Chapter 19

"You've got to be joking, right?" Hunter said to Flint for like the tenth time today. It was yesterday when Flint told Hunter everything about Dredge and Hunter was too dumbfounded to answer her that night. But now in the morning he kept asking her every ten minutes and it was starting to drive her insane.

"Yes Hunter, I'm serious about this," Flint said. "Now please, I don't want other people hearing you talk about it because then Dredge will know and you all will be in danger."

"Ok, fine," Hunter said. "I just still can't believe it."

"Believe what?" Flint asked.

"Well, I'm related to Dredge, that psychotic murder."

"How are you related to him?" Flint asked.

"Well Dredge and Queen Shelob had three kids," Hunter said. "One line went down to Prancer's bloodline. The second bloodline I have no idea where it went, but the third bloodline I am sure leads down to me."

"How are you sure about that?" Flint asked.

"Because the third dragon was named Goliath and he was famous in the royal bloodline for his humongous size and how he towered over every dragon, even adult ones. A special cavern had to be made for him."

"Wow, and his bloodline runs into your family?" Flint asked.

"Yep," Hunter said. "Great, just another reason why I hate being of royalty, I'm now related to a murderer."

"Hey, don't think of it like that," Flint said. "There are other reasons that you would enjoy being royalty, right?"

"Nope, none that appear on the top of my head," Hunter said. "Every minute of it sucks, I hate feeling like I am more special than other dragons, I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE POWER OVER YOU! I just… I want to feel ordinary, like you guys."

"We aren't all ordinary Hunter, we have have traits that makes us special in our own way."

"Then what's my trait?" Hunter asked and Flint didn't know how to respond to it. "Yeah, that's right I don't have any other trait than being of royalty, stupid royal bloodline."

"Hunter, listen, maybe that is your trait but you can be better than your trait, don't let it bring you down."

"I'll try Flint," Hunter said and walked away to talk to Prancer. Flint saw Tulsi standing by herself to the side of the room and realized that she had to do something. As much as it would hurt her, she had to realize it. She got up off her bed and started making her way towards Tulsi. Her body still ached from her wounds but Amethyst said that she could walk short distances for now. Flint walked over to Tulsi and laid down beside her, resting her aching body.

"Hey, Tulsi," Flint said, trying to breath normally.

"H… H… Hey," Tulsi said and Flint saw her trying to avoid eye contact with her.

"Listen Tulsi, what I said and did back when we were captured was rude," Flint said. "It's been hard for me since I had lived on my own for so long but I am trying to learn how to socialize again. If you would give me another chance at being your friend then I would be grateful."

"Re…Really?" Tulsi said, turning to look at Flint.

"Yes," Flint said.

"O…Ok, you… you can be… my friend… again," Tulsi said.

"Thanks," Flint said. "Also I can see how comfortable you are around Prancer and I wouldn't want to take that away from you. I can see that both of you are meant for each other. Don't worry about me, I have my own dragon that I am meant for." She looked over at Hunter and Flint saw Tulsi looking over to Prancer.

"Th… Thanks," Tulsi said. "It's nice that we both have… dragons that we care about."

"Yeah it is," Flint said and, with Tulsi, continued to watch Hunter talk to Prancer.

"I wonder what they're talking about?" Flint asked.

"I… think they are deciding… what to do next?" Tulsi said in more of a question than an answer.

"That's exactly what they're talking about," Vala said appearing behind Flint and Tulsi.

"AHH!" Tulsi said and covered herself with her wings.

"Girl, not cool," Flint said.

"Sorry, I forgot that she was shy," Vala said. "I'm sorry Tulsi, you can come out now."

Tulsi slowly started to lift her wings away from her head and walked back towards them.

"Th… Thank you," Tulsi said.

"Your welcome," Vala said. "Anyway, yeah they are wondering what are we going to do now while we wait for a couple days here."

"Wait why are we waiting here?" Flint asked.

Vala looked over to her with a "you serious" look in her eyes. "Your joking, right? Look at yourself! You can't go out in the tunnels in your condition."

"Oh come on, that's not fair!" Flint said. "I got these wounds and saved all of you!"

"Ok fine, you did change the tide of the fight but still, in your condition, you would be easy pickings for anyone who wants to attack us."

"But I can't just sit on the side lines!" Flint said.

"I know, believe me I get it," Vala said. "But you wouldn't be able to survive out there with your wounds. Please Flint, just use some common sense for once."

"Ok," Flint said. "I just… am afraid and want to protect…"

"Him," Vala finished for her. "I get that, believe me, I would do anything to protect who I love. But think about how much worry you would put on him if you go out there like this."

Flint took a deep breath. "Ok," she said. "I'll stay here."

