"Everything you do comes back to you."
Maple is a hybrid with a troublesome past.
When her crimes of spilt blood and thievery are brought into the light, she flees her desert home to take refugee and stay hidden in the numerous regions of Pyrrhia.
But it's not enough, and with numerous dark forces hiding in plain sight, including the royal family themselves, she reluctantly enlists the help and company of a peculiarly peppy hybrid with problems of her own.
With her new partner in crime by her side, how long can she elude them before she finally gets caught?
Burro was restless.
Arylide, the guard assigned to watch over the treasury with her for the night, was gone longer than he had insisted he would be.
"It'll be a short hunt," he had said. "I'll be back soon," he had said. "I'll be back before the torches in the east wing go out. I promise," he had said.
The SandWing scoffed impatiently at the unpleasant memory as she wrung her claws, her unease clear. How dare she so easily allow him to leave? They were on duty for Mighty Gazelle's sake! The queen would have their heads if she found out her fellow comrade had abandoned his post for a stupid mouse or two.
The last time a guard skipped out on duty, Queen Andhi made a nice show of her punishment by summoning all the palace staff to the courtyard. Unwillingly, they watched as she chained the poor soldier down and attacked her mercilessly, inflicting such horrible wounds that by the end of it, she was on the brink of death.
Burro shuddered just thinking about it. She could remember clearly how she couldn't bear to watch the brutal beating; the guard's blood staining the sands and their ear piercing screams echoing across the kingdom. Like a coward, Burro had hid behind the wings of her friend, Kultarr, for the remainder of it.
It had been her first day as an official guard and the first time she'd seen such a vicious side of Queen Andhi. She was truly terrifying when she wanted to be. During her few days at the stronghold, Burro hadn't gotten into any unnecessary trouble and she preferred that it remained that way till the end of her days.
Silently promising herself that Arylide would receive a vicious tongue lashing when he came back, Burro twisted around to breathe a small red flame on the slowly shrinking torch that hung beside her. Almost immediately, the fire strengthened, and once again its light shone brightly across the stronghold's white marble tiles and pale silver walls engraved with beautiful sun markings. Her scales basked in the wondrous heat.
Perhaps the horrible prick has forgotten we are watching over the most important room in the whole palace, she thought bitterly. He's probably off flirting with the new female guard near the princess's quarters. What an idiot.
Her eyes shot up abruptly from her claws. Approaching her position was the soft shuffle of talons and the faint slither of a tail. Could it finally be him?
"Arylide!" she called out, allowing her anger at him to slip into her voice. "What took you so long, you feather-brained fool? I thought you were just going hunting! Do you know what Queen Andhi will do to the both of us if she finds out I allowed you to-"
But it wasn't him. As the dragon came into the light, familiar grayish-blue eyes locked with her pitch black ones, shock within their depths. They belonged to a young SandWing-MudWing dragoness, most likely a dragonet given her size. Her dark brown claws were riddled with a crimson red substance, along with the blade of the knife she was tightly clenching.
Burro immediately recognized the red stains from the rich, coppery stench that drifted her way.
Blood.
She curled her lips back in pure disgust and took notice of the newcomer's injuries next. Dried blood coated the areas where long angry red gashes marked her scales. Obviously she'd gotten into multiple fights before arriving here.
At the sight of her, the dragonet recoiled for a moment, a conflicted look quickly flashing in her cautious gaze, before slowly, she crept forward.
"M-Maple!" Burro finally managed to sputter after recovering from her initial shock. "What are you doing here?"
Whatever the reason, it can not be good. How many guards has she killed or injured to get in here?
Both she and Maple had attended the same school, Silverbirch Academy. Burro could recall briefly seeing her wander alone in the halls and separate herself from everyone else during their lunch periods. They hadn't been in the same class- Burro was a few years older than her, hence why she was working as a palace staff now- but she still opted to spend time with her when the opportunity arose, despite the hybrid being somewhat aggressive in her presence.
Maple's eyes narrowed dangerously when she spoke, which wasn't anything new, but sent shivers down Burro's spine anyway. "Burro. I must say I never expected to see you again."
