FA+
Shop
1687
Views
Views
10
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Story / Vore
Species Western Dragon
Size 50 x 50
File Size 35.8 kB
Report this content
More from DrakeZephyr
So apologies for another slightly late post. Was in travel at the posting time, got lost in the muddle. But here it is, the second commission of last month, for one of my lovely patrons!
As requested, a sequel to the Grackle story. Here was a tale I never expected to write. I hope you all enjoy it, and to those who found the previous story... dark for their tastes, this one is... a lot lighter.
If you want to see my work sooner, or just want to help keep a dragon fed, I'm always hungry for more patrons on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9679574 So go check it out! A dragon just can't live without a steady supply of tasty morsels
Ralin stirred the stew on his pot with a certain intensity. It took all his effort to think about the food. Certainly, he was concerned with it burning, the hearty stew was a relative luxury, but that wasn’t the main reason. He was trying not to think about Grackle.
Since the day he had escaped the dragon by throwing an itching powder he’d ground together from the irritating feathery barbs of a particular seed pod over its muzzle, Grackle had been pursuing him. He’d had to leave his village after the first two attacks landed there, he’d shed visiting more than villages, and never lingered there overnight after one such place had become broken rubble under Grackle’s mighty weight and ravenous appetite.
He travelled now, waiting. Waiting for the next chance his curse would take to descend and hunt him.
A crack in the trees had him sat upright, though his stance relaxed as James wandered back into camp, a heap of sticks under his arm. James had been with him longer than any other companion… and so far, had been the only one to both endure the mental strain of the assaults… and survive. It had been a couple of weeks since he’d watched his second companion flattened under one of Grackle’s paws…
“Jumpy, aren’t you” James observed, tossing the sticks down away from the fire and sitting himself, peering into the stew
“Sorry” Ralin stirred the pot, before handing the spoon to James who took over “My mind is on Grackle”
“Who else” James noted coolly “what’s it been? A week?”
“Mm” Ralin nodded. The dragon had only attacked once since the last time, when he’d stood before that savage muzzle and forced an amendment to the dragon’s fatal game “I guess he took giving me more time to rest seriously. Let’s hope he also avoids eating anyone while he’s… chasing me”
James rolled a shoulder “didn’t make that agreement on my account I hope, you’re only making it harder to escape him when he does come” The youth shrugged “he’ll be better rested too, and he won’t be pausing to eat…”
“I know” Ralin sighed “But it’s an easier burden to bear, his pursuit, when I know other people are… not going to be as effected. Maybe I can even go to a settlement again. I’ve forgotten what a bed feels like, a good meal tastes like…”
James gave the pot a stir “this stuff we make is pretty good to me”
Ralin shot his, odd companion a look. He did wonder why James stayed with him, why all this hadn’t scared him off, why James was so very calm through all of this. He doubted they’d have ever been friends or companions, if he hadn’t been so lonely.
“Anyway… if I’m more rested I can travel more, and if he has to hunt in the woods, there’s more chance he’ll get distracted. We keep going quietly, and he may well lose my trail”
“Ah, clever” James lifted a bowl to fill it from the pot “And lets you cover more ground looking for a place he can’t get to you, I suppose”
“Yes” Ralin accepted the bowl when offered to him, letting it rest to his knees while it cooled “Maybe there’s some valley he can’t fit in, or the territory of a large dragon he is scared of, or something…” Ralin shrugged “by all accounts, things are better since I actually confronted him. Still, I’m not enjoying it. His pattern was getting predictable, I, never knew, but I had a good impression when he would strike. Now… Now I don’t know. The game has changed… and I only need to lose once to be dead. It has me on edge”
James nodded quietly, taking a mouthful of hot stew with a pleased sigh.
Ralin shot him a look “where were you off to anyway? You’ve been wandering off a lot lately”
“I have time on my hands” James shrugged “I have hobbies, you know. We’ve been running and rebuilding so often I haven’t had time to indulge”
Ralin shrugged off the explanation “you said you were interested in plants once…”
“One reason I started following you” James observed, pausing in his meal “I had no idea how, versatile they can be, how useful, how, creative an herbalist can be. I heard you were one, so…”
“And being hunted by a dragon doesn’t dissuade your idle curiosity?”
James shrugged “do you want it to?”
“Not really… I don’t want you to die either”
James smiled a little bit “I can take care of myself. I have confidence in that. Is that enough?”
“I suppose” Ralin poked at his food, before shrugging and resigning himself to eat. It didn’t help knowing Grackle would be back… sometime. Being able to guess when, time the dragon’s appetite to a degree… he missed that luxury. As he ate, he did wonder, had he made the right choice. The moral one perhaps, trying to protect others. Still… even though it had cost people their lives, he missed being able to predict his predator. He’d seen Grackle eat enough people to know he didn’t want that fate.
He slept uneasily that night, more so than normal. Some instinct kept him alert, kept him tossing and turning in his tent as the heat rose and his anxiety flared. It was almost a relief when a familiar noise vindicated his concern. It was faint, the sort of noise most people wouldn’t even notice. But most people hadn’t heard dragon wingbeats as much as him. The distinct, leathery clap as all that weight struggled against gravity.
In moments he was up, pushing out into the cold night air for a better listen and so he wouldn’t get tangled in his tent. The air was blessedly cool after his fevered squirming. The sound of wings was, still distant, crisper, and clearer to the ear now. He could tell it wasn’t a swift approach… it might not even be an approach
“You have good ears”
He almost jumped, looking down to see James was leaning against his own tent, watching the skies above “Damn you startled me”
“Sorry” James shrugged “I couldn’t sleep, surprised you heard the wings in there”
“One becomes alert to sounds of impending dragons…”
James just chuckled at that, before going quiet, both staying still and silent as the wingbeats grew closer, and then further away. It had passed by them. He exhaled the breath he’d been holding and sat down by James.
“Guess he didn’t spot us” James mused “or it’s not him… not sure what’s worse. Thinking he’s actively hunting for me right now, or there’s a second dragon around”
“Both dangerous, for sure” James added, scratching at his chin
“I want to get moving” Ralin looked to his tent “pack and let’s go”
“Now?” James looked up
“If it’s Grackle, or any other dragon, it’s probably hunting” Ralin reasoned “if it doesn’t find anything, it’ll keep looking, and where will it look?” James just looked at him blankly, so he continued “it looks where it hasn’t looked yet. Which could be here. We get up, and we follow the wingbeats… we can travel in the path it’s already looked over”
“Curious ploy” James stood with a stretch “oh, very well… lets go. Doubt I’d sleep much with that one flying around anyway…”
In a practiced fashion they quickly packed up their meagre belongings and ventured out into the trees in the gloom. The sun would rise soon, Ralin reflected, till then they moved slowly and quietly, listening for the dragon as they wandered in the direction it had flown. Time passed slowly in their imposed silence. Though into the morning hours they did not hear the beast again, that was no proof it wasn’t nearby somewhere, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.
To keep his mind occupied, Ralin perused the plants they were moving with, drawing a small sickle from his belt, cutting a leaf and stem here, slipping them into his jacket when he paused to listen. It was a habit he’d had since he’d first began studying plants. Little samples of this and that, plants he knew, plants he’d heard of... and plants whose properties he was willing to guess. Sometimes plants could be rather predictable. To most eyes one plant was much the same as another in terms of their composition… but there was a pattern. Warning colours and shapes that hinted poison, tiny barbs that suggested a sting and irritating concoctions… and knowing the traits of one plant, hinted at the traits the plants around it may, or must have to survive the neighbour.
He felt very watched, and glanced around, noticing how intensely James was watching him. He hazarded a whisper.
“Yes?”
“That plant… what is it for? I’ve never seen it before?”
Ralin lifted the little sprig he had cut from a little plant hidden away under a bush “I haven’t seen it before either, before today. I’ve spotted enough to see their pattern. They grow small, and under larger plants. You wouldn’t see them unless you were… well, small enough and with eyes to the dirt”
“Then why take it?”
“Two reasons” Ralin smirked faintly “it has a bright and distinct flower… and I’ll bet a dragon has never ever seen one. Any wise predator deals with the unknown with caution… what do you suppose a dragon would do if, in reaction to seeing it, I lifted a plant it didn’t know, and threw it at it”
“Dodge” James responded “if it couldn’t land a killing blow first… although…” he seemed to grow thoughtful “no idea what it is? Might not want to risk eating it… probably reflex would be to dodge”
“Exactly” Ralin noted “the amount of times I’ve bluffed that dragon…”
“Good to know…”
“Still… it might not be a bluff, which is the second reason” he looked over the plant before putting it in a pouch “the smallest, most fragile, most terrified things on this planet tote the biggest weapons relative to their size. Whenever I see a small, distinctive plant, that looks so fragile and easily eaten… I want to take a sample, because you never know what sting it might be carrying”
“Poison you mean… a little drastic, no?” James grunted “besides… plants make that stuff to keep insects away, right? What would it do to a dragon”
“Maybe nothing, maybe everything… depends on the method” Ralin noted “Some poison will just taste bad to something much bigger than intended… but others… others, the dosage isn’t nearly as important” he glanced back to James “In the end… all life came from one source, that’s what my teacher taught me. Whether you follow the teachings of the gods or not, that is universal… The same solutions to the same problems… the same, internal systems and chemicals exist across all life… some variations here, and there… but some things are so vital to survival, so perfect in its one shape, it’s never changed” he petted his pocket “all you need is a plant that has happened upon a chemical that breaks that cycle in whatever eats it. Then, dragon or not, you’ll at least get sick from a dose. Small things die fast, bigger things slow… the biggest… maybe they’ll survive, flush it from their system before it kills… but on that distinction, dosage… helps”
He looked back, noting James looked a little, paler “this is a savage side to you I didn’t know, Ralin”
“It’s just information” Ralin shrugged “I won’t be poisoning him. He knows I use plant weapons… and he’s always wary. Maybe what I throw is a bluff… or not, he doesn’t take that risk… and he still has the advantage. The methods of surprise only work once…”
James nodded a little bit “you’re certainly a crafty one…it’s no wonder you’ve survived this long”
Ralin chuckled “mmm… at least he gives me an outlet for the mischievous leaning to my intellect… I’m working on a truly horrific solution… it will stink worse than his breath. I get that on his nose… he’ll be wishing he’d left me alone for a month”
James sighed “I almost feel sorry for him…”
They resumed their silence, continuing through the woods till the trees thinned, and a rough road presented itself. Cautiously they crouched by the road, waiting, and watching, before moving out into the open
“Seems clear” Ralin reflected hopefully “maybe it wasn’t Grackle… just a dragon flying past. For all I know we’ve wandered into the territory of one…”
“Always possible” James stretched, arching his back with a yawn “I’m going to sleep deep tonight…”
They took a brief time to settle, chew on some of their dried foods, swig a drink before continuing down the road, eyes vigilant but otherwise relaxing into the journey again.
