Ewan had two days to think. After the villagers had joined him, he had explained the situation as best he could while keeping to himself that a second dragon had been involved. He still didn't know if he had done the right thing by omitting this information. Torn between his duty as a hunter, and the debt he owed the reptile, he'd hesitated for a long time.
The villagers had thanked him, and held a banquet that day, while two men had treated the young man, dressing his wounds, and taking him back to the inn so that he could take a well-deserved rest.
He had not attended the feast in his honor, but even when he woke up much later, the music and festive moods were still very present; the smells of beer and tasty meat still filling the air. He'd been welcomed by the village chief, who had warmly thanked him, before giving him a purse full of gold. Enough to live on for at least three good months by cutting back on certain expenses.
And even without wanting to think about it, the dragon's words had come back to his mind.
'And, it seems to me that you have to go and claim a reward; right?'
Perhaps it was the bitter and offended tone of the dragon that had made him decide not to say anything to the villagers... As if it was him who did wrong, somewhere.
Maybe he was, in a way.
His horse, Fusain, had been brought back to the inn's stable and had also been given his fodder, largely offered by the village. And thanks to this reward, he could live for several months without having to conduct a hunt, if he wanted to. The villagers could also go on with their lives in peace. Everything could have gone well; if Ewan had not felt a certain bitterness.
He didn't understand the behavior of this metal-colored fire-breather, nor why he had been saved by a creature depicted as antisocial and without pity. He knew very well that he owed his life to this reptile, and that to pay his debt, was perhaps the 'fairest' thing to do. But the young man had difficulty conceiving that he still had to repay this debt. He'd already made sure not to tell the villagers that another dragon was near their village.
Yes, that was more than enough payback.
He hastily saddled up Fusain, and after packing a few provisions, set off again, heading for the next big city, where he would surely find ads for hunters, so he could start another job. He was not the kind of person to linger and enjoy the situation.
He hurried to the small wood south of the village, following the ice-colored stream, and began to walk the small path leading to the market road ten kilometers away. None of the villagers saw the hunter leave that day, too busy going about their business, or drinking their beer and stau; an alcoholic beverage obtained from barley, hops, and the leaves of fragrant plants typical of the southern regions. A drink that looked harmless, but which in reality was fermented to an alcoholic degree close to that of liquor.
However, the young man made several stops on the way. As if he was reluctant to go further away from this place.
Ewan was not at ease.
His gaze kept wandering to the top of the mountain, wondering if he was doing the right thing by leaving. After all, he couldn't let such a monster roam around a village. Moreover, there was this thing, about a 'debt' to pay back...
After a few more minutes of hesitation, and questioning his choices, he finally turned around - without paying attention to Fusain's protests - and went back on the small path until he reached a crossroads that allowed him to go back up the side of the mountain where the beast's lair was located.
He took the same path as the last time, and could finally see the damage caused by the fight with the dragon the day before. Many trees had been torn down, leaving strange trenches in the ground, and the large stones that had been moved looked like they had been through a real typhoon.
The southern seas were known for their devastating typhoons; ferocious wind monsters that devastated everything in their path, and which were very frequent in the temperate periods like autumn and spring. Unprecedented storms that could bring down even the most powerful of dragons if it couldn't read the wind properly. But that was not the point. Eventually, he'd given in to what his mind was telling him: to go back and have a more than serious discussion with this lizard, even if it meant getting into fistfights. Or 'pawfights'.
After crossing the forest area along the rocky body of the mountain, he found the small cave again, whose entrance was now barely concealed. The dragon had probably torn up the surrounding bushes as it rushed out of its shelter, not paying attention to its surroundings. The monster must have rushed out for some reason.
Ewan poked his head around the opening, trying to get a glimpse of something inside; but everything was far too dark for him to see anything. He suspected that a creature that had been flushed out would not stay put, and cursed himself for taking so long to decide to go there.
He then heard heavy footsteps behind him, and turned around, finding himself almost face to face with the dragon. He was startled by the sudden appearance, his hand already resting on the dagger at his belt. But, recognizing the dragon facing him, he calmed down.
It stared at him with its big green eyes without saying a word, waiting for the hunter to make the first move. It then bent its paws, finally lying down on all four legs. The eyes always riveted on its interlocutor, it even allowed itself to cross its front paws one on the other. The dragon's medium-sized neck was perfectly arched, which in this position could remind one of a swan's graceful neck.
"Hello again," Ewan finally said, a little stressed by this more than strange situation.
The female dragon swayed its head as a silent answer.
"I've come to clear up this situation... Of 'debt'. " He said hesitantly. "It's not that I don't keep my word, and there's no denying that you saved my life. But what bothers me is that you're not... How do I put this..."
"A normal person? " It asked.
"I wouldn't go so far as to say 'person', but so be it..." He said, still hesitant.
"Don't you think that every being with thought and knowing its own existence is a person? "It argued.
"Yes, but that's not what I mean..."
"Then, if you consider us equal, as two quite distinct persons, we must introduce ourselves before continuing," it said.
It was true that from the beginning, neither had been able to hear the other's name. Also, every discussion had remained vague until now. But knowing each other's names would simplify the verbal exchanges between these two strangers from two different worlds.
"My name is Ewan Jesabell. Hunter. " He introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you. My name is currently Wynblow. Dragon. " She said.
"Currently? " Repeated the young man, astonished.
"It's a name I've been given, but it's not my real name," she explained. "Wynblow means 'Howling Steel' in the old human language. "