Without a word, Sunny and Glory flew over the edge, and they found themselves hovering hundreds of meters above the ground. Ashley looked down, there was a tall waterfall falling from the cliff, it plummeted at the bottom into a lake, which narrowed into a river.
Ashley's eyes followed the large water stream into the distance, the river was flowing far into the distance, and it continued until he could see further. Above them, they could still see a few dragons flying with panic, but like the moment before, none seemed to pay attention to them. Glory dived toward the ground, and Sunny followed more slowly.
Eventually, they reached the base of the waterfall, and Glory whisked right threw it, gliding as her tail disappeared behind the curtain of water.
Sunny twisted her neck to face Ashley, she gave him a wondering glance, probably to check if his grip was strong enough not to slip.
"You can go through." he said to her. "I'm not falling anytime soon."
She nodded with an understanding look and propelled herself behind Glory. The falling water lashed on Ashley's face as they passed through. When they came out, his clothes had become soaking wet, he felt some water take up his nose and sneezed.
He saw Glory's eyes dart around as soon as she heard the noise, eventually they fell on him.
"Sorry, that was me." he said, on top of a confused Sunny.
She sighed. "Let's go." She said softly, and she started to descend.
After clearing his snoot, Ashley leaned a bit on the side to get a clear look at the surroundings. Behind them was the deafening cascade which cut them from outside, they were in a sort of huge room carved in the cliff by the water. Down, he could see a glittering lake that was taking most of the space, and not far from the waterfall, where they seemed to be heading, was a dark gap small enough not to be found without searching, yet big enough to let a bit more than a dragon in.
They landed on the muddy bank of the lake and entered the cracked opening. The cave's only light was the faint sun ray coming from its entrance, but it was enough to see where the two dragons would put their talons.
Sunny let out a small breath of fire to light the cave, it was the size of a small family house, just enough for the two dragons not to feel awkwardly too close to each other.
Glory sat on the ground, her scales were shifting from one colour to another like an angry rainbow, Ashley was pretty sure this meant she was pissed. Sunny chose to stay standing, looking uneasy, much to Ashley's relief, who was glad to be able to stay on her warm and comfortable scales.
She glanced outside, a worried look on her face. Ashley felt her scales shift swiftly as she moved, he took a closer look at the dragon's body. Despite being the smallest among her friends, she looked strong, you could see the muscles on her wings and other limbs, you could feel the vibration of each step, and see the strength of her talons scratching the floor below her. Ashley stood bewildered, this was a majestic creature, one of fantastical stories and legends, one of magic, a symbol of strength and power.
And he was riding one, a creature he could only have fantasized about their existence. And yet, he was here, battered, beaten, and broken, but alive, and he felt like a child again. Thinking about it, it wasn't so far from the truth, this was a new world, that he didn't really know, despite everything. And the events of the past days showed that he didn't know what was going to happen either.
"So." Sunny and Ashley turned around to face Glory. "Ashley is that right ?" The latter asked, looking straight at the human, her expression was unreadable.
"Yes, that's my name." Ashley answered.
"How is that so that you're able to talk dragon ?"
Her voice was calm but sharp, it seemed to him she would be able to read through his face even without ever meeting a scavenger before the capture. He decided to go with the story he had somewhat started to make up in his mind.
"Well, magic I guess." He said, he saw Sunny tilt her head with wonder.
"You mean ?"
"Animus magic, I think is what you call it." Now Glory seemed much more interested in the conversation.
"That is- interesting..." She said.
"But weren't animus dragons gone for years ?" Sunny asked.
"Well, I guess not." Ashley responded, he continued. "It was a sand dragon, she called herself Boa, I think."
"No idea of who that is." Glory said. "If one knows, it would be Starflight."
"I hope the Nightwings will bring him back to us." Sunny whispered.
"The better should, or I'm coming to bite them off and take my friend back."
"I'm sure they will. Not that it would help their plan to keep him away anyway." Ashley stated.
