'Sit down, I'll tell you what I found and what I think it means,' Magalla said throwing a cushion on Yrzlaruki's spacious tent's floor. They all gathered here: Yr, Ottaine and Verlar. Magalla returned from Gaal excited and with a bag full of her notes and some old books. Verlar suspected she borrowed them and 'forgot' to return.

Yrzlaruki had arranged for her a separate tent nearby the dragons' taming area. Magalla returned for a few days to Gaal to 'finish her digging' and asked all three to see her today so she could tell about her findings.

'Go on, what have you found?' Ottaine was eager to finally find a possible answer to the strange remarks made by Yaphara about the Forest.

They sat on the carpet in a circle and watched Magalla taking her notes and books out.

'Are you sure you don't want to eat anything?' Yrzraluki asked one more time, passing a bowl of dried fruit and nuts.

'No, my stomach is a knot.' She glanced at Verlar who was looking suspiciously at the volumes.

'I borrowed them weeks ago, I was the only person interested in items in this section. Nobody will ask questions.'

She checked her jottings and started:

'You know the Nogo Forest stands for 'No' and 'Go', or in other words 'don't go'? It's a forbidden area, it's been like that for far too long to remember.

'I've always suspected the name is... saying it all. I didn't know I was right!' said Ottaine, surprised a little.

'I'm disappointed. It's too simple. I thought it's a very old word from some extinct language, with some secret meaning. And it happens the person who came out with the name was just being lazy.' said Verlar and Yr nodded in agreement.

'The forest was created sometime before the dragons' era,' Magalla continued. 'I don't know if it was years, decades or centuries. It was declared a nature reserve, after the wars, and global disasters, after other wildlife areas around the globe were destroyed. Anyway, it was already here before the Dragonic Error - as one author calls it (his name is irrelevant, he lived two hundred years ago) - when things didn't go as planned.'

'Yes, I think we all know the story. A long-lost civilisation resurrected dragons, by mistake they revived more species than they wanted or needed, the animals were sent to exile instead of being killed. They were sent to live in the Nogo Forest, the area was sealed, first by a wall, and recently by the giant fence we see everyday.' Yrzlaruki summed it up.

'That's correct. Now the new piece of information I found is very interesting. For hundreds of thousands of years - the civilisation that resurrected dragons vanished about two million years ago - nothing was going on in the forest. I mean, there are no records of anything interesting. Most of the dragons are, or were, believed to be dead. They never survived after being released, they died out, something ate them... name it. Ok, some smaller herbivores are still believed to be well and... completely dull, and there were stories about giant beasts with necks longer than those of dvudums seen on the horizon. I found two 'witness accounts', one from fifteen thousand years ago, one from six hundred. Both are of very untrusted sources, never confirmed. Legends and drunk talks. But. Apart from the 'Hey guys, we've seen a wild dragon!' reports there is a well-documented effort put by both (let me stress this: both) neighbouring countries to ensure nothing comes out of the Nogo Forest. Landhapis together with Skey-Er built a centuries-old organisation made mainly of scientists and academic researchers that keeps an eye on the forest... and more than an eye.'

'That would accord with what Yaphara was telling me!' Ottaine backed Magalla's story.

'That's right, Ota. Here and here - she showed yellow-stained books - I found proof that they had been sending expeditions on a regular basis for at least five hundred years! At least, because I am suspecting it started way earlier, about two thousand years ago. If you're interested - I made notes, if you can decipher my handwriting I'll leave them for you.' She took a break and then continued to look at her friends with seriousness:

