"Captain."

David looked up from his desk. William stood before him. "Lieutenant. What’s up?"

"The sentries spotted dragons on the horizon."

"Plural? How many?" asked David.

"Looks like an entire wing," said William.

David let out a breath. "Man, the king must really want these woods."

"Looks that way."

"Alright," said David. "Let’s go greet our heroic returning general."

William cracked a smile and followed David out of the tent.

Nahash landed. The other dragons circled above. The general climbed down from the dragons back. David and William bowed.

"I brought reinforcements," said the general.

"So I see," said David.

"We’ll need six more dragon-sized tents put up," said the general.

"I’ll see to it, sir."

"Good," said the general. "Also see to it that your men are ready to re-enter the forest in three days."

David bowed and left with William. Nahash returned to the sky.

Regulus hovered before him. He had golden scales like his cousin, the king. What’s the plan, general?

There’s no point in taking our army in there, said Nahash. The natives know the terrain. They could ambush them a hundred times.

Hassan’s dark blue scales looked black under the setting sun. A forest isn’t the best place for a phalanx formation, he said.

No, said Nahash. It is not.

Parvaneh had scales of every color, in a spiral pattern. What about the previous plan? he asked. They’ve shown they won’t stand by while we fell timber. We can make them come to us.

That didn’t work out so well before, said Nahash.

Mahazioth had scales of dull greenish-brown. He said, It would let us choose the place of battle, at least.

But not the time, said Nasrallah. Nasrallah had red scales, like Nahash, but less darkened by age. They may attack after we retire for the night.

True, said Talal. His forest green scales showed him to be middle-aged. The fairies — and the beasts of the wood — harassed the army with numerous skirmishes.

I still think it’s wisest to draw them out, said Regulus. As you said, we don’t know the terrain.

No, said Nahash. I’m tired of waiting for them to pop up, damage us, and disappear. We are dragons — we are supposed to be the hunters, not the hunted.

We’re taking the fight to them.