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Reino placed his sword against the young man's throat, "Say it. Say it or die."
The young soldier gulped as his looked up into Reino's eyes. The young man looked scared, and Reino felt really bad, but he had to do this. This young man had threated him and his family by attacking their Clan.
"SAY IT!" Reino shouted, pushing the sword in closer.
"All right," The young man whispered, trying not to expand his throat too much. "I'm sorry, but I was just following orders."
Reino sighed. That's what they all said. He removed his sword and kicked the young man back to his seconds.
"Put him in the holding cell with the rest of them," Reino said, placing his sword back in its sheath. "I'll try and talk to them later. Get more out of them than, 'I was following orders'."
Reino growled as he came upon the supposed head of the enemy forces. Glaring at the young man, barely any older than him. Reino placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Who do you report to?" Reino asked between clinched teeth.
The young man turned away, smuggly. Reino took a deep breath and asked again.
"WHO do you report to?"
The young man turned farther away. Reino drew his sword and thrust it at the man's jugular, "WHO DO YOU REPORT TO?!"
"Manreth," The young man squeaked. "Manreth."
"Manreth," Reino growled. "Manreth, the rat..."
Reino gripped his sword tightly as he thrust upwards into the leader's throat. The young man fell backwards, dead. His seconds gasped. They had never seen him kill anyone like that though he had killed people before. Reino handed his sword to one of his seconds.
"Wash this," Reino said. "That man's blood doesn't deserve to be on such a fine blade."
The second nodded and walked away, carrying the blade care as to not get blood on himself. Reino glared around him at the fallen and the injuried. He'd seen too much of it in his life. Loyal to Clan and kin, Reino had always leaped into action when anything threatened him, but now, he just wanted it to be over with.
"Send word to the Island Council," Reino said to his remain second. "I'm bring Manreth up on charges."
"They've already brought him up, sir, but they haven't gotten to him, yet," The second replied. "He set Rip Tide Cove on fire no too long ago. Luckly, it is a Cove."
Reino nodded, "All right, and tell my family I'm leaving. I can't take this anymore. I'm going out to where it's peaceful enough."
Reino sighed as he traveled through a small valley. A large blue dragon laid in the middle of it, his rider laying out on her dragon's back. He smiled as nodded to the Dragoneer as he pasted her by.
"Wait!" She called. "Rainelth would like you to come back with us."
"That's certainly out of the blue," Reino sighed.
Right out of the mouth of the blue, Rainelth crooned.
Reino laughed, "All right. I guess that will be all right. I am looking for a new life. One I can include my family in eventually."
"Dragon riding is a family affair," The Dragoneer sighed. "Come on. I'll take you to Dawn Sisters."
***
As Reino looked about the new location, he smiled softly as the Dragoneer lead him down the hall. She ushered him in a large room where a blue and a green lay together. Reino looked oddly at the two.
"Unbonded?" Reino asked.
"Abandoned," The Dragoneer sighed. "Their riders left them behind."
"That's awful," Reino sighed walking over and looking the blue in the eyes. "You never leave someone who loves you unconditionally."
Your loyalty is strong, the blue sighed. As is your courage.
Reino smiled as her knelt to stroke the blue's muzzle, "Not really. I left my family..."
To find a better life, the blue interrupted. To find me.
Reino smiled as he felt the mild, but still strong bond of Impression between him and the large blue, Dasath. Reino stroke the large muzzle as the young Dragoneer smiled at him.
"So, Rainelth was right?" She sighes.
Reino nods as Dasath wraps his tail around the man, R'no, we must go back and get your family. Then we shall head to this Wild River you keep thinking about.
R'no, the new Dragoneer thought to himself, it has a nice ring.
R'no smiled as Dasath stood, flexing his wings. The large blue gave the green at his side a softly nudge before turning to glide out of the dragon-sized opening in the side of the den.
R'no smiled at the female Dragoneer as he hurried outside just in time to see his Dasath land softly on the grass, Boy, does it feel good to be out of there!
"I bet it does," R'no said, running over to Dasath. "Now, let's get you cleaned up."
***
The large blue calls loudly as her circles down into Wild River Caer. Freith calls in response as Terra piers upwards.
"Freith, who is that?" Terra asked.
"R'no and his Dasath," Freith said, beaming.
"R'no?" Terra sighed.
"The Leader of the recent battles," Freith said.
"He. How? I heard he disappeared," Terra exclaimed.
"He has returned," Freith said, bulging again as Dasath landed in the landing meadows.
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