Free Max Stone and the Lost Star of Zirdon by Declan Clarke Page A

in the last of the evening’s sun. They lounged around, leaning against the heated Kerlang slabs at the entrance to the city.
    Boctamus and Tomac cupped their hands and issued a low call that Max could hardly hear. Within minutes the two magnificent Fight-Cats streamed into sight. Max recognised Mannuk instantly, with his long flowing mane of green and orange, its massive tiger’s head and its razor sharp sabre teeth. Beside Mannuk ran Lothius, an enormous Fight-Cat of all white fur.
    This time when Max saw Mannuk approach he did not sense fear as when he had first seen him on the desert plains of Zirdon. Now he looked at the magnificent tiger with a sense of hope and excitement that they were rushing to save Zirdon.
    The two warriors greeted their Fight-Cats warmly.
    â€˜Max, you will travel with me,’ said Boctamus and he offered a hand to haul Max up onto the back of Mannuk.
    â€˜We must travel with speed and stealth, Max, so hold on tight.’
    As they made their way from the caves and towards the crossing of the Zagger Zee they did not notice DRÄÄGNOS give chase. He had been lounging in the evening sun and was startled to see the two shapes of the Fight-Cats bound off into the distance. His lizard eyes focussed on the small figure behind the one on the orange cat. ‘ Earth Boy , he thought to himself.
    His leader would be pleased.

CHAPTER TEN
    â€˜EARTH BOY FOR BREAKFAST’
    KRÄÄXOR , leader of the Kaemon Klann, was furious.
    â€˜ Whaaaaat ?’ He bellowed in his deep husky voice.
    DRÄÄGNOS cowered in front of his master raising his hand to cover his face, pulling back from the Kaemon’s terrifying leader.
    â€˜ You Whaaat?’ the guttural voice snapped, the last of the words gurgling in anger at the back of his reptilian throat.
    KRÄÄXOR raised the back of his hand and brought it down heavily across the thick skull of DRÄÄGNOS .
    The lizard soldier took a step back, his face smarting from the slap.
    â€˜You mean you let them go! You had them in your hands, you lizard dog, and you let them go!! He spat the words angrily so all soldiers in the room would hear.
    â€˜That interfering earth boy, I shall have him for brrreakfast ,’ he lingered over the word breakfast, drawing it out so all knew that he meant it. ‘I shall first crush the Star they hold so precious and sprinkle it upon him as I devour him.’
    He turned to face the other Kaemon soldiers in the room. ‘And then we shall be free to leave this rat-infested planet.’ He eyed the nervous soldiers in the room, each casting their eyes to the ground, not wanting to catch his attention.
    â€˜Ha! You have grown fat and lazy on this planet; it is long past the time when we should be gone. We of the Kaemon Klann were never meant to be trapped on one world. I do not wish to remain here another day longer.’
    He turned his full stare back to DRÄÄGNOS . ‘And you let him go. YOU LET HIM GO!!’ he screamed and roared.
    DRÄÄGNOS cowered in front of his master, ‘they were too fast’ he offered weakly.
    â€˜GRRHHH!’ he snarled at him. ‘They were too fast, they were too fast .’ He slammed his hand into his fist, and shouted into DRÄÄGNOS ’s face, ‘YOU were TOO slow. You were too sleepy lying around on those sparkling stones, you lazy dog.’
    He turned to face the others again. Standing in the front row was STRÄÄLUS , the one who had found Max in the desert, the one who had first brought word of the Star’s return to KRÄÄXOR . He at least had come with the bruises and bleeding skull to show he had at least put up some fight. And he was eager to find this earth boy and the warrior who had protected him. As he absently rubbed his skull where Boctamus had hit him with the handle of the sword, he thought to himself, ‘I have a score to settle with that one’ .
    KRÄÄXOR roared a command,