2: New Heights

Ulana felt flushed as she kept pace with the other three Firbolg. She glanced at the three young men as they ran. It would be way nicer keeping this pace dressed as they were, without shirt and just short bottoms and weapons harness. Neverwinter wood was just too hot in the summer. Mother would turn her nose when she got back home she was sure. They came out near a small clearing below the cliff face. Luscan waved his spear out to slow her. The four of them them slowed taking in the sight of the cliff side.
 
“Over there.” Yelfaren said pointing to the northeast. Several hundred feet in the sky two Wyvern clung to each other in a mass of wings, claws, and stingers that dripped venom profusely. “Why are they so quite?” Ulana asked after a few moments watching. “They are fighting over territory.” Luscan responded. “They seek to put some of their venom in the others mouth to disgust and humiliate it. They also spread it around the area to mark their territory like dogs.” The other two young Firbolg made crude jokes and laughed over this but Luscan gave the childish humor little heed. Oh how she admired his maturity and knowledge. As a northern kin he was so much more traveled and knowledgeable than she was. And he didn't have to set in lectures like she did. He always had the most fascinating details. Hmmmm She better stop staring though or he would notice. She turned her eyes back toward the Wyvern.
 
“I bet you we could get the eggs while they are distracted” Yelfaren said. “That would be dangerous. We should leave that to the hunters.” Luscan said shaking his head. “I could make it” she piped up. Luscan just smiled kindly at her. The other two laughed though. “You wouldn’t make it halfway up the cliff” Yelfaren chided. Ulanas brow furrowed and she could feel her lips purse. “Ulana you wouldn’t be able to find handholds” Balsalor said. “You two are ruder than an Orcs ass and just as much a coward. I could do it twice as fast as you.” She heard herself respond through her building embarrassment and anger. She looked up at the cliff. It seemed big. She wondered how the face was. “Prove it” Yelfaren challenged. Ulana turned her head toward him and glared at him. She threw her spear to the side and shrugged the hand off her shoulder Luscan had tried to slow her with. She could hear him sigh and that just made her more angry.
 
...
 
After a while climbing she was finally up at the perch. He hands were a little scrapped and bloodied but she felt a rush of victory. There was a bit of a cave past the ledge. She entered and soon found the nest, and there two eggs the size of a small melon each. Carefully she picked one up and clutched it to her chest. Abyss...She should have taken a sack up with her. How would she get it down? She loosened the straps across her top and carefully slid the egg under her jerkin. This will make it difficult to climb but she didn’t have a better idea and the two wyvern out there wouldn’t stay at each other forever.
 
Just as she started to descend she heard a not too distant shriek of anger from the beast and felt her stomach knot in fear. If it was shrieking then the fight was over! She looked down at the tree tops below. She was sure it would reach her before she could get down… “Ulana, leave it & flee!” she could hear Luscan call from below. She lifted herself back up to the ledge and turned to face the beast. It was drawing larger much too fast she thought before even getting the egg out. She didn’t even have her spear. Curses Yelfaren.
 
Ulana backed up toward the cave trying to find somewhere to go. She could see the blur that was the Wyvern growing and knew it would be on her soon. There was a clatter on the stone floor as a spear shalf with silk rope attached hit the cave floor and started to slide back toward the ledge. She quickly stepped on it and hefted it up. Jamming the spear into a cleft between rocks she grabbed the rope and made for the edge. The creatures cries of anger were getting much too loud. She quickly spun herself over the edge and started sliding down as quickly as she could. She cried out in pain as the rope burned quickly through the flesh of her palm in the fast decent, desperately trying not to lose her grip on the rope as adrenaline pounded in her ears.
 
Halfway down and the creature was above her, its large talons clawing at her shoulder and head. One caught and ripped across her face, clouding her vision with blood. Its other claw sunk into her shoulder holding her from going lower on the rope that her bleeding hands clung to. She let out a cry of frustration. She could hear the young men below her shouting but couldn’t make out what they were calling with the noise and commotion around her head. In desperation Ulana lifted her weight up and planted her feet against the cliff side wall. With all of her strength she shoved straight out into the air. She felt the Wyvern claw tearing as she ripped herself from it’s grasp and flung her body out into the air. As she fell she folded her body around the egg before crashing into the tree top below. Branches ripped past her tearing at her limbs and head as she broke the limbs falling through them. Then there was darkness.
 
....
 
Her head hurt. She could only open one eye. Why was there a bandage around her head? Oh that’s right. Oh, it burned like the nine hells! She tried to look around but someone was placing a damp cloth over her forehead and telling her to rest. Mother? Father? No… that was the boy from the north. Oh her head hurt, her hands hurt, her back hurt…what didn’t hurt? She remembered Yelfaren and let out a painful slow laugh. That did feel better though she thought...She relaxed her neck as the hands worked on the bandages over her face and passed back out.