The mounts and gharumal returned to their harness and picked up the pace as they hauled the skyship across the plain. Peter brought the floating craft lower to the ground. More River Clan came to look down through the bomb bay doors.

To Peter the light just made the surrounding land darker and more forbidding. His fears proved true. The shadowing creatures ran at the herd and the gharumal time and again. He saw no blackbirders, just the beasts, but upon the creatures bodies webbing had been strung.

They’re not wild creatures at all.

And he knew them then.

Thraqanonkra

Their screechers made his heart race as he remembered. They called again for blood, for revenge, and a hunger to feed.

The nightmare beasts ran from the dark into the circle of light, cut out a grazing beast, and ran it into the shadows, where its dying screams evoked a fear that gripped his gut. The creatures did it all again and again for sport, for fun.

The riders swung around to protect the herd, and kept the creatures away from the gharumal. They cut their mounts free from the towing harness so they could defend the herd.

Grey had led the defense on the ground while Sarah stayed in the bridge frustrated. Without sails Captain Sarah Snow had little to captain. As the plain flattened out they ran level and true Peter had no need to adjust the zharaqsa flight crystals. So he returned to deck, but Sarah had left the bridge. She craned her body over the railing to watch the defense of the herd.

‘There’s nothing we can do. I feel powerless.’

‘If we had crew we could raise some sails,’ said peter. ‘But these land lubbers would not know the first thing.’

‘But you do?’

Peter stared at the mainmast and its spread of spars and furled sails.

‘It’s so dark I could hardly see where to stand.’

‘The moon rises,’ Sarah said. ‘Look.’ She pointed away to the south east where a glimmer of brighter cloud hung above the mountains.

Peter made his way to the main mast. He took a deep breath.

‘I’ll check if I can see past my feet.’

Sarah’s face gleamed a little in the brightening eastern sky and he thought he saw her frown creased in worry.

Maybe if I can’t see I can climb higher before I get the shakes.

The wind grew stronger from the south as he stepped higher. The cold mountain wind that made his hand freeze even within the gloves so he took them off to hold on better. He climbed higher, always looking up, towards the black grey sky that grew more defined every moment as the moon rose.

At the third cross tree he paused where the dark crowded him like a frigid hug. He rubbed his hands for warmth then put his gloves back on, then slapped them together.

Off to the east the moon had cleared the mountains. Its light shone under the clouds that hovered over the peaks as if afraid to catch themselves on the spiked and rugged crags.

Ahead, beyond the lower foremast, he saw a red glow that shimmered in fog and low cloud.

It’s burning. They’ve set the Snow Camp alight.

He hurried down the mast with one thought.

Jan. I left her with that cranky old manisaur shaman.

And he knew.

The blackbirders went there after attacking the River Clan. They want to wipe out both Clans. And now they have the thraqanonkra to do the hunting.

‘We’ve got to help them,’ said Sarah.

‘And risk everyone in the River Clan?’ said Grey. ‘Risk the skyship that can take us out of their reach?’

‘But there are as many Snows there. Thorn is there.’

‘And Jan,’ said Peter. ‘I thought she would be safer at the Snow Clan camp.’

Walt and Tiz had climbed the foremast without any fear. Peter felt a surge of envy before the reality of the situation hit him.

‘I lead the River Clan,’ said Grey. ‘And cannot guess what the people of the Snow would want us to do. But the strength of these invaders makes it too dangerous to go to their aid.’

‘So you would abandon the Snow Clan to the invading aliens?’ Sarah said with venom. ‘Peter. We must do something.’

Peter could see Grey’s point of view. He did not like the guy, but risking the entire River Clan, and their riders, made no sense. They could not know what lay amongst the fires of the Snow Clan camp.

‘We can’t take the skyship into the camp,’ said Peter. ‘But we should go see what’s happened.’

‘And leave the skyship open for attack by the night creatures?’ said Grey. ‘They have taken or driven off almost half our herd. Killed one mount and wounded others.’

‘A small group only. To find out,’ said Peter.

‘No. We need to all go,’ said Sarah. ‘To attack and take the camp back and save my people.’

‘I agree,’ said Grey. ‘Three riders. No more.’

Sarah rounded on Grey. ‘You call yourself leader. You want to lead both clans, this Snow River Clan. Then why do you throw half the clan to these creatures? You cannot lead. You do not lead.’

‘Nor do you lead. And you shall not go. Three Riders, two Rivers, one Snow. ‘Where is Vale? Bring him from the defense.’

‘I though Vale left with Thorn.’

