"Kira! The goop is still at large! Your help is needed!"

  I barely closed my eyes as some random weirdo starts yelling and I just want to tell him to shut up... It takes considerable effort, but I manage to look his way and I have no idea what this goop he's talking about is, but there are a bunch of mages fighting off a horde of undead. I could eat...

  As I get up, pain flares throughout my body, and I feel miserable. As a burning discomfort throbs away, I take a moment to consider what I'll do, and I think the smart thing is to thin the herd a little. Turning sideways, I ready my tail for a swipe, and as I do, the weirdo calls out for the others to duck. Soon, the impact of my tail is heard as bones and rotten flesh are launched in every which way.

  It's a little wasteful, but watching the chunks splatter is also fun. I should focus. Taking a step hurts like hell, like I've run a marathon after being a couch potato for a year... Nevertheless, these undead won't eat themselves. So stepping over the ducking mages, I get to snackin'. With the first crunchy bite, delicious flavor fills my mouth and my motivation to work through the pain grows.

  Try as you might, rascally undead, you will become snacks, for you are delicious! As I chow down on the dead, I feel a tingle of magic from the mages, and soon enough, a wall of earth rises to block the path of my fleeing treats. Those not caught by the wall are blasted by wind and water to restrict their movement.

  These mages helping me in my quest to recover some magic make me suspect that we might be allies here. And the fact that they knew my name. With every mouthful, I begin feeling better, though even thinking about using my magic inflames the throbbing pain. I'm confident that I should use as little magic as I can right now.

  There are still some stragglers, but I don't feel like chasing them down. As I turn around, a freakin' army comes rushing toward us. I can't tell what they might think of me, but I do know that assumptions can be made when a dragon stands near a bunch of ruins.

  The closer the fighters get, the easier it becomes to see that they aren't minding me at all. Their focus appears to be entirely on the undead stragglers around us. With a moment of quiet sword fighting and being in less pain, the grasp of sleepiness pulls on me again. Lying down, a yawn escapes me, but before I have a chance for a snooze, some other weirdo yells at me.

  "Kira. Your task is complete, if you wish, Cloudlon may show you the path to Esfjord!"

  Geez, that's a bad name, and all this yelling like we're friends is grating. For a moment, my instincts take hold of me, and with a step forward, I release a snarl I hadn't expected. I should get that under control. They haven't done anything that I know of to warrant ending up on the edible list.

  A small guy in a brown robe steps forward, clutching his staff. Oh freakin’ hell! I’m pretty sure some of these small people are human and they look smaller than I’m used to! If I’ve grown and it isn’t just a perspective issue, I’m gonna be upset.

  Ugh, I’ll deal with that later. For now, I’m gonna lie down and allow him to climb up so we can get moving. Unfortunately, as I rest my head on the ground near him, he shuffles to my shoulder, using his staff as a crutch. With an unnecessary amount of effort, he manages to climb up onto my arm and then my shoulder. It’s impressive that he managed to do it, but it’s also a waste of time since he’s now in the wrong place. He’s terrible at this… I’m gonna go ahead and tell him how we’ll do this before he sits down.

  “You’re gonna get crushed if you sit between my spines, just climb up between my horns if you want to reach Esfjord in one piece.”

  At least I think he might get crushed. I sometimes feel them brush up against each other, but I have no evidence of it being dangerous. At the very least, I’m not accustomed to someone sitting further down on my neck, so that’s a good enough reason for me.

  He manages to do as I instruct, even if he’s being overly cautious. I’m tough and I’m not gonna break from someone that small stepping on me… I need to find out how tall I am in Raya’s now. Since this area is quite open because of the destruction, I’m just gonna get going. As we take off, the silly-named mage holds onto my horns quite well.

  Even the magic necessary to fly feels like it’s on fire as it boils through my veins. Given that this guy was around when I came to my senses, I’m sure that he knows something. And since I need information, I’m gonna have to ask.

  “Cloudlon, I seem to have a bit of a blank spot in my memory. The last thing I remember was being called to the square in Esfjord. But I have no idea where we are now or who you guys are. To be honest, the only reason I didn't attack you was that you seemed to be defending me and you were friendly.”

  “Oh… I’m dreadfully sorry, Kira. I did not know a mage surge would affect you in such a manner.”

