Dragon Bound

Chapter Twenty-Four

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Chapter Twenty-Four

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For a single breathless moment, Lune was in a storm of wings. He was surrounded on all sides by the hurricane like noise of hundreds of powerful wings. Then Jason and Damian were urging him forward, their squad pushing to the front of the colourful mass to fly just behind the king. Out in front and flying off just behind Amphion, Lune felt his madly pounding heart slow.

In the far distance was the mountain range where Lune had been born, snow-capped and somehow more ominous than he had ever remembered. They flew over neat little patch-worked fields, winding dirt roads and busy little towns. The scenery was pretty, the day mild and the sun bright. It seemed impossible that such a serenity was about to broken in a few hours with the thunderous roars of warring dragons.

Lune couldn't enjoy the flight like he normally would. His joy in finally being back in the sky was dampened by the dread he felt building inside his chest. He wasn't much of a fighter. He was far smaller than most of the other dragon and had no armour. Jason and Damon had already determined to keep Lune as far from the fight as possible. Lune was to use his smaller size and agility to avoid combatants as much as possible and if that failed, they had agreed for Lune to use Amphion for cover.

Lune stretched all four of his wings to their fullest extent, feeling the cool wind through his feathers. Jason was keeping their link close guarded. He knew the rider was very anxious about the coming battle, anxious for Lune's sake but also determined to keep the outward impression of calm. Damon wasn't much better though there was no hiding the slight thrum of excitement in the large male. He, at least, was built for battle. The yoru would have spent many a year fighting rivals to collect fillies for his harem. To Lune, he looked strong and sure of himself.

Ahead the mountains loomed, getting closer and closer as the sun started to fade and the hours rolled onward toward late afternoon. Lune had half hoped that the king might land and order that his dragons and rider's rest. It wasn't to be. Clearly, he thought it better to fly on than camp in such large numbers out in the valley.

As they approached the base of the enormous mountains, there was a palpable change in the atmosphere. The temperature dropped in the shadows of the towering peaks, and the dragons of their Sun King's army all began to feel the rising tension. The rhythm of many wings seemed to fall out of sync. The air grew heavier, wetter, and colder. Lune shivered. He could see the black dots that made up the start of the smaller cave systems.

'Come closer to the front Lune. You're our guide.' Jason said coaxingly across the link. Lune huffed out a breath of frosty air and soared forward until he was right beside the Sun King on his gold dragon. The shadows had dulled Takara's glittering pelt, but Lune was still ghostly white and very visible in the shadows of the mountains and taller trees. With a backdrop of scrubby ridges, grey shale, purple shadows and dark blue foliage, Lune led the army further into the Kaempe Stor Range.

He felt painfully aware of himself and the noise of the flying dragons. The noise would only be greater still in the confined space of the huge cave systems that tore through the hearts of the mountains. Just how well could most of these dragons see in absolute darkness? Some species had better eyesight than others. Lune had been born in a climate full of black nights, star shine and snowstorms. He could pick a silvery fish from a stream whilst flying overhead but... a massive earth dragon like Amphion who wasn't built for aerial hunting?

Focus Lune. We are right behind you. Jason's voice echoed pleasantly in his mind, steadying him. The rider could obviously feel his anxiety rising. Lune allowed an updraft to carry him along, his eyes scanning for the entry to the cave network.