The dragon's focus was intense, it's dark eyes narrowed on Sokka and his boar as they moved farther and farther away, one slow step at a time. It snorted, pawed viciously at the frozen earth, and sent a small cascade of dirt down the steep incline.
Sokka swallowed and tried to be a little louder this time. "I said, hey UGLY, I've got a real easy snack for you!" The dragon snapped at the air and the sound made the hair on Sokka's neck stand on end. "Come and get it!" He called out, and as he backed away again, he quickened his pace some, hoping the movement would draw the dragon away from the ledge.
There was no denying the severity of the situation. The Ridgeback, taunted enough, took several steps forward, but in the process, sent a line of fire below, aiming to keep its prey separated and to keep Hermione at bay until it could finish with this new, larger meal.
"GO," Sokka urged Hermione, backing his way unwittingly toward a tree. He planned to turn and run, and with luck, the density of the forest and the offering of the boar would slow the dragon down enough for them to both escape... assuming he didn't run right into the tree.
Hermione's face as the boy taunted the dragon was one of aghast horror. True, the dragon didn't understand English, but she was certain it could recognize a hostile tone, and this boy was certainly taking one with it. If he wasn't careful....
She gasped and staggered back at the new flames, the hellish light from them casting an eerie glow around her. And then-... there! Rolling down the incline as though making its way back to her! Her wand was almost within reach, and she could get to it... except that it stopped right by the dragon's swinging tail.
She looked back at the boy whose name was on the tip of her tongue, but she knew that speaking would only attract the dragon's attention. She mouthed out, "My wand," and turned her attention back to the bit of wood dangerously close to the tail. If the dragon took just a few steps back... well, she certainly didn't have the means to get a new wand anytime soon, and she needed her wand. If not for protection, then certainly for her exams!
Hoping the dragon kept its attention elsewhere, she slowly made her way closer, aiming on simply getting her wand, subduing the dragon, and getting everyone out of this situation safely.
He couldn't make out her words, but then again, Sokka had a lot more to hold his attention. The Ridgeback, under the impression it had Hermione in check, advanced several feet forward again before its claws dug in as it readied itself for attack.
Sokka recognized the posture, and decided it was time to drop the boar. He slowly let it roll off his shoulder, hoping it would give him a slightly better chance at escape. Glancing over at Hermione, he hissed under his breath, "Why isn't she moving? Got outta here..."
Perhaps a little too late, he found himself backed against that tree, the dead boar at his feet and far too close for his taste. The dragon growled with each exhalation, and Sokka could smell its breath on the wind. The young man tried to inch around the tree and in response, the Ridgeback ferociously swatted its talons, barely missing Sokka and hooking the boar.
It pulled the boar into its mouth as if it were a snack cracker, which bought Sokka enough time to contemplate his epitaph. Here lies Sokka, too stupid to run, perhaps? Let's just hope his stupidity bought Hermione enough time to grab her wand (even if Sokka had no idea that was what she was doing.)
Seeing the dragon get so close to the boy made Hermione panic, and she darted quickly for her wand. Unfortunately, she didn't time it well enough to avoid a blow from its tail, which hit her hard in the gut just as she stood up after retrieving it. To her credit, she held onto it this time as she fell, even though it felt like she'd just been struck by the Whomping Willow.
By the time she got her bearings straight, the dragon had turned its attention to her again, but she forced herself not to seize up. He was relying on her too, at this point, so even though those teeth were sharp and that breath was rank and its eyes sent a chill through her, she focused on the latter, finally casting the Conjunctivitis Curse. Given the bellow of outrage from the dragon, it had worked.
Unfortunately, this meant that the enraged dragon was now going to strike blindly, and it lunged forward, inhaling to let out a breath of deadly fire. Her eyes widening, Hermione quickly moved out of the way, scurrying towards the boy as she narrowly avoided getting herself barbecued by a blind dragon.
