One x One The Dragon and the Druid

[StarryKnights]

Orion tapped his chin for a second. "...Does shapeshifting count as using magic?" he asked with a cheeky grin. "The prize..hmm, bragging rights...as well as first pick of the meat off of whatever we catch...". he looked to the woman, cracking his neck. "Anything you'd like to add, my dear?" he sneered.
He didn't need his magic to take down a wild animal...but he imagined Duzzel didn't either. "Nothing but teeth, claws and spears, for all the glory and the bragging rights".

 

[ihaveprobs]

"Given you wish your identity to remain hidden like a coward, you may remain in your current form or choose your true dragon form." Duzzel shrugged as she started inspecting the area. "As for prizes, the loser will have to prepare the meal, as wells as owe the other one favor they can not go back on." she set her terms having a plan about how to better come out of this trip.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion rolled his eyes. "it's not cowardice to hide who you are my dear...especially when you are attempting to sneak up on your enemies...and you are really a massive fire breathing dragon". he snickered. "Alright, I'll accept those terms...not then...". Crouching down, the mist soiled around his body and he assumed his dragon form. Truth be told hunting in his human form without the aid of his music would be...challenging to say the least.
"Now if I bring back a person are you willing to eat that?" he snickered.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Looking as some snapped branches in the area she already started tracking some prey while they talked. "I have eaten humans before, though I don't much care for the taste." she admitted to him openly. Her tribe having rituals after battles to devour certain parts of the fallen's bodies to gain their strength. Crouching down she inspected the tracks she had found and smiled. She turned back to the dragon with his large lumbering size and smirked. He might be lethal in the air and open spaces, but the tight knit forest was her domain and she could move in it a lot better than the lizard without his tricks. "I do hope not using magic won't be too hard of a restriction for you." she mocked.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion rolled his eyes as he stretched out a bit. "Humans are a bit gamey, but that is besides the point" He chuckled lightly as he looked about. In this form moving through the trees could be challenging, but as Orion stalked forward, he made little to no sound, he could track his pray via smell and sight, Duzzel was probably a more experienced hunter than him, but he had superior senses. He didn't need magi to spot a bear, several hundred yards away. "Worry not little lady, I do not need magic to fell a common creature". His wings folded against his body, allowing him to move between the trees with making little to no noise.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Snorting at the idea of being a 'little lady', Duzzel took off in a different direction than what Orion was leaving in. Following her trail she had found she started tracking her prey. Letting herself connect back to her tribal roots and the teachings of her father. She hadn't been the head of her tribe's hunting party for nothing.

( I think we should time skip to them meeting back up with their prey. Though Orion will have to probably bring his kill to her due to her not being able to properly move her kill by herself. She was tracking a moose. )

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion rolled his eyes, slinking through the trees he silently stalked his prey, which happened to be a bear. He'd spotted the creature making its own kill, and figured it would make a fine trophy to bring back to Duzzel. Besides, the pelt could be made into a garment, and Orion didn't mind the idea of a bear pelt coat. It would be a fashionable addition to his wardrobe.
The bear was dragging its kill, a buck, back to it's den, no doubt to feed its young. Sadly, it was intercepted before it could reach home, like a snake the dragon made his strike, quick and clean. Once his jaws snapped shut around the bear it let out a roar and squirmed, but no amount of movement could make him let go. Only when the creature hung limp in his jaws did he stand upright, his neck reached above the treeline. Scanning he spotted his traveling companion and headed in her direction.

(( i think a mouse is bigger than a bear but im not sure xD ))

 

[ihaveprobs]

Duzzel was kneeling by the moose's carcass when she hear the flapping of Orion's wings coming up behind her. She ignored it in favor of skinning her prey to better get to the meat on the large and long legged creature. She hoped that whatever Orion brought back wouldn't make it too much meat between the two of them that any went to waste. Already she was making plans of how to use the various parts of the moose to make and replace broken or missing gear she needed. The antlers on the moose would be particularly useful.

(Depends on the bear breed and moose. A particularly massive grizzly bear could be arguably the same size of a standard size moose. But moose are pretty massive creatures.)

