The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

-11-

POV: Fendrel

Venom sprang around the corner and charged into the circular room. He roared and smacked the flaming logs of the bonfire against a wall, narrowly missing a stunned dragon hunter.

"What the—" Venom's tail cut a hunter off as he was tossed against a wall. The hunter fell to the ground, unconscious.

The other hunters snapped out of their stunned states and scrambled for their weapons.

Venom knocked down a whole rack on the wall and hissed at the nearby hunters.

"Watch his fangs and claws!" A hunter shouted right before he was swept off his feet by one of Venom's wings.

Another hunter was pinned under Venom's massive paws.

The rooms were marked alphabetically according to the dragon elements.

Fendrel cut through the battle and ran into the passage that led to A-1. The hall and the room ahead were torch-lit. It was empty, save for three cages. A-2 was no different.

He ran into D-1 next. The room had three cages, only one had a dusk dragon in it. She was barely a few years old. Maybe two at the oldest.

She squeezed against the furthest corner of her cage. Her black scales would have let her melt into the shadows had it not been for the two bright green stripes running down her back and tail. She hissed yet had no fangs.

If I remember correctly, dusk hatchlings don't get their fangs until they're older.

Fendrel pulled out the necklace he showed Cloud when they first met from beneath his shirt. He held it out so the young dusk dragon could see.

She tentatively stepped toward him.

Venom's thunderous roar emanated from the door.

The little dragon cowered and fled to her corner.

"It's okay." Fendrel lifted the necklace over his head and held it out further.

Does she even know what this means? Does she just like the necklace, or has she been told about me?

She approached the bars and sniffed the necklace.

Fendrel put the necklace back on and tucked it under his shirt. He took out the multitool he used to free Cloud. He unlocked her cage. "We're getting you out of here."

The hatchling raced out of her cage and leapt toward him.

Fendrel wrapped his arms around her tightly, scratching her head every time she whimpered. "You're safe now. But I have to help the others, too. Okay?"

The baby dragon loosened her grip and allowed Fendrel to set her down.

"I'll be back, I promise." Fendrel left and went into D-2. No dusk dragons.

In the following rooms there were no earth or fire dragons, one floral dragon, and no gemstone dragons. The teen-aged floral dragon had shiny lime green scales. He lifted his head, intrigued yet skeptical.

Fendrel displayed the necklace again. The floral dragon relaxed in his cramped cage. He looked exhausted and had holes in his ears and nose.

"Are you who I think you are?" The dragon snorted.

"Who do you think I am?" Fendrel approached the cage with his multitool in hand.

The floral dragon shrugged dismissively.

Fendrel hid his necklace, unlocked the door, and swung it open. He placed the tool back in the bag.

One of the hunters in the circular room screamed. A loud thud cut off his cry.