Chapter Fifteen
Morrowseer stepped out between the trees, allowing the shadows to slide away to reveal him in the light of that overcast afternoon. Leaves and small debris flew past his face in the wind that whistled between his horns. He came between Scarlet and Blister, the females hissing softly as they parted for him. The five dragons before him all reacted to his presence in various ways. The IceWing seemed stunned, before anger took hold of him. The RainWing had gone green-and-white with shock. The SeaWing cowered down to the ground. The SandWing looked him all over at once, assessing him with growing agitation.
But he only had eyes for Moonwatcher. Throughout the journey here, he'd managed to keep himself focused on his mission, the goal always clear in his mind. Until he saw her. She'd grown more. Much taller than when he had seen her last.* She now stood in equal height to the IceWing and SandWing males on either side of her, her form perfectly healthy. He'd always been tall for his age as well. It made that small voice inside his heart crow with pride. But the way she was looking at him squashed such feelings into dust. She stared up at him, green eyes wide and wings shivering.
The way her voice shook only confirmed it. "F-Father…"
She was afraid of him.
That fear would have to be used to his advantage, he reasoned with himself. If this was the path she chose, then she had to deal with the consequences. Even if it made something inside him turn cold at the thought of his dragonet ever having to feel the need to be truly frightened of her own father.
He walked towards her, until he felt an invisible wall press against his chest. The other properties within the magic tried to take hold of his mind, but slid away without phasing him. He stared down at his daughter.
"Moonwatcher." He greeted her as if they were colleagues.
On his peripheral, he noticed Blister turn to grin at him. "Morrowseer, you failed to mention your precious informant was your own offspring."
"I'm not your informant!" Moon shrieked, outraged.
"You leave her alone!" snarled the SandWing.
"And look, a few more rebels caught in our net." Scarlet looked from left to right, assess each of their enemies. "Have we got a collection of misfits? None of you seem to belong together."
"We do belong together!" shouted the RainWing in a pitching voice that already grated on Morrowseer's nerves. "It's your face that doesn't belong - not to anything living!"
Scarlet clucked her tongue, a move that obviously disgusted their adversaries as they could see her tongue moving through her ruined cheek. "A RainWing. I'm going to enjoy ripping off every colour-changing scale."
"Enough," Morrowseer said sternly. These petty games of posturing bored him.
Once again, he met Moonwatcher's eyes. He made sure to keep up the mantra of numbers in his head so that she wouldn't see past them. No doubt she was trying to read him even now. Finally, she asked, "Why… Why are you here?"
"To do what needs must," he said. "This little upstart stops now. You're all causing quite the stir, creating trouble where there need not be any."
"We're stopping you!" The IceWing growled savagely.
"From doing what? I'm holding up my end of an alliance to make peace across Pyrrhia, to see to the safety and stability of my tribe. Would you undo that?"
"You stole the rainforest!" the RainWing shot in front of him, as close to the barrier as she could get. Her scales had turned crimson red, dotted with black. "You work with her!" she thrust her nose at Blister. "She's not the SandWing queen! Queen Glory and the others didn't choose her!"
"But they are meant to!" Blister seethed.
"I created the prophecy," said Morrowseer. "Who do you think would have a better understanding of it than I?"
"You can't get in," Moonwatcher redirected them back to the task at talon, every part of her body stiff. She never once took her eyes off him.
"No. Your precious shield prevents me from doing so. Rather clever of you." He ran his claws along the surface of the barrier, like a cat trying to hook its claws in a loose thread to unravel. "And good of you to find Stonemover for me, Moonwatcher. I had wondered what had happened to him."
"I won't let you hurt him…"
"Hurt him? No one needs to be hurt today." He ignored the indignant snort from his allies. His soldiers would do whatever he instructed. Let the would-be Queens have their fun if they wished. "I'm more than willing to accept your peaceful surrender. On the condition, Moonwatcher, that you invite me in."
"How does he know about that?!" whispered the SeaWing fearfully.
The SandWing shook his head vigorously. "Moon, don't!"
"Oh, you will," Morrowseer's golden eyes latched onto hers, denying her the ability to look away. "I've allowed you to have your fun, but now it's over. You're going to invite me in, Moonwatcher, and then we will need to discuss your definition of loyalty."
A talon latched onto his arm. Scarlet. "You promised me the dragons of destiny!"
