Dawn of the Wolf Dragons: Book one; A Dark Beginning (unedited version)

Chapter 14

If time flies by when you're having fun, does time slow down when you're bored?

That certainly was not the case. 

We barely left the camp! Then suddenly it was midnight again.  We had to set up an area in the middle of the jungle.

"I'm exhausted." Red moaned sleepily.

We all murmured an agreement. As we started setting up our bedding, I noticed Saber sitting by her self on the other side of the clearing. I stood up and padded over to her. "Why aren't you sitting with Cymry?" I asked.

"Same reason as why you aren't sitting with Quinn." She said, snorting.

"What!?" I yelped, unprepared and whipped my head around to make sure Quinn wasn't nearby.

"You love him, don't you?" She said.

"I-I what do you mean?" I said, breathing frantically.

"It's obvious." She saw the look of fear on my face. "To me, that is. You do right?"

"yes but-" I frowned. Quinn had been my friend forever but things have changed. I felt different now. There was a feeling hidden deep inside of me that has started to emerge since the ceremony.

"I don't want to sit with Cymry." She meowed.

"So you're embarrassed and don't want anyone to know you love her?" I asked.

"I just don't want to sleep by her. I want to be alone." she said, although it was clear that I was right by the look of hesitation on her face.

"But he loves Red doesn't he?" I asked.

"Red likes him but I feel as if she has someone at her home that she has a deeper bond with." She paused. "I don't know about Quinn though. He is tricky, that one. He seems to stray from side to side."

I looked down. I couldn't help but feel ashamed. I shouldn't have let myself do this. I thought. I knew there would be consequences. 

"Cymry's father hated me growing up. But now" She pointed at Cymry. "We are a family. With a daughter"

"What happened to him?" I asked, wondering if something bad happened to him.

"That is another story. " Saber said with a look of anger and desperate revenge. "My point is, people will surprise you sometimes. And you can surprise yourself."

I nodded, feeling better.

"Now, go away, I want my serenity" She purred.

She was right. She herself surprised me. The angry, hissing rebellious cat I used to know was now a playful yet understanding mother who has helped us significantly. So did Red. She used to be nervous and guilty but now, she has toughened herself up. I curled up in my nest, thinking about my friends and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

"Silence!" The King roared as he smashed his talons against the stone. "No more lies! I don't care why you did it! I just need to know where he is and where the egg is!"

"What are your intentions?" I cried furiously. 

"I will kill them. Kill them all. No more wolves or Wolf Dragons!" He spat.

"But that will affect the food chain and biodiversity! How do you expect prey to strive if the wolves don't eat the sick or wounded animals? Disease will spread! If wolves die out, other animals will too! What if we can't get anymore prey?" I exclaimed desperately.

The king shook his head. He leaned over and told me in a stern voice, "I don't care. If this will shake our kingdom then it needs to be stopped. The closest relative to dragons could turn against us. They could use their abilities to take control."

I protested and screamed all I could but it was too late. I was to be executed never to see my daughter.

I woke up to the sound of Quinn screaming. Then, he went silent. I raced over to where he stood. an eight foot tall viper with wings stood before him. It was an impossible blue with beautiful green specks. It's wings matched it's scales. Beautiful or not, I had to protect Quinn. No snake would stop me! I leaped in front of Quinn and bared my fangs. I shifted into dragon form. I was ready to kill. I braced myself for impact when I heard Quinn say something.

"Don't attack. That is a StarViper. You will die with one bite." He frowned. "Unless it's younger."

"Who you callin' it?" It-er they , hissed. "I am a male of the ssspeciessss and I was ssssimply practisssing!" He paused. "Prey shouldn't ssspeak back. Sssstay quiet, alright? I need to kill you now." He opened his mouth, revealing his massive three inch fangs. 

But before he struck, A large mass came flying and pummelled into him. "Sssserpico! I told you not to do that!" This was the mother. She was more than three times the size of him. "I musssst excuse my son. He has a habit of trying to eat people." She hissed, glaring at him.

Quinn and I just gaped, staring at her.

"I know, I know." she said. "this is an odd sssight. But I warn you, you should turn back and go wherever you came from. There are some viperssss who will kill anyone in their path."

"I'm afraid we have to go." Quinn said.

"Well then, be careful. I would sssstick to the river if I were you. There are logs floating by that you can hop acrossss if you're going downriver. There is ssssomething about that river though..." She paused, thinking. "I can't quite recall what it is. Best luck on your journey. We musssst get going now." She waved a wing. "Goodbye!"

As She left, Quinn told me, "They aren't usually that friendly"

I shrugged. "Helpful, at least." 

Cymry came over. "What the heck was that?

"Did I miss something?" Red asked.

We explained to them.

"So these Vipers... are they to be trusted?" Saber hissed.

"I believe so. Why else would they not eat us?" Quinn pointed out.

She nodded. "The river. We should go."

"I wanted to see the snakies too!" Kiko cried.

Skye patted her shoulder, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Will we get to hop on logs and surf down the river?" Kiko asked, excitedly.

We nodded.

"Great cause' I'm gonna show you guys my moves!"

It was nice to get a good laugh.

"The river it is then!" Red said.

"We should watch out though on the way. Kiko and Skye should stick to the middle." I said.

"Oh i'll be all right!" Kiko said. "I can turn into a fierce thing like you!" her body changed.

She was now a wolf.