~Drake Skiá

"Ok, who's been in the wilderness before?"  

I wasn't sure about going out on our own in the cave with no help and dragons on the loose. No matter how much I love dragons, I have to at least worry how hungry the dragon is. It could easily gobble up a human, or fry it with fire. I also had no experience on surviving in the wilderness. I had lived in a city, stealing or getting money through paid assassinations. I suppose hunting is not much different from assassination, though I'm unsure if I could find resources. 

"So guys, how are we gonna do this?" I asked, after Teleriath left to join the other Dragon Hunters. We weren't allowed to ask for help or anything, and some poeple might die. 

Before I RP, I just wanted to clear some things up real quick. I saw few people talking about killing dragons and such, but the Dragon Hunters only kill if necessary. Dragons are intelligent creatures, and can communicate with those who will listen. The Dragon Hunters have made deals with the dragons about not coming into the village and different hunting grounds and territories and such. Now, a clan notorious for their dark ways and untrustworthiness is crossing lines. These are the dragons that Teleriath and Arlerac found. Or rather, that found them. I'm sorry that I didn't make this clear before. 

Èolith~

"We'll have to talk about this later," Ètoile says. I nod, grinning. 

As we walk toward the other trainees, I think I hear something. It's coming from the below the mountain. Gruff speech--then another voice, gravelly. Then silence. 

"Did you hear that?" I ask Ètoile. 

"Hear what?" She looks over her shoulder. 

"Never mind."  

Aria comes forward. "Alright, young Hunters and Huntresses. You're on your own from here. The other Dragon Hunters and I will go our separate ways, and meet back here in the morning to see how many of you Village rats we have left. Good luck. May the odds be ever in your favor."

And just like that, we're alone. "So guys, how are we gonna do this?" Someone says.

I'm the first to step foward. 

"We're gonna need to build a fire unless we all want to wake up ice blocks. I'm sure we can find some brush growing in the stones and maybe some flint in this cave." 

"I'll take some people with me to gather brush," Somebody says. I think her name was Lareya. 

"I'll come and help." Says the girl Ever. 

"Good," I say. "Can anyone help me find flint?" I few people get to their feet and come forward. 

Before long, we have a fire blazing.  

~Drake Skiá

I was slightly unsure about a fire. If it is large enough, it could point enemies to our location. Luckily, there should be more prey than predators in the mountains. I've seen my uncle wrestle and kill a bear, and I've deffeated him with some swift movements with my knife, so I was pretty confident. 

"I'm gonna go hunt, we shouldn't be hungry by morning, we might not survive the next test then!" I decided that the Dragon Hunters have chosen reliable people, but I was still wary. The messages did come from the sky and land wherever. I went out of camp and quietly searched for meat. I wasn't good at identifying poisonous foods or dangerous ones. 

I spotted a deer, and I knew from wilderness books, is that you have to be real careful. Deer are skittish, and can run away quickly. I prepared a throwing knife in my hand, edging ever closer to the deer. It was busy munching on some sapling. I quietly and quickly threw a knife, and it hit it's mark near where I guessed was the deer's heart, it stumbled, and tried to flee, but I shot another at it's eyes, and it crumpled to the ground. I tried to drag it, but it was a heavy deer. 

"Do you need help?" someone asked. 

Do you want Sora to be captured also? Or did she escape? The reason I'm asking is cus I don't want to control your character. I was prob only going to write her in my next post (which where Teleriath and the other dragon hunters are in "prison")

@MJ's friend, you didn't :) We live in the same state!

~Drake Skiá

As Evergreen and I dragged the deer back to the camp, I realised it was an impressive catch (what season is it i forget) it was a white-tailed deer male, recognisable by it's bambi appearence and white tail and antlers. I unfortunately didn't know how to skin or prepare such a meal, but I began cutting off some of the antlers with my knife. They would make great weapons or things if cut properly.

Speaking of being captured...

~Aria~

I can't sleep.

It's been a while since that happened. Usually my days involve lots of traipsing around the mountains keeping an eye on dragons - checking on old Jeherokai, making sure Azrien's chicks don't destroy anything because they're curious about what fire does, that sort of thing - and then going home dog-tired. These past few days, there's been nothing much to do but clean the Gathering hall and glower at Arlerac. That, coupled with the fact that I'm on edge about the kids, has led to me lying here in my bedroll with my eyes wide open.

