Proboscis Book 1: Clouds Parting- A Wings of Fire Fanfiction

~ Chapter 9 ~

 "What are we going to do?" Quartz asked, looking around for any gaps within the tight circle of BlazeWing guards.

"I don't want to do this, but..." Stratus started. "If we want to save the world, we'll have to attack the guards." Stratus and Quartz pulled out their swords from where they were strapped in, the metal making a barely audible shining sound. They both stabbed the nearest guards, both of which were directly in front of them. The others were surprised that they would fight back and stepped away. The two guards they had stabbed screamed in agony, tumbling backward. Queen Tambora heard the cry and saw the blood on the grass.

"What is going on?" the queen yelled, horrified.

"Stratus and Quartz are attacking the guards!" Lava exclaimed.

"Well, then, what are you doing? Don't just stand there! Get them!" Queen Tambora commanded. The guards thrust their spears at Stratus and Quartz, but the duo deftly dodged the attacks.

"Split up!" Stratus yelled to Quartz. "I'll bring the battle in the air since I'm good at fighting there, and you can fight them on land!"

"Okay!" Quartz replied. "Good luck!" Stratus shot up and brought around half of the guards into the sky. Meanwhile, Quartz darted around with a trail of fire after him. Quartz knew that his fire wouldn't affect the BlazeWings, so he tried going behind the BlazeWings. 

Meanwhile, up in the air, The BlazeWings fighting Stratus couldn't keep up with her. They tried spitting lava at her, but Stratus was too quick.

But even as she dodged the burning lava, she heard Quartz let out a scream of agony from below her.

"Quartz! ?" Stratus yelled worriedly as Quartz draped to the floor, his front right talon limp and bent into a position that Stratus thought it should never be in. In return, Quartz let out an "urmph" sound as he was dragged onto the cobblestone floor of the dungeon.

"No!" she yelled. She hated seeing Quartz hurt, hated even more the way he was being treated. As the guards carried him away, his talons dragged limply, as though he had already given up. No! We can still fight them together! Stratus watched, desperately wishing the guards could leave them alone for once. As she stared after Quartz, her mind drifted to a happier time, where no dragons had gone missing, no dragons would ever attack her, and she still had her older sister.

"C'mon, Stratus!" Whirlwind yelled as she dashed through the grassy fields that made the Flower Fields.

"I'm trying!" Stratus screamed back.

"Ooh! Look! I'd think that those rocks over there would make some pretty good climbing stones..." Whirlwind said as she pointed her talon toward a structure of stones.

"I don't know... We could get hurt, and shouldn't we be getting back?" Stratus muttered, not wanting to sound too scared.

"Pfhh! You're with me! I'll make sure you're safe," Whirlwind said as she bounded toward the looming structure. Stratus rolled her eyes as she followed along. Stratus and Whirlwind shimmied and scurried up the rocks, making sure not to use their wings. Then they pranced and wrestled each other when they got to the top, Stratus losing every battle. Stratus felt certain that this day was the best day of both of their lives.

The two sisters had been caught in a game of tag, with Stratus always a near inch away from tagging Whirlwind, when Stratus caught Whirlwind and yelled, "Tag!" She jumped back and almost ran, but noticed Whirlwind wasn't moving, as she looked up.

"I'm so sorry!" Stratus worried, "If I tagged you too hard, I didn't mean to!"

"Stratus..." Whirlwind whispered, "You need to go. The rocks are crumbling,"