Ahead a plume of smoke promised other travellers, a thought that quickened Ralin’s pace a little. For the most part, he tried to spare other folk from being near him and his curse, but with a dragon in the skies, he was hopeful for a little local knowledge. It wouldn’t be the first time a little glimmer of knowledge about a local dragon’s habits had helped him plot out a safe time to travel.
The sight he arrived to was an oddity, even in a life of travel. It was indeed a camp, one tent, one person, a largely neatly dressed young woman, though she had so many… assorted objects draped on her shoulders and in her pockets and poking out of her pack, it ruined any sense of tidy. The camp was also in disarray, clothing strewn around, the fireplace messily kicked, the tent askew. Some of the clothes looked too big for her… but then, his first impression was that she was a decidedly strange traveller.
She looked up from the fireplace, smiling a bit “ah, more travellers, hello”
Ralin nodded politely but heard James grunt behind him. The girl looked his way for a moment, then back to Ralin “Going this way? I know it’s sudden, but I don’t suppose I could follow along? I do prefer travelling with company, but my last companion…” she sighed faintly, looking off “mm, let’s just say his priorities changed, very rapidly. I doubt I’ll be seeing him again… our travels are rather, over”
“Oh” Ralin murmured. He shot James a look. James resolutely shook his head. Much as he disliked to turn down the request of a fellow traveller… he had all too good reason to not have any more company… he remembered all too well the unenviable fate of his last… and, it was also rarely wise to travel with anyone so… obviously strange “I’m sorry… but we just lost a companion recently as well, we’re not really, wanting anyone new for a while”
She cocked her head “oh… well… alright” she didn’t seem too disappointed, she shrugged
“If you wouldn’t mind, might I ask if you know anything about any local dragons?”
“Local dragons” she looked at him strangely, before smiling a touch “I can guarantee you there are no… local dragons”
“We did, hear one earlier” Ralin noted
“Well, dragons can be travellers like us too” she stood with a stretch “but there is no, local one, so nothing to tell I’m afraid. Guess you’ll just have to hope it moved on”
“I suppose so” Ralin murmured. It wasn’t much, but even that was something to know. If it wasn’t local, on the plus, it didn’t know the area, but on the downside, it also wouldn’t have a predictable route or pattern “Thanks anyway”
James nudged him, and they moved on. But he felt sure the girl was still watching them
“Maybe I’ll run into you on the road again soon” she called out in farewell. Although, it was said with surprising cheer. Ralin tried to shrug it off… it must be nice to be that carefree
“I feel a little bad leaving her behind” Ralin fretted, poking a stick into the fire, stoking the embers needlessly, but watching the flicker of flame amid the ebbing sparks
“Don’t” James grunted, leaning back against a tree he was propped to “she can take care of herself I’m sure… besides, she’s probably crazy”
“I don’t know” Ralin leaned his head onto his arm “I think I’d go a bit crazy if I was travelling alone”
James only grunted as reply. Ralin shot him a look but got no reaction. James seemed, particularly bad of mood… Ralin shrugged it off. James was a private sort, but, something about that girl had seemed to rile him terribly…
The joints in his knees crackled as Ralin stood, stretching with a deflating grunt “well… I need to yield to nature, I could use the motion… I’m getting stiff”
James rolled a shoulder “just pick your distance”
“I know” Ralin waved his hand, turning and wandering between their tents, into the trees. Their makeshift camp was by the roadside, and Ralin ventured deeper into the trees. He knew well enough he had to be mindful of distance. Plenty far away, but one didn’t want to wander too far from camp in the darkening night in an unknown patch of woodland.
It was a rough place, the land uneven and soggy. Ferns grew between the trees, moss enshrouded logs formed hidden barriers in the undergrowth. It was a forest that needed waded through as much as anything. Yet, his roaming eyes did spot a likely patch. He certainly had no intention of trying to relieve himself amid ferns. The tickle of a thousand finger-like fronds was just… shudder inducing to think about. But there was a region where they seemed to give out, and he approached gladly.
He moved into the faint clearing, where shorter grasses had won against the ferns and the ground was a little firmer. A shadowy corner took his fancy, and he made himself quick, ears vigilant, yet, it was his nose that had him concerned.
Ralin felt he had a good nose, he could tell plants apart by scent and when he moved into new regions, it was often his nose before his eyes that told him what might be growing there. There was a scent on the air that he didn’t quite recognise. It didn’t fit anything he could bring to mind, and yet, he swore he’d smelled something very close to it… often enough to embed in the untouched reaches of his subconscious… but what could it be.
Fast as he could, unsettled by the uncertainty, he finished his business and moved back the way he had come. The scent intensified slightly… and that was all he needed, an undertone came to it, when it grew stronger, that clicked into place and made his body tense. He smelled dragon.
And then the beast was, everywhere. It slunk out of the trees, rising from, where it must have been hiding, pacing around in a circle. A grimace took Ralin’s face, mind doing the math quickly. It must have surrounded him with its body, tail to muzzle while he was preoccupied. In every direction was dragon, any small gaps quickly replaced by pacing paws or weaving tail. This was bad. And maybe worse, it wasn’t Grackle… its scales were a sleek, mottled green, blending smoothly with the surrounding colours. The mottling broke up the outlines of the scales… he suspected if it laid down quietly he could mistake a passing glance for nothing more than a little rise… the forests here had lumpy enough ground for that…
“Well, well… I was so hoping you’d wander off” the beast crooned, its voice was loud, deep, and yet… he felt there was a more melodic note… a female? He wouldn’t know or want to know how to tell easily with dragons.
Ralin turned, trying to watch the head. Gleaming eyes were locked on him, but he also shot glances at the tail… not bladed but spaded.
“Just relax… there’s nothing you can do now” the dragon chuckled softly. Seeming to be relishing in, a meal caught.
Already Ralin was feeling a twisted mix of hope and dread. Hope that he’d have more chance of an opening this way… dread, that it seemed in a mood to play with its food… if he didn’t get away, this, could be a slow, horrible death…
“What do you want?” he called to it, eyes roaming its body, wondering to himself… its turning radius, its reactions, sizing it up as an obstacle
The dragon smirked, head drifting closer to him, hot breath washing over him as it crooned “I want you… under my skin” she chuckled, tongue rolling her lips “I really do you know… And I want you… deep, in the heart of me” Her tail swished, another chuckle punctuating her merriment. Ralin shuddered.
The hot breath washed at him, catching his attention. Before he knew it, the tail was rolling to his back, staggering him forward, view filled with pink as the massive jaws spread wide, white fang flashing. His heart skipped a beat, this was it…
“Paws off that one, it’s mine!”
The advancing jaws halted, a heavy puff of rancid dragon breath engulfing Ralin’s world. Then the head retreated slightly, jaws sealing with a wet click, attention moving off of him. He followed her gaze… and for the first time he could think of, the dark, glowering visage of Grackle was actually a relief.
“Oh, you” her tone was as dismissive as the faint flick of her tail “tough luck, I caught this morsel, you’re ruining my fun”
“That’s MY morsel” Grackle advanced, sitting near the other dragon, their muzzles almost meeting as they eyed each other
“And yet it’s me who has it encircled… why don’t you go find your own human”
“I already have” Grackle snorted “I’ve been hunting this one for years”
“Next you’ll be bragging that you still live in your hatchnest and have never felt the touch of a female”
A growl echoed in Grackle’s throat “I claimed him long ago, you have your fun, I have mine”
Ralin glanced between the arguing dragons. The irritated movements of the female’s tail had given an opening… could he just… he moved slowly towards the gap, only to startle back as a huge green paw slammed to the ground, talons inches away, digging into the dirt.
He looked up, into the gleaming eyes of the green dragon “don’t get impatient… we’ll finish discussing who eats you in a moment… till then, you just stay put while dragons are talking”
Ralin stared up at the huge head, so close, and Grackle’s, leaning closer… inspiration struck, Grackle’s argument reminding him of his advantage. This dragon hadn’t encountered him before… Grackle had been hunting him for years. He slid his hand into his jacket. Reflexively Grackle’s head wove back… but not the green. Her head cocked just a little, a faint curl coming to her snout… in the split second, he assumed she expected a blade, something small, something harmless. He drew out the small package, made of the thinnest paper he could buy, and so tight around the contents. He threw it up at her snout, and watched her eyes widen in surprise as the powder exploded across her snout.
