Goshawk's Story

Armored Scavenger's fan-fict.
This is the story of Goshawk , from her first steps to leaving the Sky Kingdom. Her tragic quest to find peace in a war-torn world, and unlike her tribe-mates, she is not violent. Can a dragon who prefers peace survive in a world that is so deadly?
== Prologue ==
The night was chilly and snowy. Yet, for one dragon it was the best night of her life. It was hatching!
She had been waiting for such a long time. Oh, she hoped her new dragonet was going to be beautiful, strong, courageous. If only that would happen, then she could finally feel satisfied.
The large, crimson-red dragon laid by the fire. The fire crackled and small embers bounced onto the hard, cold floor of the great mountain. The entire place lit up in an orange glow, with the rocks making shadows on the wall around her. Deep in the heart of the cave, no snow could get to the egg, no wind, no dragon. She was alone with her egg, which moved more and more each passing minute. If only it would crack.
The giant dragon watched the egg constantly. So many thoughts were going through her head.
What kind of dragon will she become? What shall I name her? Will she be the best dragonet I ever had? Will she be better than the other ones?
Only time will tell. For now she was intent on when the egg would hatch. For the past few days she stayed in this cave. It was really tedious to keep watching the egg, and disappointing when nothing happened. It might have budged a bit, but it could have been her eyes paying tricks on her.
Then she saw it roll and knew it was almost time. The dragon was now lost in thought.
It seemed like yesterday when she first saw her egg. It was an extremely pleasant day. The sun was out and flying was a must for any SkyWing that morning. Then the egg came. It was an extremely regal shade of red. It felt great to have it in her talons, but then what happened later she could not bare to think of anymore.
The egg cracked. The dragon lost her train of thought and immediately looked at it, hopeful. The crack was small, but it was a start. The dragon quickly was at the egg, watching every single movement and new crack in awe. Then, a snout. Just like her own. Then a foot, a tail, the other foot, and then the rest.
She cried. Cried with tears of joy. She's so beautiful...my very own daughter. 
The dragonets amber eyes opened for the first time. It broke the giant dragon's heart. The dragonet was so small, so innocent. Brought into this new, adventurous world.
And they would live together, mother and daughter, for as long as they lived. No matter what they would love each other and live in the wonderful world they called Pyrrhia. I love you my little dragonet. Always.
=== Chapter 1: Goshawk ===
"Come on! Try and take me down!" yelled the big red SkyWing. He wore a golden chain around his neck, with a few drops of dried blood that appeared for like freckles. His eyes were amber, but darker, almost brown. The biggest dragon she had ever seen, almost like a giant. If his size was scary enough, his personality was a whole other type of terrifying.
"I'm trying. I'm trying." squeaked Goshawk. She always hated this day. Why will I ever need to know this? One time she asked this questions and she could have sworn that she almost lost her head, literally. The big dragon got so enraged that black smoke came out of his nostrils and his fire was so hot it could have burned her to crisp.
"Don't try. Do!" he said, his voice gradually getting more menacing. Of all the dragons in the entire wide world, he was her least favorite.
So Goshawk tried. With her claws outstretched, she went to scrape his face. It was a basic move she learned a while ago, but she never got the hang of using it in battle. The big dragon simply avoided her like it was nothing. Then, as she tried to lunged at him with her fire, he quickly went to the right and tackled her to the ground. They were quite high up.
The hard ground underneath her hurt. At one moment there was nothing between her and the earth, but then everything was aching. The big dragon was right on top of her, very displeased. He got up and hissed at her.
"Why! What is wrong with you?! Never, you never fight so sluggishly. You have to focus. Be prepared for the counter-attack! Three moons, dragonet, are you just that dumb?" He shot a blast of fire at her general area and she whimpered out of the way. It was always like this.
Of course, she never said anything back. Again she tried once, but the results were the same, she almost had a singed snout. The big dragon absolutely hated her. Yet Goshawk couldn't figured out how to fix everything. Each fight she thought it was going to get better. She tried new moves, one no dragon ever used, her own creative ones. It only resulted in failure, the worst kind. The kind where her teacher thought she lost her mind, or was acting like a dragonet.
The big dragon flew off again, having enough for one day. Goshawk was relieved. She had some time for herself, before tomorrow. Some days she trained so much that when she finished she barely had time to eat and go to bed. She was too tired and it was hard to hunt in the dark. Luckily she knew a place with great wild boar. The best.