'I have found evidence of three expeditions that went missing. The first one was no less than twelve centuries ago (based on the historical events mentioned by the authors). Sixteen men and women never came back from the forest. The rescued team searched the area they were supposed to be in for almost three months but didn't find any sign of life or their demise. I mean no human remnants. Trust me, that is important. The second was described by a Skey-Er biologist (I was surprised to find a Skey-Er story in the library). Eight hundred years ago a team of academics searched the east part of the Forest looking for new species of fungi. A storm hit the camp one night, five people went missing. The rest tried to find them but a flood and mosquitoes forced them to go back. The missing people were never heard of again. The third case took place two hundred fifty years ago, again a whole team went missing, twenty-two people both men and women. They never came back, fifty years later six human skeletons were found by yet another team, but only six. Let's move to modern times. Ten years ago Skey-Er and Landhapis seemed to intensify the search in Nogo and built a permanent base somewhere on Skey-Er territory. Around that time Landhapis king started to pump money into his army, re-negotiated the conditions with us, Solummger, ensuring our support in case of military action. You have been suspecting that- she turned to Yr - Landhapis is not telling us everything, Skey-Er has been leading the armies south or trying to hold on to the northern border. I am not a soldier, I don't understand the tactics, yet I see that Nogo Forest is the key here. I am strongly convinced this time the 'secret league' of academics found something important in the forest and told their governments about it, and they have different views on it. Apart from the fungi research, the focus of this alliance was to watch out for the wild dragons in case they become a threat. That gives, or rather would give, one explanation: they have found some dangerous species and one party wants to study them while the other wants to erase them.

'What kind of dangerous dragons could there be?' said Verlar. 'I don't see anything less than a krool could be considered dangerous enough to start a bloody fucking war. I've seen all kinds of crazy animals, and I'm sure that no predator would be a problem on such a scale. Animals adjust to their environment. Lifestyle, diet, everything goes in harmony with the world around them. Give young krools something to do, feed them, reward them, get to know them and you won't complain. This dangerous dragon must be something out of the ordinary.'

'Something alien? Something destructive?' Ottaine was thinking aloud.

'The legends in children stories say about dragons breathing fire. That would be out of the ordinary,' said Yrzlaruki with a mocking smile.

'Yes, such a thing definitely would,' Verlar laughed.

'A fire-breathing dragon. Well well. I would like to see that. Out of curiosity, could such an animal exist? Would it be biologically possible?' Yrzlaruki asked the dragon's master.

'I doubt it. Snakes have venom, maybe a dragon could produce a flammable gas. You would need something to ignite it, then to control it so the animal doesn't burn its own home with the meal. A lot of energy would need to be used. Add one to another, it is more efficient to eat raw.'

They all nodded and Ottaine said:

'Anyway, in case we see a fire or a smoke over this forest on a clear-sky day we will know there is a fire-breathing dragon.'

They all laughed and talked about it for a few moments, then Magalla finished what she wanted to tell them.

'I'm glad you mentioned the smoke because I will now tell you what I think it is.' They all focused on her.

'Those missing expeditions. They could just die, but what if they did not? What if people survived? Three times men and women went missing without a trace. What if they are still there?'

'Oh, gods!' Yr started understanding what Magalla was trying to say. 'You think there is a community of people, the descendants of the missing scientists living in the forest, a wild tribe!'

'Yes, Yr. Moreover, if they are a threat to Landhapis... Ottaine, you said Yaphara told you Skey-Er wants to protect something that Landhapis is scared of, right?' Ottaine confirmed.

'If they are descendants of those scientists they are not simple, wild, forest tribe people. Maybe they started building a civilization there, tamed krool-like dragons, and built an army? I don't know, there is no way to know.'

'But you bet there are people in Nogo Forest who are standing in the way of... Landhapis. Somehow.' Yr said with gravity. Magalla nodded.

'As a civilian, I am not bound to any orders and commands. I was thinking.... maybe I'll try to find this base Landhapis and Skey-Er scientists built together. I should be ready to go in about a week if I could buy food stock from the army.' She looked at Yrzlaruki questioningly.

'I couldn't stop you but this could be very dangerous. Please, think it through.' The commander replied.

'Actually,' Verlar interfered, 'let's wait. I'm not an expert in human behaviour but look, we've been here for so many weeks. Everybody knows Solummger army stations here, it's not a secret who is in charge' he looked at Yrzlaruki and then at Ottaine who, after all, as a Special Forces officer was given essential powers during the war and her name was on every official document. 'This man, Yaphara, let you go so you can make your own investigation and then he will want to know if you sided with him. He will be searching for you. Let's wait for him.'

It was a dangerous but logical assumption. Maybe Skey-Er general already had a spy on Landhapis land, watching the former captive and sending feedback. A spy not spying for military purposes would be more difficult to betray him or herself, almost impossible. Was Verlar's option most likely? Yaphara did promise that he and Ottaine would meet again.

