Ruthless: A Fourth Wing Fanfiction

Chapter 12

A few hours later, after all the squads are rearranged and the death roll is read, all the first-year riders in Fourth Wing stand in our newly issued flight leathers, waiting in front of our dragons on the flight field. The uniform is thicker than our usual one, with a full jacket I've unbuttoned over my dragon-scale armour.

And unlike our regular uniforms, whatever we choose them to be, flight leathers bear no insignia besides our rank at our shoulder and any leadership designation. No names, no patches. Nothing that could give us away if we're separated from our dragons behind enemy lines. Just a lot of sheaths for weapons.

I try not to think about fighting against gryphon riders and try to focus on the organized chaos evolving on the flight field this morning. I can't miss the way the other cadets look at both Nithe and Lasair, or the wide berth the other dragons give them.

Honestly, if I had Nithe or Lasair's teeth bared at me, I would back away too.

"You wouldn't, because you didn't. You did not back away when I approached you at Presentation." Lasair's voice fills my head, and I can tell from his tone that he does not like being here one bit. "Now pay attention. I will not have my rider fall off just because you weren't listening."

"Fine." I huff.

"There are forty one unbonded riders who would kill to be standing where you are," Kaori continues. "And your dragons know that your bond is at its weakest point right now, so if you fall, if you fail, there's a good chance your dragon might let you if they think the unbonded is more worthy."

"Gee, well that's comforting," I mutter. Arkea shifts at my side. She bonded a red clubtail, Goura. She is around the average side, but boy is she temperamental. If you even draw your weapon around Arkea, her mouth is already open ready to incinerate you. I learnt that the hard way.

"Now, we are going to mount, then follow a series of specific maneuvers your dragons already know. Your orders are simple today. Stay in your seat," Kaori finishes. Then, he turns and sprints toward his dragon's foreleg and making the vertical climb to mount. Just like the last obstacle on the Gauntlet.

I breathe deeply. To my left and right, other riders are doing the same mounting maneuver. I bonded two of the biggest dragons in the quadrant, yet I can't mount either of them properly.

I take ten steps back, then sprint as fast as I can. My feet pound on the grass, and I manage to jump up to the hard membrane of Nithe's wing. Her wing is much easier to climb than her foreleg, considering that it has hundreds of little spikes, like a cactus.

I reach the top of her wing and take my seat in the little dip in her scales.

"You don't need to do a special little jump, just to show off your dragon," some girl scoffs. 

"I can't, there are spikes on her leg," I state matter-of-factly. "And not to mention that you having a smaller dragon makes it easier to mount." I know I took a dig at her and her dragon, but she was getting on my nerves.

"Bitches bond bitches." Nithe mutters. 

"I'm not gonna ask where that came from."

"Haeph thinks she can lead. But her decisions are rash, her plans are horrible and she has no sense of command."

"That sounds like an incompetent dragon."

"She is."

Nithe crouches before launching us upward.

The wind tears at my eyes as my stomach falls away. I risk only holding on with one hand to lower my flight goggles. Immediate relief.

"Did we have to go third? If I fall everyone will see," I grumble.

"You won't fall. I only agreed to going behind Smachd because his rider is your instructor. As for Tairn, it's just a commandment of respect. He is bigger, so he is in front."

I see Violet's silver hair gleaming in the sun.

Kaori banks right, and Nithe follows suit. I clench my legs against Nithe and tightly grip the pommel.

"You're doing pretty well so far. I'm not surprised."

Something hits Nithe's side, completely pushing me off her back. I tumble onto her outstretched wing. 

That stupid girl and her dragon, Haeph. The brown daggertail attempts to body slam Nithe again, but Nithe swerves. I fall to my knees again, barely gripping onto the slippy wing.

There's a angry roar of something that I don't understand in my head.

"What does that mean?"

"In your language, it somewhat translates to 'stupid bitch'."

Nithe waits until I scramble back into my seat, before unleashing a torrent of fire that completely engulfs Haeph's rider. The rider turns to ash, crumbling away.

I take it back. Maybe Nithe is the most temperamental.

"I'm only temperamental around bitches." Nithe huffs.

Mhmmmmmmmm.

Hours later, I rush to the sparring gym, my muscles aching. I think I pulled a muscle when I was flung from my seat.

Is it strange I'm glad that Haeph's rider is dead? I hope not.

I'm running past the academic wing when I hear Liam calling my name, jogging to catch up with me.

"Tonight at ten. We are discussing everyone's dragons and the shifts in rank," he says in a low voice, his eyes flickering to the side to see if anyone is near us or watching.

I nod my head. "I'll be there."

I wave before running to the sparring gym, where Ami is already waiting, flicking her hair.

"Finally," she grumbles.

I spot Imogen and Violet on a leg lifting machine, where Violet is having adjustments made to the machine before she starts.

"Okay. How much can you lift?" Ami asks, gesturing to the weights.

"I have no clue. Do I just try?" I ask. They don't look that heavy, but they probably are.

"Have a go," Ami nods.

I pick up the smallest one with ease, using one hand. I move two weights up, easily lifting it again with one hand. I skip another two, but I use two hands to lift the weight. It is still easy, but not that easy.

I pick up the next one with a small grunt. And the next. And the next. But the seventh is too heavy. I bite my lip, my face turning red. The weight barely lifts off the ground, but I don't think it counts.

"You are pretty good. You have good upper arm strength. We are going to work on your grip and ability to hold on. Don't think that I didn't hear about you getting thrown out of your seat," Ami raises an eyebrow, before directing me to lift two of the medium ones, one in each hand.

"That wasn't my fault! That was Haeph," I grumble.

"But if you had better arm strength, do you think she would have been able to knock you out of your seat?"

She has a good point.

"I take your silence as a yes. Now, lift!" She orders.

A/N

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