Wonderland Ch. 13

A/N: Sorry about the long wait everyone. I hope this chapter makes up for it! As always, this work is copyrighted, and all comments, votes, and feedback are welcome. -LA

The next morning in the clearing, I was sweating bullets and my skin was itching like mad. Surrounded by seven fully grown dragons and flanked by Talon and the entire Elite Guard was almost enough to send me into cardiac arrest. I was beginning to believe that I was an idiot for thinking I could do this.

"Releasing Táxim's hold over them was the easy part," Talon said quietly in my ear. "Now it's time to establish your control."

"Thanks for the pep talk," I replied through gritted teeth, shooting him what I hoped was a scary glare. Talon snorted in amusement instead.

"Remember," he continued, undeterred, "They have to believe you have the strength and will to control them. Otherwise, they'll kill you."

I swallowed the burst of nausea that bubbled up my throat and tried not to waver on my feet as I stared across the clearing at the seven patiently waiting dragons. The blind black dragon opened its mouth wide, letting out an enormous yawn, his sharp white dagger-like teeth flashing in the weak winter light. Seeing all those teeth made my own ache for some reason, as though to remind me that my weak human incisors had nothing on these guys.

Shaking those thoughts away, I set my shoulders and approached the dragons, not gathering their attention until I was standing directly in front of them. Slowly they lowered themselves down, each resting their head at my feet. I looked at Talon over my shoulder to find him watching the dragons closely, his fingers fiddling with the leather strap bindings that held Thatcher's dagger at his hip.

I jumped when the red dragon nudged my ankle with the curve of the horn on his nose, his strange amber colored eyes studying me curiously.

'You are upset?' the dragons asked together, once again speaking in their usual harmonious hum in my head.

"Not upset," I said aloud. "Just...worried."

'You think we will hurt you.' Well, at least they were honest about it.

"Not just me," I replied. "Everyone. I need to know that you will not harm the people of this camp."

The dragons glanced at one another, their tails shifting slightly. The black dragon rose up in his coils like a giant snake and I tensed. The last time we had been this close, he had coughed up smoke and blue flame in my face -- the time before that, he killed me.

'We injure to protect our own,' the black dragon spoke in solo, his voice thick and husky and filled with dark power. 'If we believe we are safe, we do not cause harm.'

'What do you wish of us?' the dragons spoke again in unison.

I steadied myself before I responded. "We need your help," I stated matter-of-factly. "A Raspan by the name of Fuyher has been attacking and killing humans, Lunar, Gargoyles, Drul's, and other Raspan alike in his quest for domination. He has an army unlike any ever seen and it's growing larger every day. Many join him out of fear of him killing them and their families. Others simply don't have a choice and are forced to obey his will, which he inflicts upon anyone he meets."

I gestured to the Raspans that circled the clearing and each member of the Elite Guard stood tall and straight. Even at a distance their blank faces looked menacing. "These men are only three hundred. The Lunar camp is only a few thousand. Our allies send us a few men as they find them, but they are slow in arriving -- if they even arrive at all."

'Ye wish for us to fight in battle?' the red dragon asked, lifting his head so our eyes were level. His voice was firm and lilted with a brogue that almost made me laugh at its intensity, but his glowing amber eyes stopped the chuckle in my throat. I immediately got the sense that this dragon was bloodthirsty, violence being his game.

"Yes. We do," I replied, eying each dragon in turn. "But not if you are uncontrollable." My eyes went to the black dragon when I said that and he bristled, blowing smoke at me once again.

'We are creatures of Old, little one.' the white dragon murmured patiently. 'It is not in our nature to be controlled.' Like the other two dragons, this one was also male, but he sounded much younger. The intelligence in his green eyes reminded me of the piles of scrolls that had rested at his feet in the shrine room carved into the belly of the mountain. This dragon must be the brains of the operation.

"I can't have you burning up the forest or destroying the people of this camp," I responded coolly.

'He means we donnae like to be treated like animals needin' a master,' the red dragon scoffed, tossing his head impatiently. The movement caused light to flash against the powerful red horns that curved high up off his forehead, reminding me of what I was gambling with here. Stay calm, be cool, don't die.

