OOM All Skate Skellig Dream Magic Weirdness -Part Seven

[brave_kreyu]

It turns out that 'guarding the lair' involves more than just staying in one place. Kreyu has a goal today of scouting outside their borders, looking for possible trouble.

Given that Skellig can't speak the local language, yet, they're not trying to pass as locals. Skellig is just wearing a kilt as they stalk through the forest.

The wilderness is truly wild here, only barely touched by humans. Beasts of all kinds live in these woods, wolves, deer, boars, birds, rabbits, and more.

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[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu KNOWS he's trying to trick them, but even so she has to fight not to roll her eyes when they just casually accept the explanation that she wasn't chosen for her brains.

Most of the men look a little daunted at his words, but not the prince. "The red is said to command fire, the white lightning, it would be foolish to battle creatures who can command the elements themselves. The gray is but a beast, not touched by the gods." Clearly, whatever stories he's heard don't have much resemblance to the truth.

"And a beast can be lured into a trap with the right bait and weakened, or taken unaware." The others seem to perk up a bit at the news that they aren't going to be fighting 'fair'.

[27_53]

Skellig also perks at the knowledge that they might not be fighting fair. He is curious.

"Makes sense to choose the weakest," he 'admits'. Knowing full well that Kreyu will take great umbrage at being considered the 'weakest' dragon compared to her brothers. "I am curious, how would you work to trap it?"

And then he pauses. After all, the prince did offer compensation in trade for Skellig's knowledge, and he would be interested to know just what that would entail.

"I admit I have studied the beasts for some time," he says. "Watched how they interact with those who fear them as Gods, worship them. I am not a hunter by nature, so never would I be able to take down such a creature. But I would offer my insights...for what compensation would you give in exchange?"

[brave_kreyu]

"They prefer human flesh, especially of those considered beautiful," he glances briefly at Kreyu. "Like your woman there, but...untouched." He smirks slightly, quite sure that if Skellig didn't choose her for her brains he's surely 'had' her many times.

"Such can be readily acquired for gold in this region, once we know where the beast lairs." While neither the brood's territory or the kingdom Skellig and Kreyu live in along the Mother River keeps slaves, many of the OTHER kingdoms in the region do. "We already possess a poison potent enough to cripple the beast, once it takes the bait."

"The favor of a king, when the beast's head proves my prowess and grants me the throne," he replies in answer to compensation. "And as much gold as you can carry, once the beast is slain."

[27_53]

Skellig's expression shifts, turning slightly negative. "In all my years of studying the beasts, I have never seen the gray one choose such a..." he turns to Kreyu, looks her over as if he is judging her. "...fragile offering. The white one, perhaps," he adds. "But the gray one prefers strength, power, and experience."

He points at one of the men in the party who has not yet spoken up or made himself known. "Such as your man there with the bow. I have seen the gray one devour such an offering in a single bite, reward the villagers who bound him to the altar handsomely. He might make a better bait..."

He is non-committal in tone - let these fools believe what they wish, so they can gather greater information from them. While he abhors the idea of Kreyu's head being presented on a pike to this 'king' as the prince speaks of doing, he knows that these men are no true threat.

"But if you would prefer to gather an untouched innocent as you have heard, where would be best? The entrance to the lair is located near the coast," he motions again that vague direction. "A solid day's ride."

[brave_kreyu]

Damn it, Skellig! She was doing SO WELL at keeping a straight face, and then you had to bring up her preferring strength, power, and experience, binding someone to an altar, and her 'devouring' the offering in a single bite.

She moves close to him, buries her face in his shoulder, her whole body shaking. She probably LOOKS like she's weeping, distraught, but Skellig can tell she's suppressing laughter instead.

The prince looks thoughtful, "The strong and experienced can also be purchased in Te'ratan," he replies. "But I would scout the lair before we purchase bait, even if it is a solid day's ride from here."

[27_53]

Skellig nods, takes note of a 'spare' horse being led by some of the other hunters near the back of the pack.

"Our home is between here and the lair of the dragons," he says. "I would lead you, if you would prefer to get there before nightfall, watch them as they come and go. I would use that horse for my wife and I, and will leave her when we near the trail that cuts off to our dwelling, then continue on with you alone. I would not subject her to such danger."

Clearly, his wife is already VERY DISTRESSED! Skellig strokes her hair soothingly. Poor woman of his, so very tender and fragile. His plan in his mind is clear - there is another wider clearing a half day's ride from here that they flew over, a meadow easily big enough to accommodate her shape. And he can let her off 'near their home' before they enter it, allow her to slip away between the trees, run away to safety...

[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu grasps the shape of his plan as soon as he starts to lay out his request. Her clever love.

