Hunter Or Huntress

Chapter 130: Fun and Games

Saph had seen many things in her lifetime. She had even seen dragon tug of war before too. It was rarely a boring sport, that was for sure. It had been years, and it was normally done on the sand of the arenas she used to compete in, so this should still be quite something. It was rare to be this close too. She had also seen it as part of the Royal Guard training when she had snuck in back in the day. Most of the keep dwellers here would never have seen something like this before though. And Tom certainly wouldn’t have. Looking over, she saw Jacky had decided to try and sit on his lap, which didn’t really work, but hey who was she to judge? What she wanted to see was Tom’s reaction as the rope went taut as a bowstring. Both dragons dug their front legs in deep, trying to backpedal.

Grevi was bigger than Jarix, there could be no doubt of that. Equally obvious was the fact that Jarix was off to a far more aggressive start. Having dug his front legs in, he started trying to yank Grevi off-balance, her low and wide stance thwarting his attempt to the evident annoyance of Jarix.

“They have done this before,” Saph went to herself as people started cheering for the two contestants. Thus far though, neither of them had even moved from their starting spots. It was clear Grevi was trying to tire out her opponent, Jarix seemingly also realizing this and changing tactics.

Saph did catch the curious expression on Grevi’s face before it turned to realization, as Jarix abandoned the holes he had dug with his front legs. That yielded a few meters to Grevi, who wasn’t ready to capitalize on it, backing up as quickly as she could. Using his wings, Jarix swung himself around with remarkable grace, planting his hind legs in the ground hard, the rope now running over his shoulder still locked in his jaws.

“Fuck her up!” Saph heard Tom cheer, Jacky joining in. Glancing around, a few of the Royal Guards clearly looked rather taken aback though soon enough they were also cheering Grevi’s crew egging her on. Saph had seen that trick done before, and seemingly so had Jarix. Grevi didn’t stand a chance, as she no longer had the holes she had dug for her front legs. She started skidding along the ground with all four feet as Jarix put his back into it, clawing away at the ground, turning it to muck beneath him.

He didn’t think to drag Grevi away from the holes she had dug though, an evil glimmer forming in her eyes as she managed to plant her feet back in them, pulling back hard and causing Jarix to rear up, scrambling for purchase with his front legs as the rears did all the work.

“Come on Jarix! You got her!” Saph found herself cheering too, the desperation evident on Grevi’s face as Jarix brought his weight back down once again, backing up a meter or two with his hindlegs then pulling hard. Grevi strained, her front legs digging deeper and eventually buckling, sending her skidding face-first across the ground as Jarix tried to go into a gallop. Likely as much to humiliate her as prevent her from getting her purchase back. Grevi let go of the rope, letting Jarix run with it as she clambered back to her feet on unsteady legs, trying to wipe her face from muck and grime.

She was still hard at work with that when Jarix came prancing back around, still dragging the rope as he set about his little victory dance.

__________________________________________________________________________________

“Fuck yeah, Jarix! Go team Bizmati!” Tom shouted out as loud as he could, Jacky clearly taking it as a challenge and cheering louder. Then Tom broke out laughing at the sight of a dragon doing the moonwalk. ‘Dammit Fengi,’ he went to himself. “I guess that is easier with four legs huh?” he continued, poking at Jacky.

“Well obviously, otherwise I could have figured it out,” she replied with a shake of the head like that was the most obvious thing.

“You tried to learn how to moonwalk?” Tom questioned in disbelief, still laughing at Jarix, who was now doing rings around a very displeased-looking Grevi, who had clearly decided to just wait it out as she sat there.

“Yeah?" she went with a head tilt. "Fengi has figured it out, but it’s damn hard. Weren’t you supposed to be doing something like that too?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Tom replied with a snicker, looking at her thinking she was clearly joking right now. Jacky’s head twisted around to look down at him.

“Yeah, you know. With Unkai,” Jacky went, leaning her head in closer to whisper. “You know, the whole Fengi thing you talked about way back.”

