Chance stood for a moment in silence before his legs started to give way. He slumped, sitting down on a flame-blackened stone. His head fell into his hands, thoughts running wild. “Honestly, I don’t know anymore. I’m sorry, Yrip, but I am not your dragon, not your master. I never was. I’m just a kid playing at being a dwarf druid, and I’m not even very good at that.”

No one spoke after his words, though he could feel Shags’ curiosity in his mind, a questioning. Then he felt a small scaly hand pat his shoulder. “You might not be a dragon,” Yrip said, “But you have been a good master.”

Chance’s head rose, to stare at the kobold. “I thought you would be upset. Angry even.”

“It is a shame that you aren’t the dragon, but it was a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding that I took advantage of. Look, Yrip, if you want to leave, I understand and won’t stop you.”

“Leave? Iyari need a master. Dragon, dwarf, it doesn’t matter.”

“You really don’t, Yrip,” Chance told him. “I’ve seen you. You are brave and resourceful and don’t need anyone to be in charge of you.”

Yrip responded with a strange little chuckle. “It is not so easy. People see Iyari and don’t trust them, don’t like them. It is why we seek out powerful masters, to protect us.”

“We get the same,” Snarl added, “Except for the part about needing masters to protect us. It is why we stay far away if we can at all help us.”

Wolves have a reputation as well, Shags noted. Undeservedly so, but it is there.

Chance managed a laugh, one mixed with regret and remorse. “Misfits all, that is us. I had a reputation back where I come from. A certain notoriety.” He stood up, a grim dwarven visage showing. “It is time all that changed. I am deeply sorry about everything, Yrip, but your people don’t deserve what they get. None of you do. I’m not sure how, but we have to fix that. Somehow. Snarl, if you don’t have any other pressing matters, why not join us? I may even have some tidying up for you.”

Snarl laughed, more a cackle than anything. “It is a tempting offer. Let me think it over.”

Chance nodded. “At the very least, come and join us for a meal. It is the least that we can do.” He looked at the skull, a wry smile appearing. “Now if only we could move that; it would make an interesting addition to the cave.”

“We should get back to the tea, before it boils away,” Snarl said.

“Yeah, I could really do with a drink about now,” Chance replied, “After all of this.”

There is one thing that I do not understand, Shags mindspoke to Chance as they began back down the hill towards the gnoll camp.

That makes two of us, Chance replied, Though in my case it isn’t one thing; it is practically everything.

I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Shags responded. Your methods may be unorthodox but they are still effective.

I’m really just making it up as I go. I have no idea what I am doing.

Hrm, well, be that as it may, it still works, Shags noted.

What is it that you wish to know? Chance asked.

You said that you were a kid who was playing at being a dwarf. That I do not get. You smell like a dwarf, look like one. Perhaps you don’t act like a typical one, but it takes all sorts.

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I am not sure myself what happened. This body is not me. My mind, well, that is a kid from another world who somehow got shoved into this body. Don’t ask me to explain, because I can’t I wouldn’t know where to start. I hope that someday I can find someone who can.

You may be in luck there, Shags told him. Jadeheart. If anyone might know about these things, it would be a troll.

Really? Chance scratched at his beard, almost unaware that he was doing it. He did invite us to visit him, to have tea I think we should do so soon. I just feel, well, I don’t know. Like I'm losing control of who I am.

You are you, Shags told him as they reached the base of the hill and headed for the camp. On arrival, Snarl quickly inspected the pot, clucking to himself as he did. He took it off them pulled out four small bowls from among his stash, pouring some of the tea into each. Taking up a pot, he spooned out some honey into each of the bowls, stirring it into the steaming drink. One bowl he set down before Shags before handing the others out.

He raised the bowl he held towards them. “Mohabo,” he said. “Good drinking.”

Chance followed suit, raising his bowl, before taking a sip from it. The drink was hot and sweet and with hints of mint to it, smooth and relaxing. He settled down on the log to drink it, savouring the warmth after so long without a hot drink. He figured coffee would be impossible to come by, but at least there were herbal teas.

When at last he had finished, he passed the bowl back to Snarl. As rough as it had been of late, and the trauma of it, he was feeling better just from the drink; it was marvellous what a simple brew up could do, how invigorating and relaxing it was. “Thanks,” he said, “I needed that.”

Snarl grinned. “Tea is a great healer.”

Chance half smiled. “Yeah. Anyway, we had best be getting back. I’ll see what we can whip up for a meal and you can have a look around while I do.”

“Of course. Just let me get ready first.”

“Does it involve sweeping?” Chance asked.

Cackling, the gnoll collected up their bowls and stacked them carefully away. “A little,” he admitted. He picked up one of his brooms and gave a brief sweep with it before also taking up his spear, resting it over his shoulder. “Lead the way.”

Chance nodded and set out back down the path they had come by, headed for the forest. Yrip walked in his customary position, close at hand, while Shags and Snarl followed behind. They left the camp in the clearing behind and entered among the trees, the forest slowly closing in around them, shadows darkening.

“How are we doing, Yrip?” Chance asked the little kobold quietly.

“Master?”

“You really don’t have to call me that, Yrip. I am not who you thought I was.”

The little kobold shrugged. “It does not matter. It is a kobold thing, master.”

Chance sighed softly. “It does not have to be. I have done many dumb things in my life, and deceiving you ranks up there with the worst of them. But if I have learned anything, which may come as a shock to my teachers, it is that we all have to make our own way, mistakes and all, and that we learn from those mistakes.” He smiled wryly. “In my case those are many.”

“I am not sure that we are capable of that, master.”

“We can learn together, Yrip.”

Silence descended as they entered once more into the ancient, dark heart of the forest and the desire to talk left them. It was a place for sombre reflection and little else. Chance mulled over what Yrip had said as they walked in silence, about the need to have a master. He didn’t understand that, having rebelled all of his life against any form of authority and control. The kobolds were the exact opposite, if Yrip was to be believed, seeking out control and authority over them. Well, he was an expert in avoiding that, so he figured if anyone could help break them of it, he could.

He was still considering it when they left behind the deepest part of the forest and returned once more to the main path, turning onto it to head back to the cave of Azval Stalvaq.

“Here we are,” Chance told Snarl when they reached it. “It isn’t much, but we hope that in time we might be able to do something with it.”

“This is where the dragon laired?” Snarl asked.

“Yes.”

“Any treasure left?”

Chance shook his head. “Not a coin, would you believe? The ones who slew it took all of it with them.”

Snarl cackled. “How inconsiderate.” He looked at where they had established their first camp, before moving inside, and tutted to himself. He lay down his spear and started to sweep around the area with his broom. “Is it all like this?” he asked.

Chance couldn’t see much there that would be of a problem but obviously Snarl could. “It is worse where the dragon laired.”

The gnoll's amber eyes lit up. “Really? Well, then, I think that you are going to need my help.”