Fell Dragon
Greetings Readers!
I hope your week has started on a bang. My current book is taking quite a lot out of me as there is just so much to research and only so many hours in the day. Guess it can't be helped, at the very least it's interesting.
Anyway, as I promised. Enter Silver-Wind, and Edzeeker. Let's see how Saita deals with these new challenges.
Saita watched the moon closely as the days ticked by. Her arm and back itched like mad but she knew that they would be healed soon. She was healing faster and faster though she did notice that the marks around her elbows had retracted to her upper arms.
“I guess you are good for something,” she muttered under her breath.
She had taken to staying out at night now. Sitting high in the trees, leaning against the mighty trunks she had stared up at the rising moons. They brought her a small comfort, something she was starting to miss.
“I thought it was only us Vulpine that looked at the moon with such a pining expression,” came a voice from below her.
Saita looked over to see Black-Beast sitting similarly to her but at the base of the tree. He had taken to stalking her at night. Usually, she had found his presence intrusive but today it was welcomed.
“Evening,” she greeted as she turned her attention back to the heavens. “Does it ever rain on this planet?”
“Not during the hot season,” was his answer. “Give it a few months and then it pours.”
“I like the rain,” she mumbled.
“And the moon? How does that work?”
“Who knows,” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “How are your teeth?”
“How is your arm?” he countered.
“Fair enough.”
“Tomorrow is the night Metal-Meat. Are you ready?”
“Won’t know until I am standing before the various challengers.”
Some time passed before Black Beast asked. “What do you want Metal-Meat? You smell...you smell…”
“Like what?” she snapped as she looked down on him again.
“Thrilled. I thought that you would smell more of fear, but you seem excited. Gotten a taste for killing?”
“It holds the nightmares back,” she admitted as she got to her feet while still holding onto the trunk of the tree. “I will rest soon.”
Black-Beast growled, and his lips lifted to show shattered teeth. “Remember that more than just your life is at stake here. Don’t do something stupid.”
Saita jumped down and landed a few hairs’ breadths away from the giant wolf. “Do you have any pleasures you partake in?”
Black Beast tilted his head and one ear drooped. “A rather odd question but if you must know I like to hunt. To sleep under a dark moon is also quite pleasurable. To mate is always something I enjoy doing.”
“I get no peaceful sleep and food tastes like ash. I have no pleasure in my life,” muttered the young woman.
“And what of mating? Is it something you pink fleshy things don’t like?”
Saita fixed him with a dirty look and simply said. “No one would want to bed a monster.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised,” he laughed. “You still haven’t answered me Metal-Meat. What do you want from this?”
“For all of you to call me by my real name,” she muttered.
She looked towards the building site and flexed her hands. “I lied.”
“About what?”
“Not having pleasure in my life.”
“Then what gives you pleasure, Saita?” this time he made an effort to use her chosen name.
“I hated killing those I have so far, except the doctor. He deserved to be hurt so much more,” she growled. “But those that died here...the fight made me feel something other than anger. I guess I like it. I feel pleasure from it. Yet it feels wrong.”
The Vulpine got up and stared down at the woman that stank of fury and metal. He took a deep breath and snorted hot air upon the top of her head. Saita rubbed the top of her head and looked at him with disgust. For a moment he considered initiating a playful scuffle, something he would do with his younger brothers and sisters if they looked like she did, but he had seen what she could do and gave it a second thought. He went down to all fours and looked her in the eye before asking. “Why do you call yourself a monster?”
“You wouldn’t understand, Black-Beast,” she sighed.
“Tomorrow we will need a monster. Be a monster. Be a good monster. Use your teeth and your invisible claws. Monsters are good here,” he grinned. “Come, let me walk you home, Saita.”
“I don’t need an escort,” she snapped.
“Learn to accept help when it is offered,” he butted his head against her chest. “Come, I smell others of us on the wind.”
“The other tribes? Or do you actually call each other packs?”
“Tribes, there are different packs inside of tribes. Come along.”
