Arista- The Camp

The cold rushing air reminded me of a raging rivers current. Once when I was younger, I and a few other youths went up a feeder river to our lake. It was dangerous as it had been raining for days in the mountains and the river was almost overflowing its banks.

This was a kind of 'right of passage' for us. Everyone tried to see if they could swim upriver against a strong current like this at least once in their life. We all knew how much debris gets carried by the river in rains like this. But that was half the fun.

Standing on that bank looking at the quickly moving water made my legs weak. I had never seen a current like this, it was terrifying and beautiful.

"Who wants to go first?" Leith the oldest among us and probably his last time doing this was quick to taunt us.

"I will." Slightly shaking, I didn't even feel it. My body all but hummed with excitement for this challenge.

"Just remember, call out for help if you get scared or hurt." He was scoffing at me, and the other three boys snickered behind my back. They would regret jokingly inviting me along.

Plunging into the cold water I was instantly dragged downstream. The current was impossibly strong.

A sudden dip of the gray dragon made my stomach come into my mouth, breaking me from my memories. Below me spread a small Dragon-man encampment. Right, this was much like the river waters. I couldn't let myself be carried along with their current.

Peeking at Trivyss behind me, he was studying me very carefully. Some of the disgust had left his gaze and was replaced by…curiosity? I couldn't help but stare back into his brown eyes. They were so different from Kyvrens. He must have very unique eyes among his people. His eyebrows drew together and his hand came up to touch the corner of my eye but he paused before he actually touched me and held me firmly against him.

Dodran suddenly dipped again and landed hard. Instead of tossing me over his should like he did last time, he kept me in his arms and slid off the side easily.

Zussirra was already waiting for us. "Take her to my tent. Make sure no one sees her." Tossing something over me, Trivyss nodded, happy to finally get away from his flight leader.

The heat was oppressive as we walked farther into the camp. The smell wasn't that great either. They must have been here a while.

I could barely see through the weave of the cloth. Coming up to a slightly larger tent that was the same color orange of the dragon tongue on the insignia, Trivyss pulled the flap back and quickly walked in.

"What's going to happen to me." He stiffened at the sound of my voice and placed me on something soft. Pulling the cloth off me, I could see I was sitting on something gray, small, and squishy. The room was spacious with another opening to another chamber. Strange furniture cluttered the space and one very large thing took up most of the room in the second chamber.

"That's up to the first." He went over and picked up a jar, it sloshed and I could instantly tell it was water.

"Water…" his eyes flickered my way and he seemed to debate something. Sighing he handed me the whole jar.

Slowly I took it. "why?" He shrugged off the question and turned his back to me. Obviously, he didn't see me as a threat. That was fine.

Smelling the water it was old but it was drinkable. Taking my time slowly drinking it I felt my dry chapped skin start to ease. The aching in my legs also became more manageable. Sighing as I emptied the jar, Trivyss was just watching me. He looked different somehow, softer.

Silently he took the empty jar from me and set it back on the flat surface behind him. Footsteps came closer to the tent and he tensed up, Dodran's grey hair popped in and he relaxed again.

"Did anyone see us?" Trivyss's voice sounded a little strained.

"No, I don't think anyone noticed us dropping you off. Zussirra is reporting what we found. She should be back soon.

"That brown dragon has found some new toys. His whole flight makes me sick." Dobran suddenly crouched in front of me, forcing my face up. His fingers dug into my chin and burned like hot coals.

He was at least decent looking, dull gray-blue eyes inspected me as I studied him. His hair was longer than Trivyss's by a couple of inches. It brushed the top of his shoulders. He was leaner than the other one as well. His features held that strong jawline that was becoming a trait in my mind for Dragon-men. His nose was thin and long, much like how his snout was in dragon form. He had a thinner face then the green and it seemed to translate in this form as well.

"No wonder she wanted to hide it." Roughly letting me go he stood back up and crossed his arms.

"Pathetic little thing isn't it?"

"It would seem that way." Trivyss seemed to become even more agitated as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. Silence fell and I wanted to hide whatever they found so interesting about me. Pulling up the strange material of my shirt I covered my face. It had an odd natural smell to it, like a husky warmth to it. I couldn't tell what it was though.

"Trivyss, why don't you…get it some food or something." The tone in his voice made me peek up at Dodran, he had a very dangerous look in his eyes. It was obvious what he was thinking. Trivyss saw it too.

