::Chapter One::
It seemed odd to Wildwing, now as he sat thinking, but it had never fully occurred to him the fact that his brother was just a kid. Dive was his younger brother, a teammate, and a friend...but also just a kid. Thinking about it now, it surprised him how all this time it had never come to his attention. Sure Dive was goofy and loud, always wearing this big grin and ready to have a good time. But he was such a great hockey player as well; giving a hundred and ten percent out on the ice and always followed orders when it really counted. He was also a pretty good fighter, always managing to make it away from a confrontation with the Saurians pretty much unscathed. Wildwing supposed he'd never reflected on just how much younger his brother was compared to the rest of the team, just how more vulnerable than the rest of them he was, until now..until he was hurt.
With a pained look Wildwing glanced down towards the bed directly beside him. To his brother's sleeping form, torso bandaged, looking so much smaller and younger looking than before. This time Dive hadn't been able to come away as lucky as he normally did when they dealt with Dragaunus and the others.
The team had just finished their game, winning as usual, when Drake I sounded an alarm. The Saurians were up to something again, and the team quickly changed their gear and headed out in the Migrator to stop them. When they arrived on the scene, an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, the Saurians were almost finished with whatever it was they were up to this particular night. The Ducks quickly got into action, racing out of the Migrator, puck launchers drawn and ready. Using nearby crates as shields they each proceeded to make their way towards the only two Saurians present, or so they thought, Siege and Chameleon. Mallory and Tanya headed for Chameleon as the others made their way towards Siege. They hadn't expected Wraith to come from behind, catching them off guard, and it ended up that Wildwing, Grin and Duke suddenly found themselves busy with Wraith - leaving Nosedive one on one with Siege. The surprise addition of the ancient Saurian didn't give Nosedive enough time to react to the changing situation and all too quickly he found himself hanging upside down in the air. He grimaced in pain as Siege dangled him a couple feet from the ground by his ankle.
"Man, you just keep on getting uglier and uglier!"
Nosedive managed out as the blood began to rush to his head. Siege sneered, eyes narrowing,
"I wonder just how easily you birds snap in two."
He growled. Nosedive managed a smile in response, thinking quickly on how he could get Big n' Ugly distracted enough to let him go. His puck launcher would have to do, he supposed. With swift reflexes he yanked his gun out from behind him, aimed right between the big lizard's eyes and fired off two pucks. He knew it wouldn't damage the lizard as much as he'd like, but it would be enough to throw him off guard. He was right. Siege snarled as the pucks bounced off him, making him close his eyes for a moment. In that moment his grip loosened just enough to allow Nosedive to kick him forcefully on the head in order to make him let go completely. As soon as his foot was free Dive kicked off, using Siege's head as his springboard. The Saurian growled angrily as the duck landed on the ground a few feet away. Dive grimaced visibly and had to land on one knee as he gingerly touched his ankle. The vice-like grip the lizard had been using on the duck's ankle was already beginning to leave a large and visible bruise.
"Didn't your mom ever teach you to play nice!?"
Nosedive retorted as Siege began advancing towards him. In the meantime, Tanya and Mallory had had no problems making short work of Chameleon, and they then began helping the other three deal with Wraith. Unfortunately the older lizard had chosen to concoct a thick fog just then and the Ducks found themselves lost in darkness. Nosedive had been attempting to make his way closer to the others when he was surrounded in the fog, leaving Siege a prime moment to come from behind and surprise him. Wildwing heard a momentary yelp, followed by a harsh sounding crunch. The empty feeling in his stomach told him it was Nosedive who was in trouble, but deep in the middle of the fog he hadn't a clue where his brother exactly was.
"I think it is time that we take our leave."
Wraith said, the fog receding as he did so. Nosedive had been thrust against a wall by Siege, feeling a few things crunch as the lizard pressed hard against him. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to clear the spots that were appearing in his vision. I'd really prefer not to become a permanent part of this wall, he thought to himself, clenching his jaw against the blinding pain. Then he saw Wraith and Chameleon reach for their transporters about the same time as Siege released his hold on him. With a sickening thud he hit the floor as all three lizards de-materialized.
"Dive!"
He heard his older brother call out, his voice laced with worry and fear. Dive's vision was blurred as he raised his head as much as he could, trying to locate the direction of his brother's voice. Wildwing had immediately begun looking around for his brother when the fog lifted, quickly sprinting off in his direction as soon as he saw him on the floor. Hang on, little bro, just hang in there, Wildwing thought frantically. Nosedive was weakly trying to pull himself up on his knees as Wildwing reached his side.
"Dive, can you hear me?"
Wildwing asked as he began helping his brother to his feet.
"Mmm, yeah, I can.soon as the buzzing in my head stops . . . .you get the license plate of that tornado at all?"
He somehow managed to quip, earning a small smile from his older brother. The throbbing in his head grew more painful just then, and he found himself leaning more heavily against his brother as the surroundings around him began to swirl.
"Wing?"
He managed to get out,
"Yeah?"
". . I . . I think I'm . . . gonna pass out--"
Which he proceeded to do as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Dive!"
Wildwing said in surprise and alarm, his brother suddenly going completely limp. Swiftly he pulled his brother up into his arms, cradling him as gently as possible.
"Wildwing, is he gonna be oka--"
Duke began as he and the others jogged up to their captain. The former thief, and oldest of their team, could see the worry etched in Wing's eyes and face.
"Come on, I want to get back to the Pond. Now."
Was all he said, his voice strained as made his way past the others and to the Migrator.
