How to Find Your Fire

(WoF) Chapter 28: Slaves

By Tidalclaws, Tidalclaws' PoV

"Oh cheer up Otter, you're going to love this," Queen Ember said with a merciless, toothy smile. Her dark red head swung back and forth between Tidalclaws and Otter, her eyes narrowed and burning with hatred and satisfaction. Her black claws scraped against the tile, and from her thoughts, Tidalclaws could tell how much she wanted them to be around their throats. Yet, as him and Otter were dragged down the long and overly embellished hallways, they had no way of escape, for their talons were cuffed and they were surrounded by guards.

When him and Otter had made their desperate escape from the rainforest, Tidalclaws had opened his portal and he didn't know why his first instinct was to come to the Skywing palace. All he knew was that it was the most stupid idea that had ever come into his mind. He had just escaped death, and now, he just magically teleported back into the Queen's deadly hands. He suddenly remembered Otter, and the one dragon that she ever actually cared about. I brought us back so that she could see her brother.

But then, the only dragon that Tidalclaws ever actually cared about came back to him, and it left him teary- eyed: Starscale. She's going to die! That giant insane dragons' going to kill her I won't be there to help her and I won't see her ever again and we won't ever have a future together... I won't ever be able to express how much love her, how I really feel about her.. A small whimper escaped his mouth and he almost cried out loud, but he pushed his feelings back down into his brain.

A sharp tug of the cuffs around Tidalclaws' talons told him that they were ordered to stop. He shook his head to clear his brain, and looked around. They were in a room that he swore that he had seen before. The roaring of dragons could be heard from thick walls and there was a door on one side. And that was when he realized where he was, and that Otter was no longer next to him. When he was lost in his thoughts, Tidalclaws had subconsciously let the guards drag him to the kill arena, and he had a terrifying idea about who he would have to face.

"Welcome, fellow dragons! Instead of today's kill ring, we have a little one on one duel. And hmmm... let's see. What's this little prize here? Oooh! And this one too! A little Oyster, and guess what, a little Starscale! Oh what fun!" The Queen laughed insanely through a microphone. Starscale? What's she doing here? How did she get here? Didn't the Queen say something about an animus? Maybe she used her little animus dragon to do this.. He growled to himself and looked down at his leather satchel. The rocks of the portal were still in there and he was relieved that at least he still had those.

"So, how would you like to see both these little traitors fight to the death? The winner and their helpless little friend here will live, both losers will die." Queen Ember snarled and was met with more roaring and cheering from the crowd. Tidalclaws could just imagine Ember, eyes shining with malicious excitement, her smile growing with each drop of blood shed. And Tidalclaws practically shook out of his own scales. He was fearing for himself, and for Starscale. He would fight for her, he would fight to the death if it were necessary.

And then there was Otter, and her little innocent brother. If he let Otter win, Oyster and Otter would be spared. But that would also mean that Tidalclaws and Starscale would die. Do I want to save myself and starscale? yes, I am going to win for us both. "Are you ready for your death, dirty little hybrid?" A Skywing guard hissed in his ear. As soon as the doors open was when Tidalclaws was totally aware that he was going to die. This dragon can one shot one dragon with ease and beat three dragons even if she were cornered. I'm going to most definitely die... so will Starscale.