The Time to Run

Chapter XXXIII

Avon and her dragons flew across the sky, just above the clouds. From her stay with Bourne, she had been given food for the dragons, several loaves of bread and clothes similar to the ones she had worn when working in the Bidcambrough stables. It felt a lot more comfortable than a dress to her.
They had been riding for at least three hours and Avon's eyes were beginning to feel tired. She was stroking Ginger's scales. The small dragon was already fast asleep. Over the past few days, Ginger had begun to show her true colours, as the young dragon she was. She had been fooling around so much and had been so friendly it was hard to remember a time when she was as guarded as she was.
The night was dark and the moon was in the middle of the sky. Few clouds floated below them. Stars dotted the sky, random and impossible to count. However, Avon tried. It was late and her mind was slow. She counted one, two, three... Her eyes closed and she was out.

Avon opened her eyes and found Rapid falling. They were no longer above the clouds. Avon desperately looked around for explanation. Wrapped around Rapid's wings, were weighted nets. Ginger was hopelessly biting at the rope. Avon tried to move the nets but it was useless. She looked down and saw two other dragons, large and bulky. On their backs, were two figures with iron armour, both holding the rope attached to Rapid's wings. Slowly, Avon, Rapid and Ginger were being dragged down to the ground.
"No, no, no!" Avon muttered. She looked around, trying to see if she could jump down anywhere. Suddenly, from the morning mist, several knights on the back of dragons appeared. They surrounded Avon and outnumbered her and her dragons two to one. Rapid was pulled down, abruptly. The dragons below began to dive, dragging Rapid down with them.