I flew around the eastern face of the mountain, passing through the black smoke which rose from the lava river at its base. My focus cleared, and the grey daylight from Searing Gorge greeted me.

Similar to Burning Steppes, the land was dry, parched, but still host to some ferocious creatures which one simply did not wish to aggravate.

Giant fiery, crimson lizards with magenta-coloured webbed spines lumbered across the dry, cracked soil close to the base of a Dwarven settlement. 

These lizards were Incendosaurs of the genus Diemetradon; great powerful creatures which could give you a very, very nasty bite. 

They were hunted for their scales and fire-gizzards which the Thorium Dwarves – a friendly off-shoot from the Dark Iron - made into useful items such as armour and weaponry.

A flurry of activity to my left caught my eye. I witnessed a young hunter and warlock attempting to bring one of the fearsome reptiles down.

If not hunting, or being territorial, these creatures were usually slow and sluggish. But, provoked or threatened, and these Incendosaurs could move at an alarming speed, without warning. 

These short bursts of dino-speed had the two attackers turning and dashing for the highest land area they could reach before the reptile snapped and hissed at their ankles.

The ambitious youngsters, however, were about to run out of luck; the reptile was gearing up for one deadly pyroblast.

I swooped down, hurtling towards the Incendosaur as it lunged at the inexperienced youngsters. I screeched.

The hunter and warlock looked towards me, disbelief on their faces as I drew closer. 

The reptile turned its yellow eyes on me, its mouth opening ready to spew forth its fire. I omitted another loud screech, and just as had happened with Effcee, a bolt of magic left my beak and impacted on the creature's flank. It roared as I jettisoned yet another bolt.

This inexplicable force exhilarated me, and I must admit, I was rather enjoying myself. The beast roared again, this time its scales turned from their natural crimson, through to a piercing azure blue, tinged with white. My bolts were fire and ice!

I circled above as it retreated from the small rocky foothold where the two youths were perched. The reptilian head turned, trying to locate me. Coming in on its right flank this time I screeched again, and three smaller bolts fired from my gullet, one impacting the ground just in front of the creature and the other two hitting the target.

This time, I watched as the frost spread, slowing the reptile's movements, eventually rendering it motionless. I glided down and took a spot just above where the hunter and warlock still stared in awe at the Incendosaur as it slumped at the base of the rock. Their eyes turned slowly towards me.

"Kill it!" I heard the warlock whisper.

"What? But, it ... it helped us."

The warlock sighed heavily. "Not the bird! The lizard!"

"Oh!" the hunter nodded, then nocked an arrow to his bow. 

I watched as he pulled the string back, taking time to ensure the missile would hit an effective spot on the frozen reptile. His pulling arm started to tremble. I could hear the creak of the bow's limbs as he pulled it taut.

"For crying out loud, just shoot it!" the warlock said, exasperated.

The hunter took exception to the spell weaver's tone and momentarily lowered his bow, turning to face his companion.

"I suppose you can do better?"

"Oh get on with it, Theldran! You're the one wanting the guts to make a new bowstring."

The hunter huffed and raised his weapon again. Just as he was about to release his arrow, the beast lurched forward.

Both warlock and hunter screamed, and the arrow clattered on the boulder, useless. 

Without a second thought, I fired at the beast once more. The frostbolt this time took its toll, and the reptile ceased moving.

Once more, I was rather impressed by my skills and not at all did I stop to think it was a very un-raven-like ability. 

I shook out my feathers, proud, cocky, as the two boys turned their huge eyes towards me again.  I soon flinched as they screamed once more.

Too late, I saw the enormous shadow fall over me, and a sizeable fleshy hand encircled my body. 

I was duly plucked from my perch and found myself staring up into a huge rounded face. Beady eyes, which seemed ridiculously out of proportion for such a big head, looked at me with a mixture of annoyance and sadness. From its mouth protruded two small tusks, and big rubbery lips quivered around them. It was an ogre.

"No kill!" it said in a gruff monotone. "Why you kill things?" 

I squawked as my captor shook me managing a sideways look at the two companions on the boulder below me. They didn't seem scared now. They were smiling. 

The hunter shouted up to the ogre. "Don't hurt him, Lunk. He's going to be my new pet."

Pet? I sincerely hoped he was not referring to me. 

I wriggled in my captor's hand and dibbed at the fleshy fingers. His face scrunched up, making his eyes almost disappear entirely. Although he loosened his grip, he did not release me. We both looked at the warlock who had started laughing.

"Pet?" he gasped helplessly. "A raven?" He chuckled madly, nearly losing his balance from the boulder. 

I was not for being anyone's pet, but neither was I prepared to be considered of inadequate ability to be one. I coughed out a frost bolt which hit the rock just in front of the warlock. 

He stumbled and fell on his behind in the dry dirt below, his laughter silenced. 

I cawed my satisfaction, but that soon turned into a nervous squawk as the ogre's fingers tightened slightly and he shook me. "No hurt boy!" It bellowed at me.

The hunter was quick to my defence. "Please! Don't hurt the raven either; he is just frightened. If you picked me up like that, I'd be frightened." 

The ogre then hung his head and again loosened his grip. I wriggled free and flew down to the hunter. 

The boy smiled broadly, as I landed on his outstretched arm. "See?" he said, glancing up at the ogre. "He is not a bad bird. He saved Jarieth and me from the Incendosaur."

The ogre's brow creased, as if unsure how to take this revelation. 

The warlock picked himself up and dusted down his robes. "He's telling the truth, Lunk," he said to the ogre. "Granted though, that bird is very different from others of its kind."