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probably getting themselves killed in the process.
Their commander needed to be able to present them with a plan. And once Kang emerged from his
euphoric daydreams, he realized that this was not going to be easy. In fact, he couldn't imagine anything
more difficult.
"Thorbardin," he muttered. "How the devil are we going to get inside Thorbardin? You Sivaks could
manage, I suppose. Knock off a dwarf or two and take their shapes. Although that didn't really work out
all that well in Celebundin."
"We'll need a sizable force, sir," Slith said. "More than just four Sivaks. For one tiling, we'll have to
carry those eggs out ourselves. Dragon eggs are big, and they're heavy. Not to mention we might have to
fight. I don't trust that scroungy little dwarf, not for a moment. I have the feeling he's setting us up. He
was all too eager to hand out this information."
"It could be a trap," Kang said.
"It probably is, sir." Slith agreed. He was silent a moment, then said, "We can abandon this, sir. If
mat's what you want. I'll never say a word to anyone."
Yes, Kang said to himself. That's what I should do. This is wild, impossible, dangerous, and probably
all for nothing. We'll stay here, rebuild our village. Every few weeks we'll raid the dwarves. Every few
weeks they'll raid us. Eventually who knows how long? we'll start to die off. One or two at first. Then
more and more. We'll dig the graves behind the city, dig them deep, so the animals don't drag off the
bodies. The last one that's left won't have a grave. There won't be anyone around to bury him.
Maybe that'll be me. Maybe I'll be the only draconian left alive. I've watched all the others die, all my
friends, aU my comrades, all those I've led. I'll bury them all, and there'll be only me left. Our legacy^-a
row of graves.
Kang looked at Slith. "All right. How the devil do we get into Thorbardin?"
Slith grinned. "I think I know a way, sir."
The small force of twenty-five draconians, made up of Sivaks and Bozaks, crept silently through the
forest north of Celebundin. The troop had traveled far to the north of the village, then swung back down
to return to the forest, hoping by this tactic to keep any dwarven scouts in the valley from running across
them.
Kang glanced behind him. He could barely make out the draconians lurking in the woods and he
knew where to look for them. They were wearing leather armor and, with their coloration, blended in
with the browns and faded greens of the sun blistered forest. Each chose his spot, hunkered down, and
did not move. They could have been boulders, scattered beneath the trees.
Satisfied, Kang turned his attention back to the house they were keeping under close scrutiny.
"They're still in there, sir," said Gloth, leader of the hand-picked squad. "I can see them moving
around."
"I hope they haven't stolen a march on us," Kang said.
"I don't think so, sir," said Slith, who had the sharpest eyes of anyone in the troop. "There's four of
them inside, the same who were there with the book. I recognize that scrawny dwarf with the moldy
beard, and there's a chubby dwarf with him, plus the two we snatched from the dark knights."
"And you think they'll all go?"
"Positive, sir. Those are the same four that I followed the last time. They're in this together."
The fiery sun was setting, sending shadows creeping through the forest. This was a dangerous time,
because the lengthening shadows often fooled the eye, making a soldier think he sees movement. All it
would take to cause this mission to end in disaster was a single dra-conian leaping up with a yell/ ready to
attack something that wasn't mere. The dwarves would be on the pursuit so fast they'd probably leave
their beards behind.
The last rays of light gilded the crest of Mount Cele-bund. It was dark now in the valley, and Kang
was thinking that the dwarves would be on their way soon, when Slim dug an elbow in Kang's ribs.
"Damn! Look at that, sir!"
Kang was looking. With his night vision, it was easier to see in the full darkness than it had been in the
half-light of dusk.
Twenty dwarves, clad In uniform, under the direction of a commander, were marching down the
street.
"They've found us!" said Gloth, reaching for his sword.
"No, wait!" Kang ordered. "Those dwarves aren't going to battle. Or at least if they are, it's not with
us."
The other two now saw what their commander had first noticed. In addition to their weapons, the
dwarves carried hefty packs on their backs and water skins. Several had brought along stout walking
staffs.
Slith glanced at Kang. "What gives?"
Kang shook his head. "Don't know. My guess is that's their war chief, the bastard who ordered our
village burned. I've seen him before, giving orders."
The leader a large, grizzled dwarf whom Kang recognized from earlier raids entered the house.
The small troop of dwarves huddled together in the yard, keeping watch, though not for draconians. They
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