They all agreed with Verlar, decided to give the enemy time and not take any action for the time being.

Shortly the meeting was over. Magalla and Verlar went outside into the dark illuminated by a few lanterns and the stars.

'Good night.' said Verlar in front of her tent. He moved to walk on but returned and hugged her tightly. 'I'm glad you're back with us. Hope you'll have time for more talks?'.

'Sure, always,' she replied and for a moment it looked like she wanted to say something more, something important, but changed her mind. 'Have a good night.'

Verlar disappeared in the dark between the tents but Magalla was still standing at the same spot, looking at the darkness and biting her lips very hard.

For the next few days, Yrzlaruki was busy with keeping the camp in order, Ottaine with other coaches worked with Landhapis volunteers, Verlar was training dragon keepers, Magalla was trying to be useful. The day after she revealed her findings she saw Ottaine took Verlar for a long walk that ended with a long hug and Ota's laugh of relief. Magalla was blaming herself for trying to stick her nose into somebody's private business. To be honest, she suspected she knew what Ottaine was telling Verlar about. She observed these two Specials a whole evening, the change in their relations was obvious for a trained eye. The next few days only confirmed her suspicions. Magalla was not surprised Yrzlaruki and Ottaine wanted to hide. To put it shortly, she had seen many people not being able to accept non-standard lives especially here, in Landhapis. Even in Solummger people just never talked about some things. You could live your life completely ignorant of the fact not everybody is the same.

One morning, Yrzlaruki received a long-awaited letter from a Solummger representative in Gaal. An aeroplane has finally been transported from the homeland with enough fuel to be used with caution. She went there to claim the treat. Now she could finally see from the air whether Skey-Er is breaking the truce and marching at them, or set out camps in the threatening proximity. The aeroplane was small, suitable for just one pilot; she could only start and land it from Gaal where a wide road had been temporarily transformed into a runway. The machine was an Eolla XS, silver with a black interior finish. Needless to say, Yr undeniably loved this girl. She took her up and to the west, she lowered the altitude above the camp and watched her soldiers from Solummger wave at her, soldiers from Landhapis looking up with open jaws. There were no aeroplanes on the continent. Landhapis didn't have the technology and factories, Skey-Er didn't have money and Solummger's cooperation.

Yr was sticking to her plan and flew a hundred miles west, turned south and went back. When she saw the camp down below she decided to break the rules a little bit and turned slightly north and as high as the aeroplane could. She looked at the vast, impenetrable, secretive and mysterious mass of the Nogo Forest with only a thick carpet of trees’ crowns covering the view from one end of the horizon to the other. She felt so happy at this moment. Free, one with the whole world, the war and pain was something she only passed on her way to the absolute. She loved and was loved back, there were people she cared about near her, there was life and beauty around and everything was going to be all right. She let herself flow with this moment and laughed like she hasn't laughed since she was a little kid.

Minutes later she checked the clock, it was time to go back, she had to save the fuel.

Giving the last glance at the green horizon she grabbed the control to go east, and then she saw it. The very thing they talked about not a long time ago, the fearfully impossible. Far away, on the distant horizon, there was a thin grey line going up towards the blue sky where the wind was dispersing it. Smoke over the Nogo Forest.

#

'What happened!? Skey-Er?' Ottaine saw how petrified Yrzlaruki's face was when she returned from Gaal. She spoke to no one on entering the camp, only ordered an aide-de-camp to find Verlar and Magalla and sent them to her. She was told Magalla is away with the provisions team and is supposed to return late, so there were only three of them in their meeting outside the camp that was supposed to look casual. She replied to Ottaine's question:

'Not Skey-Er. I haven't seen any sign of them. It's something else. In the forest.'

She told them about the smoke.

'So Magalla was right.' Ottaine said quietly. For a long time, nobody was saying anything until Verlar asked:

'Do we still wait?'

'Yes. Give me a few days, I need to think everything through. For now, don't do anything,' she said firmly. 'Verlar, find Magalla when she returns and tell her what was said here. Make her promise not to do anything without consulting me.'

