Chinese Touch

Chapter 14-Quiet, Quiet

I pressed my back up against the wall, drawing my bandaged legs to my chest. It hurt so much, but I had no other choice. Ai wrapped himself up in front of me and blew rock over his body. My legs and arms soon began to cramp and go numb, and I hoped that the guards would soon pass.

No such luck.

Only moments after I began to cramp, a guard walked in. He began to poke around the cave with his sword. I pushed myself back further against the wall. The guard was coming closer towards us. I prayed silently that he would move on, that they would leave, something! He was about to prob they rock where Ai lay, when a great roar sounded outside of the cave. The men all ran, and Ai was about to move when a voice said "I know you're in there. Next time, you won't be so lucky." It was Huang.

When they were all gone, Ai gently removed the rock and climbed out. I stretched my legs and arms, not caring about the pain, and settled down against Ai to watch the sunset. A dark shape flew from the sun, getting closer to the cave. I smiled as Chang and Bao came back in, but realised that the she-dragon was puffing and panting.

"What happened?"

"We were about to come back but we saw the guards. So Chang distracted them and flew off so quickly I thought I would fall off her back. We managed to lose the guards and come back, but now she's exhausted."

"We have to leave."

"Why?"

"You saw it yourself, they know where we are."

"They didn't find you, though, did they?"

"Huang said that he knew we were in here."

She stiffened at the mention of her brother's name, but then simply replied with "he probably says that into every cave he comes across."

"Still..."

"We should be leaving anyway."

We stayed for a few more minutes, allowing Chang to get her energy back. Then Bao leapt onto Chang's back and they flew out of the cave mouth.

"Ai?"

"One moment." He stood and turned to face the back of the cave, then blew rock out. He shaped it to look like us. In the darkness, guards would never tell the difference.

"Thanks Ai." I went to climb onto his back, but fell down in pain. "Sorry, I can't climb on. It hurts too much."

"That's okay, Ai can carry you. Right Ai?"

"Yes." He lifted my in his claws and flew out of the cave.

~#~*~#~

Huang led the men into the cave.

"Sir, there's nothing here."

"No, up the back. Look, there. They're sleeping, so be quiet."

The guards loaded their bows and prepared to fire.

"Now." A flurry of arrows shot into the cave, bouncing off the dragons and the two humans.

"How...?" Huang wandered into the cave and looked at the dragons. They were made from stone. "AR! They tricked us!" He lifted one of the arrows and snapped it in half, stabbing it into the closest dragon with all his might. Then he turned to face his men.

"Get my dragon. We're going hunting."