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion landed with a earth shaking thud, dropping the grizzly bear at Duzzel's side he grinned. "beat that, little lady" he smirked, showing off his long, sharp teeth in the process. He eyed her catch curiously. "been a while since I've had moose". he spoke as he shifted, the mist obscured his form and in an instant Orion was standing there in his human form. His bear was easily twice the size of Duzzel...but bull moose grew to be quite large as well.
"Well, I clearly won the contest of the more...interesting prey". he chuckled as he examined his nails. He didn't want to entertain the idea that he might've lost to this two legged nuisance.
But if he lost...than he lost. He'd honor his word, as any self respecting dragon would.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Turned to look at what prey he had brought back Duzzel frowned seeing the dead bear. Standing up she went over to the bear's side and ran her fingers through it's fur, saying a prayer over the animal. Finishing she looked up at the dragon clearly quiet irritated with him. "The challenge wasn't for most interesting, but largest. I shall expect you to honor your word." she told him as she closed the bear's eyes showing it reverence. "No part of the bear should go to waste. Was this a Mother bear?" she asked having not checked yet.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion blinked, unsure as to what he'd done to piss off Duzzel this time. Not that he rightly cared, though he didn't see why bringing back a bear was an issue.
"I don't know I didn't bother treking to its den to find out. It was dragging a carcass back there so...". he shrugged as he looked from his kill to hers. The moose was pretty massive, though his kill was...more intriguing, Duzzel was right, that wasn't the challenge. The dragon scowled at the thought of losing to a human.
"If I lose, I lose, simply because moose are freakishly large for such stupid creatures...". He shook his head. "When a dragon makes a promise my dear, they full fill it...".
No matter how annoying said promise was.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Smirking at his admission of defeat, she started cutting off portions of the moose. "Indeed, I get first choice of meat and a favor from you when I so choose to call upon it." she said reminding him of her winnings. Wrapping up the meat in the moose's pelt she looked in the direction of where Orion had come from. "Get a fire going to cook the meat. I'll be back in a while." she told him as she started walking to go find the bear cub.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion rolled his eyes.
"Let's at least pretend to keep that favor simple, I'm not a god Duzzel...I mean, I might as well be when compared to your pathetic kind but...".
His gaze moved upward toward the sky. The real gods watched over this world, and all who lived in it. An accord between them prevented their direct interference here...though Orion had heard long ago gods would free walk these lands. Oh to have been alive at that time...
Blinking he looked back down, and watched as Duzzel skinned her prize and stowed it away. He scowled at her as she gave him an order.
"Is that your favor?" he asked with a smirk. "Because if not...well...I don't know if I can do that for you my dear".
He could easily, but the fact this woman had gotten lucky and killed something larger than his bear and won a favor ticked him off.
He wasn't going to be going out of his way to help her any time soon.
She walked off, to where, Orion didn't know. Given she was gone, he looked to his own prize, licking his lips. Duzzel had skinned her catch...that meant he could eat his...right?
Once thing he agreed on with the woman was the fact none of this bear would be going to waste...
Shifting into his true form, the dragon dug in, he left the moose be though, as that was Duzzel's kill.

 

[ihaveprobs]

"No, it's not the favor." she called back to him from the tree line before disappearing into the trees. It was almost an hour an a half later that she came back with a moving bundle on her back inside the moose pelt. Walking into the middle of the makeshift camp they had, she put down the tied bundle that moved around on the ground. "Don't eat those."

Duzzel picked up some of the twigs in the area to start a fire with since the dragon hadn't. "You know, if you had just started a fire we could have left this area faster." she pointed out as she set up the wood for a small fire.

 

[StarryKnights]

In the time Duzzel was gone, Orion finished his meal, given it was growing dark the dragon assumed they'd be making camp for the night. He curled up in the clearing, and his gaze remained fized on the stars. Certain spots on his body glowed faintly, creating a design akin to a constellation. It was the mark of his clan...and he was the last to bear it.
His mind hopped from the present to the past as he contemplated his next move, and what he intended to do once they reached the capital.

