Winglet: Tragedy

A Background-Check

The Talons of Peace. What kind of name was that?!

What did a handful of runaways think they could accomplish? What NightWing prophecy?

The Talons of Peace sounded like a joke. Seriously? Who came up with the idea that they could form a group of runaways and say they are trying to help the world?

A stupid dragon, that's who.

Kestrel growled. She had debated for quite a while whether to join them or not. Really, what harm could come to Kestrel while she was in a "peace" group? She had no where else to go and Kestrel could perhaps have help looking for her dragonet.

If she didn't get help, she would still look for her little dragonet. With or without the Talons of Peace's help.

But Kestrel had a feeling they would take any member they could get. Even a small dragonet.

Kestrel had spent the past week looking for her son. She had found nothing, not even any small talonprints. She was getting frustrated.

The small dragonet may have not made it. He was so weak and he had had the fire sucked out of him by his sister. At least his sister took after her mother: strong. But she was still a dragonet and she probably won't live, especially with Scarlet there.

It was nearing midnight and Kestrel crept through the forest, back to the spot where she had met the Talons of Peace. She was going to join them because, what harm could it do?

Kestrel walked into the clearing and sat in a nearby bush, waiting for a dragon to appear. She had a feeling the Talons were stupid enough to move into the clearing instead of hiding.

"I can see you, SkyWing. Come out," a voice called.

Kestrel snorted and moved into the clearing. A brown figure leaped out of the tree above her and held a throwing star to Kestrel's neck.

"Oh, it's you," the MudWing said, backing away. "My name is Asha. I'm the one you pinned to the ground. It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"I'm Kestrel," Kestrel growled. She scolded herself for not being fast enough to stop Asha from pointing her throwing star at Kestrel's neck.

"So why are you roaming the world? I saw you a few nights checking the river bank and forest by the river," Asha claimed as they began walking through the forest.

Smart, quick, nice, annoying MudWing!

"None of you business," Kestrel snapped.

"I have to do a background-check before we just let you in," Asha explained. "If you'd feel better, I'll tell you what my life was like. I joined the Talons because I hated my other life. I was the last born out of my siblings with my sister Cattail being the first. Cattail was supposed to be our bigwings and watch over us but she never did. She left us for quite some time. My brother, Clay, took over for a while and when Cattail returned, she let my brother lead the battle. She watched him die and did nothing about it. I was the emotional support for the group and I didn't mind that.

"But nine years of war changes a dragon. I was sick of watching dragons die, be tortured, and killed for a SandWing. I didn't want to kill anymore. I asked my siblings if they felt the same and they didn't. After Clay's death, everyone hated one another, blamed one another. I got beat a few times. After dealing with that, I left. I found Nautilus, the leader of the Talons of Peace, and I've been with them for a year now."

Kestrel stared into the forest. She couldn't look at Asha. Asha had gotten beat? She was quicker and smarter than Kestrel thought a MudWing would be. Clearly, Asha was doing her best to be optimistic. Why? Kestrel couldn't see why.

"Just so you know, MudWings don't do commanders or general or anything like that. Our bigwings, the eldest of a group of siblings, leads us and takes care of us," Asha said quietly.

They continued to walk. Kestrel didn't want to tell Asha her story but it seemed like she had to. Was it too late to turn back?

"I don't have to tell anyone your story and you don't have to tell anyone else. The reason we have this system is to keep everyone in check. At least one member who has been at the Talons for over a year and has been checked by Nautilus can background-check newcomers. Therefore, only I have to know. It's okay, you can tell me," Asha stated.

"Swear upon the good moons no one else hears this and you don't look like you pity me," Kestrel demanded.

"I swear upon all three moons no one else hears your story and I promise not to pity you or at least look like I do," Asha claimed.

"Okay... so I grew up without parents, they had died mysteriously. So the two dragons who train soldiers took me in and gave me shelter. I had to get my own food and water. Then Queen Scarlet murdered my lover, my two best friends and ordered me to kill my own dragonets. I know my daughter is dead because Scarlet killed my daughter herself. I pushed my son down the river, pretending I killed him. I know he's alive... maybe," Kestrel answered.

Asha was silent for a minute. Then she said, "So why are you here?"

Kestrel responded, "I don't want to go back. I can't. Everyone I cared about is gone and Scarlet has been trying to make my life miserable since I hatched. I was her servant for awhile before becoming a soldier."

"Three moons," Asha sighed. Kestrel gave her a look. "I'm not pitying you! But it's not that I hear a story like that every day!"