Kahroan had felt different ever since he awoke the day after acquiring the brooch. Something had spoken to him in a dream he could not remember, and he woke feeling like his body was a cage. His soul seemed too much for his human flesh. Soon after, nothing fit quite right. It was as if he were just a little taller, a little larger. He took to wearing a cloak to hide the tattered clothing that would get him mistaken for a street bum. He felt even lower than before.
He moved down an alley like a rat, trying to avoid crowds as he made his way to the edge of town. He had to leave before the price he was paying attracted the wrong attention. He knew he was changing, becoming something more. His reverie was broken when he found his path blocked.
The man looked like a thief, and the assessment proved true as he drew a knife. His eyes glinted dully in the subdued daylight of the dreary day. "Well, hello, big man. Do yourself a favor and hand over whatever valuables you may have."
Kahroan turned, only to find a second mugger waiting.
"Tut, tut. How rude, trying to simply ignore the needy. And boy do we need money," the thief chastised, stepping closer.
Kahroan drew himself up to his full height, a growl in his throat as he turned to face the talkative thief. "You can't have it. It's mine."
"What was that? I think you fail to understand who's calling the shots here." The thief flashed an insincere smile. "Now let's see what you have for us."
As the thief reached for his cloak, Kahroan shot a hand out to grab the man by the wrist. The man screamed, dropping the knife; taloned fingers dug into his flesh as the Yoreiqi's grip tried to crush his bones. Kahroan let go and punched his assailant in the ribs, sending him stumbling backward. The thief fell on the cobblestones with a pained grunt.
"You son of a bitch!" The other thief rushed forward and stabbed Kahroan in the side, the blade glancing off of something under the fabric and nicking the lacerating next to it.
With a slightly inhuman roar of pain, backhanding the man into the nearby wall. He pressed him against the wall in an arm lock, snarling in his ear. "You are going to regret that."
The screams of pain that followed echoed through the back streets and was bound to draw attention. By the time anyone came to investigate, Kahroan was shambling away clutching his side.
It wasn't like she was unused to the scent of blood. But honestly, when she wasn't on a job--was it so much to ask that the universe lighten up a little?
Apparently so.
She might not have thought much of it, honestly--it was more common than most people assumed to smell blood in the clusters of people that congregated in cities and towns, even smaller, typically more peaceful ones like Cerenis--but then there was the screaming. It was noticeable enough that she knew even more human-level senses would have picked it up.
Not my problem, she told herself firmly, really trying to just continue on her way out of town. Not. My. Problem.
But then, either by coincidence or because she was subconsciously following the smell, she found the trail of blood.
Well...damn.
"Fuck me," she muttered, breaking into a jog as she began following the trail out of town.
The trail of blood led her through the backstreets to one of the roads out of town. A small trail to begin with, it had progressively thinned out until it ended just as she reached the road. But the unwieldy gait was obvious, having left clear marks in the dirt. It was as if whoever was wounded was wearing shoes one size too small.
The trail turned off the road near a mill house. Not the best place to hide, but not the worst. Considering the clear trail, they weren't trying particularly hard. Either that or they weren't thinking clearly.
River followed the trail as far as she could see it, and when that failed, she followed her nose. The shuffling footsteps were certainly a tell, but it was easier to track by scent the further she got from town.
Carefully, she approached the mill house. Alright. All she knew was there had been a fight--she didn't know who had limped off, the perpetrator or the victim. Either way, the person was clearly injured.
"Hello?" she called, cautiously drawing closer to the halfway open door. "Look, I know you're in there. This doesn't have to get messy."
The only sounds that came back to her were the movement of the mill itself and the slightly labored breathing of her quarry. The smell, however, told her something unusual was going on; she could smell odors of human and dragon mixed together but could sense only one occupant. Half-dragons certainly existed, but the smell was more both separately but occupying the same space.
Gods above.
What was that?
"...Hello?" River tried again, though she didn't try to move passed the doorway. She wanted a clear escape route, if it came to that. "Can—can you hear me? Do...you understand me?"
"Leave me be. I've hurt no one who didn't strike first, but I may yet."
The statement sounded less like a threat and more like a warning. The voice itself was human eough, but rough at the edges.
River shuffled her feet, hesitating. She could just walk away—this really wasn't her problem.
But if she'd found the trail, someone else would too. Probably sooner than later. And if this—this person was telling the truth, then they were likely to just wind up in an even worse mess when the locals came.
"Alright." She took a careful step inside the mill house. "I believe you. But it seems like you're hurt, and you're probably not getting out of here in your own—not easily, anyway."
The figure inside was wrapped in a hooded cloak that bulged in the back from a pack or perhaps a pair of wings. His eyes shone within the darkness of the hood, slitted pupils within brown eyes that bled to an icy blue at the edges.
"St-stay back." Kahroan surprised himself with the way he had growled like a cornered beast. He didn't want to hurt people who had done nothing to him, but it was difficult to properly identify what was a threat.
To River, he sounded like a confused animal dropped into an unfamiliar environment. A new werecreature, perhaps?
"Easy, mate." River froze in place, all too familiar with the wariness of a hunted animal. She raised her hands slightly, cocking her head at the stranger. "I'm not here to hurt you. Not unless you give me reason, alright?"
She didn't move closer, but she crouched slightly, bringing herself closer to his level. "What's your name?"
His wariness eased just a little. She seemed genuinely concerned. Of course, he had been fooled by false kindness before. In his experience, mainlanders weren't particularly trustworthy. But this one smelled different; since when could he smell anything like that?
"Kahroan." His voice had the tone of someone who had gotten used to not trusting anyone. "What do you want?"
River spread her hands wide, showing that she was unarmed. Well. She was never entirely unarmed, but as close as she ever came to it.
"Mostly I just wanted to know what happened back there," she replied honestly, shrugging. "Name's River, by the way. How'd you wind up here, Kahroan?"
"I traded with the wrong merchant." He—" No, if he told her about his treasure, she'd want to take it. But maybe she should; it had only brought him trouble. No! It was his!
"They tried to rob me. I was only defending myself," he said, changing the subject slightly.
"Okay." She cocked her head at him, trying to parse through the odd signals she was getting from his scent as subtly as she could. "These robbers--did they want...whatever it is you traded for? From this merchant?"
Definitely dragon. Sea and sky, too, but that she thought was just part of his scent. The draconic element--that was fresher. Newer. Not quite a part of him. Not yet.
Gods. What in all hells had he got himself into?
"They tried to kill me for it. I don't... No. You can't have it either." It sounded like he was suffering from the dragon's lust for treasure, and the instinct was overpowering.
He suddenly groaned in pain, grabbing his head with his hands. Now that they were exposed, she could see that his fingers had grown draconic claws. Dark, slightly grayish blue scales had grown along the back of his fingers and hands. They were on his arms too.
"Listen, I don't wanna take anything from you-" River started to protest. Then she saw his hands, the scales.
"Shit," she breathed. "Fuck, mate, are—does that hurt?"
Shifting had never hurt her, but she had been born with the ability; she got the feeling that was certainly not the case here.
Kahroan nodded. "Everything hurts. I... I don't know what's happening to me. It's like my body isn't mine anymore."
Then she saw the loose, silver-blue feathers gathering where he was sitting. And, also, the bloody spot on his cloak, around a ragged cut in the fabric. He had been stabbed.
"Alright." River could smell the blood—she'd been following the trail, but the scent of it still hung around him like a haze. So he was still bleeding. "Alright, just...take it easy, yeah? You're hurt."
She took a cautious step closer. "Can I see?"
Kahroan was afraid to let anyone see more, to know for himself what was becoming of his body. Yet the rational part of him didn't want to die from an untreated wound either.
He nodded, opening his cloak but keeping his face hidden. His bloodstained workshirt was tattered from his growth spurt and did nothing to hide the patches of scales all over his legs and torso. His front scales were the same silver-blue as the lost feathers from the wings she could just make out tucked behind him. They were losing feathers quickly, clearly in the process of transforming into draconic wings.
The wound itself was a ragged gash. The knife had glanced harmlessly off of a patch of scales and left a nasty gouge in the flesh next to it. It was healing, but it hadn't quite stopped bleeding.
"I'm becoming some sort of dragon, aren't I?" The brooch-turned-amulet around his neck seemed to pulse with a faint red light as he acknowledged what was happening.
River hissed in a quiet breath as she got a better look at him—him, not the wound, because while it was certainly still bleeding, all told it could've been much worse.
The rest of him...
Well.
"I—I don't know." She shuffled a little closer, sniffing at the air around him. "I mean—damn. It sure looks like it..."
Kahroan was quiet for a long moment. Could he really trust this woman? Why wasn't she more taken aback by his body? What was she?
Hoping he could trust her, he decided to tell her more. "He called himself Rickety Jim. He traded me this gemstone brooch hanging from my neck with the promise of great strength. He said the magic would come with a price.
"I... thought I didn't have anything to lose. I didn't think the price would be my body." He felt like such a fool for trusting that strange man.
"Oof, mate." River winced. "That shit's never a good deal," she lamented quietly as she looked him over more closely.
"Well..." She rocked back on her heels and tilted her head at him, frowning. "I suppose the silver lining here is that you seem to be healing faster than I would've thought. I'd pin that on dragon magic. The bad news, is..." She waved a hand at him vaguely. "Everything else that's going on here."
"The worst part is the strange thoughts in my head. I'm angry beyond cause, and I can't bring myself to get rid of this cursed thing. If you tried to get rid of it for me, I know—" He hesitated, hating himself for opening up to this stranger—"I know I would attack you the same as those two thieves."
He restrained a cry of pain, shutting his eyes against it as he grabbed his head again.
River lurched forward automatically, but stopped herself before she touched him.
"Easy, easy," she murmured, feeling like a useless ass. "Okay, we can't get rid of it, that's fine. Can you stand? Do you need help?" She glanced back over her shoulder, frowning. "I don't think you should stay here much longer..."
"I... think so." His voice trembled with uncertainty. He tried to stand but hissed and gave up, the sound more reptile than human. "My boots have gotten too tight."
He reached down to attempt to remove them, but his feet proved firmly lodged in the workman's boots. He was afraid of what they were going to look like as he worked a talon into the opening of the boot and began cutting into the leather. Eventually, he cut enough for his foot to pop free.
His foot was almost completely covered in scales, and the heel was a little too long for a human. His toes were merging into three digits and were just beginning to grow claws. A new fourth toe was beginning to grow on the back of his foot as well. It was no wonder he had trouble walking.
"Gods..." he said sorrowfully, "I'm really not human anymore."
River winced. It was like watching a shift in painfully slow motion. "Doesn't look like it," she murmured, not without sympathy.
Then she tried to give him a small smile and offered, "Well, hey. Neither am I. And I manage just fine. C'mon, let's get you up."
She got to her feet, one hand extended down to help him up with her.
After freeing his other foot, he carefully took her hand in his and pulled himself to his feet. He was unsteady, but he could stand. "Thanks."
He sniffed the air. "My senses must be changing, because I thought you smelled different than others—like a wolf."
She gave him a quick, sharp grin--literally, showing a flash of lengthy canines. "There ya go," she encouraged as she helped pull him up. "See, you're getting the hang of this already."
She waited a moment to make sure he was steady on his feet, then turned and popped her head back through the doorway to check their surroundings.
No angry mob yet. That was always a good sign.
"WE should get moving. Try to cover that trail a bit too, if we can manage."
He covered himself with his cloak and cautiously stepped up behind her. "Yes. I should know better than to leave a trail. I was a hunter back in Yoreiq."
He missed home more than ever in that moment. There, it wouldn't matter what form he took. Of course, if he had never gotten himself exiled, then he wouldn't have gotten himself cursed. Perhaps he was a fool, his mistakes drastically altering his life for the worse.
"But there are many things I should have known," he sighed.
"That tends to be an unfortunately consistent truth in life, doesn't it?" River agreed with a dry huff. She crept out of the mill house—still no sign of anyone else, but they should move quickly.
She glanced at Kahroan. "Ah...you mind if I..." She gestured to herself vaguely. "Change into something a bit more suited for stealth?"
"Go ahead. "Though, I don't know how stealthy you can get with me around." He stepped just outside to give her privacy while still staying out of sight of the road leading into the city.
Putting his back to her showed a degree of trust he hadn't yet displayed, especially for someone who had been recently stabbed from behind. Perhaps it was because she wasn't human or because she struck him as a fellow outsider. Or was it simply that he needed her?
"We'll get off the main road soon enough, that'll help," River replied, waving his concern away. She had more experience than she'd necessarily have liked with getting out of town quick and quiet.
She glanced at him when he turned away from her, already starting to pull her shirt off over her head before she hesitated.
"Look, uh..." Alright. This was awkward, but she felt like she had to acknowledge the gesture. "I'm not overly fussed with modesty. I get it if you feel like...you need to keep an eye out. Not that I don't appreciate your respect, just...lettin' ya know."
Alright. Good. That done, she quickly stripped to her underthings and shoved her clothes into her small pack, then allowed herself to fall forward. Between one breath and the next, her body shifted, arms and hands to forepaws, nose and mouth lengthening, spine curving, tail sprouting from the base.
Then she was a wolf, shaking her whole body as she quickly adjusted to her new center of gravity. She swung her head in a low arc, picking up scents so much more easily now. With a soft, satisfied wuff, she snatched the strap of her pack up in her mouth and looked up at Kahroan expectantly.
Even though he had expected it, Kahroan was a bit startled by the appearance of a wolf at his side. He shook it off and started walking away from town. He steered clear of the road this time, knowing his altered feet would leave curious tracks.
"Where do we go?" he asked uncertainly. He didn't know where it was safe to lay low while what was happening to his body stabilized.
"Can you even answer like that?"
The best answer she could give was a snort, jerking her head to the northeast in a general response to his question of where they were going. She couldn't really speak with most two-leggers in this form, unless they already had a penchant for beastspeaking.
...Well, actually. Now she thought of it--
She glanced up sidelong at him and tried throwing her voice to his mind--it was always weird to do this, as she could only do it in her wolf form; she had no ability to talk to animals unless she was one. But she'd heard stories that dragons could speak all--or most--languages. Maybe beastspeech counted?