Unaware of what will surely befall him, the prince nods in agreement. "Of course, you could not risk her safety," the prince agrees. "You are welcome to the use of the horse, for now. I would prefer speed in travel, for just the reason you described."

Getting on the horse is an...interesting affair, all told. Kreyu is able to help him a bit without it being too noticeable, but he might need to cheat with his magic anyway.

[27_53]

Cheating is absolutely necessary - Skellig uses a hint of his magic to get the horse to stay settled (it is a very good thing this is a trained horse who is used to being mounted/dismounted by men wearing armor, carrying weapons, and the sort - it may never have been ridden by a pair of creatures such as themselves) but his hand on the animal's neck lends itself towards calm, as does Kreyu's knowledge on how to actually ride one.

Briefly he debates whether she should sit in front of him or behind; the horse is large enough for either, but since she is in a dress (and Skellig does not want any of the men in the rear catching a glimpse of her ass) he settles for the former. Once they are situated, his arms wrapped around her body and reins in hand, they set off.

The hounds have found the scent of their earlier walk through the woods, so it is easy enough to assure the prince that the party is headed in the 'right' direction as they begin baying furiously and pick up the pace of their run. (Thankfully, only one rider follows at the same speed, while the rest trail behind.)

Once the horses have become spaced out a bit as they move through the underbrush and trees, he leans forward and places his mouth at her ear, keeping his voice low enough for just her to hear: "You know I meant none of what I said."

[brave_kreyu]

"I know," she whispers. "It is a clever plan, my heart." That such lies about them have spread worries her, but there may not be anything she can DO about it.

Riding a horse strains muscles neither of them are used to using in this way, so Kreyu is VERY glad when they reach the part of this ruse where she gets to dismount. "Please be careful," she tells Skellig. It's only partly an act, she doesn't want him to get hurt.

[27_53]

"Of course, my love."

He offers her a smile, then turns the horse to rejoin the rest of the pack - they will need to gain some speed, catch up with the hounds who have still been hot on the 'trail', their excited barks growing softer as the distance increases. It feels strange to be leaving her 'behind' in such a manner, even through he knows that it is all a ploy.

Once they have resumed the 'chase' (and Gods, does Skellig want to be off this horse, every muscle in his body is already screaming in protest and the increased speed does not help) his focus is attuned to her heartbeat in his ears, listening.

"There is a meadow we must cross soon," he calls to the prince. "It is the only place along this trail where we may be exposed, so we should use caution. I have never seen sign of the beast there, but it is lush with prey - most excellent for hunting deer at this time of evening."

[brave_kreyu]

The prince is not happy to hear about the meadow, but he grunts in acknowledgment. "We will just have to trust the gods to protect us," he calls back.

Skellig can hear the heart of her dragon shape, hear the sound of her wings, LONG before anyone else. That should give him time to prepare, before they hit the meadow and things get....exciting.

They are roughly in the middle of the meadow when Kreyu dives down out of the sky, roaring in anger! The horses are well trained, but NOTHING could have prepared the horses for this. The first of the hunters to die is thrown from his panicking horse, trampled to death as the horses flee in a panic. The hounds head for the trees at speed, yelping and howling in terror!

[27_53]

The hounds are the lucky ones - they are simply dogs, and have better sense than to be making an effort to capture and kill a dragon! Running in terror is truly the best choice!

Skellig was mostly prepared for the horses to panic; perhaps not quite this much panic, his horse frantically rearing and making an effort to shed the weight of the rider (him) in an effort to flee. Even with using his wings to correct his 'flightpath' as he is unceremoniously booted off the rear of the animal, he rolls quickly to his stomach on the grass to avoid getting kicked or trampled, nudging both the animals and other hunters HARD to avoid him.

Definitely not the most graceful dismount.

Grunting, he pushes himself up to his feet, then uses his wings to make haste for the nearest edge of the meadow, ducking into the trees - knowing it is probably wisest if he simply stays out of the way and allows her to take care of things. The hunters are no match for her, even with their bows, arrows, and spears.

(But even as he leans against the trunk of a tree and watches her handle things, he can feel fear and the sick taste of his anxiety rising up in the back of his throat as he sees arrows fly through the sky - they bounce harmlessly off of her scales, but the memories are still too vivid in his mind to ignore entirely.)

[brave_kreyu]

Kreyu can sense his distress at the arrows, so she goes for the archers first. She swings her tail around, flicks it at them. Against another dragon, it would do little more than sting. Against a human, things are far, far messier.

The prince and his closest companion just have spears, and they've realized just how BIG she really is. They try to stab her anyway, aiming for an eye. but her talons are longer than their spears and she swats at them as though they were annoying insects. She doesn't even really have to AIM as even the most glancing of blows is deadly with her mass.

