about to say something, but Renick returned with the firewood.
The two boys set to work building the fire. Once they had a good blaze going, they helped Lainey move to sit next to it. The baby dragon started crooning as it warmed by the fire. Lainey laughed. It felt good to laugh after the terrifying trip down the river. Thane and Renick joined her, their laughs blending oddly with hers. Even the baby dragon started making short barking noises. Lainey stroked the dragon's neck.
"It's okay," she whispered softly. "We're safe now."
Chapter 9: Run!
Something wrong. Plyth lifted his head. The fire warmed his cold, wet scales. Something out there. He turned his head and searched. Kind rubbed his head, but it did not comfort him. He wiggled in her lap. Yes, something wrong.
Plyth sniffed the air. Wood. Green. Rain. Rabbit. Smoke. He smelled all that. Nothing bad. Good smells. Plyth listened. Kind hummed a sweet, soft song. Good sound. Plyth liked humming. Wind moved some leaves. Rabbit darted away. Dirt shifted.
He stopped. Dirt moved? Why? Under a foot. Plyth tasted the air again. Nothing. No bad smell.
Snap.
Plyth jumped out of Kind's lap. Looking, looking everywhere. Listen, smell. Wind again—this time it smelled of something familiar. Something Plyth smelled before. Something from when his mother fell. Bad smell, very bad smell. Danger.
Hunters.
Plyth ran in a circle. Whined, and ran in a circle again. Hunters. There were hunters nearby. It was not safe here.
Kind picked up Plyth and rubbed him. He tried to wiggle free. Scared. Need to run away. He whined again. Bad. Hunters bad. Danger—must get away. Hurt mother—now they want to hurt him. Plyth cried. Kind held him tighter. She said something. She was worried. Trusted felt unsure. Brave was tense.
Hunters. Danger.
Plyth looked at Trusted. Run away. He wanted to get away. Plyth looked at Kind. She not understand. How to tell? How to tell?
More dirt shifted. They were coming. Close now. They must have trail to follow. Must see them, hear them. Maybe they could still get away.
Plyth's fear got worse. He wanted to fly away, He beat his wings. Pain. He could not fly. Broken wing. He wiggled again, trying to get out of Kind's grasp. Need to run. Kind stood up. Plyth arched his neck back and tried to see her eyes. Needed to tell her. Run. Run. Run. Mother would know. Mother could tell.
Brave and Trusted went to woods. No, not safe. Come back—hunters that way. They gone for long time. Plyth wiggled some more. Not that way. Not safe. Trusted came back, and Brave came back too. They okay. They growled and chattered at Kind.
Plyth thought of Kind, then thought of running away. He thought of danger and made his thoughts big. Loud. Run. Run. "Run!"
Kind made a funny sound. Lots of air going in at once. Plyth made thought loud and big and looked at Brave and Trusted. Run. Run. "Run!"
Trusted looked at Plyth. He chattered at Kind and Brave.
They started running. Yes, yes. Run!
Chapter 10: Dragon's Voice
Renick burst through the trees into a small clearing. They were exposed. He needed to find cover. Off to his left, toward the edge of the open space, an ancient tree had fallen over and rotted out. The remains were large enough to hide them. Renick changed course and headed for the tree. When he reached it, he skidded to a halt. Lainey whipped past him, sliding to the ground, her back to the log and her arms clutching the baby dragon.
"You okay?" Renick asked through gasps of air.
Lainey nodded. She was breathing too hard to speak.
Turning, Renick scanned the line of trees. Thane leapt into the clearing and pivoted, sword drawn. He stood ready, the point of his blade swaying back and forth. Then he spun around, and in a few short bounds, dodged behind the log.
"I don't think they followed us," Thane said as he sheathed his sword. He crouched down and knelt on one knee.
Renick crumpled to the ground next to Lainey. He sat with his legs folded and
The two boys set to work building the fire. Once they had a good blaze going, they helped Lainey move to sit next to it. The baby dragon started crooning as it warmed by the fire. Lainey laughed. It felt good to laugh after the terrifying trip down the river. Thane and Renick joined her, their laughs blending oddly with hers. Even the baby dragon started making short barking noises. Lainey stroked the dragon's neck.
"It's okay," she whispered softly. "We're safe now."
Chapter 9: Run!
Something wrong. Plyth lifted his head. The fire warmed his cold, wet scales. Something out there. He turned his head and searched. Kind rubbed his head, but it did not comfort him. He wiggled in her lap. Yes, something wrong.
Plyth sniffed the air. Wood. Green. Rain. Rabbit. Smoke. He smelled all that. Nothing bad. Good smells. Plyth listened. Kind hummed a sweet, soft song. Good sound. Plyth liked humming. Wind moved some leaves. Rabbit darted away. Dirt shifted.
He stopped. Dirt moved? Why? Under a foot. Plyth tasted the air again. Nothing. No bad smell.
Snap.
Plyth jumped out of Kind's lap. Looking, looking everywhere. Listen, smell. Wind again—this time it smelled of something familiar. Something Plyth smelled before. Something from when his mother fell. Bad smell, very bad smell. Danger.
Hunters.
Plyth ran in a circle. Whined, and ran in a circle again. Hunters. There were hunters nearby. It was not safe here.
Kind picked up Plyth and rubbed him. He tried to wiggle free. Scared. Need to run away. He whined again. Bad. Hunters bad. Danger—must get away. Hurt mother—now they want to hurt him. Plyth cried. Kind held him tighter. She said something. She was worried. Trusted felt unsure. Brave was tense.
Hunters. Danger.
Plyth looked at Trusted. Run away. He wanted to get away. Plyth looked at Kind. She not understand. How to tell? How to tell?
More dirt shifted. They were coming. Close now. They must have trail to follow. Must see them, hear them. Maybe they could still get away.
Plyth's fear got worse. He wanted to fly away, He beat his wings. Pain. He could not fly. Broken wing. He wiggled again, trying to get out of Kind's grasp. Need to run. Kind stood up. Plyth arched his neck back and tried to see her eyes. Needed to tell her. Run. Run. Run. Mother would know. Mother could tell.
Brave and Trusted went to woods. No, not safe. Come back—hunters that way. They gone for long time. Plyth wiggled some more. Not that way. Not safe. Trusted came back, and Brave came back too. They okay. They growled and chattered at Kind.
Plyth thought of Kind, then thought of running away. He thought of danger and made his thoughts big. Loud. Run. Run. "Run!"
Kind made a funny sound. Lots of air going in at once. Plyth made thought loud and big and looked at Brave and Trusted. Run. Run. "Run!"
Trusted looked at Plyth. He chattered at Kind and Brave.
They started running. Yes, yes. Run!
Chapter 10: Dragon's Voice
Renick burst through the trees into a small clearing. They were exposed. He needed to find cover. Off to his left, toward the edge of the open space, an ancient tree had fallen over and rotted out. The remains were large enough to hide them. Renick changed course and headed for the tree. When he reached it, he skidded to a halt. Lainey whipped past him, sliding to the ground, her back to the log and her arms clutching the baby dragon.
"You okay?" Renick asked through gasps of air.
Lainey nodded. She was breathing too hard to speak.
Turning, Renick scanned the line of trees. Thane leapt into the clearing and pivoted, sword drawn. He stood ready, the point of his blade swaying back and forth. Then he spun around, and in a few short bounds, dodged behind the log.
"I don't think they followed us," Thane said as he sheathed his sword. He crouched down and knelt on one knee.
Renick crumpled to the ground next to Lainey. He sat with his legs folded and
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