"And how could you possibly know that ?" Glory questioningly asked him.
"Isn't the prophecy theirs ? that wouldn't make sense if they started to split the only hope of Pyrrhia, right ?" He saw Glory wince and look up at the ceiling with an annoyed look on her face, Sunny gave her a comforting look.
"It's not like the prophecy hadn't already been messed up anyway." Glory said.
"It's not messed up !" Sunny jumped, nearly knocking Ashley off. "And you're perfectly fine !"
"ugh, that's what you say."
"Yes, and I stand by it." Sunny gave her a fierce look.
Ashley started to slip on the side, he tried to tighten his grip but continued to fall. "help !" He let out, and Sunny quickly shifted her wings to prevent him from hitting the ground.
"Sorry." She said. She carefully put him back in place and made sure he wasn't hurt. "It's the first time I see a Scavenger from so close." She said with an apologetic voice.
"I'm fine, no worries." Ashley answered her.
He was still hurt, but he was starting to get over the pain now, his broken arm was still killing him, but he felt a bit lighter now. He looked at the top of his arm, where they had put the makeshift bandage, it was completely red now, the fabric had acted like a sponge and now looked red/brown as if it had always been this way, but it felt sticky and pressing it would let drip small droplets of blood.
He tried to move his left hand but only managed to weakly lift his fingers. Maybe he wasn't so fine after all, he was concerned, but hoped he could last long enough until he would have to take care of his wounds. Until then, he will have to live with them.
"Is that how most of you are ?" Sunny asked. "Because I find it you look really cute." She innocently said, Glory looked up once again.
Ashley stood completely taken aback by this statement, clearly not expecting it.
"I- Huh... Thank you ? That's- probably the first compliment I got in years." He answered.
"aww" Sunny responded in a sad tone.
At the same moment, they heard multiple loud stomps outside of the cave, the three shushed and their eyes faced the entrance of the cave, eventually, they heard a loud and recognizable female voice.
"Glory ? Sunny ? You're here ?"
Glory sighed with relief and relaxed her muscles, and Sunny's face lit up with joy. She slowly made her way out of the cave, both she and Ashley got blinded by the light once outside.
"Kestrel !" She cried. "You're all right !"
"No thanks to you five." the older dragon growled, lashing her tail. "You wanted so badly to be free. Now do you see why we had to protect you ?"
"You're welcome." Tsunami shot back. "We could have left you in the Sky Kingdom. I would have."
Ashley saw Clay jump in the mud on their side and playfully roll himself in it to cover it all over his muscular body. This sent splatters of mud toward the group.
"Good grief, Clay, yuck." Glory said as she just exited the cave. She walked toward the lake and spread her wings to catch the sunlight on her.
"Careful." Tsunami pulled her back. "If they're for us they'll definitely spot a bright purple dragon from the air."
Glory flared her ruff at her. "I am not bright purple. Queen Scarlet called this my violet mood, thank you very much." Ashley let out a small laugh.
"Oh sorry." Tsunami said in a snarl. "I meant to say they'll definitely spot a moody violet dragon from the air."
"You are the epitome of hilarious." Glory responded. "Anyway, I can take care of that." Her wing's scales shimmered as if they were drawing in the sunlight, and the purple colour of her scales started to break up like a dissolving paint. Soon, she was the colour of the muddy ground below her. "Happy ?" She asked Tsunami.
Ashley let out an incredulous "Woa." as he witnessed her turning into a near-perfect camouflage, which owed him a proud glance from the Rainwing.
"I want to know what my cool power is." Tsunami muttered. "You've got camouflage scales and venom-spitting teeth. Clay is immune to fire. Starflight apparently has big dragons waiting in the sky to save him whenever things get scary. And the scavenger can talk dragon. What do I get ?"
"Clay is immune to fire ?" Sunny asked. "What ? And did you say venom-spitting teeth ?"
