𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄: The dragonet of two tribes | ✔️

𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐆𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃, 𝑪𝑯. 36

♕ CHAPTER THIRY-SIX ♕
THEY RETURN AND TOGETHER

CLAY'S POV

"Doubtful," said Glory. Sunny's face fell. "They're with their wonderful NightWings now. But, and I have to point this out, there are about two hundred dragons overhead who are looking for us. The minute we stroll out from these trees, they'll be on us like fur on a squirrel." "Well, I have an idea," Clay said hesitantly, "but you're not all going to like it." "Oh, good," Glory said. "My favorite kind of plan." Clay tried to smile at her, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. What have I done now? Clay pointed to the river. "We swim to the delta."Glory made a face. Her claws rippled from brown to pale blue and back again. "I'm not a very good swimmer," Sunny said anxiously. "But I guess I could try." "They'll see us from the air," Tsunami pointed out.

"Not Glory," Clay said. "She can camouflage herself in the river. And if she rides on your back, she'll hide you, too."Glory and Tsunami both looked less than thrilled at that suggestion. "Then we roll Sunny in mud and put her on my back," Clay said. "I'll stick to the shallows, and from the sky, we should look like part of the riverbed." Peril jumped in. "I'll wait till you're gone and then fly off in a different direction. Maybe I can lead them away for a while. It's not like they can touch me or do anything to me once you're safe." She glanced at Clay and then away again. She's missing me, isn't she? IceMoon's voice said. Clay sighed. I miss you too, you know? He asked, and a burst of sweet laughter sounded. I know, Clay, I know.

"All right," Tsunami said. "It's our best shot. Let's do it, then, and quickly." She slid into the lake with Glory. Clay turned to Peril. "Are you sure?" he asked. "What if Burn takes her anger out on you?" "How, exactly?" Peril asked. "There's only one good thing about me: no dragon can hurt me. Except you, I guess." Her wings wavered. Clay took her talons in his, feeling the heat draw into his scales. "That's not the only good thing about you, Peril." He twined his tail around hers and wrapped his wings around her. She leaned into his shoulder. "You make me hope that's true," she said. "Clay," Tsunami called. "We have to go." Clay pulled away, and Peril stepped back, rubbing her talons where they had touched him. "Be careful, all right?" he said. She nodded. "When you end the war, come back with IceMoon and visit me."

Sunny lay down in the mud, letting Clay cover her scales. Her golden glow disappeared under the thick layer of brown. He made sure to submerge her tail and pack dirt into the gaps between the spines along her back. When he was done, she didn't exactly look like a MudWing, but she certainly didn't look like Sunny anymore.

♕

"Good luck," Peril said. "You too," Clay said. "Bye, Peril."As Clay slid into the lake, he felt her eyes staring after him. He hoped she would be alright. They paddled along the lakeshore cautiously, trying not to send out too many ripples. The still, clear water flowed around Clay's talons, icy cold. He felt the stirring of a current as they reached the mouth of the river, and then they were swimming downstream, following the diamond Spray River away from the mountains.

Clay felt like his scales were being washed clean of the dust and pain of the arena. His wings stretched free, and his friends were close again. Maybe they weren't safe yet, and his love wasn't there, but at least he had a chance of protecting them. Finally, finally, the Sky Kingdom was behind them. At last, the Mud Kingdom swamps, the Diamond Spray Delta, his parents, and his home were ahead of him.

The dragonets swam and drifted and swam all the rest of that day and night. Then, finally, when it was fully dark, and they hadn't seen any blasts of fire overhead for some time, they crawled out onto a mud bank to eat and rest. It turned out hunting was a lot harder in wide-open grassland than it was in an enclosed cave. Clay cursed the guardians several times as two rabbits, and a coyote slipped through his talons. But he finally caught and killed some giant, warty pig with leathery skin, which he dragged back to share with the others.