Quest The Blue Wolf and The Child.

[Freya Thrakin]

Freya's expression remained unmoving at the flirtatious comments save for an exasperated rolling of the eyes, though her gaze was quickly caught by the faint light emanating from the outlaw's tattoos, accompanied by the expedited recovery from her prior wound. That was... unusual. Perhaps this 'Blue Wolf' had more to her than simply being a glorified thief.

The abrupt flash of pain in her foot brought her thoughts to the moment at hand, the knife embedded in her rapidly bloodstained boot. She gritted her teeth, biting back a grunt of pain. Noticing the Blue Wolf's attempt at escape, Freya thrust her spear towards her in an effort to hold her in place, narrowly missing as she instead impacted the wooden floor. She batted away the incoming attack aimed between her legs but, in the flurry of movement, the bandit had managed to make way for the door.

The Nord leaned down, ripping the dagger out from her own boot before embedding it in the wall beside her, a trail of crimson slowly dripping from the blade. She began to walk towards the now crawling Blue Wolf as the pool of blood expanded beneath them. "Then allow me to tell you how this one ends," the Dragon Keeper began.

She pressed her spear into the ground beside the Blue Wolf, gently pressing her foot against her back, not with enough pressure to cause pain but enough to halt movement. "I leave you here, alone and bloodied. Either to die or to end up in some prison, doesn't matter much." She allowed a pause to fill the air, a thick tension permeating it.

"Or," she added, leaning in close, "I allow you to clean yourself up, patch up that bloody wound of yours, and you tell me who you're working for and help us find the dragon you stole. If you do, I'll let you go." She let the offer hang in the air, one hand gripping the spear and the other ready to help her up.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith gasped feeling the boot on her back. scrunching her eyes bracing for the death blow, freezing in place as the spear point embed itself..next to her? She opened her eyes slowly.

First one.

Then the other.

Her eyes seemed to almost glow bright blue matching the shine of her tattoo.

“F..fine.” She groaned weakly offering her hand while the other remained clutching her stomach.

“You win..” She said with a hint of frustration in her usual somewhat malicious carefree tone.
Upon taking the hand the grip would be soft at first. As she stood a slight smirk crossed her face. In the darkness of the hall it was hard to see most of her color had returned.

The wound healing much faster over time. Slow at first.
Then after a lot of blood and pain she was usually back in the game. The grip would turn from soft as a wounded child to an iron vice as she pulled her self towards Freya with a massive amount of force. Should the attempt succeed she would land a massive head butt to Freyas own. With a slight stumble backwards her hand would move from her stomach to reveal a now rapidly sealing wound.

“Sorry love I like you, but you can’t pay like they do.” She said wiping her now rebroken and very much bleeding nose before spitting out her front left tooth. She had restrained herself.

Her strength didn’t save her from the damage it brought. Only the ability to deliver it.

She could punch a hole in an armored breast plate at the cost of her entire arm being obliterated to nothing.. She’d seen it happen to others in tests..It hadn’t been pretty..

“You nords heads are always so..” her eyes came unfocused for a moment before she seemed to come back to reality.

“Hard..really..hard...” She said rubbing her forehead as she clutched her claymore and ran into the room to grab her rucksack bow and quiver. Throwing it over her shoulder she would wink at Freya before leaping to the window sill and perching there.

“Hope tah see yah again. It really isn’t anything personal.” She said.

A smirk breaking into a wide grin. A tooth missing and her nose bent pretty severely to the right. It was an almost comical sight.

“And let me tell YOU how this tale REALLY ends. The dashing thief keeps her prize. Sells it. And then vanishes off into the shadows with a big stack of more gold than a dragon horde. The nord hunter having fallen for the thief sees theyre being a daft snow eater and marries her. They live happily ever after. The thief’s real treasure being their love.” She said with a flourish wiping away a fake tear. “Well that and all the gold..I can’t stress that enough. It’s a lot.” She said like she expected Freya to understand that a lot of gold justified her actions.

“I like it better. I the dashing thief and you the fix- Ah!?” She squeaked as her foot slipped halfway through her monologue and she fell backwards through the window. Landing in the muddy ground with a slap.

“Ow..” came a gasping moan from below. “I’m..I’m ok! I landed it and am..ow..Escaping! Haha!..ow..” she groaned over her shoulder pulling herself from the mud and limping for the alley with what was obviously a twisted ankle.

She walked for a moment as the ankle began to heal slowly. It throbbed with every step until she was leaning up against the dirty wall for support.

“I-Izzy!?” She called before realizing yelling out a name in the shut in town was a dead give away. “Izzy?” She called again in a more quite tone.

“I don’t have time for hide and go seek right now ok? We need to get to the forest before that beast plucks me from the street like a rat plucked from a field in a hawks claw.”

She rested her back against the wall with a sigh before sliding to her butt. Covered in mud and aching from healing, injuries and more healing. She felt like a troll had been using her for a club.

“Where did you go..” She whispered to herself as the rain fell regardless of her worries and the ominous shadow of the massive beast circled the city.

 

[Izerth]

The scent of blood became stronger. Being pretty sure that she was getting closer to its source the little dragon felt a wave of panic when the rain started to beat down in earnest. Not because it was cold, wet, and uck in general, but because it was masking Ferelith’s scent. Luckily, the dragon had a good hearing and quite some luck. Around the corner, down some more cobblestoned roads, then beneath a thick sheet of wood that looked like a stand for vegetables to be sold on a sunny day. Step by step she crawled closer until her ruby red eyes widened in surprise and something akin to happiness.

“What did you do?” she wanted to know, silently. Quickly scrambling up to the blonde she licked her right cheek with a surprisingly soft and not slimy tongue. Then sniffed around her for the spot where the blood had been coming from, well, aside from her broken nose. By now Ferelith didn’t appear ‘tasty’ to Izerth. She didn’t want to bite her anymore, and that wasn’t just because she wasn’t hungry. There was something that’s grown between the two Izerth relied on. She curled onto the sore side, in hopes of warming it a little while it healed.

