by S. E. Smith
A heart, she thought as she neared the rocky island where the Hive was. Such a strange thing to have.
Chapter 11
“We’s almost mades it,” Jade laughed in delight, looking up the tall cliffs to where the clouds covered the top of the mountain.
Amber nodded. “It’s a longs way ups there,” she said, gazing upward with a look of doubt. “I nevers climbed that high before.”
Zohar grunted. “We’s not going to climbs all the way. We’s going to fly some, too.”
“But, I’s can’t fly,” Roam said, looking at the dragonlings before he glanced at Alice. “Alice can’t fly neither.”
Zohar turned to stare at Roam and Alice with a frown. “You’s good at climbing,” he said. “Better than a dragon and Alice can think herself up higher.”
“Yes,” Alice agreed with a slow nod. “But, it makes me tired when I use my colors a lot.”
“Then, we’ll help you,” Phoenix said with a determined look. “We not leaving you behind.”
Roam’s face grew fierce. “I’s really good at climbing,” he agreed, stepping back. “I’s only needs help on the hard parts.”
Zohar grinned when Roam shifted and scrambled up onto the closest rock. Within minutes, he was jumping from one rock to the next, moving steadily higher and higher. They watched him for several minutes before it dawned on them that he was further ahead than they realized.
“I’ll try,” Alice said, staring at a rock ten feet up. “I’s go to that one first.”
Before anyone could say anything, she disappeared and reappeared on the rock ledge ten feet off the ground. A huge smile curved her small lips and she glanced up at the next spot she wanted to go to. Bálint’s eyes widened when she reappeared even higher. Shifting, he hopped several times before he lifted off the ground, his symbiot in the form of a large bird beside him.
“We’s better go or they’ll beats us to the top,” Amber grinned. “Last one there has to eats more bugs.”
“Not’s me,” Jade scowled. “I’s don’t likes them after all. They makes me poop too much afterwards.”
“Yew,” Jabir grumbled, shifting and lifting off the ground.
Phoenix grinned at her sister and shifted. Her long black feathers a stark contrast to the other’s wings as she lifted gracefully off the ground, disappearing almost immediately in the shadows cast by the rocks. Spring and Zohar were next, each shifting into their dragons and lifting off with the symbiots following closely behind them.
*.*.*
The villagers turned as the sky darkened with the shadows of the six dragons. A low cry of panic escaped several of the women when they saw the two air gliders. Fear that the village was under attack sent the residents scrambling for cover. The men threw off the baskets of food they carried on their backs.
“It’s the Dragon Lords,” one man yelled hoarsely.
“The Dragon Lords,” another whispered, pausing in the act of shifting.
“But, who are the others,” another demanded, watching nervously as each dragon landed and shifted, before turning to where Vox and Ha’ven were settling down their transports. “They are Sarafin and Curizan!”
“Halt!” Zoran growled in a loud voice when he saw several men reaching for their weapons.
“My Lord,” the first man said, stepping forward and kneeling as he nervously bowed his head. “I am Tylen, leader of the village.”
“Rise,” Zoran ordered, looking around as other men, women, and children slowly came out.
“My Lords,” Tylen said again, glancing in awe at the legendary Dragon Lords before his eyes paused on Trisha. “What brings you to our small village?”
The huge, golden Werecat and the fierce Dragon Lord known as Kelan standing by her side were testament to who she was… the true mate of a Dragon Lord. He had heard tale of strange women from another world who could be true mates to a Valdier warrior. This was living proof that the stories were true.
His eyes moved to the other two men. The fact that they were a Sarafin and a Curizan was clearly apparent, as was the fact that they traveled with the Dragon Lords. Tylen started when the female took a step forward, an intense look in her eyes.
“Have you seen a small group of children?” She asked in a husky voice. “There are nine of them, seven dragonlings, a Sarafin cub, and a Curizan.”
Tylen frowned and shook his head. “No, we’ve seen no younglings,” he said. Turning, he looked at the group of villagers gathered around them. “Have any of you seen any younglings?”
“No. No. No.” Came the same answer over and over.
