AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The churned-up soil is muddy in some places from the recent storm, and I spot human-sized footprints scattered all around the clearing. Upturned pieces of concave metal have been placed in a neat line outside the ship. They’re full of water, and that’s when I realize my friends cleverly searched through the wreckage to find things that could be used as containers to catch the rainwater to drink.
The opening in the side of the ship that we used as an entrance has been covered up with a sheet of metal that someone must have scrounged from the wreckage. There are dozens of deep parallel grooves etched in random spots on the outside of the ship, and I’m pretty sure they weren’t there before. It seems like something I would have noticed.
I’m puzzling over that when a loud screech pierces the air around us, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I recognize that sound. It’s an anuroi – the large dinosaur birds that look like a cross between a pterodactyl and an overgrown half-plucked chicken. That’s when it dawns on me, and my heart sinks into my stomach.
The deep grooves scratched into the metal of the ship are claw marks from an anuroi.
Just as I have that thought two large shadows fall over the clearing and I realize it isn’t just one anuroi. It’s two, and their cold, beady eyes are centered right on the spaceship as they go into a fast dive bomb straight at their target.
Over the loud din of the anuroi, a shout rings out across the clearing. “Big bird incoming! Everyone get ready!”
It’s Mara!
My heart leaps in my chest at the sound of her voice, but I don’t have a moment to dwell on the relief flooding through me. All too soon, the two feathered beasts hover right over the ship. Their long sharp claws rake over the metal with a shrill noise that sounds like a thousand nails against a chalkboard, and my ears feel like they’re going to explode from the sound.
They use their pointy beaks with rows of razor-sharp teeth like a can opener, trying to pierce through the metal to make a larger opening to get to the prize inside. The prize they are so desperate to reach is my friends.
I freeze as I watch the overgrown birds pummel the spaceship with their beaks and claws. I don’t know how much longer the ship can hold out against the relentless attack of the two determined predators. There are already so many holes in it, it’s only a matter of time before one of them gives way and the anuroi manage to reach their prey.
All of this has played out over mere microseconds, but it feels like hours to me. And that’s when I realize that while I’ve been frozen stiff in shock, everything has been moving around me.
Dirt and leaves fly everywhere from the force of the two beasts’ wings flapping to keep them airborne. It’s hard to see through the whirlwind they create, but I can just make out what looks like long spears sticking out of the top of the ship. My friends are fighting back against the beasts trying their hardest to get to them. They use the myriad of holes and gouges that were torn into the ship when it crashed to reach the two predators with their spears.
One of the spears manages to sink into the neck of one of the anuroi and it reacts by opening its beak and releasing a shriek that sends a chill down my spine. Before I have another thought, Draggar and the other men surrounding me release a loud roar that can only be described as a battle cry and they race into the clearing with their swords drawn.
The loud cry from the warriors distracts the anuroi enough that another of the spears manages to land deep into the eye of one of the beasts. The overgrown bird screeches in outrage and shakes its head, slinging around globs of malodorous saliva that even I can smell from my vantage point.
I watch in stunned fascination as the warriors work in tandem to draw the attention of the two beasts away from the ship until the anuroi are completely focused on the men. Their swords glint in the morning light as they slash and whistle through the air.
The warriors lurch and dodge in a well-choreographed play as they work together to completely surround the anuroi. It’s an amazing display of their skills and I can’t look away. The beasts fight desperately in an attempt to grab the men in their beaks, but it’s a losing battle.
One of the anuroi swoops downward with a cry and a large warrior – the blacksmith, Maalin, I think – brings his sword down hard, slicing the beast’s clawed foot off.
The attacking anuroi falters and begins to drop lower towards the ground, and as it does, Draggar jumps upward like a basketball player going in for a slam dunk and his sword slices cleanly through its wing, cutting it in half.
The big bird lurches to the side and dips even closer to the ground, allowing Vrenner to sink his sword deep into its throat. Dark red blood sprays out from the deep wound and covers Vrenner’s face. The large anuroi crashes to the ground with a sharp rattle rumbling from deep within its chest as it breaths out its last.
The remaining anuroi reacts to the death of its companion by growing even more frenzied in its attack, like it’s realized that the same fate awaits it. Desperation shines in its beady gaze as it uses its beak and claws to try to grab onto the warriors.
But it’s no use, and Draggar proves that moments later by plunging his sword deep into the beast’s chest. The anuroi falls to the ground with a crash.
And just like that, the fight is over.
Chapter 31
Haley
I rush out from my hiding place and throw myself into Draggar’s arms, overwhelmed with relief. A moan seeps from between his lips as he wraps me in his embrace and reassures me that he’s fine, but that’s not enough.
I need to see for myself. I lean back and run my hands over him from head to toe, looking for any injuries. He’s streaked with blood, but with relief, I quickly realize none of it belongs to him.
“My Haley.” His eyes sparkle with warmth and his lips curl up as he cups my jaw in his hand. “I love you.”
I melt, right then and there with two dead dinosaurs just yards away. Reaching up to fasten my hands around his neck, I tug him down until our lips meet.
We lose ourselves in the kiss as the intense need that always simmers between us quickly flares to life and makes itself known. The sound of a clearing throat brings me back to the present and we reluctantly pull apart.
I try to take a step back to put a little distance between us, but Draggar holds me firmly next to him and shakes his head with the warm crooked smile that I’ve come to adore gracing his mouth. Vrenner shoots us a bemused look, while some of the other men chuckle.