"Are you crazy?!" Sokka had a feeling she was, considering the snapping angry blinded dragon trying to lash out at her. His yelling did nothing to help the situation, though, as it gave the dragon and it's fairly keen hearing a bearing to aim its fire.
With a yipe, he only managed to avoid the flames thanks to Hermione's curse, the Ridgeback having aimed too high. Above Sokka's head, branches crackled and popped until the extreme heat, signaling it was his time to move it on out. Rounding the tree, he took a wide berth and found himself not far from the witch at all.
He didn't risk opening his mouth again, but he shot her a look upon approaching that said he'd very much like to get out of there while the dragon fought for prey that had long-since moved on. Closer now, though, he could see she had taken on quite a few scrapes, and after that hit from the dragon's tail, Sokka wondered if he could run.
Hermione flinched as he cried out to her, knowing that the dragon would be relying on sound to find its prey. Thankfully, though, he managed not to get himself char broiled, and if she wanted the same to be said for her, she was going to have to suck it up and force herself to her feet.
Though it wounded her pride, Hermione thrust up her hand towards him once she was close enough, silently begging that he helped her up. Her free arm was slung around her middle, as though nursing the soreness from the blow with the dragon's tail. She didn't look back as she unsteadily made her way to her feet, but hopefully the dragon wouldn't be able to tell where she was by her ragged breathing.
So exciting! <333angle_on_itJune 26 2011, 04:21:20 UTC
Without hesitation, Sokka took hold of the witch and helped her along, intent on getting out of there as quickly as possible. Behind them, the dragon roared and thrashed, confused by the sounds of the forest as its former flames brought down trees and branches around all of them. At that moment, Sokka's aim was to get them out, but much of the path back toward the forest edge was still blocked by fire, and what wasn't was inaccessible thanks for the steep grade. Feeling they had no other choice, the squib steered them deeper into the forest, putting precious steps between them and the dragon.
It's not until he's sure the roaring sound of the flames behind them would cover his words that he reassuringly whispered, "We'll get you some help, just keep going." It was as much for her as it was for him that he said this, as Sokka was unsure how long her curse would last, and whether they would be able to put enough space between themselves and the dragon before then.
Glad you're into it, bb! ♥bookish_lionessJune 26 2011, 05:21:07 UTC
Grunting as she was pulled to her feet, Hermione blindly followed after him, her body tense as the sounds of the fire rang out through the forest. She wondered if they would all just be engulfed by the flames, her and the dragon and her would-be rescuer, but she tried not to think about it as she followed after him, putting her utmost trust in this boy that she barely knew. Katara. He had something to do with Katara.
When he whispered to her, Hermione got a glimpse of his eyes, recognizing the same blue as that of her friend. Her brother. This was Katara's older brother, she realized. Now if only she could remember his name.
"I'm fine," she murmured, sidling up besides him. trying to keep. "It-... it should be distracted for a while. Just get us out of here, please."
He nodded, the very same thought very thoroughly on his mind. Each step they took felt like a small victory, even if there was a long way to go before either of them could consider themselves safe.
Too many thoughts rampaged through Sokka's head. What was she doing out there? Why had she come alone? It didn't make much sense, but Sokka was guilty of the same, and really didn't feel right about asking the questions -- at least, not yet. Feeling they'd gained some ground on the dragon, he turned them to skirt well around the area, the flames still flickering through the trees in the distance.
"You're Hermione Granger, right? You're in the same year as my sister, Katara," he said, as if he knew what she was thinking (but really, he was just hoping a little conversation would help to make the journey feel a little shorter). "I'm Sokka."
Though she was very much anxious to get to safety, Hermione wished she'd suggested they take a slower pace, as her abdomen was horribly sore after that swing from the dragon's tail. Deciding that she could fight it and keep up the pace, she simply kept her arm tightly wound around herself, hoping that the wand in that hand wouldn't be needed, since her other hand was too preoccupied with clutching against Sokka's arm to make sure she didn't just topple over.