"I have to protect these people the best way I can and I can't do that if the seven of you are off tearing up the forest," I replied firmly, my patience beginning to thin.

'We understand the danger we have caused -- it was, after all, the reason we vowed to sleep eternally,' the white dragon argued back.

I blinked in surprise at that. "You put yourself in the mountain?" I asked, not caring if the question took us off-track or not.

'Aye,' the red dragon sighed. 'Lot of good that did.'

'Not all of us agreed to the Long Sleep,' the blue dragon spoke up in a clear, dreamy voice. 'But it was decided that it would be best, for us and for the humans that would soon fill the earth.'

I nodded, understanding now. "So how about this: If I let you roam freely within certain boundaries, will you make a vow to keep peace with these people and aid us in this war?" If I was better at words I would've made a speech that'd blow Queen Elizabeth's address to the troops at Tilbury out of the water. But because I wasn't, that simple question would have to do.

The dragons eyed one another, silent for longer than I thought they should've been. I impatiently waited a few moments longer and was rewarded with them each replying in my head, 'You have our vow.'

Great, I thought. Now I just need to know what to do with it.

The dragons inclined their heads respectively and I felt Talon's heat by my shoulder. "I have a suggestion regarding your forms," he said in a humble tone. It was obvious he didn't want to cause any disrespect with his suggestion, but at the same time the iron in his voice told me he expected his idea to be taken seriously. The dragons remained silent and unmoving, so Talon continued. "While you are not hunting, you may take another form, so long as it is small. That way, we can accommodate you and let you roam without alerting any visitors or outsiders of what you are. When you leave the camp for the hunt or for whatever reason, you can take any form you desire."

The black dragon blew smoke, the thick wisps curling around his sharp muzzle and wafting over his unseeing eyes. His tail writhed slightly in irritation, but he didn't say a word. The other dragons shifted uncomfortably, clearly not used to being told what to do.

Finally, the white dragon spoke. 'I do not see why we cannot do as you ask. It is logical and very practical.'

The black dragon snarled, the vibrations from his growl shaking the earth beneath my feet. The Elite Guard took a step forward and fell into fighting stance, their bodies torn between human and Raspan.

'Logical! Practical!' His inner voice was harsh and loud in my head, making me wince with every word. The black dragon snorted, tossing his head indignantly. 'It is a disgrace to hide our forms. We are dragons, brothers! It is not our nature to hide!'

'We are in a different world now, my friend,' said the red dragon in his thick brogue. 'The humans donnae take to our kind easily, they never have. I willnae let them hang my hide in some bloody museum 'cos I was too full of pride to keep meself safe.'

'Besides,' the white dragon intervened, 'we have others to consider now. We made a vow to protect these people. If our forms endanger them, we are clearly breaking that vow. I agree that I find it difficult to conceal the body the Gods bestowed upon us, but...' The dragon's green eyes turned to me and flashed. 'But we made a vow to protect this little one and her people.' He looked back at the black dragon now. 'Only our deaths can undo what has been done. You are too greedy for life to end it.'

'Aye, so stop your fuss,' the red dragon snarled. 'We stay, we fight, an' we do what we must.' The red dragon turned his amber eyes to me, the red color in them lightening to a deep orange. 'We will change our forms, jus' know that we donnae enjoy doin' it.'

I smiled a little. "I'll keep that in mind. And thank you. We understand better than you think what it means to have to hide. Just so you know we don't enjoy it either."

Talon's tail wove around my ankle and tenderly squeezed, his pride obvious in the way his chest puffed out some as he stared out at the dragons.

'We will hunt now,' the blue dragon stated. 'When we return, our forms will have changed to your liking. But if we may have a boon from you?'

A boon? Who even says that anymore?

"We can grant that," Talon replied before I could. "What is it that you need?"

'A place of shelter,' the dragons said unanimously. 'We prefer to be in one house, together, but a shelter of our own would be satisfactory.'

I eyed Talon for his thoughts. That seemed an easy request to fulfill. The Lunar liked building, it would also give them the opportunity to survey the land for resources and escape the village life. Surely Kynan and Lennox wouldn't mind?

Talon nodded slowly. "I will talk to the Lunar, but I foresee no problem with a house of your own. Do you have any specifications?"

