Wings of Fire: A Turning of Stone [SNEAK PEEK!]

Sneak Peek!

Chapter 1: Decision

Cougar tapped his big talons on the hard cobblestone floor. Why do these meetings take so long? He thought. The Queen of the Gorge Wings sat next to him as she talked to the other Queens. The top of her head only met to his shoulders. Her name was Queen Terra-cotta. She loved him because of his size and his look. She thought he looked intimidating towards her subjects. Cougar only thought he looked weird, since Gorge Wings were the second smallest tribe on Odonata. He was one of the Lingerers, or the clan of Gorge Wings that evolved to live in the Jaws of Frost. The Gorge Wings had stronger legs and heavier bodies, besides the Pure-Bred that have thin and lithe bodies. He growled under his breath.

Cougar watched as the Queens talked to each other about the status of their own kingdoms. They each had a mug of a special tea, especially made from the inner roots of a Banana Yucca plant and sliced up dragon fruit. The Queen looked up at him and leaned her head on the side of his shoulder. Even though she acted kindly to him, he had always hated being with her. Ever since they took Cougar in, they made him a Lingerer; a dragon with fire in its veins. They never cared about his own feelings, they only kept him alive because he's the perfect weapon for war. He always knew that after the war, they'll through him out like another piece of Queen Terra-cotta's jewelry.

"Who are these dragonets, then?" Queen Badger, the Queen of the Cove Wings asked. She glanced around worryingly with her amber eyes. She had dark navy-blue underbelly, along with a storm gray underbelly. Glints of black scales covered her from head to tail. Her body was thin and angular, and she had a long snout. Cougar preferred her more as a Queen than his. Queen Terra-cotta had dark crimson scales, with a cream white underbelly. Veils of pale yellow layered over the crimson scales.

The Queen of the Clover Wings wriggled non-stop. Her name was Queen Flounder. She's not the brightest, but she cares about her subjects. She had small green scales, the color of crisp grass. Her underbelly is the color of washed-out lilac. Her face was a dirt brown, which made her stand out. She had a wide snout, and her eyes were big and round. Her huge ears were always pricked up.

"We have to find the dragonets soon...and fast," Queen Terra-cotta stated. Queen Flounder looked over at Queen Badger. "perhaps the egg deep in the ground may be a Cove Wing," she said, grinning. "That may be true." Queen Badger said. She suddenly smirked. "Maybe we're too late, and since your grumpy old bats you both took too long to find those dragonets! They can even be adults!" The other Queens gave her dirty looks. They all glared at each other for a couple of moments. "Maybe Cougar is in the prophecy," Queen Terra-cotta blurted out. "Who?" the other Queens asked at once. "He's sitting right next to me." Queen Terra-cotta stared up at him. Cougar gave eye contact for a moment, but he suddenly got embarrassed and stared at the floor. Queen Terra-cotta inhaled.

"Cougar's egg was found on one of the small islands in the Jaws of Frost. His father said that it was buried in the snow, and the only hut on the island was abandoned. It was burning, which must've given enough heat as a heatwave, which made Cougar develop the Flare Skin," she explained. Cougar looked up to see the other Queens in shock. "So, I was right!" Queen Badger exclaimed. She put her talons into a fist and raised it in the air in triumph. "They really are adults!" Queen Flounder looked over at her. "Oh hush, you only exaggerated," she said. Queen Badger looked over at her. She stuck out her tongue. "Can't you two focus!?" Queen Terra-cotta snarled. "We have more serious business to attend to!" The other Queens' faces turned solemn. "We must speak about our next battle," she said.

A short guard took out a map from a chest and placed it on the wood table. All the Timber Wings' forts were inked with a red star. The Palace of Wood was inked with a huge blue star. Cougar could hear Queen Flounder's leg thumping on the floor as she stared at the map. Queen Badger's brows were creased deeper than ever before. Queen Tera-cotta's eye narrowed. "Any ideas?" she asked. They both shook their heads. Queen Terra-cotta sighed.

"Perhaps we can attack the fort in the middle?" Queen Flounder blurted. "We would easily be ambushed from both sides if the other forts were notified," Queen Terra-cotta commented negatively with an annoyed tone in her voice. Her eyes brightened. "We can attack the one all the way to the right of the palace. We would only be ambushed from our left flank, and we could place soldiers to watch for escaping enemy soldiers. We do it at night, and we hide right under the walls. We would then dive-bomb and evade them in groups, slashing each throat. Once we make the general surrender, then we will take over the fort." As she said this, she marked with a quill and ink bottle of where the battalions will be stationed before attack. There was silence. Cougar broke it. "Why don't we spare the other soldiers' lives?" he asked. Queen Terra-cotta had her eyes locked on him for what seemed like a century, deep in thought. "We can do that," she said, her eyes unlocking from him. She looked over at the other Queens. "Get your own soldiers prepared," she said, her eyes darkening. "We depart at sundown."