Fire Dragons (Dragon Adventure Series 2: Book 1)

  Chapter 8

  When Draig and Sapphire woke up the next morning, the cave seemed empty without James. A part of their family was gone and had been replaced with sadness. Draig didn’t like the way it made him feel, so he went over and rested his head against Sapphire for comfort.

  “I miss him too,” she said in a soft voice as she nuzzled him.

  “Is it too soon to go check and see how he is doing?” Draig asked expecting her to try and talk him out of it.

  “Not if we just do a flyover,” Sapphire suggested.

  “That’s a great idea. I don’t want them to think we’re spying on them or interfering, but if I see that he’s doing alright, it would put my mind at ease,” Draig admitted.

  “Then we should go,” Sapphire said as she got up and started heading out of the cave.

  “Are you sure?” Draig asked as he followed after her.

  “Yes, as long as you promise not to stop unless there is a problem,” Sapphire insisted.

  “Okay,” Draig replied as they took to the air.

  It was a bright clear morning without a cloud in the sky. Sapphire kept a keen eye out for any of Ironclaw’s scouts in the distance since she had exceptional vision, while Draig kept an eye on the ground for any hostiles.

  When they passed by the meadow where Sapphire had been attacked, she noticed a faint plume of smoke rising in the distance.

  “Is that near the ranch?” she asked in a concerned voice as she nudged Draig with the tip of her wing to get his attention.

  “I don’t know?” he replied, staring intently into the distance for a few moments. When he realized she was as right, he immediately started flapping his wings as hard as he could to increase his speed. Sapphire accelerated along with him, and as they drew closer, so did their concern.

  When the ranch came into view, Draig gasped in horror.

  “It’s been attacked!” he shouted in anguish as he folded back his wings and dove from the sky. Sapphire dove down after him, but from what she could see, they were already too late to save anyone. The house and corral were both burnt to the ground, and all that remained was the dilapidated barn.

  “Who would have done this?” Sapphire cried out in anger as she landed next to Draig and started helping him search through the rubble for clues.

  “Ironclaw and Talon, they are the only ones who would have a reason to come here!” Draig exclaimed with an angry look that even scared Sapphire.

  “Draig, how did you know it was us?” Ironclaw’s voice echoed from above.

  “You filthy scum, what have you done to the sheepherder and his family?” Draig yelled as looked up and saw his brother circling overhead.

  “I knew you would come looking for them once you saw the smoke,” Ironclaw laughed.

  “Have you killed them?” Draig demanded.

  “Not yet, but if you want to save your friends, it’s going to cost you,” Ironclaw replied.

  “What can we possibly give you that you have not already taken from us?” Draig snarled with anger.

  “Your lives, that’s what. I’ll let the savages go if you two traitors trade your miserable lives for theirs,” Ironclaw chuckled as though it was a game.

  “Where are they?” Draig demanded.

  “Talon is holding them in the barn, but if you make a move, he will snap their puny necks before you reach the barn door,” Ironclaw warned.

  “Prove that you have them, and that they are unharmed,” Draig insisted.

  “Of course, brother. I can’t have you shedding any tears for them just yet,” Ironclaw said as he landed in front of the barn and pulled the door open. “See, four pathetic warm-bloods, all safe and sound… for now!”

  “You promise that you will let all of them go if Sapphire and I trade our lives for theirs?” Draig snorted in frustration.

  “Yes, you have my word,” Ironclaw said as he paced back and forth in front the barn waiting for Draig’s reply.

  “What are we going to do?” Sapphire whispered so that only Draig could hear her.

  “I don’t know, if we give our lives to save them, what assurance do we have that my brother will keep his word after we are dead?” Draig whispered back.

  “None, but we can’t just let him kill them,” Sapphire insisted.

  “Enough whispering you two, let’s make the trade,” Ironclaw snorted with delight.

  “Before we agree to anything, I want to know how you plan to execute us?” Draig asked in a morbid tone.

  “Well, you know how sentimental I am, so I brought my favorite weapon with me, a bow and some arrows. This time I made sure they have hardened steel tips, so there won’t be any miraculous escapes from death,” Ironclaw said as he looked over at Sapphire with disdain.

  “We will agree to the trade on one condition,” Draig offered.

  “I’m listening,” Ironclaw replied as he inspected one of the arrows in his quiver.

  “You will have to let the human male kill us with your arrows, and it must be done with a single shot to the heart so that we don’t have to suffer,” Draig insisted.

  “I’m not falling for that. If I give the bow and arrows to the barbarian, he will just try to kill Talon and I with them,” Ironclaw replied.

  “You and Talon can easily watch from a safe distance,” Draig suggested.

  “Brother, why are you trying to trick me?” Ironclaw growled.

