The Dragonslayer is the fourth book in the Bone series. It collects issues 20-27 of Jeff Smith's Bone comics. This volume marks the beginning of the second part of the Bone saga, entitled Solstice. The book was first published by Cartoon Books in its original black-and-white form in 1997. Paperback and hardback coloured editions were published in 2006 by Scholastic. This volume follows the deepening hostilities in between the inhabitants of the valley and the Rat Creatures and their allies. Further secrets from Thorn's past are revealed, and Phoney Bone appoints himself the town dragon slayer. This one has a much darker character than the previous books, evidenced in part by moments such as the one in which Thorn cuts off Kingdok's arm. Synopsis Business Following the message that a Rat Creature army is crossing the Eastern border, Fone Bone, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben travel off-road to Barrelhaven. En route, Gran'ma Ben suffers an attack of her "gitchy feeling" - a dizziness and her omen of impending trouble. At the Barrelhaven tavern itself, Phoney Bone's tales of dangerous dragons make his end of the bar the most popular. Lucius attempts to call off the bet, but Phoney declines. Earth & Sky After fending off their ambush, Gran'ma Ben captures one of the Two Stupid Rat Creatures and learns from him that the Rat Creatures are under orders to evacuate the valley. Kingdok attacks the party; but Thorn slices off Kingdok's right arm, whereupon Kingdok, in a haze of pain, identifies Ben and Thorn as the queen and crown princess of old, and retreats. Smiley Bone, hearing Fone Bone's cries of distress, rushes out with the townsfolk to look for him, but they only find the scene of the fight. Council in the Dark The two Rat Creatures find the senseless Kingdok and blame themselves for his wound. As Thorn dresses Gran'ma Ben's wounds, Ben reveals to Thorn that she is a Veni-Yan Cari: an individual empowered by innate control of "The Dreaming" (the subconscious mental existence of intelligent creatures), and therefore desired by the Hooded One. Angered that her past has been concealed from her, Thorn leaves for the Barrelhaven alone. Fone Bone makes to follow her, and Gran'ma Ben gives him her sword and a pendant bearing the royal crest, with instructions to show it to Lucius. The minute Fone Bone leaves, she runs into the woods. When Thorn