Fantasy Journey of Two Bows (w/ Dragonborn1)

[Thanny]

With the camp was set up for the night, Peanut admired her work. The flame devoured the already dried wood, crackling and making the surrounding area glow dimly in the waning light. Her leftover berries made up her end of the food rations, but that was not very filling. She looked at the bag, curious of the mysterious food that lay within, but did not know how Scout would react. After a few minutes between her brooding companion and the bag, she decided to check it out in the end.

Approaching the bag and going over a nice bed of grass, she upturned the bag and let the contents empty out in half a circle. One of her prized instruments lay within and plopped out, followed by a seemingly endless amount of odds and ends. Meat fell at the end, glistening and still warm from the tray. Peanut looked at it, astounded. So this was his score? It certainly was marvelous, dripping, and juicy-seeming. Her mouth watered. She packed everything back inside the bag at record pace with the exception of half the meat, then trotted over to Scout, offering yet another half of the remaining contents.

"Food would make things better," she brought to voice, offering a smile. If Scout would balk, she would tack on, "They gave their blessing anyway. Besides, meat is better with company."

Biting into her own selection of meat with rapturous delight, she plopped alongside him, kicking about her boots uneasily. Silence was never good for her, even if the food was excellent. It gave too many negative thoughts.

"You look like you're bogged down with thought. Is this your first time staying outside?"

 

[Dragonborn1]

With the camp was set up for the night, Peanut admired her work. The flame devoured the already dried wood, crackling and making the surrounding area glow dimly in the waning light. Her leftover berries made up her end of the food rations, but that was not very filling. She looked at the bag, curious of the mysterious food that lay within, but did not know how Scout would react. After a few minutes between her brooding companion and the bag, she decided to check it out in the end.

Approaching the bag and going over a nice bed of grass, she upturned the bag and let the contents empty out in half a circle. One of her prized instruments lay within and plopped out, followed by a seemingly endless amount of odds and ends. Meat fell at the end, glistening and still warm from the tray. Peanut looked at it, astounded. So this was his score? It certainly was marvelous, dripping, and juicy-seeming. Her mouth watered. She packed everything back inside the bag at record pace with the exception of half the meat, then trotted over to Scout, offering yet another half of the remaining contents.

"Food would make things better," she brought to voice, offering a smile. If Scout would balk, she would tack on, "They gave their blessing anyway. Besides, meat is better with company."

Biting into her own selection of meat with rapturous delight, she plopped alongside him, kicking about her boots uneasily. Silence was never good for her, even if the food was excellent. It gave too many negative thoughts.

"You look like you're bogged down with thought. Is this your first time staying outside?"

Scout aknowledged the suculent smell she could see his snout has raised. Realizing his reaction he retreated back to his normal position, ignoring Peanut sitting down next to him and offering food.
He gave her a look of sadness with a glimmer of a toothy grin. He accepted the food, he forgot how hungry he was from the adrenaline controlling him in the name of survival.


The question about what he thought about the outside made him ponder, taking his mind off of his thought to dig his teeth into the meaty goodness he took. Still warm, still tasted amazing like he joined the travelers in their meal. bites with large gaps molded the meat into smaller pieces, each bite he was getting closer to the bone.
Pausing again, now snapped from the juicy pleasure the food gave him, his nose pointed to address the sky. The tiny dots sparkled in his pupils, now deciding to speak…


”No, Scout never been outside. Scout heard stories from Hagnar, Scout belived in his false ways. Scout finds this…great. Scout heard kobolds talk about the stars. Kobolds believed the sky held those we hold dear, but are no longer standing beside us. There are so many…”

Scout explained, whispering the last sentence.

”Scout wonders if Scout will belong up there. Scout has many regrets and hurt many others.”

 

[Thanny]

((Very nice use of words. I am greatly impressed!))

Peanut could not help but giggle at Scout's ripping and tearing at his bone-in meat and dug in in the same manner. It had been a long time since she was in the company of her fellow kobolds, and now it came back. She missed the simplicity, the lack of need for elegance, even though she was raised with it over the past five years. With a smacking of draconic lips, she wiped away the delicious grease and listened as Scout discussed his findings.

"I don't know about stars, but there is something otherworldly about them, huh? If it is true, though, you have a good heart." Next she took on a more masculine voice, saying, 'Sometimes that speaks more than actions, especially if you live with that good heart on your sleeve.' "

She smiled in his direction before looking up at the glittering gems overhead.

