George looked at the clouds headed their way and began to worry. Tommi wasn't doing a very good job keeping pace with the horses, she was pulling ahead again. George kicked his horse in the ribs and urged it forward at a gallop, Jroof and his spidery looking ride followed.
Chandi watched as the riders strove to catch up. George was shouting, trying to get their attention, but she had difficulty hearing him over the rising sound of the wind. She watched as he gestured franticly, then she looked at the clouds and figured it out. She ran forward to where Tommi blissfully steered the airship.
“Tommi! George wants us to come down, there's a storm coming up fast behind us.”
Tommi looked back and grimaced, “OPEN THE FLAP, FURL THE SAILS!
Estua had been given the task of manning the flap, she heard the panic in Tommi's voice and felt the growing power of the wind and now she was frightened. She pulled on the cord and hung on, when a lightning bolt flashed by she screamed and pulled harder on the cord.
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Tommi tried to turn the ship, but the force of the wind pushed them relentlessly forward. Ernst stooped down beside the motionless Perseus and checked for pulse, when he found none he began to franticly push up and down on his chest in an effort to restart his now still heart. The rain began to fall, just splatters at first, but thirty seconds later the clouds let loose a deluge on the airship. At Tommi's urging, Gwladys and Chandi tried to rein in the sails, but the wind whipped them out of their hands and Chandi went over the side, she grasped the rail and dangled helplessly. Chandi's grip was slipping on the wet rail and she cried out in