Chapter 11


"Where, Why, How?" Prancer kept asking, not wanting to believe it was true.

"I don't know!" Tulsi said, "But she wasn't where she was sleeping last night and she is nowhere to be found in the whole campsite."

"Why would she do this?" Prancer asked.

Was it because of what happened yesterday? Did she decide that I wasn't good enough to be around and that I would just mess up more so she wanted me out of her life for good.

"Listen, I don't know why she did what she did but we have two options right now, stay here and contemplate about why she did this or try to look for her before she is gone forever."

"BUT WHERE WOULD WE LOOK?!" Prancer asked, trying to keep his voice steady, but not doing a good job at it.

"Well, do you know anything about her that may help us locate her?"

"NO!" Prancer screamed but then lowered his voice. "I mean no, I don't know anything, I thought I did but maybe she is right that I don't know everything about her."

"Don't think that way," Tulsi stated, flicking at his wings with her tail. "Now think about what you do know, her favorite food, favorite spot to destress, anything!"

"Wait," Prancer said, thinking back through the ideas that Tulsi just said. "That's it!"

"What is?" Tulsi asked.

"Her favorite spot to destress," Prancer said. "She was very mad at me yesterday and I know she said she loves going to the warm lakes because the water helps her cool down. Tulsi, are there any lakes here that would be a great spot to relax in?"

"Hmm," Tulsi thought. "I think there is one over behind the mountains at the top of this continent. It's called Fume lake and is the hottest lake on the continent. She may have gone there to get away from us but then again, she could have gone anywhere."

"Well that's at least a spot to start looking, come on, you lead the way."

Tulsi took off towards the lake and Prancer followed behind her, hoping that they could find Flint before anything bad happened.

Stop thinking that Prancer Flint can handle herself, remember that not everyone needs your help. But what if she does and I'm not there to help her.

Well you should have thought of that before chasing her off, came from the back of his mind.

I DIDN'T CHASE HER OFF!

Your attitude did and you only got yourself to blame.

It was Prancer's fault and he deserved his brain to shame him about it. He felt Tulsi fly closer to him and say something but he couldn't hear it, the only thing he heard was his mind telling him how much of a failure he was.

Look at you, can't protect anyone, can't keep anyone safe, should you even be allowed to continue.

YES I SHOULD, I CAN HELP!

Can you because from what we see, it is just a mess in there and you aren't good enough.

I AM GOOD ENOUGH….

Good enough for what hmm? Good enough to make someone you care about run off, good enough to have someone die while you stood there and did nothing. Let's be honest with each other, you aren't good enough for anything. You should just GIVE UP because you aren't going to be able to stop this war, it will continue… FOREVER!

Something snapped him out from his tortured mind, he didn't know what, he couldn't see anything. He was on the ground but he didn't know how he got there. His heart was still racing and he was breathing heavily.

"Shhh… it's okay," which was not mistakenly Tulsi's voice which was comforting Prancer. "You are alright, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."

Prancer could feel his body stop shaking and his heartbeat lower with being wrapped around Tulsi's wings.

"Thank… Thank you, Tulsi."

"Anything for you Prancer," she said. "Are you okay?"

"Not really but I'm at least better than I was a few minutes ago."

"Good," Tulsi said. "What was that Prancer? We were flying for one minute and then you started shaking uncontrollably and fell out of the sky. I caught you and brought you down gently but you still were shaking a lot."

"It's… It's just… do you think that I can help?"

"Why yes I can, what type of question is that Prancer?"

"It's just that…, I feel like whatever I do, I just mess everything up. I couldn't keep Frisky alive and now I have made Flint run off, am I even worth being on this mission?"

"YES YOU ARE!" Tulsi screamed but then brought down her voice. "What I mean Prancer is that you are the best dragon that we could have on this mission. Your knowledge of the caves and your quick-thinking strategies can help us out if we get into a jam. It wasn't your fault for Frisky's death, she would have gladly died to protect you, that's what parents do, even if she wasn't your true mother, she cared about you like you were her son. If she had to do it again, I have a feeling she would allow the outcome to be the same so that you could escape."

"Thanks, Tulsi but Flint running away is still my fault."

"Well actually that may have been my fault."

"Really?" Prancer said. "Why's that?"

"Well you care about her right? And even though she was mad at you, she still cared about you. Remember how I comforted you last night when you went to sleep beside me. Well, she may have taken that as you caring more about me than her anymore. Which to be honest, is a terrible way of thinking of it, I mean let me just not talk about it with him, let me just run off without saying anything, but that's besides the point. The point is, you need to stop blaming yourself for things that are out of your control."

"Thanks… for that… Tulsi, but I still don't think I will help, I'll just mess up again."

Tulsi thought for a moment before speaking to him again.

"Hey Prancer, want me to let you in on a secret, only if you agree to continue to help and be the leader because that's what you are?"

"Sure I guess, but how Tulsi will this secret even help my failures?"

"Well you see Prancer, the main reason that I am shy and nervous around other dragons is… because… I'm afraid of messing things up too."

"Really?" Prancer asked.

