The Other-worldly Protector

73. Break free

Whiplash's mouth was strapped shut but that didn't stop her from growling threateningly at everyone around her. Her lips were pulled back as she bared her gleaming teeth at them. She fixed her glare on each hunter in turn, noting with pleasure which ones began to shift uncomfortably and sweat under her fierce regard. The entertainment this brought was a welcome distraction from... everything. She knew exactly what being brought onto this stage meant. Even though she didn't bother listening to Ryker's speech to the audience, she knew her life was to be sold and she was to be permanently trapped in the control of another human. Her life was no longer her own. And she would likely never see her rider or her friends ever again. DON'T think of that, she told herself fiercely as she banged her body against her cage and made a hunter jump in fright. They couldn't know that hopelessness was eating her up inside like a parasite. They should only see her rage. And they should fear it.

She snarled and launched her body against the cage once more when the hunters began to pull at her chains. The cage was opened and she was dragged out by seven bulky humans who restrained her as she thrashed around. The bidding began.

In the chaos of her struggle against the men, their grunts, the clamouring of her chains and her own blood rushing in her ears, Whiplash was late to discover the new presence on the stage. His wild heartbeat was familiar and his growl was too low for the humans to hear. Without warning, three of the hunters pinning her down were launched aside. Whiplash saw a flash of yellow eyes as the invisible entity launched himself at two other hunters. The crowd of buyers began to rush away in a loud and panicked frenzy.

"Robbie," Whiplash exclaimed, her heart soaring with joy.

"Whipster!" Robbie greeted as Whiplash turned around and headbutted the remaining two hunters that held her down.

"This means Kiara's here," she realised. She immediately reached out for her rider: "Kiara?"

"Don't you think a catch-up chat will be better suited to when we're not in the middle of this crisis!" Robbie exclaimed at the same time as Kiara's startled reply.

"Oh, just, Robbie's here." Whiplash was brief as she shuffled away from the approaching hunters. "Talk later. Bye!"

"We're surrounded!" Robbie wailed and fired in a circle around the stage, creating an acid-moat to slow the approaching hunters. Luckily, none of them carried bows since they only used them when they went out to hunt, but they did have swords and axes, and equally brutal sneers on their faces.

"For the record, this is you're worst idea yet," Whiplash snapped as one hunter managed to get across the acid pool at the expense of his boots. "You chose to attack while I'm practically on display?"

"Your rightful criticism is not helping! I'm already PANICKING here!" Robbie tackled the hunter with dissolved boots and threw him at another who was attempting to cross the acid.

"Get my chains!" she ordered.

"I got you!" He rushed to melt away the chains. From the way he coughed the acid out, she could tell he was running low. She hissed in pain when some landed on her leg but didn't complain: the damage wasn't deep and the destroyed scales would shed and regrow. In no time, her limbs were free and she launched into the attack, though her mouth was still strapped shut. The hunters had swarmed them at this point, leaving no room for the dragons to spread their wings without the risk of being sliced by a weapon. They were forced to dodge and strike in a mad frenzy. Whiplash spotted Ryker assembling a group of archers a short distance away. Her eyes widened. "We have to fly, NOW!" she told Robbie. She swung her tail around and the blade at its tip had the hunters scrambling back. Then the first arrow missed her narrowly and she knew they were already too late.