Cost of a Bounty

The patter of a soft rain on the roof made her aware of ... a haze. A hum in her ... somewhere. Everywhere.

Blinking awake, she stared at the ceiling for a moment before peering around their home, noticing Jasper’s hunched back, sitting on the edge of the bed while looking out the open door. Attempting to sit up, she immediately regretted it, groaning as her head throbbed.

Jasper startled and glanced over his shoulder at her in concern but made sure to avoid even the chance of eye contact. When he was sure she was alright, he turned back to stare out the open flap at the rain. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, she crawled over to him, looking out into the dreary world.

“What ... Where did the others go?” she questioned, immediately noticing that the spaces where the others had once set up their own tents were empty. “What happened?”

Jasper let out a solemn breath. “I sent them away. I convinced them it was a better idea to split up, less chance of finding us all. Told them I’d take you to a doctor and we’d all meet up later. Black really hated going. He carried you with that egg back to Randel when you passed out the first time.”

“Oh,” she acknowledged softly. Her mind had calmed enough from the strange sensations, but she was still unsure of exactly how she was feeling. She really just wanted to close her eyes, but that didn’t stop the strange sensations she felt throughout her whole body.

“Jasper,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I ... don’t know what’s happening to me.”

“I do,” he responded gently. “My dad once told me a story. When he was a young man, he had the chance to see the last Tamer of Mardarow. He told me that when he met the man’s eyes, it ... it felt like everything he was had been laid bare. His will was exposed– completely out of his control. He would have done anything that man asked him to do, even if it was to take his own life. It was only for a split second, but he never forgot.” Sucking in a pensive breath, he let it out in a rush. “And neither will I.”

“What?” She looked at him but he kept his eyes down. “I ... How can I possibly be a ... a...”

“It all makes sense, now,” he continued softly. “I never could figure out why Randel just veered off like that when he found you buried in the snow. I kept justifying that maybe he ... liked how you smelled. And, thinking about it, hasn’t it ever been strange to you that every dragon stops what it’s doing to look at you? And all the things you’ve said about how your uncle raised you. About how he said your parents had died. Probably happened in some ... political power struggle. Your ‘uncle’ was probably his Guardian.”

“Uncle Mire...” she whispered wistfully, trailing off so they sat in silence for a few moments while she tried to process it all. Jasper was right. She had never thought much of it when dragons would find her interesting. Even when people made mention that their dragon was unusually friendly with her, she just shrugged it off as an effect of being part elf. She had not been around dragons often enough to really make her suspicious but it now was just another piece of the puzzle. Thinking back on her life, all that she had been taught, many of the lessons her uncle had tried to teach her while she day dreamed suddenly made sense.

“Uncle Mire used to ... mutter about ... things. Seeing the dead. He always said it was his dragon waiting for him, but he ... sometimes, he would say my father’s name ... like they were talking.”

“That would make sense,” he responded quietly. “I always heard a Guardian’s supposed to be bonded to their Tamer like they’re bonded to their dragon.” That brought his brows together thoughtfully.

“Jasper,” she breathed his name, interrupting his thought. “I ... I never knew ... I never even would have dared imagine...”

Still not looking at her, he let out a sigh and nodded. “I know, S’re.”

She touched his hand and he almost flinched away. “Are you afraid of me?”

He perked up, looking toward her but avoiding her eyes. “What? No!” He paused, shaking his head more to himself. “I mean, if you were any other Tamer I probably would be. It’s just ... well.” Turning back to the gray sky outside, his slow exhale felt just as forlorn. “ You’re a Tamer, and ... everything is going to change. You ... could control me.”

“What?” she breathed, not wanting to believe what he said. “Why? Why would I do that? I don’t want to control you. I ... I don’t want to control anyone.” Squirming closer, she leaned her head against his shoulder. “I don’t want anything to change. I’m already so overwhelmed by all this. I ... I feel so weird now. I could really use my best friend.”

Sucking in a deep breath, he laid his head against hers. “I must be the luckiest guy on this planet.”

A beeping sound behind them caused them to turn. A bright blue light slowly flashed at the top of the egg basket. Glancing at each other, they drew a little closer to peer at it before a mechanism whirred and a shimmering hiss caused them to back away again.

“What’s it doing?” S’re asked.

“Uhh, I think it’s purging its supply. The reactor isn’t very big. We’ve had it a few days. I think– I mean, I haven’t seen anything this advanced before, but I think the reactor was damaged. It can’t finish the replenish cycle.”

As they watched, the lights slowly lost their glow until the whole thing went dark. Looking at each other again, they jumped when the lock clicked open. Drawn to the pulsing force she felt radiating through her, she slowly reached out and pulled open the top to reveal a storm gray egg perfectly cushioned within. Her breath caught, absolutely mesmerized, and she placed her hand against the warm, bumpy shell. She could feel movement inside, but more than that, she could feel the hatchling. It knew- he knew- she was there, and he was tired of waiting.

A sharp rap under her hand caused her to snatch it back in surprise. Squealing, the hatchling clawed and tapped all along its shell until a long crack appeared before more cracks radiated out and the shell shattered. Poking its slender head out into the world, egg slime dripped all over. Opening large, metallic copper eyes, they had to figure out how to track together before peering up at S’re’s face.

She couldn’t breathe for a moment that felt suspended in time. How would she describe what she saw? Nothing. A pool of darkness. Somehow, she knew something was supposed to be there. Something was missing in the dragon’s soul and it felt more unsettling to know that than the visions she had had thus far.

The hatchling stared back at her, transfixed, until the rest of the egg gave way, sending him tumbling to the ground with a squeak. Gasping, S’re reached down to help, recoiling from the slime covering him with a grimace. Grabbing a blanket off their bed, she began to rub him off.