The sun was beginning to set. It would be dark soon. Goshawk stretched her wings and flew into the cool, crisp evening sky. The mountains were so beautiful at this time of day. Soon the sky would get orange, making the mountains seem like the most precious of treasure.
After getting a boar to take with her home she stopped by the river. The river flowed rapidly as tons of fish swam in it. Goshawk admired it, the river was strong and fast. With no big dragon telling her she was doing things completely wrong and that she was the worst SkyWing in history. Goshawk was surprised to be a bit jealous, and a bit silly.
Goshawk left the river and went 'home.' It wasn't much. The small bed made out of leaves and wild grasses was the only home she knew for years. Alone, with the cold wind making her wish the small fire she made could last all night. She was not always alone, or at least that was what she was told. Either way, Goshawk wanted sleep. Tomorrow was another day. Too bad each day was basically the same. For once she wished things would change.
=== Chapter 2: A Little Trip ===
It was morning once again. Dim light shone through the clouds and it was a sign that today it was going to rain. The practice field would be muddy and rain would constantly pound on Goshawk, as if she wasn't getting pounded enough. The air was cold and foggy. Soon no dragon could see anything though the thick low level cloud.
Goshawk stretched in her bed and opened her eyes, surprised that see could see her teacher right on top of her. Goshawk had to take a moment to take this all in, but before she could, the big dragon growled. "Good Morning, Goshawk, it is time for your training." His voice was menacing and sent a shiver down her spine. Then the big dragon flew a little higher so that Goshawk could get up.
Hunger. Goshawk hadn't eaten since yesterday, and that boar she caught was very bony, lot enough meat. Goshawk wanted to find something she could devour quickly, but the big dragon probably would let her. From her experience, if she wanted something, most likely she wouldn't get it. With this, Goshawk got up from her slumber and flew with the big dragon to the training field.
The sky was now full of clouds, and then the sunlight could not get through. Rain began to drip on them as they flew rather quickly, waking Goshawk up. Then the rain unleashed its full power, and the storm began. Wind howled, trees swayed in return.
The field was a perfect place to fight. It was large, maybe large enough to fit the entire palace twice. There was beautiful green grass that shot out from the ground. Now it was going to be a muddy mess. From above, Goshawk noted that there were no trees in the field, but seem to make a rectangle around it. The dense forests was home to many of Goshawk's favorite prey, much better than the boar she had to eat by her 'home.' There was deer, moose, bear, and sometimes a scavenger, but rarely.
The field was right below them now. The big dragon turned around to face her, as if they were going to start training now. However, he did not come at her or tell Goshawk to start the fight. He beckoned her over. Goshawk complied, confused why he wanted her.
The big dragon watched her come closer. Then he said, "Do you want to see something?" A weird expression was on his face.
Goshawk, now a little suspicious, replied yes.
The two flew for what seemed like forever. They were going north, but why? Goshawk wondered what he wanted to show her. At least they weren't training, that she could be thankful for. A nervous feeling ran through her. She was worried what she was going to see, but more importantly, she was worried what was going to happen to her. Fearing for her life, she slowed down her flying and put space between her and her teacher. The big dragon seemed to notice, what Goshawk feared, but he didn't act, he only flew farther.
The rain stopped and the clouds continued to head south, soaking the land. Before long it would reach the swamps of the MudWings, and the rain-forest of the RainWings.
The fog came back. Below her, it seemed like an entire cloud just came down for a rest, making it hard to see. Yet, the big dragon knew where he was going. He began to descend as did Goshawk, whose wings where working overtime. The big dragon landed on the ground, but what was all around him halted Goshawk.
She stared at what was nest to him, and then the big picture. Dead dragons, bodies all around the site. There were SkyWings and IceWings, some still in fighting stances.
She looked around, then spun in the air to shoot a questioning look at her teacher.
"You see this Goshawk, this will be you."
=== Chapter 3: SkyWings ===
The arena was a wonderful place. The excitement, the food, the great audiences, and the queen! The favorite place for any SkyWing, even Goshawk.
It took her mind off things. She could be away from her teacher, the war, and all the badness and just be with her own kind. Like every time she attended, she sat in the seats not too far from the queen. It was the closest spot she could find before guards came pouring in. Occasionally they would move her further back, but she always found a way to sneak back. One time she got caught and probably would have lost her limb or something if she didn't get away in time. 
