The Dragonborn

Part 72

The freezing water washed over Jack, tensing up his muscles as his only defense to keep any of his body heat. He could barely breathe as he tried to cling to Agro's back. Mark jumped off Tim, racing as close to the edge of the ice as he dared. Agro thrashed violently in the water, desperately trying to find ice that was solid enough to climb back onto. Although, everything she put her hooves on cracked and sank under her weight. Mark extended a hand out to Jack, yelling out over Agro's distressed whinnies. "Jack! Take my hand!" Jack's hand was shaking uncontrollably already and his teeth were starting to chatter as he tried to move his arm enough to accept Mark's hand. Their fingers barely touched, when the beast that had scared Agro, flopped closer to them and bellowed out a deep aggressive honk that sounded like a mix between a cow and goose. 

Mark snatched Jack's wrist quickly, pulling Jack up onto the ice. The moment Jack was laying across solid ice, Mark drew his sword. Shivering on the ice, Jack examined the beast more closely. The beast was as large as a horse with a large rotund body that was supported on two thick front fins and one large tail fin. The head looked sturdy and adorned with large thick spiky whiskers over its top lip like a thinned out mustache. Pultruding from its mouth were three long and sharp tusks. Two tusks sprouting from the bottom jaw and one from the center top. As the beast inch-wormed its way toward Mark, it opened and closed its jaws to make the tusks act like pincers! Mark slashed out at the beast to slow its approach even more. The beast stopped moving closer, choosing to honk even louder and thrash its head from side to side.

Mark glanced over his shoulder, telling Jack anxiously. "We've got to move! Honkers are very territorial and they are never alone." Jack nodded, trying to push himself up onto all fours, but it took a lot out of him just to do that. He felt so stiff and cold. Mark backed up, reaching back to grab Jack's arm, while still watching the Honker. Mark managed to pull Jack into a kneeling position, when Tim bucked behind them with an angry neigh. Another Honker had silently moved onto the ice behind Tim and got a face full of Tim's hooves. The Honker belted out a soft pained honk, then slid back into the water to avoid further injury. The Honker in front of them lowered its head, letting out a deep thundering growling. Mark raised his sword enough to point it at the Honker in warning. Jack clung to Mark's arm, using it to stagger stiffly to his feet. Behind the Honker, another one hopped up onto the ice and began to join the first in short grunting growls that almost sounded like dog barks.

A loud splash behind them, caused them both to jump and glance behind them to see that Tim had jumped into the water to avoid another Honker. Jack wondered whether Tim had jumped in on purpose or not, only to realize why Tim had done it. Agro was on the little island by the boat. Tim had weighed his options and chose to join her where it looked safer. Mark saw where Tim was headed and hefted Jack over his shoulder. The Honkers flopped quickly toward them as Mark started to make a break for the ice path across. Jack could only cling to Mark and pray that they both didn't fall through the ice. The Honkers were so slow... on land. Jack's breath caught in his throat, watching the Honkers follow them, before they dived into the water gracefully. Scanning the water, he saw them rapidly swimming toward them. He guessed that they'd break up through the ice to cut Mark off. Mark hadn't been kidding. For being pescatarians, these beasts were VERY aggressive!

Mark reached the island, before the Honkers, but it didn't stop them from bursting up through the ice just behind them! One Honker swiped his head out, its tusk tripping up Mark's leg. Mark groaned in pain, falling across the snowy ground and releasing Jack to look over his leg. The Honker's tusk had cut Mark's leg. The Honker in the middle that had injured Mark, hopped forward bellowing out a long honk that gave Jack goosebumps. It was clearly angry. Jack flexed his stiff fingers, trying to summon his magic to try calming them. However, the cold wind and his uncontrollable shaking made that impossible. His body was having trouble responding. So, he tried the next best thing. It was more of a primal urge than a desire to defend himself. The Honker was mad... Well, HE was mad! Taking a deep breath, he mimicked the Honkers aggressive honking call with one major difference. He shouted out at them. "FUS RO DAH!"