more and more of our fledglings will become safe once more.”
The red dragon rose up on its haunches, eyeing the group with arrogant disgust. “I say we kill the mortals, every one of them and then our fledglings will be safe." He snarled. Four of the other flight lieges answered with an approving roar. “Your love of mortals is senseless, Renamaum!”
“Your philosophy for some time now Keensight, and yet you have only brought the mortals to anger and have insured the hunting with even more vigor. The mortals see us now as a resource in these lands. They seek our blood bonded to the earth in our deaths. They seek our meat and our bones. Our fledglings are raised in captivity only to be killed for what will fall from the ground beneath them. In someplaces, they are bled almost to death...healed and bled once more. It is your hunting that has brought this to pass. No, we need a mortal who can speak for us." Renamaum’s gaze held challenge as he looked to each flight liege.
The indecision between the flights was clear, and the blue dragon rose up and roared for silence as the large cavern rumbled beneath their roars and stamping. “I will find one and give my test, if he passes the Blue Fight's test, it will be for each flight in turn to decide if they will accept him. MY FLEDGLINGS will survive." He came down on all fours in anger. The cavern grew silent other than the hissing breaths of the great beasts. The blue dragon heaved his body around and left the gathering. He took to the air, angered by the lack of foresight in his cousins.
He soared in the wind, letting the cold air wash over him. Slowly his angered ebbed as he made a turn to ensure the path to his mate’s cavern was safe. He did not see the war machine carefully covered in vines. He did not sense the mortals, hidden by magic from his sight. His first warning was the large lance that landed deep between two ribs. He roared in pain and warning and banked hard to the left, he fluttered and floundered purposely, letting the mortals give chase. His initial thought was of his mate, but gradually he realized his situation was dangerous. If he hoped to save his fledglings, he would need to land and remove the vile wood within him. If he hoped to find the dragonsworn, he must survive this wound. He cast about for a safe place...
“Alador, come on lad, time for us to be gettin’ back. You gonna make it?" Potre’s voice almost sounded hopeful that he would not. The miner’s greedy eyes were fixed upon the stone in Alador’s lap.
“Yeah, sorry, must have dozed off." He opened his eyes to see the light was fading. He must have dozed off for some time. He fumbled the stone slightly as he worked to get into his bag. His head was still hurting something horrible. As he was finally packed and ready to join the others, Mesiande hurried over to him and gave him a big hug.
“I found four others of good weight and several small jewelry pieces. I will have earned my keep this trip." She hugged him once more. “Thank you, you did not have to share your claim.”
“I honestly did not feel well enough to have dug it further." He muttered. His mind was still caught in the strange dream. It must have been sleeping against the dragon bones that was bringing such strangeness. Regardless of that or the lump, he was glad to leave this place. A dragon grave had never bothered him before but now he felt like they should not be here. He felt as if something was watching.
Mesiande took his hand to guide him down the path to where the korpen waited. She and Alador had shared a beast on the way here, and for once he was glad that he would not be riding alone on the way back. Usually he bemoaned the fact that neither of them could afford their own beast. The korpen’s large back made two possible although not comfortable. Usually their back spikes were only placed well enough for one rider’s comfort. He had found the ride up slightly nerve racking as one
The red dragon rose up on its haunches, eyeing the group with arrogant disgust. “I say we kill the mortals, every one of them and then our fledglings will be safe." He snarled. Four of the other flight lieges answered with an approving roar. “Your love of mortals is senseless, Renamaum!”
“Your philosophy for some time now Keensight, and yet you have only brought the mortals to anger and have insured the hunting with even more vigor. The mortals see us now as a resource in these lands. They seek our blood bonded to the earth in our deaths. They seek our meat and our bones. Our fledglings are raised in captivity only to be killed for what will fall from the ground beneath them. In someplaces, they are bled almost to death...healed and bled once more. It is your hunting that has brought this to pass. No, we need a mortal who can speak for us." Renamaum’s gaze held challenge as he looked to each flight liege.
The indecision between the flights was clear, and the blue dragon rose up and roared for silence as the large cavern rumbled beneath their roars and stamping. “I will find one and give my test, if he passes the Blue Fight's test, it will be for each flight in turn to decide if they will accept him. MY FLEDGLINGS will survive." He came down on all fours in anger. The cavern grew silent other than the hissing breaths of the great beasts. The blue dragon heaved his body around and left the gathering. He took to the air, angered by the lack of foresight in his cousins.
He soared in the wind, letting the cold air wash over him. Slowly his angered ebbed as he made a turn to ensure the path to his mate’s cavern was safe. He did not see the war machine carefully covered in vines. He did not sense the mortals, hidden by magic from his sight. His first warning was the large lance that landed deep between two ribs. He roared in pain and warning and banked hard to the left, he fluttered and floundered purposely, letting the mortals give chase. His initial thought was of his mate, but gradually he realized his situation was dangerous. If he hoped to save his fledglings, he would need to land and remove the vile wood within him. If he hoped to find the dragonsworn, he must survive this wound. He cast about for a safe place...
“Alador, come on lad, time for us to be gettin’ back. You gonna make it?" Potre’s voice almost sounded hopeful that he would not. The miner’s greedy eyes were fixed upon the stone in Alador’s lap.
“Yeah, sorry, must have dozed off." He opened his eyes to see the light was fading. He must have dozed off for some time. He fumbled the stone slightly as he worked to get into his bag. His head was still hurting something horrible. As he was finally packed and ready to join the others, Mesiande hurried over to him and gave him a big hug.
“I found four others of good weight and several small jewelry pieces. I will have earned my keep this trip." She hugged him once more. “Thank you, you did not have to share your claim.”
“I honestly did not feel well enough to have dug it further." He muttered. His mind was still caught in the strange dream. It must have been sleeping against the dragon bones that was bringing such strangeness. Regardless of that or the lump, he was glad to leave this place. A dragon grave had never bothered him before but now he felt like they should not be here. He felt as if something was watching.
Mesiande took his hand to guide him down the path to where the korpen waited. She and Alador had shared a beast on the way here, and for once he was glad that he would not be riding alone on the way back. Usually he bemoaned the fact that neither of them could afford their own beast. The korpen’s large back made two possible although not comfortable. Usually their back spikes were only placed well enough for one rider’s comfort. He had found the ride up slightly nerve racking as one
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