Whenever the Queen was on the balcony, Goshawk struggled to look at the arena match, trying desperately to see the Queen. But this was the first time she ever got so close, and got the best look of her queen. Posters and statues were nice, but never had she seen her queen in the flesh so perfectly.
Queen Scarlet was the perfect queen. She was strong, regal, beautiful, wealthy. The SkyWings were proud to have her, and Goshawk was proud that she was not from any other tribe, not even the NightWings!. The glint of treasure always caught her eye, which Goshawk used as an excuse for herself to look towards the balcony again.
No one dared challenge the queen, and no one has in forever. Goshawk wished she could be queen sometimes, but knew her fantasy could never come true. She was not related to the queen.
Goshawk never really knew her own mother. She had some faint memories of a warm, motherly figure when she was hatched, but those were vague. Yet, they made her feel better if something went wrong.
Someone cared about me at one point. Someone did.
Throughout her years she was raised by another SkyWing, who was sort of like her mother. Her name was long forgotten, but the memories were still there. On cold frosty nights someone kept her warm, kept her safe. Then one day she never was seen again. Everyone said she died in the war. Goshawk's trainer then entered her life. From then on Goshawk was basically on her own, learning how to be independent like she should be. 
Screams filled the arena, along with cheers, jeers, and shouts. The SkyWing champion won again. No surprise. Goshawk frowned that her daydreaming was broken. She took a peek at the queen. Scarlet was pleased at the sight of the dead SandWing. Goshawk forced her mood to change from annoyed to pleased as well.
Then Goshawk looked around, but secretly was searching for the queen. She looked her eyes on the scarlet scales and golden mail shining, then two eyes stared back. The Queen looked at her, sinister, but then a grin or something close to that. She pointed her head up in a regal way, eyes looking at Goshawk, then at the next match. Goshawk quickly turned around.
She LOOKED at ME! ME! 
She was loyal to her queen, her tribe, and for what they stand for. The free, high-flying spirits of the SkyWings. 
I must really stop all this moaning and groaning. I'm a SkyWing. I must learn to act like one. Maybe my trainer is right. I have to learn, I need to improve. And I will.
Goshawk took one last patronizing look at her ruler when talons grabbed her.
=== Chapter 4: Change of Heart ===
"What are you doing here?! You were supposed to meet with me to train again!" Her trainer was in his grouchy mood again. Goshawk thought that all SkyWings were naturally grouchy or annoyed all the time, but now she was thinking it was her who caused it, along with other uncooperative dragonets.
"Sorry, sir. I just wanted to watch a match or two, but I guess I lost track of time. Please, forgive me." Goshawk apologized for her behavior, something she had never done in her life to him. It took her trainer by surprise, mainly noticeable from his awkward response. 
"Well, er, don't do it again. We don't have time to lose, let's go!" Goshawk and her trainer flew together, closer than ever before. It made the trainer uncomfortable, but he didn't say anything the whole flight to the fields. He wasn't complaining, especially since his student was actually doing something without her lagging behind or wasting his time.
The fields were the same as the day before, and the year before. Mountains and forests stayed in their own personal space, and the clouds moved throughout the cold, blue sky, carried by the wind.
"Alright, today were will review this technique, then a few others, and finally a new one." 
For the rest of the day, Goshawk learned to quickly roll to the side if her opponent went for her, and how to attack from different angles. She knew she learned this sometime during the last year, but never really paid attention nor cared. She did not regret her terrible laziness or stubbornness, but looked forward to her learning everything again.
By evening, Goshawk had perfected dodging out of her trainer's way by rolling in flight and diving down. What was really interesting was that during one of the maneuvers, she actually attacked her trainer, biting him and clawing at his chest and snout. She stopped, thinking he was going to get mad. Instead, she got a different result.
"What are you doing. Don't stop. The enemy won't stop for you!" Her trainer yelled at her mistake.
It's good criticism. He's right, the other dragons won't give me any opportunities.
When the session ended, Goshawk was exhausted, and so was her trainer. For once she felt great, she felt really alive! She was missing out on this for years, and now her SkyWing blood finally had been given a chance to flow. 
"Not bad." Goshawk's trainer gave her the first compliment ever given to her. "Tomorrow you will try better."
Goshawk returned to her home. Night was upon her and so was sleep. It was a good day for her. A great day to be a SkyWing. She saw her queen and decided to become a real SkyWing. She would get better, for her and for her tribe. It took one day for her heart and mind to change, but this change would affect her forever. She went to sleep, hoping that it would be true.
=== Chapter 5 ===
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