Chapter 6:
As night slowly fell across the plains of Skyrim, Kian continued to walk through the low swaths of short brush and the many little creaks that crossed the ground like open veins. The Dovakiin felt no weariness as he walked on, legs and body used to traveling great stretches in short time. Though he knew he would need a place to rest for the night. The ground could be a treacherous enemy if one walked alone in the dark.
Across the adventurer's shoulders, Scarn slithered back and forth, switching sides to keep track of all they passed by and causing the Dragonborn's strides to falter from the balancing act.
"Scarn, would you please keep still?" The admonishment was meant to be scathing, but was followed by joyful guffaws of laughter.
Kian could never seem to put true malice into his voice when addressing the dragon, as if everything Scarn did, no matter how infuriating, tickled the Imperial to his core. Some time ago, the small dragon had become weary from stumbling across the rocky ground and called out to Kian in a whining voice that almost reminded the man of a wailing babe. Though it did make sense, Scarn was barely over two days old, and already Kian was asking he walk the length of Skyrim's coast. So, the Dragonborn had taken Scarn into his arms and allowed the dragon to make his shoulders a perch.
Sunset was a time that the man felt truly exemplified the northern country's beauty. Graceful oranges and reds kissed the boundary between earth and sky, and the harsh shadows cast by the specific light shrouded the land in a blanket of quiet mystery. There was a reason Kian stayed in Skyrim other than his Dragonborn nature; he felt at peace in this land above all others. As if here was a place he could make life his own, apart from who he was born to be or what others thought. A true land of opportunity that Kian had sought with desperate hope. It was what had started his travels in the first place.
Kian thought little about his time before Skyrim these days, and in fact, preferred to never mention them again; but at times he was grateful for it, because without those trials he never would have been pushed into this beautiful country in the first place. Never would have met so many people, seen so many places, done so many great things…
He cast a glance towards the dragon on his shoulders. Even this he could not regret. Wordlessly, Kian reached a hand to scratch the back of Scarn's head. The dragon rumbled a purr in enjoyment at the surprise affection.
"I suppose we should look to settle down, aye friend?"
Scarn's only reply was a drawn-out yawn that stretched the dragon's mouth to full capacity.
"Alright, to the tree line!" Making a sharp turn, the duo headed into the large, squat trees that dotted the landscape.
Eventually, the thick branches closed around each other into a tangle that made for a nice canopy with plenty of shelter above their heads.
"We can make a nice camp here, just in case the snow decides to creep up on us."
After setting Scarn down to scout the area, Kian set about grabbing the sleeping roll from his bag and making a little cozy spot against a tangle of tree roots. The air was slowly turning crisp, and a cold gust forced its way through the tree cover sending a wave of shivers through Kian's body. Tonight, he would be sleeping in full garb, that's for sure.
"Come, Scarn. The sooner we bunk down, the sooner we can get to Ivarstead."
They weren't far off at this point, only a few more miles and across the river and they would be at the small mountain based village. At last, maybe Kian could get some real answers.
"Scarn?" The Dovakiin called when he realized the dragon had not returned. "Scarn?" Kian stepped out into the forest, trying to pick out the beast's dark skin against the deep shadows.
I don't suppose he could be doing his business… But something wasn't sitting quite right with the adventurer, an odd chill not caused by the wind made its way up his arm.
Out of the gloom, he at last caught sight of Scarn. He was crouched on an old stump, gaze locked intently with the darkness looming from between the trees.
"Scarn? What- "
Kian took note of the dragon's stance. His body was poised and rigid, back arched and chest pressed close to the ground, like a cat on the hunt. His neck was held in a way that retracted the head close to his body in a manner much like a snake about to strike, and the dragon was growling, low and rumbling through the still air, eyes still looking intently into the night.
Kian's own gaze raised to follow, and in that moment, was meant with the burning light of twin ember colored gems. All was still but for a moment.
