Accustomed

== Note ==
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==Chapter One: The News==
Ledge huddled in her small cave, the dim torches sending a golden glow across her red and orange scales. She picked at her talons, waiting for the call of the General. She heard talon steps close by. Light talonsteps.
"Gust?" She called out softly, hesitantly. 
The steps got closer, and a skinny orange dragon entered the dimly lit cave. His scales were dull, and his brown eyes looked sad, as if he was preparing to announce bad news. 
Actually, that's probably exactly what he's here for. Ledge remarked. 
"Ledge," He started, dipping down his head, his dark red horns reflecting in the light. "Its about the General."
Ledge breathed in a sharp, worried breath.
"He says we need to advance as much ground as possible. The SeaWings are crafty, and they hide under the water." Gust finished.
Ledge exhaled. If anything happened to the General.... "What about the palace?" She questioned, interrupting her own thoughts. "Has it been located?"
Gust smirked, an obvious look of satisfaction of his narrow snout. "Of course. We leave tomorrow at dawn."
He slowly padded out the cave, leaving Ledge to rest. She went over to the ledge where she slept, and flopped down heavily. Thoughts crowded her mind, trying to get her to stay awake, but her blood ran cold as she thought of a chilling possibility. 
I'm not as fast or strong as I used to be. These conditions are having wear on my fighting ability. Last time I battled, I got a scar... that's never happened before. 
She absentmindedly fingered the large line that now ran across her neck. It was jagged, the result of an IceWings ferocious claws. She winced as her talon slid down near the base, where it had not fully healed.
Ledge sighed, and turned over, wrapping her wing over herself, and slowly drifting into an uneasy sleep.
==Chapter Two: The Departure==
Ledge awoke to a loud shout and frenzied wingbeats. She leaped off her ledge, battle instincts pumping adrenaline through her veins. She bolted out of the cave, down a tunnel, and into the sunlit air.
She blinked as the bright sky thrummed against her eyes, and opened them wide to see what was going on. The morning was misty and crisp, like after a frost. It was spring, and the first flowers were starting to bloom. She beat her wings slow, the large wings she had inherited from her dad proved to be useful in the heat of battle.  
To the right of her, she heard a roar, and saw an IceWing fighting a SkyWing. Beside the pair, there were three more fighting about five SkyWings. 
Quickly, she flapped up to the General. His ruby red scales were perfectly clean, and shining in the morning sun. "What-" She started, but he interrupted. 
"IceWing scouts. The guard at the entrance woke everyone."  
Ledge nodded, understanding. She turned back to the lone SkyWing fighting the other IceWing, and saw that he had killed him, the body lying below in a broken position, sitting in a blue-purple lake of blood. 
She heard a roar, this time of pain, and watched, horrified, as one of the still fighting SkyWings, thumped to the ground, his frozen wing shattering into a thousand tiny shards. He lifted his head, then put it back down, and closed his eyes, 
One of the others shreiked in pain at seeing her friend's body crumpled on the ground, unmoving. She let out a roar of fury, and right there, slaughtered all the remaining IceWings before they could even say 'Clearsight.' 
Ledge glanced at the General, and saw a smile spread across his snout. They landed next to the dragon, who was now sobbing beside her friends body. 
"Excuse me?" The General asked politely.  
The young dragon wiped away her tears and and got to a shaky attention. Her orange red scales were almost pink in some places, and her wings were a bright yellow color that hurt Ledge's eyes. 
"Yes, General." She stammered, nervous.  
'What is your name?" He asked politely. 
"Carmine, sir." Carmine replied. 
"Well, Carmine, " He smiled. "I saw what you did back there. You are a great fighter, even if just when emotional. I hereby promote you to a Captain." 
Carmine blinked, and replied "Um- Thank you very much sir." 
The General glanced at Ledge, and they flapped off to the middle of the SkyWing army, who had landed on a large plateau near the cave, Carmine following. 
