Uncaged, Untamed, Unbroken

== Prologue: ==
2 years ago...
Starchaser flew through the darkness, the silver star scales under her wings flashing faintly in the light of the three full moons high overhead. Her mate, Diretail, was already at the place where she had left the egg. It should be silver by now, she thought, as she winged her way through the mountain peaks. Soon after, she saw a patch of shadow rise into the sky to meet her. "Starchaser! You made it after all! I've been sitting there for hours, worrying that you wouldn't be able to come, considering the last time you tried to sneak out, what with your mother and all..." Diretail was a mind-reader, but he had promised to stay out of Starchaser's head. He had purplish-black scales, with a dark, dark, green underbelly. His eyes were silvery, with a hint of dark green in them. 
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Starchaser asked, hearing a sharp cracking sound. The egg, which was indeed silver, had several starburst shaped cracks on the thin shell. Starchaser and Diretail watched the egg for what seemed like hours, although it was only a few minutes in actuality. CRACK CRACK CRACK. The egg shattered, revealing a tiny, green-black dragonet with gray underscales, and green-black wings. "He has your scales, Starchaser." Diretail said with a laugh. "Yes, but he has your wing shape, and your snout. Hey, look! He also has the mind-reading scales by his eyes!" Starchaser replied. "What should we call him?" "How about... Nightfall?" "That's perfect, Starchaser. Hello, Nightfall." Nightfall cooed softly, and looked up at the sound of Diretail's voice. That's when Diretail realized that something was wrong with their dragonet. 
"Something's wrong with Nightfall, Starchaser. Look at his eyes." There was a hazy film over Nightfall's eyes. "Nightfall's blind." Starchaser whispered, not wanting to believe it. "Maybe it's a joke." she said, waving her talon in front of his face. Nightfall reached his small talons toward the sound of Starchaser's voice, but pulled back when she stopped talking. Starchaser buried her face in her talons and began to cry. "And just when I thought that life would be perfect once I got away from Mother. But no, it's not. I-I had expected Nightfall to be just like any other NightWing. But he's not. He'll never know what we look like, and it's all my fault!" 
"It is not all your fault, Starchaser. You've been trying to have a dragonet with me for the last however many months, and we've finally got one. Oh, he may not be perfect, but he's still ours. And we're going to raise him. Together. Whatever it takes."`
== Chapter 1: ==
Darkness. That's all I can see, all I will ever see. My name is Nightfall. I'm a NightWing, a mind-reader and future seer, and I'm blind. I was born under three full moons, or so my parents told me. At this very second, I'm flying, flying towards a continent I've never seen and will never see, because I'm trapped, caged in darkness. My mother, Starchaser, always said, "It's not what you feel that counts. It's how you feel." 
So, flying. And feeling like I'm going to crash every second. Flying blind stinks. I swooped down, and felt water under my talons, heard the crashing and booming of the waves, and heard the startled barks of seals as they surfaced and saw me flying overhead. My wings ached. I never flew this long or this hard before. When I did fly, it was usually for a short distance, not flights that were several days long and made my wings feel like they were about to fall off. 
I sensed a landmass up ahead, and noticed that the air, instead of feeling crisp, cool, and smelling like salt, seemed to be sort of humid, dank, maybe even smoky. I swerved around something, feeling my right wing brush a gritty, hard surface. Probably rock. I swerved around several more things, all of them feeling the same, and landed on a hard surface, not so gracefully, with a thud. 
I listened, hearing the distant sound of something banging against metal, and hearing the cries of several birds. I heard talonsteps, but thought nothing of it, even as I turned towards the sound and felt something slam into me, knocking me to the ground. "Well, hello, trespasser." a voice, that was filled with venom, like I had done something to the speaker, said. "What are you doing here, on BloodWing territory?" "Huh? Wha-" I was barely able to get two words out before someone gripped my snout in their talons and hissed, "If you say anything more, you're dead." I nodded. 
"Good. You got the point." the voice said. "Let's bring the trespasser to camp. Then Bloodslayer can decide what to do with him. And whether he'll be... useful." the angry voice said. I didn't like the way he said useful, like I was someone's really old cranky grandma that no one wants around, or something. 
Rough talons hauled me to my feet, and I felt them holding my shoulders for some reason. Then I felt them clamping something on my ankles. The talons still held me, and it was kind of uncomfortable, so I shifted a little, and one of the dragons on my left elbowed me in the side. "Ow!" I said. 
"Shush!" the voice that told me be quiet before hissed, coming from my right. The dragons who stuck the things on my ankles came towards my snout with something else. Two grabbed my neck and pinned it to the ground, while another one clamped my jaws together, and another tied something onto my snout. The thing that they tied around my snout was rough and scratchy. It felt like rope. The two who were holding my neck clamped something heavy onto it, and clipped something onto the thing on my neck. 