‘He stayed on with us. Representing the Snow Clan,’ said Grey.’

Grey’s rubbing it in. Thorn does not want Sarah speaking for the Snows.

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'Vale shall lead. Return and tell me how things lie.’

‘I will not stay here,’ said Sarah. ‘If only some will go then I will not stay with you like a coward.’

Peter sighed. ‘And if Sarah goes I will too. I have to find my cousin Jan.’

‘No. I forbid it. We need Peter to control the skyship. And Sarah you are my surety that the two clans will become as one.’

‘I am not promised to you. I will never be. Besides. I have taken another.’

‘What? Who?’

‘Peter Drake.’ Sarah slipped her arm through his.

Peter started in surprise, but turned it into a frown of determination as Grey’s glare fell on him.

‘Then Peter Drake shall go alone. But Sarah Snow, you will not leave this vessel. You. Show her how the skyship works then report to me.’

Grey stormed off.

Peter turned to speak with Sarah. He wanted to know what she meant by ‘promised’. But before he could, two Snow riders came up and led them towards the stairs.

‘We take you below decks.’

‘To the place that glows green like death.’

‘Grey River orders it.’

Peter shrugged. He saw blades at the rider’s side and with no reason to have a fight, he let them led him. Besides, Grey wanted him to go find out what had happened.

And so do I.

‘You need to bring the skyship lower just like I showed you,’ said Peter. ‘With the bomb bay doors closed the thraqanonkra won’t get in. But get Skyship Hope back into the air as soon as Girl and I are on the ground.’

‘Grey didn’t think of that did he?’

‘I’m not about to ride another beast am I?’ said Peter.

‘I thought you, the great Peter Drake, could tame any beast, speak any language, do anything.’

Peter stared at her in surprise.

She’s teasing me, not hating on me. Does that she meant what she said? The promise?

‘No,’ Peter said instead. ‘It’s the tulanvarqa given to me by those lushvra-manta-egg-things. I’m nothing special.’

‘Maybe.’

Peter looked away. ‘I’ll do what I can.’

‘Find Jan. Find Thorn. Then get back here with them.’

‘That’s the idea.’

‘Then I need you to show me how to sail this skyship properly.’

‘Sure thing.’

‘And I don’t blame you. Not really.’

‘Why?’ Peter looked down. ‘I mean… Blame me for what?’

‘You didn’t want to come here. Did you? And how could you have done anything to send me… Bring us away from Earth.’ Sarah paused as uncertainty softened her voice. ‘You didn’t? Right?’

‘No. I really didn’t. I saved you from the storm remember. That day when your sailboat Tango capsized and floated away from you.’

‘I might have drowned.’

‘I only lost you when you swam swam away from my boat to get Tango. That’s the last I saw of you.’

‘I’m sorry. For all I said… and thought.’

‘I’ve been trying to get back to Earth all the time I’ve ever been on Eoth. There’s never been anything I wanted here. My life is back on Earth.’

‘I believe you.’ She turned her back to him. ‘Just get back here safely.’ She paused and he saw her shoulders straighten. ‘Promise?’

‘Yeah. I promise.’

Later he wondered just what he had truly promised.

Girl strode over snow and out of the light from the cargo bay doors at the skyship’s stern. Peter pulled up alongside Vale and his mount. Alongside him with his mount stood Dusty, the quarrelsome old Snow Rider.

When he saw the elderly Snow Rider Grey had given them to do the reconnaissance Peter realized then they had been set up to fail. But too late, the skyship rose back out of reach of any thraqanonkra just as he had told Sarah to do.

Peter didn’t see, but a small dark person swung down on a line, and landed in a roll in the snow just as the skyship leveled out. The herd of grazing beasts, and their mounted rider escort, took off at a trot. The gharumal in the midst of the herd, pulled on the taut towlines and then the lights in the skyship all shut off.

‘Grey is a wily creature?’ said Vale. ‘You trust him too far.’

‘I guess I did,’ said Peter.

Am I right to trust Sarah, or was she in on it too?

‘Come on. While attention is still upon the skyship,’ said Vale. ‘Let’s get to camp and find what befell our clan.’

‘Do you have family?’ said Peter.

‘All Snow Clan is family,’ said Vale. ‘But if you mean a wife, children.’ He fell silent. ‘For that I owe more to the invading aliens than anything. They took my life from me, my children, my love. I’m damned if they will take my clan from me too.’

His large mount pirouetted like a dancer, then took off towards the burning fires. Girl ran in pursuit with the old Snow coming up behind. His old mount did not have the pace of the younger beasts so when a dark form clambered up behind him but neither beast nor man noticed their new passenger.

