"Where is she?" Moordryd said as Decepshun raced towards the sounds of my terrified screams and the second my cries stopped abrudtly he froze thinking the worst. Despite being angry that I'd run off he couldn't help being worried that I was in danger and as Decepshun sped up Moordryd wondered what had attacked me. And as he finally reached the last place I had been heading for Decpshun gave a roar as she saw Quiksilva lying on his side and hurried over. When he didn't move she nudged him with her snout and he growled thinking it was an enemy until he opened his bright amber eyes and saw Decepshun standing next to him.
"Quiksilva where's Rayne?" Moordryd asked as he jumped down and Quiksilva gave a mournful cry looking towards a cave and instantly the leader of the Dragon Eyes knew why I had screamed. "The Muhorta. She walked into its den." He muttered and as Quiksilva struggled to his feet he called out to me. "Rayne! Where are you?" He yelled and getting no answer he frowned and as he walked around the area he thought he heard a slight noise. But it was so faint he wasn't sure where it was coming from and as he wandered around for the next few minutes he couldn't find the source and shrugging he started to head back to his dragon and mine before Quiksilva made a snorting noise and suddenly he moved past Decepshun sniffing around the spot where we had first been attacked. "Quiksilva? Can you find her?" Moordryd asked and as the black and silver dragon sniffed the ground, his snout almost touching the ground, he suddenly looked up. Even weak from being attacked Quiksilva still rushed to find me and Moordryd and Decepshun followed. Then Quiksilva gave a sudden roar and he rushed towards a group of rocks and when they caught up both rider and dragon found me lying semi concious on the hard ground. Gently nudging my head Quiksilva snorted trying to get me to stand and I groaned as I focused my eyes on him.
"Huh...'silva?" I mumbled and he gave a happy snort before he nuzzled my head and I managed to weakly rub his snout with one hand before my arm fell back. "Whoa...where am I?" I asked and once I saw Moordryd I gave a growl that matched my dragon's. "What...do you...want?" I muttered as I staggered to my feet and just as I took a single step I fell. To my shock Moordryd wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I gave him a glare that just made him roll his eyes at me.
"Before you get angry its your own fault for walking straight into the lair of the Muhorta. Look you can barely walk so how long do you think it'll take you to get back to our compound? Before dark and without being eaten by Hydrags?" He asked and I paled a little.
"What's a...Hydrag?" I gasped and he sighed before he told me that it was a creature that I really didn't want to run into. "Huh...like you care." I mumbled as I shook my head feeling pretty lightheaded. Knowing arguing with me was next to impossible Moordryd just kept quiet as he helped me back to Quiksilva. But as I found out Quiksilva was just as tired as me and Moordryd had to help me into the saddle and even then I almost slipped. After climbing up Moordryd looked over at me from Decepshun's back and noticing how weak I was he asked his dragon to walk alongside me. As we made our way back to the compound I almost slipped from the saddle twice more and after Moordryd nudged me and I righted myself I fought to stay upright. When we finally returned to Dragon City I was barely awake and Moordryd actually wondered how I managed to get away from the drgaon.
"You still with us?" Moordryd asked suddenly and I blinked at him. "Not really." He added as he grinned despite actually being a little worried and I rolled my eyes at him. Though I was kind of grateful that he had come looking for me and as we made our way towards the compound I actually managed a smile. As Quiksilva walked through the gate I could hear him panting and I knew he was just as exhausted as me from our way too close encounter with the Muhorta and as he reached the stables I did slip off his back this time. Thankfully Moordryd had dismounted before me and hurried over to help me up. Barely keeping my legs under me I stumbled towards the stables and as Moordryd basically carried me I sighed feeling pretty stupid that I'd almost gotten myself killed. Well maybe not quite killed but I could have been attacked by Hydrags and that would have been fatal. "Don't feel so bad. Not the first time you've done something stupid." He commented and I growled as I sat down heavily on the ground, trying in vain to give him my best death stare which failed miserably as I could barely see straight. "Just rest here for a while." He told me standing and walking away as Quiksilva joined me.
"Hey 'silva. Guess I'm pretty dumb." I muttered as he sat behind me and as I leant against his side I could hear his heart beating pretty fast. "Yeah next time I'll just ignore him." I promised as I made myself comfortable. As I did Quiksilva rested his head in my lap and I gave his snout a pat grateful that we were both alive and as I listened to his heartbeat I found myself starting to doze.
