Claws of the Dragon

by Craig Halloran

  “Mmm, you know, now that I think about it,” the gnoll said, rubbing his chin and glancing skyward, “I don’t think dragons dream. So, it seems we are once again in disagreement.”

  The goblin’s mouth fell open.

  The gnoll cocked his sword arm back. “Six is my favorite number.” He started to swing.

  “Dragons do dream,” said a voice out of nowhere.

  The gnoll froze and turned.

  A shadowy hooded figure emerged from the woodland.

  Every poacher in the camp readied their weapon. Narrowing his wolfish eyes on the figure, the gnoll said, “We don’t share our fire with strangers. We kill trespassers.”

  “Oh, I’m not here to share your fire. I’m here for the dragon.” Selene revealed her face. “And zero is my favorite number.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Sliding his sword out of his scabbard, Nath backed up his mount. “The horses, Brenwar. We need to ride out of here.”

  “I hear you,” Brenwar replied. Imitating Nath’s, his mount started backward.

  The snake flanking it struck. The reptile buried its fangs into the horse’s hindquarters.

  Throwing the dwarf from the saddle, the horse bucked and instantly fell down dead.

  The snake flanking Nath’s dapple-grey steed slithered after him. It coiled its hooded head and struck.

  Fang’s blade flashed quicker than the blink of an eye and shore the snake’s head clear off.

  Nath hopped off the saddle and scared his horse away. “Get!”

  The middle snake, bigger than the rest, reared up right before Nath’s eyes. There was deep hypnotic power in the massive cobra’s eyes. Deep and evil, its hooded face swayed back and forth. Drops of burning venom dripped from its mouth.

  “You think you’re faster than me, do you?” Nath said to the snake—whose body was thicker than his leg. “Belly crawler, beware. I’ll cut you down like your dead brother over there.”

  “You need to cut them both down!” Brenwar mumbled. His entire body was encircled by the cobra that had killed his horse. His eyes bulged in their sockets, and his face purpled. He spat out his next words. “Quit trying to make friends with that lizard, and kill it!”

  The great grey-black snake hissed. Its tongues flickered.

  “You’ve given me no choice,” Nath said, brandishing the glimmering blade of Fang. He spoke in the ancient Snake tongue, unknown to most. “Crawl back inside your hole or die, Snake.”

  Head reared up eye to eye with Nath, the giant snake struck lightning fast.

  Nath banged the tip of its nose with the flat of his blade, driving the reptile back. “I told you I was fast,” Nath said in an ancient warning. “My next blow will be fatal.”

  The snake’s eyes bore into him like ancient black pearls of evil. Its head feinted with short strikes and then recoiled.

  “Quit playing games with it!” Brenwar blurted out. His face was beet red, and he screamed. “Nothing crushes a dwarf!”

  Nath’s sure feet slipped on the wet rocks.

  The cobra struck. Dripping fangs bore down on Nath’s neck.

  When Nath snapped his arm up, the cobra’s jaws clamped down hard on it. The snake’s teeth broke off on Nath’s black scales. Toothless, the reptile struck again and held on, chomping down hard on Nath’s arm like a vice.

  Nath started laughing. “Look at this, Brenwar! It busted its teeth on my scales. I should have known.”

  “Grrrr!” Though Brenwar flexed with all his dwarven might, the snake that constricted him did not give. “Will you get this thing off me?”

  “Certainly,” Nath said. Dragging over the snake that was clamped down on his arm, he picked up Brenwar’s war hammer and clobbered the lizard in the head.

  Its diamond-scaled body eased its all-powerful grip.

  Puffing for breath, Brenwar squirmed out of the scaly locks, plucked Mortuun from Nath’s grip, and whacked the snake again.

  “No! No!” cried out a scratchy voice.

  A small shambling figure squeezed out of the snake hole. It was a dirty little man with a full head of scraggly brown hair and a partial beard. He wore strange robes made of snakeskin and had a belt made from snake skeletons. “Don’t kill any more of my pets. Please.”

  Brenwar slammed the man into the ground. “Why? They tried to kill us, and they did kill my horse.”

  Blue eyes blinking, the odd wilderness man said with desperation, “They were only protecting me. Just as a dog protects his master.”

