Dragon Revived, Chapter 1- Surprises from the Past

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Atraeal, Arlyth's stallion awaited his master. Arlyth vaulted onto the beast, after hugging Sylquis one last time, knowing it might be the last time he ever saw his aunt. Once on Atraeal's back, Arlyth bade the stallion trot over to Alae, were the young elf asked softly, "Still angry with me?" his tone was barely above a whisper, and none but her could hear him, and even she had a slight problem hearing his question. The boy's eyes were earnest. "Might I ride beside you, cousin?" he asked, his tone pleading. It was painfully obvious he wanted to be back in Alae's good books, and wanted to forget about his earlier misgivings.

[Lady Blue03]

"Of course I'm no longer angry with you." She told him with a smile, "You may ride with me, just don't get to close to Alaerth's stallion."

Alaerth nodded to them and turned Moon Shadow towards the forest, and with a nudge of his knees and a single word, the powerful horse broke into a gallop. Star Shadow instantly leaped after him, and the gelding Gus was riding obediently followed her. It was difficult to keep up with the swift Defarian horses, but Arlyth managed to stay right on his cousin's tail.

They raced across the broad plain Arlyth had ridden on the day before, and slowly but surely, the looming mountain of Avalon came closer. At the edge of the woods, Alaerth stopped his horse. There, just inside the tree line, was a fierce looking little black gelding. Alliene's gelding, appropriatley named Streea. They dismounted and found Alliene not far, her swords out, staring at something through the brush. Frowning, Alaerth used drow hand signals and asked her what was wrong. Alliene indicated with her head to look forward.

The party edged forward and looked to where Alliene pointed. They saw, slowly making their way through the trees, a large bug. It looked sort of like a mantis...
"Thri-kreen." Alae whispered, and drew her sword.

ooc-Morgy, time for you to introduce yourself

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Arlyth hissed, and leaning over, whispered to his cousin "Thri-keen... they're evil, wicked, vile creatures! They eat elven flesh! Why hasn't Matron Alliene slain it yet?" he demanded, his voice barely more then a hiss. It held a hatred in it, this was... different to the young elf's normal questioning. This was more... personal.

[/)eathKiller]

Gus stilled the air around the party, hoping that their scent wouldn't be picked up by the insectoid beast.

[Lady Blue03]

We should surround it and trap it Alaerth signed to Alliene, who had put away Vilzraquath and Nizzre to wield her flail.
No. I am curious of its intent. Do not make any move unless I signal so
Alae whispered the signed words to Arlyth.

[/)eathKiller]

"You can speak as loudly as you like, it cannot hear us through the distilled air I've surrounded us with..." Gus spoke in his normal voice.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Arlyth nodded curtly to his cousin, bowed his head, and replied softly, his voice almost unheard, "I shall await your command, then and follow your lead." he drew his sword anyway, and saluted her with it... he held it to one side, out of sight, so it didn't appear that he was threatening. Arlyth wasn't happy about the lack of attacking the beast, that much was clear, but he held fast despite this.

[/)eathKiller]

Gus shruged and wondered why everyone was still whispering, but he decided to play along.

"Hey, do you want me to try and put him in a vacuum bubble or something?" Gus whispered to the others around him.

[Morgeruat]

The sand colored instectoid was moving slowly with a patience that most men would not have been able to muster. It's prey a large animal, resembling a deer, but without horns, and thicker of body, and longer of face. This one had what seemed a large section of leather plating strapped onto it's back.

The one plate hardly seemed to be able to provide the protection needed by the beast for protection, perhaps a harness then? But what manner of creature would sink so low as to use another to perform work when it could just as easily perform it's own labors... The beast was not a predator, and even if it was, it's senses were so dulled that it would be devoured by another hunter soon, hopefully it would be the Kreen itself that would get the meal.

For a moment things were... wrong, the air felt wrong and the Kreen knew it was being watched, cocking it's head to the side it tasted the air and let it's antennae search for the other it knew were near, when it had pinpointed the direction of the lack of sound, it bolted in the other direction, the first rule of the hunter was that a prey should be taken when the hunter wills it, and now was not the time to test the other hunters, perhaps he would find an opening to test their abilities when they pursued. The question of whether or not they would pursue was not even considered, a hunter took advantage of openings in it's prey, to fail in this was to starve not only ones self but ones entire clutch and pack.

[Lady Blue03]

Alliene whistled sharply, and her black gelding came charging through the brush. Alliene snatched the horn as he raced by and swung herself into the saddle, in pursuit of the thri-kreen.

The others horses also trotted up. Alaerth noticed they looked spooked-eyes wide and nostrils flared, the horses pawed the ground nervously. They could probably smell the kreen's scent now, and the scent of a predator always got the horses going.
"Alae, follow Alliene on the right, Arlyth, the left. Gus, you ride with me. We can get ahead of the kreen and cut it off. I want to know what its doing in my forest." Alaerth waited for Gus to mount up and get beside him, then he urged his horse forward, following Alliene. Alae wheeled Star Shadow around to the right and took off.