Knowledge and Power

[DragonSong]

Oh gods all damnit!

"Okay, move over!" She shouldered her way in beside him, heaving against the stone.

It wouldn't budge.

"Shit!" In an explosion of frustration, she threw another fireball at the door. It didn't really do anything, but it made her feel better. At least for a moment.

Then the stone grated loudly and her eyes widened. What the--?

A familiar snarl echoed down the collapsing tunnel and a broad smile stretched across her face. "Kit!"

Another heave, and the dragon tore the stone door open, looking down at the two humans. He jerked his head and raised one brow ridge as if to say, Well, what are you waiting for?

[Razor-D-Belphe]

Orcus hoisted Kiara up to Kit as the stones fell out from under his feet.

[DragonSong]

Kiara yelped, surprised, but she quickly scrambled up onto Kit's back-- not as graceful as she normally may have been, but still efficient.

Then she saw the ground go out underneath Orcus and gave a wordless shout, reaching out a hand. Kit responded automatically, his left foreleg snapping out and curving his talons around the man's chest.

Kiara winced. That probably didn't feel great on broken ribs. But it was better than falling to your death.

Kit hopped backward awkwardly, curling the paw that held Orcus in toward his chest as he tried to get clear of the cave-in.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

Orcus winced, but blocked out the pain in an instant, focusing on salvation as the ruin crumbled below him. He stepped off onto the ground, panting. He fell to his knees and massaged the grass, ecstatic to feel natural ground.

"Thank you." Orcus said after a minute had passed.

[DragonSong]

As her dragon rumbled an affirmative, Kiara slid down to kneel beside the scholar, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You doing okay there?"

Kit dipped his head to sniff at the now collapsed entrance to the tunnel, then looked back at the two humans. "What just happened?" he asked in a voice that seemed to echo the falling rocks.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

"I'll be fine. I'm just a bit winded. What about you?" Orcus asked as he climbed to his feet.

[DragonSong]

She shrugged. "I'm alright, but I'm not the one sporting broken ribs."

Kit huffed and rolled his eyes, lowering his head to get a better look at the semi-stranger. "Does he need a healer?"

[Razor-D-Belphe]

"I may. But I need to return to the witch and pay off my debt soon. Do you know of any healers in the area?" Orcus said. "I can't afford to go looking for one far away."

[DragonSong]

"There's a little village not to far from here," Kiara noted, glancing westward. "We could get you there in an hour or so if we flew?"

The question was more directed at Kit than Orcus; the dragon had already flown a hard day after all, and she didn't want to ask too much of him. But the scholar clearly needed help, sooner rather than later.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

"Can he handle it? You've essentially carried my burden this far already." Orcus said. "I don't want to weigh you down."

[DragonSong]

"I can handle it, pipsqueak," Kit growled. It wasn't threatening so much as bravado. Kiara rolled her eyes.

"He should be fine, but we really will need to rest once we get you there. We've been traveling all day, and it hasn't exactly been a restful evening."

[Razor-D-Belphe]

Orcus nodded.

"Very well then. I accept your generous offer."

[DragonSong]

"Alright then, climb up."

Kiara boosted herself up onto Kit's back and held a hand down to Orcus, ready to pull him up behind her.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

Orcus took her hand and let himself be pulled onto the dragon's back.

"One thing you should know - I'm afraid of heights." he joked.

[DragonSong]

Kiara snorted. "Alright, that was kinda funny," she allowed, settling herself more comfortably on Kit's back.

"You'd better hold on," she added over her shoulder as Kit fanned his wings, preparing to take off.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

Not knowing exactly where to hold on, Orcus reluctantly hooked his arms around Kiara's waist.

[DragonSong]

The young woman tensed slightly, though she'd known what was about to happen. Where else was he supposed to hold on? She shook herself and leaned low over her dragon's neck.

"Alright, Kit. Take us up."

Kittsareyn snorted and ran forward several steps, wings fanned wide and flapping. They took of gradually, Kit banking in a shallow turn that spiraled them slowly into the air until they were at a magnificent height, the air cold and crisp as it whirled around them.

[Razor-D-Belphe]

"This feels amazing! It's - Dammit, I wish I could see!" Orcus interrupted himself.

After minutes of flying, Orcus hesitantly asked, "Kiara... where are you going after I'm healed?"

[DragonSong]

Kiara didn't really know what to say to that. That she was sorry? That the view wasn't that great anyway?

She decided to just keep quiet-- at least until he asked her a direct question. "Well...that depends, I guess. We have a few contacts lined up in the Highlands, I suppose we'll just...go to whichever is closest."

[Razor-D-Belphe]

"And I have to return to Madame Charlotte... Let's meet up again after we complete our goals." Orcus invited.