“Why would you think they would be here, my Lord?” Tylen asked, puzzled.
“My mate heard of a tale of an old dragon that lived on the mountain in this area,” Zoran said with a wave of his hand. “The tale was told to the children who believed that he would come down to the village to steal Christmas.”
Tylen shook his head. “We know nothing of this Christmas,” he said with an apologetic look. “As for the old dragon…” For a moment, a look of discomfort crossed Tylen’s face. “Well, Christoff is a hermit that lives up in the mountains.”
“You mean, there is a dragon that lives up there?” Trisha asked in disbelief, turning to look up at the mountain that overlooked the village.
“He isn’t really a dragon,” an older woman said.
“No, not really a dragon,” another agreed as more murmurs flooded the crowd.
“What is he, then?” Zoran demanded, glancing at his brothers, Ha’ven, and Vox when they looked around the crowd with growing concern.
“He… Well, his wings never developed,” Tylen said. “He left when I was just a young boy. I barely remember him. It was shortly after the earthquake that destroyed most of the village.”
“And killed his parents,” an old woman said. “He climbed the mountain and never came back down. Most likely he died up there.”
“Are you telling me the story was true?” Trisha asked, looking around at the crowd. “That this Christoff was born early and his wings never developed?”
“He shouldn’t have lived,” the old woman scoffed. “He was no good for a woman or for the village. He had no way of protecting either.”
Creon’s face grew dark and he stepped forward. The crowd, seeing the fury, scrambled backwards as the waves of his fury scorched them. He turned in a slow circle, studying each and every person there as if memorizing their faces.
“One of my daughters is different,” Creon said in a low, deadly voice. “Because of that, you think I should turn away from her, deny her the right to be accepted for who she is, what she can do based on the fact that she is not the same as everyone else?”
“No… no… no, not at all, my Lord,” Tylen whispered. “It’s just… He… It is different for a male….”
“How?” Creon snarled, stepping closer to Tylen. “How is it different? Did this boy ask to be treated differently? Did he turn his back on the village?”
“No,” an old man said, stepping forward. “He worked hard,” the man replied with a sigh. “Day in and day out, he worked harder than all of us and never complained.”
“How do you know that?” Kelan asked.
“Because he was my younger brother,” the old man replied with a heavy voice laden with sadness. “While I played, he worked beside our father. When I fled during the earthquake, he could not. Our parents died to save him. If I had stayed, I might have saved them all. I have lived with that regret my entire life.”
“Did you ever tell him that?” Trisha asked, staring into the old man’s face.
Regret burned deep in the man’s eyes. “No,” he replied in a soft voice filled with sadness. “I was ashamed to call him my brother when he lived. I was embarrassed by his weakness as a warrior. Afterward, I felt shame, not because of him, but became of my own behavior. I was the one who was weak, not Christoff. He was the true warrior.”
Zoran stood for several long minutes, surveying the quiet crowd. Pain, g
rief, and fear that he would never see his son again burned through him. Turning, to look at his brothers, Trisha, Ha’ven, and Vox, he wondered what they should do next.
“Tylen! Tylen!” A young boy ran across the open center of the village. “The mountain! It is waking!”
Turning to where the boy was pointing, they stood silent as a plume of smoke rose into the air at the same time as the ground shook beneath their feet. Mandra reached out and grabbed the young boy by the arm when he started to fall.
Panic shook the villagers as the trembling increased. Realizing that they were all in danger, Zoran turned to Mandra and Trelon. With a nod, both men understood the silent order, evacuate the village.
“Leave everything,” Trelon yelled. “Evacuate the village now. Those that cannot fly to safety must be held. This time no one is to be left behind. Move it!”
“Kelan,” Trisha said, reaching out for Kelan’s arm. “The children… If they are on the mountain….”
“Creon, Ha’ven, Vox, let’s go,” Kelan yelled. “Zoran, see to the villagers.”
Zoran turned, about to argue when he realized that Kelan was right. As ruler, it was his responsibility to put the needs of the people before his own. He would have to trust Kelan and the others to save Zohar and the other children. With a sharp nod, he turned and began helping Trelon and Mandra with the evacuation of the villagers.
