The halfling’s first attempt had not proved fruitful. His challenge ignored, his demands from his mighty country remaining unmet.
So it was as the hobbit took his flight northbound once again that the nervousness of failure sunk in once more, the possibility of actually having to go through with a challenge becoming all the more real. The first was a dress rehearsal, and this was the real deal. Would he be wrong to turn back? Seeking further council from the Sultan or Sultana couldn’t be a crime surely, and delaying his task for one more day would not effect his herd would it?
Though, the more the mulled over his options he realised that if his mother could hear his thoughts she’d kick his head into the peat. ‘You won’t do nothin’ great or fancy with that attitude Pippigrin!’ she’d grumble, and probably give a great old nip to his ear. Of course though, and as usual, mother was completely right. How could he expect to achieve what he wanted if he wanted to simply tuck his tail all the time?
He would face this head-on this time.

Yet again his target was a former member of the throat, and one who had once been in the lady Ampere’s position at one point in time apparently. Megaera the Sunspear; what a funny name the former Sultana had. Now that he was determined to actually carry this out, the hobbit once again decided on the most professional approach to the matter as possible. All heckling, name calling, and taunts would be kept to the bare minimum to ensure the integrity of the herd he represented would remain.

The hobbit’s flight path now groomed over the edge of the desert, the fiery heart coming into view upon the horizon as the sands below became desolate fields of yellow, grassy dunes. The description he had been given of the woman was awfully vague, though still, the Mrs. Megaera might be easier to pick out than he had assumed. With so many colourful creatures in this land it was becoming easier to pick out the more plain kind of ‘janes' such as himself, and as his stone-coloured eyes scanned the sea of grass and sand below, he caught sight of the woman in question.

Wings flaring against the current that held him in the sky, Pippigrin gave a soft gasp as the woman came into view. A dark bird, brown and black, with tall legs and a slender frame. Surely she would outdo him in all factions when it came to fighting, all except for strength. With legs halftone length of her own he could hardly expect to match her own speed, though he knew if he played his cards correctly he could last through the fight with similar endurance. Her defence, however, was his greatest worry. With wings bigger than his whole body, Pippigrin wondered how he’d manage to even land a hit past those great shields. Perhaps that was the plan of attack; aim for the wings?

Doubt crept in with each second he spent looking over the opponent, his eyes filling with fear and dread. It wouldn’t be too late to double back and head home now would it? Mr. Volterra would know what to do.
Again, his mothers words began to chirp within his mind. He must do this; he was a guardian now.

“Halt!” he boomed from above, chest puffing with what some might assume as pride, but really was just a chest full of hollow fear. “Mrs. Megaera Sunspear, You carry property of the mighty Dragon’s Throat!” He accused, ears now flattening against his neck and eyes narrowing upon her own. “As it’s Guardian, I challenge you for the golden key’s return!”
There, he had said it. It had begun.

Exhaling the ball of air form within his chest, the pale child of stone angled his wings downward after a number of wingbeats to aid in propulsion. The wings, Pippin, go for the wings! Someone with such mighty defences must first be stripped of them.
Using the air currents as an ally, Pip built speed as he dived down, down and down in the direction of the Sunspear. Baring his teeth, opening his jaws wide, Pippin attempted to grab a hold of those meaty pennons by aiming his jaws for the fleshy tendons trailing along her radius bone of her offside wing. Attempting with all the precision he could muster, Pippin tried to pull her by the wing as he shot past in the air with the momentum gathered from his swoop. Would all go to plan? Or would he have to tuck tail once again?