I shuffled my talons, and heard something clanking. The things on my ankles were chains. The thing on my neck probably was, too. It didn't have the same scratchy, rough feeling like the thing on my snout did. I shook my neck to be sure. Sure enough, the thing on my neck made the same sound as the things on my ankles. "Let's move out, guys. We gotta be back at the camp by sundown, anyway." the mean voice said. There were talonsteps, then something that sounded like whispering off to my left. 
More talonsteps, and the feeling of something slamming into the back of my head, before everything dropped away. 
== Chapter 2: ==
I woke up to darkness and felt like I was falling, like usual. "Aaaahhh!" I yelled, before realizing that I was awake, and that I was not falling through the floor into a gigantic, never-ending obsidian-black abyss that closed as soon as I fell in, trapping me forever. That was a recurring nightmare of mine. I stood up, shakily, trying to get my bearings, and walked in circles, hearing something clanking, near my ankles. I noticed that my ankles felt heavy, like something was weighing them down. 'Chains.' I thought. The thing on my snout was gone, but the thing on my neck wasn't. 
I noticed that wherever I was stank like mildew, urine, and fear. A slight breeze came towards me, and brought the smell of wood smoke, roasted pigs, and the metallic smell of armor, weapons, and other tools towards me. I walked towards the direction that the breeze came from, and smacked into something that let out a clang when I hit it. I felt the thing, noticing that there were spaces in between, and put my talons on one, noticing it felt cold, and kind of rough, like was rusty. 'Bars' I thought. 
"Breakfast!" shouted a voice, rough and kind of scratchy, like the speaker needed to stop shouting so much. There was the creak of a door, and a kind of clanging sound as it hit the opposite wall. "Breakfast!" shouted the voice to my face. I winced because it was much more closer than before. The speaker thew something down on the floor, which clanged, before saying, "Eat up, you! You get to see the leader today!" 
I ate whatever it was, even though it tasted awful, gritty and mushy, with a flavor similar to someone's old socks that were left out in the sun for two months with rotten fish inside of them. "All right. I'll be back in a few moments, and we'll get you situated. 'Kay?" "Okay..." The same talons from before hauled me out the door, and I guess everyone started staring, because all conversation stopped. 
Finally, one voice said, "Hey, who's that?" "None of your business, Jackal." snarled the voice on the right. "All right, all right! Jeez, Drakon, you don't have to be so hostile!" "Shut it, Jackal." the voice, Drakon, said, before, saying "All right. Move on, move on. Back to business, everybody." The noise started up again, and the two voices led me onward. After several minutes of walking, Drakon told the other voice to go open the door. 
"All right. Listen, kid. You're gonna meet Bloodslayer, our leader, in a few moments. Do not say anything out of turn, or your head's gonna be flying into the sea before you can process it. 'Kay?" "Okay." "Now, go on. Make me proud!" he shouted. The other guard led me in, and told me to sit. After a few moments, a voice that seemed raspy, but strong said, "Well, so this is the trespasser I've heard so much about. Soooooo, what brings you here, NightWing?" 
== Chapter 3: ==
"Uh, well, um... I was just flying, um, and I accidently crashed into your territory, sir." I stuttered. "I couldn't really see where I was g-going, because I'm blind." "Ah. I seeee." Bloodslayer hissed, then growled, and roared so loud that it almost knocked me over. "GANGES, YOU SCAVENGER BRAINED IDIOT!!! GET IN HERE THIS INSTANT, OR ELSE I WILL STAB YOU IN A MILLION DIFFERENT PLACES!!!" There were talonsteps that had an extra squish-flap sound to them. SeaWing talons. "Seargent Ganges, reporting for duty, sir. What is it you need?" The speaker's voice was oily, slow, and just totally made me feel like I wanted to fall asleep. I'm pretty sure that Bloodslayer was glaring at the SeaWing. 
"Why, my seargent, didn't you tell me that this dragon was blind?" hissed Bloodslayer dangerously. "Um... well, none of us really, um, noticed that he was blind, Bloodslayer, sir." Ganges stuttered, sounding nervous, given the situation. "Ah. So you just stuck him in prison, not knowing that he was blind. Then you and Drakon have the nerve to bring him into my presence, after the prison guard reported that he woke screaming for apparently no reason, all the while not knowing that he was blind?" "Um... yes, sir." "Yes... you are dismissed, but stay outside the door, as I might need you in a few moments." 
"Yes, sir." Ganges left, and Bloodslayer said, "Well, young NightWing. I will send for Drakon in a few moments. He will escort you out, and fortunately for you, you will not have to spend another night in prison." "Sir, who are you all? Where am I?" "You are in the camp of the BloodWings, NightWing. I am Bloodslayer, the leader and founder." "Oh. Thanks." 
"So, you are no longer a prisoner. You will be treated as a guest, and, should you decide to stay, possibly a member. But, just to make it official: Welcome to the BloodWings." 
== Chapter 4: ==
"DRAKON!! GANGES!! GET IN HERE, BOTH OF YOU!!" Bloodslayer roared. There were talonsteps. Normal sounding ones, probably Drakon's, and the ones from before, with the extra squish-flap sound as they hit the floor. Ganges' talons. "Drakon. Take this NightWing to the buildings that we reserve for guests. But first, NightWing, come here." I stepped towards the sound of Bloodslayer's voice, unsure of what he wanted. 