"Yeah." Clay answered, back on his feet but still covered with mud. "I'm afraid you'll have to be nicer to Glory from now on Sunny."
Sunny flapped her wings with an outraged look on her face, ruffling Ashley's hair at the same time. "I'm always nice to- oh, you're teasing me." She mushed a talonful of mud into Clay's face as a response.
Ashley choked a laugh. "Yeah, there is no escaping the wrath of the magical death spit when you anger its handler."
"Excuse me WHAT ?" He heard Glory burst out of frustration. "How DARE you call my secret weapon 'magical death spit' !"
Tsunami held her mouth with a talon. "Oooh, I like magical death spit."
"I should melt your face right now you puny little Scavenger." Glory said, Sunny immediately wrapped her wings around Ashley.
"Hey ! You don't threaten our new friend Glory !"
A wave of warmth and relief took over Ashley, now that was certainly a good sign.
"I can threaten whoever I want." Glory gave her a fierce look, to which Sunny answered the same way.
"Are you done now ?" Kestrel asked in a cutting tone on the side.
Tsunami sighed. "You see, we can take care of ourselves." She addressed. "You didn't even know what Clay and Glory could do. You didn't think we were good for anything, but it was your fault for keeping us underground and treating us like eggs.
"Oh, we did everything wrong." Kestrel said sharply. "Go ahead and blame us, but we did as the Talons of Peace asked. You would probably all be dead if we hadn't."
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Tsunami lifted her chin. "We're not going back to the Talons of Peace." She said.
"We're not ?" Sunny squeaked. Glory gave a scornful look.
"Oh ?" Kestrel said. She bent her neck and glared at Tsunami. "What is your magnificent plan, if I may ask ?"
"We're going to find our homes." Tsunami responded. "And our parents."
Ashley was immediately slapped back into reality, home, and family. Two things he wouldn't ever be able to go back to in this world. And now there he was again, wondering how he got there, and how he possibly could come back. Questioning if there was even a reason for it, and if there was one, what could it even be ? He looked down, there was nothing but yellow scales, around him, the dragons were arguing, but he paid no attention to what they were saying.
His eyes eventually stumbled upon Peril, she was watching her mother and seemed completely lost, at least as much as him, if not more.
"Fine !" Kestrel snorted loudly, taking Ashley out of his trance, her tone had grown bitter. "What do I care ? I'm done with you. I've done everything that was asked from me, and all I have to show for it is a pack full of ungrateful lizards. Go find your precious families. I don't care what happens to you."
"Oh, Kestrel." Sunny said, she had moved forward and wrapped her talons around Kestrel's leg. "You don't mean that. You know we appreciate everything you did for us."
Ashley had to balance himself so he wouldn't fall off her, he saw Tsunami and Glory roll their eyes at that.
"You're on your own now." Kestrel said, she pried Sunny off and stepped back. "And good riddance. Peril, are you coming ?"
Ashley saw the fire scale hesitate.
"I thought you were coming with us." Clay stated, and Peril's eyes lit up.
"Over my charred, dead body." Tsunami growled, smacking Clay with her wings.
"Why not ?" Glory said, in a not so sure of herself voice. "Maybe Peril is the missing dragonet you all need for the prophecy... your 'wings of sky'."
Clay blinked a few times. "Wow. Do you think so ?"
"Oh, could I be ?" Peril said at the same time.
"No !" Kestrel spat.
"The largest egg in the mountain high." Glory quoted. "If you hatched with a twin, your egg must have been huge." She continued, her eyes blankly staring at a flower on which a butterfly had landed.
"That's true !" Peril cried, nearly jumping. "Maybe I'm part of your destiny !" Her eyes looked at Clay with hope. Ashley decided to jump in before Kestrel did, that way they would escape another bitter offence from her.
"But that's not possible." He said, and all eyes drew on him, Kestrel finally noticed the human.
"And what is that now." She said with disgust.
"Peril hatched a year before all of you, so her three moons weren't full at the time. The prophecy talks about dragonets hatching at the brightest night, which she didn't."
