Dragon Rule - E. E. Knight [101]
“That’s a long way off,” the Copper said.
Wistala lifted her head and dropped a piece of chain at a sudden thought. “I know a place. Food, it is remote, there are even a few dragons there. We may even have a friend.”
“What’s that?” the Copper asked.
“The Sadda-Vale,” Wistala said. “It’s ruled by an old white dragon-dame named Scabia. She said something once about being distantly related to us. Our grandsire may have come from the Sadda-Vale.”
“I thought that was a legend,” the Copper said. “Some bit of Silverhigh everyone’s forgotten.”
“There are still dragons there. DharSii, for one. He lives there at least some of the time.”
“If we are to leave, we should go soon,” AuRon said. “Imfamnia might be back with more griffaran, or those gargoyle creatures.”
“I can’t make it,” Shadowcatch said. “My wing’s torn up.”
“Can you swim?” AuRon asked.
“I think so.”
“If you can make it to the shore in the east, there’s a tower—”
“Yes, I know it. The Dragonheight. That woman’s place. I know her, she’s gotten me jobs in the past. She’ll stitch me up in a trice. Didn’t occur to me to swim all that way, though. Hope I don’t sink.”
“Will you be all right?” Wistala asked.
“I can buy you some time. Make them think we’re hiding on one of the outer islands. I can make enough racket to make them think the whole Lavadome’s squatting in those sluice-caves. Do a bit of bellowing at anything that comes close. Besides, I could do with a little fresh crab. That’s the one problem with the Lavadome, no shell-carriers. Keeps the digestion clean.”
AuRon forgot his unhappiness for a moment. Shadowcatch’s thoughts rarely moved far from his stomach or fighting.
“More might come than you can handle,” AuRon said.
“You know me, NooSh—err, AuRon. I’m not a bad fighter when the blood’s up.”
“If you must, hide out at the north end of the island. The wolves have seen you with me. They’ll stand guard while you sleep.”
Wistala watched the sun drop toward the horiozn. “Let’s all be seen swimming or flying for that island, then. I’m sure we’re being watched from somewhere.”
They crept down one of the glacier-runoff streams and slipped into the water for the swim to the island. Salt water felt good on everyone’s wounds, and they took a few minutes to lick one another other clean, pull riven scale, and extract arrowheads—which could then be swallowed for a little needed metal. The Copper had shoved a few shields and helmets under his bad wing.
“Hope this contraption holds out for the rest of the trip,” he said.
“DharSii might be able to figure it out,” Wistala said. “He’s very clever. Between us and the blighters she keeps around we might be able to keep it functioning.”
“I’m not likely to make many more trips,” the Copper said. “I’d hardly dare. A whole Empire wants me dead.”
“Let’s leave the worries for another day,” AuRon said. “Join us if you can, Shadowcatch.”
Wistala gave him instructions on how to find the hidden valley, east of the Red Mountains.
“Please come,” the Copper said. “It doesn’t sound right without you grinding your teeth behind me somewhere. It’s difficult to think without the noise.”
“I’m tempted to stay and settle things once and for all with Ouistrela. But as far as I’m concerned, Tyr RuGaard is still my lord. I’ll come if I can get my wings catching air again.”
With that, the three dragons took to the skies, with Miki flying close beside the Copper.
Chapter 20
They flew in a tight grouping, flying over sandhills tufted with patchy grasses, with AuRon at the angle. Game trails followed the water found here and there, but they couldn’t catch much that offered even a partial mouthful. The bigger game herds were probably still on their way north.
Wistala wondered if they even would have made it, traveling in the north in that bleak and bitter spring, without AuRon flying at their head. He cut the air for them, and they rode with the advantage of the draft he’d created.
Miki suffered terribly from the cold. They took turns lighting dragon-fire so that he could