As Prince Nathan’s closed his eyes waiting for the end of the viking, his other senses took over. Suddenly he heard an animal growl followed by Gart grunting once again in pain. Then there was a lurch and he was free of the giant’s grasp. Only now he was falling! He opened his eyes, expecting to see that he had been thrown over the edge of the mountain at last but, to his relief, he landed on the path just a few feet from Vonkar and Flindee.
To his amazement, they were both still alive and Gart lay sprawled flat on his face in front of them! The polar bear had bitten the giant’s ankle from behind and tripped him just before he had reached the dwarves! In fact, it still had the giants leather ankle wrap and was thrashing it with it’s head like a puppy playing tug of war with a sock.
But Gart was not down for the count. He was only stunned for a moment. They would need to move fast if they were going to get past him before he came to his senses. Already, he was beginning to move his arms under himself.
Nathan jumped to his feet and ran over to help the others who were still tangled together in a heap. For every move the viking would make to free himself, the jester would wiggle the opposite way and send them both down again. The prince grabbed the jester under his arms and dragged him away from Vonkar who leapt to his feet and grabbed up his weapons.
“By the Golden Warrior! This colorful little man is a living net of arms and legs! My thanks to you, warrior! Truly the enemy hath trained his minions well! I should have watched my back better, knowing that I might be outflanked! Now step aside while I dispatch of this back-stabbin’....”
Flindee let out a pathetic scream as the viking lifted his axe, but Nathan stepped between them.
“Wait a minute!” he pleaded. “Flindee is not an enemy! He’s just... confused... and... clumsy. He didn’t mean to trip you. Don’t hurt him!”
Vonkar glared at them both for a moment, his breath coming hard. Then he lowered his axe and a broad smile broke out upon his face! “Well, spoken! You show forth a noble blood in thy veins, defending the weak and powerless. I salute you!”
He banged his axe against his shield in front of him and nodded to the prince in a small bow. Nathan felt himself flush with pride at the honor that was shown to him and once again was glad for the helmet that hid his boyish red face.
Gart moaned as he began to lift himself and Nathan remembered the danger they were in.
“We’ve got to get out of here before he gets back up!”
“D’not be afraid! The enemy is vanquished. And should he rise again, he shall meet with defeat as before.”
“But he’s not alone!” Nathan explained. “There’s a dragon in the cave and...”
“Aye, the dragon. Tis why I came. The beast must be destroyed.” Vonkar turned back toward the cave and began to head for it, when Gart groaned again. He had lifted himself up on his elbows and was shaking his dizzy head.
Flindee whistled.
“Hey, Gart! You alright? That was quite a nasty fall you took!” he walked over and patted the giant’s bald head. “It’s alright, big fella. Q says he’s got some aspirin back in the box. We’ll take care of you. But we better get out of this weather. You remember the last time you stood out in the rain and what that lightning bolt did to your beautiful hair.”
As if to emphasize his point the sky crackled and a bolt of lightning struck a tall pillar of rock on the path in front of the cave! The rock and the ground beneath it, exploded, tumbling down the side of the mountain, nearly taking Vonkar with it in a small land slide. Fortunately, the force of the explosion knocked the viking backwards and away from the falling rocks, but there was know returning to Snagglefang’s cave now. Between them and the entrance was a 15 foot crevice in the side of the mountain that slanted downward at a terrible angle. It was too far to jump and the weather would not allow them to climb across.
Now they truly had nowhere to go.Gart had just regained his senses, still blocking the path down and the weather was only getting worse. Prince Nathan was beginning to think that he would never escape this mountain.
“That does it!” Gart proclaimed. “You little shrimps have really made me mad now! No more mister nice guy! Someone’s getting crushed! And I think I’ll start with you, little howling dog!”
The giant stood and bent over to grab Vonkar, who was still lying on the ground, stunned from the explosion. Nathan felt helpless. Was there no stopping the giant?
But as Gart’s hand wrapped around his hated enemy, there was another growl from behind him and Nathan turned to see Vonkar’s bear once again attack! The loyal animal abandoned the ankles this time in favor of a more prominent target! Gart released Vonkar and leapt into the air with a howl, grabbing for his backside with both hands. The bear did not let go. Gart stomped in circles and brushed at his rear end, trying to knock it loose with no success.
Flindee started to laugh at the comical sight of the bear hanging from the giant’s pants, but the prince had had enough! Calling for the jester to help, he grabbed Vonkar under one arm and began to run for it once again! He knew the bear, as big and ferocious as it was, could not hold the giant for long, but he hoped to get as far ahead as possible before the chase began. The winds were blowing now so hard that the rain was blowing sideways in there faces and Nathan felt like he were in a dream, running in mud that seemed to suck at his feet! It seemed they were getting nowhere fast. Surely Gart would catch up to them at any moment.
Yet, after a few minutes, there was still no sign or sound of him running after them. Finally, Vonkar regained his senses and stopped them.
“Why do we run?” he demanded. “The enemy lies behind us. We must return to face him! And where is Grizzle?”
“Where is what?” Nathan asked.
“Grizzle MacCloud, my faithful friend, and traveling companion. The great northern bruin that carried me into the battle.” Vonkar seemed frustrated with their lack of knowledge. “Surely you saw him when we arrived.”
Suddenly Nathan understood.“Oh, you mean that big white bear of yours. He saved our lives back there, but I don’t know what happened to him after that.”
“What? You mean you just left him to fight alone?” Vonkar pushed them away and turned to go back up the path, but he was still a bit dazed from his fall and the storm winds kept him off balance. He nearly fell as he took a step forward.
The prince couldn’t bare the thought of going back and pleaded with the proud barbarian.
“Vonkar, please! We must get off of this mountain before we are torn to pieces by this storm! You’ve been hurt and Flindee and I are no match for that giant if he catches up to us!”
But the viking would have nothing to do with the idea of running from an enemy or abandoning his bear. The very thought of it made him angry.
“Run if you must, cowards!” He scolded. “But Vonkar the Vocal of Clan Axtagrind will not be daunted by a mere storm or an overmuscled giant!”
“Fine!” Nathan shouted in desparation. “Go fight your giant! Go fight your dragon! Go fight your storm! Go be mister tough guy and fight everything for all I care! I’m going to save my sister! And if you think I’m a coward for doing that, than go ahead! I don’t care! But she’s in trouble somewhere and I’ve taken too long to help her as it is and she could already be...” He couldn’t finish the terrible thought and found that he couldn’t speak either as his throat tightened and he choked back tears.
By this time, Vonkar had stopped and Flindee was crying openly. The jester blew his nose in Quattlebom’s hat, then offered it to the prince for the same purpose. Nathan ignored the offer, too lost in his own emotion, then managed to choke out one last sentence.
“Now I’ve lost my dragon so I don’t even know how I’m even going to find her.”
He felt a strong hand on his shoulder and turned slightly to see Vonkar standing beside him.
“Now don’t worry yourself, lad. We shall find your sister and she shall be fine. If she hath but a wee portion of your pluck and courage, she will be a terrible adversary for any foe."
"Come.” he continued. “Let us leave this evil mountain. Grizzle can handle any giant. He be a fierce bruin with matchless heart. Your fair sister must come first, for there is no honor in abandoning a young lass for even a short time of sport.”
Nathan’s face brightened at the viking’s sudden change and his warm words. Perhaps there was still hope. Vonkar couldn’t fly like Chrysolis, but the prince had no doubt that he could find Nataleigh somehow. The viking seemed to fear nothing and refused to accept failure. Somehow Nathan had to believe they would succeed in finding his sister and rescuing her from whatever danger she faced. Vonkar would accept no other outcome. Nathan decided he wouldn’t either.
With a new determination on his face and Flindee bouncing along beside, he followed his resuer down the mountain. The storm still raged around them, but the dragon’s anger no longer seemed so terrible with friends by his side.
“Whoopee!” Flindee shouted with glee. “On with the Quest!”
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