I had trouble deciding on a chapter name... hopefully this one works!!! Is this a big enough cliffhanger???
@Batwhacker the Freedom Fighter I wrote this one because of you!!!
@Rebekah Beit you really need to catch up!!! (Get on TTH more)
Janner was a little confused that Podo wasn't concerned about the dragon's warning, but he had learned to trust Podo over the years, even when the old pirate seemed reckless or stubborn. But the dragon’s warning haunted him like a whisper in the dark. What could it mean? For the hundredth time, Janner reminded himself that Podo had faced things far worse than dragons. If Podo wasn’t worried, why should he be? Still, the knot in his chest refused to loosen. When he finally drifted off, the last thing he was aware of was that Podo wasn't sleeping, but was tossing and turning as if in a bad dream and couldn't wake up.
When Janner woke up, he found almost everyone else yawning and beginning to move about the misty, cliffside observatory. Nia made breakfast over a large snot wax candle, with Leeli and Rebekah helping. Leeli was chatting cheerily and Rebekah was listening to her blabber about music. Kalmar was up in a tree drawing the stunning view of Fingap Falls, and Podo was packing up one of the three tents. Janner walked over and humorously called up, "Get in Ma's way???" to the grumpy Tink. "Go away Janner! And yeah, Ma didn't want my help." Janner shrugged and walked over to Podo, who gruffly greeted him, and he began helping pack the tents up. They had one more to go when they realized that Oscar was still sound asleep and snoring in the last tent. The tents didn't have bottoms like Originian tents do, so Podo, Janner, and a now amused Tink lifted the tent up and away from over him as the others watched. Nia and Leeli laughed, and Rebekah smiled for the first time since they had left the tree house the day before. Oscar still did not awake, even with the sun shining fully in his face, and Janner, Podo, and Tink started vigorously shaking him until he finally gave a loud, obnoxious snorte and woke up. He was very visibly confused, “what day is it?” Oscar mumbled, sitting up groggily and rubbing his eyes. “Is it cheese day yet?” Everyone laughed, except Leeli and Rebekah.
"Who's that?"
Janner looked over confused. "Leeli, it's Mr. Reteep!" he stated, before realizing that Rebekah was frowning intensely, staring past them brow furrowed and eyes full of something dangerous and brooding storming inside her mental sea.
From a shadow of a nearby tree, a low, raspy voice cut through the laughter. 'I'm a strander, that's what.' The words slithered into the clearing, chilling the warm morning air. The shadow slunk forward noiselessly and threw back... a cowl to reveal a very mean and dirty face, so dirty any features were impossible to make out.
"Where's me cow?!"
Podo snorted, playing tough, "We ain't seen no cow, so if ye just leave us be, I'd be appreciative... and I just might leave yer muddy hide be"
The strander obviously didn't appreciate that, from what the Wingfeathers could tell, her face twisted in annoyance and anger. "Foller me." she said, but Podo drew his blade. "Nay, we won't be follering you anywhere." Quick as a cat, faster than their eye could see (unless it was Rebekah) her hands flashed, and suddenly there were knives poised to be thrown at Rebekah and Leeli. “Say that again, old man, and see what happens.” Podo’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the knives poised over his granddaughters. His hand hovered over his blade for a moment before he let it fall, his eyes locked on the strander. ‘Fine,’ he growled.
WRITE MORE NOW HURRY HURRY HURRY I NEED MORE IT'S TOO GOOD!