A second passed, silent, time enough for her to blink before her head reeled. A keening screech tore from her throat, her stance rolling to her paws as she backed away, head shaking violently, a forepaw pushing desperately at her nostrils “No, no!” her high noted voice squealed sharp discord “What is this, No!”
Ralin took his chance. He ran right for her, away from Grackle, taking his chances with her shifting bulk, and running under her belly. She was having her first experience with itching powder… and Grackle would have her writhing form in his way of pursuing. He ran, ran with all the power he had gained over the years of escaping Grackle. Only once did he dare look back, the dragoness sneezing and wailing on the ground, and Grackle… the dark dragon was sat right where he had been, watching Ralin go, a wry smirk on those scaly features.
He didn’t run straight back to the camp. If they hadn’t noticed James yet, he didn’t want them to. The added benefit of his trick was that dragoness might not be tracking well by scent for a few days. He stopped when he tired, catching his breath before continuing to the road, and doubling back for the camp at a quick walk, listening more than anything. He didn’t hear dragons, even the dragoness’s wailing had ceased.
When he reached the campsite, he found it much as he’d left it. James was sitting by the dead fire, soaking up the embers, looking towards Ralin’s approach with a smile “I trust you had an eventful time?”
“Eventful is one way to put it” He sat heavily, panting for breath “Grackle is near, and another one… a green one. I got her across the muzzle with a powder, almost feel bad about it, seeing her panic… but well…”
“Do we need to leave now?”
“No…” Ralin looked up, a reflex, checking the sky “if they haven’t found our camp yet… it’s better we just lay low. If we knew where they were searching, that might be another matter… but I don’t relish going blind into the night with two dragons around… though with luck that green one will stay away”
“Because that’s how it worked out before” James noted with a curl of a smile
“Don’t remind me…” Ralin yawned, crawling for his tent. The last thing he needed was another Grackle…
The glow of sunlight lit the fabric of Ralin’s tent. He hesitated to venture into it, sprawled uncomfortably on the worn blanket he’d grown accustomed to. The morning light told him no dragons had found their camp overnight… that was nice. But they were outside that tent… somewhere. He sighed and dressed himself before pushing out into the day and, a less than expected sight.
On the road, peering at their tents, was the girl from before, a surprisingly small pack on her back given everything at the camp they’d found her at. She waved brightly “Morning, thought it was you”
“Morning…” Ralin dragged himself to their blackened fire pit, pushing a fresh log into the ashes, looking about for the tinder he needed “passing by?”
“I was…” she looked off “but… I wanted to see if you’d reconsider letting me follow you. Such, savage sounds in the woods last night”
Ralin sighed, rolling his palm to his head, he didn’t have the presence of mind for decisions this early… but he did feel a guilty pang… he had to worry his actions last night wouldn’t make the roads any safer for travellers… would it be so bad to have a third again… “Alright, alright… so long as you pull your weight”
“Perfect” she moved in close, dropping her pack without ceremony, sitting by the starting fire “what’s for breakfast?”
“Now I see” Ralin smiled just a little “nothing special, if that’s what you’re hoping”
“What is she doing here?”
James pushed out of his tent, staggering to the fire to sit beside Ralin, eying the girl
“She was passing… she won me over, I prefer having three anyway”
“I don’t” James glowered towards the girl, smiling wryly “you should know, we have a dragon chasing us, huge, powerful beast, we can’t promise you’ll be safe”
She met his look, a cheeky little smirk touching her features “Really?”
“I’m afraid so” Ralin confirmed “been after me for some time… it’s why I didn’t agree before”
“I’m not worried… most dragons catch their prey on first pounce… he can’t be that dangerous if he’s still not got you… it sounds rather childish, really…”
“It’s not about spite” James noted dryly “Ralin here is an expert at dragon evasion by now… you should see what he can do…” James shot him a look “do show her…”
Ralin shrugged, reaching into the pocket of his jacket, bringing out a pouch, observing the girl flinch, hands gripping tighter to her knees
“Jumpy, aren’t we” James cooed
“No need to be so… unnerved” Ralin smiled in what he hoped was a soothing way “it’s no… mighty weapon, it’s just itching powder… I have others, I use plants to create, liquids and powders to irritate the senses or sicken the breath”
“I see…” she noted, strained, smiling sickly “must be horrible…”
“I suppose” Ralin slipped the pouch away “it’s just thinking outside the box… dragons are huge, covered in scales, but that’s the obstacle. Their senses still need soft, exposed flesh, inside their snout is fleshy… easy to irritate, have you ever had itching powder thrown at you?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s happened once”
“mmm, then you know how, unpleasant it can be. First time is always the worst…” He sighed “but what I’m leading to, is it’s just tricks, dragons learn them. I may have driven Grackle away many times, but I can’t promise safety”
“Grackle?” She mused “is that his name?”
“It’s what we call him” James reiterated quietly
She shrugged, smiling to James “well, don’t worry about me, I’ll accept what you’re saying but… well, maybe it’s safer to travel with someone dragon hunted. Eyes will be on you, not me”
“That’s one way of looking at it” Ralin murmured sombrely. He had to hope she’d be fine. Grackle had agreed after all to not hunt his companions… or he took the dragon’s agreement to mean that.
He focussed on breakfast, a truly awful slime made of oats. He was reluctant to even share it with the new addition. Still, her focus wasn’t on the food… but James. He caught them shooting, unfriendly looks at each other. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake… the last thing he needed was arguing. If only, he mused, he could figure out why they had such a sudden, intense dislike of each other, it had been hostile since they met. He rolled a shoulder. It was none of his business. Maybe hearing them argue would even add a little spice of, normalcy to his crazy life…
“You’re carrying less than us” James noted sourly as they walked “I do feel sure I heard him say something about pulling your weight”
“You keep saying us when you’re thinking me, did you know that?” the girl responded, when probed she had called herself Beth
“We have been together for a long time… you, are new, you are the usurper here”
“Usurper? Am I so threatening?” She probed with a smirk “What is this relationship between you two anyway?”
“That is none of your concern” James snapped
“Besides… I am pulling my own weight… MY own weight” she bounced her pack on her shoulder “don’t blame me YOU can’t pack lighter”
“Some of it is his, we share the burden” James noted
“Well, now I’m really wondering what he means to you?” she smirked
Ralin sighed heavily, walking ahead of his two companions… he couldn’t even remember what had initially started them off… but it had wandered here… it would find a new topic soon enough.
“You know…” Ralin interrupted into their discussion “I think I’m going to scout ahead, leave you two to… whatever this is going on between you”
He didn’t get a reply, nor did he wait for one, wandering ahead at a faster pace, welcoming the quiet of the road. Before long, their voices faded behind him, giving him some peace to think. The more he dwelled on it, there was something in Grackle’s behaviour that just, seemed odd, out of place, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It had been bothering him for a while, sparked anew by the encounter the evening past. Motives aside, Grackle had saved his life. Not that he felt particularly indebted, the dragon had tried to kill him enough times. But still…
Eventually Ralin shrugged it off, concluding he was probably just shaken from the experience. Two dragons at once had been intense… one massive, looming reptile was enough to worry about…
Ahead the road forked, and Ralin stopped to consider the routes, contemplating what little he knew of the region, which looked like it would bring them close to large settlements. Those thoughts lasted only a few moments however. The crunch of steps on the path didn’t stop when he did.
He turned and faced his nightmare. Grackle looked practically smug, sat on the road with drifting tail, just looking at him. Ralin didn’t let his guard down, although… Grackle normally just pounced
“What do you want?”
“To talk, then to eat” Grackle idly claimed, smirking a little “But… not alone”
Ralin looked behind him, paling, as the sleek green one, swayed out of the trees, passing him at a wide berth, wandering to Grackle
“Oh gods…”
“We meet again” she crooned, drifting her tail as she sat by Grackle “quite the, shock you gave me last time…”
“We have come to an agreement of sorts” Grackle rumbled “she concedes you are indeed, worthy prey… and that my claim stands…” he shot Ralin a dark grin “so when we catch you… I get the top half, and she gets the bottom”
Ralin staggered a step back, looking past the dragons, down the road. His companions…
“You haven’t broken your word, have you Grackle… my travelling companions…”
“Oh, them” Grackle rumbled, looking to the green “didn’t we pass them?”
“Oh yes” she smirked “their arguing so loud we only needed hear them… they live, we came for you”
Ralin felt some of the dread lift, at least they were safe, for now… of course, most of his dread stayed right where it was, as he looked over the pair of dragons looking down their sleek predatory snouts at him
“Are you serious though… now there are two of you?” Ralin blurted “Haven’t I suffered enough?”
The green chuckled, swaying a few steps closer, Ralin backing away “don’t get me wrong, I have not a drop of his… obsession” she shot a look back to Grackle “But I’ll admit a certain curiosity, to the human who this one has been chasing for so, very long. Jests to his skill aside, he’s not in bad shape…”
Ralin sized up the, huge reptile, considering his options. She’d moved closer… that was good. There was distance between them now… it was two dragons, not two dragons at once. A vital difference. The wheels were already turning. He was learning a lot about her. She liked to play with her food, that much was obvious, even now she treated hunting him as an amusement, a passing fancy. She wasn’t committed to catching him. Much more likely to flee from a bluff or an attack, spare herself the discomfort. Grackle… He’d seen grackle muscle through tricks he knew, just to go for a bite.
