Arrats

Arrats Traveling Merchant

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Sweet, observant, and helpful; Arrats has a natural charm that could convince anyone to buy anything, a useful skill in the merchant business. He hates storms (despite being a Lightning dragon) and refuses to travel if there is thunder in the sky. — by FourLeaf

Opheodrys Serthis Familiar While the opheodrys serthis' remarks and quick wit are venomous, its fangs are not. 2000

"We should kill it." A pause, then she continued, "Now! While we have the chance!"

"No!" It was a small, bright green Serthis who spoke. The tip of his tail trembled slightly as he stared into his elder sibling's eyes.

"And why not? It's a dragon. An enemy. An intruder! You know what they do to us Beastclans?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"But what?"

"Well, I just thought... the Convergence is in three days. Perhaps we could find it's clan, convince them to help us."

"Allies within the dragon clans, huh? I thought I'd heard it all." The brown Serthis hissed, leaning in toward her younger brother. "I don't need dragons to overthrow the sect's leader! I can do it myself."

"I'm with Therla," a sand-colored Serthis agreed. "Dragons have been hunting us and taking our territory for centuries. This alliance with Talona could benefit us, and it wouldn't do for her to see us taking sides with the enemy."

"It worked for the Dunhoof Centaurs," the green Serthis argued. "They allied with the dragons decades ago, and look where it got them!"

"Dunhoofs aren't a true Beastclan!"

"You would be the expert on that, wouldn't you?"

"ALRIGHT," the brown Serthis interrupted. She flicked her tail, the dark diamond-like patterns shimmering against her lighter scales. "Svetten, put your wyrm-streaked knowledge to some use and question the prisoner. Find out what it knows of the dragons' plans. You have two days."


Svetten crawled through the dark tunnels, deep in thought. He couldn't let the dragon die, not without it getting a fair chance to fight, at least. But he obviously couldn't save it either... or could he? Therla had chosen him to be the negotiator, despite his extensive knowledge of dragons putting many in the clan on edge. He'd have the chance to do something to stop his elder siblings' plans, if only he knew what that something might be.

He flinched slightly as the darkness dropped away to sudden brightness. Waves of heat rose from the hardened earth, rippling through the air and singeing his tail. He much preferred the dark coolness of the colony's caverns. But he had agreed to do this....

Fear flowed through him as he approached the imprisoned Tundra. Despite his knowledge of dragons, he'd never actually seen one before, and the fact that it was tied up offered him little comfort. He stopped a short distance away and waited.

It seemed as if hours had gone by before anything happened. He stared at the dragon, and the dragon stared happily back at him. Considering what his siblings planned to do with the dragon, it shouldn't have been happy to see him. Yet for some reason it was, and that made him uncomfortable.

The sun was high in the sky, and the heat emanating from the rocks was almost unbearable. Svetten stared deep into the dragon's electric-blue eyes, unsure of what to do. Should he say something? Or should he simply return to the colony? The silence between them made the situation more awkward than it should have been.

"I need to know about your clans," the Serthis said finally. "I need to know what they're planning."

The dragon frowned slightly, tilting its head at the Serthis. "Straight to the facts, huh? I expected more... friendly greetings."

"No friendly greetings!" Svetten snapped, pretending he was a fierce warrior questioning a prisoner. Apparently he wasn't very good at getting that point across, seeing as the Tundra was smiling again. "Tell me what your clan plans to do."

"I have no clan."

"So, it's gonna be like that, huh? You're gonna deny having a clan, and then lead them here to attack us, yes? Or perhaps you've done so already." Svetten hissed, drawing his knife.

"No, I'm serious. I'm a traveler of sorts," the dragon replied. "I really wish I could help you."

Svetten frowned, unsure of what to think. A dragon with no clan? A dragon who, despite his apparent lack of knowledge, wished to help the enemy? Something didn't seem right.


Svetten found himself returning to the dragon multiple times throughout the night. He wasn't entirely sure why, but there was something oddly fascinating about the beast.

During their many conversations, he'd learned that Arrats was a traveling merchant, jumping between many clans rather than settling in just one. He'd listened to the dragon's tales of distant lands and fierce battles, of peaceful sunsets and deadly encounters.

"You survived an onyx cobra?" Svetten asked, unable to hide the awe in his voice. "I thought those were deadly." He ran one hand along the dragon's wing, where hardened clusters had formed around the snake bite years ago.

"Dragons are affected differently, I think." Arrats fell silent, his bright cyan eyes locked on the stars.

"Alright, look," Svetten said with a sigh. "I think I can get you out of here."

"Really?" The Tundra turned his gaze toward Svetten, his spirits lifting at the idea.

"The guard changes at sunrise. I can create a distraction for the patrol, and you'll have to get out of here. It's risky, but if we're quick about it you should be able to get away."

"And you'll get my treasure, too?"

Svetten opened his mouth to disagree, but found he couldn't say no to the excitement in the dragon's eyes. "Fine," he sighed at last. "I'll get your treasure."

"And you'll come with me?"