I dunno, can you hear me?
Kahroan turned to the northeast at her direction. He had never explored outside of the city, so he was grateful to have a guide. When the voice of this guide suddenly intruded into his mind, however, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't experienced such a thing before. Did all those like her possess such a talent.
"How..." His eyes looked at her with perplexed surprise. "How is it I can hear you in my mind?"
She would have grinned, if she wouldn't have dropped her pack. She settled for a few quick sweeps of her tail. No idea! I don't think it's me, it's you. I just gave it a shot—guess your dragon side can talk to animals.
She picked up her pace slightly, not wanting to push him, but with the wolf back on the surface she could feel the change in the air more clearly; she wanted to keep ahead of the coming rain.
Wonder if that works for other languages, human ones.
"Animals or just ones like you, I wonder?" Kahroan picked up his pace to keep up. He could sense the moisture in the air increasing and the temperature cooling, but he didn't know what it meant. He had never entirely gotten a solid grasp of mainland weather.
"I suppose I'll find out sooner or later if I can understand more languages."
Could it be that this form wasn't completely a curse?
Guess you'll find out, River agreed, settling into a steady lope--fast enough to cover ground, but not so quick that they would tire immediately. I speak a little Adelan--y'know, when I'm actually speaking. We could always experiment some once I've got a human mouth again.
He nodded. It was worth a try, assuming his mouth would be in any shape to form words.
He looked ahead, feeling like he could somehow see better than before. He had never heard whether dragons had superior eyesight, but he figured they must be like birds of prey that way. "Where is it you are taking me?"
Just...away, she replied as she continued loping along. Figure we'd best get some distance from town, then find a place to settle in and wait out the rain.
As if on cue, a low, lengthy rumble of thunder echoed behind them. River swung her head back to track the darkening clouds, then huffed, irritated.
Sooner rather than later, it would seem.
"Rain. So that's what I've been sensing." He was intrigued but detached from the realization, as if he couldn't quite keep up with everything that was happening to him.
They eventually came upon a small cleft in the earth disguising a modest cave. It wouldn't fit him if he went and turned completely into a dragon, but it would do to hide them. "Will this work?"
Should do for now. She glanced at him sidelong and huffed quietly. You'll just have to let me know if you start feeling...cramped.
She sniffed around for a bit, then snorted in a satisfied way as she come to the conclusion that the den was abandoned before wriggling in, dragging her pack with her.
"I hope it doesn't come to that."
Kahroan followed her in, his hood catching on the rock as he ducked through the cave mouth. She then saw his face; the rounded features of a Yoreiqi man were becoming more angular, dark blue-gray scales covering most of his face. The shape of his jaw was longer, and his broad nose was disappearing into the beginnings of a snout. His straight black hair was becoming spiky and white with silver-blue streaks. Most striking were the ice blue crystalline horns in the process of sprouting from the sides of his head, angular and curving towards the back with a sharp upward bend at the tips.
River winced as he crawled into the small space with her and the rain began to fall outside.
Gods. She whined in the back of her throat and stretched her nose forward to sniff at him cautiously. Are you—does that hurt?
He quickly covered back up in a panic, eyes shining more blue than ever as he turned away. "Imagine nails being driven through your skull. Now imagine it happening from the inside. That is how it feels."
"Does it not hurt when you change?"
She whined again softly in sympathy.
No. She continued to watch him, concerned. It's...it just feels like stretching a muscle I haven't used in a while. It's still part of me.
She huffed softly and stretched her neck again to press her nose against his hand, unsure what else to do as they waited for the storm to pass.
Time passed excruciatingly slowly for the transforming Yoreiqi. He said little, until the pain was no longer enough to keep his exhausted body awake. Aside from the occasional tear of fabric or crack of shifting bone, he slept silently.
In the middle of the night, however, he woke screaming as his wings began to bend and snap under his cloak like the legs of a struggling insect. He clawed at his cover in an attempt to remove it, but it only caught on his wings. Fabric tore as some sharp growth of the same crystalline material as his horns and talons punctured it.
River had been dozing lightly, mostly keeping an eye on the gradually passing storm outside their makeshift den when she was awake. She was drifting halfway between sleep and wakefulness when Kahroan began to scream. Her head shot up an she whipped toward him in the tight space, eyes wide.
Shit.
She started scrambling backward out of the den, head darting forward to clamp her teeth as gently as she could managed around his wrist and trying to pull him with her. We need to get you out of here, you'll get stuck. C'mon, I'm sorry, I know it hurts, but you gotta come with me.
Kahroan scrambled after her, squeezing through the cleft and spilling out onto the ground in a panting heap. He arched his back as his mutating wings burst forth with a blizzard of loose feathers. They shuddered as avian muscles bulged, with new bones fanning out to provide structure for leathery webbing. The sound the bones made was excruciating to hear.
He wasn't growing any larger, thankfully, but with the cloak flapping in the breeze she could see his shirt was constricting his chest. She could also see the stub of a tail pushing through a ragged hole in his pants.
"Easy, easy." River's voice was external again, human hands gently taking his shoulders and trying to unfurl him from his current position. "Here, let's get this off, or it's either gonna get shredded or constrict your breathing," she muttered, trying to keep her tone calm and even as she moved to help him get the shirt off before it started ripping.
Well. Ripping worse.
Kahroan let her sit him up. It took some effort, but the shirt eventually came off. Underneath, he no longer possessed any mammalian features, save for the little human skin that was left. It was apparent that he was, at the very least, going to be a complete hybrid of man and dragon.
He breathed easier, even as his wings violently reshaped themselves. The process was eventually slowed as the last of his new wing digits snapped into place. He gave them a reflexive flap as the ordeal ended.
"That... was horrible," he huffed with a deeper voice than before, his mouth even less human.
"Gods." River sat back on her heels, brow furrowed as she looked him over. "You...well. Ouch."
It was still raining, though lightly now. Which she noticed vaguely because—without fur or clothes—she was suddenly quite cold and damp. It hardly seemed like their biggest issue at the moment, so she put it from her mind.
"Do you know...did this trader you met say anything? About...how far this change might go?"
He shook his head. "He did not."
"It... was like he could see into my very soul. He knew that, in that moment, I wanted nothing more than enough power to be left alone. Like some kind of devil, he offered me exactly that. And, like a fool, I accepted. I pray that my soul remains my own."
That might be the most he's said since they met.
"Look." River shifted to catch his eyes. "Take it from someone who knows--just because the outside changes doesn't mean you're not you."
She glanced around, taking stock of where they were. She twisted to grab her pack and rummaged around until she found her--last, damnit--enchanted tunic, spelled to stay with her through a change, and pulled it on. "Think you can move? I don't think we're getting back into that den."
"I think so." He nodded and shakily rose to his feet, wrapping himself in what was left of his cloak. It obscured the parts still caught in-between, at least. However, there was no mistaking him for human.
"At least the storm has passed. But, where do we go now? Perhaps, somewhere where I can find some new clothes before I'm rendered entirely nude?" It's true that he was a torn cloak and a few threads away from total nudity. Granted, if he was as draconic from the waist down as he was above, it wouldn't matter that much; dragons didn't need clothes.
"A patch job would be better than nothing," River agreed with a sigh as she got to her feet. "There's a seamstress in this little town not too far, she made me this." She plucked at the hem of her tunic. "It stays with me when I change—if I remember to where it. Maybe we can get you something similar."
She winced, then added. "You know. Eventually. It's at least a week's travel from here—but there's gotta be some place on the way where we could get you something to wear."
"You would stay with me that long?" He was surprised by her generosity. Normally he'd assume he was being tricked, but he was in such need that such thinking would get him nowhere.
How would he pay for such clothes? His scales? He'd heard dragon scales were quite valuable.
"Well—" She huffed and rubbed at the back of her neck awkwardly. "I mean, if you needed—wanted—someone around...sure. It's not too far out of my way or anything..."
She cleared her throat and glanced away, frowning, for moment before shaking her head and urging, "We should get moving."
Kahroan followed after her. He couldn't see her frown, but he could hear the hesitation in her voice. He made the only assumption he could.
"You don't have to accompany me all the way. I've survived on my own well enough so far." He didn't sound disappointed, just emotionally weary.
"Oh, hey, I didn't mean it that way." She shrugged, feeling awkward. "Look, I'm not gonna just leave you, just... Well. I'm not usually good travel company." She gave him a sidelong smile, trying to lighten the mood. "You'll be sick of me soon enough. Just hope I can help you find your feet before then."
Kahroan's voice softened. "You are not alone. I am not good travel company either. I have been told I have the sense of humor of a rock."
"It is not my fault their mainlander jokes aren't funny." The serious man actually cracked a small smile.
She chuckled a bit and gave him a dry look. "Hey, don't look at me. I don't get half the things most humans think are funny."
Though the rain had died down, the wind still tugged at her hair and the hem of her tunic. She shivered, wishing she'd had the foresight to pack her enchanted cloak along with the tunic--though she hadn't exactly expected to get caught out in the weather in her wolf form.
Well. She hadn't expected any of this, really.
A couple of days passed with relative peace. Kahroan's metamorphosis had gradually slowed to a stop, leaving him with a long tail possessing a furry tuft at the end, a complete draconic snout, digitigrade legs, and scales over every inch of his body. Whatever magic now flowed through him was, for the time being, done molding his flesh.
They discovered at breakfast that they were out of travel rations; insects had gotten into the last ones and rendered them inedible. Kahroan frowned at the sigh, still human enough that he would have turned green if he were still able.
"Ugh... vile things. More than one voyage has been ruined by them."
River sighed, nodding agreement as she wrinkled her nose at the ruined rations. "I could hunt for us?" she offered, a little skeptically. She tapped her fingers against her thigh, considering. "I could probably manage to get us some rabbits or something, but who knows how long it would take..."
She sighed again, then added, "Or, we could suck it up and travel through the day with empty bellies. We'll reach a town by sunset if we don't stop."
He nodded thoughtfully as his cloak fluttered in a momentary breeze. His last article of clothing had given up the ghost as his tail grew, so his cloak was tied about his waist in lieu of trousers. He felt even less human wearing nothing but a dragon's scales under it. To his surprise, he wasn't cold in the least.
"I was a hunter back in Yoreiq. I may not be accustomed to this form, but I can share the burden."
She shrugged. "If you like. Hunting it is, then, I suppose." They'd probably have to spend another night camping in the wilds, but she wasn't necessarily opposed to the idea. It seemed Kahroan wasn't either.
"You may have to give me a few pointers on using my new senses. And my claws too, if I can find a suitable branch to make into a spear."
He studied his odd, crystalline-looking claws as he spoke, flexing his fingers. They reminded him of ice so thick that it was no longer transparent. Had the layer of ice over his heart been brought to life by his curse?
"Hmm." River cocked her head, considering him. "I'll do my best," she muttered with another shrug. "A wolf teaching a half-dragon to hunt. Who'd have thought."
Another little shrug—no, a shiver—no, she was shifting, falling forward onto four large paws and setting off into the trees with a glance back over her shoulder to make sure he was following.
Kahroan followed after her. He was still somewhat careful on his feet, but he was almost used to them already. He may even soon be faster than he was before.
The forest was busy with life. Their presence made the animals nervous; they fled as soon as they noticed the intruders. However, nothing worth hunting had emerged thus far.
He took the opportunity to look for a branch long and straight enough to use for a spear. There didn't seem to be one; the trees were far too gnarled for that. He could make a club, but that would only help with large prey. She would have to teach him after all.
"It appears the time for tooth and claw is upon me."
River glanced back at him, head tilted. Then she suddenly stopped and turned to face him, ducking into a half crouch.
Alright then, dragonboy. She bared her teeth, but the slight wave to her tail made the expression almost playful rather than threatening. Let's see what you've got. Come at me--and use those claws.
She began pacing around him in a half circle, a fairly common hunting maneuver for a lone wolf. Your whole body is a weapon now. Let's see how you wield it.
His own tail slithered through the air like an angry snake as he crouched low, arms bracing for battle.
"Hmm, interesting; it feels like my body is telling me what to do."
Suddenly, he lunged forward with a swipe of his new arm, his talons glinting like razors in the sun. The movement was swift for a creature of his size, draconic muscles providing a power he had never known. Of course, he was careful not to try to actually connect.
River ducked away from the blow, a little surprised by how quickly he moved. Not bad, she praised, stalking around to his side with her hackles up, eyeing him calculatingly.
You're faster than you look, but how quick can you turn? She darted forward, snapping for his ankle, then abruptly feinted to dodge away again, wondering how quick his reflexes were.
Kahroan went for her but wasn't quick enough. At that moment, he was too used to the spear and too unused to his body. He had the potential, though, and perhaps with training he would be able to catch her.
"I wish to try again."
A couple more tries later, he had gotten close. But, still, he wouldn't be catching anything quick without an element of surprise. With his ungainly movement on his new legs, that would require either prey to be chased into an ambush or for him to learn how to use his dragon's breath.
After a few more practice bouts, River reared back onto her hind legs and allowed her form to melt back to human, panting lightly as she held a hand up to him.
"Alright, enough for now, I think," she puffed. "You've got...potential. But we should probably save our energy for actually hunting something, don't ya think?"
"Agreed." He nodded, huffing once like a dragon would as he straightened up. "We shall have to be clever, but that is the hunter's greatest weapon, is it not?"
His draconic face was hard to read, but he seemed to be thinking. "I could hide in the undergrowth, and you could chase the prey towards me. Or, perhaps the other way around is the better strategy, given my size. What do you think?"
River considered, letting her head tilt from side to side. "When I used to play-hunt with my siblings, my brothers were always better at flushing prey than me--maybe you should take that, and I'll see what I can snag?"
Kahroan nodded again. "Alright."
They soon came across a large doe who was completely unaware of their presence. He left River to set her trap in the agreed-upon spot and circled around to the other side of their prey, careful not to alert it. He started to inch closer as he waited for the right moment. When he was satisfied with his position and believed his companion would be ready, he made his move.
He charged forward, his tail thrashing and his jaws wide open, aiming to be as frightening as possible. The doe bolted in mortal terror, in the exact direction of the ambush point...
River waited until she heard the scampering hooves, then she launched herself from the underbrush and slammed into the dove, sending them both rolling over the forest floor.
