The Living Stone, Chapter 8.02 - To Black Needles

The trek through the wasteland to Black Needles was a long one for the large group. Kra used to move with his clan through Argassa, but a pack of ten dragons could fly to where they were going. Travel times were not so long, treks lasting as long as three days at the longest. Even traveling by himself was always a day to day experience. Even traveling with just Bink took a little longer than he would have liked

Now, plodding across the wastes with a goblin, three humans, and a dwarf was a stretch of Kra's patience. His pace was practically a quarter of what he could do on his own. He regretted the burden of his curse; if his scales were not so heavy, he could have carried almost all of them on his back. As it was, he carried Bink out of courtesy to the longer legged members of the group, and it still felt like he was dragging his feet.

Yet the trip was enjoyable. Progress was sacrificed for the banter and interaction between these strange and disparate folks. Grif tended to grumble and curse every misstep and trip up that his stubby legs made, prompting Bink to laugh and Nellik to chastise him. When any bickering continued for too long, Wardan broke it up with nothing more than a calm warning. Kra was impressed by how much respect he had from his friends, but was reminded of just how strong the man was one night when he lifted Grif up over his head and tossed him during a sparing session. Throughout it all, Rilea kept up a motherly attitude, herding all of the others like they were cattle. She was always quick to add her thoughts, providing a stream of witty quips and sly commentary

The one person Kra did communicate with regularly was Nellik. Nellik was a wellspring of information about the Drakvald wastes, and anytime Kra had a question about the flora and fauna of their surroundings he had an answer or anecdote to share with him. The dragon was glad to have another student of the world to talk with, and Nellik seemed to be genuinely happy to have someone else who enjoyed learning for learning's sake.

Bink was happy enough just keeping the group fed day to day. His hunting skills were tested between the demands of four adult humanoids and a dragon, and he seemed to outdo himself every day. The others offered to help him hunt every day, but he refused, even when Kra offered his help. The goblin seemed to have a point to make, and wanted to impress the others to prove that goblins could stand alongside the bigger races. Regardless, he came back from his hunts with food enough for all to share, even Kra. He had actually been eating better than he had in years thanks to the prodigious hunting talents of Bink, and had no cause to complain.

The whole trip lasted five days, but they were five days well spent, as far as the dragon was concerned.

The name of Black Needles was entirely deserved. The valley was a forest of wicked stone spires, some of which thrust themselves up past the skyline. The Rivenwall soaked wide swaths of the land in its overbearing shadow, making it even more sinister. The air was strangely cold and thick, as a heady fog swirled about on parts of the valley floor. Kra sniffed at the mist curiously, detecting an acrid tinge that was not appetizing.

"Careful, Kra," Nellik warned. "This fog has been known to have some odd effects on people who get too close."

"I heard a man and dwarf walked into some of this stuff and disappeared for three days," Grif said. "When they were found, the man had a dwarven beard and the dwarf had gone completely bald!"

"A dwarven nightmare if ever there was one," Rilea cooed mockingly.

"Hallucinations are common," Nellik continued. "The worst cases are burned by something caustic in the vapors, something we can't identify."

"Something in the soil, no doubt," Kra conceded. "A shame; the vapors are practically pure water without it."

"Really?" Wardan said. "This place is notorious for being inhospitable at the ground level, but it's essentially just water in that fog?"

The dragon nodded. "Feel the soil, it's softer here than anywhere else I've been." He turned to the raider captain. "How well-explored is Black Needles?"

Wardan shook his head. "Not well, at least not on the inside. It's too risky to send in mappers, and it was assumed there wasn't much to gain. We've got a good idea how large it is, after scouting its perimeters, but that's about it."

"So you don't know what's in there," Kra concluded.

"Chiraptor nests, a possible cliff lizard population, and anything else with nowhere to go," Wardan shrugged. "No orcs seen, no goblins, no other threats."

"No dragons then," Kra said.

"Not as far as we've seen."

"Good," he said grimly. "If we do end up staying here, I would hate for there to be complications."

"Wardan," Nellik said, "I believe it's time I should go."

Wardan nodded, to everyone's surprise.

"Go where?" Rilea demanded. "I was promised three raiders."

"You also promised a week," Nellik told her. "It has been far longer. If you don't want an armed regiment hunting you down for kidnapping, there is little we can do but send a messenger back."

"Will you be returning?" Kra asked, sad to see Nellik leave.

"That will depend on Borlan's response. We have vital news he needs to hear at the very least, pertaining to the movements of the Destructors." He snapped a salute to his captain, who returned the gesture. He turned and did the same for Kra.

"If not for you, I would be short a captain and a friend. You have my thanks."

Kra's pride warmed in his chest so much that he did not know how to respond. Unable to return the gesture, he placed his paw on his chest and bowed his head.

For the first time since the dragon met him, Nellik smiled. He turned around, wrapping his face in his mask, and started marching toward home.

"Don't worry about him," Wardan said to Kra's forlorn gaze. "He's done a lot of scouting and reconnaissance, and he's certainly no stranger to the wastes. He knows the way home."

"May the Mother keep him safe." Kra said reverently.

"Come then," Wardan said, making for the heart of the valley. "We have a cult to stop, a home to make, and whatever Rilea's looking for to find."

"At this point, I'd take a canteen of water," she said. "This journey has already become a treasure in itself." Kra could feel her gaze on him through the protective cloth on her eyes. Without knowing quite why, Kra felt the most exposed he ever had under her powerful eyes.

"Does that mean we can go home?" Grif said, his beard shaking slightly as the dwarf shivered. "This place ain't good. Unwholesome, it is."

"Agree with dwarfy," Bink said. "Black Needles bad, new place for home Kra!"

Kra and Wardan shared a wry look, then turned back to the valley, walking on wordlessly. Rilea laughed at the distraught moans of the goblin and dwarf.