by Liss Thomas
“But how can we convince the dragons it’s the hyenas and not me who made the babies sick?” Missy asked.
“We will go out with you tomorrow to meet Drago. I will plead your case. He respects our borders. If he will not listen to reason, you may stay until another solution presents itself,” Calico said.
“We are grateful for your assistance, Calico,” Missy said.
“Come. You may sleep in my hut tonight.”
Calico led Missy and Sir Alastaire to a nearby hut. The spacious hut’s flooring looked to be palm frowns or something similar. The willow leaves created a dense curtain around the enclosure, keeping the inside cozy and private. She settled them down and then left to find food and drink. When she returned, Sir Alastaire lay curled up in Missy’s pack dozing. Calico put down a plate of raw fish and two cups.
“I will be in the large hut tonight if you need me.” With that, Calico left them.
“Does she expect us to eat this?” Sir Alastaire said between yawns.
“It’s just like eating sushi,” Missy said as she cut the fish into small nigiri style chunks. “Except there’s no rice.”
“Pass,” Sir Alastaire said. “Besides, I’ve loaded your pack with a few nuts since we’ve been traveling.”
“So that’s why my pack is so heavy,” Missy said as she glanced inside at the horde of nuts Sir Alastaire had managed to stash. They finished their meal then readied for bed. Missy lay awake in constant worry, not only for herself but also for Charlie and the others.
“I’m worried about the others,” she whispered to Alastaire.
“Me too, but we must focus on tomorrow. If we convince the dragon, he will know what happened to Atian and Vrag and that will tell us about Charlie. Try to rest, girl, we have a big day tomorrow.”
Chapter 17
A thunderous shrilled cry shattered the quiet predawn silence. Missy had not been asleep, but the sound shook her nonetheless.
“He sounds close,” she said
“Too close,” Sir Alastaire agreed. Missy shrugged out of her sleeping bag and dressed quickly. She packed as Sir Alastaire foraged for breakfast. He returned with fruit, nuts, and Calico.
“Drago is at the boundary, and he calls for me. He knows you are here. Eat quickly, we leave soon,” Calico said. She touched Missy’s shoulder as she left. “He will listen to me; do not worry.”
Missy finished her breakfast quickly then rushed down to Egan’s pen. She led the cabayo out of the pen and met up with Calico and others of the Oceclan. They followed Calico to the opposite end of the forest. Drago waited at the edge. He paced in halted steps and swished his massive tail frantically. Small whiffs of fire erupted from his flared nostrils.
“Stay back here out of sight, Missy. I will talk to him,” Calico said
She left alone to talk to the dragon. When he saw her coming, he lowered himself to her level.
“You hide the human from me, Calico?” he asked. He spoke in an even tone but it still shook the ground.
“I entreat you on her behalf, Wise Father of the Dragons. I believe you are mistaken about the human. The jackal has deceived you,” Calico began. She stood on a tall rock as she gazed into the intense black eyes of Drago. His reddish-brown scaled body twitched in his agitation. His tail slapped the ground causing a tremor while he gripped and crushed stones in his massive claws absently.
“Anukhan came and spoke to me himself. He knows I despise him and would dare not mislead me less I destroy his entire clan. He insisted the human caused the suffering of my children. She quests to become a monster. To move ahead, she must challenge me. Stealing my young and their powers is inexcusable. Drina and I cannot rest until our young are well, Calico. I will crush whoever dare harm them. Bring the human out to me!” Drago said rising to his full height as flames shot from his nostrils. Smoke billowed up before dissipating, leaving a lingering sulfurous smell.
“Please listen to her. Allow her to speak, Great Father,” Calico pleaded. She turned and headed back into the forest. When she reached the girl, she had no words of encouragement. She led Missy in silence, wondering what the girl could say to the great beast to win his trust. Sir Alastaire followed behind, leading Egan toward the clearing. Calico broke free from the trees, blocking Missy from view.
