Okey dokes, I'm back on the wagon and writing up stuff. I love action
sequences, so blah heh heh heh. Onward and so-forth, to the meeting of the
heroes! Oh, yeah, got my first review!!! Thanks Lori! And about what you
said, you know about dragons being slightly more arrogant? Well, there'll
be a brief Author's Note at the end of this chapter, explaining
everything...Actually I'm quite pleased you noticed that, for it plays a part
(very brief mind you) at a later point in time..
***
Chapter 3: New Partnerships
Antares followed the six as they rounded a corner. As he neared the same corner, he heard a scuffling sound, and a shout. His pace quickened. He turned the corner to a wild sight.
The five men from The Soaring Dragon, all thoroughly drunk, were circling a minotaur. The horned creature was easily a foot taller than the tallest man, but in their inebriated state, the minotaur could have been no more than a foot high. The figure of the minotaur, despite being well- muscled, told him that she was female, and he walked over calmly to help her. The self appointed leader of the group, not the tallest but definitely the burliest, pulled a wicked looking dagger from his belt.
"You owe me some coin, beastie!" He stretched out his free hand, palm up, and took a step forward. With no apparent regard for the four other men, now all with their weapons drawn, the minotaur reached out with a lightening quick movement. She grabbed his hand and bent it backward at the wrist, pulling his arm up so that his whole arm was immobile. With a grunt of pain, he jammed the dagger forward. She grabbed it with her own free hand. Forcing both of his arms away from each other so he couldn't move either direction, she yanked him forward, their heads connecting with a resounding crack. He fell down dazed, shaking his head, but the impact didn't appear to bother Nak in the least.
Two strong looking men jumped out from behind her and grabbed each arm, a third wrapping his thick arms around her waist. Antares sprang into action, spinning the free man by the shoulder to face him. "Hey--!" He started to say, but the man seemed to know he was there, as he had already started swinging his fist before he stopped turning. The dragon-in- disguise's head snapped backward, and he blinked back stars. His attacker barely got another heartbeat in before Antares kicked out the young man's right leg, and landed a solid punch to the kidneys as the man's side was revealed to him.
***
Nak was barely aware of the man helping her with the attackers, as her main focus set on getting these three oafs off of her, before their leader smartened up and came at her with the dagger again. Saying a prayer to Kiri-Jolith, she lunged forward, bringing her arms to her chest. Her momentum set the two men holding her arms crashing together, while the man on her waist held on. With her arms now freed for the moment, she reached down, pulling the two-bladed dagger from its sheath. At that particular angle, Nak already knew she wouldn't have enough force for a kill, but she wasn't without her tricks. As a young calf, her father had told her of ways to wound her opponent gravely, without killing them. Twisting her wrist to a certain degree, she slashed down and back. The blade entered his back at a slant, so that the dagger struck the shoulder blade at an angle, scraping along it. With a scream of pain, he let go, falling into the fetal position in an attempt to hold a hand over the gash. With a swift twist of her body, she finished him off with a slash across his unprotected throat.
The second the drunkards saw this, the remaining men froze, staring at their friend's body in complete awe, as if they'd never seen blood before. The leader, regaining his senses, called for them to run away. They scrambled to get away from the rearing minotaur, her eyes misted red at the blood rage coursing through her system. She looked down at the body at her feet, snarling in disgust. "These creatures would leave their fallen comrades behind; their dishonorable souls should rot in the Abyss."
Antares nudged the man he had beaten unconscious with the toe of his boot, before switching his attention to Nak. Crossing his arms over his chest, he cleared his throat. Nak looked at him sidelong, as if seeing him for the first time. The tall, copper-haired human didn't appear to notice the line of blood that traced down his cheek from a cut across his eyebrow. She exhaled softly, turning to face him. "I thank you for your help, but I have no use of it any longer." She dipped her horns slightly, her voice clipped. She turned to walk away, when a hand wrapped gently around her bicep. Stopping mid-step, she began to growl, when something struck her. Now that this stranger was in a much closer proximity, and the majority of the beer-reeking attackers were gone, a new scent wafted through to her senses. The almost undetectable musk of a reptile. Either this man was a dragon rider, or something else...
