Misfits of Vernada ~Wattys2016~

XXIII

Moon

Moon flew behind Freedom, questions running through her head. Where was Zappy? Had he never made it to the Misfits? Or were there other Misfits? Would she ever see her best friend again? We he all right?

She shook her head, trying to clear it, but the questions returned. Glancing at her travelling companion, she opened her mouth to ask one of the questions, but stopped. Freedom hadn't said anything since they had set out, so she guessed she had scared the golden sharpshooter.

So they flew in silence, Moon nearly bursting with questions. Finally, she couldn't hold them back.

"Do you know if there are any groups of Misfits?" she blurted out. Freedom glanced at her and shook her head.

"The ones we were just with are the only ones I know of," she said, then turned away.

Moon sighed, wanting to know more, but didn't want to make Freedom talk if she didn't want to.

They flew for another hour, Moon losing herself in her beating wings. She forced herself not to think of anything, only one wing beat after another. Each wing beat brought her closer to the Sharpshooter's territory, but also to Zappy.

"I'll leave here," Freedom said abruptly, and Moon looked up, surprised.

"What?" she asked.

"The Sharpshooter territory is up ahead. I'll leave here," she repeated, and the bird on her shoulder cawed.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," Moon said. Now that Freedom had mentioned it, the trees had changed. They were no longer the pines and such of the WildWoods, but the leafy trees of the Sharpshooter territory.

Freedom nodded, and flew off, the raven following her.

'Strange dragon,' Moon thought, watching her go.

She landed on a tree, and looked over the forest.

'Where are you Zappy!' she thought, looking at the trees. Suddenly, the leaves began shaking in the trees, as if something was coming towards her.

Taking to the air, she hovered over the tree, looking down. Something burst out of the trees, followed by others.

'Griffins!' Moon thought, panicked. A flock of griffins was one of the few things that could take down a full-grown dragon.

The leader, a large male, squawked, and they began to surround Moon. She let out a burst of flame, sending it washing over the flock. One went down, feathers on fire. But there were still about a dozen others.

Surrounded, Moon began to fly higher, trying to get away from them. But her wings were tired from the battle she had with Bloodfang, and the flight. The griffins soon caught up with her, and surrounded her again.

She swung her head, trying to keep them all in her sights, but with only one eye it was hard. Something pecked her on her flank, and she spun, bathing the griffin with fire. It followed the other.

But she had left her blind side open for an attack, and felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck. Hissing, she dropped, tucking her wings to her body as she did.

As she fell, she remembered the many times she had tried that trick back at the hatchling caves. Glad for all the practice now, she pulled up, her belly scrapping the top of the trees.

But the griffins were still following her, and her wings were aching. She looked behind her, and, seeing them close, swung her cudlet. A satisfying smack and a loud squawk told her she had hit something.

Suddenly, a dragon erupted out of the trees. At first Moon thought it was Freedom, but then she saw the golden sharpshooter was a male.

He roared, letting a flame dance out of his mouth, washing over both Moon and the griffins. They squawked in pain, and flew off, leaving Moon alone with the other dragon.

She hissed in pain, surprised that his fire had hurt her. Then she remembered that Sharpshooter flames were different, and could still hurt a Stormrider.

"Thank you for saving me sir," she said, landing on a tree.

He grunted.

"What are you doing here? You're a Stormrider." He glared at her.

"I'm sorry for trespassing," Moon said, bowing her head. "I need to find my friend."

"Well we don't have any Stormriders here. So leave, or I'll have to attack you."

Anger began to form in Moon, but she forced it down.

"I'm not looking for a Stormrider," she said, quietly. "I'm looking for a Sharpshooter. His name is Za –." But the dragon interrupted her.

"You're trespassing, so get off." He growled.

"But –," Moon cried, starting forward.

"Goldy! Where are you!" a voice called, and another dragon leapt up through the trees to hover beside the other dragon. She glanced over at Moon, and scowled.

"Who's this? And why is she on out territory."

"I'm looking for my friend," Moon began, but again was interrupted. Goldy growled.

"A flock of griffins chased her here. Though I think she was already on our territory before they found her.

The female nodded.

"I think Waterfall would like to meet her," she muttered. Goldy nodded.

"Good idea Glitter," he said.

They moved towards Moon, and she aloud them to capture her, not wanting to fight. If she did, she knew that her Bloodlust would take control and she might kill on of these dragons. That was no something she wanted.

Suddenly, she felt a burst of pain on the back of her head, and everything went dark.