----------------------------------------------
SOMEWHERE NORTH OF RESPITE - AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Usid rides his raptor alongside the newest prisoner, delivered personally by that smug flyer Nyzai. Too big for the rope bindings and stone weights borne by other prisoners, this great serpent is bound first, but a great net is also tied over her and weighted to the sled that they drag her upon, unwilling to trust this other flyer to her own devices. Usid himself is still wearing his bone armor, himself a small raptor-looking creature riding a beast that shares his continence. His position amongst the other riders is clear.
Usid eyes the serpent cautiously, not liking the look of her. Would be better just to kill her, but stupid Nyzai says no. He snorts. "You must be of great worth, scaled and feathered. Strong and valuable. Not strong enough though."
Louma turns her head from where it lies, rather stiff and stuck in her bindings, to get an eyeful of the forces around them as she's dragged along. She turns her eyes on Usid when he speaks up, remaining silent for the moment, though rather than words, she does let out a grunt of displeasure when the heavy net over her wings causes a broken arrow shaft to shift painfully.
Usid laughs, a nasty, mocking noise, "Better at fighting then guards at the caravan, I hope. I was promised blood! Now have to escort new slaves." He spits. "Stupid Nyzai mocks me. 'You draw first blood, Usid. All glory shall be yours. Now Nyzai does fighting while I sit on eggs!" He snorts again, reaching down to take a drink from his waterskin.
Louma eyes the waterskin, having left her own somewhere in a tree, and having none from it since well before she was attacked. She turns her eyes forward again before the raptor manages a glance at her though, grunting. "Slaves, hm? For what?"
Usid settles the waterskin back in its place and nods gravely. "For the Glory of Yzzayt. The mines demand more workers, toil which we Chosen are above, of course."
Louma grunts, shaking her head as much as she can manage. "Mines." She has questions, but is in no mood to ask them. Most of what her mind puts forward are things she can't manage while bound and netted like some loose cargo.
Usid hmmmmms, "Mines. Fail to learn your place, and you go to bad mines. Many there explode, very funny! But behave yourself, and be blessed by Yzzayt to work the good mines." He smirks at Louma, "Or maybe I cut those wings so you can't fly fly away and get caught by stupid Nyzai, and I hunt you instead, hm?"
Louma gives Usid a look, managing to swallow her emotion for a moment. "And make me less valuable to Yzzayt?"
Usid blanches slightly at that. His own bloodlust still remains in service to a greater power, it seems. He looks away from Louma, staring straight ahead before he responds. "...Hmph... hunting you without your wings wouldn't be so fun anyways..."
Louma turns forward as well, relieved she managed to strike that mutilative idea down for the moment. She closes her eyes, trying to shake those intrusive thoughts from her head now.
Usid is content to ride along in silence as another of his troop approaches on raptor, saying something that causes Usid to spur his mount and ride backward along the line of their travel, leaving Louma alone to her thoughts as his attention is drawn elsewhere...
----------------------------------------------
A FEW DAYS LATER
----------------------------------------------
Narrator: With Usid and his soldiers having to attend to more important matters, the prisoners are relayed to another unit. Several dinosaurs of varying species have been left to transport the prisoners, which now include those that have merged in from the caravan. Over the course of the travel, they have gone far east around respite and south into the desert, with prisoners being given minimal water just to keep them moving. Some of the guard shoot looks at Louma often, murmuring amongst themselves, clearly interested by her more than any of the others.
Lianne Sparr: Lianne is among the prisoners from the caravan, finding herself near Louma for the time being, struggling to keep up. Her body has recovered a bit from her battle with Usid, though it's still mostly her willpower that keeps her from collapsing entirely.
Louma would be vaguely embarrassed by the fact that, while the others are being prodded along to walk the desert, she has the 'honor' of being pinned and dragged along on the sled, still not trusted to move on her own accord. It also saves them water, since someone of her size would need substantially more to stay hydrated while traveling by her own power. She's had as much chance to feel that embarrassment as she has had to move around, leaving her stiff and sore instead. She looks ahead, but speaks in a low tone to Lianne. "Good to see you're alive."
Lianne Sparr: "Hmph." Lianne lets out a pained, slightly amused huff. "I didn't expect to meet you like this." Lianne replies. "Seems like I shouldn't feel bad that they got me, then, if they managed to get you."
Louma grunts, unable to nod. "Over the trees, flying back from your caravan. Nothing I could've expected. What happened out there?"
Lianne Sparr: "Pretty much a battle. Clearly they're not bandits, if they're going to all this trouble to transport us. . ." Lianne replies. "I tried to escape, but their leader shot me down. Usid, he calls himself. Why, when I get my hands on him. . ." Lianne speaks with thinly veiled venom.
Louma hums, chuckling dryly. "Usid? I know the cocky raptor said something about Yzzayt, and the flying one who got me was calling herself Nyzai. I would temper that, though... If they think you're enough of a threat, I doubt they'll let you have a chance to try anything." She shakes her body as best she can to emphasize her point.
Lianne Sparr: "Yeah, he dropped that name to me as well. Called himself one of his chosen. Very. . .Fanatical." Lianne replies, letting out a pained grunt as she continues to struggle walking. "This. . .Isn't my first time. I wouldn't worry about me."
Louma sighs, staring straight ahead of them. "Hm, so did the raptor. Maybe the same one, then? And not your first time being captured?"
Lianne Sparr: "Usid is a raptor, so might be the same, might not." Lianne clarifies. "Mm. Certainly not my first time being captured. I know how to keep my head down until the time is right."
Louma grunts again, the ropes creaking as she shifts her body length under them, reversing most of the bends along her length. A couple guards take notice, watching her carefully for a few moments until they're satisfied she's not making an escape attempt. "Good. I just hope our friends have a good hunt before then."
Narrator: The guards start to separate, drawing Louma in one direction and the caravan prisoners in the other, poking Lianne in the back with a spear to usher her away from Louma. "Quiet. Stop following her." One of the guards speaks.
Lianne Sparr stumbles a bit and winces from the poke. "Seems like this is goodbye, for now." Lianne smiles.
Narrator: "I said quiet!" The guard pokes Lianne again.
Louma looks toward Lianne, a glimmer of the fear she'd been managing to hide showing through now that she was being separated from someone familiar once again, though she doesn't say anything, turning her gaze straight forward. Some part of her hoped all the prisoners would be kept together. A little for the company, a little for the ease of anyone that might come looking for them. She sighs, closing her eyes and beginning a new silent prayer.
----------------------------------------------
RESPITE FALLS - AT THAT VERY MOMENT
----------------------------------------------
Xochi is slithering through the market, picking out dinner for the evening, when she suddenly shudders, dropping the tomato from hand as a chill runs through her. She drops, breathing heavily for a moment as she feels like a heavy weight is upon her, hearing a familiar voice in her head. She lets the worried stall owner help lift her up, but quickly folds her hands in prayer, taking a deep breath to listen...
Xochi sighs out a ragged breath, worry and fear upon her tongue, "C-captain Louma...? Oh... dear..."
Xochi turns to look to the northwest, not entirely sure what she's heard... nor what she can even do about it...