Morrowseer had to stamp down the rage that threatened to make him maul her to death at that very moment. He shook her off, and opened his mouth to-
"Snake!" The IceWing spat, diverting their attention. "You already tried to get my sister to do your dirty work! You promised her my brother, Prince Hailstorm. Where is he?!"
Ah. So this was Prince Winter, nephew of Queen Glacier. Good. He would be sure not to promise sparing that one. A message needed to be sent, after all.
Scarlet pondered the prince's words for a moment, as if confused, only to break the ruse a moment later to throw her head back and laugh. "Oh! You naïve fool! Did you think I stowed him away under my wings? Did you not hear what happened to dear, beloved Hailstorm? I heard he pled his case quite passionately before your IceWing blockade."
Prince Winter frowned. "What're you talking about?"
Scarlet clapped her talons together gleefully. "Your precious big brother was killed by his own tribe!"
"What-?!"
The SeaWing leapt on to the back of his companions, trying to push them aside. "Look out!"
Enormous orange wings crashed into the group of younger dragons, scattering them! His main target had been to ram his shoulders into the IceWing and SandWing, sending them sprawling. But he made sure to smack his tail into the RainWing, sending her to the ground. In the confusion, the SkyWing managed to hook his talons into a dazed Moon, and began to drag her towards the barrier.
The moment Moon understood what was happening, she thrashed and struggled. She couldn't allow him to take her! She couldn't cross over! She only caught brief glimpses, but she recognised the orange wings, the cold touch of golden rings, the large amulet at his breast - Soar! But what was he doing?!
White flashed above her head and Winter unleashed his frostbreath. Soar had to let her go to duck aside, and Moon wasted no time in scrambling back away from the shield. But even with all her friends coming at him to fight him, Soar tried to charge her. Moon ducked and rolled aside, taking the opening to bite for his flanks as he passed her. Qibli came in front of the SkyWing and tried to wrestle him to the ground. Winter joined him, and managed to get in a few good swipes with his serrated claws along Soar's neck and one across the face.
The SkyWing cried out and abruptly dropped his weight, unbalancing Qibli, who he quickly elbowed in the face. In the same movement, Soar hooked his back legs under Winter's stomach and kicked him off, sending him flying across the ring of boulders. But Moon, Turtle and Kinkajou swept in immediately. Turtle threw himself onto Soar's back, scrabbling for purchase and biting into his prey's shoulder. He'd never been good at talon-to-talon combat, not even when Tsunami tried to teach him, and the only thing he was competent at was subduing his enemy long enough for someone else to get a good shot in.
Which was what Kinkajou did, jumping onto Moon's back to spring off so that she could go high, jaws wide and fangs out to shoot her venom into Soar's face. But he saw her coming and with a huge thrust of his wings pushed himself into the sky to avoid the deadly blast - with Turtle still atop him! Spinning in the air, Soar managed to shake his SeaWing passenger off, but Turtle quickly caught himself on his own wings, and swung his large, thick tail. It hit Soar in the face with all the force of a tidal wave, sending him spinning in the air before he crashed to the ground, dazed.
Moon was on him in an instant, trying to subdue him. Qibli was right behind her and Winter was gathering himself up.
But then, Soar's long tail coiled around her ankle and Moon's balance was yanked out of place. Soar rolled them so that he stood over her, his arms wrapped around hers. Once again with his large wings, he tried to lift them into the air to forcibly carry her away.
"Get her here now, useless lizard!" Blister shouted.
Soar huffed. "That's just-!"
Moon sank her teeth into his wrist.
Her captor yowled with pain, and did not notice Winter leap up behind him and land on his back, claws and teeth scrabbling along his spine and neck. Soar had to drop Moon in order to deal with the IceWing, but she was sure to give him a good kick as she fell. She landed heavily, and Kinkajou helped to steady her.
An agonised shriek pierced the air. Soar had managed to catch one of Winter's wings in his teeth - the one Moon had injured when she'd tackled Winter. He shook the wing side to side, further damaging it, and Winter had to leap free. When Soar released him, Winter's bad wing didn't seem to want to support him, properly, and he fell heavily to the ground. Turtle rushed towards him, digging his talons into his pouch.
Soar's eyes went wide, and Moon caught a brief flash through his mind. He somehow recognised what Turtle was up to. But how? Before she could question, Qibli had taken to the air and was coming for Soar with his tail raised. The SkyWing dodged the tail attack and clobbered the SandWing over the head with talons and wings. He left Qibli reeling and dove towards Winter and Turtle.
