The dragon he spread his stubby snipped wings in resignation. “Very well. But climb on gently. Hold on loosely and don’t kick me.” Raven, in all her hideous warty wonder, climbed onto Aragon’s back. Mason and I scramble up behind her. The burning sand quivered as the dragon picked his way to the top of the highest Plateau and stopped at the summit, which gave us an unrivaled view of the terrain. A patchwork of Barrel cactus speckled the sand and spread across sand dunes that rose away to meet lonely flat-topped mesa with steep sides, where the sun was casting its first long plum and russet shadows like a bantam rooster tail transforming the land with color. It was dramatic and beautiful, unlike any place I’d seen. I felt the excitement of
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“Cool. Hurrah, and all that. Chocolate pudding!” At her feet, a puddle of darkness stained the ground—no doubt the remains of the skunk ape monster that had charred the magical dragon lair or maybe— But before I could finish my thought, the puddle of muck turned to quicksand under her feet. The gremlin quickly sank in up to her shoulders. “Eek!” she shrieked. “Help!” I managed to get to my feet and shake off my sun-induced coma. Swiftly, I pulled her backward out of the quagmire. The gremlin jumped free, stifled a sob, and sighed. Then she wrapped her muddy little arms around my leg. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome,” I said, ruffling her pigtails. Slowly the sun disappeared in a gulp and the world was cast into inky shadows. I got bored watching the constellations—the Chained Lady used the Big Dipper to dump water into Orion’s belt—turned and to Mason and whispered, “If we gather some leaves, twigs, and wood, we could start a campfire on Aragon’s back. Wait with all the hair we probably wouldn’t even need kindling.” Mason laughed. “I don’t think he’d like …show more content…
Then after the third rendition of the campfire song Killing Me Softly with His Song Raven turned to Mason and me. “You need rest.” “But I not tired,” I said. “Besides—” “Aiden Greene,” Raven scolded. “You’ve battled the elements, brilliantly discovered water, and pulled the gremlin out of giant ape droppings. You’re no good to anyone until you get some sleep.” I wanted to protest, but Raven pressed her hand to my forehead. Weariness washed over me. “Sleep,” Raven insisted. “Now.” I gave in and curled up next to the
“Cool. Hurrah, and all that. Chocolate pudding!” At her feet, a puddle of darkness stained the ground—no doubt the remains of the skunk ape monster that had charred the magical dragon lair or maybe— But before I could finish my thought, the puddle of muck turned to quicksand under her feet. The gremlin quickly sank in up to her shoulders. “Eek!” she shrieked. “Help!” I managed to get to my feet and shake off my sun-induced coma. Swiftly, I pulled her backward out of the quagmire. The gremlin jumped free, stifled a sob, and sighed. Then she wrapped her muddy little arms around my leg. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome,” I said, ruffling her pigtails. Slowly the sun disappeared in a gulp and the world was cast into inky shadows. I got bored watching the constellations—the Chained Lady used the Big Dipper to dump water into Orion’s belt—turned and to Mason and whispered, “If we gather some leaves, twigs, and wood, we could start a campfire on Aragon’s back. Wait with all the hair we probably wouldn’t even need kindling.” Mason laughed. “I don’t think he’d like …show more content…
Then after the third rendition of the campfire song Killing Me Softly with His Song Raven turned to Mason and me. “You need rest.” “But I not tired,” I said. “Besides—” “Aiden Greene,” Raven scolded. “You’ve battled the elements, brilliantly discovered water, and pulled the gremlin out of giant ape droppings. You’re no good to anyone until you get some sleep.” I wanted to protest, but Raven pressed her hand to my forehead. Weariness washed over me. “Sleep,” Raven insisted. “Now.” I gave in and curled up next to the