The Twilight Dragon

Chapter 7

I could feel the hairs on the back of my arms raise, and I shivered. It felt like the temperature had dropped several degrees. Something large had carved this valley out, most likely a large glacier, the sides were smooth and the bottom had been pulverized into sand and small flat rocks. I was holding Donya's hand and leading her to the areas with the least amount of rocks so as to make less noise. Above us, I heard the faint cries of large birds above us, but down in the valley it was eerily quiet, the stone walls of the valley insulating us from the noises of outside. Thankfully, I did not hear any voices anymore, so I took that as a good sign. Ahead, I could see in the distance the exit to the valley, beyond that greenery beckoned enticingly to us.

I picked up my pace, until I heard Donya whisper, "Lianne, my hand." I had not realized I had been squeezing it so tightly. I let go and watched Donya shake her hand out guiltily. "Sorry."

We moved out into the bright sunlight, and immediately felt warmed by it. "You know," a feminine voice with an accent said in a lazy drawl. I snapped my head around as I searched for the owner of the voice. The owner was a dark-haired woman with light brown skin, dressed in tan pants and a red, flowing shirt. "Some might think that you ladies are looking for trouble, wandering around in dark shadowy areas."

My eyes were drawn to the large sword that she held in her hand. I had never seen anyone with a sword before. Knives, sure, but not...a sword. I remember when the bandits had ambushed me and all of a sudden I couldn't breathe, my knees started shaking and then and I had to hunch over and put my hands on my thighs. I felt Donya's hand on my shoulders, steadying me.

"Aye, I was just kidding!" The woman said, holding her hand out as if to reassure me. "Just not a lotta ladies out here, tha's all." She seemed to recoil as I looked to see Donya giving her a scathing glare. "She's been through a lot." Donya said angrily.

"It's ok, Donya." I said as I pushed on my thighs and straightened up.

"Now are you going to let us pass or not?" Donya said.

"Of course." She said awkwardly. Donya was still holding onto my shoulders but I shrugged them aside.

"Alright, let's go, Donya." I said as we walked past the woman.

"So, where are you two headed?" The woman asked casually as she followed us.

"To Scarsdale." Donya stated as she started walking ahead of us, which I thought might be her trying to keep distance between her and the stranger.

"Ah! I'm headed there myself. I'm Marija by the way." She said cheerfully.

"And what are you doing there?" I asked.

"Well I'm a bounty hunter, so I go to the towns to check the boards." She said.

A bounty hunter, hm... I had never met one before and so I regarded the woman with newfound interest. Donya strode ahead purposefully but I lingered in the back to talk to her.

"And what about you?"

I thought for a moment before I decided to tell her. I couldn't think of the harm it could do. "We're going to rescue my dragon boyfriend from dark cultists." That summed it up pretty well.

"Ooh?" She didn't look as surprised as I thought she would be, which was a little disappointing.

"A dragon, I haven't seen on in ages!" She commented.

At this Donya had to pause and I walked into her. "You've seen others?"

"Oh sure, sure." She looked pleased that Donya was talking to her. "I've seen many in my travels." Her sexy accent was nice to listen to, and what she said after was even better. "Rock dragons are the worst, they like to live high in the mountains, and it is hell to get up there."