Chapter 10


Ok, so life on the surface here is really strange.

Prancer, Flint, and Tulsi were coming back from a hunting run for food by a nearby forest. Tulsi had managed to catch them two pigs to eat but Flint nor Prancer could even catch a bunny.

How are you able to catch prey that has some much room to work with? In the caves, you can just push them into a corner for a quick kill but here they have trees for cover, as well as multiple small holes that are perfect for their size to fit in but not dragons.

Tulsi giggled when Prancer tried to catch a fox but instead crashed into a bunch of bushes and got leaves up his nose.

"Close one!" Tulsi called, in between her giggles.

"HEY!" Flint yelled, flying up to Tulsi. "It's not nice to laugh at other dragons just because YOU can do what they can't."

Tulsi went quiet and put her head down.

"I'm… I'm sorry," she quietly said.

She then was quiet the rest of the hunt and even on their way back to their camp.

Prancer flew to the side of Flint, out of earshot of Tulsi.

"Hey Flint, was that really necessary to yell at her back there? I mean she wasn't being mean about it, maybe she was just having fun."

Flint gave him a stern look. "Look it isn't nice to laugh at other dragons just because they are failing at what you can do best. She should instead be trying to help us learn rather than taking pleasure out of us failing."

"Maybe she's just glad to be out with other dragons. I saw how she acted when her father was talking to her back in the cave. She was shaking, almost like she was scared and she looked like she was trying to shrink herself to seem small. Just give her some time, maybe she doesn't socialize with other dragons very often."

Flint gave him a suspicious look. "That sounded like something I would be thinking. Did you just use my own logical mind against me?"

"Maybe?" Prancer giggled as Flint poked him with her tail.

"Fine, I'll give her some time, but it isn't like we have much to begin with since we only have five days to find Digger some hard evidence that we can find the lost artifact so that we won't be on our own without help to stop the war between our tribes."

"I know," Prancer said. "But we can't find anything if she isn't on our side. We need her to be a part of us."

Flint thought for a moment. "Fine, but I still don't like how she's treating the situation."

Flint then flew away from Prancer to the camp.

What was that about? Why did Flint act all upset about Tulsi's joke? Wouldn't Flint be the one to join in instead of shutting it down? Maybe I should keep an eye on them, just in case anything else happens.

Prancer swooped down to the campsite where Tulsi was cutting up the pigs for them to share. Flint was standing by the campfire, inligting sparks in between two rocks to get a fire going. It was very quiet, unusually quiet, so Prancer tried to break up the silence by talking to Tulsi.

"So, Tulsi, do you think you could be able to teach me one day how to hunt like you do? If ever I am up on the surface by myself, it would be nice to know how to at least hunt for food up here."

Tulsi looked over at him and shyly smiled. "Yeah, I guess I could show you. It would be nice to be away from my dad for a little while longer."

"Why's that?" Prancer asked.

"Well, he isn't a bad dad, it's just that he doesn't allow me to leave his sight. He always wants to make sure I'm protected. It's nice but sometimes I want to go explore or do something without him watching over me like a hawk."

"Wow, that does seem unsettling. Doesn't your mom have a say in what you want to do?"

Tulsi flinched at that mention.

"Oh, what is it? Is it something that you don't want to talk about?"

"No… it's fine Prancer, it's just that… my mom died protecting us from a rogue Drillwing. She killed him but died in the process. I think that's why my dad is so protective of us, he doesn't want to lose us. Honestly, I'm surprised he even allowed me to go on this expedition, I was sure he wasn't going to help you."

"Well Tulsi, let's be glad that he agreed. Now we have a chance to figure out how to end the war."

Tulsi smiled. "Yeah let's hope that it is that easy but Prancer," she said looking around but saw that Flint was out of earshot, "just between the two of us, do you really think that finding the lost artifact will end the war between your tribes. What's stopping them from getting rid of us just so that they can have it for themselves?"

"I… I guess I don't… know," Prancer said. "I guess I hoped that after we found the artifact, they would just give up finding but now that you are saying this to me, that may not work at all. Flint is so sure that it will work though."

"Yeah, you know Prancer, I don't know what to think about Flint. I mean does she really think that finding an artifact will stop a war? She has good ideas but some of them seem too ambitious. What do you think, Prancer?"

Prancer was caught off guard.

What do I think? I mean I want to end the war as much as everyone but will finding the artifact help with that or will it make it worse. What am I thinking, Flint is great and her ideas always will work. But even then, I have to admit that this idea may be too far out there.

"I don't know Tulsi, I guess I just want to hope that there is a way to end the war and bring peace."

"Yeah, I guess that seems like a good thought to go off of. Oh looks like Flint got the fire started, come on Prancer."

Prancer walked to the fire with Tulsi. They roasted the pigs on the fire to cook them, at least Flint and Tulsi did, Prancer wanted his raw.

I don't understand how cooked food could taste good. I guess I haven't tried at all but I don't want to start now.

"So, Flint," Prancer said, "what is our plan on where to start to find this lost artifact."

