The New Prophecy

Chapter 6

I huff as I land in the main entrance to the school. I could find no trace of Secretdawn any where outside, so maybe someone else will have better luck. Suddenly, an odd looking dragonet rounded the corner. She quickly backed us again after catching a glimpse of me, but what I saw was enough. Winter inwardly chuckles. Seriously? She shows up at the main entrance? I hear her whispering, but its too fast to make out. I round the corner and see her facing the other way. "Secretdawn", I say with a smirk. She tenses up and slowly turns around. I spread out my wings, mainly to look bigger, even if I am a bit larger than her. Her purple eyes flicker around, probably searching for a way out. "You try to leave and I'll freeze you." Of course, I'll only freeze her arm or back leg or something, painful and making her unable to leave, since Qibli seems so convinced that we need her. Her deep purple eyes widened at the mention of threat and she stayed still.

"Now. Where were you trying to go?" I ask. Maybe she had a good plan, and Winter could take it back to the others (mostly Moon) so that they could all go there. Secretdawn just stood there. Winter waited a dozen seconds, but when it was obvious she wasn't going to answer, I got annoyed. "Answer me, hybrid." I said impatiently, my words dripping with threat.

"The rainforest." She replies quietly, meekly. 

"Why?" 

"Because that's where the NightWings live." Oh. I guess that kinda makes sense, though the NightWings would be judgmental, harsh......well, like NightWings. Except Moon. She is not harsh or judgmental. My heart jumps a little as I let my thoughts wander to her. She is kind, curious, smart.....I snap out of my thoughts and back into reality. I have a task.

"Let's go." I say to her, nudging her forward. The group had agreed upon meeting in the snack cave again, and pride surges through me when I think of the looks on their faces. I get to be the one to find her. Secretdawn barely moved, obviously torn from wanting to try to run or wanting to follow him. "Move. Now." He said, making his voice as cold as possible. She immediately started moving forward, and followed in the directions he commanded. It felt good, to be honest. This is the way he wants his prisoners to behave around him. If he had any prisoners.

***************************

I need to follow them. Dawn told me to go back into my cave and stay there, to pretend I hadn't even been in on the plan.....and I trust her, of course I do. But... I saw. I peeked into the hall, and I saw who caught her...Winter. I quickly scurry out of my cave, not really thinking of what I'm about to do. My claws scratch against the cave floor, and I make a mental note to be quieter. Zero starts to quietly follow behind them at a safe distance, so that I can still see them, but far away enough that they won't think about me. I watch Winter as he pushes Dawn into the snack cave, where Moon, Qibli, Kinkajou, Peril and Turtle sit. "Found her." Winter's voice rings with smug pride as the others turn their gaze towards him and Dawn. Qibli looks slightly surprised, Moon looks...proud? Maybe joyful? Kinkajou is definitely happy and Turtle just looks relieved. I creep towards the cave to hear them better. "-and where was she?" Moon was asking. I couldn't quiet hear the beginning of her sentence, but now I don't have to strain to hear. "She was trying to leave for the NightWing village and I found her by the main entrance after searching outside...decently." Winter answered. I press my side against the wall outside the cave entrance. I couldn't risk peeking around the corner, because they might see me. "Well....we found her. We can't waste anymore time, so the rest of us have to go tell the dragonets we were going to while Winter watches her." I recognize Qibli's voice immediately. Everyone seems to agree, because I have to quickly run around a corner and out of the way as all of them but Winter and Secretdawn leave. As I try to creep back to my spot after making sure the coast is clear, I catch something Dawn was saying. "I don't see why you need me for this. You could all just leave me be." I have the gut feeling that deep inside, Dawn doesn't mean that. Surely she would rather have other dragonets to depend on? Although, they haven't looked too willing to give her choice, which would show trust. "Qibli wants you to come with us. He seems to be convinced we need you." Winter snorts after he speaks, implying that he didn't want her to come. 

"Well, it's not like I have much of a choice."

"No, you don't."

"But you need me willing." she replies.

"What? No we don't."

"Yes, you do. I could just say nothing or fly away when all of you are asleep. You need me to WANT to be there."

Winter huffs, and I can practically hear Dawn's pleased smile. Suddenly, realization strikes me. What am I going to do? Dawn will leave with them and I'll be stuck here, lonely again. I had a perfect world! It was all finally coming together. School, lots of scrolls, a friend that I can depend on. I never had a good family. Memories of father hitting me and mother screaming at me torment my dreams, and I remember going to live at Permafrost's house, but it still wasn't family. And it wasn't far enough away from my real family. So, when word of a school that accepted dragonets of all tribes, I signed up. But I was too late. I had to wait until a spot opened up and, lucky enough one did! It took no consideration to leave my circle 3 title behind. I know the 3rd Circle isn't horrible, but my parents expected much more. Plus, I have already passed my 7th hatching, so there is no changing it. My parents are both in the 2nd Circle, so to them, anything lower was bad. So I came here and worked so hard to make a good friend. I tried, but there was a pretty tight group that I couldn't squeeze into. That was Winter, Qibli, Moon, Turtle, Kinkajou and Perils group. Every dragon had simply already found their own friends. So, when Dawn came.... it was a chance. I took it, and earned a fantastic friend. And now, it's all crumbling, and I just get to sit here and do absolutely nothing about it, because there is nothing I can do. But...what if I can do something? Would I risk it? Maybe......I am knocked from my train of thoughts as I see the others start to come back. Again, Zero leaps out of sight. I need to be there. For Dawn. I need to be that kind of friend. I can't just let my perfect world crumble. A plan forms in my mind as the last of the group of dragonets enters the cave. It's a half-made, risky, not-really-expected-to-work plan, but I have to try. I burst into the snack cave, and, luckily, the only dragonets in here for free time are the ones I need to talk to.

"I'm going with you."