Wolf stared at his claws covered in blood, illuminated by the rising dawn. He hissed lowly before dragging the body of his dead sister to the hole he had previously dug. They weren't supposed to stay near the Sky Kingdom for too long, but there was a spy by them and they were ambushed. He'd gotten the soldier. It was quick but not clean, decapitation never was. Maybe it was a bit extra, but the Skywing had taken his sister from him. As soon as Wolf was done burying her, he'd clean his claws and scales. Partially because he had another kill to get to in the morning, but mostly because he loathed having his scales look anything less than shiny. He was an assassin who despised the sight and feel of blood on him. How ironic.
Still, it was his job in this war, and he was one of the best, with only one dragon—that he knew of, mind you—being better than him. Well, one dragon that used to be. Her name was Shatter, she'd been his best friend and older sister by two years. When she turned seven, after being trained as an assassin for three years, Shatter went off to war. He followed her two years later, and they worked together as an unstoppable, inseparable force. Or they did until the Skywing had killed Shatter before Wolf could stop her.
Wolf sighed softly as he dropped Shatter's body into the hole he had dug. Even in death, her expression was grim and solid. He smiled sadly and brushed his wing across hers one last time. "I'll miss you," he whispered softly before steeling himself and flying south to the Kingdom of Sea. It was his duty to help Blaze win the throne.
A Seawing with scales that were a greyish blue, and jade green fluorescent scales that lit up a few times in the fog, slid out of the water. She had a trident strapped to her back and Wolf narrowed his eyes, silently lashing his tail. She most likely wasn't his next target, but he had to get closer to be sure.
Wolf silently leapt off his rock and glided over her head, landing a few wing flaps away. The Seawing looked above her, narrowing her eyes slightly. He was certain she had sensed him. Not like it really mattered, he'd have to make himself known to her either way.
As she took her trident off her back and began slowly searching the beach, Wolf spotted two more Seawings slide out of the water. He lashed his tail again and hid further in the heavy fog. One of them was bigger than the first Seawing and had a missing claw. "Dolphin," his voice came out rough and commanding. "I need you to fly west to the borders and patrol there. We've gotten word that the Skywings may try to attack us again."
Dolphin nodded before sucking in a sharp breath as she whirled around to face her commanding officer. "Hydra, I don't think we're alone."
Wolf couldn't see his expression properly, but he guessed that Hydra was grimacing. A low hiss sounded shortly after. "What?"
Dolphin shrugged. "I heard someone fly over my head, and saw a flash of white."
Walruses! Wolf, this is what he got for insisting on keeping his scales as white as ice or diamonds.
"Search the beach!" Hydra ordered. Wolf internally smacked himself as he realized that Hydra was his target.
Wolf quickly checked his pouch, checking how many throwing stars, and vials of poison he had. He didn't have too many, but he had more than enough to spare. And thankfully, he remembered to strap some daggers to his wrists, plus he had the spikes on his tail which acted as an extra weapon.
Just as he was about to launch into the sky, he was ambushed and got barreled over by a force stronger than he was preparing for. Wolf yelped and started flinging sand around with his tail and the tips of his wings. Above him was Hydra, bearing his teeth and putting all his weight into keeping Wolf down.
Wolf hissed, drawing up his frost breath. Hydra realized what Wolf was about to do and leaped back, narrowly avoiding the frost breath. Wolf jumped up, raising the spikes along his neck.
Wolf started pacing back and forth, never taking his eyes off of Hydra. One less Seawing meant one more step to winning the war. Or, at least that's what Wolf reasoned. But the question was, how would Wolf kill Hydra without drawing any more attention. He supposed he could just use his poison or daggers and get in a good aim.
Wolf pulled a dagger from its sheath and launched himself at Hydra. Hydra swung his tail around to hit Wolf, who barely avoided the hit, and caused his blade to land in one of the webs between Hydra's talons. Well, it's not where I wanted it, but it's something. Right?
