Takes Two to Tango[wolfie]

[Looshi]

Hunger had been ailing him for some time. Survival was not his best skill, that he had to admit as there was no way to deny it. He was tired, and the pain in his stomach was not anything he couldn't get used to, despite the frequent sleepless nights, the weariness in his blood and bones. He could feel the unexplained magic rushing through his body a little more as he came to depend on it to keep him alive.

It was in that state he dragged himself to the borders of a town, and sagged on the doorstep to the local INN. The rain came down in torrents, and he was soaked through more thoroughly than a puddle. Jonas' clothing was covered in mud and whatever grass it managed to capture from the hills he had struggled over. The smoke billowing out from the houses had been a beacon in the fading light. And that night he slept on the doorsteps, his pockets far to empty to afford a room.

In the morning he found promise for a better day.

He had caught rumours around the countryside; from passing traders to sellswords, about a brigand that had a bounty on his head. A sizeable bounty. Jonas needed that money, and he couldn't think of any other way to get it quickly. He had gained some knowledge on the road on how to defend himself, and there was a fire that seemed to constantly burn in his heart that kept him from quitting when all things seemed lost. It saved him more than anything else.

Redfort keep. It was a name on many tongues in the town, and it didn't take him long to find the information he needed. The local rat, not literally the animal, twisted his hands and fidgeted when Jonas brought up the subject; his pudgy fingers playing at the hems of his tunic and his face flush. He wasn't the only one asking about Johnny-two-toes it seemed. But it didn't stop him.

Jonas quickly found himself on the road, with only his feet to bring him along through the muck. The rains had let up, and the sun began to shine through the cracks in the clouds. His guard had been down, and his heart sized as an arrow shot by his ear. Jonas plunged into the nearby brush, and found that someone had the same idea.

"Lovely weather, isn't it." He said.

[wolfie]

She hadn't been on the road long. In fact she was finding things out more and more. It seemed in a town one needed money to buy things like food. She had her first lesson the hard way as she almost dove into an apple before paying for it. Having returned the apple unharmed the guy let her go.

Alerri wandered around looking for ways to earn money. It seemed there wasn't an easy way of doing that when you were a stranger in town. She still had much to learn, and she was planning on staying alive meaning she would need money for food. She had no use for it before and knew very little of it now.

Hearing there was a wanted man roaming around she didn't think much of it. When someone mentioned capturing him would get her some money though she was ready for it. She had no idea how to capture someone as she wasn't that good at hunting. She sighed and headed out immediately.

Her night had been horrid. Nothing to eat no place to sleep. She was used to the outdoors though. She wondered maybe she could change into her dragon form and scare this guy into coming with her. It might be the easiest way to get him. She would have done so had it not been for the arrow set loose in the air. She ducked into a bush hoping that she wasn't the target. It would be the last thing she needed then.

She was about to leave the bush and see if it was safe when some guy darted into the same bush. She heard what he said wondering why he would ask about that. She sighed and shook her head at him.

"We have arrows whizzing by our heads and you want to know about the weather? Really?" She said not sure what to make of him. She wasn't some warrior she had no idea how to get rid of the guy with the arrows.

[Looshi]

"It was a joke." He said. But it seemed he managed to become brush buddies with someone that didn't have a sense of humour. Oh joy. Jonas' jovial expression had be replaced with a frown and a furrow of his brow.

He kept low in the bush, not daring to move too sharply and draw attention to whoever was watching for him. It was a difficult task, as his feet were sliding towards the ditch they were precariously perched on the ledge of.

"Can you see anything?" He whispered, not entirely sure who he was speaking to, given the leaves and twigs were in the way of the majority of his sight, but by her voice earlier, he could guess she was a woman. And not a very pleased one.

[wolfie]

Alerri was still trying to get used to human humor. It was something she hadn't seen before. Humor yes, but there was a difference between what humans and dragons found funny. She was learning.

She wondered if the shooter had moved or if they were just waiting for someone to stick their head up. She had never felt hunted before but she didn't like the feeling. It was as if whoever was after her and this guy knew they would be walking down that road. It made her wonder if the shooter was actually after whoever walked down the road. She hated the person already.

