𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄: The dragonet of two tribes | ✔️

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 18

♕ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ♕
UNCERTAINTIES BATTLE

ICEMOON DIDN'T WANT TO WATCH. But she knew that if she might have to fight Peril Ike day, she should study her technique. She glanced up at the distant diffusers of Tsunami, Clay, and Starflight. It looked like they were watching intently, along with most prisoners above the arena. Oke of the Skywing guards stood in the stadium's center and clapped his wings thunderously until the audience was quiet. He bowed to the queen and announced, "after four wins, Horizon the sandwing, formerly and unwisely a soul duet in Blaze's army, had been challenged to a match with the queen's champion peril. Claws up fire ready? Fight!"

He sprung out of the arena, leaving peril and the sandwing facing each other. Horizon shrank back against the far wall, hissing. Peril stalked, slowly fists him tilting her copper wings to reflect the sunlight. Her long tail snaked across the sand. It still looked like smoke was rising from her scales. Horizon crouched, then suddenly leaped over Peril's head and flew to the other side of the arena. He didn't even try to claw at her or drive her in the way past; he dints even lash out with his poisonous trial. He just ran away.

Why is he so afraid of her? IceMoon wondered, uneasy. Peril turned in an unhurried way and smiled at Horizon. His black eyes darted left and right, searching for an escape. Suddenly he made a say for the tunnel. Perio was in his way all at once, lashing her claws across his chest. It didn't look like more than a scratch from what IceMooncould see, but Horizon screamed in agony and fell back sad, scrabbling across the sand.

✎

PERIL WHIRLED, AVOIDING HIS CLAWS, AND KNOCKED HIM TO THE SAND. His barbed tail bounced off her scales with a spark like miniature lighting and then burst into flames. Fire engulfed the poisoned tip, and Horizon howled in pain. IceMoon had never seen anything like it. She'd never heard dragons setting other dragons on fire by touching them. Horizon beat his tail against the sand, trying to extinguish the fire as Peril feinted aorund him. She darted in to give another scratch, but Horizon turned and grabbed her forearms in his talons before she could dart away again.

He threw his wings aorund her and buried his face in her shoulder with a high-pitched keening sound. Peril froze. Smoke billowed off the two dragons, and black makes crawled along Horizon'd wings until they started disintegrating into ash. He crumpled slowly to the ground, and Peril crouched with hum him up with her wings. A violent shudder went through the SandWing's whole body. He let go of Peril and flopped slowly into his side on the sand.

Disfiguring burns had melted his facial features, and his wings were charred into black strands between large holes. His talons had scorch marks in the center of his palms. IceMoon had a sudden quick flash of memory. Kestrel had the same scorch marks on her talons. Had she fought with Peril back when Kestrel lived in the SkyWing kingdom? How had she survived?

✎

"Don't worry," the queen said to the crowds shaking out her wings. "We have a special treat tomorrow. Something we've never seen before! Hopefully, this time someone will at least try to amuse me, unlike some dragons" Queen Scarlet faces Horizon's body, a severe flare turning her frown on Peril. Peril bowed her head and stared at the sand. IceMoon felt a tinge of sympathy run through her and her friend Clay. "Dissmed," said the queen with a wave of one talon. She turned and swept away. IceMoon leaned out ad far as she dated, watching Glory sleep while the shoulders rilled her back into the tunnels. Maybe she was drugged. Perhaps the queen had threaded her somehow. Perhaps she was sick, or there was something else terrible out wrong. IceMoon didn't know who to worry about more Glory Sunny who was still missing in Starflight, and Clay who might be thrown into a battle tomorrow.