What can you tell us about Rise of the Dragon, Crach?
“I hesitate to say too much, suffice to say all will be revealed in the fullness of time. So this dwarf errs on the side of caution as all good magicians do. But here a scene from Book Two Crach Ffinnant Rise of the Dragon… to whet your appetite methinks! And as you will see once again.. justice prevails.”
The large golden eye staring at who knows what, flickered in the firelight, his whole body twitched and the sleeping eye awoke. He twitched again, lifted his head and sneezed. Fortunately for us we were not sat in the danger area as he sneezed. Unfortunately for Carron and Wolf, they were. Carron flew through the air, wings totally useless in this sneeze breeze, tumbling and turning, rolling over wolf’s back. Wolf tried to keep his balance but even his great bulk gave up to the onslaught, as sliding on to his side in a rather ungainly manner for an animal so regal, he was blown along the ground. Suddenly the sneeze created wind dissipated and wolf’s slide came to a halt. Carron still in the air, skillfully flapped his wings, curved a swerve and regaining control, alighted on a nearby tree. The big black raven shook his whole-self several times. Looking like a big ball of swirling feathers the moonlight gave him the appearance of something, not of this earth. Wolf regained his composure after a good shake and a cursory glance of disapproval towards Tan-y-Mynedd. Of course the great reptile thought it was all very funny. I have to admit, it was. Faerydae still sniggering tried to say something but when Carron lost his balance and fell out of the tree, we all laughed so loudly and uncontrollably, we could have woken the dead. My poor old friend Carron was not so amused and strutted around the tree pecking at the trunk, as if it was this ancient oak’s responsibility for the fall. He was just about to give another good peck, when a branch fell off the tree narrowly missing the raven who shocked, took off and flew high up in to the sky circling above us all screeching loudly into the night. We four, faerie, dragon, wolf and dwarf howled with laughter.
Eventually calm returned as did silence and even Carron came back, non-the worse for wear. I have told you before, to be in the way of a great dragon’s sneeze is indeed a most perilous place to be.
Lazarus Carpenter - Author 