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1. [DL-C] Play Nice, Nadusi
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 01:46:55 -0400
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-C] Play Nice, Nadusi
Day 3
Morning
Nomad Camp
The warriors were mounted and circled as Andahar and Cholmon exited the
chief's tents. The leader of the hunting party raised his spear in
salute. "We will go with you to hunt Nadusi. We know Nadusi trail."
A young boy led two horses toward them. Andahar looked surprised, but
didn't want to offend their hosts. He glanced at Cholmon and nodded
toward the horse.
Cholmon at first looked like she would protest, but when Andahar
mounted, she did likewise.
Other youngsters ran from among the tents, offering weapons of various
types. Andahar bent forward and took a strong looking bow and a quiver
of arrows. Cholmon chose a spear for herself, much to the surprise of
the warriors; it was obvious they didn't want a woman among them, much
less one that wielded the double swords, and now chose a leader's
spear.
Yet, for the most part, they held their tongues.
Their wisewoman, who had been predicting Cholmon's arrival, stepped
forward and offered a blessing upon the warriors before they rode out
of
the camp.
They wound their way up along the creek that trickled through the
prairie. As the sun got higher in the sky, the landscape around them
changed; the grasses had given way to scrub and bare rocks. Andahar
looked back over his shoulder and glanced up at the two dragons that
circled above, while keeping their eyes on their riders down below.
---
<Foolish, if you ask me,> Param remarked.
<Perhaps, but Andahar did not want to offend the men of the tribe. He
needs them to show us where the Nadusi is,> Bohoc replied.
<I suppose, and if they want to ride our lunch out there...> Param
commented.
<I don't think they would be too happy if we eat their mounts.> Bohoc
commented.
Param snorted, <Mounts! They are merely snacks if you ask me.>
Bohoc chuckled, <They look too stringy. If you are hungry we can grab a
couple of those tasty looking beasts that are grazing over there.>
<No, I'm fine. Just... they move so slowly! Why couldn't I just have
taken one of the humans on my back and have him point when I got
close?>
<Nomads don't see the world the same way as dragons. It took Andahar a
long time to realize that the mountains he saw from a distance while on
my back were the same ones he knew from climbing. Their view of the
world is very ... flat.>
<Look, they've stopped and gotten off... think we can eat those things
now?>
<Those things are horses. And no, as I said I think the humans value
them -- Andahar said some Nomad men value a good horse more than a good
wife... not exactly sure what he means by that but....>
<They're looking into a hole...> Param interrupted.
Bohoc circled back to watch and agreed, <That's good. Warton said that
his and Ale'bela's riders got attacked out of a hole.>
The two dragons landed a little distance away to wait and see what
their
riders and the other humans would do.
The warriors began a dance, stomping and chanting and calling on their
gods. The vibrations soon attracted another creature's attention and
the Nadusi began to move. It was hungry. It was always hungry. Those
vibrations meant something living was moving above ground, perhaps a
herd of beasts? The Nadusi didn't really care what it was; it would be
eaten.
A moment later it slid its head out of the hole, flicking its tongue to
scent the air for its first victim.
The warriors stopped their dance and stood bravely as the beast began
to
emerge, weapons at the ready. They had all their hope in the vision of
their wisewoman, and if some of them had to die today, at least they
were confident that the Nadusi would be vanquished as well.
Cholmon also drew her two swords, but unlike the warriors, she did not
wait for the creature to settle or to attack first. With a mighty
scream she ran at the beast as the head crested over the rim of the
hole, aiming a blade for one of its eyes.
"Do not look in its eye!" Andahar called in warning. "It will turn
you
to stone!"
"Stone?" Cholmon scoffed, though she did take his advice and avoided
directly looking into the Nadusi's eye, which she was aiming toward.
The Nadusi saw a blur coming at it from the side, and in just the nick
of time closed its eye. Cholmon's blade bounced and slid along the
steely hide, not even leaving a slash mark. She turned the blade and
hit with full force on the eyelid, hoping that she could discover a
weak
spot.
As the Nadusi raised its head, and Cholmon's target was now out of
reach. She jabbed at the lines where the plates of its body
overlapped,
hoping to slide the blade between the scales, but even though they slid
along each other, the plates were solidly affixed in place, and she
could not get a blade to penetrate.
