Chapter 23: Yirt

Shyvana smiled devilishly at Jarvan's confusion and wide eyes. He had stopped walking and was staring at her eyes unblinking, before he broke out in a sheepish smile

"Very funny, Shy" he grumbled taking a half step back as the dragoness stalked toward him, her eyes alight with mischief.

Shyvana stalked towards him, trailing her long talons gently off his pauldrons as she walked around him, her voice deep and smoky as she slowly let her draconian strength surface. "Relax, prince I won't bite" she hissed standing behind him her black talons curling around his bicep as she pulled herself up on the tips of her toes to bring her mouth close to his ear "hard".

She could hear his heart slamming in his chest and his breath hitch when she whispered in his ear, her warm breath tickling his hair and she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. She let him go and spun around to face him, smiling brightly at his pink cheeks and dumbstruck appearance.

"Easy Jarvan I was only teasing you" she said between fits of laughter, her eyes tearing up as she tried to regain her composure.

Jarvan stood momentarily paralyzed as the dragoness laughed at his expense in front of him. his heart was pounding in his chest and he felt blood rush to his face. His neck was tingling where her warm breath touched a moment ago and he felt his hand reach up and rub at it of its own accord; which earned another burst of laughter from the dragoness who was absolutely beaming at him.

"Damn it all woman, don't do that" he snorted trying to regain his senses.

Shyvana pouted and he rolled his eyes turning around to follow the others who had stopped and were staring at the pair. "What are you staring at keep moving" he huffed and marched off away from the dragoness past the others his head down and his fists curled at his side.

Shyvana watched him stalk off clearly embarrassed and she smiled shaking her head her long hair falling around her shoulders. She winked at Dagonett who was smiling at her rolling his eyes, and tried to avoid eye contact with Garett who was on the verge of tears from trying to control his laughter. She snorted and rolled her eyes at the young blond man.

"Of for goodness sake Garett, get it all out before you burst already" she said walking past him as he sat on Jarvan's black stallion his face red as he bit down on an armored knuckle chuckling.

"Oh lord lass, don't encourage him. you have no idea what that twisted mind o his is capable of" Dagonett said kicking his mount into a canter to catch up with the dragoness who was following Jarvan.

"Nope to late, she told me to get it off my chest and I'm dying over here" Garett said snickering as he kicked the stallion to trot up beside the lieutenant.

Dagonett slapped his palm against his face and grunted shaking his head. "Now you gone an done it, watch yer mouth boy, unless you feel like a lance to the face"

"Nope I'm pretty sure the only one that is getting a lance to the face is miss Shyvana" Garett boomed unable to hold back any longer. He was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his face.

Shyvana turned and looked over her shoulder "Why would I get a lance to the face?" she said puzzled, giving the blond ranger a puzzled look. She looked to Dagonett whose cheeks colored at her response. She turned and looked at Jarvan who stopped only momentarily and shook his head mumbling under his breath before starting off again. His prized weapon bouncing against his pauldrons with every step. Shyvana imagined getting hit in the face with it and frowned. She looked over her shoulder again at Garett and narrowed her eyes.

Garett was laughing so hard that he could barely hold on to the reigns of his mount. "Oh god miss Shyvana the look on your face, I don't mean the actual lance I mean his di." he was abruptly cut off as Connors smacked him in the back of the head causing the ranger the slide forward and fall out of the saddle, landing in the dirt in an ungraceful heap.

Shyvana rose a brow at him and cocked her head "What do you mean his….oh" she squeaked her cheeks burning crimson as steam poured off the top of her head.

She turned and stared down at the ranger as he slowly stood up brushing himself off. He turned to come face to face with the dragoness whose eyes blazed behind her bangs as she ducked her head. Garett gulped and took a step back towards the horse reaching aimlessly behind him for the reigns. Heat was billowing off Shyvana and her hair was waving around her as purple flames shot out around her feet licking at her heels.

"Garett" she hissed and took a step forward smoke rising from her nostrils, as her skin changed from a pale porcelain into a deep violet.

The ranger turned and lunged at his horse who was stamping its hooves clearly uncomfortable with the proximity to a dangerous predator. He grabbed the saddle horn and pulled himself up quickly snapping the reigns as the dragoness shot a fire ball where he was standing only a moment ago. The large black stallion raced forward away from the dragoness as she dashed toward them, her talons glistening in the fading light.

