A head turned and cold violet eyes looked the fairy's way. "Is that how it is?" Izanami said with a shake of her head. She ran a hand through her long mane of turquoise hair, down between her twin sets of horns. "Human." The dragonkin replied with a twisted grin on her face. She let the silence do the talking, then corrected herself. "I kid darling. Human is too gamey, and saltier than most. My absolute favorite food is mammoth steak. Slow roasted over a period of twelve hours, seasoned with fiery spices from the peppers that grow in the Zievan desert and salt harvested from the salt flats between the desert and the Ash Lands. It is divine. It is why the gods put dragons on this earth."

Izanami was practically salivating at the thought. "Meat so tender it falls off the bone, with a kick of spice and dripping in juices. I eat it as a steak, but it is just as good sliced and laid out on a sandwich. Dwarven sourdough bread is the only thing they've invented worth talking about besides steel and mithril." It made her lament the fact she'd likely be eating hand seared flesh from that giant's head she was dragging for her meal tonight. Roasting the tongue and brain could also prove fruitful. "You must try some when we return to Darkveil. Though its hard to find fresh mammoth, though the frost drakes do hold a near monopoly on the city's meat lockers and butcher shops. Only they can reliably keep things fresh and cold."

Her spirits lifted with talk of food, Izanami's mood brightened back up to its usual radiant self. "Though I think the softest spot in my heart goes to harpy. My father always used to buy me a harpy chick drumstick when we'd go to fighting pits to witness the brawls. It's greasy, gamey, often deep fried in boiling oils. But by Yamata's Scales is it good on a hot summer's day. Down in the pits on the edge of your seat. Watching your favorite gladiator slay a Minotaur with just a dagger and a net. Or see two warriors end a blood feud between their clans with a fight to the death." Spectacle combat was Darkveil's most famous, or infamous form of entertainment. It was a far cry from the orderly tournaments hosted in other lands. The fight pits was where slaves fought for freedom, warriors earned their keep, and good men went to die. All in the name of bread and circuses.

---

maltholloth

'Human?! Oh no, she'd soon as catch me if I tried to leave and then I'd be a snack for her on her way home!'. His mind racing in fear, 'Does human taste like fairy, what if she wants to find out?! What if she cooks me alive... eats me alive'. e starts to curl up. As he considers still just trying to fly away in hope of freedom she at last relinquishes, but only to say it's not her favourite... so she has had human flesh before. He wiggles feeling rather uncomfortable all of a sudden.

At least she seemed to be happy now, the talk of food had worked to cheer her up. 'Oh no!' What if it was cheering her up to think of eating him and though talking about harpies and mammoths, the thought was for fairy still. "Di...Did you go to many gladiator fights? Err... How do they , do you... Is it other dragonkin who fight, and is... is it a good thing to be a gladiator?". His stumbling words hoping to draw it away from the topic he had thought would offer safety.

Sparky could sense Elrodan's fear, gently giving a small crackle then hisses in the general area of Elrodan's ear. It in part worked, but in another, gave Elrodan another concern. What would become of Sparky. Could Izanami hurt him, or would she eat him or maybe... maybe he'd be let free to the wilds and fend for his little fiery self all alone. 

"Did I?" Izanami scoffed in reply. "I still do. They are one of the principal forms of entertainment in Darkveil. A spectacle for the masses!" And a solid way to make money gambling too. "I go to fights whenever I can spare the time, which is less and less with each passing season it seemed." Long gone were the weekends of Izanami and the rest of her parent's brood all eagerly jostling in line as they made their way to the arenas. "You seem nervous darling. Don't be. I don't bite." She flashed her gleaming fangs, letting out a haughty cackle.

"There are many who fight." She replied simply. "Dragonkin or otherwise, though I will not lie my race is the majority of combatants." In another life she might have been a gladiator, though she couldn't stomach not having the freedom to travel as she did. "As to if it is a 'good' thing, that very much depends." A cruel smile crossed her lips, dragonkin had a particularly cruel fascination from violence and bloodshed. "For the slaves, no, it is either a means to freedom or a death sentence. They are pitted against each other, or beasts, fighting not just for their lives but also for their freedoms."