"Urh." Kestrel sighed. "For as much as I hate it, this scavenger is right."
Ashley saw Clay's disappointed face look down. "Sorry." The Mudwing apologized to Peril. "But you can come with us anyway." He offered.
"I can't." She answered. "I have to go back for the black rocks."
"What black rocks ? Tell me about those." Kestrel ordered.
"You must know." Peril said. "I need to eat them every day in order to stay alive."
Kestrel leashed her tail, smashing bushes in the process. "More of Scarlet's lies." She spat. "You don't need anything like that."
"But- I stopped taking them and got sick." Peril said.
"Poison in your food." Kestrel continued. "One of Scarlet's favourite tricks."
Ashley gave Peril a comforting look, even if she couldn't notice. She looked up toward the palace that you could barely notice behind the waterfall, and her talons grasped the mud below her. The whole world she knew was crumbling down, he knew it. Every single truth she thought was right was turning up to be nothing other than more and more lies told by her only mentor until now : Scarlet.
"Come with me." Kestrel said roughly. "I'm not much. But I'm better than Scarlet." She reached toward Peril, then saw her burning marks on her palms and pulled back. Peril ducked her head, huddling into her wings.
"Where are you going, Kestrel ?" Sunny asked.
"None of your business." Kestrel answered.
Sunny stepped back, looking hurt. Kestrel took a step toward the lake and rubbed her talons on a rock, and glanced back at Sunny.
"But I suppose." She started. "When you realize you need me, you can send me a message through the dragon of Jade Mountain. Not that I'll come running, mind you. You deserve all the trouble that's coming to you."
"Before you go." Tsunami quickly said. "Tell us what you know about our eggs and where they came from."
Kestrel snorted. "Well, there's no surprise with you. Webs stole your egg from the Seawing queen's own hatchery."
"Tsunami !" Sunny gasped. "You're royalty ! Just like in the story !"
Tsunami's tail twitched, she looked much more thoughtful and surprised now.
"Morrowseer brought us Starflight's egg." Kestrel continued. "Dune found Sunny's egg in the desert, hidden near the Scorpion Den. And our big, strong hero came from somewhere around the Diamond Spray Delta, near the sea, where the lowest Mudwings crawl."
Ashley saw Clay look away in the distance, looking hopeful.
"What about me ?" Glory asked, she didn't seem particularly excited to know.
Kestrel shrugged. "I have no idea. Webs scrounged you up somewhere after we lost the Skywing egg. I never cared where, because I knew you weren't important."
"Oh go away !" Tsunami busted out. "Everything you say is hurtful and mean."
"Everything I say is true." Kestrel said.
"I don't think you'd be good for me." Peril said, staring at her mother. "I never imagined you like this."
"I am the way life has made me. Take it or leave it." kestrel responded. "Because I'm going now, and you can come with me or not."
"Remember." Clay said to Peril. "She tried to save you. She's not the kindest dragon, it's true, but look. She cared enough about you to do this." He grabbed one of Kestrel's talons and opened it so Peril could see the scorch marks. The old Skywing snapped her teeth at him and yanked her arm back.
Peril stared for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm not ready." She said. "Maybe one day we'll find each other again."
"Well, suit yourself." Kestrel's eyes shifted from one dragonet to another and ended up on Clay. "Listen Mudwing. For all your noble talk, you're not going to be any use to the others if you can't fight and kill to defend them. Just think about that."
Tsunami took a threatening step toward her, but before she could do anything, Kestrel spread her wings.
"WAIT !" Ashley shouted, nearly jumping from Sunny's back.
"What ?" Kestrel fiercely asked, turning to show Ashley her teeth.
Ashley backed slightly under her aggressivity but didn't flinch. "Don't trust the Talons of Peace." He said. Now, all eyes were on him. "The Nightwings are getting involved, somehow, they control the Talons. They will summon you to a meeting soon, if you go there, you die."