“Well?” Drago asked. Calico stepped aside to reveal Missy. She watched as Drago stared with one large eye then the other, turning his head side to side. He seemed unsure, confused. He lowered his head to examine her then shot Calico a meaningful look.
“She’s just a child!” he said. Turning back to Missy, he added, “Speak, child, tell me the truth.” Drago spoke in a fatherly voice but it rumbled the ground and resonated to her bones.
Missy trembled. Her words escaped her as more shudders ran through her body. His strong emotions assailed her senses. The great pain he felt for his young overwhelmed her special gift. She wanted to flee, run from the onslaught, but her legs buckled instead sending her to her knees.
“Do not be afraid, little one,” Drago said as he tried to calm her.
Missy gasped for breath as tears erupted from her eyes. She reached out and touched the dragon’s snout, her hand trembling violently. The emotions became stronger. Pictures flashed through her brain of the young dragons now wingless, and their mother as she wailed for them. Drago stood rooted to the spot. Missy could only guess what images he saw from her. She wanted to un-mute her lips, ask so many questions, tell him the truth, but as the pictures in her mind faded, she couldn’t stop the tumble down into dense darkness.
Chapter 18
She was riding Egan, that much she knew. Coming up slowly from the darkness, Missy didn’t have the courage to open her eyes. Someone held her on the cabayo, riding with care so as not to jostle her.
“Sir Alastaire?” she asked without looking.
“One in the same, dear girl. How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Confused. What happened?” she asked.
“That talent of yours is a nifty little trick. It would appear you went into sensory overload with Drago. He is very powerful and you didn’t handle the exchange very well.”
“Great. He must think I’m a lunatic.”
“On the contrary, my dear, he saw everything, from your human childhood to the present. He snarled viciously when he saw the winged hyenas. We were correct in our assumptions, girl; those are the baby dragon wings,” Sir Alastaire said.
“Now all we need to do is find out how the hyenas got the wings and how to reverse the process. That is, of course, if Drago doesn’t kill them first,” Missy said. Comfortable now, she gazed around.
“I convinced him to let us investigate before he kills the entire clan of hyenas, although I was tempted to let him do it. That lot is a nuisance.”
The sun shone overhead, but dense cloud cover obstructed its brilliance making the air considerably cooler. Missy pulled her coat tighter around herself and took Egan’s mane. Sir Alastaire took off the pack and helped Missy into it before shrinking and hopping inside.
“How long was I out?” she asked.
“Several hours, but we took it slow so we won’t hit hyena territory today. Now about your unique ability, I think you need to practice using it. Your instincts are there, but you are not controlling it; it is controlling you.”
“It just happens. I don’t think I can control it,” Missy said.
“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, girl. You had to work at it with Calico. She didn’t understand you at first, but once you got angry, you even spoke in her tongue. With Drago, it overtook you. With Egan, it seems second nature, and easy.”
Missy thought about each time she’d used the special gift, imagining the different scenarios and outcomes.
“It is easier with simpler creatures, I think,” she said. Egan snorted. “No offense good boy,” she added. Patting his head and scratching his ears, she continued, “I found it was easy to communicate with the finch also. Calico, by far, was the hardest to reach.”
“You’ve never tried it on me,” Sir Alastaire said.
“No need, you understand me.”
“Or I am able to shut you out of my emotions. Give it a try, how am I feeling?” he asked.
Missy let her mind wander; she felt Egan’s impatience to run but not much from the squirrel.
“I feel Egan but not you Sir Alastaire,” Missy said on a sigh.
“Maybe this will help,” he said as he scrambled out of the pack and sat on her head.
“Oh, this is much better,” she said, rolling her eyes and swatting him.
He chuckled then ran down to her hands and placed a paw on them. “Physical contact should help,” he added. Missy tried again. Egan wanted to munch on a few patches of sweet grass just ahead. Missy let him slow down to eat while she concentrated on reading Sir Alastaire’s emotions. With difficulty, she felt a small wave of anger.
“I feel anger,” she said.
“Very good. Try again.”
She felt the anger melt away to anxiety.
