Wings of Fire - Cavernous Promises

Chapter 4

MALLOW

Mallow creeped through the tall grass in front of the cave mouth that the two dragons had plunged into. All right, it's time to show auntie I'm not a horrible spy. She crept forward, scenting the air to make sure she was on the right track, okay Mallow no sudden moves, don't alert them to your presence, stay calm and let your scales blend into the undergrowth. You can do this. She slunk closer to the cave entrance, she couldn't believe the rest of the colony lost these dragons, Acacia in particular, that dragon was always tripping on his own talons.

She sighed, Acacia why did you have to do this, we're alike, you made a fool of me and yourself in the same minute. Why couldn't you just have stayed at home and tended to those gardenia's you were so enthralled with? As Mallow approached the cave mouth, she wrinkled her snout. What was that smell, it was like a three week old capybara crossed with a skunk stink. Oh, please don't tell me they have a HiveWing in there, that would ruin my day more than it's already been. Bee-n ha ha I made a pun. She chuckled to herself at this little joke.

She stepped forward, she was about a tail's length away from the cave mouth and could hear a murmur of conversation coming from inside. Mallow sighed again, she stepped to the cave mouth making sure her shadow wouldn't alert the dragons inside. She saw them standing in the dark looking over some dead grass. Well here goes nothing. She reached out through the roots of the grass to the vines, imagining them wrapping around Acacia and the SilkWing. The vines dropped down and wrapped around the two dragons lifting them up into the air with squawks of protest.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" roared Acacia, in fright.

Mallow sighed, reaching out again and extending the vines to wrap around Acacia's snout.

The vines then wrapped around Acacia's snout drawing his jaws shut. Mallow stood and strode into the cave glancing at her two captives, cocooned like flies in a web. Ooo that's a good one. I'll use that next time I ensnare a HiveWing.

"Haven't you captured me enough, already?" asked the SilkWing she had captured, "because, who knows I could suddenly metamorphose and shoot flaming silk from my wrists."

Mallow blinked at him confused, Metamorphose? I thought you just didn't have wings.

"You never know." the SilkWing said, shrugging his shoulders. Meanwhile, Acacia was struggling in the vines' grasp, "Mrf! Mrf!" he screamed trying to tear off the vines on his snout.

"Fine, you can speak." sighed Mallow. The vines then withdrew from Acacia's snout, "I think I can class this as harassment now, my mother wouldn't be too pleased with this." he squawked.

"I know, but Thistle would have my tail off if she knew I let you two go." Mallow replied.

"Wow, you two mustn't get along, is she your mother?" asked the SilkWing.

Mallow winced, "No, she's my Aunt, I told you this, my mother and father died years ago."

The SilkWing was taken aback, "I-I never knew I just thought..." he hung his head in shame.

"It's fine, I never really knew them anyway, but I heard they were nice." answered Mallow.

"So, touching story and all, but are you going to let us down?" asked Acacia.

"No, of course not, as I said, Thistle will have my tail off if I don't catch you." Mallow responded. Admiral paused, he was looking at something behind her. Mallow stopped, what was he looking at? She then heard a loud roar and she was bowled over.

She struggled beneath the claws of her attacker, who was pinning her down by her neck. "So LeafWing, are you going to explain yourself?" drawled a snarling voice above her, "Or should I just kill you here and gain credit from Queen Wasp?"

Queen Wasp? This has to either be a SilkWing or a HiveWing. But by the sounds of it probably a HiveWing. Mallow arched her back trying to throw the dragon off her but instead the dragon's claws only tightened. "Going somewhere?" it asked in a mocking tone. Mallow finally hissed out a few words, "Yes, my claws are going across your snout!" she snarled, trying to twist out from underneath her attacker.

"Oh! Feisty aren't you, hey Cobalt bring fancy pants here, we may need some paralyzing poison here!"

"O-o-okay c-c-coming!" called another voice. This HiveWing's not alone, smart. Why didn't I think of that, you stupid piece of thistle-down.

"Outrageous, this is absolutely treasonous, I demand to be taken back to the hive! You will be reported and thrown into the dungeons." squawked a third dragon.

Oh no, I recognize that attitude, this HiveWing's like Cherry.

"Alright, mister fancy, give them some of that toxin you got." ordered the dragon that was pinning her down.

"But I don't want to!" roared, what Mallow presumed, was the other HiveWing.

"Well you have no choice so, DO IT, JUST DO IT!" roared the HiveWing that was pinning her down.

"I am royalty you know, so-" began the other HiveWing.

"Well you won't be for much longer if you don't do this." snapped her attacker.

There were a few moments of silence, before Mallow felt claws slice above her shoulder. A few moments later, an agonising pain began to slide through her veins, like there was a forest fire tearing through them. She tried to struggle, she tried to cry out but she couldn't, she felt like her body had just been turned to stone.