She got her jaws around the animal's neck and jerked her head, snapping her spine quickly. She could never make the cleanest kill as a wolf, but it was the best she could do.
Sitting back, she shifted back to human form and gave Kahroan an approving nod. "I usually need a bow to take down a deer without a proper pack."
"I haven't hunted with another in a long time," he responded appreciatively as he walked back to her, "And never quite like that."
He kneeled down to inspect the kill. "This ought to last us a while if we prepare it properly. Do you have a knife in that pack of yours? If not, these claws of mine should do."
In fact, he was a little excited to find out just what his new body could do. For a hunter, becoming an apex predator was at least interesting. And not just any apex predator, THE apex predator.
River sighed, searching through her pack. "Not a proper butchering knife, no. You don't mind using the claws?"
All in all, Kahroan seemed to be adjusting well to his new body, but she didn't want to push him about it.
Part of Kahroan's mind pulled back against the idea of embracing his new form even that much. He reminded himself that he needed to eat and, unless he really wanted to eat like a beast, he had to use whatever he could of his new body to ensure that wasn't necessary.
"Unless you have something that'll work. I'd rather not waste what this creature's sacrifice has given us."
"Fair enough." She stood and stretched—though shifting wasn't painful for her, sometimes she found herself taking a few minutes to...resettle, as it were. "I'll make sure the scent doesn't call any more predators down on us."
Kahroan exhaled through his nose and went to work. Using claws was an adjustment and made it a bit awkward, but his raw strength more than made up for it. Handling the animal was easier than it had ever been.
As River did her job, she began to get the sense that something was watching them. Nothing could have tracked the blood that fast. Kahroan's roar, perhaps? Whatever the reason, it felt... malicious, as if it was more interested in dominance and killing than feeding.
Kahroan was either too engrossed in his task, too unused to his new senses, or still too human in his thinking to notice.
The scent hit her before anything else, and she suddenly whirled from the perimeter she'd been pacing around Kahroan and the doe, taking her wolf form as she did.
On your feet. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl as her eyes searched the trees. We're not alone.
Kahroan shot to his feet, blood still dripping from his talons. He assumed a guarded stance as he scanned the area for danger. Whatever it was, the hunter couldn't see it.
River's sharper hearing picked up a creaking sound in the trees. Above them! Many-legged shapes the size of wolves themselves perched on the high branches, carapaces glittering in the dappled sunlight. They must have been hibernating in the trees long enough for the wildlife to forget their presence.
As soon as they could sense that they had been noticed, they all hissed. Three bulbous insects dropped from the trees and reared up, their scythe-like mandibles open wide and their stinging tails raised to attack. They looked more than capable of piercing the dragonman's hide.
Oh, fuck.
River shrank back, hackles raised and a growl rumbling between her chest and throat as her eyes flicked from one creature to the next.
There was a reason wolves were pack hunters; she wasn't built to handle more than one opponent at a time, not really. And they were actively outnumbered--and outclassed, if those stingers were anything to go by.
But running wasn't an option either, she had no doubt the creatures would be on them in a handful of seconds. So their only choice was to hold their ground and hope they could--at the very least--prove that they were too risky a meal to be worth pursuing.
Damnit.
A deep, threatening rumble emanated from Kahroan's chest. He hadn't known he could make such a sound without thinking about it.
"I was hoping to figure out how to use dragon's breath before we ran into anything dangerous."
He had barely finished speaking before they advance. Being the larger target, two of them charged on him. The first leaped at him, legs splayed out in an effort to ensnare him. He managed to roll out of the way, narrowly avoiding the second's stinger as it stabbed into the ground. The venom made the underbrush smoke.
Acid.
The other lunged at River, tail driving towards her. She could see from Kahroan's battle that the creatures didn't turn very fast, so she had the speed advantage if she could evade the charge. However there was no guarantee she could find a vulnerable spot to bite.
River darted out of the way, twisting to zig zag through the trees in an effort to confuse the massive insect as it lunged for her again.
If you can get that dragon breath working anytime now, that'd be great!
She crouched low as the stinger swept over her head and tried to dart around the creature to make a break for one of the two that was targeting Kahroan, hoping to at least distract it if she could get a grip on one of its hind legs.
Kahroan wrestled one away, shoving it towards the second to buy himself some breathing room. "I'm trying!" He coughed, failing to conjure any fire.
The two attacking him weren't tangled up for long. The one that returned to its many feet first raced at him again. He used a fallen branch to keep its snapping mandibles busy, but it wouldn't slow them down for long.
The other soon followed, only to find itself being held back by the jaws of a pesky wolf. It screeched angrily and tried to sting her, but it couldn't get the right angle. It shook hard, trying to dislodge her.
Seeing his ally—friend?—in danger from the one she left behind, he tried even harder to find the breath weapon that could turn the tide in their favor. He dug deep into whatever part of his soul had influenced his specific form and commanded it to burn.
Nothing.
Wait. Blue dragon. My claws look like...
River would see a faint blue-white glow along his throat as some energy prepared itself to be released. The steam of a winter's breath puffed from his nostrils as his mouth opened. From it poured a blue-white flame that caught his opponent by surprise. The icy flame froze the front half of the creature's carapace. One swift punch shattered the shell of its head, and a second blow crushed its tiny brain. It fell, dead, into a twitching heap.
While the creatures looked like fire might not harm them much, they were clearly unprepared for an ice dragon. They could win now.
River clamped down on one segmented leg and held on. For the moment, this brief breath in the conflict, she was at the perfect angle to avoid the stinger on its tail, and it couldn't exactly twist itself to bite at her.
Her teeth weren't going to do any good at cracking the carapace--but maybe she didn't need to. As she had with the down, she bite down and shook her head vigorously, the same move that would snap her prey's neck in a normal situation.
With a sickening, elongated crunch, the leg ripped halfway free from the creature's body, and it gave a high screech of pain. Blood that was startlingly hot for an insectoid creature spattered her fur. Then--
She yelped, skittering sideways from the sudden chill in the air as ice flashed by her and Kahroan made swift work of the third creature. She blinked, momentarily frozen, then gave him a wolf's grin, tongue lolling.
Now we're talking!
Kahroan laughed as he charged the creature that was coming up behind her. It skittered back, suddenly on the defensive. They circled each other, its tail prodding for an advantage like a swordfighter.
The wounded one began to hobble away, steaming blood pouring from its detached leg. That was good, but perhaps they couldn't afford to let anything so dangerous escape and cause untold harm.
Oh no you don't.
River snarled and launched herself after the lamed creature. Wise to her tactics now, it jerked awkwardly to the side, trying to avoid her pounce. It managed—barely—not only because she slipped in the blood splattered across the forest floor.
Damnit.
Sliding under it, she rolled onto her back and gauged upwards with her back paws, digging claws into the joints of its carapace and ripping back as hard as she could.
Something cracked, the creature screeched, then collapsed onto her. It twitched for a few moments, then stopped moving.
Well. She'd certainly done something.
Although...now she seemed to be a little stuck.
Kahroan's foe made a lunge for him, tail lashing forward. His ice breath returned just in time and a well timed blast froze its legs. Its own movement caused its legs to nap. It screeched in pain as he moved around behind it and pulled off its tail with a wet squelch. He stabbed it with its own tail and it died with an unearthly screeching wail as its venom melted its insides.
Bright orange blood steamed across his midsection as he moved over to pull the dead one off of River. "You alright?"
She kicked and wriggled her way free once Kahroan had lifted some of the weight, resorting to her human form to roll away once she had enough space. "Fine," she panted lightly as she got to her feet, brushing off her tunic. She glanced at him, then at the bodies of the creatures around them. "How about you?"
"Not a scratch, but only because I figured out how to use my breath just in time." He looked down at the two different colors of blood spattered across his scales and huffed. "We could both use a good soak. I must look horrific."
River chuckled a bit, though she was starting to breath through her mouth—the scent of those creatures was overpowering in death.
"Eh, believe it or not I've seen worse. But you're right." She sighed and glanced down at herself, nose scrunched. "Should be a stream or something around here somewhere. Here, I'll grab the doe if you take our packs? We should probably finish butchering before we bathe, or we'll just have to get wet again."
Kahroan nodded and went to gather the packs.
They located a large pond where stream water had gathered in a depression in the ground before continuing on. Nothing else had accosted them along the way, so they were free to clean themselves up.
He placed the packs on a rock and cleaned his arms in the water so as not to contaminate the deer meat with monster blood. "This is perfect. I've got the doe if you want to go ahead."
"Cheers." She nodded at him, then stripped quickly before jumping into the water to clean off. It was cold, but thankfully not so chilled that she couldn't stand to be in the water long enough to get properly clean.
She climbed back out, shaking herself in a way that was positively canine, and noted with some wry amusement, "Wonder if you won't care how cold that is. Y'know, ice dragon and all."
He was finishing up getting the skinned and gutted deer completely clean. Dragon claws had allowed him to make quick work of it. After the bath, he would cut the meat and wrap the steaks in large leaves. If he could find some salt, he could make it last longer. Or perhaps he could flash freeze some.
"It might actually feel good," he pondered as he removed the tattered cloak from about his waist.
He dived into the water and soon came back up. "Yes, it feels just right to me. Strange that this fiery gem would have this result. I suppose it responded to my warm personality."
Was that a... joke? He was so deadpan it was hard to tell.
River snorted, then looked at him, unsure if he was joking or not. His lack of expression didn't tell her much.
"Well, maybe it's a—oh, what's it called?" She waved a hand surly as she started to pull her tunic back on. "Y'know, that thing some animals do to show they're poisonous. Bright colors rather than camouflage. Maybe I've dragons like to advertise their location."
She paused in dressing as she realized her tunic was just as bloody as she had been. With a sigh, she moved to the other side of the pond and began scrubbing at it. "I really need more than one of these things," she muttered.
Well. Good thing for her they were still heading in the general direction of the town where she'd bought the thing in the first place.
"Speaking of that," Kahroan asked thoughtfully as he washed off the blood, "How will we pay for these magic clothes? I, for one, don't have much coin to my name, and this amulet wouldn't be safe to pass around even if I could relinquish it."
Blood came off of his scales easily, and he was already climbing out of the pond. He shook his head to get some of the water out of his white mane before squeezing out more. He had half expected snow to fall from his hair.
"I'm got some coin," River muttered, calculating in her head. "But I know Gerta--the seamstress--and she knows I'm good for it. Hopefully I can just...talk her into letting us go on credit."
She sighed and sat back on her hers, lips pursed as she considered. "I will have to get a real job soon, though--I don't wanna leave her hanging for more than a couple of days, if I can manage."
"Perhaps we could sell the deerskin and excess meat at the next town. We can't eat it all before it rots."
He wrapped his cloak back around his waist and tied it off. He then began methodically cutting steaks from the blood-drained deer and placing them on the cleaned skin.
"It won't get much, but every little bit helps."
"At least enough to give Gerta some sort of down payment," she agreed. "And I should be able to find some sort of work to pay off the rest quick enough. After that..."
She trailed off, realizing...well. After that, there was really no reason for them to continue traveling together. It was something of a sour realization--which in and of itself was a bit of a surprise. "Well. I guess...we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
"I have no intention of making you pay off the debt alone." Kahroan, too, had grown unexpectedly fond of his companion. And it wasn't in his nature to not pay his own debts.
"And I'll take no argument." He gave a slight smile, which didn't quite work on his draconic muzzle. Thankfully, a friendly snort accompanied the expression.
He put a steak on a bare rock and released a gentle, icy breath over it. The meat froze in an instant. "Excellent. That ought to last longer."
"Well...alright then." What else could she say? He would take no argument, apparently.
She nodded in approval when he froze the shank of meat. "Convenient," she agreed. "You might have to do it again before we get into town though, just to make sure."
"I suppose this body isn't all bad," he mused, continuing to freeze steaks until they had as much as they could transport.
After cooking and eating some of the meat, they returned to the road. At the next town, they sold the meat they couldn't use and traded the deerskin and two of the steaks for a pair of simple trousers for Kahroan.
A few days later, the duo was finally approaching the seamstress' house...
River had kept to her two-legged form for the last leg of their journey, which certainly made meeting with Gerta easier--the seamstress knew of her particular needs, of course, but it was difficult at best for a wolf to introduce a dragon-ish stranger.
"Ah. So you're lookin' for sommat to get you both settled, then?" Gerta asked once River had explained the situation as best she could. She eyed Kahroan shrewdly. "Not sure what exactly you'll be needing, my lad. Does this--" she gestured to his scales and claws--"shift?"
"I don't know if I can or if I'll change further someday. I only just figured out how to use my dragon breath," he answered candidly. The uncertainty of his form almost bothered him more than no longer being human. Just when he grew accustomed to it, it could change on him.
"I'd rather not worry about destroying my clothes a second time."
"Hmm..."
Gerta paced around him. "Something flexible then," she muttered. "Not like what our River's got--something that turns to fur and fang when you do. No...maybe sommat that shifts its size, if needed?"
River quirked an eyebrow at Kahroan. "I mean...up to you, really."
He thought it over. "That could work, assuming it can keep up if I become a full dragon. Though, I suppose I wouldn't need it at that point. I've never heard of a dragon that can take human form needing to have clothes ready. If I'd even be able, that is."
Greta nodded. "I'll need your measurements, then. Come come, up on the block lad, there we are." She gestured to a small wooden block near her work stand as she bustled about gathering measuring tape.
River gave him a slightly apologetic wince. "She's a bit...brisk, but she's good at what she does. Just ahhh— try not to mind the pins. Although." She cocked her head, considering him. "Not sure those would be much bother to you, now."
Kahroan stepped up onto the block as instructed, something about standing on it making his figure all the more statuesque. He certainly appeared formidable enough to shrug of a few pin pricks.
"I have a feeling you're right about that. A true dragon of my age can shrug off much worse."
He was more worried about someone else seeing every inch of him. It was irrational, he knew, but even though he was now a reptile, his human aversion to nudity was still intact. His mind still had plenty of adjustments to make.
