A light breeze moves through the valley where the colony city of Turning Point is nestled amongst the mountain peaks. It's even smaller than Haven, a few thousand people at most, and most of them are pretty hardy. The main source of income is from mining, though other speculators do try their hand. Presently, a wolf and his goat flunky, are trying to arrange for a guide in a supply store at the edge of town.
A few, poorly supported rumors have hinted at a possible dragon living in the surrounding mountain terrain. Some claim it is yellow, others say it is made of gold, and some think it is carrying a lot of gold. In a quiet area such as Turning point, such rumors add spice to life, and the wolf and his companion are trying to convince an ocelot to guide them to where the beast was last seen.
The wolf's companion is a tough old goat. A hunter who's seen a lot of hunts, and from the scars, the occasional loss too. He's carrying a crossbow across his back and a quiver of bolts. He watches his boss talk with the ocelot.
Trader Bob sighs, "C'mon mate! This thing is worth serious money...moolah...coinage! If it's gold, we can skin it and make a fortune. If not, there's always a market for dragon parts." He nudges the Ocelot, "Powdered dragon is well known to be useful for enticing people ya know. If you catch my drift."
The sound of a large pair of wings approaching can be heard through the open door of the store.
The goat, Rimshot, just rolls his eyes at his boss.
Verin snorts very softly and rubs at his nose gently. He's a small little guy, mostly soft spoken. He shakes his head, "You've got to make this worth my... my..." He glances around, hearing the sounds, "Um. Um. Hmm."
Rimshot, bored with the negotiations, turns his attention to the door of the crowded supply store, wondering who and or what is here now?
Trader_Bob grins toothily, "If we succeed, you'll have all the money you'll ever need, kiddo." He waves his arms frantically, "Just think! Money, as far as the eye can see!"
The flapping sound grows louder, then abruptly stops just outside the store.
Rimshot smirks to himself. He's heard that before.
Verin peers at the door, completely ignoring Bob, "It... I may not have to?" He blinks a few times, a paw nervously making it's way to the shortsword slung at his belt.
Trader_Bob doesn't seem to notice, he's busy with his usual sales pitch...
Rimshot chews on a leather tough piece of jerky and double checks the packs of supplies, to make sure everything is there, including the nets. At the same time, he keeps one eye on the door.
A head pokes through the door. It has white scales and fur, a blue mane, gold eyes and a single golden horn. "Excuse me, but I'm looking for the dragon. Can any of you give me directions to it?"
Verin jumps... and quickly draws his sword, pointing it at the head, "DRAGON!"
Trader_Bob blinkblinkblinks, then screams. "DRAGON!!!!!!" The ever so brave Bob finds the nearest table to hide under.
Rimshot's old eyes open wide, and he bleats, "No dragon I've ever seen. Pretty weird though. What are you?"
Rimshot sighs at his fearful leader.
Chimera blinks and looks back over his shoulder. Seeing nothing, he looks back into the store. "I'm Chimera. I'm an explorer."
Trader_Bob peeks out, "Didja kill it yet, Rimmy?"
Chimera comes the rest of the way into the store. He *does* look a bit like a dragon.. and the thing perched on his shoulder couldn't be anything else.
Verin blinks a little and clears his throat, "Um. It's... UNI-DRA-- oh. Hmm. Bother." He carefully resheathes his sword, "What are you?"
Chimera smiles, "I'm lots of things."
Rimshot is about to tell his boss where to go when he sees the little dragon on the creatures shoulder, "You have a pet baby dragon?"
Verin nibbles on his lip a bit and hnns, then murmurs, "...too weird for me..." Shaking his head, he looks about ready to head for the door.
Chimera looks to the little dragon on his shoulder, "No. This is Charon, my older cousin. We want to see the dragon."
Trader_Bob climbs out from under the table and wanders over to Chimera. "You SURE you're not a dragon?" he inquires.
Chimera says, "I never said I wasn't a dragon."
Rimshot nods to Chimera, then notes the little cat's motion and leaps over to the door to block Verin's way, "Come now lad. We just need a guide, and my boss will pay you well for your services."
Trader_Bob hms, "You don't happen to have any hangnails do you? They'd be worth sumthin."
Chimera says, "Are those for hanging pictures on the wall?"
Verin, small as he is, quickly maneuvers around the critter in his way, shaking his head, and vanishes from sight and mind
Trader_Bob shakes his head, "Not at all, my scaley moneypile. Have you lost any scales lately? They're worth money, ya know."