In the instant the tension was broken, Kian swept Scarn into his arms as the Sabercat lunged from the shadows and flew over the pair as man and dragon rolled across the leaf strewn ground. Kian dropped Scarn from his grasp as he pulled an iron sword from the scabbard at his waist.
"Stay there!" He commanded as a precise swipe was levied at the feline.
The blade bit into the cat's shoulder while it was still recovering from its landing, at the animal howled in pain as a clawed paw shot towards the Dragonborn. Kian dodged with practiced speed and used his roll to gain distance from the enemy. It was a technique he had utilized against many larger foe, dragons and trolls especially. Keep your distance until an opportunity presents itself, then strike.
The cat growled with rage, and stalked in a circle around the edge of the clearing, copying Kian's stride as they followed each other in an odd dance. A sudden burst of movement from behind the Sabercat caught Kian's eye, and the cat followed suit as a dark blur shot from the trees and buried itself into the feline's back.
The Sabercat exploded into a rage, tossing and twisting like a wild horse as it fought to get Scarn off its back. The little dragon had dug in hard with tooth and claw and was refusing to let go, despite the fact he was being rapidly tossed back and forth.
"No!" Kian shouted as he slammed the hilt of his sword onto the cat's forehead.
The beast stumbled as it tried to shake the sudden dizziness it had received, and in the moment of confusion, Kian grabbed Scarn and tucked him close to his chest.
"I thought I said to stay put, you scale brained lizard!" he shouted at the newborn. Scarn was still looking at the cat, while snarling and snapping back at their enemy.
In his moment of distraction, Kian suddenly found himself swept off his feet and tumbling head over heels down the slopped ground, coming to a stop only once he had slammed back first into a tree. Shaking the black spots from his vision, the Dragonborn saw the cat looming before them with a paw raised to strike. Kian raced to think of something to fight with, but his sword had been tossed from his hand, and any spells the man did know now escaped his foggy mind.
But before razor claws could dig into his skin, the feline shrieked again, and stumbled away from its vulnerable prey. His vision now clear, Kian saw the shaft of an arrow sticking from the cat's pelt. Two more flew in quick succession from the bushes, burying themselves deep alongside their brother. The force of the blows sent the animal reeling towards a gathering of bushes at the hill's bottom. A flash of moon light caught the razor edge of an axe as a figure raised it high for a blow.
"Die, beast!" And the man wedged the axe between the cat's eyes. With a spurt of blood the Sabercat fell dead on the forest floor.
Kian lifted himself upright as his saviors stepped closer to where he lay prone on the ground. A strong hand wrapped around his arm and helped him to stand, while the other figure helped to balance the wounded warrior.
"Don't need any help, aye, Kian?" A gruff voice asked with humor.
"R-Ralof?" Kian's eyes went wide in disbelief. Oh no.
Lydia smirked from his left. "It sure is lucky we- By the seven, what is that?"
Oh no.
Her sudden scream gave Ralof a start, but when he saw what she was pointing at, the Nord lurched away with his axe once again at the ready, pulling Kian with him. Lydia had notched an arrow in her bow once again and looked to be taking aim, when Kian at last gathered his strength and stumbled towards her.
"No! Stop!" The Dragonborn lashed out and nocked the bow from Lydia's grip as he staggered past to grab Scarn off the ground.
The little dragon curled deep into Kian's chest and whimpered slightly, former aggression washed away at the rough impact.
"Kian, what… What is that?" Lydia asked cautiously, eyes wide and nervous for her friend but unwilling to step any closer.
Kian didn't respond, and kept his gaze locked on Scarn, watching the small ball of scales silently while searching fruitlessly for some way to fix this.
"Kian." Ralof stated with a warning tone, a clear sign that they were growing impatient and waiting answers.
Taking a moment to gather himself, Kian cleared his throat and turned toward his friends.
"This may look bad, but-"
"May? Kian, if that's what I think it is, I worry there may be more wrong with you than I expected!" Lydia exclaimed with disbelief.