River suddenly remembered human manners and flushed, turning away. "Er, I'll leave you two to some privacy," she muttered, moving toward the door of the small shop. Maybe it wasn't that big a deal--traveling out in the wilds with him, she hadn't exactly been overly worried about her own modesty, and he was...pretty scaly, by this point.
Still, something about being in the very human-civilized tailor's shop reminded her of social niceties, and she quickly ducked outside, leaving Gerta to take Kahroan's measurements in peace.
Kahroan remained perfectly still, only reacting when the seamstress' hands measured his inseam. When she was done, he was more than happy to step down. When River returned, he asked with unusual awkwardness after the passionless exploration of his body, "So... what will we owe you?"
He had always worried about having enough coin to survive on the mainland. He hadn't needed to worry about it, or the concept of property, in his village, and so he had to learn to manage it the hard way. This left him somewhat stingy about parting with it. Yet he always managed to pay his debts and this was not going to be an exception. River had already done as much for him out of pure kindness as he could accept.
"For the enchantments I'll need to stitch into the fabric..." Gerta trailed off, frowning and muttering under her breath as she began jotting down sums on a spare pad of paper from her work station. "All told...a shiin and three moons."
River choked. "Gerta." She stared at her. How the hells was she supposed to get all that coin?!
"Do you want good work or not?" the seamstress huffed, and River immediately dropped her eyes and shuffled her feet.
"No, I didn't mean--just uh...how long will the job take you?" Meaning, how much time did they have to scrounge that up?
"Three days, give or take," Gerta replied briskly.
River bit back a groan. Well. Shit.
Kahroan was speechless for a long moment before releasing an exasperated huff. That was more coin than he'd ever possessed, added together. How could they ever pay that! With their skills, it would have to be some kind of bounty.
"Do you at least have any ideas for how we can make that much in a hurry? Perhaps some ruin needs exploring, some criminal needs catching, or some beast needs killing?"
Greta waved a hand at them, already sinking into her work. "There's a board outside the tavern where the local folk post jobs that need doing, check that."
River rolled her eyes, then caught Kahroan's eye and muttered, "We probably should. We're not gonna get anything else out of her once she gets settled at work."
"It might take several jobs, but it could work," he muttered back.
After excusing themselves, they traveled to the tavern to check the adventurer's board. Thankfully, there were quite a few jobs, though most weren't worth the time it would take to do them.
"See any big payouts?"
She sighed, shaking her head as she scanned the postings. "No, no, no, no..." She paused, narrowing her eyes, then reached out to snatch a paper from the board.
"...Dire bear sighting reported in the area. Approach with caution. Six moons to ensure the beast is run off. One shiin for the skin," she read out, then grinned, holding it up to him. "Can't be worse than those scorpion things, right?"
A dire bear? Sure, he was strong but he wasn't that strong. He would need something better than claws.
"Only if we have enough coin on us to buy a weapon. I don't know if I can wrestle a dire bear into submission. At least, not without armed assistance." His expression became a grin. "Otherwise it's perfect."
"I'm sure we can find something." She started walking, heading in what she thought she remembered the direction of the local arms and armor merchant to be. "What's your usual style, anyhow? Spear, sword, bow?"
Kahroan followed, pausing before answering. He didn't like talking about his past, especially about Yoreiq. "I quite literally grew up using a spear. But I had to leave mine behind when I--left--Yoreiq. Yoreiqi don't put much stock in individual property. At least, most don't. I was never good at not wanting things."
"What about you? A knife, perhaps?" he asked as the shop came into view.
"Oh, I mostly just work with what I've got." She shrugged, increasing her pace once she saw the shop. Thank goodness she'd remembered the path correctly. "I can use a knife, but honestly things usually go better if I lean into the whole claws-and-teeth bit."
"I might be able to fight well that way in time, but for now I'm too used to fighting as a man." He quieted as they entered the shop, sharp eyes evaluating the inventory. He ended up choosing a flawed but perfectly usable iron spear whose commissioner had refused to pay.
They then made their way to where the dire bear was last sighted. "Looks like we're alone. You're good to shift. Together, we should be able to track the beast easily."
River had been quiet for most of the trek, considering. She found herself eyeing Kahroan sidelong every few steps, a tiny furrow between her brows.
"Um...hey."
She reached out to touch his arm lightly. Speaking slowly, awkwardly, with her eyes more focused on his shoulder than his face, she muttered, "You're...still a man. I mean--whatever this is, whatever's happened to you--changing what you look like doesn't change who you are."
She drew her hand back, feeling stilted and uncomfortable, but nonetheless like she'd need to say it. "Just...yeah. Okay. That's all."
She dropped forward onto four paws, scenting the earth before she was even fully shifted.
Kahroan, too, felt awkward around sincerity. He could only come back with little more than a nod and an acknowledging grunt. "Thanks. For... making sure I don't forget that."
With that moment awkwardly passed, they were left with the hunt. River could smell the trail as sure as one could see the farmland around them. It led them into a small forest not unlike the one where they encountered the scorpion-things. Only this was rockier, the trail weaving through boulders and ending at a shallow, rocky stream that disappeared into the mouth of a large cave.
"That says 'bear lair' to me. What about you?" He punctuated the statement by motioning to an animal skeleton poking out of the cavern.
Dire bear for sure. She looked up at him, tail held straight out and ears pricked forward, on alert. You ever seen a dire bear, out of curiosity?
The principle for this sort of thing was always the same--bite it until it stopped moving. Still, there was a difference between a bear and a dire bear. Knowing how prepared he was for that difference seemed like a good idea.
"I have not. But I assume they are much larger and much more aggressive."
He had only seen a normal bear once, up in Connloath. If this was bigger, then they had their work cut out for them. Although, he was bigger and stronger himself, which did even the playing field a little.
As they spoke, the darkness of the cave appeared to darken. There was no more time to prepare.
His eyes locked on the form lumbering out of the cave, and he gripped his spear tight.
Your move, beast.
It's not the size you really gotta worry about--their front paws are more like hands, if they can actually get a grip--
No time. The bear lumbered from its cave, snorting and snuffling as it scented prey. Prey that had been foolish enough to walk right up to its front door. It reared back on its hind legs, absolutely looming over them.
River crouched. Wait...wait...move!
The bear came down with an earth-shaking thud and she darted out of the path of a swiping paw in the nick of time, twisting to jump up onto the creature's back and digging in with both claws and teeth.
Kahroan jumped back, enormous claws shredding through the air a hair's breadth away from his chest. The force of impact alone nearly knocked him to the ground. He staggered back, regaining his footing while the great beast attempted to claw the wolf off of its back.
He lunged close to stab it in the eye, but an unexpectedly quick backhand from the beast sent him sprawling. He landed in the stream with a splash. This gave him an idea. He rose, roaring a challenge. "Lure him into the water! I have an idea!"
On it!
She didn't have time to question him, she just had to trust his idea was a good one. Which she did--and that was certainly a fact she was going to have to fully process later.
She flung herself from the bear's back and pelted for the stream, feeling hot, rancid breath on her heels as the creature came pounding after her, roaring.
Kahroan backed out of the stream, his blue eyes watching the bear's feet as it charged. The second its paws hit the water, he acted. Cold flames erupted from his mouth, flowing over the stream and freezing the shallow water solid. He prayed to Kai to let the frozen waters ensnare the beast.
It worked! Unable to move, the dire bear roared angrily as it struggled to break free. The ice was already cracking, so they didn't have long.
With a sidelong glance and nod, the dragon man charged. He leapt high, bringing his spear down into the beast's...
As the spear drove down between the beard's shoulders, River darted for its throat. She clamped down, snarling around fur and flesh as her fangs sank in and blood began to drip.
The bear pawed at her, dexterous front limbs gripping tight and dragging her back. With a massive heave and a crack from her right shoulder, it threw her away—but she took a chunk of flesh with her, leaving it bleeding profusely.
Kahroan roared, shoving the spear in deep until he hit resistance. He wrenched it the side as he leaped from it.
The bear released a strangled roar, pink froth spraying from its mouth as it lumbered after him. It was weak, but determined to take of them with it.
Kahroan took a defensive stance between River and the bear. He bared his teeth and crouched, claws ready to finish it off.
River hit a tree and fell to the ground, limp and dazed.
The dire bear swayed, staggered, and took a wild swipe at Kahroan, but it was clearly flagging. It swiped again, overbalanced, and crashed onto its side with a roar.
Kahroan walked around behind the bear and wrenched out the spear. It tried to get up but collapsed back to the ground with a weak roar. He proceeded to impale it through the eye, putting it out of its misery.
He dashed over to River's side and kneeled beside her to check her for injuries. "River! Speak to me! Are you hurt?!"
He was surprised by both the fear in his voice and by just how much concern he felt for the shifter. He had spent years without connecting with anyone; it had begun to feel like that was how things were supposed to be. However, she was different. She was an outsider like him but hadn't completely closed herself off to others like he thought he had.
Shaking her head, trying to clear it of the ringing, River forced herself to shift back to human form. A sharp cry tore out of her chest as her dislocated foreleg twisted and crunched uncomfortably with the shift to become her arm hanging uselessly at her side.
"I--I'll be fine," she tried to assure Kahroan, panting. "Damn thing...pulled my arm out of joint. Just gotta...fix it."
"You're lucky it didn't tear it clear off." He softened as he spoke, relief evident on his face. "I could do it for you, but I don't know my own strength yet. I would only hurt you further."
Despite the phenomenal strength of his new body, he felt powerless. He cared for the feeling even less now, for he had something to lose.
"Yeah, probably." She gave him a pained smile, then reached up to grasp her dislocated shoulder, took a breath, and muttered, "One, two--"
She popped it back into joint before she got to three--which didn't work nearly so well when she was fake-counting herself, but hells, worth a shot--and gritted her teeth as she took several deep breaths through her nose.
"Well. All told, I guess that wasn't so bad." She looked up at Kahroan with a crooked smile, and somehow only then seemed to register his concern. "Oh. I mean--I'm fine," she tried to assure him awkwardly. "How--are you okay?"
"Me?" Only then did Kahroan notice the pain in his right wing. He had landed hard on it when the bear sent him flying.
He flexed it experimentally, wincing as a sharp pain bit into his wing-shoulder. "I will be fine. But I won't be learning to use these wings for a while."
"Shit." She leaned forward to try to get a better look at him. "We should get that looked at--I don't know much about dragons, but bird and bat wings can be finicky, we should make sure it's okay."
She glanced up at him and offered a crooked smile. "Well. It could've gone worse."
Kahroan returned the look. "Oh, horribly worse. Luck is surely smiling on us."
He glanced back at the slain dire bear, practical concerns winning his attention. "That... is going to take a while to skin. But at least we don't need to gut it."
River sighed, though she nodded in agreement. She eyed the body and her expression fell a bit.
"I do...sort of wish we hadn't had to do this," she muttered, frowning. "I know dire bears are too dangerous to have so close to a village, and running them off never works—they always come back to easy food, but..."
Kahroan gave her a sympathetic smile and huffed. It was a necessary death, but it didn't agree with his hunter's honor somehow.
"I know what you mean. In my village, we only killed what we needed for food. Rarely did we kill an animal for the death itself. It just isn't right unless absolutely necessary. Even then, we would honor its passing."
A thoughtful rumble in his chest told her he was thinking. "Perhaps between the two of us, we can do just that."
River looked at him, head tilted. "How do you mean?" she asked, quietly intrigued.
She knew Kahroan was Yoreiqi, but he didn't talk about his home or traditions that much. Neither of them was particularly open, but she realized she was actually...curious about him.
Kahroan was surprised by opening up about his life in Yoreiq. Normally, it was painful to think about. But with her, it didn't seem to hurt as much.
"We would perform a prayer dance for Palu to guide the animal's spirit back to the land. Then we would harvest what we could before leaving the rest to nature." A melancholy, wistful smile crossed his face as he spoke. "Nothing too complicated, but the prayer dance requires at least two hunters."
River sighed again, got to her feet and warned him, "I'm a terrible dancer."
She smiled a bit and added, "But I'll try. You'll have to show me what to do."
Kahroan smiled back at her, nodding. "I don't know how I'll do with these feet, but I will do my best."
He spent the next half an hour or so teaching her the motions. It was a simple dance involving a lot of hopping and graceful motions of the arms. Usually wings were involved, but there was a modified form for use with outsiders.
When it came time to do it, he ran her through a practice dance. While rusty from years without observing such customs, he was now actually quite nimble on his draconic legs. He seemed almost happy.
Despite her sore shoulder and still slightly ringing head, River found herself smiling a bit as she followed him through the steps of the dance.
She was a little out of breath when they finished, which spoke to just how tough their tussle with the dire bear had been, but she was still smiling.
Standing over the bear, she dipped her head to the animal. Maybe it was an inevitability—and she knew the bear would have certainly hunted any villagers it saw as an easy meal—but that was just nature.
"Starlight watch your steps," she told it. Then looked to Kahroan.
"So. What next?"
After bowing, he approached the body. "Dire animals aren't very good for eating, but the hide, teeth, and claws have their uses. So, we harvest those."
He didn't have any tools, so he began to pry out a tooth using one of his claws. It took some effort, but the fang popped free with a wet schlurp. He held it up to inspect it like a dragon examining its gold.
"Think you can get the claws?"
She nodded and bent to help him.
Once they had what they needed, they started back to town to turn over their proof that the dangerous creature had been neutralized.
When they received the coin for the reward and for selling the teeth and claws, Kahroan managed a grin. "With this much, we have enough for the inn and the clothes with just a little left over. We can actually relax for once."
He lost his grin. That actually wasn't appealing. With another job he could buy proper equipment for... was he a monster hunter now?
"Another job tomorrow? We're actually quite good at this."
"Seems so." She bumped her shoulder into his lightly, smiling crookedly.
"Another job?" She considered that. "We could—I dunno, see what's around, I guess?"
"Tomorrow. Right now I'm looking forward to a warm meal and a soft bed." He smiled eagerly, genuinely in high spirits. It felt alien, but he liked it. "I don't get that often."
"We can even get separate rooms," he said, growing awkward as if they hadn't already seen each other naked, "If... if that's what you want."
"Uhg, hot food sounds like the best damn thing in the world right now," she agreed emphatically. And then found herself abruptly blushing.
Which was ridiculous. She did not blush.