Chimera says, "I don't shed my scales, sorry. Do you know where the dragon is?"
A soft sigh is heard, then Rimshot's hooves clunk on the floor as he goes over to pick out a crude map of the area, "Maybe. Your name is Chimera?"
Trader_Bob hmphs, "Nope! But my fearless friend Rimmy and I are going to bag him an sell him for big moolah" He waps Rimshot on the back.
"Yeah, the dragon!" pipes the small bouncing dragon on the alien's shoulder.
Chimera says, "Yes, I'm Chimera, and my companion is Charon."
Rimshot nearly falls over and partly tears the map. He just glowers at his boss for a few moments than says, "Well, can you read maps well?"
Chimera says, "What sort of bag are you going to use? I can read maps."
Trader_Bob snorts, "Not from around here are ya? It's just a figure of speech. We're gonna gut th bugger."
Chimera says, "It's not a very good map," comments the smaller dragon."
Chimera says, "Ah. And the bugger is with the dragon?"
Trader_Bob nods and grins, "Rimmy never misses a target."
Rimshot says, "Good, because our previous choice for a guide is running faster than my boss does. We've got the location marked on this map, and we need to get to this area to start our search. Yeah, it's a poor map, which is why we wanted a guide.""
The little dragon hops onto the table next to the map, and starts pointing out the errors with a claw.
Chimera says, "How do you know the dragon is in that area?"
Rimshot says, "Cause folks that have seen the dragon claim that's where he was at, so we'll go to his last location."
Chimera says, "That seems reasonable. Do you have a flying machine?"
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, "Flying machine?"
Rimshot chuckles, "We're not spacers Chimera. Those are just old stories."
Chimera hmms. "How do you plan on following a dragon then?"
Trader_Bob scratches his neck, "We planned to trap it while it was asleep. Much safer."
Chimera says, "Trap it?"
Rimshot nods, noting to himself this is part of why he never misses. ;)
Trader_Bob nodnods, "You know, set out food on a snare, that sorta thing. Easiest thing in the world for wold famous Bartholo..mbd, Bob!"
Chimera looks between Bob and Rimshot. The goat seems reasonably intelligent, and yet it seems to be agreeing with the wolf..
Rimshot snickers, "Well, boss, we only have so much light per day. Make a deal with this Chimera and her...little dragon pet, and we can get going. Hey, if her pet has a big brother, we could save a lot of time."
Trader_Bob says, "So, Mr...Chinapot? Care to join us? We'll cut ya in on the profit a full 5% is we succeed."
Chimera looks to the smaller dragon, and the two seem to confer wordlessly before the white alien nods, "We'll go with you. We want to meet the dragon."
"Yeah, the dragon!" pipes up the smaller one.
Rimshot looks at the little dragon again, "You sure you don't have a big brother somewhere?"
Trader_Bob clasps his hands together, "Wonderful! You can guard the rear, Rimmy always stays in front. I'll take the most dangerous position of center."
Rimshot just shakes his head with a smile and says, "I'll load up the gambzars Bob. You finish paying off the store keep while I get our friend settled on a mount. Might be more useful to have the guide up front with me, and you in back. ;)"
Chimera places Charon back on his shoulder, and doesn't bother to ask why the center position is the most dangerous.
Trader_Bob heads back to pay, er barter, er rob, the storekeep.
Rimshot motions to Chimera, "C'mon, lets get you fixed up."
Chimera follows the goat.
Bob echo's from inside the shop, "C'mon! Double or nothin! Heads I win, tails you lose."
Outside the small shop are three of the lizard horses called gambzars. A set of tools and nets and food are packed on them, and Rimshot shows Chimera how to ride as he listens to his boss lose their profits.
Seconds later Bob comes running out of the shop, storekeep fast on his heels. "I think we'd better get going, Rimmy! Locals are gettin restless!"
Chimera settles himself into the saddle, and begins to suspect that this pair of natives intends to kill the dragon.
Rimshot doesn't seem to react, other than to hop into the saddle and start his gambzar going, "Did it again, eh boss?"
Bob wheezes, "Was just trying to get us a deal, Rimmy. Ain't my fault th locals don't have a sense O' humor."
Chimera hmms, but stays quiet. Charon is busy exploring the packs..
