Azure bonds - Kate Novak [114]
"Feint of-" The dragon reared up, accidentally knocking the wagon with her shoulder. The upended wagon overturned, sending Dragonbait sprawling backward. The lizard landed on all fours and pressed himself tightly against the ground.
Meanwhile, Mist rocked back and forth, issuing a loud braying that Olive could only assume was laughter. The halfling shifted to the left somewhat to keep the dragon's attention away from Dragonbait's position.
How did he ever get a stupid name like Dragonbait? the bard wondered as she caught a glimpse of the lizard stalking forward. I just hope its not prophetic. When Mist had quieted some and fixed her gaze back on the halfling, Olive asked testily, "Are you quite through?"
"Dear child," the dragon chuckled, "do you take me for a fool? Being foiled once this year by a warrior schooled in the old ways is enough. To be taken in yet again, by a halfling, would be unforgivable."
"There you go insulting me again." Olive thrust out her chest and brought the bottle close to her, determined to spill it on herself. "I challenge you, O Mistinarperadnacles, to a Feint of Honor!"
Again the dragon brayed. "You have missed your calling, small one. Comedy, not music, is your vocation."
"We settle terms next," Olive persevered despite Mist's attitude. "I suggest three hits, no flames, no claws, little bitesies. Any friends that happen along are welcome to join in the fray."
Mist rose up on her hind haunches. Steam began to curl out from between her great fangs. "Little fool. There is one small portion of the Feint of Honor of which you are no doubt ignorant. It must be issued by a good fighter and true. You are no fighter, you are not good, and I doubt, little bard, that you are true. You are beginning to bore me, and so you must die."
Just then, the sun broke through the mists and the dragon became a great, dark shadow outlined with an aura of light. Olive was certain she had met her doom. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. She wondered if her end would be the agony of fire or, should Mist be willing to risk the effects of peranox, the pain of razor-sharp teeth.
When several heartbeats had passed without a violent attack on her person, the halfling, still holding her breath, popped open one eye. She was ready to close it at a moment's notice should the dragon attack.
But her view of the dragon was blocked by the body of Dragonbait. The lizard stood before Mist, brandishing his toothed, diamond-headed sword.
Olive could not believe her eyes. He's going to defend me. But Dragonbait remained motionless before the dragon. What's he doing? Praying? It's too late for that, she decided, crouching down and edging away from the lizard. Mist ignored her. The dragon's amber eyes were locked with the lizard's.
Why aren't they attacking? Olive wondered. Neither creature moved. Her curiosity overwhelmed her good sense, and Olive stood watching the two combatants.
Banks of steam evaporated off Dragonbait's neck and chest. Olive found herself suddenly thinking of baking bread. Then she realized it wasn't a stray thought; she smelled hot rolls, fresh from the oven, begging to be smeared with butter and jam. The halfling's mouth watered. It was, after all, time for breakfast.
As the dragon and lizard engaged in their battle of wills and the daylight grew brighter, Olive became aware of the additional damage Mist had wrought while the halfling slept. The ground about the campsite and where the horses had been staked was all torn up, plowed by the dragon's claws. "And I slept through it all," Olive muttered in a daze.
Then Mist rumbled, "Well challenged, noble warrior. What are your terms?"
Olive stared flabbergasted at Dragonbait. Mist understands him? After all the foolishness I went through to try to communicate with him, he talks to a dragon first. That figures. They're both lizards.
But even more astonishing to Olive was the polite manner in which Mist