Deathbringer's Acceptance

Chapter 3

Deathbringer was back in the rainforest again, far away from both the Rainwing and Nightwing villages. He had started walking, hoping to clear his head after what had just transpired, but after half an hour of walking, he found he was still thinking about it. Knowing that by now he was just wasting his time, he had turned back, hoping to find some temporary peace among the Rainwings, all of them blissfully unaware of his past. He could almost still hear Sunny's voice in his mind, telling him to leave the school. Being banished from Jade Mountain only intensified Deathbringer's nerves. After he had tried for once to admit to his mistakes, hoping it would relieve some of the weight he was carrying, instead, it only added to it, making him feel worse than he already was. If Sunny reacted the way that she did, what would happen if he told anyone else?

As he caught sight of the huts and treehouses deeper rainforest, he lost himself in his worries, his stomach doing flips, making him feel nauseous. What if Glory kicked him out of the rainforest as well? She was already angry, no, she was already FURIOUS at him, and it was true, her subjects would not be happy about her letting a murderer run free, especially the Nightwings. The mysterious tribe weren't the same, malnourished dragons that they were years ago when they escaped from the volcano. Now, they were as strong as any other dragon, and could very much overpower the queen if they put their minds to it. What if they tried to kill Glory because she's letting me walk free?

Deathbringer shook his head, trying hard to get those awful thoughts out of his head. Times were different now. That wasn't going to happen. He was going to find a way out of this mess, even if it meant he was going to have to make a sacrifice or two to make it happen.

I'm not going to let what I did in the past hurt anyone I love. Deathbringer thought, Even if it means I'll have to do something drastic... He stopped in front of one of the last treehouse dragons who would pass before completely leaving the rainforest. It was a small schoolhouse, primitive, and kind of shabby, but sturdy, and able to support dragons. It was one of the first schoolhouses built in the rainforest under the new queen's rule. Deathbringer helped build it, being one of the first to learn how to build treehouses. He remembered that day fondly, gaining the support of some less-angry Nightwings, teaching them how to build, making a Rainwing friend, falling through the roof after he tripped...

He sighed, those were the good days when every dragon was filled with hope, and Deathbringer finally found a place where he belonged. Thinking about it now, he realized he couldn't leave the rainforest if that was the solution out of this. He loved the friends he made, and he loved working for and supporting the queen, but he forgot one important thing: This was his home, he couldn't abandon it, he just couldn't. Anyplace didn't feel like home in comparison to this paradise.

Deathbringer put his paws on his face, growling, "Three moons... What am I going to do..."

Something abruptly crashed into him, knocking him onto the ground. Deathbringer roared as his snout was crushed. Rolling over, he heard a yelp as he rolled a dragon over. Getting up, a medium-sized Seawing, probably almost an adult, leaped at him, a dagger held tightly in her right paw. With experienced moves, Deahtbrigner grabbed the dragon by the wrist with one paw, and the throat with another, tossing her down, moving along with her so he could put his body weight on hers, while still holding onto the knife.

As his attacker grunted as she hit the ground, Deathbringer twisted her wrist painfully, ready to break it if need be. She screamed, dropping the blade onto the ground. With his opponent disarmed, Deathbringer relaxed, "What do you think you're doing?" He asked as if he was having a conversation with a friend.

The dragon beneath him wriggled at spat, fire in her eyes, "I know what you did!" She roared, raking at his with her hind claws.

Wincing at the new claw marks on his belly, Deathbringer looked down, noticing the royal patterns on her wings which he recognized from scrolls. He was too absorbed in what was going on to notice he had just attacked a royal, which would certainly carry serious repercussions... "I know you... You're Auklet, right?"