Wings of Fire: Nighthawk

Chapter 32: Captured

Nighthawk awoke in a cold, dark room. His head was throbbing again, almost as bad as when he woke up in the healer's tent. He groaned and rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out what happened and where he was.

"Nighthawk..?" A weak voice said. "Oh no, Nighthawk.." He glanced over, rubbing his eyes before seeing Lobster, all chained up.

"Lobster.." Nighthawk groaned. "Where are we- agh.." He hissed. There was a wretching pain in stomach. As he looked down, he saw there was a large wound on his side. His cloak was gone too. "What the hell.."

"Nighthawk, Burn has us.." Lobster mumbled. The poor red seawing sounded completely hopeless and defeated. "We're as good as dead.."

"What.. that's not- ngh.." He growled in pain once again as he sat up. He glanced at his friend who looked like he'd been beaten and starved. "You need a healer.."

"There's nothing we can do Nighthawk. She's gonna stuff me, said she'd make you watch, then she would do the same to you."

"I'm not gonna let that happen, Lobster." Nighthawk said sternly. "We'll get out of here..how long have we even been in here?"

"She arrived yesterday, we haven't been here for long. They drugged you whenever you began to wake up. It's been about three days since Burn got ahold of me."

"Great.."

"Yep.."

"I hate mudwings.."

"You hate everyone." Lobster snorted. "Except me, because you're stupid enough to come after me."

"You're my friend, why wouldn't I?"

"I'm in the clutches of the enemy, on BURN'S side, and your first thought it rescuing me? You're either brave, loyal or stupid."

"Brave and loyal sounds about right. Not so much the stupid part."

"I guess but.." Lobster took a deep breath and sighed. "At least you came after me, means a lot. Even if we're about to die."

"We're not gonna die, I'll find us a way out." Nighthawk grumbled. He led his head down, watching his friend before glancing at the wound. "Probably gonna get infected, blimey.." He mumbled and curled up slowly with a hiss of pain. Heavy footsteps could be heard making their way towards them. It was Burn. She stood in the room, glancing at their cells.

"Don't be getting hopeful now." She growled with an evil grin. "So I've finally caught the elusive Nighthawk. Or, more realistically you gave yourself to me."

"Congrats. Surprised I'm still alive." Nighthawk spat and lifted himself up slowly. "There's obviously something you want out of me."

"Yes that's true. I want to watch you beg and squeal, tell me everything you know about the seawings and their home."

"Right, right. Then you'll kill me. But if I'm gonna die anyway, no point of telling you anything. Neither of us will gain anything, but that's better than giving you information."

"Hm, I'll make sure you tell me what I need." Burn hissed. "But for now.." She unlocked Lobster's cell and picked up the seawing by his jaw, examining him. "Such an interesting specimen. You're going right next to my stuffed Nightwing."

"Hmph." Nighthawk grunted. Burn turned to him and scowled.

"What?"

"I didn't say anything." Nighthawk shrugged and led back down.

"You're awful mouthy for a prisoner. Then again, I don't have a lot of prisoners. All the dragons who anger me are dead."

"Great, can't wait to join em. About time someone puts me out of my miserable existence." Nighthawk huffed. He lifted his head up and exposing his neck. "Get it over with." He snorted. Burn laughed a little.

"Hah! You're not getting off that easy. You and your friend are going to be very useful to me. But for now.." She said as she walked towards the exit.. "MOJAVE! Get down here!" She roared as she left. A few minutes passed and a male sandwing came down to the dungeons. He was clean, fit and lean with a set of leather pouches on his chest and a sling around his neck and back. He looked at the two dragons and shook his head.

"Oh wow, she actually got you. Huh." Mojave shrugged with a small smile. The sandwing had a jagged scar over his left eye. This sandwing looked much friendlier.  "Nighthawk, and you are?" He asked Lobster

"That's not important. If you were supposed to know, she would've told you." Nighthawk grumbled. "Whatever it is you want, I'm not giving it to you."

"I don't want anything. But, I do have food and water." He walked to the cell door and opened it. Nighthawk went to lunge at him, and as soon as he did the sandwing slid to the side and smacked the Nightwing in the chest, knocking him towards the door of the cell.

"Seriously?" Mojave asked, disappointed in him. "Do you want food or not?"

"Hmph.." Nighthawk got up slowly. "Is it laced with anything?"

"No." Mojave said sternly. "I wouldn't do that." He growled at him and crossed his arms. The sandwing set down some bread, a dried lizard and a talonfull of dates for each of them. Nighthawk tilted his head as he inspected the lizard. It had been a while since he ate one. He sniffed it before taking a bite, crunching down before swallowing. Then he quickly finished it up,  realizing how hungry he was.

"..Thanks.." Nighthawk said quietly. "Hm." He ate the rest of the meal before laying down. "This is more than I expected. Surprised Burn allowed it."

"Usually she doesn't feed prisoners. She also doesn't have many prisoners." Mojave shrugged. "Some of us are more hospitable than others."

"I've noticed." Nighthawk grumbled. "Don't see why you bother, she's gonna kill us anyway."

"Right. Figure you could at least have some joy in your last days alive." Mojave snorted. Perhaps this sandwing wasn't so bad, and he could also be useful. Nighthawk stared at him before moving back to his bed in the cell.

"Whatever, I'm going to rest." He said as he led back down on the cold floor. Surely there was some sort of hope, and Nighthawk knew there had to be a way out of this. It may have felt like a dead end, but he was never the type to give up. Life had already given him a second chance, and he knew there wouldn't be a third.