Wolf Child

IV

Kilfer landed with Mirdaff, and they surveyed the landscape. They were on a cliff that was splattered with snow on its plain grey stone, and through the velvety cold mist they saw dragons, huge as they were and fire-breathing, amber eyes filled with the pride and grace of being a flying worm, but what they feared were the mountains, living rocks that were powerful beings that were the souls of mountains and can kill whenever they wanted, and judging by the number of dragons they were also not far from the Fire Dragons' Lair, home to the fiercest beings ever known in their history.

"Kilfer," Mirdaff glanced up from the map, "It is dangerous, only through these living mountain bastards can we continue our paths. It does not help if we get to the air, for the dragons would consume us alive."

Kilfer sighed but he knew what should be done must be done. They continued across the ledge from the cliff, crossing a winding pathway that was once built by someone but wore off so much it was barely visible, and linking the ledge to the first living mountain was a bridge, torn to the sides and without rungs, but moving from side to side whenever the wind blew.

Kilfer gulped. Never in his life did he need to do something so risky and he would have glided to the other end of the mountain if not for the dragons. Clutching the box that held Ferhia within, he took a single step. The bridge wobbled and he inhaled deeply."Ferhia, aid me, please. I will proceed with my instinct, but to my luck only you can help me," Kilfer shut his eyes tight and raised his hands, balancing Ferhia's box on one hand and the other was a free hand. Within Kilfer's senses, there was entirely no sound, and he took continuous steps across the bridge, every step filled with uncertainty for there was a tingling sensation of fear that at any moment if simply a small wind tipped the bridge by that tiny amount it might mean his death.

Finally, he stepped onto an unwavering piece of ground and opened his eyes. Finally, he was on the other side of the bridge and opened his eyes. He turned and flew Mirdaff with his magic to his side across the bridge.

None of them spoke, for they knew any sound would cause the mountains to know of their presence, and through the mists they could see rocks moving, mountains hurling rocks at each other and smashing huge boulders, and they knew they could not continue any further without flying.

"We fly...?" Kilfer mouthed with uncertainty, but Mirdaff shook his head, "No, it would be death too."

They continued in silence and walked along ledges and leapt across cliffs, until Kilfer accidentally made a grave mistake -- tripping over a pebble that made too much noise and the living mountain under their feet trembled and moved through the air while they clung onto whatever that they could hold on to, and the trembles stopped. Kilfer and Mirdaff froze, staring at each other for a moment. They thought that it was over, but before any of them could take another breath, a crack widened from the ground, revealing a gaping hole and it swallowed them whole.

***

"Where are..." Kilfer wanted to speak, but paused when he saw that he was in a stone room, walls crumbling to the sides but Kilfer knew that they were trapped by the living mountain, waiting to kill them by starving them within in this labyrinth. Few had ever escaped, and those who actually escaped did not live long enough to tell the full story and how to escape the stony prison. Yet now, escaping was their only chance.Kilfer and Mirdaff stood, surveying the smooth stone surface, and it was so clean Kilfer thought it was artificial, but they knew it was simply another part of the labyrinth within the mountains. "So what now?" Mirdaff turned to Kilfer and Kilfer realised he was also pondering on that question, and simply shrugged, "I guess there should be an opening somewhere. The problem simply is that the labyrinth is alive, and all we can do is try to prevent ourselves from dying in here while we seek a way out.