Heavy boots crunched in the ice and snow. A dwarf raised a heavily bundled first to wipe the ice off that was forming on his bushy eyebrows. He hesitates before knocking the ice from his thick, grey beard that hung nearly to his belt. He asks in an agitated manner, "Rili, can we turn back now? This is absolute folly. We will freeze to death!"
Rili did not hear, his head ducked down, pushing against the angry winter storm. The two dwarves were up in the remote passes of the Blue Mountains, chasing some rumours of a dragon's hoard.
Skadgin sighed in annoyance, marching after his companion, "Rili!"
Rili slipped and fell face first into the snow, his arms windmilling uselessly. Skadgin paused, puffing his cheeks out with a snort. He moved to help Rili, but froze in his tracks, fear filling him. A silver and scaley clawed hand landed on Rili's back. Rili let out a muffled scream and flailed, cutting off into a pained gasp as wicked dagger-like claws flexed and pierced his back through his furs and coat.
Skadgin backpedaled as fast as he could, coming face to face with a massive, wicked silver drake. A terrified shriek tore from his lips and he turned and attempted to run. He was a banker, not a warrior. Certainly not a drake slayer. The drake abandoned Rili and gave chase to the more exciting prey. In a desperate attempt to not get eaten, Rili rolled and flung himself off the narrow ledge and down the side of the mountain, leaving his life to the fates and to chance.
Skadgin frantically stumbled and ran, the foul weather hindering him. He fought back tears, whispering, "I am so sorry, my lovely wife and beautiful children. I am a fool and a coward." He clenched his jaw in determination and abruptly stopped and turned around. He knew he would die, but he at least wanted to die facing his foe, not running like a coward.
Skadgin's turn caught the drake slightly off guard. Skadgin lifted his fist defiantly as he was enveloped in dragon fire, his shrieks of pain being carried down the mountain by the winds.
Egfor's eyes flew open, still partially in the dream as Skadgin. He was facing the fireplace on a mattress in Dem's arms. All he saw was fire. Sheer panic and searing agony filled him to the very core. He flung himself back over Dem's sleeping form with a shriek. He sounded truly terrified and in agony, scrambling away from the fire. He accidentally flung himself into the rather cool bath they used earlier in the night, though this seemed to shock Egfor out of his dreams and back to reality.
Egfor sat there, gasping for breath and shaking like a leaf in a winter gale. He utterly broke down when he felt Dem's arms around him, only managing to get out, "Dragon… fire…" He sobbed and latched onto his husband, his anchor and safe person. Dem managed to coax the names of the dwarves out of Egfor as well, something to investigate later.
Egfor eventually calmed down and fell into a deep, and thankfully dreamless sleep.
