Read Online Hatch (The Dragons Of Laton) by James Stevens - Free Book Online
Authors: James Stevens
Ads: Link
granite thrust up between thick blankets of brush and scraggly trees. The ground twisted and turned unpredictably with shallow ravines and short boulder covered hills. Shaking his head, he realized there was a million places in this tortured land someone could hide. Either the boy was incredibly smart, or incredibly lucky. Reaching into one of the saddlebags, he retrieved a water skin and some dried meat and sat down.
Chewing thoughtfully, he considered his situation. He knew his quarry was somewhere in this area. The problem was that even if he could see him, there was no way to get to him easily. There were very few places a dragon could land here. If the boy exposed himself, Ellis might be able to swoop down and snatch him, but Boris doubted anyone would be fool enough to allow that to happen. Pursuit on foot was certainly out of the question. His best option was to continue to track him from the air and wait for him to emerge into a more hospitable terrain. If the boy decided to stay hidden, it could take weeks, maybe months to extract him. There was nothing left to do but watch and wait and hope he made a mistake.
Boris smiled and took another swig from the water skin. He didn’t have to wait long. In the distance he could see a thin line of smoke rising.
***
Fulgid was gone again when Ammon awoke and the fire had died out. The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, but inside the cave was dry. Shivering slightly, he rummaging through his sack for his hooded cloak and slipped it on. His stomach was unwilling to wait for him to build another fire, so he ate the cold congealed stew of fish and roots. It still tasted better than the gruel he was used to eating everyday at the Nest and it was certainly more filling.
He dropped the wooden spoon back into the pot and slid towards the light at the opening of the cave and pulled up his pant leg. An angry purple bruise surrounded his swollen ankle and any movement of his foot nearly brought tears to his eyes. There was no possible way he could walk, but he didn’t think it was broken. He pulled his spare shirt from his sack and cut the sleeves off with his knife. Wrapping them tightly around his ankle, he then bound two sticks on either side of his leg with the leather ties from the oilcloth. Pushing himself to his feet, he took a couple clumsy steps before the pain became too unbearable.
Shuffling outside the cave, he leaned back against the stone. It had been dark when Fulgid led him here, and as he looked around, he was amazed he’d gotten to the cave at all. Thick brush grew so close together that there was hardly any space between them. Ammon couldn’t see where he’d come through in the night, and the rain had washed away the tracks. How the little dragon managed to find this in the dark, he wasn’t sure, but he certainly was grateful.
A glitter caught the corner of his eye, and he turned his head in time to see Fulgid coming out from under a nearby bush with a pheasant in his jaws. Walking up to the cave entrance, he laid the bird at Ammon’s feet, sat down and looked up questioningly with his head tilted to one side.
Ammon grinned and picked up the bird. “Looks like I owe you another meal, eh?” The dragon stared at him unblinking. “Well, we’ll save it for dinner. We still have fish left over from last night.”
Ammon eased himself down onto a rock and talked as he plucked and cleaned the bird. Fulgid watched and listened with keen interest, occasionally playfully chasing at a feather that drifted too close. At first Ammon talked about working in the Nest and caring for the eggs. He talked about his plans for the gold he would have earned and working as a farmer. He even talked a little about being an orphan and about the few memories he had of his early youth like the image of his mother’s face. All the while, the little dragon sat quietly as if understanding each word.
Finally he held up the prepared bird and looked at Fulgid. “Ready for the
Chewing thoughtfully, he considered his situation. He knew his quarry was somewhere in this area. The problem was that even if he could see him, there was no way to get to him easily. There were very few places a dragon could land here. If the boy exposed himself, Ellis might be able to swoop down and snatch him, but Boris doubted anyone would be fool enough to allow that to happen. Pursuit on foot was certainly out of the question. His best option was to continue to track him from the air and wait for him to emerge into a more hospitable terrain. If the boy decided to stay hidden, it could take weeks, maybe months to extract him. There was nothing left to do but watch and wait and hope he made a mistake.
Boris smiled and took another swig from the water skin. He didn’t have to wait long. In the distance he could see a thin line of smoke rising.
***
Fulgid was gone again when Ammon awoke and the fire had died out. The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, but inside the cave was dry. Shivering slightly, he rummaging through his sack for his hooded cloak and slipped it on. His stomach was unwilling to wait for him to build another fire, so he ate the cold congealed stew of fish and roots. It still tasted better than the gruel he was used to eating everyday at the Nest and it was certainly more filling.
He dropped the wooden spoon back into the pot and slid towards the light at the opening of the cave and pulled up his pant leg. An angry purple bruise surrounded his swollen ankle and any movement of his foot nearly brought tears to his eyes. There was no possible way he could walk, but he didn’t think it was broken. He pulled his spare shirt from his sack and cut the sleeves off with his knife. Wrapping them tightly around his ankle, he then bound two sticks on either side of his leg with the leather ties from the oilcloth. Pushing himself to his feet, he took a couple clumsy steps before the pain became too unbearable.
Shuffling outside the cave, he leaned back against the stone. It had been dark when Fulgid led him here, and as he looked around, he was amazed he’d gotten to the cave at all. Thick brush grew so close together that there was hardly any space between them. Ammon couldn’t see where he’d come through in the night, and the rain had washed away the tracks. How the little dragon managed to find this in the dark, he wasn’t sure, but he certainly was grateful.
A glitter caught the corner of his eye, and he turned his head in time to see Fulgid coming out from under a nearby bush with a pheasant in his jaws. Walking up to the cave entrance, he laid the bird at Ammon’s feet, sat down and looked up questioningly with his head tilted to one side.
Ammon grinned and picked up the bird. “Looks like I owe you another meal, eh?” The dragon stared at him unblinking. “Well, we’ll save it for dinner. We still have fish left over from last night.”
Ammon eased himself down onto a rock and talked as he plucked and cleaned the bird. Fulgid watched and listened with keen interest, occasionally playfully chasing at a feather that drifted too close. At first Ammon talked about working in the Nest and caring for the eggs. He talked about his plans for the gold he would have earned and working as a farmer. He even talked a little about being an orphan and about the few memories he had of his early youth like the image of his mother’s face. All the while, the little dragon sat quietly as if understanding each word.
Finally he held up the prepared bird and looked at Fulgid. “Ready for the
Similar Books
