Ajani

Nature Eldest


For leveling fodder in Ghostlight, teams well in #2 slot with Strider in #1 slot.



“Blight!” Ajani roared, and stumbled back to the edge of the clearing, head ringing. Cataracta moved to guard him, but the great blue hulk facing them drew back as well, blinking warily at them with its little red eyes. Ajani gritted his teeth against the blaze of pain in his shoulder, weighed it, and decided to let go of his pride this once.

“Boy! Toss me a potion. One of the orange ones, mind.” Wincing, he turned his head to be ready to snap the bottle out of the air ... and found nothing. Nothing at all, in fact.

“Bitter rot take that young idiot! Where’d he go?” he demanded.

Cataracta, still watching the wartoad, shrugged.

“BOY!”

“His name’s Basil,” the other Guardian reminded him.

“I can’t be bothered to remember the names of these trainees! They’re here, they’re gone again, none of them stick around long enough to pick up any real skill, but by Gladekeeper’s Branches I expect them to not wander off during basic training! BOYYY!”

A distant, startled rustling began off to one side. “Yes sir?”

Ajani saw the wartoad’s eyes spark in malevolent interest and cursed again. “Stay where you are and guard yourself!” he shouted. As the wartoad shifted itself to face the little Tundra’s position, Ajani gathered his weary limbs and hurled himself at it again, claws slashing.

Cataracta took a blow herself getting to the cache of supplies, but tossed him the much-desired healing potion rather than taking one for herself. With his shoulder no longer screaming at him, Ajani threw himself into the battle with new determination, and the two of them harried the wartoad between them until finally it stopped moving. Ajani watched in satisfaction as the rage drained from the red eyes, leaving them puzzled and alarmed. With a startled croak, the huge amphibian flailed one hind leg until it got itself turned away and could make a ponderous leap into the trees. Within moments it had disappeared into the waving vegetation.

“Warden’s Beard, those things take convincing.” Cataracta limped towards the cache. Ajani followed her, eager to get something to eat himself before the next Shade-bemused creatures showed up. He frowned a bit to see Cataracta reach for one of the lesser potions as well, but held his peace.

Cataracta tossed the little bottle into her maw, gulped, and sighed in relief as the spell broke open. She reached for the packet of dried meat without wincing. Bruised ribs, then, not broken, Ajani thought, watching her.

“I know, I know,” Cataracta said testily without turning her head. “This is no place for an Ice dragon.”

“I’ve told you before, Nature’s no better off,” Ajani retorted. He took a stick of the proffered meat himself and settled himself against a tree trunk, eyeing the dank verdancy on all sides with a jaundiced expression. “It beggars logic, if you ask me.”

“Try looking at it with these eyes,” Cataracta retorted, blinking her colorless ones. “What I’d give for some clean, decent snow. Yet we keep coming back; two ill-suited, faithful public servants.” She gave a sardonic snap of her cheek fins. “Hail to Windsinger.”

Ajani finished his snack and grunted. “Tell you who should have been of some use here: that silly little fluffball.”

Cataracta sighed. “Never saw a trainee like this one. They keep themselves back a lot, but wandering off?”

“Doesn’t he think we’d protect him?”

“Honestly?” Cataracta flicked a glance at him. “I don’t think he’s scared. I think he’s too busy looking at things.”

“Gladekeeper save us from idiot scholars,” Ajani snorted, rolling to his feet. “Come on--let’s go find the little fool, before something finds him first.”