Dragon's Isolation - Miranda Martin Page 0,31

from the sky to Tajss created the sign I followed. The sign that called telling me to find her. She is from the skies, so that makes her an angel. My angel.

Moonlight creeps its way across the sky until it’s falling through the rotting holes in the ceiling above us, casting the space in a silvery hue. Something is making my scales itch on the back of my neck, and I know something is wrong. What it is, I don’t know, but something.

Senses on high alert, I study the shadows, watching for any threat. There, to the left, something moves. Darting from one shadow to another. Little more than a splotch of darkness itself, but the motion does not escape my attention.

Staring into the shadow’s last location, I strain my eyes and peer into the darkness. Nothing. Still nothing, but I’m sure it was there.

Another motion to my right, and I jerk my attention in that direction, but the instant I do, the motion is on my left.

Something is playing with me. I growl, low in my throat as my tail goes still. Something would dare? I am the predator. I don’t want to wake her, so I wait and watch. The shadows stir, my muscles tense, ready.

As something bursts from the darkness, I leap, and in a single motion sweep Amara behind me. She yelps in shock and surprise. I grab the blur heading for my throat, my fingers sinking into soft flesh.

SCREEEEE!

The creature screeches as my fingers close. It struggles in my grip, claws sliding across my protective scales. Behind it more things leap out of the shadows. Too many for me to grab them all.

“RAWR!” I roar in rage, pulling their attention to me.

I slam one thing with my tail, punch another with my free hand while throwing the one in my grip as far as I can. The battle is engaged. The screech and chitter. Claws scrabbling against the steel of the ship’s construction.

Another one of the creatures leaps at my head. I duck and it passes overhead, hitting against the wall and causing a ringing sound.

“Look out!” Amara screams.

I duck again as I turn to her, scooping her up with one arm and backing up. We’re too exposed. They can come at us from all sides. I haven’t even figured out what it is that’s attacking us, but whatever it is, they’re clearly hungry and wanting to make a meal of us.

Holding her with one arm, I back into a corner then set her down. She moves behind me and makes herself as small of a target as she can. She’s a brilliant female. I grab my lochaber off my back and whirl it in a defensive pattern, ready to take out the next attacker with lethal force.

The creatures continue to screech and their claws scrabble, echoing off the steel. One of them runs towards my left but retreats as soon as I turn to face it, but that leaves an opening for the one on my right.

That one leaps in, and razor-sharp teeth clamp down on the arm I bring up to block it. It locks down as I try to shake it free, but the teeth only dig in deeper. I lose my grip on my lochaber and it clatters to the floor.

I roar, rage and pain mixing, flinging my arm wildly, trying to get it to let go. I stumble to one side, thrown off by its weight. I slam it against the wall over and over. It grunts with each hit but doesn’t let go.

Another monster jumps for my face, and I barely block it with my one free arm. It tries to get a bite on me too, but I’m able to move quick enough to avoid it. It falls to the floor on its side with a huff, then runs back into the shadows.

The creatures dart in and out while the one chews on my arm. The pain makes stars dance in my vision. I use feet and tail to keep the ones in the shadows at bay while continuing to slam the one chewing on my arm into whatever comes close enough for me to use. Crates fly around, the wall becomes dented, still it won’t let go.

“SHIDAN!” Amara yells.

I whip around towards her. She has my lochaber, holding the point up and out. She stabs the air in front of her, and I see her plan. Whirling in a circle, I raise my arm, bringing the thing