Tiger and Maple wandered the caves. They were waiting for Truth to come back in a day or two. In the meantime, this was a little safer for Tiger. It was almost a bunker. But they couldn’t stay down here forever. They were running out of torches for light and had gone hungry for the past… day? It was likely a day since they had entered the caves. At least, according to Maple’s inner sense of time.

Slowly, they walked past the reddish stone walls, dimly lit by their last dying torch. The entrance was just at the end of this natural corridor.

Maple hoped it wasn’t night. It was embarrassing to be afraid of the dark, but she still was for a reason. She carefully opened that hatch at the entrance and prayed it wasn’t night.

Dawn. It was dawn. The sky was a reddish-yellow, like Maple’s scales, but with crimson splatters across it.

This is so pretty. Maple thought.

The burdened buildings were almost done smoldering and the smoke had mostly cleared. That was why Maple and Tiger were able to admire the sky. The sky seemed to be smiling at them, in a sense. Encouraging them.

But it didn’t help when they took in the damage that had been done here. This was an area where death had come and claimed lives. Lives that should have lasted longer. They too seemed to be pawns. Pawns that were considered expendable.

But they had their own families, homes, lives, passions, dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses. Even those who considered them pawns had their own lives. They did not do the right thing, but did that take away their worth? Are they any less valuable as a life than a hero’s?

“This would be a great place to hide, you know,” said Tiger. “At least, in a few days when the searches are over. No one after then would be looking here. Or at least very few.”

He has a point, she thought. The destruction will help hide us. But what if we find a-a-a body that was a victim of the disaster…

“Really?” Maple responded, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

“Yeah.”

They stood in silence for a moment. Maple put her talon on Tiger’s.

“I know,” Tiger said, “I have had that terrifying thought as well.” he was silent. “I just can’t imagine how many dragon’s lives have changed with all this.”

Maple knew what Tiger was thinking. This was worse than anything she had ever seen. She had seen kids at her school bully her and others and made their lives miserable. That was when school was a thing. Now it was mostly small homeschool groups that studied and learned.

The sky was slowly turning a little blue. Day was coming and it was eerily silent where they were. They were usually a few stall’s open, or street rats hawking their wares. Or even other citizens taking a walk and chatting.

“Ummm, should we go to the market?” Maple asked, trying to fill the silence.

Tiger nodded. They needed to be rid from this plain of debris and rubble.

The cavern they were in was at the edge of a border with another nation: The Griffin Province. But the cave system was in neutral territory. So they had not passed in without permission. But they did not have permission to leave. All the more reason to get away from this place.

It was quite a long stretch of the street they walked to get to the edges of the markets and shops. Most of the successful businesses were closer to the center. The shops they walked by had tawdry satchels, hats, and other items showing off in the windows.

Finding a general store that was a little closer to the market square, they entered to buy supplies. It was called Griffit Goods.

Why hadn’t we scavenged the area for food that was not burned to a crisp? Maple thought. She answered herself quickly. It is a horrifying graveyard in essence.

The chime rang as they entered and the shopkeeper looked up from his magazine. He had glasses atop a griffin’s beak. “Hello lady. Hello good sir,” he said to Maple and Tiger respectively. “Is there any way I can be of service?”

“Yes. My parents want me to work on ‘life skills,’” Tiger said with air quotes. “So we are here for groceries. Where can we find the cabbage and turnips and venison?”

Maple bumped Tiger. “Don’t overshare,” she whispered. “It is not a thing to be proud of.”

The shopkeep smiled. “It is fine. The cabbages and turnips are in aisle three.” he pointed to an aisle near the back of the store. “And the venison is behind the counter. A pound will be 3 bluescales or 4 bluescales if you want it precooked.”

“Tiger wanna go find the turnips?” asked Maple.

“Sure,” he replied.

As the orange dragon walked to the end of the store, Maple started to ask a few questions. “Hear about the fire?”

“Tragic, isn’t it? My two employees had family that didn’t make it. I am giving them a few days off and sending coin in the post. Did you know anyone there? If I may ask.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Maple sighed deeply. “No. But it still pains me to see so many innocents die.”

“They weren’t all that innocent there.” said the shopkeep. “Most have served time behind bars. Although they may have repented of their wrongdoings, they didn’t exactly not deserve it… How many pounds of venison do you desire?” He said, changing the subject.

“I would like two pounds, cooked, please.”

This griffin was quite nice. And it was good that he believed Tiger’s okay-ish lie.

As the shopkeep went to work chopping and slicing, Maple searched through her satchel to find only six bluescales. “Sir, I can only do two pounds uncooked.” He just raised an eyebrow.

Tiger walked up to the counter with a few turnips and cabbages. He placed them on as the shopkeeper calculated their order.

“How much money do you have with you?” Maple asked.

“Ten bluescales left,” he responded. “You?”

“Six,” said Maple.

The total showed on the meter to be fourteen bluescales. Just within their budget.