  “I’m not. I just want to make sure that the humans have some way to protect themselves after we’re dead. If they have the bow and some arrows, then you won’t be able to double cross us and kill them once we’re gone,” Draig insisted.

  “Brother, I am deeply hurt that you distrust me so,” Ironclaw remarked in a theatrical tone. “However, I will agree to your terms if you agree to a few conditions of my own. First off, the human male has to bind both of you together so that you don’t try and attack us once I hand over the bow. Secondly, Talon and I will circle overhead, and when we are at a safe distance I will drop the bow and a single arrow down to the ground. Once the human has killed Sapphire, then I’ll drop a second arrow just for you my loving brother. The warm-bloods can pull the two arrows out of your corpses and use them to protect themselves to quell your fears,” Ironclaw said as he held his claw over his heart as though it were breaking from Draig’s distrust of him.

  “That’s fine with me,” Draig replied.

  “Well, now that all of that is settled, let the man go,” Ironclaw instructed as he looked over at Talon. Raven reluctantly picked up a thick piece of rope from the barn floor and walked out into the pasture where Draig and Sapphire were standing.

  “Is there no other way to resolve this? Raven asked before binding them.

  “No, but your aim must be true, one arrow to the heart so that we don’t die in pain,” Draig replied.

  “I will make sure you don’t suffer, but what you are doing for my family is without equal. I honestly don’t know how to thank you for making such a tremendous sacrifice,” Raven admitted.

  “All that I ask is that you protect James after we’re gone,” Draig replied.

  “I will,” Raven promised as he finished knotting the last piece of rope.

  “Good-bye blue devil,” Ironclaw laughed as he let the bow and one arrow fall to the ground behind Raven. Raven immediately picked them up, and after nocking the arrow he aimed it directly at the center of Sapphire’s chest. Then he pulled the string as far back as he could and held it for a moment.

  “It’s okay,” Sapphire cried out. “I forgive you, it’s the only way to save your family,” she said as she looked over at James one last time. Thankfully he was playing with one of the sheep in front of the barn and not looking in her direction when Raven released the arrow. The flutter of the bowstring reverberated through the air, silencing all other sounds, and was followed by a brief cry as Sapphire fell to the ground.

  “I will never forgive you!” Draig shouted in anger as he stared up at Ironclaw with a hatred that burned hotter
than a thousand suns.

  “I never want you to,” Ironclaw replied as he tipped the quiver so that another arrow would fall out. A moment later, Draig heard the sound of the bowstring releasing, and then he felt a sudden sharp pain in his chest. As he felt the life draining out of his body, he heard sinister laughter raining down from above. There was nothing he could do to stop it, and as he exhaled his last breath, he saw James crying in the distance.

  “You got what you wanted!” Raven shouted in anger. “Now leave us alone!” Ironclaw and Talon ignored his request and kept circling over heard. When Raven saw them looming nefariously, he ran over to Draig and Sapphire’s lifeless bodies and pulled the arrows out of their chests. Then he strung one of the bloody arrows on the bow and aimed it directly at Ironclaw. “They are both dead, now get out of here!” he yelled once more. He knew that Ironclaw was out of range, but he wanted him to know that he was serious about protecting his family if they tried anything.

  “We’ll be back for you and your family,” Ironclaw threatened as he and Talon broke formation and turned north.

  “And I’ll be waiting for you when you do!” Raven shouted as he held the bow defiantly over his head until they were out of sight.

  Once he was certain that it was safe, he ran over to his family and hugged each one of them. When he got to James, he wiped the tears from his face and kissed his cheek.

  “I’m so sorry, I love you,” Raven said in an effort to console him.

  “Can I go?” James asked as he pointed in the direction of the pasture.

  “Yes, go to them,” Raven said as he tried not to cry. He knew James would try to save them, but he feared it was beyond his ability.

  When James reached the dragons, he placed his hand on Draig’s head and said, “Puff, don’t go,” he placed his other hand on Sapphire and curled up between them.

  “Can he save them?” Mary asked as she looked over at Raven with a glimmer of hope.

  “No, but let him try, or he will never forgive us for interfering,” Raven said as he looked away. He knew that James was a powerful healer, but unlike the injured lamb that only needed a little help, the dragons had passed on.

  Once it started to get dark, Raven left the barn and went back out to check on James. When he reached the pasture, he could see James was still trying to bring them back, but it was clear they were gone. Out of respect for the dragons, he cut the ropes that bound them and then sat with James for a moment.

