Wings of fire: The Scavengers of Pyrrhia

Chapter 9

Just as Terrin expected, dragons soon began to fill the platteu. They were all red dragons for the most part, but a few sandy colored dragons were dotted here and there. They all talked pleasantly with each other, chatting with one another about various topics. A few dragons would give him a hungry look, and it reminded him that they were still predators, no matter if he could understand them

The crowd became a little quiet as a huge, muscular sand dragon flapped onto the hall. She had a cold glare that could've been chiseled into stone. She lurched her way next to the smaller throne in the front of the feasting hall and sat. The clusters of dragons continued their normal volume after a moment.

  A few minutes later, a red dragon swooped down into the hall. The crowd hushed completely as he cleared his throat.

"All hail her royal Majesty Queen Scarlet!" He bellowed loudly, stepping to the side. Behind him, a larger, sleeker red dragon fluttered onto the cliffside. Her scales were studded with ruby red gems, glistening in the sun. The crowd bowed at her, however most of the dragons seemed to do it out of fear rather than respect. She made her way to the tall throne, flying to the top of it.

"Thank you my wonderful subjects, as well as the SandWings whom have wished to pay their respects to me on this thrilling day." Scarlet began with a (warm?) smile. "As you all probably know, today is my hatching day."

"Do not worry, Scarlet." The large dragon on the other throne grumbled. "We all have heard heard you announce it each day for a month now."

Scarlet frowned and looked at her. "I would advise you show more respect to me in my kingdom, Burn." She said with a smooth, low voice. "I'll let you off this time, but say another comment like that and I may reconsider our alliance."

"Of course your highness." Burn muttered.

"As I was saying." Scarlet continued loudly. "Today marks the day I hatched from my egg into this world so many years ago. However, there is also another reason to celebrate." She grinned maliciously. "We captured a band of little dragonets who claim to be those of the NightWing Prophesy. Now isn't that thrilling?" She paused as soft whispers began to sweep over the dragons.

Scarlet slapped her tail against her throne a few times to quiet the crowd. "Now, I know there are some of you who believe this prophesy is true and they shall one day free Phyrria from war. But seeing as how I don't not care at all about that adorable little rhyme, I figured I use them for my own use. After all, finder's keepers."

She gestured to a cage above their heads that was held up by poles on either side of the clearing. "Inside that cage is one of the frauds, which Prospective Queen Burn shall take with her back home. Feel free to examine her. She's quite lovely actually." Scarlet flared her wings. "But not as pretty as I am of course." She boasted, posing regally.

Burn groaned quietly at that, but refrained from making any smart comments.

"The MudWing, SeaWing and NightWing impostors shall be part of today's thrilling entertainment." The queen announced. "I shall have them fight in the arena. Hopefully it will be full of blood and fun."

Terrin shuddered at that. blood and fun? He thought. How could anyone put those two together?

"And now." Scarlet announced, sitting up straight. "Let the celebration begin!"

Very slowly, the crowd began to mingle. Occasionally, a dragon would fly up to the cage above their heads and examine the small dragon inside, then fly back down and continue to talk to those next to them.

Suddenly, one dragon turned to face the table and rose a fist in the air, smashing it down on a goat thirty feet away from Terrin. Then they proceeded to pick up the mangled pile of flesh and swallowed it whole. "Mmm..." she said, tasting it. "Nothing like a nice goat to hit the spot."

Suddenly, there was a loud scream from the other table. Terrin turned to it to just in time see another dragon dropping one of the humans from Nixi's group into their mouth, followed by a disgusting crunch.

Terrin just stared at the dragon in horror. He only felt someone pulling on his arm almost ten seconds later. It was Nixi.

"We need to get out of here!" She cried. Terrin could see the terror in her eyes.

"How?" Terrin asked, his mind spinning. "There's dragons all around us!"

"We need a distraction." Nixi concluded. "One of us needs to distract all the dragons while the other two tires to climb down the table.

It would be suicide, and Terrin knew it. But if it was to save Nixi...he'd do it a thousand times over. He took a long breath, ready to volunteer--

"Nixi. I'll do it." A voice said behind him. Terrin spun around to see Nixibelle's father standing there.