Fiend and a Friend

Ferdinand never particularly enjoyed these 'trips' he had to go on. Even when accompanied by his dragons, little Juno especially, it just felt... scary. 

 

Nico had had to stay behind this time, and having gotten so used to their interactions together, being alone once more was something of an anxiety driven spiral for him at the first long flight to an area he'd never been before on one of Magnus' hitched carriages. He hated that man - bird? - more then he could really put into words, feared him more then his own general even, but when he made a request you would be a fool to say no. 

 

So he didn't. Just clutched Juno tighter to his chest, with his offering pressed tight against his legs.  

 

With a name like 'Flesheater Fiend', it was a pretty honest guess that this dragon may not be the nicest. And when you live in a place like they apparently did, the true horror of that area became real to Ferdinand's imagination. 

 

The crevice's and canyons that passed by their windows in the dragon-pulled carriage were... vast. The only light in this dry and deserted landscape being the glow of hardened magma rocks, their reddish orange veins glowing in a light that only really spoke of a searing, harsh death, should you touch them. 

 

Juno poked his head out of his rider's overalls, and quivered a little in fear at their shear power to cast light that far. The lava beneath must be equally as vast and hot. He could sense the temperature with his whiskers, as he delicately prodded at the glass window with them. 

 

Shrinking back, he whined, and settled beneath his clothes again. 

 

"What are we doing here...?" His small voice whispered. "I don't like it"

 

"We're here to see a dragon, Ju" Ferdi spoke back, frowning out the window again as they began to slowly descend further into the magma rock caves. He reached up and gently placed a hand under Juno's bottom, supporting him for both his own, and Juno's comfort. 

 

"We can see dragons at home. Like Tulio, and the other dragons in the barracks..."

 

As flickers of weak images of their friends filtered into his head, Ferdi felt his heart clench in his chest with a desperate pang of loneliness, but he tried to force it down. By now, even as a new dragon owner, he understood this little creature could feel the things he felt. And he wanted to at least try and be strong for him. He was only a baby after all.  He had to protect him. 

 

"Not those dragons..." he murmured. "This dragon is... special" he nodded. "He's called... fiend"

 

"Friend?" Juno repeated, getting the word wrong. Ferdi didn't have the heart to correct him. 

 

"Yeah... friend. New friend. Hopefully" he offered softly. "But you need to stay by me the whole time, alright?"

 

Before Juno could answer him, and before Ferdinand could really stop the movement either, the carriage landed on some hard surface or another, and all three of them - paper wrapped offering carcass included - went flying. Ferdi, shielding Juno from the worst of it, banged his shoulder against the opposite bench and hissed in pain as it vibrated down his spine. Juno squeaked, but. Thanks to his rider was otherwise unharmed. 

 

They had arrived. 

 

 

The exhibition gathering was a small, curt, impersonal thing. Ferdinand had gathered his things, and after a curt farewell, the carriage and his freedom from the caverns flew off to the weak white sky far above them to wait, out of harms way of course, for his return. A small console in his pocket to press for evacuation. 

 

And with that... they were alone. 

 

Ferdinand's worried eyes glanced back to where they had to go, and he couldn't help the anxiety he felt crawl over his skin, as he struggled to hike the carcass over his shoulder. The heavy bag of jewels on his back just added to his weight as well, and part of him wondered if Magnus had chosen him for this task specifically for his own amusement, at watching someone as small and slight as himself try and carry such large things. 

 

"If Nico was here, it be so much easier, h-huh..?" he whispered to Juno, who by now, had crawled from his overalls to walk next to him to avoid getting squished, or add another burden to Ferdi. "Why didn't he come with us this time?" Juno's soft voice echoed in  his head, in response to his own words, which he'd said aloud. 

 

He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to that. Hearing words from a creature who's mouth didn't need to move to utter them. 

 

"He was told he wasn't allowed to. I don't think they told him what was really happening... I didn't tell him either..."