  Well, he’s polite, I’ll give him that. I wanna know more about this mage surge stuff, so with a quick request for elaboration, he starts explaining. The gist of it seems to just be overloading the reservoir and letting the dam burst, but he doesn’t settle for just explaining that. Instead, he launches into a technical rant about spell coefficient, how control diminishes, and the mage in question gains access to more powerful spells. If I hadn’t been about ready for a snooze, I might have found it interesting.

  “Is Cloudlon a common name? It sounds weird to me. No offense.”

  “The moniker was given to me recently. My given name is Karlon Vir Souna, third son of-”

  Geez, I’m in no condition to listen to some fancy noble name with a dozen titles... While he rants about his name, history, and how important his family is, I’m gonna take a look at how my magic lake is doing. Turning my senses inward is… not great… Instead of a generic and boring lake with accompanying rain, everything is on fire. The rain is on fire, the lake is on fire, the shores are on fire, and it makes sense why it hurts to draw on my magic.

  “-Growing up in the noble hills of-”

  “Karlon, shut up for a minute. What does it mean that my magic is on fire?”

  I can feel him letting go of my horns as he sits up straighter, but he isn’t rambling about his past anymore, so that’s one victory.

  “Although the intricacies of Dragon physiology are unknown to me, I would hypothesize that the excessive expenditure of magic, as displayed against the risen, has affected the nature of your magical source. It has been known to happen among the more experienced surgers, and, if memory serves, they revert to their innate affinity as their reserves recover naturally over time. Though how that might affect a magical beast, I cannot say.”

  “So you only know how it affects material scumbags, huh? That’s a shame.”

  “Though their disposition leaves much to be desired, scumbag is a mite harsh.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not a beast, and I know the negative connotations of that word, so if I’m a beast, you’re scumbags. Screw you, scumbag.”

  So there’s a slight possibility that I may be cranky… but I’m getting tired of this whole beast business.

  “I will endeavor to correct my speech, Kira. I apologize. It was not my intention to offend you, but I can see how I have done so regardless.”

  “Thank you, now how long until we’re back in Esfjord?”

  “I haven’t the foggiest. The first trip was blisteringly fast. Had it not been for the chains with which we bound ourselves to you, most of us would have been lost to the winds. A trader might take weeks for the same trip, yet you did it at a frightening pace I had not thought possible, arriving within a bell of departure. Even the creation of a portal would find itself outmatched by your velocity. Added to that the sheer cost of creating the portal itself. We would have spent a considerable amount of resources and mages to do so.”

  So what I’m hearing is that portal magic wouldn’t do me any good because I’m already too fast. I'm gonna give myself a dozen points for that just because I'm feeling rough. Having been given the opportunity, this mage guy has launched into another rant. The subject this time is magical theory and the importance of magically conductive materials as relating to the creation of portals and other alchemically reinforced constructs. I need a notebook so I can add people I want to bring back to Tuiran. This guy would be added to it for sure.

  "Before you get too far into your rant, Karlon, tell me about what happened, starting from Esfjord."

  "Oh... I had hoped that subject would be left aside for a later moment. I find myself unsure of how to approach the matter, given your proficiency in the art of... removing adversaries..."

  "I'm not gonna kill you for saying something I don't like. So just explain it as well as you can."

  Admittedly, my instincts to hunt have been grinding away at me, and having someone huntable so close is a temptation for sure. But I need to control myself since he hasn't been anything but friendly and helpful. And I need to check something... Flying lower, I take us to the grassy hills below us. Slowing to a hover and dropping has my feet dig into the soil and... I can't smell anything...

  I've been too tired to pay attention, but all my senses are dulled again, meaning I'm definitely suffering from magic depletion. I should get some glasses for when this happens, given how often it seems to happen lately. Since we're on the ground anyway, I take a moment to lie down as I ask if he wants to stretch his legs a little, which earns me a chuckle in response.

  "I would like a rest, thank you. It appears the peace after conflict to be catching up, as weariness creeps into my heart."

  Instead of a graceful descent, he practically falls off me. At least the grass is nice and soft. Leaving my wings splayed across the field feels nice as the wind blows cool air across my membranes.

  "So, what happened in Esfjord and wherever we were?"

  Before answering, he lets out a sigh and I find myself annoyed that I can't smell him... I have no idea whether he's afraid of telling me, or just reluctant.

