OUTCAST

The Saphirz

Welcome back!

I do not own any of the character/plot and stuff from the book Talon.

I'm sad, the new book hasn't been released yet. Yet.

CHAPTER TWO:

Ass Back Home.

Betrayer. A whispered, harsh voice said into her mind.

Stormgrey almost stopped flying, this here was an old dragon, much older then her. When she had told Cliff that the fight would be easy, she had been lying, well now she would be. She flew up higher then hovered in place, her eyes locking with the Viper's, "And why am I a betrayer? Not an Outcast?"

Green eyes flashed with anger, and with recognition that she was younger then him, "That's what we call all Outcast's these days, since they share information with the humans." He spat, his voice strong.

Stormgrey cocked her head, "And why is such a strong handsome Viper doing out here?"

He blinked, then started to laugh, "Do not think you can charm me child."

"I'm not a hatchling." Stormgrey narrowed her eyes, "I used to be with Talon, I was to be a Komodo. Think this through, Viper."

He seemed to mull over this, "You are lying. There has never been a female Komodo before."

"I said I was in training, they even gave me a suit." Stormgrey tucked her wings in, knowing she was faster then the Viper, she sped for the ground and landed. Showing that she didn't want to fight. She was twitching for a fight, but knew that she wouldn't win. Stormgrey wasn't stupid.

The Viper watched her curiously as she shifted, the clothes she had been wearing had torn when she originally shifted to her dragon form and she now only wore her suit.

She stood there, defenceless, "That's not the only identifier I have, Viper." She rolled up her sleeve, revealing a mark. It was a talon spiked in blood.

The Viper landed and shifted, now that she could look at him she realised that his human form was maybe ten years older then hers, he had piercing green eyes and light brown hair that reminded her of the bark of the tree's that grew at her house, "That's the Komodo mark. You must have passed initiation."

"Yes." Stormgrey nodded, watching warily as he approached her and lightly touched the mark, his eyes holding hers.

"What is your name?"

"Why should I tell you that?" Stormgrey stiffened, stepping backwards quickly, unlike most dragons she had trained her human body to fight. She listened to her surroundings, hoping Cliff was getting away from the St. George.

The Viper's shoulders stiffened, "I need to know if your on the list."

The list was a sheet of names, and if you had your name on it, then you were to die.

"It's not." Stormgrey said, she shrugged, "But anyway, my name is Stormgrey."

He blinked, not recognising the name, "Mine is Toran."

Stormgrey stiffened, taking a few steps away, "Your-"

He laughed, "It seems you know me. Then again, most dragons do, even young ones."

"I'm not that young. But to you I guess I am." Then Stormgrey remembered that Cliff was a youngling, "Hellfire!" She almost screamed, shifting into her dragon form she shot into the sky, Toran behind her.

Why are you flying away? He asked in her mind.

She concentrated, trying to remember what Justice had taught her, I have a hatchling with me. She said, her voice light.

Toran heard her and flew up to her shoulder, his wing almost touching hers, Where did you learn that?

Stormgrey gave him an annoyed look and pumped her wings, following Cliff's aura, an ability she had gained when she was trained by Talon, she found that it was weak, he had shifted and been shot. She found him being cornered by St. George. Giving a terrible roar Stormgrey dived, letting loose her breath. The St. George screamed as they burned, they hadn't expected another dragon to appear. Landing swiftly Stormgey trotted over to Cliff and nuzzled his head, Cliff wakey wakey.

Toran landed close to her, his wing brushing hers, He's weak.

"He's just a hatchling." Stormgrey growled.

"Storm?" Cliff murmured and she smiled, "They called in for reinforcements, a whole truck."

"Don't worry about that." She murmured, "I will call in some reinforcements of my own."

"There are more Outcasts nearby?" Toran asked and Cliff finally noticed him.

He tried to hop up, "Grey! The Viper."

"Really? Where?" She laughed, closing her eyes, Skyblu!

Yes... Stormgey? Her friends voice resounded in her ears, Skyblu was younger then her, but powerful.

I need help. St George.

Only you. Her voice was annoyed, but Stormgrey knew that she was excited.