"The beast hunters bring us no shortage of ferocious monsters to pit in the arena. Often against each other, but just as often against gladiators. Many of the more professional gladiators are warriors of prior renown. Mercenaries, soldiers, pirates, even brigands. They give up their former lives because they thirst for battle and glory. The roar of the crowd and the feeling of victory. Few places can give that satisfaction like the fighting pits. Popular combatants are local heroes, with legions of followers who root for them at every appearance." Who else but dragonkin would make celebrity of slaughter.

"But..." Izanami said, raising a finger into the air. "Not every fight is to the death. Terms are set by the pittmasters. Duels may be to first blood, to yield, or in extreme cases, to the death. For example, crime and punishment. In Darkveil the death sentence carries with it an alternative to freedom. The convicted can opt to face either the deadliest beast in current stock, or the reigning champion of the arena in single combat. Should they survive, their crimes are absolved. Few survive, but funny thing those that do often go on to become arena veterans themselves. There are few other places that would tolerate their kind."

---

maltholloth

'Good, she's talking again. And not about eating, I wonder there'll be any games on when we get there that I can go and watch. They do sound fun... I just how not too morbid. What if its too the death... With an animal? ... Or another person?' giants which had clearly been causing trouble was one thing, but others, left him confused.

"Don't bite, oh... Good. Heh... I might though! Hehe. Though not in... OK... good to know." oh dear he'd just about forgotten about being eaten and his own silly behaviour brought it back. What's worse, his mind had decided to blather on and nearly said something quite embarrassing.

It made some sense with criminals, but only led to the most terrible criminals being let back out after killing someone else. Then again, the strongest like that are probably thought of as desirable within the Dragonkin world.

Perhaps, he should venture there. If there's tasty food, then ask the more so. "Izanami, do you think there will be a game on when we arrive? I'm thinking it could help me understand the delight you see in it. I'm not so sure I would like it as much, but if I at least try to, then I will know. I know I'm asking a lo t of you. Games, bodyguard, trekking to the founding dragonkin grave. Sorry. Are we nearly there?" he says trying to stay happy and positive.

The fairy often made Izanami scoff with his antics, this was no different. The way even a simple sentence could have him stammering over his own words. Not very bard-like, she mused, weren't they supposed to be silver tonged? No matter, it was amusing at the least, so that was that. "I do not think you understand little one." Izanami replied swiftly when asked if there were games. "The fight pits are always open. Rarely if ever are they truly emptied. Darkveil uses them for nearly everything. The larger pits double as training ground mercenary companies can rent out to practice in mock battles and drill in formations. The smaller ones are used to train gladiators or break in freshly captured wild beasts."

"Duels of honor are also legal within the city walls. Matters often left to courts can instead by settled in the arena in bouts of combat. Usually over vengeance or stolen lovers, but matters of theft and property loss are also fought over too. Rarely are these to the death, its hard to collect a debt from a slain rival." She laughed at the idea of trying to get solars from a corpse. "If by some divine miracle there are no scheduled games, I will speak with the Pitmaster on that matter myself. It's been too long since I stretched my proverbial wings in the arena." Izanami was not a regular competitor, but she certainly could draw a crowd. More so for her figure than her titles or reputation. It was rare to see a dragonkin woman looking like her willing take to the fight pits.

Izanami shrugged at Elrodan's statement he asked a lot of her. "And yet all that you ask is a mild inconvenience at best to me. I was already returning to Darkveil, I was already going to defend myself from danger, I was already going to visit the fight pits and Yamata's grave. My plans deviated little, I now just have a fairy to sit on my shoulder and provide company. There are worse arrangements." The laughed aloud when he asked if they were nearly there yet. "You don't seem to understand how large Charon is little one. I told you earlier we are three days ride from Darkveil. And I have no horse as you can clearly see. No, I will be making camp soon. We resume our trek in the morning." She had much to do before she laid down to rest for the night. Cook the meat of the giant's skull, find some fresh water to drink and bath herself in, and polish her scales of course.

