jabbed a claw at the cave mouth. 'We must go! We have little time!'
Another arrow struck at his feet. He put a hand to the hilt of his sword, but Simangee refused to let him draw it.
He looked at her. She stared back with eyes that were rimmed with red. Was something lurking behind them? A shadow?
Targesh put a hand on Adalon's shoulder. 'Trust her.'
All was still for an instant, and in that time Adalon realised that trust was what bound all three of them together. If he couldn't trust Targesh and Simangee, who could he rely on? 'We are with you, Simangee,' he said.
Shouts and cries came from their pursuers. Adalon shepherded Simangee ahead of him. Targesh followed close behind.
Avoiding the river of molten rock that coursed from the cave mouth, Simangee scrambled over a fall of rubble at the entrance. Adalon went next, hissing at the hot rock beneath his hands. He held his tail high to stop it being burned. Inside the cave, a path by the side of the wall led them upwards, until they were looking down on the river of fire. He choked on the smoke and fumes, and, with tears in his eyes, looked around at the cave that stretched out in front of them.
Simangee hurried forward along the narrow, broken path. Adalon ran his hand against the smooth rock walls and realised that the cave had become a tunnel. The walls were almost glassy and reflected the red glow of the river of fire.
As they followed Simangee, Adalon felt the heat wrapping them up like a blanket. He felt it through the soles of his feet. A huge chuffing noise came from the river of fire to their left, echoing along the tunnel. Simangee looked back, wide-eyed, and waved them onwards.
Voices came from behind, hunting cries and screams rising over the noise. A roar of triumph went up, the grating, growling roar of a Toothed One, a roar that sounded down the ages from when the world was new. It made Adalon stop, stiffening in place. Small, he felt small, helpless and doomed. He was prey, and prey only existed to be eaten. He had no chance, no hope, nothing . . .
'Move,' Targesh grunted. He nudged Adalon with a horn, pricking his shoulder.
Adalon blinked and shook himself. He realised he'd experienced the power of a full-grown Toothed One. When he'd heard the roar, he'd frozen. If Targesh hadn't nudged him, he would have simply waited there to be killed.
Adalon whirled and shook his fist at General Wargrach and his troops. Jeers and cries went up. Anger seized Adalon. I'm no soft-bellied, hairy-pelted, squeaking beast of prey! he thought. Seething, he dragged his bow from his back and launched an arrow at them, then another, then another, until Targesh took his arm. 'It's no good. Follow Sim.'
Adalon took a deep breath and felt the anger leave him. It was foolish, standing here, trying to bring down Wargrach and his soldiers in this light. Fight, fall back, fight again, he recited to himself. The Way of the Claw.
Adalon jogged after Simangee. Targesh lumbered alongside, struggling in the heat. His great head and neck shield began to droop. Below the path, the river of fire widened into a bright orange-white lake. The path took them up, up until they were high on the wall of the tunnel, but still the heat was fierce. They stumbled to where Simangee was waiting. Adalon felt the breath searing in his throat. 'How much further?' he croaked.
Simangee pointed past the fiery lake. 'Look.'
Adalon held up a hand to shield himself from the red glow. He could see something. Because of the smoke he wasn't quite sure at first, but there it was . . . light! The healthy light of outdoors!
A fountain of molten rock burst from the lake. The three friends staggered back at the blast of heat. The plume of lava arced up until it struck the craggy ceiling overhead, where it splashed, sending red-hot globules of molten rock in all directions. Adalon ducked, but the nearest fell some distance away. He rose on his toe-claws and he wondered if the tunnel would collapse.
Simangee
Another arrow struck at his feet. He put a hand to the hilt of his sword, but Simangee refused to let him draw it.
He looked at her. She stared back with eyes that were rimmed with red. Was something lurking behind them? A shadow?
Targesh put a hand on Adalon's shoulder. 'Trust her.'
All was still for an instant, and in that time Adalon realised that trust was what bound all three of them together. If he couldn't trust Targesh and Simangee, who could he rely on? 'We are with you, Simangee,' he said.
Shouts and cries came from their pursuers. Adalon shepherded Simangee ahead of him. Targesh followed close behind.
Avoiding the river of molten rock that coursed from the cave mouth, Simangee scrambled over a fall of rubble at the entrance. Adalon went next, hissing at the hot rock beneath his hands. He held his tail high to stop it being burned. Inside the cave, a path by the side of the wall led them upwards, until they were looking down on the river of fire. He choked on the smoke and fumes, and, with tears in his eyes, looked around at the cave that stretched out in front of them.
Simangee hurried forward along the narrow, broken path. Adalon ran his hand against the smooth rock walls and realised that the cave had become a tunnel. The walls were almost glassy and reflected the red glow of the river of fire.
As they followed Simangee, Adalon felt the heat wrapping them up like a blanket. He felt it through the soles of his feet. A huge chuffing noise came from the river of fire to their left, echoing along the tunnel. Simangee looked back, wide-eyed, and waved them onwards.
Voices came from behind, hunting cries and screams rising over the noise. A roar of triumph went up, the grating, growling roar of a Toothed One, a roar that sounded down the ages from when the world was new. It made Adalon stop, stiffening in place. Small, he felt small, helpless and doomed. He was prey, and prey only existed to be eaten. He had no chance, no hope, nothing . . .
'Move,' Targesh grunted. He nudged Adalon with a horn, pricking his shoulder.
Adalon blinked and shook himself. He realised he'd experienced the power of a full-grown Toothed One. When he'd heard the roar, he'd frozen. If Targesh hadn't nudged him, he would have simply waited there to be killed.
Adalon whirled and shook his fist at General Wargrach and his troops. Jeers and cries went up. Anger seized Adalon. I'm no soft-bellied, hairy-pelted, squeaking beast of prey! he thought. Seething, he dragged his bow from his back and launched an arrow at them, then another, then another, until Targesh took his arm. 'It's no good. Follow Sim.'
Adalon took a deep breath and felt the anger leave him. It was foolish, standing here, trying to bring down Wargrach and his soldiers in this light. Fight, fall back, fight again, he recited to himself. The Way of the Claw.
Adalon jogged after Simangee. Targesh lumbered alongside, struggling in the heat. His great head and neck shield began to droop. Below the path, the river of fire widened into a bright orange-white lake. The path took them up, up until they were high on the wall of the tunnel, but still the heat was fierce. They stumbled to where Simangee was waiting. Adalon felt the breath searing in his throat. 'How much further?' he croaked.
Simangee pointed past the fiery lake. 'Look.'
Adalon held up a hand to shield himself from the red glow. He could see something. Because of the smoke he wasn't quite sure at first, but there it was . . . light! The healthy light of outdoors!
A fountain of molten rock burst from the lake. The three friends staggered back at the blast of heat. The plume of lava arced up until it struck the craggy ceiling overhead, where it splashed, sending red-hot globules of molten rock in all directions. Adalon ducked, but the nearest fell some distance away. He rose on his toe-claws and he wondered if the tunnel would collapse.
Simangee
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