A dragon's breath to my heart

Dying breath

Chapter four
As I left the meal for my three pines friends I walked out onto the training field the body of that day's looser was being removed for cremation I looked up as wings sounded it was Lana on Hrush but he kept going Lana stared down at me I saw the hurt in her eyes, Krijaler said it's alright boy you can talk after if you both live she has given us a second chance at victory so stand strong, the fight tomorrow was between Irajanda the winner of the second fight and the Drake winner of the first fight Kolija, as the horns sounded both shot up about two hundred feet spraying fire at each other Irajanda rolled in and grabbed the Drake biting his wing at the bace I saw blood flowing as they broke apart the Drake was in trouble it's wing hurt badly made it hard for it to fly Irajanda dived on his back biting his neck as claws dug into his side the blood flowing from him was enough for me to think he was dying they separated, Irajanda hit him from front on gouging his gut Kolija bit hard to Irajanda's throat, when they separated the Drake Kolija fell to die on the rocks beside the mountain, the next fight was to be Irajilla and dayjilla I thought it bad because he had only been in a fight recently and was injured still the selection was random, that night I had such a good practice the new double recurve bow had an even bigger draw than I thought I found I could pull almost a foot more pull giving the power to the arrows my first hit on a target went through it Gandrilla was shocked but happy, I entered the edge of the field to watch the next fight as the horns started Irajilla stayed on the ground as Dayjilla flew up looking down he rolled down to dive over Irajilla but wasn't low enough Irajilla jumped up summer salted his hind claws ripping down Dayjillas belly I was impressed the acrobatic ability was incredible Dayjilla hit the ground rolled to his feet and screeched he then flew up again this time Irajilla followed sending flames at him as he passed he spat poison onto the belly wound receiving a screech as reward Dayjilla rolled hitting Irajilla in the hip with his claws that's when I realised the damage from the last fight was effecting Irajilla his speed was a lot slower Dayjilla rolled again to try the same thing but Irajilla rolled the other way coming behind Dayjilla he grabbed onto a wing and then bit the belly wound both fell just before they hit the ground Irajilla flapped hard and broke away Dayjilla hit but not too hard then Irajilla dived all four claws ready the screech told of damage I saw Irajilla hop around the side of Dayjilla then flap up and dropped onto Dayjilla's back it was over but Irajilla was not capable of fighting again I was sure, I was shocked to be told the next fight was with Lana and Hrush against Irajanda who was injured as well but after a day and a half might be caperble, my objections were useless but when Gandrilla told me my next fight was Davilla, I asked how Davilla hadn't had a fight yet, it was wrong Krigaler said a challenger from over the ocean was late to arrive his fight is with Davilla and as its a late fight its held after tomorrows fight with Lana and Hrush and has a chance of night action, l trained but couldn't get my mind on it, I watched Hrush waddle out to stand at the yellow lines a servant beside him Lana looking superb came out mounted as the servant attached the straps as the bow was handed up she looked at me with confidence and nodded the horns sounded out both dragons roes into the sky keeping a distance Irajanda dropped to dive under Hrush but he rolled away as his back was turned Irajanda spat poison at him it sprayed across his tail and a wing Lana must have received drops because she pulled a cloth and wiped her face and arm the jel application on her skin for fire must have helped because she pulled an arrow with ease as Hrush rushed in an rolled over Irajanda her shot hit his paw pinning it to his side a screech told of its effects Irajanda rolling out then back came in fast to receive an arrow in the neck as he grappled with Hrush who bit hard under Irajanda's throat but Irajanda kicked out catching Lana full in the chest braking straps her body hung to Hrushes side I watched as Irajanda slipped back to hang from Hrushes fangs then drop to the centre of the field dead Hrush landed easily as I ran out to see the servant unstrap Lana as Davie took her in his arms Grey eye stopped me as I tried to take hold of her with Davie but he said her Hart is strong boy it's strong Hrush said in my mind come, Boy, you must stay to watch Davilla fight she will live, my mind raced as I watched Davilla and his opponent at the start of their fight and noticed Davilla turn and look at me his swollen arm still obviously hurting the start was fast as Thruthila his big yellow gold opponent flew in close only to be hit by flame but a he went under Davilla he bit his hind leg ripping a gash in it Davilla rolled trying to grapple but