  "The Champion had gathered the finest mages of both the Guild as well as Esfjord's standing army. With it, she commanded, by decree of Merciferus, that they provide you with an abundance of magic. And with the amassed power, you dealt a grievous blow to our unliving foes. Without a doubt in my heart, I can say that you saved thousands upon thousands, as the time it would take to mobilize our forces would leave the defenders and citizens vulnerable."

  Relying on a stranger to relay the events of what I did feels unnerving. I don't even know if I was asked or if this was something done to me.

  "Karlon, do you know whether I gave my consent or not?"

  I don't need my sense of smell to be able to tell that he's afraid of telling me that I probably didn't consent... That's going to be a fun conversation with Lauren.

  For now, I'm gonna ask him what he'd do in my situation. I need more information and perhaps he's going to be more level-headed about it than I would right now. The prospect of Lauren doing something like that to me without my consent is making my blood boil as the urge to destroy things grows. I'm definitely gonna need to hunt something before we arrive in Esfjord.

  "I cannot rightly say what I would do. I hadn't considered your stake in this, though I do not doubt you, I cannot believe that a Champion might do such a thing..."

  "Yeah, well. It's well within the range of things adventurers would do. I can't say I like the guild all that much..."

  "Those bindings were uncouth... We had no reason to believe you were a threat, yet the nobility wanted... The best Tae'liri could do was restrict your movement to appease the nobility. Many thought it wrong, resulting in a scuffle and some arrests. Had I had the authority, I would have apologized on behalf of the Guild."

  The best I can do is laugh at his thinking that the shackles were the main thing. They were frustrating, but having arrows shot at my face with the intent to kill seems more dangerous. Nevertheless, I appreciate his compassion in the matter. And I appreciate that it sounds like Henry wasn't the only one to fight on my behalf. Screw you, nobles.

  Leaving the topic of inconvenient nobles behind us, I settle in to take a moment of rest. As I let my body recover, the throbbing pain subsides at a slow pace, bringing relief to fill its absence. I'm just gonna close my eyes for a moment.

  ----------

  The smell of spices and smoke fills the air, drawing my attention. Something smells delicious... Opening my eyes, the first noteworthy thing is that the sky is clearer and the sun is telling me that it's earlier in the day. I definitely fell asleep. Next up is the weird dirt bubble I'm coiled around. It reminds me of the defensive spell Lunch cast to prevent me from killing him.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "I see you have awoken, Kira. I do hope you find no offense in my actions, but I constructed a shelter to utilize your radiant body heat to stay warm throughout the nights. It had a magnificent effect on the firewood as well, however I must admit, my envy of your fiery capabilities grew ever stronger as I struggled to light a cooking fire."

  Resourceful guy, it seems. It is clever to use a wall to act as a reflective barrier for the heat, so he can create a warm area for him to sleep in. I shouldn't be that hot on the outside, though, so that's new. Karlon is peeking out from his shelter and his expression looks serious with a hint of sadness for some reason.

  "Why are you looking at me like that?"

  "I have had time aplenty to dedicate to thought over these last two days of camping. And I cannot bring myself to envy your current predicament. The potential betrayal of a dear friend is a sorrow I would not wish upon my greatest enemy, yet I cannot provide guidance or assistance in how overcome this ordeal. Best I can do is say that forgiveness is done for the affected to move on, rather than the perpetrator."

  "That's not the full story... Even if she did it of her own free will, I don't think I have the moral high ground. I once did something similar to her, but I did it with the express purpose of causing her pain. We were enemies at the time, but I went too far."

  With a hmm, he seems to think for a moment before declaring that we should perform the slate ritual, whatever the heck that is. People need to stop having obstacles protecting them from nudges, so I can start nudging people about things again... Simply asking is all I can do.

  It seems ranting is his specialty as he starts going on and on about an old tradition of finding a stonemason and having them create a stone tablet and then chiseling all the wrongs you've done into it, so we'd create a list for Lauren and one for me. By writing them one by one and having the other party match them, we would take inventory of our mistakes. With the tablet filled, we would have to agree that these things are to be forgotten as we shatter the rock.

  Judging by his continued ramblings, it sounds like his family has been doing it for ages, and that it often leads to airing specific topics. It sounds like a recipe for disaster for me, but Karlon seems convinced that it's a good idea.

  "What if I can't forget it? After hatching, the second person I tried to get close to attempted to bind me, and I don't like people messing with my mind."

  "It is my hope that people grow to become better, especially given so many years as have no doubt passed since your hatching."

