Dragons

No words. Only roars. Dragonstone. Midnight. Syrax stares at the black dragon standing on the cliff. Her golden wings slowly unfold. The black dragon spreads his scarred wings. Caraxes raises his long red neck, baring his teeth. Seasmoke steps in front of Syrax. Sheepstealer retreats toward the rocks. The black dragon leaps. Caraxes intercepts him in midair. Red and black collide above the sea. Syrax screams and launches herself after them. Seasmoke follows. Sheepstealer hesitates. Then he snarls and takes off. Five enormous shadows twist through the clouds. Claws clash. Wings beat against the storm. Fire illuminates the night. Syrax dives at the black dragon, but he rolls beneath her and strikes her wing. She spirals downward. Seasmoke catches her before she hits the cliffs. Caraxes coils around the black dragon's neck. The black dragon bites down on Caraxes's shoulder. Caraxes releases him. Both crash onto a narrow stretch of rock. Sheepstealer swoops from above and slams into the black dragon. All three tumble toward the water. Syrax scrambles to her feet. She sees the black dragon struggling beneath the other two. Her eyes widen. She remembers a tiny golden hatchling curled beside her. She remembers Arrax. Her grief turns to fury. She launches herself from the cliff. Seasmoke follows immediately. The black dragon breaks free and rockets upward. Caraxes pursues him. Sheepstealer banks sharply and circles behind. Four dragons surround the black silhouette against the moon. Then the black dragon turns toward Syrax. He lowers his head. Syrax stops flying. For one long moment, mother and son stare at each other.