The Mates of Dragons

Creature Capture Business

The water was black in color with the night sky reflected in it. A few ripples marring the nearly perfect surface with the light breeze that blew. A ring of higher mountains circling to the south stood tall and seemed a beautiful and mysterious thing. There was no real sound through the area, just the small hum of a few insects.

Then there was a whisper of a sound, like wings beating then nothing. Then again a moment later. Against the dark sky a few stars were blotted out by a form moving there. It appeared large and seemed to swoop lower toward the water surface.

A click sounded and then the loud release of compressed air. In mid flight the animal was hit with a net that spread out like a spider web, hitting it and tangling it. Down it came with a wild scared sound and water shot straight up as it impacted the surface.

"Move, pull it out before it drowns!" A man shouted and others moved forward. Where a moment before none had been people emerged from hiding. They were fast getting out into the water and pulling the large animal to shore. It struggled but was unable to do much with the netting that was covering it.

"Bring the vet forward!" Shouted the same man. "Langford, where are you!" He shouted again, a medium sized man and in shape was who spoke. He held the air of authority about him. His skin a rich brown and a clean shaven head. A thin scar ran from his ear to his jaw, the really only distinguishing feature about him.

"Right here, stop shouting." Langford said, he had darker blond hair that was cut close to his head and thin rimmed glasses on his face. "Have the rest back away. Bring Kendra over, she'll calm this one."

"Kendra!" Shouted the dark skinned man and a woman moved forward from the small crowd that had backed up.

"Really Riley you could tone it down a bit. I could hear you back at camp." Kendra grumbled, moving with confidence in her stride. Her long brown hair fell just below her shoulder blades. She was putting it back at the moment and Riley's brown eyes met her ice blue ones.

"If you would hurry up and be where you are supposed to, there would be no need for my shouting. If not for me, none of you would get anything done." With that he moved back with the others and Kendra gave a shake of her head. God he was full of himself.

"He's over dramatic, and full of himself." She said crouching down and putting a hand on the animal. It calmed instantly moving toward her hand. She made soothing sounds and petted its long muzzle.

"That he is, but he always gets the job done."

"Admiring him?" She said and the vet gave a shrug.

"Some of the things, not at all." She gave a sigh and continued keeping the animal calm. It was large, and looked like a horse with enormous wings. The body was jet black and wet from the dive into the water.

"Never thought I'd see a black Pegasus." She said smiling and helped Derrick Langford remove the netting after he gave calming drugs to the animal. It moved standing but stayed where it was. Kendra's hand moving along his neck and holding the smile. It responded to her and she felt a joy in connecting with the wild creature.

"Hold it there, we can't have it flying away. It'll be impossible to catch it then." Riley said and they came forward. The Pegasus didn't complain much as Kendra kept it calm. Only once did it whinny and kicked out at one of the men.

"Well don't do that." Kendra said to him and he just looked at her. She coaxed the horse to move forward with her and they walked for a good way. They came to a large truck after a while of walking and she got it inside. They secured it for transportation. Kendra did feel a bit of sadness, but she hoped that this one would go some where safe.