“Ahr shit,” Tom went, admitting to himself he had completely forgotten about that.

“Oh you are an idiot,” She went with a chuckle, looking around, probably scanning for Unkai. “Oh and a terrible friend too,” she went, looking back at him for good measure.

“Yeah yeah, I know. Where is he?” Tom went, getting up and taking Jacky into a bride's carry.

“Hey! I’m not wounded,” Jacky laughed, flapping her wings and sending them both to the ground. Tom let out a groan as she landed on him. “Sorry, I panicked. It's very dangerous to pick up a predator like that,” she chuckled, clearly finding herself very funny right now.

“Oh, you are just on fire today,” Tom went as she finally decided to get off him, a very pleased-looking Jarix replacing her face above him. “Hi Jarix. Good show,” Tom continued, looking up at the dragon.

“Good show? Good show?! I beat the crap out of her, and she’s over a ton heavier than mem and a green!” Jarix went loudly enough for Jacky to hold her ears. “Now I just need to do the same to Tiguan,” the dragon continued, looking away with a thoughtful expression.

“Isn’t he even bigger?” Tom questioned, getting up in time to notice Raulf jogging over.

“Oh you big blue beauty you!” the farmer went, holding his arms wide like he was gonna hug the dragon. Which he then did, if only a foreleg. “I can’t even imagine how many plows you could actually pull."

“Uuuhhhh… I think two is fine… Maybe three on a good day,” Jarix went, suddenly looking less enthusiastic about his victory.

“You take the sour with the sweet,” Grevi went from behind them, standing up and walking back over to her crew, still flinging dirt and mud off herself.

“Oh, don’t worry about her. I have been making plans for winter, and Tom’s book has some impressive-looking farm implements in it. I think we can make one plow with many blades on it.”

“Or you could just buy one for him,” Grevi went, seemingly having found her way to get back at Jarix for beating her. “I know they have those on some of the farms, poor bastards trying to make money from grain. Dad always said they were idiots for that.”

“I thought you said your parents got a meager reward?" Tom questioned, looking at the dragon curiously. Raulf seemed to pick on them having a farmer around, or at least someone who knew a little, his attention switching to Grevi.

“They do, but at least it’s something,” Grevi retorted. “But as I think you realize by now, anything sweet is worth money. A good apple harvest is still worth a lot. It’s just a lot of work too.”

‘I thought orchards were supposed to be easy,’ Tom went to himself with a shrug.

“You wouldn’t happen to know what such a plow might cost?” Raulf went, as Jacky yanked Tom by the collar.

“You have work to do. Come on, let's find Essy… and the guy you promised to wingman for... I still don’t get how you arrived at that expression without wings.”

“Yeah right, got it,” Tom went as he was pulled along, giving Jarix a quick salute. The dragon looked on curiously before turning his attention back to Raulf, who was very busy interrogating Grevi on everything she knew about big heavy equipment. The green dragon was only too happy to comply.

Essy was still in the kitchen, so that was easy enough, and luckily Kokashi was there to fetch some things for the spit roasts. He let them know Unkai was in the tower on guard duty right now.

‘Poor bastard,’ Tom went to himself. Well, at least he should have been able to see the show, even from up there. Jacky and Essy had just nodded sagely at Tom and sent him on his way. Like he should somehow know what the fuck he was supposed to do. He was at least mostly sure that Jacky didn’t have a clue either. Not that it would help much if she did.

‘For fuck’s sake Tom, you suck at all this,’ He went to himself, standing at the bottom of the ladder, pondering what to say. Should he apologize for forgetting? Screw it, Essy had let him out of kitchen duty for this. So here goes nothing. He made his way up the ladder and knocked on the trapdoor. Silence reigning for a few seconds.

“Who is it?” a slightly nervous if equally confused Unkai questioned in reply.

“It’s Tom. Mind if I pop in real quick?”

“Uhh sure?” the reply came, seemingly still rather confused as Tom got up. “Hi... aren’t you supposed to be doing something?“ the guard questioned, looking up at Tom.

