"Guards!" Thomas screamed as they shot to the castle as fast as they could.
Clarion flapped hard and fast, but her muscles weren't as strong since her injury. If they could get to a tree or log, they'd be safe until the guards could come, but they were in the middle of a field. She looked over her shoulder to see the hawk leaning back and angling its talons out to grab them. Thomas pushed her down into the grass and flew up to catch the hawk's attention.
There was a loud screech, and Clarion looked up to see Mountain slam into the hawk with his talons out. Mountain clawed relentlessly, distracting the hawk.
"Yah!"
Clarion's heart stop when she heard that voice.
The hawk flew up and then dove down at Mountain. They engaged in a deadly battle, their talons furiously slashing through the air at each other.
Clarion screamed when she saw Milori riding Mountain's back, leading Mountain through the fight.
Milori whistled and Mountain's wings flapped rapidly as he clawed frantically at the hawk to keep it from getting in a deadly blow. The hawk's wing was hit and it slammed down to the ground, inches from her, sending dirt and pebbles flying.
A pebble knocked Clarion down and landed on her legs, trapping her. She flapped in terror when the hawk looked at her, but the pebble was too heavy for her to get out from under it.
Thomas surged forward with his sword, but the hawk got up and snapped repeatedly at him. Mountain screeched and tried to get the hawk's attention.
She gave a grunt as she tried to shove the pebble off, but the hawk whipped around and looked at her. Shooting pixie dust at it as hard as she could, she meant to scare it away. That only intrigued the hawk. It took two steps toward her, stretched out its wings when it screeched, and raised it's head to impale her with its beak. She screamed and threw up her arm to try to protect herself.
Milori slid on his feet in front of her with a large stick and shot up under the hawk's beak, snapping the hawk's head back. It stumbled back a step and shook it's head. The focus was now on Milori, who darted around the hawk, ensuring he was the target.
"Surround the Queen!" Thomas ordered the guards as they freed her.
The guards surrounded her and started flying her to the Pixie Tree.
"No! Help him!" she cried, terrified when the hawk flapped it's wings and took flight to chase Milori up into the clouds.
"We have to see you safe first," Thomas said.
She tried to fight them, but three guards held her back and continued taking her home. Thomas and another guard looked up at the sky and drew their swords.
"Go!" She ordered them, struggling to get the guards to release her arms. They looked at each other, knowing it was suicide.
Mountain was flying around frantically looking for Milori.
"Mountain!" she screamed. "Yah!"
Mountain shot up in the sky, only knowing the command was to go up. She knew he spotted Milori because he suddenly flapped hard to gain speed and disappeared into the clouds.
It felt like the world stood still as they all waited with their eyes to the sky. And then she saw a glow on Mountain's back as Mountain swooped out of the clouds, the hawk close behind. Mountain darted through trees, but the hawk was out for blood. It was just seconds later when Mountain sharply swung around and screamed, soaring at the hawk for the final attack.
It was the perfect attack, except the hawk's legs started madly slashing through the air at the last instant. Mountain flew directly into the death trap. A talon caught Mountain and sent him sprawling into the grass. Clarion screamed. The hawk immediately dove, ready to finish off Mountain and Milori.
"Noooo!" Clarion screamed with more terror than she thought a body could feel. Raising her hands, she unleashed every shred of her power with her battle cry. A huge ball of pixie dust ripped through the sky toward the hawk. And not far behind it, a glowing wall of dust flew as the tree released every dust particle it contained. A roar filled the air and the ground trembled with the force that she unleashed Nature.
The hawk screamed and took off.
Clarion's heart raced. There was no movement in the grass. "Release me!" she snapped.
The guards let her go, and she flew over the meadow as fast as she could, rapidly outdistancing the guards. She spotted Mountain in the grass on his belly, his back torn open. Darting down to him, she touched the poor bird, his chest heaving in pain. Milori was nowhere. "Get the animal fairies and healers!" she called. Then she flew up and frantically looked for a glow, with tears running down her face. There was none.
"Who," Mountain cooed weakly and tried to use his beak to drag himself toward a boulder.
She shot over, terrified what she would see. Flying on the other side of it, she let out a choked sob. Milori was lying on his side and not glowing. "No! Guards! Guards!" she screamed and ran over to him.
Her hands shook as she reached out and touched the pulse at his neck. It was strong. Clarion lay a hand over his chest to reassure herself that his heart was still beating. "Milori?" she asked in confusion and felt him to find a small bump on his head. Then she tore open his shirt to search for wounds. Afraid to move him if his neck was injured, she got up and walked around to check his back for wounds. It was then that a cry escaped her lips and she fell to her knees in despair.