Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. Here it is! The new chapter!

IMPORTANT: For those of you who missed the update, for review replies check Chapter 4 and for information about why I was AWOL, read the note on my profile.

Guest: Great devotion, indeed! Thanks, I'm obviously sorry for the wait...

:(I google-translated the review) Glad you're enjoying it! They do finally meet, but what next?

A new sense of urgency gripped Ruffnut as she coaxed Scauldy downwards. Her brother was just struggling to his feet, his hair sticking out at funny angles, entwined with leaves and sticks. There was a slight cut across his right eye, a bead of blood welling around it, but he seemed oblivious until he wiped it halfway across his forehead. His sister rolled her eyes, having seen it too many times before.

The Scauldron's wide wings were too big to fly any lower and remain airborne. The trees were tall and straight here. Scauldy gave a groan, turning back to his rider in apology, huffing. The young woman sighed, then clambered up his neck and leant out from his neck, reaching as far down as her long arms would reach. With any luck, her brother would be able to grab on and she could haul him aboard.

"Tuffnut!" She called, catching her brother by surprise, "Grab my hand! We need to get out of here!"

"What were those things?" He yelled as he lifted his arm above his head. The rumble of their hooves grew louder. The creatures had found another way down the drop. Tuffnut stretched up, but he couldn't quite reach.

"Come on!" His sister snarled, "Stretch!"

Even on tiptoes, Tuffnut's fingertips could only brush those of his twin, and the dark shapes were looming out of the forest once again. Their sharp cries echoed through the trees, chillingly close. Ruffnut could see them getting closer and closer. Her brother jumped up and grabbed her wrist, and for a moment, all seemed well, but then his grip failed and he stumbled back onto the ground. On the backs of those strange, galloping creatures, men prepared cross-bows, ready to fire upon the dragon. Ruffnut instantly made the painful decision and withdrew her hand.

"Run, Tuffnut! Go, quickly, just go!" She cried out, watching the horror fill his eyes as he realised just how close they were. Then, he was gone, dashing off between the trees. Ruffnut watched helplessly as a few of the creatures followed on. The braver ones stayed and fired upon her dragon, bolts wedged deep under his skin so that he cried out and fired a blast of his water, but by then, they had already disappeared. Ruffnut was left to relieve her dragon of the painful arrows and follow the chase in the air.

Tuffnut pounded between the thick trunks, trying to put as much distance between himself and the odd, four-legged creatures and their riders. The nature of the terrain gave him an advantage, hindering the animals that had to bend through the trees. They were unable to get up to their top speed, while Tuffnut was free to run as fast as he could, and he was determined to make it as difficult as possible for the thundering hooves to catch him. He squeezed through tight gaps, twisted around trees and dived down from rocks.

Then, the obstacles stopped coming. The trees thinned out, ground flattened and became smooth. The creatures came closer and closer, hot on his heels. One struck out, thundering up beside him. Its rider made a grab for Tuffnut. Ducking, the young man looked up, heart hammering with fear. The beast looked back with shining black eyes, jowls frothing, flanks heaving. Tuffnut's eyes clapped onto the shining stirrup in which the man's foot was held, so close to his head. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the soldier's ankle and shoved it up, unseating him. It was simple luck that a tree passed at that moment, snatching the man from his beast's saddle and tossing him to the ground.

Confused, the creature put its ears back, slowing down, but the twin saw another opportunity. He jumped forth, snatching hold of the saddle and hauling himself up, struggling to get his leg over the creature's back. However, somehow, he managed to get a grip, slipping a foot into each stirrup, grabbing the flapping leather straps that the men used to steer. Looking behind him, he could see the way the men slammed their heels into the creature's sides. Copying them, he tried to replicate the action, and was almost thrown from the saddle himself as the beast put on a staggering burst of speed.

She peered through the canopy, scanning through the trees to catch any glimpse she could of the chase going on below. Scauldy gave an uneasy moan, picking up on his rider's tension. She reached forward to give him a reassuring pat. Suddenly, she spotted a flash below, heading out onto a flat plateau of land where the forest thinned out along the cliffs. Oh no... cliffs! She thought agonisingly. If he wasn't looking where he was going (and knowing Tuffnut, he wasn't), her brother was liable to pitch right over the edge.

Tuffnut urged the beast on faster as the other soldiers drew near. He'd never experienced such a strange,galloping gait. However, whatever it lacked in comfort, the creature certainly made up for in speed. Striking out with its strong hooves, brown mane flying gracefully, it ate up ground like a Night Fury round a racecourse. Nothing could stop them now...

"Except that cliff..." Tuffnut groaned as he saw the ground fall away meters before him. He was thinking quickly again, turning ideas around in his mind, but he settled quickly on his only option.

"Come on, thing! Jump off the edge of the cliff! My sister will catch us, trust me!"

However, his beast certainly did not trust him. As it realised what was coming, it gave a shrill whinny and dug its hind legs into the dirt, skidding to a halt. The man on its back was not so lucky. The brother went flying over its shoulders, and the next he knew, everything went black.

Short chapter is short. There was no way I could lengthen this, either in the story or just time-wise. As you may have noticed, I'm not having much of a chance to write lately. The updates might come as much as weekly in some cases. However, you know me, I always strive to get these out as quickly as I possibly can. The next is on its way and I won't let it be past the deadline this time!