"Actually I can't see much. The shooter was hidden when the first arrow went by my head. Nothing is moving and everything is quiet. I'm thinking whoever is shooting is waiting for something to move again. We either wait them out or try to take them down," she said not liking the fact that she had to work with this guy to get out of this jam.

[Looshi]

That was disappointing. Jonas strained his ears to hear alien footsteps, but his senses could only catch the song of birds and leaves drifting lightly to the ground. She was right about everything being quiet. His heart beat was the loudest sound in his ears.

If he could assume, that was one of the bandits in league with Johnny-two-toes; no passerby would shoot at strangers if they didn't have anything to hide - or protect. It made Jonas wonder about their information ties; it was exceedingly quick that they knew what he looked like. The rat could have had different loyalites. Or perhaps they just shot at everyone and hoped for the best. Gods help him he didn't want it to be the latter.

"Take him down?" He echoed back, his face scrunching up. How exactly? They were not in the best position to do that. They were vulnerable. Trapped. The archer had the advantage that they didn't. Jonas moved slightly, being careful of his footing, and used his hands to pull back some brush.

He couldn't see them.

Probably because they were sneaking up from behind.

[wolfie]

Alerri sighed not liking being a sitting duck. She wasn't used to being prey for anyone but being on the top of the ladder. She wondered if this was how human's actually felt when they were trapped. She hoped so it would mean she was getting the information she sought.

She wondered where they were and couldn't take the suspense any more. Using her mind she sought out the shooter. There was one ahead and three of them behind them. She had no idea how to get out of this mess wishing she could just blink them out of there. Unfortunately she hadn't learned that draconi skill just yet.

"Yeah that might not be a good idea now. The shooter is still in position and three men are behind us. Don't ask how I know I just do."

[Looshi]

"Behind us?" He hissed low, and looked over his shoulder. Now that she mentioned it, were those footsteps he heard? Crunching on the ground? His heart caught in his throat as it tried to flutter away from his body. Or at least that was what it felt like. His mind was spinning.

He'd rather take the one in front of them than the three behind. If he kept moving, the archer would have a hard time getting aim on him.

With a deep breath, and a quick prayer to his gods, Jonas slid from underneath the brush and into the ditch below. He landed heavily on rocks with the side of his hip, and he cried out, much to his regret.

[wolfie]

Alerri sighed wondering what this guy was thinking. Had he asked she could have told him that was a bad move. It was something she considered when she first got into the bushes. The ditch helped her in the fact that the three guys couldn't come directly at them.

She had a feeling she would regret this later, but there was no other course of action. Springing up fast she darted for the trees thinking it safer there. She also knew that might bring only one of them on to her. There at least she could change into her other form without anyone seeing her. It gave her the advantage.

I hope he doesn't think I've abandoned him. Can't worry about that right now though gotta keep safe. Why do I get myself into these messes? She thought wondering what blunder would come next. She thought for a second on leaving the guy behind and going after her goal. That just wasn't her though as she removed her clothing and changed into her magnificent orange scaled self.

[Looshi]

Blood was welling up from underneath his fingers as he pressed his hands against the side he fell on. It took him some time, but he wreathed his body into a sitting position. Awkwardly on the rocks were they dug in uncomfortably. His clothing hadn't been torn, but they were quickly staining with red, Jonas' set his jaw, determined to keep moving. He couldn't stand still, not when there could be the target of multiple nasty individuals. He looked up to see long shadows stretching down the hill he slid from, and heard hoarse voices in the air. His heart took to wing again, and was grateful to feel the magic in his body coming to tend to his hurts.

An blur of orange caught his sight from the corner of his eyes. The woman was moving, but away from him. He didn't hold it against her. His idea was possibly not the best. But the thought of being too near danger gave him the motivation to being his ascend up the steep ridge. He hoped with all he could hope that an arrow was not trained at his skull. Jonas doubted he'd be able to heal from that.

