strange sight. Many commented on the sharp teeth they had, while others fixated on their great heights. Some still were remarking at the chiseled features of many of the assembled newcomers. Blauten spoke first “Hello everyone! My name is Blauten Resse. I’m a Drakon from Velford across the border. Pleased to reintroduce myself and to make your acquaintance!” The blue drakon bowed low. Many in the gathered crowd responded to the greeting. “Good Afternnon. My name is Ashstripe Morris. I am a Dragon despite my size. Thank you for your understanding” Ashstripe held up a hand in greeting. His off white scales caught everyone’s eye. “My name is Rockjaw Grange! Sorry for the trouble we caused.” Rockjaw scuffed his large boots on the ground in embarrassment. “Spike Greenflame, at your service” Spike took a swing from a small canteen. Stoppering it with the heel of his hand. “I’m Marthello Celcourt. You all have a mighty fine town here.” Marthello smiled a toothy smile. His sharp teeth on display for all to see. “Fleecescut Valendingham here! I uh… apologize for the broken window Mayor Lupin. I promise to replace it.” Fleecescut gave a smart salute, standing at attention for a short while “Oxeye Kinereth” Oxeye stood with his arms crossed, surveying the mood of the crowd. His curt introduction did little to quell the discussion about him. Wolf paused as all eyes fell on him ‘I need to tell them all the truth, sooner or later. Now is as good a time as any.’ He thought “My name is Attakus Urthclaw. I am, as far as I am aware, The only son of the late King Juska-Zan Urthclaw. We came here seeking refuge as the current King of our land seeks my death. I apologize for placing this burden onto you.” Wolf had dropped his shield at some point and stood tall. He knew that the information would be a suprise to his friends and did not want to make too much of a fuss about his station. “Welcome to Naterin! It’s good to meet you all formally now. This is all new to everyone here so please… have paitence as we take in the information.” Mayor Lupin beamed as townsfolk started to ask questions of the assembled scaledfolk. The questions ranged from the genuinely curious questions like ‘what do you guys eat?’ To the absurd like ‘I thought dragons didn't wear clothes.’ A small child asked ‘are you guys still alive?’ to which most laughed. The group was doing their best answering the onslaught of questions from people who had never seen a dragon before.
Wolf wandered back into the house, done with his part of the introduction. He did not enjoy the large crowd, and came inside to get away from them. Wolf sat down on the plush couch and sighed. “I would have appreciated to know the full stakes before I went off with you Wolf. Not that it matters much now. In for a penny, in for a crown.” Oxeye grumbled, standing in the doorway. He shut the door and sat down beside Wolf on the couch. Oxeye placed a hand on Wolf’s shoulder and squeezed “Just remember what I said. These people’s fates are in your hands now. More importantly they are in yours. Do you have any idea of the burden you have placed upon yourself?” Oxeye chided. Wolf stared off into the middle distance contemplating his answers. He deliberately turned to face Oxeye, a look of determination in his eyes. “I am… more than aware of what I have taken on today Oxeye. I spent my entire life running away from danger. This is one of the first times I can take a stand and fight back.” Wolf responded, his eyes dead set with determination. Oxeye squeezed down harder, as if to emphasize his point. Taking a deep sigh he continued. “It's not just you who will be fighting back this time! You will be responsible for the lives of everyone in this town including us. Do you have any idea of the military command you have placed upon yourself! What gives you the right to determine that!?” Oxeye was shouting now. While his voice was raised, his eyes displayed a look of fear and hesitation. Wolf removed Oxeye’s hand from his shoulder, gripping his friend's hand tight. “Oxeye. I understand your hesitation, but these people need us. You yourself said that the town would be razed if we did nothing. We have the means and the skills to assist them in defending themselves. I don’t take this command because of my station of birth or any nonsense like that. I take this command because no one else will!” Wolf implored. Oxeye relaxed a bit at the reassurance. He took a deep breath in and blew out a slow steady stream of air, calming himself. He withdrew his hand from Wolf’s grasp. “Very well. I trust you in this endeavor. I should inform you that I heard back from Colonel Willets He can only provide us with a small battery of four pound cannons and a few artillery instructors. We will get no more assistance from Salamanstron.” Oxeye reported. Wolf scratched his chin thoughtfully while he mused. ‘Shit. I was hoping they would at least send us a small regiment of archers. We will have to make do with what they can send. Colonel Willets is already risking his neck for us as it is. No need to tip our hand too much. Still, they will be crucial for when things go awry.’ “Thank you Oxeye. We just have to hope we can prepare the townsfolk enough for the coming violence.” Wolf stated solemnly. “Make no mistake Ox, History will be written here. I intend to be the one holding the quill.”