Author:
Kaleadora / Wesimbi
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Date Posted: 16:52:25 08/23/03 Sat
Kaleadora scooped Dante into her arms, holding him as he clutched at her, and with her free hand she seized Khanada's scruff. With all of her might she hung onto the two children as the world spun with the colors of shadow. All around were the great, roaring wingbeats, and the dragon's scales grated against each other with a metallic ring. The black stallion was panicking, struggling to rise but finding no purchase on the slippery talons that formed a cage around them. Kalea stroked its neck, speaking to it quietly, and slowly it grew calm.
::Just hang on,:: she said to Dante and Khanada. ::Hang on, guys, it's gonna be okay. I'm right here.::
When she dared to glance down between the shining silver talons, the sickening speed with which they traveled made her stomach lurch. Every wingbeat was carrying her farther and farther away from Nashota, from Gabriel and Rio, from her tribe and everything safe and familiar.
At last they began to descend, and with a final, mighty lurch three of the dragon's feet crashed into solid stone. It took a few lumbering steps, lowered its claw, and deposited Kalea and the rest on the stone. Holding Dante and Khanada, the Jellicle leapt to one side as the horse rolled and plunged to its feet, whinnying in terror.
Suddenly, a voice reached Kalea's mind-ears, and she saw Dante and Khanada look up, as well.
::Salimende, you try my patience.::
The voice was deep and rich, and beyond it Kalea could sense a well of power greater than her entire tribe combined---greater, she fancied, than every Jellicle in the West combined. In the cave's mouth stood the Guardian in all of his glory. The horse quieted as he patted its nose, and it stood besde him as he raised his head, eyes blazing imperiously into the dragon.
The creature hissed, sweeping its vast body around to face the Guardian. Kalea cringed against the cave's wall, holding Dante and Khanada in her lap.
::Salimenden hold the North,:: continued the Guardian, walking slowly forward. ::Salimenden hold the East. Salimenden hold the Hedrons themselves, and I stand not in their way.::
He drew closer, and with every step Kalea saw the mighty dragon, a hundred times larger than the Guardian, flinch just slightly. At last it began to draw its head back, as the Guardian's voice grew stronger.
::I know you, Salimende---I have seen your flight over my mountains, and I have not hindered you in your play. You take a few humans here and there and I say nothing. But you! Look what you have taken now!::
He pointed to Kalea and the children; the Jellicle cowered. ::This is a Jellicle queen. And these---these are a young Cheysuli-kin and his Companion. You dare to disturb the pathways of those whose blood runs with the same magic as yours? Salimende, I denounce you! If you will relinquish your captives now, peacefully, than I shall merely send you East and not take you straight to the Old One. My protection is over these creatures, and if you harm a hair on their heads, I will consider it an attack upon myself. Release them!::
Kaleadora raised her head in wonder. She had known that the Guardian was terrible and powerful, certainly, but that he would ever condescend to offer protection to one such as herself...that, she would never have imagined.
::It's gonna be okay,:: she whispered to Dante and Khanada. ::It'll be okay.::
::N-Nashy!:: she called privately, latching onto her sister's roaming mindlink. ::I...oh, Nashy, the Guardian! He's here, here, here in the cave, he's protecting us...oh, Nashy!::
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