Wings of Fire: Owl's Rise

Chapter Four

      Owl and Fatechaser barreled out of the nest.

"We have to find a way out of here. Like, now." cried Fatechaser. Owl looked around frantically. Behind them, hundreds of dragons of all colors were winging toward them. They were gaining fast. "Try the river." shouted Owl. They dove downwards. "I know the river comes from outside, there has to be a way out from there!" They splashed underwater. It was almost impossible to see in the murk. They heard splashes from above as Seawings splashed in the water and lit up their glowing stripes. Owl and Fatechaser swam upstream. Owl saw a grate up ahead. Not goodnotgoodnotgood. She hooked her claws into the grate and pulled. She felt Fatechaser slide in beside her and start pulling, too. She felt the grate give a little, and pulled harder. She glanced at Fatechaser, who was pulling as hard as she could, her face filled with determination. She could see glowing stripes racing closer. She opened her wings and flapped as hard as she could. Fatechaser also started flapping. The water was turned into a torrent of waves and mud.

Suddenly, something grabbed her tail.

Owl whirled around with her teeth bared. A SeaWing had buried his claws in her tail, and he lunged toward her throat. Owl's lungs were begging for air now. She slashed her claws in a vicious arc, and his grip loosened. Owl shot for the surface, taking in huge gulps of air. Blood filled the water below her. I hope I didn't hurt him too badly. Owl thought. She dove back below and went back to Fatechaser, who then took her turn to get air. More SeaWings and a couple MudWings swarmed down upon her, talons grabbing from every direction. Owl was dragged away and down, down, down...

She fought and thrashed, whipping her long tail, feeling feathers being plucked and torn. Suddenly Fatechaser's face appeared, green eyes wide with worry. She grabbed Owl's talon, and Owl gave one last push. The dozens of talons fell away and Owl got to the surface once more. The river was filled with frothing water and Fatechaser disappeared in the fray. A dark red SkyWing lunged at her and Owl met him, shooting out of the water like a torpedo with claws bared. Owl used her weight to knock him off balance, spinning her tail and hitting him in the face. The SkyWing flew away and called for backup, and more dragons flew out of the river.

Owl sped away, into the trees. She heard wingbeats following in pursuit. She hid behind a leafy branch.

Suddenly a dark brown LeafWing shot out of the foliage behind her. Owl spun around, but not fast enough. The LeafWing raked her claws across Owl's side, making her cry out in pain. Owl half-fell, half-flew to the floor, running before she even hit the ground. Dragons burst from the trees around her, and Owl desperately swung her tail in an arc, making them stop in their tracks. She bared her teeth and snarled, hoping to scare them away. The dark red SkyWing lunged first, a blast of fire, singing Owl's wing feathers. He turned around, his throat glowing with fire ready to be released. Owl was prepared. He shot the flames from his mouth, and Owl deftly dodged, watching the fire shoot past her, and into a yellow HiveWing. His papery wings caught fire quickly and he began screaming, collapsing to the floor and rolling in the dirt. He scrambled into the bushes, his cries filling Owl's head.

Wait. Where is everyone? Owl looked around. "Fatechaser?" She swam to the edge, and dove underwater. The grate had been ripped open. Owl swam through, looking back to see humans bursting through big metal doors that dragons were brought through sometimes. That she was brought through. Hummingbird the Rainwing was with them. Looking back at the river, Owl saw the body of a SeaWing float to the surface, his throat torn open. I did that? Owl thought, feeling sick. Never mind. She was done here. She was going home, to the clouds.