girls from the air and make a decision then.’
Pell shrugged. As far as Elian could tell, Pell did not care about the girls. He didn’t get on with either of them, so he might be happy if they did not show up. Elian did not relish the
idea of continuing the quest without the other two dragonriders, but he knew he would do what he had to, if only for Aurora’s sake. This quest meant everything to her. He would not let her
down.
Shadow leapt into a bounding run, hampered by the deep snow. With her huge wingspan she was able to power up into the air without too much difficulty, but Elian watched her with a certain amount
of trepidation. Would his dragon, Aurora, be able to get up enough speed to get into the air?
‘Just watch me!’
she said in his mind, clearly eavesdropping on his thoughts again.
‘Hang on tight, this could be interesting.’
‘Interesting’ did not begin to describe it. Rather than running through the snow, her movement was more like a bounding gallop. The rhythm was most unusual and made staying on her
back difficult. Elian bounced up out of the saddle with every leap, his bottom meeting the leather with a painful thump every time her forelegs hit the ground. Her wings extended and drove down
hard in an effort to lift clear of the surface. On her first sweeping stroke, her wingtips caught the surface of the snow, causing her to tip forwards and hit the ground hard. Somehow she kept from
falling forwards and continued bounding faster and faster. The second stroke was more successful, pulling her up into the air. Another rapid beat and her trailing feet lifted clear of the snow.
They were airborne and pumping upwards, settling quickly into a more familiar rhythm.
No sooner had Elian begun to relax into the saddle when his heart was set racing a second time.
‘Night dragons!’
Aurora warned suddenly, her voice loud in his mind.
‘Segun and his dragon, Widewing, are coming with others. There are at least four of them and
they’re all coming this way.’
Chapter Seven
Left Behind
‘Have you sensed any sign of the others yet, Fire?’
Nolita asked again, huddling down as best she could against Firestorm’s back.
‘Sorry, Nolita,’
Firestorm replied, his tone glum.
‘I must have picked a wrong valley earlier. Somehow we turned further left than I realised. When we came out of the
mountains we were heading almost due north
. .
.’
‘And the others were heading south,’
Nolita finished.
Her heart sank as she considered the implications of having lost contact with the others. If she and Fire did not find them soon, she would be forced to spend a night alone with her dragon. The
thought made her stomach churn. It was the strength and support of the others that had kept her going on the quest so far. Without them she was lost.
Nolita began to feel her old fears creeping out of the dark corners of her mind. They were like sinister shadows lurking at the edge of her senses, waiting to pounce. Kira and Elian had
encouraged and emboldened her more than she had ever thought possible. She did not want to think what it would be like without them now. For the first time since her brief trial at the day dragon
enclave, she was alone with her dragon.
‘Don’t worry, Nolita,’
Fire urged, sensing his rider’s rising panic.
‘We will catch up with the others, I promise. I will fly all night if necessary, but
please don’t be foolish about this. I don’t want you to freeze to death. You don’t need to stop long. I can light you a fire in seconds so you can get warm and we can move
on.’
‘Thanks, Fire,’
Nolita replied, feeling genuinely touched. She paused. Firestorm was so caring, but she could not totally banish her fear of him. It was his size, nothing
more. Knowing him intimately through the bond, she now accepted her fear was irrational, but even being convinced that he meant her no harm was not enough to banish the feelings.
‘It’s me who should be
Pell shrugged. As far as Elian could tell, Pell did not care about the girls. He didn’t get on with either of them, so he might be happy if they did not show up. Elian did not relish the
idea of continuing the quest without the other two dragonriders, but he knew he would do what he had to, if only for Aurora’s sake. This quest meant everything to her. He would not let her
down.
Shadow leapt into a bounding run, hampered by the deep snow. With her huge wingspan she was able to power up into the air without too much difficulty, but Elian watched her with a certain amount
of trepidation. Would his dragon, Aurora, be able to get up enough speed to get into the air?
‘Just watch me!’
she said in his mind, clearly eavesdropping on his thoughts again.
‘Hang on tight, this could be interesting.’
‘Interesting’ did not begin to describe it. Rather than running through the snow, her movement was more like a bounding gallop. The rhythm was most unusual and made staying on her
back difficult. Elian bounced up out of the saddle with every leap, his bottom meeting the leather with a painful thump every time her forelegs hit the ground. Her wings extended and drove down
hard in an effort to lift clear of the surface. On her first sweeping stroke, her wingtips caught the surface of the snow, causing her to tip forwards and hit the ground hard. Somehow she kept from
falling forwards and continued bounding faster and faster. The second stroke was more successful, pulling her up into the air. Another rapid beat and her trailing feet lifted clear of the snow.
They were airborne and pumping upwards, settling quickly into a more familiar rhythm.
No sooner had Elian begun to relax into the saddle when his heart was set racing a second time.
‘Night dragons!’
Aurora warned suddenly, her voice loud in his mind.
‘Segun and his dragon, Widewing, are coming with others. There are at least four of them and
they’re all coming this way.’
Chapter Seven
Left Behind
‘Have you sensed any sign of the others yet, Fire?’
Nolita asked again, huddling down as best she could against Firestorm’s back.
‘Sorry, Nolita,’
Firestorm replied, his tone glum.
‘I must have picked a wrong valley earlier. Somehow we turned further left than I realised. When we came out of the
mountains we were heading almost due north
. .
.’
‘And the others were heading south,’
Nolita finished.
Her heart sank as she considered the implications of having lost contact with the others. If she and Fire did not find them soon, she would be forced to spend a night alone with her dragon. The
thought made her stomach churn. It was the strength and support of the others that had kept her going on the quest so far. Without them she was lost.
Nolita began to feel her old fears creeping out of the dark corners of her mind. They were like sinister shadows lurking at the edge of her senses, waiting to pounce. Kira and Elian had
encouraged and emboldened her more than she had ever thought possible. She did not want to think what it would be like without them now. For the first time since her brief trial at the day dragon
enclave, she was alone with her dragon.
‘Don’t worry, Nolita,’
Fire urged, sensing his rider’s rising panic.
‘We will catch up with the others, I promise. I will fly all night if necessary, but
please don’t be foolish about this. I don’t want you to freeze to death. You don’t need to stop long. I can light you a fire in seconds so you can get warm and we can move
on.’
‘Thanks, Fire,’
Nolita replied, feeling genuinely touched. She paused. Firestorm was so caring, but she could not totally banish her fear of him. It was his size, nothing
more. Knowing him intimately through the bond, she now accepted her fear was irrational, but even being convinced that he meant her no harm was not enough to banish the feelings.
‘It’s me who should be
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