As Maple gave the coin over, another customer came in. This one looked angry like she had a grudge. She walked to the produce aisle where Tiger was looking for turnips. She disappeared, taking the glum mood with her.

The strange dragon was unnerving and Maple thought it best that they leave immediately. They would hopefully do so before something bad happened.

They tipped and waved the shopkeep goodbye and strolled leisurely out of the store. They tried to, at least. The angry dragon had perhaps peeked at them as they left, to see if they were up to something.

Perhaps they were right. Perhaps not. But there was no denying that something was up.

They had gone to the rendezvous shortly after they left the shop. They needed supplies for what Maple was planning.

It was a plan that Maple was not very proud of though. It gave her to a false reputation. She was disliked by most everyone and shunned. This was all because they thought that she was a conniving little demonic miscreant like her father. A “psychopath” as she had been called. She never was mean or a thief–well, not often–and definitely not a murderer.

But the plan she had in mind it was not murder. But her plan did put Tiger’s life on the line. It didn’t make her proud. But she did have agency here. Right? To make the right decision? Or is she being moved into position, ready to capture another piece? If so, who was the mastermind behind it all?

It was quite a bit of time spent at the rendezvous point before the time came that Truth was supposed to be there. He wasn’t there so Maple waited a few more minutes. Them a few more, and so on.

After thirty minutes, Tiger said, “Did he–betray us? I thought we could trust him?”

“I did too. But we were wrong about him. He is likely going to the Sovereign to tell him of us.” Maple desperately hoped this was not the case. There were no other words to describe what she felt than betrayed.

Betrayed is a strong emotion. One that none really knows how strong until they have experienced it. But it made Maple cling ever more fast to her relationships with those who she can trust.

Maple glanced and saw the angry dragon they had seen at the grocery store. The dragon had her gaze fixed on Maple and started advancing toward them. But at least now she did not look as peeved as she did earlier.

It was noon time and most were out picnicking and eating. They were all witnesses. The not-so-angry dragon wouldn’t make a move, Maple hoped. It was a logical train of thought, but then again, it could be a great big elaborate multi-thousand goldscale trap.

Tiger tensed as the dragon walked up to them and smiled. “How do you do, young lady.” said the dragon. Her accent seemed to imply that she was a little higher on the social scale than most.

Maple was scared and did not know what to say. Her tongue seemed to be stuck to the roof of her mouth.

The stranger, seeming to sense the unease, said nothing. She just smiled and waited patiently for an answer. Waiting was the game. Patience was the game. You wait and plan as the enemy makes their move.

“Who the heck are you?” Tiger asked. “And what does the thing have to with me or my parents?”

“Smart, little sir,” said the dragon. “You are very inquisitive. A very good asset to one’s person when applied correctly and aptly. But i am afraid it is Maple I am here to speak with and not the little sir standing before me. Perhaps tea time in order for after this whole debacle.”

Tiger had a confused, slightly frightened, and slightly happy look on his face. It was priceless in Maple’s eyes. And yes, perhaps this dragon was good and deserved tea time.

“What is it that you want?” Asked Maple.

“It’s about this dragon named Courage and another named Truth. Do you know them?” said the dragon.

“No,” Maple lied.

“Perhaps,” Tiger said at the same time.

The dragon raised an eye ridge suspiciously and turned away. “I shall come to see you again soon.”

With that, she was off, leaving Maple confused and disoriented about all the events that had transpired in the past five minutes.

Strange, it was. The unfamiliar dragon hadn’t seemed malicious but was still suspicious.

“That was weird,” Tiger said, stating the obvious.

“Agreed.”

Tiger continued talking. “I find it strange that she wants tea time with us later. Do you know her? She seemed to at least know f you if not know you.”

“I’ve heard of dragons being postmen and messengers for the Fjord,” Maple responded.

“The Fjord?” asked Tiger.

“The… organization… the ‘Providence Fjord’ it is called. If we see her again, we will talk with her during tea time. Perhaps there be scones and biscuits for you to gorge yourself on.” Maple said teasingly.

Tiger nodded, not acknowledging her joke to lighten the mood.

***

The sun had slid down to the horizon when the ground seemed to shake. The shaking wasn’t so strong as to bring down buildings or trees or lamp-posts. But it was enough to surprise Maple and make her topple.

Tiger by her side immediately helped her up.

The shaking became twice as intense then stopped. They shaking started then stopped again, quiet for the next while.

During this time, the dragon showed up again with a bag of herbs for tea and scones. It was tea time.

Note from King Dlaerious

As you see, there is a strange grey dragon asking for tea with them. It is quite strange whenever this all happens to anyone… especially you.

Anyways, what is there to do here?

OK… So you have a lot of questions for me. Such as: why are you kinds speciesist? Well, I have seen that they have done many horrible things. But now that I look back, it was partly due to my father teaching me. But I still must take responsibility for my actions… It pains me now to see the pain I cause eing kings… I had always thought I was good, but now I question that.