Touched By A Dragon

Chapter 28: A minor Setback

Emerald waited until every rider apart from Destany and Lucy left the clearing, taking their sleeping supplies with them, as dark was fast approaching, then she left too. Emerald followed the tracks of the other riders. Her keen senses and thin, small body making it easy and in a matter of minutes she had found the new camp curl up sight. It was an open spot on the beach, near where the sand turns into the forest. She prowled past the other riders who were setting up camp very quick, and found her rider. She nudged Pearl with her paw and gestured to the nearby trees.
"Em, sorry Scar, Emerald wants to tell me something important, you're going to have to finish sorting out the food supplies by yourself." She winced, awkward and apologetic.
"Oh, yeah, that's rudy(Swear word replacement help) perfect! Just leave me finish half ye work and wonder of with ye dragon," Scar firmly spat, clearly put off.
"Sorry, I'll do your load next time." Pearl yelled back, over her shoulder at him as she ran after Emerald.
Scar picked up the huge bag and scowled, trying to hide his smile and the glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Knights in trainin', typical, always runnin' off and havin' fun with 'er dragons," He mumbled, picking various things out of the bag.
Emerald Dragged Pearl far from the warmth of the fire and out of the telepathic range of the other dragons.
"Pearl we need to find Astrid right now." Emerald spoke, urgency and panic coating her voice. "Do you know where she might have gone to feel safe? Did she have any family?"
Pearl tilted her head and knotted her eyebrows, thinking.
"Actually no, she was very vague about her life before joining us." Then her face lit up. "But I think I know who does!"
Then she ran off in the direction of camp, Emerald following close behind.
She saw the warmth of the fire and as she grew closer she saw Peter, who was lifting huge logs that Jewel was slicing off the tree with the barb at the end of her tail.
"Peter!" She yelled. "Emerald and I need to talk to you!"
Peter looked at her with a slight annoyance on his face.
"I am a little busy Pearl, could it wait until I'm finished?" He grunted.
"It's about Astrid!" She shrieked.
The sound of wood on wood rand around the clearing as Peter dropped the pile of huge logs. Every knight looked at them, startled. A red blush crept up Pearls face as she looked around at them and then back at Peter who was bug eyed and open mothed. Jewel picked up on her owners mood and wore pretty much the same expression on her face; wide eyed and open mouthed, only small wisps of smoke where pouring out. Emerald picked up on Pearl's mood but obviously did not share the same reaction to embarrassment.
"All right you feeble humans, nothing to see here; go back to doing your pointless tasks and sharing your meaningless gossip!" She yelled into the air.
Then, just like a reflex, everyone went back to doing what they were doing.
Peter's mouth just opened and closed for a while, until he was able to form words.
"I think us four should talk privately..." He said.
Pearl looked around them at the empty space of a few meters.
"...Away from gossipers." Peter finished, glaring at Tash and Isabell meaningfully. "Mikes' old private tent will do."
Slightly intrigued, Pearl followed Peter. Mikes old tent was reserved for the leader of the knights. It was a place for the leader to review stragities and was only open to people of importance in times of importance. Peter obviously thought that this was one of those times and, incredibly, that she was one of these people.
The leader's tent was located away from curl up, almost completely isolated and close to some smaller trees. Peter reached an arm towards the flap in the deep red tent and held it open for Pearl. She slightly dipped her head in a bow and quickly stepped into the small-ish space. She spotted a small, long wooden board held up my two smaller pieces of wood in the middle of the room. It appeared to be some sort of table and at either end where two small wooden stools. She sat down on the closest stool and Peter walked in, the dragons where far too big to fit, so they guarded the tent from knights that where far too curious for their own good. Peter strode around the table and sat on the other stool. Then glaring at Pearl, stone set serious, he spoke.
"Tell me what you know."
"I know that Astrid is hiding something. She joins the clan, comes just out of the blue, no history, no record no explanation, nothing, just a fancy scroll with approval from the king. And a few days later Mike disappears. And now Emeralds telling me that she had some sort of strange power and it might kill me. I tell you what Peter, I did not sign up for this. And if I wasn't in danger I would take Emerald and just go home," She blurted out in one breath, red faced and annoyed, with tears starting to form in the corner of her eye.
Peter just sat there and listened to Pearl, a calm expression on his face.
"Astrid is a girl with a lot to lose and even more to hide from. She has many secrets and for a good reason too. You must go and get her, there is much I need to tell her and there is much she must tell me. Go with Emerald at first light, we will wait here for your return or tell Emerald otherwise. The others will not ask questions. Get some rest Pearl; you have a big day tomorrow." He told her, expressionless. "Oh and a good place to go to find something lost is always where you last saw it.
He then turned his attention to the various pieces of parchment lying haphazardly on the table. Pearl presumed herself excused and opened the tents flap, stepping out into the chill of night air. She then made her way back to where Phoenix and Destany where resting. Pearl gathered her share of food and water for the week and put them in Emeralds saddle bags. She heard Jewel call for curl up and walked back to the others, telling Scar and Lucy to take first watch. Pearl then relaxed as she watched Scar pace the group of Knights and Lucy vanish into the forest to watch over Destany and Phoenix. Her eyes grew heavy, listening to Emeralds steady breathing, and she made no effort to resist as she slowly fell asleep.