Jane ran, the mist of her breaths trailing behind her. She had to get back, she had to warn the others. Her foot slipped over a pebble on the rough forest path and brought her crashing to one knee, the impact jarring through her and sparking an instant throbbing pain in her head.

She did not cry out but staggered to her feet, ignoring the trickle of blood running down her leg. There was no time, she had to run.

She had to get back to the camp.

To Gunther.

She burst into the clearing ten minutes later and doubled over, gasping for breath.

"Jane, what is it?" Gunther was beside her instantly, his hand on her shoulder.

He had been watching for her, then.

"They know," she panted. "They are coming."

Gunther cursed. "How soon?" he asked, his grip tightening.

"Within the hour," Jane replied, looking up to meet his eyes.

One second passed, or perhaps two, but it was all they needed.

"Lord Lillico," Gunther yelled, straightening. "Lord Lillico, a moment!"

He drew Jane towards the fire as several knights stood, taking in their serious faces.

"What is it?" asked Sir Tane, one hand reaching for his sword by instinct.

"The enemy," replied Gunther. "They know our location and are bearing down upon us."

The other knights muttered to one another, uneasy.

"Says who?" demanded Sir Pryor loudly. "The hysterical female?" He shouldered his way to the front of the group, glaring down at Jane. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked mockingly.

"I was scouting in the woods," said Jane, keeping her voice level although her hands balled into fists. "I came across some enemy outriders who had stopped to relieve themselves. They were talking and I heard their plans." She raised her voice so the other knights could hear. "They know where our camp is and they are coming in force to slay us as we sleep."

"How soon?" asked Sir Tane.

"We have less than an hour, Sir," replied Jane.

"Pfft, then within the hour we will see that this is simply the ranting of a hysterical girl who jumps at shadows," scoffed Sir Pryor loudly.

"Call her that again and you will not have to wait an hour for your death, Sir," said Gunther evenly.

"Is that a threat?" Pryor reached for his sword.

"A caution, Sir Pryor. Jane does not respond to pleas for mercy."

Jane rolled her eyes as Sir Pryor turned an unappealing shade of red.

"I would never beg that scrawny bi-" he thundered, only to be cut off by Lord Lillico as he and his knights joined the small group at the fire.

"What is going on here?" Lillico asked mildly, as though he had not just interrupted Sir Pryor in the act of drawing his sword.

Jane stood squarely to address him. "The enemy knows of our location, my Lord, and are on route to attack us."

He frowned. "You are certain?"

"I heard two of their men discuss it," said Jane.

"Did they see you?"

"No, my Lord. I thought it best not to alert them that we know."

"A coward's actions!" scoffed Sir Pryor.

"A wise choice," said Lord Lillico. "Because of Sir Jane we may yet see dawn. Well done." He nodded to her.

Jane smiled back, pleased. She and Gunther had been riding with Lillico and his men for almost a month, passing through the allied kingdoms to gather knights to march with them. They had been fifty in number upon departing from Kippernium after adding Jane and Gunther to their ranks, and now numbered closer to two hundred. Lord Lillico led them all with a level head and the wisdom of experience, impressing Jane greatly.

Gunther elbowed Jane in the ribs and she spared him a brief smirk. He had been trying to impress their leader since they had set out.

Neither of them were foolish enough to think that they had been added to the army because of their reputations. What were two young knights when some kingdoms gave thirty? No, Kippernium had been considered for one reason only.

"What about the dragon? He would make short work of them!" suggested one of the knights from the Kingdom of Seven Lakes. Jane did not know his name.

"Yes, let us summon the dragon to set the trees alight and roast us all!" one of Lord Lillico's knights laughed.

Jane did not disagree, this was not a good area for Dragon to join in the battle. He was safely out of reach of the enemy, following the troops but sticking to the mountain ranges unless summoned by Jane.

"We will take the enemy by surprise," said Lord Lillico. "Archers will be positioned in the trees, a few good men will wait by the fire to lure the enemy in and the rest of you will be waiting in the trees to swarm them from the rear."

It was a good plan, simple but sure to be effective. Lillico selected the men who would remain 'on watch' by the fire; mostly his own knights but a few others, all strong fighters Jane noticed approvingly.

Gunther was to join the archers in the trees surrounding the clearing that housed their camp and take out the enemy troops as they rushed in. Jane would be on foot with the rest, rushing in from the woods.

"Wake the men who still sleep and get organised," instructed Lord Lillico. "Time is of the essence!"

Jane hurried to her tent, removing several pieces of light armour from her pack and strapping them on.

"You know what this means, do you not?" asked Gunther as he joined her, assisting her with the buckles.

