The Sisters of Yin and Yang

Chapter 17: Bad Blood

Aquira perches in a dark tree looking over a white wall of mist. "You were right" she hisses under her breath.

"do you see her?" Ceder says gripping the bark a few branches below.

"No, just dark dragons... wait there she is!" Aquira stretches forward. She watches Seara flex her claws as they tie her paws to a branch overhanging a pool of boiling water. "they are tying her up."

Ceder steps nimbly onto another tree onto a branch overhanging the nest. He inches out to the end trying to get a better look. Aqura flicks her eyes around the nest trying to figure out a way to sneak in and out without being detected. Suddenly she hears a crack and turns back to ceder dangling on the edge of the branch.

"Ceder!" she exclaimes under her breath jumping over to him. Ceder grunts digging in his claws. Aquira reaches for him trying to pull him back up. Suddenly theres another crack behind her. The whole branch was about to go. "let me go, ill be ok, I got this." Ceder hisses. Aquira hesisates then quickly jumps to another branch just as Ceder tumbles to the ground. He changes his scales to blend into the bachground but keeps his wings folded to keep from attracting attention. Flying was noisy. Sure enough an ashy grey drake comes to investigate. He sniffs the branch and growls looking around. Ceder keeps still. Soon he pads off probably to warn his tribemates that there was a strange smell in the area. Aquira sees a wooden platform he could slip under to hide and connects her mind to his. "Ceder to your right, before he comes back with more"

Suddenly the drake returns tence head raised like he was listening.

"Don't move"

the drake turns his eyes upon her. They freeze eyes locked. He heard her. He raises his head and lets out an alarm call. Ceder reveals himself tackling him to the ground. "Aquira run!" he roars. She wasn't listening this time. Aquira flies down next to him ready to fight. They are quickly outnumbered. "that was foolish." Ceder hisses.

"I see that now."

***

Seara Hangs from the tree curling her tail to keep it out of the boiling water. She wrinkles her nose at the dragoness, who gives her a dark stare, waiting.

"I have felt my tribe ache from hunger for a long time." She says without taking her eyes off of seara. "watched our children hatch sickly or not at all. I want you to tell your tribe to stop."

"Im not death tribe" seara says showing her teeth.

The dragoness steps up to her turning her chin to force her to look her in her eyes. "are you not?" she bares her teeth looking into seara's bright blood red eyes. hers were purple, sunken in making her look older then she really was. Seara pulls her head away. "we see all young dragon, all your gifts and all your sins."

"Twilight" A drake's voice interrupts her. "we found two dragons trying to sneak into the nest."

Seara looks up. "Aquira..."

Twilight looks at Seara. "you are familiar with them. Perhaps looking into your friends eyes will help you decide. Thank you shade." She says to the grey drake. He helps tie them up next to her. Twilight studies Aquira's necklace. She grips it in her forpaw and snaps it off. "Foret tribe" she murmers. Suddenly the tribe chitters, uncertain. She hushes them with a wave of her paw.

Seara catches the eye of the dragoness from the cave watching them. Theres guilt in her eyes. the dragoness from the cave watches them guilt in her eyes. Cirras stares at her. the leader follows her gaze. "you know them?" she clicks to the black female. "I- they were kind to me" she says fearfully. she slaps her with the back of her paw. "What if we did not detect them! What if they had killed your sisters?! Ignorant fool!" "forgive me Twilight I didn't mean to disobey"