  “We posed no threat,” Brenwar stated.

  The snakeskin clad man let out an inhuman hiss. The cobra released Nath’s arm and slithered away. “See! See! I control them.”

  Holding the little middle-aged man by the scruff of the neck, Brenwar shook him. “Can you bring back my horse from the dead too?”

  “Er … no,” the little man said.

  Nath sheathed his sword. “Who are you?”

  “Ipsy the Snake Charmer.” The scruffy man blinked a lot. “Ipsy the Hooded.”

  Brenwar toyed with the cobra-like hood hanging from Ipsy’s strange robes. “He’s a druid.”

  Fingers scratching at the air, Ipsy said, “I prefer woodland seer. Well, if one is being particular, I’m very keen on Ipsy the Hooded. Really draws the attention of the women in small villages.” He winked at Brenwar. “What is your name, dwarf? Black Beard?”

  Eyeing Nath, Brenwar shoved Ipsy to the ground and stepped on his back. “Druids can’t be trusted, and I don’t like the stink of this little man. Can I kill him?”

  “Kill me?” Ipsy squeaked. “No, no, that would be fatal. It would bring a great curse upon you for the entirety of your days. Please.” He eyed Nath’s arms and changed his demeanor. “Er, how did you come across those scales? Are you cursed? A demon?”

  Nath remembered a few other encounters with druids, in days gone by. They came in many shapes and forms. Men or women, they could be anyone from a halfling to a bugbear. They were loners, hunkered down in their territory, somewhat aloof to everything that was going on in the rest of the world. In a way, Nath envied them. But one and all, they were squirrely as a dryad or a fairy. “Let him up, Brenwar.”

  “This weird little man owes me a horse.” Brenwar nudged his boot toe into the druid’s ribs.

  “Ow!” Ipsy whined. Gathering himself to his feet and eyeing Nath’s arms with avid interest, he stretched out his eager fingers. “May I touch them?”

  Flattered, Nath started to say yes.

  But Brenwar cut in. “No.”

  “Let the flame-haired man speak for himself,” Ipsy said to Brenwar. He pleaded. “Please? Please? You are so fast. I’ve never seen any man faster than a snake. And those scales. I marvel. They must be harder than steel.”

  Wary, Nath fanned out his yellow-gold fingernails on his clawed hand. “And sharper than steel as well.”

  With an awe-inspired gasp, Ipsy ran his grubby fingers over Nath’s scales. “How is this possible? You are both man and dragon.”

  “It’s a long story and one that you don’t need to trouble yourself about.” Nath watched the snake slither back into the hole. “You need to be more careful with your pets. And we are down a horse thanks to you. How do you propose to replace it?”

  Ipsy’s eyes enlarged beneath his unibrow. “Being a druid, I have no personal belongings. And if anything, that horse has been freed from a life of slavery.” He sneered. “I should suggest that you free your mount as well.”

  “And let it starve to death? I think not.” Nath closed in on the druid and glared down in his face. “Now, tell me, how will you compensate me and my friend?”

  “I have nothing.”

  Brenwar hemmed the little man in from behind and growled, “Everybody has something.” He slapped his hammer head in his hand. “Especially when their life depends on it.”

  Ipsy swallowed the lump in his throat, raised a finger, and replied, “I have knowledge.”

  CHAPTER 14

  The gnoll
leader let out a rumbling chuckle from his throat. The others in his gang started to chuckle as well. Sliding out their weapons, they surrounded Selene on cat’s feet. Stroking his chin, he eyed her up and down. “It seems that you are surrounded, traveler. But by the looks of you, I think more fortune has fallen into our hands. You might even fetch half the price of a dragon.”

  “Oh, you mean my dragon,” she said, creeping closer to the dragon’s cage.

  The orc that stood closest blocked her view, looking down at her. “Perhaps I’ll stuff you in that cage with it.”

  Selene’s tail slithered from beneath her gown, coiled around the orc’s neck, and jerked him up off his feet.

  “Urk!” The orc clutched and clawed at her tail.

  Effortlessly, she slung the orc far into the woods and out of sight.

  Pointing his sword at her, the gnoll leader shouted a command to his ranks. “Kill her!”

