Thunderstruck

Chapter 3: Corvus

It's been a few days since Callum turned into a dragon and Zym is still thinking he's his farther which according to Rayla will never stop so Callum had given up trying to get him to stop no matter how irritating it is. Callum and Ezran were asleep while Rayla was awake unable to sleep. As she lied there, she heard a branch snap causing her to quickly jump up from the branch she was on and sneak up to where the branch was broken. When she hears leaves rustling, she gets her dagger out and watches the bush carefully. She was breathing heavily and watched as a doe leapt from the bush and looked at her in confusion. When she sees it was just a doe, she sheaths her blades and takes a deep breath. She approached it as it cowed before carefully showing her hand and looking at the doe. She calmly said "you scared me there you little cutie" with her voice laced with relief. The doe noticed her hand and began to gently lick it causing her to slightly chuckle and say, "my hands got a problem you can't lick away." After the doe continues to lick her hand for a bit it stops and turns around fleeing causing Rayla to questionable ask "what's the matter?" when she looks to see what scared it, she fells as a net land on her pushing her to the ground and restricting her movement. A man leaps from the tree and while swinging his hook says "never trapped an elf before. Easier than I thought" before throwing the hook to where Rayla was however Rayla was able to barely doge it with it almost catching her foot. Her pulls the chain back after registering what happened as Rayla got her two blades out.

Zym blinks awake to a noise in the distance and wakes up Callum wanting to play causing him to grumble and not respond, Zym persists until he hears metal strike metal causing him to cower under Callum's wing in fear huddling against Callum's side.

Rayla blocks an attack from Corvus but was pushed back from the blow. She leaps out of the way of a second attack with the unknown man missing and throwing his chain in hopes of hitting her. He leaps towards her with Rayla being too slow to respond and his fist landing directly on top of her head nocking her out cold. The last thing Rayla heard before complete darkness encased her was "I'll finish you later elf". The word was laced with venom.

Ezran shifted in his sleep as the morning sun hit his face causing him to blink awake looking around. His eyes landed on a figure restraining Callum with ropes and chains making sure to muzzle him. Callum woke up to the feeling of the muzzle being placed on him causing him to instinctively thrash hoping to hit his captor. His eyes were on the unknown man who looked at Ezran with worry and approached him before Ezran was fully awake.

The man kneeled Infront of him and said "my King you need to come with me"

Ezran was still tired from the bad night of sleep and tiredly asked "why do I need to go with you"

The man then said "My name is Corvus and I'm here to take you back to Kotalis with this dragon which will be killed as a show of power"

Ezran tiredly said "I need to take the..." Before he could finish his sentence Rayla leapt and nocked Corvus off of his feet causing him to land with his head near Calum's. Callum growled at Corvus causing him to scramble to his feet and quickly get a blade to Callum's neck. He coldly said, "Give me the prince or the beast dies" Ezran who is fully awake panicked and said, "Wait no stop!" Corvus looked at Ezran confused and said, "why should I, this beast is the reason the king was attacked" Rayla sternly says, "HE wasn't with us when we went to Kotalis he is simply helping us both". She had large emphasize on the word he.

Corvus said "This is your last chance to give me Ezran" Callum snapped out of his fear as he remembered that the hook Corvus had wouldn't be able to pierce his scales, so he started to growl loudly and try to break the ropes holding him down. He was successful in freeing a paw, which was right next to Corvus, and smacked him away before focusing on breaking what still restraining him while keeping Zym safe and out of sight. Corvus turned towards the dragon but was trapped by the net he threw on Rayla. Before Rayla was able to decapitate him he threw his chain into his side causing Callum to roar in pain as he pulled himself out before fleeing with the chain coming out of Callum's side leaving a large wound on his left side where the chain and hook had imbedded itself. Callum breathed heavily as Rayla approached and checked the injury didn't damage anything internally. After she checked he calmly stated "Well it didn't get past your ribs, but it will leave a mark"

Ezran was confused when Zym climbed out from under his wing and wined in worry before licking Callum's wound hoping to make it better. Rayla paid no mind to what Zym was doing and cut the remaining ropes free as well as removing the uncomfortable muzzle that was strapped to his face. After Rayla did this Callum opened and closed his mouth a few times before he felt a tickling feeling from where Zym was licking. Callum lifted his wing and looked at Zym in confusion who glanced at him before continuing to lick the wound. Callum then looked at Rayla who said Well I think that will leave a scar. Rayla then said, "he's licking the wound to make sure it isn't infected and heals faster and better." He grumbles before motioning for them to get on his back. Zym sees them get on Callum's back and leaps onto Ezran's shoulders as he climbs on. After Ezran climber on Zym jumps down and makes himself comfortable in the fur on the top of Callum's head. They begin to head further east towards the borders of Xaida with Rayla directing them to the Moonstone Path. As they travelled Callum felt Zym purring as he nuzzled deeper into his fur.

-A Few Hours Later-

They had been flying in almost complete silence as they travelled towards the border. It had begun to get dark, not that Callum noticed it, and he began looking for a suitable place to land. He saw what looked like a town with large walls and multiple large towers with ballistae on top and on the sides. Ezran said "I thought there wasn't any towns this close to the border" Rayla saw a dragon in the clouds hovering above it. She hoped it was only scouting but hissed to Callum "Find somewhere to land quickly I don't want you this close to there especially if that mage is here." Callum turned to the side and landed in a clearing in the forest on a hill above the town. When he landed he felt Zym grumble before cuddling up to his fur again. Callum let him stay there as his two other passengers' climb down taking the food and blankets off his back as well. Callum gently got Zym awake and managed to get him off of his fur as Zym wouldn't let go. Before he curled up he let Zym get in the center first causing Zym to be surrounded by him on all sides. Zym purred loudly as he cuddled into Callum's Fur. Before Callum fell asleep, he whispered "Sleep well Zym"