"My friends told me that, the ones that saved me from a mean old red dragon I was born to serve. I tried to become like that, so together maybe we can both be just like those stars out there, radiant and beautiful."

Her hands empty and still greasy, she wiped them on a patch of grass and dragged out her case within a few seconds and came back, unlocking it.

"Still, we have a lot of work ahead, and I wanted to see something. I've seen Hagnar play, but now that I saw how he acts who I really wanted to see play is you." She thrust the viola out by the neck, holding it near Scout coupled with its matching bow. Both looked as if dressed in a light shade of blue paint, the bow strung with white hair. Peanit smiled proudly of the materials. "Please handle with care. They are quite delicate, and slightly different from the violin, but similar enough. I think you'll understand it quick."

 

[Dragonborn1]

((Very nice use of words. I am greatly impressed!))

Peanut could not help but giggle at Scout's ripping and tearing at his bone-in meat and dug in in the same manner. It had been a long time since she was in the company of her fellow kobolds, and now it came back. She missed the simplicity, the lack of need for elegance, even though she was raised with it over the past five years. With a smacking of draconic lips, she wiped away the delicious grease and listened as Scout discussed his findings.

"I don't know about stars, but there is something otherworldly about them, huh? If it is true, though, you have a good heart." Next she took on a more masculine voice, saying, 'Sometimes that speaks more than actions, especially if you live with that good heart on your sleeve.' "

She smiled in his direction before looking up at the glittering gems overhead.

"My friends told me that, the ones that saved me from a mean old red dragon I was born to serve. I tried to become like that, so together maybe we can both be just like those stars out there, radiant and beautiful."

Her hands empty and still greasy, she wiped them on a patch of grass and dragged out her case within a few seconds and came back, unlocking it.

"Still, we have a lot of work ahead, and I wanted to see something. I've seen Hagnar play, but now that I saw how he acts who I really wanted to see play is you." She thrust the viola out by the neck, holding it near Scout coupled with its matching bow. Both looked as if dressed in a light shade of blue paint, the bow strung with white hair. Peanit smiled proudly of the materials. "Please handle with care. They are quite delicate, and slightly different from the violin, but similar enough. I think you'll understand it quick."

Scout tossed the naked bone with a flick, his yellowed eyes stared and his ears dropped.
”Scout wishes so, Scout wants to be remembered more than Hagnar!
A widely reconized kobold so Scout doesn’t feel lonely.”

Scout flinched his vision could make the shape of the insturment in the dim orange light. Moving in an erratic pattern he swiped the insturment like Peanut wanted to hurt him. He placed the bow upon the strings like he’s done this before, a slow drawn out whine came from the strings like they’re being tortured.
Again he rubbed the bow creating a faster and louder noise. He began playing a soft tune with mismatched notes.

”Scout the kobold, sad and alone. Scout the kobold wants to go back home…a tyrant rules the throne casting those below. What is this fear?
surrounded by the shadows of doubt Scout must face the light.”

He stood up from the ground, the sad tune of mismatched notes continued, getting more confident he sped it up.

”Oh, Scout the kobold sad and alone, Scout the kobold wants to go home! The map shows the path this kobold must take. To beat this foe in his own unique way. There’s no longer fear when the sun shines on this new day! People will shout Scout’s name! Scout has stole, Scout has hurt, but maybe….

This Kobold can….learn.”

 

[Thanny]

"C-careful!" Peanut voiced, hand reaching out.

She did not flinch at Scout's snatching up her instrument out of fear of his swiftness, but rather out of fear of harm to the instrument, even though he could do no harm to the blue painted wood. He had much to learn, she could tell, from the torturous whine coming from the strings, but he had heart. Moreover, he had rhythm, speeding his song up half-way. Peanut raised both scaly eyebrows as she observed, hand dropped to her side, her smile widening as Scout's music proved to be a powerful source of conveying emotion from start to finish.

"That . . . was amazing!" she squealed, clapping her little kobold hands. "The end was great, the story amazing and descriptive, and how it starts with fear and ends with the lack of it. Sounds like heroism! Put your mind to it and you can make art with a bow. Don't forget, though: practice breeds results. Stick to it and Hagnar wouldn't stand a chance."