Nak looked down without moving her head, catching a glimpse of a ring that was shining bright despite the gloom of the street, before the stranger pulled his hand away. She sheathed the dagger, and looked at him over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised in question. Antares couldn't help but grin in satisfaction. This young warrior was curious, not to mention skillful.
"I take it you're the go-looking-for-trouble type?" He asked, his voice giving off an amused tone. Nak's honey eyes narrowed, as she shrugged, still facing away from him. "Why would you think that?" She asked, irritation evident in her words. Antares simply grinned wider. Hook, line, and sinker, he thought to himself with glee. "Well, why else would you have walked into a darkened street," he swung his arm in a flourished indication, "when you could have gone just as easily down a well lit area when you knew that man and his cronies had a grudge?" Nak stayed silent, thinking it over. Yeah, she mused, I guess I am kind of looking for action. I've only been away from Nethosak for half a month and this was the first battle I'd had, albeit it was a short one.
"Well, minotaur, if you truly are looking for action, come to the edge of the forest tomorrow morning. I have a...proposition." Nak, thoroughly intrigued, looked over her shoulder again, though did a double take, turning her whole body the second she saw that the man was gone. She didn't look very impressed, for what it was worth. "What an odd individual," She whispered aloud.
Antares watched her from his position in the shadows, the grin growing a fraction of an inch with every thought. She wasn't a bad minotaur, his natural sense-thanks to his dragon ancestors- told him that much. Maybe her heart was true enough to ride atop a winged behemoth into battle with another. He walked off into the street, leaving her standing there, not even noticing him passing. He looked back momentarily, to see her shrug, and then head off in the direction of the Inn.
***
Morning came fast, too fast for Nak. The rooster that perched dutifully a short ways away from her window, crowed raucously with the rising sun. With a loud yawn, she tried to get out of the bed that was at least half a foot too small for her frame. She realized too late that the sheets she had worn were wrapped around her legs and arms like a coiled snake, and she tumbled onto the floor in a very undignified heap. With her free arm, she groped along the bedside table until her hand closed around the familiar sheathe. Taking the dagger out, she proceeded to shred the sheets into mere ribbons. Just because she was of different mind than most of her kind, didn't mean she didn't share similar personality traits, such as the just-displayed streak of impatience.
Dragging herself to her feet, she strapped on her armor and weapons, before piling the remnants of the linens atop the mattress. Oh well, she thought, it's just going to be one more coin in payment. She made her way down the creaky wooden stairs into the common room, where she could smell breakfast being prepared all the way from the kitchen. She plunked herself down onto one of the chairs, before digging into one of the warm breakfast rolls that were out for the tenant's enjoyment.
Something was nagging the young minotaur, making her look out the window, as if telling her she had somewhere to go. She watched as the sun completely breached the cover of the hills and treetops to the east. Treetops... Forest... Rising sun... Morning! As the pieces fell together like the tumblers in a lock, she got up and dashed outside, the half eating roll forgotten. Ten seconds had passed before the door opened, and she jogged back, grabbed the remaining half of the roll, and ran back outside. That strange human's offer had been way too cryptic to pass up. Back in Nethosak, she was known for her curiosity, and was often reprimanded for it, yet it only seemed to make the trait grow bolder.
Passing the skeletal frames of the houses being rebuilt, the same Antares had seen coming into the village, she ran out the gates, and onto the dirt path. The hills were in her way, but only a few, until she hit the tree line. Her hooves dug into the packed earth, propelling herself forwards. Just in case, her mind scolded, pull out your sword!
Her arm obeyed the command, pulling the massive bladed broadsword from the black decorated scabbard across her shoulders. Instead of the heavy blades that came straight from a mold, this blade was different. A commissioned piece made for the kin of a General, it was a plate of silvery steel, heated and folded over time and again, then tempered into a keen edge. It made it lighter, not to mention sharper and more balanced.
