Instead of flying into a rage, the black-haired Leader only furrowed his brow again and cocked his head to the side, sighing a bit.
"Well, this past year we had some instruction in human social manners, but if you don't see the point in them—I'm sure I'll make do," he explained, sounding uncannily calm.
Wait a sec—instruction? Dragons had instruction in human customs? Rahel was astounded for a split second before pushing the thought aside.
"Yeah, sure, human manners," she just sneered bitterly. "Humans can go fuck themselves," she continued with a low hiss.
"Oh, really?" He was thoroughly delighted at this and nodded, smiling, at someone who must be coming up behind her. "All the better for me," he said then, authentically pleased and, again, so tenderly, as though her words were a huge compliment. He nodded to the bullish type standing before them now, who had a little Chinese woman in tow; she was staring up at him in sheer terror, her whole body trembling.
"That'll never work," Rahel murmured, totally unnerved by the curious sight. "That beast will be the end of her, just by breathing heavily."
But Quarterback just laughed and turned toward the bull. "Hear that, Sachem? Watch you don't breathe too hard on your little companion or she'll go 'puff' and you'll have no one left. My companion says you have to be careful not to injure her," he offered, smiling. The giant grinned wide at that and then, to her astonishment, turned in Rahel's direction.
"Thank you for the information," he said to her in a silky smooth tone that was somehow very personable.
Too personable.
Too dangerous.
Oh, boy. Had she just managed to insult a second dragon by talking out loud to herself?
Rahel just glanced at him, a little unnerved, until her Quarterback took her firmly by the hand again and, ignoring her stubborn thrashing, brought her over to the wash tub.
"Tronn! A basin with water for the ladyleader!" he ordered the second giant loudly, who let go his new flame, the brunette friend of the blond gangleader from Germany, who was likewise a murderer and looking particularly petulant and ashen at the moment. He stomped over quickly and hefted a thick barrel that must hold fifty gallons to pour fresh water into a basin that had stood, at the front, unused.
"Wash your face, your neck, and arms and dampen your hair, otherwise it'll be too hot for you on the flight over," Quarterback said.
Rahel frowned. "Don't worry about me. Doesn't concern you at all how hot or cold I am," she growled impudently, but he just chuckled and nodded roguishly to the giant Tronn.
"My girl has hair on her teeth, as they say. Be careful with yours, she's very small—don't go hugging her too hard!Remember our training, otherwise I'll send Rugart or Romin over so they can check up on you!" he warned the giant in a quieter tone that nonetheless had an edge to it. The giant simply nodded, visibly cowed, even though this Leader was so much smaller than he was—strange.
Rahel balked for a moment but then bent to the basin if only to slake her terrible thirst. She drank from her cupped hands—oh god, was that good! She'd been half dead of thirst. There hadn't been anything to drink in court and she hadn't taken the water offered with the unswallowed tablets.
"Shit! What are you doing?" Quarterback exploded, glowering at her and yanking her back hard.
Rahel didn't understand the world anymore."What? I'm just taking a drink. I haven't had anything all day, not even in the hearing!" she spit back, almost at a yell, but he was unmoved. He shook her by the arm and pulled her back again as she bent to take another handful of water.
"You have to keep an empty stomach! Nothing, not even water!" Quarterback howled furiously. "Damn it, I have no desire for a junkie in withdrawal to puke all over me during the first flight, okay?" He was now truly irritated; she could see the dragon in him. Almost sounded like a demon in the movies. And that's precisely what he was and how she'd thought this bastard would normally act towards her... Would have to act towards her, so that she'd despise him. So that he'd kill her as soon as possible—so that this would all be over.
Rahel had no second thoughts; she simply acted, grabbed the basin swiftly and threw it, like she'd completely lost her mind, at his head, shrieking, "Go fuck yourself, you goddamn monster!" She would have caught him, too, if he hadn't ducked at the last moment, evading the flying saucer with reflexes as quick as a cat.
The water drenched him nonetheless and, all of a sudden, everything went breathlessly, pin-drop quiet. The Dragoniers all stood frozen and even the girls regarded her now with utter horror.
Quarterback's eyes ignited a brilliant red with rage while the water dripped from his nose and the black hair on his forehead.
Slowly, visibly enraged, the dragon wiped the water from his arms and shook his wet head with a stormy expression. He was looming before her, then, in a matter of a few uncannily swift strides. He snarled and wrapped a large hand around her throat. Rahel gagged, briefly caught off guard, and her face flushed deeply as he leaned into her, still snarling with those lit-coal eyes—not a word, just that snarl.
She forced herself not to fight him, despite the mounting urge to take a breath. She let her arms hang at her sides, let him strangle her; already, she'd lost all her air and was beginning to see stars in front of her eyes, glittering across his face, which was ugly with determination. Then he began to speak, his voice also transformed, as low and sibilant as a demon's. "Watch what you do, Rahel! I don't have to be so nice to you," he warned grimly, when suddenly the two giants appeared at his sides and placed their meaty hands on his arms, which were still tense with the effort of choking her. "Leader, no!" Rugart, the blond hulk, implored him. "You just chose her!" The brown-haired circus freak nodded, as calm as could be. "That's right. She doesn't know a thing about us, but she's beautiful and brave—anyone can see that. That's how you like them. You said so yourself," Brownhair said while trying to peel the leader's hand from Rahel's throat. "Just chalk this one up as her first lesson and punish her by doing nothing!" Brownhair had succeeded in loosening Quarterback's thumb so that Rahel could begin to draw a rasping breath.
Rugart nodded hastily and continued pulling on his other arm. "Romin is right, man. Just let her suffer tonight, when she's feening. Tomorrow morning she'll be a lot easier to deal with, when she needs you to be nicer," he coached, but their leader managed to tighten his hold on her throat, cutting off air again completely, so that Rahel nearly lost consciousness. Then, however, Quarterback appeared to listen to his companions; he nodded sulkily and loosened his grip. Rahel slumped, coughing and wheezing as the air returned to her lungs. Quarterback blinked the bright red from his eyes, took a deep breath, and let go completely.