The Nadusi opened its mouth. With his heart pounding, Andahar was
ready. As the giant maw gaped open, he let loose with a volley of
arrows. It was as if he'd given a signal, as the other warriors rushed
forward crying out in one voice. Their blades slashed down upon the
beast; spears shattered, swords bent and arrows bounced off its hide,
but the Nadusi seemed unaffected.
The horses screamed in terror as the Nadusi reared up out of the hole
and with surprising speed for something that large, lunged forward and
snatched a horse up with its mouth. Throwing its head straight back,
it
gulped down the horse in seconds, blankets and all.
<Hey, you said those things shouldn't be eaten!?> Param stated
indignantly. <If it can have one, why can't I?>
<Well, the Nomads don't look very pleased about it, do they?> The small
green dragon replied. That was an understatement. They began to look
askance at the flailing woman dragonrider, and fear and doubt began to
creep in. Perhaps their wisewoman had seen this all wrong? Maybe they
should try to appease this evil creature and sacrifice the woman to it?
But that was quickly rejected, for they had seen the destruction after
this vile creature had consumed whole villages, and its hunger had only
seemed to increase.
Andahar could feel the heat emanating from its body -- it was truly a
creature beloved of Khazeen and Shamir. He had stared entranced at the
rows of glistening teeth that had been just above him moments before it
chose to strike and take a horse. "Go back to Jhezrael!" Andahar cried
as he loosed his last volley of arrows. They ricocheted off the tough
hide of the Nadusi, not even leaving a mark. With a wordless cry, he
sprang forward, blades drawn.
Bohoc shook his head, <Perhaps we should rescue our foolish riders
before they get themselves eaten?>
<Perhaps,> Param noted, <Though my rider is never happier than when she
is slashing those metal sticks at things.>
<Swords,> Bohoc reminded.
<Right.> The white dragon agreed, <So, you flame it while I fly over
and
get our riders out of the way....>
<Flame?> Bohoc shook his head, sadly. <Can't flame it. Warton said
that his flaming only seemed to make the thing stronger. It seems to
thrive in hot places. We'll just have to be quick.>
Param was about to agree, when the words and images that Bohoc had sent
suddenly caught his attention, <Wait... what did you just say?>
<We should be quick...>
<No, no, before that?> Param had stood up, his wings half raised.
The Nadusi swiveled its head toward the dragons, as it finally realized
their presence. Dragon meat was even better than any beast! It slid
the rest of the way out of the hole and began to slide up the hill
toward the dragons, crushing an unfortunate Nomad warrior who was in
the
way.
The Nomads gave chase, running along side the creature and slashing at
it.
<About flaming it?> Bohoc asked, puzzled, <Warton said flaming only
seemed to make it grow stronger.>
<And that it lived in hot places...> Param's eyes gleamed.
<Hot... yes, it seems to love it hot.> Bohoc answered, beginning to
get
annoyed. <That's what I already said.>
<But... I don't breathe flame!> Param snorted, and though white
tendrils curled out of his nose, they weren't from steam, they were of
frost.
<Right!> Bohoc suddenly saw the possibilities. <I wonder if it has
ever meat an ice-breathing dragon before? I'd never myself until you
hatched, but I'd heard that other warrens had them....>
<Well, there is only one way to find out!> Param spread his wings and
kicked off. He glided toward the advancing Nadusi and the frantic
Nomads. Bohoc followed a short distance behind.
The Nadusi wasn't too surprised that the dragons would attack. It had
already encountered a few that had tried. They'd flame it and it would
glow warmly and have much more energy, so it didn't slow its advance as
they came.
The white dragon's approach sent the Nomads into a panic. Death was
heralded as coming on the wings of a white dragon! They scattered at
Param's approach.
<Good,> Bohoc commented, <Now you won't have to worry about hitting
any
of them... Andahar! Grab Cholmon and come!> Bohoc called to the two
riders, <Param is going to cool that thing down!>
Andahar looked up at the approaching dragons and gasped, <No, it can
hurt you!>
<It's going to *eat* you if I don't take you away!> Bohoc retorted.
<And Param is going to freeze you if you stay too close to the
Nadusi...
so come on!>
Seeing the reason in that, Andahar pulled Cholmon away, as he pointed
up
at the two dragons swooping in on them, and they found a large boulder
to crouch down behind.
Param let out a roar and then discharged a tremendous blast of icy cold
breath.
The Nadusi stopped.
Everyone gasped.
Param swept passed them and banked around, aiming for the creature
again, and unleashing another mighty gust of frigid air.
The Nadusi recoiled.
Everyone cheered.
