Chapter 19-6

Despite some... culinary mishaps, both Almonihah and Zakhin'Dakh ate heartily when they awoke. The half-dragon was glad to see his big friend more active, though he greatly favored one foreleg that had a particularly deep gash in it, and one of his wings was clearly broken. Despite this, he seemed fairly cheerful, and didn't seem to blame Almonihah at all.

Almonihah, however, did blame himself. He knew better than to do something stupid like attack a dragon head-on with no preparation. For that matter, he hadn't even checked to see if the townspeople had done something to antagonize a dragon that would have otherwise been willing to just leave them alone. 

 

Zakhin'Dakh fell asleep again soon after eating, but despite his weariness, Almonihah couldn't seem to stay still. Perhaps it was his frustration and anger at himself that kept him pacing about, or perhaps it was just a delayed reaction from the morning's... excitement. Whatever the reason, he slowly moved about, trying to make the best of their makeshift campsite. He tried binding the worst of the griffon's wounds, adding in the few healing herbs he carried with him. After a little while, he tried using the one weak healing spell-prayer he'd learned from Llinos on Zakhin'Dakh's injured leg. It did some good, but Almonihah almost fainted from the unfamiliar exertion channeling the power took. After puttering around for a little while longer, he finally drifted off to sleep again.

Zakhin'Dakh woke him this time, nudging him with his beak and cheeping softly in concern.

“'m better off than you,” Almonihah grumbled as he woke. 

 

Zakhin'Dakh screeched softly in a noncommittal response. Almonihah started to laugh, but stopped with a wince as he felt where he'd hit the tree.

“So we're both pretty bad off,” he said to his big friend, who nodded slowly in agreement.  

“Bit more food 'and some more rest is about th' best we can do now.” Again Zakhin'Dakh just nodded in agreement. He had been hurting a lot, but it didn't feel as bad now, and the dragon meat was tasty when Almonihah cooked it, so he wasn't feeling too bad. 

 

They ate, Almonihah did what more he could for their wounds, and then they both settled down to rest again. Neither slept this time, however, so after a little while, the half-dragon spoke.

“Sorry t' get you into this, Zakhin'Dakh,” he started, softly.

Why... how say that? Zakhin'Dakh screeched in response

After a few minutes of teaching him how to say sorry in Great Eagle, the griffon asked again, so Almonihah responded, “For being 'n idiot 'nd getting both 'f us beat up like this.”

Not fault, Zakhin'Dakh screeched back at him sharply.

Almonihah snorted. “Should've known better than t' just charge in like this, 'f we even needed t' in th' first place.”

The big griffon settled down a little bit, though his quiet screech still sounded like he disagreed. The pair were quiet for a few moments, before Zakhin'Dakh asked, Fight dragon before?

No, Almonihah replied, switching over to Great Eagle. But Zrathanzon told me about fighting dragons. He'd done it some.

Talk him lots, Zakhin'Dakh commented. What like?

Almonihah thought for a bit. Well, he was a half-dragon, too, but his parents were a gold dragon and an elf...

Zakhin'Dakh fell asleep at some point while Almonihah told of his time with Zrathanzon. He felt... better thinking about those times. Zakhin'Dakh had enjoyed hearing about Varack'Nara, and some of the different places Almonihah had gone. The big griffon seemed to like hearing about different places. Almonihah himself fell asleep soon after.

They woke in the morning, both feeling a bit stronger. After having some breakfast, Almonihah hacked off one of the dragon's claws as proof of their deed, then asked Zakhin'Dakh, “Think you can walk?”

He nodded and screeched a bit hesitantly. He thought he could, but it didn't seem like it would be pleasant.

“Hopefully there's a priest back in town,” Almonihah said as he started to get ready to go. “Don't think we're going t' be in good shape until we get some magical healing, really.”

****

Short post. I'm tired. Good night.