---

maltholloth

"Wow... that makes sense. Then it would be nice to visit them and see a real match. Do you want to? We should shouldn't we? Do they do team ones too?" The possibilities of all the goings on at the arena would be great to see.

The sound of people just running around giving duels to one another sounded funny then scary, and after a moment, sensible enough. Not like they'd be just fighting for no good reason. "You would be willing to fight... Ok silly question. I won't have to fight though will I?" The thought of going up against even a small animal was not likely to go well for him.

It was a relief that he was not a bother, he didn't want to be a bother to anyone. "Oh! I.. hmm no. I didn't realise no. Is there anything I can do to help with the camp? Once I eat, I will find a little tree to sleep in I guess."

Izanami couldn't help but smile, rarely did she expect Outlanders to take such an interest in her people's customs. "Yes yes darling, every many of combat. Duels, skirmishes, to mock battles. Men against beast, beast against beast, men against men. Larger spectacles are obviously less frequent, and only the larger arenas can service them. I've even seen them flood the lower levels of the pits and stage mock naval battles on them. It is quite the treat." Now she was becoming very nostalgic for home, the journey couldn't go fast enough.

Clenching her fist, Izanami nodded her head. "I was bred for battle, my kind are always eager to fight. There are few challenges I will not back down from." She looked at the fairy and laughed at his question. "You? Fight? I would certainly hope not. No one would be forcing you to. Mmm... but imagine the long odds they'd place against you. Someone would make a small fortune if you won." It would certainly be an upset victory to say the least.

Done traveling for the day, Izanami drug her crud sled off the side of the forest road. She had a decent clearing, it would be serviceable to make camp for the night. "Firewood." She replied, already starting to dig a firepit using her tails as shovels. "We'll need lots of it. I hope you eat giant brains, because that's all I have to cook for dinner." She flashed her claws, moving to the severed head of the mountain giant and beginning to work at butchering the skull to get at the succulent meat inside. "Unless you'd prefer the eyes, we can cook those too." Izanami wasn't picky, if it was meat, she'd eat it. Cannibalism was defined as eating one's own race, so dragonkin were off the table. Every other sentient race in Charon though, they were fair game. Men or elf, she cared little. Meat was meat, and food was food.

"We'll also need to find water." She mused aloud as she worked. "Thirst is the greatest danger in the Ash Lands. My kind honor the rule of three. Three weeks without food, three days without shelter, three hours without water. If there's no springs or streams nearby, I may be forced to dig." Dig deep enough and one could usually hit the ground water table. Though Izanami would then have to boil it to rid it off disease. Clear spring water was generally more safe to drink.

---

maltholloth

Elrodan started imagining masses of pits and flying over them as fights took place in each, duels there, a full scale battle in that, and down there animals running around in circles chasing each others tail before pouncing and rolling around together.

Elrodan then wonders what would be pitted as his opponent. "Long odds for good reason. What would the odds be on you? Would they even bother with betting on you, it'd be like the opponent of who I took on! What if we were a team? Long and short combined then... Though I don't think I would do much but be in your way."

"Firewood I can do, giant... hmm I've never tried it. I guess I don't have much option unless I want to eat tree leaves... I don't want leaves by the way. So I really hope giant brain is tasty." As he starts to fly off he calls back "I'll look for water too." and with that he goes higher to try and get a better vantage view on the area.

"Odds on me?" Izanami replied, pausing to reflect on her last time in the pits. "42-1 if its a reigning champion, 45-1 if it's an undefeated contender, 50-1 if its a wild beast. Probably more though now, I more tools in my arsenal than when last I fought." Izanami clenched her claws into fists, bashing them together. They ignited into flame, it enveloped who who hands like fiery gauntlets. She did a few mock punches before repeating the technique and dispelling the flames. "As for betting, someone is always crazy, drunk, or stupid enough to take the long odds. Usually all three...." Izanami rolled her neck, bones popping as she thought of how best to response.