“How do we hide? You’re big, two-legged.” the worried dragon pointed out the obvious. They could try to go through the houses, but chances were real that trouble would await them. A carriage wouldn’t be quite subtle. The streets would bring them only so far. The stream, however, of freshwater, well, Izerth really didn’t like cold water, but it was better than being swallowed whole.

Nosing Ferelith’s side, she asked. “We swim?”

* * *​

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Freya smirked. Looks like the outlaw had some sense after all. She felt the hand grasp hers, hardly even having to exert much force to pull the Blue Wolf from her prone position on the now bloodstained floor. "Good call." The grip was soft and light, until the moment that it turned tight. Too tight.

The headbutt, though she had seen it coming, was far too swift and abrupt to avoid, especially with her hand caught in an iron grip. She grunted, letting out a globule of blood and spit drop onto the floor from her mouth. "Oh," she murmured under her breath, "you're going to pay for that."

She wiped her mouth, finding a newfound drive from the attack as she tightened the grip around her spear. Glaring at the bandit, who had managed to make her way to the railing in the time it took for the Nord to regain her footing, she let out a scoff. "That headbutt did a number on you, by the sounds of it. Why don't you stop fantasizing and face the music?"

She had been about to rush forward when the thief suddenly lost their footing and managed to fall onto the road below. It was almost comical when juxtaposed with the dramatic flair presented mere moments prior. If Freya had been in a better mood, she might have even let out a laugh. Instead, the display only managed to fuel her drive. How could she allow a thief, let alone one that seemed so utterly careless, to get away with and deceive a dragon?

The Nord walked over to the edge of the balcony, peering onto the mud. There were footprints, yes, but no sign of the Blue Wolf. The chase was on once more. Oris, she messaged, any luck?

None, the dragon is small enough to hide well in the town. I assume the same for you?

Let's not dwell on it, she quickly messaged. Keep an eye on the town perimeter, I want to know if and when they leave.

Though no response came, she could tell that the dragon had heeded her advice. The great shadow that loomed in the sky above seemed to turn course, moving away from the center of the town as he began a smooth circle around the town border.

Satisfied, Freya dropped to the ground below, bending her knee to cushion the fall. Standing, she scanned the area around her, beginning to search for the outlaw and the dragon. She refused to accept such a loss.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“What the..” Ferelith jumped slightly as Izzy arrived. The tiny dragon licking her cheek with her tiny tongue tickling the ex bandits cheek.

“Hey! Where have you been I was worried!” She said a smile creeping across her face. It was a warm smile, and relief filled her eyes as the dragon questioned her and examined her and her still closing wound.

“Ah ow! Izzy stop!” She said with a giggle “Just a nasty cut..It’s ok I’m fine..” She said scooping the dragon up in her arms and holding her close for a moment like she would a child.

“I’m more worried about you. You little furnace gut..” She said rubbing under her chin with a single finger. She was just glad her big pile of money had returned to her so easily. That was it..

Yes..

she didn’t care about this thing at all...

Just a pay day...
but..

there wasn’t any reason it couldn’t be comfortable and keep her company while they traveled. It was a long and lonely road ahead after all..

“Hey! I’m not that big! I’m small compared to others if you hadn’t noticed yah stupid fire lizard..” She said with a good natured pout and a slight huff.

“And as for swimming.. the streams shallow on the left past the city gate. We can cross there and get to the woods. Tree cover will hide us from the dragon and hopefully our tracks will be gone by morning when the rains had their way with em.” She said pulling off her rucksack and opening the large pocket Izzy had been using as a nest.

“No sense in you getting any more wet though. Here climb in.” She said holding it open for her. “Oh and I have your favorite. I saved it for you.” She said with a smirk.

“It’s for being such a brave little girl..eh dragon..during all that fighting..” she said with a weak smile reaching into her pocket and pulling out the last piece of dried fish Izzy had given her back after eating her fill earlier. “It’s all I have for a little while so make it last ok?” She said with a sigh and a slight smile.

“I put my fur gloves and hat in there so feel free to snuggle up in them. They are snow fox fur. Cost me an arm and a leg out in the tundra. Literally. It cost me a bears arm and leg.” She said her tone growing deadly serious.

“And if you burn my snow fox hat and gloves the next pair I have will be dragon hide instead of snow fox got me?” She said giving the dragon a stern look that followed with a wink. She couldn’t stay stern with the proud little thing for long it seemed.

“Now get some sleep. Little ones need it. My sister says so...” She drifted off.

She didnt like remembering her sister. That proud, moral, know it all.. made her blood boil. Though after she had taken this job it seemed to be happening more often..

She pushed the thoughts from her head as she stroked up Izzy spine from her tail to the top of her head twice and kissed her on the top of her head before shutting the rucksack and gently swinging it back on to her shoulders.

“Now rest. I’ll wake you when I find a place out of this rain and have a fire going..” She whispered gently before making her way out of town. Sticking to the shadows she made it to the gate. Her eyes never leaving the ever looming shadow in the sky that seemed to shift from the center of town to now circling the perimeter. She cursed.

“Well no time like the present. Doesn’t matter if they know where I went in if they don’t know where I get out..” She said to herself as she finally worked up the courage. She waited for the dragon to circle around once more before making a break when he was circling the back gate of the town. She hit the woods soaking from the upper thigh down from the stream.

She knew the dragon had seen her but had made it to the woods quickly. The rain had increased but the canopy of the trees in the dense pine forest shielded Ferelith from the worst of it as she struggled through the mud until she found a rocky outcrop.

A small cave. Finally. She’d been walking for hours. She threw herself into the cave with no thought. Nothing came to meet her as she finally had found somewhere that wasn’t being pounded by this cursed rain as she laid face down and gave herself to sleep.

 

[Izerth]

Accepting the fish and the warm nest she briefly nudged under Ferelith’s chin as a sign of gratefulness and slid back into the rucksack with the fish between her claws. The fur was soft and didn’t smell of meat. She’s had a piece of a fox before, a small one. This one should have been big or.. the items had been made out of multiple ones. She figured it mattered not, it was a fine pillow afterall. “No nightmares, no burning.” It was a fact, but she promised not to sleep as deeply as she had during the ride on the horse. That way she wouldn’t be too scared by sudden sounds and wouldn’t react the way she had.