These thoughts were interrupted as Duzzel returned, with a squirming parcel. "I figured we'd be making camp soon enough, given your kind cannot see at night. Given your the only one who needs the blasted fire, I figure you ought to make it yourself".
His eyes moved to her bag. "...Why is your satchel moving?"

 

[ihaveprobs]

Glancing up at him with angry hooded eyes she snorted at his reasoning. "Right, wasn't because you're pompous at all." she muttered under her breath. leaning down she blew gently on the small fire she had started and coaxed it into life. Hearing his question about her bag she moved quickly towards it. "THAT is none of your concern. It's my satchel and what's inside it is for me to worry about." she told him matter of factually.

Sitting the somewhat large moving bag close to her, she reached over to the dead moose and cut off some of the meat. Opening the bag a bit, she moved quick to put the meat inside it and tried to close it back up before the small bear paws moved to get out of their makeshift prison. Repeating the process, Duzzel let out a yelp and pulled back out her hand with small teeth marks on it. A bit of blood ran down her fingers to the back of her hand. Glaring into the bag she flicked the nose of a cub that stuck it's nose out of the bag before closing it back up.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion just snickered as she muttered under her breath. Such a fiesty creature, it truly amazed him how...underwhelmed she was with him. It was amazing...and infuriating, that she could not see how...beneath him this all was. By the gods he should've killed her the moment he found her...
Ideally his act of mercy would pay out in the end...but only time would tell.
He eyed her bag curiously, and licked his lips as he spotted what he was fairly certain was a baby bear. "I see you brought a snack". he said a smirk. Why she'd gone out and fetched the cub was beyond him, perhaps it was out of some misplaced compassion.

She did have a deep connection with nature, that probably had something to do with it. No matter, it wasn't an issue. With the mother gone the cub had been doomed to an early death...and now it seemed to was doomed to be the pet of a fickle human.
"Such a feisty creature won't make a good pet my dear". Orion spoke with a flick of his tail.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Duzzel looked at him both insulted and annoyed. "It's not my pet." Pulling out some spare cloth from her bag she started wrapping up her wounded hand. "I will provide for these two Cubs till they can fend for themselves. If they wish to be spirit kin to me afterwards that will be their choice." She told him.

Stroking the fire a bit, she started preparing slices of meat on sticks to cook. "I don't expect you to care or understand," but started and looked up at him over the flames, "but if you kill another bear in my presence, I will go back to trying to kill you." She warned him. "Any other animal is fine, but not bears."

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion blinked, flicking his tail he couldn't help but chuckle at her peeved expression.
"You are also far to feisty to be a pet". the dragon looked to Duzzel's bag, scowling at the cubs within. Why this woman was so dam excited over a couple of orphaned bear cubs was beyond him. It was clear though she had a deep connection with the beasts...her magic itself seemed to be tied to nature.

He supposed he could avoid killing bears...if only to avoid having to deal with a pissed off human.
"Fine, no bears...it didn't taste very good anyway". Orion spoke with a chuckle. "I won't ask why the beasts are so important to you...it doesn't rightly matter".
The dragon laid his head down. "But if those things cause us trouble, then I will...dispose of them". His gaze flickered to the satchel with the cubs.
"So keep your...companions...in line".

 

[ihaveprobs]

Snorting at the threat, Duzzel focused on cooking her meat evenly. "So why are you in your lizard form anyways. I thought you didn't want anyone to see you in that form till we get there." she started small talk while she waited. Mewing sounds stated to come from the sack and Duzzel sighed a bit before pulling the rope away from the hide. As the cloth fell away the two cubs looked around the camp site curiously. Picking the one that was crying up she sat it down in her lap and started absently scratching it between it's shoulders to calm it down while it's brother seeing the remains of the dead moose started eating from it.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion cracked an eye open and regarded Duzzel with a bored look.
"because there is no one about but you my dear. If I don't have to look like a monkey...then I won't". he stretched his legs out, and there was a definite popping sound as some joint was moved back into place. Orion's tail flicked behind him lazily as he laid back down.
"This form is far more comfortable...if you could shape shift you'd understand".

