DRAGON LIGHT CONDEMNED

Daphne knelt on one knee and laid her palm on the trail, clawed prints clearly signaled the direction of the beast. It had attempted many times to shake her by crossing rock outcrops, mud pools, waterways, and grass fields, but instinct and the years of learning, along with a little magical assistance, meant many times it had failed.

She scooped a handful of fine sand and spun on her heal releasing it in a wide arc behind her. It crackled and popped, sparkled and fizzed like a miniature fireworks display, leaving a vast array of bobbing balls of light in a multitude of colors. She nodded her approval with a grin, turned back to the trail, and ran her eyes across the horizon.

The path was about to leave the forest and lead her across open country, unsafe at the best of times and made even more so by what she tracked and what she carried behind her.

Grasses off to the left moved lightly in opposing direction to the remaining field, yet calmly she kept her eyes scanning as if not noticing, then crouched, fingers splayed and rested to earth. She felt its pulse, blinked in the direction of the hidden motion, and focused through the blades of grass. Yellow eyes blinked back at her and the wolf bound away, avoiding the unnatural feel of being watched.

Daphne ran her fingers through her hair, it needed a wash, even as short as she kept it, it needed a wash. Her eyes lowered to stare unfocused at the ground, 'To sleep, perchance to dream'. She had heard that somewhere in her past life so many years ago, and really wished she could, but to sleep now would surely be the death... The beast first, then the dream.

She arose and studied again the large clearing. If the beast had backtracked it could watch her as she crossed, safe in the sanctuary of the forest. And if she were to follow the forest edge around it would take far too long. The trail was fresh and she needed to keep on it.

With tentative slow steps, she moved into the light of the clearing and scanned the entire forest rim for any sign, any movement, anything out of the ordinary.

A butterfly bobbed into the sunlight from the shadow of the trees, flitting across the flowers suspended on wavering stalks pushed upward through the grasses. Hoppers sprung out of these grasses in front of her, disappearing, only to re-emerge with another lunge in frantic attempts to distance themselves from her. Further out these insects were being picked off by an array of diving birds intent on filling their stomachs and likely those of their offspring. A hawk swooped from the clouds, its cry echoed through the quiet and a small tail wavered from its talons... Out of place...

Daphne stepped back to the trees. A bird already with prey would have no need to swoop for more, unless... She re-scanned the forest edge and caught a glimpse of color flicker way off to the left. She looked up to the hawk, blinked, and closed her eyes, borrowing its vision.

Something stood obscured by the shadow, its arm extended to the light heavily gauntletted against the talons of a hawk.

She opened her eyes and blinked returning her sight to ground level and the shadowy figure amongst the trees. The hawk took up its perch upon the extended arm and they both blended into the protection of the forest.

Daphne stood motionless for agonizing minutes, her eyes continually darting around the clearing, ascertaining the slightest difference, the directional move of a blade of grass as the unseen breeze kicked at it, the bee that changed its flower from one glance to the next, and the continual battle between insect and bird.

She huffed, it was no good, only a fool would be exposed to such a wonderfully pleasant scene by carelessly venturing towards its center.

"You will not rid me that easy Beast!" She sighed, and in resignation began to skirt the edge in the opposing direction of the gauntletted arm.

 

​

By Ron Addenbrooke