The ‘ride’ this time was fairly comfortable as well. Even though Ferelith’s back was harder than the horse’s side. The fox made up for the lack of fat. Izerth snoozed into the land of easy snacks, others like her and Ferelith, and no hunting of her for whatever reason. That until they stopped and the dragon awoke with curiosity shining through her red eyes. Finding it quite easy to see in the dark she soon left the rucksack to discover her two-legged friend asleep on the cold floor. Confused about this scene she first made sure that there was a heartbeat still running through Ferelith’s body. Once satisfied that she wasn’t dead, but just sleeping in a very odd way, Izerth decided that Ferelith simply was unlike so many others two-legged and perhaps her sleeping habits were therefore different as well.

Carefully roaming around the cave they were in she found small pieces of wood. Putting them on fire was child’s play. They burned in a happy pile as she looked for more of them, making sure they got a somewhat round shape as she dragged them back to the fire. She had seen two-legged do this and the warmth coming from the bonfire a pleasant one. Surely Ferelith would enjoy it as well.

Too big pieces of wood were out of Izerth’s league. She fought with one of the aggressively, but lost the battle and turned to its smaller cousin the size of her fish. That one she managed to get to the fire. Proud of her work now and happy with its result, she sat down onto the rucksack and watched the fire eat away at the wood with a pleasant crackling sound.

* * *​

 

[Freya Thrakin]

North of the town, crossing the river towards the woods.

The voice pierced her thoughts without warning. Her side of the search had turned up disappointedly empty, and the locals seemed too weary to respond with anything of value. The footprints she had been tracking were quickly overwritten by the usual foot traffic that proliferated in towns, so that lead was gone as well.

Thus, when Oris had messaged her with that succinct morsel of information, she had raced towards it. Like a predator that had caught the scent of dropped blood, she weaved between crowds and darted between buildings. Blowing past the town gate like a violent gust of wind, she stood at the edge of the river. On the opposite side of the river at the bank, the distinctive imprints of feet were present. However, their source was gone.

The Nord bit back a frustrated remark that threatened to rise up in her throat. The woods would provide too much cover coupled with the rain for her to ride on Oris during the search. She heard a familiar weight land beside her. "The canopy's too thick to see through." A similar hint of frustration crept up in the dragon's remark. "The youngling seemed to trust her too." This remark had a different emotion within it, a faint sorrow. Sorrow that the dragon didn't trust one of her own kind or that the dragon put their trust in a bandit about to sell her for a sack of gold, or perhaps both.

Freya rose a hand, stroking the dragon. "Don't worry, Oris. We'll get them. I promise." A moment of silence passed before she continued, "I'll go through the forest to track them down. I'll contact you when I find them." Oris nodded and lept into the sky with a powerful pounding of leathery wings.

She stepped foot into the stream and entered into the woods beyond. She refused to keep this game of cat and mouse, of dragon and wolf, continuing any longer.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith’s eyes slowly opened.

Her stomach growling her awake as she heard the crackling of fire. She almost closed her eyes again when she heard it.

Whistling.

“Izzy! In the bag!” She commanded her eyes snapping open as the arrow whistles past her ear and flying farther into the cave.

A meaty thunk followed with a sniffle and growl sounding from the further depths of the cave. “They’re here!” An orc in standard bandit attire pushed forward while his human female partner reloaded her bow.

“Give us the package Blue. No need for any blood to be spilt we both know how this ends.” She called pulling back her string and aiming another shot.

“Jax and Jemini..” Ferelith said with a groan. Kicking out the fire and rolling to the cave wall as another arrow whistles past her. Another meaty thump and that was when she heard it.

The roar.

“Shit. There’s no fucking way.” Ferelith said looking further into the cave. A pounding of heavy paws on stone was growing nearer.

Heavy breathing and grunts neared as well. Ferelith drew her claymore and sprinted for the cave entrance as the orc who she knew by reputation as Jax came to block her way.

“Blue wolf stop there or- oof.” He flew backwards as Ferelith ducked his axe swing and swung the claymore like a club. Hitting him in the chest with the flat of the blade she sent him flying backwards in a small arc before he landed in a heap with a grunt.

Ferelith jumped from the cave as a massive brown bear cane charging to the entrance. It filled the small cave with his massive frame. “Izzy! Fire!” Ferelith said as they flew through the air.

The bears paw swinging to smack them back to the earth. If Izzy was able to spit fire to keep the bears paw from swatting them like flies on a wall Ferelith would feel her crawl back into the bag and land with a roll.

The bear letting out another massive roar it looked between Ferelith and the orc still recovering.

Being none to picky the bear went for the weaker prey. Jax was pulling himself up and none the wiser to the massive beast barreling towards him at the moment.

“Save him or take us! Your call.” Ferelith said with a smirk to Jemini as she seemed conflicted. Aiming her bow first at Ferelith then at the bear. “Damn you!” Jemini spat firing her arrow at the bear. Ferelith took off a few steps pulling her bow from her quiver along with an arrow. Notching it she pulled back the string slowly taking her time with the aim as she lined up the fellow female bandit.

Thinking Ferelith gone her attention was completely on the bear.

She never saw the arrow coming. It smacked into her head with a wet thud.

Her body slumping as the bear began tearing her partner apart. The injured orc being no match for the massive creature.

“Never said that I’d let YOU get away.” Ferelith said with a smirk watching as the bear finished him and leaving shortly after the screaming stopped.

 

[Izerth]

Sliding into the rucksack she had been snoozing on Izerth listened while hiding in the fur. Something had gone awry during their little nap. The warmth had pleasantly settled into her fairly thin scales and seeped through into her muscles. She had been happy to watch her two-legged friend turn a little once in a while during her sleep. That until they were attackeD. When her nest moved she knew by scent alone that it was Ferelith who had grabbed the rucksack. Quietly and carefully eyeing her surroundings by allowing her head to slightly come out of the bag, Izerth could see a bear coming their way.

Panic and fear - the dinner was too big for her to handle, she spit fire by broadly opening her jaws and letting the heat setting the nearest paw on fire. The angry roar full of pain echoed through the cave, but Ferelith was already moving away, gaining distance in the process and bringing them to safety. The orcs, she had caught a glimpse on one of them, smelled differently than the others around her. She memorized their scent as that of an enemy.

