"We still don't know where the cult members who were talking to the dragon went, either - but for now search and rescue's more important, as is keeping a watch on this bozo. You all up for any of that?"

"I can send my familiar out if you need to inspect any hard-to-access place. But I can do dragon watching."

"I have sharp eyes, so peut-etre I would be most useful aiding in searching, ouais?"

"I'm up for doing either," Joy nods, "I'm pretty good at getting into tight spaces myself, though, so I might be more useful on search and rescue. Do you have any spells that would be good for suppressing fires?" He asks Temperance. 

"I have Ray of Frost as my main combat trick."

"Right. So maybe Pennie should keep watch and whack him if he wakes up again, and the three of us can help your forces with the destruction out there," he suggests to the officer. 

"Pennie's the one with healing? We're likely to need her most, at least as long as she has magic."

Pennie shrugs as she climbs on top of the dragon. "I think I've got enough in me to do that 3 more times. I'm still an apprentice after all."

The chief sighs. "Probably not worth it - the worst cases won't last until we get to them - and newer injuries are more likely here."

He watches her climb them for a moment, considering asking to stay to guard as well, but eventually decides helping the townsfolk is urgent enough to pull him away from his definitely life-long dream to ride a dragon. Besides, they're not even awake. 

"Are there any supplies we should gather before we head out?" He asks the chief.

Temperance is also watching, amused. "I will join you as well. Do you have any lights small enough a cat could carry them?" Tama has returned to her arms at some point.

"We've already got people gathering supplies who you'll be moving with - and we should."

Marcel chuckles watching Penny ascend the dragon. "Bon. Let us away, then. Do be careful, Mademoiselle Penny."

Pennie waves back at them. "I dunno what a madamwhatsit is but yeah, sure!"

Temperance waves back and goes as directed.

Off towards disaster they go! Hopefully to subdue it, rather than make it worse.

The police are rather happy to fold them into existing emergency responses, giving them a ride out to the destroyed countryside.

It's still dark out, though, and the fire - already being fought back - makes vision difficult, and it's hard to hear each other, let alone anyone trapped.

Search and rescue under these conditions will likely be interesting.

Marcel, being naturally accustomed to the dark, has no difficulty seeing and searches diligently.

Joy starts searching as well. Being able to see in the dark is pretty convenient for this job, it's true, even if the brightness of the fires can be a bit annoying. 

They're able to find a few people trapped still, some conscious and scared, some unconscious.

Tama , the familiar, has the benefit of being very light and able to scurry tight openings, that plus her superior cat senses are great to help the poor humans.

Tama finds a few people who sheltered in root cellars and basements and got trapped when their houses burned over them.

Temperance directs Tama to comfort them and directs search parties to that building.

People: can be slowly dug out.

And the adventurers can be moved on, sweeping quickly with the search teams to identify critical cases especially.

It's set to be a long, exhausting night.

Exhausting, and not a fun time, but important work.