Surprisingly swift for something that large, the Nadusi retreated, and
in a moment it had vanished into its hole.
---
Afternoon.
Back in the Warren.
"Alania!" The door slammed open as Andahar burst into the
quartermaster's office.
"Andahar?" She blinked in surprise to see the Nomad actually smiling
broadly.
His smile, though, quickly vanished as he saw a man he didn't recognize
hovering rather closely to the woman he loved.
With a bit of a start, Alania and Jacin stepped apart as they realized
how close to each other they had gotten while perusing some of Trevor's
maps that were spread across the quartermaster's desk. Alania had been
showing Jacin some of the local features around the warren, as well as
helping him decide on which apartments to look at.
"Andahar, this is Jacin, a new rider from Telnor..." Alania began as
introduction.
"Another one from Telnor?" Andahar's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Alania chuckled and walked around the desk and put her arms around
Andahar's neck and looked up into his eyes. "He's only just arrived,
you could be a little nicer."
Andahar nodded, "Welcome to Cleft. I am Andahar of Anavasha -- Alpha
wingsecond."
[Tag: Josh... reaction? Feel free to add conversation here.]
---
"But I am forgetting why I came in!" Andahar exclaimed as a smile
began
to return to his features. "Nadusi does not like cold!"
Alania looked skeptical, "And how did you find that out? Another Nomad
myth?"
"No, not story. Param, dragon of Cholmon, breathes ice, not fire. I
was on patrol with Cholmon today..."
"YOU took on Cholmon as a patrol partner?" Alania looked rather
surprised. "She tried to kill you!"
Andahar shrugged, "She did, but she did not succeed. She is strong
woman and good rider." Then dismissing the look of disbelief on
Alania's face he went on, "We encounter tribe that says Nadusi is
near."
"Ummm... can I interrupt a second?" Jacin smiled, "But what or who is
Nadusi?"
Alania answered him, "It's a waste-creature -- a giant snake-like thing
that can devour herds of beasts."
"And entire Nomad villages." Andahar added. "We thought it
invulnerable -- until now!"
"So, this Coal-man's dragon breathed ice and killed it?" Jacin asked.
Andahar shook his head, "No, did not kill. Only drove it away.
Perhaps
longer fight might kill it...."
"But what if that didn't kill it? Param would be exhausted! And he
can't
be everywhere at once, what if there are more Nadusi out there? Or
what
if this one keeps coming back when Param is not around?" Alania shook
her head in dismay.
"We need more dragon like Param," Andahar said sadly.
Jacin's eyes lit up, "Hey, one of my wingmates in Telnor has a dragon
that breathes ice! Maybe other warrens have ice-breathing dragons?"
Alania's eyes lit up, "Of course! We can have Cynthia send a courier
to
the other warrens and ask them if they have an ice-breathing dragon,
and
if so, could he or she -- and the rider of course -- come and help us
out!"
Andahar grinned, "Yes! More dragon that flame cold. That might work."
Alania turned to Jacin, "What's your wingmate's name? Maybe we can ask
for him personally?"
"Her." Jacin corrected, "Her name is Saren, and her dragon is Vordai."
[TAG: Kris B - Does Seth still fly important courier missions?]
[TAG: Steph! NRPG -- I got it out before Friday!]
---
Summary:
Day 3
Morning
Andahar and Cholmon ride (horses) along with a Nomad hunting party who
will show them where the Nadusi has been "holed up". Performing a
rhythmic dance, the warriors attract the Nadusi from its hole. From a
vantage point above, the dragons watch while their riders and the
Nomads
attack the Nadusi. Worrying that their riders might become Nadusi
food,
Bohoc suggests going down to rescue them. Param suggests that Bohoc
flame the Nadusi to distract it while he grabs the riders. Bohoc
reminds Param that Warton had said that his flame had made the Nadusi
stronger. Since he breathes ice, Param suggests that he attack the
Nadusi while Bohoc gets their riders. To the delight of the Nomads,
the
dragon's icy breath repels the Nadusi and forces it back to its hole.
Afternoon
Returning to the warren, Andahar hurries to Alania to tell her the
great
news. He is surprised to find she is not alone, and a new rider from
Telnor is with her. While Andahar tells about the ice-dragon's breath,
Jacin recalls that a former wingmate in Telnor's dragon also breathes
ice. Alania suggests that a letter be sent to all the warrens
requesting any ice-breathing dragons come to help destroy the Nadusi.
---
Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Andahar and Bohoc.
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