Max Stone and the Lost Star of Zirdon by Declan Clarke

- fighting to get their planet back.
    Mar-Hoc-Seia saw the worry on his friend’s face. ‘What ails you Sey-Mar? You seem troubled.’
    â€˜It’s… well it’s all this.’ Sey-Mar turned his old head and pointed to the flotilla of small boats that sailed up the Zagger Zee River’
    â€˜So many of our tribe are sailing behind us. And to what? What are we sailing to?’
    â€˜But we do not have any choice old friend, we talked about this, we must do what we can to save Zirdon. Even if that means we have to fight.
    Sey-Mar smiled at his friend ‘I know old friend, I know.’ He squinted his tired eyes and took a closer look at the bird on his friend’s arm.
    â€˜Ah yes, of course, Jay, a wonderful bird.’ He fished a Moldovan nut out of his pocket and gave it to the bird. The Takuon Bird took the nut and disappeared in a flash of blue and white feathers. It settled in the comfort of a nearby tree to eat its prize.
    Sey-Mar continued ‘I fear The Kaemon will not be frightened by an army of farmers and miners even with our pitch forks and axes. I fear that we may be travelling in haste.’
    Yan-Ho, a much younger member of the Swaveb Tribe and a miner by trade, disagreed.
    â€˜But we have to do something, Sey-Mar. Mar-Hoc-Seia is right; we can’t just let them destroy us, we have to fight them, however we can. And besides, the Tigral Tribe will be with us.’
    Sey Mar smiled kindly at the younger tribe member.
    â€˜I know we must, I know of course. But it still worries me that so many of us travel to one place, so many of us’
    Mar Hoc-Seia nodded his agreement, understanding the concern of his friend.
    â€˜But what choice do we have? They know that the Lost Star has returned and will do everything in their power to seize it. Seize it and destroy it. Once they do, all on Zirdon will die and they travel to another planet to do the same. We simply must do something’
    Yan-Ho on the other hand was looking forward to the battle. As a miner he spent long days in the dark tunnels cutting out Kerlang stones so that he and his family had a warm city to go to in winter. Now, as he saw it, winter was approaching and he and his tribe would surely die as snow and frost covered the ground so they could not reach the refuge of Elgonze. He knew that, no matter what the cost, they had to try, they had to do something. He held his miner’s axe in his belt and even though the reptile soldiers stood almost three times his height he would stand with a brave heart do what he must.
    Mar-Hoc-Seia looked at his two friends. ‘We can only hope that Altusa of the Tigral Tribe has strength enough to bring their army of Fight-Cats, to bring his warriors from the hills. We will have our part to play Sey-Mar, we must help this brave earth boy to replace the Lost Star. To finish what his grandfather began.’
    They each lowered their heads and watched the water pass them. The sail-boats were gathering speed now as the water of the Zagger Zee gathered pace. They were about to pass through a mountainous pass, where the cliffs hung high overhead.
    It meant they were coming close.
    Now that the Kaemon Klann knew the Star had returned, they would leave no stone unturned in trying to find it. They desperately wanted to destroy the Star and all of Zirdon so that they may travel to another planet and wreak more havoc.
    High up in the cliffs their passage was watched by DRÄÄGNOS . KRÄÄXOR had banished him as General of the Army and he was now sent to run errands for his leader.
    He blamed the puny earth boy for his misfortune and he would take his revenge. He was sorely tempted to start an avalanche and sink the tiny little boats right there and then. But he held back. His leader had told him that no harm was to come to any of the furry little creatures as they gathered. He wanted them all in one place so that his mighty army could slay them in one glorious battle.