“They’re gaining on us!”
My-re’s words were shredded by the wind. Glancing over her shoulder numerous crag wolves pursued her, Aphasia, and Vomarian Fae, captain of the flying ship, the Unsinkable III. She held onto the mere dragon, Koma, by two tuffs of hair with dear life. Vomarian rode high, right behind his mere dragon, Kata’s, front leg joints. Aphasia also rode high, on Kuki, but here condition was worse. She could see her make-shift bandage soaked with blood and staining her left leg; a vicious bite from a wolf. She looked paler than normal for a Shagornan elf.
Traveling across the flowery field in the Rirorni Plains, the three masts of the swordman tri-master grew nearer. However, it was not a welcoming site. A horde of crag wolves surrounded the grounded ship. They were ferociously looking for a way in. A few leapt, slid, and clawed at the wood. Their scratches trailed down the side. The gaping hole on the port side of the ship’s hull was nearly repaired. From their distance, she saw numerous spear-tips poking through, like a pin cushion keeping several wolves out. Sporadic arrow fire came from the main deck. A few wolves lay dead on the field. She had no idea how they were going to get on-board.
Eyeing Vomarian, he also understood the puzzle before him. With each moment, they grew closer to what seemed an unachievable prize. Wolves closed behind them and even more wolves before them. They would be spotted at any moment and be completely surrounded.
Vomarian made a hand signal, which My-re perceived as follow him. She had no idea how to steer a mere dragon. Yet, Koma continued to follow Kata, the largest. They seemed well trained. Adjusting their course, the three headed to the aft section of the ship. Specifically towards a large collection mound growing over the past two weeks from the ships refuse and crew waste. She called it the ‘Big Smelly’. The stench likely kept the wolves away.
At Vomarian’s hand gesture, My-re’s mount Koma and Aphasia’s Kuki formed behind Kata. She didn’t have any control. The wolves pursuing them began to howl. The crag wolves at the Unsinkable III turned and saw them. They broke off their attack and moved to intercept. The crew on the ship were also pointing at them.. There was frantic movement on-board.
The mere dragons unleashed a last burst of speed as they went in a wide circle away from the approaching creatures and towards the Big Smelly. Vomarian’s dragon scrambled and hopped up the refuse pile. It leapt. Both sailed through the air. Claws sunk into the Unsinkable III’s hull. Dangling on the side for a moment, the dragon scampered up and over to the deck. Aphasia and Kuki, followed and boarded.
Koma made a mad dash up the mass heap, as the crag wolves closed. My-re gripped tightly around its neck. One front leg fell through a soft stop. Its head crashed into filth.
“Go! Don’t stop!” screamed My-re kicking with her heels.
Koma sprang with its back legs and freed itself, but landed stopping and close to the apex of the trash heap. There wasn’t enough room or momentum to make the jump. A few crag wolves began to follow up the mound. There was no retreat.
The mere dragon turned and charged back down the garbage pile. Wolves waited at the bottom with dozens more closing on all sides.
“No, you stupid-”
My-re was cut off as Koma unleashed an unearthly and ear piercing shriek cutting the air like a scimitar.
The wolves cowered. Others scrambled back. My-re’s ears rang and stench filled her nostrils. Koma skidded through the muck at the bottom and turned around. The dragon charged back up the hill. She hung on even tighter and closed her eyes. It leapt. The wind rushed her face and hair. There was a solid, jolting impact. Her grip gave and she slid down its back. One foot caught the dragon’s hind quarters. She planed the other. Koma grunted in pain. They clung to the side of the ship, but Koma’s filth covered claws gripping into the wood was slipping.
“Get her up! Get her up!” Vomarian shouted. “Grab the rope!” A Shagornan elf had thrown a knotted cord over the side.
Reaching, it was too short. Koma slid. Doom waited below. The crag wolves barked, snarled, and clawed at them. My-re was hampering its hind legs and weighing down the mere dragon, she would kill the both of them.
“Don’t you let go!” Vomarian pleaded. “Hang on!”
My-re cursed in the Rirorni native language of Rathiri. The Rirorni swear roughly translated to a phrase meaning to ‘procreate with oneself’. She released her grip. As she fell, she had the satisfaction seeing Koma, free of her burden, scamper up and over onto the deck of the Unsinkable III.