The Ambush 5/7
Marelnestrasz had just soared into the air as the first drops hit his huge form. "Freaking rain!" the dragon thought. "I really hate this area and it's ever humid, moist and wet weather! I'm a dragon, no frigging toad! I like warmth, sun and long walks on the beach! Not getting soaked through the bones." The red dragon did not stop whining until he wheeled above the road crossing south of Dun Modr. Although it was very dark his eyes still were able to glimpse much more than even nightelfes could in the dim night. As he flew over a small forest something caught his eye. At first Marelnestrasz did not know what bothered him but then he spotted a gap between the trees. He gave himself a scolding for not noticing sooner. Up until now he had mostly used is dragon senses, tried to feel Korialstrasz or the other unknown ones and forgotten to use his very eyes! He hovered over the mark and studied it sharply. It took only moments before he was sure a dragon had crashed here mere hours ago. Hurriedly he recovered his search. This time he would not miss anything.
Dunol was glad that he managed to return to his home as the heavy drops began to fall at last. Inside he poured another keg and took a healthy swig before preparing the next tea. It also would be the last one. No more herbs were left but his master's servant should come to take the disguised dragon any minute now - hopefully. There was not much noise upstairs. It was awfully quiet so to speak. Perhaps the dragon had not been sedated enough? Perhaps he had tried something in the dwarf's absence. Dunol took his rifle and cautiously went the stairs up to his daughter's bedroom.
Although the gaunt elven body was not very heavy - despite everything Jaja had said earlier - fleeing through the marsh while carrying Kasus was not exactly easy. The short dwarfen girl stumbled across the uneven fens north of her home... former home even. Although it would have been easier to take the road she decided to head for the mountains instead. There at the feet of the mountain range the ground was much more solid, less swampy. Somewhere on the street were those people Dunol wanted to sell the injured dragon to. She surely did not want to run into them. Jaja tripped over something again and did a nose dive into the murky water. Unfortunately at this location the foul liquid must have filled a specially deep, long and wide furrow because the dwarfen girl could just stand inside and have her head out of the water. The fake elf was suddenly gone. Panic filled the young dwarf. She did not rescue Krasus two times for him drowning in a puddle!
As Marelnestrasz heard the distant echo of a gun shot he immediately adapted his course. Of course there could have been simply a group of hunters out there but the odds where short. Much more likely the bipeds had found Korialstrasz first and now the older red dragon was fighting for his live. Marelnestrasz planned on saving him right in time. He did not like Alexstrasza's prime consort but he would do anything his queen asked. Meanwhile the Life-Binder too soared into the air. She left her lair as soon as possible after young Marelnestrasz had informed her of the crash site he found. Ysera was on her way too to talk to the bronze dragon flight. This night there were more dragons in the air than usual although they all kept unseen by the other races.
Jaja tried frantically to get the huge elven form out of the water. At least she had found the gaunt body on the puddle's ground and managed to pull Krasus back at the surface but it quickly became apparent that the tattered robes were not made for swimming. Soaked with water their weight had increased tenfold and threatened to pull the disguised dragon back to the ground. Somehow she managed to get a grip at a tree root and mustered the strength to shove Krasus out of the murky liquid. She herself followed hard on him. As soon as both were on more or less solid ground again she checked for life signs. Living at the shore she had some experience dealing with people drowning and first aid. While she started the treatment Jaja hoped for the fake elven body to work like a normal dwarfen one. She had no idea if dragons even need to breath but she remembered Krasus having a heartbeat and breathing regularly back in her bed. As the pale elf began to cough and started to disgorge some of the foul stinking liquid, the young dwarf sight with relief. Swiftly she pulled her short dagger out of her right boot and tampered with the ruined cloths. The robes were too heavy and would stop them down. Jaja thought it was better Krasus getting pneumonia then caught by whom ever they were running from. The girl had just finished her work and tried to get the gaunt elf now only wearing his underwear back on her shoulders in a fireman's carry when a gun shot erupted only a few yards from them. Her father must have found them at last.
As Dunol run though the fens he quickly decided to head north. If the dragon had soared into the air he was long gone. If the dragon had taken the road his master's servant would find him. But if the dragon tried to escape through the swamp, the old dwarf would catch him. Although he could not spot any tracks Dunol was a seasoned hunter. He trusted his instincts and followed a path through the murky puddles that kept him on mostly solid ground. There was one thing bothering him. Did the dragon take his girl hostage or had Jaja finally betrayed him? The young girl was not his own flesh and blood but adopted by his late wife. Somehow he never managed to get the soft thoughts out of Jaja. She lacked the harshness and stoniness crucible for surviving in such unfriendly lands. After his wife passed away there had been many fights between the two of them and secretly Dunol kept wondering if the girl would leave him first or if he'd cleave her head open before. Suddenly there was movement in the dark some yards in front of him. He stopped and peeked through the scope. What he saw answered his question. Jaja had just stopped the rescue breathing as he had taught her and now took a knife to get rid of the robes. Dunol breathed deeply and then took aim. Something hit his right shoulder just as he pulled the trigger so he missed miserably. The seasoned hunter took accurate aim again - this time he would not miss - and fired his bullet directly at Jaja.
