Chapter 8


Prancer scanned the area around them as well, trying to see if he saw anything out there.

I had a feeling we were being watched. I told Flint but she thinks that everything is safe. She obviously never grew up as a Webwing or knows the amount of danger that can be around you, waiting to strike.

Prancer looked around one more time but didn't see anything. It looked normal everywhere he looked.

"I don't see anything Flint, but you should fly behind me just to be safe. I'll get us the rest of the way."

Flint flew behind Prancer and they resumed their route to the mountains and the dragon-shaped lake. Prancer hoped that they could find this help before whatever that was out there caught up to them.

They flew all day and decided to rest in a clearing at night. Prancer decided to take first watch, despite Flint's protests that nothing would attack them here.

"Why would something attack us?" Flint asked.

"Because the world is a DANGEROUS PLACE! Everything is trying to get you killed if you aren't watching your back!"

"Jeez, I think you need to stop being watchful about everything Prancer, if you were to just accept that we are safe, then I really think you would be able to get some true sleep."

"I DO SLEEP!" Prancer protested.

"I've seen you sleep," Flint said. "You are all tense and ready to pounce on anything that might wake you up in the middle of the night."

"Trust me, Flint, I am fine, now GO TO SLEEP! I'VE GOT FIRST WATCH!"

Flint winced at his sudden rise in his voice and turned away from him to lay down and sleep.

Prancer wondered if he was too hard on her. Maybe she hasn't seen the same things I've seen which is why she is always seeing the good in the world. But how can that be if she grew up in the caves like I did. Half the things down there are trying to kill you if you aren't on your toes. In order to live, you have to learn how to take care of yourself at a young age.

Prancer stayed alert during the first watch and decided to take the second watch as well without telling Flint. He didn't want to get into another argument with her tonight.

The sun had started to rise when Prancer saw Flint wake up. She gasped when she saw how weary he looked because he decided to not sleep the whole night.

"Prancer, what did I say? WE WOULD BE FINE! Why didn't you get ANY SLEEP?"

Prancer winced, not used to hearing Flint being so mad before but he wasn't going to just take being yelled at without doing anything about it.

"I WAS KEEPING US SAFE!" Prancer yelled. "Someone needs to be RESPONSIBLE while we are up here!"

"BUT WE ARE SAFE, PRANCER! Amethyst personally guaranteed that! Can you just TRUST someone for ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?"

"I don't understand how you can act like we are safe up here? Wasn't it yesterday that you said, you felt like we were BEING WATCHED?!"

"YEAH BUT HAVE WE SEEN ANYTHING? NO! SO JUST RELAX AND GET SOME SLEEP RIGHT NOW or I swear I will KNOCK YOU OUT and get you some sleep!"

"NO WE FIND THE LAKE THEN I'LL GET SOME SLEEP!" Prancer took off flying before Flint could argue further with him.

I don't have to explain myself to her. She would never get it. She wouldn't understand the life that I had to live through. Her life was probably perfect and she got everything she wanted. I had to fight for what I needed.

They flew in silence until they reached the valley that had a lake at the bottom. When they got close to the lake, they saw that it was shaped like a dragon so they knew they were in the right place.

Now time to figure out how to signal the "help", Prancer thought.

"So how do we signal for help?" Prancer asked Flint but at that moment he saw Flint swoop down to the lake.

What is she doing now? Prancer thought. Is she still mad from the argument earlier today? Did she decide that I am a terrible partner and is about to sabotage the whole plan?

Before Prancer could answer his questions, Flint smashed her tail into a stack of boulders that were by the lake and it sent a shockwave throughout the whole valley that almost knocked Prancer out of the air.

"What was that for?" Prancer asked.

Flint turned around and looked at him. "Well those rocks send vibrations throughout the ground so by smashing them and sending those vibrations, our "help" should be able to find us and then we will be one step closer to ending the war between our tribes. Now since we have to wait for whatever it is, you have to hold up on your end of the deal and GET SOME SLEEP!"

Prancer grumbled but did what Flint said, laying down in the grass and closing his eyes to rest.

Did I make Flint mad at me? I thought I was protecting her by staying up all night in order to make sure nothing attacked us. Did she not see it that way and instead saw it as me defining rules like I usually do? I would give my life to save her from any danger but I don't think she sees it that way. Maybe she would be better off with someone else who listens to her.

Prancer slept for what felt like hours before he felt Flint bump him awake.

"I think something is here," she said.

Prancer got up in a heartbeat and looked around the valley. The sun was setting so it was darker outside but as far as Prancer could tell, everything looked the same.

"Are you sure that this "help" got your signal because to me it seems like nothing is out there."

"I'm sure," Flint said. "Those rock vibrations would have been heard for miles and if this "help" is close by, then it must have felt it."

"Are we even sure this is a living creature?" Prancer asked. "What if it is an object that we need to find and we are wasting our time standing around here."

"But then why would Amethyst say for us to signal the help Prancer? If it wasn't a living creature then there would be no need to signal for it."

She's right again, he thought. So what creature does Amethyst want us to find? Oh, maybe it's a dragon-bite viper that Cavewings and Webwings aren't immune to so we can use it to make them stop fighting. But then, if that was the case, how would we get it back without getting bit by it? Maybe it is a bigger creature like wolves or something. But what would wolves do to help them in stopping a war?

Prancer didn't know which option it would be and kept thinking about all possibilities. Flint went behind him to check in the trees behind them.

Seriously though, what can help us stop a war between two tribes who want nothing else than to kill each other?

While Prancer was thinking this, he heard Flint scream from behind him.

Oh no, she is in trouble!

Prancer ran into the forest that Flint went in to look for her.

"FLINT!" Prancer called out. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

He walked more into the woods, when all of a sudden, he felt something spin around him, and then before he knew it he was tied up next to Flint and they were both tossed into a sack. Their snouts were tied up, as well as their legs so they couldn't fight, move, or talk to each other.

Who are these creatures that captured us? Where are they taking us? Are they going to hurt Flint? I will fight every last one of them before they are able to get to her.

After a long time, the creatures threw them into what felt like a large opening and Prancer heard something shut from the way they came in. The sack was then lifted off of their heads and Prancer could see around the room. They were in what seemed to be a cave that was in the opening of a mountain. Prancer could still see the sunlight coming through the cave entrance but around the entrance seemed to be beams closely packed together, which would make it impossible to get through them and escape. There also were no holes in the ceiling or anywhere else to escape from. They couldn't even fly though with their wings tied up with what seemed to be something that Amethyst had called rope.

Prancer then decided to look at the creature who captured them. What he saw shocked him so much, he thought he was seeing an illusion for a second. In front of him stood a dragon with two wings that were sharply shaped. Their scales were a light brownish color but with hints of silver scales throughout. The attribute that stood the most out to Prancer though was the horns. They weren't straight like all the dragons Prancer had seen. Instead they curled around in circles which made them face outward at a pointed angle.

Their captors were Drillwings.