"Don't go too far ahead, soft-hooves," Romulus growled, scampering through the hallways directly after the flighty pegasus. "I don't want you leaving my sight."
"Awwwwwwwww..." Lancie smirked back at him. "It's so good to have a catbird that cares."
"Mrmmmfff... My only consolation is that I won't have to tolerate you forever," Romulus muttered.
Lancie leaned back, whispering into Rainbow's ear. "Now there's a spot of slime you can't shake."
"What I need is a good rinse," Rainbow mumbled in return. She swiftly ascended a winding staircase that led up one of the castle's walls. Through severa slitted windows, she could gaze down into the courtyard through of rowdy draconian bodies. "The stench of this whole journey is going to stick with me for days."
"Better than your entire life, I suppose."
"Meh."
"But in all seriousness..." Lancie leaned in closer, murmuring into her ear: "You've tied so many knots in this taut balancing rope of yours." He glanced back at the griffon. "When, perhaps, do you plan on snipping it altogether?"
"Hmmm?"
"I only presumed that was the entire plan all along," Lancie said as the two reached the top of the vertical passage. Two doors opened up on either side of them, leading out into torchlight and stars. "Unless you honestly wish to parlay with these vagabandits forever."
"No, Lancie," Rainbow grunted under her breath. "I don't."
"So... when does the rainbow get to dash their dreams, hmmm?"
"I'm working on it—"
"Shhhhh!" Romulus caught up. "You two! Stop hissing like snakes!"
"Huh? But we weren't—"
Romulus gestured for the pegasus to "zip it." He pointed down the south end of the wall.
Rainbow peered through the nearest doorway, following the assassin's talon.
Two rather large dragons were perched along the west fortifications of the structure. One held a beastly femur in his claws while his teeth gnawed and gnawed at the calcified lengths of it. A few ramparts down, another dragon sat, gazing down at the bonfire in the central courtyard. He yawned, snorting smoke while teetering on the edge of sleep.
"Well..." Romulus sighed, peering over Rainbow's shoulder as the two spied the draconian pair. "So much for setting up an ambush spot here."
"Maybe they'll move..." Rainbow thought aloud.
"Somehow, I don't think so," Romulus grumbled. "It would appear that these creatures aren't nocturnal. I suspect they're going to roost here for the night."
"Then maybe the opposite ramparts?"
"We'll have to get there first. How much time has passed?"
"Three minutes?"
"Sunset will be ready in about seven. Let's move." Romulus narrowed his eye. "Quietly..."
"Don't need to tell us a second time, fluffykins." Lancie turned back to Rainbow. "But really, though..." He whispered to her. "...what do you have planned?"
Rainbow blinked. Her eyes stared off beyond the stars. "...that depends..."
"On what?"
"How easily I can lose Romulus..."
"I'm sure we can find a cannon around here somewhere."
"No... I need something else," Rainbow muttered. "Like a distraction."
"Distractions! Brilliant! Need help with that?"
"Sure." Then—flippantly—Rainbow Dash grabbed Lancie by his stone tail and flung him straight out onto the wall's outer walkway. Th-Thud!
Every feather on Romulus' body stuck straight out. He spun about, eye wide.
The two dragons looked over.
"Oh. Wow. Lancie." Rainbow droned. "I. Can't. Believe. How. Clumsy. You. Are."
"Uhhhhhhhhhhh..." Lancie gazed straight up at the sky. "Imagine that." His granite eyes darted over towards the dragons. "Is there a problem, officers?"
Th-Thunk! The femur bone dropped to the stone floor. Both dragons stalked towards the doorframe, hissing and spewing flames.
"Crud!" Romulus hollered, turning tail in an instant. "Run! Move! Lose them!"
"Right!" Rainbow grabbed Lancie off the stone floor and jumped out of reach of the flames. "Losing losing losing—!"
With thick, leather wings, the two dragons soared after the two, their breaths charring the edges of the stairwell walls as they dove through the depths of the castle.