She felt her aura as she started towards them.

"Cliff. You need to get into the air." She said softly.

"I- I can't my wings." He tried to stand up.

Toran watched on with interest, surprised at how soft Stormgrey had gotten at the sight of the hatchling, but then again she was a female, and that trait was good in one.

She huffed, bending her long neck and placing it under his, "Come on."

"You need help Cliffy, again?" Skyblu asked, she had dropped in silently and was behind Toran who growled and turned, catching her golden eyes. She cocked her head, "Hello. Ash, Jus said that he was going to come if we don't leave from here in two minutes."

"Who are you?" Toran asked, sharp teeth displayed in hostility.

Skyblu laughed, her eyes bright, "He's cute." She declared for the world to hear, "My name is Skyblu. I am the reinforcements."

"Stop playing around Sky, and come and help, your the one with the ability, not me." Stormgrey snapped.

The younger dragon gave Toran a grin then leaped over to where Cliff was, she closed her eyes concentrating on the air around them and Cliff started to hover in the air, his eyes wide with fright.

Stormgrey nodded, looking around she noticed that Toran was staring at her, "What?"

"Your from the Saphirz, aren't you." He stated, not hostile,

"How did you-"

"Special abilities, I saw the lightning in your fire. Now I can see her power. And that hatchling must have one too. I'm glad," He paused, "I finally found you, I've been running away from Talon for years trying to find you." He closed his eyes and a tree snapped, it started to spin and wood fell away until it was a long spear.

"You have an ability too." Stormgrey murmured, "But why leave Talon. Your a powerful Viper."

"That's the thing, I am sick of being a Viper, having to kill my own kind. Horrible." He shook his head, emerald green eyes connecting with hers, "Please let me join you."

"Us." Skyblu muttered, "It's not just Stormgrey. Though she is one of the ones that started Saphirz. With Justice."

Toran stared at her, "It's true. Justice is an old soul, he saw what was in me, we saved each others lives over and over. Eventually, we just figured that we needed to start something for others."

"Are you and he mates?" Toran asked suddenly.

Stormgrey blinked, "Err. No. We are just friend's."

"She doesn't reciprocate his feeling's." Skyblu laughed then laughed harder at the glare Stormgrey gave her.

"We. Are. Friends." She growled, showing her teeth, "Friends Skyblu. I could joke about you and Ebony."

Her friend blinked, and didn't say anything, she was too flabbergasted.

"Shall we?" Stormgrey growled, taking off into the air without another word all three dragon's following her.

Does that mean- Toran started.

Yes, your allowed in. Justice will evaluate you. Stormgrey muttered

What about me and Ebony?! Skyblu growled into Stormgrey's mind, but she blocked her out, flying fast and steady with the wind behind her, she found their Paradise, which is what they called their home and flew to the entrance hole.

"We need to shift." Stormgrey explained to Toran as they landed. She watched as Cliff painfully shifted to human form, "The downside of that is that Skyblu doesn't have her abilities in human form."

Said dragon shifted into her human form, a beautiful model slim girl with bright blonde hair tipped with blue and stunning blue eyes, she was short, and obviously couldn't carry anyone.

Stormgrey shifted, walking swiftly over to Cliff to catch him as he fell, too weak to stand, "Toran can you give me a hand." She gritted her teeth, even though Cliff looked skinny, he wasn't, "Jeez kid, what do you eat?"

"Food." He murmured.

Toran strode over, taking a strong hold on the hatchling and his arm brushing Storm's.

"Skyblu told me you had a bit of trouble." A deep voice murmured and Stormgrey turned to find Justice standing there in his human form.

He shook his head, long golden hair moving with him and bright golden eyes staring at where Toran brushed Stormgrey's arm, "How is he? And who is that?" He almost snapped the last bit.

Stormgrey rolled her eyes, used to his protectiveness, "Cliffy will livey. And this is Toran, he's ok."

"Just ok?" Toran joked, grinning at her and moving even closer just to see what Justice would do.

Justice stiffened, "Your a Viper."

