The stands quickly filled, maxing out around five thousand.
Tobias sat near an exit, too worried to do much else but watch as people filed into their seats.
His hat was in his hands, his fingers tracing the lining absent mindedly.
Tobias licked his lips, dropping his gaze and running a hand through his hair. He was about to stand up and pace when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His head snapped up to see Gongll standing beside him, looking out at the arena, her thick, wavy hair restored to it's regular condition, no longer sopping wet, several twisted braids scattered throughout.
Tobias motioned to the seat beside him in surprise, and she sat, leaning in to say in a low tone, "August, I am sorry I could not thank you. Thank you."
"No! Yeah- of course, I mean.. what are you doing here? Are you alright?"
"I am fine. Sore, but.. if I do not show up, people will be suspicious."
Tobias struggled to hear her words over the crowd, her thick Spanish accent making matters worse.
Suddenly a small head popped out of Gongll's bag, a tiny RainWing dragonet, her eyes scanning wildly through the crowd.
Tobias laughed, and Gongll shook her head with a smile. The dragonet's bright scales flashed from green, to yellow, to pink as she tried to crawl from the bag.
"You bring her here? With the crowds?" Tobias asked, reaching out gently.
"Yes- I start young."
"She's hardly a month." Tobias laughed I'm disbelief, running a hand over her smooth scales as the dragonet scrambled onto Gongll's shoulder.
"Aye, yes, but she is outgoing. She loves this, but it is still a new experience." Gongll motioned to the dragonet's green scales as they slowly morphed into yellow. "Where is Sol?"
Tobias bit his lip, a sick feeling in his stomach, "He's competing tonight."
"And you are not with him?"
"No, uh, there's- there's an auction tonight I got to be involved in."
"An auction? Again? You are full of surprises, Tobias."
"Am I?" Tobias smiled. "I dunno. It's, uh... It's Sol's idea."
Gongll nodded. "I am glad to respect his opinion."
Tobias sighed. "Yeah, but.. his opinion might very well get him killed."
Suddenly the lights dimmed.
The massive screens lining the arena, which had previously been playing ads, showed a woman's face, a scoreboard beside her on the screen.
"Hello, folks, and welcome, welcome to this year's SandWing Rally." a few excited shouts rang out through the arena, but the woman didn't pause for cheering, "Some of you know we are starting early- auctioning of a, uh, a novelty." She waited, the crowd silent in anticipation. "A couple LunarWings were brought in last night." An incredible murmur spread throughout the arena. "We are auctioning off one tonight," the massive arena doors slid open, and every head turned to the entrance.
(OH,
@Nicole Taber. TA. DA.
*Stuff is happening YAY*