Fall From Grace: Dart's Pain

Chapter 4: Tensions Grow

Toothless and Pouncer ran into the den just in time to see Dart pin Ruffrunner against the wall and rise his paw. Toothless was about to shout at them to stop but he didn't get the chance before Dart took the swing at his brother.

SMACK!

The slap echoed across the den, Toothless and Pouncer where lost for words. Dart really had just slapped his brother across the face, and what was more impressive was Ruffrunner didn't even crying out in pain. The brothers stared daggers at each other before they both spoke at the same time. "I hate you!"

Ruffrunner forced Dart off him and back onto the ground were the two would have continued to fight, had Toothless not found his voice. "THAT'S ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!"

The brothers stop what they were doing instantly and turned to face their father, who was livid. Toothless then turned to Pouncer, "Wait outside for your mother, I want to speak to Dart and Ruffrunner alone." Pouncer nodded and left. Once Toothless knew Pouncer was out of earshot he went off on his sons.

"First of all, your mother will be here soon to help me dish out your punishments. Second of all, why are you two fighting in the first place?" Toothless asked, his tone hard.

Ruffrunner was about to speak but Dart beat him to it. "Ruffrunner was chastising me about the volcano accident. Then he started calling me stupid and immature-"

"I did not call you stupid! I said you always make stupid choices!" Ruffrunner defended himself.

"No! You said both! You said I am as stupid as the choices I make!" Dart argued.

"Well maybe if you made smart choices-" Ruffrunner continued but was cut off.

"Enough!" Toothless said sternly. "I did not ask who is to blame, I asked how the fight started."

Dart was about to speak again but this time Ruffrunner was ready, "well after I 'chastised' Dart as he calls it, we went back and forth a bit more before Dart decided to lunge at me." Ruffrunner answered.

"You provoked me!" Dart argued. "Pouncer even told you to stop."

"Pouncer told both of us to stop, so don't try to pin it all on me!" Ruffrunner shot back.

"That's enough out of both of you!" Toothless cut in. "From what I hear you are both equally at fault here. Now Dart, go to your spot of the den and stay there, same goes for you Ruffrunner. I am going to here your sister's side of the story while I wait for your mother to discuss punishments."

"Yes, Dad," the pair answered, still glaring at each other.

Toothless watched to make sure his sons did as they were told before going out to talk with Pouncer.

Pouncer was outside the den waiting for her mother when Toothless walked up and sat beside her.

"Oh Dad... I didn't think you would be done with them that fast," Pouncer said as her father sat down.

"I'm not, I just need your mother. So until she arrives I want you to tell me your side of the story" Toothless replied.

"Oh, alright," Pouncer said as she recalled the events that just transpired.

"After you left, Ruffrunner started scolding Dart, but it turned from scolding to name calling and insults pretty fast. Of course Dart didn't like being insulted so the two started going back and fourth insulting each other. It came to the point where Ruffrunner must have struck a nerve within Dart, because he lunged at Ruffrunner and the fight was on from there." Pouncer recalled.

"I tried to stop the fight, but they didn't listen, so I went to get you and mom," Pouncer finished.

"I see, tell me, what was it the Ruffrunner said that might have struck a nerve with Dart?" Toothless asked.

"He said-" but Pouncer didn't get a chance to finish as finally Luna arrived.

"Toothless! What happened before I got here? Are Dart and Ruffrunner hurt?" Luna asked, worried one or both of her sons could be injured from the fight.

"No, they're both fine. I stopped the fight and sent them to their parts of the den while I waited for you," Toothless answered.

"Oh, good," Luna sighed with relief.

"I'll fill you in with the details as we go get the boys," Toothless said as he stood up.

"Okay," Luna answered as she followed Toothless into the den.

Dart and Ruffrunner walked over to their respective corners of the den before sitting down backs to each other. Both brother were still furious with each other, and it was not long before the two started to stare daggers at the other.

