Dragon Scales

Chapter 40

“Can you organize the people to walk in a organized manner? If all of them rush forward at once weak people might be hurt.” Tunrir turned to look at the huntress. She had clearly spoken to him. He still did not trust her completely, however what she said was wise.

“Good. But watch her till I'm back, I don't trust her.” Tunrir inclined his head Irin's way. Leiha nodded her head and walked closer to Irin.

Tunrir glanced at Leiha, then he quickly called out, “Stop! We are going to walk in a strategically good
position!”

Ten minutes later. Tunrir moved to the front where he spotted Irin and Leiha. Thon and Dion walked just
behind Leiha, and seemed to have a conversation with her. Inor and the two other soldiers also walked in the front group.

Tunrir observed them all, a curious look on his face. “Do you by any chance know each other?” He suddenly asked when he came to stand next to Thon and Dion.

“Kind of. We have met before.” Dion shrugged.

“How?” Tunrir asked.

“Well.” Dion glanced at Thon.

“I'll tell the story.” Leiha spoke while she kept on walking. “We first saw Graven and Shield fighting against soldiers...” Thon had told Leiha to call them that, and she had agreed. After recounting the story in short, with some details left out, Leiha put by, “We were kind of enemies, but after all that has happened, I would call Graven and Shield my allies.”

Leiha glanced at the three soldiers behind her. “You too Inor, and I don't know what your names are.”

“Urik.” The tall lean soldier muttered.

“Evin.” The shorter one mumbled.

“We need a plan, but I don't want her to hear what we are saying.” Tunrir gestured Irin's way.

“Don't worry.” Leiha smiled. “I already bound her hands so that she has no way to loosen them, and I put some
special wax in her ears, so she is basically deaf.”

Tunrir was impressed, but he quickly got back to the topic. “Good, and what are we going to do now? We can't fight against the Dragon Hunters openly. They would slaughter us.” Tunrir looked a bit worried.

“We need to split up.” Leiha muttered. “We are to many to go undetected.”

“Wait! I have a plan!” Dion's face brightened. “Irin said that after a while Hunters would come look for
them, right? We put a trap up for them. After we have them finished, the next hunters come looking for the previous Hunters, and we catch those to. We can use these tunnels to our advantage.”

“And after that?” Tunrir looked weary.

“We somehow need to kill the queen.” Leiha's eyes were icy. “Allright, if we are listening to Shield's plan we should stop moving forward and find the best place to put up a ambush.”

Leiha quickly moved forward so that her form blurred and grabbed Irin by her shoulder. Leiha pulled something out of one of Irin's ears and spoke, “We are stopping. You go sit there.” Leiha pointed at a corner. Then Leiha put the wax into Irin's ear again, and quickly assigned Evin to watch Irin at all times. “Don't forget Ditum, he is still unconscious.” Two former slaves carried Ditum and dumped him beside Irin. Leiha quickly bound
Ditum and stopped his ears with wax, then she walked back to Tunrir, Inor, Thon, Dion and Urik.

“We need enough food, water and weapons.”

“There are more groups of slaves working and hunters guarding them. They have a lot of food and water, but weapons will be more tricky to get.” Tunrir narrowed his eyes.

“We need a emergency exit.” Leiha glanced at Thon and Dion. “Graven, do you think you could go back where you entered the caves?”

Thon shook his head wordlessly, but suddenly his eyes lighted up. “But I am sure those two hunters Churi and Riku can. We just need to find them.”

“And we must not forget that other huntress you mentioned.” Tunrir spoke.

“Yes. She was wounded, but almost killed me with her bare hands. She is definitely dangerous.” Thon was very serious.

“There are a lot of things to do.” Leiha said calmly. “Other slaves need to be freed, while we need to prepare to
ambush hunters coming this way. Also we need to find Churi, Riku and the other huntress. Shield, can you help prepare the ambush with Urik and Inor? Graven, it would be best if you and Tunrir go search for the hunters. I will then attack the hunters guarding the other slaves. Do you all agree?”

“No.” Tunrir immediately spoke. “I am not that good in the tunnels, however I know someone that is.”

Tunrir turned to the slaves. “Iaven!” He called. A girl stepped forward. Her skin was very pale, and her
hair was pitch black. She was young, maybe as old as Aresa. Her eyes where a normal brown, but Thon
saw a sharpness in them that belonged to a soldier.

Iaven stopped in front of Tunrir. “Can you go with Graven here and find three hunters somewhere in the tunnels?” Tunrir added. “Remember, we need them alive.”

Iaven gave one short nod.

“Good. I will go with you.” Tunrir spoke while looking at Leiha.

“You all agree on what you have to do?” Leiha asked. Everybody nodded.

Thon felt a bit uneasy to leave Dion, but otherwise he was happy with the plan.

“Iaven, do you want anyone else to go with youand Graven?” Iaven shook her head.

Without asking for a explanation Tunrir turned to Dion, Inor and Urik.
“You need to start preparing, as I and,” Tunrir turned to Leiha. “What's your name?”

“Whitecrow.”

“Whitecrow?” Tunrir lifted one eyebrow, and Thon and Dion glanced at each other. Inor and Urik both
looked confused.

Leiha only nodded her head, smiling slightly. She had on purpose said her name was Whitecrow, because that was what a ancient warrior from the Dragon Hunters had been called.

“As I and Whitecrow.” Tunrir grimaced as he said the name. He wondered if Whitecrow was really the huntress' name, but then he remembered that some Dragon Hunters had very strange names.

“Good we should start preparing. Iaven, you and Graven should start as soon as possible.”

Iaven nodded her head once, picked up a canteen of water and a smallleather pouch. She slung a ragged cloak around her and looked at Thon.

“You want to go now?” Thon asked a bit surprised. Iaven nodded again.

Thon was starting to get the feeling she didn't like to talk, or she was mute. “Good.” Thon quickly got himself some water, ate some dry bread and put his arrowhead into a pocket.

“You should take a sword.” Tunrir held one of the few swords they had Thon's way. Thon took it gratefully.

Iaven turned to leave, and Thon said a quick goodbye to Dion. “I hope you
succeed to ambush those Dragon Hunters without problems.” Thon tapped Dion's shoulder. “Till the sun
rises, cousin.”

Thon and Iaven disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels.