Chapter 29: Mastery Of Tongues Part 2

"So you're doing all this..." Njrea looked up at him, "to fight against slavery?"

"That is not - " A shadow swept over the moon, then another. Trals un-slung Vritai, whistling for Srav.

"What is it?" Njrea looked up. The beasts in the sky were invisible now.

"Your fire has opened opportunities for many hunters," said Trals, "now be still and - ah. Do you see them?"

She could hardly miss them. Red ember-light lit the quetzalcoatls as they circled again. Wings like the sails of pirate skiffs bellied out, and wind twisted around Trals's hair. The giant fliers dropped to the Face of God, full of coordinated, deadly intent. No sooner had clawed hands and feet dug into the clay than beaks snapped out. Those toothless pincers, longer than Trals was tall, rose against the moonlight, and let a half-baked monitor lizard slide into the animal's attenuated gullet.

"Holy fuck."

"Speak softly, I said."

"The skull Shra was wearing?"

"One of their young."