"Well lets see, on one talon we could try to look around the tunnels that haven't been explored to find it, but that may take too long because there are hundreds of tunnels underground. So, on the other talon we could maybe try to look for information about the lost artifact. Tulsi, does the Drillwings have anything that may help with that?"

Tulsi looked shocked that Flint called her name. She seemed to shrink down in size and stutter her answer out shyly.

"Um… Um… I… I think… we may… have… something…"

"You good Tulsi?" Flint asked.

"Yeah… why… why wouldn't I… I be?"

"Ok?" Flint said. "Well anyway, time to go to bed and don't WORRY PRANCER, I will take FIRST WATCH!"

Prancer was startled by this.

Was Flint still mad about that instance? I mean I forgot about it but she seemed to have remembered it. I already apologized for it, right? Even so, I just wanted to protect her.

"Flint, that was one time, what is up with you? I thought you were a fluffy ball of empathy."

"WELL PRANCER MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T JUST EXPECT EVERYONE TO BE WHAT YOU FIRST SEE IN THEM! LOOK AT YOURSELF, YOU WERE AN ANGER BALL BUT UNDERNEATH IT YOU HAVE CARING EMOTIONS!"

"But… But…"

"NO BUT'S PRANCER, I DO HAVE EMPATHY IN ME BUT YOU HAVE BEEN THE FIRST DRAGON TO PUSH ME OVER THE EDGE BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPIDITY! NOW GO TO SLEEP SO THAT I CAN CALM DOWN!"

Prancer was holding back his tears. "Ok… Flint." Prancer went into his cave outcropping and laid on top of his web and closed his eyes.

I shouldn't cry, I'm stronger than that, I've trained myself my whole life. I should be arguing back, that's what I'm good at… except when I met Flint. Now all of my emotions are a hot mess and I can't seem to get a hold of myself at all.

Prancer felt water drop down from his eyes. He tried to stop himself but he couldn't, everything he thought he knew was just fading away.

Maybe Tusi and Flint would be better without me, I would just screw up anyway with my hot headed attitude.

Prancer felt a wing flop over him and he looked back and saw Tulsi comforting him.

"Hey, it's ok. She's just upset and very stressed about what we have to do. I mean stopping a war is the most stressful thing I can think of. Just give her some time to relax, then I bet she'll forgive her outburst."

"Are you sure?" Prancer said. "Maybe it would just be better if I let you two do the thinking and I'll just wait in the back."

"NO!" Tulsi yelped which started Prancer. "I mean, please we… I need you to help us."

"Why do you need me… also why are you talking fine now then you were at the campfire."

"Uh.. well, you see… you… uh I… feelsafearoundyou," she said in a rush.

"Really?" Prancer didn't expect Tulsi to say this. Be safe around him? He didn't feel that about himself. Wherever he went, he wanted to kill things. How could that be safe?

"Are you sure about that?" Prancer asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. I've always been nervous around other dragons because I was afraid of what they may do but when I saw you, I knew that you had an aura that you would protect those you care about."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Prancer said, trying to defend himself.

Tulsi giggled. "Oh silly, don't be like that, I heard what you said when Digger tried to hurt Flint back in the cave. That was the first time someone started my dad like that and I'm proud of you for it."

"Uh.. well…"

Tulsi laid down next to Prancer and twined her tail around his.

"Don't worry," she said. "I know how hard this is for you. Just relax, you're okay."

"Thank you," Prancer said and fell asleep by her side.

Maybe I am panicking too much. I want to protect those I care about but maybe I should know that they are able to protect themselves. But then again, what would happen if they got hurt and I wasn't there to protect them.

Prancer thought back to how he wasn't able to help Frisky while he was escaping from Java.

I don't want to be useless like that ever again. I want to be the main one in front of everyone in battle, to defeat whoever dares to attack us. What is it that Tulsi sees in him though? Is it the same thing that Flint saw or something completely different.

Prancer slept on these thoughts and woke up the next morning, feeling relaxed for the first time in years. Tulsi was still sleeping beside him so he got up carefully, untwined his tail around hers, and went outside without waking her.

Maybe I should go apologize to Flint about my behavior lately. That would calm things down between us right? Or is Flint the type of dragon who holds onto grudges long after they were forgiven. I want to say no but Flint is right that I don't know everything about her yet. Maybe I should just let her calm down and have her ask for me to forgive. Yeah, give her some space until she is fine.

Prancer went over to the pond by their campsite and dipped his body into the warm water, trying to wash away all the fears he had of the mission they were trying to complete.

How will we be able to do this? We have no idea where to start and what if there aren't any clues that will be able to help us, then Tulsi will be forced to go back to her father and I won't see her again. He felt a little guilty about that thought. I don't want that to happen, I will search every mountain and caves of this continent for any clues before giving up. I won't give up on Tulsi or Flint, they need me and I need them to help us succeed.

Prancer was thinking for a while before he heard footsteps running toward him. He turned around, battle-ready, but saw that it was just Tulsi, but with a panicked look on her face.

"What's wrong, Tulsi?" Prancer asked, settling himself back into a normal stance.

"I'm sorry to say this Prancer, but she's not here."

"Who?" Prancer asked but knew the answer.

"Flint," Tulsi said. "She's gone."