Wings of fire: The Scavengers of Pyrrhia

Chapter 4

(I need ideas!!! Please offer some!)  

During the dragonets' capture

Terrin sighed, pacing back and forth in his darkened small confinements. His red dragon captor tossed him into a small cage as soon as they arrived in the mountain, not bothering too much about him. To make matters worse, the dragon also placed a sheet of black cloth on top of the cage, preventing Terrin from seeing his surroundings, save it be the inside of the cell, thanks to the dim light that penetrated through the fabric. What they were going to do to him, Terrin didn't know, but it probably would involve him dying in a horrible way.

I have to get out of here, Terrin thought to himself. I'm not waiting here just to end up as a dragon's meal! Or anything else, for that matter!

The cage was suspended in the air twenty-five feet above the ground, probably so it wouldn't move if shaken too much by whoever was inside it. The bars were five inches apart, each one two inches wide. The cage was so well-built that it seemed that a human was its creator...a human, or a dragon who was intelligent enough to...

Stop thinking that! Terrin reminded himself, slapping his hand across the face. Dragons are stupid, mindless animals that destroy anything in their paths!

After chewing himself out, Terrin continued looking at the cage. He noticed one wall had two evenly-spaced hinges on one of its corners. The door, he figured. It was the only way out from what he could tell. The door was shut with a rope of sorts, it seemed. Nothing he couldn't solve with his knife.

Immediately, Terrin felt for his knife, but couldn't feel its grip. Looking down, he realized it was gone, its sheath remaining.

Must have fallen out on the way here, he thought grimly. Upon further inspection, Terrin noticed his pack and sword were also gone. The only thing he had were his clothes.

"Really?!" He shouted, clenching his fists together in frustration.

I'm doomed. Terrin said to himself, sitting himself on the cage floor. No way out, The boy convinced himself, tears welling up in his eyes. I'm going to die here, and no one will even know. Father will send a search for me, but they'll be too late. Levi will forget me when he gets older. I-

"Hello?" a faint female voice cried out. Terrin jumped at the sound. It sounded like another person!

"Is someone there?" Terrin called back, wondering if he just imagined the voice.

Pause. Then, "Yes! Where are you?"

"I'm in a covered cage!"

"So you're the one who the dragons just captured!" The person responded. "They got me a few weeks ago!"

"How many others are there?"

"Four, including me. The others are in a different cavern, assuming they aren't dead."

"Why did they cover my cage?" Terrin asked.

"They cover everyone's cage. I think they do so we can't plan any escape routes by seeing the outside of the cage. I was only able to tell you were in here because I heard the dragon walk in then exit."

"Is there any way out?" Terrin said, looking in the direction he thought the person was.

"Well, if there is, I haven't found it. But I just remember what my mother used to say to me."

"What did she say?"

"'Even a fortress has windows.'"

"What does that mean?" Terrin asked, confused.

"I think it means everything has a weak point. You just need to find it."

"That's it!" Terrin exclaimed, smiling.

"What?! What'd I say?!" The person said quickly. wondered.

"Is your cage hanging on a chain?"

"I think so...but, why?"

"If we can rock our cages enough, it might be able to pull the chains from off the ceiling!"

"That sounds like it won't work." The other human said uncertainly. "But I guess we don't have many options." 

"Okay. Here I go." Terrin said, backing up to the side of the cage. Then, running forward, he turned around and ran the other way, rocking the cage with a creak.

Minutes later, Terrin heard a loud snap as the chain was pulled out of the cave roof, plummeting Terrin and the cage down thirty feet.