He flung aside the IceWing and set upon the SeaWing. He sank his teeth into the base of Turtle's neck and shook him violently. Moon and Kinkajou screamed and raced towards him - he was going to kill him! Kinkajou leapt onto Soar's back spraying her venom onto his wings and trying to reach her claws around for his throat. He screamed with agony and rolled on the ground, nearly crushing her underneath him. At the very least, Kinkajou was winded.
Moon roared and unleashed her fire, straight into Soar's face! He leapt back, trying to cover his eyes, and she leapt at him, slashing furiously at his wings and neck. Blisters bubbled along his snout, a gash appeared along his throat, and Soar roared, seizing her talons. He shook his head in pain, but he was surprisingly strong, and huge. He flung her to the ground with ease.
And then Winter was there, barrelling into the SkyWing, rolling across the clearing. Soar tried to unleash his own fire straight into Winter, but the prince smacked his chin shut. Frostbreath hit Soar in the face, directly into the burns Moon had given him. Though he closed his eyes at the last second, the ice sealed his eyes shut. His bellow of agony was unlike anything Moon had ever heard before. Soar threw Winter off him and stumbled away -
A rush heat and angry flames assaulted Moon's scales and mind as copper scales and golden veins filled her vision. Peril beat her wings to hover above the battlefield and kicked her father straight in the middle of his back. Just that brief contact sent his scales sizzling and he cried out.
"I KNEW you were up to something!" Peril roared, blue eyes shining, pupils almost too thin to see in her rage. "Thought you could make a fool out of ME?!"
She hooked her talons into his shoulders. The stink of burning flesh filled the air. Soar screamed. Peril spun him around and then threw him away.
Soar crash landed and tried to scrabble up, Kinkajou was there, ready to stop him should he try to escape. But the moment her talons touched him, Soar reacted with pure instinctive panic and fury. He seized hold of whoever was in front of him and slammed her back - which just so happened to be against one of the great boulders at the edge of the clearing.
Moon saw it in slow motion. Soar throwing Kinkajou aside. Her neck snapping back. The side of her head smashing against the stone so hard… a terrible, awful CRACK filled the air.
"Kinkajou!" Moon screamed.
Soar dropped the little RainWing as he scrambled away in the direction of the shield. Kinkajou's body fell to the ground, boneless, her scales gone white.
Talons slipping in the damp earth, Moon raced towards her friend. A dark shape was behind Kinkajou. On the other side of the barrier, Morrowseer loomed. He glanced down. Moon followed his gaze.
The very end of Kinkajou's tail was across the barrier.
She dove for her friend - Morrowseer seized hold of the RainWing's tail. He pulled her through with one harsh tug. Moon leapt to try and catch her - she slipped right through her claws.
"NOOOOO!"
"Moon, don't!" cold and warm wings surrounded her, claws had hold of her, stopping her as she struggled. Moon was only faintly aware that she was shouting, screaming, trying to fight to fly to her friend that now lay on the ground at her father's feet. But Winter and Qibli restrained her.
"Let her go!" Moon begged, voice cracked on the verge of sobbing. "Please, father - please!"
"Don't worry, Moonwatcher," her father said in that emotionless way that sent chills across her wings. "I'll more than happily give you back your pet. So long as you do something for me in return…"
"You'd better run!" Peril snarled. She was stood by Turtle, who looked half out of it, pressing a talon to his neck that was badly bleeding. "The whole mountain is preparing to come out and face you!"
"Yes, all fourteen hundred RainWings and a handful of others from other tribes," Morrowsneer snorted.
A growl, a whine. Soar was on the other side of the barrier, shaking his head and blindly pawing one talon across his chest, reaching for something. He clutched the large amulet in his fist. There was a moment where his form seemed to vibrate… and then he was... shifting! His wings grew short, his ears became longer, a frill sprouted under his horns. His scales mottled from orange to lime green, and in a matter of moments, a sickly looking RainWing took the place where Soar used to be. Though she had seen it with her own eyes, Moon's brain struggled to comprehend.
Apparently this was a revelation for others. She saw her father's nostrils flare, and Blister hissed.
Qibli sucked in a breath. "How is this possible?!"
"Didn't see that one coming, did you?" the RainWing glared hatefully at Winter. He winced as he stretched out his neck, and Moon was horrified to see that all the injuries he'd sustained in their fight had vanished. "Ow, that was a bit excessive, don't you think, Peirl? No way to treat your father."