There was a long silence, Kestrel stared at him without moving for the whole time.
"And why should I trust you, out of all things." She eventually broke out.
"The Nightwings are one tribe like any other, this war affects the whole continent, and they are no exception. They have a side, they just haven't declared it yet. Just because they pronounced the prophecy doesn't mean they stand for peace itself, they will care about themselves first. It is undeniable that they will use their position to manipulate dragons, if I were them, I would get rid of anyone that could discuss my sayings, and anyone that has knowledge of what really happened."
Kestrel tilted her head. "So ?" The red Skywing asked.
"That means you would be a priority target, Kestrel." Ashley stated.
There was another pause, the dragonets were all staring at him with bewildered eyes now, the silence was deafening. Peril was looking from her mother to the human back and forth, a visible confusion on her face.
"Well." Kestrel snarled, she looked at the four Dragonets of Destiny. "We must really have fucked up if a scavenger can show more common sense than you all then."
Before anyone could say anything, she flapped her wings and took. She launched herself above the lake and flew towards the waterfall, which she traversed like it never existed. Ashley noticed Kestrel's eyes glance at her daughter while she flew away.
Once she was gone, the five dragons looked at each other awkwardly.
"Some reunion." Peril said, looking down where the dirt had darkened below her.
"You can still come with us." Clay offered her. "Even if you're not in the prophecy."
"No." She said slowly. "I don't think... I don't think I deserve to."
Clay tilted his head at her. "What does that mean ?"
"It's like you said." She responded. "You're the kind of dragonets they write prophecies about. You're heroes and saviours and I'm- well, I'm the opposite of that. I'm the bad guy."
"No." Ashley thought. "You're the victim."
"I'm not a hero." Clay objected. "You're the one who got us out of Scarlet's palace."
"Only because of you." She shook her head. "I thought I was born a killer, but turns out it wasn't. Queen Scarlet made me that way... or I let myself become that way. It's like I chose it without knowing I chose it. But you were born that way." Clay winced, clearly unsure of what to think about it. "You knew what you were like, and you chose to be something else. I guess I feel like I can't be one of you unless I can do that too."
Her eyes hovered at the Mudwing's friends. "I'm going back to the Sky Kingdom. That's where I belong, and I need to know if Queen Scarlet is dead.
"Don't you want to leave ?" Clay asked. "Don't you want to see the world outside of the Sky Kingdom ?"
Peril scratched the ashy ground under her talons. "Not until I feel like the world can be safe from me." She said.
"Can we speed up the touchy goodbye ?" Tsunami asked. "Because we've got company."
They looked through the waterfall, multiple pale yellow and bright red forms were flying overhead. One of those was towering over them, much bigger, and seemed to be showing direction. The unmistakable shape of Burn was ordering the group to split into multiple directions into searching parties. From where they stood, it seemed like was holding one of her talons close to her, apparently injured.
The hunt for escaped dragonets, and the dragon-slaying scavenger, had begun.
"What do we do ?" Sunny whispered.
"We should head to the delta." Tsunami said after a second. "We can find Clay's family there. Maybe they'll help to protect us."
"And then we'll be at the sea." Sunny added. "So we can find yours too. And maybe Starflight will find us there ? Do you think he's looking for us ?"
"Doubtful." Glory said, much to Sunny's disappointment. "He's with his wonderful Nightwings now. And I hate to point this out, but there are about two hundred dragons overhead who actually are looking for us. The minute we stroll out from there, they'll be on us like fur on a squirrel."
"Well, I have an idea." Clay said hesitantly. "But you're not all going to like it."
"Oh good." Glory said. "My favourite type of plan." Clay tried to smile at her, but her glance didn't meet his eyes, he looked concerned for a moment, then pointed behind the cascade, indicating the river.
"We swim to the delta."
Glory made a face, her scales shifted for a moment, before going back to a darker colour.
"I'm not a very good swimmer." Sunny said anxiously. "But I guess I could try."