Orion's gaze flickered to the cubs, such tiny, fluffy little things. Together they could make a fine snack...though he didn't want to have Duzzel at his throat.
On the off chance anyone did happen upon them...Orion would end their miserable lives before they could get to far.
"...So...why the...attachment to bears? I assume it has something to do with your magic?". he looked back to Duzzel, for once his tone was neither demeaning or haughty...there was a hint of mild porosity.

 

[ihaveprobs]

Duzzel looked at him suspiciously for a moment, trying to judge why he was asking before smiling sadly down at the bear pelt she carried with her. "This pelt belonged to a bear named Taka, he was my spirit brother and it isn't connected to my magic. Before my tribe was betrayed I was foolish and decided to take on the trial of the dead lands because I felt the need to prove myself to my tribe. I started the trial too late in the years and wasn't ready for it, and when winter quickly came during my year long banishment from my tribe I was not going to survive. I was Huntering during a blizzard and got lost. I passed out in the snow and was going to die. Taka found me. I don't know why or how. But he found me in the snow and dragged me back to his cave with food. When I first woke up I thought he was going to eat me, but he didn't. He laid over me to give my warmth till the storm passed. Afterwards he helped me survive the year and followed me back to my village. We had a bond no one could explain, my grandmother believed he was the great bear spirit and I was choose by him to be a keeper of bears, but we don't know. He stayed with me till his end of his own choice. I owe it to his memory to care for his kind like he did me." She said and looked down at the two Cubs. "Bears don't hurt me, not really." She said looking down at her bit hand knowing the bear had just been trying to get the food and out of the bag. "And I won't tolerate them getting hurt either."

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion's expression actually softened, just a tiny bit, during Duzzel's story. Once, it wasn't uncommon for man and beast to walk side by side...but then man changed. As they progressed they used nature as a stepping stone, and no beast alive was left unscathed.
The dragon let out a little puff of smoke and his tail began to flick faster.
"...Once...long ago, my clan was...allied with a settlement of humans. They were meek creatures, and needed help in finding their place in our world...". The dragon's eyes slipped closed.
"...but they took advantage of our kindness...and used the powers we taught them against us...and now...". he opened them.
"...I'm the only living member of the Starfall clan...hell I could be the last dragon".

The monster let out a dry chuckle.
"...But that is all in the past...and this is the present". Orion wasn't really sure why he'd shared all that...especially since he'd mentioned parts of it before. Perhaps it was because Duzzel had shared something personal about her life...and he felt compelled to do the same out of...respect.
As much as he hated to admit it, Duzzel was far from the usual image he had of humans, and the annoying wretch was beginning to earn the dragon's respect. They had a long journey ahead of them, the least he could do was make it as...conflict free as possible.
"I won't eat the cubs, they wouldn't make a good snack anyway...". the dragon chuckled again, looking to the babies.
"...Just ensure they don't impede us on our mission".

 

[ihaveprobs]

Duzzel gave him an honest slight smile. "Thank you. I appriciate you respecting my connection with the bears." she scratched behind the one cubs ears till it laid down in her lap. It's brother seeing the other getting such treatment stopped it's eating and climbed over the relaxed brother to get attention of it's own. Duzzel have a hearty laugh at the display and started caring for it with her other hand. "I will keep them out of as much trouble as I can. How hard can watching two cubs really be?" she asked ignorantly of the task. Once the other cub settled down she looked back over at Orion. "I am sorry for what happened to your kind. I hope that someday you might find more of your kind just as I search for the remnants of my tribe." she told him honestly, feeling for the first time like the two might have more in common than they cared to admit.

 

[StarryKnights]

Orion snorted.
"Spoken like a woman who's never reared a babe", he looked to the cubs and then back to Duzzel. "They will keep you on your toes I'm sure".
The dragon sighed, the night was progressing with a lot less drama than he'd anticipated. It was actually nice, sleeping out under the stars like this.
He wondered if maybe he'd ever find his own clan out in the world, or even another dragon. But given how...temperamental dragons could be, it might be best if they avoid such things. But alas, these were all thoughts for another time. Orian yawned his tail curled around him as he settled in to sleep.
"Given the babes are still wide awake, I assume you'll take first watch then" he chuckled softly as he closed his eyes.