The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

-16-

Fendrel cried out. He dropped the wood and stone, clutching the side of his face.

"You heathen!" Venom lunged at Fendrel's attacker.

Thea gasped while Fog rushed to Fendrel's aid. She pulled him away from Venom and Fragrance.

Birch stood in shocked silence, clutching Viper to his chest.

Fragrance batted at Venom's snout while the dusk dragon dug his claws into his shoulders and forced him to the ground. "Shields!"

At Fragrance's command, three large floral dragons whose rough scales were like oak tree bark slammed into Venom, driving him off their leader.

Venom growled, getting back on his feet to charge the newcomers. He grappled with the larger of the three.

The second went to Fragrance's side and helped him up.

"Hold still." Fog took Fendrel's hand away from his face and winced.

Blood dripped into Fendrel's eyes.

"I need to clean it before I can heal you." She looked around, her paws scrambling for anything to help.

"Oh, stars it burns." Fendrel grit his teeth.

"Quit crying. You'll be fine." There was an edge of worry on Thea's voice. She tore a strip of clothing from her dress and shoved it into Fog's paws.

"Fragrance's body imitates a lemon, so his claws must have some sort of acidic venom that makes cuts hurt more than they should." Fog wiped away at the blood then quickly exhaled a steady stream of mist on the wound. The cuts began to heal, and the stinging stopped.

Fendrel clenched a fist.

That dragon needs to pay.

He got to his feet and rummaged through his bag, pulling out a restrictor he nabbed from a dragon hunter base a while ago. The tool was a short chain with a clasping cuff on each end. Fendrel threw his bag to the side and ran at the third oak dragon with the tool.

Oliver, Viper, Thea, Birch, and Fog huddled together on the outskirts of the clearing, wings and tails and arms overlapping each other.

Venom roared in victory when his opponent backed away, wings dragging in shame, or perhaps because they were both broken. He advanced on Fragrance who was scratched and bloodied from Venom's attack.

The third oak dragon turned to Fendrel. He dug his talons into the dirt and slammed his tail on the ground with a roar.

Fendrel rushed at the floral dragon.

Even if this is harmless, floral dragons hate any kind of physical nuisance.

As the oak dragon tried to thrust his wings out in front to stop the human, Fendrel ducked under them and cuffed one end of the tool to the dragon's nearest horn. He cuffed the other end to the thumb of the dragon's wing. Fendrel dashed away from the dragon who yelped and flailed around.

The oak dragon hobbled sideways and fell over, continuing to thrash and holler.

Fendrel heard a snarl behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the last oak dragon barreling toward him. Before he could react, a raging jet of blue flame burned the side of the charging dragon, leaving the floral dragon screaming and writhing in agony. Seconds later, a fire dragon burst into the clearing, limping with one of his wings dragging behind him.

The oak dragon whimpered and ran off into the woods.

Fragrance hissed and fled with his children and the other bystanders in tow.