Eventually I doze off a little, but it's light and restless, not quite actual sleep. 

And when four thumps sound outside the cave and Teleriath and Arlerac's conversation abruptly stops, I'm awake and alert in an instant.

I resist the urge to leap up and help the two of them out there, instead slipping out of my bedroll as quietly as I can and shaking Edvin and Sora awake. They seem annoyed...for about half a second, because then a shout echoes around the cave, a shout rarely heard: "How dare you show your face here!! You have NO business to be here! Get out. Get out! All of you!"

I don't wait for anyone to answer Teleriath. I make for the cave entrance at a dead sprint, dagger out and ready, Edvin and Sora hot on my heels.

There are four dragons surrounding our two watchmen: silver scales, black wing membranes, eyes in shades of amber. No double-jointed jaw for venom-spitting, none of the thick furlike scales that come with frost dragons, smallish horns so no lightning storage- I'm guessing fire as a breath weapon, though it could be poison gas as well. Age between two and five centuries, judging by size alone, which is an imprecise indicator at best. Every one of them is focusing on Teleriath, but I know better than to think they haven't noticed me and the others yet.

I've never seen these dragons before. I have heard of them, though.

Looks like Teleriath's past has finally caught up to him.

He lunges at the largest dragon, the one who growled something at him earlier. Before I can do anything, before I can even yell at him to stop, one of the other dragons has him pinned to the ground. Another sweeps Arlerac's feet out from under him with its tail; his head hits the stone ledge, hard, and he lies still. Edvin shouts something in another language and draws his broadsword. Sora dives for Arlerac, to check his pulse, but the dragon who hasn't moved yet pounces on her before she can reach him. 

A half-lunatic with a sword and an old lady with a dagger. Against four dragons, in close quarters, with no means of a fast exit.

The only time I faced worse odds than this, it took four years to recover and cost me my daughter's friendship.

The largest dragon laughs at us, growling and sibilant at once. It makes a motion in the air with one claw; I hardly even see a ripple before Teleriath and Sora are knocked out cold. It didn't even say anything. We're dealing with a ridiculously powerful magician here, to pull off a stun so complete it knocks multiple victims unconscious without a trace of wasted magic in the form of heat or light.

"What do you want?" I snarl at the dragon, extending a hand to (hopefully) stay Edvin's sword arm.

It laughs again and sticks its snout within a yard of my face, close enough to smell its breath like rancid meat and smoke- definitely a fire-breather, then. "Nothing in particular. I am not so cruel as to kill a child; your spawn in the meeting-cave are safe, for now. But you are in my way, and your friend here-" it gestures at Teleriath- "has...a rather unkind history with me and mine. So forgive me, but I think it would be best for the dragons if we removed you from your office, yes?"

"Best for the dragons, my rear end. I know who you are-" it's a bluff, a desperate one, Teleriath told us about this dragon but never told us its name, only that it was far from benevolent- "and I know for a fact that you're breaking three separate oaths by attacking us, and two more by even being here. We mediate your disputes, we keep other dragons from stealing your land and your prey, and this is how you repay us? With base treachery?!"

"I see no treachery," the dragon purrs. "Only a bargain made void, because one side was not strong enough to keep it."

It makes another motion with its claw, and I only have time to get half a swearword out before the world spins wildly, and my knees buckle under me, and everything goes dark.

************

I really hope I didn't control Edvin, Sora, or Esquire's dragon OC too much! Please tell me if I did!

Aaren-

I sit quietly just outside of the mouth of the cave staring off into the darkness. Being this high up the mountain gave me an excellent view of the valleys and forests. It has been quiet for the last few hours. A few of the trainees had gone out hunting and brought back a nice deer, and everyone was talking quietly around the fire. Maybe I would pull a prank on them or something. They seemed to have forgotten I was here. 

Suddenly, i noticed a flare of light far off in the forest. I jump to my feet an peer off into the distance. Almost at the edge of my vision was a clearing. Tiny dots of fiery red light popped up and huge  winged shadows filled the clearing. I turn and race into the cave. 

"Guys!" I tell, "get out here quick! Something's going on." 

~Ever~ 

I jump up along with the others. "What Arwen? Is it a dragon?! Is a dragon coming?"

Arwen simply turns around and ran towards the mouth of the cave.  I follow him, heart puonding with the others to the mouth of the cave. And suddenly i wonder If I am following him to my death?

Can't wait too see what happens next!