Nak hit the treeline in less than ten minutes, dodging roots and overturned logs. After about a few moments of running, she stopped, as a thought filtered into her mind. He said the forest. He didn't say where. "By Kiri-Jolith, this forest is huge! He could be anywhere!" After that exclamation, she let loose a long line of very colorful curses in the minotaur's dialect. It was immediately forgotten as her hearing picked up something. There was a rustle of leaves up ahead of her that caught her attention in full. Hoisting the sword, she made her way cautiously over. Could be the man, could be an ogre, could be a squirrel digging in the leaf litter for all she knew, either way, it was better to be prepared.
Ducking under a fallen tree, she looked up, suddenly coming up short. The trees...ended. Simply ended, no shrubs, no slight thinning of the canopy, just gone. There was a cleared, perfect circle of grass easily twice the size of the Circus fighting arena. And in the middle, seated leisurely atop a boulder, was the man. The copper-haired human male who had piqued her interest almost immediately. She walked over to him, slowly, in case he was only a ploy.
She sniffed. There it was, that reptilian smell. Maybe he keeps lizards as pets, she reasoned, shrugging inwardly. She finally stopped beside him, her sword still hanging tightly from her right hand. "I'm here." She said with an edge to her voice, just a slight touch of the attitude she kept locked up, usually reserved for her elders and 'betters'. The human simply smirked, his eyes closed.
"Really, I hadn't noticed the great, hulking seven foot minotaur looming over me." Though his words dripped sarcasm, he opened his eyes, tossing her a grin. She obviously wasn't in the mood, for she simply placed her hands on her hips, sword still in the right, and glared. He winced, slightly. "Oh, not a morning person I see." Nak shook her head in agreement.
Remembering the reason they were really there, Antares fell back into his cheery mood. "Oh yes, that's it. That's it. My proposition." Once again, a stoic nod. He cocked his head to the side. "You've heard of Volcanica, haven't you? Volk, the red dragon?" The warrior in Nak was revealed briefly as her hackles rose. "Yeah." She replied gruffly, having heard similar, though more detailed information that Antares himself had heard from Jolie the barmaid. "Well, by your reaction, I'd say you want her gone too." Nak caught on quickly, and threw back her head in a laugh.
"Take out the Red? Oh, now that's fresh. A minotaur who isn't even fully adult yet, and a man who can do no more than grin foolishly at one with a weapon. Oh yeah, we'd take her out in two minutes, flat." Rolling her eyes, she turned and stared walking away. A waste of time, and an early morning. This human was lucky that she didn't gore him right now. As she hit the treeline, his voice carried to her ears, surprising for the distance she had moved.
"What if all is not as your eye sees it?" Once more with the cryptic stuff. She turned with an exasperated sigh, which swiftly turned into a gasp as she witnessed his transformation. Wings erupted from his back, as did a tail from his pants. The copper of his hair drained, like cheap dyed fabric in the rain, down over his face, and spreading across his skin, leaving his hair white and his skin orange. Scaled patterns started to show up on his skin, and his flesh gained a hardened, metallic shine. His hair, now white, grew long and hardened together, forming spiky horns atop the crest of his head, and his upper jawline. His eyes swirled and lost their icy blue coloring, turning completely gold with the black cat-slit pupils. His nails grew long and black, and his face elongated into a razor- sharp tooth filled snout. His grew in size and girth, and his neck stretched out. His clothes had long since disappeared, and the ground trembled as he fell forward gracefully onto all fours.
He turned his head and stared at her expectantly, his fangs slightly bared in what Nak could only imagine was a mockery of a smirk. She could only ask the one question that entered her mind. "Who are you?" She was rooted to the spot, unable to move her feet. She wasn't afraid, simply suspicious. Very, very suspicious. The copper dragon blinked a few times, before answering. "I am Antares." He continued his intense stare for a few more seconds. "I know who you are, just not your name. If you'd be so kind.." Nak waited for a few moments, weighing her options, and what had just happened within that last five minutes. Figuring she had nothing else to do, she introduced herself formally. "Nakluga de-Madrik, of Nethosak." She executed a militarian bow, before returning to her original stance, with her arms crossed over her chest, muscles cording from the tension as she stared at the dragon's needle-like teeth, which were almost imperceptibly overlapping his bottom...lip. Well, the dragon's version of a bottom lip, at least.