"No, you likely would do nothing but get in my way. Though that applies to most, and at least you are small and can fly." It made the fairy less dead weight to look after than a terrestrially bound ally. She scoffed at Elrodan's response about dinner. "I expected your kind to abstain from meat, Fairy. Good to know you'll at least eat it. Brain is similar to liver, but more gamey. I should have tore out the brute's liver when I slew him. That would have made for better eating." She was kicking herself for not doing that now. No matter, she could hunt something more suitable to eat in the morning. "Good, put those wings to work. Tell me what you see up there." Izanami instructed, returning to the fire pit she was digging out. Hopefully Elrodan could spot something of use in the Deadwoods from up high. The trees were not as dense as a more western forest.

---

maltholloth

Elrodan felt surprised, "Those odds! For you? Surely few can be greater?! Do you put yourself down or had it just been so long since they had you in a fight that you were a wee one? I mean just look at you! What man or beast would look at you and think they stood a chance! No! To get even money back would still be generous." he says slightly agitated.

"Many of those who live alone and apart from the elves do, or maybe insects if not plants alone. Yet more have they influenced our ways. Not that I mind, I find some quite tasty. I look forward to seeing what it tastes like to me." he almost salivates at the thought of the various fried of cured meats he'd had back home. 

The air was hot, but flying through it felt slightly better. Ash lands... did indeed seem to live up to its name. There was little joy in the trees, next to none in the ground. Going in a big sweeping arc in his hunt for water.

Where could any water be here? Needing a rest, he perched in a tree. His eyes still darting around for water. He doesn't spot any, but he does see a small bird, little bigger than his own hand scrunched up. Watching the bird fly in on its bouncy trajectory as it flaps then glides. It stops in a another tree a few away, chirps once as it looks around, then jumps down a few branches, looks about then goes to the ground on the far side of the tree. After a few seconds, Elrodan goes over to another tree to see if he can see the bird. As he does, the bird jumps into the branches again causing Elrodan to freeze in the next tree. The bird looks about, then returns to the base of the tree. Elrodan walks along the branch before he can see fully, the bird takes to the air, back in the direction it came from.

Curiosity filled his mind and he flew down to the bottom of the tree the bird had been at. At the base of the tree, a small well of water was bubbling up, ran a short way to a small puddle and then a small stream that is quickly absorbed back into the ground. A couple of small saplings grow along the way and out for a bit. Crouching down, he had a good drink of water before filling up his water skin. Then he once again took to the air, and looks about. 'I think it was that way... How will I find this tree again'. With a sigh, he looks at the tree and snaps a small twig so that it's still attached but dangling. 'Good'. Then he heads for where Izanami should be, getting closer, he spots her and goes down to the ground to collect some wood for the fire before returning to her. "I found some, not much, but I found a little spring. And here's some wood" bundling the wood to the ground with a big smile.

Izanami scoffed and batted a clawed hand. "Stop darling, now you're just flattering me." Though she did appreciate the compliment. She was no unstoppable juggernaut, there were a few beasts she dared not fight. Chief among them the Beholder, though it would be a cold day when they managed to drag one of those vile things into the arena gates. "It has merely been a long time. My time is better spent in service to my clan by adventuring. I earn more glory, more clout, more treasure that way. Why aspire to local fame in the arenas, when I can travel the whole of Charon making my presence known?" It was the way of many of her clan's scions. Shadowscale warriors complimented the ranks of most adventuring guilds and mercenary companies if they did not travel alone.

While her fairy companion was gone Izanami set to work. Her armored tails dredged out a proper fire pit, which she lined in stones collected from the vicinity. The giant's eyes and tongue were carved out, and with the grace of a butcher Izanami clawed open its skull to pull out its brain. All three were set down on a large flat stone she intended to cook with. The caravan spoils contained small bags of western spices. Salt was popular, always in demand for flavor and preserving meats. There was also pepper and nutmeg, even some cinnamon. She was not chef but it was hard to mess up when foreign spices were in play.

Elrodan eventually returned, bringing with him word about water. "Good, here. Catch." Izanami replied, tossing a waterskin from among the spoils his way. "Fill this and return. Actually." She rummaged through a crate for a second, "Fill both if you can manage and still fly." After that was done she grabbed at the fire wood, it was dry could be. Arranging it at the base of the firepit the Dragonkin exhaled and set the pile ablaze. In a pinch she could just cook the meal with her own flames whole. But that burned precious energy she otherwise hoped to gain from said food. So when given the opportunity Izanami preferred a natural flame.

