After a brief rest, Talwen continued on the offensive. The pack were sure to notice their dwindling numbers and act much more cautiously if she allowed them to regroup. The rising sun gave her strength, and she climbed back into the heavens.

As it was, the larger wolves had already become aware of her presence. No longer did they move alone, but in twos and threes. The spot of the fight the night before had been cleared, the bodies of the dead wolves retrieved and brought back to the den. The mighty pack leader sat at attention at the front of the cave and watched his pack resume their hunt.

Talwen cursed to herself. I should’ve attacked the ones watching while they were unaware. Now they know something is hunting them, and they’ll be looking for me. She stayed high in the sky, using the clouds to cover her surveillance. The storm she’d seen building days prior had begun to move toward shore and pushed the smaller systems inland ahead of it. A light drizzle fell as she launched her next attack.

Two wolves, slightly more than half the size of the leader had strayed a bit further beyond the main hunting pack. They crept along the ground, careful to mask their presence from those on the forest floor that might see them. They stood out to Talwen though, their gray fur doing nothing against the browns and greens of the forest from above.

She shot down from the clouds again, with a high angle of attack. Just before landing, she spread her wings and let loose a stream of white hot flames. Steam streaked into the air, as rain, foliage and fur evaporated before her. Blackened skeletons were the only remains left by the two wolves.

Talwen was quick to douse her flames. Within moments, the drizzle had washed away the traces of her fire on the grass and trees around the area. With a brush of her wings, the burned bones crumbled to dust on the wind. She took back to the skies in search of her next prey.

Just six remain, before I challenge the leader. For all their newfound caution, they still do not suspect an enemy from the sky. This rain provides excellent cover for my attacks. She made another circuit of the area, looking for stragglers but found none.

As she looped back to the main den, her luck turned and her mood soured. The remaining wolves had reassembled at the cave. The leader barked and growled at the last six wolves of the pack. He demanded answers. Where was his food? Where was his pack? The last six howled in unison, determined to find the culprit. They dashed back into the forest as one, working together to hunt the beast who dared challenge the pack.

I won’t be able to pick any more off, Talwen thought as she watched the group move through the forest. I can’t risk a fight with the leader now either, they’re on high alert. I’m going to have to try something different. She flew back the steeper mountains of the Spine and began to gather her strength again.

After a few minutes’ search, she found what she was looking for. A large chunk of cliff, split and ready to fall at a moment’s notice. She landed on it and felt it lurch forward. With some effort, she strained and ripped the boulder from the mountain and carried it off to the pack.

I can’t do this again, they’ll know I’m attacking from the sky. Still, with some luck, I can take out at least two of them.

She strained and fought against the wind, the exertion of carrying the huge chunk of stone nearly overcoming her strength. At last, Talwen spotted the pack moving in a dense formation through the undergrowth. She swooped from the clouds and dropped the boulder, smashing two wolves and pinning another who dodged too slowly. The three remaining wolves stopped in their tracks, scanned the skies and howled.

Can’t let them live. I have to finish them before the leader of the pack gets here. She circled around again, not concerned about hiding in the clouds. The wolves spotted her and ran off in the direction of the den.

Not today, little ones. You cannot outrun me. She dove down just above the tree tops and narrowed her wings, arrowing through the air. As she neared them, she concentrated a great pressure of mana in her belly. They moved through a clearing, their leader in sight, when flames erupted around them, encircling the group.

They howled and tried to press through the flames, but the walls of fire proved too hot. Talwen landed behind the cornered group and let loose another gout of flame, this time unconcerned about collateral damage. The clearing was burned to ash, nothing withstood the heat of her breath. The flames of the circle began to expand, feeding on the new introduction of heat and mana.

Night soon fell in the forest. With the pack gone, only the leader remained. Talwen turned to the den and let loose a rumbling roar that echoed off the mountainside. She waited a moment, and the leader of the pack returned her call with a booming howl. She doused her flames and reabsorbed the mana of the area, then launched herself to the cave in the distance.

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Tobias had just returned to Starstone with the mercenaries when he heard the howling. He led the group to Olena’s inn and got them set up for the night, before settling in for some dinner himself.

“Say Olena, what’s with-” Tobias led, before being cut off by the loudest roar he’d heard in years. It rumbled through the village, echoing off the mountainside. Everyone froze in the inn, silent. Olena stared back at him, eyes wide.

“That’s a dragon,” he said, keeping his voice calm and low. “There’s no doubt about it.”

A monstrous howl called back in response, sending shivers down Tobias’s spine.

“Sounds like we know what scared off the game this year,” he said, trying to shake off the feeling.

“Sounds like one of them is about to be dead,” replied Olena, uncharacteristically morbid. “I just hope we aren’t next.”

She took his order and returned to the kitchen. The mood of the inn had drastically shifted. No one wanted to make a sound, lest the monstrous beasts turn their attention toward the village. Tobias ate quickly, whispered a prayer and disappeared back into his shop.