Chapter 14

Looking back on the days of flying, Sunrise remembered those as the happiest days of her life. Though the flying was tiring, the two occupied themselves by talking and they had a grand time. The happy times did not last long though, and one night those times ended abruptly. Sunrise and Flameburst landed in a clearing near a marshy swamp. "Bet I can catch more prey than you!" Flameburst joked smiling at Sunrise. Sunrise's eyes widened, and she burst out laughing. "You couldn't catch more prey than me if I was as slow as a MudWing!" She said teasingly and nuzzled Flameburst. "Oh really? Then try it!" Sunrise screwed up her snout and changed from a RainWing to a MudWing in a second. She added huge claws and looked down at Flameburst. "Challenge accepted," Sunrise said gruffly and burst out laughing.

Flameburst snarled and lashed her tail fake anger badly masking her playful personality. A crashing sound echoed through the trees and the two dragons froze. "If it comes any closer we fly," Sunrise murmured. Flameburst nodded and pricked her ears wings poised to fly. But before the two could take to the air an enormous SkyWing burst through the marshy swamp. "Dad!" Flameburst shrieked staring at the SkyWing. "You've done well. But your acting skills are getting a bit to realistic for me," the SkyWing said, piercing eyes settled on Sunrise. "Flameburst? What is he talking about?" Sunrise spoke softly. "Sunrise..." Flameburst bowed her head. "I'm so sorry." The huge SkyWing grunted. "Oh, Flameburst kept you in the dark. I'm Cometstreak. I made you," Sunrise blinked at these words and her lips trembled. The SkyWing burst out laughing jovially. "Flameburst you've really hurt little Sunrise. She doesn't know you were supposed to be with her, so we could keep an eye on her. Or that I'm an Animus. Or that she was created to work for me," Cometstreak rustled his wings contentedly as Sunrise turned to Flameburst eyes full of hurt. "Sunrise...I'm sorry! You don't understand!" Flameburst burst out. "No. I really don't." Sunrise shifted her scales back to a RainWing and looked up at Cometstreak. "I will not work for you," Sunrise growled defiantly. Cometstreak eyed her wearily. "Oh? I have powers that you'd only dream of. I could summon you to me in a second, make you do my bidding, anything I desire." You'll have to find me first," Sunrise opened her jaws and shot venom in the Animus's face and took off shifting her scales to match the sky. Cometstreak roared clutching his talons to his face, the hissing goo already melting the top of his head. Flameburst's claw wavered over her father's body who was in too much pain to cast a spell. "Sunrise!" Flameburst turned away from her twitching father and took off after Sunrise.