  That deserves some explaining, but as I mention that I hatched early summer, he just stares at me with wide eyes. I can't quite tell what he's thinking, but-

  "That is horrifying."

  Okay, so now I know what he's thinking, and my newly-returned sense of smell confirms that he is feeling fearful of the revelation. At least he isn't running away screaming, granted that might be because of his limited mobility.

  "I have some ideas of why that’s your reaction, but why do you think it's horrifying?"

  "The sheer destructive potential you possess would require a sizable gathering of the Guild to offer resistance, yet upon seeing our forces, you might turn away, seeking a target afar. The Guild would have no recourse for defensive measures as we cannot match your pace. Our options would be abandon others, or ourselves. A devil's choice if I have ever heard one."

  He's not wrong. Flying is freakin' incredible and their ground vehicles for supplies and people are slow. I don't think they have any suspension for the wagons yet, so that would make travel even more miserable.

  "Tell people to stop attacking me so much, and I won't have to fight back."

  "I do have a question I must ask. Are we discussing the matter of the Guild because you do not wish to learn the nature of your friend's actions? While I understand the comfort of unknowing, I would soon grow weary of inaction. The possibility of a good reason, or at least a relatable one remains in the deck of outcomes.“

  It’s getting a little annoying that he’s making sense. The growing sense of annoyance is only made worse by my growing urge to hunt. It doesn’t take long before a creeping unease makes itself known beneath my scales as my teeth begin itching again. The choice between going to Esfjord first or finding something to calm my nerves stands in my way. I’d rather not wait any longer, since, according to Karlon, he’s been camping for two days here. But being on edge for something that might get messy sounds like a terrible idea.

  “Karlon, do you know of any large animals or bandit camps I could hunt? I sometimes get this pull to kill and feed, and it doesn’t really go away until I do something about it.”

  Turns out Karlon is in the thinking-brow group as he takes a moment to furrow his brow, thinking over my question.

  "I must say, the relief of not being the source of your growling ismost welcome. I do recall a mission calling for the removal of an ignis basilisk near a blyllum mine to the south. Though I cannot tell you whether it has been defeated or not, as it was a week past. I would wager that it still roams the area, as few of the Guild would take on such a foe."

  "And you're not just bringing it up to make me kill something for the guild? That would be a very rude thing to do, Karlon. You can't go around exploiting vulnerable dragons like that."

  His eyes widen as he takes on a very shocked and offended expression, making it clear that my teasing is working very well.

  "I would never dream of such a thing! I promise you that! I am a man of honor, and if I am to rely on your assistance, I will provide appropriate compensation as well as acceptable working conditions! The thought of exploiting another in such a manner fills me with outrage! Outrage, I say!"

  Oh, we're talking payment now. That's not what I had in mind, but I'll take it. Unfortunately, the way he huffs and puffs as he hides in his little burrow again makes me think I was wrong about my teasing working, and that now he’s being whimsical. Instead of acknowledging his feigned indignation, I get up and stretch. I’m still feeling very sore but the burning sensation is feeling more muted, like a soft searing.

  I’m not sure how long I need to recover from this magic overload nonsense, but two days only managed to soften the damage a little. I might have to ask Foreman what he thinks, since he knows a bunch about dragons. Geez, so many things to do. Confront Lauren, ask Foreman about dragon stuff, hunt a basilisk, and return to Tuiran to make sure things are okay back home. Oh, and making Henry’s hammer. Nearly forgot about that.

  Leaning backward out of his shelter, he looks up at me, and with us being this close, I’m really freakin’ towering over him.

  “Karlon, am I bigger than I was when we left Esfjord?”

  “By the Gods, I thought my mind was slipping. I could have sworn that I knew you to be, well, not small, but smaller, yet the evidence before me, your significant size, stood as a display of my mistaken perception! I took the liberty of measuring by utilizing a fixed length, my staff, and you appear to be near thirty-three yards in length from the tip of your snout to the blade of your tail. I cannot say what you measured before, but there must have been an increase, I’m sure of it!”

  What the hell kind of measurement is that? I'm pretty sure people's yards are very different shapes and sizes, so how can they be used as a unit of measurement? 'Oh yes, this yard is seven yards.'

  I have no idea what that translates into, and as I give him a questioning look, he decides to not enlighten me at all.