"They'll see us from the air." Tsunami pointed out.
"Not Glory." Clay countered. "She can camouflage herself in the river. And if she rides on your back, she'll hide you too.
The two involved dragons looked at each other, suddenly much less thrilled at that suggestion.
"What about Sunny ?" Tsunami asked, then pointed a finger at Ashley. "And the Scavenger ?"
"We can cover her in mud and put her on my back." Clay went on. "I'll stick to the shallows, and from the sky, we should look like part of the riverbed. I don't think the scavenger would be much of a weight difference, but I guess we'll have to cover it with mud too."
Ashley didn't mind, being covered with wet dirt was probably the least of his troubles right now, their survival was at stake after all. "I can do that." He said. "Just send me some pack of mud, I'm not the brightest thing here but this armour is a bit too shiny." The remaining parts of metal he still had made a slight clank when he knocked them with his finger. "And I'll help cover Sunny's back."
Peril jumped in. "I'll wait until you're gone and then fly off in a different direction. Maybe I can lead them away for a while. It's not like they can touch me or do anything to me, once you're safe." Her eyes glanced at Clay, then away again.
"All right." Tsunami said. "It's our best shot. Let's do it then, and quickly."
She slid into the lake, Glory reluctantly followed her. Sunny started to cover herself with mud, spreading it over her belly and arms.
Clay turned to Peril. "Are you sure ? What if Burn take her anger out to you ?"
"How exactly ?" The Skywing asked. "There's only one good thing about me, and it's that no dragon can hurt me. Except you, I guess." Her wings wavered. She looked toward Sunny who had given some mud to Ashley and was now trying to cover her back with him, his clumsy hand spreading packs of mud on her scales.
"That's not the only good thing about you, Peril." The human heard Clay say, he was listening with a distant ear, as he focused more on the task in front of him. He caught some mud and started painting his armour plates with it. Soon enough, all of them had stopped to reflect the light.
He stuck a handful of mud to his clothes too, they were already of a camouflage colour, this pastel dark green you would find on army clothes. But the mud really was putting it all together, maybe he should find a way to colour them that way in a more permanent manner.
Yeah, that could easily come useful.
They made sure the amount of mud was unevenly spread so it would be harder for other dragons to understand the shape of what they were seeing and not notice them.
"I feel heavy and goopy." Sunny said once they finished. Ashley couldn't agree more, it sure was an uncomfortable way to be, especially when you were lying on mud that was moving under you.
Sunny walked where under an arcade near the waterfall, allowing them to pass it without being showered. Once outside, Clay joined them and placed himself on the bank of the lake, where his talons sank into the ground, much to his pleasure. Sunny climbed on top of him.
Once in position, Sunny wriggled her neck to look at Peril. "Thank you for helping us." She said.
"After betraying us first." Tsunami muttered, Glory took it upon herself to shove her friend's head back into the water.
"Good luck." Peril said.
"You too." Clay said. "Bye, Peril."
Clay swiftly slid into the lake, and the current washed his arms. Ashley heard him sigh of relief as blood and sand were washed away by the water.
Ashley looked back and saw Peril staring at them. He raised an arm and waved at her, to which she responded by awkwardly raising her talon and waving it.
For a while, they paddled along the shore. Eventually, they would stop moving when they heard or saw a patrol nearby, and flatten themselves to the ground to make sure not to be seen, then they would move again after a few minutes.
They eventually reached the beginning of the river, and there, they started to go at a faster pace.
Ashley looked back one last time, Peril was now gone, and above the faraway palace, he managed to notice multiple blue-green shapes flying above the arena. He threw himself down onto Sunny's back as he heard wings flapping over their heads. Everyone ducked to the ground to hide, and the wing beats flew past their heads without noticing the group. After a few moments, they slowly stood up and resumed their walk.
They were finally out of this hellish palace and were now heading toward the swamps of the Mud Kingdom, but the journey would be long.