Odysseus thought the Imperial wasn't going to pursue him and slowed his pace a fraction. He ran with the talon holding the coins curled into a fist - he was pretty good at running with three legs now. He grinned, tossing his head triumphantly. Ha!
He turned the corner, bursting into a wide courtyard where more stalls were set up. He was about to go look for a food stall when a shadow fell over him. He slowed down, frowning-
Huge talons wrapped around him and lifted him as if he weighed no more than a pebble. Odysseus shrieked, thrashing and squirming as the ground fell away. His wings spread instinctively. "HEY! Let me go!" he squealed, pulse hammering in his ears.
Odysseus thought the Imperial wasn't going to pursue him and slowed his pace a fraction. He ran with the talon holding the coins curled into a fist - he was pretty good at running with three legs now. He grinned, tossing his head triumphantly. Ha!
He turned the corner, bursting into a wide courtyard where more stalls were set up. He was about to go look for a food stall when a shadow fell over him. He slowed down, frowning-
Huge talons wrapped around him and lifted him as if he weighed no more than a pebble. Odysseus shrieked, thrashing and squirming as the ground fell away. His wings spread instinctively. "HEY! Let me go!" he squealed, pulse hammering in his ears.
Atticus' grasp on the Guardian was firm but he allowed slight wiggle room. He didn't reply as he flew away from the area, toward a large patch of empty grass. It took only seconds, and he let the smaller dragon go as he landed on the ground. Atticus looked over the Guardian, not seeing any apparel or significant pieces on his body. The last time he was robbed was also by a hatchling, but she had plenty of protection. This little guy seemed vulnerable.
"Alright, give it back." Atticus' voice was bland. He kept close to Odysseus, ready for him to attempt to run away again.
Atticus' grasp on the Guardian was firm but he allowed slight wiggle room. He didn't reply as he flew away from the area, toward a large patch of empty grass. It took only seconds, and he let the smaller dragon go as he landed on the ground. Atticus looked over the Guardian, not seeing any apparel or significant pieces on his body. The last time he was robbed was also by a hatchling, but she had plenty of protection. This little guy seemed vulnerable.
"Alright, give it back." Atticus' voice was bland. He kept close to Odysseus, ready for him to attempt to run away again.
Odysseus clung to the Imperial's talon, watching the ground whoosh by with a mixture of terror and exhilaration. Is this what it's like to fly? he wondered. Below, dragons and buildings blurred into flat colours and textures. Each beat of his captor's wings was like a thunderclap in his ears.
The dragon touched down on some grass and his talons loosened. Odysseus wiggled free and turned, glaring. "You kidnapped me!" he exclaimed indignantly, flapping his wings. He shrunk slightly under the Imperial's gaze, but held his ground.
His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. There was none. It was open space with no cover. Still, Odysseus wasn't willing to let go of a meal for his friends so easily, even if they were annoying.
So he shook his head despite his fear, pouting.
Odysseus clung to the Imperial's talon, watching the ground whoosh by with a mixture of terror and exhilaration. Is this what it's like to fly? he wondered. Below, dragons and buildings blurred into flat colours and textures. Each beat of his captor's wings was like a thunderclap in his ears.
The dragon touched down on some grass and his talons loosened. Odysseus wiggled free and turned, glaring. "You kidnapped me!" he exclaimed indignantly, flapping his wings. He shrunk slightly under the Imperial's gaze, but held his ground.
His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. There was none. It was open space with no cover. Still, Odysseus wasn't willing to let go of a meal for his friends so easily, even if they were annoying.
So he shook his head despite his fear, pouting.
"Come on, just give it back and you can go annoy someone else." Atticus replied.
He knew plenty of stubborn hatchlings, and this one seemed to be just the same. He sighed gently, wondering just how much this Guardian took. Slowly, he reached into his pouch, sitting back on his back legs and counted the coins that still remained.
"You're not a very good thief, huh? You only got about 20 coins." Atticus knew now that this whole chase wasn't worth the trouble, but he wanted to see how the little dragon handled himself.
"Come on, just give it back and you can go annoy someone else." Atticus replied.
He knew plenty of stubborn hatchlings, and this one seemed to be just the same. He sighed gently, wondering just how much this Guardian took. Slowly, he reached into his pouch, sitting back on his back legs and counted the coins that still remained.
"You're not a very good thief, huh? You only got about 20 coins." Atticus knew now that this whole chase wasn't worth the trouble, but he wanted to see how the little dragon handled himself.
Odysseus shook his head again, putting on his most determined "no" pout.
