Young Writers Society

The Highlang was getting closer and closer. Zoltar could smell its rotten breath and see its sparkling fangs through the tangled branches.

‘I’m just going to have to make a break for it,’ Zoltar thought, looking above him with wild eyes. If he gave enough power, he might just be able to break through the layer of branches above him and launch into the air, before the Highlang could find him.

‘I guess it’s worth a try. What other choice do I have?’ Zoltar crouched, bracing himself for the impact.

With a burst of energy, Zoltar erupted out of the tangled boughs, sending bits of bark and wood flying as he hurled himself into the air.

The Highlang sprang back with a hiss of alarm as a shower of debris rained down onto it. When it realized that Zoltar had escaped and was hurriedly racing away it let out a roar of fury, spraying a stream of green venom in the direction in which Zoltar had fled.

‘Shiraku and the others had better hurry up. I can’t keep this up for much longer,’ Zoltar thought, panting as he raced through the swamp.

Suddenly a flash of brilliant blue light lit up the marsh, illuminating the mud pools in a vivid glow. Zoltar was temporarily blinded as the flare hit him full in the snout. He struggled to stay aloft as his vision swam, flapping his wings in large arcs to prevent himself from falling into the mud below.

After a few seconds his vison cleared and Zoltar spun in the direction of his friends, his wings beating the pungent air.

Without warning the alpha Highlang lunged out of the swamp in front of him, its jaws stretched wide in a fearsome roar of anger. Saliva streaked with green venom dripped from its fangs as it dove towards Zoltar.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Zoltar shirked to the left, his tail barb lightly bouncing off the Highlang's hard neck scales, missing the lizard’s mouth by millimetres.

Breathing a quick sigh of relief, Zoltar burst through a clump of trees and catapulted into Emerald. The wisp talon let out a yell of surprise and her scales exploded into a rainbow of reds and yellows. Then she saw that it was Zoltar and her face light up with joy.

“Thank heavens you’re alive,” she exclaimed, hugging Zoltar with all her might.

“Zoltar!” Felistia and Shiraku cried, rush across the sand flat towards him, their wings spread.

“No time to talk, get into the air! Quick!” Zoltar shouted, tugging Emerald into the air with him.

The swamp trembled around Zoltar as a mighty roar shook the frail leaves from the black trees. Ripples streaked across the pools of dark mud and the sound of advancing splashes filled the sulphurous air around the group of dragons.

"Hurry up,” Zoltar urged, hovering next to Emerald in the air as he grasping desperately for the others.

The Highlang were getting closer and it wasn’t just one. The alpha must have collected his females and was now coming back for a bloody revenge.

Felistia leapt into the air, beating her great silver wings as she struggled to gain height after such a short run for take-off.

“Move it Shiraku!” Zoltar roared, urgency ringing in his voice as he watched Shiraku dive for the air, but her wings were too small.

“I need a longer place to take-off. I can’t get into the air here!” Shiraku cried, her deep blue eyes wide with immense fear.

“Grab my paw,” Zoltar yelled, shoot a quick glance in the direction of the splashes. The Highlang were closing fast.

“Ours too,” Felistia and Emerald both reached for Shiraku, who seized their paws and held on with all her might as Zoltar, Felistia and Emerald slowly hauled her upwards.

Suddenly the alpha Highlang exploded onto the sand bank, closely followed be ten other Highlang. With rage blazing in its pure black eyes, the alpha lunged at Shiraku’s dangling tail.

Shiraku whipped her tail up and tightened her grasp onto Zoltar’s paw. A few seconds later when she was ten feet above the ground, she let go of the others paws, flapping her wings in large arcs as to gain height.

The Highlang seeing that their prey was getting away let out a thundering roar of fury, spraying green venom at the four dragons, but they were out of rang and were soon out of the Highlangs' sight.