Shorter one this time, and the next one will be moderately short as well, but then it gets longer again. Sorry!
Copper's eyes opened to pain.
"Hello Copper." Said Woodpecker, who was sitting in the corner of the drab white room, bricks imbedded into the clay. He curled his tail over his talons neatly.
His head pounded.
"How long has it been?" He asked, barely able to get up from his position on the... dirt and sand covered floor? Really? This is the best they could do?
He suddenly looked at his wing, which was covered in bandages, illuminated by a single open window that let in warm light. It felt less crumpled than the last time he had been awake.
"Two weeks, Copper. You should be glad it wasn't longer-" Copper nodded. "-lest I needed to use my own money for the stay." Woodpecker added.
Copper rolled his eyes when he remembered the other members of his little 'team.'
"Where's Cougar?" He asked quickly. "And... the other two? The Seawings?"
"They are fine. You should be more worried about the possible concussion you may have."
Copper snickered as he went out the open doorway of the room. "Thanks for caring."
"Oh, I was simply concerned about your tracking abilities and how they may be affected." Woodpecker said casually, following him.
Copper stopped and looked at him. Woodpecker stared back, placid. "You're real nice and dandy, you know that Woody?" He asked, continuing into a... room he sort of rembered?
Oh.
This was the place where he had killed that muderous Sandwing.
He looked at one of the corners and saw a faint, dried spatter of blood. Woodpecker followed his gaze and gave him a primly distainful look.
Suddenly the back door opened, and Cougar came in followed by Turtle. Cougar had a large bandage over his left eye, red visible through the gause. As soon as he saw him, Cougar stopped. "Copper, we aren't going to do this anymore."
Woodpecker gasped. Copper frowned. "We're not giving up because of that. In any case that should be even more of a reason to kill that guy." He said coldly. Woodpecker didn't seem to know who to look at. Turtle just stood there, head low.
"Your job was to find and rescue the students, not kill the most important and powerful Sandwing criminal in the Scorpion Den." Woodpecker said.
"We aregoing to kill him. You too Cougar." Copper added. Cougar seemed slightly more willing than before at the prospect of revenge. "Woodpecker, what happened to the town? And who were those Skywings?"
"The town is gone." Turtle said quietly, head lowering even more.
Woodpecker nodded. "Those Skywings were Queen Ruby's soldiers. They seem to be trying to push their way into Sandwing territory through helpfulness." He chuckled.
Copper took a glance at the dragons. "Where's the other Seawing? Barnacle, or whatever?"
A Mudwing, their back leg and half their tail covered with scars, entered through the same door as Cougar and Turtle. "Barracudais still recovering. I don't belive it was just physical injuries. Something about a bomb. Something about someone named Sora, and a carnelian. Fire." She explained, blankly staring at Copper. She sat. "So, what isin that bag, hunter?" She asked with quiet anger.
"Mayfly, we agreed to let him stay without problems for the extra bag, right?" Woodpecker asked.
"Out. Into the garden. I'm not letting you stay here as long as you're okay. Get." She commanded, while pushing him out the door the three dragons had come from. They all went out into a small garden area.
"Before I make you" she said, with an almost mocking voice before slamming the door.
Copper looked around. The garden had many plants growing high up, vines covered everything, and past a little fence he could see the river and the sands beyond, the sun slowly rising in the distance.
There was a small silence before Copper started telling them a plan he had been formulating. "Woody, you said that this Vulture is a very important criminal in the Scorpion Den. Is he a part of a group?"
"Yes, now that you mention it. He is the leader of the Talons of Power."
Copper's mind went blank. "T-the Talons of Power?"
"Yes." Woodpecker confirmed, confusion blossoming on his face.
Crescent shaped scar.
Under the eye.
But he said-
He said that I should never-
That shop owner has to be wrong.
He has to be!
It was probably someone else. Someone else who got sliced there. Everyone could have that. ANYONE could have that.
"Copper?" Turtle asked.
Copper was thrust back into reality. The garden. The light. The dragons around him. They became visible again. "We, um... w-we could go... to the Sand Kingdom and fake... a d-deal and get in." He finished stupidly. "To their base, or hangout, or whatever... you know. A weapons deal or skeleton key or something..."
Cougar looked suspiciously towards him for a moment.
Woodpecker remembered something and broke the small, awkward silence. "There is one very important thing I forgot to tell you."
"What?" Copper asked, glad to change the subject. "You know who Stormbringer is? He made all those scrolls about government and social problems and whatnot?"
"I mostly remember the ones about how to pull of assasinations and get away with it." Copper said darkly.
Woodpecker looked surprised, even slightly quelled, but continued. "He gave a prophecy."
He took a slip of paper out of a satchel he carried and gave it to Copper.
Copper opened it. And he read.
The clock. It's ticking. It's ticking. Fast.
The clock ticks louder, under mind's mask.
Dragons try to find an answer.
Dragons try to find the master.
The master is one that may not seem.
Though all can dream.
An unreal truth.
The strongest among them can see.
The masters youth.
The clock. It's ticking. It's ticking. Louder.
Just look towards the Talons of Power.
Birds of Prey can kill each other.
Strength and Steel are secretive powers.
The clock is ticking. Louder. Louder.