First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Chapter Seven
Part Four

They’d been flying for about a day when Rai sensed the first dragon. It was some way away and there was dragon territory nearby, so he didn’t think much of it. But it was in their path, so he altered course slightly to avoid it and flew on.  Moments later he sensed another one hovering in the new course he’d chosen. Not good, but twice might be coincidence. He changed course again. The Light Warrior shifted on his back as she noticed the changes and her mind brushed his questioningly.

Is something wrong?

I’ve sensed two dragons in my flight path in the last five minutes, he replied. I’m trying to avoid- He broke off. There’s another two one ahead of us and  one behind us.

Above him he heard her swearing furiously and then she went quiet and he knew she was reaching out to sense for the dragons.

Land! Now! she snapped. I count six out there and from their positions they mean to herd us somewhere. If I have to fight six dragons on my own, it’s going to be on the ground of my choosing. Not theirs.

Valeria wouldn’t like him taking orders from a human, but in the circumstances he couldn’t see much choice. He scouted around until he spotted a steep and narrow wooded valley which would give them some shelter and landed in a clearing. The Light Warrior slid from his back and unhooked her axes from her belt.

“I think you should send an imp to Valeria,” she said. “These dragons are awfully close to her border. I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either,” he agreed. “You’re right.” He concentrated everything that had happened in the last day and sent an Imp flying off. “There!” He cast around for the dragons but couldn’t sense them right now. From the anxious look on the Light Warrior’s face, she could.

“Could you go to resting form?” she asked.

“Why?” He looked at her suspiciously.

“I don’t feel safe staying still. I want to start hiking for the border, but you can’t travel well on the ground. I’ll have to carry the three of you.” She tutted her tongue against her teeth and looked around. “But I want to keep my axes to hand, so I need something to carry you in.”

Rai looked at his backup and saw they were finally conscious. Both of them were trembling as they looked at Karen. He explained the situation to them tersely and then looked back at her. “Keeping moving is a good idea. We’ll ride on your shoulders.”

“That’ll have to do, I guess.” She waited while Rai shrank down into his resting form and then let the three of them take up perches on her shoulders. Perun nearly slipped off and dug his claws in, making her yelp. “Ow! Be careful with  your talons.”

“Sorry,” Perun apologised.

“That’s okay.” She stood there for a long moment, obviously orienting herself towards the direction she could sense Alban in. “Good, this valley goes in roughly the right direction.” She set off walking towards the border.

“We’d better avoid other speakers as well,” Rai suggested.

“Hmm? Likely to attack us?” she asked as she started walking.

“Yes,” Rai said softly. “The only safe place around here would be the eyrie. There’s trouble brewing and it seems to be coming from this region.”

“Nothing is ever simple is it?” She didn’t sound surprised. “Tell me, are there a lot of refugees from Elapyron City around here?”

Rai fell off her shoulder with a startled caw. She stopped and waited for him pull himself together and fly back to her shoulder.

“How did you know that?”

“It was an informed guess. Caerdu was having problems caused by refugees from Elapyron. We found out something very wrong was going on there before it fell.”

“What sort of wrong?” Rai asked and then wished he hadn’t when she told him.

“That’s horrible!” Perun interrupted.

“But it does explain why they closed the borders,” Levina finally spoke up from where she was perched on the warrior’s other shoulder. “They would have needed to keep that hidden. Sometimes I think the world is going insane by inches.”

“It is.” The light warrior slowed and grabbed onto a sapling for balance as she slid down a small scree slope towards a small stream. “Warn me if you sense any Speakers. Though with dragons around they’ve probably all scarpered.”

“I will.” Rai flinched back as he sensed one of the dragons swoop low over the trees. Through the canopy he caught a glimpse of dark red scales on a sinuous tail. “Can you conceal us?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Light reveals things rather than concealing them, and they’re hunting-” She gave a startled cry and leapt back as a giant clawed foot struck down through the trees and missed her by a hair’s breadth. “Shit! They’ve found us!” She lashed out at the dragon’s foot and gashed it open. The dragon screamed as thick red blood oozed out. She took advantage of its distraction and slashed it again before fleeing.

First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Enjoying Dragon Wars? Vote for it on Top Web Fiction! and ask a question!