"Well? You're a smart beast, I suspect you already know what is intended." His voice was no longer the light tone of a human, but the deep rumble of his true form. He half expected Nak to shake her horned head and walk away, what with the offer on the table being so risk-filled. He was greatly relieved when she inclined her head a bit. Not exactly a yes, but at least it wasn't a resounding 'no'. The dragon, large enough to fill a full quarter of the clearing, took two steps and was close enough to the minotaur to touch her with his nose. He didn't of course, so as not to terrify her. She may have been a warrior, of a long line of warriors, but inside, she was still just a kid.
Nak's mind whirled, not even noticing the dragon come nearer. A dragon rider? Her? There had been many stories during the wars that elves and humans rode the backs of dragons and flew them into battle, but never once had she heard of a minotaur. If she did this, and word got back to Nethosak, then she may be accepted back into the society, and then some. But, as the thoughts of honor and glory flashed through her mind's eye, that typical question of risk broke through. She could very well die. Not even during a battle, perhaps simply from a strong wind? There were so many things to consider, but her youthful exuberance and thirst for adventure overpowered her wiser, more safety-conscious side almost immediately.
"I'll do it." Her voice was soft, her eyes downcast, as the words startled the both of them. "You will?" Antares asked, leaning in close, studying her. She looked up, her eyes wide and shining with excitement. Her fists clenched and unclenched. The young dragon, though quite large in size, shared the minotaur's surge of adrenaline and excitement.
***
Author's Note: Okay, not quite as long (possibly, didn't check) as the other chapters, but I just wanted to get it up and going before too long. I hate not updated for more than a few days. Anyways, yeah, there you have it. Oh, and the reason for having Antares so happy and friendly and such, because if he'd been rude and arrogant, do you think someone like Nak would have even agreed to come to see him? I dunno, think for yourselves, people! Heh heh..next chapters comes up soon......as does Antares' true dragon persona *wicked cackle* oh..........REVIEW!!!!!eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!*runs around in circles, barefoot waving arms wildly*
***
Chapter 3: New Partnerships
Antares followed the six as they rounded a corner. As he neared the same corner, he heard a scuffling sound, and a shout. His pace quickened. He turned the corner to a wild sight.
The five men from The Soaring Dragon, all thoroughly drunk, were circling a minotaur. The horned creature was easily a foot taller than the tallest man, but in their inebriated state, the minotaur could have been no more than a foot high. The figure of the minotaur, despite being well- muscled, told him that she was female, and he walked over calmly to help her. The self appointed leader of the group, not the tallest but definitely the burliest, pulled a wicked looking dagger from his belt.
"You owe me some coin, beastie!" He stretched out his free hand, palm up, and took a step forward. With no apparent regard for the four other men, now all with their weapons drawn, the minotaur reached out with a lightening quick movement. She grabbed his hand and bent it backward at the wrist, pulling his arm up so that his whole arm was immobile. With a grunt of pain, he jammed the dagger forward. She grabbed it with her own free hand. Forcing both of his arms away from each other so he couldn't move either direction, she yanked him forward, their heads connecting with a resounding crack. He fell down dazed, shaking his head, but the impact didn't appear to bother Nak in the least.
Two strong looking men jumped out from behind her and grabbed each arm, a third wrapping his thick arms around her waist. Antares sprang into action, spinning the free man by the shoulder to face him. "Hey--!" He started to say, but the man seemed to know he was there, as he had already started swinging his fist before he stopped turning. The dragon-in- disguise's head snapped backward, and he blinked back stars. His attacker barely got another heartbeat in before Antares kicked out the young man's right leg, and landed a solid punch to the kidneys as the man's side was revealed to him.
