How to Find Your Fire

(WoF) Chapter 12: Captured

(The above picture is Ember who you will meet later in the chapter. Enjoy!)
-CamsterDragon

By Puffnut
Starscale's POV

Starscale and TidalClaws arrive at the Mudwing kingdom sooner than Starscale had expected. In fact, she was mostly lost in her own thoughts after having to say goodbye to Cicada and Nighthunter. She had never really liked Cicada but saying goodbye to Nighthunter almost gave her an emotional breakdown. His teary-eyed face and pleading eyes were just too much. She would never see him again...

She shakes her head and tries to focus. They were in Mudwing territory now and stray Mudwings could easily spot them since a Nightwing and a Nightwing/Seawing hybrid are not the best at blending in this time of day. Most Mudwings are too kind or too lazy to attack, but some especially vicious ones could. As Starscale sighs, she perks up her eyes, hearing a sound from below them. Quickly turning in midair, she blasts a fireball at the five approaching Mudwings, barely missing them. Of course, she never meant to actually hit one of them; the fireball was just a warning shot.

Startled, the Mudwings stop in midair. TidalClaws also stops and his eyes widen as he sees the approaching Mudwings. "Stay away. I won't miss a second time," Starscale growls. She felt strangely hostile; saying goodbye to Nighthunter must've shaken her up more than she first thought. When one of the Mudwings takes a step forward, she quickly determines the quickest looking Mudwing and shoots directly at him. Luckily, he darts away just in time and the Mudwings fly away. Starscale sighs in relief and turns to TidalClaws who has a bewildered expression on his face. Suddenly embarrassed, she ducks her head slightly. "Let's get out of here," she says. She zooms off ahead of TidalClaws and focusses firmly on the sky in front of her, feeling heat rise to her face and instantly feels confused. Do I have feelings for TidalClaws? She did think he was kinda cute and his eyes, they were so entrancing...

She shakes her head again and notices that they had skirted around Mudwing territory and were almost to the Skywings already. Once again, she is baffled at the speed they are going at. Sure, she had never flown far out of the Rainforest, but since TidalClaws was part Seawing, and she was only Nightwing, she expected to travel at a slower pace.

She reminds herself that once at the Skywing's territory, she would have to look for the Sanctuary, or she might miss it. Luckily, she doesn't think the Skywings were too hostile since Queen Ruby took over Scarlet's position.

Soon, Starscale notices that they have crossed over the border into Skywing territory. She can't help the sigh of relief that escapes her mouth and the way her tensed up shoulders relax. Suddenly, her ear perks up, hearing wing beats. She turns quickly, but not soon enough. Before she could blink, Skywing guards had surrounded her and TidalClaws. "Wait! We're just trying to get to the Sanctuary!" she shouts as they start to put chains on her. She is thoroughly confused at their hostile behavior.

"I guess you won't arrive then," says one of the guards, smirking.

Still confused, Starscale doesn't try and resist until it's too late. "Why are you doing this? Where are you taking us? What's happening?!" she frantically asks.

"Quiet!" says the guard. Starscale shuts her mouth, instead looking at TidalClaws. He has a scared look on his face and is glancing back and forth between the guards. The guards take them to the Skywings palace, which is much bigger than Queen Glory's. Despite the current situation, Starscale finds herself sightseeing. Inside is just as grand as the outside. The walls are adorned with beautiful gems of every color and the floor is made out pure marble blocks.

The guards lead them through the glamorous hallways to the throne room. Inside is another ornate room, except with a throne in the middle. On the throne is not Queen Scarlet. Instead, a small dark red and yellow Skywing sits, absentmindedly studying her claws. When the door to the throne room swings open, she looks up and instantly looks irritated. "Boil! How many times do I have to tell you? All captured prisoners go to the arena!"

Boil, who is the guard who told Starscale to be quiet, looks flustered. "With all respect, Queen Ember, you told me something else before..."

"I shouldn't have to tell you," interrupts Ember. "Now, take them away." At this point, she turns her eyes to them and looks surprised. "Wait, did you capture two hybrids?"

