Betrayal

The silence within the tent was strong, as the spiteful dragon glared closely again, after she'd voiced her options concerning Mai's very life, which lay in her small hands.

"Perhaps in all the confusion... you got accidentally crushed..."

She glanced at the heavy looking boxes stacked next to Mai's small enclosure.

"Or I could also just leave you here, and those foolish Human men will be back, and we'd be rid of you..."

Mai was concerned, but knew all along there was a big 'but' coming.

"...but Lygawa would never forgive me if I failed here."

She still looked quite smug, as she simply reached out, taking the bared door with one hand and easily tore it free from the rest of the cage, like it was cardboard and not steel.

Mai presented her shackles, which she took one side in each hand carefully, before crunching and shattering them apart, to scatter the remnants on the ground between them.

"Thank-you."

The usual cold blue stare was all she got.

Mai got out quickly and hustled over to the little table, to retrieve the gold bracelet and favourite pencil, stashing them back into her pocket, before returning near the perpetually untrusting dragon again.

"Let's get out of here..."

The annoyed dragon put her hand out to block Mai's path.

"There are still soldiers present..."

A few moments passed, and she lowered her hand, giving a slight nod.

With no-one watching, the pair crept from the tent, and then slipped between a couple more nearby, when Mai heard a disgruntled voice amid the chaos.

"Get that odd woman out here."

Mai stayed close, but ducked low, behind some empty crates.

"Quick, hide here..."

Ryoniya looked down at her like she was lower than dirt.

"Why should I cower ....like you?"

"Just get down here already!"

If looks could kill, Mai would have been six feet under now, but Ryoniya complied, glaring closely at Mai all the while she stayed low behind the wooden boxes beside her.

Some officers dashed into the tent they had just vacated, as the overweight General arrived back on the scene in a sweaty state.

The blustering commanders men returned empty handed.

"Where's the prisoner?"

"Someone's broken her loose..."

He cursed under his breath and looked about, not seeing Mai who watched on between the fine gap between the unused wooden boxes.

"And why have the Piercers stopped?"

He shouted his question to another of his men, as they also arrived.

"General Clarkson, I think they've all been destroyed..."

"All of them? You fools, how could this have happened?"

He looked around at them all with swelling anger.

"Ready the explosives!"

"Uh... Sir, they too have... already been..."

The recent man reported.

"It's just one lousy dragon, how..."

"Two, sir"

"Even if it is two...!"

He spat back in the correcting man's face.

"Are we useless against so few?"

They didn't need to answer, as Nullawhy roared overhead, sending all of them ducking low, even-though she was sailing by quite clear of all the tents they'd set up, and continued on unchallenged.

"We need to retreat...!"

One of his charges shouted, and took off - with another absolutely terrified one to follow straight away after him.

The large sized commander also looked panicked, but contained his cower before what men remained near him.

"We need to fall back, regroup and come back again..."

He shouted, after another dragons roar.

A few of his officers didn't like the sound of that, but still nodded along.

"Perhaps that relay from the King was true, and our defeat was 'foreseen'..."

The tallest of his staunch supporters added as he too moved off quickly.

"I don't care what that short sighted fool said for us to do, he is hardly worthy of his rule."

The irate General didn't see the shock he gave to his underlings as he spoke ill of his leader, but they remained quiet as he went on.

"I will not have this victory stolen from me!"

The others looked at each other again, with a little anger, but mostly anxious and with a realization that there had been very little chance of any victory, now having witnessed their 'foes' in action.

"Find some horses; we need to get away from here..."

The General's voice faded as he lumbered away, taking his remaining men with him, leaving Mai and Ryoniya free to stand again.

"Truly shameful, how can that human not see he is totally outclassed and beat...?"

"Ambition and delusions I'd say. Are we alright to get away too?"

The shorter silver dragon looked and listened out for dangers, before picking a route and nodding.

"Follow with caution..."

She dashed off, but at a speed Mai could follow, only just. With a few short sprints, they arrived by the woods fringe, and slipping past a few trees, they were in the clear.

Lygawa must have caught sight of them, as she dashed high overhead, covering their escape, before doubling back to crash into the forests surface near them.

{Mai!}

She scrambled closer, with her wings still wide.

{Are you unharmed?}

"I'm alright...!"

She was nearly knocked over by the large head as Lygawa nuzzled her body with added enthusiasm.

{Nullawhy and I have taken care of their big weapons, while sparing the many already fleeing soldiers...}

She announced to Mai, as she received a few head rubs.

"Good."

She then swung her head to Ryoniya next and bumped her forcefully too.

{Thanks sister, I knew you could do it!}

"Humph... of course..."

Lygawa lowered her nearest shoulder, and aided Mai with her wing, allowing her to quickly climb onboard.

{I worried when my sister volunteered to rescue you, but I am very glad she was successful!}

She volunteered...?

Mai got settled on Lygawa's back as Ryoniya changed to her true glistening form.

{I was best suited for the delicate task, so completing it successfully was assured.}

The smug smaller dragon took off in a flash.

{Hum, curious...}

Lygawa jumped into the air too, and moments later flapped above the trees and the now abandoned camp below.

{I think I sense another dragon approaching...}

She resumed a glide, heading over the many frantic little figures dashing away in the nearby grasslands.

"Out here, why, and who could it be?"

{We will find out soon, yes, as they are heading directly this way...}