The Last Dragon Chronicles: The Fire Ascending by Chris D'Lacey

will guide you to the Skogan Stones, which stand in plain view of Kasgerden’s peak. The stones are not far, but the way to them is steep.”
    You must rest , said the Fain.
    The soft patter of water drummed the forest floor. I looked up at the sky. A patch of marshy rain clouds were drifting south. The skogkatts were slinking back into the trees, already searching for warmth and cover. I was exhausted and
    wanted to be out of the rain as well. I said
    to Tryst, “I need time to sleep.”
    He licked a paw and said, “Katts sleep
    often, but not for long. Shelter where you

    can. Be ready when we come for you.”
    “Why were you arguing?” I looked at the katt that had walked off in anger.
    But Tryst simply repeated his last command. “Be ready when we come.” And with a flourish of his bushy tail he
    was gone.
    I found a place where the canopy of branches was thickest. I slept for what seemed like the second it took to lay my head on my backpack and yawn. I dreamed of Brunne. Over and again I witnessed the moment just before the fishbone was drawn across his throat and
    his voice was still able to croak about
    time. What wisdom had he not been able
    to speak? How did it connect to the dragon with the parchment? His final

    words swept through my mind.   Keep Galen in your sight.   And then Galen pushed his fearsome head into my dreams. His jaw unlatched and I raised my arms to welcome his fire. Everything I knew about myself was burned. But out of my ashes rose a new form. I was Agawin, the boy. And then I was…
    … woken by bark chippings tickling my cheek. Spluttering like an idiot, I leaped to my feet, brandishing my knife at empty space. One of the katts was clinging upside down to the tree I’d been under. It spread a set of claws and idly licked them.   N–yeh   , it went, in a belittling tone. It looked a little pleased with itself.
    Tryst was sitting on a root nearby, his thick tail wrapped across his stout front

    paws. The rain had stopped, but the ends of his fur were glistening still. His bright green eyes were wide and alert. “I bring news of Voss.”
    I rubbed the tiredness away and asked
    what he knew.
    “The eagles have seen him, halfway up
    the mountain.”
    “You commingle with eagles?” It
    occurred to me then that I had heard no
    sound of birdsong in the forest. Winged creatures were too afraid to roost here, perhaps?
    “During winterfold we leave them mice,” said Tryst. “It pleases them – and keeps them out of the forest.”
    “They hunt you?”
    “They try.” He wrinkled his nose.

    “Voss is making no attempt to hide his
    presence.”
    “But Galen will see him.”
    “He already has. He sent two eagles to challenge Voss. Voss captured them and roasted them over a fire. Kasgerden weeps with their scent.”
    I shook my head in disbelief. “What kind of man would dare taunt a dragon?”
    One that is confident of victory , said the Fain.
    Tryst stood up and groomed his fur. “Galen has yet to retaliate. It’s not clearwhy he waits; the eagles refuse to say. Butno dragon would turn away from thisthreat.” He looked me in the eye. “You,however, still can. Go back, Agawin. Wewill lead you to safety. You cannot hinder

    Voss. And you have no hope of defeatinghim.”
    “I defeated you,” I said, as more katts drifted into the clearing. Tryst raised his head   proudly.   I   added   at   once, “Sometimes even the finest warriors meet
    with unfavourable luck. Voss has a
    weakness. Why else would he take an innocent girl and drug the men of three tribes so they could not follow him?”
    An interesting argument   , the Fain replied.
    “Take me to the stones,” I said to Tryst.
    The katt stared at me as if I had a wish
    to be dead, but he did not question my bravery further. “Six of us will escort you. We cannot pass beyond the edge of the forest. Once the way through the trees

    becomes clear, you must