Peril's Choice

By Kyle McGomery Bentley AKA u/TheEgoReich

And Drago D. Draconian AKA

u/DragoDraconDraconis

Chapter 1

Peril landed at the location they agreed upon. The lake and waterfall took her breath away. She looked down at her talons, soon realising that she was burning the grass. She pulled her tail closer to her body. Peril was still in a state of shock. She was supposed to kill her friend today and yet, here she was, escaping with him!

"Kestrel!" she heard Sunny call. The small Sandwing was rather nice, Peril would admit to that. She also was basically the only one of Clay's friends that didn't outright hate her guts so that helped their relationship. She was a bit too sweet for her liking though. "You're alright!"

"No thanks to you five" Kestrel, her mother growled. Another thing she couldn't quite believe was her mother being alive. She didn't exactly show it well but she was glad she was. She did seem quite mean-tempered though. Especially with Clay, something she didn't appreciate.

"You wanted so badly to be free. Now you see why we had to protect you?" she said as she got her wing stuck in a tree branch. "You're welcome." Tsunami growled. She was the most hostile one of the dragonets. She hated Peril and so did Peril.

If only Peril could burn Tsunami just a tiny bit. Clay probably wouldn't like that though. Tsunami scowled, "We could have left you in the Sky Kingdom Kestrel. I would have."

Peril's attention swayed elsewhere. She wasn't exactly interested in that squabble. Clay was rolling in the mud. Getting it everywhere. She thought it was cute. The RainWing, Glory, who thought otherwise, jumped back in disgust. That sparked another argument about cover and moods and blah blah blah. Peril didn't care so she tuned it out. She just sat and watched awhile. She watched them bicker for a bit but they eventually were laughing and smiling (except her mother who was still glaring in distaste).

Peril knew her heart longed for that, especially with Clay. But apparently, they don't want her within poking distance of a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole. And to be honest who could blame them? She betrayed them and was supposed to kill them. And she was naturally a killer. That's what everyone knows. She dropped her wings and wallowed in self-pity for a while. The dragonets were now arguing with Kestrel now. This time about the prophecy. She paid attention to this one to see what her mother had to say. There was a back and forth between Tsunami and Kestrel for a while before Kestrel gave up. "Fine." she snorted. "What do I care? I'm done with you. I've done everything that was asked of me and all I have to show for it is a pack of ungrateful lizards. Go find your precious families. I don't care what happens to you."

"Wow. That was cold." Peril thought. She didn't like most of the dragonets, besides Clay, but if she spent the last 7 years of her life taking care of them, she wouldn't just abandon them. Well, not like that anyway. "She wouldn't abandon me like that, would she?" she pondered. She believed that that wouldn't happen but her concern was there "You're on your own now." her mother finished "And good riddance, Peril, are you coming?" Peril started to move but stopped. She couldn't just go. She hadn't even said goodbye to Clay yet. Besides, where would she get her black rocks? "I thought you were coming with us?" Clay said. She looked at him hopefully. She really wanted to go with him. With his permission, the others won't kick her out. "Over my charred dead body." Tsunami muttered. Peril glared at her. Just because she hated her didn't immediately override Clay's opinion, right? She really wished she could singe that fish breath's tail right now.

"Why not?" said Glory. Peril didn't expect her support, she seemed to hate her almost as much as Tsunami. She appreciated the backup nonetheless. "Maybe Peril's the missing dragonet you all need for the prophecy… your 'wings of sky?'" "Could I be?" Peril thought. She never considered the possibility. She barely even knew the prophecy ("Boring superstitious nonsense. Don't bother with it. If you find anyone claiming to be related to that you kill them yourself." Scarlet said when she asked about it.) But when she thought about it, it started to make sense. All the dragonets were special in some way; Sunny's compassion, her lack of a tail Barb and unusual colour, Starflight's smarts, Clay's fireproof scales, Glory's acid spit and Tsunami's fighting skill and...enthusiasm. Why not throw a Firescale SkyWing in there as well?

Clay turned to look at Glory. "You think so?" Glory's ears turned bright red and she shrugged. "Did that mean "Sure! Why not?" in Rainwing language?" she thought "Do Rainwings have a special language? I heard a rumour that RainWings communicate by changing the colours on their body. I remember asking Scarlet about it. She laughed for 15 minutes straight. The guards had to get water to snap her out of it before she died due to a lack of oxygen. She looked really funny for a few hours after that. Wait what was I thinking about? Oh yeah, I might be part of an awesome prophecy to save the world and go with Clay! YES! Clay!" "Oh, could I be?" she said. She was so excited! She was going to see the world with Clay! Worry about a lack of black rocks plagued her mind. This day couldn't get any- "NO!" Kestrel spat, crashing Peril's train of thought and hopes like a hammer through glass. She looked at her in shock. "Why did she sound so… appalled by that thought?" she thought. Kestrel saw the look on her face and quickly looked more neutral but the damage was done. "The largest egg on mountain high," Glory quoted, staring at a butterfly. "If you hatched with a twin, you egg must have been huge." "YES. THANK YOU. EVERYONE LISTEN TO THE RAINWING." Peril thought. "That's true!" she exclaimed. "Maybe I am part of your destiny!" she looked to Clay to help back her up. However, before he could speak Kestrel continued. "Not a chance. Peril and her brother hatched over a year before you misbegotten worms. The prophecy speaks of 5 dragonets hatching together on the brightest night. Face it, your Skywing died in the egg. I saw the broken shell and the murdered dragon who carried her."

