"Hey, hey," called out Arran, holding up both gauntleted hands, leaning back so that the scaled beast drew up short, spines bristling. "We mean no trouble! Are you -- are you hurt? You must have been close by when the meteor fell!"

Beneath the unclipped mask, which hung loosely beside the side of his helm, his face was tanned, weathered and bearded. His teeth were white and even when he called out, and atop the hard-muscled, spined bipedal lizard, he cut a broad-shouldered, powerfully imposing figure.