King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Part 2: Chapter 7 & 8

Part Two: The Queen's Secret

(3rd Pov Starflight)

Others.

What Fatespeaker had said didn't sink in until Starflight was actually standing in the cave a short flight from the fortress, facing four unfamiliar and unfriendly faces. Red, green, brown, and white-gold.

'They have a SkyWing,' Starflight thought. 'And a SandWing who looks like a real SandWing.' He hadn't met many SandWings in his life, but this one's scowl and restless hostility made her look the opposite of Sunny.
"The alternate dragonets of destiny," Morrowseer growled, scanning them with displeasure.

"Who is that?" said the emerald-green SeaWing, squinting at Starflight. "Looks like her. Is he going to be annoying like her?" He jerked his head at Fatespeaker.

"This is Starflight. Starflight, these are my friends," Fatespeaker said, blithely ignoring him. The SkyWing - whos eyes were an odd yellow-pink color - snorted and the SandWing rolled her eyes. "Over there is Flame, the SkyWing, obviously. The fat MudWing is Ochre, the SandWing with a sour expression is Viper, and the shrimpy SeaWing is Squid."

"Did she get in trouble?" Squid asked Morrowseer. "I told her she'd get in trouble if she left the have. I hope you thumped her."
"Where have you been?" Viper demanded at the same time, jabbing her poisonous tail toward Morrowseer and Legendseeker. "We've been here for a whole day and a half and no one has checked on us or fed us anything but what appears to be leftovers from a meal three moths ago."

"Most of which he threw up," Flame said darkly, pointing at Ochre.
"It was awful," Ochre said. "Probably food poisoning. You're lucky I'm still alive."
"Quite lucky," agreed Flame. "Since I was extremely tempted to kill him."
"That's why it smells so bad in here," Fatespeaker offered. "Can we move to a different cave? Or, oooh, into the fortress!"

'If there's a whole other set of dragonets - with all the elements that are really in the prophecy - then nobody needs us at all.' Starflight's head was spinning. 'But if the Talons of Peace had these all along. Then why treat us the way they did? Why keep us around? Any why would the NightWings send an assassin after us?'

Pieces started to fall into place in his head. 'They wanted us dead so they could replace us with these five. Or, at least some of us. It wouldn't do to have two sets of dragonets running around claiming destiny.' Then he thought about the timing, and a shudder ran through his scales. 'We had a chance until we angered Blister - until I angered her. It was after that when they decided to kill us. Because I failed to convince the others to pick her as the queen.' 
Morrowseer was watching his face intently, as if he might be listening to the thoughts running through Starflight's mind.

"So Deathbringer was coming for all of us," Starflight said to him, "or, at least the ones you wanted dead."
"His primary targets was the RainWing and rogue NightWing," said Morrowseer. "Secondary, the SeaWing. The rest of you are still negotiable."

Starflight shook his head. "You already killed Stormcaller," he said, playing along. "You can't kill Glory and tsunami. I - I won't do anything you say if that happens." His talons trembled as if the volcano were rumbling under his feet. He half expected Morrowseer to slash his throat right then.
"We'll see," said Morrowseer. He didn't look very worried.

"Your real problem is that my friends are never going to let you replace me," Fatespeaker said to Morrowseer. "We were raised together! We're loyal to each other! They'll fight back if you try to take me out and put someone else in!"

"Replace her?" Viper said alertly. "We can do that?"
"Do it," Flame said. "I vote yes."
"Me too," said Ochre. "He looks quiet. Quiet would be great."
"Can I be the one to shove her off the cliff?" Squid asked.
Fatespeaker gave them all an injured look. "Very funny, guys."