#

Meantime in the east, a man was watching the camp through his binoculars, three wingfingers were hidden among the trees. He was waiting for the sun to start setting down, then maybe the person he's been waiting for would go outside with three others, like previous evenings, and they would drink this watery wine bought from the local winery.

#

Verlar left a note and pinned it to Magalla's tent, it said to come and see him about provisions for krools. If somebody read it they would not suspect anything.

She came just after the sunset, smiling and happy after closing a deal with local wine producers.

'I know wine is not the first necessity but if you saw the faces of the soldiers when I told them! So what's that about krools? It's a code name for what?'

'You can't be deceived, can you? Yr told us something today and you need to know it.' Then he repeated everything that was said. Magalla couldn't hide pride for being, probably, right.

'And she said not to take any action? Did she mention what she has in mind?'

'No, she did not. If it was up to me I would embrace patience and wait for Yaphara to fulfil his promise.'

'Did you speak to Ottaine in private? Does she know anything?'

'No, I didn't and even if I did and she knew, she wouldn't tell me. She would never act behind Yr's back.'

'Of course not. I didn't suggest that.'

'I never said you did. Anyway, there's nothing for us to do apart from waiting, either for Yr or for the course of events. Well, the hour is late, I don't want to stop you any longer. You must need a rest,' he said feeling tired too.

Magalla didn't move or say anything. He looked at her surprised.

'Verlar... I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask you some time ago and never dared to do so.' There was something strange, something new in her eyes that seemed unnaturally bright. Something like... longing?

'What is it?' Verlar asked cautiously.

Magalla took two steps forward, she was breathing heavily.

'Let me stay with you tonight' she said and unbuttoned her shirt.

Verlar stared at her speechless. As she continued undressing he felt a fire burning in his body and without realising what he's doing he pulled her towards him and started kissing her with hungry passion.

She was wise, courageous and beautiful. Standing here half-naked, with desire in her eyes, Magalla was everything he wanted at this moment. No woman, he knew it instantly, no woman without any exception, affected him so much.

She tore his clothes off him and they landed on his mattress looking into each other eyes with astonishment. Then Verlar forced himself to come back to his senses and said:

'We should be careful, shouldn't we? There might be consequences.'

'I have been taking the red flower drops for some time now...' she said.

Verlar halted. What did that mean? Has she been using him like any other lover she might have had?

Magalla seemed to read his mind and explained:

'I have been taking them hoping I would finally say what I longed to say to you.'

'For some time now? And I haven't seen it?'

'And you haven't seen it. I know Kyeta...'

'Shhh. She's gone. And... we would never be better than friends, I realised that after she... after she died,' he said and pressed his lips to her lips, and when she showed him she's ready there was no Kyeta, no dragons, no war and no other duty than the woman around him with ecstasy in her eyes.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Just before she fell asleep Magalla was looking at the calm man beside her and repeated the events of the last hour in her head over and over. The moment when he kissed her for the first time, how he was doing everything to give her pleasure, even stopping for long minutes because 'he didn't want to finish too soon.' But the most exciting moment was when he was fast asleep and started saying a name in his dreams. Her name.

When the morning woke him she was sleeping with her cheek pressed to his arms and a smile on her face. Verlar desired her like crazy but it would not be fair, would even be brutal to interrupt her dreams. So he waited patiently looking into her face and thinking what a lucky man he was. In a few minutes, to his relief, she opened her eyes and they continued what they started during the night.

Yr looked at Verlar then at Magalla, then back at him, then exchanged looks with Ottaine who had been observing her friends sitting by one of the cantine's long tables.

'Ota, are you thinking what I am thinking? Did you two...' she pointed at Verlar and Magalla who just smiled.

Verlar wrapped his arm around her, kissed her cheek and said 'everybody deserves happiness, not just you two' and winked at Ottaine, just to realise what he just said. His face went pale and he glanced at Magalla who just laughed seeing Ottaine's scared look.

'I wasn't born yesterday and I'm a damn good observer. I know. I even met a couple like that a long time ago, in Rekeeren, they were two guys, my sister's neighbours,' she explained.

'You know!' said Ottaine.

'You told him!' said Yrzlaruki at the same time.

They looked at each other, the two couples, then Ottaine burst out laughing, Yr joined her, then Verlar and Magalla. People looked at them, the commander and 'her pals' but soon everybody decided the breakfast was more interesting.