  The quicker goblins dove in with their weapons.

  Selene’s tail struck like the crack of a whip.

  Whap! Whap! Whap!

  She flattened the three little fiends, knocking two of them out cold.

  Eyes filled with fear, the third’s hands clawed at the dirt, trying to scramble away.

  Selene’s tail coiled around its ankles and lifted it off the ground. Using the goblin like a club, she swung the humanoid over her head and bashed the two charging orcs with it. Whop! Whop! Checking her nails, she pummeled them both some more. Whop! Whop! Whop! She tossed the goblin aside, sending him skittering across the ground in front of the gnoll’s feet.

  Canine snouts dropped open, the two remaining gnolls threw down their spears and ran. Looking from side to side, the gnoll leader said, “Cowards!” He narrowed his eyes on Selene and said with his sword raised high, “I’m going to cut that tail off and chop it into nine little pieces.”

  Without looking at him, and rubbing some smudge from one of her nails, she said, “There is zero chance of that happening.”

  Howling at the top of his lungs, heavy sword arcing high, he charged and struck.

  Selene caught the blade in her dragon-scaled hand and jerked it free from the gnoll’s grip. Her tail lashed out and knocked him clear off his feet. Holding the sword in both of her hands, she said, “I should kill you with your own sword.”

  “No, please. No!” the gnoll pleaded. “I’ll do anything!”

  “On your knees!” she demanded.

  The gnoll did as she said.

  “Hands on your head.”

  Shaking, he did as he was told and pleaded, “Please, don’t kill me. I’ll never touch a dragon again. I promise.”

  “Oh, after this, you’re going to wish you were dead.”

  “Wh-what are you going to do?”

  “Be silent!” Using both of her hands and squeezing the well-tempered blade, she bent it around his neck as easily as a man would bend a spoon. “Enjoy your new necklace. And when more of your filthy ilk ask why you have a sword wrapped around your neck, tell them the next poacher I find won’t have a sword wrapped around their neck. It will be placed through their wicked heart instead.”

  Stammering, the gnoll tried to speak, but no words came out.

  “Be gone.”

  The hairy, dog-faced brute quickly found his feet and, running full speed, vanished into the woods.

  Pivoting on her heel, Selene headed for the dragon’s cage.

  The wooden crate was crude, but durable. The cage door-lock consisted of leather cords and a peg stuck through a latch. She plucked it out, opened the door, and with gentle hands she removed the lily dragon. Through her palm, she felt its heart racing. “There, there, little brother.”

  Using her nail, she slit the bindings that secured its wings and mouth.

  The dragon slid from her grasp and strutted around the camp. It shook its head and hissed at her.

  Taken aback, Selene said, “Excuse me?”

  Spreading its grand wings, it pushed off with its rear legs and took flight. Seconds later it was gone.

  Selene’s eyes watered up, and she dropped to her knees, trembling. Her guilt and shame overwhelmed her. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the ground. How many dragons, her own brethren, had lost their lives because of her? She had commanded the Clerics of Barnabus to have the dragons poached. She’d had them captured. Those who would not serve Gorn Grattack had been killed. Their parts sold.

  Heart aching inside her chest, she started to pant and tremble. She was an abomination—both to mankind and to dragonkind. How could anyone forgive her? How could she replace all that she had taken? What about all the lives that were devastated? Families torn asunder. The innocent deceived.

  Wiping the tears from her eyes, she glanced at the open cage. At least one dragon was free. It felt good, but it also reminded her of all her bad deeds. And that lily dragon knew who she was and what she had done. It had made that clear. No, she needed to pay for what she had done. She had to atone for it. If not, the past would catch up with her. She was certain of it.

  Standing up, she dusted her knees off.

  I need to turn myself in.

  She resumed her trek to the north, chin down and heavy in thought.

  I need to stop the wurmers too.

  Using her powerful dragon senses, she looked for signs of the wurmers as she trekked through the changing terrain, scanning the misty night sky.

  Does Nalzambor need me, or is it better off without me?

  CHAPTER 15

  “Knowledge, eh?” said Brenwar. “Well, it better be able to find me another horse. Nath, don’t listen to what this fool has to say. We’re better off going.”