His eyes traced her form, noticing something he hadn’t before, a faint swell at her belly… she had eaten, recently enough it still showed. So, she was peckish, not ravenous… might explain her attitude, best not assume that was her personality then… and now he could see her better, not surrounded by the trees as much, he noted to his discontentment, that she was, sleek and powerful, but… her proportions were different to Grackle. The muscles on her jaw looked stronger, her hind legs more powerful. She was an ambusher, not a chaser, her colouring fitted that. If he escaped her first strike, she might give up, especially as unconcerned as she seemed. Ralin nodded to himself, even as she weaved closer. He was lucky, she liked to toy with her food… lucky Grackle seemed to enjoy watching. He’d had his time to think.
Her head hadn’t gotten as close as last time, she was wary, she’d panicked when he hit her senses before… he couldn’t be sure she’d panic again… anger might be more likely. He reached his hand to his belt, gripping the little flower he’d found so many days ago, drawing it into his hand, where she could see it. Those sharp eyes narrowed, she’d been expecting him to have a trick… but he knew what she wouldn’t expect. He grit his teeth and committed. He ran at her, hand raised with the flower, shouting wordlessly as he charged, brandishing the plant. The reaction was everything he hoped. Her features went from confused to concerned, and her head withdrew with a hiss “Stay away from me! What is that? Grackle!” she looked back, towards the dark dragon. Ralin had thought she might. She looked to the dragon who knew his tricks, for confirmation, for information. He’d been waiting for this moment. He lobbed the flower up towards her muzzle, the little plant drifting before her eyes. A squeal escaped her, her head rearing away from it, body unbalancing as with an earth-shaking crash she toppled, back slamming a tree which cracked with a plaintive creak.
Ralin ducked a flailing forepaw, darting around the tumbled dragoness as her other paw batted furiously in the air at the little plant. He wondered to himself if there was anything dangerous at all about the little thing… he had no idea. Luckily, she wasn’t willing to take the risk.
He heard Grackle growl, the dark dragon seemed discontent to watch this time, but his charge was blocked by the dragoness as Ralin wove around her, rushing into the woods. He’d assume she knew them well… she was made for them, Grackle was flight focussed, however… deep trees were not the dragon’s natural hunting grounds.
Still, the dark drake leapt over the dragoness, barrelling into the trees in pursuit. Ralin could hear the heavy paws on approach, discomforted grunts as the dragon pushed through the trees.
Already Ralin’s mind was at work, eying the trees ahead, sizes and distances. He’d seen Grackle enough he could size the dragon in a heartbeat. However big a dragon was, trees were often bigger, and rooted. Firm obstacles. He wove between them, looking for gaps too small for the dragon, rewarded with frustrated growls when Grackle had to weave around or wriggle through. But there was one size of gap Ralin was looking for, the perfect size. Grackle wasn’t that used to going through the trees, that meant he likely wasn’t adept at judging his own size for gaps…
Finally, Ralin saw what he wanted, two sufficiently large trees, the gap… it looked like Grackle could almost make it… almost, but not quite. It was that slim edge of almost he’d been looking for. He ran between them, beginning to slow his pace, placing his life on the assessment, feigning exhaustion. He could hear Grackle’s pace increasing, all but hear the excitement on the dragon’s breath.
He turned his head to see the dark dragon rushing for him with half open jaws… he knew Grackle. Grackle was impulsive. All that was in the balance now, was his math… if he judged wrong, he’d die to those fangs.
Grackle sprang, shoulders passing the gap in the trees, chest scraping the bark as the dragon slowed, and stopped with a notable grunt as his hip hit the wood with a painful sounding thud.
The dark dragon gasped with a hiss, looking back, stopped dead, wriggling himself as he pulled.
Ralin allowed himself a moment to breathe. His eyes hadn’t failed him “eyes smaller than your hips, Grackle”
“Accursed trees” Grackle snorted, slamming a paw to the bark, pushing as he wriggled. He got an inch… Ralin knew he didn’t have long. The dragon would free himself of course… it wouldn’t even take that long. But long enough…
“Not today Grackle”
“No, not today” the dragon stopped squirming, looking to Ralin with a smirk on those devious features “you had better not linger… the female may be skulking close as we speak”
Ralin shivered to the thought… but he didn’t think so… “So fair of you to recruit help…”
“What can I say, you did that” Grackle rumbled “you’re a tempting prey thing…”
Ralin folded his arms “why do you even need to catch me, Grackle… can’t you, let me live? Just, think about it… do you want to kill me? Why not let me go, let me have a life, a family… more humans in the world as interesting as me” He considered Grackle “I mean… think about it, you wish to catch me, because I’m challenging, yes? But at this rate, you’ll never beat me. Age will beat me, you’ll just be scavenging by then. I’ll pass my prime, and then you’ll catch me… you’ll never win, unless you let me live, unless you, let me have children”
Grackle snorted with a rumble “Prey gets away, sometimes you catch it next time, sometimes you catch it when they have been fool enough to break their leg or have worn with age. You will age, I will have aged also. Am I discontent when I fail to catch my prey on the first pounce and must run to catch it? No, the chase, is part of the hunt. It is not a battle of physical strength between us, human, but of wills… of stamina. You will breed, if you breed. Perhaps you will earn it. I care not how I catch you. One day I shall, do not forget our deal… you will not deny me that chance”
Ralin folded his arms “I’m calling you on that, Grackle… you say it doesn’t matter to you? Then why have you never used the tactics that other dragon did? You never wait and pounce when I’m relieving myself, or when I’m feeling sick. You don’t sneak slyly close and hammer a paw on my tent. You dive in with roars and thudding, you make me run, so you can chase me”
Grackle snorted, the smirk on those scaled lips, ebbed just a little “It is your mind, I wish to defeat, human, not your body. You weave such, intriguing tricks, tricks beyond most humans I make my prey”
“That ability too will dull with age” Ralin asserted “I outwitted you today Grackle, because I was quick, in mind, and in body. The body gives me more options, and my quickness of mind, is what I use against you… that will slow with age. You’ll never beat me, if you defeat me when I’m dulled”
Grackle yawned “this is a trick I won’t fall to, human. It could be argued every moment you have been dulled from the last. It is not worth thinking about” he snorted “Still… I can’t deny it would be, entertaining to find more humans with your, tricks, but you misunderstand me, human” He licked his chops slowly “It’s you I’m hunting, not your brood, not your lineage, you”
Ralin sighed, and turned to walk away “You know something Grackle… you’ve forced me to learn more about dragons than I ever intended to… I like to think I’ve got quick wits and an eye for detail. But I’ll say this… there’s something you’re lying to both of us about… and I think, if I ever figure out what it is, just maybe I’ll defeat you instead”
His words were greeted with a snort, but as he walked away, Grackle’s eyes flicked down, the dark dragon sitting with a musing huff.
It took time, but Ralin found his way back to the road. He did his best to avoid travelling the exact same route back, he assumed Grackle would follow his own trail of destruction… but brief glances that way proved a useful reference for his travel.
Though increasingly exhausted he wasted no time, hurrying back down to where he’d left his companions. He shot the sky constant glances; quite sure Grackle would be airborne by now… but he didn’t see either scaly behemoth. The found James and Beth settled by the roadside, waiting it seemed. But they looked safe; that was good.
“Had another run in, I take it?” James looked up to him “we heard the roars. Figured it wouldn’t be wise for two humans to wander towards dragons. So, we’ve been sitting here waiting to see if you came back…”
“Most impressed” Beth leaned her head to her hand, looking to Ralin, she seemed to be, pouty for some reason… he could guess they’d been arguing… although, he had to admit they didn’t seem to have the same, tension in the air
“We should go, now” Ralin noted, rolling his shoulders “I must have dropped my bag at some point… I just do it on reflex now… hopefully we find it, unsquashed”
James shrugged, standing, hefting his pack back on his shoulders. Ralin led, as they moved on. The woods were still quiet… the aftershock of dragons. Ralin sighed, looking behind himself “did you two make up or something?”
They both smiled back at him, just a little “We found some common ground” Beth answered
“Differences aside, we, did find a shared interest or two” James chuckled
“Such as?”
“It’s a secret” James smiled just a bit “just suffice it to say we’re going to be a lot more unified, as we, follow you along…”
As requested, a sequel to the Grackle story. Here was a tale I never expected to write. I hope you all enjoy it, and to those who found the previous story... dark for their tastes, this one is... a lot lighter.
If you want to see my work sooner, or just want to help keep a dragon fed, I'm always hungry for more patrons on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=9679574 So go check it out! A dragon just can't live without a steady supply of tasty morsels
Ralin stirred the stew on his pot with a certain intensity. It took all his effort to think about the food. Certainly, he was concerned with it burning, the hearty stew was a relative luxury, but that wasn’t the main reason. He was trying not to think about Grackle.
Since the day he had escaped the dragon by throwing an itching powder he’d ground together from the irritating feathery barbs of a particular seed pod over its muzzle, Grackle had been pursuing him. He’d had to leave his village after the first two attacks landed there, he’d shed visiting more than villages, and never lingered there overnight after one such place had become broken rubble under Grackle’s mighty weight and ravenous appetite.
He travelled now, waiting. Waiting for the next chance his curse would take to descend and hunt him.