'Well, it's very nice, but my shitty duty can't wait all day. Enjoy your breakfast.' Verlar said standing up.

'Magalla, you stay! Gossip time!' was Ottaine's theatrical whisper. But Magalla just winked at her and stood up too. She was not in a mood for talking about her dreams-come-true. She was too happy that this finally happened and wanted to enjoy every moment, not talk about it even with a good friend. How long will it last? She was fully aware of her symptoms: lack of appetite, something constantly moving in her stomach, one person in her thoughts. What about him? He had been her best friend for the last months and never showed any interest in her as a woman. He was seven years her junior. And of course, there was her. She. The dead one. The woman he kissed on the ship on what happened to be their last meeting. The one even she could not resist adoring like a modern goddess and whose sudden death shuddered her soul.

They walked away, Magalla put her arms around Verlar's waist.

'Do you want to join me in the krools' stable?' he asked. 'I don't recommend it. You better find something else to do.'

'Actually, yes. I would like to see what you do. You could teach me too!' she said with eagerness. The truth being she was not much interested in the krools' breeding, she wanted to spend more time with Verlar.

'As you wish. You can try but I warn you, it's a shitty job.'

It was, literally. The stables had to be cleaned and the hay changed. Krools were massive, dung was massive. Plus, what was making things even worse, the dragons were not herbivores. No sweet smell of horses or tris or even cows' fertilisers. No, and alas.

In Solummger special uniforms were being used but here, during the war such luxuries were scarce. Verlar put an ordinary apron over his trousers and shirt, took high wellingtons from a small cupboard and thick gloves and started loading carts using a massive shovel.

'Told ya. Shitty job. Do you still want to join me?' He said to Magalla with a malicious smile.

'I am a city girl and I'll fucking show you we are tough' she said doggedly and took out another pair of wellingtons.

'I promise when we finish you will enjoy the most satisfying corporal experience.'

'Hot bath?' Magalla asked with hope.

'How did you know!' he replied.

They worked for an hour, Magalla forgot about the smell, focusing only on her sweating and trying to aim with the shovel. Finally, the stables were clean.

'Do you want a break and shower or should I show you now how to groom their claws?'.

'These clothes are going to the laundry anyway, I can sweat in them a little bit more.'

Verlar took out the tools and unlocked the gates to the front of the stables.

'Magalla, how are you feeling about going into krool's box?' he asked with concern. Krools were, after all, terrifying beasts.

'I... would not like their giant teeth grinding next to my ear if I could avoid it.'

'Technically, they don't grind... but that's not helping, is it?

Verlar entered one of the boxes where a dragon almost three times his height was sniffing his hair.

'Easy, easy Smelly Sock. Show me your hands. Good girl.'

'Smelly Sock?' Magalla was giggling.

'That's her name. By the way, they are all females here, if we had males as well... oh, there would be chaos.'

'Who gives them their stupid names?'

Verlar turned to Magalla and grinned with the most mischievous grin she has ever seen.

'Why?!'

'Because that was funny.' he said in a matter-of-fact tone. 'Most of the dragons have names like Rock, Daisy, Rani... but back in Solummger, I met an eighty-five years old master, a great guy, he had a nickname the Scurvy Namer, for his tendency to give the most ridiculous names to the chicks he raised. There was one male dragon called Cucumber Crumblescratch. So... I learnt from him.'

'Do you sharpen their claws?' Magalla asked, watching what Verlar was doing.

'During wartime, yes. Krools are the weapon.' He said and stopped in a muse. For him, the dragons were friends, like dogs or horses. Not things or tools.

Magalla saw something that bothers him.

'Last time you worried about wingfingers being used at war. Now it's krools. I think I understand more now than before. A soldier has a choice. Join the army or not, kill or refuse to kill, be brave or hide. Even if the choice is faint-hearted it is a choice. Animals don't have that choice at all. Is that correct?'

'Yes, that's more-less what I'm thinking. And at the same time - they help us avoid human losses, and losses among those who have no choice either. Civilians in sieged towns, children, all people suffering for their leaders' choices. Well, that's nothing new under the sun. And still, we repeat this over and over. That's humanity.'

