A Dance of Flames

A Rescue

It was dark out when they left the cave. The storm had left the ground slick and treacherous. Tiernon led them across the rocky terrain, moving with remarkable alacrity. Neira and Akua stumbled along behind him, struggling to keep pace. Tawny trotted alongside, entirely at home in the desert mountains.

"I would not have thought him to be so surefooted." Akua grumbled, climbing to his feet again, after a particularly slick rock had betrayed him.

Neira slipped next, catching herself on Akuas' outstretched hand.

"I would not be surprised to learn that you are part goat." she said with a dry laugh.

Tiernon leapt over another rock with a grin, his greying hair stuck in sweaty chunks across his eager face.

"I feel lighter than I have in years." He paused to give the others a chance to catch up. "I have spent so long in this nightmare, I honestly had begun to lose hope. All I wanted was to free my niece and nephew and get away from here. Now that it's finally happening, I could climb a hundred mountains."

His enthusiasm was infectious. Neira couldn't help but smile, despite the mud, and the darkness, and the horrors of the past week.

The first rays of dawn lit up the sky as they traveled. Morai and Cuzew had remained at the cave to care for the injured, but Dyric followed behind them with a camel in tow. It was loaded down with treasure and absently chewing at the mouthful of oats they had given it before they left.

As they crested the top, Neira could see a house in the distance. It blended in quite well with the surrounding rock. In fact, she might not have seen it at all, were it not for the large flames that danced up the sides of the windows.

Tiernon stopped dead.

"No..." He shook his head, rushing forward. "No! Rai! Horen!"

The others scrambled after him, coating themselves in mud as they fought to pass over the treacherous ground. The flames grew larger, filling the house. Tiernon dashed toward the open door, screaming for his niece and nephew. Akua caught him and held him back. Neira came up alongside, grabbing at his arms.

"Tiernon, you can't go in there! It's suicide!"

"I have to save them!" He struggled, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I promised I'd keep them safe! I swore..."

His voice broke, and he fell to his knees, his body wracked with sobs.

"I'm sorry." Akua said softly "There's no way anyone could have survived in there. Those flames were too hot."

Tiernon trembled, and dropped his head into his hands. His anguished howl hung heavy in the morning air. Neira crouched beside him and wrapped her arms around his slack form.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

Tawny stood nearby, her hackles raised, staring into a large crevice to their left. Neira looked up, unable to see anything in the darkness. There was a small shuffling sound, and Tawny darted silently into the shadows.

She vanished, and a scream erupted. Everyone went silent, staring into the crevice. The screaming continued. It was high and filled with terror. A childs scream.

They hurried to the source of the sound. Two scrawny figures become apparent as they enter the gloom. Tawny shrieked, circling the children, who kept her at bay with a pointed stick.

"Tawny! No!" Neira cried, rushing to pull the sak away from the filthy, soot coated pair.

Tiernon lunged toward them with a sob.

"Rai! Horen! You're alive!"

The girl looked up at him with teary eyes. He wrapped them both in a desperate embrace, weeping as he kissed them each on the head.