'Nay,' answered the red dragon. 'Jus' a home would be lovely.'

I fought a smile and nodded. "We will let the Lunar know."

"Good hunting," Talon said in farewell. The dragons inclined their heads to me, all of them except the black that is, and slunk into the forest eerily silent for their huge frames. The Elite Guard eyed them warily as they passed, and I couldn't blame them. The dragons may have agreed to peace, but I knew better than to think they could be trusted, the black especially.

Hoshkin, one of the Guards, approached us quickly, his tail twitching with unease. "Do you wish for us to follow them, Annis-si?"

I hesitated, my eyes going over his shoulder to the forest. Already the dragons were too distant to make out, their forms almost a blur in the dense trees. "Take a few scouts but make yourself scarce. They will know they're being followed."

"Are you sure following them is wise?" Talon asked quietly, turning to me. "We don't want them to think we can't trust them."

I eyed Talon. "We can't," I said simply. I looked at Hoshkin and nodded. "Be cautious, but I don't believe they are up to anything."

Hoshkin hesitated.

"What is it?" I asked, the sudden itch that had been driving me mad all morning pushing into overdrive.

Hoshkin set his expression firmly, like he was building up the courage to ask something. "Permission to speak frankly, Annis-si?"

I felt my heart sink to my stomach. Every time someone had been "frank" with me, I hadn't liked what come out of their mouth. Forcing my fear to the back of my mind I nodded. "You have permission."

"I know it isn't the place of a scout to make judgment upon my leader's actions, but it is not just my concern I am voicing."

I felt like I had just been punched in the stomach. The moisture was zapped from my mouth by his intense stare, one that spoke volumes of how nervous he was speaking to me. I had a feeling that his "concerns" were going to ruin my entire day. "What concerns?" I asked him.

"My concerns, as well as the rest of the packs', lie within the bond we have with our King," Hoshkin said slowly, articulating each word to express their importance. "He is not well, Annis-si."

The heavy weight in my stomach grew heavier and nausea began to make my head spin. "Not well?" I croaked, swallowing bile.

"There is only darkness radiating from his bond now," Hoshkin explained. "We have not been given instructions for nearly a week. I...I fear that he may be losing his control, and possibly, his humanity."

"For how long has the bond been this way?" Talon asked his voice strangely sharp. But underneath the biting tone, I could hear his worry.

"Weeks," Hoshkin admitted a little sheepishly. "It's been growing gradually worse."

"Why wait so long to tell us this?" Talon shot at him.

Hoshkin eyed me pointedly. "Annis-si was still in mourning, Tze'sic. I did not want the knowledge to pain her further."

I bristled instantly. I was just about to open my mouth to tell Hoshkin that I didn't need someone to worry about my sensibilities or my feelings being hurt, but Talon's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Tempest is stronger than we give her credit for, Hoshkin-se," he replied, his tone having lost its bite. "Are you able to contact him at all?"

Hoshkin shook his head quickly, looking contrite. "It is like the static, on your radios. I know he is there but he is not picking up. I worry that his emotions will destroy the hold on the others. Some of this pack needs his firm guidance and with him at such a great distance, I fear it won't be long before we need to protect the Lunar from ourselves."

A chill went down my spine at Hoshkin's warning. I knew that there were a few Raspan's in the pack that were deadly, their humanity held together by the thinnest of threads. Like Talon, I believed the multiple mating incidents were acts of those Raspan's losing the battle with their true nature. Had they been more controlled, the hybrid children would not have been an issue.

I ran my hand through my hair, smothering a weary sigh that threatened to escape from my lips. If Thatcher were here, things would be so much different. If Thatcher was here, the Raspans wouldn't be fighting our control. And you'd be off the hook, my little voice huffed. I mentally shook the thought aside with a smothered sigh.

"You will let us know which of the men we need to keep a firm watch on," I said finally. "We can't let them get out of hand. Our relationship with the Lunar is important and our key to surviving out here. If we lose their support...we're doomed."

Hoshkin inclined his head. "I will alert the Guard to keep an eye out," he agreed. "It is only a few that need a firmer hand, but enough to make me wary. What about Táxim-se? What shall you have me do?"

Beg him to come back, I thought. Tell him that I can't rule like he wants me to, that I'm lost...that I'm afraid.