  With the rain from the rocky overhang pounding at his back, Nath shook his head. “No, I’d be interested in hearing what this troublemaker has to offer.”

  “Excellent,” said Ipsy, rubbing his hands together. “Excellent. Let me get us some food and some drink. You know, I don’t have many people over. The snakes aren’t too chatty, and the birds talk far too much.” Eagerly, he turned toward the cave.

  Brenwar barred his path. “We aren’t hungry. I’m interested in hearing what you have to say that is worth more than a horse. Now talk.”

  The druid slid away from Brenwar and closer to Nath. His eyes kept attaching themselves to Nath’s arms. “So fascinating.”

  Brenwar poked him. “Talk!”

  “All right! No need to get testy. The world has shifted. The forest creatures’ patterns change. Giants come down from their mountains and their massive caves. Though not one of long life, I’d not seen but one giant. Now, they pass and scatter the vermin constantly.”

  Brenwar’s brows perched. “Giants, you say? Keep talking.”

  Ipsy rambled on.

  Nath gave the druid his full attention, nodding and agreeing with what he said. There were giants roaming about more so than before, all right. Nath believed him. At the same time he wanted to test the druid. Catch a fib or lie—which their kind were known for.

  But so far everything the druid said was at least half true. Of course, much of it was common knowledge. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Nath, then in the form of a dragon, had fought a handful of earth giants.

  “So how many giants have you seen exactly?” Nath asked.

  “A half dozen or so in the last few months.”

  “And where were they headed?”

  “Oh, I can tell you that easy. You see, I followed them, I did. Heh-heh. They don’t pay any attention to the likes of me. No, not at all. Too, too small.” He grabbed some moss from a rock and rubbed it on his skin. “And my scent blends in. Giants are good smellers, you know. Like big hounds.” He eyed Brenwar. “Smell your scruffy stink a mile away.”

  Brenwar drew his fist back. “Why you––”

  Ipsy slid behind Nath and peeked around his waist.

  “Let it go, Brenwar.”

  “I want my horse back,” the dwarf said. He plucked a small spade from the dead horse’s saddle. �
��And I’m not leaving until he buries this one.”

  Nath sighed. He understood Brenwar’s point, but burying it? “We’ll figure out something. Now, Ipsy, tell us, I haven’t noticed any giants’ tracks. Where did you follow them to?”

  “Only a couple of leagues away they are, building in the Craggy Mountains. Dark and treacherous up there, it is. Nothing that giant slayers like yourselves can’t handle. Are you going to kill them? I hope that you do. They attack dragons, you know. Kill them. Eat them. I saw some, dead, strung up like deer with purple scales. Two in all. Dead. Beautiful, but dead.”

  Nath’s fingertips tingled. He grabbed Ipsy by the arm and squeezed it hard. “Don’t toy with me, druid. Is this the truth?”

  Holding up his hand, Ipsy said, “I swear it on my mother’s mossy grave.”

  “Speaking of graves,” Nath said, looking at the horse, “you need to get started.”

  “But it’s raining!” Ipsy whined.

  ***

  With little help from Brenwar or Nath Dragon, Ipsy carried rocks through rain and wind up and down the hill all night. One by one, he covered the dead horse with rocks. Many of them were bigger than his head.

  Finally, the little druid had covered the horse’s body in its entirety. Holding his back and stretching, he said to Brenwar, “Am I finished?”

  The dwarf clawed at his black-grey beard. “A few more rocks would be better.”

  “I can’t find any more. This is a hillside, not a quarry!”

  “You should have thought of that before you killed my horse!”

  Nath stepped in. “That will do, Ipsy. We’ll be going now. I want to see if your story checks out.”

  With a sigh of relief, the druid said, “Thank you! Thank you! I did not deceive you!” He mopped the sweat mixed with rain from his eyes. “I promise.”

  Nath departed with a scowling Brenwar.

  ***

  With a short maniacal laugh, Ipsy plopped down on the tomb of rocks and rubbed his aching fingers. “Guzan’s feet, I thought they’d never leave. Hard men, the both of them. Love horses as much as a horse itself.” He lay back on the pile of rocks and fell fast asleep.