A potentially tasty one. The blood mixed with the fire’s smoke, but they were already leaving. Back into the cold. Izerth felt a bit bad for Ferelith to be the one facing all the wind and rain, but figured she would repay her for the kindness one day.

“Where are we heading?” she questioned, wondering how those two orcs had found them. There was something odd about them knowing each other as well. They wanted ‘the package’, that was her, right?

“How did they know we’re together?”

There had been no orcs around when Ferelith had taken her out of the iron cage. Ever since only the earthy smelling human, the elf, and the dragon had crossed their paths with the intent of separating the two of them. Unfortunately, it appeared that there were others. She wondered how many and if Ferelith knew about those ones as well.

“Are we going to a secret hideout?”

* * *​

 

[Freya Thrakin]

The journey was cacophonous, the air only filled with the harmonious chorus of nature and the dull beat of feet hitting the forest floor. Each sound was seemingly amplified, every noise a resounding choir which sang in her ear. The sound of a rabbit eating its fill in the underbrush held as much presence over her hearing as her own breath, yet neither felt suffocating.

A bird sang its mating call in the distance.

The sensation wasn't normal, per se, but it was as close to normal as it could get for the Nord. Tapping into Oris' senses and borrowing his abilities was invigorating, opening up a wide variety of previously unseen sensations. When she had first used it, it was beyond overwhelming, the constant feedback of every heightened noise, every smell, it was too much. To some degree, it still was, hence why it wasn't often that she used it. Even when she did use it, it was typically limited to sound.

An owl awoke and let out a single 'hoot' in the distance.

For a hunt, it proved useful. A hunt such as this one. Her fist clutched at the reminder of what had happened. They were right there, and yet she had still managed to fail. Fail to some flirtatious, showboating thug, no less. She could only hope that the dragon was still okay, and not currently being sold for a gold piece at some auction house.

A bear let out a pained roar alongside various screams.

The Nord bolted through the forest towards the sound. It was the best lead she had at the moment, and she wasn't about to let it go.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“D-don’t worry about it. Shut up a second will you. My head hurts enough without your constant gibbering inside of it.” Ferelith snapped as all the question left her already ringing head feeling like a bell tower. “Sorry..” She said with a sigh after rubbing her head a moment.

“I-I shouldn’t have snapped like that. There’s many that would claim you yes and where your going it’ll be a stroke of luck fated by the gods for anything to finds you..I mean us..” She said with a slight regret choking her tone.

She pushed the feeling back down her throat where it soured in her stomach. Things like this were for people outside her profession.

The pay was right.
The buyer reputable.

That was all that mattered.

Having at least rested for a few hours she walked for a few more hours through the cold of the night til early morning.

The farm sat desolate and abandoned as she approached. The clearing in the woods was rough and unkept on the edges. Who ever had lived here had left long ago. She passed the old barn making straight for the large farm house.

She kicked in the heavy oak door with a loud crash.

The dingy house seemed rich with dusty grandeur. Ornate furniture sat in the room untouched by another living thing in some time.

“We um.. We should be safe here Izzy..” She said after a moment. Placing the ruck sack next to her she dropped down onto the couch with a huff.

The sound of a carriage would reach her ears as it began to approach. “Ah..seems your rides here..” She said after a moment. Guilt settling into her stomach even heavier.

She would suddenly pluck the little dragon from where ever she was and held her close.

“You know what? Maybe we should leave..” She said nervously. Glancing from the dragon to the sound of wheels as they suddenly stopped. She made for the back door but only got 2 steps towards it when she froze.

“Going somewhere?” The voice was old and cracked with use. A dark robes figure stood in the now open front doorway. Flanked by 2 guards in black plate armor he swept into the room silently. “I uh..I thought we might meet further in the back. With the door open and all..” Ferelith said with a nervous chuckle that seemed to die as soon as it left her lips.

“That will not be necessary.” The hooded figure stated with a wave of his hand. One guard swept forward snatching the dragon away while the other dropped a massive chest on the floor.

“You will find your payment here. Along with the bonus for bringing it back alive and before the dead line.” He said simply taking the dragon from his guard and throwing her into another metal box. Blocking her mind to what the dragon said Ferelith wouldn’t even look at her. Keeping her eyes foucused on the chest.

Her treasure.

“Hey there’s no call for the box she likes to be..” Ferelith began before the figure turned slightly.

It’s head tilted to the side.

“What the creature wants or likes is neither of our concern. As long as it can’t escape.” He said again turning to leave.

“Well at least tell me what your going to do with her.” Ferelith said again. Her brain was begging her to stop talking but the feeling that had been growing in her chest refused to be ignored for long.

“What we do with it is our business. You have been paid. What kind of bandit are you?” He said scathingly as he finally took his leave.

Ferelith sat back down as the carriage left. She stayed long after the carriage had gone.

“I’m sorry Izzy...” She said after a long moment.

She pulled the chest over to the couch as she sat back down. She popped it open to find it was filled to the brim with fat gold coins.

She was rich!

And thanks to having to take on a dragon keeperand a few quite well known bandit groups to get it She was legend. She’d have no trouble getting solid jobs now..

So why did she feel so empty?

Her ruck sack felt empty when she pulled it back on.

Too light.. She remained there. Staring at the treasure that seemed to bring her no happiness until she heard the beating of wings...

 

[Izerth]

When Ferelith told her not to worry Izerth figured that the latter was simply tired. Worn out, even. Therefore she felt no anger when the woman tried to apologize for her previous snapping. In reply Izerth just purred. A rough purr. More of a small tiger than a cat, something raspy too. A sound that vibrated through her chest and perhaps even the rucksack, just to sink away in Ferelith’s back. She slept from thereforth. Comfortable until it was time to get out of the nest. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to, wasn’t sure if this place was one she liked. The house was old, dead in its own way. Nothing here felt as if people still used it. That in itself should have made Izerth happy, because humans were enemies. Unfortunately there was a vibe here, perhaps just her own gut feeling telling her that it was different from the town they had just come from.