  "It is the divine measurement system, brought to us by Travelers from realms beyond our comprehension! It takes three feet to make a yard, three being a holy number. Which is why you'll find most Guild groups numbering three, though often they may take a fourth to balance their needs. Which brings us to inches. It takes twelve inches to make one foot. Twelve being divisible by three four times. The fourth member bringing balance. It all makes quite a lot of sense once you get to know it, though the popularity is greater among those of noble birth."

  Yeah, it doesn't make sense at all to me, but the gist of it is that he agrees with me being bigger... I'm gonna have to dig out a larger den soon. We'll need to find Foreman and see how he reacts. That'll give me a sense of how significant my growth is, rather than odd, fancy-pants measuring systems. For now, I want to get moving, so I can sate this desire of mine.

  And since the guy is showing obvious signs of not quite being as healthy as he tries to convey, I lower my head to his burrow and lining my horn up with the ground. With a few quick instructions, he grabs onto my horn as I turn my head the other way, lifting him up to stand on the back of my neck. Using my horns for stability, he settles in as I raise my head.

  “This is a terribly frightening height, I must say...”

  “We’re not even flying yet. But we will be now!”

  Spreading my wings, we take off. Mixed in with his screaming is laughter of excitement, so I'm sure he's fine. He mentioned south, so that’s where we’re going. I’m sure a mine is easy to spot, so I have a landmark to find.

  “I find your method of adding passengers quite delightful, Kira. Though I must say, the fragility I feel at my weight meaning so little is daunting, to say the least."

  He's safe enough with me. My impression of him is that he genuinely wants to help people and his friendly attitude is enjoyable. As we fly, the magic I use for flight comes through feeling inflamed. It's better, but I don't know what it means that I actually feel the burning sensation. With everything being sore and painful, I hope Foreman has some ancient dwarven knowledge of how to heal me. For now, I should focus, though.

  "So where is this mine, Karlon?"

  Leaning forward, he taps my left brow as he mentions a village hidden in the trees to the east. Based on his explanation, it's a supply village for the mine, and beyond it, we'll find rolling hills hiding the mine.

  As we fly over the forest, paths become more obvious, and the carriage ways become clear in the gaps between the canopies. If I hadn't been told there was a village here, I'm not sure I would have noticed any of that. Following the path, we find the well-hidden village. Each house is hidden beneath a tree, built around the trunk and making it difficult to spot from above.

  The sound of a quick bell rings out as the hubbub of village life stops. The few people I see, mostly elves, stop in their tracks as I pass overhead. To my relief, none of them attack me, and I'm sure they're hoping that I'm just passing overhead. Which I am! We're here for the mine basilisk, not elves!

  Leaving the village behind, another bell can be heard and I'm gonna interpret it as 'the coast is clear.'

  "Are you often met with such... weariness?"

  "Are you kidding? That went great! They didn't even shoot arrows or spells at me."

  Instead of responding, Karlon goes quiet, but that's okay, there's a road leading out of the forest, and up ahead, there's a large dirt area with knocked-over palisades. And being the clever dragon I am, I'm gonna say that's where the mine is.

  As more of it comes into view, my deduction is proven correct and there's a pathway dug into a hill, leading underground. The area smells of soil, something gross, and fire. I'm not seeing the basilisk anywhere, but then I'm not sure what it looks like. I'm picturing a big lizard with red scales, but I have no basis for that.

  For now, we'll land in the middle of the messy outpost and see what we can find. With a thud, we set down on the packed dirt, and a grumble from nearby makes it clear that the fearsome foe knows we're here.

  As the grumbling intensifies, it becomes clear why I hadn't seen the critter. It had burrowed beneath the soil, hiding from intruders, but now it's approaching with an aggressive stance, ready for battle. Unfortunately, it's small... Barely larger than a horse, and I'm a little disappointed. I can just snap its neck and be done with it...

  "Be careful, Kira! It's flame breath can burn a man to a crisp in no time at all!"

  As he tells me to be careful, the basilisk charges and unleashes a flame breath toward me. My legs are engulfed in the warm magic and it feels quite lovely. I can feel myself absorbing the magic as the basilisk tries its best to burn me. I'm not sure I want to kill this little guy anymore, it just feels like bullying.

  Even as I lie down, it keeps trying to burn me without any success. I was sure I would have an advantage, but this is a little much. Even my hunting instinct doesn't want to fight this guy. Well, at least the flames feel comforting and the influx of magic is welcome.

  "Karlon, do you have any suggestions for what to do? The little guy isn't really a threat, so fighting is boring..."