After what was at least 5 minutes of glaring at each other, Dart broke the silence. "This is your fault! All you had to do was not say a single word, but no! You had to start chastising me! You knew mom and dad were going to give it too me- you had no right to yell at me too!"

"My fault?! Like I said, maybe if you were smart and were responsible I wouldn't need to chastise you!" Ruffrunner shot back.

"Oh really? Because it seems to me that even when I'm not getting into trouble you dislike me," Dart retorted.

"Well, its not my fault you can be annoying at times and how the annoyance is amplified with your immaturity," Ruffrunner stated.

"Well if you hate me so much, how about to tell me that you do to my face!" Dart shouted.

"Uh, already did, Sr. Stupid, remember? After you slapped me?" Ruffrunner stated with a smug smile.

"I swear if you call me Sr. Stupid one more time-!" Dart yelled with pure anger in his voice.

Ruffrunner's smirk grew, "I don't have too, cause you just called yourself it!"

Dart's anger boiled over at that point, "You make my life so miserable! For being future Alpha you sure are awful!"

"Oh really?! Well if I make you so unhappy, why don't you just leave?! Huh? After all, you're so careless and stupid, might as well add 'running away' to the list of dumb things you've done!" Ruffrunner shouted back.

"I hate you!"

"So do I!"

The brothers glared at each other for another minute before turning there backs to each other again. A few minutes later, Toothless and Luna came in, and Luna was not happy.

Toothless had just finished giving Luna the rundown of the situation when they entered the den, and to say she was angry was an understatement.

"Dart! Ruffrunner! Get over here right now!" Luna said furiously.

The two slowly walk up to their parents before sitting in front of them.

"You are both in a lot of trouble!" Luna stated. "From what Toothless told me, Dart, you slapped Ruffrunner?"

"Y-Yes," Dart replied, his voice just above a whisper.

Luna gave him a look of disappointment before turning to Ruffrunner.

"And you, Ruffrunner, Toothless told me you provoked the fight?" Luna asked.

Ruffrunner knew being honest would help him in the long run, "Yes, I did."

"Both of you should be ashamed of your actions today. Dart, you have no reason to ever lay your paws on your siblings. Ruffrunner, you're future Alpha, you should never be the cause of a fight," Luna scolded the two.

"Now, Luna and I have talked it over, and for your punishments, Ruffrunner you are grounded for a month, and in that time your Alpha training will be on hold. You are excused for now and may return to your part of the den," Toothless stated.

"Yes father" Ruffrunner answer quietly before walking back to his corner.

"As for you Dart," Toothless said, "for the fight with your brother and striking him, that's one month of being grounded. And for the volcano you erupted, that is a second month of being grounded."

"Oh, okay," Dart said happy it was only another grounding.

"And because you keep showing you are irresponsible, while you are grounded you will be baby-sat," Luna added in.

"What?! That's not fair! I can be responsible when I want to be!" Dart argued.

"Well until you want to be responsible all the time, you will be watched," Luna stated.

"Ugh, fine! Who will be watching me?" Dart asked.

"Don't give me that attitude, Mister. I can increase your grounding if you want. As for who will be watching you, it will be Stormfly," Luna said.

"Stormfly?! But mom-" Dart was about to protest, but was cut off by Luna.

"If you behave while grounded and I get a good report from Stormfly each day, after your grounding you won't need to be baby sat, but that means you must be responsible. Do I make myself clear, young dragon?"Luna asked.

Dart knew arguing was pointless. "Yes, Mom."

"Good. Now, like your brother, you can return to your corner now," Luna said. "I'm going to talk to your sister about some new training she will have and Toothless will be getting us dinner. Stormfly will be here soon. Can I trust you to stay in that corner? Luna asked.

"Yes," Dart replied.

"Good, we will be back later," Luna replied.

With that Toothless and Luna exited the room leaving the two brothers to themselves to think about what had happened. However, while Ruffrunner was thinking about how to do better and learn from this, Dart was thinking something completely different.

'So, you want me to leave Ruff? Well, then, maybe I will.' with that final thought Dart decided to get some sleep, and plan for his next move another day.