Misfits of Vernada ~Wattys2016~

XXVIII

Zappy/Slash

By: creepakilla

Zappy thrust his wings downward, waited five seconds, and repeated the action in the Sharpshooters' method of flying for hours on end without rest. His mind kept straying to his mother's face as he left her. Snow-Fang's delighted expression as he greeted her. Moon's look of sheer hatred.

He steadfastly wrenched his thoughts away once again.

"Uh, Zappy, were're ya going?"

The sharpshooter turned with a start of surprise to see that his companions were landing in a small clearing in the trees below.

"Landing already?" he called down. Days earlier he would've made a joke about it. Now his humour was all but gone, lost with Moon somewhere. He wished Vernada wasn't so depressingly huge; if he had things his way he would round the next tree and find the end of the world with Moon waiting, trapped until he could arrive and talk to her.

Dumb planet, he thought in aggravation.

"It's kinda night time," Freedom yelled back. "And besides, it's snowing!"

Zappy glanced with surprise at the soft white flakes settling on his wings, spikes, and back. He hadn't noticed at all, he was so distracted. With a small sigh the dragon tilted his wings to glide forward and down toward his friends, resigning himself to another sleepless, pain-filled night.

During the daylight hours he could ignore his neck, painful as it was; but when darkness fell he was left alone with his nightmarish thoughts and aching throat.

Alighting in the clearing he was surprised to see a large bonfire; Flamer and Firelily were already asleep, but Freedom looked like she had no intention of settling down for the night as she sat pensively by the fire.

"Come by me," she offered, flicking her tail toward the unoccupied snow next to her, and Zappy obeyed. He knew if he didn't she would move next to him, anyway, to check his throat, so he curled up beside the other Sharpshooter and arched his neck heavenward with a longsuffering sigh.

Slash felt Freedom's claws scrabbling at the bandage around his throat and winced as she touched the still sensitive tissue.

"Sorry."

Zappy grunted in response, then tensed as she drew in a sharp breath. "What's up?" he whispered, for although he could talk he preferred to whisper as much as he could to spare his shredded vocal-chords.

"Nothing," she said in a strangled voice, "just what you look like after nearly being killed." She shuddered, then mastered her revulsion and continued in an even tone, "You'll be able to completely ditch the bandages, now, if you careful." She eyed him sternly, and Zappy smiled wanly.

"Sure, whatever," he rasped, and Freedom growled.

"I'm serious! Do one stupid thing and I'll put you in a jacket so tight you'll never escape."

Zappy shifted and growled slightly. "Could you hurry up?" he complained.

"I'm done." Freedom shuffled back and stared moodily into the flames as Zappy arched and stretched his neck, glad to be rid of the itchy bandage.

"What's up?" he asked after making sure he was in perfect working order—frill could still raise, he could breathe fire and smoke, and his neck was as flexible as ever—for Freedom usually rose and slept with the sun.

She sighed. "I used to live nearby. With my family. I know every tree in this part of the forest."

"Really?" Zappy rasped, and leaned forward slightly, eager to learn more about his friend. "What happened?"

"Stormriders," the word was loaded with enough venom to kill ten dragons.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're a Sharpshooter."

"Moon!" Zappy said suddenly, realization dawning, "Flamer! Firelily! You want to—you're after—" His frill rose slightly as fear trickled through his body; he tensed, ready to defend his Stormrider friends.

But Freedom drew back in dismay. "No, no!" she cried. "I didn't mean it like that! I dislike Stormriders in general, but I got to know Flamer and Firelily through you, and we're buddies now. And Moon is the bravest dragon I've ever met—and you are, too, you idiot. Flying down to stop a wild dragon!" She cuffed him over the head with her wing and shot him an affectionate grin.

Zappy smiled slightly. "Thanks.

"But why didn't you join the Sharpshooters afterwards? How did you survive alone? I don't understand."

Freedom sighed and buried her snout in her wings.

When she finally looked up she avoided his gaze, staring at the trees wrapped in dancing firelight and black shadows. "I was only young. My first hunting expedition alone. When I got back our tree was burnt and everyone was dead. I flew to the Sharpshooters but they treated me like a freak—at least, when they were awake.

"I was disgusted with them and they hated me, so I flew away. Lived alone. Learned to fend for myself.

"I did go to the Misfits briefly, but they're a mixture of Stormriders and Sharpshooters, so I left pretty quickly. Darkfire was the only one who paid attention to me, really. He looked after me and showed me around. Took me under his wing, so to speak." She chuckled slightly, and Zappy eyed her curiously, wondering what the strange light in her eyes indicated.

"Well, I'm glad you appreciated my efforts," said a teasing voice behind them, and the two Sharpshooters whirled in alarm, taken by surprise.

Zappy was astonished to see a dark-green dragon perched on a sturdy tree-branch, looking absolutely exhausted.

"Hey, Zappy," he accused wearily, "why didn't you yell out you were chasing after Moon for real, when I told you Scallywag'd seen her?"

Zappy chuckled deep in his throat. "I couldn't," he rasped. "What're you doing here?"

"Coming with you, of course." Darkfire swayed and nearly fell out of the tree, wearily flaring his wings at the last moment before jumping out of the tree and angling for the ground. "I've been flying all day," he groaned as Zappy stared. "Need to find Moon, but need... sleep... more." His eyes shut and he curled immediately into a dark-green ball, snoring softly.

Zappy snorted and settled back down next to the fire, pretending not to notice the sad light in Freedom's gaze.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Slash landed wearily in the last tree of the forest, shivering against the bitter cold snow.

"Come on, Zappy," Darkfire called down encouragingly. "Don't give up now! (The girls aren't waiting, by the way)."

Zappy made no reply and huddled closer to the tree, exhausted and sore, then flicked his ears curiously as he spotted strange markings in the bark below. Spreading his translucent wings he glided down to a lower branch; observing the strange toughness of the tree-bark beneath his claws as he read.

Goodbye Zappy. Don't follow me anymore. I cannot be near you. Thanks for being my friend. Moon.

Zappy felt a flare of anger, and, although he knew Moon would probably never see it, scratched a reply underneath.

In your dreams. Face it, Moon, I'm not ditching you that easily. You can't run forever.

—Zappy

With new-foundstrength in his limbs, he unfurled his wings and took to the air once again.