“Ride?” the dragon tilted her head to the side in confusion. Had Ferelith gotten her a horse of er own? And if so.. then why? It barely made any sense to her when men barged into the house and things quickly turned for the worse.

Unsure if they were being attacked again, for the third time in barely two days, she tried to break free from the grip holding her but the man had been prepared. Once again she found herself in an iron cage with nothing to keep her soft or warm.

“Ferelith?” she asked, silently and afraid. She let the men out, only directing her thoughts to her friend. “Payment? What payment?” What was going on here?

“Help me to get out? What are you doing?” What were they agreeing on? Had agreed on?

Soon enough the harsh reality hit her like a cold knife in the chest. Ferellith had never been her friend. Had never actually wanted to take care of her. There was only one reason why she had been dragging her along all this time, and saving her from a fate in an iron box was not it. Gold. Shiny, round coins the two-legged thought so much of.

“Traitor!” she couldn’t help but lashing out. Fire erupted from her maw and some of it escaped between the thick iron bars and small holes made for breathing. She spit again and again, angry, furious, afraid and breaking apart.

“TRAITOR!” Izerth’s thoughts ripped through the space between them. She growled, roared, jumped against the cage until her body was one and all bruises and no air for fire was left inside of her.

Lying on the now warm iron, she closed her ruby red eyes. Should she have had the strength to cry she might have, but right now, she simply fell asleep as that was the closest she could get to dying.

* * *​

 

[Freya Thrakin]

The sound of leather and scales pounding against the clouds grew louder and louder, a rousing beating of drums among the silent winds. As they pushed themselves through the sky, time itself proved to be their pursuer. If they were late by a mere second, then the young hatchling would almost certainly be gone. Sold, killed, eaten, whatever wretched desire would drive a person to pay some thug to steal a child. Whatever it was, it could not be allowed. The bitter sorrow of Oris mixed itself with the thick rage of Freya to create a concoction of motivation that propelled them through the air.

The farm soon revealed itself, located in a clearing surrounded by verdant green wilderness. It was abandoned, the fields overgrown and the fences weathered by age. The farmhouse stood tall in the middle, the light streaming through the windows betraying its abandoned appearance. Inside was their target, and with her was the dragon.

Outside the farmhouse, there was the sound of a massive weight pressing against the ground with a heavy impact, the crunching of dirt and crops clearly audible. Flames threatened to escape Oris' maw, wisps of smoke streaming out from within. Freya slid off the dragon's back, deftly taking out her spear as she neared the home.

The door swung open, the red-haired Nord stepping through soon after. Her gaze stopped as it reached Ferelith, a hardened glare that threatened to pierce the glorified bandit right then and there. The spear slowly rose, its iron tip leveled against the Blue Wolf's chest.

"The dragon," she growled, "now."

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith didn’t even look up as the nord entered. Her piercing gaze and sharp tone seeming to snap Ferelith from her stupor. She looked...sad..

This quickly changed however as she quickly stood and readied her claymore. Her tattoo glowing slightly along with her eyes.

She swung the sword a few times in practice with a speed one would only expect someone twice her size to be able to accomplish.

“Can’t help yah love.” She said with a sneer.

“First come first serve and another customer beat yah to it by an hour.” She chuckled gesturing to the large chest next to the couch.

“I’ll be set for life now. I can start up a new crew. No more battlefield scavenging, stupid baby creature deliveries and petty bounties for me.” She said like she was convincing herself. Her usual smugness developing cracks as she spoke.

“Besides we’ve danced this dance before love. We both know you can’t beat me.”
She said with her faltering smirk returning. She had done what she had to do. Now she was set.

Just this stupid dragon lover and her pet separated Ferelith from fame, fortune, and a big bandit gang. She would show every-

“Traitor!”

Ferelith was sinking into a ready stance when the words reverberated through her mind.

Her friend.

She froze leaving her half sunk into ready stance.

Her claymore lowering with a slight falter.

Her friend?

Her smirk remained plastered to her face but her eyes seemed to gaze far into the distance.

A single tear rolled down her left cheek.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

The grim face turned to a snarl as the bandit spoke, her fears confirmed. The child was gone, given away to someone with too much money to spend and not enough wits. They could be anywhere within the forest, and with no description to go on, it'd be a wild goose chase. A hunt with no scent. Right in front of her stood the woman responsible, a twisted smirk on her face as she confessed the deed. It should have been easy to land the first blow, to sink iron into flesh as a twisted vengeance. It would've been easy.

Yet it wasn't. Freya saw the faltering step, the weakening resolve, the crumbling facade. She saw the same sadness she felt, hidden behind an unraveling veneer of confidence.

As the Nord saw the tear roll down Ferelith's cheek, the spear was lowered. In the bandit's eyes was a similar regret to the one she knew her own contained, remorse that was once unseen becoming visible. A sigh left her lips. A part of her wondered if this was unwise, just falling into yet another trick. Yet if it wasn't, they may have had a chance of saving the hatchling. She couldn't afford to be cautious. Not now, not when a child was being sold.

"Let's try a different dance then," Freya retorted at last. "I can see the regret in your eye. You're trying to brush it off as just business, but it wasn't. You care for that dragon, whether you wanted to or not."

She extended an open hand.

"Help me save her."

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“What?” Ferelith faltered yet again. Flinching at her words and moving as if to block an attack that hadn’t come. Her tattoo dimmed and her eyes lost their slight glow. She looked up at the taller nords eyes then to her hand.

“B-but I..We..” She seemed to be at a loss for words. A second tear rolled down her right cheek as her mind seemed to finally decide what to choose.

“..Fine..” She relented still looking ready to be attacked as she sighed and dropped her claymore. It clanked to the floor as her smaller hand took Freya’s with a firm grip.

Her eyes looked at Freyas own with a pleading sense of sadness. She was so lost in this world without her sister.

The tall red haired nord was filling the roll whether she knew it or not. She looked at her the same way she had looked to her sister for guidance when she got too far in over her head.

She gave the hand a squeeze before her shoulders gave a slight shake. Ferelith set her jaw holding back sobs before they broke through the dam of her self control. She pulled Freya into a hug burying her face into her shoulder as she sobbed for a moment.

