Page 52 of The Platinum Dragon's Courageous Mate

I’ll circle around out into town and then come back and we can flank them, Bryant told him.

Be careful brother. I don’t want anybody trying to take you out of the sky.

Bryant peeled off and left him, and he slowed his rush by back-winging a little so he could go in high and see what was going on. He needed to be cautious and not just zoom in there and end up getting hurt. He had to think about, not only the whole wing, but his family too.

He could hear Bryant in his head scanning the ground and keeping a running tally of what he saw. There were some deer, there was a mountain lion, and there were some shadows that seemed out of place. Nothing resolved itself into people or dragons.

So Lachlan took another turn around, swooping down lower toward the ground so he could actually train his eyes on the places Bryant had pointed out to him.

He understood what Bryant meant. The shadows were out of place. They didn’t reflect what was going on with the actual light and it looked a little bit like oil spills. He knew some dragons could obfuscate and look like something they weren’t, so he let out a roar and sent a windy breath over the earth, trying to see what it would blow up.

Something moved, and he turned toward it, screaming for his brother as it leapt into the sky.

Dragon! It crossed the wards. It’s coming your way.

He wasn’t sure it was a dragon. It had something in common with them, but there was absolutely a weirdnesss to it. Maybe it was a wyvern or a winged serpent.

Be careful Bryant. It could have a barb on the end of its tail.

I’ll stay clear as much as I can. You be careful too. I don’t want you to take a spike.

He trumpeted to the other guardians, letting them know that somebody had managed to get across the wards and that they needed to be on guard. Every single one of them answered him, ready to take up the fight if they needed to.

Logan appeared next to him, swooping past, golden light beaming from him.

Careful Logan, it might be a wyvern.

We need to get it back across the wards. Hopefully we can just burn it up.

Yes. He fell in with Logan to push it back toward Bryant, knowing that it would start to panic if it was becoming closed in.

Unlike dragons, wyverns had relatively few talents and not very much in the way of magic. Basic glamour like it had used with the shadows was all it could summon.

He headed down, roaring a warning before he let the flames pour from him.

The wyvern — the beast about half his size and a baby pink that glimmered in the sun — stood up on his legs, waving his wings.

It didn’t seem frightened or threatening, either way.

So Lachlan came in for a landing, wary, but warning Bryant and Logan off.Let me see what he wants.Because it was a he. And a happy one if the bubbling thoughts were any indication.

Babes. The word was less language and more an image in his head. Micah.

Are you here to hurt him?

No! Protect.A fierce light shone around the wyvern for a moment.

Ah. Good. We can use the help.He opened his arms, and the little one jumped into his embrace, tail wrapping around his wrist.

He’s our familiar.He knew it as soon as they made contact.

Oh. Oh, thank the goddess.It meant the world to him that Bryant believed him, no question.

Mate? Micah is losing his mind, screaming not to hurt?—

Wiver. MINE. No hurty! Papa! Papa, PLEASE!

I won’t hurt him, Micah. I promise. He’s safe.He sent a wave of calm to all of them. Micah. Kieran. The creature in his arms.