If Bernard was good at anything, it was hearing things along the grapevine. He himself was not a particularly subtle figure, given his energy and attire, but it was what made it easy to approach others and engage in friendly conversation. Ask a few questions, gather up information. Everyone knew that there was dragons afoot. Whether it was the one he had witnessed and had his misgivings, or the one that the resident vampwelfs had their eyes on. The sea serpent was a bust, it was time to move onto something more.. interesting.

Bernard was here first, with the other hired assistant at his side (upon his request, having been on good terms since they met at the Drakken home). Patient as always.

Buster simply coiled beside Bernard, always ready to try out new goals to help out where it can. It had actually seen the current dragon previously, and was easy enough to find and help someone it had met prior.

"Looking excited there, chum. Feeling prepared?"

"I'm never prepared! I just act when I'm needed to!"

"Maybe with some more experience I'll finally be prepared."

"That's the spirit! As long as you're on your- ahem, metaphorical toes." He gives Buster a gentle pat on the head, watching for the rest of the party to show up.

Edger and his mad knight arrived, the large nichtendrakk, Bloodfang in tow. Edger slides off the the beast, which his knight held control of. Ever since he had met Bernard, there was something on Edger's mind. Something he couldn't put his talons on. He skips the pleasantries today. "What makes a man want to hunt a dragon?"

"Excellent question, but a rhetorical for you first; What is a dragon to you, Drakken? A status symbol? Perhaps, a fortune's worth? Or a guard dog, something that no sane man would approach?" He grins, the gold off his fang glints.

"What a dragon is to me is obvious! I am from House Drakken, home of dragons, Bernard! What a dragon, any dragon is to me is a foolish question to ask!"

"But I've been thinking about you, Bernard. Especially as you join me on this hunt today. You can't just be here for the pay. I know you're not that type of man. What a man from a house of dragons wants with said dragon is obvious, but to you, a drattle hunter? It bothers me that I do not know."

"Rhetorical, mind you.." He sighs. "A dragon is our fears. Our anxieties. The very things that keep us up at night. The thought in the back of your mind while facing a dark hallway, or the storm in the distance from your home. So you ask, why hunt a dragon?"

"I do not hunt dragons. I conquer fears, Drakken.. The money is just a side effect of exploring my passion."

"Very interesting of an answer. But what fears are you trying to conquer, ole chap?"

"Did you meet a dragon under your bed as a child?" Edger jokes.

Bernard chortles. "Well, you tell me! I hear the beast we hunt today is a staring rabbit, is it?"

"It's the dragon of awkward stares when you lock eyes with someone. The tailed had ran into it but were quite sure to give it a wide berth." Buster comments, flicking its tail against its lower jaw.

...He gives the joke some thought before he continues. "Oh, not under the bed. But I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Horrible place to be," He taps his gold tooth with the end of his claw. "I take a keen interest in the blessed since."

"I see. Trying to show the past that your momentary fear of the blessed was just that? Perhaps a sibling or parent killed or mauled by such a thing? Interesting..."

The mad knight leans slightly towards the group from on top Bloodfang. "Let cut to the chase for Castellan Edger."

"If you answer wrong....." The mad knight does not finish his statement.

Again, Bernard laughs, a bit harder this time.
"Do I sound like a man who hates the creature he seeks so? What kind of passion is not fueled by love in some way or another? The assassin may think that he hates his target, but the time spent learning the target's behaviors? Their environment? The little things that make it tick, where it eats and sleeps.. It's a labor of love in some capacity."

"Whether it is in someone's hands or its head mounted on a wall, it'll still be out of passion. Does that satisfy?"

"That is all I need. I just needed to make sure. You'd be surprised at how many people hate dragons. Foolish really. House Drakken in itself is like a dragon."

"We only grow in power the more we are hated. It is why we honor and relate to the dragon."

"Excuse my questioning. You've passed with flying colors. If there's any questions you have, do let them be known now, else I will be taking you towards where my informant last saw the dragon."

"I've been briefed on the dragon by my compatriot here. A dragon that represents awkward staring should not be a terribly difficult dragon. More personal and niche, but still wide spread enough to manifest. Avoid looking into the eyes of the beast, that should be a given. We have several fail-safes, but if you are forced into eye contact... I should hope that you are a strong enough man to withstand what it may say or what you may see, as it'll feed into your anxieties if you should allow it. Stay close to each other. We should not jump into violence until entirely necessary."

..It was more instructions than questions. He gestures for Edger and SK to lead the way.

"To let you know, I did see it attack my thornhead. It effortlessly lifted it with a jump, and flicked its head to launch my thornhead against a wall."

"Hadn't seen that before!"

Edger waves his hand. "You have no need to worry, dear Bernard. Drakkens of noble blood are immune to dragons!"

"How convenient!"

"Maybe you need to fear for the Mad Knight here, but do not worry for me. I can stare down such a beast and be fine."

