surroundings.
‘We must leave you soon, Rory, as we are already within the territory of Arbor, the place of woods and forests. We call it Dark Wood. This is not our domain and we could injureourselves in such close confines,’ said Bran gently, the branch of a tree almost sticking into his eye.
‘We should warn him of what lies ahead,’ blurted out Nilo, and Rory noticed a worried look pass between the giants.
‘Be careful, lad!’ warned Bran. ‘Dark Wood is full of all sorts of dangers, wild things that would attack a stranger. Wolves and twisting snakes that lurk in the ground and stinging insects that can kill a man in a few seconds, and those funny-looking beasts they call creepers!’
Rory was puzzled – he had no idea what a creeper was.
‘Creepers are nasty things with a fierce bite,’ warned Nilo. ‘They look small and harmless with their big, soft eyes and twitchy noses and tails, but they’re vicious. Keep away from them!’
In the valley below them, Rory could see a vast forest, a small river wound its way lazily through the dense undergrowth.
‘That forest below is most likely crawling with them,’ added Nilo.
Something moved silently above the forest, bigger than any bird. Nilo began jumping up and down with excitement, pointing.
‘’Tis a dragon! I told you I saw one!’
‘Hush, boy!’ warned Bran. ‘Do you want the dragon to hear you?’
They all watched as the dark shape circled over the tree tops. It flew round and round, then rose upwards, gaining height, heading in their direction.
The young dragon flew steadily, each wing moving in rhythm as it searched the area.
‘We must hide!’ warned Bran. ‘Or else it’ll hear, or see, or smell us! They say a dragon can smell people a mile off.’
He pulled the two of them in under the cover of a thick bush. As the dragon flew overhead, it threw back its head and gave a piercing cry, which almost froze Rory’s blood in his veins. They could hear the heavy flapping of its black wings, stretched taut over its bony frame, as the dragon circled overhead.
‘It smells us,’ whispered Bran. He drew his pipe from his pocket and, using the tinderbox, set the tobacco alight. Puffing deeply, he let the strong scent of tobacco waft around them. The dragon passed overhead again, uncertain now, flying so low that Rory could see the deep veins and patterns on its skin. It sniffed with curiosity and disdain at the smell of the tobacco. The dragon’s eyes gleamed brightly, then, with a last searching look, it rose high into the sky again and flew away from them.
‘Sky protect me, but there be dragons still!’ gasped Bran. ‘I never thought I would live to see the day that a dragon would fill the sky.’
Rory sat on the grass, stunned into silence. He couldn’t believe it! An actual dragon. He’d seen it flying with his very own eyes. Fantasy come to life, and here he was stuck right in the middle of it all! Poor Mia must be terrified out of her wits. He was determined to go down into the forest immediately and continue his search for her. He stood up, ready to go.
‘Hold on, young fellow my lad, don’t be rushing to go down there yet or yon dragon might return. Take your time.’
They made their way down into the valley and Rory knew that the giants were now in great danger as they were visible from any distance.
‘I’m sorry, Rory, but Nilo and I must return to Giants’ Cave,’ Bran finally announced, ‘though we hate leaving you here.’
Rory nodded, not trusting himself to speak, lonely already, fearful and wishing they didn’t have to go. They shook hands solemnly.
‘I hope you find your sister,’ wished Nilo sincerely.
Bran lifted him up in his arms and squeezed him hard to say goodbye. He passed him a small, well-folded length of parchment.
‘Birch drew out this map for you. She copied it from the Chronicles to give you some idea of the land you must pass through. ’Tis easy to get lost in those wild
‘We must leave you soon, Rory, as we are already within the territory of Arbor, the place of woods and forests. We call it Dark Wood. This is not our domain and we could injureourselves in such close confines,’ said Bran gently, the branch of a tree almost sticking into his eye.
‘We should warn him of what lies ahead,’ blurted out Nilo, and Rory noticed a worried look pass between the giants.
‘Be careful, lad!’ warned Bran. ‘Dark Wood is full of all sorts of dangers, wild things that would attack a stranger. Wolves and twisting snakes that lurk in the ground and stinging insects that can kill a man in a few seconds, and those funny-looking beasts they call creepers!’
Rory was puzzled – he had no idea what a creeper was.
‘Creepers are nasty things with a fierce bite,’ warned Nilo. ‘They look small and harmless with their big, soft eyes and twitchy noses and tails, but they’re vicious. Keep away from them!’
In the valley below them, Rory could see a vast forest, a small river wound its way lazily through the dense undergrowth.
‘That forest below is most likely crawling with them,’ added Nilo.
Something moved silently above the forest, bigger than any bird. Nilo began jumping up and down with excitement, pointing.
‘’Tis a dragon! I told you I saw one!’
‘Hush, boy!’ warned Bran. ‘Do you want the dragon to hear you?’
They all watched as the dark shape circled over the tree tops. It flew round and round, then rose upwards, gaining height, heading in their direction.
The young dragon flew steadily, each wing moving in rhythm as it searched the area.
‘We must hide!’ warned Bran. ‘Or else it’ll hear, or see, or smell us! They say a dragon can smell people a mile off.’
He pulled the two of them in under the cover of a thick bush. As the dragon flew overhead, it threw back its head and gave a piercing cry, which almost froze Rory’s blood in his veins. They could hear the heavy flapping of its black wings, stretched taut over its bony frame, as the dragon circled overhead.
‘It smells us,’ whispered Bran. He drew his pipe from his pocket and, using the tinderbox, set the tobacco alight. Puffing deeply, he let the strong scent of tobacco waft around them. The dragon passed overhead again, uncertain now, flying so low that Rory could see the deep veins and patterns on its skin. It sniffed with curiosity and disdain at the smell of the tobacco. The dragon’s eyes gleamed brightly, then, with a last searching look, it rose high into the sky again and flew away from them.
‘Sky protect me, but there be dragons still!’ gasped Bran. ‘I never thought I would live to see the day that a dragon would fill the sky.’
Rory sat on the grass, stunned into silence. He couldn’t believe it! An actual dragon. He’d seen it flying with his very own eyes. Fantasy come to life, and here he was stuck right in the middle of it all! Poor Mia must be terrified out of her wits. He was determined to go down into the forest immediately and continue his search for her. He stood up, ready to go.
‘Hold on, young fellow my lad, don’t be rushing to go down there yet or yon dragon might return. Take your time.’
They made their way down into the valley and Rory knew that the giants were now in great danger as they were visible from any distance.
‘I’m sorry, Rory, but Nilo and I must return to Giants’ Cave,’ Bran finally announced, ‘though we hate leaving you here.’
Rory nodded, not trusting himself to speak, lonely already, fearful and wishing they didn’t have to go. They shook hands solemnly.
‘I hope you find your sister,’ wished Nilo sincerely.
Bran lifted him up in his arms and squeezed him hard to say goodbye. He passed him a small, well-folded length of parchment.
‘Birch drew out this map for you. She copied it from the Chronicles to give you some idea of the land you must pass through. ’Tis easy to get lost in those wild
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