The man was speaking again, but Maev couldnβt much focus on what he was saying. The pain was growing far too great, threatening to drag her under again. She gritted her teeth, breathing shallowly to avoid the burning in her sides. With bleary eyes she glanced at Zafer, blinking several times as she finally processed what Zafer was saying. Did she live nearby, heβd asked? Well, that was a loaded question if Maev had ever heard one. Did she live nearby? She wasnβt sure. She didnβt even know where she was. Tazi probably did, but the bond was still silent, and he wasnβt answering.
She had a general idea of where they were, considering they hadnβt been flying long, but she wasnβt sure where exactly theyβd been attacked and where sheβd been knocked out of the sky. Somewhere over a forest clearly, since that was where she now found herself, but she was still uncertain of where this forest was. βI donβt know,β she wheezed to Zafer. βI donβt know where we are now, so I canβt tell you if I live nearby.β It was doubtful though; theyβd been flying for about an hour, but Tazi was among the fastest dragons sheβd ever seen fly. He could cover quite some distance in an hour.
Before Zafer could respond, the Dragoness was moving rather suddenly. Her wing unfurled without warning, the pale surface covering and shielding Maev and Zafer. Zafer fell silent and Maev guessed the Dragoness had communicated to him. It was clear the two were bonded, so she wasnβt surprised at Zaferβs calm lack of reaction. She flinched slightly at the sudden appearance of the wing, peering up at the pale membrane and studying it for a moment. It was identical in structure to Tazirβs wings, if a bit larger; she could see countless veins criss-crossing the surface, providing oxygenated blood necessary for the thin membrane to function. Though she couldnβt see them, she also knew how innervated the wing was. The nerves in a Dragonβs wing allowed them to sense minute changes in air pressure and wind speed. Those highly sensitive wings are what made dragons such fantastic fliers, since they could sense even the tiniest change in the air.
A tense moment passed before the Dragoness pulled her wing back to her flank, releasing a plume of smoke. The Dragoness was studying Maev now, and Maev studied her as well, despite the pain that was assaulting her. It was getting even harder to think around the fog and she could feel the darkness creeping in at the edges of her mind, like an inky shadow. Another tense moment passed, during which Maev assumed Dragon and Rider were communicating with each other, but she was far too concerned with the state of her own body to really pay attention. She couldnβt even guess at all the injuries sheβd sustained, but at he very least her right hip was broken, her ribs were cracked, and she was probably a little concussed, though the symptoms of that hadnβt yet set in.
βThere is something dangerous near. Moro sensed them,β Zager told her, βand we need to move. If you want, you can come along. She offered to let you ride if you would like to come along.β
Maevβs green eyes scanned the manβs face, then shifted to the Dragoness. βIt would be an honor, noble Dragoness,β she rasped. She winced. βI do not think I can stand, however. My hip was injured in the fa- the accident.β