But the missing cow wasn't the greatest of Hope's worries. There was disagreement in the group on a very serious matter. Some thought they should fill the airship with Dagu's lamp, which still burned faintly, and chance that the cloth would mend itself; others insisted they find a more sure way to fix the holes in the balloon's surface before they tried to fill it with hot air, which, they suggested, should not come from a feebly burning lamp, but a full blown fire, which would fill the ship more quickly, and with hotter air.

"Weather growing bad. Storms beginning to form over water. Soon not be safe to travel. Must get balloon up in sky and sail away as soon as possible! Should trust King Jakin when he say Dagu's vessel will mend self when filled with air from old wizard's lamp," Obil told them severely.

"And if the balloon don't fix itself, what then?" Chester asked. "The dragons not going to wait around until the balloon mends itself. We'll be taking a big chance as is, trying to get the balloon inflated and airborne while the dragon is off on one of its explorations. If we have to wait for that puny fire in the lamp to fill the balloon and some magical healing of the tears to take place, the dragon is sure to come back and discover what we're up to. He's not going to be satisfied with just poking a few holes in the side of your ship this time, you can be sure of that! If he destroys the balloon we'll be stuck here for good, provided he don't kill us that is. I say we find a way to mend the balloon that we know will work. Even if we have to spend the winter here."

"And what of Whittle?" Julian asked, his young voice shrill with emotion. "You can't expect him to stay in that stinky old cave until spring comes!"

"The boy will have to slay the dragon," Clayton said. "I don't know why he didn't do it when he was first taken. He's still got Brent's sword don't he? Why ain't he used it?"

"Not everyone uses violence to solve their problems, Clayton," Hope said. She had no idea who Brent was, or why his sword should be special, but she did understand better than the others how Whittle felt about the dragon.

"Ain't that why the lad come here in the first place; to find a dragon's claw?" Clayton pressed. "There he's got two of 'em right in front of his face, and he ain't got the guts to slay the monster, cut off one of its limbs and save his people from death and destruction."

"Since when have you become so concerned about others, Clayton?" Julian asked, angry, perhaps, because he didn't understand why his brother hadn't killed the dragon either. "I'll bet you've got your eye on the treasure and want Whittle to slay the dragon so you can loot its horde without putting your own neck at risk."

"Now that cuts me to the heart, young Master Julian, it truly does!" the man said as though greatly offended. "After all I done to help you and your brother!"

"Oh, do be quiet!" Hope cried in exasperation. "Your bickering settles nothing. We can't pass the winter here, Chester. There isn't enough food, and Whittle mustn't stay with the dragon any longer than necessary. Every day that passes puts him at greater risk. We must mend the balloon and get off the island as soon as possible."

Later that day Chester presented them with a new idea. "There's no sense in throwing your lives away on the chance that the balloon might 'magically ' fix itself," he told the group as they sat around eating the fish chowder he had prepared. "I got to thinking as I was making me some lures today that perhaps the glue I made to stick the seeds on the fishing hook might hold the balloon's cloth together long enough to get us safely off this island, and across the big water."

"That might work," Alanna said, "But how can we be sure this glue will work on a wizard's balloon? Perhaps it will do more damage than good."

"It's just made up of old fish skins that I boiled and let cool down," the old man explained. "What can be the harm in using something that come from nature on a balloon made by a wizard who claims to be a friend of nature itself?"

"If the balloon was designed to mend itself it might cause a good deal of harm," the girl explained. "May I ask how you discovered this paste, Chester?"

"When I took care of sheep I used to make a glue out of the carcasses of animals that was killed or died from natural causes. When one of the sheep got itself a broken leg, I'd wrap it up with a cloth dipped in my glue and, in time, the leg would heal itself. I figured I could make a glue from fish parts just as well, and found it worked even better than my old sheep's glue."

"Chester!" Hope exclaimed, a sudden idea making her eyes sparkle. "Why can't we use your glue to hold the queen's wing in place until it can mend?"

"It would take more than just spreading glue over the wing," the old man answered soberly. "We'd have to attach something to the surface. A small stick, maybe, to keep her wing in place until it can grow back right. The stick would have to be very delicate, but strong, and the right shape and all," Chester said, as though considering.

"Whittle could do it," Julian announced with confidence. "He used to help Grandmother Irene when she doctored folks. He knows how to set broken bones, and I expect a wing isn't very much different. And if we have to make something to hold the wing in place, Whittle's the best whittler there ever was, that's why folks at home started calling him Whittle instead of Victor!"

"Oh," Alanna chapped her hands together in delight. "How wonderful! Queen Atar will be able to fly home!"

"The trouble with you folks is you've been thinking with your heart instead of your head. Now I feel as sorry for the queen as any on you," Clayton told them, "But in case you've forgotten, Whittle is stuck up the side of a hill in a cave with a dragon. A very possessive dragon, I might add, who ain't going to be happy if Whittle leaves without his permission to play nursemaid to a pixie."

