Writing prompt archive

Catch and release (pt 2)

Thomas watched from his spot leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and one ankle draped over the other, as the usual group of people -a sizable group made of a mixture of residents from the villages and settlements all through the valley they moved to not long ago- went about thier work around the entrance of the giant cavern of a cave entrance. They all looked nervous and kept tossing terrified glances towards the darkness of the cave deeper in. Probably expecting the dragon they know to live here to pop out any second, catch them in the act, and kill them all. Little did they know that the dragon they were so scared of was away from the cave for the day. Not that they were ever undetected. Tom saw them on their way up and has been watching them ever since. His spot was on the top of a large boulder far above their view, even with the distance between them.

'Why doesn't anyone ever think to look up?' He wonders to himself as he stifles a snicker at the startled squeal one person made when they tripped over a rock that caused the rest of the group to flinch and start bolting but pause when they realized what happened. 'It's like watching fish.' He observed as they hesitantly returned to their previous spot and continued. That reaction made an idea pop into his head and he gained a wide smile. He knew his smiles weren't like they used to be, more off-putting. A bit too wide, showing slightly too many teeth, not reaching his eyes quite like a smile that size should. It was more like a snarl imitating a smile than a true smile. He wasn't sure what caused the change. Whether long he's been away from people like him or how the magic he could see wrapped around his roommate like fog seeped into him over time, he couldn't tell. Either way, he doesn't think he's quite as human as he used to be. He didn't care one way or the other. It did help in times like these, though.

"You know, the big boss doesn't like offerings." He commented loud enough for the group to hear. They all made startled noises and flinched away from his direction, searching frantically through the dark until they spotted him on his perch and relaxed when they realized he wasn't the dragon.

"Shut it, fae-cursed wretch! This doesn't concern you!" A particularly brave one snapped back as the group returned to organizing their offerings. Tom just smiled wider, enjoying the reply. He hummed in a thoughtful tone, putting on a contemplating expression.

"I'm not fae, cursed, cursed by fae, any combination thereof, or a wretch." The correction got a handful of glares from the group. He lifted his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying!" They either grumbled, rolled their eyes at him, muttered curses about him, or some combination of all three. He just continued his innocent act.

"And you know," He started as he straightened from his lean to casually wander towards the edge of the boulder in their direction. "I do think....this," He motions to the situation at large with a circle of his wrist before continuing, "does concern me. Considering I live with the guy and all." He finished with a shrug as he plopped down on the edge, legs swinging in the air. At that last comment the group snaps their heads around to him, wide eyed. The brave one that snapped at him before, probably the unofficial leader, was the one to voice the group's shock.

"M-my lord!" He exclaimed as the group immediately abandoned what they were doing to 'properly' greet him and apologize. He just laughed, enjoying the group's panic at offending the "only one to tame the Great Beast" as they put it. Little did they know it was less taming and more channeling his inner stray cat to forcefully adopt the big pushover. He rested his elbows on his knees and propped his jaw on a palm.

"So, any of you wanna explain what you're doing? I've already told you the big guy doesn't like offerings of any kind." After a second of pause he adds, "Multiple times in fact."

"No, no, my lord. You misunderstand. These gifts aren't for the Great Beast, but for you." The 'leader' corrects him, much to his surprise.

"Me?" He questions, breaking character for a second with his genuine surprise. He expected them to make up some convoluted explaination as to how it wasnt actually an offering like trying to find a loophole in an agreement they disliked. At his question the group talked over each other to agree. He glanced over the gathered and half-organized items. Slipping from his perch he free fell a distance that would probably severely injure a normal human. He landed lightly on his feet and strode over without missing a beat. He walked through the group that parted for him like they thought they would vaporize if they touched him. He crouched and sorted through the offered items, taking stock of them.