Flight For Peace - On Hold

Chapter 7

I had found my name.

    It had all happened during one of my first training sessions with Altair. I was pinned beneath his body and his jaws were snapping at my neck. And then it hit me. Eir. My name was Eir. With sudden strength, I pushed my mentor off of me and cried out happily, "Eir!"

    Atair was stunned for a few seconds before he grinned, "So I take it you found your name?" But he didn't even need to ask.

    My soul had begun to sing and warmth rushed through my veins. I was beyond happy.

    Other dragons seemed to have realized that I had found my name. They came out and congratulated me. Andesite was quick to come over and complain, "I thought you liked the name we gave you? How could you!" And he quickly added, "But that doesn't mean we still won't call you Little Blue."

    I had glowered at them playfully before being told by Tidal to resume my training. Oh Reonar, how I hated training.

    Every training session meant I was closer to participating in the war. Every session meant I would be hurt and I would hurt Altair. Every training session was exhausting.

    I know that I will have to fight soon. Tidal monitors my progress every other day. Her yellow eyes gleam with anticipation during my recent sessions.

    Just as I was about to return to Altair to train, there is a roar from one of the scouts. He cries out, "The flight from the west is approaching! Their numbers are large and they have brought their leader with them!" Growls of alarm and anger ring around the camp and I cower close to my mentor.

    Tidal's eyes narrow as she hisses out, "Then we must attack them. They are clearly coming for us, so we must meet them first." She nods her head and orders, "Protectors must stay back and protect the camp. Everyone else is required to fight."

    This time there was no complaint from the sick. And it took me a moment until I realized that she did not assign me to stay back. My wings tremble and I feel my heart beating against my chest. Altair wraps a wing around my body in comfort as I lean against him for support. I knew the time was coming for me to be a part of the war, but this was too soon!

    And then the flight begins to take off. One by one, dragons fly into the air following the large form of Tidal. I'm in a daze as I push myself off of the ground with my wings. Flying is fun, yet this time it seems to be anything but. My legs shake as I soar behind the flight, Altair right behind me.

    All too soon the other flight meets ours and I almost drop from the sky. Their leader is larger than Tidal. His gray scales are covered in scars and burns and there are small holes in his wings.

    The roar for battle sounds from the two leaders and members of our fight zip to and fro. A dragon that I can only assume to be slightly older than me flies at me. Her white scales coated in dry blood.

    I look around for Altair, hoping to see him near me. But he is gone, entangled in a fight between two dragons that I have no chance against. As I turn back to the youngling, her body slams into mine. My jaws snap at her neck instinctually and I curse Reonar for my lack of claws. The older dragon claws my sides and bites into my flesh. Together we claw and bite, blood splattering onto out scales and we are falling. It takes all my effort to break away and regain my flight.

    I know I won't win, and I am grateful when Altair comes to my aid and kills her. But then again, why should I be grateful for the death of a life?

---

    There's another battle. Of course there's another battle. It's my third time fighting and I am no better than the last time.

    Dragons slash against my scales and tear into my flesh with their jaws. This time I am fighting on the ground. Two dragons that tower over me have engaged in a fight with me. Altair, like the other times, is nowhere in sight. This is my battle to fight.

    The smaller of the two leaps at me and we roll. My teeth dig into his stomach and warm blood flows into my mouth. The dragon cries out in pain as he bites at my neck and claws at my sides. Blood roars in my ears as I let my survival instincts take over. And then it happens. My jaws catch onto his flesh and I tear open his chest. The dragon cries out in agony and falls off my body. His friend roars in anger as he tries to attack me but a dragon from my flight comes to my rescue.

    I'm horrified as I stand frozen in the middle of the battle. My eyes are locked onto the dragon's body and tears fall down my cheeks as I watch his ragged breathing become nonexistent. I killed.

    The rest of the battle is a blur and somehow I arrive back at camp with the others from my flight. I'm in too much shock to recognize that Altair is missing. Too in shock to realize that everyone was staring at me. And then I come back to it as Granite asks, "Aren't you proud? You killed a dragon that was twice your age!"

    Was I proud? No. Never! And the blinding fury flows through me once more and this time I can't hold it back. "I am disgusted!" My voice echoes through the camp.

    The intimidating growl of Tidal roars from her throat, "Now now, don't be that way, Eir. You either must learn to love the battle or you will lose the war."

    The familiar chill rushes through my scales as icicles jut out of my back. There is a collective gasp from the dragons and I roar, "There should be no war to win! Why must we take away the beautiful lives of many just for power? Power! Power is nothing compared to the beauty of life!"

    Granite, who had approached me in my rage, spoke softly, "Think about what you're saying, Little Blue."

    But I know what I'm saying. "I don't want to fight anymore. I refuse."

    Tidal sneers at me, smoke emitting from her nostrils, "Do you want to die? Do you want to be exiled from here just so you can starve and be rejected from all other flights? Do you understand that exiled dragons bear a mark and are turned down?" She roars, "Either you will cooperate or you will be exiled!"

    Boiling water builds up in my throat and spits out as I respond, "I'll rather be exiled than live a life spoiled by war."

    "So be it."

    Dragons begin to stalk toward me. Their fork-like tongues flick against their muzzles and growls resonate in the air. Dragons I believed to be my friends have turned on me.

    Indra pounces at me first. Her claws rake my side and I screech in pain. Before any others can pounce on me as well, I fight back. My teeth dig into Indra's red scales and blood spurts out onto my face. Her flesh sizzles and burns as boiling water drips from my mouth. She screeches in pain. Her body thrashes and tries to throw me off of her, claws scraping against my scales.

    My heart is pounding as we wrestle with teeth and claws. Blood pools around our bodies and I can hear the worried cries from the flight.

    The water in my throat heats up even more than before. And with one final bite, Indra's fiery red body falls limp. Her green eyes cloud over with the loss of life. And once more, I have taken away a life.

    "No..." My voice mingles with the other cries of denial from the flight. "No no no..." My muscles ache and my wings tremble as I back away. I didn't... Not again, not again, not again... But her limp body and the cries of rage are not a part of my imagination.

    "Traitor!" Granite and Andesite yell together. Their bodies shake with rage and I want to laugh. I really do. They finally spoke at the same time. But now is not the time. There will never be a time for laughter again. How could I ever laugh again? They go to attack me with the rest of the flight, but I bolt. My wings flap vigorously and I take off into the sky. My souls cries out in sadness as I fly away from the flight I had once called home.

    The icicles on my back, now covered in blood, slowly recede back into my body. Tears fall from my eyes as I escape the flight below me.

    With one final glance back, I see that they are already mourning the loss of Tidal's daughter. The heir to their flight. And no matter how much I regret killing her, I know that it was her death that allowed me to escape.