Shyvana shook her head and calmed her breathing as her skin faded back to its pale color and her scales receded. She looked up at Dagonett and Connors who had stopped their mounts to watch her closely, she winked at them and gave them a toothy grin her violet eyes twinkling with mirth. Connors laughed and moved to rejoin Hart who was scowling at the group his grey mare stomping its foot impatiently at its master's commands.

"I think you scared the piss of o him" Dagonett laughed his green eyes sparkling as he wiped away tears.

Shyvana snorted and crossed her arms over her chest "serves him right, maybe will teach him a lesson about opening his mouth"

Dagonett stopped beside the dragoness and leaned down in the saddle to rest his large hand on her shoulder "Not likely lass" he chuckled.

Shyvana groaned and hung her head, steam billowing off her person at her embarrassment. Dagonett patted her on the top of the head "C'mon lass" he said and started trotting after Hart and Connors.

Jarvan watched as Garett came rushing ahead on his stallion a shit eating grin on his face as he looked down at his captain. Jarvan sighed and closed his eyes "Give me strength to deal with these idiots" he mumbled under his breath.

Garett stopped beside Jarvan and turned to look over his shoulder at the dragoness who was walking beside the lieutenant, she was apparently calm now, her skin returned to its natural pale glow her eyes bright and an easy smile on her face as the two chatted. Garett smiled to himself and turned to see Jarvan watching him his eyes slightly narrowed.

"What have you done now Garett" Jarvan growled, his fists curled at his sides, his icy blue eyes boring down at the blond ranger.

Garett gave a sheepish grin and shrugged his shoulders feigning innocence "Nothing Cap, I didn't say nothing that isn't true this time"

Jarvan frowned and crossed his arms "Is that so?"

Garett tapped his chin with his forefinger and smiled devilishly "Well, it might be a prediction not so much as a truth" he laughed.

Jarvan felt his face heat up again and he tried to look as menacing as possible staring his friend and subordinate down "you know I heard you right?"

Garett felt his jaw go slack and the color drain from his face, and he steered his mouth slightly away from his Captain who was scowling openly at him, thunderheads clouding his blue eyes. He smiled devilishly and ran his hand through his shaggy blond hair when Jarvan was out of arms striking distance. "I figured as much" he chuckled.

Jarvan sighed and reached his hand out towards the horse "Give me the reigns Garett"

Garett looked down at his captain confused and a little scared "Why sir"

Jarvan growled "Oh its Sir now it is. a moment ago, you were making me a brunt of a joke"

Garett snickered and kicked the horse into a canter "Well actually Cap I was teasing Shyvana, but it seemed my joke went right over her head"

Jarvan frowned and took a deep breath trying to control his temper "Thank goodness you idiot, now give me my horse before I shove this lance down your throat" he said reaching behind him to grip his lance.

Garett smiled scrunching up his face, his scars pulled taunt "No cap I don't think it's my throat you want" he laughed and snapped the reigns galloping away down the beaten path through the endless forest surrounding them.

Jarvan pulled his lance off his back and steadied it aiming for the Garett's back before dropping it and sighing rubbing a palm over his face. Jarvan jumped swinging his lance around him in a sweeping motion when something touched him on the shoulder.

Shyvana leapt out of the way as the shining steel of Jarvan's lance swept towards her and she felt herself hit the dirt and roll up springing back onto her feet. Jarvan finally seeing the dragoness and realizing he could have just decapitated her, stopped the sweeping momentum of his lance and hit the soft ground with it, creating a spray of earth.

"Lord Shyvana you scared me, I could have killed you" he stammered pulling his lance from the ground.

Shyvana snorted and rolled her eyes "Its fine Jarvan, I shouldn't have snuck up on you. Its lucky for you I'm very quick, or you'd have quite the mess" she offered him a weak smile which he returned.

"Oh, I could have always had Garett clean it up" he said a cheeky smile slipping onto his face.

Shyvana pouted and crossed her arms "Oh thanks"

Jarvan ran his hand over her arms brushing off some dirt before tilting her chin up to look into her violet eyes "I'm teasing you Shy"

Shyvana smiled and rolled her eyes at him "I know, I'm not totally unaware of human interactions and jokes"

Jarvan stepped away and ran his hand along the back of his head "not all of them right" he asked sheepishly.

