Chapter 22
The noise echoed over twice more at a closer and more booming tone before the sound stopped and Eirwin believed that it was safe to stand up. He motioned for Heather not to move yet as he wasn't quite sure that it would be safe her.
He didn't know where exactly the beithir had gone and he didn't want her to put her life at risk if he made the wrong mistake by moving too quickly. The wind and power of the creature was already noticeably stronger than he had first expected it to be. Even with his keen senses, due to how dark it was, he struggled to spot where the creature had moved to.
"Dragon, what brings you into my territory? One such as yourself should know that doing such a thing is akin to asking for a death wish." The voice came out as a deep, menacing growl, not that far away from where Eirwin was standing. He didn't dare to move to try and locate exactly where the creature was in case any sudden action on his part would cause it to attack again.
"I came here to get some information that a friend mentioned you happened to have." Eirwin replied, keeping his voice level and calm as he spoke. He only glanced down at Heather in order to make sure that she was still okay and hadn't tried to move from her position. An amused noise that almost sounded like a rumble of thunder moved throughout the trees.
"You a dragon coming to ask information from me? What an amusing story. Why don't you try something else that might be more convincing hmm?" the voice requested. Eirwin didn't reply however because he had no other answer to give the beithir. His response had been an honest one.
"Very well." The creature finally said after it became evident to the other that Eirwin really had no other answer to give him. The ice dragon flinched against the rough feeling of the wind as the beithir as the other creature came down to inspect him and see if he was being honest.
Despite all the noise that it had been making, this beithir wasn't one that had been equipped with wings which did little to make it less intimidating and formidable. The horrible noise that it had been making was through the use of it's abilities and rather large tail that it had thrashed around from where it was perched among the trees.
It was ever on a dragon's bucket list to be standing face to face with a beithir considering how much they hated one another and how far a beithir would go in order to kill a dragon that annoyed it or invaded it's territory. Yet somehow, Eirwin was now standing almost face to face with one and having to keep himself completely still in order to not aggravate the other creature into attacking as it seemed to be rather passive at the current moment in time.
At it's full height it likely stood to be more than two to three heads taller than Eirwin in his human form and countless more when he was stuck in his pitiful dragon one. The brass color and the way the scales were done made it still almost blend into the darkness so that one might not notice the extraordinarily large creature until it was almost too late if it were stalking prey.
Eirwin shut his eyes as the other creature huffed almost directly in his face, taking in his scent to see if he was lying and to ensure that it had been correct in believing that the other was a dragon.
"Oh? I see why now little one that you came to seek me out. I have heard this rumor before that there was one not like the rest, I suppose I should take it that you're that one?" The beithir mused as it stuck it's forked tongue out, twitching it in and out a few times as it tasted the air, not close enough though to actually touch the dragon's face with it. He was rather put out to hear that such a creature as the one in front of him had even heard the news about him.
"That's correct. I'm sure that even you can tell that with the current form I am in and the one that I can transform into that there is no one that I would any type of threat to you. So would it be possible to get some information from you?" Eirwin tried again as he spoke in a level tone in order to hide any irritation that he had over the current situation.
"Perhaps, but I would also like to know about this companion whom you have brought with you. Is she one of your kind as well seeking help?" The beithir asked as he indicated in the direction of Heather who had shifted so that she was now kneeling rather than laying almost flat against the floor. Once the conversation had started, she assumed that it would be safe for her to move without causing any problems.
"No, she's just my assistant that I brought with me in order to help out with my question for information. Unlike me, she's human and not a dragon." Eirwin replied as he motioned to Heather that it was safe for her to fully stand up and come over to where he was.
The creature narrowed it's eyes at the comment Eirwin had made. Although the human as he had called her was rather close to the dragon, he was certain his senses weren't wrong in determining that there had been one more than one of the annoying creatures invading his territory. He would just have to watch her carefully and see if he was mistaken or not.
For the time being though, he didn't think that it would hurt to entertain the two in front of him and gather more information. After which he could decide if they would make a good next meal or if he should let them go.