"Remember. When I give the signal, no earlier," Droak
said looking right into Krantalo's eyes, then he turned to Dreamoth, "Make sure
he doesn't mess this up Yuciau. And if he does, you finish the job." Dreamoth
nodded, and looked with stern eyes back at the black Lupe ahead of him. Even
he could not think of a way out of this mess in which they had fallen.
"Yes, we will see it done," he said with a hidden
sadness.
"Very good, now prepare yourselves, for we will
be in charge by the hour!" and then Droak strutted off towards where Lancoth
was to be, with Dreamoth and Krantalo slowly following.
They saw the desert Tuskaninny up ahead, and
Splitting off from Krantalo and Dreamoth, Droak walked to get in front of Lancoth,
while Krantalo and Dreamoth walked off behind.
"Lancoth, master," Droak said bowing. "I have
found some information on the red dragon Mythouny."
"You have? What is it?" Lancoth said in a dark
voice.
"It is of her weakness, we think that we may
have at last found it." And as the black Lupe saw Krantalo behind Lancoth, he
slowly touched his scabbard, the signal for the prince to take out his sword,
and end Lancoth right there.
"You have! What is it?" Lancoth said, en evil
grin dampening his features.
Krantalo looked at his blade Dragonsbane as
he pulled it out. That blade had never killed anyone who hadn't first attacked
himself. It was not the blade of a murderer. He looked at the unprotected back
of the desert Tuskaninny, and sighed. If he were to carry this through, he would
be no better then Lancoth or Droak themselves. Krantalo looked at the dragon
Dreamoth to try and see what he should do, but Dreamoth's face was featureless,
waiting to see what would become of this situation.
Krantalo closed his eyes for a second, and then
lifting his sword up into the air, he brought it down. Right into his sheath.
"I am not a murderer," he whispered just loud enough for only himself to hear,
and then with a gleam of hatred towards Droak, he turned.
Droak looked with dismay as the young Eaorth
turned away, and then he felt even more despair as the promising Yuciau turned
away with the desert Kougra. 'Well,' thought Droak, 'If you need a job done
right, you have to do it yourself!' and the black Lupe pulled out his broadsword.
"What is the meaning of this Droak!" Lancoth
said sternly.
"Prepare to meet your doom Lancoth," Droak said.
"This group needs someone better then you to lead it!" Droak looked down at
Lancoth's empty sheath. "You don't even know enough to wear a sword at all times!"
Lancoth laughed. It started out low, and then
got higher and higher. "Go ahead Lupe! Strike me down, you won't even get an
inch before you die."
Droak laughed, "Oh, I plan to get father then
an inch!" and then he brought down his sword, but before it met its target,
a dagger was flung from the shadows, and Droak fell lifeless. His plan of betrayal
did not work.
"Malothsi," Lancoth bowed as the black-cloaked creature walked forth, and pulled
his blade from the Lupe's back. Dreamoth and Krantalo just starred from atop
the dune they were on, they didn't recognize the name, but they knew the figure
to be Lancoth's master, and as soon as they caught a glimpse of him, they scurried
off in a hurry.
Malothsi looked back to Lancoth. "You do not
think that I would have let the main part of my plan be destroyed by a mere
Lupe I was right when I predicted that Droak was trouble."
"Yes master," Lancoth said with a smile. "But
he will no longer cause us any trouble, and we can be off for the red dragon's
den." And with that, Lancoth let out an evil laugh.
***
"We are safe," Krantalo said as they reached the outskirts of the camp, away
from all prying eyes and ears. "That went a lot better then I thought, not only
did we escape unharmed, but Droak is no longer around to put us in his dirty
schemes.
Dreamoth sighed, "Wrong. Nothing is ever good
if it ends with the death of a creature. Even one as deserving of death as Droak.
It is my job," he said, "as having Mythouny as my lady, to protect all that
I can." He looked up into the sky. "Lancoth will call the march to begin soon.
We had better get something to fill our stomachs for we do not know of the next
time we will have the chance.
Krantalo smiled. "Okay, let us go then." And
they walked off to the rations tent.
The food was poor, but when it was all that
you had, you learned to not be completely disgusted with it. Dreamoth put some
strength into snapping an old dry biscuit in two as Krantalo ate some salted
meat. "What I would do to just get some of my owner's food," Krantalo moaned
as he took a bite of the stuff he had.
"Most anyone would knowing what most kings eat,"
Dreamoth said, but just then a loud horn blew, and Lancoth walked up.
"Droak is no longer alive," he said loud enough
for all to hear. "He attempted to overthrow me, and so I slayed him on the spot."
He looked around at the rapt camp of thieves. "So I hope that no more of you
will plan to try anything funny, or else you might not be as lucky as Droak
to get away with such a quick death. We move out now!" Lancoth said. "Lagers
will not be tolerated, so I suggest that you hurry and grab your belongings
now."
Not having much to carry, Dreamoth and Krantalo
were ready to depart right away, and as the rest of the camp caught up, they
saw how the tents were moved from place to place. Rolled up, the tents were
set upon large wagons, which were pulled by many ill-looking whinnys. Their
cruel drivers beat any one of the beasts that slowed down, and so the horse-like
petpets kept on moving.
Dreamoth looked with much sadness at the mistreating
of the whinnys. That was another thing he would do. He would free all the innocent
petpets that were kept to do Lancoth's will. And so, with a heavy heart, Dreamoth
and Krantalo started on the four-day march to Mythouny's den.
The sun scorched their backs, and Dreamoth's
wound was ever hurting as they made their way through the sun-scorched days.
Even night didn't give any comfort to the two as they sat on their backs, looking
up into the sky.
"Starless nights," Krantalo said looking up
into the cloudy sky that hid all traces of stars. It was the third night that
that had happened. "It is a bad sign for us. Back in my home kingdom of Lazcor,
stars always symbolized hope, and the clouds are hiding them from us."
"Starless nights," Dreamoth started. "Sun-scorched
days. No matter what befalls us Krantalo, we will do our duty to this world.
Hope can only be clouded by the one who needs it most, and as long as we still
believe, we can do this. Tomorrow when we reach my lady's den, I will save her,
even if I lose myself in the process." He smiled, "Remember this one thing Krantalo.
Wherever there is a need, there is hope." And with that the Kougra. prince starred
up into the sky, and saw a single star shining brightly upon them, and he smiled.
The End
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