Zoran paused amid the chaos around him and looked up at the mountain. For a moment, the clouds at the top cleared and he thought he saw the dark figure of a dragon standing high on a ledge above them. He shook his head when the clouds once again obscured the top of the mountain. Twisting around, he grabbed a young girl that had fallen under the rushing feet and lifted her into his arms. He could only hope that his brothers, Trisha, and their two friends could reach the children in time.
“Get them out of here,” Zoran yelled to Mandra and Trelon. Reaching out, he grabbed Tylen by the arm as he started to run by. Staring into the other male’s eyes, he made sure he understood what he was about to tell him. “No one gets left behind. No one.”
Chapter 12
“I’s think this mountain is growing,” Roam groaned as he struggled to pull himself up on the ledge. “My cat’s not liking me right now.”
“Neither’s my dragon,” Zohar reluctantly admitted as he rolled over onto his back next to Roam. “This is hard works trying to be somebody’s friend.”
Roam turned his head and looked at Zohar for several long seconds before he nodded. It was hard work being a friend, but he liked it ‘cause he liked Zohar and Bálint and Jabir, and even the girls. Pushing himself up, he almost groaned when he realized they still had a long way to go.
“Help!” Jabir’s high-pitched cry echoed from below them. “I’s slipping.”
Roam and Zohar scrambled over to the side to look down. Jabir was just out of reach. He had shifted as well when he realized that the rock ledges were too narrow for his dragon to land on.
“Holds on!” Roam frantically shouted as he shifted.
Turning around, he carefully lowered himself down until his tail was hanging near Jabir. Zohar grabbed his front paws and held him while Phoenix, Amber, Jade, and Spring each wrapped their hands around the others waist in an effort to keep Roam from slipping over the edge. A loud hiss escaped Roam when Jabir grabbed his tail and hung from it.
Tears burned Roam’s eyes at the pain even as he tried to dig his claws into the hard rock. It was no use. Not only was the weight of Jabir going to pull him over the edge, it was going to pull the others if they didn’t let go of him. His light blue eyes connected with Zohar in a silent acknowledgement that to save the others, his friend would have to let him and Jabir go.
“No,” Zohar said stubbornly.
“I’s can do this,” Alice whispered, staring down at Jabir. “I’s knows I’s can do’s this.”
“Alice, no!” Bálint cried out as Alice disappeared.
Roam released a loud cry when he felt the weight pulling him over the edge of the cliff suddenly disappear. The combined force of Zohar and the others pulling on him jerked him back over the edge where they all fell into a tangled pile. He weakly lay against the cold, hard rock as the others scrambled around him to look at where Jabir had been moments before.
On a narrow ledge thirty feet below, Jabir sat carefully holding Alice’s head in his lap. He looked up at the others, his face white with fear and silent tears coursing down his cheeks. He wiped at them as he continued to stare up at them in dazed disbelief.
“Is you okay?” Zohar shouted down.
Jabir slowly nodded. He looked down at Alice’s peaceful face. Touching her cheek, he looked back up at the others.
“Alice is sleeping and won’t wake up,” Jabir called up in a frightened voice. “She caughts me in the air and puts us on the ledge before’s she wents night-night. Now’s she won’t wake up.”
“We’s…” Zohar started to say when his hands tightened on the ledge and he looked around in confusion.
“The mountain’s waking up,” Jade said in a frightened voice. “Do’s you think the old dragon knows we’s here?”
“I’s don’t know,” Zohar said, looking at where Spring was stroking Roam’s head. “Is he hurt?”
Spring looked at Zohar and nodded. “His paws are bleeding and his tail is crooked,” she whispered. “My’s symbiot is too weak to heal him. It’s tired, too.”
“So’s mine,” Phoenix said with a worried frown as the ledge they were on shook again and small rocks began to rain down around them. “What are we going to do?”
“Bálint, what’s about your symbiot?” Zohar asked, looking at his cousin.