Eventually we were both sound asleep and as I started to dream I heard someone in the shadows urging me to use my gauntlet. Unable to see who it was I called out and that's when the same monsterious dragon appeared trying to bite me but instead of trying to run or shaking in fear I felt the gauntlet on my arm begin to glow and something inside me wanted to fight back. And as I let out a cry I heard someone speaking and I ignored them at first. Then I felt someone tugging on my jacket and as I began to wake I saw a set of amber eyes watching me. "Huh...Quiksilva?" I whispered as I struggled to sit up and seeing me awake Quiksilva snorted before he nudged me. Instantly I cringed and as soon as he saw the pain in my face he lifted his head and made a loud growling noise. In less than a minute I heard the sounds of running feet and as I looked towards the doorway I saw both Cain and Moordryd heading my way.
"Stay still you might be hurt." Moordryd said as he knelt beside me and gritting my teeth against the pain in my side I gave him a glare. I opened my mouth to tell him off but all that emerged was a groan as he not too gently poked my side. Cringing I tried to move away and almost fell to one side only to be grabbed around the waist and a lttle more gently moved against Quiksilva's side. "Let's see how badly you're hurt." Moordryd said as he slipped off my jacket but as he went to lift the right side of my shirt I let out a gasp and quickly moved closer to my dragon. "Now what's wrong?" He asked as I fixed him a stare.
"What are you doing?! I'm hurt and tired and you're trying to..." I trailed off as I blushed furiously and Moordryd just blinked at me. "Jerk." I muttered and that's when Cain chuckled having figured out what I was so angry about.
"Wait you think I'm trying to...for dragon's sake Rayne I'm trying to check your injuries!" Moordryd explained and even in my weakened state I managed a tired laugh as he blushed. Finally I stayed still enough for him to slightly lift the side of my shirt and that's when I saw the dark purple bruise that ran across my hip. "What did you do to yourself? I can't leave you for one minute." He muttered before he told Cain to get some bandages and as he hurried away Moordryd frowned at me.
"What...are you giving me that look for?" I muttered as I frowned back despite feeling pretty lousy. "Hmph." I mumbled wanting to go back to sleep but then I heard Cain return. When Moordryd started wrapping my waist I gasped everytime he touched my bruise and after the third time in less than a minute he stopped.
"Will you sit still?" He grumbled and I pouted as I looked towards the far wall and not him giving him the cold shoulder. But Moordryd didn't mind since I'd stopped complaining and he finally finished wrapping my side. "There now you can complain all you want." He told me and still sulking I ignored him. "Fine with me. You're a lot quieter this way."
"You're not funny." I muttered as I leant against Quiksilva's side wincing as my side ached but I chose to ignore it for now. "Pick on a lady when she's hurt and leave her behind."
"Look I didn't...no not getting into another argument with you. Besides when are you a lady?" Moordryd answered and I wanted to glare, insult him or something but I was just too tired. Seeing my eyes slowly closing he grinned and standing he decided to give me and my dragon a few hours rest. By the time he walked outside the stable I was already fast asleep with Quiksilva keeping a close eye on me.
"So any luck finding that missing gauntlet?" Cain asked once he and Moordryd were out of earshot and as soon as Moordryd frowned at him he rolled his eyes. "What are you going to tell your father?"
"Nothing right now. I'll just let him think Rayne's helping me search. Anyway she's hurt right now so she can't help find it." Moordryd said and Cain crossed his arms fixing his friend with a raised eyebrow. " What?"
"You're just saying that because you might actually care about her." Cain replied and when Moordryd couldn't think of a retort he just stormed off. "Thought so." He added as he watched his friend act so coldhearted. The truth was Moordryd had no idea why he was actually being nice to me.
"I need her help...no assistance finding that gauntlet and since she's hurt she'll only slow me down. So I let her rest and then we look for it. And that's the only reason." Moordryd muttered to himself as he walked towards his room and as he did he knew he needed to come up with a reasonable excuse to explain why they hadn't yet found what his father wanted. If only he knew that I already had both the gauntlet and the medallion together.
As I lay against Quiksilva I twitched constently in my sleep and it was all because of the Muhorta. When I had left Moordryd and Decepshun behind, trying not to let him see just how badly he'd hurt me, I had ignored that fact that I knew next to nothing about my sorroundings and not ntoicing the cave had almost cost me both my life and Quiksilva's. It was only Quiksilva stopping in time that prevented us from running inside but even then I didn't know that the vampiric dragon could still reach us and just as I went to move towards Quiksilva something grabbed him and me and I remember screaming. Then everything went dark and I woke up lying on the ground with Quiksilva, Decepshun and Moordryd looking down at me. And in my dream the Muhorta pulled me towards its jaws and I dug my fingernails into the ground trying desperately to get away. But I couldn't get a grip and just as the dragon opened its mouth the gauntlet on my arm flashed and letting out a roar of pain the Muhorta instantly let go dropping me to the ground. Letting out a cry as I hit the ground hard I saw the dragon growl and as the light faded it made another lunge for me and I screamed.