The sun has passed overhead and is starting it's journey down to the horizon by the time the trio arrives at the rough are indicated by the map. After scouting nearby, Rimshot says, "Here's a good place Bob. Why don't we have Chimera look around while I set up?"
Rimshot hops off the gambzar and starts untying the nets on Chimera's mount.
Trader_Bob grins, "Sounds good to me, Rimmy." . o O {Yeah, my butt's sore. I hate these durn riding things...} He hops off and wanders into the bushes a bit bowlegged, "Be right back!"
Rimshot shrugs and nods absently at his boss, then tells Chimera, "Ride around a bit if you want, see if you can find any tracks."
Chimera dismounts the riding beast, and immediately flaps off into the air to look around.
Rimshot blinks, "That works too I guess."
Trader_Bob whews and returns from the bushes, "Much better." He blinks, "Ey! Where'd the bai..er dragonguy go?"
Rimshot is working on setting up some trap nets along the game trails as he says, "Flew off to go look around."
Trader_Bob blinks, "Flew? Are we sure HE'S not th dragon? We could wait till he's asleep, you know and SNAP! Get em, both. Whatcha say?"
Rimshot finishes with one trap then works on the other, "Naw, they're too small. Wait till they grow up."
Trader_Bob nods, and hmms, "Here, let me help with those traps..." He walks toward Rimshot, failing to see the trap he just set.
Rimshot turns around and bleats, "Boss, watch it!"
Chimera spirals back down for a landing. "There seems to be something large retreating in that direction," he points.
Trader_Bob stops right in front of the trap, "What?" He looks down, "Oh..."
Trader_Bob steps back, "Which way...?"
Off deeper into the forest, a long peal is heard, possibly some wild animal, though it sounds very much like a scream, coming from the opposite direction Chimera pointed, and some distance off.
Chimera points again, "That way."
Trader_Bob looks back and forth.
Chimera says, "I think someone found your traps."
Charon pokes his head up out of one of the saddle bags, "What screamed?"
Trader_Bob says, "Bloody 'ell. Now we'll have to go reset th bugger."
Rimshot ears flick, "Wow, that sounds pretty serious all right. Well, let's get to it while we still have some light. C'mon boss."
Chimera hmms, and waits in the camp. He doesn't know much about traps, only that they should be avoided.
Rimshot hops up on his mount and spurs it on towards the scream's location.
Trader_Bob climbs onto the Gambzier again, "Onward!" Yipe!
The two ride farther away from the campsite towards the sound. Soon enough, the noises of the forest have returned to normal and the direction of the sound becomes more unclear. Rimshot and Bob stop to regain their direction, a leaf falls and lands on Bob's nose.
Rimshot snorts, "Wonderful. Now where is it?"
Trader_Bob eeeks! And falls off his gambzar! "Help! We're under attack!!!" He blinks, "Oh, it's a leaf."
Rimshot sighs sadly at his boss then shouts, "Hey, who was that? If you're caught in one of our traps, we'll help you out, but you gotta speak up!"
Rimshot notes the leaf and looks up in the tree, having heard a soft sound from above.
Looking back down at Rimshot is a black-robed body, topped with a hairless face which says, "Hello," and waves.
Trader_Bob looks up, "Did we get it?"
Rimshot looks up, "Wow, looks like we burned it's fur off. Hello, I'm Rimshot, who are you?"
Michael swings down from the branch he's sitting on, in what could be considered a controlled fall. With a curious accent, he replies, "I am Michael."
Rimshot blinks, "Well, as I said, I'm Rimshot. This is my boss, Bob."
Trader_Bob bows, "I am Bartholo, er, Just call me Bob. Explorer and trader extraordinare! Specialty in hunting and trapping exotic creatures." He waps Rimshot on his back again, "This is my ever faithful assistant, Rimmy. He's an expert hunter. We're after a great dragon. Their body parts sell well, don'tcha know."
Michael nods a greeting. "Hello to boss Rimshot."
Michael says, "Great dragons?"
A patch of forest that seems a bit..off...takes an interest in the little dragon working around the saddle bags on Chimera's gambzar.
Trader_Bob nods, "A gold dragon. Worth a fortune dead!"
Michael blinks, expressing a peculiar look. "Who will buy dead dragon? It is very bad..."
Rimshot blinks at Michael, "Well, only if it's been dead for a while. I've heard fresh dragon meat is good eatin."
Michael looks a little ill, but with his furless self, who can tell for sure?
