Fine. I'll suffer for your bloody entertainment you jerks.

Also, it's not a matter of inspiration for those who mistook my words. I just don't wanna to write scenes that aren't gonna change much from what happens in the show BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DAMN BORING TO WRITE!

Good transcripts fix the issue to an extent, though.

That's why this chapter takes as little from the actual episode as possible.

Enjoy.

xxXxx

Ichneumons, the only creatures in the world that actively prey on dragons...

And one of the only ones that can.

"And this is one of them?" Asked Keyleth in confusion as she stared at a tiny silver furred mongoose like creature in Nate's hands.

"I got a low roll and a baby came out, okay?" Replied Nate crossing his arms as the ichneumon climbed onto his shoulder. "How was it with the council guys?"

"Great great-" said Scanlan boldly before Vex cut him off.

"They completely ignored us." She deadpanned.

"Not surprised." Deadpanned Nate in return. "Did you at least find out who's working with the dragon?"

"It's Fince." Replied Vex with a deep frown.

"I still think it's Allura." Added Scanlan cheerfully.

Nate stared at Scanlan and Vex silently for an uncomfortable amount of time before finally asking an important question.

"Who's Fince and who's Allura again?" He asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, I didn't catch anybody's name." Added Grog boldly.

The rest of Vox Machina sighed before Vex cleared up the issue.

"*Sigh* Fince is the creepy one suggesting to give the dragon a peace offering." Said Vex narrowing her eyes. "Here's what we'll do: Vax and Pike go to Gilmore's. Buy us a weapon that can kill a dragon."

"Uh, with what?" Asked Vax placing an arm over Vex's shoulder. "We're flat fucking broke."

"Please, with the way that man dotes on you I'm sure you can work something out." Replied Vex with a sly smile. "Nate, open your map and look for the, as your map calls it, evil lizard again. Give us a signal if it gets close to Tal'dorei."

"What's the signal." Asked Nate tilting his head curiously.

Vex just shrugged, causing Nate to glare at her as she turned to the rest of the group.

"The rest of us will split up and search for Fince." Said Vex calmly. "If you find him, don't let him out of your sight."

"Wait, are you suggesting that we leave Nate, A KID! all alone in Tal'dorei?" Asked Percy angrily.

"Hey! I'm sixteen!" Exclaimed Nate angrily..

"Hmm." Vex pondered for a second. "You're right. Percy, keep Nate safe."

Nate grumbled as Scanlan tried to argue with Vex about the plan before they left Nate and Percy alone in front of the castle.

"I don't need protection. I can make sinkholes for goodness sake." Grumbled Nate as he opened his map.

"I understand, but we're currently up against a dragon, which reminds me." Said Percy before peeking into Nate's map. "Where's that damned thing?"

Nate froze as he stated at the map. He replied by pointing towards a red lizard on the map, causing Percy's eyes to widen in horror.

It was already in Tal'dorei.

"Is there a way to make it bigger?" He asked urgently.

Nate, as if using a touch screen, enlarged the map where the dragon was only increasing the dread the two felt.

The dragon was right behind them.

"Hello there."

Percy and Nate went stiff as bricks. Percy quickly pinched Nate as if telling him to stay quiet.

"Oh, greetings..." Said Percy forcing a smile and turning around to see a plump blonde. "General Kreig."

"You two are from that Vox Machina, aren't ya?" Asked Kreig cheerfully. "I was wondering how your group did escape that dragon. Ya never did tell."

"It's, uhh, secret." Said Percy forcing a smile and making sure to not to glance at Nate. "Why are you asking?"

"I just thought it be good to prevent lives lost to that beast. Wouldn't you think so?"

"Indeed." Replied Percy with a nervous chuckle.

"No need to be so stiff. Say, how about we talk about that secret over a drink?" Asked Kreig cheerfully as he put his hand on Percy's shoulder.

"I must decline." Said Percy immediately. "We're still on-"

Percy couldn't finish before he noticed a small silver furred mongoose on his shoulder one second before it bit General Kreig.

"AAGH!" Kreig cried in pain before turning to the culprit of his pain.

He looked shocked and that shock quickly turned into anger as he realized WHAT the creature.

"Say, where did you find that little...puppy." Said Kreig smiling like he was about to kill them causing to atmosphere to go tense.

Percy was confused and afraid. Why was Kreig so angry at this thing? It took him a few seconds to remember that the mongoose was from a species that hunted dragons.

"Uhh, we found it during our adventures." Said Percy awkwardly. "We thought it was cute."

Kreig seemed to calm down believing that Percy didn't know what an ichneumon was. He laughed cheerfully causing the tense atmosphere to disappear.

"Ahh, sorry. I must've mistook the critter for something else." Said Kreig with a smile. "Now, about that chat and drink-"

"Oh, we must declin-"

"This is not a request it's an order."

Percy, realizing they hit a dead end, nudged Nate lightly as he replied to Kreig. Nate understood the gesture and put a hand in his pocket.

"Well, then I guess we have no reason to refuse... because we can't." Said Percy with a forced smile. "Shall we go?"

Kreig chuckled. "Follow me. I'll lead ya to my humble abode."

Percy and Nate gulped in union as they followed the dragon to its den with the only hope in their minds was three small creatures escaping the scene.

xxXxx

Vex and Keyleth were currently looking for Fince all around Tal'dorei.

"Not here either. Where could he be?" Asked Keyleth dejectedly.

"I don't know, but keep looking." Replied Vex with a frown as she looked around the streets.

As she looked around, her eyes fell on Grog and Scanlan who were supposed to be looking for Fince, but were clearly not.

"What are those two doing?" Asked Vex angrily causing Keyleth to look over.

"Oh, Grog and Scanlan!" Said Keyleth with a smile before Vex hushed her.

"Shh, I need to listen." Said Vex glaring at Scanlan as she listened in on his and Grog's conversation.

You know where that creepy little taint-raisin would be? The brоthеl. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we can investigate there for hours if we need to."

Vex was ready to fire an arrow into the gnome's face at any moment.

"Yeah. But, won't Vex be kind of pissed if we ain't doing what she said to?" Asked Grog causing Vex to reconsider attacking.

"I don't give a wet fart what she thinks." Said Scanlan reigniting the fire within Vex. "Clearly, I'm the brains of the operation."

"Really? Cause she told me you have dick for brains, which doesn't seem possible." Said Grog innocently.

"You know what, screw Vex and her stupid feather head. I'm going to the brоthе-"

Vex was about to jump at Scanlan and reprimand him. But before she could do any of that, Fince appeared.

Scanlan and Grog followed the creepy guy as Vex and Keyleth followed them.

But at some point, they stopped. They saw two miniature versions of Nate holding a dice standing in the middle of the street.

"Woah, are those tiny Nates?" Asked Scanlan in confusion.

"What're they doing here?" Asked Grog curiously.

"It's a signal, he and Percy found something." Said Vex from behind Scanlan and Grog scaring Scanlan.

"AHH! Since when have you been here?" Asked Scanlan in shock and worry.

Vex rolled her eyes before turning to the two tiny Nates who turned to her as well.

"Kreig, house, dragon, danger." The two tiny Nates chanted in union over and over.

Vex stared at the two tiny Nates in shock.

"Shit! It wasn't Fince, it was Kreig!" Exclaimed Vex. "We need to find Vax and Pike and-"

"Already here." Said a familiar voice.

Vex turned to the source of the voice to see her twin holding a tiny Nate chanting the same four words the other two were.

"Kreig, house, drAGON, DANGER."

xxXxx

Tell me how I did. Leave a review.

Toodles.