The General stood on a rock near the middle and shouted out a small speech. "The IceWings have sent scouts here. It will not be long before they realize that they are gone, and send troops. We must head to the Sea Kingdom now." He paused for effect. "For Queen Scarlet!" 
A collective shout echoed through the valley around them "For Queen Scarlet!" 
They rose into the air as one great billowing cloud of red and orange, and flew southeast, toward the coast.  
==Chapter Three: The Preparation==
On the way, Ledge wondered what the Summer Palace would look like. 
Will it be made of jewels to plunder? Or maybe made of marble! I wonder if they have gold and diamonds embedded in the walls, to wedge out and steal. She grinned, imagining a talonful of diamonds. 
They say that an old SeaWing animus made it, before he killed everyone. That means it must be extra bejeweled. 
A large gust of wind knocked her off balance, and she glanced down to see that they were flying over the Mud Kingdom. She saw the General bank down and land outside a large brown structure. Ledge was confused for a moment, but remembered that they were allies.
Ahh. The MudWing palace. We must be attacking with them. 
Queen Moorhen emerged with her siblings, and, seeing the General, nodded toward one of her brothers, an olive green one, who scampered off, presumably to get troops.
"Ahh. Hello, General." She said in an earthy voice. "I see that the time has come." 
"Why yes your majesty, it has." The General replied smoothly.
Ledge tuned them out and studied the Queen. She was huge, towering over most of the SkyWings. Her earth brown scales were gleaming in the sun, matching the gems that shone on her head and ankles.
Overall, Ledge thought. She looks very skilled at fighting, and very strong. 
She was glad the MudWings were on her side. 
The sound of wingbeats approaching snapped her to alert, and she saw an army of about 200 or so MudWings heading their way. As they got closer, Ledge noticed that the olive one was in the lead.  
He must be a general of some sort. She thought, before almost dropping into a facetalon. Of course he's a general, stupid! He's Queen Moorhens brother.
He landed, followed by the others, and walked up to the Queen, kneeling before her.  
"Your majesty." He said in a nauseatingly oily, scowling tone. He seemed like the grumpy sibling.  
"The troops are ready."  
Queen Moorhen smiled halfheartedly. "Well... then I guess we leave now."  
She glanced wistfully at the troops before her, then bowed to them, which Ledge found odd. They bowed back, then leapt into the air as one.  
Ledge admired their unity as she too, took to the skies. She took her place with the other Captains, behind the General, and they flew toward the sea. 
==Chapter Four: The Attack==
Ledge smelled the sea before she saw it. It smelled like fish. Disgusting slimy fish. And salt, seaweed, and sand. But Ledge didn't notice those. She only noticed the horrible stinky fish smell.
The sun sparkled on the sea, and Ledge inhaled sharply, forgetting about the smell. The sea was beautiful!
The beaches were sandy, and had these cute little trees on them. The waves were turquoise and large, they looked fun to wade in. She spotted a little pod of dolphins jumping deeper out, and watched the graceful creatures leaping into the air.
Up ahead, there were a few islands that looked forested and nice to live on. Ledge's wings started to ache, they had been flying for hours, and the water looked so cool and refreshing.
She heard a blast of fire up ahead and spotted a rather tall island. It was heavily forested. Her instincts told her that this was the one. 
The troops landed slowly, quietly, and the Generals discussed a plan of action. Being the second in command, Ledge sidled up beside her father, and listened into their conversation. 
"A joint attack would leave them helpless." The General said. "I suggest setting things on fire, and throwing them in, and attacking that way."
"No!" The MudWing said angrily. "We need to do a show of force! Barge in their and slaughter Queen Coral."
Ledge thought that was a horrible idea, and stuck her snout in their conversation.
"I agree with the General." She said, and the two of them eventually convinced the stubborn dragon that their idea was best.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Content (Apollo 8756)
Category:Genre (Short Story)
Category:Genre (Romance)