Scarab the Fierce

Chapter Seventeen

Every NightWing froze. 

And then the forest fell on top of them in a mass of wings and darts. The RainWings had escaped, and they each had a dart gun. Morrowseer went down next. 

Liana landed next to Scarab, her scales alight with adrenaline. "Do you know what 'subtle' means?" Scarab hissed.

"Not all of them wanted to use their venom." Liana shrugged. "What are you gonna do?"

"Not all of them?" Scarab asked. She heard a NightWing scream. "Never mind."

Scarab darted towards Arid and Qibli, still sitting on the platform. Arid was crouching low and trying to claw her muzzle off. They both looked up when the saw Scarab. 

"Sit still," Scarab picked up an abandoned spear and unlocked the chains around her friends. Qibli shuddered and stretched his good wing. Arid shrugged off the chains and turned towards the fighting. "No no no," Scarab held Arid's shoulders. "The RainWings are using their venom, and we need to get Qibli somewhere safe." 

Arid looked conflicted for a moment, then agreed silently. "Can you walk?" She asked Qibli. Qibli stood up carefully. 

"Slowly," He replied, wincing. Arid and Scarab helped him get off of the main platform without getting noticed by any NightWings.

The walking was slow and painful. Qibli had full use of his legs, but the stinging in his wing made him wince with every step. You don't realize how much your wings subtly move when you walk until you can't move one of them at all.

They found a hut far from the fighting that had healing herbs in it. Scarab stared at them dubiously. 

"I've got it," Arid gathered a few of the herbs and started crushing them with her talons. 

"You know medicine?" Scarab asked in surprise. 

"Barely," Arid corrected. She started spreading the herbs across Qibli's wing, who winced but sat still.

After Arid had finished, all three of them were quiet for a minute. Finally, Arid stepped forward and grabbed Scarab's shoulders.

"Where on Phyrria were you?" Arid's voice was just desperate enough to make Scarab wonder how much she had worried her friends when she was gone. "I thought you were dead."

"Me too, I mean, I thought you guys were dead." Scarab replied. She breathed out a small laugh of relief and gave Arid a hug. She felt wings wrap around her as Arid hugged back. 

"I woke up after the fight. There were dead dragons everywhere, it was horrible." Scarab went on to explain how she got off the island, met Deathbringer, and discovered Vulture. "I'm fine, honestly. I wasn't hurt."

Both Arid and Qibli looked at her doubtlfully.

"Really? Because you look like you fell out of a tree." Arid said.

"Several trees." Qibli corrected. "You were falling out of trees without me? I thought we were friends."

Scarab rolled her eyes. "It was only one. Anyway, what on Phyrria were you doing?"

Arid quickly summarized being taken hostage with the RainWings and being used as bait for Scarab. She winced slightly at that part.

Scarab was about to say something when the sound of rapid talon steps came their way. She spun towards the door and flashed her fake tail barb. It was still dented from escaping the NightWing islande but still decidedly sharp.

"Hey guys, are you in-WHOA." The RainWing froze as the barb pressed against his neck.

"Jambu?" Scarab relaxed her tail and the darkly coloured dragon lightened in expression and appearance. "Why are you here? What happened?"