“I mean probably… No clue what though. I can't remember,” Tom went with a slightly forced smile. “What I can remember is something about a girl named Fengi.”

Unkai just stared at him, glancing left and right once before looking back at Tom as he closed the trap door. “I did what you told me right. Just be nice, not pushy.”

“And…?”

“Well, she hasn’t rolled her eyes at me in a while,” Unkai admitted with cautious optimism in his voice. “So I was thinking maybe I should try and ask her today, when my shift is done. You promised to teach me a few interesting things… But you have been very busy. I don’t blame you…”

“Nah, that’s my fault… I forgot…” Tom scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine… Do you think it would be dumb to try again today? Should I wait?”

‘You are on thin ice my dude,’ Tom thought to himself, sitting down. ‘And you are up against three full dragon crews plus the people of Deriva… well, what's left of them.’

“I think you are gonna have competition today… Actually… Yeah that might work to your advantage.”

"Uhm… How?” the guard questioned, clearly not understanding how that could be an advantage.

“Fengi is good-looking, right?”

“Yeah,” Unkai replied, clearly not sure where he was going with this.

“Good chance someone is gonna try and hit on her, maybe more than one. And we know she doesn’t like that much,” Tom replied. He was grasping at straws here, but that was life sometimes. “Don’t be one of them. Just be there for her to… use as a distraction. You know how to get out of an uncomfortable situation. She knows you like her, so there's a good chance she’ll prefer you to them if they get annoying enough.”

“You treat girls like battle tactics?”

“Uhm… I wouldn’t consider that battle tactics. Just… utilizing the environment. They are the enem…. I see what you mean.”

“So hopefully she goes to me to get away, and that’s nice for her,” Unkai replied, nodding, Tom guessing he had grasped the concept.

“Yes. Now, it is very important that you don't start hitting on her. That would feel like betrayal, then you just pray you're not heading to the friendzone.”

“The friend zone?”

“Imagine Fengi considered you her best friend, to the point she will not want to be your girlfriend out of fear of ruining that friendship."

“That sounds… I don’t even know to be honest.”

“It’s bad, trust me. Cause I know you like her as more than just a friend.”

“Okay, so just tell her she’s really nice?” Unkai went, expectation clear in his voice.

“Sure, that should be fine. Just try not to be too heavy-handed. Wouldn’t hurt to mention how dumb the ones hitting on her are.”

“Says the guy who got Jacky.”

“Fengi ain't Jacky now, is she?”

Unkai developed a sudden case of a thousand-yard stare for a second before responding. “Nope. Thank the gods for that…” he replied, looking over the side of the tower. ”Oh shit, there’s Tiguan.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Tom had made his way back down, Unkai on his heels, to greet the uncertain-looking dragon as Heron was sent up to replace Unkai in the tower. As Tiguan was coming into land, Saph watched with amusement as he went around to try again, apparently not being happy with the first approach. When he came down it was a very smooth landing though, hardly jolting those hanging on to his back.

It was a bit of an odd sight to see the black dragon carrying most of the kids, some of his crew, and the adults too wounded to fly for that long of a trip. Or at all in some cases, Saph noted, looking at them all. ‘They really have taken one hell of a pounding.’

“Hi, everyone. Are we late?” the dragon questioned, looking around at all the people that had gathered to bid them welcome as he lowered a wing to act as the ramp.

“No, we were slightly early,” Grevi replied with a polite nod, which was quickly reciprocated just as the kids of the keep charged at their old friend. She just hoped the dragon wouldn’t run out of patience.

The dragon didn’t run this time either, instead lowering down to make himself comfortable as they swarmed over him while others were still busy getting off.

“Hello, little ones, I brought more friends today,” Tiguan went, looking at some of the kids from Deriva who were looking a bit more uncertain of the whole situation.

“Tigi,” Kiran shouted, leading the charge, Holdey following closely behind.

“Oh hello, you here to go climbing again?”

“Yes yes! Up!”

“I think we can manage that,” the dragon went, leaning his head down and tilting it so a horn was close to the ground, the two kids grabbing on. “And up we go.”

