Dragon Rider Play

Blade threw the grappling hook, twisting it midair so it wrapped around the kappa. He then quickly tried to tie it up and trip it.

Mark nodded. "I read about the simplest way to defeat it. I wonder if Blade will figure it out or not."

The Kappa roared, his claws cutting through the rope like butter.  It charged forward, roaring as poison dripped from his fangs.
Alistair swore.  "Forget this!  Run!"

"I believe he is going in the right direction," Tithenor said.  "The hard way, but in the end it is the results that count."

Blade moved on instinct. He dropped the grapple and took out a short sword and dagger. He swiftly whirled around the charging beast and kicked it in it's shell firmly to try and unbalance it.

Mark nodded. "Please tell me how it goes, and I'll keep watch this way?" He asked.

The kappa stumbled but didn't quite fall.  It had a low center of gravity, making it difficult to trip.  It turned, hissing.
By now, all of Alistair's mates had run, but Alistair remained, watching and hesitating as though he wanted to join in but not sure how.

"Should I join in?" Tithenor asked.  "Or shall I leave them to it?"

Blade noted the low center of gravity. His mind was in hyperdrive now, and his ADHD noticed everything from the design on the kappa's shell to that only Alistair stayed to even Tithenor watching from a distance. He danced behind the kappa again, this time using his sword butt to slam hard into the beast's skull. Up that high, it should unbalance it, or make it confused and have a concussion.

Mark thought about that. "Maybe only if they seem to need help?" he suggested.

The Kappa squealed, staggering in a tight circle.  Again it came so close to falling over!  And yet at the last second righted itself.  It was wounded now, dizzy, but also angrier than ever.
"Hit it twice!" Alistair yelled.

"I worry about the length of time it is taking them to fell it," Tithenor explained.  "However, I do wish for them to take it themselves."

Blade quickly came up with a plan. He attacked the kappa with his sword, which bounced harmlessly off it's scales, before he danced back out of the way. Once the Kappa was in position, Blade parkoured off of a tree to slam his full body weight in the back of the kappa's head. Either now it will fall over, or it's neck will snap. Or both.

Mark nodded in agreement. He saw Alistair's teammates retreating and scoffed. "He wasn't lying. They really can't come together as well."

The Kappa fell without a sound, it's water splashing from the dip in its head to soak the ground as it lay lifeless.
Alistair came over with a low whistle.  "That was impressive!"

Tithenor's eyes narrowed as he watched them run.  "Or can they?  Co to Pat.  Now."

Mark nodded and jogged over to Pat, scythes ready.

Blade frowned. "One hit. I wasn't going to risk having that thing bite me and poison me, and hitting it twice doubled my chances of getting bit. But didn't you already know that?"

Pat sat on the path, bruised, winded and nursing a cut on her arm.  She and Nightshade had fought hard, but it had been four against one in human and dragon.  Both packs were long gone.  She looked up at Mark then dropped her eyes.  "Sorry," she mumbled.

Alistair frowned.  "Those things are poisonous?"  He shrugged it off.  "Getting bit, yes, but sometimes you have to accept a small hit to give a larger one.  I did not know they were poisonous, and I knew you o be skilled enough even one hit would be a slim chance for the creature."

Mark looked Pat over, and ripped off some cloth for the cut on her arm. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Blade shrugged and turned heel to go back to Tithenor. "Uh oh. I don't like that face. What's wrong, or what did I do wrong this time?"

Pat nodded, accepting the cloth.  "It's not deep.  I scratched it on a branch when I... fell over.  I got too excited.  I'm lucky I didn't fall on my own sword, really.  They just walked in and took both packages.  I'm sorry."

Tithenor patted his arm.  You did perfectly!  However, you..."  He paused with a frown as Alistair was already well on his way.  "Have some explaining to do."
"Smoke is following him, for what it's worth," Henry said.

Blade looked around. He quickly pieced together what was going on and frowned. "They didn't..." Blade's face broke into a wicked grin. "Hey Tithenor, can I go play now? I think it's time I made sure my pickpocketing skills are to par."

"No," Tithenor said firmly.  "Their actions will result in their own destruction.  We need not have any part of that.  Come, we must go."

Blade pouted but obeyed Tithenor. The former assassin would probably have been kicked off of the island or severely punished long before had it not been for Tithenor's guidance.

"Maybe we can find another one," Henry said without any real hope as he reached down and helped Pat up.
"Perhaps," Tithenor agreed, not sounding too concerned.  He started forward, only glancing to make sure Pat was okay.  By now he'd learned to tell when Pat was seriously injured and when it was just a scratch.
Warrior whined softly, feeling the other's disappointment.  He looked up at Mark.  Had he disappointed his rider?

Mark smiled comfortingly at his dragon. No, Warrior hadn't disappointed them at all.

Blade did knife tricks as they walked to amuse himself and take his mind off of things.

Blackwater was waiting in the clearing. He was leaning against Loam, and almost seemed to be taking a nap, although his green eyes were open.

Warrior perked up at that, though he remained sober.  It was still sad. 

Erika ran to the elder dragon, her spikes stll brisstled.  She hissed and bobbed her head, telling him angrily about what had happened, ignoring the polite and standard greeting between younger and elder dragon.  Very rude, but perhaps understandable in a hatchling.

Tithenor noticed Alistair reaching his group just before they reached the teacher.

Loam listened to the dragon and nudged Blackwater. The dryad nodded. "I am aware. The trees told me already." Was all he said. "Loam, would you be so kind as to bring a note to Alterrion for me?" He wrote a short note to his comrade, which Loam gently took in his mouth before he flew off to find the asmar. And then, the dryad waited. He watched as the groups approached, letting them speak first.

Alistair was talking heatedly with his group for several minutes before turning and approaching Tithenor.  He bowed to the elf and his companions.  "Excuse me, Blue?"
Tithenor raised a brow, subtly touching Blade's arm to keep him from attacking or saying anything.  "Yes, Alistair?"

Blackwater watched, his face betraying nothing.

Blade growled. He didn't attack, although he had two sharp battle knives at the ready.

Alistair turned to take one of the packages from his mate.  "I believe this is yours.  Your group earned it stopping to help when you didn't have to."
Tithenor accepted the package with a bow.  "Thank you, Alistair."
Alistair gestured to his and departed with them.

"Alistair, a moment please." Blackwater said curtly. He took the young man aside. "Do tell me what that was all about."

"You told us, sir, to get the packages.  My clan and I lost ours, and Tithenor's group came to help us fight our monster," Alistair answered calmly.  "My mates thought it better to run, and in leaving they found only one guarding two packages, so they took them as they might steal a flag during capture the flag.  I stayed to watch, but I did not fight the monster.  In seeing how Blade fought for us when he did not have to, I felt they at the least deserved their original package."

"And this differed from your mate's ideas and philosophies?" Blackwater clarified.