King Pig/ No Fear

(Disclaimer. This is the start of King Pig, the second book in the Cloud Association series. I have added it straight after Pretty Boy Psycho as it follows on. I hope you enjoy this new adventure ).

The moon he seduces me.

Is the last thing I remember thinking before coming to. Wherever I am it is so dark I am unable to see, neither can I feel my feet. This is a perfect time to remain calm. How in the skies did I fall off my ride? Especially when I was getting more confident in the air.

I sit myself up. Pat down my chest, arms, legs; nothing appears to be broken. Damp clothes stick to my skin. I stamp on the ground attempting to get the feeling back in my feet.

Now what? Well, I suppose when one wakes up with no idea where he is or how he got here, he ought to make a swift exit. As I start to get up, I realise some scavenger has made off with my boots. On pushing myself up my hands make contact with slimy rocks, which explains why I am damp. My feet are still numb as I stand. Nearly collapse in a heap. Taking tentative steps, I stretch my hands out in front of me, searching for objects I cannot see. Nothing yet. Am I progressing forwards or backwards?

Whoa dizzy spell. An unnatural droopiness floods my body. Ought to sit down but will have to power through to get out of here, wherever here is. Unless of course I'm too far from anywhere or I'm locked in, then I suppose a five minute break would be sensible.

Scree scree.

Prince. Sounds like he is outside wherever we are.

The moon he seduces me.

We were close to Dover, above the sea. Prince had been fishing. We were flying home. Judging by the slimy rock I'm in a cove. I pick up the pace. A spot on the back of my neck prickles. Odd.

Scree scree.

I move towards where the sound is coming from. Yes definitely a cove. I stumble out the mouth then stop short on sighting a figure crouched on a rock, with a crossbow trained on Prince who is circling the cove. How dare he threaten my partner? I tense my fist wanting to punch him in the head, which wouldn't be a smart move. What would?

"Fascinating creatures skeletals." This fool follows Prince with his crossbow. "Grim isn't the sharpest. Is forever letting his riders fall and never catches them in time."

"He's Prince now and it's not his fault if his past riders were clumsy in the air."

"Clearly, judging by your display tonight. You fell straight off. Dusk caught you instead."

Wings flap from on top of the cove. I twist and look up to see Dusk stretching her wings.

"I am not clumsy. You did something." I touch the prickly spot on the back of my neck.

"Tranquilliser."

"Why did you tranquillise me?"

"To shut you away so I could observe what Prince Grim would do in response. I study skeletal behaviour, you see. He is supposed to be the most distant skeletal so why does he stick around waiting for you?"

I move closer to my abductor. My brain is sloshing. I need to sit down so do right next to him. No fear.

Dusk, she was General Midnight's skeletal, so does this mean this guy here is the new Thunder General? "Who are you?"

"A scholar."

Oh wow he is wearing a balaclava.

"A scholar of skeletals okay. Do you abduct all your research projects?"

"No, just you. I don't suppose you'd like to join the Thunders? I'd like to observe Prince Grim some more."

"Quite clearly you are unhinged, as I'm sure you know who I am and whom I work for." My eyes droop onto his feet. As I thought he is wearing my boots.

"Casey Hillcrest, a six form student at Kensington Palace, who lends his assistance to Team Geordie in his spare time. Sorry do you want your boots back? I shouldn't have taken them but decent footwear is hard to come across."

My nose wrinkles in disgust. "As if I would put my feet into boots a stranger has worn. For all I know you could have verrucae."

"Thanks for the boots, although they are slightly too big for me. Now I am going to tell you an important thing. I am unlike General Midnight, Captain Sad, and Captain Yuki."

"In what way? You all seem unhinged to me." I watch this dangerous individual watching Prince.

"What way. Good question. I do not care for the affliction. I do not experiment."

"No, you tranquillise and abduct."

He taps a finger against the trigger on his crossbow. "To see Prince's reaction so I can update my journal. Tonight, I am allowing you to return home. If Prince does not make any sudden movements against me, as I leave, we'll all be alive and happy. You should call him to your side."

No need. A quick glance at Prince from me and he does one last circle of the cove before landing beside me. I lean backwards, into his chest, protecting his heart from the pointing crossbow.

"He came without words," muses my abductor.

I reach up to slide my fingertips along Prince's bone grey beak. "You may leave." He best leave because I'm so tired I don't think I can keep my words pleasant for much longer.

"Yes, time for home."

He's freaking me out. If I wasn't so tired I would totally kick his head in. At least I think he is leaving. Is he being genuine though? He could quite easily turn on me with his crossbow as soon as he takes off. I settle my fingers on Prince's beak, making sure he remains settled. Any sudden movements and phwunk a bolt to the head. Not the heart, never the heart. Raptor eyes keep flickering on my abductor. He's mounted Dusk. His back is to me.

As quick as my dopiness allows I get on Prince. He runs at lapping waves. Takes off before we can hit them. I keep looking over my shoulder, making sure my abductor doesn't turn around and take a shot at us. He doesn't seem concerned. Prince heads towards the Cloud Barrier. Gently I hold round his neck because I'm drowsy. Once in grey cloud I feel safer, as making a shot at us when we're shrouded by cloud would be difficult.

"Let's go to Kensington." I really want my bed but cannot exactly roll home in this state. My fringe is stuck to my face, my clothes are damp, I have nothing on my feet, and I expect I have turned ghastly pale.