The Hunt for Freedom

Chapter Fifty Four

    The emergency meeting on the beach was in stark contrast to the one the day before. Gone were the happy feelings and hopeful outlook for the future. Those feelings had been replaced by dread, fear, and anxiety.

Katalea stood before the Pride and delivered the premonition. Somber faces listened as she told what transpired in her dream. The weredragons would be attacking by nightfall. It was time to come together and make sure everyone knew the plan. They had been over this scenario so many times before, the difference was, this wasn't a drill. Some of them wouldn't see the sun rise in the morning. Others would lose a loved one. No one questioned the authenticity of her dreams, she had never been wrong before. It was time for the prophecies to play out.

They ate in large groups for fuel rather than hunger. No one was to be alone. The anxiety of waiting overwhelmed the fear of the battle. Talk was at a minimum save for the reminders of signs and signals. As the sun slowly moved across the sky, heading towards night the werecats nervously watched the horizon.

The sky grew dark, and stars began their race to emerge. It was a clear dark night with only a small crescent of a moon offering any glimpse of light. As all kept a vigilant watch, Katalea stood.

"What is it?" Mr Toma demanded, "What do you see?"

"They're getting closer. I can hear them. I can feel him." A gust of wind came from the north. Her hair swirled around her face, forming a majestic crown. The cobalt blue eyes of the black panther deepened with the intensity.

"Okay, everyone to their stations. Remember the signals, stay alert, and move quickly." Mr. Toma gave a last minute pep talk. "We have come so far together, we aren't ready to give it all up now. We can do this!"

"For Freedom" came the answering battle cry.

With whoops and hollers they ran to their stations. Katalea surveyed the group from her spot on her terrace that overlooked the water. "It was strange to feel so much dread and so much relief at the same time," she thought. The combination left her little room for fear. She had been training for this day since she was eight. The thought of an attack from the north had been hanging around her neck like a cinder block for so long, part of her was glad to face it. If they survived this night, they could begin to live with real freedom.

If they didn't........

Katalea reached over and took Grandfather's hand. He had come to fight side by side with her on her terrace. They would need the height of the terrace to enact their strategy.

"I want you to know, whatever happens tonight, the best part of my life has been living here with you and Grandmother," she said, her voice raspy with emotion.

"Agapito," he brought her hand to his lips in a loving gesture, but his eyes showed his defiance. "There's more left to this life."

Her eyes glassed over, her voice cooled, "They are here." Her voice went out across the beach. Bodies tensed, muscles rippled, and they all looked skyward.

She released Grandfather's hand and swung around to get in position. She watched as the black dot in the distance grew closer.

They came in swarms that looked like dark clouds. At times their flight dipped low to give the appearance of a tidal wave. More came from the sky, and they blocked out the fledgling stars. The light of the moon, small as it was, was completely blocked by their numbers, and still they came. The sound of them filled the earth so no other sound could be heard except the beating of dragon wings. The smell of sulphur stung the eyes and nostrils, and Katalea fought hard not to wince.

As the first throng cleared the water's edge, Katalea illuminated the sky with a blast of lightning. Yellow eyes and fanged teeth glowed fiercely, and the razor sharp scales on the wings reflected the light. Temporarily blinded, they slowed their flight, the one in front breathing fire in a frustrated blast.

It looked like hell on earth. From the shore, archers sent fiery bolts into the sky and the screams of pain bore witness to the accuracy of the shot. Katalea called for the storm, and the wind began to stir. Rain blasted in from the side, so heavy that any visibility was impossible. She threw up more lightning from her fingertips and watched as her young students on the beach did the same.

They began to fall like black oily rain. No one knew they would disintegrate once their blood ceased to flow. The hard scaly back side of the dragon's anatomy made the underbelly the natural target, and all aimed their weapons accordingly. Dragon screams wrenched the air as they scratched at the air with talons that could not reach the bolts that scored their soft underbellies. From her vantage point she saw Essam, his crimson scales vibrant, land on the shore and wipe out three werecats with his scaly tail.

Enraged, Katalea sent a waterspout, spiraling out of control at his massive size. He moved out of the way, one of his wings must have gotten damaged, because he did not take to the sky. The sound of his talons hacking at flesh on the shore below ripped at her heart. Grandfather grabbed her hand and together they sent hurricane force winds and blew him into the water.

Still more came. The colors of them muted in the night sky, but as a blast of lightning would strike the sky would illuminate dragons in every color of the rainbow.

Her people held their ground even as she sent a thick fog over the ground. It did nothing to the werecats, but it hissed like cobras at the dragons. She saw Jade down below, fighting back to back with Daniel, as the fog burned dragonhide. The fog pushed the dragons back towards the water, where some shifted and ran to fight hand to hand.

Tahtib sticks were conjured and the whirlwind of the sticks removed limbs from bodies. Dragon blood flew like oil through the air, and the stench permeated the lungs.

She saw a quick flash of red hair in a sudden blast of lightning and she watched in horror as Maggie's lifeless form hit the sand, a gloating roar from the deep purple dragon that had struck her down.

Grandfather whistled a shrill whistle, loud enough to be heard throughout the island. As one, the werecats instantly dropped to a prone position in the sand. He swept his hand out and lit the fog on fire. The blaze engulfed all those remaining standing, screaming as they burned.

And still more burst from the storm ridden sky. Katalea sent more illuminating bolts of lightning into the sky and all could see the dragons outnumbered them.

Where had so many come from? Had their intelligence failed so badly. It looked like an impossible feat, hopelessness and raw despair sent icy chills down her spine. Her people deserved better, they deserved to live. She would sacrifice herself if Essam would let her people go.

Out of nowhere someone grabbed her firmly around the waist.