𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗚𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗘

Chapter Seven

The rest of the day was rather uneventful for Wolverine. Like on the first day he and others had arrived, Peril brought him prey, but this time it was a pig. He only ate a bit of it, not feeling that hungry. He mostly just laid on the pillar, feeling miserable. 

It had reached midday by the time something interesting had happened, the sun slowly beginning to sink behind the mountains. A small crowd of Skywings were beginning to show up in the arena stands. It can't be a fight, Clay already did that earlier today.

Queen Scarlet eventually arrived, a darker crimson colored Skywing with her along with a few soldiers. There was also a strange purpleish-red Skywing who didn't have wings, instead small nubs of where they used to be. 

What's going on? Wolverine thought, watching as Queen Scarlet opened her mouth to speak. "Where's our defendant? Someone better go get her!" She said, her tone seemingly mocking, but still sounded slightly excited. 

A loud hissing sound was heard as two guards dragged in a very familiar Skywing. Kestrel! Wolverine thought, shifting upwards slightly. This must be the trail Queen Scarlet was talking about back in the cave!

"My loyal subjects, this dragon has been accused of the highest treason- disobeying me!" There was a chorus of gasps and talking from the crowd. "So, what do you think, Vermillion?" She asked, looking over at the crimson dragon beside her. 

"Well, your majesty, the facts are clear. You gave Kestrel an order, and she disobeyed. She deserves a long and painful execution." Vermillion responded, a small trail of smoke snaking from his nostrils. 

That seems like a little much for a dragon who disobeyed an order, Wolverine thought. But then again, disobeying a Queen is pretty bad.

"Your majesty, if it is alright, I'd like to say a few words in the prisoner's defense." The other dragon beside Scarlet said. The queen visibly rolled her eyes and scoffed quietly. "Fine."

"You ordered Kestrel to destroy her egg. It was one egg, but had two dragonets inside of it. One had too little fire, while the other was opposite. She had too much." He explained. Scarlet once again rolled her eyes. "We all know this, Osprey. Skip to the part where we execute her!"

"You ordered her to destroy the egg, however, she fled with it." The dragon, now named Osprey, told. Wolverine began to connect the dots in his brain. Could- could Kestrel be Peril's mother? She seems to have way too much fire!

"You caught her, and by then the dragonets had hatched. I know this because I was one of the guards who came with you," Osprey continued. "You told her that you'd forgive her, if she killed one of her dragonets. She took the one with too little fire and killed it in the river with her own talons, right in front of you."

"Despite the fact she'd obeyed your order, you ordered her to kill her other dragonet! She tried to escape with her daughter, but she was too badly burned and forced to flee without her, leaving the dragonet to your mercy." Osprey finished. Wolverine couldn't help but agree with the Skywing. Sure Kestrel was a harsh teacher and didn't really care for me or the other dragonets, but at least she kept us alive and helped me learn how to protect them!

"You admitted that Kestrel disobeyed me. I believe we're done here." Scarlet responded, a rather bored expression on her face. "But she tried to. You're the one who reversed the order!" Osprey argued back. "I changed my mind. I'm the Queen, so I can do that." 

Osprey stood on his feet, his teeth bared. "Kestrel was a faithful soldier to you. She followed your orders no matter what. And what did you order her to do? Kill her own dragonets!"