“They’s all too tired, Zohar,” Bálint said, looking over the side of the cliff. “I’s got to help Alice. I’s said I’d protects her and takes care of her. I’s got to helps her.”
“Maybe if we’s talk to the old dragon, he won’t be so mad,” Jade and Amber said, looking up at the clouds. “We’s can gets there if we works together.”
Zohar twisted and looked at the two sisters. They looked so determined and, out of all of them, were probably the two with the most energy. Nodding, he scooted closer to them.
“You tell the old dragon that we’s just want to be his friend,” Zohar ordered. “You’s tell him to stop shaking the mountain ‘cause it’s gonna hurt us if he don’t.”
“We’s will,” Amber said, nodding to her sister. “We’s tell him we’s all his friend and he can have Christmas with us.”
“Go!” Zohar said with a low growl. “As fastest as you can.”
“Fast,” Jade nodded. “Let’s go!”
Zohar watched as the twins shifted and began half flying, half crawling up the side of the mountain. Their symbiots shifted as well, at times flying beside them, and at other times becoming long ropes that they used. He finally turned back to where Spring and Phoenix sat beside Roam. It took a moment for him to realize that Bálint had disappeared over the side of the cliff. When he looked, Bálint had just made it to the ledge where Jabir and Alice were. Sighing, he pushed away from the edge and huddled next to Spring, Phoenix, and Roam as the mountain shook again.
I wish my mommy and daddy were here, he thought as he wrapped his arm around Phoenix. I’s need them.
He breathed a little sigh of relief when their symbiots transformed into a cover to protect them from the shower of rocks that kept falling from overhead. Hoping that Amber and Jade were successful, Zohar lowered his head and closed his eyes.
*.*.*
Amber reached down and wrapped her tail around Jade’s front right arm when she started to slip. Glancing down, she saw Jade nod to her before she let go. Twisting back around, she pulled herself up on the next set of rocks. They were almost to the top. Right now, they were in a world of white fluffy clouds that made it hard to see where to climb next.
“How much further?” Jade asked, unable to hide the exhaustion in her dragon’s voice.
“Not’s far,”
Amber replied. “I’s think I can see the entrance to his cave.”
“Goods, my dragon’s and I’s getting really tireds,” Jade whispered.
That one word pushed Amber up to the next level. A sigh of relief escaped her when she saw that they had indeed made it to the old dragon’s cave. Rolling over onto her stomach, Amber reached down and wrapped her hands around Jade’s wrists and pulled. Only when her twin was safely on the ledge next to her did she shift and roll over onto her back in exhaustion.
“I’s tired,” Amber murmured. “I’s not going to complain when mommy says it is nap-thirty no more.”
“Me’s neither,” Jade whispered. “I’s hope he’s in a good mood.”
“Who?” Amber asked, rolling to her feet.
“The old dragon,” Jade replied, pulling the bag she had brought from home around to the front. “’Cause I might have to be like daddy and threatens to beat him up if he isn’t.”
Amber nodded, almost falling when the mountain violently shook. She looked at Jade with wide eyes before they both glanced at the opening. A reddish-yellow glow was coming from deep inside it.
Jade started to take a step forward when another rumble sent her backwards instead of forwards. A loud cry escaped Amber when she saw her sister’s arms fly up in a desperate attempt to not fall over the edge as it began to crumble. She reached out to grab her sister, but another hand swept Jade up while at the same time lifting her up into the air. A loud scream escaped both of them as they stared up into the face of the old dragon of the mountain.
Chapter 13
“Zohar, I’s scare,” Spring whispered, looking at him. “I’s want to go home to my mommy and daddy.”
“I’s want to go home, too, Spring,” Zohar admitted in a soft voice, looking down at where Roam’s head rested in Spring’s lap. His friend was so tired, he hadn’t shifted back into his two-legged form before he fell into a restless sleep. “Amber and Jade will get the old dragon to quit shaking the mountain.”
They both looked up when Phoenix flew back up to the ledge and crawled toward them. She shook her head. She had been keeping an eye on the other three. She turned and sat with her back against the hard rock and curled her legs up against her chest.
