Idril struggled as knife-like claws ripped her dress. She could feel her flute in her pocket, bouncing on her side, but her arms were pinned and there was now way she could get to it. Her guitar, Mayabelle's staff and anything else useful were still back on the mountain. Even regular magic would be useless to them, for if they escaped, there was still the problem of plunging to their death on the wet rocks below.

 Next to her, Mayabelle was squealing and struggling, but the birds talons held her tightly, and soon the gnome gave up struggling, hanging limply as rain streamed down her frightened face.

Idril was just as terrified as Mayabelle. The nasty black creature could carry them for miles, or simply drop them on the top of the mountain to be devoured by the giant. 

A shimmer caught Idril's eye. Twisting her head, she broke into a huge smile. 

"Mayabelle! Mayabelle look! It's Ember!" Idril laughed as Mayabelle's wide green eyes flicked upwards. 

"Ember!!" Idril and Mayabelle's voices raised up in desperate, relieved shouts. The silver dragon swooped closer, making the red skinned rider more visible. Idril was shocked to see that despite the rain, Ember's angry flames wouldn't die as they danced on her shoulders and horns. 

The bird turned its ugly head, screaming in angry protest and turning and diving at Ceaser, but the dragon was able to easily out-maneuver the beast. Ember leaped boldly from Ceaser's back as the great bird flew, grabbing its neck and sending it into startled spirals, an uncomfortable Idril and Mayabelle swinging below. 

"Hold on!" Ember shouted. The bird's claws had loosened slightly, allowing the girls to slip through, still clinging to its scaled legs for dear life. A bright blast of heat and a squack indicated that part of the bird had been blasted with flame. 

Idril saw her chance to help Ember. The bird's irregularly flapping wings were only feet away from the clawed feet. Bracing herself, she pushed off the leg hard as the great wing came down, grabbing onto the bone of the wing. The weight and force of the flapping flung her upwards, and she landed hard on the back of the creature.

Unhappily she realized the black feathers were wet, but inexplicably oily. A sound of utter disgust rose from Idril's throat as she rose to assist Ember. 

Just as a spell was rising from her lips, she was startled and utterly horrified to see the form of Mayabelle attempting her same trick. The gnome hadn't judged for her lighter weight, and went flying up in  the air, over the bird's back and over the other side with a terrified scream. 

"Mayaeblle!" Ember and Idril cried as their friend hurtled toward the rocks below.