"Leave me alone!" I cried out as I sat up way too fast and almost fell, only Quiksilva who had been lying against me had prevented my head from hitting the floor. As I shook my head to clear it he nuzzled my head and gave a snort. "Yeah...I'm okay. Just a dumb dream." I told him as I reached up and rubbed his snout. "I'm just glad we're okay after...me being dumb." I sighed and he licked my face making me giggle and almost forget how close we'd come to being seriously hurt.
As I sat there patting Quiksilva's snout and attempting to forget about my nightmare I looked down at my right arm and as I did I had the strongest urge to try fitting the medallion into the gauntlet again. But then I stopped myself as I worried that someone would find out I had it and eventually I decided to wait until Quiksilva and I were alone before trying it out. Having rested I felt a bit better and as I climbed to my feet Quiksilva nudged me apparently not confinced I had healed enough to be up and walking. With a sigh I rubbed his snout and started walking towards the doorway where I could hear voices. Taking care not to trip over my own feet, which was pretty easy seeing as I was feeling a little lightheaded, I wandered closer and closer until I could just make out who was speaking.
"So how long is she going to sleep?" Moordryd asked as he stood a few feet away from the stables and taking care not to be seen I listened in. "Its just a bruise." He added and I went to growl until I realized he'd probably hear me and instead just glared.
"Then why don't you go in there and wake her up?" Cain asked and just for a moment Moordryd looked towards the stables. "Oh that's right. Because you don't want her to get mad and run away again. Or is it because you might actually...like her?" He said a little loudly and I blinked before I moved over just a little closer so I could hear Moordryd's reaction. What I wasn't planning on was the look he gave Cain, an expression that would have made a passerby think he'd stepped in something nasty. Quickly I moved back inside and as I stood there silently Quiksilva joined me and carefully nudged me. Getting no response whatsoever he looked up just as I started sniffing. Being a very smart dragon Quiksilva knew why I was so upset and with a growl he shot past me and it took me a moment to rush after him as he went after Moordryd. The leader of the Dragon Eyes didn't know what hit him as Quiksilva knocked him on his butt and was only prevented from biting by me wrapping my arms around the dragon's neck.
"No he's not worth it." I muttered fixing Moordryd with the coldest stare possible before I gently tugged my dragon back towards the stables, leaving Moordryd sitting on his backside on the ground. Shocked by my dragon's sudden attack on him Moordryd watched as I led Quiksilva back to the stables before he finally climbed to his feet, dusting himself off.
"Whoa what was that about?" Cain asked as Moordryd stood still staring at the stables before he stormed towards it and Cain rolled his eye before he hurried after him.
"What in the magna draconis do you think you're doing? You set your dragon on me?" Moordryd yelled as I stood beside Quiksilva.
"I didn't set him on you. He saw how upset I was after you..." I trailed off suddenly and turned my head as I remembered the horrified look he'd given Cain.
"What are you talking about, Rayne?" Moordryd asked but I refused to answer him. Annoyed he stepped towards me and that's when Quiksilva snapped his jaws, coming inbetween me and Moordryd who seemed pretty worried. "Call your dragon off."
"He's just angry because you insulted me." I told him as I rubbed Quiksilva's snout, silently thanking him for being there for me. Getting a raised eyebrow in response I narrowed my eyes at him. "I saw you talking to Cain...and I saw the look you gave him when he asked if you liked me." I told him my voice barely above a whisper.
"I didn't mean it like that." Moordryd said and Quiksilva growled as unconvinced as me.
"Then what did you mean? That I'm worse than something you accidently stepped in? Is that what you mean?" I shouted surprising everyone and that's right when I felt the first tears start running down my cheeks. Horrified I shoved past Moordryd and Cain with Quiksilva in hot pursiut and as I ran I started sobbing. Being faster than me Quiksilva quickly caught up and magged me onto his back before he rushed towards the gate. Holding tightly onto his neck I watched as he sped up and soon we had covered a fair distance from the compound. "Where are we going?" I sniffed as Quiksilva slowed down and as he walked I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand. "Why...did I even think...? I muttered and he gave a mournful cry as he heard me start to cry. Not sure how he could help he thought for a few seconds and that's when his tail flicked, getting a great idea. When he suddenly took off running I grabbed his neck holding on tight and trying not to fall off.