Ambushing Ariel Read Online Free PDF Page B

lightning speed wrapping his tail around Jaguin and tossing him a good fifteen feet into a nearby stream. His head swung around and he grinned at Kor who was now back-peddling as fast as he could while spewing expletives. Creon chuckled and quickly transformed into his dragon; a slick, coal black dragon with not another drop of color showing except for the golden flames of his eyes.
    Kor jumped to the side as a brief burst of dragon fire flew toward him. He rolled several times coming up filthy from landing in a muddy pool of water on the last roll. He coughed mud out of his mouth as he looked down at himself in disgust. Jaguin was sitting in the stream shaking his long wet hair out of his eyes.
    “At least I got the clean end of his temper,” Jaguin called out to Kor who was pulling a thick lump of mud out of his hair.
    “Yeah, let’s see how well Creon does,” Kor said as he made a face as mud seeped into one of his boots. “This feels disgusting,” Kor complained as he made his way toward the stream.
    “But just think of how nice your skin will feel afterwards,” Jaguin laughed, ducking as Kor threw a wad of mud at him.
    Creon looked at his older brother. Now the fun would begin. The two dragons circled each other sizing the other up. They had fought together and against each other all their lives which had been a considerably long time. Creon was smaller and sleeker than his older brother. He had the advantage of being able to blend in with his surroundings to the point he was almost invisible at times. Mandra was fast, though. He could move with lightning quick reflexes and was strong and cunning. Creon came in under his brother trying to throw him over onto his back so he could pin him. Mandra let his brother come in close enough he could grab him with his front claws before turning at the last second. He let Creon’s momentum carry him pass him into a set of thick ferns. At the last minute, he flicked his tail letting it snap across Creon’s back just enough to draw a snarl of pain from his little brother. Mandra’s biggest advantage was he had spent a lifetime wrestling with his siblings. Zoran and Trelon were the two who often beat him but Creon was getting better. All his experience during the Great Wars had made him a cunning opponent. Mandra turned in a tight circle looking for Creon, his sharp eyes sought the place where Creon had been last.
    Mandra sniffed the air trying to get a scent of his brother. He was using his ability to blend in with his natural surroundings to hide. Mandra would have to use his other senses to find him. His ears moved back and forth filtering out Jaguin and Kor who were having a water fight in the stream, the sounds of the wind rushing through the trees, even the insects that buzzed. One of his ears flickered as he caught the faint sound of a leaf crackling to his right. Mandra did not turn toward the sound. Creon was coming from up-wind of him and through a naturally dark shadow cast by two thick trees.
    Mandra let his weight shift so he could be ready. The sound came again from his right and slightly behind him now. Mandra let his head swing to the opposite direction to where Jaguin and Kor were now talking as Kor cleaned the mud out of his boots. He relaxed his body; letting his tail twitch lightly back and forth in readiness.
    Waiting was always the hardest part, he thought vaguely.
    Waiting for mate is the hardest. I want my mate, now! Brother have mate. Why can you not find one? Go to females’ world and take. I find mate for you, Mandra’s dragon grumbled in discontent.
    Mandra was so focused on his dragon that he forgot about his younger brother for a moment. A moment he should have been ready for if he had not been distracted, Mandra thought in resignation as Creon tackled him from behind and pinned him to the ground after an intense wrestling match.
    Minutes later, both men were transformed back into their two-legged form. They were both breathing heavily after