A rebellious nature.

As the rider stood within earshot of the two children, attempting to calm the black constrained dragon. Kersha and durgan tried to sneak closer to get a better view. He appeared to be whispering something.

Snap.

Kersha had stepped on broken glass and stifled a yelp of pain. But the white dragon already smelled the blood and was alert. As was its master at the sound.

"You can come out." The rider said camly. "Just keep your distance. These dragons don't like to be petted by strangers. They aren't puppies."

Kersha and durgan sat and hid in silence, trying to play dumb.

"I can still see you." The man said.

kresha sighed and was the first to emerge slowly from hiding and approached cautiously before. Durgan followed her lead shortly after. The man towered over them as much as it's dragon. More so.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her.

"...yes..." Kersha muttered. 

"Hold still."

The tall old rider then knelt down and pulled something from a pouch and poured it on her bloodied foot. A drop of glowing water spread and coiled like snakes before vanishing into the cracks of her skin. Sealing up the skin for a freshly healed scar. Kersha was speechless. It didn't even hurt any more.

"And you lad? Any injuries?"

"...I burned my arm.." He muttered nervously.

Show me. The rider said. Durgan raised his right arm and kersha was shocked to see a red fresh burn all over his wrist. She hadn't even noticed it in the frenzy, and neither had he. The rider used about two drops and just the same it healed in favor of a smooth patch of scarred skin.

What was that he asked amazed, inspecting his arm.

"Mermaid tears." He responded. "They heal most burns and cuts but are hard to come by." The man fastned the flask into his belt carefully, always keeping it close by. "Is that all?" He asked.

They both nodded in unison. Mouths aghast in pure wonder.

"Good. Now please be off with you then." He stood and turned back to inspect the black dragon, tilting his head and noticed something that caught his eye. 

The black dragon had a saddle too. But it was completely empty and covered in dried blood, but not its own.

He clenched his fist. Knowing full well what it meant.

"Basilif you bloody fool." The rider muttered angrily. Cutting the strap of the bloody saddle and letting it crash to the ground carelessly.

Who's... Basilif? Kersha muttered under her breath. The rider turned to face her and seemed immsenley annoyed. 

"Why are you still here?" He asked emptying the pockets of the saddle, inspecting its contents. "Shouldn't you be helping the others put out the fires? 

"We're curious." Said Kersha.

"Children shouldn't've be curious of grown ups. Gets them into trouble." He pulled out a broken bottle and shards of glass from one of the saddle bags. Sniffing the broken glass. 

"What's that?" Durgan asked. Both him and Kersha leaning over the riders broad shoulder for a eager look.

"Questions, questions, and more questions." The rider sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose realizing he wouldn't be rid of the two bystanders hovering over him like flies for a while. Might as well put up with them for a bit, now that the crisis was past. Might even learn a thing or two.

"It's a glass of asari wine from the south." Very potent and strong. It was a favorite of the man who rode this dragon. Basalif. 

"What happened to him?" Durgan asked. 

The rider rubbed his bearded chin and looked up, attached to the saddle was a gleaming silver chain. Almost like thread. it was still intact, but tied in a loose and unfinished knot. It was then the rider knew what had happened to the unfortunate.

"The bloody moron got drunk and didn't tie his atheirum chain properly. The rider tossed aside the broken contents angered. It's unbreakable and could have kept the beast restrained but it easily escaped or probably had had enough of its master's antics and killed him in his sleep before escaping into the wilderness. With no one to guide or control it, it went wild."

"How do you know so much about this man?"

The rider scowled and looked ahead. 

"Because I was sent to apprehend him."

"The leaders of my order deemed him unfit and unworthy to continue the responsibility of caring for and controlling the ashfire and demanded he return it. He had become reckless, arrogant, and treated his dragon carelessly and far too cruelly as a toy instead of a tool. Using it to show off and impress others. He did not deserve the honor and was exiled from the order but stole the dragon before he fled. Not wanting to give it up or the power and prestige that came with it. He was a good rider once, but the years of battle and the stress of controlling a dragon every hour of every day drove him to treat it with increasing punishments for even the slightest of slights in order to keep it in line. But that is not our way. A good rider knows how to keep his dragon in acceptable fear, but not to the point of cruelty that it grows to resent him."

The rider sighed. "I imagine the moron being on the run and an outlaw with a dragon that hated him made him turn to drink even more. And so, the ashfire, not tied and seeing its tormenter drunk and unconscious before him... "

"Seized the moment."

Durgan wiped the dried blood of the saddle, and shook it away angry.

"What are you two still doing around here anyway? We've all had enough excitement for one night. Shouldn't you be with your parents putting out the fires?

Durgan and Kresha let a long sad glance at each other of realization of her now even worse situation. Durgan still had a family and home to go back to. But now, she didn't. Once again, she was alone.

"You...and skipper can stay with us tonight if you want." He said. "There's plenty of room."

Kresha looked somber, not knowing if she could refuse. "Thanks, i'll be there later."

Kresha placed his hand on her shoulder, "I'm here if you need help. I'll go get skipper by the gates and meet you at my home. Take all the time you need, Ok?"

Kresha nodded. 

Durgan looked toward the rider, thanked him for saving his family and ran back to check on his parents and the horse left tied by the gates. Leaving Kresha alone with the rider and the massive black dragon that had ruined her life.

"What will happen to the dragon?" She asked.

I don't know. Replied the rider. That's for your king to decide it would seem.

She waited a moment.. Not caring how he would respond. She had lost everything tonight and she was tired and angry like she had never felt before. And it was all that black monster's fault.

"I hope it puts it down." Kresha muttered under her breath angrily.

The rider pretended not to hear and said nothing, standing up and fastening the bloodied saddle to his own on the side of the white dragon. 

"Do you now?" He said, well you wouldn't be the first to think that of dragons.

Not all dragons. Just. That. One.

She glared at the beast that had destroyed her home and burned her precious horses that were hers alone to care for and love in this world. And she had stolen them from her. The rider seemed almost intrigued by her hatred as she followed her eyes towards the object of her disgust. Realizing it had done her great harm this night. He knelt before her, his blue eyes full of somber regret and joyless duty. A duty he had failed. Knowing if he had found the deserter and his dragon sooner, none of this would have ever happened. He had worked as tirelessly as always. And yet it was not enough. It never was.

"I'm sorry lass."  "Do you have any family left?"

"Not anymore." She said.

"Well he reached down a back pouch and handed her a golden pendent. The shape of a golden spiraling dragon. And handed it to her.

"you do now."