Chapter 6
Dunol was glad that he managed to return to his home as the heavy drops began to fall at last. Inside he poured another keg and took a healthy swig before preparing the next tea. It also would be the last one. No more herbs were left but his master's servant should come to take the disguised dragon any minute now - hopefully. There was not much noise upstairs. It was awfully quiet so to speak. Perhaps the dragon had not been sedated enough? Perhaps he had tried something in the dwarf's absence. Dunol took his rifle and cautiously went the stairs up to his daughter's bedroom.
Although the gaunt elven body was not very heavy - despite everything Jaja had said earlier - fleeing through the marsh while carrying Kasus was not exactly easy. The short dwarfen girl stumbled across the uneven fens north of her home... former home even. Although it would have been easier to take the road she decided to head for the mountains instead. There at the feet of the mountain range the ground was much more solid, less swampy. Somewhere on the street were those people Dunol wanted to sell the injured dragon to. She surely did not want to run into them. Jaja tripped over something again and did a nose dive into the murky water. Unfortunately at this location the foul liquid must have filled a specially deep, long and wide furrow because the dwarfen girl could just stand inside and have her head out of the water. The fake elf was suddenly gone. Panic filled the young dwarf. She did not rescue Krasus two times for him drowning in a puddle!
As Marelnestrasz heard the distant echo of a gun shot he immediately adapted his course. Of course there could have been simply a group of hunters out there but the odds where short. Much more likely the bipeds had found Korialstrasz first and now the older red dragon was fighting for his live. Marelnestrasz planned on saving him right in time. He did not like Alexstrasza's prime consort but he would do anything his queen asked. Meanwhile the Life-Binder too soared into the air. She left her lair as soon as possible after young Marelnestrasz had informed her of the crash site he found. Ysera was on her way too to talk to the bronze dragon flight. This night there were more dragons in the air than usual although they all kept unseen by the other races.
Jaja tried frantically to get the huge elven form out of the water. At least she had found the gaunt body on the puddle's ground and managed to pull Krasus back at the surface but it quickly became apparent that the tattered robes were not made for swimming. Soaked with water their weight had increased tenfold and threatened to pull the disguised dragon back to the ground. Somehow she managed to get a grip at a tree root and mustered the strength to shove Krasus out of the murky liquid. She herself followed hard on him. As soon as both were on more or less solid ground again she checked for life signs. Living at the shore she had some experience dealing with people drowning and first aid. While she started the treatment Jaja hoped for the fake elven body to work like a normal dwarfen one. She had no idea if dragons even need to breath but she remembered Krasus having a heartbeat and breathing regularly back in her bed. As the pale elf began to cough and started to disgorge some of the foul stinking liquid, the young dwarf sight with relief. Swiftly she pulled her short dagger out of her right boot and tampered with the ruined cloths. The robes were too heavy and would stop them down. Jaja thought it was better Krasus getting pneumonia then caught by whom ever they were running from. The girl had just finished her work and tried to get the gaunt elf now only wearing his underwear back on her shoulders in a fireman's carry when a gun shot erupted only a few yards from them. Her father must have found them at last.
As Dunol run though the fens he quickly decided to head north. If the dragon had soared into the air he was long gone. If the dragon had taken the road his master's servant would find him. But if the dragon tried to escape through the swamp, the old dwarf would catch him. Although he could not spot any tracks Dunol was a seasoned hunter. He trusted his instincts and followed a path through the murky puddles that kept him on mostly solid ground. There was one thing bothering him. Did the dragon take his girl hostage or had Jaja finally betrayed him? The young girl was not his own flesh and blood but adopted by his late wife. Somehow he never managed to get the soft thoughts out of Jaja. She lacked the harshness and stoniness crucible for surviving in such unfriendly lands. After his wife passed away there had been many fights between the two of them and secretly Dunol kept wondering if the girl would leave him first or if he'd cleave her head open before. Suddenly there was movement in the dark some yards in front of him. He stopped and peeked through the scope. What he saw answered his question. Jaja had just stopped the rescue breathing as he had taught her and now took a knife to get rid of the robes. Dunol breathed deeply and then took aim. Something hit his right shoulder just as he pulled the trigger so he missed miserably. The seasoned hunter took accurate aim again - this time he would not miss - and fired his bullet directly at Jaja.
Chapter 6