NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: Spur-Winged Plover
Niko and the commander took in the dead Komodo dragon in the office where the commander had left Cormac and Magnus, then quickly ran to the next room.
Magnus and Cormac were already there, having joined the rest of the men in the mail sorting room.
A smaller dragon had managed to squeeze through the arched window and was attacking the men, who were sheltering behind their shields, darting forwards trying to get a sword strike in. The beast had some bleeding cuts to the belly, so it looked like they'd had some success.
"Get me a crossbow Niko," said the commander.
Niko ran off and returned with a crossbow.
"Stand back men," warned the commander.
They all withdrew, and he started to fire cross bow bolts into the dragon's exposed belly. The beast dropped onto all fours and ran towards the commander.
Han tried to stab it as it ran past him, but it swiped his feet out from under him with its tail, spinning him into a glass bookcase that shattered on impact.
It opened its mouth, preparing to snap the commander between its jaws. Alton fired into its gaping maw, hitting it with an arrow at the back of its throat, but it didn't stop charging forwards.
Niko slid in from the side, pushing hard off the wall and sliding on the floorboards directly under the dragon's head, from where he thrust his sword upwards, through the soft skin under its mouth and into its brain.
It slumped to the ground, covering him with its bulk.
"Get him out of there! yelled the commander.
Bo and Han strained as they lifted the creature's head off Niko, and Baer and Wolf yanked his legs, pulling him clear.
Niko was covered in blood as he clambered to his feet.
"Are you okay?" the commander asked him.
He smiled fiercely through the blood smeared across his face.
"Never better."
The commander grabbed him around the shoulders.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I owe you one."
"I owe you about six, so consider it me balancing up the ledger."
The sound of smashing glass came from another upstairs room.
"Let's go men!" shouted the commander. "Don't leave anything behind. We won't be coming back this way."
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The girls were extremely pleased with their rescue efforts, and very happy to have Lili back with them as they made their way north again.
Delphi had been given the full rundown from Lili on their ride back to camp last night. She was concerned for the girl after what she'd been through, though she seemed in remarkably good spirits.
Delphi knew Lili well and she had never been one to ruminate. She seemed to live very much in the moment, thought Delphi. Both good traits for a soldier.
Unfortunately they were short one horse now, with Lili's horse having to be left behind with the guards.
Delphi had Winter and Arrie sharing a brumby, being the smallest two among them and good friends.
Lili had told and retold the story of their derring-do escape and how she ended up fleeing topless into the night.
The girls pealed with laughter, especially when she recounted the fight between Magnus and Cormac.
"I knew these would come in handy Delph," she said, jiggling her boobs.
"Yes, you were absolutely right Lili. I'm glad at least one of us is happy with her forced breast surgery. You always see the good in everything. It's one of your super strengths."
"Yep. That and my hot striptease. I'll show you all how I did it later."
"We've seen your booty every day for the last ten years Lili," groaned Indy. "We don't need to see a live reenactment. Just let us imagine how good it was. We believe you."
"But I have to show you what I did and how I unlocked the window when I was doing it. It was too good not to share it with you. I'll leave my panties on if you don't want to see my VJ."
"We don't!" they all chorused.
Lili looked offended. "There's nothing wrong with my vajayjay."
"We know that Lili," said Indy. "We just don't want you shaking it in our faces."
"That's not what Cormac and Magnus said to me," she smirked.
"Of course not, they were probably begging you to shake it in their faces," said Indy.
"I'm sure they'd rather shake their dicks in her face," said Feifei, uncharacteristically crude.
"Well that goes without saying, men are selfish pricks after all," said Arrie.
"Girls, ease up on this topic please," said Delphi. "It's sensitive for some."
She was concerned as to how Lili was interpreting what had happened with Cormac. It was good that she saw it as consensual, but there might come a time when she processed it as rxpe, and she didn't want the girl being triggered.
They arrived at a creek that was full and flowing fast. It shouldn't be too hard to find a place to cross, thought Delphi. There was a bridge directly ahead of them and it was stone, so it might still be okay.
"Do you want me to test it out Captain?" asked Feifei.
"Alright Feif, give it a go. Walk the horse across it so you can jump clear if you need to."
Feifei walked her horse across the bridge without any problems at all. She waved and gave them the thumbs-up from the other side.
"Alright girls, one at a time. Arrie and Winter, you go next. Winter, you walk across, then Arrie, you lead the horse over."
Winter walked across the bridge, looking down at the pretty creek for any signs of platypus. They were her favourite animals, but they were notoriously shy and hard to spot.
When she was almost across, an over-sized tubiàn plover screeched overhead.
It set its sights on Winter and plummeted down towards her.