"Well, I mean..." She cleared her throat, glancing away from him. "I—I don't mind sharing. Saves us a bit of coin to, y'know...save."
"Oh, I don't mind either. More coin is a--always good. So... yeah, we can... share."
Gods... Why was he babbling like a child with a--no, that can't be it. He didn't... do that kind of thing. Sure, she was pretty, but he... No, no, he was just responding to being lonely for so long. That was all.
"Well, that's settled. Let's go eat. I'm hungry now. Sound good to you?"
"Sounds great," she replied, relieved, and gave him a quick smile. "There's a local ale they make here, they serve it in the inn's taproom. I dunno about you, but after a day like today I could use a drink with a hot meal," she chuckled.
"Oh gods yes."
Over the following few days, the pair spent their time performing various odd jobs and having a good time at the tavern. The jobs were mostly low stakes: chasing off wild dogs guarding a merchant's wagon while he was in town; killing aggressive rats of unusual size. All simple, save for the search for a missing sheep hound that led them right into a band of outlaws planning a robbery. That got complicated.
They walked into the seamstress' house with a nice cushion of extra coin. Kahroan held up his full coin purse with a faint smirk. "You probably thought we wouldn't be able to pay right away."
Gerta glanced up, then nodded once, approving.
"I had doubts," she replied dryly.
River rolled her eyes. "It's like I've never brought you business before, Gerta."
"Your fool brothers hardly count," the seamstress sniffed as they handed over the payment. She passed Kahroan a neatly wrapped package in return. "Shirt with room for your wings, trousers with a hole for the tail, and all enchanted. Two pair each."
Kahroan accepted the package with a small bow and the traditional Yoreiqi word of thanks. He excused himself and ducked behind a privacy curtain to try them on.
He soon stepped back out, looking like a new man. The clothing fit with just the right amount of looseness for easy movement and was of a finer fabric than he had ever worn. The shades of green Gerta had chosen fit his coloration perfectly. The shirt was even low-cut to show off a little muscle, which suited him well. It left him rather attractive... for a flying lizard.
"Well, how do I look?" He looked back and forth between them expectantly.
Gerta nodded approvingly when he emerged, clearly satisfied with her work. River blinked, a little taken aback--she probably shouldn't have been, but she'd really only ever seen him in the ragged wilds clothes they'd both been wearing for the last week or so.
"It's...good. Nice," she said, awkwardly if sincerely. Glancing down at herself, she added with a chuckle, "I'm feeling rather underdressed now, actually."
Kahroan felt much better about his situation now that he didn't have to wear a ragged cloak and the cheapest trousers in existence. He felt, if not human, then at least like a person again. It even came through in his speech; he seemed more confident and less ashamed.
"We can always commission you a new set while we're here. We should be able to pay for them with another good job or two."
River nodded at that, casting Gerta a questioning moon. The seamstress sighed dramatically.
"Your usual? Can have that done by the end of the day."
River blinked. "You can?"
Gerta snorted. "You tear through those things so fast I have a template on hand."
Flushing a bit, the shifter grumbled, then handed over the payment she'd need for a decent set of enchanted clothes.
"Well. I can actually cover that, so I guess that gives us a day in town where we don't actually have to work," she said to Kahroan with a quick grin.
"Sounds nice." He huffed contentedly, his mannerisms becoming more draconic as he grew comfortable with his form.
Once outside, he turned to River with a question in his eyes. He had forgotten what it was like to just be without something to work towards. "What do we even do with a whole day without work?"
"That," River laughed, nudging his shoulder with hers as she walked, "is an excellent question." She shrugged. "Normally when I've got time to myself I tend to just...y'know...shift. Have a run, maybe hunt something. I'm not...all that great at more human niceties," she admitted with a chuckle.
Kahroan smiled slightly, picturing her running free as a wolf without being weighed down by human concerns. He was jealous of that; he had never been good at being social and often wished to spend a day as a dolphin or a shark or... a bird that could do more than glide. But... he could genuinely fly now, couldn't he?
"You almost make me want to be a full-fledged dragon, just to run alongside you. It sounds... magical."
She laughed a bit and bumped his shoulder again. "If you were a proper dragon, you wouldn't be running with me. You'd be off flying, ruling the skies, all that dragon-y nonsense." She grinned up at him sidelong. "You wouldn't have any use for some know-nothing shifter like me."
"Nonsense." He smirked teasingly as he bumped her back. "Any proper dragon needs servants."
Underneath, however, the idea that they might part made him feel more sad than he would have ever thought. He hadn't had a real friend in a long time. But... did they have any reason to continue on together? Did she? Did they need one?
"Oh, servants!" She drew back and clasped a hand to her chest dramatically. She dipped into a low, grandiose bow. "My good lord, forgive me for overstepping my place. I'm sure I do not deserve to remain in your service."
She glanced up, smirking, then allowed herself to fold forward even further and let the wolf come to the surface.
Though I suppose you'll have to catch me if you want to dismiss me. And she took off, leaving the village behind as her paws ate up terrain in a mad dash for the woods.
For a moment, Kahroan was stunned by her sudden challenge. Then, with a grin, he ran after her. "You will regret defying the great Kahr--athrax!"
His wings flared as an unfamiliar instinct told him it was time to fly. With a powerful flap of his wings, he leaped into the air. Immediately, it was nothing like flying as a Yoreiqi. Each flap took him higher, made him faster than his avian wings had. The power made him shout with excitement.
In the ground, River found herself racing a winged shadow as Kahroan took to the air. She looked back and up at him, tongue lolling, and barked a challenge.
Betcha can't find me from up there once I hit the trees. She gave another happy bark, a wolf's laugh, and darted between two great pines, then began weaving her way through the small forests just outside the town, an area the two of them had become rather familiar with over the last few days.
Kahroan flew over the trees, sharp draconic eyes scanning for any sign of River. She was right; he couldn't find her from above. Swooping down, he landed in a clearing and sniffed the air.
Nothing.
Realizing he was reptilian, he licked the air to really get the scents floating through the forest.
That way...
He ran after her scent, entering the trees.
Ah, shit.
He'd caught her scent faster than she'd thought he would. She darted from where she'd hidden herself amongst the trees as his footsteps drew closer, a dark shadow flashing through the undergrowth.
She led him on a wild chase through the trees, jackknifing and backpedaling frequently to try to throw him off her trail, but never actually leaving him behind. Finally, she found herself back up against a sharp drop into a ravine and turn to face him, panting and grinning a wolf's grin.
Careful now, oh great and terrible dragon, she teased, lips pulled back in a mock snarl but her tail waving playfully. A cornered wolf is a dangerous thing.
Kahroan shot her a sly, playful grin as he stepped closer. "Not as dangerous as a hungry dragon, oh graceful and savage wolf."
He hadn't had fun like this since he was a boy. Hells, even more than Kahroan the boy had ever had. Why was it he had to lose his humanity to truly feel human?
He lunged forward to catch her, grinning happily.
She play-growled, then crouched low and gave a sharp gap of warning before launching herself at him, landing with her front paws against his chest with a solid thud, hoping to use surprise as well as her weight to knock him off balance.
She laughed as she rolled out of the leap, human again and sprawled in the grass, grinning.
Kahroan let himself fall back onto the grass with a thud; at least, that's what he told himself. He gave a hearty, full-throated laugh and turned his head towards her. Releasing a happy snort that frosted the grass, he said, "God... I haven't had fun like that in--well, ever."
She chuckled quietly and rolled onto her side, propping herself up with one arm as she cocked her head.
"You shoulda grown up in the mountains," she snorted, "I swear, my parents could never get me and my brothers in from that sort of thing."
Tongue loose from the uncomplicated play, she found herself carrying on, "You might like the mountains, actually, what with the whole ice dragon thing."
"Your family sounds like a handful." He smirked, eyes shining with mirth.
"Perhaps I will go and find out." He huffed contentedly. "It's funny though; I could never stand the cold before. I never quite adapted to anything colder than Connloath , and not even in winter. Yoreiq is never cold."
There was a regretful sadness whenever he mentioned his homeland, as if he could no more go back than a meteor could return to the sky.
"Oh, a handful and a half," River agreed with another laugh, rolling onto her back. She listened to him talk, her expression softening slightly as she did.
"Would you...I mean—" She cleared her throat and looked away from him quickly. "If—if you wanted, I could...show you around. The mountains, I mean. It—it might be good for you, to experience it now that you're...y'know. Better prepared."
She cleared her throat again. "And, I mean, my family has been nagging me to come home for a visit, it wouldn't be too far out of my way or anything..."
Having an actual destination allowed him to put off the question of whether they would part ways for some future date. He was grateful for that. More than anything, he wasn't ready to be alone again.
"I think I would love that." He gazed up at the sky; there he could learn to make it his. "Where--which mountains are those, anyway? I should probably ask that before I commit."
"Oh, the Kilanthro range, northern border of Connlaoth." She watched the clouds pass by above them, smiling to herself and feeling her cheeks warm just a little. "It's a bit of a trek from here, but if we can hitch a ride with a caravan or something, it shouldn't be too bad."
She was quiet a moment, then said in a slightly softer voice, "I dunno. Maybe the Thunderblacks would make more sense for you, but...I think you'd like it there. It's beautiful--in a cold, wild sort of way."
"Both are quite a long way from here," he responded, "N--not that I have anywhere else to be."
He made a thoughtful sound as he considered taking a caravan. "We would need supplies first, and some proper equipment. You can't be seen shifting in Connloath; it's risky enough here. Perhaps we can join one coming out of Selevea."
She nodded agreement, though she crinkled her nose up when he pointed out that she probably shouldn't be shifting while they traveled through Connloath. It normally wasn't something she had to consider--when she passed through the valley, she usually just did so in her wolf form, keeping to the wilds.
Oh. Well hey now.
She shot a look at him sidelong. "I mean...I could be your pet?"
The way that sounded registered about half a second after the words were out of her mouth and she closed her eyes with a groan. "Uhg, that was--okay, I mean like--I tend to be more comfortable traveling as a wolf anyway, and since you can still talk to me when I'm like that...Y'know, we could act like I'm some tamed wolf that pals around with your or something. Then we wouldn't have to spend the extra coin on proper equipment I probably won't be using much anyway."
Kahroan chuckled, turning his head back to her. "I knew what you meant. That's... actually a very good idea. It's common enough for a hunter to have tamed a wolf or become an honorary member of a lone wolf's pack. It certainly would save us no small amount of coin."
"You wouldn't mind pretending to be a common animal for that long?"
She shrugged. "Nah, it should be fine. Long as no one gets it in their head that they want a wolfskin mounted on the wall."
She said it casually, as though it was something she'd encountered before.
He growled in scorching disapproval. Trophy hunters were honorless savages who spat upon the Gods. "Anyone who tries gets frozen on the spot. They'd deserve no less."
She had never seen him that passionate before. Perhaps he was simply finally comfortable showing emotion around her. He clearly enjoyed her company.
"Whoa, hey." She blinked, a little startled by his sudden vehemence, and reached over to grasp his arm lightly. "Alright, Kahrathrax, I believe you," she said with a small smile, trying to lighten his mood by using the "dragon" name he'd come up with before. "You're very scary. Any poachers would be shaking in their boots just to meet you, I'm sure."
She gave his arm a companionable squeeze, then glanced down at it, brow furrowed a bit. "Huh." She cocked her head, realizing that...well, she'd never actually touched his scales before. Not for longer than a moment or two, a friendly nudge or clap on the shoulder. They were smoother than she would've thought, and maybe a little chill to the touch, but not unpleasantly so.
She realized she'd left her hand on him probably too long and quickly jerked it back. "Er, sorry. Didn't mean to, ah..." She trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence, then cleared her throat and shook her head. "Right! So. Um...we seem to have travel sorted, so...that's good..."
Kahroan was startled by just how much he could feel through his scales. The warmth of her hand felt pleasant. But when he realized she hadn't actually touched his bare body before for any length of time, he grew deeply self-conscious. Had she not liked what she had felt? Is that why she jerked away?
"It's fine. Your--" No, no, don't say it! What if she gets the wrong idea?! "You have nothing to apologize for."
He paused awkwardly before saying, "Well, we actually have to find a caravan to join first. If we're lucky, we might even get paid to help guard it."
She nodded quickly, absently rubbing her hands together. "Yeah, that'd be good. We've done enough jobs around town that I'm sure someone would put in a good word for us--I think there's a trade caravan that's meant to be coming through sometime this week..."
She laid back on the grass again, hesitated a moment, then shifted just a tiny bit closer to him.
"...I run hot, y'know," she murmured after a moment, seemingly out of nowhere. "It's a wolf thing. Not usually an issue, but...being in warm places for too long is uncomfortable. You're, um...I mean, the whole ice thing...it's nice."
"Am I really that cold to the touch?" he asked curiously.
He had figured he didn't run hot as most dragons did, but he didn't feel like he was cold; he wasn't burning up in normal temperatures. Perhaps it was the magical nature of an ice dragon that kept him chilled without harming his body?
"Though I suppose it would make sense without fire magic in my blood. It... hadn't actually dawned on until now that I'm a magical creature."
"Not cold cold," River assured hurriedly. "Just...cool. It's nice."
She turned her head to look at him, smiling crookedly. "Yeah, mate. And you've got the horns to prove it."
"They are a little... unusual, aren't they?" He reached up to run a finger along a pseudo-crystalline horn. "They don't feel like anything that could grow naturally. More like ice, but hard as dragonbone and without the chill."
"At least, they don't feel cold to me," he shrugged, flexing his wings slightly against the grass.
Without thinking, she rolled into her side and reached up to as though follow the path his finger had traced with her own, humming quietly in consideration.
She caught herself before actually touching him, freezing in place rather comically and staring at him with an almost startled expression. "Oh. Ah...do you mind? If I...?"
"Not at all." Kahroan smiled and turned his head to give her better access to one of his horns. It was smooth, with the texture of ice. However, it wasn't any cooler than his scales. The angular tips were also quite sharp, like his claws.
A dragon hunter could make a lot of coin from horns like those. He would have to be careful not to cross one who didn't draw the line at half-dragons.
With permission, River dragged two fingers along the curve of his horn, shaking her head in an almost disbelieving sort of way.
