Dragon's Breath (15 page)

Twenty-one

There was so much to watch, we didn't know where to look first. Teams of seven dragons each were performing synchronized flying routines in the air above us. The group directly overhead did barrel rolls and flips, then climbed through the air in a giant spiral. On the way down, they went into flat spins and linked claws to form a star.

I never would have thought that watching dragons compete would be so much fun. The giants seemed to be enjoying themselves, too, laughing and talking across the heads of the dragons. I saw a red-bearded giant taking bets, jotting down figures on a piece of bark that had probably covered an entire tree.

Neither Eadric nor I had stopped looking for a green dragon. I saw a gold dragon, whose scales took on a greenish tinge when the light hit him right, but Eadric and I agreed that the color wasn't green enough and that he probably just needed a good polishing. We continued to look, but it had already come to seem like a hopeless quest. In a way, I thought it was just as well. I was a frog now and no longer had the bottle Li'l had given me. Even if I did find a green dragon, I doubted that any dragon would wait for me to find a container.

A squat blue dragon was strolling along a low stone wall that separated the fans from the athletes, urging everyone to stay well back. "Overheated dragons snort fire to cool off," he warned.

"What do they do in this event?" I asked Ralf.

"They run around the arena twice. Then they swim the length of the pool and fly around twice. Most of them end up at the flame-belching field afterward, letting off the heat they built up, but some of them can't wait that long and do it during the race." The little dragon had started to wiggle again, more violently than before. "I've got to go take care of something. You wait here and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"But Ralf," I said as he plucked us off with his claws and set us on the ground. Ralf ignored me. Turning tail, he flapped his wings and took off, heading toward the flame-belching field.

Eadric and I waited by the track, watching the dragons run past. When the first dragons left the pool and took to the air, we decided that we'd given Ralf more than enough time.

"So much for a few minutes," Eadric grumbled, peering into the forest of scaly legs.

"Maybe he got lost."

"Maybe he found something better to do than spend time with two frogs."

"Ralf wouldn't desert us, Eadric. He's our friend. Something must have happened. I think we'd better go look for him."

"Where do you propose we start?" he asked.

"That way." I pointed in the direction Ralf had gone.

"Fine," said Eadric. "Then follow me and stay close while I try to keep us from getting squashed."

Eadric wasn't always right, but I was learning to trust his judgment in certain matters. He'd lived as a frog longer than I and had learned all the tricks he'd needed to survive. If anyone could get us through a stomping herd of dragons, it was Eadric.

We hopped alongside the stone wall until it turned one way and we had to go the other. Venturing out into the open for the first time, I took my cue from Eadric, hopping when he did, waiting when he waited. We were approaching the first tent when a giant came along, weighed down with an armload of tent stakes. Stopping to adjust the load, he dropped one and it landed with a crash only a few yards away, sending up a swirling cloud of ash. It made a few dragons cough, but its effect on me was much worse. It made me sneeze.

Suddenly we were humans again in a place where humans were definitely not welcome. I froze, certain that we were more likely to be seen if we moved, but Eadric had other ideas. "I was afraid this would happen!" he said, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the cluster of tents. "Come on! We've got to get out of here before—"

"Humans!" roared a short, fat dragon with dingy yellow scales and droopy ears.

"—a dragon sees us," Eadric finished, tightening his grip on my arm.

Although the yellow dragon had spotted us, he seemed to be the only one who had. The rest were looking around in confusion, which gave Eadric and me the chance to dart behind the giant's stake. It didn't help that we were no longer covered with Ralf's salve and that sweat was pouring off us. The heat demanded our attention and sapped our strength. Each step was an effort at a time when speed was our only ally, but even speed would not have been enough. No human can outrun a dragon. If we didn't want to be flame-brolled, our only chance was to hide.

The giant who had dropped the tent stake was still standing in the same spot, reaching for the piece of wood. He didn't notice Eadric drag me behind his hand as it closed around the stake. We were much bigger than we'd been as frogs, but we were still small when compared to most dragons and tiny compared to the giant, who could have held us easily in his hand.

I was so frightened, I couldn't get my feet to move, so Eadric had to pull me behind the stack of giants' baskets to hide us from dragon eyes. We used an old folded tent for cover when we heard the voices of the dragons grow louder. Rounding the mound of fabric, we found ourselves only a short distance from the standing tents.

We heard voices inside the first tent and had to pass it by. The next tent was also occupied, but the third tent appeared abandoned. Eadric and I slipped under the flap that covered the doorway and looked around. A low stone bench had been set up at one end. Crudely made, it looked strong enough to hold anyone, even the Dragon King. Someone had dumped a pile of robes in a corner of the tent, although I couldn't imagine why dragons would need them. Aside from a scattering of flower petals on the floor and lanterns hanging from the tent posts, the rest of the tent was empty.

Satisfied that we were alone, Eadric wiped the sweat from his eyes. "I know it wasn't your fault that you sneezed, but can't you sneeze again and turn us back? We're cooked meat if those dragons find us, and they're not going to stop looking until they do."

"I can't sneeze on command any more than you can. Something has to
make
me sneeze." Afraid that I'd lose my nose or do something else just as awful, I wouldn't even consider making up a sneeze-inducing spell.

A muffled moan came from the pile of robes. Eadric and I jerked our heads around, but we didn't see anyone there. I started across the floor of the tent, moving as quietly as I could. When I heard the sound again, it was more of a whimper than a moan. Grasping his dagger with one hand, Eadric reached the pile first, tossing the top robe aside. Ralf lay curled up in a ball with his eyes shut, his scales a sickly blue.

"Ralf!" I said. "Are you all right?"

"I don't feel so good."

