A story about Sang, the first ever female to receive the mark of a dragon. Entering a world where males reign supreme, she struggles to prove that a woman has what it takes to be a great rider. Even if the dragon she's paired with is stubborn, moody...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Dr. Green
We knew something was wrong the moment Gideon, Laina, and Kiran took off in a flurry of beating wings. I was almost relieved to have Gideon away from Tao, but that thought soon passed when we could hear piercing shrieks from the other side of the mountain.
Janice's face drained of all color, while Henry stood from his spot by the fire and looked all around us. He couldn't see much but the treeline below our camp, which sat on a flat area on the face of the mountain. The older male's usual soft features turned stormy and fierce, and there was no doubt in my mind that he was a seasoned fighter in his younger days.
"You boys better get going and see what that's all about," Henry ordered. I looked to Owen, who looked back and nodded. As a doctor, it was my duty to be there in the assumption that someone was hurt.
"The rest of you sit tight, Owen and I will find out what's going on." Tao moved to the lip of the cliff and stretched his wings out. Starting at a jog, I lept up and took my seat in the saddle strapped to his muscular back.
Before we took off, Wil jogged up to me and gave me a somber look. "It would be in your best interest that she comes back safe, doctor." How he knew Sang was hurt was puzzling, but the wrath in Gideon's eyes made it easy to come to the conclusion that something happened to her.
"Believe me, I know." With that, Tao and Saxon dived off the cliff and soared.
Following the noise of screeching and roaring dragons, we flew toward a much darker area of the mountain. Spotting Gideon scraping at a stone ridge, Tao and Saxon changed direction and landed on the opposite ledge.
With the dragons looking down into the pass, it was evident that the others were below. Jumping off of Tao as quickly as I could, I balanced at the ledge and looked down into the pass. What I saw made my heart stop.
Blame it on the doctoral instincts in me, but the first thing that drew my attention was the amount of blood covering the ground. Next was the sight of two dead animals and a grimacing Sang in Nathan's arms. Her face was pale and she had sweat glistening on her forehead.
"What happened here? Kota, Nathan, report." Owen was the one to take charge. I didn't fail to notice the way his straining eyes were locked on Sang's tense form. He was worried, and so was I.
Kota's head snapped up to look at us and he clenched his hands into fists at his sides. Though he was pulling a brave face, it was obvious that he was shaken from whatever just happened. "Please get down here, Sean. Sang's hurt."
I quickly scampered down the slope, keeping my arms out to center myself, and Owen followed behind. Laina and Kiran calmed down, but their forms were still tense and ready. Unlike them, Gideon couldn't sit still. He paced back and forth on the ledge, his fangs bared and chest puffing.
I raced to Nathan's side and evaluated Sang's blood drenched clothes. It was all over and impossible to determine where exactly it was coming from. "I'm going to need you to set her down Nathan. Be careful not to bump her too much."