***
Nak was barely aware of the man helping her with the attackers, as her main focus set on getting these three oafs off of her, before their leader smartened up and came at her with the dagger again. Saying a prayer to Kiri-Jolith, she lunged forward, bringing her arms to her chest. Her momentum set the two men holding her arms crashing together, while the man on her waist held on. With her arms now freed for the moment, she reached down, pulling the two-bladed dagger from its sheath. At that particular angle, Nak already knew she wouldn't have enough force for a kill, but she wasn't without her tricks. As a young calf, her father had told her of ways to wound her opponent gravely, without killing them. Twisting her wrist to a certain degree, she slashed down and back. The blade entered his back at a slant, so that the dagger struck the shoulder blade at an angle, scraping along it. With a scream of pain, he let go, falling into the fetal position in an attempt to hold a hand over the gash. With a swift twist of her body, she finished him off with a slash across his unprotected throat.
The second the drunkards saw this, the remaining men froze, staring at their friend's body in complete awe, as if they'd never seen blood before. The leader, regaining his senses, called for them to run away. They scrambled to get away from the rearing minotaur, her eyes misted red at the blood rage coursing through her system. She looked down at the body at her feet, snarling in disgust. "These creatures would leave their fallen comrades behind; their dishonorable souls should rot in the Abyss."
Antares nudged the man he had beaten unconscious with the toe of his boot, before switching his attention to Nak. Crossing his arms over his chest, he cleared his throat. Nak looked at him sidelong, as if seeing him for the first time. The tall, copper-haired human didn't appear to notice the line of blood that traced down his cheek from a cut across his eyebrow. She exhaled softly, turning to face him. "I thank you for your help, but I have no use of it any longer." She dipped her horns slightly, her voice clipped. She turned to walk away, when a hand wrapped gently around her bicep. Stopping mid-step, she began to growl, when something struck her. Now that this stranger was in a much closer proximity, and the majority of the beer-reeking attackers were gone, a new scent wafted through to her senses. The almost undetectable musk of a reptile. Either this man was a dragon rider, or something else...
Nak looked down without moving her head, catching a glimpse of a ring that was shining bright despite the gloom of the street, before the stranger pulled his hand away. She sheathed the dagger, and looked at him over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised in question. Antares couldn't help but grin in satisfaction. This young warrior was curious, not to mention skillful.
"I take it you're the go-looking-for-trouble type?" He asked, his voice giving off an amused tone. Nak's honey eyes narrowed, as she shrugged, still facing away from him. "Why would you think that?" She asked, irritation evident in her words. Antares simply grinned wider. Hook, line, and sinker, he thought to himself with glee. "Well, why else would you have walked into a darkened street," he swung his arm in a flourished indication, "when you could have gone just as easily down a well lit area when you knew that man and his cronies had a grudge?" Nak stayed silent, thinking it over. Yeah, she mused, I guess I am kind of looking for action. I've only been away from Nethosak for half a month and this was the first battle I'd had, albeit it was a short one.
"Well, minotaur, if you truly are looking for action, come to the edge of the forest tomorrow morning. I have a...proposition." Nak, thoroughly intrigued, looked over her shoulder again, though did a double take, turning her whole body the second she saw that the man was gone. She didn't look very impressed, for what it was worth. "What an odd individual," She whispered aloud.
Antares watched her from his position in the shadows, the grin growing a fraction of an inch with every thought. She wasn't a bad minotaur, his natural sense-thanks to his dragon ancestors- told him that much. Maybe her heart was true enough to ride atop a winged behemoth into battle with another. He walked off into the street, leaving her standing there, not even noticing him passing. He looked back momentarily, to see her shrug, and then head off in the direction of the Inn.
***
Morning came fast, too fast for Nak. The rooster that perched dutifully a short ways away from her window, crowed raucously with the rising sun. With a loud yawn, she tried to get out of the bed that was at least half a foot too small for her frame. She realized too late that the sheets she had worn were wrapped around her legs and arms like a coiled snake, and she tumbled onto the floor in a very undignified heap. With her free arm, she groped along the bedside table until her hand closed around the familiar sheathe. Taking the dagger out, she proceeded to shred the sheets into mere ribbons. Just because she was of different mind than most of her kind, didn't mean she didn't share similar personality traits, such as the just-displayed streak of impatience.
