Wings of Fire; The Creed

Chapter 23

Starburst looked with guilt at Firefly. She was covered in gashes and mud, and her breathing was shallow.

"What did you do to her!?" Starburst snarled. "Firefly!? Are you okay?"

There was no response. Firefly just lay there, still barely breathing. Starburst took a step toward her, but Harpy took out a knife and held it over Firefly.

"One more step and she leaves this world earlier than scheduled."

Starburst paused, keeping her gaze fixed on the glinting knife. She slowly closed her talon around a bunch of mud. If she could throw this at her eyes, she might be able to tackle the knife out of her talon. But that would be putting the Princess at risk. Too much risk than Starburst was willing to have.

"Put down the knife," Starburst commanded, fighting the rising panic.

"Let me think about that for a moment. No."

Diamondback took a step forward, "I don't know who you are, or what you are trying to accomplish, but think about what you are doing. What will killing the Princess accomplish? All it will do is cause chaos."

"Exactly my plan, handsome," Harpy said gleefully. Boris growled and huffed a small cloud, creating small icicles on the plants by his snout. "Chaos will reign supreme in the end. All dragons ever try to do is fight it, but it's a losing battle."

"Leave her alone... take me instead," Starburst offered, knowing it probably wasn't enough.

"Pfft. You? You are worthless. No one will care if you die, her on the other talon," she said pointing at the hurt princess, "She is worth much more than any of you would ever be."

From the shadows, a black flash burst out from behind Harpy, knocking the knife out of her talons, and sending it flying past the group of dragonets. Harpy threw her attacker, in a tumble of black and silver scales, and Bubble dove to catch whoever was thrown.

Starburst looked behind her, only to see Diamondback and Boris. She looked back at Bubble, who was now lying on the floor. Artemis bounced off Bubble's back and slammed into a tree. She grunted, but most of the shock was absorbed by Bubble's galumphing body.

Starburst lunged at Harpy while she was unbalanced, knocking her into a tree trunk in the back.

Diamondback and Boris both joined in, jumping into the fight, but they were both thrown to the side by something invisible. Starburst was busy fighting Harpy, but she managed to say between the clawing and biting, "Watch out! There are more of them!"

Boris landed upside-down against a tree trunk next to the Moon Globe Tree "No kidding," he groaned.

Diamondback rolled across the ground but quickly bounced back onto his talons and lunged at the air, bringing his tail down, but tripped and fell over again.

Starburst roared as she felt teeth bite down on her tail, and she swiped her claws at Harpy, missing by a claw's length. She felt talons on her neck and arms and legs, pinning her on her back. She struggled, trying to break free, but she was hopelessly pinned. She looked over at her friends, all of them in the same boat as she was. Bubble was the only unpinned dragon other than Artemis, but he was not a skilled enough fighter, and Artemis was out of the fight for now.

"S-Should I use my..." Bubble asked, the sound of panic in his voice.

"No! No. Don't do it. Only use it if you and Artemis have to escape! Don't worry about us," Diamondback managed to grunt out. The guard pinning him down was pressing down on his chest, which looked painful, but Diamondback was doing an effective job at hiding the pain.

Speak for yourself SandWing. Personally, I would much rather be free, she thought, but then felt guilty about thinking.

A crash came from the darkness behind Bubble, he yelped but stayed close to Artemis. Bloom came bursting into the clearing, glaring at everyone there. Starburst felt herself shrink a little and hoped that no one else noticed.

Bloom looked at each of the guards, her eyes finally landing on Harpy. "What, in the name of the moons, is going on here?" Bloom snarled.

Harpy looked up at Bloom, a challenging look on her face. She squinted at Bloom, who was glaring so hard, that Starburst was half convinced that Harpy might combust randomly.

"I caught the assassins," Harpy said smoothly gesturing at Starburst."

Starburst looked up at Bloom, "It wasn't us! Harpy is the assassin. She is..."

She was cut off by talons wrapping around her throat. She gagged, and choked, struggling to breathe.

Bloom looked over at something behind Harpy, but the other guard was blocking her view with their tail. Bloom growled again, deep in her throat, so low, it sounded like a distant earthquake at first. Starburst craned her neck the best she could and saw the tail of the RainWing guard she killed earlier.

"Let them go Harpy."

"Bu-But... What?" Harpy stammered, looking as shocked as Starburst felt. Why would Bloom be helping her, of all dragons? "NO! I won't let them go! Are you going to help us or are you a traitor?"

Bloom stood there for a moment with narrow eyes, "The Queen orders you to let... them... go."

Starburst could feel Harpy's claws creeping closer to her throat.

Only a little bit closer and she would be able to slit my throat and I would be dead. I can't die! I need to help Firefly!

Harpy flicked her tail, and Diamondback and Boris were freed. The guards who were pinning them down backed away from them and stood on either side of Harpy. Her clawmates stood up tenderly, both cut up and bruised, but looked like they would survive.

Diamondback took a step toward Harpy, but both of the guards bared their fangs, and he was forced to back off. They stood there, clearly trying to decide whether to attack, which they were in no shape to do, or to back up.

Starburst managed to squeak out in a raspy voice, "Go. Protect Bubble and Artemis."

They nodded hesitantly and started toward her other clawmates. Boris looked back, a strange look crossing his face before turning away.

"Her too, Harpy," Bloom growled.

Starburst was starting to lose consciousness, not being able to breathe. She closed her eyes, knowing she was not going to make it out alive. Harpy's claws were too close to her throat, even if she did try to escape. The best she could hope for is that her friends would save Firefly.

Firefly. The dragon she loved. Starburst felt a tear slide off her scales. She hoped she would find another dragon who loved her, and who she loved back. Someone who could be with her. It just... wouldn't be Starburst.

"Goodbye," Starburst whispered under her breath, before going limp and blacking out.