Sokka. Right. She'd heard the name before, but it just hadn't clicked at the time.
She nodded, trying to figure out what he was doing in the forest with a dead boar, but decided that those kinds of questions weren't important now. "We've a few classes together, yes," she ascertained. "She's told me a bit about you. It looks like I'll be the one with a story about you next time we see each other."
"I'm sure that won't be necessary," he mused, halfheartedly. As far as he was concerned, if they managed to make it out of this alive, there might be some merit in never mentioning it again; it was already a pretty intense experience that probably didn't need colored and recolored by being passed around Hogwarts.
As they continued their trek, Sokka kept an ear out for any sounds in the forest -- any tell-tale signs of the many dangerous creatures that would cause them an equal amount of harm. It wouldn't do to survive a Norwegian Ridgeback only to end up being injured (or worse) by something just as vicious.
"Thanks for saving me back there." He was certainly gracious for that, even if they weren't out of harm's way.
Hermione looked at Sokka, a bit surprised as he mentioned her saving him. She was about to ask what he meant, but then she remembered about having blinded the dragon.
Shaking her head, she replied, "I was helping the both of us just as much as I was saving you, so there's hardly any need to thank me. I was just doing what anyone else would do." Well, anyone with a wand, anyway, but with all of the confusion, she didn't think to ask him about that.
What anyone would do? Sokka was pretty sure Granger was giving a lot of the world a little more credit than was rightly due, but he didn't bring it up. Instead, now that they'd made some good headway of the dragon, he slowed their pace and stopped long enough to readjust their positions.
"I think we're going to be okay," he confessed, though there was always a chance their assailant would find them and finish the job it had started. "Just put your arm around my shoulders -- that should make it a little easier." The instructions came with a patience and hopefulness that Sokka generally reserved for very few; he wasn't sure if more support meant less pain, but it was definitely steadier, sturdier setup.
Obviously Hermione was hurt, but Sokka couldn't glean the extent of her injuries without some inspection (and even if they did bother to stop for such a thing, there was no telling how accurate his guess would be.) No, witches and wizards had all sort of spells for those kinds of things -- better left in their hands. They just had to make it back to the school and then everything would be fine.
Stubborn as ever, Hermione shook her head as he told her to put an arm around his shoulders. She was afraid that he was going to try and pick her up and carry her back to the castle like some prince charming saving a damsel in distress, but that was unfair to him. He was only trying to help, and it wasn't his fault that she instinctively disliked the sensation of being lifted up unless she was physically incapable of walking.
"I'm fine, thank you," she murmured, before her stomach cramped up and she decided that pride always came before the fall. Not wanting that to be literal and end up splayed out on the ground (and thus really needing him to carry her), she consented to shift over and put her arm around his shoulders. She could feel his muscles even under his winter gear, and so she decided that he was strong enough to allow her to lean on him a little.
"Thank you," she murmured, wincing a little as her blistered hand brushed against him. Aside from that injury, she wondered over what kind of bruising lay beneath her clothes. She was sure her stomach would likely look like a raw side of beef, but that was for Madam Pomfrey to worry about. "Not just for this, you know, but for everything. I would very likely be dead right now if not for you."
Sokka took a deep breath and tried not to sigh. "You got us out of there, not me. We'd both be dead if you hadn't cast that spell," he reminded her, and he was trying hard not to sound bitter. He was thankful, yes, very thankful, but that didn't mean he didn't feel a bit resentful for being the "talentless" kid in the family.
Feeling they'd put some distance between themselves and danger, he slowed to a stop near a downed tree trunk and gestured with his spare hand. "I think we're safe enough. Do you want to sit a second?"
Hermione frowned a little. "But I would have never gotten the chance to cast the spell if you hadn't distracted it. For goodness' sake, Sokka, it was going to eat me before you came along!" She paused for a moment before saying, "I don't know what you were doing out here, but if you hadn't come, I wouldn't be here right now, and no one could deny that!"
