Wings of Fire | The Half-Breed Tales

Chapter 4

Quill froze. He stared into the dragon's yellow- green eyes. They were the color of sunlight, peeking through the ocean's green depths. He sensed an aura of power—something even stronger than when he was near Queen Echo. The dragon loomed above him, her eyes inspecting him thoroughly. No one said a word.

Quill turned slowly to Sobek. Sobek stood frozen. His eyes flickered to meet Quill's, but moved to focus on the dragon in front of them.

"WHO IS THIS SCARY DRAGON LADY???!!!" Mango said angrily, red zigzagging through her wings. 

The dragon in front of them blinked, confusion written in the green depths of her eyes. "What?"

Sobek moved forward a little, raising his poisionous tail. His eyes glinted with danger, and he was scowling. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He demanded in a low, quiet, powerful voice.

The dragon backed up against the cave wall, her eyes showing that she was ready to defend herself. "I don't know what this place is, who you all are or what you're doing here, but I have no business with you." She growled.

"Who are you?" Quill tried, in a more friendly-gentle way. He could almost see himself shaking. He forced himself to stare the dragon in the eyes, trying not to cower in terror.

The dragon flared up, revealing purple and blue wings. "Why do you want to know?!" She snapped.

Sobek shuffled over, and stood protectively in front of Quill. "Back up," he murmured to Quill. Quill didn't hesitate. He backed down to stand beside Crimson, who tried to hide behind him.

Sobek stared at the mysterious dragon in a cold, passive way. "We won't harm you if you tell us your name. Or at least what tribe you belong to."

The dragon's eyes flashed with anger. "Why should I tell you that information, SandWing?" She hissed.

Mango piped up from behind Crimson. "Because we want to try and be friends?" She said hopefully.

Crimson stretched out her long neck to glare at Mango. "Be quiet, Mango!" She hissed.

The dragon snorted. 

Quill studied the dragon more carefully. The more he stared at her, the more he curious he felt about her. She kind of looked like the dragonet from his vision—only older and more frightening. 

The fire returned to her eyes. "It doesn't matter very much, but I guess I'll tell you so I don't have to hurt you all when you try to attack me... It's Leopard."

At the sound of the name, Quill felt a spark of curiosity run through him, excitement buzzing through his scales. At the same time, he felt a cold shudder of fear run through him.

"The half-breed?" Sobek questioned, interest coming into his tone.

Leopard regarded him coldly."What do you think bonehead," She said coldy.

"Whoa," Sobek held up his talons defensively, "There's no need to get all defensive on me."

Leopard narrowed her green eyes. "Maybe," She hissed, "If you weren't so nosy, I wouldn't be so defensive."

"Ooh Burn!" Crimson cried.

Quill smacked his forehead with the palm of his talon. Sometimes, he really wished Crimson knew how to keep her mouth shut.

"EVERYBODY CLEAR OUT!!!!!" 

Quill recognized the voice of Dragonet, an annoying dragon who announced everything for Queen Echo.

At that moment, a dark blue SeaWing thundered into the cave, pearls glinting on her scales, her eyes glinting with anger. "WHAT IN SCORCHING'S NAME IS GOING ON HERE?!" She bellowed, "I leave you all alone FOR A FEW HOURS, and you've already caused a fight!!"

Quill cringed. He hated being yelled at by Queen Echo. For some reason, she'd always despised him. He never truly knew why, so he just tried to ignore it as best as he could.

The dragon froze, turning as rigid and still as stone. The Queen's green eyes were narrowed as she inspected the intruder. "So," She said smoothly, "You're the half-breed everyone's been talking about."

Leopard looked up, her eyes narrowed. Her nostrils flared, and thin trails of smoke came curling out.

Quill started to edge away, and he had a sudden suspicion that this dragon was part SkyWing. Mostly due to the fact it was five seconds into a conversation and she was already angry. Was she even the real half-breed? Maybe the name was just changed to Leopard. He looked at "Leopard" more closely. Then he looked to the Queen. She seemed to be hiding something... something dangerous. 

"Uh..." Quill said slowly. "What's going on? I mean... Er..."

"Well, since you're here now," Queen Echo started, "We can't just let you fly off, dear Leopard."

"I think they know each other?" Mango said, her scales turning a bright pink color that reminded Quill of medicine.

"You don't say," Sobek said skeptically, swishing his tail back and forth, careful not to cut anyone. 

"Watch that tail, SandWing," the royal guard—one of the most annoying dragons in Scorching, Dragonet—hissed.

"Shut up, Dragonet!" Queen Echo snapped

"I have no business with you anymore, Echo!" Leopard snarled, her cyan tail lashing wildly.

"Oh, but you do, dear." Queen Echo said smoothly, with a malevolent smile.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa," Crimson yelped. "Why is the Queen here again?"

Quill glanced around nervously. There was no one talking—complete silence. The tension growing in the cave was making him nervous until Sobek spoke. "Alright, I'd like to know what's going on."

"I'm done here," Leopard snarled. "Obviously this wasn't a safe place to come to after being kidnapped." 

She opened her huge wings, and flew past the Queen and the guard. "Stop her," the Queen shouted, smashing her whip-thin tail on the guard's head.

The Queen disappeared into the hallway, her dark blue wings covering her as she ran out. 

"Strangely, I don't think Leopard is the bad guy here," said, watching the Queen fly out.

"Well, technically it would be bad gal in this case," Mango said, her scales turning a blinding neon pink.

"Whatever, Mango. No one asked you," Crimson snapped at her.

Mango flinched. "Sorry."

"I thought you guys were best friends," Sobek said.

"We are, duh," Crimson said in a 'what do you think' voice.

"Yeah," Mango said, "This is a private conversation."

"I'm going after her," Quill said suddenly, thinking back to his vision. The two dragons almost matched up perfectly!

He dashed in the direction of the Queen. He heard the others trample after him. Why are they following me? I barely know any of them, vice versa. 

"Wait up!" Sobek called angrily. "You can't go alone! You don't know what could happen! I never trusted your Queen anyway.... I don't know if that's offensive or not. Sorry. But you aren't going alone."

"YEAH," Mango yelled, "Wait, what, no.. Wait, I didn't agree to this!"

"Too late," Crimson said cheerfuly, "You agreed."

"NO WAIT I DIDN'T AGREE TO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Sobek caught up to Quill. "Look! I see the Queen!"

"Hurry! I see Leopard's silhouette!" Quill yelled. "I can't let her get away!"

Sobek turned to him, in a questioning gaze. "Let her get away? Do you know her?"

"No," he said. "But I have a feeling she knows who I am."