"He has abilities." Stormgrey stated, propping Cliff on her shoulder she bumped Toran away playfully and started walking down the tunnel, Jus joining her, "And as I said, he's ok."
"Skyblu said that you had St. George on your tail." Jus stated, her friend had run on ahead to get a vehicle ready to take Cliff to the nursery, where they kept the young-ones and injured. Some of the dragon's Justice and Storm found had been mated and had young ones of their own.

"I killed the two that were following, but apparently they had called for reinforcements. We didn't encounter any on the way here." Stormgrey reported, lugging Cliff with her, Toran following close behind, he had obviously guessed that she was high up in authority.

A jet black dragon landed outside the other end of the tunnel and shot Toran a curious look, "Blu told me what happened, I can help you lift him to the nursery." Ebony was older then Stormgrey, and very strong, he had been trained by Talon to be a spy. And he was a good one against Talon. Storm knew that he held a bit of a spark for Skyblu and egged him on.

"It's all good. Sky said she would grab a bike or something."

"And I did!" Skyblu stated as she gracefully landed near them, a bicycle clutched in her claws, she glanced quickly at Ebony and smiled, "taa daa."

"That's... an idea." Ebony stated, watching curiously as Skyblu set the bike down.

Stormgrey gave her a glare, "I am not riding that human contraption."

"Nawh." Skyblu sighed, then shifted, she pranced over to the bike and patted the seat, "Come mon Cliffy."

Stormgrey brought the hatchling over, setting him down on the double seat bike. He groaned clutching his head and sides. Skyblu sat behind him then dug her feet into the sides of the bike, "Yip yip!" She said, then frowned when nothing happened, "Storm is it-" But she was caught off guard as Stormgrey pushed the bike.

Skyblu giggled and started peddling, "See you!"

"I don't see why we don't carry him." Ebony stated, shaking his head, "But I admit it was worth seeing that."

"Your welcome." Stormgrey laughed, shifting and stretching her wings. Justice shifted too and took off in two mighty flaps, his huge form taking up the space above them.

"He's powerful." Toran stated, watching the great dragon fly.

"Hmmm, not that powerful, yet. He still needs to grow more." Stormgrey shrugged, leaping into the air, "The downside of being big means you cant fly as agile as a small dragon like me." She grinned, spinning around quickly and ascending into the clouds, Toran could barely keep up, "You see what I mean?" She asked from behind him.

He blinked staring at her golden blue eyes, which were upside down. She was flying upside down, "I'm surprised they didn't train you to be a Viper."

"Meh." Stormgrey shrugged righting herself, "I don't worry about that any-more. The nursery is just down there. You should come with." Then she spiralled down towards a dragon made building. The structure had marble column's and looked like the Parthenon, the whole building was huge. Dragons bustled about.

"This is the nursery. It's one of the main buildings in Paradise." Stormgrey explained as she dodged a couple of feisty young lings who were playing tackle, "The older dragons stay here since they can't fly as well as us youngish ones. And the newly hatched are kept here to-"

A small silvery dragon leapt at Stormgrey, the size of a small pony, "Rey!" She exclaimed happily and jumped onto the older dragons back.

"Oh no! I'm being attacked!" Stormgrey shouted out, pretending to roar in agony and falling over to her side, head lying on the ground, "Oh no the almighty Artemis had beaten me!"

The little dragon puffed her chest out, "Yes I Artemis are the con-" But was cut off and Stormgrey shifted her wing, softly knocking the youngling off of her and onto the ground, using a talon she tickled Artemis' sides.

"Little one Artemis. What have you been told about attacking me?" Stormgrey asked grinning.

Artemis convulsed in laughter, "No. No! Stop! I surrender!"

Stormgrey gave a huff and sat down, removing her talon, "Artemis," she said to catch the young ones attention then gestured to Toran who watched with interest, "this is Toran, he's new."

Bright silver eyes widened, "Wow! Welcome! My name is Artemismondefleur, or as everyone else calls me," She puffed her chest out, "Artemis, after the goddess of the hunt!"

"And which religion does she represent?"

"The Grecian one! Like Zeus and Hades!" Artemis answered.

"Good girl." Stormgrey nodded, "But you will be in trouble If you don't get back to your lessons."

