Golden Nuggets Pt. 2

Their pile had grown, Zaro's and Zara's, and it attracted quite the crowd throughout the competition. Zaro's muscles burned as he threw another Haedian away with his horns, the sound of them hitting the cave walls and sliding down with a grunt almost making up for the exertion he was experiencing in this moment. Surely, it was nearly over, yes? Even Zara, large and steadfast as she was, was beginning to slow as she protected their hoard of stones, wings bent low over the pile as she fended off would-be thieves with her beak and talons. 

Slowly, the number of challengers began to dwindle, and Zaro began to see the end of this competition for the first time all day. Time passing seemed irrelevant here, where there was no sun to mark the passage of the celestial bodies, but his body remembered the circadian rhythm, and it begged for rest. When there were no more Haedians for ten minutes or more, Zaro let out a breath, back legs slumping as he let his haunches fall to the ground for a moment of reprieve. In the moment of calm, he found himself in, he had to question why he cared so much about these glittering gold stones at all - was it simply a matter of pride? 

There was little time to continue that introspection because before long Zara was chittering in warning as the distinct sound of claws across stone echoed into their space. Another challenger, most likely. Zaro hefted his form from its position and braced himself for the would-be thief to come to steal their stones. 

Zaro was not expecting Zarod herself to emerge from the darkness just beyond, face peeled back into a devilish smile as she approached the duo with a calm and almost dignified air - if it wasn't for the telltale swagger of a warrior hellbent on winning. Zaro stiffened, and Zara hung her head low over their stash with a warning hiss. Leader of the Brutes or not, Zaro would not allow her to steal their stones. 

Perhaps sensing their fatigue, Zarod circled the pair for a moment, brandishing that splitting smile like a weapon of its own. The visage would be unnerving if Zaro hadn't seen far worse, in far worse places than this. Instead, he simply sneered in response and lofted his horned head high - he was ready for her. 

With lightning speed she darted in, going for Zara themselves instead of the pile of stones at first, a clever tactic to unmoore the large draconic creature from its holdings. Zaro lunged, attempting to intercept Zarod as he dashed for his companion, teeth gnashing when he felt the air current from the Haedian's wings brush his cheek. She was fast, and clearly not as tired as the pair of them, darting between them with ease as they attempted to hold her off like they had the others. 

But Zarod was not like the others, she would not be the leader if she were, and that became clear immediately when she slid underneath Zara's snapping beak straight betwixt her gnarled claws to collide with the pile of stones. Once neatly stacked, they were now scattered and rolling everywhere - which made stealing them all the more easy. Zaro growled in frustration, though he should have seen this coming hours ago. 

Not built for speed like this wirey Haedian, Zaro felt his claws gouge the stone beneath him as he went for the Haedian with full force. She was slippery, moving beneath Zara - who was screeching and stomping something fierce above her - to either collect or dislodge more and more of their precious stones. For a moment it was pure chaos, and Zaro felt his blood sing in response as he tried to formulate a plan in the midst of things, mind racing and teeth snapping shut around nothing as he tried to grab the Haedian to stop her from these antics. 

Finally, either from a momentary slip up or Zaro's sheer determination, he managed to grab Zarod by the tail - a bit of an underhanded move but the only one he had at the moment as he pulled her out from underneath Zara with a force that had her grunting in displeasure. Thrashing in an attempt to escape his grasp, Zaro used his superior strength and size to try to pin her down, while Zara recovered what she could of their scattered, golden stones. 

Even now, Zarod was difficult to manage. Despite her 'caught' state, she trashed and clawed at him with a ferocity and speed that had Zaro nearly letting her go. Instead, he ducked his head and let his horns take the brunt of her claws and teeth, trying to wrestle with her to get a better grip so he could throw her like he had the others. Normally, that got them to leave once they saw such a display of strength - but now he was not so sure. Zarod seemed far more convicted in her motivations and the way she was still smiling even as he dragged her closer to him...

Perhaps he was underestimating the Brutish Leader.