Blood And Fire

Chapter 15-Surprise Attack!

CHAPTER 15

     The skies over Highland Den are clear and crisp.  All riders have their thick jacket hoods secure with concealment over their lower faces up to their noses.  Snow- capped peaks stretch as far as the eye can see.

     Valkyr rides Bjorgon in protective proximity to Lyra and Skyhalla.  His eyes constantly scan the airs.

     Flanking either side of the queen in V-formation are Valkyr's wing.  His wing consists of a dozen dragons and riders.  The beasts vary in size slightly depending upon color.  Valkyr's Bjorgon and Lyra's Skyhalla are the largest and burgundy and white in color respectively.  The rest hold their position in the formation in descending size category:  reds, beiges, and blues.

     Valkyr's is not the only wing present.  Having a pregnant queen outside Highland Den is almost unheard of.  All of Dragonkind is relying on the new clutch to bring the next generation of dragons and riders.  The possibility of a new queen exists, as well.  The Dragonmen do not wish to risk the unthinkable and, therefore all wings and formations are present.  Better than five hundred dragons in all fill the skies around the queen and Valkyr's wing.

     Valkyr shouts to Lyra over the wind, "How is our queen holding up?"

     "I think the fresh air is doing us both good," Lyra yells back.  She pats Skyhalla's neck affectionately.

     Valkyr's eyes twinkle with a smile, though his mouth is concealed by the protective covering.  Then to Bjorgon he says, "Have all wings report."

     All wings, please report.

     All dragons are telepathically linked to their own rider, but they can communicate easily with any of their own kind through the same medium.  The dragon wing leaders start responding to Bjorgon's request.

     This is Corinth reporting from Alpha Wing....All clear.

    This is Seth reporting from Beta Wing......All clear.

     The reports keep coming back to Bjorgon, one wing at a time, until all wings have checked in.

     All wings report all clear, Valkyr.

     "Very well, then," Valkyr says, still scanning the skies uneasily.

     Just then a shadow falls upon Valkyr, Bjorgon, Lyra, and Skyhalla.  They look about and notice that it is not just them.  Everyone is in the shadow.  Valkyr shields his eyes and looks up at the sun.  What he sees takes his breath away.

     Lyra sees Valkyr's stricken expression and follows his gaze upwards.  "My God!" she gasps.

     A solid mass of black is nearly eclipsing the sun.  Its inky shape is shifting and writhing, crescents of light escaping around the fringes in the process.

     Time seems to stand still as every dragon and rider stares in awe at the spectacle above.  No one can fathom the nature of the phenomena they are witnessing.

     The mass is getting closer.  Pinholes of sunlight peer out like stars in the night.  A great frenzy of sound washes over the Dragonriders.  It is a mixture of shrieks and a powerful rustling noise.

     The uppermost wing closest to the black horde finally reports in to Bjorgon.

     Birds!  It's birds!  Must be a hundred thousand or more! (Corinth)

     (Bjorgon) Alpha Wing reports that it is birds, Valkyr.

     "Birds?  How can that be birds?  There would have to be tens of thousands of them to fill the sky like that!"  Valkyr exclaims in bewilderment.  The words barely escape his mouth as tendrils of the inky mass begin to dive down on the foremost dragon ranks.  Valkyr stares in disbelief as Alpha and Beta wings disappear in the envelopment of this aberration of nature.