“You’re anxious.”
“One more,” he said.
Missy sensed the emotion turn from anxiety to happiness, elation. “Happiness,” she said.
“Good. Of course, you won’t always have physical contact. Continue to try and read my emotions without it,” Sir Alastaire said.
They continued to practice until Missy mastered reading his emotions even at several yards away. He scouted ahead, and when he found a good spot to rest for the night, he indicated it by changing his emotions. Missy began tracking him by honing in on his distinctive patterns. Missy entered a secluded grove of trees off the traveling road. Sir Alastaire had already started gathering wood for a fire. Missy unpacked her tent and set it up, and then got Egan ready for the night. They found roots and a few nuts for dinner. Sir Alastaire found grubs but Missy refused them.
“No thanks. I’ll eat later,” she said. “How long will it take us to get to hyena territory?” she asked.
“Less than half a day’s ride. Do you have a plan for getting in undetected?” he asked.
“Not really. I thought we could just walk in and ask to speak to the head hyena. If all else fails, they will put us in the same place they are keeping Atian and Vrag.”
“That’s not a very good plan. If we are caught, how will we escape?”
“I’m working on that,” Missy said.
Sir Alastaire put out the fire and retired to the tent. He fell asleep quickly as Missy took first watch. She climbed a tree and settled down. Her mind raced through several scenarios before a plan started to formulate. It all depended on her ability to communicate with Calico’s mother, if she and the baby dragon were there, of course. She needed inside information. She needed Charlie, badly. Missy relaxed her mind and tried to sense Egan. She felt contentment from him, sleeping and dreaming of running. Missy smiled at the simple pleasures. Next, she tried to sense Sir Alastaire. Still difficult, she eventually sensed foreboding and anxiety from him. His dreams were not so pleasant. Pushing her mind further, she tried to sense Charlie. Since they’d joined, they shared a stronger link. Perhaps she could sense him at great lengths. She pictured him in her mind and the distinctive feel of his emotions. She sent out a message with her mind.
“Charlie, can you hear me?” She gently nudged, not wanting to startle him. She felt confusion, and then recognition slipped across her mind. “Charlie, where are you?” This time he answered.
“I am in hyena territory. How are you doing this? Where are you?” he asked.
“Being joined has its advantages, especially with my little gift added on,” she said. “I need to know how Vrag and your Father are being detained. Why haven’t they escaped?”
“They are in a detention cell that drains their strength. I can’t explain it.”
“Are there others in the cell, a woman perhaps?” Missy asked.
“Yes, a very strange catlike woman. The power drain seems to be coming from her, but if father or Vrag get close to her, their strength is drained twice as much.”
“She is the leader of the Oceclan; they live in the Valley of the Tall Trees. We are close. We will be in hyena territory tomorrow, where can we meet?”
“There is a large collection of boulders near the border. The trees here are strange and dead like. I’ve been nesting in them during the day and visiting father through a window at night. I’ll stay there tomorrow until you arrive. Missy, be careful, love,” Charlie said.
“You too, Charlie.”
At around midnight, Sir Alastaire appeared in the tree for watch duty.
“I spoke to Charlie. He knows where Vrag, Atian, and Calico’s mother are. I’ve made arrangements to meet up with him tomorrow,” Missy said.
“Good girl, you’ve been practicing your talent,” Sir Alastaire said. “Get some sleep, we ride early tomorrow.”
Missy nodded and made her way to the tent. She passed by Egan who had rolled onto his back, snoring. She tucked the blanket around him, smiling at the running dream he still had, and went to bed.
When she opened her tent the next morning, Egan’s gear sat neatly outside in a pile, and a fire burned warmly in a pit. Several pieces of fruit were set out for breakfast. Something also roasted on a spit.
“You’ve been busy, Sir Alastaire,” Missy commented as she sat near the fire warming her hands and feet.
“I’ve already had breakfast, so eat up. You will need your strength today. Egan caught the fish in a nearby stream. He thought you might like it.”