'There are other aspects of humanity. Look, we would not be talking about it if humans didn't resurrect them. And when an error occurred, they did not kill but let them live, giving half of the continent to wildlife. Learned from some previous mistakes... You know? I'll try to fight my fear.'

He watched her moving across the corridor and coming close to a dragon in the next box, nervous but fascinated. For a countless time, he asked himself how did it happen that for the last few months he didn't see how close they became, how wonderful a woman she was. Only yesterday, when she made the bold move, his eyes were opened. He only feared that for her it was just a wartime love affair. He was a soldier bound by orders, he would go where he's told to go, he would leave when told to leave. What would a seven years older gorgeous woman see in a sailor and dragon tamer like him? Well, if it was to end he wanted to enjoy every moment for as long as it lasts.

He finished with Smelly Sock and approached Magalla.

'Everything alright?'

'Yes, I just worry about what we have done. We as a country. Did we side with the wrong guys? There is a wild tribe living not so far from us, Ottaine says Landhapis is not happy about it. They might be planning something despicable. I guess there's not much I could do.'

'At the moment the best thing we all could do is wait for Yaphara. I still have dragons to care for, tamers to train, Yr still commands. And you smell like shit, Gally. If you want - go and take a shower, I'll finish with the claws and then I'm having a training session with Landhapis lads. That would be a less shitty job to witness.'

'I think I'll take the opportunity to leave. And I like 'Gally'. No one else calls me that, it's nice. So... see you later. I'll be at my place.'

When Verlar finished and finally had a chance to bath and change his clothes it was already midday. He went to look for Magalla in her tent. She appeared straight away at his call. She looked awesome with her long dreads and simple grey shirt.

'Come in. You smell much better now. Oh, I had no idea you must deal with so much hard work and shit every day. Is it like that in the permanent stables or is everything done with machines and straight to the sewage?'

'Only here. But on the other hand, the dung is transformed into fuel. Not as good as cattle... Do you really want to hear about that?' She vigorously shook her head.

'It's awfully hot but the training is on. We must be able to do our best in any condition. So, if you still want to see the taming course in action, it's due now.'

'I want to see it. Anyway, what else can I do? Gossip with Ottaine while doing push-ups under her command? Let's go.'

But instead of going they just stood there looking at each other. Verlar stepped towards her with lit eyes, took her in his arms and kissed her with passion. She did not remain passive and none of them wanted to break this moment. Finally he managed to beg her:

'I really have to go. Tell me to go. We can wait for the evening.'

Unlike any Solummger and recently Landhapis army soldier, Magalla has never seen a krool in full speed, the massive jaws opening in gargantuan yawn showing sets of knives. They were monstrous yet majestic at some primeval level.

'Hold your ground! Hold! Hold!' Verlar was shouting at a shaking boy of about twenty while the dragon was running at him. The beast was just one step away from the poor boy when Verlar ordered:

'Now!!!'

The boy clapped his hands above his head and the krool stopped.

'Good. Now take the staff and order her to follow you,' he said handing him a thick stick coated with fabrics dyed in violet, red and green. The boy took it and made a complicated motion with it. He started walking aside but the krool only stomped and sniffed loudly. Magalla could see from her seat behind the electric fence that Verlar was smiling.

'Do you know why she didn't obey you?' He asked. Then he turned to another young man in the proximity with the same question. They had no idea. Magalla, who had been watching them for some time now, had her presumption that soon was confirmed to be correct.

'They have an excellent sense of smell. She smells your fear in your skin, your sweat, your breath. She won't hurt you, don't worry. You are not a tasty snack and you don't pose a threat, but she doesn't respect you. Now your turn,' he said the last words to the other guy waiting a short distance.

The training was repeated after the humans and dragons' lunch break. It wasn't easy for the boys to stay calm when a massive mountain of muscles and teeth hurried at them. And with such vigour! The krool selected by Verlar for this afternoon had a lot of fun with running and sudden stoppings, she was roaring and tapping her tail every time, and clearly wanted to play with Verlar, not with the anxiety-smelling guys. Magalla empathised with her.

