Young Writers Society

“They’re huge,” Emerald whispered, gliding closer to Zoltar. Her scales had shifted to a pale yellow zig zagged with lime green.

“Don’t worry. It’s only the male you have look out for and I am going to take care of that. The females simply will run away. You just have to catch one and grab a plate. I am going to do the hard part,” Zoltar smiled, but didn’t taking his eyes off the Highlang. Even a big group like that could disappear into the swamp without a trace at the first sigh of danger.

“So what’s the plan?” Felistia asked from behind Zoltar.

“We'll fly swiftly and silently ahead of them and cut them off. I will distract the alpha male while you guys get the plate.”

“How will we signal you when we are done?” Shiraku asked. The sea talon looked tired from the long flight and her breath was coming out in loud, rasping gasps

“Light up all your scales. My eyes will be able to pick up on the sudden flash of light,” Zoltar replied, flapping his wings harder to pick up the pace.

They were steadily gaining on the Highlang as they sped through the musty yellow air. Trees and mud pools rushed past so that the ground below looked like a blend of smeared greens and browns. Soon they were well ahead of the Highlang.

Pulling in his wings, Zoltar signalled them to swoop into a steep swallow dive towards the earth. The wind pulled at his wings and tail as he plummeted downwards and delight sparked along his scales as he raced towards the ground. Felistia dove past him like an ice blue bullet, shooting a joyous smile at him as she passed. The ground rushed up to meet him and at the last second he thrust out is billowing black wings, gliding slowly down in a spiral the last few feet.

Zoltar softly touched down on a bank of wet dirt next to Felistia, who’d already tucked in her wings so that they folded neatly over her back. Emerald and Shiraku lightly landed behind him. A grin was spread across Emerald’s snout and her breath was coming out in short huffs.

“That was the most fun I have had in years. You shadow talons really know how to fly,” she panted, a look of thrill written all over her face.

“Thanks, but wait until you meet the wind talons, they're the true masters of the air,” Zoltar replied, breathing heavily, “They can perform incredible aerial manoeuvres that normal dragons would completely fail at. I tried once and nearly twisted a wing. ”

Suddenly there was a loud splash not far off. Zoltar held up his paw and everyone went silent. Swivelling his ears back and forth, listening for where the noise had come from, Zoltar scanned the gloomy trees. The only sounds that met his sharp ears was the slow gurgling pops of the bubbles on the swamp around him.

Zoltar knew how dangerous the Highlang could be when they were in a pack. They could take down a dragon with ease if they caught them be surprise. He could hide in the dark shadows, but the others stood out like green trees in a desert.

“Quick,” Zoltar whispered, his eyes darting from the black mud pools to the shadows, “get into the trees and wait for my signal.”

Emerald, Felistia and Shiraku nodded and hurriedly flew up the lower branches of a nearby tree, so that they were semi concealed by the leafy boughs. They only sign that they were there was the occasionally flash of silver or sapphire.

The air was stiflingly hot and muggy and its yellow tint made it visible as it swirled over the swamps like it was a living serpent. Crooked shadows were cast over the uneven ground as the suns dim light flicked down through the canopy. The marsh was strangely quiet apart from the bubbling mud and the sound of Felistia shifting her position on the branch she was on.

Zoltar swore he could see long shapes gliding through the black pools towards him. The Highlang had seen him and were slowly stalking him like a pack of wolves.

Spreading his wings to full height, Zoltar dug his claws into the soft earth and readied evermuscle in his body for the attack he knew was coming.