Wings of Thunder

Chapter One

Hurricane had always been one thing: useless. He'd gotten to know early on that life hadn't been too gracious to him. He really wasn't the kind of dragon to pick fights, either.
He wasn't funny, like his friend Mist, or brave, like his friend Cloud. He was just...him.
Hurricane yelped as a pitchfork was thrown at him by his owner, Noviseer, or Mr. Noviseer, as he had corrected Cloud many times over.
"Stop staring off into the moons and get back to work!"
Hurricane signed and picked up the fork. They were on a plateau area surrounded by mountains in the more southern region of what was once the Storm Kingdom. It was his job to plow the area so Lightning or Cloud could plant apple tree seeds, carrots, or whatever Noviseer wanted on any day or night.
Noviseer huffed and turned, though he kept his eye on Hurricane, who simply sighed again and began plowing. He looked up and saw the occasional SpectreWing fly past. The StormWings weren't allowed to fly; not without supervision, at least. If they tried to, they'd be captured and beaten. Not killed, though, they were too useful for that.
He let out a sigh of longing. He'd only been flying a few times, as a young dragonet, and he'd been wobbly. Now that he was almost a full adult, he wanted to try. One more time...
"Oi! Quit slacking!" Hurricane jumped and turned to see Noviseer glaring at him.
Hurricane sighed and continued plowing. For his entire life, he'd been told that he was inferior to the SpectreWings. Any dreams that he'd be released upon retirement had been dashed when he'd seen the small, cramped homes that retired StormWings lived in.
He remembered the tales his mother, Thunderbird, had told him about the glorious days when StormWings flew freely and struck down any threat to their young ones, provided the threat was big enough.
   There were enough StormWings to start a revolution if they wanted to, but the dragons' conversations were closely monitored and the organs near their tails that caused shocks, ones that could startle one's heart into either starting or stopping, were clasped into metal rings, rendering them useless. There were also metal bands around the StormWings' necks that stopped them from summoning electricity through their mouths.
Hurricane had heard stories of the SpectreWings' animi before, that they had been dangerous. He'd also heard that one day, all the animus magic just...disappeared. Not another animus had been born since that day, but the SpectreWings didn't need any new enchantments; they had already prepared for such a thing.
Thunderbird had told Hurricane about how, a long time ago, a SpectreWing enchanted a crystal to enchant anything that was put next to it, as long as a dragon to,d the crystal what it wanted to enchant. Hurricane, personally, thought it was a bad idea. After all, if anybody could enchant something, wouldn't it be dangerous?
Thunderbird was eventually relocated to another area,  apparently because she'd been trying to start a revolution. Hurricane knew it was a lie, but what could he do about it? Maybe I should have tried to do something, He thought to himself as he dragged the plow through the Earth beneath his feet.
"Hey, Hurricane," Shouted a distant voice. It was raspy and hoarse, yet somewhat kind, "You might wanna try not looking like you're depressed."
Hurricane twisted his neck to find Cloud standing behind him, he had scars all over him from the various beatings he'd received for doing all kinds of things ranging from mouthing off to attacking other StormWings. He was only a year or so older than Hurricane, yet he could throw himself at Hurricane and break every bone in his body. He had only streaks of yellow on him and most of everything else was purple, contrast to hurricane's scales which were all pretty much blue and yellow.
"The old sack of bones gave me a break. A short one, but a break nonetheless." He said, rather calmly.
"Well you've come to see the wrong dragon." Hurricane muttered under his breath.
He must've been too loud because Cloud began to rant about how he had nothing to do with his life and how slowing Hurricane down lengthened his break. Hurricane couldn't blame him, though. A break was precious whenever possible, as the SpectreWings rarely allowed the StormWings to stop working.
Hurricane sighed. "Not right now, Cloud."
Cloud rolled his eyes and hopped around Hurricane, getting in the way. Not long after, Noviseer returned.
"Oi!" He spat. "Quite slowing the work down, or I'll have you beaten!"
Cloud held Noviseer's gaze defiantly. Hurricane could tell by the fact that Cloud was not only looking at him with defiance, but straight in the eye, which was forbidden.
Noviseer snarled and lunged at Cloud. Hurricane winced and drew back, turning his head away and closing his eyes as the sound of Cloud and Noviseer fighting echoed through the small valley. Eventually, there were talon steps leading away.
"Watch yourself, StormWing." Noviseer spat. Hurricane opened his eyes and watched him walk away. "Or else I'll have you replaced."
Hurricane glanced over at Cloud with wide eyes. "Cloud!" He hissed. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that no SpectreWing is telling me what to do." Cloud grumbled in annoyance and shook himself. He was covered with wounds; Noviseer was a retired soldier and had been in more battles than both Hurricane and Cloud had watched put together.
He turned as he saw a pale gray dragonet walking up to them. Mist was Hurricane's age and was usually working with him.
"Cloud," Mist growled, "Try not to get your tail taken off."
"Noviseer said he'd replace him if he kept acting up!" Hurricane squeaked. "I didn't know they could do that!"
"So what?" Cloud growled, "I'd just get sent to another place."
Mist sighed. "We can't trust that, Cloud. For all we know...they could kill you."
Cloud's gaze sharpened. "I'd like to see them try."
Mist sighed. "You're crazy." She huffed.
Hurricane nodded. Concern flashed through him. If Cloud didn't start behaving...would he be switched out for another dragon?
Or would he be killed?