Ember watched as Ceaser spiraled from the sky and landed heavily on the rock again. She let Idril go next so she would get faster treatment for her sore ankle. She sat cross-legged on the slightly muddy rock and watched her friend and dragon shoot off into the gloomy sky. She brushed an ant off her leg and began to tensely practice guiding her flames more precisely toward a small stone which acted as her target. 

In a minute or two, Ceaser swooped down to pick up his last passenger. Ember rose to her feet, shaking the leftover flame from her fingers and pulled herself onto the dragon's back. They launched into the biting yet muggy air, weightlessly rising up and up again. Ember took in a deep breath and glanced above her just in time to see a flash of lightning come barreling toward them. 

The dragon swooped crazily to avoid it, and was soon engaged in deadly air acrobatics to avoid the electricity which was being hurled from the skies. Ember clung on for dear life, shivering as the chill and fear set in. 

Clumsily they crashed into the side of the mountain, narrowly avoiding Mayabelle's head as another bolt almost struck. 

Idril and Mayabelle's eyes were wide as Ember and Ceaser pressed themselves fearfully against the cliff's wall. In a little less than an hour, the swelling in idril's ankle had significantly gone down and the storm had reduced to a few far off rumblings of thunder. 

"We should eat something to keep us strong," Idril suggested as she pulled out some of the food that Dharnon had given them. Ember and Mayabelle nodded, and soon they were finally on their way again, munching bread and meat as they went. 

Soon they came upon a long, thin stone bridge that spanned between the top of their mountain and the peak of another that shot from its base. 

"All of this and we could have gone around this mountain directly to the other one without having to cross this likely crumbling expanse?" Idril said, exasperatedly. Mayabelle and Ember glanced at each other, a sudden realization crossing both of their faces. 

"Should we fly Ceaser across?" asked Mayabelle squeakily. 

"No," Ember quickly objected, "too noticeable, too risky. We need to go across."