  “James, you have done your best to heal them, but some things are beyond our control,” Raven said in a sympathetic tone. “They loved you, and they gave their lives willingly to protect you from evil. I know it’s hard to understand, but they wanted you to be part of a human family so you would never be alone, or think that you weren’t loved. You are part of our family now, and we all love you more than you know. I want you take as much time as you need to mourn your dragon friends, but when you’re ready to come in, we will be waiting for you in the barn with open arms,” Raven said with a loving smile. James looked up at him and then slowly took his hands off of Draig and Sapphire’s head.

  “They’re tired,” James said as he reached out to Raven with his little arms.

  “Are you sure you’re ready to leave them, I can bring you a blanket if want to stay a little longer?” Raven offered. James shook his head from side to side, and Raven knelt down and gently picked him up.

  “There’s my little trooper,” Mary said when Raven brought him into the barn.

  “I think he is worn out,” Raven said as he laid him on a blanket inside one of the empty stalls that Mary had cleaned out. James curled up on the blanket while Mary finished making the stall livable. “Do you need anything?” she asked in a sweet voice.

  “Sean can sleep in here?” James replied.

  “You want Sean to come and stay with you?” Mary asked.

  “Uh-huh,” James nodded.

  “Alright, I’ll go get him,” Mary replied.

  A moment later Sean brought his blanket in and laid it down next to James before blowing out the oil lamp.

  “If you need something, let me know,” Sean offered.

  “Okay,” James replied as he reached for Sean’s hand and then closed his eyes.

  Mary peeked in on them for a minute, and then went into the adjacent stall to get ready for bed.

  “Do you think he will be okay?” Raven asked as Mary got ready for bed.

  “I think so, he wanted Sean to sleep next to him, which made Sean feel like the big brother,” Mary replied.

  “I bet he liked that,” Raven replied.

  “He did, and he’s doing his best to comfort James,” Mary added.

  “That’s good. It nearly broke my heart watching James try to heal the dragons,” Raven whispered.

  “Mine too. I hope he can get over the loss,” Mary said with a mournful look.

  “I can’t believe they gave their lives to save us,” Raven remarked.

  “They were guardians sent to protect us,” Mary said as she took off her cross and hung it from the oil lamp before blowing it out.

  The next morning when Raven woke up, he went over to look in on the kids but James was gone.

  “Sean, where is James?” Raven asked as he nudged him until he opened his eyes.

  “He went outside a little bit ago,” Sean replied in a groggy voice.

  “To go to the bathroom?” Raven asked.

  “No, he said he needed to see Puff and Sapphire, then left,” Sean replied as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Raven slowly opened the barn door so he wouldn’t wake his wife and then walked out into the pasture. In the distance he could see James laying between Draig and Sapphire’s bodies, and a wave of sadness came over him. He knew that children often carried hope when there was none, and it was obvious that James was having trouble letting go. As he slowly walked over to get James, he thought about what he might say to help comfort the poor child. He knew it would be difficult to explain how death was merely the ending of one chapter, and the beginning of another.

  “James, can I talk to you?” Raven asked in a delicate tone.

  “They’re sleeping,” James replied with an innocent look. Raven felt bad about what he was going to say next, but he couldn’t let James keep pretending they weren’t dead.

  “I’m sorry, but they’re not… dead?” Raven gasped as Draig raised up his head and opened his eyes. “Oh my God, you’re alive!” he cried out in disbelief.

  “I told you James was a powerful healer,” Draig remarked as though nothing was ever wrong with him.

  “Is Sapphire alive too?” he asked as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

  “Yes, she is just sleeping,” Draig replied.

  “I thought you were both dead!”

  “Weren’t the arrows made out of the old steel that can’t hurt us?” Draig asked as he looked down at his chest for a moment unable to find any evidence of a wound.

  “I don’t think so, I shot you right through the heart as you instructed. Can a dragon survive that?” Raven asked.

  “No,” Draig replied as he looked at James adoringly.

  “I guess it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you and Sapphire are both okay and James hasn’t lost you,” Raven remarked.

  “After everything went dark, what happened yesterday?” Draig asked.

  “Your brother and Talon circled around until I threatened to use the arrows on them, but they promised to come back,” Raven revealed in a concerned tone.

  “Don’t worry, I’m going to make sure that Ironclaw and that half-wit never bother you again,” Draig replied with the look of vengeance in his fiery red eyes.

  “Are going after him then?” Raven asked.

  “Sapphire and I have already agreed upon a plan. She is going to stay here and protect your family while I hunt those two criminals down,” Draig snarled.

  “Do you want to take the bow and arrows with you?” Raven offered.

  “No, I won’t need
them and you might,” Draig replied as he picked up a stone to sharpen his claws.

  “Are you sure you can handle both of them by yourself?” Raven asked.

  “We’ll soon find out,” Draig replied with a fierceness that seemed to quell any concerns that he might not be able to.