Emberwood Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3: The First Flight of Zed

The late morning sun bathed Glittering Meadows in a golden glow, its warmth seeping into the earth and the soft grass beneath Ariel's bare feet. The meadow stretched endlessly before her, a living tapestry of colors. Fluffy flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their soft petals drifting skyward like tiny clouds whenever disturbed. Flutterbies—small, iridescent creatures with wings like liquid rainbows—dotted the landscape, flitting between the blooms as if they were painting the air with joy.

Ariel and Zed were in the heart of it all, playing as though the world was theirs alone. Ariel’s laughter rang out, mingling with Zed’s occasional snorts as they chased each other through the meadow. She leaped for a flutterby just ahead, her fingers brushing its delicate wing before it darted away. “Almost got you!” she giggled, turning to see Zed rolling in the soft grass, his hooves kicking up fluffy petals in a cascade of white and gold.

“Haha, Zed, you’re such a silly Uni!” she said, clapping her hands. Her song came unbidden, flowing like the streams around them, and Zed’s tiny horn began to glow in rhythm with her melody. The light pulsed, soft at first, then brighter with every note she sang. Zed’s mane rippled, the strands shimmering as if touched by the magic of her voice. This was her gift—passed down through the women in her family—a connection to unicorns through song, a language that only they and their bonded humans could understand.

Zed’s horn glowed brighter still, and for a moment, he lifted slightly off the ground, his wings trembling in anticipation. At just a year old, Zed wasn’t ready for full flight yet. Unicorns could only fly when their magic matured, which happened around age ten. By then, their wings were strong, and their horns flowed with enough power to lift them gracefully into the skies. For now, Zed’s attempts at flight were just playful bounds, but they filled Ariel with pride. She felt certain that Zed was destined for greatness.

Their joy, however, had carried them farther than either realized. They were well beyond the barn now, the distant rooftops of the ranch obscured by the swaying grass and flower-laden trees. Lost in their own world of laughter and magic, they didn’t notice the subtle rustle in the grass behind them—a rustle that grew ever closer.

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In the tall grass, the wyvern moved silently, its black, scale-covered body blending seamlessly with the shadows. It had been frustrated by the escape of its earlier prey, the little bunny, but now its golden eyes gleamed with triumph. The sounds of laughter and song were irresistible, the scent of young magic in the air even more so. The wyvern crept closer, its wings tucked tight to its body, every movement calculated. Its long tail swayed behind it, and it held its breath, savoring the anticipation of the feast to come.

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Ariel jumped for another flutterby, missing by a hair, and landed in a fit of giggles. Zed snorted, his glowing horn bright enough to cast faint beams of light through the grass. They were still laughing when it happened—a sharp burst of wind and the explosive crash of tall grass being parted by something enormous.

Ariel spun around, her laughter caught in her throat. Zed’s glowing horn dimmed as his instincts kicked in. From the grass rose the wyvern, its black scales glistening in the sunlight like polished obsidian. Smoke curled from its nostrils, and its golden eyes gleamed with malicious intent. It lunged, jaws wide and razor-sharp teeth ready to snap shut, but Ariel and Zed dove out of the way just in time.

The wyvern’s maw slammed into the ground with a thud, its teeth crunching down on nothing but dirt and flowers. It spat and shook its head, frustrated. Ariel grabbed Zed’s reins, her voice trembling. “Run! Into the forest! Go, go!”

Together, they dashed toward the tree line, the wyvern snarling behind them. It crouched low, its long body disappearing into the grass like a stalking predator, and gave chase. Despite their head start, the wyvern’s speed was unmatched. It was gaining on them, the ground trembling with each powerful stride.

Zed stopped abruptly, skidding to a halt. Ariel turned, panicked. “Zed, no! Keep running!”

But Zed didn’t move. His eyes locked on the wyvern as it loomed closer. Smoke poured from the creature’s nostrils as it snorted, almost laughing at the small unicorn standing its ground. With a roar that shook the meadow, the wyvern lunged, its jaws wide open and fangs gleaming.

Zed whinnied, a sound that started as fear but grew into something fierce and powerful. His horn glowed, brighter than Ariel had ever seen, and in an instant, a shimmering, translucent bubble appeared around them. The bubble wavered like a mirage, but it held firm.

The wyvern collided with the bubble at full force, its jaws snapping shut against the magical barrier. The impact sent a deafening crack through the air, as loud as a giant oak splitting in two. The wyvern screamed, a high-pitched, piercing hiss that made Ariel cover her ears. It writhed on the ground, its powerful tail lashing as it tried to recover from the collision.

Ariel turned to Zed, ready to praise him, but her smile vanished. The force of the wyvern’s attack had knocked him back into the trees. His small body was trembling, and he struggled to stand. “Zed!” she cried, running to him.

He nickered weakly, his flank bruised from the impact. Without thinking, Ariel crouched down and lifted him onto her back. He was heavier than she expected, his weight pressing into her shoulders, but she gritted her teeth. “Come on, boy, we need to go.”

The wyvern, still writhing, began to recover, its golden eyes narrowing in fury. Ariel didn’t wait to see what it would do next. She turned and ran into the forest, the cool shade swallowing them as they disappeared among the trees.