"Uh..." Boil looks at the dragons he had captured.

"She's not a hybrid," says TidalClaws, gesturing to Starscale.

"And you are?" asks Ember.

TidalClaws shifts nervously and Starscale can understand his dilemma. If he reveals he is a hybrid, things could spiral out of control pretty quickly. "He's also not a hybrid," Starscale easily lies.

Ember studies them for awhile. "Please," she finally scoffs. "I was just testing you. I know both of you are hybrids. Maybe you can finally prove to be competition for my Skywing, Seawing, and hybrid champions." She shoos them away. "Put them in cages, but I want them to compete tonight."

They start to be led away, but Starscale blurts out, "Where's Queen Ruby?"

Ember glares at her and Starscale withers slightly under her gaze. "I have... disposed of her. Remember, I am the Queen now." Then, with a flick of her tail, she says, "Dismissed." They captured dragons are led to a series of cages all in a line next to each other. Each dragon bears battle scars that cover their body like painful reminders of the dragons they had killed to stay alive. Some dragons lash out at them, a crazed look in their eyes, while others study them carefully as if assessing their strengths and weaknesses for the match to come. Starscale shivers and tries not to look at the desperate dragons. She hopes she won't turn out like them. Hopefully, she can escape before then...

TidalClaws and Starscale are shoved into cages next to each other. Adrenaline courses through Starscale's blood keeping her pacing around her cell until nightfall when they are let out of their cages and escorted to an arena type area with high walls on the sides and a chain mesh to prevent dragons from flying away. Around twenty-five other dragons are put into the huge arena, all on different sides. Unfortunately, Starscale and TidalClaws are put on opposite sides of the arena.

"Welcome fellow Skywings to this week's killing arena!" Ember's voice suddenly bellows over the microphone. "Today, we have a total of six hybrids among our contestants and all of our three champions! Remember, the last five to survive get to be free for a day! The others... well, they'll all be dead! Good Luck!" Then, the guards unchain all the participating dragons and chaos erupts. Starscale instantly rushes to TidalClaws but is caught by a Mudwing/Rainwing hybrid in midair. Desperately, she tries to shake him off. As claws rake down her sides, she roars in pain and shoots a fireball at the hybrid. It hits him square in the face and he goes down, clutching his face in his talons. Appalled, Starscale flies backwards. She had just hurt a dragon. An innocent dragon.

Turning quickly around, she flies around, trying to look for TidalClaws who had disappeared while she was distracted. Hovering above the chaos, she surveys the crowd of attacking dragons. So many are dead already; it made bile rise in her throat.

By the way that some are running away from certain dragons, she could guess that those were the champions. One of them is a Skywing with dark red scales and wings, so fark in fact that they look like blood and a diamond-shaped head. She also has an unusually long neck and tail with small rubies glittering from between the scales around her eyes. Another champion looks to be a four-part hybrid since she has Rainwing and Seawing scales, a Sandwing tail, and a large form like a Mudwing. Although she appears to be blind and is missing her front left foreleg, she fights with a ferocity that is unmatched. The final champion appears to be a Seawing, with dark blue scales and light blue webs and a turquoise underbelly. She seems never get hit, always avoiding the attacks thrown at her. Each of the champions seems to radiate power and a little bit of craziness. Starscale finds herself becoming fearful just by looking at them.

Suddenly, the four-part hybrid leaps into the air, heading straight for Starscale. Surprised, she has barely any time to react before the hybrid is upon her, clawing at her ferociously. Starscale tries breathing fire at the dragon, but it appears to have no effect on her. She must have fireproof scales. Starscale desperately tries to keep the crazed dragon off her, but slowly finds herself falling to the ground and gaining more scratches then she was dealing. The floor arrives much sooner than she had anticipated. Out of breath, she loses focus and gets slammed to the floor.

The champion growls, also breathing heavily; clearly, Starscale wasn't the easiest opponent she had faced. She opens her mouth, revealing long fangs that only belonged to the Rainwing tribe. This is where I die. Thinks Starscale sadly, and she closes her eyes, ready to accept her fate...