Saxon Andrew - Juliette's dream

Bleath started laughing and the four elders joined him. Bleath said through his laughter, “You need not worry about flying. Even if they fall, they will not fall far.”

Samuel said, “The fair-haired one means a lot to our community. His heart is our heart. He is his mother’s child. We would all suffer if he came to harm.”

Bleath felt the emotions of the gathered two-legs and knew that something great had begun this night. He looked up at the two full moons and wondered, “Where is this strange alliance going to take us?”

Scotty and Jingo lifted with the Zord and gained altitude quickly. The two Zord warriors carrying them circled the gathered community below and they saw the gathered assembly praying for their safety with lowered heads. Scotty heard the Zord he was riding say in his mind, “They think highly of you.”

Scotty held the binding tightly, trying not to give in to his fear, and said, “Why do you say that?”

The Zord sent the thoughts of the community to Scotty and he was humbled, “I never knew they felt that way.”

“Such veneration is a great gift, Little One.”

“I know. I just hope I can live up to their belief in me.”

The Zord didn’t want to like this small creature, but couldn’t help himself. ‘My name is Zreeg, and I’ll be responsible for your safe arrival. I sense your fear but even if you fall, I’ll not allow you to come to harm. Relax and feel the motion of my wings. It will be easier if you look around and not straight down.”

Scotty closed his eyes and felt the Zord’s muscled wings flapping and gliding in the wind currents. He was right. He moved with the fluid motion of the flight and felt his stiffness disappear. He looked over at Jingo flying on the other warrior next to him and saw that he wasn’t holding the binding with two of his hands. Jingo appeared to love flying. He was a natural. “Tell me about the attacks on your nests. I would think that your full grown warriors could take on any Torg.”

“We can kill the Torg out in the open, but our nests must be under the cover of trees. It is too dense for us to fly. On the ground, even our largest warriors are in danger of the Torg herds. We can handle two or three, but they attack with huge numbers.”

“Why don’t you build the nests out in the open?”

“Our newborn’s skins cannot tolerate direct sunlight until they harden and start shifting color. That normally takes four weeks. The sun would kill them if they are left in the open.”

“Couldn’t you have an adult over them to keep them in a shadow?”

The Zord thought and said, “It still wouldn’t work. The Torg would attack in huge numbers and the adult would have to lift off the ground to use talons and teeth. The direct rays of the sun would blind the babies for life. They must remain is darkness for one moon. We have tried everything and the Torg seem to know our weaknesses. We rule the air, but they control the ground. We even tried to build the nests in trees but the babies can’t fly, and just as many died from falling when the Torg charged the trees to shake them.”

Scotty thought and didn’t want to ask but had to know, “How many survive?”

The Zord sighed mentally and said, “We were once lucky if a hundred out of the thousands live. Now, none survive.”

Scotty was shocked. “When do your eggs start hatching?”

“In seven days. The Torg herds are already massing outside the forest’s edge.”

Scotty looked over at Jingo standing on the warriors back holding on with one hand laughing and wondered if they could help in the little time that remained. We’ll soon know.

The flight to the Zord’s nesting grounds took more than eight hours, and Scotty estimated that they had covered more than four hundred miles. As they approached, Scotty saw three tall mountain peaks next to the Zord’s land. They were beautiful as the snow on top reflected the rising sun’s brilliance. They arrived just after daybreak and Zreeg said, “Hold on, we’re going down.”

Scotty gripped the binding and held on as they dived toward the ground far below. Zreeg flared his wings and came in on all four legs. Scotty used the binding to dismount and followed Zreeg into the forest. Jingo ran up and said, “That was amazing. I now have a new love.”

Scotty looked at him and Jingo said, “Flying. Cezee says we’ll go up again this afternoon to see the Torg herds.”

“Jingo, the Zord are forced to keep their nests in the shade of trees. The adults lose their mobility in the trees and even the adults are in danger from the number of Torg attacking their nesting ground. The herds overwhelm them.”

Jingo followed the two warriors into the forest and saw they had difficulty moving between the giant trees. “They’re not going to be able to help us.”

Scotty nodded.

“How many Torg are we talking about here?”

Scotty looked at Jingo and said, “Thousands.”

Jingo thought about that vision and finally said, “The Torg don’t have much room to maneuver, either.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“First, let’s go see the nests. I’ll know more after that.”

Bleath was waiting as the two walked into the nesting ground and saw them staring at the thousands of eggs in the forest. Jingo went to the first line of nests and started walking around the perimeter of the site. Scotty went with him and Bleath turned to the warrior that had carried Scotty. “Well?”

“Great Leader, the two-leg is determined to help us. I saw his thoughts and he is pure in his spirit. I see that he is deferring to the four arms for the plan to defend our hatchlings.”

Bleath watched the two strange creatures walk around the nesting ground talking to themselves. “Do you think they can help?”

The warrior shook his head, “I have no idea. I’ve spoken with Vring and he seems to think they can. I’m hoping he’s right.”

“So are we all.”

Jingo and Scotty arrived back where they had begun their walk and Scotty said, “We’re going to lose some newborns.”

Jingo nodded slowly and said, “We need them to move the outer nests into the center of the nesting ground. Do you think they will do as we ask?”

Scotty shrugged and turned toward Bleath. He walked up to the Huge Zord, “We need you to bring the outer nests into the center of the nesting ground. We must have a smaller area to defend.”

“If we do that, we could lose them all.”

Scotty shook his head and replied, “I am not willing to leave any of your hatchlings in danger. We cannot defend this large an area successfully. As it is, many will die and it will be the ones on the outer edge. I’m not willing to let them die.”

Bleath sensed the two-leg’s determination. He worried that if he gave in to their request, the Torg would attack the smaller area in a giant mass. The Zord had been able to save some of the hatchlings by making the Torg attack easier prey. As they stood among the trees considering the plan, six giant Torg rushed at full speed out of the trees seeking to make a meal of the Zord on the ground. Bleath turned and saw that four of the six were charging him and he had no chance of lifting among the trees. He braced himself and saw death coming.

Scotty and Jingo brought their bowguns up and fired six arrows faster than the Zord could comprehend. All six charging Torg were hit and died before they hit the ground. Jingo turned and fired six more arrows at six other Torg attacking from behind. All twelve Torg were twitching on the ground in less than six seconds. Scotty held his bowgun at his cheek and scanned the surrounding forest. Jingo ran forward and jumped on top of the biggest Torg and also scanned the forest.