"Keep trying to contact him. Eventually he'll have to answer," I replied. "Is that all, Hoshkin?"

Hoshkin straightened up and backed away before inclining his head formally. "That is all, Annis-si. I am sorry to have brought you ill news, but I felt it was urgent enough that it should be brought to your attention."

I nodded my head in dismissal and turned away from both the forest and the Guard, heading towards the Lunar encampment once more.

The feeling of impeding gloom gnawed at me with each step I took, the knowledge of what was coming for us like a heavy weight on my shoulders. War was coming. I could feel it all the way down to my soul. This news just affirmed what I had already feared.

When I got to camp, it was as though hell had broken loose. People were shouting and racing through the huts, sealing up their doors and dragging their children inside. The taste of fear left a sour tang in my mouth and I pushed past the bodies in search for Saoirse or Georgina.

I found Georgina at the armory, frantically handing out weapons to the gathered men and scarce few women.

"What's going on?" I demanded when I was within earshot, stepping around a particularly large Luna male wielding a six-foot poleax and a spiked mace. I ducked when he swung a bag of bows over his shoulder that nearly knocked my head off in the process.

"Raiders have been sighted," she said a bit breathlessly. She tossed a large sack of swords at me. "Help me hand out one sword to each man or woman."

"Raiders?" I breathed, temporarily stunned until a Luna male roughly grabbed at the bag, prying out a sword. I instantly undid the burlap sack, a little confused as to why the swords were in a sack to begin with, and followed Georgina's instructions.

"Are they Raspans?" I called out to her when my common sense had returned.

"Yes!" she told me before snapping her teeth at one male who tried to get out of turn. "Not Elites."

Fudge. If they were not Elite, it meant they were controlled.

Fuyher was close by -- and he was launching his first attack.

"But wait," I blurted out, following after Georgina. "How is it possible for Fuyher to be close? He was just in South America yesterday! Isn't that what reports said?"

Georgina shook her head. "Our reports were old, weeks old. Fuyher's scouts may have killed off our own as they headed north." Georgina's eyes met mine. "Whatever the scenario, the bastard is here now and his army outnumbers us two to one."

I swallowed hard at her harsh tone, unused to her anger or seeing the fear that lingered in her eyes.

Suddenly, my bag was ripped away from me and the mob descended down upon it, prying out the flimsy swords for their own protection. I stumbled back so I wouldn't be trampled by the madness, my heart beating a rapid tattoo in my throat.

As I gripped the doorway of the armory and watched the panic unfold, my mind was racing. I knew next to nothing about warfare, and this kind of battle action wasn't fought with guns or cannons or unmanned drones -- it was the muscle, sweat, and swords of men and women. It was the type of warfare that I had only seen in movies or read about in books. What the hell was I supposed to do when faced with a Raspan armed only with my will to live and a sword?

Making my decision, I gritted my jaw and searched for a spare sword, tucking it into my belt. I had a feeling I was going to need it.

"Tempest!"

Talon suddenly dropped down from the sky, his wings furling quickly as he landed. Already he had donned a metal chest plate, a roughly hashed metal helmet tucked under his arm. A long sword was strapped to his side next to his dagger, but other than that he had no other weapon apart from his claws.

"You have a sword?" he asked.

I wrapped my hand around the sheath, my heart beating even faster in my throat as I met his gaze. The hilt felt awkward in my palm, the weight at my side unnatural. I felt like I was pretending to be the part of lady knight and I knew I fell short of everyone's expectations, but I wasn't going to hide.

"Good," Talon told me, surveying the blade briefly before sliding it back in its sheath. "Remember to take their tails when you're finished with them, those are your war trophies. A clean cut to the neck or beneath the left front leg will put them down. And don't let them bite you -- your blood will have them swarming to you like flies."

I swallowed hard, surprise and relief and fear flooding through me.

"I've killed one before," I told him, sounding much braver than I felt. "I can do it again." Talon nodded, his jaw tightening as the air began to ring with the low bong of the warning bells, alerting everyone that the enemy was in sight of the walls.

"We need to move," he told me, turning around so we could follow the long stream of Lunar warriors and scouts who were headed towards the southern end of camp.