Trusted: Dragons' Trust Book 1 (3 page)

Two wolves emerged from the darkness. Thane brought his blade down on the first one. Renick ran into the fray, swinging the beam at the second wolf. The animal caught the wood in its powerful jaws and thrashed its head back and forth. Renick tightened his grip and kicked at the beast. From the far corner of the basket, Renick could hear Lainey crying. The wolf pulled Renick's piece of wood to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Renick drove his foot down on the beast's head. The opposing hold on the wood vanished as the wolf retreated.

Renick chanced a quick look at Thane. They had both moved forward about two paces and were now further apart with their backs exposed. Blood coated Thane's sword. With his opponent no longer in sight, Thane took the time to clean his sword on the grass.

"Up a tree," Thane said. "We need to get up a tree."

The wolves started to close in again. Renick looked back to see that Lainey had not moved. "Thane," Renick called, "Lainey needs help."

"I need a diversion," Thane said as he swung his blade in a wide arch. The wolves paused, but continued to move forward.

Renick's eyes darted around the shrinking area between where they stood and the enemy. His attention was caught by the slight flickering of the fire. "All right, on the count of three, you go help Lainey." Out of the corner of his eye, Renick saw Thane nod. "One, two, three."

Jumping forward, Renick swept his stick across the remains of the fire, scattering it. Half a dozen large embers spread through the air directly at the wolves. One of the embers, its flame brought to life by the increase in air, landed on the back of one of the animals. The wolf whined in fear, running in circles in an attempt to flee the growing flame. It disappeared into the thick trees of the forest. The other embers lit the dry grass, creating an uneven line of fire that held the wolves at bay. Renick started to back up, keeping his eyes trained on the four remaining attackers. Soon he was standing next to Thane and Lainey near the edge of the passenger basket. Thane had coaxed Lainey to stand up and follow him. She cowered behind him as he held his blade out in the direction of the wolf pack. Thane tilted his head toward one of the trees that the basket was wedged between.

Renick threw his makeshift weapon at one of the wolves, who skirted away from it. Turning, he bounded up the tree as quickly as his sore shoulder would allow. When he reached the first sturdy branch, he stopped and reached down with his good arm. Thane sheathed his sword and lifted Lainey until she could reach Renick's outstretched fingers. Renick provided an anchor and leverage to Lainey as she climbed up the tree. Thane followed closely behind her.

Down on the forest floor, the wolves howled and snapped their jaws at the waning flames. Slowly the light from the shattered fire dissipated and the wolves closed in. They scratched at the bark of the tree and tried to jump up it. Eventually, one of the wolves abandoned the tree and managed to get on top of the passenger basket. One good leap and the wolf would be upon them.

Thane, who was the closest to the wolf, reached down to his boot and drew out a knife. He held it ready as he watched the wolf's movements. The gray animal growled, its sharp teeth bared and menacing.

A thundering roar rolled through the air, echoing across the entire forest. Renick clapped his hands over his ears to stave off some of the volume. He turned to look at the wolf. It had stopped advancing toward them. Its ears were laid back and its tail hung down between its legs. The other three wolves on the ground were behaving in the same manner. They milled around the wolf Thane had killed with his sword. Another roar sent the small pack scurrying into the depths of the forest.

"What was that?" Lainey said, her voice shaking.

"Sounds like a dragon," Renick answered.

"No dragon I've ever heard," Thane said.

"Probably a wild one. I've heard—" Renick was interrupted by a loud crash and the sound of many branches breaking at once.

All was silent.

After a long while, Lainey chanced a whispered question. "Is it coming after us?"

Thane shook his head. "I think if it was, we would have seen or heard it by now."

"That did
not
sound like a graceful landing," Renick commented. "I think it may have been injured."

"Like our dragon?" Lainey asked.

Renick just shrugged, an awkward movement when balancing on a tree branch.

"Two dragons being shot down in one day?" Thane said. "That can't be a coincidence."

"What's out there?" Lainey asked.

