Wings of Fire • Dragon of Warriors [3]

Chapter One

Part One – Search for a Friend

Dragon: Apprentice Guard Quickclaws of the SwiftScales

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Quickclaws had no idea what was going on. He'd had fights with Speedscar before, but none were ever like this.

     They'd both wanted different things in the beginning. Quickclaws had wanted to become a guard apprentice like Speedscar, while Speedscar himself had wanted to keep him away from the life of a soldier as much as possible. Afraid of upsetting him, Quickclaws complied.

     When Speedscar realized that Quickclaws still dreamed of becoming a soldier, he sat down with him and they both explained their sides of the story. They settled upon an agreement, where as long as Quickclaws listened to Speedscar (as if he would ever disobey him) he would be able to train under him. When he became old enough, Quickclaws enrolled in the academy and that was that. Life settled into a routine that Quickclaws loved and they didn't have another large hiccup in their relationship.

     What he meant by that was they settled things civilly.

     And that was not how Brisktail and Keeneye did.

     Both dragons stood in offensive positions, smoke rising from each dragon's nostrils. Words were angrily thrown around, aimed to cause pain. Quickclaws shifted his talons nervously as he had no choice but to watch.

     Brisktail glared at where Keeneye glowered in the shadows. "What about when I was discharged from the infirmary?" he shouted, "I told you that Albatrosswing said I shouldn't train until the scars closed, but you completely ignored that!"

     "I didn't listen because I didn't care: there's a difference," Keeneye retaliated, "As long as there is a possibility of attack from another tribe, I want you to be able to fight."

     "You can't possibly expect me to live like that for the rest of my life, can you?" Brisktail replied, his voice rising in dismay.

     Looking between his friend and his father, Quickclaws took a talonstep backwards slowly, shifting his weight. Before he could make up his mind on whether or not to step in, Keeneye snarled from his right.

     "I can. I'm your father and you better respect that!"

     Seeing Brisktail's face twisted in anger, Quickclaws decided he had to try one last time – for his friend's sake.

     "Why are you two fighting?" he asked, his voice failing him and coming out small and quiet. He hadn't meant that, but the look on Keeneye's face as the older dragon whipped to face him was enough to make anyone scared, so Quickclaws didn't mind anymore.

     "Stay out of this!" They roared in unison.

     Their exclamation and rage blasted in his face and Quickclaws recoiled as if he was struck by it. His eyes met Brisktail's and he saw the fury disappear for a moment. Quickclaws opened his mouth to try and tell him it was okay, but Brisktail's talons trembled and the dragon stepped back.

     Keeneye didn't seem like he was finished just yet. Quickclaws thought in alarm, No! Don't scare him more! But it was too late.

     "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Keeneye snarled, smoke rising from his nostrils. "I'm not done with you yet!"

     Taking another step forward slowly, Quickclaws' heart was burning internally as he tried to become a barrier between his friend and his father. Brisktail seemed unwilling to receive the help, eyes widening and ears pressing to the sides of his head.