Rimshot looks to his boss, "What now Bob?"
Michael murmurs, "Bu too, fassa patee."
Michael cocks his head and looks at the two.
Trader_Bob hmmms, "Well, around here dragon parts are sold fer...well...enticing the ladies into...um." He blushes, "...mating rituals." He recomposes himself, "Have you seen any recently?"
Rimshot chuckles at his boss, good ole fearless Bob.
Michael shakes his head. "No."
Michael says, "Dragons are common here?"
Rimshot hmmfs, "If they was common, we'd have a lot more than 17,000 people in Haven. That, and be no money in it either."
Trader_Bob says, "Um...well, not really."
Michael says, "Then you mate very not often?"
Michael blinks in confusion.
Trader_Bob ahems, "Now now, that's personal."
Michael says, "And when all dragons die, you never mate again?"
Rimshot blinks and looks confused now.
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, then to Michael, "Well, I think we'll make do. Some of us just need help... Even beer can only do so much, ya know?"
Michael leans forward, peering closely at Bob.
Trader_Bob grins nervously?
Rimshot blinks at Michael, then bleats to his boss, "C'mon. We got tracking to do before it gets dark."
Back in the clearing, Chimera begins to wonder what is taking the two explorers so long. The screaming has stopped, after all. Charon, meanwhile, is trying to figure out the knots on some of the supply packs.
Michael smirks at Bob. "Ah. Pakatin." He giggles softly.
The shimmer nearby gets very interested in Charon and Chimera, and moves towards the two.
Trader_Bob nods, "Yes yes. Now, onward!! Please lead, Rimmy. I would but, well, I've got a cold..and my limbago is acting up and...well, you know."
Rimshot hmmms, "So, Michael is it? You any good at finding you're way around these parts?"
Michael says, "I am good in the forest."
Chimera continues to look towards the woods where Bob and Rimshot disappeared. Charon pokes his head up and looks around though for a bit, but there's only so much sensor acuity that can be crammed into such a little body.
Michael says, "Many years experience, I have."
A voice, soft and deep calls out to Charon and Chimera, "Are you two..dragons?"
Chimera looks around, and notices the odd shimmering area. "Of a kind, yes.."
Rimshot slaps Bob on the back, "Finally, we have someone who can guide us."
Trader_Bob's ears perk, "Think you can find us the dragon? We'll cut you in on the profits..."
Michael wrinkles his small nose. "No profits."
The shimmer disappears for a moment then comes back, "Why are you here? Working with that wolf?"
Trader_Bob says, "You'll work for free! Great!"
Trader_Bob smiles happily.
Charon pipes up, "We're looking for the local dragon!"
The shimmer seems to sit back on that comment and then blinks, "Why, to help the wolf kill it?"
Rimshot keeps looking at the sky, "It's not going to be light too much longer boss. We at least need to set up camp."
Michael watches the duo quietly and curiously.
Chimera looks to Charon, and Charon looks to Chimera. Then they both look at the shimmer and answer, "We want to talk to it."
Trader_Bob nods, "Well, we'd best head back to camp." He scratches his head, "Which way was it?"
Rimshot blinks and ers, "Back that way. I think."
Michael looks around.
Michael humphs and nods, point off in a direction. "You came from this road.
Trader_Bob says, "We came on a road?"
Trader_Bob hms, "Oh yeah."
With another hmmmm, "I see. Well, if you help me deal with the wolf and his goat friend, I'll see if I can't arrange for you to talk to the local dragon."
Michael says, "No...not road...path? street? No..."
Trader_Bob wanders off in the direction pointed, "I remember now! We camped near that tree that looked exactly like a..." He voice trails off as he heads into the brush.
Michael sighs and shakes his head, chuckling under his breath.
Chimera says, "Deal with them how?"
Rimshot just shrugs his shoulders and strides off after his boss.
The voice hmmms, "Well, that's a good question. Scare them off somehow. I know a couple places you could lead them to, or maybe you could help me scare them when it gets dark shortly?"
Chimera shrugs, "They seem harmless enough. I suppose they could be scared.."
"They want to kill the dragon, that's not very harmless from my perspective. Or yours little dragons if they decide you are worth the effort.
Rimshot bahs, "Bob, you really think we'll find a dragon out here?"
Charon puffs out his tiny chest, "Oh, we can't be killed, not really. We're dragons, after all."
