"Princess Burn is dead."
"Sorry WHAT —"
"Really," said Sunny, skimming her letter up and down. "I'll read it to you guys — 'Sunny. I'm afraid the Outclaws are in a tough position. News shot up in the Scorpion Den last night. Burn is dead. I know this is a little hard to believe, considering Burn was very gruesome. I hear a dragon bite viper got her, and, well, dead as a door nail. As the second eldest, the stronghold now technically belongs to that slithering snake, Blister. And let's just say Blister isn't exactly pleased about the condition of the Scorpion Den. The Outclaws are now in hiding. I hope you and the rebellion have better luck than we have. Signed, Thorn. PS: tell Qibli that if he doesn't write to me in the next week, I will hunt him down and personally dismember him.'"
"Wow," said Glory, sucking up all the information. "Burn's dead...Blister has the Stronghold...."
"And therefor, the whole Kingdom of Sand," Starflight added hastily.
Tsunami cursed silently. "I'll bet Blister had something to do with Burn's death."
"Of course she did," Starflight said. Tsunami glared at him.
"Listen, just because you're apart of this group too doesn't mean I don't have the rights to tear your face off!"
"Actually, I don't think you do —"
"This is exactly my point! Can't you just zip it for ten seconds?"
"Tsunami, I'd like you to zip it!" Glory snapped. "Why do you always have to bicker so much?"
"Because I'm Tsunami, not pretty Miss Perfect over there!" Tsunami flared.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me loud and clear, or are you deaf too?"
"Guys!" Sunny squeaked.
Now the only thing holding the two dragons was Clay.
"I can hear you just fine, thank you very much," Glory growled. "I think you're the one with the mental problems."
"Why you little —"
"This is escalating very quickly," Clay cut in, "so you two leave me no choice."
He cheerfully stepped off the table and sat on Tsunami.
He sat on her.
"Ahem."
Everyone turned to look at the last dragon in the room, who was so obviously trying not to smile.
"I have a question," Lily said.
"Of course she does," Starflight said under his breath.
"Why was she invited to this meeting again?" Tsunami said, still squished under Clay.
"Who would even call this a meeting?" Glory sighed.
"Fair."
"So, anyway," said Lily, trying to get on topic. "My question?"
"Go for it."
"Have you guys ever met Blister?" she asked.
The others exchanged a glance.
"Unfortunately," said Starflight.
"Good. I mean, good for the next question," said Lily. "On a scale of help and bring peace to Pyrrhia way up to burn everything to bits and enslave everything, which is she most likely to do? On a scale of one to ten?"
"Ten," they all said unanimously.
A cold chill creeped down Lily's back. "Are you sure?"
"Very."
The NightWings were about to ally with Blister before Moon and Starseeker happened.
"Yes," Lily whispered.
"Alright then, meeting dismissed. Clay, get your butt off of me," Tsunami said. "Oh, and Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"One word of this 'meeting' outside this cave and your life is immediately at risk."
Lily nodded frantically and then zoomed out. She swerved around the bend and yelped when she saw Turtle staring at her significantly.
"Jade Winglet. Now," he said.
"Right. Let's go," Lily said quickly. It was around noon, so they checked the Prey Center and found Starseeker, Moon, Qibli, Winter, Peril, and Kinkajou sharing some kind of mountain goat (except KInkajou, of course, who was munching on a mango, occasionally shooting disgusted looks toward the goat).
"What's up, guys?" asked Qibli. Noting their pale faces, he added, "Everything okay?"
"NO," said Lily.
"Uh-oh." Kinkajou said.
"Burn is dead, the NightWings are allying with Blister, and we can't stay cooped up in this mountain forever!" Lily cried.
"Wait, what?"
So she and Turtle told them everything. The Outclaws, Burn's death, Sunny's letter, everything. By the time they were finished, everyone was staring at them like they had just magically turned into scavengers.
"He'll have a strong alliance with Blister in no time," Moon whispered finally.
"There must be something we can do," Winter said.
"What can we do?" Turtle asked openly.
No one answered him.
YOU ARE READING
Starcrossed
FanfictionStarseeker is a NightWing, but he doesn't feel like one at all. He and his mother had been hiding a terrible yet lovely secret. But now the NightWings found her. His sister has the lost powers of the NightWings, and now his tribe knows about her. No...
