The Dragon's Bargain
By Lonelyrider

Pegasus barbarian warrior Magnus SteelBlade was accompanying his bodyguard client Lonely Rider the white anthro mule to the barren cliffs inside a desolate redwood forest.
"Be careful milady, it's treacherous." He said, they'd had a long ride atop their white equine mounts, who were resting in a meadow below as Magnus helped Lonely climb the cliffs.
"I will, Magnus. Ahh, look, here's some." Lonely carefully picked a beautiful red flower, leaving a crystal by its stem as a thank you for its spirit.
"Miss Rider, I have no objection to this journey, but why have you come to this lonely place?" Magnus called above the wind, his mane and tail blowing, as was Lonely's thick short hair and the tuft of mane on the end of her lion-like mule tail.
"Herbs for Jamesy's new internship with High Warlock FoxBlood!" Lonely replied excitedly, she pricked her finger with a wince on some sharp thorns and carefully tried to harvest them.
"Here, let me get that one." Magnus cut the thorns with his knife and Lonely thanked him, placing them delicately in her velvet pouch.
"Almost done Magnus, just need one more herb, ooh, I see it!" Lonely scrambled over on hands and knees and placed the green and purple plant in her bag with a satisfied smile.
"Okay Magnus, all set!"
"It's nice of you to get his herbs." Magnus said with a nod.
"I can't wait to surprise him." Lonely said happily, Magnus was helping her down when they heard a distant roar and felt a whoosh of cold air hit them.
"Get down!" Magnus roared at her, Lonely obeyed but it was too late, in seconds they were covered by snow so cold it temporarily rendered them immobile; Magnus watched, frozen in rage, as an icy blue dragon swept down and picked up an unconscious Lonely in her hind foot claws and carried her off into the distance; he eyed them intently however, and caught where the drake had landed. As soon as he warmed up and was again able to move, Magnus slid down the hillside fast and tied Lonely's pony to his draft horse, mounting and riding them hard until he reached the dragon's moss-covered cave, approaching slowly with his huge sword drawn and steps quiet, his feathered hooves clopping gently as he edged inside. The ice dragon set an unconscious Lonely down atop a mound of treasure, craning her neck to eye Magnus with his sword drawn; she could see he was a large opponent and she had no desire to fight him.
"Be on your way, barbarian fighter. I can't afford to be injured. I'm sorry for taking the mare, but times are lean in this forest, and I have 4 children that must eat." The dragoness said, baring her teeth, in a little depression amid her treasure, 4 baby dragons peeped hungrily at her. Magnus stuck his huge blade in the ground, splaying his strong legs and leaning on it.
"I cannot allow you to eat her, I'm charged with her protection. However, I propose a trade; if I bring you a larger amount of meat for your children, as well as something of value, will you let me have the mare back?" Magnus shouted up at the dragon; for a drake she was small. She thought for a moment.
"I agree to this arrangement. You have 1 day."
"If you harm her, the deal will be forfeit, and I will kill you, mother or not." Magnus warned with a snarl, showing his fangs. The dragon did the same.
"Understood, barbarian." She replied, her clawed hand arched protectively over her children in the nest below. The dragoness placed Lonely on a giant velvet cushion and turned an hourglass from her hoard upside down, and Magnus ran from the cave to begin his quest.
First, Magnus went hunting; the dragon hadn't been lying, he found no game big enough to sate her or her brood. He knew lonely's doting man James and James' powerful spellcaster father would help if he asked, but he wanted to prove he was worthy of protecting her on his own. Magnus ventured to the next land over and came across a mastodon, frozen in the snow. The cold had preserved it and it didn't reek, so he knew all he had to do was get it to the mother's cave somehow. Magnus marked on his map where the carcass lay and ventured on, he came across a band of gnomes who were bickering over some huge rubies they'd unearthed. Magnus stormed them and took two of them, leaving them to fight amongst the rest; they were no match for him, and cursed him as he rode on. As he returned to the dead mastodon, Magnus gasped as he beheld a huge wooly rhino grazing in the vicinity. He took out his rope from his saddle bag and whistled at his horse, Lonely's pony still in tow; his steed knew that meant to follow him, and riding alongside the cumbersome beast, Magnus leapt with surprising agility for a big stallion onto its back, lassoing its horn and holding on tight as it roared and tried to throw him, the horses whinnying in fear at the sight. Finally Magnus wore it out, and steered it by its horn back into the desolate forest where the dragoness dwelled, his horses following all the way. He stopped the exhausted rhino outside the mother dragon's cave and whistled loudly with his fingers in his lips. The dragon emerged and Magnus hopped off the tired rhino, who started to run in fear, but the dragon spread her wings and pounced on him, killing him with a gory bite to the neck, her babies wandering out to join her for their first meal in many days. Magnus presented the dragon, who eyed him with a blood-covered snout, with the jumbo egg-shaped ruby, laying it down and backing away with a bow. She sniffed it and tapped with her long claw, watching her reflection, then pondered, before tearing a chunk of flesh from the slain rhino.
"You've upheld your end of the bargain, and furthermore, I am too weak with hunger to fight you. Take your mare and be gone, she is bound upon the cushion, still unharmed."
Lonely hugged Magnus as he freed her inside the mother drake's lair and thanked him profusely, and asked if he was all right, he nodded and quickly escorted her to her pony, making sure she mounted before he did.
"Milady, do you still have your herbs? Let us ensure this peril was not without purpose."
"Here my lord, yes, thank you!" Lonely called, showing him the velvet pouch still full. Magnus nodded at the dragon who was still gorging with her little ones, she eyed them suspisciously but didn't attack as they quickly trotted away on their horses until they'd left her lands far behind them.



Big ty & photo credit to:

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