"Nah, they're not that cold. Just cool, like your scales." She glanced at his face curiously. "Can you feel this? I mean...the scales and all, does it...I dunno, is it just pressure?"
Kahroan was tempted to nuzzle against the comforting warmth of her hand. It was an odd thought for the usually distant man, but an appealing one.
He chuckled softly at the question before issuing another thoughtful rumble. "It's--I dunno... I don't feel the horns and the scales are just... different. Not numb to texture, but the sensation is... muted, I guess. But less so on my fingers and smaller front scales."
"So here?"
She took his hand carefully and ran her fingers lightly over his. She smiled a bit, chuckling quietly, "They feel different, too. Smaller, rounder. Edges aren't as sharp."
She glanced up at him, and her smile faded a bit. "How—how are you? Really? This all must be...well. A hell of a lot to deal with, honestly."
Kahroan was taken aback by the sudden change of topic to the personal. "I... well--I... mean, yes. It is... a lot."
He sighed; it was a sad, wistful sound of lost days one could never get back. "I... How much do you know about Yoreiqi culture?"
He couldn't believe he had opened that door to anyone. Baring his shame to anyone, especially someone he wanted in his life, seemed a bridge too far. But it was open now, and in her hands whether to pass through.
River sat up a bit. This felt like the sort of conversation she should be more alert for.
"Not much, honestly," she told him, head tilted a bit to one side. "I've heard a few things, but I don't know how accurate they are. You're the first Yoreiqi I've ever actually met in person."
Kahroan slowly sat up to join her. "Yoreiqi law may appear soft to some, sentencing only the worst of us to death, but it is unbending where violence is involved," he explained hesitantly.
"Because of that, I..." He paused, gathering his courage. "I lost everything I ever knew for a single--no, a lifetime of anger that culminated in the worst mistake of my life. For it, I was exiled from the isles for the rest of my life."
River was quiet, just listening. "...What was the mistake?" she asked carefully. Because she thought she knew this man--not as well as she could have, perhaps, but they'd traveled and hunted together, and that could teach you a lot about a person.
"I was... one of the best surfers in my village—surfing being the national sport where we use boards to ride the waves. It made me feel free, like I wasn't the strange, gloomy boy that made everyone feel uncomfortable. That's why... why when my rival in the annual island-wide competition--when I thought my rival cheated by sabotaging my board, I... I attacked him. I didn't mean to do any permanent harm, but I shoved him too hard, and he fell. His right wing snapped like a bundle of twigs."
He sighed with deep shame. "I had forever robbed him of the sky and sea, because a Yoreiqi with one wing cannot properly control a board."
River winced. "That..." She exhaled heavily. "Yeah. Well...that's not great, obviously. But--exile?"
That seemed...extreme to her. She would admit to being...more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of someone who might just--just go off and hurt someone. But it didn't sound like that was what had happened. And while Kahroan's actions were regrettable, certainly, exile still seemed like a rather severe punishment.
"There is no tolerance for a Yoreiqi deliberately harming another Yoreiqi. And now I'm--" He looked down at his altered hands as if they were evidence of his shame. "I was never a normal Yoreiqi. My wings were dull, and my temperament was dark and solitary, but I still loved my home. To be severed from it is a wound I fear will never heal."
"And I'm not even Yoreiqi anymore. I'm going to live even longer without ever seeing home again or even being recognized if I dishonored myself by returning."
"Hey."
She nudged his shoulder lightly with hers. "Remember what I said? You're still you. If Yoreiq is important to you, then you're still Yoreiqi."
She waited a moment, trying to both sort through her own feelings about what he'd shared and also figure out what to say. Finally, she murmured, "Look, I—I won't say I really understand what happened to you. But...I know you, and I know you're not someone who would cause pain unnecessarily. It sounds like what happened was mostly an accident—a horrible accident. And I'm not saying you should've just got off entirely, but...exile doesn't seem fair."
She hesitated, then added, quieter, "I...I've known men who cause pain like that on purpose. I've known monsters. I don't think you're one of them."
Kahroan's sad eyes met hers and he tried to force his draconic muzzle into a weak smile. "Then why do I feel like one? Like I deserved to lose the last thing that tied me to my past? Like I would be happier if I wasn't a person at all, but a terrible dragon feared by all."
He had wanted their happy moment between them to last forever. Why did he have to break it like he's broken everything else?
"Because you're sorry," River told him, meeting and holding his eyes. "That's why. Because you're not a monster, but you did something you regret, and now you want to be punished for it. Because real monsters don't have to worry about being monstrous."
She hesitated, then reached over to touch his hand lightly.
"Redemption isn't about punishing yourself, Kahroan. It's about choosing to do better. To be better."
The dragonman exhaled slowly, letting his worries ebb enough to carry on. He had opened his heart and not been rejected. Things would be... okay.
"I have tried to better. Sure, I calmed my temper, but it was at the cost of closing myself off to the world because I thought that if I didn't, then someone would get hurt... including myself."
His expression became more resolved. "I want to try again. Help me try again. Please. I think I'd rather be a noble... whatever form I take."
"I'll do my best." River smiled and moved her hand from his hand to his chest, just over his heart.
"The point isn't to smother anger," she told him quietly. "You have to...try to channel it into something else." She paused, then asked with a slightly lighter tone, "This surfing thing...I imagine it's very physical? Takes a lot of focus?"
Kahroan cautiously placed his large hand over hers. The warmth felt soothing against his cool body. It was like a second heart in his chest.
He nodded slowly, answering, "Yes. One must be both strong in body and spirit, and be quick-witted enough to predict the movement of the wave. You must be one with the wave or be dominated by it."
Her smile grew. "Oh, you're going to like my brothers. Two of them, they do this thing—you mentioned boards, which is why I'm thinking of it—but they basically ride a mountainside, it's..."
She glanced down, realizing her hand was still pressed lightly against his chest, and trailed off as a faint heat colored her cheeks and the tips of her ears. "Er...sorry?"
But...his hand was still over hers. Maybe not sorry? Oh gods.
"S-sorry!" His eyes went wide, and he jerked his hand away, deep embarrassment in his voice. "I th-thought... I don't know what I thought."
Oh Gods! Oh Gods! What am I doing?! I don't--she doesn't--do I...?
"Sorry. I..." He didn't finish the thought, he just let it hang.
When he jerked away so quickly, she followed suit, the heat in her face increasing incrementally. "No, don't apologize, I was--I didn't mean to, ahm..."
She fidgeted in place, wringing her hands in her lap. "Nothing to be sorry for," she mumbled, feeling suddenly unsure. "I didn't mean to, ah, make you uncomfortable or anything."
"I thought I was making you uncomfortable," he said, his eyes shy and puzzled, "Was I... not?"
There was a certain longing in the way he had held her hand. For what, not even he was sure. Perhaps he just wanted the reminder that he could feel at all.
"Um...no. No." She shook her head. "I wasn't...uncomfortable." Her voice was a little softer than usual, as she felt a rather adrift.
At their core, wolves were pack creatures. And living the life she did, she'd been without a pack for quite a while. She visited her family, of course, but it wasn't the same thing. This was...or at least it felt close to...
Something else.
She held his eyes, then reached over to place her hand over his again. "That, um...that's okay?"
Kahroan cupped her hand against his chest, right over his hear, which was beating a little faster than before. He had always been a largely solitary creature, longing not to be while desperately seeking the comfort of solitude. But this was different; he wanted the comfort of her touch. This was...
He closed his eyes, letting the feeling dominate his attention. He rumbled contentedly, which she felt in her hand. "It feels... I don't have the words for it."
"That's alright." She smiled a bit and pressed her hand a little more firmly against his chest. "You don't have to have words for it. Just...you'll let me know if you're uncomfortable, yeah?"
She waited a beat, then twisted around and inched herself closer until her arm was pressed to his, hand still over his heartbeat. She let her head tuck against his shoulder with a sigh, eyes closing for a moment.
Kahroan leaned in and wrapped his wing around her, content with the intimate moment. He breathed slowly as he let the tension seep out of his body. This was something he could get used to. This was... something he had never felt before.
After what felt to him like both an eternity and no time at all, he sighed and said, "I don't know what this is, but I don't want it to end."
She smiled, tucking herself a little more securely against his side and under his wing. "I'm not sure what it is either," she admitted quietly, "but...yeah. It's nice."
As they lapsed into a comfortable, companionable silence, she let her head tip back to watch the sky through the criss-crossing branches above them. She blinked, then chuckled. "Ah, damn. I didn't realize how much time we'd spent out here. We should...probably be heading back soon, huh?"
Following her gaze, Kahroan sighed disappointedly. "I suppose we should, at that. If we must."
Reluctantly, he tucked his wing behind his back and straightened up a little. "But I'm sorry to see this moment go. We might not get this kind of opportunity for a while once we're with the caravan. It would look a little odd to be romantically embracing my 'pet' wolf."
When his choice of words sunk in, he said with a stammer, "No—I mean—Is that what this feeling is? Is this..." He seemed reluctant to utter the next word, as if that would make it real.
As she followed him to her feet, River started, then stared at him wide-eyed.
Then she started to smile, blushing a bit--which was unusual for her, though she couldn't say she hated the feeling.
"It's...well." She coughed and glanced away, scuffing one bare foot over the ground. "It wasn't...not romantic? I mean--" She coughed again. "I--I wasn't sure if...that was something you...wanted?"
The dragonman would have been blushing too if his scales allowed such a thing. Instead, he let out a slow huff as he shuffled his feet. Having to learn new body language made his reactions inconsistent, but they were clear enough.
"I didn't think I did. But now I--" He gently turned her head to gaze into her eyes, regretting not having human lips with which to kiss her. "I think I do."
Her smiled grew a bit, as did the blush, and she found herself dropping her eyes. "Well...alright then. That's--that's good. I mean--good to know."
She hesitated, then carefully reached out to take his hand, lacing her fingers through his and quietly absorbing the texture of scales against skin. She laughed softly to herself, shaking her head. "It's...been a while since I've done something like this," she admitted, glancing up into his face. "But it's--it's nice."
He released another happy rumble as he again met her eyes. "I had forgotten what affection for another even felt like."
Not knowing what passed for a kiss in his form, he lightly nuzzled her cheek, breathing a cool puff of air from his nostrils. He confused himself with a deep cooing sound and pulled back, wide-eyed in awkward embarrassment. "I don't--What was..."
River laughed, half from the slight tickle of cool air against her cheek and neck, half from the look on his face when he pulled back.
"I think that's a dragon-y happy noise," she chuckled. "Y'know, like how cats purr? Oh, don't be embarrassed."
She held his hand a little tighter and pulled him in so she could nuzzle her nose against his muzzle, still grinning. A soft rumble echoed in her chest. "See? I do it, too."
"So you do." Kahroan's embarrassment ebbed away as he wrapped his head around the idea.
The town bell suddenly interrupted them, signifying the approach of dusk.
He sighed, disappointed. "We should... probably stop by Greta's before it gets dark. Then grab a bite and ask about that caravan."
"Yeah," she agreed with a small sigh, "we probably should. C'mon, then."
The walk back to Gerta's was...different from the playful chase out into the trees. Obviously. There was a new layer to the usually companionable silence between them, and River found herself occasionally searching for something to say.
She never quite managed it; she really was well out of practice with this sort of thing. Every so often though, she would give his hand a soft squeeze as they walked. It was something that the seamstress seemed to note with a single quirked eyebrow when they made it back to the tailor's shop, but she didn't say anything.
During the walk, Kahroan battled with his tendency towards traveling in silence. He found he wanted to know everything about her, to bombard her with questions until nothing was left. But he couldn't think of a single one. That was okay though; there was plenty of time.
He noticed Greta noticing the tender way they held their hands together and gave her a shy, stiff-lipped dragon smile that really didn't look like much of anything. "Are her clothes ready yet?" His voice gave the unusual expression much needed context; the relationship between the dragon and the wolf had changed.
"Mmmmmmhm." It was ostensibly an affirmation in response to his question, but they way her other eyebrow crept up and the inflection to her tone made River feel like she was dealing with a particularly nosy aunt.
"Don't," she warned the seamstress as she took the offered clothes and ducked behind a changing curtain.
Gerta actually laughed, perhaps the friendliest expression she'd shown in the all time the two hunters had been in town. "Oh, you'll have your hands full with that one," she told Kahroan as she moved back behind her work table, chuckling to herself. "Or, well, claws, I suppose."
"I can hear you!"
"I'm looking forward to it," he said with a grin and a low chuckle, as if River couldn't hear that just as well.
"Besides, it's not often I meet someone who can tolerate my frosty personality for as long as she already has." Behind the deep fondness in his words, there was a sense of self-doubt waiting for the opportunity to strike.
Never mind that they haven't actually known each other very long. Details, schmetails.
"Oh, wolves are just like that," Gerta said with a wave of her hand. "Bond deep and bond fast. And I've never known River to mind the cold all that much."
"Thank you for your insight," the shifter muttered as she came out from behind the curtain, properly clothed at last. Gerta had made her a pair of breeches in a dark gray, as well as a looser shirt that tucked into them in black. They were simple enough garments, but well-made and comfortable. After wearing just her enchanted tunic for so many days, she had to admit it was nice to be properly dressed in her human shape.
"Those'll last you years, so long as you don't lose them like you did the last set," Gerta told her.
River rolled her eyes, but smiled at the older woman. "Thanks, Gert."
The seamstress grunted. "Go on then, off with ya both."
"Oh, have you heard about a trade caravan coming through?" River hurried to ask before she could completely shove them out the door.
She nodded. "Should be due on the morrow. I've got an order of fabrics in, supposed to be coming with the lot."
River nodded, thanked her, then reached to take Kahroan's hand again. "So. Food?"
"Food," Kahroan answered, grunting in agreement.
He didn't release her hand until they had found a nice, quiet table in the corner of the tavern. The dragonman did the gentlemanly thing and pulled her chair out, though it was clear he wasn't sure whether she actually liked that kind of attention. In a tavern, no less, and not even a fancy one.
"Is this... okay? Should I just act like usual? I should, shouldn't I? Sorry, I--I haven't been in a relationship since, well... Yoreiq, and I was barely a man then."
