I started my Book Month story again, and I think I wrote about 600 words in two hours. (one of those hours was spent reading up on my characters' current situation, etc.)

Anyway, I thought I'd share one of my new scenes with you guys. It's sort of out of place without the rest of the story, but I think you'll get the idea... (Please forgive the gramatical errors, it's late and this part of the story is hot off the keyboard)

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A few short hours brought them to the desert. New dunes had formed hundreds of feet high from the winds, and standing at the top of one let you see across the vast desert in all directions.

“Do you see any signs of your ship?” Kylas asked, carefully scanning the horizon.

“No, I… wait, I think I see it over there!” Phillip said, pointing to their left. A black mass dotted the white sands several hundred yards from them. A sudden feeling of security fell over Phillip at returning to his ship and he ran down the side of the dune toward the mass.

“Phillip, wait!” Kylas shouted, but he was not to be heard. The captain was already headed up the side of the next dune when Kylas began jogging down the first. He finally caught up with Phillip when the captain suddenly stopped at the top of one dune and slowly sank to his knees.

In a large valley of sand below, Captain Phillip Andrews’ ship lay in pieces, strewn out over an expanse, sand covering some parts, and smoke rising from some recently extinguished.

As Kylas reached his companion, he stared mournfully at the hideous sight. Lying awkwardly amidst the rubble, the occasional body of one of Philip’s crew jerked his emotions. A tear would slip down his cheek, not for his personal loss, but in sympathy for Phillip’s.

“There were two-hundred people on that ship,” Phillip whispered, voice quivering.

A harsh cry from above turned both of their attentions to the sky as familiar shadows passed over them and began to swoop low around the scattered remains.

Phillip stared in horror as the beasts began searching the mess for the bodies of his forsaken comrades. “No!” he cried in an outburst of rage, and he pulled a small dagger from his belt and raised it high above his head. He had just moved a foot down the hill when a firm hand grasped his wrist.

“Let me go,” Phillip hissed. “Can’t you see what they’re doing?” he moaned pathetically. His eyes were red, and veins on his arms had swelled.

“I won’t let you share the fate of your crew!” Kylas resisted, though he also ached to avenge these dead.

Phillip struggled weakly before releasing the knife and dropping to the ground in sobs.

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A little clarification on some things in case you didn't quite understand. The screeching was from a group of Rylpas which are like the large dragon version of a vulture. They'll kill something and come back for it if they need to, but usually they follow the Winds of Serian and eat the left overs... nice, huh?

Kylas is an 'alien' (and I use that in the very loosest way) who met Phillip when Phillip and his crew touched down and helped out Kylas in a scrape with some hostile androids.