Noeria

Noeria flapped her wings over the dusty earth of the Cairnstone Rest. Any dragons looking up from below would see her as a dark speck against the blue sky - but the blinding light of the sun, its sweltering heat raising shimmering waves upon the desert sands below, made the dragons escorting their cargo keep their eyes downturned.

It was the perfect cover.

Below her lay the ruins of ancient burial grounds, carved with warnings designed to frighten off tomb robbers. That was all well and good...but the surrounding land was home to rich gem deposits, prolific veins running deep beneath the soil of Sornieth. Early prospectors had avoided the tombs as best as possible, but accidents happened...and those less scrupulous ignored morality in favour of wealth.

Earth mages, fortune seekers, mining corporations; all sought wealth beneath the sun-scorched dust of Dragonhome. While the rich, those with better connections or access to earth magic, had first dibs on the choicest spots, any blessed with enough luck stood a chance at striking it rich. All it took was backbreaking labour and an alignment of the right stars.

Noeria preferred to avoid chance.

And so the well-dressed Ridgeback maintained her altitude, waiting for her target to appear. Twin wingbeats echoed her own on either side of her - her loyal canine companions. She had fit the black hainu collars onto them herself shortly after they had been weaned from their mother. Argos and Maera leaned into her touch as she caressed them, fondling soft ears and scritching juuuust the right spot on their rumps.

They were all the help she needed.

Maera let out a short whine, alerting Noeria to movement beneath them. Her face split into a smile as she watched the caravan emerge from the shelter of the craggy mountains, heading for the parched and barren lands of the Shattered Plain. Noeria knew that each wagon was loaded down with the spoils of labour.

Games of chance held no interest for Noeria.

She preferred to seize her destiny.

The Ridgeback untucked her rose highnoon hank from her pocket, slotting it over her needle nose. She pulled down the goggles which rested atop her head. Both would protect her from the dust kicked up by the wagon wheels, and the dragons which pulled them.

A sharp whistle - and together, she and her hainu pulled into a dive.

The caravan never saw them coming.

Well-trained, eager to please their mistress, Argos and Maera split off to either side of the caravan. Howls and barks made the dragons rear up in fright. The twins worried at ankles, bowled over smaller dragons, and raised a duststorm with the might of their wings.

It was the perfect cover.

Into the chaotic maelstrom flew Noeria, confident in her target. While her loyal companions distracted and caused disarray, she swooped in right under the noses of the surprised guards of the caravan. Sure hands scooped up a bag of jewels, replacing it with one of the sacks she carried on her belt. She flew past the caravan, then banked, coming in for another pass. Once again she snatched up her bounty; once again, another bag was left in its place.

Two was more than enough to keep her in comfort for quite some time.

With a sharp whistle Noeria summoned Argos and Maera. Her hounds immediately abandoned their sport and coursed after her. Arrows, spears, even a fireball came soaring by in pursuit - but the disturbed sand ruined visibility, marring the aim of the caravan dragons.

Hainu and Ridgeback disappeared into the sky.

Later, once the dust had settled and the caravan had been searched, nothing would seem to be amiss. The bounty of the earth would be counted, and the same number of bags would be found.

But once the caravan reached market, two bags would be found to contain glass shards instead of jewels.

Noeria laughed.

Another job well done.