Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine gave a silent moment to think. She swallowed nervously. This was the dragon's home ground, prim and prepared for an attack. Sabine counted the discarded equipment and scorch marks as enough to invoke her humility.

"We will not be able to rummage through without it noticing us," she deduced. "We either reason with it or ambush it. And it is an experienced killer waiting for more to try." Sabine blinked her eyes to Yerig. "I think...both of you drink your potions for fire. Yerig, call out in its language to greet it." She held a palm up. "If it attacks, we will fight here. If it talks..."

Sabine turned ahead, trailing off with a sigh. "...Hopefully we can find a way to obtain the axe."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The progression up the mountain grew Sabine's certainty that the bounty hunters had fallen. The dragon was still alive, they were barely a few hours from the top of the small mountain, and there did not appear to be any other trail up to the top that they had spotted. Sabine focussed her thoughts on encountering the dragon rather than the hunters.

The site of the dragon's apparent hoard was no less confusing for Sabine when she saw it. No doubt, the pile of goods were the evidence for the bounty on the creature's head. What was not explained was its motive. An isolated dragon had little use for leather, precious metals, and other trade goods.

Sabine shot Yerig a look. "What is it?" she whispered in response to his reaction.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine did not feel the need to alter the plan further. Even if Yerig and Rhajul were not warriors of the lowest profile, the fallback plan was the alternative plan in the first place. If they would have to fight, so be it.

Later on, the sight of the dragon itself shook Sabine's resolve for a moment. It was every bit as imposing as she imagined and more. Knowing how large and strong the bones within the creature were did not help matters -- nothing about the dragon's body was weak. The kind of magic to kill such a creature would have to be powerful indeed. Perhaps not beyond her abilities, especially with the Staff of Magnus, but still frightening.

"Yerig." Sabine said, holding the staff close to herself. "Can any of us speak with it, or does it only understand its shouting language?"

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@poog the pig Boi, the last thing I think anyone is feeling right now is resentment. Get that out of your head!

First of all, congratulations on your studentship and your job! All the best for your future masterpieces.

I figured you had a lot going on, especially with the effort you put in before. It's sad to see you go. It's also sad to see you sad to go. It's sad all around, but in wanting what is best for you as much as any one of us, I fully understand.

As for Alefpria and Lifprasil, it would be so much more of a headache to wipe them from the lore at this point that I wouldn't even suggest it even if I had a single ounce of spite in my body towards them. They're too ingrained into too many ongoing narratives and established histories. We're keeping them around, don't you worry.

Anyway, we'll still be here if you want to drop in and share rare memes every now and then. Hell, if a few months or a year down the track you have enough time to jump in again, we'd be happy to have you! The posting rate isn't that fast anyway, so it's not as if there'd be too much teething.

So yeah, I forgive you. Have a good one, mate.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I see." Sabine thought about the implications of trying to talk with a violent dragon. Before now, she did not think it was even possible. However, she did not have any more information than Yerig's assumptions; if the dragon was going to attack anyway, there was little point in considering it as a primary objective.

"We will still try to avoid it," Sabine concluded. "We do not need to ambush it, I think. We do not need to kill it unless we are forced to." Sabine raised her voice enough to speak ahead. "Do'rhajul? What is your opinion on the matter?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

On Do'rhajul's way back to shore, Sabine splashed more blood out of her hair. It threw forth a thin scent that she picked up and found cause to pause. She looked at her hand, running red in its crevices, and went still. She felt a sudden pain in her body that just as quickly receded when Do'rhajul spoke up.

Sabine looked back blankly and gave Do'rhajul a slow nod only. Not even minding the wood of her staff, she ended her water walking spell and threw herself under the water to loosen the rest of the blood as quickly as possible. It would be easy enough to dry her belongings with magic.

---

Sabine wished the dragon roars were the only things that woke her up during the night. Even in the cool night breeze that sighed over the island, she found herself staring up at the stars in a freezing cold sweat more often than not. She was not having bad dreams -- her heart and mind merely refused to slow down. She was afraid of nothing that was present. Arinette and her other tormentors were far away and detained. And yet, she felt afraid.

The only thing that allowed her some measure of calm was clutching the Staff of Magnus close to herself. She kept reminding herself that its power could stop any danger to herself. She reminded herself over and again until she drifted off to sleep.

Despite her sleep remaining as disturbed, if not more so than the last few days, Sabine woke up focussed enough to get ready with Yerig and Do'rhajul. Her taciturn demeanour had not changed, save for the lack of dried blood influencing her appearance. Nevertheless, she provided each of her companions with two potions that she had made the night before. One, she explained, was if the dragon breathed frost and the other was if the dragon breathed fire. Either should be taken if they had to defend themselves. There was not a great variety of local ingredients to be had but she found enough to fortify their agilities and help to resist the dragon's breath for a few minutes.

As for Yerig's question, Sabine lifted her brow in mild surprise and regarded him. "Reason with it?" She shrank slightly. "Oh, you are joking," she assumed. "I think we should ambush it only if the site is favourable. Places to hide from its breath, stones and such. And if we can force it to the ground quickly. Otherwise, sneak. So be it if we must fight it regardless."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine glanced in realisation, closed her eyes, and almost smiled into a frustrated huff. She knew of traditional modesty but she had assumed Do'rhajul would have attained it by being half-submerged in the water. She did not press the issue.

"I am happy hear you say that," Sabine responded. "I think it suits you better to do something. Not just give up." Sabine lifted herself with her hands to face herself away from Do'rhajul. "I want to bathe now. You can go. But, before that..." Sabine looked over her shoulder. "Tomorrow morning, if you feel tense, please thank Yerig. And hug him. He cares about you as a friend. You should not suffer alone."

Sabine then turned away again to give Do'rhajul a moment of privacy to walk away.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine looked at Do'rhajul when he turned away. She listened with interest. She afterwards gave a moment for Do'rhajul to stay laid back before calmly replying. "I will not let her hurt you until you have freed the souls of her lost clan. And all the others Vile has." She looked ahead with a hint of hope. "I will talk to her in the meantime. If she listens to why you did it, maybe she will not make your mistakes."

Cupping her hands under the water in front of her, Sabine splashed her face and her hair, finally rubbing off the dried, brown, pungent blood that clung to her. "I wish you could have met without the pain between you," she said. "You really do have much in common with Ri'vashi."

Sabine lifted her face. She would have to bathe more thoroughly to rid all of the blood but she was finally less of a horror to look at. Her lips thinned in sympathy. She asked a simple, almost naive question: "Would you like a hug, Rhajul?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The splinter came free easily enough. Sabine flicked it aside into the water. She did not return Rhajul's look.

"I could," she answered. "I am not a commander. I have rank, not skill in tactics." She brushed her palms together. "Even if I did, I will still have to convince the leaders to spare you. For instance, one thing you have in common with Ri'vashi is that you both know what it is like to lose everything you love." Sabine clutched her fingers. "She was the leader of the clan near Orcrest."

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

The theme to the game Supreme Commander started playing in my head as I read the wiki article for the Prometheans. This has brought me into a superposed state of worry and awe.