Shifting Sands (A WOF Fanfiction)

Chapter Six- A New Threat

Orion
When is she going to return? I mean honestly, you'd think a professional assassin wouldn't take an entire day to execute a dragon with no friends, acquaintances or colleagues. No ties, he lives in the middle of nowhere, presumably, and has undergone no formal combat training. Easy pickings. Orion sighed and shook his head, keeping his eyes in the direction of the distant snowy forest. While he was waiting, he decided to go over his mission once again. The deep voice of his employer echoed in his mind, sending a small shudder down Orion's back. Find the child of that whore, Namib. The one that survived. Dispose of her. No one escapes my raids, after all. Can't have her running around thinking that she cheated death, now can we? 

He was so caught up in memories that his eyes almost didn't spot a lithe dragon with two pairs of wings gliding low over the hills, her wings tinted amber in the early morning sunrise. Almost.  Orion smirked and launched off of the roof he had been perched on, and angled his wings up slightly to catch the wind currents. Scorpion looked lost in thought, and he was hoping that he would catch her off guard. The Moonwing followed Scorpion through town, flitting around corners just far enough behind her to avoid detection. He unsheathed his dagger and turned a corner after watching her walk down a quiet street, and was immediately thrown against the adobe wall of a bar. She had a chakram to his throat in an instant, and he could feel the deadly blade cutting into his neck. The dagger was knocked out of his talons and landed hard against the cobbles with a clunk.

"I knew you were up to no good." Scorpion hissed at him, her snout twisted in a snarl. She pressed her weapon harder into his neck and he felt a small trickle of blood start to run. "So. Why were you following me? And this better be a good answer, or you might just get to be the first Moonwing whose blood is spilled in Sanctuary." Orion was silent for a moment, but then his mouth turned up in a mocking grin. 

"Wow, you still don't know, do you!? Oh Scorpion, you have more enemies than you even know, and trust me, Rattlesnake isn't even close to your biggest problem. Not. Even. Close." Orion leaned in close and whispered the last part in her ear, then leaned back and grinned, his eyes narrowed with a mischievous grin. Scorpion was silent for a moment, then her ears flattened and she growled at him. 

"Who? Who are you working for, you slimeball?" Orion was silent for a long moment, then smirked and cocked his head. 

"Molotov." Once he answered, Scorpion narrowed her eyes, and they stared at each other, tension thick enough to cut. Then Scorpion snarled and released the pressure on the chakram, freeing him, just like he had known she would. She kicked the dagger out of his reach and backed up, poisonous barb poised and ready if he lunged for it, keeping her eyes on him. 

"Well go tell 'Molotov' that I don't care who they send after me, I'm going to survive. I don't know who they are or why they've turned their sights on me, but I'm going to dispatch any cronies like you that they send after me. You're still alive because I want them to get the message, plus, I haven't even had breakfast yet, so I'm not really in the killing mood. Get out of my town, Orion. Now. I'll be watching for you, and next time, you won't be flying away." The Moonwing smirked and stood there for a few moments, tongue flicking in and out of his mouth, but then turned and disappeared back the way they had come. He ran down the street and launched into the pale blue sky, soaring in the direction of the Scorpion Den. 

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Orion made it to the Den in good time, as the sun was just past midday in the sky when he alighted onto a roof. Well. What now? I don't dare tell Molotov that I failed him... he would have a new Moonwing barb in his display by the end of the week. No... there must be a better way. But what? And then it clicked. He grinned and ducked down a couple of streets, heading to the East Side, where there was a notorious gambling den. The dragon he was looking for would be there, no doubt. Down a tunnel, through yet another alley, and into a sandy depression that rose slightly above the rest of the surrounding buildings, but was still accessible by climbing a rift in the earth. And there it was. 

The gambling pit was filled with heat, smoke and dragons, and as always, the faint smell of blood. He walked towards a fighting ring in the middle of the den and glanced over the side of a small arena, fenced off so that the surrounding dragons couldn't get inside, but could still watch the fight. It looked like the bet was dragon against dragon today, and it must have been brutal, by the look of the contestants. He dismissed them and wove through the crowd, sights set on a small, pale Sandwing, who was avidly watching the fight. He sauntered over to her and plopped himself on the bench beside her. She looked over at him and shied away slightly, but then turned her head and continued watching the dragons inside the arena fight. 

"Ah, Orion. Why are you here? I don't recall you enjoying the fights." Orion shifted his wings and accidentally bumped hers, and he saw her smirk curl downwards in disgust. "Hey, be careful!" She hissed at him. Orion ignored her and sighed. 

"I don't enjoy them. But I figured you would be here, Peccary, since you obviously do." Peccary was a fellow employee of his boss, and he didn't really know her that well. He did, however, know that she was quite young, although that was evident from her size, as well as her voice. She was a very pale Sandwing with a dark frill, and wings the same color. When she turned to look at him, he avoided her black eyes, and instead focused on her one snapped horn, which was about his eyeheight. 

"Fine, so what do you want? I'm about to win this fight, and I don't want a Moonwing hangin' around to wreck my reputation when I go to collect my winnings." She huffed. Orion rolled his eyes and handed her a letter that he'd written when he had arrived at the Scorpion Den. 

"I need this delivered to Lord Molotov, but I can't do it. I have to complete an assignment he gave me, and the trip would cost me precious time." 

"I see. So you want me to be your little messenger, because you're too scared to face Big Boss." She snickered. "Fine, whatever, I can do it. Just get out of here, stat." Orion nodded gratefully, choosing to ignore the scared comment. If he retaliated she wouldn't deliver the letter, he knew. Better to just get away while she was cooperating. As he walked away, he heard one of the dragons in the ring let out an anguished roar, and then a wave of shouting and cheering from the spectators. Disgusting dragons with their disgusting habits. He thought as he flew away, through the twisting streets of the Scorpion Den.


Okay, I am SO sorry that this chapter took so long! I fell out of it for awhile when Covid19 blew up, and honestly, I forgot about it. It was only about a month and a half ago when I remembered this and decided to continue with it. However, I'm a slow writer. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next will be coming along before too long, I promise! Remember, you can always submit OCs that you would enjoy seeing in here, however, if I can't fit them into the plot, they probably won't make it in, sadly. Okay, that's all for me. Have an amazing day, ya'll! :)