"NightWing, I have placed a, ah, special order at the forges for you, and they're making it right now, so you should get it in a few hours. Drakon, please show our guest to his quarters." The dragon stepped forward, and put his talon on my shoulder, said, "Yes, Bloodslayer, sir." and steered me out the door. As we walked out, a scream, loud, piercing, and quite horrifying, tore through the air, and was abruptly cut off. "I'm guessing the boss was not happy with Seargent Ganges." Drakon mused thoughtfully. "Um." I said, not sure what to do. 
"So, I'm going to take you to the guest quarters, and you can wait there till whatever they're making at the forges is done. 'Kay?" "Okay." "Good." Drakon steered me to the right, and stopped after a couple of steps. "We're here." Drakon stepped away from me, and stepped towards something. I heard him hitting something with his talon, probably a door. 
"Yesss?" a voice hissed. "We have a guest, Ocotillo." "Ah. Yessss. The one the bossss tellsss me about. The NightWing." "Yes." "Come in, come in. Ol' Ocotillo isss alwayssss ready to ssserve guestsss." "Okay. Let us in, Ocotillo." Yessss. Will gladly do sssssoo." I think Ocotillo was a SandWing, but the way he pronounced his 's' and dragged them out? He gave me the creeps. 
"I'll come with you, NightWing, but I might not stay." Drakon said. "Okay." I replied. "Room Five-Ssssix." Ocotillo said, pushing the door open. Drakon led me inside, and sat me on something. "Um, what is this?" I asked. "A chair." Drakon replied. 
"Oh." I said. I heard Drakon walking away, and Ocotillo's creepy hissing voice outside the door. "Sssssooo, what doesss the bossss require of ol' Ocotillo'ssss ssservicesss?" "Just that you give him a room and board, don't ask him to pay you, 'cause he doesn't have anything on him, and that you seriously do not try to kill him while he's sleeping. That's all Bloodslayer wants. Besides, the smiths are making something at the forges for him, and it won't help him if he's dead, now, would it, Ocotillo?" 
"No, Sssir Drakon. It would not." "Good." I heard talonsteps, and then Ocotillo's voice hissing, "I will ssshow you out, Sssir Drakon?" "Thanks, Ocotillo. And, by the way, there's no need to call me Sir Drakon. Just Drakon will do." "Ah. Yesss... that will do, that will do, he sssaysss. Yesss..." Someone, I guess Ocotillo, started laughing like a drunken hyena, very loud, repetitive, and almost as creepy as his regular voice. "Hahahahahaha! Heehaha!" Then there was a thump, like he had fallen onto the floor, but he was still laughing in his horribly awful creepy way. 
I hate that dragon. I don't know what he looks like, and I'm not sure I want to, frankly. He's terrifying enough with his voice and his laugh. I'm not sure I want to know what he looks like. That dragon scares me. 
== Chapter 5: ==
I fell asleep, and woke up to a talon shaking me awake. "Your order issss ready, little NightWing." Ocotillo said. "Come with me." Ocotillo steered me out of the room, and I heard Drakon talking to another dragon. "Sssir Drakon. Your little friend isss here now." "Thank you, Ocotillo. Come, Nightfall." I stumbled in the direction of his voice, and Drakon led me out. 
"We're going to the forges, Nightfall. Just to let you know." "Okay." Drakon steered me to the left for several paces, then stopped. "We're here." He walked away from me for a few seconds, then came back and said, "Okay, it's ready." Drakon led me into an open space and I ended up smacking into something and a voice said, "Hey! Watch it!" "Sorry." I mumbled. 
Drakon continued leading me around things, then we stopped. "Hello, Nightfall." a voice said, sounding like the speaker drank too much. "Um, hi." I said, trying to smile, and probably coming across looking as happy as a beached whale because I was nervous. "We have your thing made and ready to go. Now, all you have to do is put it on." "What is it?" "Just a little, ah, I suppose you could say, technologically advanced glasses that allow you to see just like everyone else." "Um, okay." 
The speaker handed me something lightweight, which I noticed had two curving things on the end, and round things in the middle. I put it on, but it slipped off. "Oh. You have to put the ends over your horns, silly." "Oh." I did. "Now to fire it up! Sobek! Put on the filters!" the voice roared. "Right away, Vulcan!" 
I closed my eyes, even though I couldn't see anything anyway, because I was afraid of what would happen. I kept them closed, but noticed that there were shadows passing through my line of sight, even though my eyes were closed, which hadn't happened before. I opened my eyes slowly, and noticed that there were several dragons standing in front of me, as well as an anvil and a fire pit. I looked up, and saw that the forge was open to the sky. 
Then I realized I could see! "Three Moons!" I roared. "I can see! I can see! I can see!" 
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Content (VanquishedHydra4844)