How to Find Your Fire

(WoF) Chapter 31: Abandonment

By Puffnut
Starscale's POV

After the Red Death had announced her plans, Starscale felt a haziness come over her eyes. Not sure what was happening, she panicked and looked towards TidalClaws for help. That's when she saw Otter hit TidalClaws. Later, she realized Otter was just trying to get his attention, but at the moment, Starscale felt anger fill her like a bubbling pool of lava. Then, the Red Death commanded her to attack her friends, and, without thinking, she had started to advance on Otter. Next to her, she could sense Diamond stalking her, but her head was too filled with rage to recognize the danger she might be in. TidalClaws panicked and started to build the portal. Starscale, not realizing what he was doing, kept her glare glued on Otter until she was right next to him and saw what he was doing. "Wait, what are you guys doing?!" she shouted out frantically as they started to step into the portal. TidalClaws opened his mouth to respond, but then Otter pushed him in.

A bright light momentarily blinded Starscale and, by the time the flash was gone, Starscale's vision wasn't hazy anymore. "NOO!" Starscale shouted. She attempted to leap into the portal after them, but Diamond chose that moment to attack. The hybrid's claws dug into Starscale's shoulder, and she cried out in pain. She landed against the ground with a thud and barely managed to avoid Diamond's next slashing attacks. From the corner of her eye, she could see the portal disappear and with it, her chance of following TidalClaws. Now, snarling, she leaps to her feet and faces Diamond, feeling rage cloud her vision once more and make her see red. She hadn't even realized how much she liked TidalClaws until he was gone. Her usual friendly manner has disappeared, instead replaced by a vicious, deadly dragon out for revenge on anyone who had played a part in TidalClaws being taken from her.

With no warning, she attacks. Using fire, teeth, and claws, she unleashes a torrent of attacks on Diamond. Having no time to realize what is going on, Diamond can barely defend herself, and her blind eyes are open with fear. Starscale has never felt so angry at anyone, not even when she had lived in the Nightwing kingdom with no powers. At least then, she had her little cousin to keep her sane. Now... She stops and shakes her head, clearing the red from her vision.

"Sorry Diamond," she murmurs, abashed. "Not sure what came over me."

Diamond growls at her. "Why didn't you tell me you back-stabbing, no good Nightwing traitor?" She practically spat out the words. "I trusted you, and that's not something I do easily."

"And would have trusted me if I told you I was the Nightwing who fought you in the arena?!" Starscale counters with a growl.

Diamond tilts her head. "Fair point." Her ears perk suddenly, and she snarls again. "That Red Death thing is really messing with my head. I can hardly think straight."

Starscale perks her ears as well as she listened to the hum of the Red Death's calling. "I know. It's really weird." She decides to momentarily forget her anger at Diamond. "And, from the looks of it, she brought other really weird dragons along as well." Both her and Diamond stare at each other, as well as they can with Diamond being blind, and Starscale feels that they came to a silent agreement.

Diamond shows her pointy teeth in an attempt at a smile. "Let's go find this 'Red Death' and show her what we're made of!" Starscale roars in agreement and they soar off towards where the Red Death had landed.

The closer they come to the Red Death, the clearer Starscale's mind becomes, which is weird considering the closer they got, the stronger the call of the Red Death is. Instead, Starscale begins to realize how pointless the mission is when her true aim is to find TidalClaws, wherever he might be. Her wing beats became slower and slower until she finds herself hovering in place with Diamond zooming ahead of her. Once Diamond realizes Starscale isn't following her, she stops and flies back to her. "Come on! Why are you suddenly chicken?"