Claws of the Dragon by Craig Halloran

Author:Craig Halloran
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Teen & Young Adult, Genre Fiction, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 1941208363
Publisher: Two-Ten Book Press
Published: 2015-11-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

The march to the Craggy Mountains wasn’t so bad, but the march up the Craggy Mountains was. Nath, one to pride himself on knowing the terrain of so many places in Nalzambor, didn’t find any familiarity with the cold mountains at all. Shackled at the ankles, he slipped and bumped into the rocks of the narrow pass that winded slowly up the mountain.

A bugbear whacked him in the back with the butt of its spear. “Keep moving, Scales.”

Scales. That was what they were calling him. An unpleasant little nickname full of spite and mockery. It didn’t take much for the big, cruel humanoid races to take their shots at him. They tripped him. Bumped him. Threw small stones at him. They pulled and clipped off strands of his hair. They did everything they could to provoke Nath to anger.

Jaw set and teeth grinding, Nath bore it all. One insult after another.

I’m glad Brenwar’s not here. He wouldn’t make it. How am I making it?

Getting back on his feet, he resumed his march. All in all, it wasn’t so bad for him. His limbs didn’t tire. His extremities didn’t freeze despite the frost and snow thickening on the banks. No, he could take it. He was Nath Dragon, the Dragon Prince. He could take anything.

Walking up the frozen road with the real world he knew a mile or more below, they ventured through a sheet of low clouds. He momentarily lost sight of the bugbears that pulled him by the collar clamped around his neck. But he could hear the rattle of their armor. Smell their unpleasant sweat.

I’ve a feeling where I’m going will hold a far worse fragrance than Orcen Hold.

He shook his downcast head.

I hope Brenwar is fine. And I hope he doesn’t come after me. He hates climbing these mountains. And if those giants get ahold of him, they’ll bounce him down the hillside like a ball.

“Come on, Scales!” cried an unseen bugbear. The moorite chain connected to Nath’s collar snapped taut and jerked him clean off his feet. “Get up!”

Nath’s eyes turned into burning golden flames. From his knees, he coiled his hands around the chain and tugged it back.

The bugbear appeared in the mist, stumbling.

Furious, Nath rushed the bigger humanoid and tackled it to the ground. In a split second he had the chain around the bugbear’s neck and was choking it.

The bugbear let out a croak.

Biceps bulging under his scales, red brows furrowed, Nath put his back into it. Why not kill his captor? Now was the perfect moment to make his escape into the cover of the mist. Sure, he was shackled, but if anyone could escape these moronic fools, he could.

Whack!

A spear shaft broke on the back of his skull. Out of nowhere, the ugly, greasy faces of the orcs, ogres, and gnolls crowded him. They smote him with clubs and big fists.

Nath held on to the chain. He’d had enough of his tormenters on this long, cold, miserable march. He was a dragon.

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