Dragging herself to her feet, she strapped on her armor and weapons, before piling the remnants of the linens atop the mattress. Oh well, she thought, it's just going to be one more coin in payment. She made her way down the creaky wooden stairs into the common room, where she could smell breakfast being prepared all the way from the kitchen. She plunked herself down onto one of the chairs, before digging into one of the warm breakfast rolls that were out for the tenant's enjoyment.
Something was nagging the young minotaur, making her look out the window, as if telling her she had somewhere to go. She watched as the sun completely breached the cover of the hills and treetops to the east. Treetops... Forest... Rising sun... Morning! As the pieces fell together like the tumblers in a lock, she got up and dashed outside, the half eating roll forgotten. Ten seconds had passed before the door opened, and she jogged back, grabbed the remaining half of the roll, and ran back outside. That strange human's offer had been way too cryptic to pass up. Back in Nethosak, she was known for her curiosity, and was often reprimanded for it, yet it only seemed to make the trait grow bolder.
Passing the skeletal frames of the houses being rebuilt, the same Antares had seen coming into the village, she ran out the gates, and onto the dirt path. The hills were in her way, but only a few, until she hit the tree line. Her hooves dug into the packed earth, propelling herself forwards. Just in case, her mind scolded, pull out your sword!
Her arm obeyed the command, pulling the massive bladed broadsword from the black decorated scabbard across her shoulders. Instead of the heavy blades that came straight from a mold, this blade was different. A commissioned piece made for the kin of a General, it was a plate of silvery steel, heated and folded over time and again, then tempered into a keen edge. It made it lighter, not to mention sharper and more balanced.
Nak hit the treeline in less than ten minutes, dodging roots and overturned logs. After about a few moments of running, she stopped, as a thought filtered into her mind. He said the forest. He didn't say where. "By Kiri-Jolith, this forest is huge! He could be anywhere!" After that exclamation, she let loose a long line of very colorful curses in the minotaur's dialect. It was immediately forgotten as her hearing picked up something. There was a rustle of leaves up ahead of her that caught her attention in full. Hoisting the sword, she made her way cautiously over. Could be the man, could be an ogre, could be a squirrel digging in the leaf litter for all she knew, either way, it was better to be prepared.
Ducking under a fallen tree, she looked up, suddenly coming up short. The trees...ended. Simply ended, no shrubs, no slight thinning of the canopy, just gone. There was a cleared, perfect circle of grass easily twice the size of the Circus fighting arena. And in the middle, seated leisurely atop a boulder, was the man. The copper-haired human male who had piqued her interest almost immediately. She walked over to him, slowly, in case he was only a ploy.
She sniffed. There it was, that reptilian smell. Maybe he keeps lizards as pets, she reasoned, shrugging inwardly. She finally stopped beside him, her sword still hanging tightly from her right hand. "I'm here." She said with an edge to her voice, just a slight touch of the attitude she kept locked up, usually reserved for her elders and 'betters'. The human simply smirked, his eyes closed.
"Really, I hadn't noticed the great, hulking seven foot minotaur looming over me." Though his words dripped sarcasm, he opened his eyes, tossing her a grin. She obviously wasn't in the mood, for she simply placed her hands on her hips, sword still in the right, and glared. He winced, slightly. "Oh, not a morning person I see." Nak shook her head in agreement.
Remembering the reason they were really there, Antares fell back into his cheery mood. "Oh yes, that's it. That's it. My proposition." Once again, a stoic nod. He cocked his head to the side. "You've heard of Volcanica, haven't you? Volk, the red dragon?" The warrior in Nak was revealed briefly as her hackles rose. "Yeah." She replied gruffly, having heard similar, though more detailed information that Antares himself had heard from Jolie the barmaid. "Well, by your reaction, I'd say you want her gone too." Nak caught on quickly, and threw back her head in a laugh.
