The Twin Islands-Wings of Fire

Potent

Potent growled in frustration as his friends began to chatter, loudly, worry and excitement showing up in their tones like surprise dust devils. He was still unsure about the whole plan. Potent couldn't bring himself to believe Artemis. Not yet. He needed something to seal it off.

"Where are the doors?" He demanded rudely, narrowing his eyes. "I want to see them."

Six more pairs of eyes greeted him in surprise. Mamba turned a darker shade of green and glared as she whacked him with her curled tail. He felt his face burn with embarrassment as she scolded him about being rude.

Excuse you. He thought to himself as he gave them all a devilish stare.

"Just at the bottom of the mountain." Artemis explained, rolling up the scroll she and Tempest had been studying. "I'll take you guys there, don't worry. But I think we should get prepared before we go charging into a door that goes who knows where."

"True." Mamba agreed, gold and iridescent green showing up in her scales, along with calm whorls of purple. Potent lashed his barbed tail, it thwacking against the ground with a spark.

"Calm down, tiger." Seaglass rolled his eyes, frowning. "We're all anxious too you know." Potent blinked at him, baring his teeth. The Seawing bared his right back and flashed a few of his light up spots, to Potent's surprise.

If that kelp for brains just insulted me I swear I'll-

"Both of you stop." Snowfall demanded. A cold chill wafted over Potent as he turned to the two of them. "Quit acting like immature dragonets!"

"But we ARE dragonets." Seaglass protested, wrinkling his snout. "Sort of. Plus, Potent's a meany." He said with a smirk, knowing he was ticking them both off.

Potent growled again, then stopping once he realized he might be embarrassingly scolded by Mamba again. But as he looked at the Rainwing, Mamba examined her violet claws, pretending to be oblivious.

He felt a flash of anxiety in his scarred chest.

He never told anyone how he'd gotten that scar. All he said was he had got it in a battle. And he had, when he was merely four years old. Assigned as a guard for princess Blaze during the War of The Sandwing Succession. Someone had tried to kill the princess, and he was the one to get flung in the way.

Potent shivered at the memory, half listening to Seaglass now argue with Mudpuddle about something. As usual, Artemis and Mamba were the ones to break it up.

"Guys, stop squabbling with one another." Artemis said, exasperated. "Please."

"We should go talk to the Dragonets, then decide what to do." Mamba explained, vibrant stripes of lemon yellow appearing in her scales as she got excited. "They'll have to let us go. I mean, it's a prophecy sort of like theirs."

"We could always just sneak off." Potent mumbled, and Tempest gaped at him in horror.

"You know how angry your Queens would be?" She exclaimed.

Potent winced as she said 'your', not 'our'. He hadn't really payed attention or cared where she stayed. But he was pretty sure she had lived in the Mud Kingdom. Although, the tribrid belonged to three tribes. Did she have a choice where she lived? Queen Glory might accept her. Queen Ruby most certainly wouldn't.

"She's right." Mamba said, still examining her claws. Potent gave her a look of pleading, hoping she'd at least glance at him. Something about her gaze calmed him a bit. Well, when she was calm as well.

"Queen Glory might not let us go." Artemis sighed, nudging Mamba with an elbow. Much to Potent's relief, she blinked and finally looked up. Her eyes met his for a split second.

"You're right." Mamba agreed, green and emerald swirling in her wings.

Wow, those colors are... amazing. Potent thought with a sigh. Tempest then patted him with her wing, smiling, breaking him from his pathetic daze, and he turned to look at the black and gold tribrid.

"Don't be a grump. We'll figure things out." She assured him, and he growled and yanked his own wing away, making her shrink back and frown.

"Let's just go discuss this with the Dragonets." Artemis rose to her feet, the others joining in. Potent scowled but got to his feet anyway.

What a waste of time. He thought as they left.