through the rock.
The giant worms had mouths full of spiked teeth, and individual orbs that rotated over their bodies as they crawled. It was those rotating segments of their bodies that slashed through the rock like butter.
Three of them about four feet in length popped through the ground just before the water. She screamed, with no choice but to jump back in the water. To her surprise, the Vemlers halted at the edge of the pool. Perhaps they couldn’t go in the water.
Rogue’s bark and growl sounded in the distance.
“Rogue, stay where you are! The Vemlers are here,” she shouted. Of course, that didn’t stop him. He came bounding toward her.
“No, Rogue,” she bellowed. “Go back. Stay away.”
Two of the Vemlers stayed put while the other submerged into the rock.
“Demon’s dung!” She swore with frustration. Where was the vile creature going?
Quickly, she tried to keep her feet off the bottom.
The gargdog snapped at the creatures, just out of their reach. Then, to her surprise, he turned and ran back toward the entrance of the cave. The glowing eyes up on the ceiling had their fill of excitement, and the majority of them flew to the entrance behind Rogue. He barked over and over again with an intermixed “help.”
Most of the light had vanished with the eyes. Only a few remained, leaving Tempest standing in the dark water.
To the far edge of the small pool, a large wave began to form and rolled toward her.
“No!” She screamed, backing away from what must surely be a Vemler. Unable to go the way she’d entered, Tempest danced to the other side of the pool. The wave disappeared, and an eerie silence filled the air.
· · · · ·
Ryder made a hasty exit from the little village behind the rock. Invisible to everything around him, he’d learned some important information. Apparently, there was something important to Tempest’s freedom, and the witch obviously kept it housed in that disgusting pit. It had to be the old tree, or perhaps something hidden in the tree.
He soared through the sky, flying as fast as he could. Perhaps Tempest knew what they were talking about.
The snow continued to fall again in earnest, making it difficult to see, but his ears alerted him to trouble. Rogue’s sharp bark echoed through the mountains.
“Shit!”
Tempest must be in trouble…again.
Now, he pulled his wings in close to his body, gathering more speed. He could see a stream of tiny creatures making a mass exodus from the cave while Rogue continued to bark frantically, jumping around in the snow.
When the gargdog noticed him coming, he leapt to the side, away from the entrance. Ryder didn’t think there would be time for transformation. It would be a tight fit.
He wound his wings tightly around his body, and flew like a dart into the cave, following Tempest’s screams for help. The domed ceiling saved him from crashing.
Hovering over the water, he spied Tempest standing up to her waist…naked. He didn’t have time to think about that right now.
Damn my inadequacy.
In the dark with just one eye was not beneficial. He caught movement below and to the right. The abomination chewed on the rocks, spitting them out with ease. Ryder now knew what had left those marks up on the glacier.
“Vemler!” Tempest screamed.
An odd wave headed her way, and then disappeared. She tried to run to the edge, slowed by the resistance of the water. Ryder didn’t have time to hash this out with her. Instead, he dove straight at her. She screamed as his arms swooped her from the water just before the Vemler surfaced where she had stood.
Enclosed her in his arms, he spiraled out the way he’d come. The Vemlers were making a quick path toward Rogue. He yelled without slowing down.
“You only have one chance, Rogue. Jump!”
For once, the gargdog listened, and landed squarely on Ryder’s back, between his wings.
“Hang on.” Ryder spread his wings wide, holding Tempest’s small body close to his. Thank
The giant worms had mouths full of spiked teeth, and individual orbs that rotated over their bodies as they crawled. It was those rotating segments of their bodies that slashed through the rock like butter.
Three of them about four feet in length popped through the ground just before the water. She screamed, with no choice but to jump back in the water. To her surprise, the Vemlers halted at the edge of the pool. Perhaps they couldn’t go in the water.
Rogue’s bark and growl sounded in the distance.
“Rogue, stay where you are! The Vemlers are here,” she shouted. Of course, that didn’t stop him. He came bounding toward her.
“No, Rogue,” she bellowed. “Go back. Stay away.”
Two of the Vemlers stayed put while the other submerged into the rock.
“Demon’s dung!” She swore with frustration. Where was the vile creature going?
Quickly, she tried to keep her feet off the bottom.
The gargdog snapped at the creatures, just out of their reach. Then, to her surprise, he turned and ran back toward the entrance of the cave. The glowing eyes up on the ceiling had their fill of excitement, and the majority of them flew to the entrance behind Rogue. He barked over and over again with an intermixed “help.”
Most of the light had vanished with the eyes. Only a few remained, leaving Tempest standing in the dark water.
To the far edge of the small pool, a large wave began to form and rolled toward her.
“No!” She screamed, backing away from what must surely be a Vemler. Unable to go the way she’d entered, Tempest danced to the other side of the pool. The wave disappeared, and an eerie silence filled the air.
· · · · ·
Ryder made a hasty exit from the little village behind the rock. Invisible to everything around him, he’d learned some important information. Apparently, there was something important to Tempest’s freedom, and the witch obviously kept it housed in that disgusting pit. It had to be the old tree, or perhaps something hidden in the tree.
He soared through the sky, flying as fast as he could. Perhaps Tempest knew what they were talking about.
The snow continued to fall again in earnest, making it difficult to see, but his ears alerted him to trouble. Rogue’s sharp bark echoed through the mountains.
“Shit!”
Tempest must be in trouble…again.
Now, he pulled his wings in close to his body, gathering more speed. He could see a stream of tiny creatures making a mass exodus from the cave while Rogue continued to bark frantically, jumping around in the snow.
When the gargdog noticed him coming, he leapt to the side, away from the entrance. Ryder didn’t think there would be time for transformation. It would be a tight fit.
He wound his wings tightly around his body, and flew like a dart into the cave, following Tempest’s screams for help. The domed ceiling saved him from crashing.
Hovering over the water, he spied Tempest standing up to her waist…naked. He didn’t have time to think about that right now.
Damn my inadequacy.
In the dark with just one eye was not beneficial. He caught movement below and to the right. The abomination chewed on the rocks, spitting them out with ease. Ryder now knew what had left those marks up on the glacier.
“Vemler!” Tempest screamed.
An odd wave headed her way, and then disappeared. She tried to run to the edge, slowed by the resistance of the water. Ryder didn’t have time to hash this out with her. Instead, he dove straight at her. She screamed as his arms swooped her from the water just before the Vemler surfaced where she had stood.
Enclosed her in his arms, he spiraled out the way he’d come. The Vemlers were making a quick path toward Rogue. He yelled without slowing down.
“You only have one chance, Rogue. Jump!”
For once, the gargdog listened, and landed squarely on Ryder’s back, between his wings.
“Hang on.” Ryder spread his wings wide, holding Tempest’s small body close to his. Thank
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