She wasn't just falling in the real world, her heart was falling, falling until she couldn't even find it inside of her anymore. She watched as the fiery cliff disappeared from view as her rage and sadness swelled up inside her and the clouds darkened and rumbled. I can't stop myself, She realized as the rain, wind and lightning started to come.
It felt like an endless fall through the mist and rain and thunder, but she didn't care.
I don't care. I want to die. Why do I feel this? He's just a dragon. But he was her dragon, through and through.
Just as she could see the trees through her vision, something collided into her back. S-sunfyre? She didn't dare think the thought. But the scales are cool and smooth, not warm. She looked over, tears still streaming down her face, and saw white scales, then realized the dragon that was carrying her was flapping frantically, panting to keep her up. She shot up and leapt for the nearest floating island, her bones screaming with protest. They both hurtled down to the grass and slammed into the island, panting heavily, the rain soaking Thunder Strike's scales and washing the blood from her back.
She was still in shock after what had happened, and after several failed attempts of trying to stand up, she gave up and just lay there, her heart empty and her eyes dull. Then she saw the white-scaled dragon stand up and walk over to Tia, pushing through the tall wet grass. "Are you okay!? You look so battered" He exclaimed. Thunder Strike didn't answer. She was in too much pain, but not even one percent of the pain came from her physical body and scales. The dragon sat down and stroked her back, flinching as he noticed the gashes on her spine. "Does that hurt?" He asked Tia. She didn't answer. The strange dragon shook himself. "Well, I better get you inside," He murmured. Thunder Strike looked up. His scales were a pearly white and his snout was a beautiful light aquamarine, his wings the same color, but with a gradient and patterns that made his wings look like rivers and lakes and oceans. "Oh, I'm Raindancer, by the way, heh. No one really knows me, so, I figured you wouldn't, either! Uhhh, I'll get you some food!" He lifted her onto his back and wheezed over to a small hut in the middle of the floating island. Tia looked up, still empty, but a tiny bit better. But not by much, mind you.
She laid on a hay straw nest, her back and wing bandaged up, though the blood still came and could be seen through the white cloth. A salmon sat in front of her snout, one Raindancer had caught for her. She still refused to eat or drink. I think I'd rather starve than live. She thought to herself. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, even though she thought she never would.
There were many nightmares, but one stayed clear in her mind. Sunfyre grabbing me and throwing me off a cliff and stabbing me with a spear. That wasn't what had really happened, but the dream was sharp as it was in real life that she woke up in a snap and lay in shock for a second. Then she shook herself. I'll kill that- She collapsed again. What time is it? She looked at the food in front of her. I might as well eat... She slowly sat up and took a reluctant bite of the food. Raindancer appeared in the cave. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked. Thunder Strike took a few more mouthfuls of the fish and curled back up in the nest. Raindancer shrugged. "Alright. Tomorrow, then?" He said, and left the room. Tia looked out the window blearily. The sun was setting, the stars barely visible in the purple sky. My friends probably think I'm dead. Maybe they'll kill Sunfyre for me... her thoughts drifted out the window as she watched the sun dive below the sea far away and finally out of view. Her limbs felt numb, her mind still weighted with exhaustion and horror and rage. She eventually closed her eyes, drifting back into the slow trance of sleep.
Again, her slumber was disturbed by nightmares. But this time, it felt like visions of the future. Her claws were soaked in blood, plasma, fire and lightning pouring from the place where her fur used to be and her wings encased in fire and lightning. Blue magma glowed underneath her scales. My rage form... There was a small- a small creature in front of her, burned and scarred and dead.
Did I kill them?
Her vision went blurry as the rain began to pour. Then, a switch of background. This time, she didn't know where she was. It was like a dark black void that stretched endlessly in all directions. There was a blue glow that looked like a lake's surface. Then she realized she was standing on the glowing blue lake. She put down a talon, and ripples appeared on the surface of where her claw met the ground. She jumped back, causing more ripples. Suddenly, her vision went blurry and everything felt as if it had tilted. When she regained balance, she saw a faint purple glow on the other side of the black void like a purple sunrise. The glow became brighter and brighter. Tia started walking toward it and before long, she found herself running along the rippled surface until it was as if the glow was in front of her. Then something happened. Some giant creature exploded from out of the water, purple shimmers and glowing as if purple lava was dripping from their scales. Thunder Strike looked up too late-
And then she woke up.
She lay there stunned for a bit after reliving the dream, and then let out a shriek of agony when she realized that Sunfyre was the dragon that would be torn apart from her. Spirit's vision wasn't about Zea, It was about Sun. She blinked, feeling a muzzle touch her cheek. Raindancer stood in front of the nest. "I... I can take you out for a walk?" He murmured. Tia felt calm after hearing his soft voice. Her legs felt stiff and unusable, but she stood up and walked through the entrance of the small den. She nearly collapsed in the snow outside the door. She flailed for a moment, then realized her scales were crusted with dried up blood, dirt and grass stains.
A lot of dried up blood.
She rolled over and over again in the snow until she felt refreshed and the grit and blood was cleared from her scales. Raindancer stepped out behind her and looked around. "It snowed a bit harder overnight, I guess?" he said. Tia buried herself in the cold snow and lay there for a bit, soaking in the freezing ice and feeling her muscles loosen. She looked up at Spirit Cliff. A growl rose in her throat as she remembered falling off it. Well, now that the snow has come back, the fire would've been extinguished a while ago. She looked down at the mess of dried blood she had made on the fresh white snow. A dizziness filled her head and she staggered for a moment. Then a flash. Feathers everywhere. Blue fire burning. Blood covering the grass. She felt everything tilt and realized she had fallen into a snowbank sideways and Raindancer had rushed over.
"Are you okay? I think we'd better go inside. Your bandages are falling off."
Thunder Strike felt a sharp pain on her back and realized it was half bandaged. She sighed, her ruffled fur flying in the howling wind.