Slipping her hand away from his shoulders, she moved towards the tree, murmuring, "I think I need a second, thank you." Her arm was still around her middle, as though she was fighting down a stomachache. She only hoped it was a matter of simple bruising and nothing more serious than that.
Sokka swallowed and tried to be a little louder this time. "I said, hey UGLY, I've got a real easy snack for you!" The dragon snapped at the air and the sound made the hair on Sokka's neck stand on end. "Come and get it!" He called out, and as he backed away again, he quickened his pace some, hoping the movement would draw the dragon away from the ledge.
There was no denying the severity of the situation. The Ridgeback, taunted enough, took several steps forward, but in the process, sent a line of fire below, aiming to keep its prey separated and to keep Hermione at bay until it could finish with this new, larger meal.
"GO," Sokka urged Hermione, backing his way unwittingly toward a tree. He planned to turn and run, and with luck, the density of the forest and the offering of the boar would slow the dragon down enough for them to both escape... assuming he didn't run right into the tree.
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She gasped and staggered back at the new flames, the hellish light from them casting an eerie glow around her. And then-... there! Rolling down the incline as though making its way back to her! Her wand was almost within reach, and she could get to it... except that it stopped right by the dragon's swinging tail.
She looked back at the boy whose name was on the tip of her tongue, but she knew that speaking would only attract the dragon's attention. She mouthed out, "My wand," and turned her attention back to the bit of wood dangerously close to the tail. If the dragon took just a few steps back... well, she certainly didn't have the means to get a new wand anytime soon, and she needed her wand. If not for protection, then certainly for her exams!
Hoping the dragon kept its attention elsewhere, she slowly made her way closer, aiming on simply getting her wand, subduing the dragon, and getting everyone out of this situation safely.
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Sokka recognized the posture, and decided it was time to drop the boar. He slowly let it roll off his shoulder, hoping it would give him a slightly better chance at escape. Glancing over at Hermione, he hissed under his breath, "Why isn't she moving? Got outta here..."
Perhaps a little too late, he found himself backed against that tree, the dead boar at his feet and far too close for his taste. The dragon growled with each exhalation, and Sokka could smell its breath on the wind. The young man tried to inch around the tree and in response, the Ridgeback ferociously swatted its talons, barely missing Sokka and hooking the boar.
It pulled the boar into its mouth as if it were a snack cracker, which bought Sokka enough time to contemplate his epitaph. Here lies Sokka, too stupid to run, perhaps? Let's just hope his stupidity bought Hermione enough time to grab her wand (even if Sokka had no idea that was what she was doing.)
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By the time she got her bearings straight, the dragon had turned its attention to her again, but she forced herself not to seize up. He was relying on her too, at this point, so even though those teeth were sharp and that breath was rank and its eyes sent a chill through her, she focused on the latter, finally casting the Conjunctivitis Curse. Given the bellow of outrage from the dragon, it had worked.
Unfortunately, this meant that the enraged dragon was now going to strike blindly, and it lunged forward, inhaling to let out a breath of deadly fire. Her eyes widening, Hermione quickly moved out of the way, scurrying towards the boy as she narrowly avoided getting herself barbecued by a blind dragon.
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With a yipe, he only managed to avoid the flames thanks to Hermione's curse, the Ridgeback having aimed too high. Above Sokka's head, branches crackled and popped until the extreme heat, signaling it was his time to move it on out. Rounding the tree, he took a wide berth and found himself not far from the witch at all.
He didn't risk opening his mouth again, but he shot her a look upon approaching that said he'd very much like to get out of there while the dragon fought for prey that had long-since moved on. Closer now, though, he could see she had taken on quite a few scrapes, and after that hit from the dragon's tail, Sokka wondered if he could run.