A crack in the trees had him sat upright, though his stance relaxed as James wandered back into camp, a heap of sticks under his arm. James had been with him longer than any other companion… and so far, had been the only one to both endure the mental strain of the assaults… and survive. It had been a couple of weeks since he’d watched his second companion flattened under one of Grackle’s paws…
“Jumpy, aren’t you” James observed, tossing the sticks down away from the fire and sitting himself, peering into the stew
“Sorry” Ralin stirred the pot, before handing the spoon to James who took over “My mind is on Grackle”
“Who else” James noted coolly “what’s it been? A week?”
“Mm” Ralin nodded. The dragon had only attacked once since the last time, when he’d stood before that savage muzzle and forced an amendment to the dragon’s fatal game “I guess he took giving me more time to rest seriously. Let’s hope he also avoids eating anyone while he’s… chasing me”
James rolled a shoulder “didn’t make that agreement on my account I hope, you’re only making it harder to escape him when he does come” The youth shrugged “he’ll be better rested too, and he won’t be pausing to eat…”
“I know” Ralin sighed “But it’s an easier burden to bear, his pursuit, when I know other people are… not going to be as effected. Maybe I can even go to a settlement again. I’ve forgotten what a bed feels like, a good meal tastes like…”
James gave the pot a stir “this stuff we make is pretty good to me”
Ralin shot his, odd companion a look. He did wonder why James stayed with him, why all this hadn’t scared him off, why James was so very calm through all of this. He doubted they’d have ever been friends or companions, if he hadn’t been so lonely.
“Anyway… if I’m more rested I can travel more, and if he has to hunt in the woods, there’s more chance he’ll get distracted. We keep going quietly, and he may well lose my trail”
“Ah, clever” James lifted a bowl to fill it from the pot “And lets you cover more ground looking for a place he can’t get to you, I suppose”
“Yes” Ralin accepted the bowl when offered to him, letting it rest to his knees while it cooled “Maybe there’s some valley he can’t fit in, or the territory of a large dragon he is scared of, or something…” Ralin shrugged “by all accounts, things are better since I actually confronted him. Still, I’m not enjoying it. His pattern was getting predictable, I, never knew, but I had a good impression when he would strike. Now… Now I don’t know. The game has changed… and I only need to lose once to be dead. It has me on edge”
James nodded quietly, taking a mouthful of hot stew with a pleased sigh.
Ralin shot him a look “where were you off to anyway? You’ve been wandering off a lot lately”
“I have time on my hands” James shrugged “I have hobbies, you know. We’ve been running and rebuilding so often I haven’t had time to indulge”
Ralin shrugged off the explanation “you said you were interested in plants once…”
“One reason I started following you” James observed, pausing in his meal “I had no idea how, versatile they can be, how useful, how, creative an herbalist can be. I heard you were one, so…”
“And being hunted by a dragon doesn’t dissuade your idle curiosity?”
James shrugged “do you want it to?”
“Not really… I don’t want you to die either”
James smiled a little bit “I can take care of myself. I have confidence in that. Is that enough?”
“I suppose” Ralin poked at his food, before shrugging and resigning himself to eat. It didn’t help knowing Grackle would be back… sometime. Being able to guess when, time the dragon’s appetite to a degree… he missed that luxury. As he ate, he did wonder, had he made the right choice. The moral one perhaps, trying to protect others. Still… even though it had cost people their lives, he missed being able to predict his predator. He’d seen Grackle eat enough people to know he didn’t want that fate.
He slept uneasily that night, more so than normal. Some instinct kept him alert, kept him tossing and turning in his tent as the heat rose and his anxiety flared. It was almost a relief when a familiar noise vindicated his concern. It was faint, the sort of noise most people wouldn’t even notice. But most people hadn’t heard dragon wingbeats as much as him. The distinct, leathery clap as all that weight struggled against gravity.
In moments he was up, pushing out into the cold night air for a better listen and so he wouldn’t get tangled in his tent. The air was blessedly cool after his fevered squirming. The sound of wings was, still distant, crisper, and clearer to the ear now. He could tell it wasn’t a swift approach… it might not even be an approach
“You have good ears”
He almost jumped, looking down to see James was leaning against his own tent, watching the skies above “Damn you startled me”
“Sorry” James shrugged “I couldn’t sleep, surprised you heard the wings in there”
“One becomes alert to sounds of impending dragons…”
James just chuckled at that, before going quiet, both staying still and silent as the wingbeats grew closer, and then further away. It had passed by them. He exhaled the breath he’d been holding and sat down by James.
“Guess he didn’t spot us” James mused “or it’s not him… not sure what’s worse. Thinking he’s actively hunting for me right now, or there’s a second dragon around”
“Both dangerous, for sure” James added, scratching at his chin
“I want to get moving” Ralin looked to his tent “pack and let’s go”
“Now?” James looked up
“If it’s Grackle, or any other dragon, it’s probably hunting” Ralin reasoned “if it doesn’t find anything, it’ll keep looking, and where will it look?” James just looked at him blankly, so he continued “it looks where it hasn’t looked yet. Which could be here. We get up, and we follow the wingbeats… we can travel in the path it’s already looked over”
“Curious ploy” James stood with a stretch “oh, very well… lets go. Doubt I’d sleep much with that one flying around anyway…”
In a practiced fashion they quickly packed up their meagre belongings and ventured out into the trees in the gloom. The sun would rise soon, Ralin reflected, till then they moved slowly and quietly, listening for the dragon as they wandered in the direction it had flown. Time passed slowly in their imposed silence. Though into the morning hours they did not hear the beast again, that was no proof it wasn’t nearby somewhere, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.
To keep his mind occupied, Ralin perused the plants they were moving with, drawing a small sickle from his belt, cutting a leaf and stem here, slipping them into his jacket when he paused to listen. It was a habit he’d had since he’d first began studying plants. Little samples of this and that, plants he knew, plants he’d heard of... and plants whose properties he was willing to guess. Sometimes plants could be rather predictable. To most eyes one plant was much the same as another in terms of their composition… but there was a pattern. Warning colours and shapes that hinted poison, tiny barbs that suggested a sting and irritating concoctions… and knowing the traits of one plant, hinted at the traits the plants around it may, or must have to survive the neighbour.
He felt very watched, and glanced around, noticing how intensely James was watching him. He hazarded a whisper.
“Yes?”
“That plant… what is it for? I’ve never seen it before?”
Ralin lifted the little sprig he had cut from a little plant hidden away under a bush “I haven’t seen it before either, before today. I’ve spotted enough to see their pattern. They grow small, and under larger plants. You wouldn’t see them unless you were… well, small enough and with eyes to the dirt”
“Then why take it?”
“Two reasons” Ralin smirked faintly “it has a bright and distinct flower… and I’ll bet a dragon has never ever seen one. Any wise predator deals with the unknown with caution… what do you suppose a dragon would do if, in reaction to seeing it, I lifted a plant it didn’t know, and threw it at it”
“Dodge” James responded “if it couldn’t land a killing blow first… although…” he seemed to grow thoughtful “no idea what it is? Might not want to risk eating it… probably reflex would be to dodge”
“Exactly” Ralin noted “the amount of times I’ve bluffed that dragon…”
“Good to know…”
“Still… it might not be a bluff, which is the second reason” he looked over the plant before putting it in a pouch “the smallest, most fragile, most terrified things on this planet tote the biggest weapons relative to their size. Whenever I see a small, distinctive plant, that looks so fragile and easily eaten… I want to take a sample, because you never know what sting it might be carrying”
“Poison you mean… a little drastic, no?” James grunted “besides… plants make that stuff to keep insects away, right? What would it do to a dragon”
“Maybe nothing, maybe everything… depends on the method” Ralin noted “Some poison will just taste bad to something much bigger than intended… but others… others, the dosage isn’t nearly as important” he glanced back to James “In the end… all life came from one source, that’s what my teacher taught me. Whether you follow the teachings of the gods or not, that is universal… The same solutions to the same problems… the same, internal systems and chemicals exist across all life… some variations here, and there… but some things are so vital to survival, so perfect in its one shape, it’s never changed” he petted his pocket “all you need is a plant that has happened upon a chemical that breaks that cycle in whatever eats it. Then, dragon or not, you’ll at least get sick from a dose. Small things die fast, bigger things slow… the biggest… maybe they’ll survive, flush it from their system before it kills… but on that distinction, dosage… helps”
He looked back, noting James looked a little, paler “this is a savage side to you I didn’t know, Ralin”
“It’s just information” Ralin shrugged “I won’t be poisoning him. He knows I use plant weapons… and he’s always wary. Maybe what I throw is a bluff… or not, he doesn’t take that risk… and he still has the advantage. The methods of surprise only work once…”
James nodded a little bit “you’re certainly a crafty one…it’s no wonder you’ve survived this long”
Ralin chuckled “mmm… at least he gives me an outlet for the mischievous leaning to my intellect… I’m working on a truly horrific solution… it will stink worse than his breath. I get that on his nose… he’ll be wishing he’d left me alone for a month”
James sighed “I almost feel sorry for him…”
They resumed their silence, continuing through the woods till the trees thinned, and a rough road presented itself. Cautiously they crouched by the road, waiting, and watching, before moving out into the open
“Seems clear” Ralin reflected hopefully “maybe it wasn’t Grackle… just a dragon flying past. For all I know we’ve wandered into the territory of one…”
“Always possible” James stretched, arching his back with a yawn “I’m going to sleep deep tonight…”
They took a brief time to settle, chew on some of their dried foods, swig a drink before continuing down the road, eyes vigilant but otherwise relaxing into the journey again.
Ahead a plume of smoke promised other travellers, a thought that quickened Ralin’s pace a little. For the most part, he tried to spare other folk from being near him and his curse, but with a dragon in the skies, he was hopeful for a little local knowledge. It wouldn’t be the first time a little glimmer of knowledge about a local dragon’s habits had helped him plot out a safe time to travel.