Looking at the rest of the folk from Deriva, Saph did make out some faces she knew. There was Rekui, Luke, and of course the old lady, looking sweet as ever and giving Tiguan a pat on the side as she got off. She walked over towards Nunuk and Apuma, who came out to greet them.

“Oh, it’s been too long, Nunu.”

“Long enough for you to forget not to call me that,” Nunuk responded, exchanging a quick hug with her counterpart.

“No, not quite that long, dear.”

“Very funny.”

Lady Deriva just chuckled a bit at that, turning to Apuma. “Apuma you strapping young man. Still teaching the young how to write straight?”

“Sure am, what about you? Still eager to show up my wife for bedtime stories?”

“Oh, you and I both know you are the real competition on that front.”

“I’m right here you know,” Nunuk went, crossing her arms and looking to Luke.

“So what about you? You've certainly grown up.”

“Kinda had to,” the young captain replied, looking at Nunuk with a shrug before she gave him a hug too.

“I know, not today though. I have been instructed by our… you know who, to leave all the adult stuff for tomorrow. You’ll be staying the night after all, and today we have a celebration to hold, even if it’s a bit late. There’s good food, games, and lots of good company. It would be a shame to waste it.” Nunuk gestured around.

“I didn’t think we would get to have a relaxing day this year, let alone a festival,” Lady Deriva replied, bowing to Nunuk and Apuma. “We are very grateful.” Nunuk just smiled, giving a polite nod, her reply being cut off by Jarix.

“Hey, Tiguan! I beat the crap out of Grevi in tug of war. Wanna go next? Or do you need some time to get out from under the kids?”

“Can’t they come?” Tiguan questioned, looking to Jarix. Saph looked between them, not sure that was a good idea judging by how the last round had gone. “You look good by the way,” Tiguan continued, eyeing the decorations hanging from Jarix's sides and looking rather perplexed. One of the kids began to slide off, catching themselves on his ear.

“And you look happy,” the blue replied, trying to work out a place to sit near Tiguan and Grevi amongst all the people and tables.

“I am happy,” Tiguan replied, doing a quick check on the current onboard population to see if anyone else was in danger. “I see you finally gave up on keeping the kids away… What’s with the red tail? Lose a bet?”

“They are now part of my crew… The tail is… complicated. I’m paying homage to a noble band of pilots called the redtails, who were shunned because of how they looked,” Jarix replied, seeming quite proud of himself.

Tiguan looked uncertain how to take that one, eyes glancing around at the kids who hadn't gotten off Jarix. “What’s a pilot?”

“I’ll get Tom to show you. Don’t you worry.”

“Okay… what’s with the garlands?”

“We are celebrating; Garlands are for celebrations.”

“I have never seen you with garlands on before,” Tiguan continued, seemingly not able to make sense of what he was seeing.

“Don’t blame yourself, I can’t recognize him either. Baron said he saw him dig up some kind of root fruit or whatever a week ago. Without being paid for it,” Grevi smirked.

“No.” Tiguan looked at the blue and smiled. “You're taking the pi… I mean joking,” he finished, glancing at the kids. “I’m not falling for that one.”

“Even Tiguan doesn't believe it,” Grevi replied, sitting down on her haunches. “That seals it. Jarix, you have gone insane.”

“Nah, he just met Tom," Jacky shouted out, Saph turning to look over to where the huntress was sitting at a table, already having found a beer mug. “It’s perfectly normal.”

Tiguan looked like something clicked for him, looking at the kids with a curious expression. Then down to Tom, who seemed happy to just take in the show. “He sure does work wonders. What do you think would happen to Grevi if she stayed here?” the black dragon questioned with a soft smile, looking back to Jarix.

“I don’t know. Paint black spots on herself to match his camouflage,” Jarix replied with a laugh, Tiguan clearly trying not to, looking away from a very offended-looking Grevi. Tom just snickered a bit, clinking his mug with Jacky.

