The next morning gray clouds overcast the sky and promised a storm that would bring heavy rain. Moon did not care though she had other plans in mind. She got up and yawned. Apparently she could sleep on chairs and the dragonets still wake up to curl in the curve of her tail. She carefully uncoiled her tail from the snoring pile of dragonets and got off the chair with one leap. She turned to the cave entrance and started there hoping she could catch something to eat, but a loud commotion outside suggested not. She poked her head outside to see the blind Eclipsewing being yelled at but he sat down pleasantly but his face was crinkling up "Can't you see where you're going?!" A Lightingtail shouted at him sparks shot out of his nose in anger. "I'm blind you idiot." He growled. Moon's tail tip twitched and she watched. "Hmm." The Lightingtail grunted and then growled "Find but stay away from me." Then he stomped down the hall into the main cave "Bad morning?" Moon commented from her cave. "Yes." He sighed and carefully walked to her testing the ground every few steps. He brushed up against her and she suppressed a shiver. Weird images flash through her head one she recognized as her adoptive father Storm. She turned her head curiously to him had he been able to see once and if so what happened? She heard a squeak of surprised delight from Singe "Someone new!" He chirped and wiggled from under the pile and ran to their guest. "Calm down little one." He chuckled and sat down. At this point all three dragonets were awake but for Singe being the youngest, he has not had any other friends or interactions with other dragons. "Who are you? Where do you come from?" Singe was bouncing on his talons and Moon sighed, but their guest was not even slightly bothered "I'm Shadow from the Eclipsewing tribe." He tail flicking one of his ears. "So your like Moon?" He asked, eyes shining "Is she an Eclipsewing?" He asked turning his head in her direction. "Yes." She nodded her head but knew it wouldn't do any good as he was blind. "So how did you end up here?" She asked, her tail tip twitching, and she noticed that her tail barb was still on. "I was rescued by a Lightingtail who used to live here." he said and his eyes clouded making them look even paler. "Was his name Storm?" She asked a little too hastily. Shadow's eyes widened "So you were also taken in by him?" He asked quietly "Yes after my mother dumped me into a stream." She growled. Then she realised that the dragonets were leaning in closer to hear. "Anyways what brings you to my cave?" She asked changing the subject. "I-" He started then there was a loud boom and a lot of noise coming from dragons screaming shouting or roaring. Moon felt a pounding headache starting to work its way from her ears to her skull. She raced outside to see what the commotion was and was shocked to see a fire blazing towards them with rapid speed. She backed up into her cave and started to roll her cave stone into place. Then multiple dragons started to scream not in fear but pain. She finally rolled the stone in place so the only thing they heard was screams and sometimes furious roars of battle. She twisted around to see that while she was rolling the boulder into place a few dragons had managed to slip in including Sinon. A few of them had claw marks and others with burns that emitted smoke from their scales and the smell of burning dragon scales and flesh filled the large cave. "So what in great comets was that?!' She growled when there was an awkward pause as everyone looked at one another, finally a Lavatooth with crimson scales bright orange under scales and gray flecks across his snout stepped forward and said shakily "Eclipsewings are launching a raid." Moonreader flicked her shredded ear in surprise "What do they want?" She growled flicking her tail, the metal barb clinked menacingly. "I'm going out there!" She hissed then stalked over to the entrance boulder now the only sounds she heard were the sounds of battle. She arched her long neck and pushed it open a crack to peak outside. Battle raged across the cave where the living caves were, she saw a pale blue Lightingtail charge at a white Eclipsewing with ebony talons and struck the Eclipsewing across the snout blood spattering their talon. Near her cave Magma was pinned under a Bulky Eclipsewing with midnight blue scales that were covered in soot from the fire that once raged across the cave. She pushed it more open and launched her self into battle, the boulder thudding back into place loudly behind her. She scanned the battle field and saw two Eclipsewings fighting a lone Lightingtail whose tail was charged. Ready to deliver a killing shock. She thought with a small shiver. Suddenly talons encircled her neck as an Eclipsewing stood behind her with undisguised furry. She lifted her tail silently then stabbed the barb into the dragons wing membranes. He shrieked in agony and let go as she removed the now bloody barb. She whirled around to face him. He had ebony scales like her with white stripes on his snout and feet kind of like Shadow and had copper eyes that glowed red with power and blood-lust. She arched her back and snarled "Get out of my home!" He took a step back then with the speed of a hawk and the power of a rolling boulder he flew at her knocking the breath out of her. She coughed and stumbled to her talons as her attacker leapt at her.
