Wings of Fire #1: Sahara's Destiny

Chapter 16

They were able to fly back to the mountain prisons without anyone noticing. By the time they got back, Zodiac was lying next to Vulcan. When she saw them, she went up to Lavender and stared at Hail.

"What happened?" she asked frantically.

Lavender gently laid the IceWing onto the floor and sighed.

"It was my fault." Lavender sniffled. "I hurt him."

Hail was breathing slowly, his chest rising and falling at a steady pace. His eyes were closed and his wings were stretched out. Zodiac looked at him from nose to tail and then at his melted scales. She shook her head and sighed.

"It's there anything you can do to help him?" Sahara asked.

Zodiac nodded. "For some reason, Queen Topaz always keeps some healing items used to cure RainWing venom. I don't know why, but she has it." She shot a glare at Lavender and leaped out, her figure barely visible in the night.

Every few times Hail exhaled, icy air could be seen. Sahara rubbed his wing in sympathy and she saw him smile. Lavender went over to Vulcan, who was fast asleep, and curled up with her head on her front talons. Sahara decided to also lay down beside Hail and began to doze. Her journey through the night had succeeded, and now she was ready for some sleep.

. . .

By the time she woke up, the sun had barely risen over the horizon. Small clouds dotted the yellow and blue sky and birds began to chorus from the nearby forests. Surprisingly, Zodiac hadn't returned yet. Maybe because she was mad at Lavender for what she did to Hail, even though it wasn't entirely her fault.

Vulcan was up and so was Lavender. Their tails were twined together as they looked down at Hail.

"Sahara." Hail croaked.

Sahara almost leaped out of her scales when she heard his now unrecognizable voice. She crouched next to him and he opened his eyes, only slightly, to look at her.

"The sun is coming up. I'll go back to being Topaz's loyal IceWing. That is, if nothing is done to stop me." He let out a heavy exhale and closed his eyes again.

What was she going to do to help Hail? Should she cast a protection spell for him? It seemed as if the sun were rising faster every minute Sahara sat and did nothing. She was beginning to panic, until she remembered the black pearl Catfish gave her. It could protect Hail from Topaz's spell. Sahara dug through her pouch until her talon clasped the round pearl. I need something to put the pearl in. I need a necklace, earring, or even a bracelet or armband. Somehow, she found a silver bracelet in her pouch that had a slot in the middle to put the pearl in.

The pearl clicked into place and she put it around Hail's right wrist. I hope it works like Catfish said it would. She hoped. When the sun started to climb over the mountains, Hail didn't seem to change. He just laid there resting. Finally, Sahara saw Zodiac flying back with a bowl of water in her talons and a piece of cloth over her shoulder. She landed inside and placed the bowl and cloth next to Hail.

"Where have you been?" Sahara snarled.

Zodiac sat down and sighed. "By the time I got to the palace, the queen had ran into me and asked me where I was going." she explained. "I told her I needed to heal some of the dragons and was going to go get some water. Topaz nodded but asked me if I could put it off until morning and free one of the guards that got wrapped in vines. I was so confused, but I didn't argue. Then when I was done with that, Seastar asked me to bring her fish and coral. The rest, however, is a long story. But basically, I was busy."