How to Save a Spark

Chapter 32

Samantha's POV

     I paced back and forth in the empty halls, frowning in concentration. A dragon named Killer had tried to kill me, another dragon named EnderCrystal stopped him, and then they flew away like they did this everyday! Geez, I don't really like riddles. Riddle me this, riddle me that! I stopped. Maybe Wildstar had answers! I could trick her into giving me a riddle about fantasy creatures. It was worth a shot. I opened our dorm door, spotting Wildstar on the top of the back of the couch. I scoffed at her as she almost fell in alarm from the door slamming shut.

     "SAMANTHA!!!" She yelled, grinning. I blinked at her innocently.

     "Who, meh?" She rolled her eyes as I sat down next to her. "Why don't we play a game?"

     "What kind?" Her gaze darted over to me interestingly.

     "Riddle Me This, Riddle Me That. It's a game where we come up with a fictional creature, not real or extinct." I explained. She turned herself, facing me.

     "Sure. You go first." I took a deep breath and came up with one:

Riddle me this, riddle me that

Take off your beloved hat

and try to catch me with that

For I have wings and a tail

I shall not fail

to outwit you and kill

for it is my will

I kill when I please

and never eat peas

for I eat meat

it is I you can't beat.

     I watched Wildstar as her expression turned into a frown.

     "Hmmm." She muttered. "Carnivore, wings, tail, outsmart... Dragon?" I grinned, nodding.

     "Chap! Now you go." She pondered for a moment before responding:

I am she who runs like wind,

For I don't make a sound,

Come ye fellow Dracarys

yeast we needeth release

our roars and cries

the call of the wild

as to avoid the bile

of nausea as we fly

high up in the sky

wings of an eagle

filled with a wild spirit

like a lion ever so bright.

     "Wings of an eagle..." I murmured. "spirit of a lion... part eagle, part lion... Gryphon?" Wildstar grinned and nodded.

     "Chap!" She announced. "Now you." I closed my eyes and murmured my riddle:

Little she

little bee

friends with all

before the fall

she is a wild one,

beautiful, that one

huge eyes and nose

for everything she knows

scampers in the alleys with light toes

flicks her ears in worry since she knows

as she flicks her tail in distress

her body changes with compress

becoming more agile, that one,

a better version of humans

improving with a disguise

her pitiful yowls and cries

into the night

for she can't take flight

but keeps on her feet

her speed hard to beat.

     "Wow..." Wildstar commented. "Yowls, toes, alley, disguise, improvement of mort- *cough* humans, always on her feet... a neko?" I dipped my head and let out a fake sniff.

     "Guilty." I whined in mock defeat. Wildstar laughed before saying hers:

Riddle you this

but riddle me that

born of Ender

rides on fender

of her friends but foes

kiss her toes

she may be peaceful

but anger can be beastful

Beauty and the Beast

all in one feast

flies like Killer

ends the filler

disappears into the night

pure dark but bright

eyes full of light.

     "EnderCrystal?" The name slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Wildstar stared at me with alarm and incredulously.

     "What do you mean, EnderCrystal?" She snapped. I flinched back in surprise from her unwavering glare.

      "Well... I, uh..." I stammered. "I heard Ender in the riddle, so I thought that EnderCrystal sounded cool." I noticed Wildstar's irises were slits, exactly like a dragon's. "Wildstar?" I whimpered. "Y-your eyes..." She blinked and pulled back, her eyes quickly turning over.

     "I'm going to bed, Samantha. Night." She announced quickly, getting up and running to the bedroom with our bunk bed. I stared after her, my cloudy thoughts sending tremors through my body.

Is Wildstar... A dragon? Why else would she be so guarded about EnderCrystal's name?... 

     Determination filled me, and I sat up straighter. If I could be part cat, then Wildstar could be part dragon. I didn't care, she was still my friend, just like the others, regardless of any of their secrets...