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, "Why! I'm shocked, mate. Don't you have faith in your boss?"
The shimmer blinks, "You must be an odd form of dragon then. Well, will you help me?"
Rimshot hmmms and decides NOT to answer that.
Chimera says, "I suppose so. We don't want to get another dragon hurt."
Michael walks along quietly, making sure these two don't get into trouble.
Trader_Bob hmphs since he doesn't get an answer, "Have I EVER lead you astray? Well, aside from the time...and, er, well, have I gotten you killed yet?"
Rimshot hmmfs, "Not yet anyway."
Trader_Bob looks hurt and walks along quietly. *grumble...no good help these days....grumble*
The shimmer hmms, "I hear them coming. I'll contact you when they get to sleep."
Chimera nods, and both he and Charon turn to face the other way.. towards the path through the woods.
Rimshot says, "Boss, I think that's the clearing up ahead."
The shimmer fades into the trees.
Trader_Bob strains to look ahead, and walks into a small tree. "Ow! Er, yeah, i think that's it."
Chimera waves, "Hello out there! Did you find the dragon?"
Rimshot motions for Bob to go this way and shouts, "No, we found someone who lost his fur though."
Chimera says, "Lost his fur?"
Trader_Bob steps around the tree and rubs his knee. "Yeah, poor fellow must have caught mange." he shouts.
Michael quietly peers out of the underbrush, into the clearing.
Chimera shrugs to Charon, and feeds some more deadwood to the campfire.
The little dragon stands up on the saddle, and pipes, "Hey, you found a human!"
Rimshot notes the fire, "Well, they may be too small to use, but they sure are helpful. Want to help us set up the tents?"
Rimshot blinks, "A what?"
Trader_Bob blinks, "Human?" He looks at Rimshot, "Are they worth anything?"
Chimera looks up at Rimshot. "Hello Michael! Are you here to see the dragon too?"
Trader_Bob says, "Sounds like a bad disease or something, don't it?"
Michael steps out into the clearing and looks around.
Rimshot hmms, "No one has ever wanted one that I know of boss. No market."
Michael blinks and smiles at Chimera. "Hello! Dragons are always good to find."
Charon bobs his head in agreement. "Even the ones that eat your brain and turn you into a zombie. Yep yep!"
Rimshot snorts, "Sure, when we find one that's keeper size." The old goat starts unloading the gambzars and spreading out the canvas tents.
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, "Are you SURE we can't sell them?"
Rimshot blinks at Charon?
Trader_Bob turns white, "They...what?"
Chimera says, "I haven't heard of this one eating brains, Charon. Maybe it just eats souls?"
Michael walks over and looks closely at Charon. "You are new..."
Rimshot whispers idly to Bob, "Naw, too small for the parts we want. Let em grow for a few years. But what's this about eating brains or souls?"
Charon flits up and drops onto Michael's shoulder. "I was lots bigger when you saw me before."
Michael says, "I saw you before?"
Rimshot is trying to set up the tents, listen to Bob, and more importantly listen to the little dragons.
Charon nods, "With Jarik and Delachiel and the others, when we landed."
Michael says, "And Kainudy dragon?"
Michael says, "I need to find her."
Rimshot motions to his boss to listen.
Charon blinks, "Grandmother Kainudy hasn't been here yet. Do you know her?"
Michael says, "No. I need to find her. Jarik need to find her."
Rimshot just looks at Bob.
Chimera clears his throat. "Some dragons eat souls. Everyone knows that. Or else collect them in little colored jars."
Charon pipes to Michael, "Oh, we put her to sleep so she wouldn't get in the way. We like her and all, but she can cause trouble."
Michael hmms and scratches his ear.
Michael says, "She will be upset?"
Chimera eyes Rimshot and Bob, "You did know all this before you decided to come out here, didn't you?"
Rimshot swallows as he looks at Bob.
Charon bobs his head and giggles. "Oh, she's always upset about something!"
Michael smiles and chuckles.
Michael turns to Charon. "You are up here why?"
Charon pipes up, "To see the local dragon, of course. Gotta say hi, only polite."
Michael says, "There is one here? I had not heard."
Chimera sits next to the campfire, and watches the tent construction.. or lack thereof. "Not all dragons do that though. Some like to take people apart and put them back together to make new creatures." Coming from such a patchwork looking being, that could be considered an ominous portent.