"Look, if you will just let me explain, I'm sure I can make sense of all this!"
"I hope for everyone's sake you can." Ralof spoke with a quiet voice, eyes still trained on the now sleeping dragon.
Sometime later, all three were settled around a crackling fire in the camp Kian had set up. Both Ralof and Lydia sat on their own bed rolls while Kian was resting next to the fire, Scarn curled in his lap. The Dragonborn was stroking the small dragon, resolutely refusing to meet his friend's eyes as he recounted how he found the dragon nest and the eggs. How Scarn had hatched before him, and he had been too much of a coward to kill it. How he had hidden the creature from his friends and was planning on keeping it alive. When he finished, the forest was filled with silence aside from the flame's sparks snapping along the wood.
"Well, this is… unexpected." Ralof broke the silence with something that was meant to sound light hearted, but instead came out unsure and nervous.
Lydia said nothing, eyes locked with the fire without expression. Silence pressed in again, and Kian continued to trace meaningless patterns into the scales on the small dragon.
"I can't believe you." Lydia spoke with a quiet and controlled tone. Scarn flinched, knowing that lack of emotion was often much scarier than any amount of yelling or screaming.
"I'm a disgrace to my name." Kian murmured with a broken voice, a lump forming in his throat.
Ralof's face moved quickly from surprise to concern. Odd as this situation was, calling Kian a disgrace still didn't feel right.
"You think I care about that, you idiot?" Both men looked up in surprise. "What this means to your 'Dragonborn' stature is the last thing on my mind!" Lydia's voice rose to a shout, and she stood towering over the man and his dragon.
"You kept something this huge from everyone and thought you could handle it yourself? This is exactly what I was talking about earlier! You are developing serious trust issues, and something like this is only proof that someday it will prove deadly, not just for you, but for others as well!"
Scarn looked somewhat confused at her claims, but Lydia could rarely be stopped when she was on a rant.
"You thought you could raise a dragon, a dragon, Kian, by yourself? Where were you going to keep it? How would you feed it? What would you do if someone found it? I know you, Kian, when you grow attached to something, it's near impossible for you to let go. Not to mention, if this thing grows into an uncontrollable beast, how will you kill it if it turns against us?"
Kian hid his gaze in shame again. These were questions he had asked himself one too many times, but he had always pushed them off as something he'd deal with later. And now he was paying for it.
"Lydia, please, calm yourself." Ralof interjected.
"Calm myself? Why in all the realms should I do that?"
"Because it's obvious that Kian's in a very confusing place right now!"
"That does not excuse him for thinking so recklessly and endangering himself with one of those monsters!"
"Scarn isn't a monster!" Kian had been silent til now, a protective instinct rising to the surface at Lydia's claim.
"So you've named it now, perfect." Lydia bit back sarcastically.
"He isn't, I swear! He's been nothing but obedient since I found him!"
"Two days ago, Kian! That's not enough time to know the mind of a rat, much less a dragon!"
"Enough, both of you!" Ralof rose to his feet now, tossing the stick he had been fiddling with into the fire, causing a large pop from the flames to accent his shout. "This yelling will not change what is done, we have to consider what we do now."
"I'm heading to High Hrothgar; I had planned on asking the Greybeards about this in the first place."
Lydia continued to look skeptical.
"They know more about the dragons than anyone, surely I can find answers with them. Perhaps they would be more understanding." Kian couldn't stop the malice of his words even if he wanted to. To say he was hurt was an understatement.
Lydia felt a twinge of guilt, and turned back to the fire again. Ralof stood where he was, looking from one to the other.
"Well, we had all best get some sleep then if we wish to finish the trek tomorrow."
Kian jolted and looked up at the blonde Nord for the first time that night.
"Wait, what?"
