Seeing Tomorrow ~ Wings of Fire [AU]

Chapter Four - Believer

[Moonreader]
    Moon caught flashes of the volcano exploding in her head. She often saw them, as many dragons were afraid of the mountain of lava, but she always saw one reoccurring one, one that scared even her. Either she often ran into a dragon thinking of the volcano 24/7 or it wasn't only someone's mind, but a vision. She begged it wasn't a vision.
Maybe it was her own head, her own worries, her own nightmares. That sounded much better than a vision.
    Moon slithered across the ground, knowing where she last hid her prey. Her tongue slipped along her lips, hungry, starving. She hadn't eaten in days. Her third birthday was tomorrow, and her father told her to gain a little bit of weight beforehand so she'd look good for the tribe. It... didn't really work. Really all that happened was she wasn't as hungry for a couple of days. She hadn't eaten in three now, and her stomach was basically devouring itself.
    She pushed over a dead bush and reached for the bird in the hole. Three days ago. That's when she caught it.
She shook it, some feathers falling off and floating to the ground. It was the most majestic sight on the island. Sadly, it had to be from something dead. Something was gone in mere seconds.
    Moonreader picked feathers from her teeth as she walked away. She felt relieved, her body tolerating her for another day or so. Her legs still never worked properly, they always felt heavy and weak and sad. They also always hurt like crazy. Her left knee was specifically hurting her this afternoon. Her eyes also always ached, her lungs burned constantly and everything in her just felt awful.
    The sky was dark and intimidating, the volcano looking more menacing than normal.
    Moon didn't find it odd, though.
    She was expecting it.
    She had seen this day, in a vision. A dark red, scarred dragon will come up to her. Why? That was when the vision would always cut off. Moon didn't know if the dragon was there to harm or to help her. The fact that the vision cut off so soon didn't help her worries.
    She decided to avoid the spot they'd meet in; she'd take the long way home.
    But something caught her by surprise.
    Someone tapped her shoulder. Cold, hard claws at her scales. They had caught her by surprise because their mind was completely shielded. She hadn't thought about that in the vision, but now she was making the connection.
"Moonreader," said the mysterious, dark red dragoness. "Your father has sent me."
    Moon swung around, heart pounding, eyes wide. The dragon had a scale by her eye, same as Moon. Red scales lined her underwings and she looked... confident... and big. She looked much bigger in person than in her vision...
    Moon tried to keep calm, trying not to let her stance go soft. She, however, was terrified. How could the dragoness' mind be blocked? Why couldn't she read it? Why is this dragon so scarred? Why did her father sent them?
    "Did you hear me? Your father said you weren't deaf. In fact, he kept on going on about how awesome a dragonet you were. You aren't aware that your father loves you, are you?"
    "Father doesn't love me," Moonreader spat. "He tortures me with workouts, nearly allowing me to die. Father never sent you. What are you doing here?"
    "I already said, your father sent me," the dragon said. "Unfortunately, you can't see that I'm telling the truth. I'm sorry about that. I can't do anything about it. But trust me, I am your trainer. We are to head to Pyrrhia." She stalked around Moonreader, and Moon tightened. "I'm sorry, little dragonet. You don't know my name yet. I'm Hellcat, nice to meet you, Moon."
    "Show me Father has sent you," Moon ordered shakily. Her throat tightened with fear.
    "Fine." The dragon — Hellcat — spread one of her wings. Under it was a pouch, a pouch that held a scroll. Hellcat slipped the scroll from the bag and tossed it at Moon's talons. "There. Your father signed it. That's our agreement. I train you, he gives me something in return. I don't do things for free, you know."
    Moon took the scroll in her talons and unrolled it. There were instructions for what Hellcat would do (mainly train her) and then what Hellcat would get in return. On the scroll there were two signatures: Hellcat's and Morrowseer.
    "Have you not seen it in your father's mind?" Hellcat asked, a genuine question. "Oh, that's right. You don't tell anyone your secret. I'm sorry."
    Moon's heart pounded against her chest. How does this stranger know her secret? She told absolutely no one! Unless...
    This was unlikely, but Moon touched the scale nearest to her eye gently. "Is this..?"
    "Oh, mine's a tattoo," Hellcat said, touching hers as well. "I don't have natural reading abilities. I do have something else, but you'll have to wait and see what that is. Anyway, do you believe me now, little one?"
    Moon glanced at the scroll again. She had no choice. This was her fathers handwriting, his signature. She was supposed to go with this stranger of a dragon.
    "Yes."