Soon every bandit fled, leaving the scene of their attack and their tracks headed north. Gental beams of sunlight slowly creaped onto the icy clearing, the forest less denser here and few trees could be spotted as it dotted into an icy field. The sunrise showing the melting slopes that lead into the ice sheets towards the ocean. Ice and deep blue waters glistened with the soft touches of the sun, showing a rather pretty sight for the antarctic region.
Although he wished he could lay back and enjoy this sunrise, Tahliz had more pressing matters at hand. Evidenced by the scarlet red path that stained the snow, the howler whimpering and whining at each movement of his back right leg. "His leg is broken" Ventus spoke with a tone of sympathy and worry, "Tahliz, get the branches from that log, we could make a splint for him"; he ordered, pointed to a fallen log that a grizzly bear must've crashed down for that empty bees nest. Tahliz nodded, using his rope to help drag the whole thing over to where the whimpering dragon layed.
"We can use this branch" Tahliz explained, though he was already working on cutting the fresher and thicker branch off of the log. His daggers weren't made for this kind of job though that was the least of his concerns. Ventus only nodded, working on grabbing a different branch and gently laying it across the bottom of the beasts leg.
"His leg is like a cats" Ventus observed, gently trying to place the branch in a correct position so the make-shift splint that could help the dragon heal. The howler squirmed and whined with each attempt, licking the wound and taking out bits of the explosives from his knee.
Tahliz worked on securing the top part of the branch, the whole process a struggle as the howler squirmed and even nipped at the branches the whole time. "Easy now boy" Tahliz tried to sooth the dragon, each time he spoke, he did ease up but them whimper in pain and start the whole process again. "Come on, this'll help you" he promised, the dragon whimpering as his leg trembled. Causing the dragon to shoot his ice at his knee, the liquid quickly worked to freeze over the wound. In a way, it had also stopped the bleeding.
"Just a seconed more" Ventus mumbled, securing the two branches as Tahliz held them still. Using his rope, Ventus was able to finally tie the splint together, making several knots and wraps to ensure it'll stay. The howler huffed, his leg shook and once the elves finally stepped back he sniffed at his would, tilting his head at it. "Can he stand?" Ventus questioned, looking at the dragon who stayed in his spot. Laying with his right leg raised slightly and gently licking at the wound.
"If he can I don't see him wanting to" Tahliz answered, raising an eyebrow at the large wound that the dragon was licking, the ice showing the red tint of the blood that it was holding in. "Come on, boy" he tried, making a small gesture with his hands to encourage the dragon to at least stand. The howler huffed and weaved his head side to side, the deep blue horns shining in the sunlight, showing each, tight spiral the horns made. "Alright" Tahliz looked over at the creature's body with a sympathy. His ribs poked through the scales on his sides, the fur only thriving on his back and tail, resting over his shoulders and on the base of his neck. A softer fur ontop of his head that barly tickles the thicker scales that made his nose.
"You must be starved" Tahliz spoke with a soft and pitiful tone, he didn't have anything to offer at the moment, causing a twist of guilt in his stomach.
"Poor thing, looks like my hound when I first saw him" Ventus commented from behind him.
"Your hound? I thought you bred him?" Tahliz now turned a curious gaze at Ventus, who was looking over the dragon with the same pity that he felt.
"No, I was in my thirteenth winter when me and my dad found the litter in the forest" Ventus then gave a shrug. "Our best guess is that someone abandoned their dog when she was pregnant, the mother... well we couldn't even tell her pelt. Only my hound and the one that Lux actually has survived when we brought them in" he explained. With a sting of discust he looked back at the dragon, that poor pup didn't have anyone until it was too late. "Well, at least I can make sure he gets at least something" Tahliz thought, looking around in the morning sun for anything.
Readying his bow, his eyes landed on a snoozing seal just off to the ice sheets. "What you doing?" Ventus asked, though his gaze was on the melting ice on the dragons knee.
"He's starved right? Why not catch something for him, he did save us after all" Tahliz half muttered, his focus on aiming his bow for a clean shot to the head, if he misses he'll loose the seal. They're tuff skinned, so he had to take his time. With a breath, Tahliz took his shot, watching his arrow peirce through the air and swiftly take the life of the prey. Painlessly, like how he prefers.