All the stress and danger or her young life finally releasing in one action. She didn’t cry long and was soon pulling away wiping her eyes. “I’m..Im sorry..” She said after a moment. Pulling away she would take up her sword and slide it back into its sheathe.

“I know the path they were taking!” She said. A fire lighting in her eyes as her natural smirk returned. Now that she was saving her friend the massive weight threatening to crush her soul had been lifted and she felt lighter.

“If we hurry we could..” She began as she shoved the chest under the couch and rushed outside.

She froze stopping dead at the sight of the muzzle she had bumped into. Her eyes went wide at the sight of smoke and the size of the teeth of the very angry dragon standing in front of her.

“H-hi” Ferelith said already starting to back up she tripped and fell on her butt.

“I don’t think w-we’ve m-met big guy..” She said with a tremble in her tone and all color draining from her face.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Her muscles tensed as Ferelith pulled her in for an unexpected hug, taking a moment before they loosened up and responded in kind. Comforting people was never her strong suit, but it seemed like silence would do. Her hand gently patted the Blue Wolf on the back after a few moments of uncertainty and hesitation, continuing until Ferelith pulled away.

"It's alright," she answered back simply. "Don't apologize for making the right decision." A slight smile spread across Freya's face, falling back to its serious demeanor once mention was made of the buyer's path. "Lead the way, Ferelith," the Nord stated, following the woman out the front door.

Oris stood tall in the fields, his scaled neck craned above the overgrown crops as Ferelith left the farmhouse. The dragon leaned in, piercing green eyes leveling against the relatively minuscule eyes of the human. "Hello." The voice left the dragon's maw as a rumbling growl, smoke seeping from bared teeth into the air above. A claw came forward, pressing onto the ground with an imposing strength. "Where do you think you're going?"

Freya stepped out from behind the ex-bandit, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. As she climbed onto the back of the beast, she explained, "Save your fire for the people that bought the child. Ferelith knows where they went, and she wants to make amends." She returned her gaze to their newfound ally, saying, "Get on. I'll fly, you show us where they were headed."

Oris grunted, dispelling a plume of black smoke from their toothy prison. An eye was kept on the bandit, no attempt being made at the substantial suspicion held within his gaze. However, he made no attempt to go against his companion's wishes, begrudgingly following along. "Go on, Wolf-Thing. Show us the results of your actions, so that you may make them right."

 

[Izerth]

The treason tore at her heart. Somehow she had not expected this to end the way it did. In her cage, sitting silently, she found the chest being put on the wagon. Soon they started to move, and she had no idea where she was heading to. Again her freedom, her life, was put in someone else’s hands. This, of course, caused her to wonder whether she should have listened to the other two-legged, back in the village. At the same time, she was pretty sure that they too had their own goals. None of the two-legged were to be trusted she decided with pain in her heart. If the dragon could cry, she would. Tightly closing her ruby red eyes in an attempt to get rid of both the mental pain and the world around her, she fell asleep just to wake up in a new nightmare.

Roughly they pulled her out of the cage. As soon as they did her maw was closed tightly before a choker was put around her neck, one attached to an iron chain. She had no idea where she was, but they dragged her into another room. Two men stood there, discussing. The discussion was fierce from what she could understand when being thrown into the middle of it. One was the man who “bought” her, the other someone else, someone in equally rich clothing, but with white streaks in his long beard and robes instead of armor.

“I gave you the tip and now you refuse to sell it to me? The gold you used, I said I’ll double it. What will you do with that thing? It’s too small for battle, and I need it for the potions.” the robed man furiously argued his point. Chains of gold and jewels clattering when he moved his hands to add power to his words through gestures.

“I’m not a thing,” Izerth angrily mingled into the conversation before the other man could reply. Immediately their gazes shifted. First between one another, then to the chained little dragon. The resolve in the first man’s eyes only seemed to grow. The sorcerer growled with annoyance.

“It’s not because it talks that it will bond with you, riders are-” he started, knowing he was losing ground here.

“Shut up, old man. Your gold is good, but I have plenty. What I don’t have is a dragon I can train.” His eyes glowed with greed and dreams of power. A gesture toward the mage was enough for the older man to leave, but not before cursing.

“You’ll regret that, your reputation will fall, I promise you that, you idiot. Thinking you can just call me here and send me away like an errand boy?! I’ll have you pay for that dearly!”

* * *​

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“N-no where!” She said holding up her hands in submission from where she sat.

“Right save your fire!” Ferelith said as Freya caught up and addressed her scaled companion.

Scooting back on her butt for a moment before scrambling to her feet hiding behind Freya and following behind her as she apprached the dragon.

“Well it’s just a rumor but a cult is said to meet in the area. I just so happened to know where. Insurance in case they double crossed me I would know where to hunt them down. Scouted then as soon as they hired me.” Ferelith said before stopping dead watching Freya mount Oris.

“Wait..” She visibly paled once again. “F-fly?” She struggled out. She sounded like she’d sooner rather her own feet.

“On s-second thought what if I just tell you where they are and catch up!” She said with a nervous laugh that came out much more awkward than she intended. She turned to walk away on slightly weak knees but a slight rumble from Oris made her turn back around like she had just performed a pirouette. “Then again that’s be rude. B-better j-just fly..” She said shakily climbing to sit behind Freya.

“They headed north towards the small mountain range outside of this forest. The right mountain. Largest cave. Some warlord dwarf hollowed half the damn thing out in the old days. Now some sleezy black market guys running the place.” Ferelith said as Oris prepared to take off.

“You know it’s really not so bad maybe flying won’t be so-.” She began as Oris took off. “No no no Freya I don’t like this! I don’t like this! Put me down!” She said with a panicked squeak. She wrapped her arms around Freya like a life line and held on to the sturdy nord tightly. Pressing herself against her in fear...but was it really all fear? Ferelith knew the truth deep down.

She liked this woman.

A strong warrior, with morals, and rugged beauty. She had been jokingly flirting with her for most of her time in the job but now that they seemed to be allied for the time being..