Every single word was another nail slamming into her body to pin her to reality. She would never fit those criteria. And even if she did, she couldn't go. She needed the black rocks to eat or she would starve before her death. She looked to Clay for one last glimmer of hope but a shake of the head snuffed it out. "Sorry," he said. "You can come with us anyway." Peril sighed. "I can't. I have to eat the black rocks."

"Tell me about these black rocks." Kestrel snorted. Peril's eyes widened. How did her own mother not know? was surprised she didn't know. "Surely you must know. I need to eat them every day in order to live." Kestrel lashed her tail in anger, sending a nearby bush flying. "More of Scarlets lies," she growled. "You don't need anything like that." Peril was confused "But… I stopped taking them and I got sick."

"Poison in your food." Kestrel retorted, "one of Scarlett's favourite tricks."

Peril opened her mouth to speak but shut it swiftly. "She's right." she thought. It all made sense. Scarlet said she needed to eat them every day but she was fine for a while when she stopped eating them. Poison was the only way that made sense. Why didn't she realize that earlier? She looked towards Scarlet's palace in the distance. "So I was fighting and killing for her and such horrible acts that everyone hated or feared me for… nothing?" Peril questioned herself. Whatever pity she had for Scarlet after Glory's acid attack evaporated in a few curls of smoke. She decided then that if Scarlet wasn't dead by now, she would kill her with her very weapon; herself, Peril. Deep down, Peril knew that she enjoyed killing. Every moment in the arena thrilled her. No. It wasn't her fault. She was brainwashed by Scarlet to kill. She was a dragon killing monster. Scarlet's monster. "But... I can't change myself. I was born a killer." Peril reasoned, "Maybe I'm just trying not to feel as guilty." Every thought led back to the beginning. Peril was a monster.

Her mother tried to beckon her over. "Come with me Peril," Kestrel said, "I'm not much but I'm better than Scarlet." Extending her talons, reaching out to Peril. She glanced at her scorch marks, remembering Peril's Firescales. Peril curled up in a ball, lost in her thoughts. No one was speaking, but the surrounding noise disturbed her. She went from hating herself to hating Scarlet in a never-ending loop. It was a lot of hate. Too much hate. She needed time to get rid of that hate. And an angry, bitter and loud mother wasn't going to help her with that. That was for sure. "I don't think you would be good for me," she said, interrupting whatever argument Tsunami and Kestrel were having this time. Kestrel looked somewhat hurt, swiftly returning to her usual angry expression. "I never imagined you like this." Peril remarked. Kestrel looked even more hurt by that but she sniffed and her face turned to one of resignation. "I am the way life made me," she explained, "take it or leave it, because I'm going now, and you can come with me or not."

Peril weighed each of her options. She did want to go with her mother, but she still wanted to go with Clay. Fat chance of that happening though. She wasn't sure she could stomach it even with Clay backing her up. "Maybe I'll go live alone." she thought, "go to some abandoned ruin and set up a camp where I won't be bothering anyone. Or maybe the new Skywing queen will give me a pardon and I can just live there."

Clay moved up to her and gave her a light nudge, whispering, "remember, she tried to save you. She's not the kindest dragon, it's true, but look." he grabbed one of Kestrel's talons. Kestrel tried yanking her talon back. However, Peril had already gotten a good look. The burns had healed but they still looked awful. Scarlet had a test to see how well her firescales were developing. If she remembered the math right. At the age she was at the time burns like that only developed after an hour of carrying her. A. Whole. Hour. Most dragons didn't dare to hold her at that age for more than 5 minutes!

Kestrel had to really care about her if she was willing to go through that torture just to save her. It was somewhat inspiring. She looked back at Kestrel. It was hard to see a dragon who was willing to do that. She hoped it was still in there somewhere. "Well… I don't know Clay," she said. "Do you think its a good idea?" Clay shrugged. "Well, it's your mother. This is your chance to be with her again. And who knows when you'll see her again?" That was a good point. Peril had a feeling that this was more of a final choice now. She thought she might be able to see her again but now…

"Well nobody will be seeing anyone again if you don't make up your mind soon." snapped Kestrel. She was getting antsy, scratching the ground beneath her. Peril didn't blame her, they had been there for quite some time already, and a dragon might catch them anytime. She made up her mind. "Okay, okay, I'm going with you. Could you just let me say goodbye first?" Peril decided. Kestrel growled, "you have 5 minutes. After that, I'm leaving with or without you." That was more than enough. She went to hug Clay but stalled. "Would a hug be weird? It would probably be weird. But goodbye wasn't really enough. Maybe-" Clay stopped her mind's rambling by putting a wing around her and patting her shoulder. "Good luck," he told her, "see you when I do?" Peril looked up at the sky, tail flicking. "O-ok Clay. Stay safe?" she sputtered awkwardly. Groans from the Grumpnami and Cranktrel indicated her farewell was getting too long.

Getting up and joining her mother, Peril looked back to see Clay grinning and waving to her. Sunny bid her farewell, and even Glory gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"Come on now." her mother urged. "Before the guards come looking for us."

Peril spread open her wings, hovering above the ground, following her mother to wherever her new life would be. She was hopeful, but she wondered, was this the right choice? Shaking her head vigorously, Peril told herself to just get used to this new life.