When the dragon came, it was with the noise of an advancing army, a sound that made Mulberry's blood run cold. The beast was large enough to blot-out the sun, giant leathery wings spread over a red, scaly body, drawing a cold, odorous wind behind her. She stank of mildew and rotten meat, making the horses plunge wildly as the baby whimpered. The dragon's teeth were white, and sharp, and the size of a big man's arm, and her claws looked like sickle blades, flashing in the sun.
Marcus threw his arm around Mulberry, pulling her along as he ran. Petro and Tsuga scattered, the horses released and forgotten. As the great monster approached, claws outstretched, Flora Salix turned, and looked up at it.
“Senior!” Tsuga called desperately.
Salix turned for a moment, replying, “Run. I can handle this. I'll keep her off of you.”
“You can't,” Tsuga replied, and began to run back towards where Salix was standing, staring up at the terrible creature.
Petro caught Tsuga's arm, halting her where she stood, just as the dragon began a slow, steady dive. Salix looked up, unflinching, not even blinking, and cupped both her hands, holding them over her head. A tiny tongue of flame began to flicker within her palms. Tsuga pulled her arm free of Petro's grip, but before she could reach Salix, it happened.
The dragon reached down, swiping at Salix with razor-sharp claws. At the same moment, the little flame in Salix's palms rushed upward and outward, growing to the size of a melon. Wind rushed across the plain, feeding the flames, until, abruptly, there was silence. The dragon's claw kissed Salix's side just as the tiny fire exploded into a gigantic ball of flame.
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The Baby and the Battlefield
FantasyA baby? On a battlefield? Marcus is a clerk in the Imperial army. When he finds an abandoned baby on a battlefield, he has no idea what to do with her. His best friend is no help; he thinks Marcus is a sucker for taking the kid in. The slave who end...
