"I'll get that con man tomorrow.."

Dreary eyes gazed toward the tavern door as the bell rang and the door to the tavern opened and closed. A elf walked over to Shale, sitting down a bit too close for comfort ." I've gathered everything you requested, Shale," the elf said bowing before moving back from his conspiratorial closeness and sitting back on the stool.

"Then as planned we will begin setting it up tonight, Slate," Shale says, swirling the ale around in his cup, "This is the last time I will ask you this Slate, but do you really want to join me on this path?"

"I have no regrets." Slate replied, "I would be dead by now, if not for you."

"I had to," Shale mumbled to himself. Slavery was, but of one thing that disgusted him most.

"Shall we have one last cup of ale, before having a bounty on our head?" Shale asked.

The bartender gave Shale a glare, as if he was crazy before spitting into one of the cups and wiping it with a rag.

"You can, did you forget I don't drink?" Slate asked.

"Well then!" Shale exclaimed, "Might as well since it's the last time I'll be able to drink in the “Shady Pine Tavern!””

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Small breaths of steamy mist came from Shale and Slate as they reached the abandoned mine, and looked at the entrance.

"Welcome to our new base of operations," Shale said

"I thought you were buying a building?" Slate replied.

"I got conned," Shale sighed as he gestured toward the abandoned cave, "But hey we can still make this work!"

"What I see my savior, and good friend are cobwebs and broken glass everywhere.” “Like I understand, a cat will catch your rats, but spiders?''Slate said in disgust as they trudged up the snow into the abandoned mine.

"You can go explore, while I clean this mess up," Slate sighed as he grabbed a broom attached to his bag.

Shale, unsheathing his sword, pulled a lantern from his bag as he wandered further into the abandoned mine. Large tunnels aligned across the mine, in Shale's sight as he went down the largest one. Large patches of pinkish-red stone lay in the dirt of the mine all over the tunnel as Shale continued to go further.

"What's this?" Shale asked himself as he ran towards a nest made out of hay with an egg in it, "Please be a dragon egg, please be a dragon egg."

Carefully picking it up, Shale ran and walked back towards Slate, being careful not to drop the egg. With eyes full of greed, Shale approached Slate praying to his god it's a dragon egg.

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"Hey, hey Slate!"

"Yes, Shale?"

"This is a dragon egg right?" Shale said excitedly

Before Slate could speak small sounds came from the egg as it shook. A crack formed on the egg, as a red foot kicked at the top of the egg and revealed a kobold hatchling.

"A kobold!?" Slate exclaimed.

"A kobold?" Shale frowned, his eyes drooping at the floor, "Well either way, you're my family now!"

"Your name shall henceforth be Rhodonite!" he exclaimed as he pulled out some meat from his bag and fed it to the hatchling. Rhonodite's large red eyes looked at Shale and melted his frown away quickly.

"Since your scale color is a pinkish-red."

After Rhodonite finished eating the meat it looked up at Shale in a confused look.

"No, no wait." replied Shale, "How do I take care of this kobold?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Rhodonite, sit!" Slate heard in the background as he sort through his bag for some basic tools such as an ax, and pickaxe

"He's not a dog, Shale." Slate sighed, "Kobolds are just like us mentally, just a tad dumber.

"Oh... Wait they do?" Shale begins to laugh, "Rhodonite! Go find me some gold coins!"

Rhodonite, tipped its head in confusion as it looked at Shale with its bright red eyes.

"Fine then, guess I'll have to teach you the basics," Shale said as he turned towards Slate, "Slate teach them the basics! I'll sweep for you."

"Shale, please try to understand their new hatchling," Slate replied, "They won't be able to do much for a good year or two."

"Oh... then let's place Rhodonite in the bag and carry them around while we work." Shale stated as he took the ax from Slate and ran outside.

"Dear goddess of wisdom, I pray Rhodonite isn't as dense as Shale is some days."

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"Let's go over this one more time," Shale said as he slid down the hill.

"Masks?" he asked.

"Check."

"Swords have been sharpened?"

"Check."

"Cloaks?"

"Check."

"Lastly and most importantly," Shale said, "Rhodonite has been fed and is in the bag?"

"That is correct." Slate replied, as a small giggle came from the bag on Shale's back.

"Well then, anything you want to scream, before you become wanted?"

"Not that I can think of," Slate replied as the jumped into a bush near a dirt road.

"If my sources are correct then, the caravan will be here by the time the sun falls."

Moonlight glistened upon Slate and Shale as they sat in the bush. Slate pushed his hand through his short silver hair as he put on a red eye mask.

"They're here," Slate whispered as he nudged Shale awake.

It was a small wagon with wooden bars surrounding three chained humans. Two held their hands against the wooden bars, while the other just sat on the floor of the cage coughing. Four guards followed after the wagon, a horse pulling the reins.

"Huh? Oh," Shale muttered as he put a silver eye mask on, "Well then shall we save those that have been enslaved?"

Slate nodding, led to the two getting up and jumping out of the bush into the front of the caravan.

"Halt!" Shale exclaimed, "Free the slaves or we will force you to!"

It would be a practiced speech that fell on deaf ears.