"Ugh, such a mess. And such a waste," she rumbles. "Such lies they had been told."

[27_53]

Skellig's anxiety level lowers slightly once the last of the hunting party has been swatted away into (literal) oblivion and she speaks to him - but it is obvious from his response that he is still a bit nervous.

"I knew they were truly no match for you," he allows more of his weight to lean against the tree trunk, exhaling heavily. There is a faint tremble in his legs, and it is not all from having been on horseback (or kicked off as awkwardly he was) to blame. "Fools, thinking their weapons could harm you. They were no match for you..." He pauses only briefly, concern creeping into his voice as he looks over her shape. "...you are not injured, are you love?"

There is nothing visible he can see, except for the 'mess' on her scales from her dispatching the group. He is certain she is fine, he witnessed the ease with which she got rid of them all. And yet...

[brave_kreyu]

"I am not injured," she assures him. "You were not hurt, were you?" she asks, concerned. There's so much blood and viscera that she can't tell by scent if he's bleeding or not.

[27_53]

"No, I am fine." Skellig shifts his feet, stretching his arms over his head and allowing his wings to flare open just to be certain. What he feels is simply soreness - especially below the waist. "I landed a bit...awkwardly, but it is nothing serious."

Plus, his body is still very glad to no longer be on horseback, for many reasons!

[brave_kreyu]

She sighs in relief. "I am glad."

"They must have had a camp somewhere. I hope the horses and the dogs make it back there safely, poor things. They do not deserve to suffer because of human foolishness." She lashes her tail irritably.

"They would have had servants with them, I'm sure, to care for the beasts."

[27_53]

"Dogs will wish to find a meal," he offers. "Once they have lost the scent of what they have been tracking, they will likely return to the camp. Or at least, this meadow, where they will likely be found."

Along with what is left (not much) of the hunting party and their gear.

Gingerly, he steps away from the treeline and 'hops' into the air, using his wings to lift himself above the grass (and mess) to survey the scene. "Is there anything you would have me gather?" He is unsure if she wishes to shift 'down' again while still covered in blood and flesh.

[brave_kreyu]

"I left my dress just inside the tree line over there, if you wouldn't mind," she rumbles, pointing with her head.

"I plan to wash off in the ocean, and then we can both soak in a hot spring near here."

[27_53]

"A soak sounds lovely."

Following her direction, he gathers her dress from where she had stashed it in the edge of the tree line, rolling it up and tucking it into her bag. And then something shiny catches his attention in the grass a few feet away, so he goes to investigate.

It is a lovely golden and jewel encrusted piece of forearm 'armor', likely worn by the prince. Technically, it is still being worn by the prince - or at the least what remains of his left arm.

Skellig grunts audibly in disgust, before leaning over and doing something with his hands that she will not be able to see through the grass - but after just a brief moment of 'disassembly' he lifts the piece of armor (minus the arm) victoriously above his head.

[brave_kreyu]

"And I may be able to rub some of your aches away while we are there."

"A fine piece for your hoard," Kreyu rumbles. "A trophy from an enemy slain by your cunning." She may be thinking of Skellig as if he were a dragon, here.

[27_53]

"Slain with the assistance of my most powerful and agile partner," he adds, before smirking as he moves to take to the air once again, closing the distance between them. "The gray one."

Clearly from his tone as he says it, he is still amused at just how stupid the prince and the entire party was. Obviously, there was a reason he was not fit to be the next King in line for the throne, if he thought hunting down a legitimate dragon was a good plan!

"Would you like me to go with you to the ocean?" He eyes her back, the spot where he usually chooses to hold on to at the base of her neck is still relatively untouched by viscera, so he would not get too gross by settling there.

[brave_kreyu]

She snorts in contempt when he says the 'the gray one'. "Foolish, although I wonder if the rumors confused me with Heka. His scales are gray, mottled like stone, and he DOES prefer human flesh."

"I would like that, yes," she replies. She's still a bit hesitant about letting him out of her sight, after the pirate ship.

[27_53]

Without hesitation, he allows himself to alight upon her body, positioning himself for what will be a relatively 'quick' trip compared to their other flights they have take.

"Your tastes for flesh are much less violent," he says, playfully pressing his lips against one of her scales with a 'kiss'. "At least so far as consumption goes. Which I am grateful for."

[brave_kreyu]

She speaks the spell to carry their words to one another, then takes off.

"I could barely keep it together when you started talking about the preferences of the 'gray one', she tells him. "I nearly spoiled your whole plan by bursting out laughing." He can tell it amused her, from her tone.