Well in every joke is a grain of truth.. She didn’t expect Freya to feel the same, or even to not be disgusted should she ever learn how much Ferelith truly did fancy her, but for now....she could settle for just this.. Ferelith gave her new found friends middle a little squeeze and rested her cheek on her back.

Her mind then turned to Izzy.. That poor girl..She would find her. “you better stupid two legged.” She muttered to herself as they soared through the sky’s.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Freya raised an eyebrow at her newfound companion's sudden dismay, replying incredulously, "I highly doubt you can run faster than a dragon can fly." She smirked at the mercenary's sudden change of heart, stroking Oris' head as an appreciative sign of thanks. "Good idea."

She turned her head as Ferelith climbed atop the dragon, nodding along to her directions. "Mountain, hollowed out, sleazy black market guys. Got it." She returned her gaze, which had seemed to turn an oddly iridescent hue, to Oris -briefly pausing to warn the inexperienced rider, "It's a bit of a bumpy ride. You'll get used to it." - and the dragon began to beat his wings.

Suddenly, the dragon leaped upward, leathery wings seemingly gripping the very sky itself to lift itself further up into the air. Freya seemed unshaken from the experience, the abruptness of the departure from the land doing little to surprise her.

What did surprise her, however, was the sudden squeezing of her ribs and the shouting of immediate regrets. She chuckled, a hint of amusement crossing her face. That, of course, and pain from the exceedingly tight death-grip Ferelith had on her abdomen. "I don't think you want to be put down while thirty feet in the air," she teased in a faux-serious tone. "Oris hasn't dropped anybody in at least a few days."

Eventually, they reached an altitude that was suitable for gliding across the cloudy skies. The wind rushed past their skin and scales, bitter and cold in its caress. The forest turned to soil and grass beneath them, soil and grass turning to towering mountains that stretched across the landscape. Within one such mountain, a large gaping cave painted its surface like a wound. "That's our target."

Oris circled the mountain, slowly descending onto the ground akin to a vulture upon its meal. The dragon hit the ground with a rumbling crunch of earth beneath him, sharpened claws flexing as they touched the tender soil. He stretched his wings out, displaying his ashy gray scales as his reptilian gaze searched the cave in front of him. Specks of light lit up within the cave, twinkling torchlight to provide some semblance of vision within the stretching cavern.

The dragon stepped within the cave, the large tail lashing about behind him. A few of the black market's merchants and customers stood there, faces turning an unnatural shade of white upon seeing a figment of legend and myth standing before them. Oris took a long, searching glance across the crowd, finding no trace of the youngling. "The hatchling," he began, "Where is she?"

Silence permeated the room, a dense atmosphere of tension at the question. Not a single answer rose among them, either out of sheer ignorance or foolish defiance. Freya scowled, holding onto one of the dragon's spines as she looked at Ferelith behind her. It was a matter of time before one grew the greed and will to attack them, and who knows what such a delay meant for Izerth.

Oris once more spoke, this time in Draconic: "Youngling! Let us hear your voice, your freedom is near."

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith gazed about as the scenery and majestic atmosphere of being this high in the air seemed to claim her all at once break through her fear.

“Dropped someone?” She laughed.

“Your joking right?”

Silence.

“Right?”

Her question remained unanswered as they plunged into the cavern. The sudden loss of altitude and the general gut feeling of landing quickly seemed to take Ferelith on a journey of nausea and reignited terror.

“Whoa! Hey!” She squeaked bringing to turn slightly green as they landed.

Disregarding patrons and the tension alike Ferelith slid from the dragon and landed on all fours.

She had barely reached the ground before depositing the very meager contents of her stomach on the ground with a wretch.

“Black tent. Back right.”
She struggled out between wretches. “I’ll never leave you again you sweet, muddy, solid thing...” She said finally finishing and wiping her mouth.

 

[Izerth]

She cried out when the belt hit her. The man didn’t use a whip either because he thought it might cause her to bleed or simply because he thought the leather was strong enough to teach the dragon a lesson. A lesson in obedience. Izerth, however, was as proud as she was small. She growled, cried out, pulled at the chain and even tried to unleash fire through the muzzle they had put on her maw, but didn’t follow the “orders” this devil of a two-leg wanted her to do. Of course he thought to break her in, make sure she understood that he was now her owner and that she, as his pet of sorts, would do what he liked.

For now it was him dragging her across the room with some obstacles and trying to have her follow his instructions. She, however, no longer replied to him in her mind. So, after a couple of loops of the same, he started to threaten to sell her to the mage anyway. “He’ll tear you to pieces, slice off every bit of flesh while you’re still alive, keep you alive as long as possible, in hopes of gaining more of your scales and teeth. Eventually he’ll grind your bones and sell it for bags of gold.” The threat was real, but Izerth gritted her fangs and tried to bury her claws into the stony floor.

Then, suddenly, she heard it. A voice that was not familiar, but spoke in a familiar tongue. Where before the human had used it to pursue her to join his group, this voice was different. Lower, harder. More of it called to her now than it had before. Sure, her predicament caused her to be more open to those speaking her tongue, but still, this one was different. As she listened, the man hit her on the back and she screamed. Both internally and outloud. The tiny roar filled of pain reverberated across the tall room. Inwardly, the scream was far more human.

“Help!” she told the stranger in her mind, replying in Draconic. “I can’t.. anymore. I cannot fly, I am in iron rings, I’m bound. My fire can’t melt away the muzzle.” The strength in the stranger’s voice gave her hope. It tingled her senses, too. Almost like a blanket it had covered her in warmth, every inch of her scaled and bruised body.

* * *​

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Freya merely raised an eyebrow and let out a brief chuckle at the mercenary's reaction to solid ground, looking away as Ferelith succumbed to her nausea. Flight was an uncommon and rare sensation, so such a reaction was quite understandable. However, as she heard directions wheezed out between fits of vomiting, she nodded. "Then let's hurry up."

Oris listened to the dragonling's whimpering voice with an intent focus, momentarily taken aback by hearing another voice within his mind beyond that of his own and Freya's. "Focus on my voice, youngling," he called out in Draconic as he began to walk towards the tent, sending an intimidating glare to any patrons that treaded too closely. "You may be bound, your fire may be gone, but you are not broken. A dragon is never broken and soon, you shall be free."