"You don't look so good, either," said Eadric. "You're turning a funny color."

"When did you start feeling sick?" I asked the little dragon.

"After I ate the bouquet Mama got when she won."

I didn't like the way his scales were taking on a yellowish tinge and his lips were starting to swell. "Then here's what we're going to do—"

"Get away from our son!" a voice growled behind me. I glanced back and saw Ralf's parents pushing through the entrance to the tent.

"Dad, is that you?" Ralf asked. "I don't feel so good."

"What have you done to him?" Snorty demanded, her eyes flaring red as she hurried to Ralf's side.

I tried to swallow, but my mouth was dry and my throat felt tight. Even if I could get the words out, I wasn't sure how to explain what had happened before the dragons roasted me.

Eadric brushed past, shielding me from the dragons with his body. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he whispered.

Grumble Belly snarled and lowered his head, his eyes narrowed. Smoke trickled from his nostrils, and the smell of boiled cabbage grew stronger. I gulped when I saw his muscles bunch beneath his scales. The huge dragon was preparing to charge. "You filthy humans won't get away with this," he growled. "I've always known that humans weren't to be trusted. You kill innocent dragons sleeping in their caves, steal their treasures and attack them when they're providing for their families, but I didn't know you were so low that you'd deliberately hurt children. When I get through with you, there won't be enough ashes to—"

"Dad, it wasn't them. I ate Mama's bouquet and now I feel sick."

The blue-black dragon's head whipped around to look down at where his little son rested. "You mean the humans didn't hurt you?"

"Of course not. That's Emma and Eadric. They're having problems with a spell."

"Grumblekins, look at him," whispered Snorty. "He's turning yellow."

I peered around Eadric and caught a glimpse of Ralf. The little dragon's scales were pale yellow, and the tip of his nose had turned gray.

"Find those humans!" shouted a gruff dragon voice from somewhere outside. "Wipe them out before they multiply! The things are worse than rats!"

"What's going on in here?" said the Dragon King as he thrust his head past the flap and trotted into the tent. "Good, you caught the humans. Have you found out how they got here?"

Snorty raised one brow ridge. "Through the entrance, I imagine. Ralfie says they're his frie—"

"Would you look at that!" interrupted her father. "A green dragon. So they do exist. Those two frogs weren't crazy after all."

"Dad," said Snorty, "that's Ralf, your grandson. He's sick."

I peeked around Eadric again. Ralf's scales had turned pale green, his swollen lips a deep emerald.

A voice shouted so loudly that it must have come from right outside the tent. "You go that way, Thunder Gut, and I'll go this way. They've got to be around here somewhere."

"Wait till I get my claws on them," growled another voice. "They killed my parents when I was just an egg. Humans don't deserve to live!"

I shrank away from the side of the tent as if they might see me somehow. The ground shook as they ran past, and ash puffed through a small tear in the bottom.

"Ooh," moaned Ralf. "I feel awful." His scales were deepening into emerald.

"Nice shade of green," said the Dragon King.

Ralf opened one eye and peeked up at his father. "Am I really green?"

Grumble Belly nodded. "But I'm sure it's only a temporary condition," he said in an overly hearty voice.

"You'll be back to blue in no time."

"I need to breathe into something," said Ralf, trying to raise his head.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Are you having trouble breathing?" asked his mother. Ralf moaned again, and his mother turned to her mate. "Grumblekins, we have to find the healer. This is serious."

"No, Mama," Ralf whispered. "I need to do it for Emma."

Suddenly, I understood. Despite his illness, Ralf was thinking of Eadric and me and our quest for dragon's breath. If he did what he proposed, we'd have everything we were looking for, but even so ...

"That's all right, Ralf. You don't have to do that. You just have to get well, and I think I know how to help you."

Ralf shook his head. "Not until I help you first. Do you have something?"

I shoved my hand into my pouch and grabbed the bottle. Yanking out the stopper, I knelt beside Ralf and held the bottle to his nose. He puffed a few gasping breaths, filling the small container, then lay back, his eyes half closed.

"What did you mean when you said you could help him?" Ralf's mother asked as I shoved the stopper back into the bottle and tucked it in my pouch.

"I know a spell for tummy troubles. I read it in a book of magic."

Ralf's father snorted. "A spell! What are you, some kind of witch?"

"A witch in training, actually. I won't try the spell unless you want me to, so it's up to you."

The old king scratched his head with a claw and looked confused. "There's something I should tell you, something about dragon smoke. It's on the tip of my brain. If only I could remember."

Ralf groaned again. Clutching his tummy, he curled up into a tight little ball.

"Not now, Father!" said Flame Snorter. "If she can help Ralfie ..."

"Do you want me to try?" I asked. Ralf's mother nodded and the little dragon's father frowned, but no one objected. I pointed my finger at Ralf, hoping the spell would work on dragons as well as humans. "Here goes," I said.

Soothe the aching tummy,
Quench the belly fire,
Calm the quaking stomach,
Douse the pain so dire.

As I lowered my finger, the room seemed to throb with a light so bright that I had to squeeze my eyes shut and cover them with my hands. There was a hissing sound like steam escaping from a cook pot, and Ralf sighed.

"Was that it?" said his father. "I expected a lot more."

"How do you feel?" I asked Ralf, but his color was already returning to its normal shade of blue.

Ralf blinked up at me and smiled. "I feel better. Thanks."

"Sorry about the fire dousing. It was part of the spell and I was afraid it might not work if I left that out."

"It doesn't matter," said the little dragon's mother. "As long as my baby feels better. He's too young to have a real fire yet anyway. When he's a little older, I'll start feeding him gunga beans and hot flami-peppers. That'll get his fire going."