"No! Look, I'm not doing this because I like you or anything, okay? I'm doing this because I don't want to see you dead without a chance to fight." What a lie that was. He hoped the dragon didn't notice. "It's our only chance," he called to the dragon as he turned back toward the colony caverns. "Be ready by sunrise."


Left.... right.... another left. The tunnel was completely silent behind him. Good. Svetten twisted up, crawling through a second tunnel. This one was much smaller, difficult to navigate even without a heavy sack of trinkets over his shoulder. But it was a way out. And only he knew about it.

The first rays of the morning sun hit his face as he reached the end of the tunnel. He could see the patrol disappearing into the dusty landscape; perfect. He waited a moment longer before heading toward Arrats.

His heart thumped in his chest as he got closer. The dragon was laying completely still — what if the patrol had attacked him? What if he was too late? But then the familiar lightning-hued eyes blinked open, and he realized the dragon had just been sleeping.

The Serthis immediately pulled out his knife and set to work cutting the ropes that bound his new friend. "Remember — you have to be quick. And I can distract them if you get caught."

"What about you? Are you coming with me?"

"No! I'm staying here, remember?" Finally the last rope snapped, and Svetten carefully tucked his knife away. He handed the satchel of trinkets to Arrats. " I'll be fine. Go, now! Before they come back!"

"How can I ever thank you for this?" The Tundra dipped his head at the Serthis.

"You can thank me by going," Svetten growled, trying to push the dragon in the other direction. "If they catch you, we're both dead."

"I... guess this is it then. Thank you." Arrats turned and ran at full speed toward the setting moons.

Svetten couldn't hid his smile as he watched the Tundra disappear into the desert.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

Svetten whipped around, hissing furiously at his elder siblings.

"Seems someone set our prisoner free, Therla."

"Indeed," she hissed. The dark diamonds on her tail glittered ominously as she slithered forward.

"I did what I had to do."

"You betrayed the colony," Therla snapped. "You'll pay for this."

A sharp pain sliced through his scales, and Svetten turned on his attacker, drawing his knife. He hissed at the ring of Serthis surrounding him. He was trapped, and there was only one way out.

Hostility filled the atmosphere of the scene as the colony closed in around Svetten. Tensions rose until it felt as if the air itself had become electrified, a small storm sent from the Shifting Expanse.

"Best we get the weak ones out now, before the Convergence," Therla said smugly.

Svetten tried to dodge as the nearest of his clanmates lunged at him again; a sharp pain in his left arm told him he wasn't successful. He hissed, and struck back. Suddenly knives were being drawn all around him. His bright green scales were an easy target against the pale earth.

Having no other options, the young Serthis curled in the sand, preparing for his end. But it never came. Something stood between him and the furious blades of his clanmates. Svetten opened his eyes and watched as bright electricity flickered across the ground, striking five of his former comrades.

Svetten stared in shock as the silhouette of a Tundra appeared through the swirling dust. Arrats leaped through the air, snapping and slashing at the Beastclan around him. A pale Serthis struck at him with a knife, but he rolled under the blade. Lightning crackled around his talons as they came into contact with the Serthis.

Suddenly the Tundra's eyes landed on Svetten, and he hurried over.

"Arrats!" Svetten snapped, making little effort to hid the anger and surprise in his tone. He'd ordered the dragon to leave. It had been the best option, considering the situation. So why had he decided to come back? "What are you —"

"No time! Let's go!"

There was a brief pause in the battle. Arrats took the opportunity and grabbed Svetten, who scrambled to hold on as the Tundra ran. The Serthis unsheathed his knife again, blinking dust from his eyes and doing his best to slash at the Serthis who'd dared to follow them.

The voices of the angry Serthis clan had long since faded into the distance when Arrats finally stopped behind a boulder. The two quickly patrolled the area.

"Alright," Svetten growled when he was sure they were alone. "Explain yourself."

"I heard the patrol turn back," the Tundra replied, pulling his satchel of trinkets from where he'd hidden it beneath a bush. "I smelled danger."

"So you came after me? Do you realize how lucky we were to get out of there alive?"

"We should find a clan," Arrats suggested, changing the subject. "A dragon clan. Dragon clans smell safe."

"Dragons and Beastclans are at war, remember? I highly doubt they'd accept a Serthis like me into a dragon clan. Or a dragon who travels with one, for that matter."

"Not true. Dragons are actually quite accepting these days." He paused for a moment, eyeing the doubt on Svetten's face, then added, "Besides, I can't leave you alone here. You smell like a friend."

The Serthis sighed, rolling his eyes. He'd chosen this path, and now he had to take it. "Sure, fine. Whatever. Not like we have much choice now."

As the two set off in the desert, the space behind the boulder fell silent once more.

After some time, a nearby dune began to shift, scalescarabs skittering off in every direction. Gold sand slowly gave way to the bright scarlet scales of a freshly-molted Serthis.

"See you soon, Svetten," she hissed menacingly to the coming darkness. "After the Convergence... we'll get our revenge."