A/N: Oops, sorry I haven't updated. Just been a bit busy as it was my birthday. Here's a short reminder of the last chapter:
Aura almost sighed in relief, but choked when she saw what was dangling above her neck. As his last act, the magician had summoned a dagger from the battlefield and enchanted it to hang above Aura, threatening to end her life. Now that there was no magic holding it in the air, it began to dip perilously.
Seeing this, Vanir threw himself forwards, a primal scream of determination and love forcing itself from his throat.
No protests from Aura were in time to stop him.
The knife came down.
The sunlight flashed off the white metal that turned red so quickly as it sunk into unprotected flesh between two hard rib bones and the precious life-blood began to seep out around the wound.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. And then at the end tell me what you think.
Vanir groaned as his body slammed into the sandy floor, his hands clutching the handle of the dagger that protruded from the right side of his chest. Agony such as he had never known, held him like a vice, crippling any attempt to move, whilst Aura keened, and nosed his left shoulder gently.
Vanir, why?
Because…Aura…y...you are my dragon. It's my job to p…protect you, Vanir stuttered in reply, his mental strength weakening as his death came closer.
Well if you are my Rider, then you can't leave me. Not now. What if someone else comes and attacks me – helpless as I am with these broken wings and legs, I cannot defend myself.
Then roar for help. Vanir's reply was weak, as his grip on the dagger relaxed somewhat before he drew it out from his body, a torrent of blood flowing down his side because of it. His eyes closed and he lay still.
No! Aura roared, nudging his harder, thumping her tail on the ground beside him.
Vanir's eyes fluttered open and closed once more, smiling gently at his dragon's beautiful scales, almost deliriously ignoring her pain and anger.
Vanir's eyes closed for the final time, and did not re-open; leaving Aura huddled on the ground beside him, pitiably lying on her side, unable to stand because of her broken bones. All she could move was her head, which lay on top of Vanir's chest, and her tail, which curled around his body in a last embrace. Through her great shuddering breaths, she did not feel the movements of his chest that betrayed the fact there was still life in Vanir's body. If Angela had not come along, then Vanir's laboured breaths would have slowed considerably and before stopping altogether.
In an instant, Angela was kneeling by Vanir's side and dismissing Aura's snarls in one sentence. "I'm the only one who can help him!"
Aura fidgeted as various salves were spread over Vanir's wound both on his chest and on his hand, stopping the flow of his precious blood. The colour seemed to return to his cheeks, but still Vanir did not wake up.
"I've stabilised him, but I need some elves. Stay here with him," Angela commanded.
Who's she to command me, a wild dragon? Aura mused to herself. It's not like I can go anywhere like this anyway.
In the company of two elves, Angela returned. One of the elves immediately bowed to Aura, whilst the other one, an elf with hair the colour of starlight, was more hesitant and only bent her back a fraction of the amount the first, darker haired elf did.
The dark haired elf immediately set to work on Vanir, whilst Angela muttered things to herself.
"Block Head…gone…stupid…leaving…unprotected…"
None of it really made sense to Aura, but she remembered Vanir saying something once about the fact that no-one ever completely understood Angela. As she pondered the meaning of Angela's words, a large cat stalked into the part of the desert Aura and Vanir (with the healers) were occupying and leapt onto one of her legs, causing her to hiss in pain.
The dark haired elf spun around at the noise.
"Aura Indigo-Scales, daughter of Saphira Brightscales, is there something the matter?"
I have some broken bones, Aura replied hesitatingly, unwilling to admit she was in pain.
"Would you allow me to examine you?" The dark haired elf asked.
Aura nodded her head and the elf came closer, lightly prodding her limbs and feeling for injuries. Then using a spell, he knitted the broken bones back together, wiped a drop of sweat from his forehead and stood, swaying slightly from the energy he had expended. Aura's vigil over Vanir didn't end as the other elf continued to heal his innards, until finally Vanir's breathing levelled out and Angela with the two elves carried him back to where a base camp was being set up with Aura walking behind, her nose eagerly sniffing his hand, where despite the salve of Angela's, the cut would not mend.
A/N: So what did you think?