Hydra grimaced in pain and took care to not rip the webbing and instead raised his free talon and quickly struck Wolf on the left side of his face. Wolf yowled as he felt the sting of the blow. In retaliation, he pushed the dagger in further to the webbing and violently ripped it through the delicate skin. Hydra roared and took another swipe at Wolf who jumped back and darted to the side, going for Hydra's ribcage. He swung his spiked tail at the underbelly and dug his claws into his shoulder.
Hydra reared up and Wolf dug his talons deeper into the aquamarine scales so he didn't get thrown off, and flung his wings out to steady himself. He realized too late that he made mistake. Hydra flung Wolf off and stabbed his talons into Wolf's right wing, grinning malevolently. Wolf winced and groaned as Hydra slammed him roughly onto the sand. He was trapped, and the chances of getting out alive were now fairly slim. Even if he did escape from Hydra, he would leave a trail of blood behind him.
Wolf hissed lowly and started to build his frost breath. If he had to go down, he'd take Hydra with him. Wolf hooked his talons onto the chainmail and hit Hydra with his frost breath. Hydra staggered backwards, his eyes widening in shock, and ripped a bit more of Wolf's wing. The assassin stood up unsteadily and grabbed a sharp piece of driftwood.
Hydra barely managed to stay up long enough for Wolf to get one final blow, so he moved quickly, ramming the wood into his throat. Hydra gave a shuddering breath before collapsing onto the sand.
Wolf sat on the sand beside Hydra, his heart pounding. He gently flexed his hurt wing and hissed in pain. Hydra had managed to tear two holes in his wing. They weren't massive, but they would pose problems for his flight. Wolf then gently felt along the left side of his face. The cut Hydra had made was deep and would leave a scar.
As he let out a breath a sharp point settled itself on his spine. "Siren, go get Shark."
Wolf turned his head around and stared at Dolphin. Up close, she was bigger than he first thought, and she was definitely more aggressive.
Dolphin pushed her trident harder against him and growled. He glanced over her quickly, and slowly stood up, turning around to fully face her. Wolf knocked her trident aside easily and raised an eyebrow. Dolphin looked no older than eight. Although, he did have to give her props for facing off against someone with four years of experience compared to her.
Siren stalked towards Wolf. "Why? Shark doesn't need to be bothered with this one, we can take care of him ourselves."
Dolphin side glanced at Siren and lowered her weapon a bit. Wolf took that time to twist it out of her grasp, tossing it into the water. "Nice to meet you both, but I really must be going." He bowed mockingly, took a deep breath, and launched into the air.
Dolphin went to follow him but Siren stopped her. "Let him go, Dolphin. He won't make it back to his Kingdom with his wing injury. Leave him to the mercy of Burn."
Wolf looked back at them once more before flying wobbly to a safe place.
A couple of hours later, Wolf crashed down in a village that was within the borders of the Kingdom of Sand. The pain in his wing had increased and he couldn't keep flying forever. As he crashed, several Sandwings stared at him in either shock or curiosity. For several moments, no one moved, not even Wolf. Finally, one Sandwing started pushing the others aside, making her way over to Wolf. She had light yellow-brown scales with brown speckles around her eyes and across her wings. She stared down at Wolf silently before sitting beside him. He looked up at her, grateful that her body was shielding the sun, panting heavily.
"Well, don't just stare at me like a meerkat who's never seen a camel before."
"So, you're not going to kill me?"
She looked scandalized. "I'll have you know that you are in the Scorpion Den. No one here will kill you because you fight for Blaze."
Wolf let out a breathy laugh. "But you will kill me?"
"Depends on what for."
"Very reassuring."
The Sandwing just shook her head and hauled Wolf up to his talons. "Running antelopes!" she cried. "You're cold!"
"Like you're pleasant to touch," Wolf replied haughtily. "You're talons are hot."
"I'm a Sandwing, crocodile spawn."
"And I'm an Icewing, Desert-Muncher."
By now, a crowd had gathered, watching the two dragons hurl insults at each other. The Sandwing smirked, her eyes twinkling and motioned for Wolf to follow her. "I think you and I will get along just fine."