"Whittle needn't leave the cave," Hope said, her mind working quickly. "When the dragon takes off on its nightly hunt, Obil and Tid-Bit can carry the queen to the woods just outside the entrance of the cave. Whittle usually comes out then to take some air," what she didn't add was that her mornings and evenings were spent gazing at the cave's entrance with the hopes that she might catch a glimpse of the young man who she knew often escaped the cave to be among his beloved trees when the dragon wasn't about. "While the monster is gone, Whittle can see to the queen's wing. I shall go at once and tell Tid-Bit the good news."

To Hope's surprise, King Jakin was opposed to the idea.

"No one able to whittle wood fine enough for wing," he pointed out when Hope called him from the fairy-tree and presented her plan to the King of the Fairies. "Even if such a thing be possible, wood be too brittle and easily broken. Not want Queen Atar to get hopes up, or suffer pain that setting broken wing cause only to have wing damaged again. Better to wait and let nature fix wing."

"But, father," Timon, who had been listening with great interest, broke into their conversation, "mother's wing been broken many moons, and not get any better. Timon sure Whittle could fix. Timon trust Whittle."

"Just speak to him, Tid-Bit," Hope added her plea to Timon's. "And see what he has to say."

"All right. To please Hope, Tid-Bit go with Timon to see Whittle after dragon fly away."

"I would like to go with you," Hope told them. "There are a number of things that I need to discuss with the young man," she added, trying not to appear too eager.

"No, not safe," King Jakin said firmly, "Dragon might come back and discover Hope. Pixies can hide easy, big humans not so lucky. If dragon find Hope in cave with Whittle, it become very angry. Better Hope stay with others. Tid-Bit relay message to young man for Hope."

"I would rather talk to him myself," she insisted. "I don't have to enter the cave. I will wait in the woods, and Whittle can come out to talk with me there. Surely that will be safe enough."

"No place safe when dragon nearby," Tid-Bit told her soberly. "If Hope insists on going to cave must start as soon as dragon leaves. IFdragon leave. Sometimes dragon stay in cave all night. Seem very attached to master Whittle. Most unusual."

"He likes his music," Hope said, recalling the melodious tunes that drifted down from the cave.

"More than that," King Jakin said knowingly, but didn't explain further.

"Hope go back to others and get some rest," the king ordered. "Timon fetch Hope when dragon leaves."

As expected, Chester was violently opposed to the idea of Hope returning to the cave. "Ain't no reason for you to be going up there, Hope!" he told her firmly when she informed him that she was going with Tid-Bit and Timon to visit Whittle.

"Yes there is, Chester," she answered proudly. "I promised him I'd be back. And besides, we need to arrange matters for his escape. He must leave as soon as the balloon is ready. We need to be far away from here by the time the dragon returns."

"If I can be so bold as to make a suggestion," Clayton said, though neither Hope nor Chester had intended to include the man who sat on a nearby log in their conversation. "I say we'd be wise to leave Whittle behind, and send some of your father's knights along to rescue him once you get safely back home."

"What a preposterous idea!" Hope snapped. "There's no way we're going to leave anyone behind, unless it is a heartless lout, who has no loyalty, or common concern for his fellowman."

"I knew you was going to say that, but you best be considering the facts and exercise a little common sense," the older man said soberly. "What you think is going to happen when the dragon returns and finds his minstrel has flown the coop? He'll come after him, that's what, and chances are this time he'll do more than pop a few holes in the side of a balloon."

"Much as I hate to agree with Clayton, he does have a point, Hope," Chester said soberly.

"You can't mean you want to leave Whittle behind!" Hope cried, vexed and shocked that Chester should side with Clayton.

"No. We can't do that. It would be the death of him," the old man hastened to explain. "What I mean to say is, much as I loath the thought, it looks like we're going to have to slay Garreth's son before we leave."

"Now you're talking!" Clayton said with a wide grin that sent a shiver up Hope's spine.

Dragon's Claw Book One
Price $12.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
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Prince Adam returns home to find his father, the King, gravely ill, some say dying. Feeling unprepared for the duties of kingship, and unhappy about a proposed marriage between himself and a rather plain princess, Adam makes a plea to the Powers that be for guidance and help. Adam then falls into a deep sleep and awakes in an unfamiliar land full of sinister foes and wild men. Yet it is one of these wild men that takes Adam under his wing and teaches the young prince what it takes to be a real leader. Charles M. Clark has written this book for older children and teens, but older folks enjoy it as well. All Antelope Publishing's fantasy books are browser readable and come on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains TWO books. One book with music and special electronic enhancements, and one book without, for times when a quieter read is desired. For more information about browser readable e-books CLICK HERE

The Making of a King
Price $9.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

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