Scarab the Fierce

Chapter Six

That night, after both of them had slept, Scarab and Qibli started flying back to the city. Scarab was painfully aware at how much both of them stuck out against the night sky, like rippling reflections of the sun over a dark lake. She hoped their cloaks protected enough of their appearance to not be recognised.

They swooped low over the sand, particles scattering in their wake. It was harder to fly down there, but harder to be seen.

Soon the city came into view and Scarab almost immediately veered to the right, planning to go around the city in a wide arc to come in from the south side. Scarab could see lights from inside the city, but no movement. She felt a pebble of doubt fall in her stomach, sending ripples of worry throughout her body.

When they got to the south end, Scarab and Qibli landed behind a dune. Scarab pulled the hood of her cloak up and peeked over the edge. The city was probably no farther than 300 meters. Not far.

"Qibli, what's the best way into the Outclaw camp from here?" Scarab asked in a whisper.

Qibli popped his head up beside hers. "There's a secret entrance from the outside that we can access from the outside." Qibli said. "We'll need to be careful."

"How come? Surely they'd recognize us." Scarab said. "The Outclaws, I mean. Thorn's daughter and sidekick? Surely."

"Sidekick? Really?" Qibli asked.

"Well you're not her partner."

"True. Are we partners?" Qibli asked unexpectedly.

Scarab blinked at him. "What do you mean?" She said flatly.

"That's what friends are! Partners!" Qibli said. "Someone you can count on."

"Well, I've never had a friend before you, so I'm not the dragon to ask." That wasn't true, Scarab remembered. She did have a friend once. She remembered the dark yellow-brown SandWing dragonet that would play with her. Arid. The daughter of one of the Talons that would come to the base almost everyday. Scarab taught her fighting moves and Arid told her about the city. Scarab felt the pain of the memory of Arid's surprise when she learned Scarab hadn't gone out into the city her whole life. They had made foolish plans to leave the base and explore the city together. But Saguaro had found out about it, and the next day Arid's father wasn't in the base, and she never saw Arid again.

"That's sad." Scarab jumped at Qibli's unexpected intrusion. "You've never had a friend before?"

Oh. That. "Not important. So the plan is to go up to the secret entrance, reveal our identities and be invited in. Right?" Scarab asked.

"Unless you can think of a better one." Qibli said.

"I did think of that one." Scarab replied irritably.

Scarab crept over the sand dune and started moving towards the city, staying low to the shadowy sand. Qibli came up next to her and she followed him to the edge of the city. The outside of the Scorpion Den was mostly tall wall that kept out harsh weather and kept in the wandering market stalls. There weren't any places besides the main gate that the wall opened, so she was interested to see how the secret entrance worked.

Qibli paced along the outside of the wall, his tail flicking back and forth. He was inspecting the rocks around the wall intently. As far as Scarab knew, the rocks formed a sort of bonus foundation for the wall and a sunning place for desert lizards. But to Qibli they must have been somewhat important.

He found a large rock leaning against the wall and started feeling around the edges of it with his talons. "What are you looking for?" Scarab asked.

"Aha!" Qibli whispered and they heard a soft click. The rock sung upwards like a door and Scarab saw that it was hollow and revealed a tunnel. Qibli beckoned her forward as he slipped into the hole.