A couple of hours later, Wolf crashed down in a village that was within the borders of the Kingdom of Sand. The pain in his wing had increased and he couldn't keep flying forever. As he crashed, several Sandwings stared at him in either shock or curiosity. For several moments, no one moved, not even Wolf. Finally, one Sandwing started pushing the others aside, making her way over to Wolf. She had light yellow-brown scales with brown speckles around her eyes and across her wings. She stared down at Wolf silently before sitting beside him. He looked up at her, grateful that her body was shielding the sun, panting heavily.
"Well, don't just stare at me like a meerkat who's never seen a camel before."
"So, you're not going to kill me?"
She looked scandalized. "I'll have you know that you are in the Scorpion Den. No one here will kill you because you fight for Blaze."
Wolf let out a breathy laugh. "But you will kill me?"
"Depends on what for."
"Very reassuring."
The Sandwing just shook her head and hauled Wolf up to his talons. "Running antelopes!" she cried. "You're cold!"
"Like you're pleasant to touch," Wolf replied haughtily. "You're talons are hot."
"I'm a Sandwing, crocodile spawn."
"And I'm an Icewing, Desert-Muncher."
By now, a crowd had gathered, watching the two dragons hurl insults at each other. The Sandwing smirked, her eyes twinkling and motioned for Wolf to follow her. "I think you and I will get along just fine."
Wolf started trudging after her, ignoring the stares he was getting. She led him into a large tent that stood in the shade. Once Wolf entered it, the Sandwing snapped the flaps shut and slithered over to a large pillow, flopping down onto it. "I never got your name."
Wolf looked around the tent a bit, a large map of Pyrrhia catching his eye. "My name is Wolf. And you would be?"
"Scorpion." Wolf looked at her dryly. "Yes, my name is Scorpion and I live in the Scorpion Den. Hilarious."
Wolf sighed as he felt his scales cool down a bit in the shade of the tent. "Thank you, by the way."
"Don't mention it. You wouldn't have lasted long out there." Wolf threw her a hurt look but she ignored it. "Now, let me help you with your wing. It needs to be patched up."
"What I need is to get to the Ice Kingdom," Wolf snapped.
Scorpion regarded Wolf for a bit, deep in thought. "So you're a messenger?"
"No."
"A spy?"
"No."
"Then what are you, Wolf?"
"I'm an assassin."
Scorpion snorted and bounded up from her pillow, making her way towards a chest. She opened it and grabbed a bunch of objects. Wolf assumed they would be used to help heal his wing. "We have a lot of those here. Half of the Outclaws are former assassins."
"Outclaws?"
"Right, you wouldn't have those in the Ice Kingdom. Outclaws are led by Thorn and are supposed to be peacekeepers, but if I were you, I wouldn't trust them."
"Are they dangerous?"
"No, not exactly."
"Let me guess, they're all thieves?"
"More or less.
"Aren't all Sandwings that way? More dangerous than Nightwings, and twice as likely to backstab a dragon for gold."
Scorpion lashed her tail lightly. "Yes, we generally are. But not all of us will do that. And before you ask, no I am not one of those dragons."
Wolf nodded thoughtfully. "So you will rob a dragon blind. Good to know." He looked down at his moon-white scales and scowled as he noticed the dried blood on his talons. He could feel the blood on the left side of his face from the wound and scowled further. "I need to clean myself up. I cannot go around looking dirty."
Scorpion snorted again, this time less dignified. "Well, that's a first. An assassin who doesn't like being covered in blood."
Wolf shot her a glare. "I'll have you know, I take pride in my looks."
"Are all Icewings like you?"
"No. My youngest brother can be covered in blood or dirt or whatever and be perfectly fine. There are a few others like him. Most Icewings aren't as extreme about this as me."
Scorpion began laughing and shook her head playfully. "All right, well let me get your wing done. And then I'll see what I can do about your face."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Author's Notes
This is the first chapter in a 6 part fic, which is being crossposted from AO3.
I hope you enjoyed reading this. Feedback and comments are very much welcome.