"I have no intention of fighting dragons," Gavin assured him. "I just like to know the ground rules."
"Camarat said you seemed experienced with dragons," Agad said.
"I'm young, but my dad taught me a lot. Chuck Rose."
"Never heard of him." Agad started toward the door. "We need to get you outside the wall before midday. After that, you may do as you will, but I recommend stealth and haste."
"I wish I could bring Mara and the others to see this map room," Trask said. "I would love to repeat some of your instructions."
Passing through the doorway, Agad glanced at the sky. "You have my permission. Be quick about it." The old man patted Kendra on the shoulder. "Good luck to you. I hope you find what you are seeking, and that the price is not too steep."
Agad strolled away with Tanu at his side.
Kendra turned to Trask and Gavin. "Helpful?"
Trask gave a small shrug. "The more we learn about what we'll face here, the less I like it. But I'd rather be scared than blind. We better get the others."
Walking with Trask and Gavin, Kendra considered their leader. Trask seemed to be the most capable of all of them. He was tall, strong, skilled, worldly. He moved with confidence. He made swift decisions. He carried himself like a man who had seen it all.
She did not enjoy hearing that he was scared.
Chapter 19 Dragon Tamer
By the time Kendra started across the drawbridge with her companions, the entire sky had gone cloudy. The gray ceiling directly above the sanctuary looked lighter than the murk surrounding Wyrmroost, but flurries of snowflakes had begun to fall, pushed by inconstant breezes. When Kendra cast her eyes beyond the rainbow barrier, the snowfall outside the sanctuary looked much heavier.
Kendra glanced regretfully back at the wall enclosing Blackwell Keep. She and her friends were out in the open now. Vulnerable. Back at the hotel, Gavin had related how dragons viewed people much as people saw mice. At the moment, she felt like a mouse dropped into a cage of snakes. Within the boundaries of Wyrmroost, dragons or other mystical predators could await beneath any tree, inside any cave, beyond any rise. No viable shelter remained. It was only a matter of time before they attracted attention.
They started up a slope, moving in a loose cluster. Tanu had given her a lozenge for her throat, but it still felt raw. As Blackwell Keep shrank behind them, Kendra watched the others. With his long, purposeful strides, Trask seemed determined and confident. Tanu and Mara wore serious, thoughtful expressions. Dougan appeared calm, as if on a casual stroll to enjoy nature. Warren repeatedly tossed a stick in the air, apparently trying to see how many times he could spin it end over end before catching it. Gavin brought up the rear, anxiously rubbing his palms with his thumbs, eyes in constant motion.
They passed beneath tall cedars and pines, the capricious wind stirring the limbs overhead. Beneath the trees Kendra saw dry accumulations of old needles, tangles of twigs, a few jutting boulders, and periodic patches of old, dirty snow. The tiny flakes falling at the moment were not sticking to the ground. In fact, under the trees, not many flakes managed to reach the forest floor.
"Should we break out the puppet?" Warren asked. "Might as well have Mendigo scout for threats. He does us no good in the knapsack."
"We'll pause at the top of this ridge and get him out," Trask said.
Toward the top of the ridge the terrain grew steep. Kendra used both hands while scrambling to the crest. On the far side, the ground fell away even more sharply. The snow flurries had ended for the moment, although the breeze had picked up. Above them loomed higher ridges and hills, stony spines, wooded ledges, rocky faces, and eventually the bald, sheer cliffs of Stormcrag. Off to the left and farther away, Moonfang soared into the sky, the summit obscured in mellow gray clouds.
Kendra recalled looking down on the sanctuary from the helicopter, as well as the map at Blackwell Keep. Using the mounting ranks of high ground for reference, she tried to visualize some of the unseen ravines, valleys, meadows, streams, and lakes.
"Look across the gulf," Dougan said.
A dark, lumbering shape emerged from the trees on the next ridge over. Built like a bear, the creature had the shaggy fur of a yak and a thick, hawklike beak. The beast reared onto its hind legs, standing twice the height of any grizzly, and emitted a sound halfway between a screech and a roar.
"What is it?" Kendra whispered.
"Not sure," Trask muttered. "Might be past time we got our weapons out."
Trask and Warren opened the knapsack and descended into the storeroom. The bearlike monstrosity continued up the opposing ridge and then disappeared over the far side, swishing a hairless tail with a bulbous knob at the end.
"Look above the shoulder of Stormcrag," Mara said, eyes skyward.
Kendra followed her gaze and saw two distant silhouettes reeling through the air, widespread wings canting sharply. They lacked the long necks and tails of dragons, but the airborne creatures were large, with four legs.
"Griffins," Tanu said.
As they watched, the creatures swooped and circled acrobatically. Then they plunged out of sight together.
"They found prey," Dougan commented.
A minute or two later, Trask and Warren emerged from the knapsack, followed by Mendigo, the golden hooks of his joints jingling. Besides carrying his huge crossbow, Trask wore a pair of matching swords across his back and twin daggers at his waist. Warren held the sword he had claimed at Lost Mesa. Mendigo toted an eight-foot spear and a heavy battle-ax. Mara took the spear and Dougan accepted the ax.
"No weapons for you guys?" Kendra asked Tanu and Gavin.
Tanu twisted, showing Kendra the blowgun tucked into his belt. "Sleeping darts and potions for me."
Gavin twirled his walking stick. "This will do for now. Avoidance will be our best friend. But it's good to be armed in case of smaller threats."
"Like giant hawkbears," Kendra said.
He grinned. "Exactly."
"Mendigo," Warren said, "scout our perimeter. Don't range too far from us. Alert us of any possible threats. Don't let any creatures take us unawares. Our goal is to avoid encounters. Should trouble break out, guard Kendra as your first priority, then the rest of us. Get her into the knapsack if the danger becomes extreme. Our first goal is to flee conflicts, but use violence in our protection as required. As a last resort, if you must kill to protect us, do it."
The wooden humanoid bobbed his head and skipped down the far side of the ridge, moving with a loose, jangling grace. Kendra soon lost sight of him under the trees.