The dragon moved through the cavern, sharp claws scraping against the carved stone as he neared the black tent. Freya remained mounted on top, glancing back to ensure that Ferelith was following.

From within the tent, the sound of a lumbering mass moving through a silenced crowd grew louder and louder. A shadow soon painted the tent's side: that of a mounted woman atop a dragon, with a familiar person trailing closely behind. A low rumbling growl emanated from the scaled beast as one claw rose, plunging itself into the fabric as it tore a gaping hole into the tent.

Oris peered around the tent, his reptilian gaze searching for both the young dragon and her captor. His eyes first laid upon the small youngling, whose back was bruised, whose legs were bound, and whose maw was muzzled.

The second to meet his gaze was the man who "bought" her, a worn belt in his hand. Freya leaned in atop Oris, pointing a spear at the captor. "You're not going anywhere."

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“And be careful.. he..” She turned wiping her mouth once again to see Freya and Oris already heading for the tent. “Has a detail of highly trained bodyguards hidden in the market that will kill you!” She called running after them. She saw Freya glance at her but it seemed to be insuring she hadn’t slunk away more than acknowledgment that she had been heard.

“Shit.” Ferelith drew her bow as a dark robed figure seem to materialize out of the shadows on the roof of a stall. Bow string already strung. Freya in his sights. “Nope not my lover you prick.” Ferelith growled pulling her own bow and drawing it with incredible speed. The man fell from the stall with a yelp landing in a crate of cursed daggers. He popped back up screaming for a moment before something dark rose slightly from the box and pulled him down into silence. She stood for a moment watching others moving after the dragon and her rider. Never there when they looked. Always moving forward and growing in numbers when they weren’t.

“Shit.” Ferelith spat drawing her sword. “And I’m sure she thinks IM the one that rushes into things.” She sprinted with incredible speed. Something that hurt her entire body much more than she liked to admit. As stated her body was incredibly strong but had no protection from it. She could run with insane speed, but had to keep it toned down lest she wear out her boots and feet to dust. Literal dust. Another lesson curtesy of the college and one of her fellow test subjects. So she focused on the gathering group of body guards planning to ambush than she was worried about catching up to Freya. She saw a small group setting up some kind of spell no doubt to summon something to deal with the dragon. Ferelith slammed into one caving in his body like an old clay pot.

The others were already being shaken from their magic trance with the spell having been disrupted when she dispatched them as well. Smashing ones head with the side of her blade so hard it cane off. The head of the long haired elf sailed through the air in a gentle arc before plopping one a basket of goblin hearts.

“Yes!” Ferelith extended both her hands and jumped up and down. “That was so satisfying! I should make a game and call it..head in hole? What do you think?” She asked the final man she hand held by the top of his head.

“You will burn for all eternity for this you stupid girl. I swear it on my-“ he began. Ferelith yawned seeing another group making their way over to ambush. Freya had finally reached the tent. Ferelith didn’t have time for this.

“Yeah yeah... Hey look over there!” She said turning the mans head a quick 360 degrees to face a stall full of various excrements.

“One of those might be your cousin yeah? You being so much like shit and all.” She said with a chuckle dropping his lifeless body..

”stupid joke..” she muttered as she ran to catch up. She slammed into the group sneaking up on her friend like a cannon ball. Swinging her claymore in a wide arc she cut 2 in half kicking the other right next to Oris’s backside.

“Oris! Sit!” She yelled in more of a tone pleading for aid in a fight than a commanding one. “Now it’s your t-“ Ferelith said turning to the final figure before being stopped dead in her tracks. The final fighter hadn’t been taken aback by her savagery. They had waited for her to turn before striking. As Ferelith turned the woman’s face was almost touching her own. “Didn’t think we’d meet again sister.” She whispered as Ferelith paled.

Eyes slowly leaving the cold grey of her “sisters.” And the pale arm bearing a black tattoo that looked very much like Ferelith and her sister Kylas red and blue respectively. More importantly the the pale arm was connected to a hand and that hand held a long knife that had made its home between her ribs.

“You never did watch your back. That was always Kyla. We all wondered how long you’d last with out her.” She chuckled as Ferelith gasped and seemed to stunned and frightened to respond.

“Guess we all know not very.” She said pulling Ferelith close and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“They want you back Alane.” She whispered “and I happened to be in the area. I won’t go out if my way to help you again. That is if you survive that long.” She winked giving Ferelith a pat on her head as she sunk to her knees before seeming to disappear like she had never been there in a puff of acrid smoke.

Now leaving her wounded and still facing a good ten body guards that were now rushing the scene. She cursed and ran into the tent. “Freya.” She gasped clutching the knife still jammed in her stomach while the other brandished her claymore. “We..have..have t-to go. More coming..” She breathed heavily.
As she collapsed in a heap.

 

[Izerth]

Latching onto the words and the strength behind them Izerth sunk her claws deeper into the stony floor. The anger vanquished the majority of her exhaustion. Perhaps it didn’t really, but only gave her energy to pull back. The chain was taunt now. A little fireball started to form itself inside the back of her throat. She wanted to kill this man so badly. Never before had she wanted to murder anyone. Of course, as a dragon, she hunted, but that was for food. Right now, however, it was pure hatred. That, together with the appearance of a mature dragon, gave her the power to unleash the fireball through the muzzle - burning away the leather felt good. The iron, however, was still there. She bit into the leather around her legs, tearing it off with her fangs, but the ring around her neck was impossible for her to break.

“Help me with the chain!” she turned to face the dragon, perhaps hundred of times larger than her. Its presence gave her both hope and strength. If she was to be free she might help him by burning some of the enemies. Even though, she was quite tired, bruised, somewhat afraid, less now that he was here. He had to be the one circling the town. She regretted having missed that opportunity and gone with- there, next to the dragon, the traitor.

Among the chaos and misery Izerth loudly hissed at Ferelith. Backing off. With her trust in humans broken she neared the dragon’s claw for safety. And for freedom. He only had to step on the chain and its claw would slice through the iron like a hot knife through butter.

* * *​