Thruthila was fast enough to evade and rise up behind Davilla spitting poison down trying to get it in his wound Thruthila climbed high spitting poison down until the big Drake flying level at speed left the area I asked if that was allowed Krijaler said no but if he is quick it was excepted Thruthila climbed higher until I only saw a small image from the side a shape came in fast they met and slowly a shape fell to go over the side of the mountain we saw a long pole following it as Davilla landed to belch flame into the air in triumph, I said out loud he cheated didn't you see the weapon fall Davilla started towards me lips raised to reveal fangs the mountain dragons got in his way as I pulled a bow from under the table beside me that the servants used for our fighting Davilla screeched his hate but I could only hear Hrush wourning him off saying you fight him tomorrow don't break the rules, I was angry that the opponent dragons didn't disqualify him for stabbing Thruthila with a pole he must have had ready, later Gandrilla said at least we know he cheats so need to watch harder tomorrow, that night we rested my mind planning how to defeat him until Krijaler said don't let your mind defeat you clear your mind boy rest, after breakfast I went to the pines to see Lana Davie had me brought to him son he said she will be fine a scar or two but fine I'm sorry how she treated you but for the sake of us all you our only hope now today you fight an evil beast one of the men who stole the tooth told us before he died that Davilla payed the black and his mercenary force so you must stop him, back at the mountain field ready to face Davilla Gandrilla said he will taunt you don't listen just be calm for me I need to trust you I said I would but as I climbed up and was strapped on Davilla said is she dead yet boy I made a deal to kill her and laughed a dead sound, Krijaler said calm Trist don't believe him he is afraid I feel it cheats are always cowardly, the horns sounded Davilla rushed at us but Gandrilla took to the air easily fast enough, I asked him to spit on him as we passed over the poison hit his head and I think an eye and a screech was our reward Davilla flew to the edge of the field and climbed he dove down in a sweeping motion to collect something then rose increased height to get above us but we stayed with him but I came in closer as we rose notched an arrow I think he thought he was out of range until my arrow hit his hind leg I would have hit his chest but he pulled a shield over his chest with his small arms I realized that I had to shoot from his side for a kill shot or yes or the head he da aflew at us again I shot at his eye as he came close but the shaft bounced off his skull dead centre we rolled away he tried to follow but I rolled again back on myself to shoot into his side the shaft went deep that night I toyed with mixing the poisons some arrows in the sap some in the dragons mix from Davilla's reaction this was the sap he screeched dropped fifty feet I followed putting two more shafts into him as I pulled up to climb Davilla swooped at us my surprise allowed him to rip a slice into Gandrilla's side he spat at the same time it was to hit Gandrilla's wound but hit my leg I looked down to see if it hit the gash but my pants had most of it I could feel the sting getting worse as I climbed to face Davilla he was hurt badly but still, a threat, he dived at us as I notched an arrow about twenty feet away I prayed Gandrilla wouldn't panic as I aimed and my shaft sank deep into Davilla's skull through his eye no sound he just fell shield and all dead, on the ground I was pulled off Gandrilla in pain thanking him for his trust in me because if the other dragons were linked one would have panicked killing us both, so his trust was our saviour, it's not over Hrush said in mind talk when I woke. Krijaler said the remainder of the challenges had stepped down in favour of Irajilla as their Champion, I said how can this be he was badly hurt I didn't think he would ever fight again, Hrush said Irajilla had a broken front arm and bad cuts but was the best hope of dragon kind gaining a Dragon Lord without human interaction between them because not all dragons except humans as Friendly and trustworthy, History has it both ways but the good is greater than the bad so Krijaler was hopeful, I offered to delay the fight until Irajilla was fully health, I was told Irajilla thanked me saying it spoke well of humankind that I offered, and he would be ready in two weeks wishing me well, in the time we recovered and had meetings about the outcome, either way, Krijaler gave an excellent example of a trusted community of humans and Dragons working together for over two hundred years Eldswere mountain has thrived in close to the same way they had before first Dragon Lord, Irajilla said he hoped to use human servants but trust was the issue Gandrilla told him that humans as friends are loyal and at times a pain being loyal and getting themselves