“Get back to the ship! Run!”
My-re carried the goat, Joey and ran through the flowery field back to the flying ship, the Unsinkable III, which was currently grounded and under repair. The haunting calls of the crag wolves were all around and getting closer. She didn’t look back, but heard the footsteps of the four Shagornan elves following. They were wisely heeding her warning.
“We have to warn the other camps!” Vomarian Fae, and captain of the ship, shouted behind her.
“They can hear. If they haven’t started running, they’re already dead.”
The four group fled through a clearing in the fields. Just ahead was a cropping of tall grass. It was perfect for them to find cover from the crag wolves as they ran. Joey began to squirm fiercely. My-re let him fall. The goat stopped.
The elves caught up to her. My-re grabbed Vomarian Fae as he passed. Once he stopped, she grabbed another one of the passing elves around the chest. She felt the slight hint of cleavage. Well, there were female Shagornan elves with them after all. The other two continued to flee.
“Stop!” My-re yelled. The elves continued, either not hearing or ignoring her, plowing into the tall fields, and disappeared.
“Why in the nine hells did you do that?” Vomarian asked looking behind him. He followed her gaze to the stationary animal. He then continued, “That goat is too stupid to know when it’s about to become somethings dinner. It’s going to get us killed!”
Vicious snarls and high pitched elven screams of agony came from within the tall grass a short distance away. Their shrieks suddenly silenced; replaced by gurgling. Vomarian and My-re brought up their battle axes. The third female Shagornan elf stood by her long spear.
Unseen, low growls emanated from just ahead. The grass parted and four crag wolves pushed their way through. Behind them they saw glimpses of other wolves tearing apart what was left of the two unfortunate elves and chasing each other for the scraps. They snarled at seeing My-re and the elves. Lips parted, unsheathing yellow-stained fangs, ending in dagger-like points. Their gums receded from their teeth to make them even longer. Their mouths were likely coated in bacteria. A single bite and infection could be just as deadly as your throat being torn out. These wolves were massive as their shoulders almost reached theirs. Their brown and black fur bristles and appeared course and thick. In the light, it seemed they also had light blue stripes traveling along its length. Each had long, curved bone-like spikes coming from their back and going down their spine. There appeared to be a different species all together from the Alastarian wolves; a harsh and unforgiving breed from a harsh and unforgiving land. A single one could kill the three of them with ease.
“The hunter becomes the hunted? We’ll test nature’s resolve,” Vomarian snarled as he gripped his battle axe tighter.
The goat Joey gave a long bleat. He dashed away into the tall grass. Two crag wolves pursued.
“No!” screamed My-re. She took a step, but stopped. The remaining two wolves moved to intercept her. Joey was doomed.
“Well, we won’t be eating him after all,” Vomarian quipped watching two of the wolves leave. “Looks like I owe the little snack one.”
Snarling, the two crag wolves began barking at them. Scratching at the dirt, they made fake lunges. They seemed to be working themselves up in a frenzy to attack.
“Aphasia, formation!” called out Vomarian. Aphasia moved closer. My-re followed.
The crag wolves were moving in circles around their opponents.
One wolf catapulted forward, fangs flashing in a deadly assault.
My-re’s gladiator instincts took over. She dodged right, out of harm’s way.
“My-re, stay on tag!” bellowed Vomarian.
Cursing herself, she was cut off from Vomarian and Aphasia. The two elves backed away and looked for a better position.
Facing My-re was the largest of the wolves and likely leader. It was moving constantly without pause.
The other, slight smaller wolf, but no less ferocious, lunged forward with incredible swiftness and power!
Vomarian Fae twisted away from the blow at the last instant.
Aphasia was struck on the left leg. The bit was devastating! She was dangerously stunned!
Vomarian bashed with the side of his battle axe. The wolf was struck on the side of its head. He smashed at his opponent with his battle axe. The creature released its bite and ducked out of the way of the attack.
Distracted by the battle’s intensity the wolf leader catapulted forward, jaws flashing in a deadly assault. My-re gritted her teeth as she impossibly parried the blow with her battle axe.