After her first impression the monstrous beasts made on her, she started looking at them as if they were big pets. Verlar was walking underneath their claws and jaws with such ease, the dragons obeyed each of his orders. At one point when he tapped a massive nostril saying 'good lass,' the krool fell on her back and started rolling on the grass. Later he claimed it was not connected to his praise as the dragons didn't understand speech. 'Maybe they smell the pride?' Magalla suggested. He had no answer to that.

Magalla couldn't stay inactive for a long time and although Verlar wanted her to join the session, he didn't get permission to let a civilian on the field. She went outside the camp for a long run and work-outs. She kept looking at the green land behind the fence, its stillness and calamity and everything she heard yesterday seemed like a distant dream.

When the night came, Verlar entered Magalla's tent and didn't want to let her go off his arms till morning. And when the light shone on the narrow and uncomfortable bed they were already awake and not lying motionless.

Fifteen minutes later they were making very ineffective attempts to dress up when a voice outside suddenly brought them back to Earth:

'Hello! Magalla Snevser?!'

'Wh.. what is it?'

'The commander asks for your presence as soon as possible. And... she says if you see Mr Vorgeghom tell him he's summoned too.'

'So... we should go' said Verlar in a low voice.

'I would like to stay right here. As long as I can.'

'In this cosy tent with no air circulation,' he joked.

'Right here' she repeated standing between his arms.

'And I would like to keep you there endlessly.'

'Do you really?'

'As long as you want me to. Please want me to.'

And they said to each other everything, almost everything, they wanted to say.

Verlar went to his place to get fresh clothes while Magalla paid a visit in the commander's quarters.

'Do you know where Verlar is?' Ottaine, who was already there, probably had been all night, asked her but this time she didn't look or sound mischievous.

'He'll be here soon.'

Yrzlaruki exchanged looks with her lover.

'Ota has received a letter. It was given to her by our soldier, who got it from a sentinel, who was approached by a Landhapis villager, who got it from a milkman and then we lost track. Which is good, if we lost track there's a fat chance anybody else would.'

'It's from Yaphara. Here, read it.' Ottaine handed her an envelope.

Magalla started reading the neat and narrow handwriting of the Skey-Er general.

Meanwhile Verlar joined them and was briefed by Yrzlaruki. They continued reading together. Yaphara urged her and the three friends of hers (yes, they were mentioned in the letter) to meet with him this afternoon far away from the camp, on a small hill. He wrote that according to his intelligence Landhapis and Solummger were planning a major attack on Skey-Er troops that would almost definitely put Skey-Er on the verge of defeat. Landhapis’ next step was to declare Solummger's help not needed anymore and once the allies sailed to their island Landhapis would enter the Forest. He didn't say what for but begged for help in the name of any gods they wished to name, in the name of moral duty, in the name of life.

When they finished they looked at the two women.

'Can we all go?' Magalla asked.

'We will. I will find an excuse. Let's extinguish this hell one way or another.'

They had been waiting in a small circle sitting on the grass, not talking much, closely scanning the surroundings.

'Hello, Ottaine Lileghom' said a familiar voice. Ottaine and the rest of the friends jumped and turned. How did he sneak here without them noticing? Yaphara grew his silver beard, his hair was cut differently but it was him, standing in a green silk tunic.

'General Yaphara! How... Did you cross the border?' she asked.

'Never mind that. Aren't you wondering how I found you?'

'I am the second Special Forces officer in the only camp this far north. My name is on every document. And you didn't let me go after telling me so much, just to watch me disappear.' She said, repeating Verlar's words.

'Of course...' he said smiling. 'May I sit down?'

Ottaine and Verlar moved to make space for him.

'You are Yrzlaruki Varsheghom, the commander of this place,' he greeted Yr. 'And you must be Verlar Vorgeghom, Ottaine's old friend, the dragon's master. I hoped to meet you.' Then his eyes lay on Magalla. 'Your name is Magalla Snevlih, you're not a soldier, the last weeks you spent in Gaal.'

'How many?' Yr asked with a very angry tone.

'Spies? Four. They are all my people. Mine, not the army's, not my government's.'

They exchanged looks and Ottaine spoke:

'Why are you here now?'

'To tell you the truth. And then you will decide what to do with it.' He took a sip from his water bottle and continued:

'You are aware of the origins of this Forest?' They nodded without going into details.

