eetle felt sand whip her in the face and sneak into her eyes. She ducked back into the tent.
"Use the pillows for cover!" Beetle shouted, grabbing Sunny and pulling her towards the back of the tent. Python followed them and they created a sort of pillow-tent and ducked into it for cover.
"Why?" Sunny sobbed. She climbed into Beetle's lap and shoved her face into Beetle's neck. Beetle hugged her and looked at Python with fear in her eyes. Python placed a wing over Beetle's back and pulled her close. They felt sand flying around in the tent.
"Shh, it will be over soon," Beetle whispered, trying to reassure herself and Sunlight. Beetle closed her eyes and remembered.
"My mother!" Beetle cried, "Qibli, Six-Claws, Ostrich, Kindle!" Beetle shoved Sunny into Python and rushed out the tent before Python could stop her.
"Mother!" Beetle called, feeling the sand digging into her scales. She felt the sandstorm pulling her towards the entrance of the Scorpion Den and slightly up, but she dug her claws into the sand and crawled towards where Thorn and the Outclaws were working.
"Beetle?" A voice called. Beetle crawled around a corner and saw Qibli crouching down, looking scared.
"Qibli!" Beetle yelped, running towards him and hugging him.
"Moons! Beetle! It's Thorn!" Qibli said tearfully, moving his wings so Beetle could see Thorn, unconscious.
"Mother! Oh no! What happened?!" Beetle sobbed, taking one of Thorn's talons.
"She-she was moving d-dragonets to a-a shelter and the w-wind smashed her in-into a wa-ll," Qibli stuttered. Beetle glanced at the blood on her head.
"B-beetle?" Ostrich stammered, sitting up, looking terrified.
"Oh Ostrich," Beetle said, hugging her and Qibli.
"Where are Six-Claws and Kindle?" Beetle asked.
"I-I don't know. Six-Claws left me t-to look a-after Ostrich and T-Thorn so he can find K-Kindle and get he-elp," Qibli explained shakily, "Will Thorn be okay?" Beetle looked at him.
"I hope so," Beetle said ruefully, placing a talon on Thorn's head.
"Father!" Ostrich suddenly screamed. Beetle and Qibli turned to see Six-Claws drifting slowly towards the sky. Kindle was trying to help him, but it wasn't working.
"Hold on to Thorn," Beetle told Ostrich and ran towards them, being tailed by Qibli.
"Qibli!" She cried.
"I'm gonna help!" He declared.
"Okay, fine, get Kindle to Ostrich and Thorn. I'll help Six-Claws," Beetle agreed, knowing there wasn't any time to argue with Qibli. Qibli ran up and pulled Kindle away, whispering to her.
"Beetle?" Six-Claws yelled, "Get to safety!" He struggled with the wind.
"No!" Beetle yelled, "You are the closest thing I've had to a dad!" She could see tears of joy running down Six-Claw's face. She flew up, using her strong wings to keep in place. Beetle grabbed Six-Claw's talons and pulled down, but he was too heavy to just pull down.
"Help me here!" She cried, pulling him extra hard, tears falling from her eyes from all the sand.
"Get to safety!" Six-Claws yelled, "I can do this!"
"Six-Claws!" Beetle growled, "You have a leader, a daughter and a wife! I'm not gonna risk them losing you!" Six-Claws grumbled to himself and flapped his wings in the opposite direction of the wind.
"Yes!" Beetle said excitedly. With her sight of the den and Six-Claw's strength, they might be able to do it. Beetle kept pulling until she needed to throw up. Beetle felt all her energy disappear and she let go of Six-Claws, feeling the wind pulling her towards the sky.
"No!" She screamed, "No!" She heard Six-Claws yelling her name before the wind smashed Beetle's head into a pole.