"Ripper! Hi! Look, I wasn't-" Max stammered, trying to explain. However, the mute shaman held up his hand, silencing him. The younger Viking watched as the hunchback gestured towards the cages with a confused look on his face. Gulping, Max lowered his head as he mumbled, "I will not kill a dragon."
Making no verbal sounds, Ripper tapped his stick on the ground once. Max glanced up at him. He figured he was probably wondering why. Shuffling his foot nervously, he murmured, "We've been wrong this whole time. The dragons... they're not monsters. They're just animals trying to survive. And all we've ever done is slaughter them. I will not follow the mistakes of those before me. I will not kill one."
Strangely, Ripper nodded his head quietly and smiled. Max cringed at the sight of his jagged teeth. Then the hunchback pointed at him and then at the cages. Sighing, the teen mumbled, "I really don't know. I don't know if I should listen to my head or my heart."
Very quietly, Ripper pointed his stick at Max's head. The Viking was about to take that as a sign he should listen to his head when the shaman suddenly whacked his forehead with the stick. Max yelped in pain as he exclaimed, "What the heck was that for?!" Not saying a word, Ripper pointed at his chest, where his heart should be, and nodded quietly. Max understood now.
He decided to listen to his heart.