The sight he arrived to was an oddity, even in a life of travel. It was indeed a camp, one tent, one person, a largely neatly dressed young woman, though she had so many… assorted objects draped on her shoulders and in her pockets and poking out of her pack, it ruined any sense of tidy. The camp was also in disarray, clothing strewn around, the fireplace messily kicked, the tent askew. Some of the clothes looked too big for her… but then, his first impression was that she was a decidedly strange traveller.
She looked up from the fireplace, smiling a bit “ah, more travellers, hello”
Ralin nodded politely but heard James grunt behind him. The girl looked his way for a moment, then back to Ralin “Going this way? I know it’s sudden, but I don’t suppose I could follow along? I do prefer travelling with company, but my last companion…” she sighed faintly, looking off “mm, let’s just say his priorities changed, very rapidly. I doubt I’ll be seeing him again… our travels are rather, over”
“Oh” Ralin murmured. He shot James a look. James resolutely shook his head. Much as he disliked to turn down the request of a fellow traveller… he had all too good reason to not have any more company… he remembered all too well the unenviable fate of his last… and, it was also rarely wise to travel with anyone so… obviously strange “I’m sorry… but we just lost a companion recently as well, we’re not really, wanting anyone new for a while”
She cocked her head “oh… well… alright” she didn’t seem too disappointed, she shrugged
“If you wouldn’t mind, might I ask if you know anything about any local dragons?”
“Local dragons” she looked at him strangely, before smiling a touch “I can guarantee you there are no… local dragons”
“We did, hear one earlier” Ralin noted
“Well, dragons can be travellers like us too” she stood with a stretch “but there is no, local one, so nothing to tell I’m afraid. Guess you’ll just have to hope it moved on”
“I suppose so” Ralin murmured. It wasn’t much, but even that was something to know. If it wasn’t local, on the plus, it didn’t know the area, but on the downside, it also wouldn’t have a predictable route or pattern “Thanks anyway”
James nudged him, and they moved on. But he felt sure the girl was still watching them
“Maybe I’ll run into you on the road again soon” she called out in farewell. Although, it was said with surprising cheer. Ralin tried to shrug it off… it must be nice to be that carefree
“I feel a little bad leaving her behind” Ralin fretted, poking a stick into the fire, stoking the embers needlessly, but watching the flicker of flame amid the ebbing sparks
“Don’t” James grunted, leaning back against a tree he was propped to “she can take care of herself I’m sure… besides, she’s probably crazy”
“I don’t know” Ralin leaned his head onto his arm “I think I’d go a bit crazy if I was travelling alone”
James only grunted as reply. Ralin shot him a look but got no reaction. James seemed, particularly bad of mood… Ralin shrugged it off. James was a private sort, but, something about that girl had seemed to rile him terribly…
The joints in his knees crackled as Ralin stood, stretching with a deflating grunt “well… I need to yield to nature, I could use the motion… I’m getting stiff”
James rolled a shoulder “just pick your distance”
“I know” Ralin waved his hand, turning and wandering between their tents, into the trees. Their makeshift camp was by the roadside, and Ralin ventured deeper into the trees. He knew well enough he had to be mindful of distance. Plenty far away, but one didn’t want to wander too far from camp in the darkening night in an unknown patch of woodland.
It was a rough place, the land uneven and soggy. Ferns grew between the trees, moss enshrouded logs formed hidden barriers in the undergrowth. It was a forest that needed waded through as much as anything. Yet, his roaming eyes did spot a likely patch. He certainly had no intention of trying to relieve himself amid ferns. The tickle of a thousand finger-like fronds was just… shudder inducing to think about. But there was a region where they seemed to give out, and he approached gladly.
He moved into the faint clearing, where shorter grasses had won against the ferns and the ground was a little firmer. A shadowy corner took his fancy, and he made himself quick, ears vigilant, yet, it was his nose that had him concerned.
Ralin felt he had a good nose, he could tell plants apart by scent and when he moved into new regions, it was often his nose before his eyes that told him what might be growing there. There was a scent on the air that he didn’t quite recognise. It didn’t fit anything he could bring to mind, and yet, he swore he’d smelled something very close to it… often enough to embed in the untouched reaches of his subconscious… but what could it be.
Fast as he could, unsettled by the uncertainty, he finished his business and moved back the way he had come. The scent intensified slightly… and that was all he needed, an undertone came to it, when it grew stronger, that clicked into place and made his body tense. He smelled dragon.
And then the beast was, everywhere. It slunk out of the trees, rising from, where it must have been hiding, pacing around in a circle. A grimace took Ralin’s face, mind doing the math quickly. It must have surrounded him with its body, tail to muzzle while he was preoccupied. In every direction was dragon, any small gaps quickly replaced by pacing paws or weaving tail. This was bad. And maybe worse, it wasn’t Grackle… its scales were a sleek, mottled green, blending smoothly with the surrounding colours. The mottling broke up the outlines of the scales… he suspected if it laid down quietly he could mistake a passing glance for nothing more than a little rise… the forests here had lumpy enough ground for that…
“Well, well… I was so hoping you’d wander off” the beast crooned, its voice was loud, deep, and yet… he felt there was a more melodic note… a female? He wouldn’t know or want to know how to tell easily with dragons.
Ralin turned, trying to watch the head. Gleaming eyes were locked on him, but he also shot glances at the tail… not bladed but spaded.
“Just relax… there’s nothing you can do now” the dragon chuckled softly. Seeming to be relishing in, a meal caught.
Already Ralin was feeling a twisted mix of hope and dread. Hope that he’d have more chance of an opening this way… dread, that it seemed in a mood to play with its food… if he didn’t get away, this, could be a slow, horrible death…
“What do you want?” he called to it, eyes roaming its body, wondering to himself… its turning radius, its reactions, sizing it up as an obstacle
The dragon smirked, head drifting closer to him, hot breath washing over him as it crooned “I want you… under my skin” she chuckled, tongue rolling her lips “I really do you know… And I want you… deep, in the heart of me” Her tail swished, another chuckle punctuating her merriment. Ralin shuddered.
The hot breath washed at him, catching his attention. Before he knew it, the tail was rolling to his back, staggering him forward, view filled with pink as the massive jaws spread wide, white fang flashing. His heart skipped a beat, this was it…
“Paws off that one, it’s mine!”
The advancing jaws halted, a heavy puff of rancid dragon breath engulfing Ralin’s world. Then the head retreated slightly, jaws sealing with a wet click, attention moving off of him. He followed her gaze… and for the first time he could think of, the dark, glowering visage of Grackle was actually a relief.
“Oh, you” her tone was as dismissive as the faint flick of her tail “tough luck, I caught this morsel, you’re ruining my fun”
“That’s MY morsel” Grackle advanced, sitting near the other dragon, their muzzles almost meeting as they eyed each other
“And yet it’s me who has it encircled… why don’t you go find your own human”
“I already have” Grackle snorted “I’ve been hunting this one for years”
“Next you’ll be bragging that you still live in your hatchnest and have never felt the touch of a female”
A growl echoed in Grackle’s throat “I claimed him long ago, you have your fun, I have mine”
Ralin glanced between the arguing dragons. The irritated movements of the female’s tail had given an opening… could he just… he moved slowly towards the gap, only to startle back as a huge green paw slammed to the ground, talons inches away, digging into the dirt.
He looked up, into the gleaming eyes of the green dragon “don’t get impatient… we’ll finish discussing who eats you in a moment… till then, you just stay put while dragons are talking”
Ralin stared up at the huge head, so close, and Grackle’s, leaning closer… inspiration struck, Grackle’s argument reminding him of his advantage. This dragon hadn’t encountered him before… Grackle had been hunting him for years. He slid his hand into his jacket. Reflexively Grackle’s head wove back… but not the green. Her head cocked just a little, a faint curl coming to her snout… in the split second, he assumed she expected a blade, something small, something harmless. He drew out the small package, made of the thinnest paper he could buy, and so tight around the contents. He threw it up at her snout, and watched her eyes widen in surprise as the powder exploded across her snout.
A second passed, silent, time enough for her to blink before her head reeled. A keening screech tore from her throat, her stance rolling to her paws as she backed away, head shaking violently, a forepaw pushing desperately at her nostrils “No, no!” her high noted voice squealed sharp discord “What is this, No!”
Ralin took his chance. He ran right for her, away from Grackle, taking his chances with her shifting bulk, and running under her belly. She was having her first experience with itching powder… and Grackle would have her writhing form in his way of pursuing. He ran, ran with all the power he had gained over the years of escaping Grackle. Only once did he dare look back, the dragoness sneezing and wailing on the ground, and Grackle… the dark dragon was sat right where he had been, watching Ralin go, a wry smirk on those scaly features.
He didn’t run straight back to the camp. If they hadn’t noticed James yet, he didn’t want them to. The added benefit of his trick was that dragoness might not be tracking well by scent for a few days. He stopped when he tired, catching his breath before continuing to the road, and doubling back for the camp at a quick walk, listening more than anything. He didn’t hear dragons, even the dragoness’s wailing had ceased.
When he reached the campsite, he found it much as he’d left it. James was sitting by the dead fire, soaking up the embers, looking towards Ralin’s approach with a smile “I trust you had an eventful time?”
“Eventful is one way to put it” He sat heavily, panting for breath “Grackle is near, and another one… a green one. I got her across the muzzle with a powder, almost feel bad about it, seeing her panic… but well…”
“Do we need to leave now?”
