Joachim was in the middle of his ale when a man barged up to him and asked for help. Yes, that wyvern outside was his; yes, he was familiar with them. Joachim ordered another and the story came out in a rush: Bandits (why hadn't the military done anything about them if it was a known problem? Damn politics), wyvern farm he ran with his father, it wasn't hard to see where it was going before the man got there.
He drained his tankard and thunked it to the table, interrupting what was about to turn into a frantic plea. "I'll find them. Just tell me where to look."
"We can't pay-" the man began.
"Worry about it later," Joachim interrupted, before he got to 'much.' He barely had enough money to pay for himself and Fafnir, but if these people didn't have it, then they didn't have it. Maybe he could have a young wyvern sent to Aria. "We'll figure something out."
His mind wandered while he saddled Fafnir. The wyverns that resisted would have been the spirited ones, the ones suitable for battle; inconvenient to a thief, but potentially the most valuable to the breeders. Such a damned waste... He cinched the cross-straps too tight and Fafnir turned to look at him balefully. "You'll live," he muttered, loosened them to the proper length and mounted.
The wind was in their favor, the sky patchy with clouds that hid Fafnir's shadow more often than not. They were nearing the camp, as far as Joachim could tell by the man's somewhat confused directions, when he saw something else flying in the distance. He frowned at it. Another wyvern; likely one of the raiders getting used to a new mount. He squinted, but could only make out a bit of red and the dull gleam of armor. He urged Fafnir higher in the sky and led him into a slow drift toward the stranger. Above and behind, he was less likely to be seen before he got a good look - provided the other wyvern didn't catch Fafnir's scent and get curious.
He drained his tankard and thunked it to the table, interrupting what was about to turn into a frantic plea. "I'll find them. Just tell me where to look."
"We can't pay-" the man began.
"Worry about it later," Joachim interrupted, before he got to 'much.' He barely had enough money to pay for himself and Fafnir, but if these people didn't have it, then they didn't have it. Maybe he could have a young wyvern sent to Aria. "We'll figure something out."
His mind wandered while he saddled Fafnir. The wyverns that resisted would have been the spirited ones, the ones suitable for battle; inconvenient to a thief, but potentially the most valuable to the breeders. Such a damned waste... He cinched the cross-straps too tight and Fafnir turned to look at him balefully. "You'll live," he muttered, loosened them to the proper length and mounted.
The wind was in their favor, the sky patchy with clouds that hid Fafnir's shadow more often than not. They were nearing the camp, as far as Joachim could tell by the man's somewhat confused directions, when he saw something else flying in the distance. He frowned at it. Another wyvern; likely one of the raiders getting used to a new mount. He squinted, but could only make out a bit of red and the dull gleam of armor. He urged Fafnir higher in the sky and led him into a slow drift toward the stranger. Above and behind, he was less likely to be seen before he got a good look - provided the other wyvern didn't catch Fafnir's scent and get curious.
![[Image: 2DbAhxp.gif]](http://i.imgur.com/2DbAhxp.gif)
![[Image: CSJp2k4.gif]](http://i.imgur.com/CSJp2k4.gif)