She whirled and ducked and his tail whipped her snout, a sharp sting stabbed through her snout causing her to wince. He leapt at her again but she was ready she ducked down and as he flew over head she reared up on all four legs and shoved up and thrusted him up as well. He yelped in panic and she threw him off and he landed with a thud beside her. He scrambled off before casing a dark glance at her as he left the living quarters. The sound of battle was done, the battle had stopped as quickly as it started. Moonreader looked around gingerly suddenly realising her neck hurt badly after the Eclipsewing had grabbed it so tightly. An Eclipsewing soldier was frozen in place with a talon outstretched and her teeth bared. A frozen Lavatooth stood in shock as his scale rippled into hard stone and fire but was bitten before he could battle. She turned to see Sinon and the Lavatooth peaking out looking at the soot and blood covered cave. She turned and trudged over there, her talons and tail making a trail through the gray-black soot. A ember fell on her neck and she winced. She entered the cave and flicked her tail in a disgruntled way.
She laughed as she was playing with Asteroid, Dawn and Singe throwing prey bones around the cave and catching them. It had been a day since the attack her aches and pains had dulled and the tension among the dragons still hung in the air. Singe tumbled over her coiled tail and Dawn just avoided his flailing wings and tail. Asteroid snatched a bone that Singe held that flew into the air and dropped it in his large pile of bones, they all looked pale and ghostly against the dark stone. Moon lifted her tail and Singe came up with her tail. He yelped in surprise then she placed him father away as she knew Dawn and Asteroid were going to start their famous tussles after Asteroid wins a game. "Hey that's not fair!" Dawn whined stomping around Asteroid giving him a scowl that looked almost menacing but his face cracked with a small grin as he squared off with Asteroid who was 2 times bigger than Dawn. Dawn leapt and tackled him, Moon sighed and pushed open the entrance boulder and peaked out. No one was milling around the living cave like they usually do. Soot covered the floor and was on the walls. She walked outside and went over to the hunting centre. She passed the pool and down the tunnel that led to the hunting centre. She flew down and landed quietly on the soft grass her talons crushing the softly blowing grass. All the animals were sleeping but as she landed a small lizard lifted it head sleepily and gazed at her. She hopped over to the lizard which was a pale brown with darker brown spots. She quickly bustled past it trying to find something to eat. She crossed over to the stream and bent down and pushed her snout into the cold crystal water. Something wet and scaly bumped her snout she lifted her snout slightly then bit down. She felt something soiled get pierced on her long sharp teeth. She lifted her head and saw a fish clamped in her jaws, gray and bristly scales grinned against her teeth. She turned and flew back up into the tunnel. She landed on the now hard stone and walked back into her cave and nearly tripped over Asteroid and Dawn as they tumbled and squeaked their tails and wings flapping and lashing. She turned to see the entrance boulder rolling back into place. She placed down the fish and it landed with a wet splat, then she prided Dawn and Asteroid apart then placed them beside Singe who was trying to bite into the fish. "There," she said with approval "claw and fight the fish, you get food along with something to fight." She watched the dragonets fight and tussle with the fish which was now clearly dead. Then a splitting headache stabbed through her head and pounded behind her eyes. A loud boom sound and a sharp crack outside sounded. "What's that?!" Singe yelped crouching down with a fearful look in his eyes. "Calm down." She said shaking herself and recognized the sound of thunder and it sounded like there was a gale. "It's just a thunderstorm." Singe looked dubious but he relaxed a bit. She turned to her side of the cave and laded down curling her tail over her snout and closed her eyes tiredness pressing in (and she really wanted to get rid of her headache.) She closed her eyes and relaxed hearing the three dragonets fighting over the fish and she slipped into the peace of deep sleep and was drifted off into the darkness of her dreams.
YOU ARE READING
The Dark Hope ~Darkness rising~
Mystery / Thriller"Two moons. Two of blood. Two curses. Both Own powers of a lost heritage. One will destroy. One will die. But both won't survive on the last rare night." Moon had a rough life ever since she hatched, her life was a mystery as to why her mother left...
