[color=f26522]"Yeah," [/color]Alph said, reaching up and gently disentangling Ashwing from him.  He hesitated a moment, but sensed she wouldn't like to be handed to someone and put her on the ground instead.  [color=f26522]"That sounds like a plan.  I have a sword and a horse at home at the very least." [/color] 

As he followed Demund up the stairs, he sent an experimental thought back toward the dragon.  

[i][color=f26522]Guard the other eggs.[/color][/i]

He put a hand to his chest, but there was nothing to do about the bite and the blood.  It was a small enough wound that he could explain it away pretty easily.  

[color=f26522]"C'mon, Dem, I'll let you repair my sword on the road!"[/color]  The two of them went up the stairs and out of the hovel, to make their way down the hill and back toward the bridge to town.