Instead, as his hands, bloodied with his own life, grasped at the top of his climb he began to hear screams and shouts.

"Dragon!"

He froze, hearing the snapping of trees and the pounding of boots on twigs heading away from where he was. There was cursing rife in the air. They weren't the words he would choose, but they were close enough. His body felt cold with anxiety, but he pulled himself up and while on his belly, he saw it.

The dragon.

[wolfie]

She heard them running away. It made her laugh that men would be so afraid of her it wasn't something she was used to, but she was glad to see them tripping over themselves instead of shooting at her. She had a feeling the arrows would still come, but she wasn't worried about them. True to form the archer and shot at her twice.

Idiot. She thought as she caught them in her mouth snapping both of them. Alerri only did this to scare him make him flee. It worked. She had no idea who had hired them, but she didn't care. Her life and that of the man in the bush were the only thing that mattered just then.

Once she was sure he was safe she went back to where her clothing was and transformed putting them on. She had a job to do and as a dragon that might hinder her work. At least now she knew men would cower before her. She had only heard stories before.

Heading back to the man she had protected she wanted to see if he was okay. She also wanted him to see she was okay too. He might try to fight for her, and that was the last thing she wanted. She had heard of that too knights and such trying to protect the innocent from dragons. It was a laugh though considering she was hardly innocent and yet the dragon.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she neared him.

[Looshi]

It was an orange and blue majesty. For all his years, he had never seen a dragon. In books, yes, but not in cold flesh. Scales shimmered in the daylight, birds took to the air at grave speeds; groups spinning out of the trees to escape the giant. The men where rushing away, and Jonas' own fingers dug deeper into the moss laden ground he clung to. He did not dare to move, and yet his eyes kept staring at the beast.

He prayed it would not find him. He missed the cradle of the tomb around him, and the dreams that eased him through hundreds of years. He was not afraid then. He was at peace after a weary life. But now he felt alone, away from his gods as the footsteps of the dragon thundered and shook the earth.

Then he witnessed something remarkable. Through the cracked trees the monster lumbered away its weighty form, and disappeared. And what came out in its place was a woman. A woman with orange hair.

Jonas brought himself to his knees, the coldness of the moss seeping through his clothing. He stared wide eyed as she approached him, mouth gaping open slight. His hair was stuck to the side of his face.

"I'm... Fine." He hesitated with the words, his mind not up to speed. "You...Did you just..."

[Looshi]

((Ugh shoot, I hit quote and not modify. |: My bad))

[wolfie]

She wasn't sure what to make of this guy. He seemed okay until he spoke. She could have sworn he was injured when he went down into the ditch earlier. Maybe something had happened or she had heard wrong she didn't know. It seemed strange though.

Alerri heard him putting two and two together. It wasn't pleasant what came next. She knew she would have to make it seem like it wasn't true. She couldn't have her secret spread far and wide by anyone. Especially someone she didn't know or trust.

"Did I just what? Curl into a ball in fetal position and wait until it was safe? I'm not dumb enough to take on four men one with a bow and arrow not to mention that dragon. I was lucky it didn't see me," she said shaking her head. She made it sound like it wasn't something she saw every day. She just hoped it was enough to convince him.

[Looshi]

He wasn't sure what to make of her either. Jonas looked her up and down, gathering an impression of her demeanour. More confident than his was, that was for sure. Her orange hair gathered down her shoulders and was in a slight tangle from the brush she walked out form, but nothing glaringly. It did not take away her looks.

   "Right."  He said, giving her a hard stare. Jonas didn't believe her story. He was certain that she was the dragon hidden in sheep's clothing. But he could play her game if it kept her from gobbling him up like a breakfast. He wouldn't make much of one, he noted. It would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid. Knowing that there was such power behind a pretty face made him all the wary of how she used it.

   Jonas stood up, dusting off his knees.

   "Thanks to the dragon then," He said. "I'm Jonas, it would be a pleasure to meet you if it were under any other circumstances, I assure you."