  Karlon isn't being all that helpful as he begins laughing. So I'm just gonna send it running and see what happens. Getting up again, I draw in a breath and unleash a roar at the basilisk. With a clear message like that, it scurries off toward the east, leaving the mining outpost cleared. At least Karlon is getting his laughing fit under control again.

  "I do believe that mission is cleared, yet the reward will be diminished by the lack of materials to sell. We may collect the core payment in Esfjord or the village you flew over. To think a dreadful beast would be no more than a minor inconvenience..."

  Given how close to each other those trees grow, going there isn't an option. I'd have to create a path of my own and make a mess of the trees, which leaves us with the inevitable return to Esfjord. The urge to hunt remains, but at least my show of dominance helped calm it a little.

  Getting up again, I prepare to take flight, but Karlon seems to have something to say.

  "A thought occurred to me, Kira. I believe it would behoove us to visit the village to inform them of these events. Had I been in their position, a Dragon flying overhead, a roar heard, my fears would be the basilisk replaced by a dreadfully powerful, and much worse, threat. Rather than allow an exodus, we have the opportunity appease the worries of those present."

  "So, want to fly over and shout, or go through the woods?"

  "Admittedly, I thought the forest would be too dense, yet it seems like a preferable solution as I am not one for shouting."

  Excellent! Through the woods it is! Instead of flying, we just walk to the woods. With my pace, it doesn't take long at all before we reach the first row of trees. We've been walking beside the road, and I think we might continue doing so, since these people rely on having a functional road for their industry and any roads I utilize will not maintain functionality.

  Continuing onward, I try to the best of my ability to not knock over all the trees, but some of them do suffer as they're pushed out of the way by my girth. Stopping every now and then allows me to use my tail to raise the trees in my wake. I don't know much about plants, but I do know that roots can grow again.

  During our arboreal wander, Karlon scootches further down the back of my head, likely to avoid getting smacked by branches. A worry I don't have to bother with, since nictitating eyelids protect me from the poky bits! And we won't have to bother with the trees much longer, since I can hear the bell again, and this time it isn't just one ring, it's an actual alarm.

  "Karlon, your plan to not panic the locals has backfired."

  "Quite right. Nevertheless, we must persevere and share our message. Surely some of their scouts are nearby and will soon come to the conclusion that our approach is good-natured."

  I don't know about that, it seems more likely that we'll be attacked or ignored at this point. I can't smell anyone near us, but then my sense of smell isn't quite where it should be, so who knows.

  "Dragonrider, state your business! Give us a reason not to defend ourselves against your intrusion!"

  "That's you, Karlon. People tend to assume I'm just a fancy mount."

  "My reason given is that it would be profoundly moronic to attack a Dragon, famously fond of fire, in the middle of a forest.-"

  That's a pretty good reason.

  -"And we come to report the basilisk of the blyllum mine having been chased off by my associate. You may return at your leisure to rebuild. Your payment for the mission may be offered to me or given to the Guild representative next you meet."

  Now that the forest is quiet, I can hear the sound of feet impacting branches as the elves jump between the trees to meet up. Most of the quiet comes from me no longer breaking things, but even the animals have become silent. The sounds of angry arguing can be heard in the distance and what I can make out of it appears to lean toward paying us. I support that decision.

  The goal of getting in a better mood before Esfjord has worked, and now I'm gonna be a little richer. It doesn't take long for their discussion to end, settling on payment, and the sound of someone approaching with a coin pouch tickles my greed.

  Standing on top of a branch, a pretty elf with light brown skin draws our attention and with a deft hand, he throws a pouch to Karlon. Being the skilled athlete that he is, he fumbles the catch and slides to the side. He just fumbled his catch so bad he fell off me... Pulling my head back and extending my tongue, I catch him before he impacts the ground. Both tasting and smelling the fear he feels is tantalizing.

  Instead of letting him limp around searching for the pouch, another elf approaches and collects it for him, handing it off before disappearing into the woods again.

  "I would like to request that you do not bring this incident up in the presence of my fellow members of the Guild, Kira..."

  "I wouldn't dream of it, Sir Fumbles."

  The glare I get doesn't quite match his sly smile. Breaking a few branches while lowering my head, we repeat the process of getting him up onto me again. And with only minor damage to the nearby foliage, we begin our trek back out of the forest. I'm taking a different path, so the same trees won't suffer twice.