As Quiksilva raced along I sighed to myself as I wondered where we were going. Since I was pretty steamed I knew going back would just make me angrier but that didn't leave me with a lot of options. As if sensing my indecision Quiksilva slowed to a walk and as I sat on his back I tried to figure out what I should do next.
"Going back's out of the question at least for now anyway. Hmm what to do?" I said out aloud and suddenly Quiksilva came to a halt. "Huh what's wrong boy?" I asked as I looked forward and he snorted. As I stared into the distance I thought I saw a dragon rushing towards us and Quiksilva moved to one side letting him through. It that moment I realized two things' that it was Kitt and that she was in a big hurry. "What's going...on?" I started to ask before I saw a stampede of dragons running towards us and I knew right then why she was moving so fast. In seconds Quiksilva took off at a tremendous speed and I gripped his neck tightly as he rushed after Kitt and Wyldfir. But having no saddle at the moment made our escape a lot more dangerous and as we came to a deadend I saw a ledge above us. Instantly Wyldfir jumped and made it as Kitt hung on to his saddle and that's when I urged Quiksilva to leap for it too. Speeding up he jumped and made the ledge but unfortunately I slipped and with a yell I fell right in the path of the dragon stampede. Without a helmet my head made a sickening smack on the track below and as I began to black out I heard Quiksilva cry out. Before he could go back for me Kitt called out and warned him to stay put and he gave a mournful cry afraid that I'd be trampled.
"The Dragon booster's there!" She told him and just as I was about to fall under the feet of dozens of dragons someone swooped down and grabbed me by the arm pulling me up onto Beau and as they leapt clear I groaned. "She's safe. Let's follow them come on." As Wyldfir took off after the Dragon Booster, Quiksilva followed anxious to check on me and as he chased after Wyldfir someone watched from a distance. A while later I was lying in something soft and as I groaned I heard someone ask what I was doing here.
"She's hurt and I couldn't just leave her there. She almost got squashed." Artha said as Parmon rolled his eyes arms crossed. "Besides she's not with Moordryd anyway."
"And how do you know that?" Parmon countered as he stared at his friend. "This might be a trick to find out about us."
"Seriously? Rayne's unconscious and you wanted me to leave her there?" Artha replied and Parmon tried to think of something to say. But then I groaned again and everyone went quiet. "I wonder why she ran away?"
"Maybe they had a fight." Lance suggested as he poked my arm and when I didn't respond he frowned. "Aww she's no fun like this." He complained and Quiksilva frowned at him.
"How badly is she hurt, dad?" Artha asked as Connor knelt beside me and checked my head.
"She has a pretty big bump on her forehead. Probably a concussion too." He told them before he stood and I groaned shifting on the blanket as I dreamed. "For now she should stay here. There's no telling how much damage the fall might have caused."
"Poor girl. Maybe Moordryd should take better care of his friends." Kitt said and everyone couldn't argue with that. Leaving me to rest everyone went back to their work and as I lay out cold Quiksilva walked over and lay beside me, resting his head against mine. From time to time I whimpered as I had the same nightmare again but this time the huge black dragon knocked me off Quiksilva and as I lay helpless on the ground its rider glared down at me. "The one know as the Light Booster is helpless before me. Prepare to meet your end." He growled and as I whimpered terrified he threw a mag blast at my head. When I screamed everyone dropped what they were doing and came running into the stable to find me with my head buried in Quiksilva's shaking like a leaf.
"What's going on?" Connor asked as he knelt beside me and as he went to set his hand down on my shoulder I cried out and almost fell trying to get away from him. "It's okay no one's going to hurt you." He whispered and I shivered not sure where I was or what was going on. Then I began to feel dizzy and before everyone's eyes I fainted. Before I could hit the ground Quiksilva moved forward and ducked his head catching the upper half of my body under him. Carefully I was lowered to the blanket and as everyone watched Quiksilva gently nuzzled me worry in his big amber eyes. "Rayne needs to rest she's had a bad fall and probably a nightmare from the sounds of it." He told everyone and as they all started to leave he looked at Quiksilva. "She'll be okay. Just look after her." He told the dragon who gave him a nod and after he left Quiksilva curled up beside me. At the same time back in the Dragon Eyes crews' hideout Moordryd was finding to his horror that he might actually have a conscience and as he paced in front of Decepshun he spoke out aloud.
"Not my fault that she's so stubborn. Just my luck to get stuck with an annoying girl who..." Before he could finish his train of thought Cain on Coershun rushed through the gate and as they made their way to the stable Moordryd looked up. "Did you fins her?" He asked and when Cain shook his head he frowned. "Then keep searching. She can't have gotten very far."
"If I didn't know better I'd think you were actually worried about Rayne." Cain said as he jumped down and found himself being glared at. "You do care don't you?" He added before Moordryd growled at him. "I can't believe it." He grinned at his friend who glared.
"No I don't! She's an annoyance and if I had my way I'd tell her to get lost. But my father needs her to find the gauntlet for him and that makes her useful. At least for now." He responded before he ordered his lieutenant to keep searching and with a shrug Cain walked back to Coershun.
"Even if you don't like her she likes you." Cain said before he climbed back into the saddle and Coershun took off leaving Moordryd alone with his thoughts.
"Rayne...likes me?" He said as he stood there and after a long moment he shook his head. "Humph who cares? She just needs to find that gauntlet and then I can kick her out." He added and Decepshun snort making her rider stare at her. "For the last time I don't like her."
Back in the Penn stables I was tossing and turning as I lay beside Quiksilva and hearing me whimper he gently nuzzled my head. Somehow that calmed me and eventually I fell into a deep sleep. This time when I began to dream I saw my home and as I sighed I saw my family. But soon the memory faded and as I heard footsteps I went to open my eyes only for someone to clamp their hand over my mouth and as I went to struggle I saw who it was. Getting my best death stare aimed at them Cain and Moordryd both stared back at me before Moordryd removed his hand from my mouth.
"Just be quiet." He told me before he grabbed my arm and went to yank me to my feet only for me to slip my arm from his grasp. "Now what are you doing?" He whispered as Cain looked towards the stable door, hoping no one heard them.
"I'm not going with you." I whispered rubbing the bump on my head and shifting closer to Quiksilva who let out a growl which made Cain back up a few steps. "And you can't make me." I added as I leant my head against my dragon's fighting the urge to sleep.
"Why are you so stubborn?" Moordryd asked his voice raised and I just glared at him sticking my tongue at him for some reason. "Fine then stay here for all I care." He added and turned around before he slipped outside leaving Cain to stare at his retreating back then at me.
"Well this was a bust. See ya." He said before he hurried after his leader leaving me and Quiksilva in peace. Rolling my eyes at the pair of them I sat back down still a bit woozy from smacking my head into the ground and as I drifted off to sleep Quiksilva snorted impressed by my stubbornness even while injured.