"Yes," Tulsi said. "Ever since the death of my mother, I felt that I had failed everyone and that I was no good. So I shut myself out from everyone, never helped with anything or talked with anyone except my father. I made myself a ghost in the tribe. But when I met you, I could see that you were having the same troubles I was having and if I was to do something good, I would want to make sure that a dragon wouldn't go down the same pathway I took."

"Wow, Tulsi, I… never expected you to do that to yourself. Why can't you not become your "ghost" and join back into the tribe?"

"I… I would rather not talk about that right now. Hey look, we are by Fume's lake."

Prancer looked down and saw the lake at the edges of the mountains. It seemed to sit in a crater that must have naturally generated there with forest's all around it. As they got closer, Prancer could see water shooting upwards out of the lake and he had to seer around them to not get hit by them.

"Careful," Tulsi said. "The lake may not be bad to go take a dip in but these geysers have heat building up underground and they shoot up into the air vey fast and hot enough to burn your claws right off if you stay in them for too long."

"I got it," Prancer called.

Come one, where are you Flint? I need you, you're the dragon that helped me out when I almost fell into the pit. You understand my emotions and have tolerated them for a while. If I can find you, I'll promise to try to keep them under control.

Prancer felt the evil thoughts rise up in the back of his mind and couldn't stop them.

Are you sure you can help? You seem to be failing all the time.

I CAN HELP THOUGHTS, NOW GO AWAY!

But why? I'm the only friend that fully understands what you are going through.

GO AWAY!

Prancer threw himself out of his mind and back into the real world. He was still flying in the air so at least this time, he didn't suffer a crash-landing. Tulsi was at the island that was in the middle of the lake, searching every inch of it. From Prancer's spot up high, he thought he saw something move in the trees at the right side of the lake.

Maybe that is Flint hiding. I should go check it out. Should I tell Tulsi though? Will I have enough time or will the thing be gone once I told her.

Prancer thought but then decided to go after whatever was rustling in the trees.

I want to keep her safe. I'll figure out if it is dangerous then I'll go get Tulsi.

Prancer flew into the clearing below where he could enter the forest. The rustling wasn't there anymore but Prancer saw broken twigs and footprints heading into the forest.

Please let these be Flint's tracks and I'm not going into a trap of whoever is in this forest.

Prancer walked into the forest more and heard noises from the clearing in front of him. He hid in the bushes and looked and saw Flint standing there with her back turned to where he was hiding.

Prancer felt himself take a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

She's okay. I'm glad that she's fine.

Of course she would be fine. Do you not trust her?

Quiet you. Now what should I do? I don't think I should just walk out there in case she is still mad at me. Maybe I should go back and get Tulsi. No, that may make her more upset. What should I do?

Prancer was thinking when he accidentally stepped onto a branch behind him and it snapped in half under his weight. Flint turned around, angry, and shouted, "WHO'S THERE? COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

Welp, so much for hoping she was calm, Prancer thought as he stepped out of the bushes into the clearing in front of Flint.

"Hi Flint, so I know you are mad but please if you would let me explain…," Prancer couldn't finish before Flint tackled and pounded him to the ground.

"YOU INSIGNIFICANT SLOB! YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME!"

Flint slashed at Prancer's neck but he kicked her off of him and rolled to the side.

"Listen, I do care about you! I never wanted to hurt your feelings!"

"LIAR!" Flint screamed and tackled Prancer back to the ground. "WHAT WAS THAT WITH YOU AND TULSI THEN, HUH? YOU CARED ABOUT HER MORE THAN ME!"

"Please Flint," Prancer was gasping for breath, "I always have wanted to make sure you're safe. If you don't want that, then tell me. I'll listen to whatever you want me to hear. I just… I don't want to lose you."

Prancer saw Flint lift her claws up and he closed his eyes. He waited and waited but nothing happened. When he opened back up his eyes, Flint was sitting in front of him, breathing heavily but not attacking him.

"Flint?" Prancer asked. "Are you okay?"

Flint looked at her claws and then gave Prancer a hug.

"I'M SO SORRY!" Flint said, while tears were rolling down her eyes. "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TOOK HOLD OF ME!"

She backed up to look at him, while wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I… I… don't know… why I would attack you."

Prancer saw her shaking and he threw his wings around her to comfort her.

"It's okay Flint, you have the right to be mad at me." Their eyes locked together. "Just don't try to kill me with that anger," Prancer said.

Flint giggled, still wiping the tears from her face. "I'm very sorry for my behavior." She thought for a moment and then said, "I guess I just got filled up with jealousy when I saw you and Tulsi together."

"If it makes you feel any better, Flint, I care about you just as much as I care about Tulsi."

"Thank you," Flint said. "Is Tulsi with you?"

"Yeah, she's just over by the island in the middle of the lake. Come on, she will be happy to see you're alright."

All of a sudden a scream came that broke the silence of the night.

Flint and Prancer both looked at each other and knew what it was.

"Tulsi!" they both said at once and took to the skies, beating their wings fast to take them to the island. When they got above the island they scanned it for Tulsi. They scanned the whole front of the island but didn't see Tulsi anywhere.

Where was she? What happened to her? Is she alright?

They then went to the back of the island and immediately saw her tied up in ropes but what was next to her shocked Prancer and almost made him fall out of the sky. Next to Tulsi, standing guard, was a Webwing.