A javelin to the foot had crippled him, ten years ago. The boys had been playing a simple game of dodge, and the should-have-been-blunted lance caught his talons at just the wrong angle.

It had taken months for it to heal, and by then, his wings had atrophied to a degree that he never really recovered. Flying was still possible, but it was never the same.

Then, two gormless boys walked into their highlands, exhausted and leading a pack of strangers, and they had the oddest story...