𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗚𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗘

Chapter Nine

"No! Clay can't fight her!" Wolverine shouted, his spikes slightly bristling with anger. Scarlet ignored him. "Guards! Unchain the Mudwing!"

"Clay of the Mudwings and Peril, Queen Scarlet's champion!" The Skywing on top of the balcony announced, the crowd once again roaring to life after the Nightwing scare. "Claws up, fire ready! FIGHT!" 

Wolverine could only watch as Peril hurtled herself at Clay. The bulky Mudwing let out a growl and shoved Peril back, causing her to yelp with surprise. He pushed her down and pinned her to the arena floor, a sympathetic look on his face. 

"Peril, we don't have to do this!" Clay said. Peril let out a growl, blasting Clay with a spout of fire, causing him to unpin her. "Yes we do! I had a whole plan where I'd save you and Kestrel, and you'd like me the best!" She roared back, her scales smoking. "Peril, I don't care if you save me, but I do care if you save my friends. That's what's the most important to me!"

"I'm your friend! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Peril roared, unfurling her wings and diving down after Clay. "THE OTHERS CAN HAVE ANY DRAGON THEY WANT. I ONLY WANT YOU!" 

Clay growled and took a handful of sand, throwing it into her eyes, making her roar with agony. Peril rammed into the ground, Clay running after her and pinning her back down on the ground. "Please, we don't have to do this!"

"What don't you understand?! Yes we do! Dragons kill each other all the time. Especially you and me, we were born killers from the moment we hatched!" Peril growled. "That's not who I want to be. It's not what you want to be either, I know it isn't!"

"No, it is what I want to be! It's who I was made to be!" Peril argued. "Use your venom! I didn't even get to see it the first time!" Scarlet called, growing slightly impatient. 

"But- that wasn't-" Clay trailed off. Peril gave him a surprised look. "That wasn't you?" Peril said, puzzled. Clay shook his head. "Then, who was it-?"

A loud hissing sound was heard near Queen Scarlet and Burn. Wolverine looked up to see the Rainwing that had been on the stone tree was now standing and lunged off of the tree. They opened their mouth, revealing two long, large fangs. A black liquid suddenly shot out of the fangs, the droplets landing near Queen Scarlet's eye. 

They were the one who killed Fjord?! Wolverine thought, shocked.

The Skywing Queen began roaring and screaming in agony, clawing desperately at the droplets which were spreading across her face. The arena erupted into chaos, a panicked frenzy breaking out as the dragons tried escape the chaos, roaring and screaming. 

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"THE SANDWINGS ARE ATTACKING!"

"NO, THE NIGHTWINGS ARE BACK!"

"SCARLET'S DEAD! WE'RE DOOMED!"

"MEDIC!"

Everyone flew out of the arena, desperate to get away from the dragon. Even Peril fled, burning a few dragons on the way out. Which left Wolverine and the other dragonets alone in the arena, dumbfounded. 

"What just happened?" Tsunami asked, puzzled. Wolverine could only shrug. The Rainwing leapt off the balcony, their scales suddenly changing to a bright blend of turquoise, blue and orange. The dragonets stared at them, amazed and a little scared of the dragon.

"Who are you?" Wolverine asked, amazed at how she changed her scale colors. The dragon dipped their head, their blue eyes glowing faintly. "My name is Glory." She introduced, nodding at all of the dragonets. 

"Why'd you even help us-?" Clay questioned, a bit dumbfounded. "I'm with the Talons of Peace. You guys are the Dragonets of Destiny, so of course I had to help you," She explained. "Webs informed me of your capture, so I purposely got myself made a prisoner to help you when the time was right." 

"Kind of surprised that the Talons recruited a Rainwing when they constantly talk trash about them," Tsunami muttered, being met with an angry glare from Glory. "Burn got scared out, but she'll be back without a doubt. We need to get out of here!"

"Clay!" A familiar voice called. The dragonets turned to see Peril flying back into the arena. She swooped over to Clay, melting her wing binds and chains off. "Thank you, Peril! Now my friends?"

Peril visibly hesitated for a moment. "Please? If we really are friends?" Clay added, a pleading look in his eyes. Peril nodded before burning off the bindings on the rest of the dragonets. "Now, take us to Sunny!" 

"Are you Scarlet's art? I'll let you free too." Peril said to Glory, burning off her bindings. "Finally! Also, it's Glory." She hissed. After she was freed, all of the dragonets took off and followed Peril to a tall tower, sneaking in through the window.

There, Sunny was locked up in a small golden cage, and she visibly lit up upon seeing the dragons. "Guys! I knew you were alive, I knew it! I thought about the prophecy and knew we would win!" She chirped as Peril melted the bars to create an opening for her. "Where's Starflight? Who's this?" 

"Clay! My mother, we have to rescue her. If Queen Scarlet isn't dead, she'll kill her!" Peril growled, fear in her voice. "Why should we care?" Tsunami muttered. "We care because she raised us Tsunami. It's the right thing to do." Wolverine responded. 

"I agree." Sunny stated, looking over at Wolverine and Clay. "Why? She and the other guardians tried to kill you!" Tsunami gawked. "She was following orders from Morrowseer!" 

"What Sunny is trying to say is that we're all more than dragons meant to kill. We want to help other dragons and do the right thing. And the right thing is freeing Kestrel." Clay explained. Wolverine nodded, internally pleading for Tsunami to agree. 

Eventually, Tsunami just sighed. "Fine. But I'm not into the forgiveness stuff as much as you are, Clay." 

Clay nodded, and Wolverine felt his heart lift a bit. "Glory, take Sunny somewhere safe." He told. "Like where?" The Rainwing asked, looking around. 

"There's a cave behind a waterfall at the river, I used to go there all the time when I was little." Peril mentioned. Glory nodded, nudging the Sandwing with her tail and eventually flying off with her following. 

The other dragonets followed Peril to a large and secure prison tower. On the top, surrounded by stone walls was Kestrel's cell. The Skywing looked up, blinking wearily. "Peril?" She rasped upon seeing the bright colored Skywing. 

"Stand back." Peril said, melting the bars that were above Kestrel. She pulled herself out with the help of Clay, a little surprised. "I-I.. I thought you were dead." She murmured, staring at Peril.

"I thought you were dead." Peril responded flatly, her blue eyes glowing with concern. She melted Kestrel's chains. "What are you all doing here?" She asked, looking at the other dragonets. "Rescuing you, you're welcome." Tsunami responded. 

"I turned out alright without you," Peril said, looking at Kestrel. Wolverine glanced over at Clay and Tsunami, the three of them giving each other skeptical looks. "Queen Scarlet gave me a purpose as a champion and kept me alive with black rocks."

"Black rocks?" Kestrel echoed, puzzled. Peril opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a loud roar. "HEY! THE PRISONERS!"

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" The guard roared, followed by another. The guard tried to blast a large spout of fire at Kestrel and Tsunami, but Clay blocked the attack with his fireproof scales. Wolverine blasted the second guard with his frostbreath, making him roar with agony. 

"Lets get out, now!" Tsunami growled, flapping her wings. The dragons all agreed and escaped, leaving the injured guards and fleeing to the river.