They were halfway between the forest and the entrance to the underground tunnels when Saita noticed what she first thought was a dust cloud. However, it was a Black Beast’s growl that alerted her to the danger. Within seconds several wolves were surrounding them. Two grey and two silvery-blue wolves started circling them. They would growl and snap at Saita and Black-Beast, running in and out before circling them again.
“Do they think they are scaring us?” said Saita as she balled her right fist.
Before Black-Beast could say anything, Saita threw her whole weight behind a punch and flattened a grey wolf before her. It did not get up. The other three immediately backed off and growled.
“Shall we use our words?” Saita mocked as she shook her hand slowly.
The larger of the silvery creatures stood up straight and started to chuckle. “So then, this is the little pink thing that will face me.”
“What are you doing here…?” started Black-Beast.
“Silver-Wind,” said the wolf.
The creature turned to Saita and then looked at the wolf at her feet. “Is he still alive?”
Saita nudged the beast at her feet with her foot and there was a whimper.
“Looks that way.”
“Weak pup,” the silver wolf took a deep breath. “Beaten by a woman.”
Saita felt a spark of anger but refused to show any. The silver Vulpine roared with laughter. “Anger? Oh, dear pink thing, how futile.”
He rushed at her and snapped his jaws shut before her face. Saita tilted her head and looked him in the eye before saying. “I can’t feel fear anymore, idiot.”
She gripped at the hair under his chin and pulled it until she looked the Vulpine in the eye. “You can sniff me as much as you want but all you will smell is anger.”
Black-Beast was overcome by the smell of fear that came from the Vulpine around them. Even Silver-Wind seemed to have a slight whiff of it. Saita had been right, she only smelled of anger. She released Silver-Wind then flipped over the creature at her feet and said. “Take your friend and leave. Tomorrow, we can tear each other to pieces.”
Silver-Wind opened his mouth and breathed into Saita’s face. “Little pink thing should know better.”
“Tell you what Silver-Puppy,” growled Saita with a grin. “Beat me in a fight and you get to eat me.”
“Saita!” exclaimed Black-Beast.
“Ooh, a wager.” Silver-Wind walked around Saita on his hind legs. “And what would you want of me pink thing?”
“Your coat,” she grinned maliciously. “Coated in your own blood.”
He laughed then turned to one of the other Vulpine before growling. “Pick up the pup and let’s go.”
Grumbling a bit, the other two picked up their friend, who at that stage was starting to wake up, then started to limp away. Silver-Wind grinned a little then brought his snout down to Saita’s face. “I have never eaten a pink thing before. I wonder what you will taste like.”
Then he loped after his pack mates. Saita couldn’t stop grinning as she said. “Perhaps with that coat, I could have some decent sleep.”
“What is that idiot girl doing now?” mumbled Edzeeker as he watched Saita exiting the underground living area as the twin moons rose.
“Walking,” came a small voice from his side.
“Yes, I see that. Why where to?”
“Forest.”
“Sentences, young man, you need to start using it.”
“The big dogs are coming.”
“Why is she playing this ridiculous game? She should be training.”
“How?”
Edzeeker paused and looked down at the child at his side. He was far smarter than he had thought ever possible and the question he had asked was one Edzeeker had never considered. He had made Saita but hadn’t thought of a way to guide her to his purpose. It had taken a child to realise what he had completely missed in all his scheming. Decades, centuries of planning to make the woman and he had no idea how to guide her.
“How?” repeated the child once more.
“I have made a terrible miscalculation.” hissed the creature.
The problem with Edzeeker is that he always had his eyes on the end goal, but failed to follow through with the steps to reach the end goal. Guess we'll see how he handles that next week. As for Friday, the big challenge between Saita and Silver-Wind is to happen, but I won't spoil it.
For those of you just joining us, please note that this is the follow on book from Fell Dragon. Follow this link to read it
Fell Dragon Book 1
As the series continues, it will combine with another book series I wrote. To avoid confusion about what is happening, introductory chapters will be introduced separately so that you don't have to be lost. However, these chapters will contain spoilers. You can find these chapters here:
Races Explained
Banishment
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Haven't read the other parts yet? Follow these handy links:
Part 16>>You are Here>>Part 18 (Friday)