. : D R A G O N B O R N : . (a MCSM fanfic)

Chapter 15: Compass

Morning dawned cold and grey over the outcasts, well on their way out of familiar territory.  Hardly daring to waste time, the weary band had set out well before sunrise, braving the monsters of the night to get a head start.  Thankfully, most of the monsters seemed to be afraid of Xann and kept their distance, and those that did not were easily dispatched.

They made good time despite their injuries, with Xann carrying Lukas and Petra on his back while the others rode the horses.  Soren and Harper had worked with Olivia to fashion a quick splint for the dragon's injured wing, helping stabilize it while he walked.  They scarcely conversed, for fear that the sound of their voices might alert their pursuers to their presence...

As morning faded to afternoon, however, their sense of danger began to ebb.  They had traveled quickly, surely making better time than the dragon hunters could ever hope to make on foot.  After traveling hours in silence, Lukas at last spoke up.

"Do we even know where we're going?"

There was a pause as his question sank in.  They hadn't really discussed their direction-- so long as it was away.  But it was true-- though they would have soon reached unfamiliar territory no matter which way they turned, they had no real idea of where they were heading.

"We... didn't really talk about it, did we?" Jesse murmured pensively.

"Xann heading north."

Immediately, pandemonium reigned.

"You-- you talk!" Lukas stammered, jaw dropping in shock.  "You-- you actually talk???"

Xann raised an eyebrow.  "Yes.  Xann talk.  Xann talk to Petra all the time."

"Wait... are you saying he never actually spoke to you guys?" Petra asked, perplexed.

"Not so much as a single word!" Ivor exclaimed.  "I had no idea you'd taught him to speak our language!"  He squinted.  "Why didn't you tell us you could speak?  You could have saved us a lot of trouble!"

"Humans spend whole time talking to each other,"  Xann pointed out.  "Humans talk plenty without Xann's help."

Soren gave him a pointed glare.  "Are you implying that we talk too much?"

Xann shrugged.  "All Xann say is that Xann have two ears and one mouth.  Twice as much listen, once as much talk."

Ivor gave an indignant scoff, but Harper hid a smirk.  Xann gave a little rumble of amusement.

"If I ever had any doubts that Petra raised him," Soren muttered under his breath, "They are gone now."

"Xann, why are you going north?" Petra interjected, changing the subject.

Xann shrugged again.  "Xann not know-- just feel he must go north.  Something in north calls him."

Petra looked thoughtful.  "Do you know what it is?"

"No.  Xann just know he must go north."

"Dragons always have been known for having good intuition," Soren murmured thoughtfully.

"Yes-- the book mentioned that," Petra agreed.

Soren seemed impressed.  "You really have been reading it, haven't you?"

"Yep.  I haven't got through all of it-- some of it's a bit technical-- but it's... basically the only information I have about dragons.  It explains a lot..."

"Well, it certainly shows," he remarked.  "I daresay you've gotten nearly as well versed in dragon lore as I have!  I didn't even tell you that bit about Molzroth..."