"You're not my father." She spat.
"Oh, but I am." He held up the amulet. "See this? A little trinket I found in the rainforest. My tribe wanted nothing to do with me, but I found the power to become a dragon of any tribe I wished. It's served me well. Plenty of queens pay handsomely for a spy. And it also allowed me to father you."
"The amulet works on anyone who wears it," said Scarlet, eyeing the RainWing beside her with obvious disdain, "and the enchantment can only be removed at Chameleon's say so - or so he claims." She caught Winter's gaze, and smiled widely. "Your sister was right, I did have Prince Hailstorm. All the best political prisoners were transformed into SkyWings! Even if they escaped, where would they go? Quite genius, if I do say so myself."
Winter's breathing began to grow erratic. "You… you turned Hailstorm…?"
"Yes," said the ex-Queen gleefully. "And when your precious Dragonets of Destiny broke out of my palace and tried to kill me, there was quite the commotion. More than enough for one SkyWing to slip away… make his way home… beg for help from those he loved… I'm told your kind killed him quite gruesomely. Your tribe doesn't take kindly to trespassers."
A horrendous, mournful sound broke out of Winter's mouth. His legs buckled underneath him and he fell, head bowed. He keened loudly into the dirt, tears crawling down his snout. Moon and Qibli surrounded him with their wings.
"Enough toying with them. You already have enough explaining to do." Morrowseer growled at Scarlet. He turned back to Moon. "Let's get to the point. Moonwatcher, invite us in."
Her heart began to pound, her eyes couldn't leave the sight of Kinkajou, unmoving, at Morrowseer's mercy. A trickle of bright red blood stained her white scales from a cut in her head. "Father…"
"Invite me in…" he placed one large black talon on Kinkajou's head, his claws wrapping around her tiny skull. "Or I will kill your little RainWing."
It was hard to breathe. If she did as her father asked, the rebels were done for. Even if Peril was right and they were preparing for battle, they were still outnumbered, if the amount of thoughts she could hear were any indication. Her father had brought almost his entire army, as well as Blister's and some of Scarlet's loyalists. And they were all seasoned soldiers and merciless murders. But if Moon denied him, Morrowseer would kill Kinkajou, she had no doubt of that. And she already looked to be in desperate need of medical attention.
I enchant this stone to fly into Morrowseer's face! She heard Turtle think through his pain, even if his thoughts were sluggish. Hit him, and don't stop until he let's Kinkajou go - make sure she's safe!
And yet, when he released his stone, the spell had no effect. What had happened? Was Turtle too injured to do any magic?
"You won't kill her!" Qibli cried out brazenly. "If you do, you'll have nothing left to bargain with."
Morrowseer quirked a brow. "I admire your resolve then, boy. Let's see how long it lasts." He dragged one claw along Kinkajou's snout and pressed it beside her eye. "I don't plan to make it quick."
"No, stop!" Moon shouted.
"Invite me in!" her father exploded in a rare fit of emotion.
Darkstalker, she called. Is there any future where he doesn't kill her? If I invite him in, does he keep his word?
No. Was his answer. He will kill her anyway, either to make a point, or to rid you of a 'weakness'.
Moon nearly lost herself into despair. There was no way to win. Her father had won.
But there is a way, Moon. Darkstalker said urgently. Let me help you!
"I won't wait forever, Moonwatcher," Morrowseer was telling her. "You have until the count of five."
You can save her?
I need to see what I'm doing. Casting a spell without knowing the specifics might cause the magic to go awry.
"One."
You need a distraction! You need something that'll scare them off!
"Two."
Let me out, Moon! He shouted. Kinkajou will die if you don't!
"Three!"
She only had a moment to choose. No turning back. But Moon knew that she would do it all again. She'd commit any crime, any sin. Darkstalker, I give you permission…
"Four!"
Anything to save a friend. … to break free from under the mountain.
"Fi–"
The earth shook under their talons. Trees swayed and fell. There was a dull roar of rocks and earth shifting. Dragons were thrown to the floor. Moon and Qibli clutched on to each other. Peril took the air so that she wouldn't accidentally fall on someone.
Just to the north east of Jade Mountain, perhaps less than a quarter of a mile away from them, the ruins of what was once Agate Mountain began to break and split apart. A fountain of dirt and rocks were thrown into the air, as out from the bowels of the earth arose a shadow - no, it was deeper than a shadow it was darkness itself, with terrible wings that stretched so wide, they encompassed the sky and turned day to night!