“No…” Ralin looked up, a reflex, checking the sky “if they haven’t found our camp yet… it’s better we just lay low. If we knew where they were searching, that might be another matter… but I don’t relish going blind into the night with two dragons around… though with luck that green one will stay away”
“Because that’s how it worked out before” James noted with a curl of a smile
“Don’t remind me…” Ralin yawned, crawling for his tent. The last thing he needed was another Grackle…
The glow of sunlight lit the fabric of Ralin’s tent. He hesitated to venture into it, sprawled uncomfortably on the worn blanket he’d grown accustomed to. The morning light told him no dragons had found their camp overnight… that was nice. But they were outside that tent… somewhere. He sighed and dressed himself before pushing out into the day and, a less than expected sight.
On the road, peering at their tents, was the girl from before, a surprisingly small pack on her back given everything at the camp they’d found her at. She waved brightly “Morning, thought it was you”
“Morning…” Ralin dragged himself to their blackened fire pit, pushing a fresh log into the ashes, looking about for the tinder he needed “passing by?”
“I was…” she looked off “but… I wanted to see if you’d reconsider letting me follow you. Such, savage sounds in the woods last night”
Ralin sighed, rolling his palm to his head, he didn’t have the presence of mind for decisions this early… but he did feel a guilty pang… he had to worry his actions last night wouldn’t make the roads any safer for travellers… would it be so bad to have a third again… “Alright, alright… so long as you pull your weight”
“Perfect” she moved in close, dropping her pack without ceremony, sitting by the starting fire “what’s for breakfast?”
“Now I see” Ralin smiled just a little “nothing special, if that’s what you’re hoping”
“What is she doing here?”
James pushed out of his tent, staggering to the fire to sit beside Ralin, eying the girl
“She was passing… she won me over, I prefer having three anyway”
“I don’t” James glowered towards the girl, smiling wryly “you should know, we have a dragon chasing us, huge, powerful beast, we can’t promise you’ll be safe”
She met his look, a cheeky little smirk touching her features “Really?”
“I’m afraid so” Ralin confirmed “been after me for some time… it’s why I didn’t agree before”
“I’m not worried… most dragons catch their prey on first pounce… he can’t be that dangerous if he’s still not got you… it sounds rather childish, really…”
“It’s not about spite” James noted dryly “Ralin here is an expert at dragon evasion by now… you should see what he can do…” James shot him a look “do show her…”
Ralin shrugged, reaching into the pocket of his jacket, bringing out a pouch, observing the girl flinch, hands gripping tighter to her knees
“Jumpy, aren’t we” James cooed
“No need to be so… unnerved” Ralin smiled in what he hoped was a soothing way “it’s no… mighty weapon, it’s just itching powder… I have others, I use plants to create, liquids and powders to irritate the senses or sicken the breath”
“I see…” she noted, strained, smiling sickly “must be horrible…”
“I suppose” Ralin slipped the pouch away “it’s just thinking outside the box… dragons are huge, covered in scales, but that’s the obstacle. Their senses still need soft, exposed flesh, inside their snout is fleshy… easy to irritate, have you ever had itching powder thrown at you?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s happened once”
“mmm, then you know how, unpleasant it can be. First time is always the worst…” He sighed “but what I’m leading to, is it’s just tricks, dragons learn them. I may have driven Grackle away many times, but I can’t promise safety”
“Grackle?” She mused “is that his name?”
“It’s what we call him” James reiterated quietly
She shrugged, smiling to James “well, don’t worry about me, I’ll accept what you’re saying but… well, maybe it’s safer to travel with someone dragon hunted. Eyes will be on you, not me”
“That’s one way of looking at it” Ralin murmured sombrely. He had to hope she’d be fine. Grackle had agreed after all to not hunt his companions… or he took the dragon’s agreement to mean that.
He focussed on breakfast, a truly awful slime made of oats. He was reluctant to even share it with the new addition. Still, her focus wasn’t on the food… but James. He caught them shooting, unfriendly looks at each other. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake… the last thing he needed was arguing. If only, he mused, he could figure out why they had such a sudden, intense dislike of each other, it had been hostile since they met. He rolled a shoulder. It was none of his business. Maybe hearing them argue would even add a little spice of, normalcy to his crazy life…
“You’re carrying less than us” James noted sourly as they walked “I do feel sure I heard him say something about pulling your weight”
“You keep saying us when you’re thinking me, did you know that?” the girl responded, when probed she had called herself Beth
“We have been together for a long time… you, are new, you are the usurper here”
“Usurper? Am I so threatening?” She probed with a smirk “What is this relationship between you two anyway?”
“That is none of your concern” James snapped
“Besides… I am pulling my own weight… MY own weight” she bounced her pack on her shoulder “don’t blame me YOU can’t pack lighter”
“Some of it is his, we share the burden” James noted
“Well, now I’m really wondering what he means to you?” she smirked
Ralin sighed heavily, walking ahead of his two companions… he couldn’t even remember what had initially started them off… but it had wandered here… it would find a new topic soon enough.
“You know…” Ralin interrupted into their discussion “I think I’m going to scout ahead, leave you two to… whatever this is going on between you”
He didn’t get a reply, nor did he wait for one, wandering ahead at a faster pace, welcoming the quiet of the road. Before long, their voices faded behind him, giving him some peace to think. The more he dwelled on it, there was something in Grackle’s behaviour that just, seemed odd, out of place, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It had been bothering him for a while, sparked anew by the encounter the evening past. Motives aside, Grackle had saved his life. Not that he felt particularly indebted, the dragon had tried to kill him enough times. But still…
Eventually Ralin shrugged it off, concluding he was probably just shaken from the experience. Two dragons at once had been intense… one massive, looming reptile was enough to worry about…
Ahead the road forked, and Ralin stopped to consider the routes, contemplating what little he knew of the region, which looked like it would bring them close to large settlements. Those thoughts lasted only a few moments however. The crunch of steps on the path didn’t stop when he did.
He turned and faced his nightmare. Grackle looked practically smug, sat on the road with drifting tail, just looking at him. Ralin didn’t let his guard down, although… Grackle normally just pounced
“What do you want?”
“To talk, then to eat” Grackle idly claimed, smirking a little “But… not alone”
Ralin looked behind him, paling, as the sleek green one, swayed out of the trees, passing him at a wide berth, wandering to Grackle
“Oh gods…”
“We meet again” she crooned, drifting her tail as she sat by Grackle “quite the, shock you gave me last time…”
“We have come to an agreement of sorts” Grackle rumbled “she concedes you are indeed, worthy prey… and that my claim stands…” he shot Ralin a dark grin “so when we catch you… I get the top half, and she gets the bottom”
Ralin staggered a step back, looking past the dragons, down the road. His companions…
“You haven’t broken your word, have you Grackle… my travelling companions…”
“Oh, them” Grackle rumbled, looking to the green “didn’t we pass them?”
“Oh yes” she smirked “their arguing so loud we only needed hear them… they live, we came for you”
Ralin felt some of the dread lift, at least they were safe, for now… of course, most of his dread stayed right where it was, as he looked over the pair of dragons looking down their sleek predatory snouts at him
“Are you serious though… now there are two of you?” Ralin blurted “Haven’t I suffered enough?”
The green chuckled, swaying a few steps closer, Ralin backing away “don’t get me wrong, I have not a drop of his… obsession” she shot a look back to Grackle “But I’ll admit a certain curiosity, to the human who this one has been chasing for so, very long. Jests to his skill aside, he’s not in bad shape…”
Ralin sized up the, huge reptile, considering his options. She’d moved closer… that was good. There was distance between them now… it was two dragons, not two dragons at once. A vital difference. The wheels were already turning. He was learning a lot about her. She liked to play with her food, that much was obvious, even now she treated hunting him as an amusement, a passing fancy. She wasn’t committed to catching him. Much more likely to flee from a bluff or an attack, spare herself the discomfort. Grackle… He’d seen grackle muscle through tricks he knew, just to go for a bite.
His eyes traced her form, noticing something he hadn’t before, a faint swell at her belly… she had eaten, recently enough it still showed. So, she was peckish, not ravenous… might explain her attitude, best not assume that was her personality then… and now he could see her better, not surrounded by the trees as much, he noted to his discontentment, that she was, sleek and powerful, but… her proportions were different to Grackle. The muscles on her jaw looked stronger, her hind legs more powerful. She was an ambusher, not a chaser, her colouring fitted that. If he escaped her first strike, she might give up, especially as unconcerned as she seemed. Ralin nodded to himself, even as she weaved closer. He was lucky, she liked to toy with her food… lucky Grackle seemed to enjoy watching. He’d had his time to think.
Her head hadn’t gotten as close as last time, she was wary, she’d panicked when he hit her senses before… he couldn’t be sure she’d panic again… anger might be more likely. He reached his hand to his belt, gripping the little flower he’d found so many days ago, drawing it into his hand, where she could see it. Those sharp eyes narrowed, she’d been expecting him to have a trick… but he knew what she wouldn’t expect. He grit his teeth and committed. He ran at her, hand raised with the flower, shouting wordlessly as he charged, brandishing the plant. The reaction was everything he hoped. Her features went from confused to concerned, and her head withdrew with a hiss “Stay away from me! What is that? Grackle!” she looked back, towards the dark dragon. Ralin had thought she might. She looked to the dragon who knew his tricks, for confirmation, for information. He’d been waiting for this moment. He lobbed the flower up towards her muzzle, the little plant drifting before her eyes. A squeal escaped her, her head rearing away from it, body unbalancing as with an earth-shaking crash she toppled, back slamming a tree which cracked with a plaintive creak.
