The dragons talked about Dun Khatar for a while. As Deathfang had said, he and a few of the other oldest dragons remembered the city from their youth, before the gods of Implacatus had destroyed it. From the way they spoke, it seemed that they had been on friendly terms with the old rulers of Khatanax before the invasion.
‘There might be problem with Dun Khatar,’ said Burntskull, who was one of those who had been to the city as a young dragon.
‘Yes?’ said Deathfang.
‘To the south of the city are mountains, just as you said, my lord. But some of those mountains are volcanoes. If volcanic activity is increasing in Khatanax, then perhaps it might be too dangerous there.’
‘Then where do you propose?’
‘I don’t know, my lord; I have no alternative suggestions.’
The arguments continued, with various dragons offering their opinions regarding Dun Khatar or other sites where they could potentially settle on the continent of Khatanax.
Kelsey glanced up at Frostback. ‘Why are you not getting involved in the discussion?’
‘There are two reasons. Firstly, there is nowhere in Khatanax where I think we can settle; and secondly, there is only one thing I want to talk about, and my father has so far avoided it.’
‘Oh. Is this about you and him?’
‘Yes. He still hasn’t answered my plea.’
‘Maybe you should speak to Darksky first,’ said Aila. ‘If you can win her over, then things might go easier for you and your father.’
‘I cannot; she hates me. I have had a troubled relationship with Darksky. Some of it was my fault; I have behaved badly toward her, but she made it very difficult.’
‘Aila’s right,’ said Kelsey. ‘We could come with you if you want?’
Frostback lowered her head for a moment. ‘Very well, but you must stay back and say nothing. Darksky dislikes all humans.’
The silver dragon edged round the outside of the crowd until she reached Darksky, with Aila and Kelsey keeping up behind her. The dark blue dragon eyed Frostback as she approached.
‘What do you want?’ she said.
Frostback tilted her head. ‘To make my peace with you, Darksky.’
The dark blue dragon took a step forwards, to shield her children from Frostback. ‘I’m sure you do, now that you want something from Deathfang. You disrespected me daily in the Catacombs, and disobeyed your former father’s commands; but now that your unwise choices have rendered you alone and without a protector, you want to come crawling back? You should have thought of that before you went off with Blackrose.’
The silver dragon’s claws gouged tracks into the ground, but she bowed her head. ‘I apologise for all of the times I failed to show you the respect you were due.’
‘Fine words, Frostback, but that’s all they are – words.’
‘I promise that I will never disrespect you again.’
‘Of course you do, now that you’re desperate.’ She glanced at Aila and Kelsey. ‘I see you’ve brought your pet insects along; Blackrose has infected you with feelings for those vile creatures. You should get rid of them. My children are hungry; give me the insects so that my children may eat.’
Frostback’s red eyes burned. ‘No.’
‘So, you disrespect me again? You would take food from my children’s mouths?’
‘I do not own the humans, so they are not mine to give; but, if you try to hurt them, Darksky, then I will protect them.’
Flames lapped round Darksky’s jaws, and she tensed.
‘What’s happening here?’ said Burntskull, barging between the two dragons. ‘Darksky?’
‘Frostback is behaving in her usual manner – disrespectful and threatening.’
‘That’s not true,’ said Frostback; ‘I came here to make peace and apologise. Darksky wants to feed the humans to her children.’
‘One of the insects is a witch,’ said Burntskull; ‘she can sense the approach of the gods. We cannot kill her; she is useful to us.’
‘What about the other one?’ said Darksky.
Frostback growled. ‘I will not allow it.’
‘Would that not be a fair compromise?’ said Burntskull. ‘You’ll get to keep one of your insects.’
‘No,’ said Frostback. ‘Aila is going to be a mother, and I am her protector. I will defend her; I swear it.’
From behind Frostback’s half-raised forelimb, Aila could see that every dragon was watching.
‘Did you notice,’ said Darksky, ‘how she uses the insect’s name? She has fallen in love with these creatures. The insects are the reason we had to hide in the Catacombs; they infest the land and build ballistae to kill us, and yet Frostback thinks they are worth more than the lives of my children.’
‘You twist everything,’ cried Frostback. ‘I will go hunting, and bring back food for your children, but I will not let you kill the humans.’
‘Yes, leave,’ said Darksky. ‘Take your insects and go, but don’t bother coming back.’
Frostback glanced around at the watching dragons. ‘If no one wants me here, then I’ll go.’
Aila searched for Deathfang among the silent dragons, but couldn’t see him anywhere.
‘I want you to stay,’ said the young green dragon with blue wings. ‘I missed you when you were gone.’
‘Thank you, Halfclaw,’ said Frostback. She looked in vain for her father, then lowered her head.
‘I lost my mother in the Catacombs, and have no other family left,’ Halfclaw went on. ‘If you’re really leaving, then I’ll come with you.’
Halfclaw strode through the dragons towards Frostback and stood by her side.
‘Let’s consider this carefully,’ said Burntskull.
‘What is there to consider?’ said Frostback. ‘If everyone except for Halfclaw thinks as little of me as Darksky does, then I would be better off leaving.’
‘No one’s leaving!’ thundered Deathfang, as he shoved his way through the crowd from where he had been skulking.
‘There you are, my lord,’ said Burntskull, moving out of the way as Deathfang came to a halt next to Darksky.
‘I was staying back,’ the huge grey dragon said, ‘hoping that Darksky and Frostback would be able to settle their differences peacefully, but I was mistaken.’ He stared at Frostback and Halfclaw. ‘No one is leaving. Look around; see how few of us remain. We cannot afford to lose two healthy young
