In The Dragon's Lair

Riding on the winds of change

MAX'S POV.
Why am I so tired?
Ava replies, "We've had a long day. Let's land and camp out somewhere in the woods, like old times."
I nod.
We circle, then land on a small hill.
I rush to tue woods in wolf form, and grab a mouthful of sticks.
I bring them to Ava, and she lights them on fire.
I curl up beside the blaze, staring into the blaze.
The flames dance and swirl. Soon, my vision blurs. Moisture graces my muzzle.
I lay my head onto my paws, and Ava curls her wings around me.
She warbles, "It wil work out, little one. It will work out"
I stare through her thin wings to the fire.
Why must this happen to me! Who keeps doing this?
Ava recalls, "The man introduced himself to me. He siad he was the Master of Apollo, and if I did not surrender nobody made it out alive."
I cry, "The Master of Apollo? Wasn't that Ember?"
Ava shakes her head, and whispers, "He was above Ember. He siad he lives on The Rising Mountians."
I whisper, "We depart tomorrow night. I know where those mountains are."
Soon we doze off into a peaceful sleep, not noticing a silver shimmer that coated the grass....

MAX'S DREAM....
A large Griffon/Phoenix cross is growling in front of me.
It cries, "YOU CANNOT FREE THEM! THEY DON'T TRUST.... THEY WON'T TRUST. NOW. TO THE DUNGEON WITH YOU, SLAVE."
I growl, and pounce on the beast. My razor fangs connect with his paw, and he cries out in pain. I shock him through my fangs.
Then, my old friend appears. A haunted look dances on thier wolfy face.
I whisper in shock through the leg, "Is it really you?"
They nod, and procliam, "Come to the Risen Mount, for time is falling short to save our home."
I get an idea. I howl to my pack. Nothing.
My friend frowns, "They cannot hear you. They are too close to Light beings. They won't obey until our home is safe."
I nod, swish my tail, drop the leg of the unconscious beast, and ask, "Will I find you again?"
They reply, "Like the sun finds the sky, you must find me. Then we all can be who we once were."
I cry, "After I free us, you shall be the first thing I seek!"
She chasties, "You will need anoher wolf. Find me in the lightest corner of the darkest room, down the longest hall, in the Castle in the Stone."

The Next Morning.....

Ahhhh.... what a warm morning.
I relight the fire, and wait for Ava to wake up.
I glance around. Why is everything silver?
The trees and grass have the likes of horrfrost on thier leaves, but the leaves aren't cold.
I sit in the dry,silver grass. I begin to make a map of the safest route to

Why am I tired?

Then, I remember my dream. I tell it to Ava, and she had the same one, minus the old friend.
She scoops me onto her neck and we take off.
The Risen Mountian is in the center of a ring of mountians. It's the tallest one, and made of pure enchanted Opal. Nobody has ever nicked a single notch in it's near perfect sides.
I can see the outline of the mountains about 500 miles off. In five days we might reach the mountains, weather permitting. In seven, we can go find my old friend who I thought was lost for good.