The large slab began to heat up, hopefully making for even cooking. The giant's brain for enormous.... relative to its intellect. Izanami butterflied it into filets, laying them out as thick slabs to cook. Seasoning was a little tricky... having claws on her fingers meant that getting a 'pinch' of anything was tedious work. On the flipside, being a fire drake meant Izanami simply turned over the food by hand to make sure it was cooking evenly. Soon the smell of grilling meats was filling the vicinity of the small campsite. Izanami found herself suppressing the urge to drool.

---

maltholloth

The flattery seemed to be a good thing. She seemed happy with it. "A wider renown. Very clever. Brains, beauty and muscle! What's the catch? You must have some flaw? Are you ticklish? Snore loudly? You don't seem to be smelly or pass wind regularly... Hmm you don't eat your partners do you?"

Like a good little errand boy, he flies off with both water skin. He was glad he'd left a marker but now that he looked for it... He wished he had made a more obvious one. The time seemed to go faster than it was. Had he gone by it already? Had he gone in the rift direction? He slowed, and started to zig zag his path. He should have found it and be on his way back by now surely? He was wearing himself out so he settled in a tree looking about. "Blast and budgies! I'm going to look a fool if I don't come back with the water soon.". He fluttered his wings in frustration at his own inadequacies. The branch he was on wavered, as did another just at the edge of his vision. It wobbled in a way that it shouldn't. He looked at it, a branch snapped incompletely. He looked down. There was the small spring. 'Phew!'. Quickly he made his way down and started to fill up the skins.

Once done he tried to take off... It was a struggle but he made it a few feet up and set off back towards Izanami. It was slower and harder than he expected. The skins were not of his normal size but for big people, but he wanted to impress the dragonkin so he pushed on. Several times he landed and walked along to give his wings a rest, but as soon as he caught sight of the camp fire he flew with all of his might. Arriving before Izanami he landed roughly, dropped the water pouches before her and fell back on his bum to catch his breath. 

The dragonkin's eyes narrowed as the fairy rattled off supposed flaws, her expression souring when he talked of passing gas or smelling bad. "Not that I am aware of..." Izanami replied, exhaling smoke from her nostrils. Fairies were more forward than she anticipated. She tried to set it aside, and think of flaws to humor him with. "My father says I am stubborn, my mother just calls it headstrong. Some call me vain, I call it pride. Some call me greedy, I call it avaricious. I hunger for that which I do not have, you cannot fault someone for wanting more than they possess. Do we not all strive for a better life?" Her question was rhetorical, and she shook her head at the thought of it.

"I am not fond of elves or dwarfs, for varying reasons. But more than any is the rage." Izanami said coldly, clawed hand clenching shut. "It is common in dragonkin. That primal instinct, that bestial rage. Our ancestors were tyrants, even the weakest dragon could well armies. And Yamata no Akantor was hardly a weak dragon." She dug her claws into the warm earth, feeling it beneath her fingertips. "I have slain men for as little as insulting me or my kin. I have torn the beating hearts from their chests and laughed as the light faded from their eyes." Izanami slammed her tails down on the ground, hard enough to shake the vicinity. "Were it not for all our codes of honor, and our traditions. I fear my kind would be little better than the dragons of old. Myself included." She waved a hand, "Now go, be off to find us some water."

Izanami returned to her task, cooking up the giant as best she could with limited tools. Spiced and seasoned to perfection, tender slabs of meat grilled on the hot stone. She pressed a claw gingerly to one filet, listening to that sizzle. It made her mouth water. Once the food was done Izanami hefted off the heavy stone from the fire pit, adding more wood to keep the blaze going. She set the slab down gingerly on the hard dirt. It would keep their meal warm until her companion returned. When he did, Elrodan seemed exhausted. "Long flight I take it?" Izanami responded, scooping the water skins up in her hands as one of her tails gently coiled under the fairy and lifted him up like a scaly hammock.

