There was no more talking after that. The pirates headed straight up the mountain, intent on finding their dragons. The moon was bright, so there were no surprises. Because of their past encounters, they studied every rock that was big enough before approaching it, and everyone kept quiet. They would not allow themselves to be surprised by, or chance stumbling upon, a sleeping dragon.
The mountain grew steeper the farther up they went. The ground grew more unsteady with gravel and little shrubs whose roots were barely attached.
Scattered over the mountainside were rocky outcroppings that were their primary source of danger. Each one they came upon caused them to pause, and one man would approach from each side as quietly as they could. They would sneak around the edges until they could see one another. Only then would they know it was clear and signal for the others to follow them.
