We found a nearby cave and sat by the fire we made as we each mulled over the battle.  Could we pull off this raid if we couldn’t even take out one weakened dragon?  Shie brought it all into perspective just then.  She pointed out that the cursed hornhead used trickery to win so she could escape, barely making it due to how weak she was.  Shie also pointed out that our raid would be completely under cover.  We’d be in and out without being detected.  As usual, Shie made it all clear.  Spirits raised once more, we finished tending to each other’s wounds, ate and went to sleep.

By dawn the next day, we were already up and ready to proceed.  We decided to each catch a quick bath first at a small hot spring we had found in the cave before heading out.  The bath quickly turned to play as the three of us let off some of the tension we had built from last night.  It felt good to be able to play in the mud and water.  It had been too long since the three of us were able to have this much fun.  Briefly, my thoughts drifted to when Kilani and I were cubs, when playing was all that mattered, when we had each other and that was enough.

Our playfulness finally satisfied, we finished our baths and I dismissed my nostalgia.  We still had a job to do.  We set out for the final stretch of our journey.

It was night time when we reached the small camp set up by the scalies.  According to the information I had obtained, the Queen Oscura and her daughter would be in the heart of the encampment, discouraging anyone from doing what we were about to do.  Shie and Riah scouted ahead, making sure our information was correct.  One false detail and it was all over.

The sisters came back with positive news.  All sentries were on the exact patrol routes the stranger said they would be.  With the proper timing, we avoided the scouts, guards and sentries and managed to make our way, slowly and quietly, to the quarters of the Queen’s daughter.

This was it.  I pulled out a dagger I had had specially forged for this task.  The Zhirite content was significantly higher than usual.  This would truly be a lethal weapon to such a small creature.  Shie and Riah stood lookout as I was about to enter the young dragon’s dwelling.

Without warning and with expert speed we were besieged upon by twenty or more of those scale-backs!  There was no escape, we were surrounded!  Three of those filthy scalies approached.  Each one grabbed one of us, bound us with Magick and forced us to drop our weapons.  Another one came striding up after we were subdued.  This one was red in colour, but no less ugly than the rest.  She flashed a cool smile at me, then backhanded me to the ground.  There was a copper taste in my mouth as she said something at me in her own tongue.  She then stepped aside as two other figures strode into the crowd…