Wings of Fire • Dragon of Warriors [3]

Chapter Seven

"Hold on, wait!" Quickclaws hissed at the forest dragons as they prodded them. Their spears formed a menacing wall around them. His head whipped from side to side as he tried to figure out a way to escape. Spears faced him from the front, sides and behind. He and his friends were caught in the middle. Some dragons without spears began moving forward.

     In an attempt to take control of the situation, Quickclaws twisted his head to look at his friends. "Guys, don't do anything to startle them. And don't try to fly away. They could pierce our wings and then we'll be flightless."

     Rainwind nodded, glaring at one of the dragons. Thunderclap was trying to shield Lightningtail by pulling her to him and trying to keep her in the centre of their circle. Quickclaws thought that wasn't such a bad idea so he spread his wings a little to block the three of them from view.

     A dragon walked towards Quickclaws. She had no spear and was bigger than the others, with spiker branches on her head. They reminded Quickclaws of sharpened antlers. Are they antlers? He thought, then decided it wasn't important.

     "Ty firim ma aein dohr ax ja shah, draquen," growled the dragon. She bared her teeth, whistled sharply, and the dragons around her began to move.

     The spears forced them closer together. Rainwind squeaked as one of them poked her and Thunderclap snapped at one that got too close to his face. Lightningtail was looking at the sky as if she wanted to make a break for it but was uncertain if all of them could make it.

     Quickclaws tried to stay near them but one of the dragons used a spear to separate them. Rainwind hissed flames at one of the spears, but a dragon darted forward with a leather strap.

     It leaped on her neck and poked her arm with its quills as a distraction. It flared tiny wings and clung on. Rainwind then screamed in pain, falling to the ground as she violently began scratching her arm. Quickclaws stood still in horror.

     She was distracted enough to where the dragon could tie her mouth shut. Rainwind cried through the leather, screaming as she tried to slash her scales. More dragons came to hold her down and splashed water on her.

     "Rainwind!" Lightningtail cried she tried to run to her. A spear blocked her path, forcing her away. Thunderclap tried to stay near his sister but one of the forest dragons separated them. Lightningtail was pushed away so abruptly that she stumbled and nearly fell.

     "Lightning- guys! Where are they taking- ow!" Quickclaws was cut off when a spear knocked him on the head. He rubbed his skull.

     A forest dragon snarled at him, "Scinel!" and pushed his tail in his face. Quickclaws ducked away from the swipe but backed into more dragons. They swarmed over him and held him down as one tried to wrap a muzzle around his snout.

     His stomach was jabbed with a spear and Quickclaws stopped struggling in fear of being attacked like Rainwind was. His snout was bound. Quickclaws tried to turn around to look for Lightningtail but he saw that she had disappeared.

     Quickclaws' mind dissolved into panic. He forgot about the dragon's strange abilities and reared up, trying to throw them off.

     One of the forest dragons hissed at him and arched his tail at him. Quickclaws ducked it but soon more dragons joined in and he was pressed against a tree. The spears and quills came forward once more and he directed him away from the tree. They effectively herded him where they wanted him to go.

     Some dragons went forward to clear a path. Quickclaws was pushed forward into a gap between the brambles as the dragons led him away. Quickclaws had a flashback to the SeaWings. His heart sank. His ideas had put Lightningtail – and his friends – into danger once again.