A yawn escaped her when she least expected it, forcing a sheepish grin. She rose and took back the instrument, or at least tried.

"For now, though, we should get some sleep to walk later. We've a fine walk ahead of us to get there, and a fine walk to get back. Sleep well, Scout. I'll wake you when we need to go."

 

[Dragonborn1]

"C-careful!" Peanut voiced, hand reaching out.

She did not flinch at Scout's snatching up her instrument out of fear of his swiftness, but rather out of fear of harm to the instrument, even though he could do no harm to the blue painted wood. He had much to learn, she could tell, from the torturous whine coming from the strings, but he had heart. Moreover, he had rhythm, speeding his song up half-way. Peanut raised both scaly eyebrows as she observed, hand dropped to her side, her smile widening as Scout's music proved to be a powerful source of conveying emotion from start to finish.

"That . . . was amazing!" she squealed, clapping her little kobold hands. "The end was great, the story amazing and descriptive, and how it starts with fear and ends with the lack of it. Sounds like heroism! Put your mind to it and you can make art with a bow. Don't forget, though: practice breeds results. Stick to it and Hagnar wouldn't stand a chance."

A yawn escaped her when she least expected it, forcing a sheepish grin. She rose and took back the instrument, or at least tried.

"For now, though, we should get some sleep to walk later. We've a fine walk ahead of us to get there, and a fine walk to get back. Sleep well, Scout. I'll wake you when we need to go."

Scout lowered the insturment giving a look of embarrassment for going overboard. He couldn’t believe his ears as he heard the sound of
applause, that amount of attention put onto him gave him a rush. His muzzle split with a toothy grin, finally someone who supported him!

Though now, the rush pushed back against the urge of collapsing from the excitement of today. Scout didn’t fight Peanut about sleeping or having to hand back her instrument.
The lush grass tickled his scaly back. The sensation made the kobold twitch, this was much better than sleeping on rocks. A sleep spell fell upon Scout now rolling onto his side as he gave into the temptation….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scout is met to the dull greys of his home. Leaving from his resting place his claws tapped in a memorizing sound, changing as he stepped further into a mute walking. His surroundings changed to a full blackness that he couldn’t see through. A chill shuddered the kobold the sounds of a particular instrument he’s heard plenty of times in the den. It was creepy, the sounds from each strum got increasingly louder. The form of a green clothed and fat kobold manifested from the black.


Scout’s body rushed the form of Hagnar closing in. Right before he caught him with a swipe of his claw, the musician poofed and rose from the blackness again with a laugh. Scout’s senses highened the ground reacted by a weak earthquake. Two beasts joined the two kobolds.

”This is the kobold you’re worried about? He doesn’t look very appetizing…”

”Don’t be quick to judge ssssister he doesssnt sssseem he could put up a fight…”


As the two talked, the creatures wheezed as if someone was extending and contacting an accordion. Looking closer their bellies actually were made of different instruments! These four legged beasts looked unfamiliar to Scout and wondered if this was Hagnar’s doing…

 

[Thanny]

The left one skittered and leaned in closer with its mouth opened wide, piano keys yawning toward Scout like overlarge teeth. Deflating accordion sounds came out of its stomach.

"Such an ugly expression on his face. Coupling with his ugly nature, there is nothing to fear. Death need not come swift before torment, right, Staccato?"

"You would be correct," puffed Hagnar, his eyes glowing in menace as the dark overtook his orbits, as if they sank deeper into his skull. "And yet here we are, a musician and a mockery of the art. It would be a disservice to allow him to touch an instrument again, hmm?"

"Yes, that would be most villainous of him," leaned in the other creature. "Before he tarnishes music's name in front of a crowd, let's eat him up here and now. Far better for us than for a wolf, eh, Portato?"

"You have my blessing," voiced Hagnar, nose upturned and a grin as well.

"Yes indeed, Staccato. Let's dig in."

With an inhuman speed the creatures lunged forward, bellows of a dozen instruments sounding out from within. Escape was cut off, there was nowhere to run, and with dread Scout would awaken from this horrible scene.

 

[Dragonborn1]

The left one skittered and leaned in closer with its mouth opened wide, piano keys yawning toward Scout like overlarge teeth Deflating accordion sounds came out of its stomach.

"Such an ugly expression on his face. Coupling with his ugly nature, there is nothing to fear. Death need not come swift before torment, right, Stoccato?"

