I tried to run as fast as I could, but no matter how quickly I made each bound it seemed as if I wasn't getting anywhere. I looked to the right and left, just reminding me how visible I was. My lungs felt like they were about to burst and my knees felt ready to buckle.
I collapsed as soon as I reached the other end of the field, dragging myself under some brush as my heart pounded in my chest. Just seconds after getting covered another dragon flew over the mountain. I waited for it to look at me, to spot me in my shabby hiding spot, but it never did. I finally relaxed as it made it past the grove, my strength returning as my fear was momentarily abated.
I hadn't accomplished my goal yet either, and there were still plenty of chances to be seen. From my position it was hard to see a best route, so I just had to go from place to place, trying to leave as little distance as possible between hiding places.
I saw a number of dragons fly out while I was slowly making my way up the side of the mountain, but luckily none of them saw me. Whether I was really well covered or just lucky I didn't know, but I wasn't seen all the same. And just halfway up I found the perfect cover: a cave. Relieved to find somewhere I could finally be completely out of view, I headed into the cave.
I didn't have to venture very far into the cave before I realized that I had a serious problem if I wanted to attempt crossing the mountain through the cave: I had no light. I looked outside. There was a tree out there, but I was worried about how long it would burn. Still, I knew I had a better trying to start a fire, so I headed out and broke off some branches. After just a few minutes I had a fire going. Breaking off a greenish branch I stuck it in the fire, just waiting for it to light. Before long my makeshift torch was alight, allowing me to put out the main fire and proceed into the cave.
Inside I could hear the dripping of water, feel the cold wet air on my face. The jumping fire revealed many shadows in the dark. The air seemed to smother me as I went, forbidding as anything on this journey had been.
Pressing deeper into the cave revealed that I wasn't the only one who had attempted the cave. Charred bones and sometimes whole skeletons were scattered along my path, showing evidences of those who had also tried to do as I was. Many of them had brought swords or other weapons--curious things to have for those trying to get their own dragon to ride. Had they been trying to seek vengeance as I was?
After countless hours of practically feeling my way through the cave I came to a fork in the path. Exhausted and exasperated, I fell to the ground in despair--had I really come all this way just to die in the mountain? And as if to mock my desperate situation my torch, which had been barely holding fire to it, went out. I rolled to my side and curled up--what a fool I had been!
Through the darkness I heard a sound, though--my last hope. I could just make out the sound of rushing water down the path to the left. Pushing myself to my hands and knees I felt my way along the cold, rocky ground along the path, narrowly avoiding several drops before my hand finally felt the wetness of the river. I just had to follow it downstream and I'd surely be out soon.
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