Alph put his heels into the horse's flanks, hard, and the two of them sped off as fast as she could carry them.  She was no charger or destrier, but she was fast enough on the half decent road that Mashal had, and in a matter of minutes they were crossing the bridge again.  He had to slow down shortly after the bridge, to guide the horse safely down the hill and across the flooded valley.  It was about midday when he lashed the tired beast to a nearby tree and went back inside after a quick look around to make sure no one was approaching.

[color=f7941d]"OVER MY DEAD BODY, EGGTHIEF!"[/color]

The thought threw Alph into action before he had properly digested it.  The emotions, the anger and the fear, coming to him from his dragon spurred him on faster than anything else could have.  He was drawing his sword on his way down the stone stairs, but he stopped short just behind one of the other dragons(he didn't recall which one).  

He hadn't expected someone to already be here, but even more he didn't expect to recognize the threat.  She was a local, the one with the strange name.  Zyloria.  He didn't know what the situation was, but Ashwing was accusing her of theft.  

[color=f26522]"Aye,"[/color] he said aloud, standing a few steps up with his sword held ready, [color=f26522]"I would put that down."[/color]