Trader_Bob shakes his head, "I didn't know... All the more reason to shoot quickly!!!"
Chimera says, "Shoot with what?"
Rimshot blinks at his boss, knowing full well WHO will do the shooting. He mutters, "C'mon, let's get these tents up."
Michael smiles, "Ja'n sini, puta..."
Trader_Bob looks at the tents, "Why, when I was younger I could build all these tents in...2 minutes! But, well, my limbago and all..." He starts unpacking the tent and making a mess.
Chimera says, "Ah, I see.. one of you will shoot the dragon while it is busy eating the other. Very clever!"
Michael finds a rock or log to sit on and watch Bob set up the tent.
"So that's why Bob came!" Charon chirps.
Trader_Bob ahems! "I happen to be a great hunter, thank you!"
Chimera says, "What do you usually hunt?"
Rimshot mutters some comment as he arranges the poles and lines, "Say, Michael, you want to help me with this? Oh mighty blowhard here is busy making a mess it seems."
Trader_Bob stands tall, "Why...only the deadliest pretty on this world of course!"
Michael smiles and sighs, standing up and walking over. Upon getting there, he scratches his chin and ponders the contraption.
Trader_Bob works on his tent..."We sometimes even catch one too."
Michael says, "Very fancy tent is this."
Rimshot nods, "I'd prefer something lighter and easier to set up, but by now you have an idea of why Bob goes for the showy, not so useful stuff. Just hold these two sets of poles like this, ok?"
Trader_Bob's pole whips back, fwapping him on the nose, "Ow!"
Chimera says, "Hmm, if it's prey, how can it be deadly? You aren't going to sleep in that tent, are you?"
Trader_Bob looks up, "I sure am. Why?"
Michael holds the poles peering intently at them and their construction.
Chimera says, "Well.. it's just the right size for a dragon table napkin, isn't it?"
Trader_Bob gulps, "Napkin?"
Rimshot pulls taut the other poles and hammers stakes in and ties the lines to them. He also blinks at Chimera's comments.
Michael blinks? "Nap-Kin? Kin naps? Cat naps?"
Chimera says, "Or a handkerchief. Dragons go through those pretty quickly.."
Michael blinks at Chimera, staring sort of oddly.
Rimshot is finishing setting up the tent as he ponders the little dragon's words. The sun has nearly set and eerie shadows appear. From a distant canyon a roar can be heard.
Trader_Bob leaps into his tent! Eek! "Um, er, I mean, where's my bow?"
Rimshot gets mad enough at Bob to momentarily forget his own fear, "It's still on your mount boss!"
Trader_Bob peeks out, "Oh."
Michael blinks and cocks his head in that direction.
Michael murmurs to himself, "Han ker seif...han ker seif..."
Charon bobs his head like an excited parrot. "Whoops! There goes someone's brain!"
Rimshot quickly gets his own crossbow and loads it hurriedly.
Chimera says, "Hush, Charon, that's not a brain-eating roar, it's a soul-hunting one. I'm sure of it."
Chimera watches the mountain goat work. "Aren't those silver-tipped bolts expensive?"
Trader_Bob scrambles toward his mount, trying to ignore the comments of the two.
Rimshot blinks, "Silver tipped?"
Chimera hmms, "You mean.. they're not?" He begins edging around the fire, as far from Rimshot as possible. "Try not to stand too close to anything flammable then, out of courtesy.."
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, "Did you buy silver-tipped bolts?"
Rimshot just looks at his boss, "No, you didn't say we needed them, Mr. Dragon Expert!"
Trader_Bob ums, "I think they're joking with us. Yeah! This is a dragon, not a werewolf."
Michael looks off towards the source of the noise, then peers back at Bob and Rimshot.
Chimera says, "Have you ever hunted a werewolf?"
Another roar, sounding very eerie as it rolls off the canyon walls like thunder. It's nearly totally dark, and odd night sounds come to life.
Michael says, "Yes...Dragons do not have han-ker-seifs."
Trader_Bob says, "Yes! Why many times! Er, maybe once, and it was a little one..."
Charon pokes his nose into Michael's ear, and whispers something to him..
Chimera says, "Little ones are much easier, I suppose.."
Michael says, "That did not sound little anything."
Charon tries to roar, just to put the other one into perspective.
Rimshot, the old goat that he is, is feeling way over his horns on this one, and keeps looking at Bob with wild eyes.
