No Time for Lies and Empty Fights
It had been a long night – a gruelling patrol through darkness with only the faint glitter of star-shine to light his path... and Veci too, but the Boggart had been particularly naughty in recent weeks and Hector was hardly foolish enough to rely on him.
The pale moon smiled down as always, but her pasty lips were too delicately thin; he never found much comfort in her presence, and looked forward always on nights similar, to the break of dawn to the east. Hooves clattered loudly against scattering rock as he turned his monstrous body across the land-bridge in that direction hopefully. He lifted both wings, and also pumping nostrils into the cool desert air, testing, tasting. Sour brackish hue filled his lungs – but there was no other scent to find. Hector was alone, and that was a fine thing.
To his delight, the distant horizon was brightening.
Our shift is over... he yawned compulsively, thought of solid sleep luring a small, drowsy smile across his lips. Let us freshen up first. he continued, though naturally the flanking Boggart would be able to do no such thing, and the stallion’s teasing chuckle broke the lonely silence of night’s final hour.
Leaning back across clamping haunches, Hector spread apart his monstrous wingspan. He sprang forward in a brilliant demonstration of power and galloped only a few strides between the rubble before launching towards the heavens, wings thrusting heavily against the still morning air. Soon he was sailing inland and the black smudge of oasis in the distance loomed ever closer. A commanding cry rang out from below as he neared, and ears pulled back suddenly in response; hulking copper frame yielding with a jerk to their demand. Tawny wings cloaked in shadow dipped and he circled downwards, landing with precision right before the materialising foliage of the desert sanctuary.
It was Ampere, crowned Gladiator – topmost rank in the army, and Hector stepped nearer with a pensive snort.
Sharp eyes noted without prejudice the taught nature of her body as they wandered from her bold, (almost) black gaze. Rumour through the class suggested that the former Sultana had given birth to a colt. Many times lately lips had whispered of a cripple, with only one wing; others laughed at this, amused, claiming it to be the punishing touch of their father Sun who surely had been none too pleased by the weak-minded Sultana and her disappointing cohorts, the Starry-Eyed and the Transcended. In similar fashion the stallion had witnessed the discontented murmuring when Tandavi the Fire Dancer had been chosen in their stead.
Decorated skull tossed visibly beneath soft tresses as he forced his thoughts to clear, and cautious eyes returned from the puny mare’s shrunken barrel when she began to speak. Many had gathered around, rising from shadow to answer the call of their superior, and Hector glanced at each in turn broodingly. "I am Hector, Dragon Warrior - and Veci serves at my side..." He made mention of the Boggart in brief, any who thought it necessary to probe for more were welcome. To the Mother of Companions he offered a decorous nod – small talk was not one of his specialties...
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