"Mother has always told me, the only time a Drakken will be harmed by a dragon is when he fears it."

"Should we be lucky enough, maybe I will be able to swoop down, grab it by the ears, and the hunt will be over! Wishful thinking though!"

"Enough talk, else this information won't be worth the money we paid for it, and I don't want to have to track down someone for a refund." The Mad Knight nudges his mount forward as Edger climbs on.

Bloodfang hones in on a direction as soon as the group reaches a secluded employee only area. The group is forced to climb past a fence that blocks their way. Any guards in the area back away the the danger poised by the giant nichtendrakk.

"I suppose this is a good example of why one must pay at least one employee handsomely. Lack of loyalty in this land. Rules too."

Behind a row of employee apartments was a hastily setup cage, wired down with all manners of rope, and a large sheet placed upon it, blocking all from seeing what was inside. Bloodfang rumbles as he stares at it. The message was clear. Their target was contained within.

"Appears it's well and captured in there, possibly mighty angry for being contained."

"Do us a favor, Buster." He gives the apollo a pat to the back of the head in gesture. "We spoke over this, now's a good time for it. Better prepared that way."

Buster looks up at Bernard, blinking its eyes, before nodding its head. "Oh sure, if you want now."

Buster perks up, its mirror panels angled up as it gets in position to reflect anything looking twords it.

"To keep a dragon under such conditions, how despicable!"

"It doesn't look that much different from what you are doing with-"

("That situation is nothing to this. That is not just a dragon, that is a SIN, and we will NOT be talking about it in polite company.") Edger tugs on the Mad Knight's collar, and harshly whispers.

"Nevermind."

"This will not do. So many ropes, we need to be able to carry the dragon with us."

"Bernard, you look like the type of man with a knife. Let the poor dragon go so we can catch the pitiful thing."

Buster flaps its little jaw, still posing, "The dragon seemed really upset at the idea of rabbits being harmed." It adds in at the last moment.

"Everyone in position now..." What sort of hunter would he be without a knife? He approaches the box, and starts sawing through the rope. Eyes down, listening carefully for the beast within while the restraints are cut away...

Sensing that its restraints have been cut, it jumps up, kicking its legs back to throw off the cage that contained it.

It stares at Bernard.

Buster catches the light as it poses nearby to Bernard within the dragon's range.

The dragon backs away, forced to close its eyes because of Buster's flash, yet the dragon could only think of one thing. "Father!?!?"

"??????"

"??????????????????"

"Father! Have you come back for me?" The dragon cannot see, but it hops forward anyway towards Bernard. "Please, f-father! I wish to go home!"

("Castellan Edger. Do you think this man has really sired dragons?")

("Anything seems possible on this stupid island!")

Bernard faltered only slightly, grimacing from discomfort. Not this again. At least he was assured now that this was in fact, an actual dragon.
"Ahem- Easy, easy. Keep your eyes closed for me, won't you?" His tone softened for the dragon, kneeling down to it.

The dragon closes its eyes. "You won't let anyone look at me, right Father? You won't let those EYES on me?" The creature nudges its head around, trying to find Bernard, only calming once in contact with him.

Bernard sighs, his hand brushes up against the head of the beast. He's unsure whether this has mounted into an exciting venture or disappointment. Something to ruminate on. "I'll keep you covered, and no one will look. Allow me to pick you up, I'll carry you out of here."
As such, he keeps one hand over the dragon's head as to cover its eyes, and one hand to carefully lift them.

("Edger, I do not think that Bernard will hand over this dragon. It appears of if he knows of it. Shall I prepare the shoot him now?")

("Do not engage in hostilities just yet. Bernard is a man of class and a hunter here on a job. I do not believe he would betray me. Plus, he is getting paid good Drakken money for this.")

Edger flaps down to Bernard's level, thick bag in hand. He motions to Bernard to dump the dragon in it.

The dragon clings to Bernard. "Thank you. So many people want so much from me, father. They continue to make requests of me."

Buster awkwardly stays in position the entire time.

Bernard motions with his head for Edger to keep moving, brow furrowed. He was working, godbless-it. He keeps his hand steady over the eyes of the dragon, with his own eyes on the bag.
"Overworking you, have they? What kind of requests?"

Raloud skids around corner and grabs the dragon from Bernard. "HEY ASSHOLES! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH OUR DRAGON!?!"

Lulove more timidly peaks from behind a building. "Raloud, I don't think this is a smart idea!!!! These guys look tough!"

Raloud hops away from Bernard, clutching the dragon in hand. "I know this is stupid, but it's all we can do! If they take the dragon away from us, we'll die, like all dragonkins!"

"Arrangements for that can be made." Edger crosses a finger across his neck to signal his orders.

The mad knight takes aim at Raloud.

