Dragon Wings -- Chapter Three

Chapter Three.


“So, have you… decided what you’re going to train for yet?”

Cial bit back an annoyed growl at Lydia’s question. Was that all anyone could think about? “Um… no, but I’m thinking about it,” The small red dragon said instead.

Lydia nodded. “I know it’s not something chosen lightly, but remember, you could always change after the first few days, so it’s not final.”

“Yeah.” Cial replied absently. He wasn’t worried about becoming something else. After today, who would think to deny him his destiny? After all, he was about to embark on a Scouting mission without wings. Maybe that could even be his claim to fame. The wingless Scout.

“I’ve got to go on patrol,” Lydia informed him, looking worried. “You look a bit odd. If you’re feeling sick, just pay Eva a visit, okay?”

“Yes,” Cial replied distantly. He felt everything but sick, like all the energy in the world was inside him, like he could do anything.

His adoptive mother shot him one last reproachful look before spreading her dark wings and taking to the air. As soon as she was out of sight, Cial jumped up and ran from the Fighter’s clearing, weaving in and out of the various dragons walking by. The Scouts’ Outcrop was a bustling hubbub of activity, everyone preparing for the Mission. Cial could make out Stroff’s brown-scaled form standing in the midst of them, next to another young dragon who Cial didn’t know. Unlike the other jobs, in which there were usually five or more Trainees, the Scouts usually only took on one or two midyears at a time.

“Remember, we are going for stamina, not speed,” Wispen was telling the Scouts. He spread his own leathery whitish wings and looked to the sky. “We’re heading south-west, and we’ll fly for the whole day. If we don’t find a good hunting place by nightfall, we’ll sleep for the night and then return. If the mission does not bear any fruit we will mount another expedition to the east.”

“Yes, Sir.” The Scouts rumbled.

“Also keep in mind that good hunting spots are usually almost invisible. Keep your eyes peeled, your ears perked, and your nose ready. If you scent any prey at all feel free to investigate. But tell me first.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” Wispen surveyed his dragons and, seemingly satisfied, gave them a small nod. “Fly in your Surveying Groups. Let us be gone.” And with that, the great white dragon leapt into the sky.

The others followed behind him, lifting into the air as effortlessly as taking a step. Cial suppressed a pang of jealousy and noted their direction, making his way around the Clearing. By the time he had made it to open ground, the Scouts were just tiny dragon-shapes in the sky, faded by clouds and distance.

Cial took a deep breath and began to run.

The hard, rocky earth slammed against his claws as he dashed. He regulated his breathing and soon fell into a comfortable rhythm, the cool mountain air filling his chest with every inhalation. He was supposed to have been built for flight, normally his legs and chest would be thin and un-muscled. But all these years of running and walking had given him strength where other dragons had none. A grin of exhilaration made it’s way to his face as he realized that he was gaining on the Scouts. He could do this! He could do this!

So they weren’t doing a speed flight this time. So what? Cial could probably keep up with them even if they were. Their distant figures slowly grew more and more distinct as he approached them. He slowed his pace a little. If he got to close, they would see him, and then they’d probably send him back to the Fleet. No sense in ruining his quest after he’d gone through so much trouble. The Scouts were flying in separate groups of three, scanning the ground for any sign of prey.

The next few hours seemed to drag on. As much as Cial believed that his chest and leg muscles had developed, he had never had to run this hard for this amount of time before. He soon found that every breath was growing hoarse and that his throat ached with thirst. He willed the Scouts to take a break.

His prayers were answered as, several minutes later, the dragons began to swoop low for a landing. Cial slowed his pace gratefully, taking in a huge gasp of air. The Scouts appeared to be crowded around something, but Cial couldn’t see what.

The red dragon sniffed the air experimentally and was delighted to find the cool crystal scent of water. He followed the smell to a small creek, and drank his fill before making his way over to the Scouts.

“It’s… a hole.” One of the dragons was muttering as Cial approached. Indeed, the Scouts were crowded around what appeared to be a long, deep crater in the ground. Stroff and the other trainee were at the edge, peering in. The other midyear knocked a pebble into the pit, though Cial ever heard it hit the bottom.

“How strange,” Commented Wispen, joining the young dragons at the edge and peering in. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Cial pricked his ears, hearing something strange. It was a low, growling kind of sound… he’d never heard anything quite like it. The Scouts didn’t seem to notice it, and grouped together a ways off to have council. Stroff remained at the edge of the crater, peering into the darkness below.

The growling was louder now. Didn’t they hear it? It was only when Cial had plastered his ears to his head did he notice that the noise wasn’t really a sound… it was more of a vibration coming up from the ground, like the earth was growling. Cial began to tremble. What was going on? Why was he the only one who could feel this?

Then, a flash of fire, shooting up his claws like he was standing on lava. And suddenly, through a process that even he couldn’t explain, Cial knew that something horrible was about to come out of the crater.

Cial let out a cry, jumping out into the open. He could barely comprehend what he was doing; he only knew that he was running out of time. He streaked towards Stroff, who was leaning halfway into the pit. Some of the dragons let out startled shouts as they noticed him, but to Cial they were background sounds, white noise. He hurled himself I
into Stroff and caused them both to go tumbling across the ground.

“What the-?” Was all Stroff managed to cry before the entire world erupted in fire and lava. “Get back!” Someone cried, as fire and heat poured from the crater that had previously been silent and cool. It was a geyser of flame, reaching up to the sky like a long orange claw. Cial could feel the heat searing his scales, even at this distance. Stroff remained speechless, his orange eyes wide with horror.

Finally, the flame flickered out, and scorched debris rained down around Cial and the Scouts. Cial took a deep breath. Whatever strange sense that he had used to feel the vibration had gone now, and the rest of the world had come back into focus.

“C-Cial?” Wispen stammered, just as shocked as the rest of them. “Where did you come from?”

“I, uh, I…” Cial stammered, quailed under the intense gazes of so many dragons. “I followed you. On foot.”

Stroff swallowed nervously, Cial could see his throat working. “You… you…” The burly dragon stammered.

“Yeah, I saved you.” Cial growled, enjoying the moment despite himself.

“No… you…” Stroff seemed to have developed a sudden inability to form complete sentences. Cial sighed, then turned back to the rest of the Scouts. Why were they all looking at him like that…?

“Cial…” Wispen began slowly. “How did you know that the fire was about to come?”

“Huh?” The remains of Cial’s wings fluttered in his confusion. “I just… heard it coming up through the ground. Didn’t you…?”

There was silence. Cial’s tail drooped. If they didn’t believe that he had heard the fire, then how did they think he knew…?

“I know how he knew!” Stroff managed to gasp. “This was a plot! A murder!”

“What?” Cial glared at his rival indignantly. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!” Stroff cried, practically in tears. “You tried to kill Wispen!”