Renick did not have a good answer for her. There was a reason no one ever traveled by foot through the Helath Forest—wolves, bears, wild dragons, and every kind of frightening beast roamed between the trees. From end to end at its narrowest point, the forest would take a month to cross on foot. Renick closed his eyes and tried to remember where they had been when the flyer went down. Once he had the picture of those last moments in his mind, he studied it carefully. They had not been that far from the edge of the forest. He remembered seeing the open plains on the horizon.

"That's it, then," Renick said aloud.

"What?" Thane asked.

Renick's cheeks started to feel warm as they colored with embarrassment. He cleared his throat and tried to make it seem as if he had not been talking to himself. "We can't stay here."

Lainey and Thane stared at him open–mouthed. "You can't seriously be suggesting that we venture deeper into the forest," Thane said.

"What about the others?" Lainey asked.

"It's too dangerous to search for them. Besides, they might be …" Renick trailed off and glanced in Lainey's direction when she caught her breath.

"We're lost, Renick," Thane said, his voice deep and cold. "If we stay put, we have the best chance of being found."

"
If
we're found," Renick said.

Lainey let out a short sob.

"We will be found. We stay here," Thane commanded.

Renick shifted his position on the branch. Thane was older and higher in station, and it was not Renick's place to question his judgment. But he could not help it; he knew it was not safe. "But—"

"We stay."

The force in Thane's words ended the debate. Renick started picking at a piece of loose bark on the branch in front of him. He stared at it long after the light from the fire faded and left them in darkness.

Staying was not safe. The dead wolf would attract other predators and scavengers. Not to mention, the wolves would most likely return to mark their territory. He let his hand fall away from the tree branch. He quickly counted in his mind. Five. It would take a rescue party from Trevinni at least five days to reach them.

A painful emptiness rolled through Renick's stomach. "And what about food?"

"What was that?" Thane's voice sliced through the darkness.

"Nothing." Renick hung his head and felt in the dark for his loose piece of bark. He wanted to push for leaving. Could he strike out on his own? No, staying together presented their best chance for survival.

"I'm hungry too." Lainey's voice sounded harsh and spent.

"We will eat in the morning," Thane told her.

The world grew a little lighter as the sun started to rise. A vengeful howl broke through the stillness. The sound of animals moving through the trees approached them. Their scampering feet circled the tree twice and then disappeared into the forest.

"I think it would be unsafe to remain here," Thane said, as if he had just thought of it. "I think we should strike out and try to find our way to Trevinni." He cleared his throat and looked off into the distance.

In the growing light of morning, Renick turned to look at Lainey. She caught his gaze and rolled her eyes in an exaggerated movement. Another howl, more distant this time, sent a chill up Renick's spine. He turned to watch the sun rise, grateful it was morning.

Renick slid down the tree and landed with a slight thud next to Thane. The small area around the passenger basket was now filled with light. As Lainey descended from the tree, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. With a sigh, Thane reached down and offered Lainey his hand. She ignored it, but when Renick reached to help her stand, she accepted.

"Thanks, Renick," she said, flashing him a smile.

"We ready?" Thane asked. When Renick turned to look at him, Thane had his arms crossed over his chest and one of the packs on his back.

"What about breakfast?" Lainey asked.

"We can eat while we walk," Thane told her. He held out a chunk of dried bread to both of them.

Renick took his portion of food and picked up the second pack from where it sat on the ground next to Thane's feet. Lainey slung her healer's pouch over her shoulder before taking her piece of bread from Thane's outstretched hand.

"Right. Stay close." Without waiting for a response, Thane marched into the forest. Lainey looked at Renick and rolled her eyes. He could only shrug in response and then follow after Thane.

The forest was cool and quiet in the late morning. The ground was a mottled combination of light and shadow that shifted back and forth in the breeze. Renick was struck by how loud their passage was in the silence. Not even birds could be heard flitting between the trees. The stillness was almost eerie. A small, thin cry caught Renick's attention. He recognized the sound from many nights spent in the brooder during hatching season. A baby dragon. He stopped and cocked his head.

The cry came again.

