Draconic Graveyard

Maybe the human wasn't hungry. It appeared to be offering him its own food. Maybe it was afraid he wanted to eat it? He had actually never tasted human. And even if he had, it would take him several days to devour one. Most of the meat would be lost to scavengers like that scary falcon.

Deciding to take the gamble, he stepped a bit closer to get a clear scent of the meat. It smelled like... Bird? But there was something different about it. Maybe it was poisoned? Why would the human want to poison him? Regardless of its intent, he chose to not take the human's offered snack.

Stepping back again, the drake took stock of the area. It seemed the peregrine was still devouring its kill. The human was still kneeling there, expecting something. He wasn't sure what to do at this point. A line of communication would be difficult to establish due to the difference in species. Some of the larger dragons had learned how to speak to humans, but he hadn't spent enough time around them.

Unsure of what action to take, he remained in place and waited for the human to respond again.

The drake tensed as the human tossed the meat into the air and the falcon took off after it. When the bird landed on the rib bone again, he relaxed a bit. Perhaps the human and falcon were working together? The falcon dropping from its perch towards the woman did not reassure him of his safety, but it did seem to confirm they were some type of unit.

Taking a couple of slow steps backwards, the drake was ready to bolt for cover at the first sign of hostility from the bird of prey. Perhaps the human had gotten tired of trying to communicate and was now going to attack him. It didn't seem to be making any sort of aggressive action yet, though. He'd give it the benefit of the doubt for now.

He took a few steps to the side, trying to keep the human between himself and the falcon. He approached once again, letting out a chirp to signal that he was ready to try to communicate again.

The drake had no idea what the human was trying to tell him, but its posture and motions looked as though it was trying to intimate that it and the falcon would not harm him. Tentatively he took a step towards the human. He kept one eye trained on the falcon, but it didn't look as if it was going to make any aggressive moves.

He would finally be nearly close enough for the human to touch without needing to move. A thought occurred to him then. He used his right front foot to tap on the ground once and then looked back at the human, making a quiet chirp.

The drake was not impressed by the falcon's attempt at stealth. When the bird tried to peck at his tail, he quickly turned to the side and whipped it around under himself. He eyed the bird with narrowed lids. Was this part of the human's plan, to distract him while its feathery cohort went for the kill?

He turned to look at the human, who seemed to be adroitly copying his previous motion, indicating it was capable of at least basic understanding. Still, he wasn't about to leave his back turned to the bird and expose himself to its treachery.

He moved quickly around the other side of the human, now with his back to the large rib cage bones and the human in front of him. Without wasting any time, he tapped the ground twice with his foot again, chirping once each time.

Watching the human mimic his actions, the drake decided that this human could be worth taking the time to try to communicate with. Possibly even befriend. Of course he was still wary, humans were usually unpredictable and prone to violence. This one could surely break at any time.

Now with the bird of prey hastened off by its master, he was feeling a bit more confident. He took another step towards the human, close enough that she could touch him if she held her arm out at length. He sat back on his haunches and lifted up one front leg, trying to indicate that he she should do the same.

The drake stood still, watching the human move about. When it finally raised up its arm, he nodded in acknowledgment. He leaned forward until his small talons touched the human's fingertips. After a moment, he returned to his seated position, feet on the ground.

He was about to make another attempt at getting through when he caught a scent on the wind. It was a familiar scent: bone harvesters. He looked at the human for a moment. He stood up on all fours and made a pushing gesture with his right front foot. He inhaled deeply while looking at the human, hoping it was understand the gesture. Then he unfurled his wings and wrapped them tightly around his body again, hiding the tiny bright scales on his sides. Finally he turned away from the human and falcon and darted back into the rib cage.

Before disappearing completely, he poked his head out towards the human again and let out a couple of quiet chirps. Then he was gone.

Several minutes later, Catriona would hear what the animals had sensed. Several men dressed in animal skins decorated with animal bones came into view from her vantage point inside the skull. Their skin was painted in myriad colors, and each of their hair were pulled up into unique top knots, which were also decorated with bones and baubles.

It seemed the men had not seen her as they crossed in front of the large skull she was hunkered into to. They continued a bit further to another skeletal frame that had already shown signs of harvesting. They brought stone axes and knives from their belts and started to expertly chisel sections of bone from the tail section. In some portions they would use flat rocks to scoop away the moss and dirt that had grown up around the bones.

These people were of no tribe or clan Cartiona was familiar with in the Tillers lands.

As the arrow whistles by, the five men turn almost as one to watch it be buried into a large rib bone of the skeleton they are harvesting. The look back, trying to follow the trajectory the arrow might have taken, but none of them spot Catriona. Her second arrow buries itself near to the first and the men seem to have a better idea of where Catriona is hiding. They quickly take cover in the terrain around them.

One of them shouts orders to the others and they seem to be looking for Catriona, but not able to pinpoint exactly where she is in the mess of bones and brush.

After peering uselessly into their surroundings for several minutes, one of the men seems to give orders to another. The ordered nods and creeps up out of his cover, stone axe drawn. Catriona could watch him creep from cover to cover, heading in her general direction, but not directly towards her.

The leader makes a quick hand gesture to one of the others and that one slips off to Catriona's left, behind a small bank of rocks and thicket and out of sight.

The other three stay in their hiding spots, visible, but possessing good cover.