"You would be correct," puffed Hagnar, his eyes glowing in menace as the dark overtook his orbits, as if they sank deeper into his skull. "And yet here we are, a musician and a mockery of the art. It would be a disservice to allow him to touch an instrument again, hmm?"

"Yes, that would be most villainous of him," leaned in the other creature. "Before he tarnishes music's name in front of a crowd, let's eat him up here and now. Far better for us than for a wolf, eh, Portato?"

"You have my blessing," voiced Hagnar, nose upturned and a grin as well.

"Yes indeed, Stoccato. Let's dig in."

With an inhuman speed the creatures lunged forward, bellows of a dozen instruments sounding out from within. Escape was cut off, there was nowhere to run, and with dread Scout would awaken from this horrible scene.

Right before the creatures caught him a flash of light blinded Scout.
It vanished to grass as Scout glanced around, he felt like he’d been running from something with the way he breathed. Tears tickled his cheeks and with them wiped away they kept flowing.
His claws felt the grass and came upon the spell book he stole. Scout‘s reflection in the golden patterns didn’t keep him from biting down on the book. Peanut would witness Scout tearing it apart with scraps flying. What remained was thrown into the smoldering fire…

His orange eye stared at Peanut his body quaking with each breath.
“Scout’s going home..”

He stated.

”Hagnar is right about Scout. The best thing for Scout is to beg to be let back in.”

 

[Thanny]

With a start, Peanut awoke from Scout's antics, eyes wide and sword drawn with a sharp ring. She looked around for the danger, but instead found her fellow kobold destroying by tooth and nail the spellbook that was torn not even hours ago from the wizard goblin's hands.

"What are you doing?!" she stated, sheathing her blade and extending her hand.

Nothing she could have done would have stopped him from throwing the remainder of it in the blaze, the flames consuming its oiled cover and pulp pages greedily. She grimaced down at the book, then at Scout as he tried to explain it.

"Tearing up that book," she stated, pinching at her eyes with her hand, "was an expensive mistake. You could have sold it to a wizard for a new instrument, but you're going back to that lousy guy? He'll treat you like dirt, you know. Can you really live in that kind of situation for years and years under that kind of cruelty? No, what is the best thing for Scout is continuing on, learning, just like he dreamed it." She folded her arms and looked at him dead in the eye. "If you want to go, go, but I'm offering you a chance. You like music, don't you? Then, please, come with me to town and get an instrument in memory of your old one."

 

[Dragonborn1]

With a start, Peanut awoke from Scout's antics, eyes wide and sword drawn with a sharp ring. She looked around for the danger, but instead found her fellow kobold destroying by tooth and nail the spellbook that was torn not even hours ago from the wizard goblin's hands.

"What are you doing?!" she stated, sheathing her blade and extending her hand.

Nothing she could have done would have stopped him from throwing the remainder of it in the blaze, the flames consuming its oiled cover and pulp pages greedily. She grimaced down at the book, then at Scout as he tried to explain it.

"Tearing up that book," she stated, pinching at her eyes with her hand, "was an expensive mistake. You could have sold it to a wizard for a new instrument, but you're going back to that lousy guy? He'll treat you like dirt, you know. Can you really live in that kind of situation for years and years under that kind of cruelty? No, what is the best thing for Scout is continuing on, learning, just like he dreamed it." She folded her arms and looked at him dead in the eye. "If you want to go, go, but I'm offering you a chance. You like music, don't you? Then, please, come with me to town and get an instrument in memory of your old one."

“Hagmar cannot leave Scout alone. Scout saw him in his dreams.”
He explains, his claws mingling with fingers overlapping.
“Some demon attacked Scout, something big, reeeeally tall, see?”

Scout stood tall on his tippy toes to exaggerate the description.
”And made weird noises like a dying accordion. They stood beside Hagnar and it sounded like he knew them well…”

Scout avoided eye contact with what he knew as anger. Reluctantly, in his yellow eye the white pupil moved in Peanut’s direction.
”Since the book is gone, Scout is sorry for that just to be clear, Scout can make money easily. Hagnar speaks of jobs he said were….what was the word. QUESTS! That’s what it is!”

Scout’s sad stature leaped like flipping on a light switch.

”Let’s do some jobs, it’s easy! You’re good at fighting, plus, Scout would have material for songs!”