Chapter Eleven: Malbrii
The days first rays of sunshine were just starting to break through the canopy of leaves when Shyvana awoke to something touching her shoulder. She opened her eyes wide and jumped up teeth bared hissing. Garett had been trying to wake the sleeping dragoness and jumped back when she bared her teeth at him.
"Whoa, easy miss I didn't mean to startle you we are going to be moving out soon" Garett said holding his hands up in front of him.
Shyvana shook her head her eyes returning to normal and snorted. She looked around It was early morning and the camp was just coming to life.
"I apologize, I'm not used to people waking me up" Shyvana said looking at Garett offering him a small smile.
Garett nodded and smiled and set about packing up the camp and waking up the other soldiers. Shyvana watched as the young man woke up Dagonett flinching as the older man slapped him on the back and sent him tumbling forward. She could hear Dagonett laughing and she smiled. She decided that she liked the lieutenant he was friendly and he wasn't afraid of her which was refreshing. Dagonett got up and stretched cracking his back and made his way over to Shyvana.
"G'morning lass, sleep well" Dagonett asked winking at Shyvana.
"Good morning lieutenant" Shyvana said nodding at Dagonett smiling.
"Call me Dag lass, only stiffs call me lieutenant" he laughed folding his arms across his chest.
"Good morning lieutenant, Shyvana" Jarvan said approaching the group rolling his shoulders.
Shyvana and Dagonett looked at each other and started laughing much to Jarvan's confusion. Jarvan scratched the back of his head ruffling his long hair and sighed.
"What is so funny" Jarvan asked crossing his arms and raising his eyebrow.
Shyvana giggled into her hands then exhaled shaking her head "Nothing, we were just chatting"
Jarvan rolled his eyes and cleared his throat as the rest of his companions joined the group.
"Shyvana you have already met Dagonett, this is Connors, Hart and Garett" Jarvan said gesturing to each of his companions.
"Pleasure" Shyvana said nodding her head.
Hart snorted and rolled his eyes. "Okay now that we are done meeting the dragon lady can we get moving already sir, I'm tired of these damn woods" he said looking at Jarvan grimacing.
"Her name is Shyvana, Hart please call her by it" Jarvan said setting his jaw looking down his nose at his companion.
"Apologies sir, miss" he said bowing his head in mock respect.
Jarvan clenched his fists and ignored the comment "Alright I have offered Shyvana our aid we will help her avenge her father's death. Then I believe it's time we head home brothers".
"You are not serious sir, why would we help her she's just a bloody dragon she's not even human" Hart clenched his fists growling staring daggers at Shyvana. He mumbled something under his breath and stormed away from the group shaking his head with disgust.
Jarvan turned to follow him anger playing across his face but Shyvana placed her hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
"It's alright, I'm used to people acting hostile around me. I am half dragon after all" she said trying to sound positive but Jarvan could see the pain lingering in her eyes.
"Let's pack up and head out the sooner we kill this bastard the sooner we can head home" Jarvan said watching Hart storm about the camp packing up his belongings.
The rest of the morning was spent in silence Jarvan's men packing up their remaining supplies while Shyvana lingered around the edge of the camp. She quickly gathered up what little belongings she had from her father's lair and waited for Jarvan and his men to finish.
Perhaps I should just slip away, save these men the trouble of helping me. I'm not meant to be around humans I could snap I could hurt someone I'm just a monster I'm meant to be alone Shyvana thought looking down at her hands watching as scales crept up her hands and talons sprung from her fingertips as her anger started to rise. She looked at the group of men and shook her head picking up her bag and turning to leave.
"Miss Shyvana, we are leaving now" Garett said walking up to Shyvana smiling.
She nodded and started following Garett back to the group her head down frowning. As she approached Jarvan looked at Garett and cocked and eyebrow flicking his head in her direction. Garett shrugged and moved to the front of the group. Shyvana lingered away from the group standing far enough away from them to not impose but close enough that she could follow them easily.
"Alright lad any idea where the dragon went" Dagonett asked Garett as he heaved his great sword on to his back.
"While you were sleeping this morning lieutenant I scouted the area the blood trails lead north it appears the beast is headed to the iron spike mountains to recover" Garett said gesturing to the mountains in the distance with a flick of his head.
