Deliveries to the Climb were, thankfully, rare. The heat was oppressive, the ash and smoke were omnipresent, and the burrows were narrow and constricting.
Tal hated it.
But a job was a job, and a stripey lady had a package from Torchline that he'd needed to drop off. She'd given him a ruby for his trouble and he'd taken the shiny stone with a wrinkled nose and a tentative 'thanks?'
What was he going to do with one stinkin' ruby?
Boreal chortled smokily as they retraced their path through the confusing maze of tunnels, but then the dragon went silent. Her scaly nostrils flared and her broad head came up, scenting the air. "What is it, gi--?" Tal started to ask, but bit off the last word as his companion let out a happy carol that echoed through the tunnels before she bounded off down a side branch. "Hey! Boreal, wait!"
It was the dragon who found Ronin first, almost running into him before she could bring her muscular bulk to a skidding stop. She sat back on her haunches, cocking her head at him with her best big, soft-eyed look. A few seconds later Tal jogged into view, looking hassled and sweaty in the heat. "Dammit, Boreal, y'can't-- Oh! Hey, Ronin," he called sheepishly. "Uh... Fancy meetin' you here?"
Tal hated it.
But a job was a job, and a stripey lady had a package from Torchline that he'd needed to drop off. She'd given him a ruby for his trouble and he'd taken the shiny stone with a wrinkled nose and a tentative 'thanks?'
What was he going to do with one stinkin' ruby?
Boreal chortled smokily as they retraced their path through the confusing maze of tunnels, but then the dragon went silent. Her scaly nostrils flared and her broad head came up, scenting the air. "What is it, gi--?" Tal started to ask, but bit off the last word as his companion let out a happy carol that echoed through the tunnels before she bounded off down a side branch. "Hey! Boreal, wait!"
It was the dragon who found Ronin first, almost running into him before she could bring her muscular bulk to a skidding stop. She sat back on her haunches, cocking her head at him with her best big, soft-eyed look. A few seconds later Tal jogged into view, looking hassled and sweaty in the heat. "Dammit, Boreal, y'can't-- Oh! Hey, Ronin," he called sheepishly. "Uh... Fancy meetin' you here?"