Missy thanked them both then looked more closely at the roasting fish that had been put on a spit, head, scales, and all. Missy crinkled her nose and took it from the fire, removed the head, and attempted to fillet it, then replaced it on the fire. She ate the fruit and packed some away for later. After several more minutes over the fire, the fish smelled ready with a much better scent without the scales. She ate it quickly and then put out the fire and broke down the camp. Egan stomped and scraped the ground, chomping at the bit, ready to run. Sir Alastaire positioned himself in the pack and Missy climbed onto Egan’s back. He started moving as soon as she grabbed ahold of his mane. Within minutes, at full gallop, he tore across the land oozing excitement.
The terrain turned from a lush green to a depressing brown as they rode on. The grass looked dead and sparse, while the once evergreen trees looked hollow and sickly. Even Egan slowed to take in the new surroundings. He bristled at the landscape, sensing something unnatural. Missy saw large rock formations ahead, mingled among the chalky dead trees.
“I think we’re here,” she said.
Sir Alastaire came from the pack and perched on her shoulder. “Yes, this is the awful place. Where are we meeting Charlie?”
“Near those boulders.”
They made haste toward the rocks as Sir Alastaire kept an eye out for lurking hyenas. When they reached the first of the sickly trees, a small hawk swooped down toward them.
“Missy! You made it!” Charlie said.
“So good to see you, Charlie!” Missy said. The hawk landed on her arm, and she pulled him into a hug, careful not to ruffle his feathers. When she released him, she added, “I have a plan.”
When she’d finished explaining it, neither Charlie nor Sir Alastaire looked happy. “There are a lot of ‘ifs’ in your plan, Missy. What if everything you suppose is not true? The cell is high on the cliff wall. There’s a large iron door that bolts from the outside. Inside is no better. Except for the metal table the cat woman is imprisoned on, there’s only the stone walls and the sandy floor. No water, no other materials.“
“Well, do you have a better idea?” she asked. Unable to come up with a better plan, they settled for hers. She dismounted and pulled Egan’s face to hers.
“Now listen, Egan, you will have to stay here and out of sight for a while. Do not come into hyena territory. If all goes well, you will take Sir Alastaire, Calico’s mother, and the baby dragon back to dragon territory as fast as you can. Under
stand?” she asked. A wave of understanding rippled off the cabayo along with unhappiness for being left behind.
“I’m sorry, but you have to stay here,” she said, smoothing the hair on his mane as he continued to pout. Missy gave him a small piece of fruit before Charlie led the way to the hyena territory.
They walked past the last of the boulders and looked up at the jagged terrain. The cave-like dwellings carved into the mountainside appeared crude and lacked color, like everything else about the land.
“There are a series of interlocking caves and dwellings in there. I think it used to belong to the jackals until they found a better location. Hyenas don’t have the skills to create dwellings, at least not this sophisticated,” Charlie said.
“We need to find the head hyena,” Missy said.
“He dwells over there,” Charlie said, indicating one of the highest of the cave dwellings. As they made their way toward the structures, they spotted several hyenas lurking in the shadows.
“They don’t know what to do with us,” Sir Alastaire said.
Missy spotted a chunky one behind a nearby rock. “You there!” she said. “Take us to the head hyena immediately.” Her authoritative tone sparked the young hyena, and he didn’t seem to question her. He tucked his tail and led them through the encampment. Other hyenas followed behind the group. When he came to the first set of guards, the young hyena finally spoke.
“These strangers would like to see the leader,” he barked and then unleashed an anguished howl. An immediate attack from one of the guards sent him fleeing in earnest to lick his wounds.
“Follow me,” one guard said. He relieved Missy of her staff and sword but left her pack, before heading for the first cave. Missy noticed this one didn’t take them to the lead hyena’s quarters either. She remained silent as they followed through the first set of caves and tunnels. They continued moving up through the mountain now, weaving through the maze of stone passages and doorways. Wet paw prints marked sections of the sandy floor they wove up and around. Two more guards stood before a large iron door.