" I will wait as Zussirra ordered me too." His tone was flat and gave no room for argument. Dodran cut his eyes at him.

"You always have been too soft."

"Soft enough to defeat you every time." Trivyss mocking tone made me want to laugh. Dodran looked like he wanted to snap Trivyss in half.

"Why do you hate each other so much?" The familiar harsh voice broke the tension in the tent as the Zussirra made her way into the tent as well.

"I just don't think-"

"Dodran, I really could care less what you think right now." Already she was undressing even as she spoke to the other two. Finding something more to her tastes she pulled it on over her head and it draped around her curves. Sitting on the other large furniture in the other chamber, she tapped a very smooth wooden part of it while looking at me.

"Filthy, you need to bath and… a change of clothes, also that hair. It needs to go."

Seeing her eye my dirty hair I self-consciously covered it with my hands.

"Why did you bring me here?" the cold glare she sent my way froze me in place.

"Xethes isn't the only one with ideas. Although his methods...well, creatures will do anything to stop pain." The way she said it made me feel uneasy. What could she possibly want me for?

"Bring me Jenavex, and a bucket of sand soap…" she was looking at Dodran who had yet to stop pouting. They stared at each other in a battle of wills until he finally sighed heavily and left.

"Trivyss, take her to your tent- I can trust you with it right?" Trivyss body stiffened at the insult.

"Of course, I'm not Dodran." She winced at his name as if that was an insult to her. Peeking his head out the flap he covered me again and lifted me into his arms. Should I run? Could I run? My mana is still to low to be useful. What if that Xeth-something finds me or someone like Dodran...

Trivyss's warmth had become oddly familiar, feeling exposed as we walked, I found myself clinging to his chest. We didn't walk very long before I felt the weight of a tent flap against me and darkness swallow us.

He gently placed me on something that was elevated off the ground and very soft. Pulling off the cloth around me, it was the same shape as what Zussirra sat on but much simpler.

A jar of water was suddenly thrust into my hands and I looked up at him questioning. He wasn't looking at me and he was generating more heat than before. Again it was old water but nothing else was wrong with it.

"Thank you, are Dragon-men usually this nice to their captives?" He froze for a moment then scratched the back of his neck.

"No." he seemed to want to say more but went over to the entrance of the tent and peeked out. I watched him over the rim of the large jar. I could see the silence was bothering him.

"I had a clutch sister, she was small and thin… you remind me of her. You have the same inner fire." He fingered his ear as he talked and I expected him to say more but he seemed lost in thought.

"What happens to her?" The sad smile on his face made me regret asking. He didn't answer and he didn't have to.

I almost jumped out of my skin when a yellow-haired woman came into the tent carrying a large flat bucket.

"Triv, so this is what Zuss was talking about? Disgusting. I'll leave it to you Triv." Shoving the bucket into his chest, she had already left before he could say anything.

"What? Wait!" darting out after the women and leaving me alone, I grabbed the cloth that had been used to cover me and ducked to the very back of the tent. Pulling up a side, my fear made me stronger and I made a space big enough for me to slip out of. Pausing a moment, I shoved all doubts aside and slide out.

Looking around, I quickly walked the opposite direction I thought Trivyss had gone. Every tent had a color. They were all clustered together, some colors had more tents than others. the few Dragon-men I could see didn't pay much attention to me. They were all absorbed with their own tasks or sleeping.

Feeling the tents becoming closer together, and more people milling around I swiveled in another direction that might be the way out. The smell of refuse was becoming stronger but the tents we're also thining as well.

The sounds of shouting and a whistle began behind me suddenly. I could hear Dragon-men stir and move with this sound. my body felt numb and ice-cold even in all this heat, they knew I had escaped.

Running now towards the refuse smell I see small stand-alone buildings and the horrid stench was overwhelming. Cutting around one I slammed into something, knocking me to the ground. My protective cloth lost I looked up to see golden-red burning eyes.

"A-Ah?!" He was so shocked he couldn't say my name. He was shirtless and covered in filth, holding a bucket.

"Kyvren?" Tears sprang to my eyes as a ray of hope pierced my heart. Hearing the growing alarm of the camp he immediately understood what was happening.

Pulling me off the ground and shoving the cloth back over me he took my hand and started running. I had no choice but to follow. His had was so warm.