"Shyvana, you were here when it left any idea where the dragon might have gone" Jarvan asked turning towards Shyvana.
Shyvana shuddered "after he mortally wounded my father he stopped and spoke to us content to watch us die he flew north when he thought we were dead. He is severally injured himself so his trail of blood should be fairly easy to pick up".
Jarvan nodded and turned to Garett "Lead the way".
The group headed north towards the iron spike mountains that loomed in the distance. Most of the morning spent in silence Shyvana was hanging back Dagonett in front of her. Jarvan and Garett were in the front of the group discussing possible locations the dragon could be hiding out stopping occasionally, to inspect talon markings or smashed tree limbs.
"Shyvana come look at this" Jarvan said waving his hand at her motioning for her to come forward.
Shyvana moved through the group, Hart glaring at her and giving her a wide berth. She stopped beside Jarvan and looked to where Garett was kneeling. In front of Garett was a pool of black sticky liquid and several long grooves slashed into a nearby rock formation. Shyvana dropped down beside Garett and dipped her finger into the liquid. It was cold to the touch and had the viscosity of tar. Shyvana pulled her finger out of the pool and watched as it dripping slowly onto the ground. She sniffed the air relying on her draconian lineage to pick up the scent of her prey. Her eyes took on reptilian slits and they blazed a soft purple in the afternoon light. She got up and moved to the grooves made in the rock and slide her hand along the smooth surface. Each was about three feet long and several inches wide. Something black and glossy caught her attention and she moved towards the bottom of the groove markings. Laying In the grass was a small diamond shaped dragon scale dark as ebony shining maliciously in her open palm. Nevonaar Shyvana hissed and clenched her fist.
Jarvan watched her curiously as she moved about the area inspecting the liquid and moving to the grooves running her small hands inside the large markings. Shyvana rose and turned to the group her purple eyes blazing with hatred. Garett took a step back from Shyvana clearly uncomfortable with her predatory appearance. Shyvana shook her head and blinked away the slits her eyes returning to purple orbs.
"Its dragons blood, several days old, and the markings are grooves from his talons. I found this in the grass it belongs to him" she said tossing Jarvan the ebony dragon scale.
"How can you tell all that miss by just simply observing" Garett asked getting to his feet brushing himself off.
Shyvana turned to him and smiled "I know dragons blood when I see it helps that I too have it. It's not like humans blood it's not traditionally red like one might think. Actually Every species is different, and it does not clot the same as human blood. The dragon scale I would recognize anywhere that bastard has been terrorizing my family for a hundred years."
"Did you say a hundred years miss" Connors said moving beside Jarvan looking at the dragon scale in his outstretched palm.
"Well a hundred and twenty-three give or take, what? Why is everyone looking at me so strangely?" Shyvana cocked her head to the side confused.
The men just stood and stared at her blinking before Dagonett laughed out loud.
"Lord lass that's a funny one. If you are 123 I don't want to know how old I am" Dagonett said smirking.
"I'm not joking Dag I am 123 years old, I am a half dragon remember my father was thousands of years old so my lifespan is far greater than a normal human." Shyvana said crossing her arms raising an eyebrow.
Jarvan just looked at her blinking stupidly "Looking pretty damn good for your age". Oh, lord did I say that out loud he thought turning his head and coughing into his hand.
Shyvana laughed the sound rich and smoky and shook her long purple hair smiling at Jarvan her eyes twinkling in the sunlight.
"Thank you" she said a light blush coloring her pale cheeks.
Dagonett and Connors started laughing at Jarvan. Jarvan cleared his throat and shook his head starting to walk in the direction they were headed before they stopped. Hart snorted and looked at Shyvana scowling before he turned and followed his captain. Shyvana wrapped her arms around herself and sighed moving beside Garett.
"Are they always like this" she asked pointing at Dagonett and Connors trying to catch up to their captain giving him a hard time.
"Usually, but Jarvan normally doesn't get embarrassed easily. Although now I'd say that's a different story. Come on let's catch up to them" Garett said looking at Shyvana smiling his long blonde hair bouncing as he jogged to catch up to his companions.
Shyvana smiled and wrapped Jarvan's cloak around herself tighter "coming".