Jane nodded. "There is a traitor among us."

"Who, do you think?" asked Gunther, his mouth set in a grim line as he surveyed the camp full of men stirring into wakefulness. "Sir Pryor?"

Jane laughed drily. "I like the man no more than you do, Gunther, but let us not give him undue credit for intelligence."

Gunther gave her a wry smile before tugging her helmet into place. "Be careful out there, Jane, and watch your back."

"I will," she promised, watching as he gathered his bow and arrows, then his sword and dagger.

"For when I run out of arrows," he told her, tucking a second knife into his boot. "I have my eye on that oak," he pointed across the camp site. "I will have a lovely clear shot right through to the fire."

"It looks good," said Jane, encouragingly.

They stood in silence for several moments, as soldiers hurried all around them.

"We have never fought apart before, have we?" asked Gunther, his tone conversational, but Jane heard the meaning of his words.

"No, we have not," she said, unable to keep her voice as light as his. He had always been the better liar.

"Well, we will compare notes when all is done," said Gunther, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "Stay safe, Jane, and I will find you when I can."

"You too," she replied as he began strolling towards his chosen tree. "All will be well."

All was not well.

Somehow the plan had fallen into disarray, the enemy had not been surprised in the clearing but had instead turned on the troops waiting in the woods.

Jane dodged another blow and her attacker's sword lodged itself in the bark of a tree instead of her head. Jane ran him through without hesitating, before spinning around at the sound of a twig snapping behind her.

It was Sir Pryor, or what was left of him. He staggered towards her, the bloody stump of his sword arm, severed at the shoulder, weeping his life onto the dirt.

Jane stepped aside to avoid him and he crashed into the tree, his body falling onto the enemy she had just slain.

Distracted, she almost missed the sound of a sword swinging towards her, the flat of the blade striking her left shoulder as she dodged, her arm numbed by the glancing blow. She gripped her sword in her right hand and struck as the knight regained his footing, her blade slicing easily through his armour.

What was armour to a sword that could slay a dragon?

The knight gaped in soundless surprise as Jane kicked him back off her sword, and was dead before he hit the ground.

It was close quarters combat, moving through trees, over roots and under branches, and Jane's small stature served her well. She dispatched several more enemies who never saw her coming as she made her way back to the camp, and fought off another as she entered the clearing. They were outnumbered, and she had not seen an ally since Pryor.

She stumbled into the open ground, expecting a massacre, but instead found stillness and silence.

There were a few bodies by the fire, but it seemed the fighting was contained to the woods. She spun around seeking out Gunther's oak tree, and quickly saw it, and him standing below.

He saw her too, and blood ran down his chin when he smiled.

"Oh, no. No no!"

She took off at a run, almost tripping over a body at the base of the tree in her haste to reach him. It was one of Lord Lillico's men, with Gunther's dagger in his neck.

Gunther did not stand, so much as hang from the sword that impaled him against the oak.

"Jane," he said, his words gurgling with blood. "You all right?"

"What happened?" gasped Jane, horrified as she took in the damage. "Gunther you-"

"Lillico," said Gunther, hatred in his voice. "His men . . . turned on us."

"No," said Jane again. "No, surely-"

"Jane, listen." Gunther coughed, spraying blood.

Jane pressed her hands to his chest, either side of the sword. Blood oozed thickly over her fingers.

"Gunther, what can I do? What can I do?" Panic crept into her voice.

He was going to die.

"Jane," Gunther smiled, raising a hand to her cheek. "Do not . . . get hysterical."

Jane laughed out a sob, clutching Gunther's tunic tightly. "He lost his arm. Pryor. He is dead."

"Good," said Gunther. "Now . . listen. There is no . . . hope. For me . . ."

"No!"

"Luh-listen. No hope for any . . . of us. You must . . . go. Find Dragon. Show these bastards . . . what a knight of . . . Kippernium can do."

"But Gunther, you . . ."

"Will . . . watch them . . . burn, Jane."

Jane looked at him, at his pale face, the pain that creased his brows, the tears that shimmered in his eyes.

"All right," she said.

Gunther smiled, eyes closing. "Thank . . . you."

"Gunther," Jane brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, smearing his own blood in its place.

"Ja-ane," he sighed.

Moonlight shimmered against the sword and Jane looked up, to the open night sky through the top of the oak.

She looked at Gunther once more, committing his face to memory as though it wasn't already etched there. She thought of all the things he had left to accomplish, of all that they had yet to do. Together.

Then she climbed the oak and summoned her Dragon.

When the morning light touched the earth all that remained was ashes and a smoke smudged sky.