Chapter 173 The Eve of Battle (1/2)

”Are you sure it ake up in tioat in the middle of the valley

Snowcloud nodded, her expression calon arrives, and when it does, it will be dazed enough that the dragon has an easy tioat a few hours earlier, snatching it off the side of a cliff half a dozen miles from the valley The chase had been ated the cliff side with surprising ease and agility — but in the end, he had ed to catch it alive

And it was necessary that the goat was alive for the plan to work While the dragon oat if they just left it in the valley, the dragon nore it entirely, or so Crassus said

If the ht, and while their hearing wasn't too bad, their sense of soat would need to be nize it as food

With that in mind, Snowcloud had concocted a potion she said would keep the goat unconscious for the next several hours If her skill was as good as she claioat should only coht around the tion would eat the goat — and along with it, the pouch with poisoned spirit crystals they had tied around its neck After that, they would merely have to wait for the poison to do its work

But simple as the plan was, Arran could not help but feel anxious

While Snowcloud had prepared a good arandfather, there still wasn't enough for oat and it got away, the loss would be a painful one

And then, there was the h Even if Snowcloud said it should easily disable the dragon for a week or two, Arran had a hard tie

Still, the trap was set, and all that remained noas to wait and hope it would work

The hours passed slowly, but even so, it wasn't long before the sun disappeared behind the !” Snowcloud said suddenly, and indeed, Arran saw that the goat was showing sons of movement

They looked on anxiously as thea few ti to its feet It stood at the center of the valley in a dazed, looking around as if it was trying to find its bearings

Just then, the fa storon was approaching He kept a nervous eye on the goat, still worried that it on's colossal figure appeared in the sky, the goat merely took a few unsteady steps, coon briefly hovered above the valley, but after a oat that had so foolishly ventured into its lair At once, it dove down,even on's clawed feet sla rows of sword-like teeth Then, in a movement almost too fast for the eye to see, its head shot forward An instant later its one

Arran took a h of relief, then turned to Snowcloud

”Nohat?” he asked in a lohisper

”Noait,” she whispered back ”If the poison works as intended, the dragon will barely be able to ave her a short nod, then turned his attention back to the dragon

As usual, it wrapped its wings around itself, falling asleep within minutes Only this ti

They waited through the night, Arran and Snowcloud keeping nervous eyes on the dragon as Crassus slept Not that there was ilance, of course — if the poison failed to work, there was nothing they could do about it

Still, with a search that had takenits end, they could not help but be filled with anxiety

The night passed excruciatingly sloith every hour see came, both Arran and Snowcloud were completely exhausted

”It hasn't moved yet,” Snowcloud said softly ”I think the poison worked”

Arran shook his head ”It's too soon to tell There's still a good half hour to go until it noran to hit the on stirred A moment later, its head rose up as it inspected the valley around it, and slowly, it spread its wings Although it appeared to htly slower than normal, it clearly wasn't unconscious

Arran felt his heart sinking at the sight as he feared the plan had failed

Yet a on's body, and it sluggishly lowered its head again, then folded its wings around its colossal bulk once more

”I worked!” Snowcloud whispered, voice filled with enthusiasm