Ralin ducked a flailing forepaw, darting around the tumbled dragoness as her other paw batted furiously in the air at the little plant. He wondered to himself if there was anything dangerous at all about the little thing… he had no idea. Luckily, she wasn’t willing to take the risk.
He heard Grackle growl, the dark dragon seemed discontent to watch this time, but his charge was blocked by the dragoness as Ralin wove around her, rushing into the woods. He’d assume she knew them well… she was made for them, Grackle was flight focussed, however… deep trees were not the dragon’s natural hunting grounds.
Still, the dark drake leapt over the dragoness, barrelling into the trees in pursuit. Ralin could hear the heavy paws on approach, discomforted grunts as the dragon pushed through the trees.
Already Ralin’s mind was at work, eying the trees ahead, sizes and distances. He’d seen Grackle enough he could size the dragon in a heartbeat. However big a dragon was, trees were often bigger, and rooted. Firm obstacles. He wove between them, looking for gaps too small for the dragon, rewarded with frustrated growls when Grackle had to weave around or wriggle through. But there was one size of gap Ralin was looking for, the perfect size. Grackle wasn’t that used to going through the trees, that meant he likely wasn’t adept at judging his own size for gaps…
Finally, Ralin saw what he wanted, two sufficiently large trees, the gap… it looked like Grackle could almost make it… almost, but not quite. It was that slim edge of almost he’d been looking for. He ran between them, beginning to slow his pace, placing his life on the assessment, feigning exhaustion. He could hear Grackle’s pace increasing, all but hear the excitement on the dragon’s breath.
He turned his head to see the dark dragon rushing for him with half open jaws… he knew Grackle. Grackle was impulsive. All that was in the balance now, was his math… if he judged wrong, he’d die to those fangs.
Grackle sprang, shoulders passing the gap in the trees, chest scraping the bark as the dragon slowed, and stopped with a notable grunt as his hip hit the wood with a painful sounding thud.
The dark dragon gasped with a hiss, looking back, stopped dead, wriggling himself as he pulled.
Ralin allowed himself a moment to breathe. His eyes hadn’t failed him “eyes smaller than your hips, Grackle”
“Accursed trees” Grackle snorted, slamming a paw to the bark, pushing as he wriggled. He got an inch… Ralin knew he didn’t have long. The dragon would free himself of course… it wouldn’t even take that long. But long enough…
“Not today Grackle”
“No, not today” the dragon stopped squirming, looking to Ralin with a smirk on those devious features “you had better not linger… the female may be skulking close as we speak”
Ralin shivered to the thought… but he didn’t think so… “So fair of you to recruit help…”
“What can I say, you did that” Grackle rumbled “you’re a tempting prey thing…”
Ralin folded his arms “why do you even need to catch me, Grackle… can’t you, let me live? Just, think about it… do you want to kill me? Why not let me go, let me have a life, a family… more humans in the world as interesting as me” He considered Grackle “I mean… think about it, you wish to catch me, because I’m challenging, yes? But at this rate, you’ll never beat me. Age will beat me, you’ll just be scavenging by then. I’ll pass my prime, and then you’ll catch me… you’ll never win, unless you let me live, unless you, let me have children”
Grackle snorted with a rumble “Prey gets away, sometimes you catch it next time, sometimes you catch it when they have been fool enough to break their leg or have worn with age. You will age, I will have aged also. Am I discontent when I fail to catch my prey on the first pounce and must run to catch it? No, the chase, is part of the hunt. It is not a battle of physical strength between us, human, but of wills… of stamina. You will breed, if you breed. Perhaps you will earn it. I care not how I catch you. One day I shall, do not forget our deal… you will not deny me that chance”
Ralin folded his arms “I’m calling you on that, Grackle… you say it doesn’t matter to you? Then why have you never used the tactics that other dragon did? You never wait and pounce when I’m relieving myself, or when I’m feeling sick. You don’t sneak slyly close and hammer a paw on my tent. You dive in with roars and thudding, you make me run, so you can chase me”
Grackle snorted, the smirk on those scaled lips, ebbed just a little “It is your mind, I wish to defeat, human, not your body. You weave such, intriguing tricks, tricks beyond most humans I make my prey”
“That ability too will dull with age” Ralin asserted “I outwitted you today Grackle, because I was quick, in mind, and in body. The body gives me more options, and my quickness of mind, is what I use against you… that will slow with age. You’ll never beat me, if you defeat me when I’m dulled”
Grackle yawned “this is a trick I won’t fall to, human. It could be argued every moment you have been dulled from the last. It is not worth thinking about” he snorted “Still… I can’t deny it would be, entertaining to find more humans with your, tricks, but you misunderstand me, human” He licked his chops slowly “It’s you I’m hunting, not your brood, not your lineage, you”
Ralin sighed, and turned to walk away “You know something Grackle… you’ve forced me to learn more about dragons than I ever intended to… I like to think I’ve got quick wits and an eye for detail. But I’ll say this… there’s something you’re lying to both of us about… and I think, if I ever figure out what it is, just maybe I’ll defeat you instead”
His words were greeted with a snort, but as he walked away, Grackle’s eyes flicked down, the dark dragon sitting with a musing huff.
It took time, but Ralin found his way back to the road. He did his best to avoid travelling the exact same route back, he assumed Grackle would follow his own trail of destruction… but brief glances that way proved a useful reference for his travel.
Though increasingly exhausted he wasted no time, hurrying back down to where he’d left his companions. He shot the sky constant glances; quite sure Grackle would be airborne by now… but he didn’t see either scaly behemoth. The found James and Beth settled by the roadside, waiting it seemed. But they looked safe; that was good.
“Had another run in, I take it?” James looked up to him “we heard the roars. Figured it wouldn’t be wise for two humans to wander towards dragons. So, we’ve been sitting here waiting to see if you came back…”
“Most impressed” Beth leaned her head to her hand, looking to Ralin, she seemed to be, pouty for some reason… he could guess they’d been arguing… although, he had to admit they didn’t seem to have the same, tension in the air
“We should go, now” Ralin noted, rolling his shoulders “I must have dropped my bag at some point… I just do it on reflex now… hopefully we find it, unsquashed”
James shrugged, standing, hefting his pack back on his shoulders. Ralin led, as they moved on. The woods were still quiet… the aftershock of dragons. Ralin sighed, looking behind himself “did you two make up or something?”
They both smiled back at him, just a little “We found some common ground” Beth answered
“Differences aside, we, did find a shared interest or two” James chuckled
“Such as?”
“It’s a secret” James smiled just a bit “just suffice it to say we’re going to be a lot more unified, as we, follow you along…”
Category Story / Vore
Species Western Dragon
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 35.8 kB
It does seem like cheating. Grackle would likely argue, if offered that accusation, that it must then be cheating to observe any prey's movements and behaviour before hunting them, from a place where they do not know they are being watched, like noting a herd of deer takes a certain route through the lands to a lake, from the safety of a high perch
Ah, but this is not observing them from where they do not know they are being watched. This is somehow convincing them you are a member of the herd and having them show you all their secrets. It is quite a different thing, as one requires you to be careful and stay concealed. The other you get to parade around in the open, and as in this story directly ask questions they would never have revealed through any amount of standard observation.
But really it's the disparity of consequences that annoys me about this little game. Ralin suffers for it while Grackle just has fun. That's just a terrible game. If it worked like the Den and Rain suffered no permanant harm to anything but his pride on defeat it would be much more entertaining. (One day Grackle shall learn how... satisfying it is to finally win. Aka very. For about 5 minutes. Then it hits you that you just broke your favorite toy, and good luck replacing it.)
But really it's the disparity of consequences that annoys me about this little game. Ralin suffers for it while Grackle just has fun. That's just a terrible game. If it worked like the Den and Rain suffered no permanant harm to anything but his pride on defeat it would be much more entertaining. (One day Grackle shall learn how... satisfying it is to finally win. Aka very. For about 5 minutes. Then it hits you that you just broke your favorite toy, and good luck replacing it.)
Mmm, or has he just found a very, very effective way of hiding. Some creatures make themselves look like harmless rocks, some change their colours, some do, just hide in the shadow. Wouldn't be the first creature to use a wolf in sheep's clothing tactic, if, not as effective
But yes, Grackle is playing a game... because he can. Nobody ever accused him of being thoughtful. Same reason some children torment insects. It amuses them, and they care little for anything but that
But yes, Grackle is playing a game... because he can. Nobody ever accused him of being thoughtful. Same reason some children torment insects. It amuses them, and they care little for anything but that
They are. The hints about it aren't too subtle. Ralin just doesn't have "magic" as an answer in his head, so he keeps missing the obvious.
It's also why I'm grumbling on Ralin's behalf. Grackle is just cheating. A win doesn't count when your prey literally tells you what they are doing to get away.
It's also why I'm grumbling on Ralin's behalf. Grackle is just cheating. A win doesn't count when your prey literally tells you what they are doing to get away.
Ralin sure has a knack for getting a dragon's attention, doesn't he? XD It didn't take long at all for the new one to eagerly tag along... not sure how long he'll be able to outwit two hungry dragons now, hah! And unfortunately their compromise doesn't sound too pleasant if he does end up getting get caught...
I'm slowly catching up on all your latest stories ^^; the plus side being that, ooh, I have so many delicious Drake stories to read now! Yay!
I'm slowly catching up on all your latest stories ^^; the plus side being that, ooh, I have so many delicious Drake stories to read now! Yay!
Comments