Bernard's shakes off the shock of the sudden intrusion quickly, staring down at the dragonkin with a deeply unimpressed expression.
"Hold fire for a moment, may we?" Bernard throws up a hand. "...Buster. My good friend, can we have use of your beelitz? I have a mallon in tow as well, but I'd rather not needlessly harm the dragon." He gestures, and then turns his attention back to Raloud.

"I'm afraid I was not finished yet, very rude to interrupt mid-conversation."

Buster lowers its head down. "Oh yeah, web that one with the bunny, beelitz." It says, motioning to Raloud with its tail in a sweeping motion.

"These dragonkin put me in a cave, and then in this cage. They locked me up father! You must not let them have me again!"

Raloud struggles against the webbing. "You, stupid...little.....Great dragon! You ASKED for all of that!"

Raloud uses her claws to rip out of the webbing. As Buster no longer has his glare up, he grabs the eyelids of the dragon and forces them open, aiming it at the hunters. "LOOK AT THIS, ASSHOLES!"

"Guess we're hunting a more dangerous prey today. Bloodfang! Grab the crone!"

"SCREEEEEEEE!!!!" Bloodfang doesn't usually listen to Edger, but enraged that his owner seemed terrified, Bloodfang launches itself at Raloud.

"Raloud! Drop it! Please!" Lulove pleads.

And in an instant, Raloud was dead. Bloodfang pierced her body, crushing her between powerful jaws. There was no fanfare, no fight, not even a scream.

Lulove hanged her mouth open like she wanted to scream, but she couldn't.

"A shame." Edger Drakken laughs. "If she was smarter, maybe she could have just resigned herself to a life of toiling a field on Drakken land perhaps?"

Raloud's body loses its grip on the dragon, who flops to the ground like an empty doll. "Terror follows me, father. I must return home."

Bernard had been stuck there for a moment, feeling the numbing pins and needles in his extremities slowly fade away with eye contact broken. And what was left was a violent scene. How terribly messy this had all become.
"I know, I know." To avoid meeting the rabbit's gaze, he instead looks despondently towards the crumpled body of Raloud, muttering to himself. "This could of all of been avoided, terrible shame..."

Feeling around for it, he eventually brushes against fur and once again, picks up the rabbit. "Why are you here to begin with, if you don't mind me asking?" Bernard turns his head towards Edger, with a slight nod.

The dragon closes its eyes, its nose sniffing the blood on its fur. "I saw a way OUT of the BLUE. I thought I wanted to be FREE but there was so much...so much...I just wanted to be ALONE. People wanted me. Hunted me. They want to feel FEAR. I want to go home, father."

"You and how many else.." Bernard spoke to himself, carrying the dragon in the same safe position as he did previously. Petting it reassuringly. "Are you quite finished, Edger?"

Buster shifts, its body finally functioning again, not quite sure why it was frozen in place, adjusting its eyes about, before looking down to Raloud.

The dragon buries itself in Bernard's chest. "People keep doing something...SOMETHING. Opens an exit. They throw things in, and then pull them out as punishment. Sometimes if you're quick you can jump out. I'm worried father. What if someone keeps the hole open? Too many would leave, find too many expectations! Too many EYES on them."

Edger folds his arms. "I came here for a dragon Bernard, and I will have it, I'm dubiously sorry to say."

The Mad Knight grabs Lulove and hoists her up by the neck. "And this one? What do we do with this?"

"We bring her with us. If it belongs to the dragon, and the dragon belongs to us, then she belongs to us, simple as that. Toss her to the fields. She won't die as fast there compared to being a maid. Might have a full humble life even."

"Mission accomplished!"

"No apologies needed, Drakken." He keeps petting the dragon to keep it calm, keeping his voice low. "I'm having second thoughts about leaving it with you, if I am to be honest."

"You think the Drakkens can't take care of a tiny little dragon such as that?" The mad knight booms in offense.

Edger on the other hand rubs his chin in thought. "You know, I'm having second thoughts as well."

"Family is important, yes? Well imagine how easier it would be to keep this dragon if you came along, Bernard? You can be a bit of dragon keeper in House Drakken."

"A very high title, especially for a person who isn't of blood. I assure you, the job comes with many perks. Many hunts to be had."

"Plus. We already have a maid for you." Edger motions towards Lulove.

"....."

"....."

"That sounds like a rather fine deal, actually." Bernard raises his brows, enticed. "May we ah, discuss this back at your place? Just over, pay and supplies, etc."

"Very well, Bernard. I'm sure you'll find Drakken compensation will be more than enough for you. The beasts of the planet are plentiful too."

"Come along, Mad Knight. We came to this planet with one dragon, and we'll be coming back with...." Edger pauses in thought.

"Uh, two.....two at least."

"What shall we do with this resort, Edger? We are in ownership of the singular owner herself."

"I'm a castellan, Knight. This land is now for the Drakken lords and ladies to fight over."