Hey guys, I'm back! I apologize for updating later than usual. Like I said before, I usually update in two week's time. However, this does not mean I will update every two weeks. There will be times where I have things going on with my life, and I am forced to update later.
Again, sorry for the delay! (Because I was obviously procrastinating) I was on vacation where there was no wifi. Other than that, enjoy the new chapter!
Gale yawned as she stretched, letting the sun's warm rays soak into her scales. She still didn't get how the RainWings could sit baking in the sun for an hour.
Well, maybe baking wasn't the way to put it. The RainWings wouldn't call it that, they would call it "sunbathing." Gale had never sunbathed before, and didn't feel like trying. She emerged from the leaf hut and flicked a mosquito off her ear.
The Flawed had been living here for only a couple weeks, but Gale was already getting used to the tropical rainforest.
"Moon-blasted bugs," Typhoon muttered, coming out after her sister. "How do RainWings stand bugs crawling under your scales?"
"I don't know." Gale shrugged. "Is Whirlwind still sleeping?"
"He's snoring like an earthquake," Typhoon snorted. "Shaking the very ground."
Gale rubbed her head. "You're exaggerating."
"I am not," Typhoon retorted. "Go in there yourself and see."
"All right, I believe you," Gale gave in, laughing. "Hey Capybara, do you have more new fruits for us to try out?"
The little RainWing dragonet popped up next to Gale, holding an oval-shaped yellow-green fruit with spiky leaves at the top. "Try this!"
Gale poked strange the fruit curiously. Typhoon growled, "I'm not trying another fruit. The last one was horrible."
"Come ooooon," Capybara begged. "I promise this one isn't as bad!"
"I'm sure Capybara isn't lying," Gale assured Typhoon. She ripped the fruit in half to see an even more yellow color inside. The wingless dragon bit into it, surprised at how stringy it was, but yet it was sweet at the same time.
"It's not that bad," Gale said to Typhoon. "You can try it."
Typhoon sauntered over, eyeing the fruit suspiciously. She reluctantly took a tiny biteand said, "Bleh. This makes my tongue tingle."
"It's called pineapple!" Capybara informed the SkyWings enthusiastically. "Never tasted something like that, have you?"
"No," Typhoon muttered.
"It's good, right?" Capybara asked hopefully.
"Yes, delicious!" Gale took another bite.
Capybara brightened up. "Yeah!" He scrambled away with another mysterious fruit in his talons.
Gale leaned back, tossing her pineapple lazily from paw to paw. "I like this place. If there was no Topaz… we could live here happy."
"Yeah," Typhoon agreed, with a sad smile. "If there was no Topaz… our parents would still be alive."
Gale suddenly stopped tossing her pineapple, a shadowed look in her eyes. "You know… I wish Topaz is this pineapple." The wingless dragon stabbed her claws straight into the pineapple. Juice ran down her talons as the pineapple was reduced to mush.
"Gale…" Typhoon sounded shocked. "This isn't like you."
Her younger sister didn't reply. She stood up abruptly, leaving the remains of her fruit on the ground.
"Hey, Gale," Typhoon tried again.
"Hey, Typhoon," Gale said, turning towards her with a cold stare. "Don't you want to kill Topaz, too?"
Harrier didn't sleep soundly that night. The wind cut into his scales like ice as he lay down on the cold stone surface. He peered down from the cliff. Hm. I suppose sleeping on the highest point of this mountain isn't the best idea? Well, maybe it was a good idea. My queenly sister wouldn't expect me to hide up on a mountain, would she? I suppose she probably thought I'd go running to the SandWings. She's probably correct. But I'm not going there now.
Harrier huffed as he tried to hide behind a boulder to get away from the merciless wind. A few hours ago he had slipped out of the palace, making his mind about leaving. He had a gut feeling that his sister would kill him in a couple days anyway. To save my own scales, Harrier inwardly sighed. Oh, yes.
The lone SkyWing closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the howling of the wind kept him awake. Very scary sounding too. Or eerie. Eerie sounds better. It puts more of a creepy feeling to it. I'm tired. Maybe I shouldn't have run away.
Out of nowhere, a tiny white butterfly struggled to fly through the wind. Harrier watched it curiously. Oh hello, a butterfly. What are you doing here?
