Watching the Flock (Whitebrand and MasterGryph)

[MasterGryph]

"No, I did mean her. Funny how she's the only one of us you've seen in all three shapes. Although I came up with the plan before her injury," Isabelle shook her head, "But that in itself would make a good excuse for her 'retirement' from the 'adventuring life'." One last test for the dragon. If he stole away Sorrel for himself, she could promote a different weresheep instead, with weaker excuses for where she came from. But he didn't know that for sure. "In any case, It's clear that our approach needs to change. And Brianna's best chance is with you."

"Take all the treasure you want. It's not like we can carry much of it now."

"Ah, you also asked about Kane?" Isabelle recalled, "Just another entitled youth, who expects to get a wife someday because he thinks anything would be better for a woman than staying alone. I expect that line of thinking to die out... eventually."

Sorrel and the other two unconscious sheep were gathered and wrapped in blankets, and the one whose name he knew was handed over to the dragon. "Perhaps we will meet again. But with the distance those wings of yours can cover, I expect you'll find other things to occupy your time..."

[Whitebrand]

"She's safe with me," Brand assured the herd as he took her in this claws. "I'll get Sorrel and Briana to their rightful homes."

He swallowed the treasure chests easily. A minute later he was carrying the wounded woman through the raining skies. Using the winds he had summoned, his trip was quicker than it had been.

It didn't take him long to reach them barn. Once inside, he unwrapped Sorrel from the wet blankets.

"Did I pass?" He asked her.

[MasterGryph]

Sorrel woke up partway through the flight, but didn't do much to inform Brand of this. When the dragon slipped into the barn and asked what seemed to be a non-sequitur question, she responded with an obviously confused "...I think so?" The dragon then remembered that Sorrel, as far as he could tell, had been blissfully unaware of her leader's suspicions and the threat he could become since the first time he'd seen her in human shape.

The other four would be returning on foot (or hoof, rather), so there would be some time before they would arrive. In the meantime, "I should probably go back to pretending to be a regular sheep for a bit. Brianna still has no idea about us, and seeing me like this," Sorrel gestured to her anthropomorphic form, "Would be a huge shock. Human form would be better if I have to talk to her, but... I'd need to pick up my clothes from where I stashed them."

[Whitebrand]

"Your herd leader indicated that you would make a fine replacement for Brianna," he said. "And retire from adventure. Once this all gets settled. This has been...a learning experience."

[MasterGryph]

"Oh, in that case, do you want to tell her, or should we do it together?" Sorrel asked.

[Whitebrand]

"Are you up to it?" Brand asked her. "Silver-inflicted injuries are bad for you guys. Still...I think I've waited long enough, frankly."

[MasterGryph]

"I think... I probably should. Getting ready won't take long," she reassured him, then gritted her teeth as she slipped away and around the side of the barn. Her chosen hiding spot was a small hole dug along the wall. If the dragon peeked, he'd see the familiar young human woman casually getting dressed from a waterproofed bag. Fortunately, the rain had stopped, and there was no one else present to expose herself to.

"OK, sorry to keep you waiting," Her tone was bright, tinged with melancholy as the two walked to the door. "Odd feeling, Most goodbyes aren't quite like this..."

[Whitebrand]

"You...did you bond with Brianna?" He asked. "Are the two of you friends?"

The herd hadn't seemed to regard Brianna as just one in a string of employees. This was a surprise.

[MasterGryph]

"Well, not exactly," Sorrel responded as they walked, "But we did get the opportunity to talk, and she seemed nice. It's more... shepherds come and go, but there's rarely a case where they're leaving forever without dying. It's an improvement, I just... don't quite know how to feel."

She quieted down as they reached the porch. Sorrel stepped forward to knock on the door. Surprisingly, Brianna was holding a slightly mangled fork when she answered.

"Brand, Sorrel! You're both back! I uh, would you believe I was trying to figure out lockpicking? I had this odd box that seemed good to start on..."