A pounding crept up Moon's spine and raced to engulf her head. She cried out, falling to her knees and clutching her head as if it were about to split apart between her claws. She was faintly aware of other dragons screaming. Talons stampeding and wings beating as hundreds of dragons fled. The absolute terror in their minds crushed Moon's own consciousness, battering her and feeding into the vision that was trying to pierce its way through her brain.
A face was in front of hers. Warm dusty-cream scales. Qibli. "Moon! What's wrong?!"
"Can you hear us?" that was Winter's voice. Why did they sound so far away? "Kinkajou's safe! We have to go!"
The pain in her head was all she could comprehend. Her tongue refused to move. "Can't… I…"
Behind them, she caught a glimpse of the nightmare that had terrified everyone. She only saw pieces. Large, ragged wings, a long coiling body, spines like spears, twisted horns. And glowing silver-blue eyes.
And then the vision finally broke through and Moon screamed as the pain flashed across her whole body. She couldn't see, couldn't hear. And then, came the images, fast and nonsensical. She saw chains and daggers, a dragon roaring in agony as poison was pumped into his mouth. Then there were IceWings, coughing, collapsing, dying. A vat of bubbling black liquid ate at a dragon that thrashed and screamed until even their bones melted into nothingness. And then she saw the most frightening image of all. Of a giant dragon with his claws pressed into a giant map, grinning wickedly as he burned the metal globe of the world into a bubbling mess between his claws.
And then everything stopped. Time stopped. The world stopped. And it felt like a parade of dragons were marching through her head, speaking as one, puppeting her mouth to move for their words.
"When earth and palace crack and fall
When a silver-tongue brings doom burning bright,
Hope lies amidst the broken fragments
In the lost city of night.
Find the tale of the brother lost,
Find the sword from on high,
Or else let darkness swallow the world,
And bring down the sky!"
Everything was wiped away, leaving Moon with nothing but a blank slate. She collapsed to the ground, as blackness swarmed her vision.
The last thing she heard was a terrible rasping voice releasing a roar of triumph that echoed across the world.
Winter couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
The Darkstalker was alive. He was here! All the nightmare stories Winter had ever been told as a dragonet came slamming into his brain. The urge to run for his life was so strong he was surprised he wasn't already halfway to the Ice Kingdom by now!
It was more terrifying than he could have ever imagined. The Darkstalker was easily the largest dragon Winter had ever seen, at least two heads taller than Winter's father, Narwhal, or their enemy, Morrowseer. But the Darkstalker was horribly thin, little more than skin and scales stretched over bone. When he moved, it was like a skeleton pulled by strings to imitate the living. Each claw was as long as Winter's whole talon. The spines down the back of his neck were like spears. His torso was slightly bent in the middle, like the coils of his body were longer than he was supposed to be. Silvery blue eyes glowed in a head that might once have been handsome, but instead was gaunt with sunken eyes and hollowed out cheeks.
When he opened his overly large black wings, NightWings, SandWings and SkyWings alike fled. Winter could understand why the NightWings ran, Darkstalker was as much a monster story to them as he was to the IceWings. For the others, maybe a giant dragon erupting from the earth was cause enough to bolt. Scarlet and Blister had already vanished. Morrowseer was the last to take flight, staring at the Darkstalker, who rose into the sky with thunder in the clap of his wings. Moon's father's mouth hung open in silent horror, but Winter noticed something in those golden eyes that made him sick with dread.
Greed.
Darkstalker soared down from the ruins he had escaped from, and Winter obeyed his body without knowing. He darted towards the prone form of Kinkajou and lifted her into his arms. The way she flopped limply was almost sickening. He could barely feel her breathing. Qibli was going towards Turtle, making sure he could get into the air by himself. The SeaWing was clutching the floor with white-knuckled talons, clutching a stick in his other hand, eyes wide with fear.
There was a roar, and Winter spun, nearly tripping himself. Darkstalker had pounced upon the RainWing that used to be Soar. His long, skeletal, spider-like fingers clutched at the amulet in Chameleon's gasp and ripped it away. The RainWing cried out, but Darkstalker batted him aside with the edge of his wing.
"I'll take that!" he spoke in a voice that felt like claws scraping slowly down Winter's spine. It was little more than a rasp, as if the Darkstalker had never once tasted water.