He watched as the snake-like dragon dipped his talon into his satchel and counted out the coins. At his remark, Odysseus flared up like an agitated hedgehog.
"Well you're not very smart, considering you left your money unguarded!"he exclaimed, glaring. "And I wasn't going to take a lot, duh. Just enough." He too sat back. He lifted his chin. "Aren't old dragons supposed to be wise and stuff?" he snipped.
Odysseus shook his head again, putting on his most determined "no" pout.
He watched as the snake-like dragon dipped his talon into his satchel and counted out the coins. At his remark, Odysseus flared up like an agitated hedgehog.
"Well you're not very smart, considering you left your money unguarded!"he exclaimed, glaring. "And I wasn't going to take a lot, duh. Just enough." He too sat back. He lifted his chin. "Aren't old dragons supposed to be wise and stuff?" he snipped.
Atticus was about to gripe back at the smart remark but was more interested in the previous statement.
"Just enough for what?" Atticus questioned.
He still thought it odd that this hatchling was alone and, after "kidnapping" him, no one had tried to follow. Who would leave this young thing by himself?
Atticus was about to gripe back at the smart remark but was more interested in the previous statement.
"Just enough for what?" Atticus questioned.
He still thought it odd that this hatchling was alone and, after "kidnapping" him, no one had tried to follow. Who would leave this young thing by himself?
Odysseus hesitated, his wings drooping as his eruption faltered. "Um..." he shuffled his talons, looking at the ground. He watched the grass dance in the breeze, biting his lip.
What do I say?! he couldn't say the truth, that he wasn't alone, what if this stranger told all the caravan owners? He'd be kicked out into the wild, and Icarus and Freyja- he shuddered, hugging himself.
"N-nothing," he mumbled, shrinking a bit more.
Odysseus hesitated, his wings drooping as his eruption faltered. "Um..." he shuffled his talons, looking at the ground. He watched the grass dance in the breeze, biting his lip.
What do I say?! he couldn't say the truth, that he wasn't alone, what if this stranger told all the caravan owners? He'd be kicked out into the wild, and Icarus and Freyja- he shuddered, hugging himself.
"N-nothing," he mumbled, shrinking a bit more.
Atticus watched the behavior. He wasn't going to let it go now.
"At this point, you owe it to me." Atticus shrugged. Why he was involving himself in a hatchling's business was beyond him, but he had this nagging feeling about the Guardian. As cocky as the little guy was, there was always a reason one would put himself in danger just for some treasure. He motioned for Odysseus to speak up.
Atticus watched the behavior. He wasn't going to let it go now.
"At this point, you owe it to me." Atticus shrugged. Why he was involving himself in a hatchling's business was beyond him, but he had this nagging feeling about the Guardian. As cocky as the little guy was, there was always a reason one would put himself in danger just for some treasure. He motioned for Odysseus to speak up.
Odysseus mumbled some choice words under his breath. He knew the Imperial wasn't going to let him go until he confessed. He had no choice. He bit his lip harder and shut his eyes.
"Um... I wasn't really stealing from you for... Me. I was trying to get money for food... For my friends." He shuffled his talons closer together, hunching his shoulders as if a boulder had been dumped on top of him. He felt immeasurable guilt. Still... There was something about this dragon that made it feel less... Horrible, to tell him. "Please don't get them in trouble too, " he raised his head.
Odysseus mumbled some choice words under his breath. He knew the Imperial wasn't going to let him go until he confessed. He had no choice. He bit his lip harder and shut his eyes.
"Um... I wasn't really stealing from you for... Me. I was trying to get money for food... For my friends." He shuffled his talons closer together, hunching his shoulders as if a boulder had been dumped on top of him. He felt immeasurable guilt. Still... There was something about this dragon that made it feel less... Horrible, to tell him. "Please don't get them in trouble too, " he raised his head.
Atticus paused. Suddenly he felt bad for thinking wrongly about the Guardian. He cocked his head to the side and almost chuckled.
"Food for you and some friends? Don't you have a parent or... someone?" Normally he wouldn't pry like this. Atticus let his manners go for now, since this was a special situation.
He saw how the smaller dragon hunched, and it was clear he was embarrassed. How sad, Atticus thought.
Atticus paused. Suddenly he felt bad for thinking wrongly about the Guardian. He cocked his head to the side and almost chuckled.
"Food for you and some friends? Don't you have a parent or... someone?" Normally he wouldn't pry like this. Atticus let his manners go for now, since this was a special situation.
He saw how the smaller dragon hunched, and it was clear he was embarrassed. How sad, Atticus thought.