Please Gods, don't let me ruin this.
"Oh." She took the offered chair a little hesitantly, unused to this behavior from him, but when he started fumbling she smiled and reached across the table to touch his hand lightly.
"Easy," she chuckled softly. "You're alright. I...I'm not exactly used to this sort of thing either. It's--it's been a while, for me." She paused, then continued, "Maybe we should...talk about this? I mean--" She flushed a bit, feeling awkward. "Figure out...what this is, exactly?"
"That's..." Kahroan slowly exhaled to clear his head, calmed by her touch. "That's probably a smart idea."
The hunter thought for a moment. He wanted what was between them to last, to be more than just holding hands. Whatever form it took, and whatever form he took, be it a dragon or something else entirely, he wanted to be by her side.
"Was Gerta right? About wolves bonding deep and fast? Is that... what this is?"
That earned a proper blush. River cleared her throat, before admitting rather sheepishly, "Er...yeah. It's sort of--y'know, pack instinct and all that." She sucked on her bottom lip, not quite meeting his eyes. "But, I mean--you're not a wolf. I don't expect you to--to feel the same, or, um..."
She sighed and let her head drop forward a bit. "Honestly, Kahroan, I'm not entirely sure what I'm feeling. I just--I know I care about you, and I like being around you." She gave his hand a soft squeeze as she said it, chancing a glance up at him.
Kahroan squeezed her hand in return, meeting her gaze with a gentle look in his eyes. "I care about you too. More than I ever thought I could care about anyone." He made a thoughtful noise. "I mean—maybe some of how I feel is draconic instinct, but I like to believe that if we met under different circumstances, I would come to feel the same way."
"We can take things slow if that's what you want. If we're together, that's... enough." He'd be lying if he said his body didn't have less chaste ideas about what it was between them.
Maybe it was animal instinct, or maybe River was just getting better at reading his body language. Regardless, she started to lean across the table, then hesitated, flushing.
"Is it...okay if I kiss you?" She coughed and rubbed at the back of her neck with an awkward chuckle. "I'm realizing that, y'know...dragons might not really do that."
Kahroan cleared his throat in such a way that somehow felt like his version of a blush. "I don't know either, but I--"
"Oh forget it. I'm still human on the inside," he said before pulling her close. His scaly lips didn't do much for him in returning the kiss, and he had to turn his head a little, but they were surprisingly soft and smooth. The intimate moment made him coo again and curl his tail to one side.
He rumbled contentedly as they parted. "That was... wonderful. Weird and awkward, but wonderful."
River had to muffle a laugh as he pulled her forward, and she reached up to grip his shoulder with one hand, leaning into the kiss. It was a little weird and awkward, but her stomach flipped with the same giddiness of any first kiss, and she was grinning when they broke apart.
"Yeah," she agreed, letting her hand slide down his arm to rest over his again. "Yeah, it was."
She let her fingers lace through his where their hands rested on the table. "This, um...gods." She laughed and dropped her face into her other hand, shaking her head at herself. "Oh, my family is going to have a field day."
"Why?" He gave her a rare mischievous, sidelong look with a smirk in his one visible eye. "Expecting you to bring a nice young wolf home, with pups in tow?"
His expression fell just a little when he realized that might well be exactly it. And bringing up children even casually? Why would he even do that?! What was he thinking?!?
Almost despite herself, she laughed. "Well—maybe, actually. Or, I guess..."
She bit her lower lip and glanced away. "It's...I, um...I had a wolf. Before. But he wasn't exactly what someone would call nice. When I left, and my family found out—I dunno, I haven't really...done this since then. They might be a little, errr...protective."
Admitting even that much was hard; she couldn't meet his eyes, still feeling the guilt and shame, even though she knew it wasn't logical. Shaking her head, she tried to lighten her voice as she added, "They should warm up to you quick though—I like you, and that should be enough for them."
The dragonman took her hand in his and rumbled soothingly. "Protective, I can handle."
Their tender moment was interrupted by the passing serving girl who, in a not-so-charming uncultured accent, asked, "Cans I git ya two lovebirds anythin'?"
Embarrassed, Kahroan stammered, "Y-yes!" He regained his composure and ordered drinks and, for himself, a warm stew.
While they waited, and while they ate, the state of companionable silence that they often shared returned. The occasional tender gaze and gentle squeeze of each other's hand were all they needed.
The following morning...
The two had a lot to do before noon, when the caravan was set to arrive. First, at the arms & armor shop, Kahroan sold back the cheap spear he had used to slay the bear. He then bought something better and a few pieces of plain steel armor that his newfound strength would allow him to move around in as nimbly as leather.
By the time they bought fresh travel supplies, the small trade caravan had pulled into the sleepy town early. It soon became a bustle of activity as goods were delivered, received, loaded, and unloaded in the never-ending cycle of commerce.
As they stepped back onto the street, they saw a scholarly-looking trader approaching the tavern. Kahroan looked at River and nodded. "Looks like it's showtime."
"Looks like." She gave him a crooked smile and a nod. "See ya on the other side, then." She paused, then leaned up to peck his cheek.
Then she dropped onto all fours, her tail curving up and wagging once as she settled into her wolf form. She gave herself a little shake, then looked up at him and woofed softly, jerking her head toward the trader that had ducked into the tavern.
Dunno if he's in charge, but he's a least a good place to start, yeah?
"Yeah. He looks promising." He nodded and followed the trader into the tavern.
He paused to consider his approach before walking up to the man. When the man didn't look in his direction, he cleared his throat and asked, "Excuse me, but are you with the caravan?"
"Mm?" The trader turned, looking distracted. "Oh—yes. Yes, I am. Sorry, but if you're looking to speak about the goods for sale I can't—"
He finally seemed to register who he was talking to and his eyes went a little wide. Even in Serendipty, Kahroan stood out. "Well! Ah...pardon, and you are?" the man stammered out, clearly trying to recover some good manners.
River chuffed and rolled her eyes. Even sitting beside Kahroan, her head came up to his hip, and the slight noise drew the trader's attention. He blinked rapidly.
A dragonman and a wolf. Just...sitting in the tavern. Alright then.
Kahroan extended a hand. "The name's Kahroan, and this fine creature is River. Don't worry, she's friendly. Anyway, I'm hoping there's room in your caravan for a hunter, a guard, or even just some extra muscle."
He did his level best to appear trustworthy as he added, "And you can't count on me not to use what little magic I have while in Connloath."
I just hope they don't try to confiscate this damned brooch. I don't know what it might make me do to keep it.
Fine creature? River gave him a wolf's best approximation of a smug smirk.
"Er...well th-that's, ahem..." The trader waffled a moment, then took his hand with a bemused of relatively friendly smile. "I'm called Darin. And I'm sure you'd be a great fit for a guard, but I'm not exactly in charge of hiring." He paused, then said thoughtfully, "I could introduce you to my brother—he's really the one you'd have to convince. I'm not sure what you're looking for in terms of pay?"
That was a good question. River cocked her head. I'm not overly fussed about it. We really just need to get through the valley—though some extra coin never hurts.
"I don't need much. I'm mainly looking to get as close to the Kilanthro Mountains as you can take us. I'd take a ship, but I can't find one that will take on the both of us."
"So please do, if you think he'll take us."
"Right, yes, of course. Err..." Darin scratched as his cheek and asked sheepishly, "Do you mind terribly if I fetch a drink first? We've been on the road since before dawn and I'm a bit parched, to be honest."
River growled in a annoyance and huffed. Human niceties, of course.
Darin gave her a vaguely wary look. "You, ah, you are sure she's...tame?"
"Yes. She just knows I'm anxious to get going. We're in sync like that," he chuckled, "I know impatience won't make things go any faster. Besides, it's not like they'll leave without you."
"So by all means, take your time."
When Darin finally took them to his brother Zane, Kahroan had just about convinced himself that they were being jerked around. Zane looked them over and agreed to take them on at a fair wage, though not as much as the guards that had been with the caravan for a long time or the ones with military training.
"Well River, what do you think?" the dragonman asked her, gently scratching her behind the ears to sell the claim that she was a pet.
River whuffed and leaned into his hand, tail wagging twice. She could play the pet as the situation required—and, though she would be hard pressed to admit it, the wolf really liked ear scratches.
She leaned against his leg, for all the world little more than a simple wolf. It's not bad pay; we could certainly do worse. And it'll only take us two weeks or so to get through the valley.
Kahroan patted her side, nodded, and turned his attention back to Zane. "We'll take it."
The agreement having been reached, he was handed over to the head guardsman to be shown his sleeping arrangements and, of course, what he would be doing and when. The dragonman took it all in with patient attention. By the time that was settled, the caravan had packed up and was ready to go.
As the wagons began to move, the due took their position along the caravan for their shift in the rotation. He looked down at her affectionately and whispered, "I'm going to miss your hand in mine."
That shouldn't have made her stomach flip, but it did. Even as a wolf, it seemed she wasn't immune to the fluttery reaction he seemed to occasionally spark in her.
Dropping her head and letting her tail wag once a she glanced up at him sidelong—a wolf's version of a blush—she replied. Me too.
Huffing, she walked a little closer to press against his leg. It's just two weeks though. It'll go by before you know it.
Kahroan gently stroked her back. "Not fast enough."
It was hard to pretend she was any less than she really was. Even though she was fine with it, it felt... disrespectful. So it was all he could do to not break her cover by taking offense when one of the others in the caravan treated her like a mere animal.
Almost a week had passed, with them earning coin by taking long walks together. Their one-sided whispers didn't go completely unnoticed, but everyone just thought he was one of those eccentrics who talk to their pets like they can answer. He often wished he could hold her or kiss her, but it was easier than he expected it to be.
Then, he heard a sound he had never heard before; a loud *crack* echoed across the valley that sent the birds flying. Before the dragonman could comment on it, one of the guards ahead of them collapsed as if struck by a crossbow bolt. He ran to check on them, when...
It wasn't the first time she had covered long distances in her wolf shape, but it was one of the few times she'd done it in such a large group. She'd had to play at being an ordinary wolf before, once or twice, but never for so long. And despite her best intentions, it did start to grate on her. A low snarl or a quick, warning snap was usually enough to keep the other caravan members from petting her casually the way Kahroan did, but she would be more than happy when they reached the edge of the mountains and could leave the caravan behind.
Which is what she was dwelling on when the shot rang out, and one of their fellow guards collapsed, bleeding. She froze, instinctive fear holding her in place for a moment as Kahroan rushed forward.
No!
She leaped at his back, knocking them both to the ground as another shot rang out. The caravan was scrambling now, traders and craftspeople hiding in or behind their wagons while the guards started to form a circle.
River crouched protectively over Kahroan, growling, all the fur along her spin raised in a sharp ridge. Gunfire, she tried to explain, eyes searching for the source. This was the one thing she truly feared in Connlaoth. We need to pull back, behind the wagons.
Kahroan cried out as River knocked him down. Confused, he asked, "River! What are you doi--gunfire?!"
One attacker must have fired early, because a small volley of shots rang out. Three guards went sprawling, one no longer moving, and a bullet struck the ground to their left. Five rifleman. Good shots too. It would take them a while to reload, so now was the time to move.
Kahroan rose quickly, fully comprehending the danger. He didn't want to abandon his job as defender, but he couldn't leave River in the line of fire. So, he scooped her up and ran for the wagons. He took cover behind a wagon and released her.
"Alright, we've taken cover. But we can't just wait this out. They'll attack directly any minute and we agreed to protect the caravan."
River yelped a bit when he scooped her up, but it happened so quickly that she was back on her feet again behind the wagons almost before she could fully process it. And while a majority of her mind was focused on the encroaching danger, there was a small part of her that noted--well, how easily he'd done that. She wasn't light as a wolf.
...Damn.
Okay, focus! She shook herself, then gave him a sharp nod. We did. She looked him over, butting her head lightly against his shoulder. At least you've got proper armor now... She raised her head to scent the air, and a low growl started up in her chest.
Alright. They're coming in from the east, probably over that hillock. She jerked her head to indicate the direction. If I can...maybe I can circle round behind and herd them forward before they've reloaded, that'll be enough to leave them scrambling for a moment or two. You and the others can take advantage.
It wasn't a great plan, but they didn't exactly have time to come up with general-caliber strategy.
Kahroan didn't entirely like her plan, but he supposed it wasn't any more dangerous than any other fights they had been in. Only his feelings had changed. Besides, it was the best chance they had.
He nodded resolutely. "Okay. Just be careful, alright? If anything happened, I'd..."
I know.
She pressed her head against his shoulder again, nuzzling into the crook of his neck for the briefest moment before she pulled away. She stared at him seriously. You mind yourself.
Her head darted forward once again to press her nose to his cheek, then she was gone, a streak of black fur keeping low to the ground as she swung into a wide arc around the hillock where their attackers had hidden.
Somehow, she managed to get behind them before they noticed her, and so when she gave a low, threatening growl, two of the riflemen reloading actually yelped and nearly dropped their guns.
"The hells was that?!"
She growled again, stalking forward out of a patch of tall grass. Three of the men scrambled back, leaving the cover of the hillock as they frantically tried to speed up their reloading.
"Fuck, shoot the damn thing!"
As Kahroan returned to the other guards, the head guard gave him a curt nod and said, "Glad to see you in one piece. We're going to need those wings of yours to scout out the enemy."
"Actually," the dragonman interjected, "I've already sent my wolf to herd them into the open."
The head guardsman seemed dubious. "All by itself? Surely--"
The man stopped as three of the highwaymen scrambled into view. He barked a laugh. "Well, I'll be damned. Take 'em out, boys!"
Kahroan gave a thankful nod and took to the air. He flew towards the hillock as the guards charged forward. He landed behind the scrambling men and rumbled angrily. His spear swept through the air, slicing the nearest bandit across the back.
Without the element of surprise, and with half their group losing the advantage of cover, the bandits were at a sudden disadvantage. That didn't mean they were prepared to go down easy.
One of the riflemen got his weapon up and fired wildly into the air as Kahroan came in for a landing. Despite the fact that his shot seemed to go wide, River was on him in an instant, throwing her weight against his back to knock him flat and send the weapon skidding from his hands.