Turning from the trail, Renick headed toward the source of the noise. Every time the high–pitched plea sounded through the dense trees, he adjusted his direction. He stepped between two giant trunks and the forest ended abruptly. A deep gouge, some fifty paces wide and about waist deep, ran through the trees and underbrush. Renick looked up and down the pocket of destruction. The motionless tail of a gray dragon snaked out from under a pile of unearthed trees and brush. Renick climbed over the debris until he stood over the tail. Reaching down, he ran his hand over the silvery scales. They were cold.

"Oh," Lainey gasped. Renick turned. Lainey stood behind him, her mouth covered and her eyes surveying the damage. "Was it our dragon?" Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Renick stood. "No, this is a wild dragon. Probably the one we heard last night." He pointed down at the tail. "See, she was a gray."

"She? But she has a thag–a–ma–jig," Lainey said.

"With wild dragons, both genders can have them," Renick said.

"Then how—" Lainey started to say.

"—expected to keep you alive when you wander off!" Thane burst into the clearing. With hardly a glance at the area around him or a pause to breathe, he continued with his ranting. "It's dangerous. Don't you two get that?"

"Shh." Renick thought he heard the cry again. When Thane did not stop talking, Renick shushed him again and closed his eyes to hear better.

This time the cry was clear and very close. Renick picked his way through the wake of ruined ground until he found a small mound of slate–blue scales and black spikes. The mound shifted and a small angular head emerged. The baby dragon, which was roughly the size of a small lamb, flared its nostrils and moaned. Renick crouched down on one knee. He held out his hand, limp at the wrist, and clicked his tongue softly.

The dragon blinked its black eyes at Renick, turning its head from side to side. It cried plaintively and moved with an awkward tilt. Without touching it, Renick carefully inspected the baby dragon's limbs. He also watched for signs of fear or anger from the little predator.

"Aw." Lainey fell to her knees next to Renick. Before he could stop her, she reached out and started stroking the baby dragon's head. To his astonishment, the dragon started to vibrate, much like a silent purr.

"Be careful, Lainey. He's wild and injured. He could turn on you at any moment," Renick said.

"Don't worry." Lainey sounded like Renick's mom when she talked to his baby sister. "It won't hurt us."

Renick continued with his evaluation of the dragon. The radius bone just below the elbow on the left wing was bent at an odd angle; the area around it was swollen and bloody. "His wing is broken."

"The poor thing." Lainey cupped the dragon's head in her hands. "Let's see if we can patch you up."

"Leave it," Thane said coldly.

Renick looked up to find Thane towering over them. "It will slow us down," he offered by way of an argument.

Next to him, Lainey snorted.

"And eat most of our food," Thane tried again.

Renick turned back to the dragon. "He's young enough that he won't need much."

"And its mother will come after us."

"Its mother is dead," Lainey blurted. She looked over at Renick, her eyes sad. "He needs us."

"No," Thane said.

Renick stood and spun around to face Thane. "Who put you in charge?" he demanded. Before the words finished leaving his mouth, he started to lose his nerve. Thane looked so intimidating, especially with his hand on the pommel of his sword like that. Renick felt a reassuring hand touch the back of his leg. "This dragon is hurt, and we can help it. Right?" Renick turned to Lainey who stood up next to him.

"Right." She crossed her arms. With a sideways glance at Renick, she added, "You don't scare us," and stuck out her tongue. Thane just stared back at her, his mouth pressed in a tight line.

"All right, then." Renick knelt back down next to the dragon. Lainey joined him. She pulled her shoulder bag around to the front and opened it.

"I know how to treat human broken bones, but not dragon ones," she said, riffling through the contents of her bag. "Are they similar?"

Renick nodded. "These are. Some of the bones in the wings are hollow, but here where it's broken, they aren't. So the basics should be the same."

"Okay." Lainey spread her hands out over the dragon. "Step one—clean the wound."

Renick picked up the dragon and positioned it on his lap. He wrapped his left arm around the dragon's neck and held the injured wing out to Lainey with his other hand.

"You've handled baby dragons before," Lainey commented.