Night Hunters

Chapter One

The wind was strong today. So strong it made the iron chains clink against the rocks wall.

The mighty beasts remained undisturbed, enjoying the fresh air washing over their scales as they flew. They soared close to the ground, playing with the trees and the wind's current. Full well knowing their mounts were on the ground, calling them, they continued to play hard to catch.

"Come down you pair of Jesters! We must be getting ready for our patrol before the night falls," the young lady flailed her arms and chased after them from below. The older sighed and rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Aline. Flailing like that will only spook them more, you must remain calm, composed and strong. They will not respect you otherwise."

"Will you stop with the preaching, they have no reason to be spooked by me and I am not even doing that much." The younger girl flicked the strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes and rolled them to the heavens; they never did seem to agree. The older scoffed and turned to grin at her partner. No, they never did agree but it was all just relaxed banter. "So are we going to get them so we can get to work or do you plan on fleeing from the Night Terrors again tonight?" Adeline resumed her flailing and whistling, just hoping that their dragons would grow up then fly down.

With a heavy sigh, Therise brought her fingers up to her lips, letting out a low, strong whistle. The female immediately changed course and landed in front her mount, the male following behind.

Therise grinned as Adeline grumbled under her breath; the younger having turned to her own dragon to berate him gently.

They led their mighty beasts over to the mouth of the cave, where they entered the paddock from and kept their tack. "Shall we fly back to the village tonight? Or do you think we should stay another night?" Adeline brushed a sponge over her Dragons scales and was pushed to the side when he turned into the cool touch. "I don't know," replied Therise, also reaching for a sponge. "It was pretty quiet last night but something doesn't feel right."

Adeline froze, dropping the sponge and turning to the end of the cave, where the light couldn't reach; she signalled her dragon and felt the air rush past her as he slammed himself to the far wall.

They both began cursing, as the dragons bristled, their first priority calming them as to not be crushed. "Adeline what the hell!?" Therise ran under the neck of her dragon as her dragon reared up and stomped back down. Adeline ignored her as she darted under the trampling feet and grabbed the arm of the little child that had narrowly missed getting crushed by her dragon.

"What were you thinking!" Adeline hissed at the servant girl. "You could have gotten us all killed, girl." The girl whimpered, "I just wanted to see the dragons. I didn't know." The little servant girl hugged under Adelines' arms and whimpered gently; her whole body shook and Adeline looked over to Therise with a bewildered expression before wrapping her arms awkwardly around the child. "How are we meant to keep you safe tonight?"

Therise rolled her eyes and gestured at the child, "We will have to take her back now. If we wait until patrol tonight her parents will think the Night Terrors got her." Adeline groaned, zipping her boot up and grabbing the girls arm. "What village are you from Hun?" The girl glanced between the two and struggled against Adeline's grip. Therise left them to sort it out. She never had the patience for children. She took her saddle, basic leather for general riding - nothing like her beautiful war saddle.

"That isn't how you mount!" Adeline rushed past as she stopped the child from getting on her dragon unsaddled and Therise tried to ignore the constant bickering that was going on behind her.

She dumped her saddle next to Kaarine and decided to get Aline's saddle for her seeing she was a tad preoccupied no having her madelion ruined.

Adeline threw a thankful nod before sitting the child on the ground and standing above her with hands on her hips. "We riders have rules kid, one is to not mount another rider's dragon without permission or supervision and another, very important, is to never mount another riders dragon unsaddled."

"Not only that," continued Therise returning with Adeline's saddle, "but dragons are very mistrusting creatures of mighty power. Usually, a rider is bonded with the dragon from hatching. The rider has to be selected carefully, the dragon will reject them if there is anything off." The girl gawked at them both, and didn't even try to hide her obvious fascination on the topic. "Maybe we shouldn't tell her how these things work," the pair giggled at the child and exchanged words before saddling their mounts.

Throwing her saddle over the withers, Therise reached for the girth and tightened, Adeline mimicking her movements, the girl only watching in awe. They were synchronized in their actions and both worked fast and efficiently to get the job done before nightfall; neither wanted to travelling at night with the Night Terrors about.

Not that they couldn't handle them.

Once they had the bridles secured around the dragons' muzzles, the two females made eye contact, understanding in an instant. "SHOT NOT!" they both yelled.

"Well one of us has to take her, and I called it first," Therise jumped into her saddle and rushed out of the cave. "I can't take her if I am already in the air!" She shouted over her shoulder, making Adeline groan.

Adeline sighed watching as she was left with the child. There was no way she was getting on Dalerix.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten minutes later, both dragons were soaring for the village, the riders comfortably mounted, the child sitting in a large basket carried by Dalerix. "Why am I down here?" The females glanced down to see the child huffing and puffing in the basket. "I thought you wanted to fly," the girl's arms were in the air and they giggled at her antics.

Therise turned to her, hiding all the amusement from her features as she schooled them to strike the fear the Night Hunters are known for. "You know full well why, girl."

The child shivered, while Adeline stifled a giggle and got Dalerix to fly a little higher than the trees because of the Night Terrors she began to notice lining the ground.

The girls shared a look but continued onto the village coming into view ahead. They were definitely staying another night.

"Why did you become Night Hunters?" Dalerix swooped as an arrow soared past and Therise made a sound of annoyance. The village was trying to defend themselves against the support. "Are they idiots?" exclaimed Adeline, completely ignoring the basket below, "we have been here the past three days and they shoot at us on entrance every time? It's daylight for Mother's sake." She dodged another arrow.

"Fear makes people do some terrible things; I am sure they are as afraid of us as they are of the Terrors," Therise glanced at the child in the bucket, clinging to the small blankets in fright, with her eyes wide and wandering.

They landed in the village square gracefully, Dalerix and Aline putting the bucket down with the child before landing. The weapons of the villagers remained raised. "They still attack us! How can you call yourselves our protectors?!" An elderly man stepped forward, his spear raised above his head as he protested. "We are the Night Hunters! Lower your weapons." Therise's voice bellowed, calm yet firm. "We return only in daylight as one of your servant children came after our dragons and we return her."

The village looked on in disbelief as the girl crawled from the bucket. "It is almost nightfall! Why must you come so late into the evening!?"

"We plan on one last night of patrol. The Terrors should stay away for a while after that. If they return, report it and a new patrol will be sent" There was unsatisfied murmuring from the villagers in reply. A loud crash came from the far end of the village and the screams of the peasants rose through the trees.

A/N

As an extra little game, who do you think wrote this sentence?

Adeline froze, dropping the sponge and turning to the end of the cave, where the light couldn't reach; she signaled her dragon and felt the air rush past her as he slammed himself to the far wall.  

Morganna?

Bridie?

Vote.Comment.Love