Tahliz felt the bright smile form in excitement, it was the best shot he had ever done with his bow. He made his way down to the seal quickly, returning with his catch. Ventus gave an amused chuckle, "impressive, though your bow looks like it could use a little maintenance".
"Parden?" Tahliz titled his head slightly in confusion, dropping the seal infront of the dragon who purred with happy grunts. The howler nudged it with his snout and used the boar like tusks on his bottom jaw to slice open the thick and rubbery skin of the seal.
With huffing munches, the dragon happily savoured each bite of the seal, his tail tip flicking ever so slightly as to show his gratitude. His whiskers flicking up and disturbed the snow below him as he ate. Ventus took a few steps back, giving him room to feast. "Your bow" the superior repeated, "looks a little warn is all, concider getting a new one" Ventus offered. Tahliz nodded but watched the dragon, amazed by how he uses his tusks to shred the meat to be more gentler on the smaller teeth at the back of his throat.
"They look to be used for shredding, but maybe also gripping given the hook like shape to them" he wondered, observing the feeding dragon infront of him. "I don't think it's wise to stick your head in his mouth" Ventus spoke with a chuckle to his tone, "he might bite you".
"Nah, I don't think so-oh!" Tahliz had turned to face Ventus as he spoke only to have warm and sticky breath grab ahold of his head. Almost gently pulling him down into the snow before letting go. "Ugh!" Tahliz whined in discust, as the seal's blood now soaked into his white hair, staining his fair skin.
The dragon purred but jolted his head up to form what sounds like a chuckle. "Not funny!" Tahliz whined again, pouting at the dragon who twisted his lips up as if to mimic a smirk but failed and ended up agitating his own jaw. Now Ventus formed a ball of laughter, ruffling his head now that the dragon went back to eating. "Looks like he has a bit of humour" this time Ventus was the one amused at the dragon. "What should we call him?" He asked, looking at Tahliz who was buissy trying to get the thick drool off of him.
He looked up, then at the dragon. "Well, let's see, hey boy" Tahliz called, the dragon lifting his head up, his whiskers seemed to have twitched. "Alright, he does respond to a name... what to name you" Tahliz mumbled outloud, tilting his head in thought. Tahliz could feel Ventus watching him as he thought, feeling his eyes observing him. His gaze moved up, to see Ventus who quickly snapped his gaze back to the dragon. "Odd" he thought but brought his gaze to the dragon as well.
As the dragon finished the last little scraps of the seal, he began to groom the fur on the top of his paws, cleaning the blood off. "Well, I'm Tahliz" he greeted, running out of ideas and got bored of just staring at him.
"He can't understand you" Ventus mused but to his surprise the dragon let out a little happy huff, a purr to his breath. "Concider me schooled" he chuckled, looking at the dragon with a glint of curiosity in his eyes. Tahliz nodded in agreement.
"Oh, you like that name? Tahliz?" Tahliz asked, the dragon nudged his snout onto the apprentices hands. "Well, I can't name you Tahliz, that's already taken" Tahliz thought outloud.
"Why not "Tah"?" Ventus offered, "like the first part of your name, could be a cutesy nickname for him". Tahliz nodded, smiling at the idea, using the first half of his name to make a cuter nickname for such a creature. Tahliz was buissy musing over the new name, "Tah", that he didn't see Ventus's playful smirk. "Then your nickname could be "Lizzy" as a cuter nickname from the second half of your name" he chuckled with a teasing glint. Tahliz snapped his head towards Ventus, a pout on his lips.
"That's a girls name" Tahliz crossed his arms, standing up, "my nickname can't be "Lizzy" he huffed.
"Aww, but it's cute! Lizzy, Lizzy lizard and his lizard like friend, Tah" Ventus joked, snickering. Tahliz sighed, knowing that when he's smirking like that, he'll never back down and would only tease him more.
The dragon made another huff, sniffing the pair with a tilt to his head, before he hauled himself up with a grunt, limping heavily on his wounded leg. The ice having been melted but that was enough for his body to stop the bleeding. A large scar is for sure to form in a large ball over his knee. Now with a full belly, the dragon purred as he nuzzled his snout on the raised hand that Tahliz offered. Feeling the fuzzy and puppy like fur on his chin. "You ok to walk Tah?" Tahliz asked, his crystal blue eyes looking into the gentle and tired purple eyes that Tah had. The soft fur acting like bangs over them,Tah sniffing him and his whiskers swished into a loop, a purr rumbling through his throat.