The taste of blood was heady.
Purple felt deep shame at being conditioned so, shame that he'd rip and tore. Killed. Shame that he'd given in to baser instincts that screamed predator and killer and murderer and monster. When Grant didn't return to muzzle him, he just remained. The broken corpse of the young one at his clawed feet, his hands and mouth stained red. He looked over his shoulder, eyes wide, breath trembling out of him. He could help.
He flexed his fingers, frozen. Purple couldn't move. When was the last time he had a thought of his own? He remembered how Grant gave commands and the speed at which they were fulfilled. The promise of pain always lingering. He could help the others and then... It was dark and cold now. He looked up at the sky, trying to see stars. See what time it was. Grant still hadn't come back and Purple didn't know what to do. Would it be easy to save the two?
It was like a jolt, when the idea sparked across his mind. Movement entered his limbs and after what felt like hours of standing and waiting for instructions... Purple let out a little gasp, breathing like he hadn't in years. Like a veil had been lifted from his eyes and chains had been broken. He could hear the fire in the distance, though the sight of it was obscured. His fingers tingled and his heart raced, stress cluttering his thoughts and making his eyes water in fear.
So wrapped up in his own first steps towards the sound of fire, he missed the sound of beating wings. Purples ears twitched as he walked, slow careful steps. Maybe he could wait for one of them to enter the darkness of the forest, he could... Cassen was first watch, Purple noted, though both were still awake, Korminic was clearly getting ready to sleep at least. Purple crouched and picked up a rock, standing up and dropping it from far above his head. Korminic's head shot up and he looked into the darkness of the trees.
"The fuck was that?" Cassen said, looking worried, pulling a dagger out. Purple took a few noisy steps back, "It's just a rat," Korminic said, rolling his eyes, "ah shit I didn't realize how dark it got, go get the muzzle, the lizard should be done with the kid by now." Purple winced, hyper aware of the dried blood on his hands and face now. Cassen got up and got the muzzle from Grant. Maybe hide?
No.
No more hiding.
Cassen whistled while he walked into the trees, muzzle in hand. Purple was complacent. Purple was trained and taught. Purple was being eaten alive. Purple was theirs and would do what they told him. Cassen realized too late that the dark figure in front of him wasn't just a shadow of a tree, realized too late you needed functioning vocal cords to scream, throat torn open and pitiful wet gasps were the only noise Cassen could make anymore. Purple let the body of his captor drop to the forest floor with a thump and he carefully took the muzzle, glancing down at it before dropping that to the ground too.
"Cassen?" Korminic said, glancing to the tent the three men shared, contemplating if a little thump in the forest was enough to get Grant. He was so distracted by Cassen in the forest, he didn't hear the quiet footsteps come from the opposite side. The soft sound of metal and leather. He did notice when the spear head pierced through his chest, his eyes went wide with surprise and he grabbed at it like that would accomplish anything.
Pallaton glanced at Sincuvo and Kesrel, felt a burning in his throat that he couldn't spot his son before he ripped the spear out of the waste of a human soul, sweeping the spear to the side to fling blood off and away. A raspy gasp and Korminic lay bleeding on the ground, heart giving its last pitiful beats. Another rider went to check out the tent, a sharp shout followed by a gurgle and the dragon rider gave a look to Pallaton before shaking his head and giving a hand signal that he was going to look around.
"Children," Pallaton started, spear at his side, the whites of his eyes red and his voice almost trembling. It was beyond a relief that they'd been found and the disappointment at it being just two, instead of all of them, weighed heavily. A single step forward, before a scarred, long haired purple beast-man bolted from the trees.
"No!" Purple shouted, arms thrown wide in front of Sincuvo and Kesrel, the spear tip pressed to his chest so quickly could feel the tip dig in. "Don't hurt them," Purple's voice was rough, barely used, "I..." he had nothing to barter with, he didn't even have his skin, "Please. They don't deserve this, I'm good at following instructions and I have a strong bite. Let them go and take me instead," Pallaton's eyes widened in shock before his gaze turned into a glower and he dug the spear in a little deeper, angry. Lethal.
"Arami is with Arcturus," Pallaton said, glancing at the purple beast-man again. Pallaton and the other Dragon Rider were only supposed to be scouting, but when they saw it was one man dozing by a fire and one preening in a tent it was too good an opportunity to pass up. He looked behind the boys to the other dragon rider who moved behind the two and began to unbind them. Carefully check them for injuries. With the purple beast-man basically impaled on his spear, Pallaton didn't have to negotiate, "Sincuvo, Kesrel." He looked to the two, his gaze steady but softening when he looked at them, "I know you're both exhausted but this is very important. Do you want me to kill this one? He has blood on him and he smells of them."