Jason froze,not breathing and his markings had been forced to blink out. He shut his eyes,not making one move,gladly the little baby ice dragons where sleeping still,silent and calm.

For several heart-pounding seconds, they crouched in the tunnel, feeling their muscles cramp and their hearts thud too loud in their chests. Above them, the spider sat perfectly still as well, patiently waiting for its prey to grow bored, to assume it was safe and make the first move that would be its last. Eventually, something rustled in the branches ahead, and it darted away, frighteningly quick for something that huge. The scream of some unfortunate creature pierced the air, and then silence.


For a few moments after the spider left, no one dared to move. Eventually, Grimalkin crept forward, poking his head out warily, scanning the thorns

Jason was pale and didn't dare move still. His breed thankfully had some exra types of dragons mixed in here and there so he was able to hold his breath for a long time.This time not the first he's had to do it for his life.

"Wait here, he told them. I will see if it is safe. Slipping into the shadows like a ghost, he disappeared.

Puck put a hand on Jason'z shoulder. You okay?"

Jason nodded stiffly,his wings slowly fading to camo along with his tail as well. He didn't say a word,only his lights flickered weakly in the dark,saying things that he didn't. After a moment he shook his head instead,shakily putting a hand to Pucks on his shoulder.

(Oof my spelling is awful as well as my quotation marks *facepalm*)

But then, one of the thorns moved.

(That's alright,I can't spell without spell check. So don't worry 'bout it. ^w^)

Jason jumped silently,shocked,and held onto Puck shakily.

(My spell check on my phone literally hates me xD)

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking around. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the three-inch barb shivered and unfurled into a pair of pointed black wings, attached to a tiny faery with glittering eyes that glared with insectlike menace. Its spindly body was covered by a shiny black carapace. Spikes grew from its elbows and shoulders, and it clutched a thorn-tipped spear in one tiny claw. As it stared at them, the faery curled its lip, revealing teeth as sharp as needles, and flew at Jason's face.

(Darn. I don't own a phone so I can't relate but that must be a pain in the rear.)

Jason was shocked and ducked his head,using his wings to clamp shut around it as they seemed to just materialize again as they shed their matching colors. He swung his tail up a bit to grab the thing.

(It is...that's how the z at the end of Jason'z happened. -facepalms again-)

The faery dodged his tail, buzzing around the duo like an angry wasp. Puck saw it pause, hovering in the air like an evil hummingbird, then streak forward with a raspy cry. A gout of flame seared the air in front of them. They could both feel the blast of heat on their faces, and the faery disappeared into the fire. Its tiny, charred body dropped like a stone to the earth, curling in on itself, the delicate black wings seared away. It gave an insectlike twitch, then was still.


Ironhorse tossed his head and snorted, looking pleased as smoke curled from his nostrils.