Forte

Affiliation: The Outcasts

Description:
Forte works as an overseer and watchguard for prisoners in the clan. She is relatively quiet and reserved- preferring to stick to her work rather than socialize with other dragons. Still, she has a dry sense of humor, often finding enjoyment in toying with attempted escapees.
Using her dark coloration and tiny body to her advantage- she camouflages herself in darkness and will monitor dangerous or potentially troublesome prisoners. Her ability to see at all angles around her body is also quite helpful for her job- as it helps her keep an eye or two on several prisoners, all at the same time.


——


Deep within the confines of his musky cell, a wildclaw meticulously abraded away the cuffs binding his forearms. The hushed sound of metal being scraped against rock softly echoed through the dark corridors of the gaols. Focused. Rhythmic. Determined.

He was a well known scoundrel in these regions- a thief, a troublemaker. Still, he was cunning- managing to evade being apprehended for several years. He supposed his age was finally catching up to him- he had been spotted on the outskirts of a local clan while looking for unattended supply crates to plunder. Needless to say, the group didn’t take kindly to his antics- and decided to imprison him in this gaol where he couldn’t cause any more trouble.

Still, the clan must be poorly managed- security in his holding region was seemingly light and predictable. The thief had easily familiarized himself with the guard’s routines- wearing away at his bindings while they patrolled elsewhere, and halting when they returned. It was a slow process, but fruitful. The cuffs had been worn away to only a hairlength of iron- they should be easily breakable at this point.

Still, as he had meticulously worn his cuffs away, the wildclaw couldn’t help but feel that he was being watched. That something was lurking shadows of the gaol, observing his every move. Scrutinizing him.

Like the burn of a dozen eyes’ gaze.

Still, he dismissed it as simple paranoia. He was readying himself for a prison break- of course he would be on edge. If something were here, surely he would have spotted it by now.

This was it then- he would wait for the next guard to do their rounds, and then he would take his chance and escape.

Quietly, the wildclaw waited in the blackness.

....

Time seemed to slow for him. In the silence, he heard the shuffle of feet against the stone floor. The guard must be doing another round of patrols. So long as they didn’t look too closely at his cuffs, he would be in the clear. His eyes were shut- feigning the image of sleep. Still, his heart was racing, and he struggled to steady his breath.

The guard slowed outside his cell, pausing for a moment to peer into his corridors. The wildclaw remained still.

Then, wordlessly, the guard resumed his patrol- the shuffle of their feet slowly dissipating into the further reaches of the gaol.

Without wasting a second of time, the wildclaw shot open his eyes. With a firm jerk of his forearm his bindings snapped- coming undone around him. Hustling to the front of his cage- the wildclaw easily dispatched the lock, after all, he had managed to escape a fair few cells in his prime.

Much better maintained ones, he might add.

Grinning, he burst from his cell, then rapidly surveyed his surroundings. The gaol seemed to have been constructed in a circular formation- with halls on either side of him offering a possible route to an exit.

He pondered his options for a moment, when a soft breeze ruffled his feathers. Wind! It seemed to be coming from the hall to the left of him, an exit! Rapidly, he burst into a sprint down the long hallway- hunting the source of the wind. The wind seemed to twist and turn through the winding halls of the gaol- but spurring him onward.

Left. Right. Left again. Right again. It was growing stronger now- he must be close to the entrance of the gaol!

In his excitement, he failed to notice the small shadow following him.

The wildclaw turned left once more, but, the wind seemed to vanish. Confused, the wildclaw surveyed his surroundings- he seemed to be in just another part of the gaol. Then, a breeze tickled his nose once more- there! A large metal door was situated at a corner of the hall- the wind must have been coming from there! Without a second thought, the wildclaw plunged himself through the opening of the door.

...What?

It was nothing more than another empty cell.

A shrill snicker echoed behind the wildclaw. Rounding on the source, he met eye to eye with a small fae, grinning at him from the outside of the cell.

Then, another eye opened. And then another.

The dragon shrieked in shock and fear- as a gust of wind magic slammed the door to the fortified cell shut, ensnaring the thief once more.