Wings of Fire • Dragon of Warriors [3]

Chapter Three

Quickclaws lifted his head now and again, feigning sleep as three other guards – including Speedscar – sat around him. They were to accompany a Hunting Thunder today, and they were just now waiting for the last few members to arrive. Quickclaws spent that time trying to stay awake.

     Why was he so tired? Because Speedscar had woken him up earlier than usual to fly to the bay to pick up some armour and spears. That, and he had had another dream. The only memory he had of it was Speedscar shaking him awake and growling at him not to destroy the nest. They had flown out after that and Quickclaws had been exhausted ever since.

     His head sagged with the weight of the helmet and he nearly toppled over. One of the nearby guards, as well as a hunter, chuckled at him and Speedscar mumbled that he could take his helmet off. Quickclaws did, gladly, the dull aluminum clanking as it touched the floor.

     His chest was also restricted by an aluminum breastplate. Only his chest, though, nothing else. It already limited his mobility enough and that was the reason why Quickclaws had refused anything else. He'd prefer to fly without it, but Speedscar had dangled the threat of SkyWings and SeaWings which had compelled Quickclaws to at least take the breastplate. He wasn't one to argue.

     So here he was, barely awake by the time his friends arrived. Lightningtail crossed the cave quickly and quietly and pushed her nose against his cheek.

     Quickclaws was so unaware of his surroundings that he flinched in alarm and raised his spear to a defensive position, nearly clocking Lightningtail in the snout with his jerky movements. She ducked just in time and the adults chuckled again, this time Speedscar laughing at Quickclaws' misfortune.

     "You nearly took off the princess' nose, kiddo," he rumbled.

     Snapping awake, Quickclaws blinked open his eyes, turning to see a sheepish-looking Lightningtail beside him.

     "Lightning- what the? - I'm so sorry!" Quickclaws apologized, dropping the spear and lifting a talon to examine her snout.

     "It's okay," Lightningtail replied in that smooth voice he wished he had in the morning. "I should have noticed you were so tired. How did you sleep?"

     Quickclaws was going to answer but Speedscar beat him to it: "He nearly tore the nest apart with his sleep-fighting again. After that, we came here, so there wasn't much sleep to begin with."

     "Ah," replied Lightningtail, seemingly unable to form a response. "Are you feeling well?" she asked, turning to Quickclaws, sending him a worried look.

     He raised both talons to shake them. "No, no, no, I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

     Lightningtail smiled. "It's just-" she lowered her voice "-I sort of get where you're coming from. When I had dreams from the Sun Chasers I didn't get much rest either."

     He blinked. "You think that's what it is?"

     Lightningtail shrugged. "I don't know. Do you remember anything about the dreams at all?"

     Quickclaws shook his head. "Only that-"

     "Hiya!" Rainwind cooed, slipping in - literally. She slipped in the cave, Thunderclap arriving with her. "Good morning! Like I wished to you and you guys didn't respond!"

     "Good morning," Lightningtail and Quickclaws replied.

     "Sorry," Lightningtail continued. "We were only talking."

     "About what?" Thunderclap chimed in, yawning and leaning on his twin. Lightningtail hunkered down and let herself be used as a mattress. Thunderclap mumbled his thanks and Lightningtail cooed back.