Flight For Peace - On Hold

Chapter 11

 "Wait, you're telling me that Marlyn is your brother?"

Ferox grins, "Yep."

"The same Marlyn that you always call old? We are talking about the same Marlyn, right? There's not another one that I don't know about?"

"Of course we are!" Ferox laughs, "Sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, I just thought it wouldn't shock you as much."

I'm about to respond when Charity's voice resonates throughout the camp, "Gather around, gather around!" Her voice is full of authority and the lightness that she usually gives off is replaced by anxiety.

Ferox and I look at each other briefly before we glide down from my den. Dragons upon dragons are gathering around the large tree where Charity is perched. Ferox and I push our way to Purity's side. And soon enough Ashen and Marlyn were here as well.

After a moment of silence, Charity speaks, "I know we said we would stay out of the war." At these words, muttering and shouts rang out around the camp. She lets out a thundering growl and everyone is brought into silence, "But the war is only getting worse. I fear that soon enough we will be mere victims of power-hungry flights."

My mind flashes back to the battles I partook in for the first time in a while. Blood, death, loss, screams. I shake. A gentle wing rests upon my back and I am pulled back to reality. Purity is looking at me with great understanding.

"I know that none of us want to kill." Charity's icy blue eyes scan the dragons below her. Soon enough, her gaze lacks on me as she states firmly, "None of us are murderers." I shiver and her eyes move on, "So we will try our best to stop this war without fighting."

"That's impossible!"

"Are you insane, we will just be slaughtered on the spot if we try to make treaties with other flights!"
Roars of outrage and cries of disagreement keep Charity from taking charge.

"Everyone!" A voice near me rises above the rest and I turn to look at Marlyn in shock, "We all know who is responsible for starting this war." They all quiet down as he continues, "Stone. And maybe he will be the key to ending it."

"It can't be that simple," I'm speaking without realizing it. Every eye is on me and my friends look at me anxiously. "My old flight was corrupt. None of them seemed to think of Stone as a role model anymore. To the majority of them, it was the joy in killing that kept them going. The sadistic nature that was nourished inside of them. Even if Stone is taken out of the picture, they will still kill and fight."

A silence weighs heavy on the camp until Ashen adds, "My old flight was corrupt as well. I agree that killing Stone, although it may put some dragons to rest, will not stop the war."

Charity seemed to have enough as she let out a deafening roar. The blood in my veins ran cold as I look up at our leader. "Unless you all want this meeting to become chaotic, you all must keep your mouth shut until I have given you permission to make a statement."

Then dragons began to raise their wings. Charity calls on one, who I think is called Eindor, "What if we send out scouts to help warn others of dangerous flights?"
Charity shakes her head, "They would still fight." She calls upon another dragon whom I have yet to learn his name.

The icy blue dragon suggests, "Maybe we need to join the war, rather than taking a peaceful approach?" His suggestion is met with outraged cries and he quickly adds, "I mean, I know none of us want to fight, but is there any other way to win?"
This seems to quiet them down. His words resonate in my head: is there any other way? I shuffle my wings as unease washes over me.

Charity seems hesitant to agree, but eventually she nods, "I fear that you may be correct, Alko. However, let us hope that it never comes to that."

A small lavender dragon raises her wing and as soon as Charity calls on her, she suggests, "Have we thought of recruiting other dragons yet?" At the confused look on our leader's face, she continues, "I was just thinking that there must be a lot of dragons that feel the same way as us. Maybe they just aren't as brave to stand up against their leaders as some are, or maybe they just didn't find us first. But I'm sure that if we send out dragons out, we will be able to outnumber the dragons that support the war."

The suggestion hangs in the air and I raise my wing. "I can back Alda up. At my old flight, there were dragons that did not seem to enjoy the war." The more I think about it, the better it sounds, "I'm sure that they would gladly leave their flight if they knew about ours!"

Charity, after much consideration, seems to agree, "This does seem like the best plan. But the only problem is, how will we recruit dragons from other flights without getting killed like flies?"

She calls on Marlyn, "It's a risk that we will have to take."

There are some growls of fear and anger from the dragons behind us and I can't help but feel fear swell inside my chest.

"Are you volunteering to be one of the recruiters?" Charity questioned the gray dragon.

"If it means having a chance to stopping this war, then yes. I am." Marlyn's chest puffs out and Ferox gives out a cry of shock. She's about to yell out but I quickly wrap one of my wings around her and quieted her down.

Charity's voice rings as she calls out, "Does anyone else volunteer to recruit?"

Is there any other way?

"I will!" The words flow out of my mouth and soon enough every dragon is looking at me,

"You're too young." Charity chides, "Not only is it too dangerous for a youngling, but no older dragons will want to follow you." Disappointment brings tears to my eyes.

And as tears fall from my yellow eyes, voices ring out:

"I will!"

"Count me in!"

"If it means bringing peace to our world, then of course!"

Hope flutters in my chest and soon enough it replaces the disappointment. Dragons are willing to risk their life for the greater good.

"All right, all right. Every dragon that has volunteered will stay after this meeting. There is just one more thing to cover. Our name." Our name? "Many flights don't have a name that they call themselves as. However, I do believe that if we want to stand out from the others, we need a name of our own."

Before she is able to call for suggestions, dragons are throwing them out.

"The Peacemakers!"

"What about the War stoppers?"

"Oh! We should be called the Winners!"

"How about the Dragon Warriors?"

Suggestions continue to be thrown out until Purity's airy voice rings out, "How about the Flight for Peace?"

Chatter and suggestions continued until Charity quiets everyone down. "Say that again Purity," Interest coats her voice.

"Flight for Peace, you know, like fight for peace? It's a play on words. I mean, it's okay if it's a terrible suggestion I was just... I... Um..." She lets out a nervous chuckle.

But then roars of agreement echo in the air as dragons cry out, "Flight for Peace!"

Soon after, Charity dismisses everyone but the recruiters. I notice Ferox's drooping wings and watery eyes and all I can do is whisper that everyone will be okay.