COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 20: The Art of War (Part 4/5)

          But it didn't, which made matters even worse.

          He hadn't a clue where the stone plated beast was, but it would have to be truly dumb not to think they had found shelter in the close by cracked hut of a house.

          Káel flinched at a loud splash behind him, Truvius still managing to trip while on his hands and knees and catching his balance in a shallow puddle. The sound would certainly pull the molve closer, but as he prepared for the wall in front to crack open in a flurry of ferocious barks and talons, silence still ate at his gut and conjured an anxious fear in the back of his mind.

          Where was it?

          "It's still here," Phantom hushed, down to a crawl beside Káel as his words settled some ease into his bones. "Right beside us."

          He glanced at the thick wall beside them, trying to swallow the lump of fear hardening in his throat.

          On the bright side, he knew it was silently stalking them now.

          Puff had pattered ahead into the shadows as the slowly made their way along the ground, the molve perfectly siding with them as it prowled the wall outside. All was hopeless if they didn't have a distraction for the beast.

          As Káel contemplated jumping out the closest window and making a run for it, Puff let out the quietest warble, his guardian's fluffy white tail popping into view as the drake stopped to sniff the air.

          "Smell someone?" Phantom said, looking through the dim room where the few windows were enough to light its contents and a couple paths. "Where?"

          "Wouldn't you sense people?" Káel muttered, while he waited for Truvius to crawl over to them, still tripping while on his hands and knees.

          Phantom scoffed. "I can't sense people when they're not intently staring at us, it's not like they're leaking tons of lumience like the Molves, and I can't smell them cause I'm sealed, in case you forgot that little detail."

          "Smell them?" Káel muttered, grimacing at Phantom's creepy comment.

          "What?" Truvius whispered, looking up at Káel while he made his way across the last window.

          "I said crawl faster."

          Truvius chuckled. "Sorry, I'm only really good at hiding."

          "Not with all that slipping and splashing," Káel retorted, cautiously leading Truvius across the wall as he followed Puff's lead. "We need to be careful, Puff says he smells people."

          "I didn't know you spoke nomad dragon tongue," Truvius replied, doubt painting his smile at the worst possible time as he raised his eyebrows in suspicion. 

          Káel ignored his roommate's jab, waiting for the ridged stone spine to pass the final window before pulling Truvius into the closest doorway. "He's good at charades, get off my ca-." Káel choked, clearly seeing a light flee around the corner in front of them. From the way Truvius stared blankly he hadn't seen it, Puff's quiet warble signifying that they had likely found the other people. 

          Truvius nudged Káel, eyes fixed to the single path ahead. "Something there...?"

          Káel slowly put his finger to his lips with a soft nod. They were stuck in the middle of an inevitable scrap, but words didn't need to be spoken regarding the preferred enemy, the two boys exchanging a nod as they continued ahead.