It seemed odd to Wildwing, now as he sat thinking, but it had never fully occurred to him the fact that his brother was just a kid. Dive was his younger brother, a teammate, and a friend...but also just a kid. Thinking about it now, it surprised him how all this time it had never come to his attention. Sure Dive was goofy and loud, always wearing this big grin and ready to have a good time. But he was such a great hockey player as well; giving a hundred and ten percent out on the ice and always followed orders when it really counted. He was also a pretty good fighter, always managing to make it away from a confrontation with the Saurians pretty much unscathed. Wildwing supposed he'd never reflected on just how much younger his brother was compared to the rest of the team, just how more vulnerable than the rest of them he was, until now..until he was hurt.
With a pained look Wildwing glanced down towards the bed directly beside him. To his brother's sleeping form, torso bandaged, looking so much smaller and younger looking than before. This time Dive hadn't been able to come away as lucky as he normally did when they dealt with Dragaunus and the others.
The team had just finished their game, winning as usual, when Drake I sounded an alarm. The Saurians were up to something again, and the team quickly changed their gear and headed out in the Migrator to stop them. When they arrived on the scene, an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, the Saurians were almost finished with whatever it was they were up to this particular night. The Ducks quickly got into action, racing out of the Migrator, puck launchers drawn and ready. Using nearby crates as shields they each proceeded to make their way towards the only two Saurians present, or so they thought, Siege and Chameleon. Mallory and Tanya headed for Chameleon as the others made their way towards Siege. They hadn't expected Wraith to come from behind, catching them off guard, and it ended up that Wildwing, Grin and Duke suddenly found themselves busy with Wraith - leaving Nosedive one on one with Siege. The surprise addition of the ancient Saurian didn't give Nosedive enough time to react to the changing situation and all too quickly he found himself hanging upside down in the air. He grimaced in pain as Siege dangled him a couple feet from the ground by his ankle.
"Man, you just keep on getting uglier and uglier!"
Nosedive managed out as the blood began to rush to his head. Siege sneered, eyes narrowing,
"I wonder just how easily you birds snap in two."
He growled. Nosedive managed a smile in response, thinking quickly on how he could get Big n' Ugly distracted enough to let him go. His puck launcher would have to do, he supposed. With swift reflexes he yanked his gun out from behind him, aimed right between the big lizard's eyes and fired off two pucks. He knew it wouldn't damage the lizard as much as he'd like, but it would be enough to throw him off guard. He was right. Siege snarled as the pucks bounced off him, making him close his eyes for a moment. In that moment his grip loosened just enough to allow Nosedive to kick him forcefully on the head in order to make him let go completely. As soon as his foot was free Dive kicked off, using Siege's head as his springboard. The Saurian growled angrily as the duck landed on the ground a few feet away. Dive grimaced visibly and had to land on one knee as he gingerly touched his ankle. The vice-like grip the lizard had been using on the duck's ankle was already beginning to leave a large and visible bruise.
"Didn't your mom ever teach you to play nice!?"
Nosedive retorted as Siege began advancing towards him. In the meantime, Tanya and Mallory had had no problems making short work of Chameleon, and they then began helping the other three deal with Wraith. Unfortunately the older lizard had chosen to concoct a thick fog just then and the Ducks found themselves lost in darkness. Nosedive had been attempting to make his way closer to the others when he was surrounded in the fog, leaving Siege a prime moment to come from behind and surprise him. Wildwing heard a momentary yelp, followed by a harsh sounding crunch. The empty feeling in his stomach told him it was Nosedive who was in trouble, but deep in the middle of the fog he hadn't a clue where his brother exactly was.
"I think it is time that we take our leave."
Wraith said, the fog receding as he did so. Nosedive had been thrust against a wall by Siege, feeling a few things crunch as the lizard pressed hard against him. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to clear the spots that were appearing in his vision. I'd really prefer not to become a permanent part of this wall, he thought to himself, clenching his jaw against the blinding pain. Then he saw Wraith and Chameleon reach for their transporters about the same time as Siege released his hold on him. With a sickening thud he hit the floor as all three lizards de-materialized.
"Dive!"
He heard his older brother call out, his voice laced with worry and fear. Dive's vision was blurred as he raised his head as much as he could, trying to locate the direction of his brother's voice. Wildwing had immediately begun looking around for his brother when the fog lifted, quickly sprinting off in his direction as soon as he saw him on the floor. Hang on, little bro, just hang in there, Wildwing thought frantically. Nosedive was weakly trying to pull himself up on his knees as Wildwing reached his side.
"Dive, can you hear me?"
Wildwing asked as he began helping his brother to his feet.
"Mmm, yeah, I can.soon as the buzzing in my head stops . . . .you get the license plate of that tornado at all?"
He somehow managed to quip, earning a small smile from his older brother. The throbbing in his head grew more painful just then, and he found himself leaning more heavily against his brother as the surroundings around him began to swirl.
"Wing?"
He managed to get out,
"Yeah?"
". . I . . I think I'm . . . gonna pass out--"
Which he proceeded to do as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Dive!"
Wildwing said in surprise and alarm, his brother suddenly going completely limp. Swiftly he pulled his brother up into his arms, cradling him as gently as possible.
"Wildwing, is he gonna be oka--"
Duke began as he and the others jogged up to their captain. The former thief, and oldest of their team, could see the worry etched in Wing's eyes and face.
"Come on, I want to get back to the Pond. Now."
Was all he said, his voice strained as made his way past the others and to the Migrator.