Day 10, evening

Dolfis strolled slowly along the shore, moving away from the warren. Seeing a flat shell, he stopped to pick it up and send it skipping over the waves. He stood quietly, staring into the sun as it slowly began to set. He frowned - he should be heading toward the warrenlady's office, not wandering further away from the warren, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it yet. It was past the twenty-four hours she'd given him and his crew....and if she was going to help them, she'd have sought him out. Turning back toward the warren, he could just barely make out the Marquesa. 

Nearly twenty years now, he thought, her life and mine have intertwined. And now it was all shot to hell. A single storm and the luck ran out for him - and for all the men that looked to him. How was he supposed to provide for them now? He stood staring glumly out at the sea, wondering what the hell he was going to do now, when he heard the roaring. He spun around. Were there wraiths out? Why else would the dragons make such racket? 

Further down the beach away from the warren he saw a large strange dragon - and a young man who he thought might be Ansel. Dolfis was more than a little shocked to see the dragon puff herself up and blow a cloud of steam at the boy. Steam? And why would a warren dragon attack - ? While Ansel dodged further blows, the answers became clear. Also clear was that Ansel could not continue to dodge her for long. Without thinking fully, Dolfis wheeled and grabbed the nearest thing to hand - in this case, a rock - and hurled it full-force at the wild dragon. She immediately craned her neck to him and he yelled to gain her attention. She turned and headed after him. Running down the beach away from her, Dolfis realized the major flaw in his "plan" - he couldn't get away fast enough. He was just trying to decide whether it was better to get steamed or drown when he felt claws gripping his shouldersand lifting him into the air. Glancing up, he saw that he was in the clutches of another dragon - but this one was far smaller.

Indeed, too much smaller, he realized as they began losing altitude. With a dawning sense of horror, Dolfis realized they were going to crash. He tried to pull free of the gripping talons, in order to roll free, but it was no use. With a single yell - cut short by impact - he was in the sand. The claws released him immediately and he struggled to right himself. He staggered up the beach, glimpsing the wild dragon still heading his way. He stopped to glance behind him, only to see that the dragon had selected a new target. His erstwhile "rescuer" was upended and totally vulnerable to the impending attack. Dolfis looked around for rocks or something else to throw, but there was nothing. He turned back, nerving himself up to interpose himself, when someone beat him to it. The man drew a sword as he ran and Dolfis half-swallowed a snigger. As if that little toad-sticker was any use against a creature that size!

To Dolfis surprise, the sword did prove useful. As the dragon began her steam attack, the man leapt onto the smallest dragon's belly and ran his sword into the wilder's jaw. It was just enough to knock the blast of steam off target. Once the steam had passed, Dolfis was startled to see a young boy pull himself out from under the dragon and begin berating the older rider. That youngster was a rider? Surely they couldn't let children fight against wraiths?! Shocked and distracted by the boy's appearance, Dolfis missed the ongoing argument between the two riders until the boy was propelled towards him and away from a danger he apparently was courting.

"Here, you, get the boy clear."

Dolfis grabbed the boy and pulled him free of the danger zone, not without effort. Slight and wiry, the boy was stronger than he looked and put up quite a fight. No sooner had Dolfis pulled him clear, than he turned and headed back. Clamping a hand on stilled the boy only long enough to swear at Dolfis and his restraining hand. As the dragons began to back down, the boy began to relax. Dolfis overheard a muttered prayer to Saelida to keep "him" safe. Judging from the fighting, he was almost certain "him" meant the dragon. He grinned. The lad had spunk - if not sense.

The wilder eventually began to slink back into the waters, most of her little ones with her. Dolfis did notice that one blue-ish dragon seemed determined to remain at Ansel's side. He grinned. Looks like I lost a new crewman, he thought amiably. He lifted his hand from the young rider's shoulder, the danger was past, he needn't protect the boy any longer. And now, with the excitement beginning to die down, he had to face that it was past time he saw the warrenlady. He turned to head toward her office, only to find her behind him.

"It seems, Dolfis, that we have much to talk about."

Dolfis nodded and put himself at her disposal. She headed past him towards her own dragon. Dolfis was vaguely aware that the boy had started toward him and stopped with the warrenlady's presence. Dolfis glanced sideways at the lad. The boy was staring at him in surprised recognition that quickly gave way to an attempt at disinterest. Dolfis sighed inwardly. Gods, but he hoped the boy hadn't a grudge against the Seathief. Dolfis shook his head, noticing as he did so the ruins of his shirt. The dragon's talons had held tightly - even when the cloth had not. No doubt about it, Dolfis realized ruefully, this shirt was history.

"Sorry about the shirt." 

The statement couldn't have sounded less repentant. It sounded surly and forced. Dolfis turned to see who could force this boy into such an admission. The boy stood awkwardly, but no one was nearby to cajole this apology. 

"Well, I'm not parboiled anyway. A shirt is a small price to pay I guess." Dolfis narrowed his eyes shrewdly. The boy's well-hidden nervousness was going to tear him apart if someone didn't lighten the mood soon. "Well, a shirt and the sand between my teeth - I guess that keeps them clean, eh?"

The boy's lip twitched, but he didn't smile. "Nah, that was the batter-dippin' before the fryin'."

Dolfis threw back his head and laughed. This time the boy grinned and relaxed. Dolfis extended his hand.

"A pleasure to meet you, lad. My name is Dolfis."

"I know. M'name's Gus." They shook hands and there was a pause, while the boy struggled for words. "Don't reckon you got any good stories from your travels, do ya?"

"Aye, lad, I do. But I have a meeting with your warrenlady to get to first. Perhaps we can meet later?"

The boy nodded, muttered, "folks'll know where to find me," and sauntered off.

Dolfis grinned. There was something about the boy. If only he could think just who it was the boy reminded him of.... Abandoning this line of thought, he headed to get cleaned up a bit before meeting with the warrenlady. If he were going to be kicked out, he might as well look his best.

{Ok, John, your turn!}

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Katrina