Night Fury's Wrath

Chapter 100: Fear [Part 3]

-Horray! We've finally hit one-hundred chapters! The plot will gradually start picking up speed from here on out, and the next chapter will have a new POV that I've gotten a lot of questions about in the past. I won't say much, but the name of the next chapter is "Dragon Rider", so I'm sure you can guess!

Anywho, enjoy and tell me what you think!

-NFD

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"What do you mean, he disappeared?!"

I looked up from my daughter's trail, mildly curious. Moon had wandered off to who knew where and seemingly returned out of nowhere to speak to Splinter privately. What had Moon been doing while we tracked down Aurora?

Splinter, for that matter, looked frightened, even if her voice was clearly angry. Her eyes were locked on Moon, who didn't look the slightest bit intimidated. Splinter was the only dragon here not glowing, making her look out of place in the dark undergrowth.

"I mean what I said," Moon sighed, tossing secrecy aside now that all eyes were on her. "Myrkr is gone, too."

Okay, don't panic. I'm sure he's fine. I took a steadying breath and let it out, continuing along Aurora's tracks. "He must still be trying to catch up," I reasoned. Even if it had already been too long. No! Shut up, brain! 

Anari shot me an unreadable look in the corner of her eye, keeping pace at my side even with her shorter legs, but didn't say anything.

"He went the opposite direction," Moon corrected.

I froze on the spot. "...He what?" I whispered. My mind raced, trying to rationalize why Myrkr, of all dragons, wouldn't go looking for his wayward mate. Why did he go the opposite direction? What was he doing? He wasn't with Moon, either, so now we had two missing dragons, one of whom barely had enough memories to be considered a fledgling!

"Now, Auroon," Moon said cautiously. "Don't freak out..."

"Don't freak out?!" I barked, whirling on my second mother angrily. "You told me Myrkr went to relieve himself! You said he would catch up once he was done! Has he been missing this whole time?!"

Moon couldn't look me in the eye. "He went in a safer direction," she mumbled. "So he's unlikely to get into danger, and he's a Shadow Blender—they're adept at hiding. Besides, you have enough to worry about as it is, so—"

"If Myrkr finds any danger, then Aurora is put in danger!" I snapped, digging my claws into the earth—maybe that would keep me from lashing out physically. Just because it was a 'safer direction' didn't mean it was actually safe! "Splinter, go track him down! Quickly. Moon, go with her before I do something we'll all regret!"

The two females quickly left to find my son-in-law. After a moment where only my heavy breathing filled the silence, I cursed loudly and slashed a nearby tree, leaving deep claw marks in its trunk. Anari silently followed when I turned and resumed following Aurora's trail.

It took several minutes, but I eventually calmed enough to notice the thick silence. "You've been pretty quiet," I muttered lowly. What was she thinking?

Anari shot me a neutral look before hopping over a mossy rock in her way. "Not much to say."

I snorted at that. "Did you know?"

"That Myrkr was missing?" She chuffed. "Nah. If I did, I woulda told ya sooner to avoid the inevitable drama ya usually stir up."

I ignored her small tease. "But you knew something was wrong."