Shyvana snorted and shook her head "Not all but most, now I do believe that I owe Garett a little thanks for his behavior today"

Jarvan frowned "You heard that did you"

Shyvana smiled and winked at him earning a blush "Oh darling prince, I have excellent hearing remember"

Jarvan gulped and smiled nodding his head "Give him hell Shy"

Shyvana laughed sweetly and reached behind her head removing her mother's pendant "I intend to" she took the beautiful starlight pendant and held it in her palm running her thumb over the smooth surface before handing it to Jarvan "Here hold on to this for me"

Jarvan looked quizzically at the small shining object she held out in the palm "Why what are you planning"

Shyvana inhaled deeply and smiled bearing long pearly white fangs "You'll see"

Jarvan nodded and took the pendant tying the small piece of leather around the hilt of his lance "I'll keep it safe"

Shyvana nodded "See that you do" she said turning and running off into the heavily wooded forest.

Jarvan watched in confusion as the dragoness, stalked off into forest behind the cover of thick brush. He could hear her shuffling around and the cracking of twigs and crunching of leaves before a leather garment sailed through the air towards him landing at his feet. he kneeled and picked it up examining what appeared to be Shyvana's vest. He coughed and dropped it as another garment hit him in the face, Shyvana's skirt landing beside her vest.

Jarvan cleared his throat and called out "Um Shyvana why are you throwing your clothes at me"

Shyvana smiled and rolled her eyes at him, pulling off her leather boots and threw them over the brush at the prince. "Relax I just need you to hold them for me, I don't want to ruin another set"

Jarvan picked up the dragonesses discarded clothing and stared at the brush start to shake and flatten as something massive stirred. He took a step back as a dragon burst through the brush her head sweeping around to look at the golden prince. Jarvan smiled at the dragoness and stepped up patting her warm leathery nose "It always amazes me when you transform Shy"

Shyvana pulled her maw back into a toothy smile and rutted her nose into his small hand, her massive violet eyes glowed eerily "I'm glad you think so" she hissed her voice deep and rich. She stretched her wings out careful to avoid the surrounding trees and exhaled smoke billowing from her mouth. Jarvan coughed and stepped back waving his hand in front of his face and chuckled.

"Sorry" she said moving her head upwards toward the treetops. She felt alive and powerful as her dragon blood rushed through her veins. Her muscles rippled along her wings and she dug her long talons into the ground inhaling deeply. She could smell the fauna of the forest in the distance and the overwhelming scent of humans as her travelling companions stopped and watched the dragoness in awe. She could hear the heavy breath of the horses and the wilding beating of their hearts as they began to panic. Something dark and predatory stirred in her heart as she swept her head towards the beasts, her eyes glowing her maw slightly open as a Sulphur smell swept through the forest. she felt the urge to lunge and snap at them taste their blood and she shuddered shaking her head and closing her eyes.

Jarvan stepped up beside Shyvana as she bowed her head and closed her eyes snapping her maw shut. her chest was glowing a soft purple color against her blackened scales and he reached out running his armored hand along her snout. "Shy are you, all right?"

Shyvana shot her eyes open and starred down at the prince as he caressed her snout, her reptilian slits locking with his blue eyes. She felt something deep within her stir and calm her heart, smothering the predatory instincts and her pupils returned to beautiful bright orbs. She pressed her snout into him and closed her eyes "I'm fine thank you"

Jarvan almost lost his footing as the massive dragon pushed her nose up against him, her warm leathery skin brushing against his cheek. He was confused and ran his hand over her snout one handing still holding onto her clothing the other resting on her. He looked into her bright eyes and smiled at her, there was something so alluring about them that he felt his heart beat quicken.

"Go Shy" he said stepping back from her.

Shyvana nodded and looked up into the sky and smiled, she craned her neck and looked down at the prince once more before taking off "Are you sure you wouldn't like to join me"

Jarvan shrugged his shoulders and turned calling to Dagonett "Lt, you are in charge of Shyvana's belongings, and my lance don't lose them"

Dagonett who had been watching the exchange nodded and reached down from his horse to grab the bundle of clothing, placing them in his saddle bag. He took Jarvan's lance from him and smiled as the twinkling of the starlight pendant caught his eye "What are you doing Sir"

Jarvan smiled and stepped up beside Shyvana, looking over his shoulder at Dagonett "The lady asked if I'd like to join her, id hardly be some gentleman if I left her waiting" he laughed as Shyvana lowered herself to the ground.

