Day 16 A few hours before dawn

The battle had been raging for several hours with each side beginning to
show signs of the strain. Fortunately so far the Warren casualties had
been keep to a minimum but the enemy had taken a beating. Coming up
against the combined power of dragons working on the ground as well as
in the air was finally taking it's toll.

The moon was bright lighting up the darkness and to those below it was
an eerie sight as multitudes of dragons filled the night sky like
ghostly visions blotting out the stars. Dragon flames lit up the sky and
the air was filled with the terrible sounds of battle.

Splitting herself between the rim and the ground,  Breezy and Coo, like
the rest were beginning to tire, but pushed on.  Not far off the
ground,  they made a strafing run straight up the slope of the crater
wall and a dozen or so of the enemy met a fiery death.  As the colorful
dragon veered around for another pass something caught Breezy's eye.

*Hold it! Go higher Coo! I need a bird's eye view!*

The iridescent dragon soared higher gliding easily between the throng of
dragons filling the sky. Her flames shot out seemingly at nothing, when
a hapless rider and dragon flew into it, both screaming in agony as arm
and wing caught on fire.

Breezy looked down as her dragon circled the warren. The seeming endless
enemy coming through the tunnel were fighting furiously. With Amy and
Hilda and their dragons going back and forth between the Homeguard and
helping Mentorn on the rim the ground forces were holding up well
meeting their attackers head on.  Belle and Lonni couldn't fly as low as
Coo as they had no armor, but they were doing quit well without.

{Tag: Max}

The stables had caught fire and the stored hay for the livestock had
erupted in flame.  Hot sparks floating on the air had started other
fires around the warren.  Bucket brigades had been formed and the line
for coal was moving furiously. The warren residents ran to and fro each
with the single-minded purpose to defend their home.

But what caught her eye was the footsoldiers.  The first wave of
attackers had been ruthless, but this new group that had come over the
rim weren't engaging the ground forces in the same manner, in fact
several groups seemed to break off from the main body avoiding the
Homeguard and oddly, it seemed as if they were searching for something.

*What the hell is going on?* Breezy thought to herself totally puzzled.
There had been no word about Jeneve, and Malani was still groggy and
unable to make much sense. So if they were looking for her, the
attackers had been ill informed.  *Well, there was one sure way to find
out!* she thought telling Coo to go down.

A load roar filled the air as a huge dragon beared down on the smaller
pair. Before Coo could react a blue blur came streaking across the sky
towards them.

[Yow-Owow-Ouch!] The iridescent dragon jerking sharply, screeching in
pain.  Vladiggors's flame had shot out to torch the enemy dragon closing
in on Coo and her rider. The only problem was Coo's tail got in the way.

[Have you lost your mind!!] she screamed at Vlad. [You singed my tail,
ya big Oaf!]

The greenish dragon veered so sharply dropping into a roll that Breezy
would've have been thrown off if she hadn't been strapped in. Coo moved
so fast that Landon and Vlad were little more than a blur to the small
woman.  The redhead cut loose with a string of oaths as an angry Coo
went speeding off after the blue dragon, wildly flaming a dark rider,
that had the misforture of getting in her way.

*Are you nuts! Now is not the time to get stupid on me!* Breezy yelled
at the crazed Coo. The woman was feeling slightly dizzy from the greens
extreme aerial manuvers.

[I don't care!! Nobody, but nobody torches me and gets away with it!!!]
Coo yelled back, diving after Vlad.

*Dammit Coo, I know it hurts, but he's on our side! Remember!*  Coo
roared angrily in answer. Breezy snapped back, *Give him hell later,
right now I gotta get on the ground!*

Coo's speed, agility and fondness for aerial acrobatics came in good
stead as she veered effortlessly in and out through the battling dragons
avoiding the combatants within inches. How they managed to not get
flamed by either side amazed Breezy.  Her big blue eyes got even bigger
as she ducked to avoid a stray claw. She started to reprimand her dragon
but decided against it at the present moment.  Breezy just wanted to get
on the ground in one piece.

Spying her objective she told Coo what to do and the dragon flew
downward hugging the rock wall as they went.

*Make sure we're low enough. We haven't done this one in a while and I
don't want to end up breaking my legs in the process!* Breezy thought to
her soulmate.

Coo was focused on one of the enemy foot soldiers, when he saw the
dragon coming straight at him he panicked and ran crazily in different
directions. Terror filled the man's face as he was sure he was about to
die a horrible death.

*Closer!!* Breezy shouted in her mind,  Unstrapping herself, she pulled
her feet up and crouched in the saddle.

They were almost on top of the man when Coo tucked in her wings for an
instant and Breezy jumped, landing on top of the running soldier.

"Oomph!" came the sound of escaping air, as the man hit the ground hard
with the little redhead on top of him

Breezy scrambled slightly unsteady to her feet muttering, "Gawd! I'm
getting too damn old for this shit!"  Grabbing the man by his jacket she
pinned him to the ground.  Laying her knife across his throat, her voice
was full of deadly intent , "I'm in a real pissy mood right now! Don't
be making it worse! Now you need to tell me what the hell is going on
here!"

After convincing the man none to gently to answer her questions, she
rapped the blunt end of her knife upside his head hard enough to render
the man unconscious. Calling the iridescent dragon she was quickly
moving skyward as Coo sent out a call to both Vlad and Qualis to meet
her on the fringes.

The colorful dragon shot skyward flying up to the very edges of the
battle. As they ascended Breezy had Coo explain quickly what was
happening.  How Brona's men and the Dark riders had teamed up to kidnap
not only the warrenlady, but to capture several from the warren for
immediate execution, Landon included.

Coo sent an the image of her location, in seconds the red and blue
dragons appeared simultaneously along side. The Sr. Wingleader looked at
both men and the weariness in their faces reflected her own.  But her
message had sparked a terrible rage and it shone brightly in each man's
eyes. The redhead shivered, very glad that it wasn't aimed at her.

Yelling so they could hear her, Breezy said, "Go get them! We'll be ok
here!"  Nodding to the two men Coo dropped downwards and the words, "Be
safe!" floated upwards as they saw the greenish dragon enter the battle
once again.

{Tag: Wil, Chris and anyone else!}

Submitted by,
Breezy and Coo
aka
Tree Deutscher
treedr@yelmtel.com

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons - you are crunchy and taste
good with ketchup!"







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