The Elf and the Dragon: The Quest

Hymeria walked through the woods, heading down from the plateau where she'd summoned Ensfirum. She was still shaken by the loss of her voice, she'd tried everything but no matter what she tried, no sound escaped her lips. She shuddered as she remembered the dragon's terrible smile from moments before. She'd thought that he was going to eat her but then he'd simply snapped in her face and caused her to scream silently much to her embarassment.
She looked upwards as the shadow of the dragon crossed over her, his massive wings buffeting the trees unrelentingly. She knew that the pact bound the dragon to her life, if she died then the dragon died...but the dragon had been dead for centuries...and dragons didn't die the same way that other creatures did. Death was just...another stage for them. Would Ensfirum care if she died?
“I can hear you.” the dragon's voice rumbled through her mind.
Hymeria jumped at the intrusion, trying to block the dragon's presence from her consciousness but to no avail, it was as if his presence was part of her consciousness.
“And I will not break a pact.” he continued in his deep rumble. “Death is not as appealing as you seem to think it is for us, though it is as you imagine it to be.”
Hymeria scowled and said nothing, not sure if she believed him or not.
The dragon chuckled inside her mind but said nothing more on the matter.
“Tell me of your quest.”
Hymeria sighed and conjured up images of what came to her village at night, images of shambling thralls and ghasts stumbling through the streets, cutting down anyone foolish enough to be caught out after dark.
The dragon snarled. “The dead? You've summoned me to banish the dead?”
She shook her head, her frustrating mounting as she tried to draw forth the imagery of the creeping mist, and the shambling corpes wandering out of it, of the souls of the dead floating through the air, consuming all in their path.
The dragon rumbled again. “Some fool simply opened a crypt or tomb.”
NO! Hymeria's mind screamed. Pressing her mind into the dragon's. There were no crypts, no ancient tombs, nothing that could bring forth this scourge that stole the bodies of the dead and the dying, the endless wails of some damned soul.
“Hmm.” the dragon rumbled. “This quest...it may be worth waking me.”
Hymeria sighed in exasperation. She'd never have summond the dragon or bound her life to it if she didn't think this was desperate. She'd have dealt with it herself, she was the village's mage after all....
“No you're not.” rumbled the dragon.
She winced. Yes, she was. She had been trained by the last mage...it wasn't her fault that he'd died in an avalanche and she'd simply...taken his place.
The dragon chuckled. “An elf mageling summons me to deal with an undead scourge. It was worth waking me.”
Hymeria's thougths were sarcastic as she remarked on being glad to oblige the dragon's amusement. She should have expected something as different as a dragon would find this entertaining but still, it was frustrating to hear the mocking tone in its voice. She spied the village ahead through the trees and wondered how best to inform them of what she had done...after all, she had done all of this without so much as asking the elders' permission.
“My, you are a naughty little creature.” the dragon mused. “I can solve your dilemna.”
She looked up just in time to see him dive towards her. Hymeria tried to shout but no sound escaped her lips. She watched in fascination as Ensfirum shrank to the size of a raven and alighted on her shoulder. The little dragon sat erect, looking like some kind of cat as he perched on the leather of her garment. He turned his piercing golden gaze towards her.
“Now you have a familiar like a proper mage.” he rumbled.
That was all well and good, but she hoped that he wouldn't start talking whenever he pleased. That was the last thing she needed to explain, why she had a miniature talking drake. At least a miniature drake she could explain!
“Have no fear, I will play the stupid pet...for now.” he replied  to her concern.
“Hymeria!”
She turned to see another elf, armed with boy and spear, coming towards her.
Galaden. She thought, irritated that the pact prevented her from actually speaking.
“Where have you been?” the gold haired elf glowered at her. “The elders have been up in arms since you stole Ehrledah's staff and pouches.” his eyes locked on Ensfirum perched on Hymeria's shoulder. “What is that?”
When she made no response he glared at Ensfirum suspiciously but shrugged. “I suppose you are more of a mage than they give you credit for after all. Come, the elders will want to speak with you.”
As they followed after him, Hymeria heard the dragon's voice chuckling in her mind.
“My, what faith they have in you.”
Hymeria did her best to quash the dragon's words, she couldn't afford any doubt. Not now. Not ever.