'It would be naive to assume that, while the zone was closed, forbidden to enter, people were not curious and didn't want to look at the wild dragons' realm from a closer distance. Scientists from the continent teamed up, aside from politics and differences. Even during the bloodiest wars between our countries, a group of devoted people were working together for the common goal. What would our petty border misunderstandings mean if a threat outside aroused? People would need to know in advance if anything dangerous sleeps in the forest. For generations, secret expeditions were being carried to search Nogo. A chain of concealed bases exists to this day along the fence.' At this point, Magalla moved a bit. So there's more than one!

'Only very few elder statesmen sworn to secrecy knew about all this. Apart from the people who are part of the association. It changed about ten years ago when... something... was discovered. Some of our teammates decided to tell their rulers. And... and now we are at war. Ottaine, do you remember our conversations in the mansion?'

'Those about protecting something that Landhapis wants to destroy? Have I guessed right?' Yaphara's lips clenched.

'What you said matches what Magalla discovered' Ottaine continued. 'We have not been waiting inactively. We know about the secret society, the missing expeditions, that something changed ten years ago, and recently...' she looked at Yrzlaruki, who spoke:

'I have seen smoke over the forest. Two days ago.'

'General Yaphara!' Magalla addressed him. 'I think I figured it out. Yr has seen a sign of a campfire. No scientist would be reckless enough to do something like that so close to the border. Even though it couldn't be seen from the ground, from here. I know about the people who went missing through the centuries. What is there, what your country wants to protect and Landhapis wants to fight is no - she briefly winked at Verlar - a fire-breathing dragon or any other beast. It's people. They had been living in Nogo for at least a few centuries and Landhapis, for whatever reason, didn't want them to get close to us.'

While she was talking the rest was observing Yaphara very diligently. He was getting pale and his eyes showed he's moved by what she was saying.

'Why is Landhapis scared of a wild forest tribe? What weapon or knowledge do they have? You must tell us,' Ottaine demanded.

Yaphara, who has been clamping his hands together and breathing fast now stood up and said:

'It's time to show you. I have three wingfingers with me, two of you can fly with me, I'll take you to the tribe. You must see with your own eyes.'

'I cannot go' Yr said right away. 'I can't leave my soldiers. Ota, you should go.'

Yaphara kept his eyes on Verlar who understood the general wanted him to be the other person.

'I don't know how to fly a dragon,' Magalla helped him make the decision.

'I wanted you to come, Mr Vorgeghom. Ever since I learnt about your expertise and knowledge,' Yaphara said to Verlar, who had no idea how his 'expertise and knowledge' could be relevant but he nodded.

'Let's be quick before the sun goes down.'

They mounted the wingfingers and took off towards the forest. Yaphara was leading in the direction Yrzlaruki saw the smoke. After about twenty minutes of flight at full speed, Yaphara's dragon slowed down and started flying in circles lower and lower looking for something. After a short time, between the treetops, they saw artificial structures like round houses or giant nests made of leaves and twigs.

Yaphara led them a bit further from the settlement and they landed between the trees.

'Now wait,' he said. 'They surely have seen us, they know me well. They'll come to us and you... stay calm.'

In the fading light, five silhouettes started approaching them from the direction of the village. They were all rather short and slim and seemed to wear fitting cloaks with long and narrow trains. Some had hats or crowns embellished with feathers, some were carrying staffs. The closer they were, the stranger they seemed to Ottaine and Verlar. All were bald and were they masks they were wearing? Their feet were misshapen and their hands were extraordinarily elongated with either impossibly long fingers or they were wearing some kind of fitting gloves with prosthetics. Something was not right about them. Something was very far from normal. Yaphara held his hand up in a welcoming gesture towards the approaching group. Now they stepped in the sunset light and the two Solummgerians could see them clearly. Ottaine's scream froze in her throat and she took two steps back in panic, her hand automatically reached to her hip where normally she would carry a weapon. Meantime Verlar watched with astonishment, a divine admiration and he opened his mouth in disbelief. Yaphara put his hand on Ottaine's arm and said 'you had to see'. She calmed down and returned to her senses, staring at the tribe members who came to greet them.

They were not humans. They were dragons.