Trader_Bob keeps reminding himself of all the money this expedition will make. Yesyesyes.
Trader_Bob eeks and hides under his mount when Charon roars!
Michael discreetly makes fists and pulls at the air a little, and soon a strong breeze picks up, shaking the trees and tents.
Rimshot thinks he's an old goat, and would like to try for really old goat.
Chimera hmms at the breeze, "He'll smell us for sure now. What's for dinner?"
Trader_Bob peeks out, "Dinner? Ut-oh.
Charon pipes up, "Yeah, dinner! Gotta eat! Gotta fatten yourself up! It's only polite."
Michael pulls his robes tighter as the wind grows. "Mebbe it is a storm dragon. I smell sky-light smell. They like to cook with sky-lights."
Trader_Bob looks at Rimshot, "Um, did you bring food?"
Charon oos at Michael! "I'd like to see that! Sounds neat!"
Chimera says, "That would certainly be an interesting spectacle.."
Rimshot says, "Didn't you bring the food?"
Trader_Bob oh dears.
Trader_Bob says, "Um, I thought YOU were handling that!"
Michael tries to hide a strong pull of his arm back as a muscle spasm. Not too far off, lightning flashes and a peal of thunder is heard.
Rimshot growls, "And it's much too dark to hunt any food right now. Oh great, now it's storming, But the skies were clear?"
Trader_Bob blinks, "Maybe we should go to bed? Hunt in the morning...I'm not hungry for some reason..."
Rimshot looks up, "And they're still clear. A storm Dragon you say?"
Michael looks up at Rimshot. "May be." He backs up to take cover under a swaying tree.
Chimera says, "Can't storm dragons turn into mist, and just sort of sneak up and smother their prey in their sleep?"
Michael nods.
Trader_Bob looks at Chimera, "Are you trying to scare us?"
Rimshot blinks at Bob, as yet another roar occurs, "Hey, there isn't a cloud to be seen. Where else would lightning come from?"
Chimera blinks, "Why? Are you scared?"
Trader_Bob shakes his head, "Nono! Of course not! Why, I'm BAr..oh forget it. Bob, the fearless!"
A lightning bolt seems to come from nowhere, striking the ground a few feet from Bob.
Michael hides behind his tree.
Trader_Bob aieeees! And bolts for his tent!
Rimshot jumps and fires his crossbow at the flash, zipping through Bob's tent and missing his boss by mere inches.
Charon croons, "NEAT!! DO IT AGAIN!"
Chimera blinks to clear his eyes..
Chimera says, "What was that you were saying about clouds?"
Michael whispers to Charon.
Trader_Bob's tent shakes. "Um, is it gone?" Bob asks from the inside.
Rimshot is lying in a heap on his broken tent, ears ringing, "What?"
Trader_Bob peeks out and whews, "Just the weather, yeah! You okay, Rimmy?"
Rimshot is looking up at the night sky and says, "By the makers. It's full of stars."
Charon bobs his head and grins.
Trader_Bob looks up and sees the arrow and blink, "Rimmy! You almost killed me!"
The wind picks up into a fierce gust, blowing the tent over. Lightning hits the ground nearby several times in a row as mist fills the clearing.
The old goat comes back to life quickly, and leaps at his boss, "I think you're going to kill ME too. Let's get on our mounts and get the heck out of here."
Charon squeals and flaps his wings!! "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!" The little dragon zips off into the trees.
Trader_Bob nods, "Um, yeah. We'll go to town and get food. We'll be back in a day..or a year, who knows. They're slow, we may have to wait for harvest.."
Chimera stands up and vanishes in the opposite direction, going "YAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"
Trader_Bob takes off running for his mount! AieeeE!
Michael screams loudly as well, backing off and seeming to disappear into the forest.
Rimshot has grabbed only his empty crossbow and hops onto his gambzar and takes off, not looking back for Bob.
Trader_Bob leaps on his mount and kicks it, "Go! Go!" It runs off into the forest, making loud crashing sounds.
The clearing calms, mists receding, wind slowing, lightning gone, and the clearing quite empty.
The crashing sounds of the two intrepid hunters finally fade away to nothing.
Michael slowly makes his way back, giggling uncontrollably between gasping for air.
Chimera pokes his head out of a bush. Charon is perched on top of it.
Michael leans against a tree, smiling and laughing.
Despite efforts to remain silent, a couple of chuckles can be heard up in a tree also.