"Times like this make me wish I was an ice drake." Izanami said with a sigh, lifting one of the water skins to her lips and taking a deep drink. "Mmm... clear. Springwater?" She inquired, taking another sip before she took a seat back by the fire pit. Lifting up the hot stone slab, Izanami sat down cross legged, setting Elrodan down besides her and then using her twin tails to hold the stone up in front of them as though they were the legs of a small table. She tried to make the height reasonable for a seated fairy. But Elrodan was so very small, even a dwarf... dwarfed his size. "The stone is hot, so do not touch it." Izanami instructed sternly. "And I do not have dining utensils, unless there are some in that caravan's cargo. So I hope you have a knife or something to eat with."

Their modest feast included two grilled eyes, each the size of a small melon. Six thickly cut fileted steaks cut from the beast's brain, the end slices smaller than the others. And of course, the tongue, cooked up like a liver, Izanami had kept it in one piece to preserve most of the flavor. It was a nice red brown color, well seasoned but lacking in any garnish. "Shame there's no wild onions in the Ash Lands." Izanami grumbled, spiking her pointer finger claw on an eye and lifting it to her mouth. "This meal needed caramelized onions, mmm and grilled peppers... maybe some wild rice or carrots too." She was making herself hungry, which was good as it was time to eat.

---

maltholloth

While sat catching his breath, he returned to the former topic of conversation. "I would not fault anyone for wanting a better life. But it seems to me that many of the faults you have associated with yourself are just what I presume are dragonkin ways. They should then come as no surprise to any wishing to be your partner. So, I still find no reason to think within your kind that you would be anything other than an ideal. Yes, some of those points would put other races of, and I'm sure you won't begrudge me saying that, though it may be more your family that would scare away the outsiders without dragon blood to them." he says with a small laugh.

He was grateful for being lifted to a better position by the food. "Flight... Yes it was good, I mean long. Many... *yawn*... Similar trees.". He reached out for a slice of meat, he didn't really pay much attention to things, just enough to not burn himself on the stone. Holding it his hands he took a bite from it and ate in silence. He gave another yawn between bites then asked "Onion, peepers and carrot in rice. Sounds nice... I don't think there was anything about though. Do you grow anything back home?" he put the meat to his lips, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Izanami bit into a grilled eyeball, chewing the grisly texture of it as she mulled over what her diminutive company had just said. "Hmm.... when you put it like that, I suppose maybe you're right." She took another bite, reflecting on what had been said. It was rare Izanami had an outsider's perspective that did not come already soured by existing prejudice against her kind. For one so small, Elrodan was wiser than most. Though she couldn't help but chuckle at his complaints about the trees. "Similar trees? I have news for you Fairy, that is called a forest. We have many of them in Charon. Though I suppose the Deadwoods is... bleaker than most."

The dragonkin couldn't help but scoff as she watched how Elrodan actually ate his meal, just holding it in his hands. "No, nothing like that about. Maybe some wild potatoes if I had felt more like digging. Or truffles, but I see no feral hog tracks and they are usually in proximity." Seasoned meat and water, it was... it was a meal. And that was better than many adventurers could say at the end of a long day. Izanami shook her head at the question. "I personally do not. My clan's expertise is in mining and smithing. We control forges and quarries, not farms and fields. That is the earth dragonkin clan's dominion, farming and livestock. Though there is a small herb garden at my clan's estate. It is usually tended to by the children though. Teaches them diligence and how they are rewarded for their hard work."

Looking over, Izanami could see Elrodan was falling asleep. She finished off the last of her meal, still chewing on the grilled tongue as she set aside the large stone she had used for cooking. Izanami piled the rest of their wood into the fire. It should last unattended until morning. She then went about digging herself a pit to sleep in. Twin tails once again shoveling out a great mass of dirt until it was big Enough Izanami could crawl inside. She didn't exactly 'fit' a bedroll, and blankets and pillows were shredded by her horns and spines. So she slept buried under a blanket of dirt, coiled up holding her tails against her body like full length, albeit spiky pillows. She soon fell asleep, eyelids growing heavy as she watched the flickering of their fire.

---

maltholloth