a collection of tales [[ chronocompass writing ]]

His deal that he had made with the Abrendese Militia was working out quite well for him. It had only been two days, and already he had been sent on another contract. A bounty hunter with a consistent job was a happy bounty hunter, and Tenoch was no exception. He was off on adventure, under cover of moon and starlight, dragons following along. As per usual. Tonight's target was a bit odd - apparently there was a shapeshifter that had a habit of hiding out as a fish in a pond with a bunch of other, actual fish. As easy as it would be to set the whole pond alight and call it a day, Tenoch didn't feel like snuffing out lives unnecessarily, especially when his magic was quite well fed already.

He had narrowed down his quarry to several ponds in the area, and was quite prepared to search them all. He enjoyed a fight, but he also enjoyed the thrill of a long, drawn out hunt. Time to see how things would go down this time.

The hike to the first pond was fairly long, and also fairly quiet, punctuated by the wind whistling through the leaves of the forest above, the simple chirp of crickets, and the sound of the group's footsteps on stone. There were only three sets - Anonymous was gliding above the ground, barely six inches up, and smiling to himself at whatever he was thinking to himself. Tenoch didn't know what Non's normal thoughts were and didn't care. The delight of near silence in the rock filled woods was a blessing he wouldn't trade for anything else. Well, perhaps a few things, but he wasn't keeping track.

In Tenoch's hands were a fishing spear - a tattered thing he'd made himself just that afternoon. He wanted to fish right, if he had to fish at all. It was a long stick with a sharp piece of metal tied on to one end with a dark red piece of fabric. The red cloth fluttered about as Tenoch twirled the spear in his hands. It was a simple, practiced movement that Dian and Hestia seemed to be impressed by. Perhaps because they didn't have hands?

The first pond came into view. Tenoch marched up to the edge and lifted his spear high. There were five or six fish in this patch of water, and he had no idea how to tell which was which. Dian, however, had a decent idea, in the form of a pouch of fish food he had brought. The flaming dragon carefully reached into the sack and pulled out a small amount of the food, before tossing it into the gloomy, fish filled water. Predictably, all the fish swarmed around the food. 

"Hmm. Not any of these ones," Non commented on the very obvious situation before them. "How long is the walk to the next pond, exactly?"

"Not long," Tenoch said with a shake of the head. Already he had turned and began the walk to the next location. Stone and grass echoed his quiet footsteps across the forest. "Perhaps ten minutes." 

Dian and Hestia didn't mind the long walk, or the long silences in between. As long as each one had the other for company, they were quite content to continue along whatever path Tenoch chose to take and plan whatever plans they spoke about to each other in hushed whispers. Tenoch used to think they were planning on killing him. Now that they didn't all fight quite as much, he wasn't sure what they always spent so much time speaking about. 

The walk took a little less time then Tenoch had estimated. Not bad at all. Anonymous spent most of his time trying to tell awful, awful jokes. Dian found them mildly amusing. Tenoch, quite infuriating. Hestia groaned whenever Non made another attempt. Finally, though, they were at the next place, and Tenoch knelt down next to the water and hoisted his spear high.

Dian threw in the fish food, and all the fish flocked to the easy meal. All, that is, except one. One of the fish, a shiny scaled thing, stayed in the deep water, just out of reach. "Now why would a fish not want food?" Tenoch mused out loud. He hoisted his spear up high and threw it at the fish - who leapt out of the water, shifted into a rabbit, and dashed away. Blast. "After them!" Tenoch cried, already rushing to recover his weapon. The dragons rushed after their quarry.

A rabbit was small and quick, and usually fairly dumb. This rabbit wasn't a rabbit, which meant they were quick and fiercely intelligent. Dian and Hestia sailed through the area, fire torching the grass beneath their paws. Anonymous raced along behind them, careful to ensure that all the flames went out and couldn't run wild across the forest. 

It was a short chase, only a couple of minutes long, but it felt like an age. Fire flew, rabbits, dragons, and riders ran, and at last a burst of flame from Hestia caught their prey. Contract complete.

Tenoch simply gathered up the memories of his prey, and started the walk back to the portal that led to home. He and his dragons would speak once they returned home, but for now, he had a contract to turn in. He wondered what the militia would send him off to do next.