 

"Why...?" he asked, whiskers trembling. "This is scary"

 

"I know it is... and its alright. It'll be alright. But telling him would've just made him worry, Juno..." he frowned. "We... we can do this without him. Promise"

 

Juno hesitated. But finally, he did nod. There wasn't much he could do really, to begin with. His wings, unflighted as of yet, flexed a little bit to ward off his anxiety. But as they tried to relax, the ground thumped and vibrated, and both of them looked up to see a large hulking figure before them. 

 

In reality, this dragon wasn't the biggest around. But to Juno, who had only ever seen ones as big as Chihiro or Tulio, it was enormous - and terrifying. 

 

The words 'flesheating fiend' repeated over and over in his head, tooted to the spot, as the creature approached them calmly. Eyeing them up, and wondering just what they wanted in THEIR home, swirling spirits and and flecks of light dancing around their form. 

 

Ferdi had to try and settle his breath, as he swallowed thickly, and moved to shakily put the offerings on the ground for the dragon. 

 

"O-Oh, Oh Great Fiend... u-um... my Master, Magnus Grimshaw, has heard of your many d-deeds, and he has deemed it appropriate to o-offer you these treasures" he started. Fumbling over his words, as the mighty dragon merely stared, and waited. Glowing eyes fixed on the two smaller creatures, unreadable 

 

"He has offered you one of his, h-his best cattle, breed from the finest stock from a far away land, and, u-um... a-and but a taste of his many riches. Should you choose to... to accept them, w-we shall leave, but... will return, with more. He wishes you join him in his lavish home, Great Fiend. Will you accept his... his first g-gift...?" 

 

The dragon seemed to consider it for a while. Consider his words, and his actions, and what this 'Magnus' seemed to want. And why he had not come himself, should he require their own help so much. 

 

A rumble of a growl left his throat, which sent both Ferdi and Juno skittering a few steps back, before Fiend reached forward, and with one enormous claw, dragged the offerings toward themselves with a slow, meaningful purpose. 

 

Ferdi got the message alright. 

 

"Y-Yes, thats a yes- go, go" he hissed a whisper, scooping Juno up, giving a shakey little bow for the fiend let him keep his life, and skittered off back outside the cave - almost smacking straight into one of the creatures who had helped pull the carriage. 

 

It seemed to have come to check on him. A grey and white dog-like creature, with hooves for back feet and a pair of googles upon its yellow eyes, its similarly coloured nose sniffing weakly at his dragon, and his clothes, before looking around them to see the Fiend. 

 

The odd creature's feathers ruffled in fear, and he turned and trotted off, feathered tail fluffing up dust as he went. Ferdi followed quickly afterwards, as he pressed the button for the drivers to return. 

 

"I didn't expect you to come down with me..." Ferdi breathed, moving to give the creature a little pet on one of his wide, large ears. The creature - Kittiwake, Ferdi realized a moment afterwards from the nametag on his flight goggles - rumbled a huffed smile and looked over as his collar beeped along with the console in Ferdi's hand. 

 

He paled a little bit. 

 

"You... you're my evac...?" he asked quietly. Kittiwake tilted his head to the side, like he was considering, before he nodded and offered his back to Ferdinand. 

 

"We... I.. r-ride you...?" he squeaked. 

 

He'd never flown on a dragon before, let alone this creature who looked barely strong enough to lift Juno, let alone a grown man. Then again.. he... wasn't exactly large. 

 

Sighing, and jumping as Fiend let out a low warning rumble from his dry, hot cave, Ferdinand didn't argue further, and seated himself. Not wanting to test the dragons patience. Without even an ounce of hesitation, Kittiwake flared his agile wings, and took off back into the sky, Ferdi desperately holding onto his collar with one hand, and his body with his legs, keeping Juno solidly in his overalls to stop him flying away in the wind. 

 

When he got back to the barracks that day, bedraggled and adrenaline filled with a curious Kittiwake following him... he had may stories to tell Nico. Many, many stories.