Misfits of Vernada ~Wattys2016~

XI

Moon

Moon settled onto a tree, scanning the land for Sharpshooters. She could still see the cliffs, but was well into Sharpshooter territory.

She sighed, bored. An eagle soared high over her, and she wondered if Claw had found Zappy. Then it began spiralling down, and she realised that it was Claw.

"What Moon doing? Sharpshooters here. Not safe, not safe," it cried, landing beside her.

"Huh, ask Obsidian," Moon muttered.

The eagle frowned.

"Claw not ask angry night dragon. Angry night dragon eat Claw."

Moon shook her head.

"Did you find Zappy?" she asked.

"Tisk. Bronze dragon hit on head, big green rider of storms. He hurt."

"What!?" Moon cried, leaping to her feet. "Zappy's hurt."

"Ya. Green dragon not mean to. He work for Flare. Flare nice. She help Claw."

"What?" Moon muttered, unsure of what the eagle was trying to say. She was about to ask, when a loud roar distracted her. A large blue Sharpshooter was flying towards her, hampered by a large scratch on his belly.

"Intruder!" he yelled, and fire spewed out of his mouth. Claw took to the air with a squawk.

Moon leapt away from the flame, but it singed her tail. She hissed in pain, surprised that it burnt her. She remembered something Zappy had said about Sharpshooter fire being different from Stormrider.

The blue dragon leapt at her, his claws out. Moon tried to move, but the disks on his tail dug into her back leg.

As the blood seeped out of her wound, anger filled her. She roared, and leapt at him, ducking under her tail and under his already wounded belly. She clawed at his belly, not hearing his roars. He staggered away, slipping and falling off the tree. Moon, filled with Bloodlust, dove after him.

He struggled to fly, and landed awkwardly on the ground. Moon landed near and growled.

The blue staggered to his feet, the blood pouring out of his belly only inflaming Moon's Bloodlust.

He swung his tail, but Moon easily dodged, and bit into it under where the disk began. She dug her fangs deep into it, feeling blood fill her mouth. She felt something crack, and the blue roared in pain.

Spitting out his tail, Moon lunged at him, leaping onto his back. He staggered, and fell. Moon dug her claws into his neck, and roared her victory to the sky.

She limped away from the dead dragon, and began licking her wounded leg. Claw flew down and glanced around.

"Moon brave warrior, good fighter," it muttered.

Now that the thrill of battle was over, she felt sick. She had just killed a dragon. Somewhere, a mother had lost her son, a hatchling her father, a wife her mate. At it was her fault. She whimpered, and nausea filled her.

She turned, and vomited the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

##########

Later that day, as she and Bloodfang returned to the Stormrider's cave, she still felt sick and shaky. She had never wanted to fight, but now she had killed!

She barely noticed there were more dragons around then usual around until the entered Obsidian's den.

The great black dragon wasn't the only dragon in the den. A smaller, but equally terrifying orange dragon lay beside her.

'Magma,' Moon thought. 'The great leader is back from attacking the Sharpshooters.'

She lowered her head to her grandfather.

He nodded to her.

"Has she past?" he asked Bloodfang, his voice quiet and thoughtful.

"Yes. Her Bloodlust inflamed her, and she killed."

Obsidian nodded, turning her great head so that blood-red eye glared at Moon.

"She will be initiated when the moon is full. Then she will receive her new name, and become a full member of the Stormriders."

Moon bowed her head, and followed Bloodfang back to their cave. She noticed two golden eyes following her as she left.

She glanced back, and saw Sparkles glaring at her from a lower cave. He mouthed something at her, and Moon didn't need to hear him to know what he said.

'You're dead, Shapshooter,'