Rebirth (A WoF fanfic)

Prologue

      The maroon dragon paced in his room, mumbling to himself in an almost manic way. His eyes were wild and filled with panic as he walked back and forth, the SkyWing scared out of his mind. They all knew...they had to! But how? He had been careful not to let anyone find out.

      He paused his pacing as he heard footsteps down the hall, talons scraping against the stone that his house had been made from. He gave a small hiss as he racked his brain, his breathing becoming labored as terror continued to set in. 

      Finally, he paused, knowing what he had to do.

      The SkyWing breathed in, feeling that familiar burn in the back of his throat as he summoned his fire, and as soon as the dragon appeared in his doorway he shot a burst of flame at the silhouette, earning a shriek of pain as the dragon stumbled back. 

      He grabbed the satchel he had prepared for an occasion such as this and fled the room, going the opposite way of the whimpering dragon he had burnt. His heart pounded in his chest as he fled, and just as he got out of the building he heard a roar of fury. 

      He had to get out of here.

      He spread his large wings and took to the sky, flying away from his home near the SkyWing palace, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from dragons who hadn't yet been informed about what was happening. He knew that if he could get far away enough in time, he would be able to escape before the dragons within his tribe would be notified of what was to happen to him. 

      He could practically taste freedom as he fled, growing bolder the farther away he got from his now ex-home. He could live out his life in solitude, for all he cared, as long as he was able to be somewhere safe. 

      Several wingbeats appeared behind him, lessening the promise of escape. He closed his eyes briefly, ignoring the angry shouts from his pursuers: "Traitor! Spineless lizard! Scum!"

      The dragon was almost amused by what they were calling him; he knew there were worse things that they could've referred to him as. The gravity of the situation was the only thing that prevented him from laughing out loud.

      As quick as a bolt of lightning, any hope he had of escaping was squandered as a dragon slammed into him, knocking him from the sky. He let out a cry as he plummeted, barely able to right himself before he slammed into the ground. A few seconds later the dragon who had slammed into him in the sky tackled him to the ground, pinning the maroon dragon as he writhed and hissed, trying his best to wiggle out of her talons so he could escape. 

      "Let me go! I did nothing wrong!" 

      "Did nothing wrong?" He could practically hear the sneer in the dragon's voice. "You're a pathetic excuse for a dragon, Ignis. You're a spineless coward who doesn't deserve the life you have been given. She gave you everything, and this is how you repay her?"

      The dragon, Ignis, glared at her as smoke curled from his nostrils. "I didn't ask to be hatched! I didn't ask to be this way!" His voice gave way to a yelp as she dug her talons into his scales. 

      More dragons were approaching to take him away. His eyes darted around until finally, they landed on the satchel. He twisted and lashed out with his talons, the fabric ripping, and all of his items spilling out, including a gift for the dragon he had loved all his life. He reached out and grabbed it, holding it tightly and mumbling under his breath as he was lifted to his feet, his fate sealed in stone.