Pearl in the Hilt, Part 3

The horsemen moved closer to the cage. "Scrawny looking fellow, isn't he?" Markelhay the Fourth said, looking closely at the cage. The scaly creature growled as loudly as it seemed its frame could manage. Markelhay IV moved his hand to poke the kobold. It turned to him, its eyes glowing with a power that hadn't been there previously. Markelhay IV managed to muster enough of his own sense of self preservation to toss himself to one side, as a burst of flame filled the place that his body had once filled. "What in the name of Erathis was that!" Markelhay IV said, partially exasperated. The man standing next to the cage smiled, his scarred face more apparent up close. "Best catch we've had all year. Just the thing we needed to spice up your first hunt, Master Markelhay."

"Mount up!" The call came down the line, and the horsemen all stood ready, Markelhey IV scrambled to get himself mounted upon his horse. "Ready?" the man by the cage called. There was a chorus of assenting cries. He moved to face the cage, and looked the kobold, the scaly creature, square in its eyes. "Now friend, we know you don't like us, and we don't like you. But if you can get it through your brain, we want to give you a fair shot at getting away. So, we're giving you a good two minutes to get clear from here." The Kobold just growled at him. The Guard lit a rope that when burned the whole way through, would cause the cage to open. Once the rope was burning through, he ran to his horse and mounted quickly.