Then those creepy eyes slid past Winter, and he stopped moving, praying that so long as he did not move, the nightmare of his dragonethood would not notice him. Only too late did he realise his mistake. For the Darkstalker's attention had not even been snagged by Winter. Instead, it fell upon the unconscious NightWing on the floor.
"Moon!" Winter shouted. Qibli turned and noticed his grave error, too. They had both left Moon unguarded.
The Darkstalker swooped between them as they tried to leap for her - Winter still carrying Kinkajou. The ancient NightWing stood on his hind legs, wings outstretched for balance. He clutched the dragoness in his arms, claws wrapping around her possessively. She lay in his embrace, oblivious.
"Get away from her!" Qibli shouted.
Darkstalker turned his head slightly to peer down his long, bony snout at them. "Your concern is very sweet, but unnecessary. Moon needs more than you can all provide."
Winter was shaking. Whether with fear or rage, he knew not. But it made him reckless and he roared. "Put her down!"
There was an awful silence as those bright, unblinking eyes stared into Winter. "I spent years taking orders from little idiots like you. Because Moon thinks so highly of you, I offer one warning: never think to command me again."
The threat was so crystal clear, so chilly and so very real, that Winter felt his knees shake. For the first time in his life, he knew what it was to feel cold.
"I'd rather not leave on such unpleasant terms," Darkstalker said in a chery tone, as if Winter's transgression and the warning had never occurred. "After all, I foresee us becoming great friends! So do look after yourselves - we will be back for you when the time is right."
"Time is right?" Qibli echoed, glancing at Winter. "Right for what?"
With a rush of wings and a cackle of laughter, the Darkstalker took off into the air, carrying Moon away with him. Winter let out a wordless yell and took off after them. Pain speared him through his left wing, down his shoulder and across his back. Damn! That blasted SkyWing-RainWing whatever he was, had caused more damage than Winter had initially thought. It wasn't broken, or else he wouldn't be able to move it at all. A fracture? He couldn't think about it, he just had to keep going.
Qibli was on his right side, and Peril was trying to fly with them. Whatever words she was shouting to them were whisked away by the ferocious wind. Winter clutched Kinkajou tight against his chest, hoping to shield her from the worst of it. She was heavier than he'd thought she'd be, and she weighed him down considerably, putting further strain on his injured wing. He grit his teeth and kept going.
The sky darkened. Winter tried to follow the enormous black dragon as he soared away towards the west. But he disappeared into rolling dark clouds, and a gust of wind blasted into Winter, sending him tumbling.
The storm that had been brewing all day finally erupted. Rain hammered down upon him like a million cutting diamonds, straight into his eyes and along his wounds. Thunder boomed in his ears and the wind threatened to carry him away. Qibli was long gone, grounded by such a raging storm. But Winter refused to give up. Squinting into the rain, driving his exhausted body onwards, holding tightly to Kinkajou, he carried on. But he could see nothing, could hear nothing. And every time he tried to move ahead, the winds battered and shook him about, disorientating him and sending him in multiple directions. It felt like he flew in circles. But he couldn't let the Darkstalker get away!
"Moon?!" he called into the storm, but his voice was ripped away. His body was beginning to sag dangerously. It was hard to keep himself aloft. "Moon!"
"Winter!" came a cry.
Something slammed into him, talons guided him, pushed him down. Another set of arms took Kinkajou from him. He flailed uselessly. But large mahogany wings urged him in the direction of their choosing. A dash of colour - a RainWing, Queen Glory! She was helping Qibli down too. As Winter descended, he became aware of others zipping too and fro, trying to keep out of reach of the storm, swarming over the site of the incident. Solid ground met his feet. To the side, he saw Tsunami shouting at someone as she tried to heft Turtle onto her back - were those tears streaming down her face?
He couldn't be here, he realised. He still had to stop the Darkstalker, he still had to get Moon back!
A large brown face came in front of his own, trying to get his attention. It was Clay. "Winter, it's no use! They're gone."
Author's Note: I was SO excited for this chapter, I was typing so fast my wrist actually hurt! lol
I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Darkie-boy is out at last, and finally we can get into all the really cool AU stuff I want to do! As for the Amulet, without Darkstalker having a scroll in this story, I needed another reason for Chameleon to father Peril. But the Amulet will come back in the future and it will have a better explanation when it does. So we now close Part One and Part Two begins next chapter!
I'll be taking a short break to update my other stories, so expect Chapter 16 to be released in a couple of weeks. Love you all, and please don't forget to feed me with reviews!
* = my friend Max, from a drabble she did.