“Black paint, oh come on! It’s bad enough you have gone for red,” Grevi replied, staring daggers at Jarix. “I think I’ll go find some more dignified company,” she continued, standing up and turning around to go back over to Baron, who hadn’t moved from an apparently very comfy spot for a while. Tiguan greeted the old red with a polite nod, Baron returning the gesture.

“Now you’ve done it, Jarix,” Tiguan concluded as the green wandered off. “Where is Ray?”

“Hi.” It came oh so delicately. People made way as Ray peeked out of the crowd while waving at Tiguan, wearing her newly made clothes, not looking half bad.

Tiguan certainly did a double-take of the dragonette, seemingly not even recognizing her before a wide smile grew across his face. “You look happy too,” he eventually went, moving his head down towards her and laying it on the ground, Ray going into a little skip as she ran over and hugged his head. The dragon let out a contented rumble, looking at her cross-eyed, smiling wide.

Saph chuckled to herself a little, her own smile widening at the sight. Looking down the side of the dragon though, Saph noted the kids from Deriva were looking rather skeptical at the situation. Only one or two climbed back up on Tiguan to go say hi to some of the Bizmati and Hylsdahl kids who were busy playing on the big black teddy bear. She didn’t blame them for being scared; he could still send shivers down her spine if she wasn’t thinking. Looking around, she spotted Ylditz, Tiguan’s lieutenant, and made her way over to ask how things had been going for them.

“So, how's life been treating you at Deriva?” she went, giving him a hand to shake.

He took it with a smile. “Not bad. Could have been much worse. It helped that the keep was in such bad shape when we got there. They really needed a hand. Don’t think it hurt that they had met Tom either,” he went leaning in for a whisper. “Kids still don’t quite trust him, but most of the adults do. I have a feeling that might change today though,” Ylditz continued, looking at the kids standing on the ground looking up at the ones already playing on Tiguan.

“We’ve done it before. We can do it again,” Saph replied optimistically as Maiko came up to give the lieutenant a solid handshake.

“Good to see you are still in one piece. How does it feel to take a whole keep on a field trip?”

“Not too bad. Most of them made the journey on their own wings much of the way. Luckily, Tiguan isn’t work-shy if he can help people out a little,” Ylditz replied, glancing to Jarix.

“Oh, you have some things to learn. Anywho, we have a few people taking bets on Tiguan against Jarix. You want in?”

“10 on Tiguan if the kids are allowed to cheer,” the lieutenant replied as if that was a very easy decision to make.

“Deal. Now, I know you are a Hashaw you know how to appreciate a good drink, so over here we have some delicious berry lemonade. Don’t ask me what lemonade is, but it tastes good.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Well, it had certainly been an interesting afternoon, too much to do and too little time. 'Just like always,' Tom mused to himself as they were all called to the tables to sit down and eat. Both Nunuk and Victoria had held speeches about all the hardship the island had gone through and the rough winds that lay ahead. It was all very inspirational. Tom, though, was mainly interested in hearing what some of the scores were for the various games. He had actually done reasonably well in the ring toss with the kids, and he had dominated the little endurance test he had talked Saph into setting up. Push-ups in half grav was just plain cheating. Next year he would have to get a running race set up too, just for the fun of it.

“Cheer up, Jarix. You won one tonight already,” Tom went to try and cheer the mopey dragon up after he had lost to Tiguan right before dinner. It had been a good fight, Jarix trying the same trick he used on Grevi, though someone had apparently told Tiguan what to expect, the black dragon yanking hard just as Jarix tried to swing around, sending the blue to the floor from which he never recovered. “He’s bigger than you after all. I’m sure you can outfly him any day.”

“Of course I can, it wouldn't even be a competition,” Jarix responded with a grumble. “Who did your archery competition go to?”

“Have a guess.”

“Saph won?”

“Saph won,” Tom confirmed with a nod, taking note of the sour grump coming from Jacky. “Don’t worry, sweetie. You got fifth.”

“Not like it mattered anyway. But I beat the crap out of them at hammer throw… Now I just need to find the hammer again, or mum will kill me.”

