𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 - 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙

Chapter 16

    Sapphire and Eclipse immediately whirled around and raced back to the camp, the others at their tails.

    The explosion had been in the camp.

    As Eclipse skidded into the camp, she saw that most of the Drolgons in the Pacree were huddled against the wall unscathed, but there were a few who had been hit by the explosion. SpringShine and QuietFlower were darting between them now, making sure they were okay.

    "A dragonflame cactus!" Ruby gasped, pointing to the middle of the camp where there was a burnt patch and sharp cactus needles scattered around it.

    Eclipse remembered that dragonflame cacti were the things the wolves had used to blow up the dragon palace in the past; the cacti could be used as bombs when lit on fire. They shot long, sharp needles and fire all around them when they exploded.

    Eclipse looked up at the sound of wingbeats to see a majestic, glittering crimson BirdWing with jet-black feathers swooping down into the camp.

    "Sorry about that!" She said in a voice that was somehow regal and innocent at the same time. "You see, there were some troublemaking rogue dragons who were terrorizing the cities back on Praïsa. They fled here, and I tried to catch up to them before they wreaked havoc, but I see I was too late."

    "Our camp is ruined!" Ragged snarled, waving his wings at the crumbling camp walls and the dens that were still smouldering from the fire that was being put out. "Can't you get those troublemaking dragons under control on your own continent?"

    "That is no way to speak to the Empress of Praïsa." The glittering BirdWing scowled at Ragged.

    Eclipse blinked in surprise as she realized that the famed BirdWing Empress Cinnabar, the ruler of all of the dragon kingdoms, was standing three metres away from her.

    "Oh. Still, though, you should be able to stop your subjects from doing this," Ragged argued.

    Eclipse thought for a moment that she saw a hint of something dark pass behind Empress Cinnabar's regal grin, but she shook it off.

    "Well, alright," Empress Cinnabar swept her tail dismissively around behind her. "Now that those idiot dragons have bombed your camp, where do you think you'll go?"

    "We'll find another camp," HavenFlight said immediately. He'd come up to Ragged's side and was now speaking as the Alpha of Pacree Sky.

    "But," Empress Cinnabar replied as if she was cornering her prey and was about to catch it. There was a triumphant look in her eyes. "What if you didn't have to live in a filthy mud pit like this anymore? You know, Drolgons are partly dragon... you should live in palaces like the rest of the dragons! What's stopping you? You deserve to live in a fancy building just as much as every dragon."

    "We... we haven't done that ever before." HailClaw looked at the Empress hesitantly. "Pacrees have never done that. It's tradition to live in the wilderness, like our wolf ancestors..."

    "But you don't have to!" Empress Cinnabar huffed, exasperated. "The wolves are filthy creatures. You, on the other hand- Drolgons are more like dragons in... I'd say every way except for appearance. Who cares about traditions? No one would live in the soaking rain and chilling cold where they could die of hunger when they could live in a marvellous, perfect castle!"

    "That does sound promising," Peregrine put in. Her voice was hoarse from mourning for GrayStream all night. It was the first time she'd spoken a full sentence to anybody since GrayStream's death.

    HavenFlight seemingly considered Empress Cinnabar's offer. Meadowlark brushed her wing along his back reassuringly, their Drolgonets laying sleepily at her paws.

    "What palace would we stay in?" HavenFlight asked at last. "I don't think we should live in the same building as dragons. We still want to hold onto our wolf heritage."

    "Oh, I've had some palaces built for a while that no one's using. I think you'll really like them." Empress Cinnabar said nonchalantly.

    "Multiple palaces?" HavenFlight asked, pricking his ears. "All for Pacree Sky?"

    Empress Cinnabar barked a surprisingly harsh laugh. While speaking, her voice was silky and enticing. It made you want to agree to whatever she said. "No, silly Drolgon! One for each Pacree, of course! We can't have one Pacree living over on Praïsa in paradise while the other three starve to death and die in the cold and wet!"

    HavenFlight snorted. "Good luck convincing the other Pacrees. Especially Pacree Earth. They're pretty stubborn. And Pacree Stream is way too proud to go anywhere with you. Although, Pacree Hail trusts others quite easily."

    "So Pacree Sky will move to Praïsa?" Empress Cinnabar gave HavenFlight a dazzling smile.

    HavenFlight put on a thinking face. At last, he said "I will consult my Pacree and come back to you with our answer."

    Twenty minutes later, Pacree Sky was off to convince the other Pacrees to move to Praïsa with them.