Qibli's Quest

Chapter 5

No specific notes for this chapter but to whoever happens to be reading this just remember that you are awesome and can do great things :)

I failed her Qibli thought, horrified. This can't be real right? The look on the mystery dragon's face said everything. Evil smug, murderous terrible dragon was proclaiming that he had managed to kidnap his queen?

"That's not true." Qibli managed, trying to keep himself under control. Even if he attacked the dragon, nothing would happen since this was all still a dream.

"Of course it is" The dragon responded plainly. "You're smart enough to know it is."

"But why?" Qibli asked him, still skeptical. "Why would you kidnap her? Queen Thorn hasn't done anything wrong.

This was true. Queen Thorn was great, but there were always a few dragons in the scorpion den that held grudges against her. Could this dragon be one of them?

"How do you know? You've been at this school for the past few months. Lots of things could have happened." he responded. Qibli was guessing it was a he, just based on voice and size.

It was uncomfortable hearing someone tell him what he had been doing as if they had been watching him the whole time. It gave his scales a creepy-crawly feeling like they were trying to camouflage and hide themselves away.

"I would have found out," Qibli said as righteously as he could.

"Why, because you're her second in command?" He remarked with mock sincerity

Again, unsettling that this dragon knew all these things about QIbli. He figured that playing along was the only way for him to get any more information.

"Exactly," Qibli said. "I know that nothing has gone wrong there, and Queen Thorn has kept her subjects perfectly happy under her reign. She is leading the tribe through a major recovery after being in a twenty-year war. No one in the right mind would try to kidnap her." He finished, taking a deep breath.

"There is much that you do not know, little dragon. Many dragons are unhappy, regardless of whether you think so or not."

LIE. COMPLETE LIE. Qibli knew this wasn't true, and it wasn't just because Queen Thorn was an awesome queen. In the ceremonies that followed the crowning of Thorn as queen, Qibli had met a bunch of new dragons who had been out battling with other tribes. They were nothing but thankful that they finally had a real queen. every moon cycle since then there was a small celebration to represent the newfound peace and unity of the SandWing kingdom. Qibli had gone to the celebration just a few weeks ago and as far as he could tell, everything and everyone had looked as normal as ever.

"Where is she then?" QIbli asked nonchalantly, trying to change the subject.

"In a very dark, wet, horrifying place" The dragon responded plainly. He hardly spoke with any emotion, so it was difficult for Qibli to find the true meaning behind his words.

"Seems like you're avoiding my questions," Qibli said, pressing on. "Are you sure it's Queen Thorn you kidnapped? Maybe you grabbed the wrong dragon on accident?

The dragon just laughed. He stepped out of the darkness, revealing that he was in fact a Sandwing. He was short and wiry like Qibli, but clearly very strong. He stretched his neck so that his face was parallel with Qibli's. Qibli froze in place, his body refusing to move at all. He couldn't run, scream, shout for help, anything.

"Your Queen knows what I want. She has been very foolish and has denied me thus far. I thought perhaps you may convince her to change her mind." He said with a sly smile.

"Where can I find you?" Qibli asked him, trying to gain as much information as possible.

"In the deepest caves of the desert sands, where the vipers lurk. You have until the third moon is full. Good luck."

"WAIT!" Qibli yelled, but it was already too late. Qibli jolted awake, met once again with the darkness of his sleeping cave. His heart was racing. He took a deep breath and began to think.

Was any of that real? If it was, How do I know that he was telling the truth? What if I leave right now and go find her? No, that was a bad idea. Qibli knew this. Flying into a dangerous situation solely because of a possible lie told by a mystery dragon who dreamvisited him? He would have to see if a messenger came to the school and brought any news.

I hope the kingdom is safe.

Hoping seemed to be the only thing he could do.

NOTE: 758 words for this chapter.
I will be trying to update this story as frequently as possible so stay tuned!