"Are you sure Jarvan" Shyvana said looking at him.

Jarvan was beaming at her his blue eyes sparkling "Let's go Shy"

Shyvana felt her heart flutter and she smiled again her massive pearly white teeth glistening. She lay as flat as possible as Jarvan climbed onto her back and slowly rose up stretching her muscles adjusting to the new weight on her back. "Are you ready" she laughed

Jarvan felt his nerves spike as he was raised off the ground one leg on either side of Shyvana's neck as he tried to find something to hold onto. Her back was smooth and free of talons and spikes so he felt himself slip as she started pumping her massive wings "Um Shy, second though I don't know if I can do this, what am I supposed to hold onto"

Shyvana laughed and started sprinting through the forest pumping her wings to take off "Too late, just grab onto my hair and hold on"

Jarvan leaned down and tangled his fists into the thick course hair that ran down Shyvana's neck and shoulders "Wont this hurt you" he called over the thundering of Shyvana's wings

Shyvana laughed "Don't worry I like a little hair pulling" as she picked up speed and beat her wings furiously pushing off with her powerful hind legs to burst through the tree tops.

As soon as they had cleared the treetops and were airborne Jarvan was at a loss for words. The view above the forest was breathtaking, for as far as the eye could see valoran was swallowed up by forest, sunlight trickling down like rays from the heavens to break through the canopy of leaves. The rushing of wind whipping through his hair. He smiled and laughed running his hand through Shyvana's course mane of hair "This is amazing Shy"

Shyvana smiled as they sailed above the forest "This is nothing you should fly when its dark, the stars are spectacular". She pumped her wings faster and started flying higher away from the forest into the clouds, breaking through them she roared.

Jarvan clutched onto her as she flew higher into the clouds clearly enjoying her moment of freedom "Shyvana how long can you fly for?"

Shyvana snorted "for as long as I like, when I was younger my father and I always traveled this way"

Jarvan looked down below them and felt his heart beat slam in his chest as he clamped down on her hair.

Shyvana laughed and shook her shoulders "I won't let you fall Jarvan"

Jarvan exhaled and patted her neck "I know you won't"

"Hang on" Shyvana inhaled deeply and released a torrent of vibrant purple flames around them, tucking her wings and spiraling down through the open air. she could hear Jarvan laughing and clutching onto her neck as the air whipped past them at an alarming speed. She opened her wings and instantly leveled out, enjoying herself, at the feeling of being totally free.

Jarvan smiled and tried catching his breath "That was intense, how fast can you fly?"

Shyvana did a belly roll and laughed as Jarvan clutched onto her "Would you like to see" she said pumping her wings as fast as she could be propelling them forward.

Jarvan looked down as the forest became smaller and smaller as the ascending towards the heavens. He reached up and held down his helmet as the wind threatened to knock it from his head and held on for dear life to the dragoness with the other hand. Everything seemed to blur as colors merged together below them and Jarvan could feel the deep breathing of Shyvana under him as she propelled them though the air. "Okay, okay Shyvana lets go back we can't lose the others" he called over the loud sound of whizzing air.

Shyvana slowed and inhaled deeply catching her breath as she glided through the air slowly descending back towards the ground "Don't worry Jarvan I will be able to find them easily, humans are rather easy to track"

"Is that so" Jarvan said raising an eyebrow as Shyvana swept her head around to look at him on her back

"It's the smell" she said cheekily her maw pulled back into a smile

Jarvan rolled his eyes and stretched letting go of his hold on her mane and enjoyed the rushing of air around him as Shyvana slowly sailed toward the ground. "So, you never told me, what are you planning to do with Garett?" he asked leaned down to look into her eye.

Shyvana snorted sending a billow of smoke around them "You'll see" she said devilishly

Jarvan frowned "Shyvana" he said nervously as she tucked her wings and dived towards the canopy of leaves towards an unsuspecting Garett atop his black stallion.