Oliver squeaked, slowly opening his eyes after a long moment. He slowly got up, staring at the Griffin for a long moment before he rushed to take the necklace from her arm. He also plucked a few feathers, for a souvenir from his amazing adventure.
Now that he was less scared, he slowly began to pack up from teasure from the cave before he began his trip back to the dragon, going to give him his necklace back.
Arian was still waiting -- well, sleeping, really. His chin was settled on his paws as he quietly napped the day away.
Oliver yelled out when he stepped hoof in the cave, holding up the necklace. "Dragon!" He called. "I've got your necklace!" He called, holding his basket full of treasures.
He wasn't sure that he even wanted the dragon's treasure anymore, but he wanted to return the necklace so his trip wasn't for nothing. "If this isn't it, I can go find it. The Griffin is dead."
Arian snapped opened one eye in astonishment. "What?" he exclaimed as he got to his feet and hopped down off of his treasure pile, staring at him, obviously shocked. "You defeated her?! I've been trying to defeat that annoying griffin for years! She's always trying to steal my treasure! How did y--" He broke off at once, staring at his necklace, and opened his wings, beaming brightly with joy. "THAT'S IT!!"
He held the necklace open to drape the necklace over the dragon's head, letting him wear it. "Just as you asked for." He muttered, looking proud. "I swung at her neck when she wasn't paying attention and I hit it." He shrugged, showing him a few feathers from her wing.
"May I please have my reward?" He asked softly, looking up at him. "I've left the rest of her treasure of you would want it, I just need my reward." He told him.
Arian nodded, still looking absolutely overjoyed that he now had his necklace back. He drew back his tail towards his treasure pile and swept a generously large heap of it over to Oliver. "Here, take however much you want or need. I am in your debt."
He gasped at the treasure and looked up at him, smiling softly and eagerly when he was told that he could have as much as he needed. Be began to fill his basket the rest of the way, very careful of what he was taking. He wanted the most expensive, valueable things and some souviners to remember his journey.
Arian climbed back onto his treasure pile and curled up on it, settling his chin on his paws and watching Oliver with a faint smile.
Oliver had never been happier. He rounded up some of the treasure, putting the rest of what he wanted in his basket before he got up. "Dragon, Um..Arian, I will be on my way.." He told him.
"All right," Arian said softly, lifting his head slightly to gaze at him attentively. "Before you go, though... I'd like to apologize to you," he admitted quietly. "For my earlier rudeness. I hope you'll forgive me. It's sort of a... dragon thing, but.. you've very much earned my respect and my gratitude," he told him very solemnly, closing his eyes and dipping his head. "I underestimated you and treated you unfairly. I see now that you are not a petty thief or a coward. You were brave to come here for the sake of your people and even braver to have faced the griffin and retrieved this necklace for me. Again, I am indebted to you."
He smiled softly to the dragon, blushing softly when he dipped his head in gratitude. He couldnt help but to giggle at the idea that a dragon was thanking him. A potential lunch.
"I'm not brave," He told him, glancing down as his cheeks heated up a soft cute pink. "I'm just trying to feed my people. We would all die if I didn't try to feed them. I'm only a mere gardener trying to fend for my people's skins." He nodded to him.
Arian smiled softly, lifting his head as his silver eyes gleamed with respect. He slowly stood up and then walked down from his treasure pile onto the cave floor to stand before him. Then he shapeshifted into his more humanoid form, which was still very reminiscent of his dragon one. His hair and eyes were both silver, and there was a pair of silver dragon wings on his back. The necklace and all his other jewelry and clothings were still on him, strangely adapted to his smaller size.
He offered Oliver his hand.
"What's your name, brave yet humble faun?" he inquired.
Oliver watched him come down from the treasure pile. Admittedly, he was worried about what he would do, but he didn't tremble or show it. What truly terrified him was when the other began to transform. He tried to back away, but this little goat boy should have known better by now that walking backwards didn't work. He stumbled, staring at him.
"A-Ah..Oliver." He muttered.
"Oliver," he repeated softly, dipping his head slightly in respect and then smiling gently at him. "What? Aren't I less scary now? I guess I transformed for nothing."
He gulped thickly and stared at him with wide eyes. "I m-mean.. I was just scared of the transformation.." He muttered.
"Why?" he asked softly with slight curiosity, tilting his head.
He gulped softly, hesitantly trying to compose himself in front of the strong dragon human. It was very scary to think about someone having two forms, but it was intresting as well. He started to look him over curiously. "Its..intresting. I never saw it before." He asked softly. He tried to see if he had a tail, and study his body. "I don't have any sort of transforming abilities." He said softly. "I'm just a goaty."
Oliver's scouring gaze made Arian feel strangely uncomfortable, something he'd never experienced before. He pinked slightly and looked aside, clearing his throat before smiling slightly despite himself. He found Oliver's last comment oddly amusing. "Well... I'm not a pure dragon, clearly. I can take the form of one, but not that of a complete human. Strange, isn't it?" He smiled a little more as he glanced back at Oliver. He did still have a tail. "To the true dragons, I am but a mere cousin. I could never hope to be as grand as they or have so honorable a title." He shook his head regretfully.
He blinked at him softly and looked a him very quietly. "Why could you not wish? You can always hope." He chirped softly and held his basket softly. "...Could you maybe help me bring some of my reward home?" He asked softly, looking at him. He could tell he was nervous about being looked at, so he stopped.
Arian immediately seemed a little relieved. "Sure," he said softly, dipping his head. "I'd be happy to help you. And.. I suppose you're right, about hope."