The Cardinal Directive: Mission Log #49

Horseplay

[Start of Season 2]
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>> ...
>> Confirmed.
>> Now playing Mission Log #49...

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The Log begins by flickering quickly between two images.

The first is Outpost Olympica, a chilly degree this early in the morning. Cameras watch from on posts surrounding a medium-sized track, where several dragon-mounted riders make their rounds and practice their skills on various-sized obstacles.

The second returns to the tunnels beneath Piket Rock, a long trail of claw and pawprints left behind as the procession weaves expertly through the trees. Their eyes are focused, heads on a swivel as they peer through the fog. Solena seems to be the only one distracted, deep in her thoughts.

For a moment, the footage begins to settle on Olympica as a new batch of familiar riders enters the track — Wendy and her team.

However, the visual is pulled back with more of a SNAP than a click, immediately calling all eyes towards Solena and Oreo.

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The crime was apparent, and the criminal even more so.

The tether between Oreo’s saddle and Medusa’s was gone. More accurately, the rope was now being held between his teeth, and he looked nothing but smug about it.

By the time Solena had realized what had happened, Medusa’s head had already swung around, and her feathered tail was quick to follow, harmlessly thwacking his face with it.

“Bad dog,” she hissed at him, and he squawked indignantly back at her — a sound made all the stranger by the rope still in his mouth. He bounced almost sideways at her, arching his back like an angry cat, but Solena quickly reined him in. If only for her own safety, and to not spark any more noise than they needed to.

Wendy shot a glance over one shoulder, thoroughly unimpressed. Jovis was watching too, holding back a smile that vanished as Wendy seemed to notice and beckoned with her head for Jovis to keep an eye on the forest in front of them.

Outrider raised her brows at Solena expectantly. Without a word, she held out a hand. Solena’s lips pursed, but she had a feeling she knew what was being asked, grabbing the rope from where it started on Oreo’s saddle and beginning to gather it up again. He made a curious, then upset huffing noise at her, holding fast to the broken tether and not letting her take it.

“If you could get that runt under control, I think we’d all appreciate it,” Wendy sneered.

Solena tugged on the rope again but was only succeeding in getting him to start turning. In the effort of looking anything but ridiculous, she shot back, “I think I’ve got time. Considering our so-called “Bloodhound” has been making us wander aimlessly through the woods for hours now.”