This latest chapter of 'Ignus: Dragon of the west' brought to you by 'Tales in Scales the empty Throne', a fantasy dinosaur adventure about a young raptor who is forced out of his home must go on a quest to save his mother while Avalonia, one of the three Raptor kingdoms of Cretatia is on the verge of Civil war. Available to order only online at Amazon(Preferred) or BarnesandNoble.

Now let's see what poor Ignus has to suffer first lol

Chapter 11- payment by labor

(Ignus POV)

"Maker why I am doing this again?" Ignus complains as he trots through the temple following Sisu.

"Because you have been a naughty boy who is in need of a time out," Sisu teases making Ignus growl in annoyance.

Ignus is being escorted by Sisu to a room where he is going to staying rather than shoved back into the cell. Maker if he is going to share a room with her, he would rather be back in his cell. Lucky for him, he is being taken to the guest hall where visitors stay in. They approach one stone door guarded by two guards.

One of the guards slides to the door open to reveal an Asian style room of a square space, a study area with light up candle, a big silk cushion in the middle as the bed, a bamboo closet, a dressing area, an alchemy set, a small window above a wall, and the floor is made out of wood making the room look like a dojo. It is where Ignus is going to be staying.

"That's my place for now?" Ignus points with his fore claw.

"Yesseri! Your own little paradise if you ever chose to stay around here" Sisu replies. "Do you like it?"

Ignus trots in and looks around. Not a bad place for a guest room. At least he aint sharing.

"not bad I guess."

"Goodie GOOD! Now you get some rest, tomorrow we are going to have a trip to a dragon owned live stock farm were we are going to get a cow so you could repay for that human village for the one you stole." Sisu says happily.

"And how exactly are we going to buy one if we don't the currency?" Ignus questions.

"Ill explain all that tommarrow. But for now rest up and please don't get into trouble."

With that Sisu leaves allowing the guards to close the slide door. Ignus snorts and trots to a mirror he just notices. He stares at his reflection with a grumpy face. He is questioning in his mind on how he is going to survive this mess. Then he makes a tired huff and approaches his bed. Like a dog he turns around a few times before he lays to sleep.

()

"GOOOOOOOD MORNING SLEEPY HEAD!" The voice of Sisu shouts while banging sounds roar at the door.

Ignus shoots up awake. He whips his head around with a shocked face as if he is in danger.

"WHAT THE HECK!?" he spouts.

The slider door opens allowing Sisu to waltz in filled with bumbling energy.

"Rise and shine! Today is going to be your first lesson on how not to be a Mr. grumpy mane"

Ignus gives her a growling glare before looking at the window to see it is morning by the sun's ray. Maker why time fly so fast?

He slowly gets up after all the sleeping. He makes a big yawn while stretching his limbs and his wings. He hears Sisu giggle making him shoot another glare.

"What is so funny?" he demands.

"You look so funny by the way you stretch. Espeically with that bed head of yours." Sisu points at the mirror signaling Ignus to look.

Ignus trots towards to mirror to see that his mane has got messy. Other words a bad hair day.

"Do you need some help brushing that?" Sisu offers.

"I could do this myself thank you," Ignus rudely brushes her off.

"Oooook then. I will be waiting at the entrance. Don't wonder off alright? Thanks!" Sisu zip through in a speeding light leaving Ignus dumbfounded.

He swears that she noodle has way too much energy and acts so much like a child sometimes. However, it does remind him of himself sometimes. Regardless, he opens a drawer to find a comb made out sea shell and brushes his mane.

()

It is a busy day for the water dragons of Amuedo. They fill the streets going about their day. Some are simply hanging out due to having to do. Some are curious enough to want to explore by walking out of the main gates. Among the labyrinth of buildings with curved rooftops is Ignus following Sisu around the streets.

As they walk by, nearby water dragons would give Ignus a weird stare due to how different he looks despite claiming to be a different kind of dragon.

The stares annoy Ignus to his flickering orange spines. He tries to ignore them keeping his head up focusing on following Sisu. That did not stop the water dragons from making whispers about him.

"He looks very strange," one of the young water dragons points out.

"Why in the creator's name is he naked? Did he try to shave off his fur or something?" another water dragon, a lady huffs in disgust claiming Ignus's lack of modesty by their standards.

Ignus continues to follow Sisu all the way to the main gates where they are greeted by a nice view of the ocean with a green forest valley right across. He has to admit, it is very beautiful. Lots of trees blooming different colors of leaves and lots of Kumandrian wild life he never seen before. Foxes with multiple tails. Wild colorful deer. There are even strange furry creatures that swing through the jungle vines. At the far distance he could see a wall of mountains.

"What ya think?" Sisu asks.

"I'd admit, it does look spectacular" Ignus replies still sounding serious.

"Well then, we better get going! The Tajimas don't buy themselves!"

Sisu uses her water magic to summon forth some sprinkling rain and hops on the rain drops in a form of flying.

"Do they really need rain to fly?" ignus moans at the rain dropping on his red scales and wetting his orange mane. He spreads his wings and begins to fly through after Sisu.

()

The pair fly all the way to a forest clearing where they spot a large ranch filled herds of cows. A big wooden log shack is seen built right by with a barn to it's left.

Ignus and Sisu land right at the front door of the house. SIsu knocks on the door before it opens. Emerging is a male water dragon rancher wearing a round coned straw hat. Ignus laughs at the idea of a dragon owning a farm.

"Good moring there miss, how can I help you today?" the dragon farmer asks with a mid-age voice.

"Good morning to ya too mista, we have come here to buy one of you fine Tajimas" Sisu replies.