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Though it wounded her pride, Hermione thrust up her hand towards him once she was close enough, silently begging that he helped her up. Her free arm was slung around her middle, as though nursing the soreness from the blow with the dragon's tail. She didn't look back as she unsteadily made her way to her feet, but hopefully the dragon wouldn't be able to tell where she was by her ragged breathing.
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It's not until he's sure the roaring sound of the flames behind them would cover his words that he reassuringly whispered, "We'll get you some help, just keep going." It was as much for her as it was for him that he said this, as Sokka was unsure how long her curse would last, and whether they would be able to put enough space between themselves and the dragon before then.
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When he whispered to her, Hermione got a glimpse of his eyes, recognizing the same blue as that of her friend. Her brother. This was Katara's older brother, she realized. Now if only she could remember his name.
"I'm fine," she murmured, sidling up besides him. trying to keep. "It-... it should be distracted for a while. Just get us out of here, please."
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Too many thoughts rampaged through Sokka's head. What was she doing out there? Why had she come alone? It didn't make much sense, but Sokka was guilty of the same, and really didn't feel right about asking the questions -- at least, not yet. Feeling they'd gained some ground on the dragon, he turned them to skirt well around the area, the flames still flickering through the trees in the distance.
"You're Hermione Granger, right? You're in the same year as my sister, Katara," he said, as if he knew what she was thinking (but really, he was just hoping a little conversation would help to make the journey feel a little shorter). "I'm Sokka."
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Sokka. Right. She'd heard the name before, but it just hadn't clicked at the time.
She nodded, trying to figure out what he was doing in the forest with a dead boar, but decided that those kinds of questions weren't important now. "We've a few classes together, yes," she ascertained. "She's told me a bit about you. It looks like I'll be the one with a story about you next time we see each other."
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As they continued their trek, Sokka kept an ear out for any sounds in the forest -- any tell-tale signs of the many dangerous creatures that would cause them an equal amount of harm. It wouldn't do to survive a Norwegian Ridgeback only to end up being injured (or worse) by something just as vicious.
"Thanks for saving me back there." He was certainly gracious for that, even if they weren't out of harm's way.
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Shaking her head, she replied, "I was helping the both of us just as much as I was saving you, so there's hardly any need to thank me. I was just doing what anyone else would do." Well, anyone with a wand, anyway, but with all of the confusion, she didn't think to ask him about that.
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"I think we're going to be okay," he confessed, though there was always a chance their assailant would find them and finish the job it had started. "Just put your arm around my shoulders -- that should make it a little easier." The instructions came with a patience and hopefulness that Sokka generally reserved for very few; he wasn't sure if more support meant less pain, but it was definitely steadier, sturdier setup.
Obviously Hermione was hurt, but Sokka couldn't glean the extent of her injuries without some inspection (and even if they did bother to stop for such a thing, there was no telling how accurate his guess would be.) No, witches and wizards had all sort of spells for those kinds of things -- better left in their hands. They just had to make it back to the school and then everything would be fine.
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"I'm fine, thank you," she murmured, before her stomach cramped up and she decided that pride always came before the fall. Not wanting that to be literal and end up splayed out on the ground (and thus really needing him to carry her), she consented to shift over and put her arm around his shoulders. She could feel his muscles even under his winter gear, and so she decided that he was strong enough to allow her to lean on him a little.
"Thank you," she murmured, wincing a little as her blistered hand brushed against him. Aside from that injury, she wondered over what kind of bruising lay beneath her clothes. She was sure her stomach would likely look like a raw side of beef, but that was for Madam Pomfrey to worry about. "Not just for this, you know, but for everything. I would very likely be dead right now if not for you."
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Feeling they'd put some distance between themselves and danger, he slowed to a stop near a downed tree trunk and gestured with his spare hand. "I think we're safe enough. Do you want to sit a second?"
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Slipping her hand away from his shoulders, she moved towards the tree, murmuring, "I think I need a second, thank you." Her arm was still around her middle, as though she was fighting down a stomachache. She only hoped it was a matter of simple bruising and nothing more serious than that.
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