"Good," Vala said and looked over to Hunter and Prancer. "Oh, looks like their done talking, I'll go over there for you and see if they came up with anything."

"Thanks," Flint said.

"Anytime," Vala said and went over to Hunter and Prancer.

Flint laid back down on the floor to rest and think of what they were going to do.

It doesn't seem fair that they have to wait for me to heal before we go out there again. We don't have all the time in the world, every day more dragons are being killed in this war that was caused by a dragon who thought he was doing the right thing and yet no one will ever know that. Do I trust though what Dredge said about what he had to do? I told Hunter what happened but never asked him if he believed it fully. I should go ask him next time.

Flint then saw Prancer going off by himself and realized this was her chance to talk about Dredge with him and wonder if there was anything else that Dredge kept from her but told Prancer. She also wouldn't have to worry since Dredge said to her he didn't care if they talked about him. She got up off the ground and started making her way over to Prancer. She was about there when she tripped on a loose rock and fell on her face.

"Are you okay?" Prancer said, running over to her.

Flint got up and looked at Prancer.

"Yeah I'm fine," she said. "Just tripped, that's all."

"Okay," Prancer said and sat down next to her. "You know even though Amethyst said you could walk, I don't think she meant do it all the time."

"Hey it's boring laying down on that bed!" Flint protested. "I would rather talk to my friends."

"Oh wow, that's… very thoughtful of you."

"Listen," Flint said. "I'm sorry for my attitude earlier, I was just so afraid, confused, and angry at that moment. I felt like the world was against me." She then turned to look at Prancer and meet him looking at her as well.

"I get that," Prancer said. "When I thought my sister was killed, I had believed it was the world playing sick games with me and trying to bring me down."

"Yeah, but now I've realized that my jealousy is what fueled my actions,"

Flint said. "And I am going to continue to try to control it. So deep down from the bottom of my heart, I'm truly sorry."

Flint felt Prancer put her claws in his.

"I'm glad you apologized," he said. "It must have been hard to do but I can see that you are trying. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the events that have taken place and what I have learned about my life. It isn't easy and will take some time but I believe we both will be able to fully master it, if we keep trying."

"Thanks," Flint said. "Also I need to talk to you about something else."

"What's that?" Prancer asked.

"It's about Dredge."

Flint saw Prancer jump back at the mention of his name.

"How did you… when did you…"

"Calm down, he showed himself to me," Flint said. "Come sit back down by me and I'll explain the whole thing." And so for the second time in two days, Flint explained everything that she went through with Dredge and by the end of it she saw Prancer's face turning red.

"Why that backstabbing liar!" Prancer yelled and Flint had to calm him down before the whole cave heard what they were talking about.

"Lower your voice," Flint said.

"That backstabbing liar," Prancer said in a lower voice. "He said that he would never hurt any of my friends if I got him what he wanted."

"Well we aren't hurt," Flint said. "So he did keep his promise."

"Yeah but then he blackmailed you and forced you to get him that lost artifact book and then he would release us. No wonder I don't remember what happened when I fell into that lava pit. That evil dragon!"

"Yeah, he does seem evil," Flint said. "But at least he saved you and Tulsi from certain death so maybe he does have some care in his heart."

"Probably not much," Prancer said. "And he most likely only saved Tulsi because I was there as well and I would have known what he did. I bet if it was anyone else besides me in there, they would be dead."

"Maybe but also Dredge needs us in order to find the artifact so maybe he would save them."

"Maybe," Prancer said. "I just still can't believe it."

"So what are we going to do now?" Flint asked.

"I talked to Hunter and he decided that while we are waiting here, we could try to start solving the riddle that we learned of."

"That's a great idea," Flint said. "When do we get started."

Prancer looked at her with a smile and gave her a playful push with his wings. "I think someone should go get some rest first, Ms. Hero."

Flint laughed. "Ok, fine but when I wake up we better be talking about how to solve it or I'm throwing someone in the lake."

"Got it," Prancer said. "Come on, I'll hep you back to your bed."

"Thanks," Flint said and allowed Prancer to help her walk back to her bed. "By the way I know you care for both me and Tulsi but Tulsi really needs you more. She is only able to open up while around you and you can help her be less shy."

"Oh really?" Prancer said. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," Flint said as she climbed onto her rock bed. "She needs you and you need her. Don't worry about me, I already found someone else where we both need each other."

Prancer smiled. "I'd never thought that Hunter would be able to pull it off, he never seemed that interested in talking to anyone else who didn't get him besides me."

"Well maybe you still have things to learn," Flint said.

"Maybe I do," Prancer said. "Good night Flint."

"Good night Prancer," Flint said and feel asleep.