The Other-worldly Protector

Chapter 22: Unexpected Visitors

"And remember, Stein, those 'stupid beasts' as you call them," Ryker grinned like a cunning shark as he made eye contact with the dragon, "are smarter than you.."

The monstrous nightmare lunged at the Viking, making him yelp, but the dragon's aim was off and he hit the side of the cage instead and whimpered.

"Now get back ter work," Ryker ordered the trembling man, who nodded vigorously before he was released, then rushed off.

Whiplash and Kiara sat in dreadful silence for a few moments. Then the sound of flapping was heard by Whiplash. "Incoming," she told Kiara as a blue and orange nadder flew overhead, towards the ships.

"STELLA! Don't go there!" Kiara shouted, jumping up and waving for their friend to change course. Stella hovered in place and turned towards them, tilting her head in confusion. "That's it, girl. Come here," Kiara said whilst waving for her to come over.

"Kiara, get down!" Whiplash pulled her to the floor, out of sight, as several men turned and looked up.

"GET THAT NADDER!" Ryker commanded. At that moment, several green-tipped arrows were fired at Stella. She let out a shriek of surprise and dived. The arrows arched over her and struck the earth near Kiara with uneven thuds. Stella twirled back up, acrobatically dodging more arrows, then countered with a multiple spine-shot. That's when an arrow pierced her belly. Immediately, her flapping became irregular and her flight grew disoriented before she dropped down altogether. She hit the ground with a defeated thump.

Ryker lowered his bow with a smug look. "A nadder," he announced, "always leaves its belly exposed after a spine shot. Now go an' drag it back here. No hunter should be standin' around."

Whiplash growled and started forwards.

"No, girl," Kiara grunted through clenched teeth as she pulled her back into the shadows. "Now's not the time."

She tightened her grip on the saddle ropes in order to not let her anger consume her as she watched the men tie up Stella and drag her into a cage. Purring, Whiplash gently nudged Kiara, which somewhat calmed her down.

She averted her fiery gaze from the caged dragons and her eyes fell on the arrows. Walking over, she plucked one out of the ground and examined it. "Probably drugged," she thought as she remembered how Stella had lost all sense of flight.

"Kiara, I don't think you should.."

"Oops."

"KIARA!"

Kiara stared at the crimson liquid on her thumb where she had pricked it with the arrow and waited... but nothing happened. No delusional druggie side effects. No loss of control, no disorientation. "Huh? I thought these were drugged." She picked up another arrow and pricked her thumb again.

"Kiara what're you doing?" Whiplash knocked the arrow out of her hand and pulled her away as she went to grab another. "Stop! This is self-harm!"

"But it didn't affect me... I must be a once-in-a-millennium-immune-to-green-arrow-poison person!"

"Or the poison only works on dragons."

"Oh. Right." Kiara turned to the ships and Whiplash noticed with relief that she wore her thinking face: she was formulating a plan. "Whoever these guys are, they're out to get dragons."

"No kidding."

"We need to warn everyone, evacuate the island, and gather a team willing to take on our uninvited guests and free the captured dragons."