Scales to Skin

IX

Fern

We had been alone in the enclosure for hours, ever since we had come back from the library. Carnation and Moon were getting along, for the time being, talking about possible ways to acquire what Moon needed to put her plan into motion. Firefly and River were sitting in the corner, seemingly arguing. Finch was sleeping as far from the door as possible, and I was sitting  in the middle of the enclosure, where I could see the largest amount of the room. I had been analyzing every little detail of the dragons' cave for a while, wondering what I would do when we got out.

The dragons caught me at a strangely convenient time. It's not like anyone would've noticed that I was gone, let alone try to look for me. No one was missing me, and no one else would get dragged into this mess. And that's good, I told myself, We don't need any more drama. 

I was determined to make light of this crushing situation. I had just gotten back from the Indestructible City, where my dad had a little spat with the Invincible Lord. He was, as all 'citizens' who commit 'treason' were, thrown out into the middle of nowhere and tied up for any dragon to enjoy. 

I say citizens sarcastically because we weren't actually citizens of the Indestructible City. We were simply visiting. I say treason sarcastically because it wasn't treason. Treason would've been leading a dragon to destroy the city. Treason would've been stabbing the Invincible Lord in cold blood, proving that his name was just that. A name. Those would've been accurate examples of treason. But my father, refusing to extend his talents to help grow a city that was unfair to its citizens, forced innocent people out into the open, and starved hundreds by spending its resources on expensive things rather than food, is not treason. Most would say it's warranted.

"They're back!" Moon smiled as the six dragons entered the cave. I stood up and joined her and Carnation near the door. The Rainforest Dragon, now a brilliant shade of fuchsia, bounded in with a pile of yellowed paper in her talons. The Sea Dragon had sticks of charcoal. They walked over to the little door of the enclosure, growling casually to each other.

Turtle opened the door, and Carnation backed up. Just a bit, but it was still noticeable. As the Sea Dragon placed the charcoal sticks inside the enclosure and reached for the bundle of paper, I grabbed Carnation's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. She looked at me strangely for a second, and then I did something that surprised even me. 

Carnation's hand still grasped firmly in my grip, I sprinted towards the door, pulling her along with me. I heard her shriek as I ducked underneath the giant clawed talon that belonged to the Sea Dragon, and distantly felt her fists swinging at me as she struggled in my grip. But all that was so far away.

My vision clouded, and suddenly the cave was gone. I couldn't see the dragons, or Carnation, or my hand in front of my face. Instead, I was running through a forest. Something was behind me. As I rounded a bend in the lightly swept path through the trees, I caught sight of something that looked like a building. No, multiple buildings. There was a little village tucked into the greenery, with a man on horseback out front, watching me.

I sprinted towards him, away from the thing that was following me. But before I smashed into him, I turned and leaped onto the wall next to him. I grabbed hold of some bricks sticking out, and scaled the wall in less than five seconds. With my heart nearly beating out of my chest, I stared down at the square courtyard inside the walls of the town. Dozens of small huts and cottages were grouped together. 

I glanced behind me. The thing was nearing. With one last gasp for air, I stepped off the edge of the building and fell. Down, down, down. The ground got closer, and suddenly-

"LET GO OF ME YOU BEAST!"

I blinked a few times, then looked around. Carnation was pounding her fists on the talon of the Desert Dragon, Qibli, who was pinning her to the ground. A large green claw slammed into me, as well, and I fell to the ground next to Carnation. She was glowering at me, spitting out words that my father had never dared to teach me.