momentarily and she dropped back a short distance. Pell felt a fierce burning in his stomach and his hands gripped tighter than ever on the front of the saddle. He could
see that further back, the two remaining dragons had split, one following Shadow and the other tracking Firestorm.
‘Darkhorn and Longtail have decided to follow us. Deepshade is going after Firestorm,’
Shadow announced.
‘What will Firestorm do?’
‘I don’t know,’
she replied.
‘But Firestorm and I agreed that splitting up is the best course of action.’
They had given Nolita and Firestorm a bit of breathing space, but it seemed this was the best he and Shadow could do for now. Pell did not fancy Firestorm’s chances against Deepshade, but
there appeared little hope that he and Shadow could deal with Darkhorn and Longtail
and
catch up with Firestorm in time to assist. He was pleased the dragons had made the decision. Normally
he liked to lead, but his promise to Elian that he would get Nolita to the day dragon enclave was fresh in his mind. It had felt like he was abandoning that promise less than a day after making it,
so his guilt was eased by the dragons taking charge.
Shadow headed for the high valley to their right and Pell had an idea that rapidly developed into a plan. Shadow’s choice of route was not suitable for the trap he had in mind, but Pell
knew what to look for now. He could feel that Shadow was confident she was stronger than their two pursuers. She was aiming to stretch the two chasing night dragons beyond their limits. If she
could, she would force them to give up the chase. If not, she hoped to weaken them enough to swing a fight in her favour. With the immediate odds down to two against one, things were beginning to
feel slightly better and Pell was sure that with a little bit of luck, things could swing to their advantage.
‘Are you sure you can climb fast enough to make it over that pass?’
Pell asked, looking up at the tight ‘V shaped valley.
‘There’s only one way to find out,’
Shadow replied, her voice set with determination.
‘But I’ll make it. Trust me. If I have to land and run the final
bit, I’ll still beat Darkhorn and Longtail to the other side.’
Despite the steepness of the valley, Pell believed her. They had been flying at speed for hours, yet Shadow still had strength in reserve. So powerful were her downward strokes it felt as if she
was stamping up a flight of stairs. The nearest of the night dragons, Darkhorn, was beginning to drop behind, but Longtail had been quick to respond to Shadow’s tactic. She had started her
climb from further back and did not have to climb at such an extreme rate.
Pell’s head was beginning to spin as he kept looking forwards and back, forwards and back. It was hard to decide where the biggest danger threatened. The rocky pass ahead was narrow and
steep. The two dragons behind looked angry and determined. The temperature was dropping as they climbed and soon the air would thin, making it more difficult to breathe. He knew Shadow was
intending to descend again as soon as they were over the crest so he was not worried about breathing becoming impossible, but thinking was more difficult in this environment and he was keen to keep
his mind alert.
The walls of the valley closed in on either side of them as Shadow hurled all her strength into the climb. The jagged rocks beneath gradually drew more and more of Pell’s attention as they
reached up towards him with teeth every bit as deadly as those of the attacking dragons. How Shadow thought she could effect a landing here, Pell did not know. Their crash landing on the ridge when
the dragonhunters had chased them was vivid in his mind. Then he had been thrown clear into soft heather. There was nothing soft to land on in this valley.
‘We will not crash,’
Shadow assured him.
‘Glad to hear it.’
Despite her assurance, they were getting closer to the rocks and Shadow was already putting
see that further back, the two remaining dragons had split, one following Shadow and the other tracking Firestorm.
‘Darkhorn and Longtail have decided to follow us. Deepshade is going after Firestorm,’
Shadow announced.
‘What will Firestorm do?’
‘I don’t know,’
she replied.
‘But Firestorm and I agreed that splitting up is the best course of action.’
They had given Nolita and Firestorm a bit of breathing space, but it seemed this was the best he and Shadow could do for now. Pell did not fancy Firestorm’s chances against Deepshade, but
there appeared little hope that he and Shadow could deal with Darkhorn and Longtail
and
catch up with Firestorm in time to assist. He was pleased the dragons had made the decision. Normally
he liked to lead, but his promise to Elian that he would get Nolita to the day dragon enclave was fresh in his mind. It had felt like he was abandoning that promise less than a day after making it,
so his guilt was eased by the dragons taking charge.
Shadow headed for the high valley to their right and Pell had an idea that rapidly developed into a plan. Shadow’s choice of route was not suitable for the trap he had in mind, but Pell
knew what to look for now. He could feel that Shadow was confident she was stronger than their two pursuers. She was aiming to stretch the two chasing night dragons beyond their limits. If she
could, she would force them to give up the chase. If not, she hoped to weaken them enough to swing a fight in her favour. With the immediate odds down to two against one, things were beginning to
feel slightly better and Pell was sure that with a little bit of luck, things could swing to their advantage.
‘Are you sure you can climb fast enough to make it over that pass?’
Pell asked, looking up at the tight ‘V shaped valley.
‘There’s only one way to find out,’
Shadow replied, her voice set with determination.
‘But I’ll make it. Trust me. If I have to land and run the final
bit, I’ll still beat Darkhorn and Longtail to the other side.’
Despite the steepness of the valley, Pell believed her. They had been flying at speed for hours, yet Shadow still had strength in reserve. So powerful were her downward strokes it felt as if she
was stamping up a flight of stairs. The nearest of the night dragons, Darkhorn, was beginning to drop behind, but Longtail had been quick to respond to Shadow’s tactic. She had started her
climb from further back and did not have to climb at such an extreme rate.
Pell’s head was beginning to spin as he kept looking forwards and back, forwards and back. It was hard to decide where the biggest danger threatened. The rocky pass ahead was narrow and
steep. The two dragons behind looked angry and determined. The temperature was dropping as they climbed and soon the air would thin, making it more difficult to breathe. He knew Shadow was
intending to descend again as soon as they were over the crest so he was not worried about breathing becoming impossible, but thinking was more difficult in this environment and he was keen to keep
his mind alert.
The walls of the valley closed in on either side of them as Shadow hurled all her strength into the climb. The jagged rocks beneath gradually drew more and more of Pell’s attention as they
reached up towards him with teeth every bit as deadly as those of the attacking dragons. How Shadow thought she could effect a landing here, Pell did not know. Their crash landing on the ridge when
the dragonhunters had chased them was vivid in his mind. Then he had been thrown clear into soft heather. There was nothing soft to land on in this valley.
‘We will not crash,’
Shadow assured him.
‘Glad to hear it.’
Despite her assurance, they were getting closer to the rocks and Shadow was already putting
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