The ship rocked in the wind created by the vast wings and the air stank of their foetid breath.

D’Averc frowned. “Why are they not attacking? Are they playing a game with us?”

“It seems likely.” Hawkmoon spoke between clenched teeth. “Maybe it pleases them to play with us for a while before destroying us.”

As a great shadow descended, D’Averc leapt up and slashed at a creature which had flapped into the air again before D’Averc’s feet returned to the deck. He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh! The stink! It can do my lungs no good.”

Now, one by one, each of the creatures descended and

struck the ship a few thwacks with its leathery wings. The ship shuddered. Men screamed as they were flung from the rigging to the deck. Hawkmoon and D’Averc staggered, clinging to the rail to save themselves from toppling.

“They’re turning the ship!” D’Averc cried in puzzlement. “We’re being forced round!”

Hawkmoon stared grimly at the terrifying monsters and said nothing. Soon the ship had been turned by about eighty degrees. Then the beasts rose higher into the sky, wheeling above the ship as if debating their next action. Hawkmoon looked at their eyes, trying to discern intelligence there, trying to discover some hint of their intentions, but it was impossible. The creatures began to flap away until they were far to sternward. And then they began to come back.

In formation the beasts flapped their wings until such a wind was created that Hawkmoon and D’Averc could no longer keep their footing and they were pressed down to the planks of the deck.

The sails of the ship bent in this wind and D’Averc cried out in astonishment. “They’re driving the ship the way they want it to go! It’s incredible!”

“We’re heading towards Amarehk,” Hawkmoon said, struggling to rise. “I wonder…”

“What can their diet be?” D’Averc shouted. “Certainly they eat nothing intended to sweeten the breath! Phew!”

Hawkmoon grinned in spite of their plight.

The crew were now all huddled in the oar-wells, staring up fearfully at the monstrous reptiles as they flapped overhead, filling the sails with wind.

“Perhaps their nest is in this direction,” Hawkmoon suggested. “Perhaps their young are to be fed and they prefer live meat?”

D’Averc looked offended. “What you say is likely, friend Hawkmoon. But it was still tactless of you to suggest it…”

Again Hawkmoon gave a wry grin.

“There’s a chance, if their nests are on land, of get

ting to grips with them,” he said. “On the open sea we had no chance of survival at all.” “You’re optimistic, Duke of Koln …”

For more than an hour the extraordinary reptiles propelled the ship over the water at breakneck speed. Then at last Hawkmoon pointed ahead, saying nothing.

“An island!” exclaimed D’Averc. “You were right about that, at any rate!”