Insignificant Writing

[Elvish]

This is for a contest, found here. Please do not post, but feel free to read.

Prompt: this here gif.

Status: Done. Finally.

Word count: According to Word: 1,486.

Due: April 1st.

[Elvish]

The smoke had long hung around the rafters of the inn when I descended down the shabby, cramped stair. The source of the smoke surprisingly did not come from the roaring fire nestled in the hearth. Seated at the worn-out chairs beside the fire were a half-dozen men, who had the air of merchants, all blowing thick smoke rings up in the air. In the 3 days I had been at the inn, they had been there, going about their business during the day and smoking the night away. The men didn’t bat an eye as I passed near them. The smoke made my eyes water and throat itch, so I walked quickly out the door, throwing my cloak over my shoulder.
The cool night air provided a breath of fresh air, the stars glittering far above. It was a moonless night, the shadows deep and dark.
Work usually required stealth, so tonight was an ideal night to get business done. I was dressed in my usual simple tunic and trousers, mud-splattered boots and a pair of simple brown leather bracers on my arms.
My swords were crossed on my back, and hidden underneath my cloak. All I had to do was reach behind my head to draw them. I slipped on my hood, and slunk into the shadows. Creeping cautiously among the sparse pines that made up the terrain of the area, I listened intently for the sounds of animals or people.
Approximately a mile away from the inn stood a jagged rock, taller than 3 men end to end, seemingly thrust from the earth. It was extremely out of place among the forest, but the natives left it alone, and I had been instructed there.
It served as a rendezvous, a simple meeting place. Raz had told me of plans whispered in the dark, of a secret council being held there. The target was one of the members of the council, and he was my business for the night.
I stepped around a tree, and suddenly the Rock stood before me. I grinned to myself. This could almost be easy.
I quickly scaled a tree, and sat perched on a branch, about 30 feet from the ground. I had one arm wrapped around the trunk of the tree, helping me keep my balance. I silently drew one of my swords, tapping the tip against the toe of my boot anxiously.
I blinked, seeing a form striding not at all stealthily through the trees. It was one of the smoking men from the inn, and he still had his pipe between his lips. He was the first to arrive, and he leaned against the Rock, blowing smoke rings and waiting for his companions. He was on the opposite side of the rock from me, so even when he tilted his head back to watch his smoke rings dissipate in the thin air, he couldn’t see me.
Nevertheless, I held completely still and waited.
The next member to arrive was a woman. She looked innocent, a bartender around the age of 20. She smiled prettily at the smoking man, and then took her place by the Rock next to him.
As time passed, more men and women trickled in, so within half an hour, a dozen of them stood in a group at the far side of the Rock. They did little to greet each other, just a nod of a head or a raising of a hand. They stayed completely quiet, all holding almost still. They were obviously waiting for their leader, my target. I sighed silently, a simple raise and fall of my shoulders. A figure melted out of the shadows. I blinked in surprise, not truly believing what I saw.
A small boy, no more than 12 or 13, was creeping out of the shadows. From my perch in the tree, I could see that he was dressed in plain clothes, with an eye patch over his right eye. He was scrawny and thin, with a small face and timid gestures. As he slunk over to the group of people, some bowed their heads and one even kneeled. He was obviously their leader. I scoffed to myself. Why would Raz send me after a 12 year old? He was obviously their leader, but how dangerous could he really be? Shaking off the thought, I listened intently to their conversation. The boy, who the others addressed as Hound, took order, first making sure everyone was there. He spoke in quiet tones, but his high voice carried up to my branch. He then talked of the works of the nearby villages, all matters of unimportance. My task was only on the boy.
After an hour, the meeting adjourned and the members crawled back into the shadows. The boy, however, stayed rooted to the spot, gazing off into the woods. After a minute or so, he spoke, still looking into the forest.
“Now that you’ve listened in, would you care to join me?” he turned his head, his single eye boring into mine. The rest of his body turned, and he regarded me. I stood still, staring straight down at him, refusing to answer.
“Now, what’s a pretty man like yourself doing perched in a tree like a bird?” he cocked an eyebrow, a satisfied smirk spreading over his face. Nimble as a cat, he rushed up the Rock, so he stood mere feet below me. He looked up at me, and I looked down at him.
“Do you know who I am?” I simply answered,
“Yes. You are known as Hound.” He laughed then, a high-pitched ring that almost made me cringe. He turned his eye to me again, shoulders shaking with every chuckle.
“Well, anyone could guess that from my little meeting.” I tensed, my sword quivering by my side. He grinned even wider. I breathed in deeply once, and then leaped down, slashing at him. He was expecting me, and my sword whipped through the air where he had been a moment earlier. Quick on his feet, he rushed forward and elbowed me in the nose; I struck at him with my foot. I connected with his ribcage, and heard his sharp intake of breath. I struck at him again, and he tried to punch me in the face. I managed to fend him off with my sword.
He whirled away, breathing heavily, a menacing gleam shining in his eye. Although he was a good head shorter than me, Hound was a formidable opponent. We stayed still for only a moment before I raced at him, trying to stab him with my sword. He dodged, quick as a cat, trying to get a move in edgewise.
This went on for a while; him dodging most of my moves, me occasionally landing blows. Finally, I faked a left stab, and then swung where he dodged. I caught him in the throat, and he growled a wild hiss that sputtered with blood. I yanked my sword from his throat, the first 5 inches coated with blood. I stood still as the boy sank to his knees on the rock, blood dribbling from his mouth. His single eye looked up at me with a look of such menace, I stepped back a step. With one last gasping breath, the boy sank to the face of the rock, his life spent.
Biting back my mild disgust, I quickly searched his garments. He carried no weapons, only a small wooden box that was about the size of two of my fists. I cautiously pried it open, peering inside.
It was lined with some sort of fibrous plant, and nestled inside was a sphere. About the size of my fist, it was plain grey, with a dull sheen. It was perfectly round, and when I picked it up, was surprisingly heavy. I flicked it, and it seemed very rough, like stone. I concluded that it was stone. Pocketing the stone, I closed the wooden box and put it back in Hound’s pocket. I sheathed my sword and jumped off the Rock, rolling at the ground to break my fall.
I slipped back through the shadows, my hand on the stone. I realized that it was curiously warm, and drew it out. With a start, I realized that very small cracks were appearing in the stone. Watching it carefully, the stone started to roll and wobble in my palm. I stood, transfixed, as the stone split open. A thick clear liquid seeped out, pooling in my palm. I watched as the stone-no, egg- broke open, and a tiny, writhing creature squirmed in my palm. I gently picked it out with my other hand, and brought it up near my face. I almost dropped it, I was so startled. A leathery, winged creature, crying with mewls and sniffling noises, snorted and a few sparks blew out it’s nose.
A dragon.
Perfect.