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THE MOUNTAIN

I run up the mountain, carrying Fribby in my forelimbs.

Between the both of us, we’ve only got two left wings. So flight is not an option.

My lungs are heaving so hard it feels like they’re going to pop. My green webbed feet struggle under the weight of us. I’m leaving a bright red blood trail in the snow.

We’re a couple hundred yards out when we hear the massive explosion and turn and see the chamber go up in a fiery ball of flames. The ground rumbles and I have to raise my tail up high to keep from getting knocked off balance.

ATHENOS! I won’t forget you.

Now as we stare at the mega blaze, a tiny ship shoots up out of the flames and goes whizzing off into the sky.

Runcita and Dean Floop in the zoompod.

But then as we continue to study the blaze, a dark winged figure surges upward out of the flames and blasts off out of there.

My nostrils flare. My horns start tingling like crazy.

“Hurry!” whispers Fribby. “He’s coming!”

And it’s true.

Even from where we are, you can see the dark flying serpent backlit against the moon.

And he’s headed straight for us.

I turn and start running.