#43: STARTLED STEED.

Drake knew that he had to do something before the Canidon got to Daedalus. Looking down, he spotted a small rock, lying on the otherwise immaculate stretch of grass. 
Scooping it up, he hurled the stone with all the accuracy and power of a champion shot-put thrower. The projectile struck the rider square on the helm, knocking him off his perch. The Canidon stopped, startled by the sudden loss of its rider and consequent freedom.

Drake ducked under its flailing tail, grabbed the whip and cracked it against the flank of the Canidon. The beast’s flesh sizzled with the contact; it roared and turned on him. He cracked the whip again, keeping it at bay.

“The scanner’s nearly charged!” shouted Lucius. “We only have one shot, so you have to bring it over here.”

Attracting the attention of the Canidon from Drake, Daedalus ran back to him. Drake started after her, but was tackled from behind by the rider, the whip flying out of his hand.

The Canidon was still bearing down on the Norwegians, with no-one else around to act as a decoy…