#moving shadows

The Dragon Trapper is so certain that he's being watched.

Making his usual patrol around the ship, passing cages with trapped dragons inside of them, he can't say exactly what it is that makes him feel this. He's walking, the ring of keys on his right hip the only sound made other than his footsteps.

He feels alone, though he shouldn't be the only one up on deck tonight, not with the threat of those Dragon Riders. Yet, he hasn't seen anyone else for quite a while now and maybe that adds to his paranoia.

Spear in one hand, fidgeting with his other, he walks on. Prickles on the back of his neck, a slight hitch in his breath. Fear makes his heart race inside.

What is it? Is it the foggy night? There are torches on this ship, it shouldn't feel as dark out here as it does, yet he stares at every shadow that he passes. They are deep and the flickering torchlight almost makes them appear to move. There are no eyes there, no unwanted visitors, so where is this feeling coming from?

Is it that the dragons have gone eerily quiet?

The Trapper just notices that none of them have made a single peep in a while. Dragons aren't quiet creatures, not usually and not like this.

And neither do they stare at him like they know something he doesn't.

Turning around, swallowing a lump, he tries to stay in control of his breathing. He tries not to show the dragons that he's afraid, that he's picking up on what they aren't telling him. Licking his lips, grip on his spear tightening, he takes a look around behind him. The feeling of being watched worsens and he gets the alarming sense that he feels as though he's staring right at it.

But where is it? What is it? It's getting harder to stay in control of himself. It's here, something is here.

It's too late that he realizes that the shadow he's staring at moves. It's not a shadow, it's a living thing. Green eyes glint at him, almost appearing to glow in the darkness. There's the sound of something metallic and a sword glints in the torchlight before catching fire itself.