Disclaimer: This Vulture is not the Skywing in Jade Mountain. Obviously, I began this story before Darkness of Dragons was released.
Every so often, I will release an "Alternate Winglet." A short story in between parts of Alternate that tells more of the story. Kind of like an intermission.
Alternate Winglet 1: Outlaw
Rattlesnake ran through the Scorpion Den. Her small leather pouch thumped against her chest, filled up with the food she had stolen. The thugs chasing her most likely remembered her. They screamed at her, "YOU THEIVING DRAGONET! WHEN WE CATCH YOU, YOU'LL REGRET YOU LIVED!"
They were from Vulture's Enclave. The horrible dragons who ruled the lawless underground of this city. Rattlesnake ducked into an alley and brought out a plum from her pouch. The stared at it. She had stolen from them because The Enclave had so much, and the orphans Rattlesnake had befriended had so little, but something nagged at her.
When Rattlesnake was young, she was a thief. Just like her father. Rattlesnake's mother stayed home and kept young orphans in the area sage. Rattlesnake's father stole for a noble cause. He stole from the rich and gave to the poor in his gang. Yes, her father was part of a gang, but one that attempted to create peace in the Scorpion Den. Not like the Outclaws, which consisted of the smartest dragons in the Scorpion Den, but it included orphans and those who were less fortunate. It was open to anybody.
But nobody ever stole from Vulture. Vulture had an army of evil, greedy and violent dragons. Not only was Vulture himself a merciless killer, but his daughter was the best assassin in the Sand Kingdom. Nobody stole from Vulture. Nobody.
Except Rattlesnake. She didn't even know it was from Vulture. Until when she returned home and her father was in tears.
Vulture's thugs had come and took Rattlesnake's mother away. Away to kill her. And it was all Rattlesnake's fault. Her father made her vow to never steal again. They both quit the gang and her father sunk into a depression that lasted until now.
This was two years ago. Now, Rattlesnake was four, and old enough to join the gang on her own. She joined again, but refused to steal. Until now. Now, more and more orphans were starving. And The Enclave had become more powerful now that the war had almost lasted 20 years. The Dragonets were coming to stop the war, and the three queens were warring even more. Creating more refugees in this city. Rattlesnake had stolen again.
Rattlesnake made turn after turn until the sounds of talons behind her narrowed her down to one pair. Rattlesnake knew these roads better than most. But then again, probably so does he. Rattlesnake reached a place where multiple alleyways tangled together. She walked through many, trying to shake the thug, and then doubled back, coming face-to-face with a thug.
"Ah, so it is you again." He said in a gruff voice, pinning her to a wall. "I thought you learned your lesson about stealing from us. Nobody who does it, gets away with it. So let's continue our little game. Every time you steal something from us, we steal something from you. It's only fair." Rattlesnake squirmed against his talons, trying to aim her venomous tail at the thug's heart, but he just laughed and pinned her tail down with one of his back talons.
"Luckily for you, last time, you took something mostly worthless. So we took something just as worthless from you two years ago. I don't know what happened to her after I helped take her away, but I'm willing to guess Vulture got a new tattoo a few days later. How about we add one mor-." The thug got cut off when a wooden plank was slammed against the back of his head. The thug crumpled to the ground, out cold. Rattlesnake looked to see her rescuer's face. It was a dragonet about her age. He threw the plank to the side. "Sorry, I can't stand the arrogance of those guys." He said with a drawl.
He dusted himself down. "Name's Savanna." He held out his talon. "I'm Rattlesnake." Rattlesnake responded slightly warily. "I admire what you did, stealing from those rich cactus-lickers." Savanna said.
"As did I." Said a voice from the other end of the alley. There stood a full-grown dragon. He looked ordinary, except for the fact that he had six claws. "I admire your resourcefulness." He said to Savanna. "And I admire your determination to do what's right." He said to Rattlesnake. "Come with me please, we've been looking for dragons like you two."