[wolfie]

She noted that he was looking her up and down. She didn't have much to look at for her to do the same with him on his knees. She wondered what he was thinking, and knew she could find out if she wanted to. The think was she didn't intrude on human thoughts unless she had no other choice.

"That sounded convincing. I take it you don't believe me," she said placing a hand on her hip. Sure she was lying through her teeth. She didn't want him to know that though already he was posing more of a problem than anything else. She sighed and brushed some of her hair back behind her.

"Yes, thanks to the dragon. Are you hurt that looked like a very bad fall," she said hoping he was okay. She didn't like seeing others harmed if she could help. She noted he seemed okay when she stood up from his knees. She wondered why he was worried about the dust on his pants it shouldn't have mattered considering they were already dirty from the brush.

"I'm Alerri, its always a pleasure to meet someone new. What do you mean other circumstances?"

[Looshi]

No, he didn't believe her. Jonas gave her a sheepish sort of smile at the accusation, not looking to defend himself, but not willing to blow his rouse outright. There were stranger things in the wilds. And he was one of them.

   "Hurt?" He echoed and remember where he fell. His fingers grazed slightly over the splotchy red stain of clotted blood on his clothing. The wound was gone; he could tell from the lack of blood running down his leg, and the absence of stinging pain.

   "I got better." He said, and ran a hand through his tangled white hair. "I meant no offense, Alerri. It's just not the best way to meet people, you know? Jumping into bushes, fending off bandits. Not a lot of room for howdy-dos."

[wolfie]

She knew there was no fooling him, but she wasn't about to admit all to him either. There were several reasons in her mind that she should walk away and never worry about him again. He wouldn't dare tell another soul what he witnessed she could eat him if he tried.

"I'm glad you're healed. I guess I'll be on my way then bad guys to catch money to collect and such," she said not believing she just said that. It was the truth though. No sense in telling another lie if one didn't have to.

She was about to depart when she heard this very loud rumbling noise. What she didn't know was that it had been her own stomach to talk this time. It took a moment before she realized what was going on making her blush. She hadn't eaten yet and thought maybe she better go quickly before he thought she was really going to eat him.

[Looshi]

He was gladdened by the fact the dragon woman did not take offense. Anyone would be. Though the magic that flowed through him made him stronger, he could not even begin to take on a dragon bare-handed. It would be a tough enough problem to take on bandits weaponless, but he was worse with a sword, honestly.

   She began to turn away, her words ringing in his ears. Though the flurry of her speech, he at first didn't quite grasp what she said, as shown by the expression on his face. But his eyes widened when he gained insight.

   "W-wait!" He called out to the woman a few paces ahead of him. Not the best idea he had, as the grumbling of her stomach echoed through the forest. At least he hoped it was her stomach and not the dragon growling back at him. He caught up to her, testing his bravery.

   "You too?" He said, walking around to stand in front of her. If he had a dragon on his side, then those bandits would be than an arrow through a bear. Was that even a saying? He swore it used to be. "Want to work together? Lets work together."

[wolfie]

Alerri hadn't expected to hear him call for her to stop or at least slow so he could catch up to her. She was hungry and needed to find a way to calm her stomach for now until she could get enough money for food she needed. Sure she could hunt, but that would require the dragon something she did best not to bring out unless necessary.

"Me too? Work together? Why should we work together?" She asked as she turned to him. If they worked together they would have to split the money. She had a feeling that wasn't a good idea wondering if she would be able to feed off of what the money would be if split.

She didn't know this man. He could be one to desert her in the middle of nowhere without any aide. She had a feeling he didn't believe her story about the dragon, and thought maybe he would betray her later so some town folks could run her through. There was always the chance that he would run her through the minute she closed her eyes.

[Looshi]

Why should they work together? He was wondering about his words the moment they left his mouth. They would have to split the bounty money, but it would still mean he would have more than he had now. The thought tasted bitter on his tongue, he had to admit.

"Exactly what I said." He continued on, using his arms to gesture wildly. "We split the coin, and get through the job without dying." Hopefully. The dragon just might gobble him up after all was said and done. Why didn't he think of that before?