That was when he heard the faint sound of wingbeats. Uh oh. Doombringer's butterfly! Gotta go. Harrier stood, swaying unsteadily. Uh… too sleepy. He shook his head, taking off clumsily.
In the distance, he saw the outlines of Topaz and Doombringer. Topaz's eyes shone with pure hatred. "HARRIER!"
"Uh, I have to go somewhere. Sorry!" Harrier beat his wings faster, terror spurring him on. Their shapes gradually grew smaller as he flew as fast as he could. He dipped down to the forest below, letting the many leaves of the trees shield him. He held his breath as he heard the queen and her NightWing fly right past him. He thought he saw Doombringer's shadow dip down to where he was before taking off after Topaz again.
When Harrier was sure that they'd gone, he sat back and let out a shaky sigh of relief. Doombringer knew where I was. He could've used his animus powers to capture me easily. But why didn't he do it yet? That question hung heavily in his mind. Whew. At least I'm safe for now.
Harrier closed his eyes sleepily. I'm so tired… I don't think other dragons will come and find me… He shook his head. No… I definitely shouldn't stay here. I must move on. Willing himself, the SkyWing stood up and walked slowly. Hm, I'm guessing that this way is to the SandWings.
"Queen Aurora! We have a guest."
The queen of the IceWings narrowed her ice-blue eyes when she heard one of her dragons call her. She stood up from her throne to see that two IceWings were leading a pale SandWing into the icy room. The SandWing shivered uncontrollably from the cold.
"Your Majesty, we found this SandWing in the fringes of our territory," one dragon said. "He begged for us to take him to you."
Aurora stalked up to the dragons, her pale blue scales glittering. "Why didn't you take this SandWing immediately to the guest area?"
"Uh…" the IceWings looked embarrassed and ashamed at the same time.
"Do it now," she growled. "I don't even know how the guards stationed outside the palace let you in. They should've known. Go!" The IceWings hurriedly brought the SandWing away. The SandWing already looked half-frozen.
After taking care of some business, the queen headed to the guest area, which was further down south. She came into a small building, seeing that the SandWIng was huddled next to a roaring fireplace.
Aurora's scales prickled uncomfortably in the heat, but she ignored it and edged into the room.
"What is your name, SandWing?"
The SandWing looked up at Aurora, still shivering a little. "Uh, P-Parch, Your Majesty." The queen suspected his stammering came from the cold.
"And why have you come here?"
"U-Um, I was w-wondering if you could ally with Queen Ecru against the S-SkyWing queen."
"Ally?" Aurora mused. "I've heard that Queen Topaz is an ambitious dragon. Are you saying you want to start a war against her?"
Parch shook his head, despair plain in his eyes. "S-she already did. She stole some of us and imprisoned them. Queen Ecru tried to g-get them back… but…" The SandWing shuddered.
"What happened?" Aurora asked, wondering what was so terrible.
"There… there was… I don't know. I was b-battling SkyWings, but I heard this voice. This voice that told us that we would feel its wrath. Next thing I knew, rock spears were raining down on us. My sister… my parents… my friends… the spears st-stabbed through them. Killed them instantly." He blinked back tears, then continued after a pause. "W-we were forced to retreat. We couldn't bring back the severely wounded soldiers. Now the SkyWing queen has more SandWings in her talons. This is why we are asking for your help. Queen Ecru knows we must stop the SkyWing queen. We have h-heard that the MudWings have allied themselves with the SkyWings, too."
Aurora sat back, thinking about what Parch said. "Hm… I do not like wars, and would prefer to be not in one."
The IceWing queen locked gazes with Parch. "However, I will aid you if you pay me a large amount of treasure." Aurora told Parch the amount she wanted, and Parch widened his eyes.
"B-but… Your Majesty… that's… Queen Ecru can't afford that."
"Then I will not be involved," Aurora decided.
"The SandWings desperately need your help!" Parch pleaded.
"I set down the price. Take it or leave it," Aurora said flatly. "If Queen Ecru cannot pay, then so be it." The IceWing queen stood up and walked out of the room, adding, "You can stay here to warm up for an hour or so. After that, my guards will escort you. I wish you good luck in the war, Parch."
Luck, huh? Parch thought bitterly. She would give us some real luck if she helped.
You're probably thinking, Oh no! What happened to Gale? or Harrier what are you going to do? or NO the IceWing queen refused to join the fight! or maybe WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? I HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS!
Just survive until the next chapter comes. :P