“I am not saving you from her. I lost to two of the kids in archery.”

“I know, you are usually the one that needs saving… This is really good,” Jacky replied as she worked on her corn cob. Dragonette teeth apparently were not entirely suited for the task at hand.

“Is our food ready too?” Jarix questioned. He was resting his head on his front paws and lying next to the tables. The other three dragons nearly enclosed the sitting area, which was very handy considering the wind.

“Looks like they are getting ready to take it off the fire,” Tom replied, eyeing Kokashi and Heron, who were checking on one of the deer.

“Awesome, can’t wait to have a proper meal. What is that on your plate anyway?”

“This is sweet corn. Another of the plants we grew. Not sure it’s dragon friendly unless you want to have the whole thing.”

“They turn yellow when you boil them?

“No, they are yellow inside. We peeled them.”

“Can I try one?”

“Sure, why not,” Tom replied with a shrug, taking a cob from the basket in the middle of the table and smearing it with a dollop of butter and a bit of salt before looking to Jarix. “Open up.”

Jarix obeyed and opened his mouth, Tom throwing the cob in, not sure if that constituted more than a very slight snack for Jarix.

“Crunchy… not bad,” Jarix replied as he munched on it a few times before swallowing. “Gahh, gets stuck in the teeth though.” Tom did nearly suppress the snicker as the dragon set to work clearing his teeth with his tongue, even resorting to using a claw to get it back out. “What a devilish little thing. Ohh, real food,” the dragon continued after having cleared the obstruction, noticing a whole deer roasted on a spit being brought out for him. Grevi and Tiguan also getting one with Baron having two to himself.

Right on cue, the main course was brought out for the rest of them. Salad greens, freshly baked bread, and a wide variety of game. Mainly venison, boar, various kinds of bird, and some tirox, courtesy of Baron. The massive red had hauled it back in his claws rather than the ad hoc solution they had resorted to with Jarix. For once, though, Jarix had not minded being outdone, Tom believing the dragon was probably happy he didn’t have to repeat that maneuver again.

Tirox had quickly become Tom’s favorite since he came here, reminding him most of old-fashioned beef. Looking around the tables, the corn had been wholeheartedly devoured already as they all set about the meat with equal enthusiasm. Especially the people from Deriva, Tom noted. Some of the kids further down Tom’s table were asking if they were allowed to eat all this. They hadn’t even taken the time to say yay at the confirmation, but their expressions said it all. Tom smiled contently, Taking note of Unkai, who had taken a seat about three people away from Fengi. ‘So it begins,' Tom mused to himself as meat juice of some kind sprayed across his face.

“Hey?!” he went, looking around for the culprit, eyes landing on Jacky to his right.

“Sorry,” she replied half-heartedly, mouth stuffed with some kind of bird. “At least it was a good shot.” Tom just looked at her rather unimpressed before wiping his face on her arm with an evil chuckle.

“Oi, not cool! Aww come one,” she responded, trying to wipe it with a cloth napkin.

It had taken a bit for people to finish, many stuffing themselves to the point they looked hard-pressed to move before the desserts were brought out. It was a rather tactical decision; this was expensive stuff, and they didn’t want a kid to OD on sugar tonight either.

Tom hadn’t expected quite such a deal to be made about cake, but seemingly even the Royal Guards were impressed by that revelation. Many cursed just how much they had eaten. Tom had to shake his head, though, when Ylditz had to get up from his seat to prevent Tiguan from sharing his cake with anyone. The dragons had damn well deserved a cake each, so a cake they should have. This whole system would have fallen apart long ago if not for them after all.

The best part though was seeing the kids from the various keeps dig into the sweet construction. Gone was the doubt and the fear, there were no tears, just laughter and joy. They didn’t even fight over what there was, though that might have to do with just how full they were already.

Tom had to poke Jacky quite a few times before she raised her head from her own piece, looking to the kids as Tom pointed at them and cracking a smile herself. “It might have been a stupid name. But it’s accurate,” she went, bumping her head against him once before going back to her own piece of cake.