"Take out the Red? Oh, now that's fresh. A minotaur who isn't even fully adult yet, and a man who can do no more than grin foolishly at one with a weapon. Oh yeah, we'd take her out in two minutes, flat." Rolling her eyes, she turned and stared walking away. A waste of time, and an early morning. This human was lucky that she didn't gore him right now. As she hit the treeline, his voice carried to her ears, surprising for the distance she had moved.
"What if all is not as your eye sees it?" Once more with the cryptic stuff. She turned with an exasperated sigh, which swiftly turned into a gasp as she witnessed his transformation. Wings erupted from his back, as did a tail from his pants. The copper of his hair drained, like cheap dyed fabric in the rain, down over his face, and spreading across his skin, leaving his hair white and his skin orange. Scaled patterns started to show up on his skin, and his flesh gained a hardened, metallic shine. His hair, now white, grew long and hardened together, forming spiky horns atop the crest of his head, and his upper jawline. His eyes swirled and lost their icy blue coloring, turning completely gold with the black cat-slit pupils. His nails grew long and black, and his face elongated into a razor- sharp tooth filled snout. His grew in size and girth, and his neck stretched out. His clothes had long since disappeared, and the ground trembled as he fell forward gracefully onto all fours.
He turned his head and stared at her expectantly, his fangs slightly bared in what Nak could only imagine was a mockery of a smirk. She could only ask the one question that entered her mind. "Who are you?" She was rooted to the spot, unable to move her feet. She wasn't afraid, simply suspicious. Very, very suspicious. The copper dragon blinked a few times, before answering. "I am Antares." He continued his intense stare for a few more seconds. "I know who you are, just not your name. If you'd be so kind.." Nak waited for a few moments, weighing her options, and what had just happened within that last five minutes. Figuring she had nothing else to do, she introduced herself formally. "Nakluga de-Madrik, of Nethosak." She executed a militarian bow, before returning to her original stance, with her arms crossed over her chest, muscles cording from the tension as she stared at the dragon's needle-like teeth, which were almost imperceptibly overlapping his bottom...lip. Well, the dragon's version of a bottom lip, at least.
"Well? You're a smart beast, I suspect you already know what is intended." His voice was no longer the light tone of a human, but the deep rumble of his true form. He half expected Nak to shake her horned head and walk away, what with the offer on the table being so risk-filled. He was greatly relieved when she inclined her head a bit. Not exactly a yes, but at least it wasn't a resounding 'no'. The dragon, large enough to fill a full quarter of the clearing, took two steps and was close enough to the minotaur to touch her with his nose. He didn't of course, so as not to terrify her. She may have been a warrior, of a long line of warriors, but inside, she was still just a kid.
Nak's mind whirled, not even noticing the dragon come nearer. A dragon rider? Her? There had been many stories during the wars that elves and humans rode the backs of dragons and flew them into battle, but never once had she heard of a minotaur. If she did this, and word got back to Nethosak, then she may be accepted back into the society, and then some. But, as the thoughts of honor and glory flashed through her mind's eye, that typical question of risk broke through. She could very well die. Not even during a battle, perhaps simply from a strong wind? There were so many things to consider, but her youthful exuberance and thirst for adventure overpowered her wiser, more safety-conscious side almost immediately.
"I'll do it." Her voice was soft, her eyes downcast, as the words startled the both of them. "You will?" Antares asked, leaning in close, studying her. She looked up, her eyes wide and shining with excitement. Her fists clenched and unclenched. The young dragon, though quite large in size, shared the minotaur's surge of adrenaline and excitement.
***
Author's Note: Okay, not quite as long (possibly, didn't check) as the other chapters, but I just wanted to get it up and going before too long. I hate not updated for more than a few days. Anyways, yeah, there you have it. Oh, and the reason for having Antares so happy and friendly and such, because if he'd been rude and arrogant, do you think someone like Nak would have even agreed to come to see him? I dunno, think for yourselves, people! Heh heh..next chapters comes up soon......as does Antares' true dragon persona *wicked cackle* oh..........REVIEW!!!!!eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!*runs around in circles, barefoot waving arms wildly*