“Well, there goes our chances of selling it.” She almost startled, having forgotten about everything and everyone else, but Jasper was too busy staring at the dragon to notice. “What kind of dragon is that, anyways? I’ve never seen such a thing.”

Looking back, now that he mentioned it, she had never seen anything like it either. About the size of a small Rattle Drawg, he had the same bony crest along the back of his skull as any War dragon, small black knobs where his horns would grow. His neck and body were long and slender, more like a Spindle. Starting from the mid spine were 11 bony knobs that would one day grow into spikes. His legs were long, paws grasping, more akin to a Drakhund. The wings were far too small to fly, but that was normal for the first year even for the Scouters. His scales were mostly black with flecks of dark gray dabbled throughout.

“I don’t know,” S’re admitted softly. “Maybe ... maybe he’s some kind of hybrid?”

“Of course you’d be the one a weird new species would want to Bond with,” Jasper teased with a smirk.

It caused her to gasp deeply in realization. “That’s what! That’s what’s missing!”

“What? What are you...?”

“Jasper, he ... can’t bond. It feels so ... weird. I-I don’t know how I know any of this.”

Unsteadily rising to his paws, the hatchling peered between them curiously.

Sucking in his breath grimly, Jasper looked down and forced a smile for the adorable, big eyed newborn. “Well, welcome to the world, little guy. I’ll bet you’re gonna be hungry soon.”

Tilting his head, the little dragon opened his mouth to squeal when he sucked in his breath, made an odd face, and sneezed. It might have been cute ... if their things weren’t suddenly on fire! Startled, they were quick to put it out, now staring in horrified shock at the little black dragon.

“Oh, Serpents,” Jasper whispered with dread. “I knew it was going to be trouble, but not quite like this. He-He must be an experiment, which means...” He groaned and rubbed his temples, dropping onto the edge of the bed. “Damn it. Those documents. Those must have been genetic codes, instructions on how to make more. Shit, are we going to have these things everywhere?”

“Jasper,” S’re breathed, putting her hand against her forehead. “I don’t feel well, Jasper.”

Glancing between her and the baby dragon, he turned and started digging through their packs until he found a can of fruit, popping the top. “It has been a couple of days you’ve been out. I haven’t stopped to hunt or buy anything. Eat this, and we’ll get a proper meal at the first place we come to. Have to get something for him, too. He’ll be ravenous soon.”

As she ate, her mind raced with everything she could remember. Other than her vision, she couldn’t recall much.

About to ask a question, a vibration under their bodies was Randel telling them there was something on the path ahead. The flap rustled before S’re even felt the first hints and Jasper was gone, nimbly dodging through the vegetation, hanging onto the hefty fruit tree, its roots clinging securely to the many crags of the shell.

Ahead of them, the packed dirt of the Tunk’ta trail gave way to paved road. Many scattered houses were ringed by farmland while more industrious buildings protected the town and fields from curious Tunk’ta on the outside. Anywhere there were enough people to gather and lay down more modern conveniences, there tended to be supplies.

Jasper stomped his booted foot against Randel’s shell, looking out to the side of the trail where the yellow drake grass grew tall enough to tickle the Tunk’ta’s belly. Without further instruction, the dragon began to trek through the grass. Most of it bounced back as though he had not just trampled through.

Finding a spot that smelled right, Randel settled down, burying his lower body into the ground so that he could begin feeding. Jasper convinced S’re it was best for her to stay with the dragons. It was too risky for her should she lock eyes with anyone.

He went into the small town on his own, making his way through the tall grass. He made sure he remembered how to get back before continuing. Finding the supply store was not hard. The world was full of travelers of all sorts, so most towns built their stores and entertainment along the outer borders so the travelers could easily get what they needed and move on without disturbing residents.

His friendly smile and roguish charm made him particularly good at haggling and gained him far more than any form of force ever had. It helped that he was tall among the other commoners. The woman behind the counter was not easily won over, but his genial nature and good looks eventually had him restocked with some bonuses.

As he slung the bags over his shoulders and headed toward the door, a board along the wall caught his attention. His heart skipped a beat. Among the many local ads and requests pinned up, a near perfect sketch of S’re stared back at him, down to the shine of her eyes. “Required alive. For the theft of Zaparain government property.” It even called her a traitor. The bounty in bold numbers was greater than what they had been offered.

Thoughts raced through his mind as he hurriedly returned. Finding the marker where he had come through the grass, he retraced his steps, his attention focused within.

His heart nearly stopped when he heard a deep hiss directly next to him. Freezing, he hardly dared to breathe. The thick blades parted, a long powerful muzzle coming into his sight. He slowly turned his head, his eyes focused on its many serrated tooth-like jaw spikes while its yellow eyes focused on him. The emerald feathers that ringed its head rustled before they stood on end, the creature hissing again as it rose over him, tall enough to see over the grass.

At the creature’s screech, Jasper took off. The Feathered Drawg growled and used its grasping, clawed hands to push the thick blades out of its way, running on sinuous hind legs made for jumping onto the backs of larger prey rather than chasing small and agile humans.

In his panic, he forgot the direction he had come from, knowing only that he wanted as much distance between himself and that predator as he could make. The grass all looked the same, and the sharp turns meant to confuse the animal were equally disorienting to him.

A wet spot from the earlier rain caused a slick mud that took his feet out from under him. Tumbling to the ground with a cry, Jasper barely had time to regain himself before he heard the Drawg approach behind him. It hissed again, opening its mouth wide enough to swallow him whole.

A shadowy form lunged up to the Drawg’s side, using the feathers of the beast to hang on. The animal screeched in pain when a sword was sunk deeply into its side between its otherwise impenetrable scales. It turned to look at the protruding weapon, the person already gone, screaming loudly as it limped around in a circle.