Paws on his shoulders, she snarled into his face, even as she checked in with a quick, Alright? He didn't get you?
Kahroan was too busy to answer. He parried a bayonet strike with his spear and kicked the third rifleman to the ground. He thrust his spear towards the man's face, stopping with the tip right in front of his eyes. "Not even a scratch. So, I'd surrender if I were you."
The bandit froze in place, panting as he went a little cross-eyed staring at the spear in front of his face. He glanced up at Kahroan--clearly thrown but just what exactly he was looking at--then bared his teeth in something that was not quite a smile and not quite a snarl.
"Wouldja now, mate?"
Kah, behind you! River sprang passed him, slamming into the fourth bandit who had somehow managed to get his rifle up, aiming between Kahroan's shoulders.
The shot rang out just as River knocked into him and took him down, and she could only pray she'd been quick enough to knock his aim off.
The bandit's aim was thrown off by the attacking wolf. The shot caught Kahroan in the right shoulder, right above the wing. He staggered forward with a roar of pain, but his strong draconic body wasn't so easy to incapacitate. In fact, when the bandit beneath him decided to act on the opportunity provided, the dragonman speared him first.
Only then, as his blood dripped onto the ground, did the hunter fall to his knees.
River's teeth met the bandit's throat, and she clamped down, then ripped away. She spun, not even waiting to confirm he was dead before looking to see how Kahroan had fared.
The other caravan guards seemed to have the situation in hand by that point, and for a moment she just saw the dragonman with his spear through the bandit he'd pierced, and there was a surge of relief.
And then he fell, and her stomach dropped.
The wolf lunged forward, paws skidding in blood—she didn't know whose—as she pressed to his side with a low whine.
Kahroan?
Damnit.
She let the wolf go, bracing one hand against his good shoulder and trying to keep a rising tide of panic under control. "Kah, look at me, yeah?"
He turned his head, grimacing in pain. "So that's... what a bullet feels like." He seemed detached, dazed a little by the pain.
There was a bullet hole in his right pauldron, his blood trickling slowly down his side to soak into his brand new clothes. She couldn't know for sure without seeing the wound, but the slowing flow of blood suggested he'd live. After all, dragons were tough, even half-dragons. Besides, he'd been through far worse pain.
"Shit." River frowned and started working loose the clasp of her pauldron. "You're alright, you're gonna be fine," she told Kahroan, voice quick and a little sharp, betraying the worry clogging her throat. "Here, lemme see..."
Even if the wound itself wasn't fatal, she only saw one hole in his armor. Which meant the bullet was still in.
The pauldron came off easily enough, revealing his bloody shirt. It was new and already had a hole in it. She would either have to cut it open or wait to get the rest of his armor off to be able to see the extent of the damage and extract the bullet. But what she could see didn't look that deep, his armor and scales having done a lot to slow the projectile.
"I can see why... everyone is so afraid of these things," he said, looking down at the punctured pauldron.
"Stars." River winced as she started working on the rest of his armor. "You're lucky you're alive," she snapped at him, then immediately winced.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, ducking her head forward to rest her brow against his good shoulder for a brief moment. "That—gods, you scared me."
"Who in the hells are you?!"
Oh.
Right.
Shit.
River looked up at the approaching caravan guard. Rather than answering, she said quickly, "If we've got a spare healer we need 'em over here. Kahroan's been shot, bullet's still in his shoulder."
"It's alright--" He winced as she moved his arm to get to the strap of his breastplate. "She's with me."
The young guardsman hesitated for a moment before running to fetch a healer.
Kahroan sighed regretfully. "No, I'm sorry. I let my guard down. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been so lucky."
"Well, luckily for us both I was there, I guess." She paused to cup his face in one hand, meeting his eyes. "I know you're tougher than the average hunter, but..." She sighed and let her brow touch his for a moment.
Then she shook herself and helped him get the breastplate off. By that point the guardsman had returned with the healer, whose hands were already bloody from tending to the wounded guards that had fallen in the first volley.
To her credit, the healer just gave River a quick, startled look before she set to work. "Alright, where were you shot? Shoulder?" she asked as she knelt next to them, shooing River away so she could look at the wound.
Kahroan took a more seated position and shot River a reassuring look before answering, "Yes. The right shoulder."
When his shirt was removed, the state of the wound could finally be seen. It wasn't deep at all; the bullet faintly visible between his damaged scales. It was, however, still bleeding a bit too much for such a shallow wound. Any deeper, and he would have been in serious trouble.
He reached out with his good arm to lace his fingers through River's.
"You got lucky," the healer told him as she leaned in to peer at the wound. "Without that armor slowing the bullet down, this might've shattered bone. Here, this is gonna hurt like a right bastard."
She drew a small metal implement from a pouch at her hip and began extracting the bullet. River clutched at his hand in hers, a soft, inadvertent whine catching somewhere in the middle of her throat.
"Take it you were the wolf, then?" the healer asked abruptly, probably trying to keep them both distracted while she worked.
"Um, yeah." River swallowed. "We just figured...it was safer, traveling through Connlaoth as a shifter, if I just...pretended."
Kahroan grunted in severe pain as the healer dug for the bullet. He squeezed River's hand almost tight enough to hurt.
"I apologize for the—gah!—deception. We meant no harm." He cried out as the bullet popped free. Blood immediately welled up in the wound, but not an alarming amount.
When he cried out, River lurched forward, automatically going on the defensive even though there was nothing to defend him from. She growled low in her throat, feeling useless and hating it. All she could do was squeeze his hand back.
"Hey, no skin off my nose," the healer said easily. "You may have to explain some shit to Zane, though. Might be a few coins off your pay."
She cleaned the wound, wrapped it, then rose back to her feet with a sigh. Now that Kahroan was settled--for the moment--River had the presence of mind to look up at her and ask, "Did we...did anyone...?"
The healer sighed again, the corners of her mouth turning down, and nodded. "The first lad hit. Went right through his lung. I managed to get the others stable, but...it was too late for him."
"Such dreadful inventions." Kahroan sighed. He had tried to get to the lad, but the gunfire had made that impossible. Still, even knowing he couldn't have made a difference, he felt guilty for running for cover instead of helping. It felt dishonorable to leave a comrade to die alone. But he would never regret choosing River's safety first.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't get to him. It was all I could do to get River and myself out of the line of fire."
"Wasn't your fault, nothing you could have done," the healer said briskly, with the kind of tight control to her voice that made River think this wasn't the first time she'd lost someone on a trade crossing. "When you're up to it, get back to the wagons. We'll probably be pulling ourselves together for the next hour or so."
River nodded, but she was still more worried about Kahroan. "How do you feel?" she asked quietly as the healer walked away. Her eyes searched his face.
"...It wasn't your fault," she told him, wondering if she was reading his expression correctly. "You couldn't have saved him."
"I know that, I..." He looked away for a moment, fighting back the worst of the irrational shame. "I just can't help but wonder if I missed something, you know? Or even if that's the real curse, to have this power and still feel helpless."
He leaned over to nuzzle her arm, not unlike a riding dragon asking their rider for affection or perhaps a snack. "Or... perhaps that's just the cost of caring again."
"Easy." River shifted to properly wrap an arm around him, careful of the bandaging. She returned the nuzzle with one to his cheek, then let her brow rest against his temple. "You've a good heart," she told him quietly. "I think it's just not used to...feeling again, yet."
She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, then got to her feet with a sigh. "We'd better be getting back. Guess I need to explain myself a bit..."
Kahroan rose carefully and, together, the two returned to the caravan.
The stocky caravan master looked to the both of them with annoyance. He remained silent for just long enough for them to start to squirm before saying, "I have half a mind to send you both packing, here and now, without pay."
Kahroan opened his mouth but Zane cut him off. "But... in light of your bravery, I'm going to give you a chance to explain."
River had to bite back a growl--she was still on edge from the whole ordeal--but when Zane spoke she sort of felt like that was her cue. Kahroan had been shot, for gods' sakes, she could handle some explanations.
"We needed to cross the valley," she told the trader, tucked under Kahroan's good arm in an effort to help keep him upright. "A dragonfolk and a shifter don't exactly go unnoticed in Connlaoth--we figured we had a better chance with a group, but..." She shrugged. "Honestly, I'm usually a better travel companion was a wolf. Better fighter, too. We figured it was safest to keep it quiet."
Zane continued to frown at her, as though he expected further explanations. When none were forthcoming, he exhaled sharply and shook his head. "You're still getting half pay. Secrets are all well and good, but something like that could've bit us all in the ass."
Kahroan glanced her direction to gauge her reaction. Half pay wasn't unexpected, given the situation. Hells, they would have taken that from the beginning if that's what it had taken to come along. Turning his attention back to Zane, he nodded. "We understand. No more magic, we promise. We don't want that kind of attention any more than you do."
"Right?" he asked River.
"Yeah, no problem at all," she agreed quickly. It was worth the relative safety that traveling in a group provided, for however long they could keep it.
Zane gave them a brisk nod, then turned back to taking stock of the damage done to the wagons--there didn't seem to be anything too bad, but one of the wheels had been hit in the initial volley and one of the traders was reinforcing its spoke to ensure it didn't snap.
River let out a sharp breath and pressed a little closer to Kahroan's side. "Well, that certainly could've gone worse," she muttered to him with a small, crooked smile.
Kahroan had also been holding in a little of his breath, letting it out slowly as his nerves relaxed. He bumped her shoulder gently with a slight happy rumble in his chest. "Yes. We lucked out with this caravan master. We'd be in serious trouble if he was Connloathian."
River hummed an agreement, nodding. "C'mon, let's get you settled for a second," she murmured, trying to guide him toward one of the wagons that wasn't being crowded with merchants and guards.
A few of the traders they passed were eyeing them with either wariness or curiosity--she couldn't quite tell which--and River indirectly caught one's eye as she tried to get Kahroan to sit on the wagon bed. The man dropped his gaze quickly, ears red, and she realized the problem with a low chuckle.
"I think the handful of these folk who got tipsy and tried to pet a wolf are realizing I'm not just a wolf," she noted with some amusement.
Kahroan did as Doctor River instructed and sat down, leaving against a crate. He couldn't do much else anyway, not without opening his wound.
"Why would that be--" His eyes widened for just a second as his brain caught up. "--oh! That's funny," he chuckled.
He winced, grinning despite the pain. "Ow... don't make me laugh."
"Shit, sorry, sorry." She winced, hands fluttering futilely. "Sorry," she said again, settling for leaning in to peck his cheek quickly before she got to her feet. "Wait here, I'll fetch our packs, I think we've got the water skins in there."
She turned, ignoring the curious looks they were getting as she hurried off to grab their packs from the back of one of the other wagons.
Kahroan couldn't help but note that he was again hiding out, injured and in pain. Again, she was taking care of him, and he could do nothing to repay her kindness. But this time it wasn't out of pity; it was out of the love they now shared, the love that had unfrozen his heart.
The dragonman rumbled happily when she returned. He lovingly watched her climb into the wagon before saying, "That was quick."
River smiled at him as she boosted herself up onto the bed of the wagon beside him and handed over a water skin. "Not my first round of this game," she said with a soft chuckle. "Even if my mate didn't seem to have a penchant for danger, I've got four little siblings who—"
What she'd actually said registered and her eyes went wide; she floundered a bit, then barreled forward, "Who, y'know, got their fair share of scrapes and worse when we were growing up. I was always the one ducking back to fetch water or bandages. Here, lemme get that—"
She moved to help pop the cap of the water skin, not looking at him.
Mate? Did she really say that?
The labeling of what they were to each other made the exiled islander unbelievably happy. He couldn't fight his happy noise as he drank from the water skin. Once finished, he said affectionately, "They were lucky to have you. I know I am."
Relieved that he seemed willing to let her little slip pass—because Gerta had been right, wolves tended to bond deeply and quickly, and before she'd even realized it the word had come to mean something to her, about him—River still found herself blushing a bit at the softness in his voice.
"Oh, don't get ahead of yourself there," she warned playfully with a quiet chuckle. Glancing at him sidelong, she added a little quieter, "You...me too. I mean—" She cleared her throat. "I...don't know if someone's ever put my safety first like that. Like you did when the guns first went off."
She gave a soft, breathy laugh and shook her head. "Not used to being a damsel in distress, I suppose."
He shook his head. "Hardly. You've saved me more times than I've saved you. What kind of ma--" He hung on to the last word a bit too long, making it obvious he was going to say mate. "--man would I be if I didn't return the favor."
Gods, now I'm saying it.
River huffed in the way she sometimes did when she as amused as a wolf, pressing her shoulder lightly against his. "That smart kind," she told him, though there was color in her cheeks that hadn't been there before that seemed to imply she'd caught his near-slip.
Her expression sobered a bit and she lowered her voice to add, "Really. I appreciate it, and I know you're strong, but... Gods, when you went down, I--" She swallowed. "Just...do me a favor? Promise you'll have as much care for your own life as you seem to have for mine?"
Kahroan put his good arm around her and squeezed her gently. "You have my word. I won't take as many stupid risks."
He rested his chin on the top of her head. "After all, you've given me something to live for again."
"I..." He hesitated, afraid to speak the words. Surely it was too soon for that. And yet, he felt them to be true.
He loved her.
She rumbled happily and nuzzled into the crook of his neck when he rested his head over hers, content to simply be for a while. The soft rumbling increased slightly in volume at his words, even as her flush grew a little hotter.
"Sap," she accused quietly through a smile as she settled herself more comfortably against his side to wait for Zane to call them underway again.
Kahroan healed quickly, and the two went back to work for the last week of the trek through the valley, which passed without incident.
Connloath
Belkrath
The couple left the caravan at the city of Cainan's Wall, not eager to risk getting any nearer to the mage camps than necessary. Magical creatures weren't outlawed, and neither of them was a mage, but in a nation at war with itself, laws could change at any moment.
After they said their goodbyes, Kahroan looked at River and asked, grinning slightly, "So... just us again, eh?"
"Seems so." She matched his grin and took his hand. "C'mon. We've still got a bit of a trek left."
She leaned in to kiss him quickly, then gave his hand a squeeze before stepping back and letting her wolf to the surface, loping off happily into the foothills of the Kilanthro range.
[Continued: here (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=27076.0)]