"What the heck is a Tajima?" Ignus barks angrily.

"GEEE WIZ! YOUR FRIEND THERE IS NAKED!" the farmer freaks out and uses his hat to cover his eyes thinking hes naked. Sisu laughs while Ignus growls in annoyance.

"Whoa there farmer brown, he ain't naked. He is a completely different type of dragon," Sisu assures making the farmer take off his hat.

The farmer takes a brief awkward look at Ignus and sees how different he looks.

"Well then, Tajima is what call the breed of our cows," The farmer turns to SIsu and asks, "May I know why you seek to buy one of my cattle?"

"A long story short is that my special grumpy friend here caused some damage in a human village and took a Tajima so we need one so he could pay them back as part of his lesson."

"What sort of lesson?" the farmer questions tilting his head like an owl.

"To learn how to be good dragon" Sisu clarifies making Ignus growl once again.

This time Ignus is starting to get impatient. He just wants to get this over with. While sitting like a dog the whole time lowering his head with a bored to death expression and beating the ground with his tail. "Mother of my maker! Can we just speed up and get this over with!?"

Sisu snakes her head at his face with a frown and wiggles her finger side to side.

"Nah aw aw! You gotta be patient without shouting like that."

"Pfft, thank you for that mom" Ignus sarcastically bites back making a huff sound before turning his head and crosses his forearms.

"I gotta say miss, your friend is very rude," the farmer claims.

Sisu gets an idea by the way she perks up and gasps. She turns to the farmer and says, "That is true but, for being a sour puss I think he could work for you in this ranch and get a free cow as payment what do you say?"

"WHAT!?" Ignus shrieks in panic, "There is no way I am going to waste my time as a slave!"

"Ooooooh really? Do you even have any jades right now? Last time I checked, my brothers confiscated them" Sisu makes a point.

Ignus growls remembering that those noodles took his only currency. Maker they better not use them or else it will be stealing. Regardless, the fluff noodles in front of him are going to make him do some forced labor.

"This is not slavery first of all, this is indentured servitude for being a meanie." Sisu adds.

"The young lady is right," the farmer speaks trotting beside her. "I say you could start doing some of the chores now if you are really that much in a hurry."

The farmer shows Ignus a shovel and a big bucket. It is implying that the farmer wants him to start the chores by cleaning up the cow's number 2s. With no other choice, Ignus begrudgingly takes them both and heads off to the ranch.

()

Indentured servitude his tail. Ignus has to do the most horrendous tasks. First he had to scoop up the cow dump into the dumping area. Then he had to feed 700 of them. After feeding, he had to wash them! Even worse, he had to clean up the entire barn from top to bottom.

While working off his hide seeping the barn floor, he could see Sisu looking at him with smirk on her snout.

"Why don't you help me?" Ignus demands.

"This is you duty not mine," Sisu teases.

"Yeah Yeah" Ignus barks before getting back to cleaning.

Towards sunset, Ignus is famished. He feels like he gained some muscle and lost some weight. He lumps out of the barn only to see the farmer and Sisu waiting for him.

"What now?" Ignus moans.

"Before I give you one of my cattle, I have one more task for you," The farmer announces pointing at him.

"Might as well get it over with" Ignus quietly moans to himself before following the farmer with Sisu tagging along.

They all head to another barn but this time it is filled with cows in the stables with other farmer dragons squirting milk in pales. Ignus is confused.

"I thought dragons don't drink milk?"

"We don't. The Milk we produce from the cows are for the humans we trade with for good amount of Jades!" the farmer explains. "We dragons gotta start building the economy for our lands if you know what I mean."

"Also stay in touch with our human friends," Sisu adds making Ignus snort at the idea of 'human friends'. Those snake dragons don't know what they are in for.

"Come come!" the farmer motions the pair to follow. They all approach one stable with a cow. "Your final task is to produce at least ten buckets of milk and you may take one of my cows."

"Might as well do it," Ignus softly declares before sitting on the stool and begin milking the cow.

"My my! You done this before?" the farmer asks in surprise.

"Damm Iggy! You sure you never farmed before?" Sisu adds looking impressed.

It is not actually Ignus first time helping out in a farm. He remembers when he was a young human he visited a farm owned by his mother's side of the family. Turns out his mother is actually a commoner. In Sol, inter caste marriage is allowed. It is believed that weaker blood strengthens the noble blood making the nobility stronger in generations. It is why nobility in other parts of Eurobania live very long. There are still rules though. Offspring always inherit the higher caste and the commoner themselves even though married to nobles are not allowed to participate in politics. It is understandable.

"I actually visited a farm before. Owned by mother's side of the family" Ignus answers as he focuses on finishing up his first bucket.

"A family of dragons like yourself owning a farm? You should tell me about them and maybe we could make a partnership!" the farmer offers watching Ignus finish up another bucket.

"Uhhmmm Ill think about it," Ignus replies sounding uneasy. Sisu seems to pick it up by the way she looks at him with a raised brow.

()

It is finally done. All his hard work is finally over. Now Ignus could finally pick out a cow to take for the village he wrecked to pay them back for stealing one. However, it is nightfall. Rather than head back to Amuedo, the farmer offered them to stay in for the night in his big cabin.

In a separate farm room, Ignus sat on a cushion gazing at the stars through a window. To come and think of it, he wonders how him mother's side of the family are doing. It pains him to even think of it. He is still mistrustfull of humans. Perhaps many sentient beings in general for their selfish ways. Regardless, he needs his rest. With a mad huff, he lays down on his bed cushion and drift back to sleep.

If Ignus would be nicer, he would never have to go through all that pain XD

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