"I can't say I'm comfortable with your decision, Kian. Nor have I completely grasped that you have a real dragon hatchling, but I am nothing if not loyal. And you proved back in Helgen and many times after that you are a man worth trusting, even if I don't truly understand. Besides, I myself have become curious about this dragon breeding, and if the situation is as dire as it seems, perhaps the Stormcloaks could be convinced to put their hatred aside for a time to help rid Skyrim of dragons once again."
A light returned to Kian's eyes, and the adventurer smiled gratefully at his longtime friend.
Lydia remained quiet, wordlessly turning over onto her bed roll for sleep. Ralof shook his head slowly, and Kian looked disheartened once more.
"Get some sleep, Kian, I'll take first watch. And don't argue; it's clear you don't get enough already."
Not willing to put up a fight, the Dragonborn nodded wearily and settled both himself and Scarn into the warm furs of the bed roll. For a time, Kian merely watched the young dragon sleep. Studying the rise and fall of his body with each breath, and how his exhales rustled the bedding around Scarn's mussel. As he watched the dragon sleep, Kian felt his conviction harden.
"Lydia." He whispered to not disturb Ralof at the clearings edge. 'I'm sorry I lied to you, and I'm sorry you worried so much. But even if this means I lose the right to call myself a Dragonborn, I don't regret my decision. Scarn doesn't deserve to die, and I mean to keep him alive. There's nothing that can be done to stop me."
Without knowing if his housecarl had heard him, Kian relaxed into a restless sleep.
Kian woke to a sharp poke in his side. Grumbling in discontent, the Dragonborn rolled onto his stomach and pulled the fur blankets over his head.
"And here I thought you wanted to reach High Hrothgar today."
The sound of Lydia's voice jolted Kian to full awareness and he turned back to find the armored woman standing over him with her traveling pack slung over her shoulders.
"Well? The sun's already up and we're losing precious daylight as is with your lagging about." She walked over to Ralof and gave him a sharp kick to the side as well, jolting the Nord from sleep. "C'mon, up you both. Get your stuff together!"
Ralof, and Kian exchanged confused looks, before rising to clean up camp and get on the road once again. Once the furs had been rolled up, the fire pit smothered and breakfast eaten, the party of three, plus one dragon, were off through the wilderness again.
The snow had come during the night, though it was still light for this early into winter, leaving only scattered drifts still standing under the sun's glare. Scarn could not have been more entranced by it. The dragon leapt from pile to pile of the odd white powder, squeaking with excitement as he kicked and tossed it about. The sight brought a welcomed smile to Kian's face, thought Ralof looked rather concerned and confused at the surreal sight of a dragon frolicking in the snow.
The group continued onward, Ralof walking ahead and watching for more possible danger with Lydia bringing up the rear guard. A pile of snow burst into a shower of white and the black dragon flung itself into the air with a joyous shriek, to which Ralof replied with a rather apt impression of a cat being stepped on. Kian burst into laughter as the Nord's face grew red. The blond man instead hurried on quicker down the road to escape both embarrassment and the hatchling that seemed entranced by the new face and eager to play.
Kian paused and watched Scarn scramble after the Nord and felt another odd flash of warmth in his gut, something he felt several times before looking at this dragon. Whatever this emotion was, he lacked the words to name it in his own tongue. Lost in himself as he was, Kian barely registered the sound of Lydia's boots crunching to a stop in the snow next to him.
"I still think you're in over your head," she began in the usual admonishing tone Kian was used to. "But… what is a friend for if not to pull you above water when you are so clearly drowning?" She ended with a look of endearment directed at the Imperial.
With a grunt as she shifted her traveling pack into a better spot on her shoulders, Lydia followed Ralof and Scarn's foot prints farther into the wilderness. Kian continued to watch on for a few moments more, studying the silhouettes of his companions as the rising sun lit the snow and trees aflame once again. Another indescribable feeling welled up within the Dragonborn, and the black-haired man felt change looming on the horizon. Whether good or bad, remained to be seen.