A pack of thraqanonkra ran at them from a large fire as they came close. Stealth would not work. The Snow camp had been located on a wide flat plain with nowhere for cover. That had been the point. Anything approaching would be an enemy to be seen, or a friend to be welcomed.

Peter guessed that blackbirders had the same poor low light vision as manisaurs, but the moon had risen higher. And, though it had slipped behind cloud, the wan overcast sky made the land bright enough his and the alien’s eyes.

The thraqanonkra could not get close to the huge mounts, and ran around wary of the carnivores talons and rapid movements. Peter saw the ravening beasts easier now. When they had attacked him so long ago during the Air Lord’s hunt the creatures had looked large. But now, from the height of the mount’s shoulders at least, he could tell they matched a human male in size.

Now their screeching wails rose inhumanly and called more into attack.

‘They’ll call the invading aliens to us too,’ said old Dusty.

‘If they’re still here.’ Vale pulled his long lance from its scabbard and send his mount forward. It needed no urging as it chased down an unwary thraqanonkra and snapped it into two with a lash of foreleg. The other beasts kept clear as the three mounts rode fast and low towards the fires.

Peter pressed his body against Girl, part for cover but also for warmth from the great muscles that pulsed and rolled beneath his chest. He began to see the layout of the camp from the remains left behind. Fires burned within built structures but most of the felted tents had gone.

‘Did they get away?’ said Peter.

‘I do not know,’ said Vale. ‘Follow me.’

He led them through the camp at a sprint until they reached clean snow beyond its bounds. Then he turned in a wide circle.

‘They struck camp and retreated. But the aliens have been here. And they still might be about.’

‘The ravening beasts call to them,’ Dusty said.

The thraqanonkra lay close to the camp still but paced back and forth as if they defended the ruins from invaders.

‘Another run?’ said the old man. Though Peter could see his brave words did not match the state of his mount. The beast held its head low to the ground, its sides heaved as it gusted air into its body. The flicker of firelight across its back made it hard to see but the beast did not have the sheen of fur-feathers that Girl had.

Peter thumped Girl on the neck.

‘One more run,’ said Vale. ‘We need to see the state of the herd.’

And so they ran across the front of thraqanonkra and back into the camp between black smoking fires. As they neared the stockade flashes then the bangs of shots rang out. Dusty’s mount grunted and mewled in pain. Vale slid down the side of his mount until he stood in the webbing with his head barely above the shoulder of its massive mount. Peter slipped down Girl in a likewise position.

Forgive me Girl, but you can take the shots better than me.

A thraqanonkra snapped at his feet until his mount raked a rear leg back and cut the creature down.

‘No one’s here,’ said Dusty.

‘He’s right,’ Peter said. ‘But where are they?’

‘They’re not dead,’ said Vale. ‘They have struck camp and have taken off across the plain.’

‘And Thorn?’ said Peter

‘Would have come too late. I’m guessing he’s on their trail. This is one last blackbirder holding fort or scavenging.’

‘These ravening beasts can’t be controlled. Likely that last invader is trying to keep them in line. Or get them to follow.’

‘Great. So we have them at their back?’ Peter nudged Girl towards Vale.

‘Yes. We leave this alien blackbirder but I’ll fall back once we’ve gone on a bit to see if it follows. And take out some of these creatures if they get too close.’

‘So we follow the Snow Clan?’

‘Why? You want to chase after Sarah and that flying village of Grey’s?’

Peter kept silent. If not for Jan he would do just that.

A strange pop and buzz came from the stockade and the thraqanonkras set up their yipping screams again.

‘What’s that?’ said Dusty.

’Someone else is taking shots.’

They got the mounts moving towards the stockade. They passed the trail the Snow Clan had made as they left the camp. A muddy icy gash in the otherwise pristine white of the snow.

‘Next snow will cover the tracks. And the fall will come before the night’s over. I can feel it. The wind is up. A storm comes.’

They moved into the stockade with caution but no more shots came. Once there they saw the ravening beasts had converged on something on the ground.

‘They’re eating the blackbirder,’ said Peter. ‘Evil creatures.’ Girl reared up on rear legs as she felt his disgust.

‘Yes. But what or who killed it?’ Dusty said.

‘Let’s get out of here before we find out.’ Vale urged his mount on at a run as they headed towards the trail. ‘We need to get along this trail before the snow comes. Or we will be doubly lost.’

If the wind comes up the skyship might get blown anywhere. I lost Sarah once in a storm, and it’s happening again.