"But-"

"Go." Stormgrey said softly. The little dragon leaped off fluttering into the building.

"You like the young ones." Toran observed.

"They are young, untouched by the horror of Talon. I can't help but be a bit softer on them. They are what I wish my younger days were like." Stormgrey sighed.

"Do you ever want to have young ones?" Toran asked.

She stared at him, "I don't-" She shook her head, "Let's not discuss this. Follow me." She broke the conversation and turned, feeling extremely nervous.

Toran followed, his mind replaying the softness that was on her face when the young one came by.

"I predict that you to will have a romance." A sinuous voice murmured from the shadows. Stormgrey stiffened.

"Aura." She stated, "come out of the shadows."

A slim dragon slid out of the shadows her lilac eyes staring at Stormgrey, "You will almost die at the hands of one you love."

"That's already happened Aura." Stormgrey said softly, Toran barely heard her,.

"But it will happen again." The dragon murmured, gazing off at something. She was petite, the size of a horse and her wings looked like soft fabric and her scales were the colour of rain, she fixed her eyes on Toran the iris's were shot with bright purple, "My name is Aura, I am 744 years old. I have the ability of the future, I know what will happen, but not when. I am not powerful, and very weak, which is why I am here."

"744 years old." Toran murmured.

"You are almost 300." Aura stated, "your powerful for your age. Though Lilith is the strongest, and oldest. Oh yeah," she turned to Stormgrey, "You must go to this town by a bay, there are two young ones there, one has an ability."

"Two in one place?" She asked.

"They are twins. Born from the same hatch just like you Stormgrey." Aura answered, "Your Toran can tell you where they are."

Then the small dragon walked off, deeper inside the building.

Toran turned to find Stormgrey's curious eyes on him, their stunning colour distracting him, "What was with her?"

"She's always been like that." Stormgrey mumbled, something heavy was on her mind.

"What did she mean about you being almost killed-"

"My twin sister attacked me." Stormgrey muttered, "Electo. She... she's not with Talon, but she's not with us. Or the humans. I don't know." She shook her head, "we were hatched at the same time, but she was much, much more powerful then me. Where I have lightning in my breath, her breath is lightning. Her being is electricity." She sighed, "But onto more important matter's. These young ones, where are they?"
Toran nodded, he had never heard of Electo, much like he had never heard of Stormgrey, "In a small town by a bay like Aura said. I can take you there?"

"After I talk to Justice. He might assign someone else, but then again.." She trailed off.

"Are you ok?" Toran asked, nudging her shoulder.

She looked up startled, "Ah, yes. I was just thinking that we would have to constantly travel in human form."

"You don't like humans."

"I loathe them. But I hate Talon more. So whatever I need to do, I will do." She squared her shoulders then nodded her head, gesturing for him to follow Ebony, who had just arrived, "I will see you later."

Toran followed the black dragon wondering what Stormgrey was up to and if she was ok, hearing about her sister made him want to track Electo down and have a long conversation with her and then demonstrate what happened when someone hurt Stormgrey. He paused, confused as to why he had such strong feeling's for the female. Maybe it was the way she was, proud defiant and strong. He bristled when he remembered the intimate way Justice looked at her, she obviously didn't notice it. He had never met a female that had matched him so perfectly.

"This is it." Ebony stated, gesturing to a huge hole in the ground, dozens of caves littered the sides.

"Where does Stormgrey stay?" Toran asked, wondering if he could get a den near her.

"She stays near the waterfall, she's," The black dragon paused, shrugging his shoulders, "anti-social. She only comes here for the weekly meetings, or when she needs to talk to Justice. We have tried to convince her to stay here, but she is too stubborn. But I must admit her den is very nice. It reminds me of home. Stormgrey and I come from the same country, Australia."

"I was wondering about her accent." Toran muttered, "Where exactly is her den?"

Ebony gave him instructions if he needed to find her, "You can find Skyblu there too. They stick together like glue. Maybe it's because Sky saved her."

"From Electo?"

"In a way. But more from herself."

Then all talk was cut off as Ebony showed him to his den.

END.

SB7 Reporting Out!