killed to protect their friends sometimes this Gandrilla told me had Irajilla asking lots of pertinent questions his interest inflamed Gandrilla told him to find an honest human as a servant pay him give him a stable work and free time environment or even a couple of humans and in a year or to if you show them you trust them you will see a thing I never expected to see in humans not all humans are honest so use your mind to screen them Gandrilla said all this he told Irajilla and more hopping he would think on it, I was impressed to think Irajilla was even open to the idea of servants, I tried twice to get by Davie and Grey eye, but Lana was off limits to me so tried notes not knowing if the servants would try, the fight day arrived and I was shocked to be told by Hrush that Irajilla had a rider a mercenary from the harbour district they used the time to train he said but kept it secret until now as I entered the field Gandrilla lowered himself for me to climb on I looked over to see Irajilla and his rider ready the bow was a strong horse type from the desert areas of the east coast good but in the wrong hands not a useful tool, he had golden leather armour on with a helmet of golden design with a red crest piece of feather Irajilla had good taste Gandrilla said Irajilla said to tell you he is trying humans as friends but he never expected them to turn on their own kind so easily he has hope for an army of this kind of human I looked at the mercenary again seeing his hate in his eyes from a hundred feet away, the two horns men walked out then blew the start call up and up we went level with each other until an arrow past by us with very little power behind it shocked I sent a shaft that hit and stuck into the mercenaries breastplate of leather I hoped to reach his skin the poison would kill him, Irajilla rolled in a dive I followed I realized that the mercenary wasn't controlling Irajilla he would never let that happen so I decided acrobatic passes were the thing Gandrilla and I could maneuver in twisting turning dives I didn't think the mercenary could stomach it so instead of following Irajillas dive I rolled the other way allowing him to chase us an arrow went through Gandrillas wing at the tip he said he felt nothing but I knew I had to be quick I rolled Gandrilla and upside down shot an arrow into Irajilla between the saddle and neck the screeching was loud but I noticed the riders bow fall his arms hanging limp had my shaft gone into his skin it was still there I noticed he'd broken the shaft off but the stump and head were still in the leather, Gandrilla said he is dead Trist and Irajilla is dying I have begged him to land and we will administer the antidote he won't listen I'm giving you a link to him please try, I said you have shown me your heart I know your not ready to pass with the possibility of helping your kind you said you saw possibility for my kind at least try for your kind you know dragon number in only hundreds now so live to do good for them think on this Gandrilla played no part in the fight except fly I controlled him Friends to the death we are trusting friends, I landed watching Irajilla who slowly revolved down and landed Krijaler had a servant run to him with a bowl of water and the antidote in a bottle Gandrilla said out loud put the antidote in the water and leave Trist will help him I could still talk in mind talk to Irajilla so walked over saying thank you for listening to me I do believe you are a great mind for your kind and I hope you try to help both our kin to thrive, I could kill you now boy who do you think you are to try and infuence me, I said I could never influence you only advice could I offer, you are centuries old I could only wish to learn from your kind, humans could only benifit please drink Irijilla your kin need you, he lowered his head so I could pour the mix into his great mouth between the fangs he raised his head to swallow as some other dragons waddled over staring at me but I saw that Irajilla was their concern not me, in the hall of Mount Eldswere the surviving dragons with the leadership of Eldswere mountain met to arrange the new system of the dragons the tooth is to be hidden until a challenge stronger than the whole of dragon kind at peace was made but until then the model of Eldswere is to be offered to every mountain hold. I walked to my room finding the door open Lana sat on a chair I looked at her not sure of myself she rose and said I know what you think but it's not that way at all only after I was with you did Krijaler tell me of the triple breath, what I said was true I do won't you I love you and have since I was aware of hormones, I walked over taking her into my arms backed to kick the door shut and we undressed as fast as we could I remember at some point looking to the door noticing it closing with Davie and Grey eyes red faces their, Oops said Hrush in our heads I herd Lana in my mind for the first time say Hrush get out of our heads.
Out of breath
End