Wings of Fire: Strike's Quest: Chapter 4
Chill was red with fury. "GO TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE! NOW!" Chill screamed in rage. He grabbed both dragonets by their horns and started dragging them to the principal's office. "I'm disappointed in you, Strike! You too, Typhoon!" Three moons,he is mad! Strike thought. Strike looked at Typhoon. I wonder who the principal is? He mouthed to Typhoon. The blue dragonet shrugged. I dunno. Typhoon mouthed back, unsure. The principal, even if they were someone who was a completely nice dragon, would probably be mad. Strike opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. Now was not the time to talk back. It would get him in more trouble and his father would punish him worse. He wouldn't want that to happen. As they approached the principal's office, Strike closed his eyes and gulped. This is it. Strike thought reproachfully. Chill opened the door, threw Strike and Typhoon inside, and shut the door behind him as he whisked down the hall. The two dragonets looked back and saw a elderly, black, and skinny NightWing. Strike recognized him immediately. "Great-Uncle Mastermind!" Strike and Typhoon said in unison. They quickly looked at each other quizzically. We can't possibly be cousins, right? Strike thought.
"Hi Typhoon! Hi, Strike!" said Mastermind. Strike didn't know how Typhoon could be his cousin. He would have to ask Typhoon after they got out of here. "Why are you two rascals in my office?" Mastermind inquired. "Well..." Strike started. "We were-" "I called Chill stupid." Typhoon interrupted. "What did you do, son?" Said Mastermind as his friendly gaze passed over to Strike. "Me? I was doodling in class." Strike replied. "Oh." Mastermind said. "That's not too bad. Chill's just probably having a bad day. It's his first day today, too, you know. You should just try a little bit harder to behave okay, boys?" "Okay, Mastermind." said Strike and Typhoon, again in unison. As the pair left the office, Strike asked Typhoon, "Hey, Typhoon, are you my cousin?" Typhoon replied with, "Yeah, silly! Didn't you already know that?" "No, I did not know that." Strike said. "Are.. Um... the others my cousins, too?" Strike said, thinking mostly of Silverdark. "Yep." Typhoon replied. Wow! Strike thought. I can't believe I'm related to her! "You didn't know? My mom and dad are Riptide and Tsunami. You know them, right?" "Yeah, I visited them once when I was very little, about three years ago." Strike said. "But... wouldn't you have been there?" "Well..." Typhoon started. "My family had some rough times back then, and I stayed with Gramma Coral a lot." Typhoon sniffed. It seemed he didn't like talking about that part of his life. Strike put his arm around the SeaWing dragonet. "It's okay, buddy! Things got better, right?" Strike said. Reluctantly, Typhoon looked back at Strike and said, "Yes, yes they did." "Then don't worry about it, Typhoon!" Strike replied. Typhoon managed a weak smile and looked at his cousin. "Strike, tomorrow all of us are having a sleepover at Silverdark's hut. Wanna join us?" Strike couldn't reply faster. "Of course! That would be great!" Strike replied. Typhoon looked at Strike devilishly. "You looooooove her, don't you?" "No!" Strike said defensively. "Okay." Typhoon said. He obviously didn't believe Strike. Strike did like Silverdark. As a cousin, anyway.
That night, at Clay and Peril's hut, the family talked over a dinner of cows. (Clay ate four.) "Dad." Strike muffled between bites. "Tomorrow my cousins are having a sleepover! Can I join them?" Clay gave his son a look of happiness. "Sure, son of course you can!" Strike knew Clay let him have a lot of fun because his upbringing was very rough. He didn't want Strike to go through the ghastly hell he had to go through as a dragonet.
"Thanks, dad!" said Strike gleefully. Strike was excited for tomorrow. He was spending the night with all his friends! Especially Silverdark...