Getting back to the battle was easy enough. All Anders had to do was follow the trail of bodies he’d created. He was proud of himself, using his speed to his advantage and taking only one orc at a time. He did wonder why Zahara hadn’t responded. He wasn’t with anyone else who would have lived to tell about her existence.
Once back at the edge of the forest, Anders could see that the battle had gone in favor of the Islanders. The warriors had managed to clear the west beach of orcs and were pushing the main orc force back into the forest on the eastern edge. He came out of the trees and onto the beach. He could see through the light of the flames that Max and Britt had rejoined the shield wall and were fighting alongside the main force.
Joining the shield wall, he helped his fellow warriors. From behind the shields, Anders helped the collective group push the remaining orcs off the beach. Soon the orcs began to retreat and the battle was over.
Anders panted heavily, placing his hands on his knees. He was exhausted from all of the running and fighting. He dripped with sweat and his clothes were wet with orc blood. He looked around among those he fought alongside, searching for Max, Ivan and Britt.
Max and Britt had been close by, so he located them quickly. A sense of relief came over him when he found his friends unharmed. Max told him Red and Ivan were in front of the group pointing in their direction. That was enough to ease his worried mind. He and Max joined Britt and the others who had began walking back across the beach.
“I thought you were a goner,” Max said. “When the attack began, you were nowhere to be found. I assumed orcs had grabbed you and drug you off into the woods. I stayed with Britt and the people who were near our campsite. We got pushed around and separated from the main group. Somehow, we caught a lucky break and pushed through to the others on the beach. From there the battle turned in our favor. What happened to you? How did you end up in the shield wall?” he asked.
Anders lied and told him he’d gone off to pee when the attack began, so he joined the fighting late. “When I was sneaking back through the woods, I saw that you and Britt had been separated from the others on the beach. From behind a couple of large rocks, I took out two-dozen of them with my bow before the orcs realized I was shooting at them. When they came after me, I led them into the woods, taking them out one at a time,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly. “No, big deal or anything,” he added with a hint of sarcasm.
“You saved us?” Max sounded surprised. “That was you who led the orcs away from us? Wow, you saved my life!” he exclaimed.
“You saved me back in Grandwood, so I guess we’re even.”
Max gave Anders a forceful hug, “Even,” he released his firm hug and gripped Anders’ shoulders at arm’s length. “Wait until I tell others about this.”
“Well, I don’t want any praise or anything. Just keep it between us, okay?” Anders didn’t want to draw attention to the fact that he was sneaking off during the night again.
“All right, but I think we should at least tell Britt,” Max said. “She should know who saved us.”
“Okay,” Anders agreed. “You can tell her, but I don’t want people thinking I did something more than anyone else in this battle. You all fought harder than I did anyway.”
After the battle was over Anders was physically and emotionally exhausted. He tried to get some sleep before dawn, but visions of orcs attacking those he’d grown closest to over the past several weeks kept him up. Although he was worried about Zahara’s whereabouts, he didn’t know if the orcs that retreated would come back to finish what they’d started. He knew he needed to rest in case the orcs launched a second attack, but despite how exhausted he was, he couldn’t sleep.
At dawn Britt came over to their group and gave them an update on the new plan. They were now going to track the orcs that had retreated and find out where they came from, thinking perhaps the orcs had been sent by Thargon.
“Their original location is likely where they’re holding our people. Gear up, we leave soon,” Britt ordered loudly. She walked over to where Anders and Max were standing. Reaching out and gipping Anders’ hand firmly, she whispered so only he could hear, “Max told me what you did. Leading the group of orcs away from us was very brave. We couldn’t have made it back to the shield wall without you.”
As she released his hand, Anders smiled and gave her a slight nod, then followed her orders and packed up his belongings.
His gear packed, he was ready to go within minutes. From what he could tell most of the camp was not yet ready and most likely would not be leaving for at least an hour or more. With the extra time, he decided to sneak off into the woods to see if Zahara was still watching him. He wanted to make sure she was okay after the battle and thank her for saving him from the orc in the forest.
Anders slowly stepped backward toward the edge of the tree line. When it appeared that no one was paying attention, he slipped behind a tree and out of sight. The morning sunlight glinted off the dew-filled leaves around him. It was strange to think that the battle took place just hours before in such a beautiful place. When he’d gone far enough away from camp that it wasn’t likely anyone would find him, he called out in his mind for Zahara.
She answered. The dragon was curled up, her head and tail wrapped tightly around her body like a sleeping dog. She was lying under a ray of sunshine splashing down through the canopy to the forest floor. The light highlighted the brightness of her scales. Anders rushed to her side and hugged her tightly around the neck. The electric burst of energy when he touched her coursed through his veins and gave his drowsy body a much-needed awakening. Pulling away, he noticed her scales were splotched with dried blood.
“Are you hurt?” he asked furrowing his brow.
She sat up on her hindquarters and shook her head and neck sending the twigs and duff that stuck to gooey patches of blood flying. No, I am fine, she said with a yawn while spreading her wings to their full span. She folded them neatly against her sides and looked down at him with her head cocked sideways, I was just enjoying the morning sun. It warms my scales and feels nice. Are you okay?” sensing his concern for her.
“Yeah, I’m fine. What happened to you after I left?” he asked. “Whose blood is all that?” pointing to the splotches around her neck and just now seeing that her head and paws were saturated with it.
I hate the way they taste, she said, gumming her tongue against the roof of her mouth. Their blood is as rotten as their souls. I would much rather eat almost anything else.
“Orcs? You ate one of them?”
That’s what you call those hateful creatures? No, I didn’t eat one, but when I was biting into them I got their nasty blood in my mouth, she shook her head and stuck her forked tongue out slightly.
“I thought you were just going to watch me from the treetops?” Anders asked, confused why she’d gone off on her own and killed orcs.
You called to me, she said as if he knew she’d responded to him.
“I did, but I didn’t hear you reply,” he thought maybe she had tried but didn’t make the connection with his mind.
I felt someone else watching over the battle with his mind. I didn’t want to make myself known to whoever it was, so I shielded my thoughts, she paused to sniff the air for a moment, then continued, So many orcs were chasing you. I saw a large group following the others you had taken on. I waited until they were far enough in the trees before I attacked them.
Shocked that she had stopped more orcs from attacking him, Anders said, “I don’t know what I would do without you. It’s kind of crazy, but I feel...” Anders trailed off not wanting to sound like he was growing too attached to Zahara.
You know I can feel your emotions too, Zahara said. You don’t need to say it Anders, I feel the same way about you.
Anders sat down on a log next to her, feeling a bit embarrassed at exposing his raw emotions.
You miss your family, Zahara said. I miss mine, too. Maybe that is why we have grown so attached to each other in such a short time?
Anders nodded, “You’re pretty smart for a two-year-old.” He heard her laugh for the first time. The noise came from deep within her throat. “We both have family, but we can’t be with them. I just hope they’re okay.”
Me, too, Zahara added. Suddenly her head shot up at attention with her ears pinned back. Anders knew she’d sensed someone or something approaching. He’d seen her do it once before, the first night they’d met, when Ivan and the others came searching for him.
“What is it? Who’s coming?”
It’s the man who hides something and sneaks off during the night to talk to a face in the mirror.
“That’s Ivan. What’s he doing?”