"Neither did I," Burro replied curtly. "But you didn't answer my question. What are you doing here? How did you manage to get past the other guards without alerting anyone?"
"Guarding the treasury of all places, how inconvenient for the both of us," she snarled. Ignoring the question as always, Burro noted. Still the same, typical Maple. "Maybe if you don't make things too difficult, I'll be able to do this quickly and nobody has to die- or be severely injured. Although, I always love a challenge."
"What-" She didn't get a chance to finish her response as Maple lunged for her, bowling her over and hooking her claws into her shoulders. Burro hissed as they sunk in deep and blood sprouted from the wound, making the hybrid's talons darker than they already were.
Howling with pain, Burro threw the smaller being off, sending her flying across the hall. Before she could retaliate, she shot a blast of fire in the hybrid's direction, successfully managing to singe the tip of one of her wings as she scrambled to get out of the way. Maple made another lunge for her, but having expecting it this time, Burro lifted into the air.
"Why are you doing this, Maple?" she growled, facing across from her once again as her talons touched the marble flooring. You are- were my friend! How could you aim to kill me when all I've shown to you is kindness during the short moments we spent together?
"I need to get into the treasury," she sneered back. "And I highly doubt you'll just let me in like the obedient little duckling you were back in school."
Burro tried not to wince at her offensive slander."For what reason?"
"What do you think, you dense cactus? What would I, an intruder, want from the treasury? Oh, I know! Maybe all the hoards of treasure locked away in there! Your precious queen is selfishly keeping it for herself. I think she should share, with me mostly."
"Since when did you need to resort to becoming a thief?"
Maple smirked at her. "Times are tough, my delirious 'friend'. Not all of us can live perfect, wonderful lives in the lovely stronghold. Now back off so I don't have to kill you!"
With a vicious snarl, she threw the knife at her.
Burro dodged out of the way, the knife stabbing itself into the wall behind her, but stumbled as she felt pain pinch her neck. She was relieved to find only a shallow cut had been made after surveying the damage, but the relief quickly faded when she felt jaws wrap around her tail.
The SandWing yelped as Maple bit into that particularly sensitive area, desperately trying to tug it out of her grasp. Once given up, she proceeded to slash her claws across her snout, forcing her to release her tail.
As Maple staggered back, she took the opportunity to swoop up and pin the hybrid to the ground, struggling to keep her wriggling figure trapped beneath her claws. She held down her snout when she attempted to snap at her neck once again, eyes burning with anger and brimming with tears.
Come on, kill her!
Burro cried out as a sharp pain shot throughout her entire being, inches away from her rapidly beating heart. Horrified, she glanced down, wide-eyed, to see Maple's knife firmly implanted into her chest and her talons clutching its red handle.
She had managed to wrench her arm free from her hold and snatch her knife back without Burro even noticing.
The hybrid yanked it out in one swift motion, a mix of triumph, and disgust sweeping over her expression seemingly at once.
No no no no no.
Burro thrashed, her claws curling in dangerously and digging into her palms. Her beady black eyes squeezed shut and her jaw tightened, ending the ear-splitting scream that had threatened to slip between her teeth moments before.
It felt awful.
The wound that had pierced her chest continued to bleed and sting all throughout her writhing. She knew that her flailing movements did little to end her pain, but her judgement was too clouded by the sinister claws of agony digging into the depths of her mind to think clearly. She wanted to escape her own scales; free herself from the painful prison that continued to engulf her.
Finally, she stopped. No longer did she have the strength to move. She glared wrathfully at the other being above, who stared down upon the dying dragon with contempt, disdain, and pity.
Perhaps even a tiny bit of regret.
The dying dragon attempted a weak laugh. Oh how it was far too late to take it all back.
"I trusted you," Burro spat, her tone was toxic. Her breathing came out in short, pained gasp. It was a great effort to speak, and every word made her cough up more blood than the last. We were friends.
"Well then, you can't really blame me, can you?" Maple's tone was lifeless and dull, lacking the mockery Burro had expected. "It was your mistake."