Chimera walks back towards the campfire, while Charon pokes about the abandoned tent.
Michael looks toward the chuckles, just relaxing against this nice tree.
The chuckles finally die down, and the voice says, "Seeing as he helped, I assume you can trust this human?"
Chimera says, "Oh, pretty much."
Chimera says, "He seems to like dragons. :}"
Michael cranes his neck to see this voice.
Michael says, "I promise them 'No profit'"
The voice nods, and with a shimmer a reptilian form, about 6 feet long appears on the branch. Its coiled tail curls around a tree branch, it's clamp like hands holding onto the tree branch as one eye looks at Michael and the other rotates to watch Chimera and Charon.
Michael looks closely at it. "This is new."
Chimera smiles and waves, "You're a cute one."
"Yeah, cute!" adds Charon, from somewhere in the remains of the tent.
"I am Parthal. I'm what was called a chameleon dragon by some. I don't fly. I don't breathe fire. And I rather think my body parts aren't good for what those too had in mind either.""
Michael says, "Do you have han-ker-seif?"
Parthal blinks one eye, keeping the other on Michael, "What is a han ker sief?"
Michael says, "I am not sure..."
Chimera says, "A cloth for cleaning your nostrils."
Michael blinks??
Michael says, "Hmmm..."
Michael says, "Oh..."
Michael blushes.
Chimera says, "Well, we don't breath fire either.."
Parthal seems confused about that, but finally says, "Well, I thank you all for your help. I don't know where these stories of a "golden dragon" came from, but it just brought the hunters out here again. We're moving up higher, to keep out of range, but we don't move very fast, and a few extra days can mean a lot to our safety."
Charon asks, "How do you do that neat invisibility thing? I can only change color.."
The Chameleon dragon ahems, "Trade secret. ;)"
Chimera says, "Well, we can probably avoid being seen when we leave.."
Charon pipes, "Sure! What secret do you want to trade it for?"
Michael says, "Being seen? Leaving?"
Chimera says, "Well, we don't want Bob and Rimshot to know we weren't eaten, do we?"
Parthal hmmms, "From what I heard of those two, they don't spend much time in Haven, so you'd probably be safe. And I meant it's a secret of my race, we can't give it out."
Charon offers, "I can come pick us up!"
Michael says, "Ah."
Michael says, "You are too small to lift me."
Chimera says, "Ah.. well, Charon is also the big thing we arrived here in."
Parthal chuckles, "I must say, that had to be the silliest thing I've seen in a while. I do appreciate your help, and would appreciate you not telling anyone we exist. I'm only showing myself to repay you for your help."
Michael peers at the small Charon.
Chimera says, "How much longer do you think you'll be able to hide from everyone?"
Michael says, "Very long, if they want."
The chameleon fades from view, as if not being able to stand being exposed for very long and says, "Oh, I figure another 100 generations or so should be sufficient."
Michael says, "Suff...what?"
Chimera hmms. "That should be enough for now."
The voice fades, "Thank you again my friends. And be careful, even small dragons could be hunted."
Chimera says, "Of course, and good luck Parthal!"
Michael waves into the tree.
The voice chuckles, sounding even further away, "Thank you. And thank you for the best laugh I've had in ages. Goodbye."
Michael wearily gets to his feet and groans.
Chimera says, "So why are you up here, Michael, if not to see the invisible dragon?"
Michael shrugs. "Looking around, I am mostly."
Michael says, "I am seeing what there is to see."
Chimera says, "Seen anything interesting?"
Michael says, "Little color changing dragons?"
Michael says, "'Daft' hunters?"
Michael smirks, "Kainudy-children?"
Michael says, "Many interesting things."
Chimera says, "Any interesting trees?"
"Trees are neat!" pipes Charon.
Michael says, "A few new trees...and some new creatures I not remember."
Chimera says, "Do you want the tent? Charon and I don't sleep."
Michael says, "No...I will want this tree, it seems good."
Michael slowly, tiredly, climbs up to a sturdy branch and drapes himself over it.
Chimera douses the campfire.
Michael yawns. "Goodnight..."
Chimera says, "Sleep well! We'll wake you up if anything interesting happens."
Michael says, "^kkkana fri..."
Michael falls asleep in his tree.
And a distance away, several chameleon dragons nearly fall off their branches as Parthal relates the nights events. Few of his friends believe him, but they think it's a funny story anyhow.