[Whitebrand]

Brand stared at the ruined fork.

"I could definitely teach you," he said. "Um...what box?"

[MasterGryph]

"Just something I found while looking around," Brianna said. "It's not that important, but..." She ducked back inside and got it. It was more like a tiny display case containing a slightly incomplete silverware set - a knife was missing. Sorrel winced when Brianna walked out onto the porch with it.

"I didn't know you knew anything about locks," the shepherdess commented. "Anyway, what brings you both together today?"

Sorrel had settled down and turned to the dragon. "Well, I got into a bit of trouble and he helped make sure I got out of it. Then we got to talking and... do you want to explain or should I?"

[Whitebrand]

"Simply put, Sorrel is willing to take over your job," Brand explained. "She's been injured and can't really go out and about anymore the way she used to. So...whenever you feel comfortable leaving."

[MasterGryph]

Brianna had been partly expecting this, but took some time to find a response. "That's... Thank you both!" She gave the ranger and dragon a quick hug each, whispering where she thought Brand's ear was. "She's a bit strange, but there's a lot of skill overlap. I think she'll do just fine."

[Whitebrand]

"You know what, I think you're right," Brand stage-whispered back. "Get yourself packed up. I'll stand guard."

[MasterGryph]

Brianna went back inside, leaving the door open, to collect her personal belongings. Most of the things she intended to take with her seemed to be clothes and childhood keepsakes - there were few things she had that she really considered hers. Though there might have also been a few things she was deliberately leaving behind for Sorrel's use.

After giving Pess a few last pets and reassurances that he didn't need to worry, the soon-to-be ex-shepherdess stepped back outside carrying a small bundle.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. Sorry we didn't know each other long," Sorrel spoke up, though it could easily have been the other way around. "Don't worry, I can handle a few dozen ordinary sheep."

'"I'm sure. It was nice meeting you, Ranger Sorrel," Brianna chuckled, "I'm hoping to come back for a visit or two... maybe in disguise though. Sorry to say, there's not many people here worth telling what really happened to me."

"Maybe sometime there'll be other choices for a nice life besides being a dragon's pet."

"Hopefully. But in the meantime..." Brianna turned towards Brand with a hesitant smile. "So, um, how are we going to do this?"

[Whitebrand]

"Well you can set your things down," Brand said. "This will take some explaining. Um..."

He was suddenly nervous. Before he'd just planned on swallowing her up and explaining later, but now somehow the reverse had become necessary.

"The way to my home is long and the route carries into them mountains," he explained. "On my back it would be very dangerous. Cold and wind. I have a way to get your there but...it might frighten you."

[MasterGryph]

"...So if I'm not riding you," she sounded slightly relieved, "Where will I be, then?"

Brianna waited patiently for the dragon to get his thoughts together.

[Whitebrand]

Brand looked at Sorrel. Finally he patted his belly.

"Here," he said. "It won't harm you. I'd never harm you. I'd fight to the death for you. I almost have, actually."

[MasterGryph]

"...In your belly?" Brianna asked, as if the idea was having difficulty sinking in. It wasn't that she didn't think she would fit, despite Brand's small size for a dragon, the young woman could easily imagine herself slipping past his jaws and beneath his scales. The difficulty was applying that concept to the reality she lived in, as something being discussed as a solid plan.

"Well, I can see how that would protect from the wind, or the risk of falling off, but... can your insides really hold themselves back from adding me to your... bulk, permanently?" She asked, still trying to wrap her head around the idea.

"I mean, I know you're not the kind of dragon to go to all this trouble just to get me not to squirm..."

[Whitebrand]

"If I had wanted to digest you I could have attacked you long ago," Brand said. "It's complicated. You'd be...um...in me but not exactly. Nothing that happens outside wil affect you in there. Unless I die. On which case you'd come right back here...at the spot you'd entered it."

How to explain subdimensional spaces to a shepherd?