The wolf’s jaws immediately clenched down and around the reinforced handle. Its massive weight knocked her to the ground. Her arm muscles snapped taut and kept it at bay. It pushed forward. She could feel wet, hot and rotten breath exhale from its nose and mouth. Attempting to slide the blade down to slice it, the wolf clamped tighter. Trying to scoot on her derriere, a massive paw landed on her chest. Her cloth clothing and endowments were the only things helping absorb the blow. Rib cartilage snapped and popped. It felt good for a moment, and then the pain registered. Her strength gave. Her grip slipped. The deadly fangs closed.
A long, ‘bleat!’ came from the tall grass. Joey was returning. Stupid goat, why was he coming back? He can’t save them.
Bleat!
At the end of things, My-re decided her last vision would be something of her choosing. Turning her head, Joey emerged from the grass. The kid-goat hopped several feet and stopped in the middle of the battlefield.
Time slowed. Two crag wolves chasing Joey lunged with unnerved precision from the grass towards the stationary target. Their movement slowed and stopped. Their jaws were inches from Joey’s tail.
Time sped up. There was a painful ‘yelp!’ as both wolves clawed desperately at the ground and were dragged back into the grass. They disappeared.
An unearthly and ear piercing shriek cut the air like a scimitar.
Everyone stopped. Including the crag wolf that was attacking My-re.
Two creatures’ bodies sailed through the air without a sound. They landed hard on the ground. Their twisted forms came to rest; backs and jaws clearly broken.
A blurred maroon form swiped inches from My-re’s face. The force knocked her to the side. She was surprised she was still alive. The crag wolf on top of her rolled away hard.
Standing over her was a mere dragon. It was Koma!
It issued the same ear piercing shriek at the wolf confronting her. It felt like daggers penetrating her brain. My-re tried to protect her ears.
The crag wolf was mauled by fresh, vicious claw marks traveling across from forehead, over one eye to it snout.
The blurred forms of two mere dragons emerged and descended on the remaining crag wolf keeping Vomarian Fae and Aphasia at bay. Claws, fangs, and whip-like tails spun in a deadly dance. In short order the wolf was flanked and torn into pieces.
The lone surviving and badly scarred wolf, barked in an act of defiance. Koma advanced. The wounded creature cowered and retreated into the grass. Howling as it fled.
Using her battle axe, My-re slowly began to rise. She sipped in air and clutched her chest. Her battered ribs felt like knives pressing in each time she breathed. An old maul wound from her Blood Game Champion days reopened.
Koma used its snout to help push her to her feet.
Vomarian was helping Aphasia to stand. The blood flow from her leg stemmed from a make-shift bandage. She put weight on it, but immediately crumbled. Running, let alone walking was right out.
The three mere dragons, Kata, the largest, Koma, and Kuki, not to be confused with a cookie, as Havelock would put it, laid down on the ground and snorted.
“Get on!” Vomarian shouted as he helped Aphasia straddle Kuki. The elf cringed in pain as her wounded leg fell to the other side. “Our asses aren’t out of the grass yet!”
“How are we going to ride these things? There isn’t any saddle,” My-re questioned as Vomarian climbed on Kata.
Numerous haunting howls emanated from the pasture. They were close.
“Never mind, I’ll figure it out,” My-re said waiving off that a response wasn’t necessary. She attempted to straddle Koma in a couple places, but none of them felt right. Koma looked at her with what she perceived as annoyance. Her head picked up and a low growl reverberated from her throat. More threats were near.
“I’ve never ridden a dragon!”
The mere dragon bucked up under My-re’s legs and she sprang onto its back. My-re laid down and gripped a tuff of hair in desperation.
Howls were getting closer.
“Let’s get out of here!”
Koma began to move.
Bleat!
“The nine hells! Joey!” My-re called out.
The three looked back and the kid-goat stood in the middle of the clearing.
Bleat!
Kata turned with Vomarian on his back and charged the goat.
“Don’t eat him!”
Reaching out, Vomarian grabbed Joey by the scruff of his neck and pulled him into his arms. Reaching My-re, Vomarian said, “I’d say we owed him one.”