Bring the Fire

Part Three
Part One: The Dawn of the Tribes
Part Two: The Star Trail
== Prologue ==
"Run Sardonyx!" Almandine yelled after her sister. She whipped around, snapping their teeth at the mob of scavengers behind her. "You little scraps will never get her." she snarled.
The lead scavenger, silver armor lining its sleek body, raised its tiny sword over its head, hurling it at the dark red Skywing.
Almandine roared in fury as the metal slashed across her face, a long gash forming along her neck. She inhaled deeply, hissing emitting from her throat. Sparks flickered as her jaws snapped open, a torrent of golden flames washing over the battalion of scavengers.
A chorus of shrieking filled the air as the remaining scavengers charged at Almandine.
Almandine growled, running after Sardonyx. She caught up with the dark orange Skywing, the tiny bundle of cloth dangling from her jaws.
Her yellow eyes turned to Almandine. "What are you doing?" she yelped.
Almandine turned to her sister. "There are too many! And they're too strong! We need to save your dragonet! That's what's important!" she shouted over the hoard of scavengers behind them.
Sardonyx put on a burst of speed, extending her claws. Lunging forward, she snagged her claws into a large tree trunk, clambering up it as tiny shreds of bark drifted to the ground.
A blur of red continued to run past the tree, leading the scavengers with her.
Sardonyx watched as her sister led the scavengers over a ridge, disappearing.
She sighed in relief, looking down at the brown bundle of dirty cloth in her talons. She unwrapped it, revealing a tiny red dragonet.
She looked up at Sardonyx with sleepy green eyes, resting her head on her claws.
Sardonyx looked down at her for a moment. "We have to keep moving little one. Your aunt will meet us at Thunderfall Cliff." she said, wrapping the tiny dragonet back in the cloth. She slid down the tree, her claws landing silently in the grass.
She huffed anxiously as she heard the clamor of the scavenger legion. "I have to get her to Thunderfall Cliff. It's the only way to save her." she said as she began to run north, the cold air hissing in her ears. Her heart began to race as she heard the sound of the ocean waves lapping at the cliff face as she ran through the forest of the mountain range. She skidded to a stop, several shards of stones flying from under her claws and dropping into the murky waters below. She panted heavily, wheezing as her eyes searched for a place to hide the tiny red dragonet. She rested the sleeping dragonet in a thicket of grass on the side of the cliff, pulling over her.
The thump of footsteps emerged from the forest behind her, the howling wind drowning out the footsteps as the stopped, cornering Sardonyx on the cliff. It was a scavenger, a large metal helmet crowned on its head as it held a long, bloodstained sword in front of it.
Sardonyx snarled, her ears folding back as her eyes narrowed at the tiny pest. "Get away..." she whispered softly.
The scavenger gave a grunt, moving toward her slowly.
Sardonyx took a few steps back, stopping and looking back as she saw she was at the edge of the cliff, her talon mere inches from the edge. She gave a low, threatening growl, watching the scavenger intently. Her eyes turned to look at the grass thicket where her dragonet was hiding, widening when she was the bundle was visible.
The scavenger ran at her, plunging the blade of the sword into the joint of her right wing.
Sardonyx screamed as blood spurted from her wound as she whirled around to search for the scavenger as another sharp pain lit up in her chest. She looked down to see the scavenger with its sword in her chest, drawing it back out. Her legs grew weak, shaking as she began to slump to the ground, her right wing completely useless.
The scavenger lifted the sword into the air, slamming it across the Skywing's face and sending her stumbling backwards and slipping over the cliff.
She gave a loud scream as she dropped, her good wing flapping desperately as she plummeted into the ocean, its rock spires lining the shore.
Claws flashed out of the shadows, slicing the scavenger to pieces. Almandine emerged from the forest, pulling herself to the cliff to look for her sister. Her hope was lost when she saw the blood swirling in the dark water. She sighed, hanging her head.
A cry from the dragonet alerted her.
Her ears flicked up as she turned towards the wailing cry, pushing the tall grass out of the way. "Thank the moons you're safe, little one." she said, relieved, as she held the dragonet up. She turned back toward the cliff, her eyes studying the bloody clawmarks. "We have to get you south. The general will know what to do with you." she whispered as she held the dragonet close, lifting into the sky.
She drifted over the mountains, the swift wind blowing her off balance. She dropped lower as she saw the stone fortress of the Skywing general rising from the ground in the distance. Landing on the landing pad, she looked up at the large walls as she quickly ran inside. As she turned a corner, she came face to face with a large, pale red Skywing, her blue eyes looking at her with confusion.
Almandine dipped her head. "General Drought, I'm sorry to bother you at such an hour, but-"
"Is that a dragonet?" she asked, pointing a grey claw at the tiny red tail hanging out of the cloth.
"Please, allow me to finish." she said desperately. "This is my sister's dragonet. She was killed by scavengers and this dragonet now has no mother."
Drought eyed the brown cloth, then looking up at Almandine. "Let me see it."
Almandine gently passed the bundle to Drought, her talon shaking.
The general unwrapped the dragonet, its tiny head looking up at her. Drought smiled slightly. "I'll take her. She can stay here and I'll train her to become the next general."
"You would do that?" Almandine asked.
"Of course." Drought responded as she pulled the rest of the cloth from the dragonet and set her on her back. "After all, she reminds me a lot of my own daughter. She could pass off as mine."
Almandine heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, general. Take good care of her."
Drought dipped her snout slightly. "I will Almandine." she called after her as the red dragon disappeared into the night. She turned to look at the dragonet as she slid down her tail. "What should we call you, little one?" she cooed as she scooped her up in her wings, carrying her down a long passageway. She entered a room where a large ruby-red dragonet slept in a small basket.
Drought set her down next to him. "This will be your new sister, little one."
The dragonet looked up at her, his white underside shining in the darkness. He squeaked, resting his head back down.
Drought curled her tail around Sardonyx's dragonet. "I'll call you Garnet."
== Chapter One ==
Garnet lifted her head, searching around the dimly lit prison chamber. She puffed a curl of flame from her nose, the early morning mist snuffing it out. She pulled on her chains, hoping they'd give way, but they stayed put.
She sighed, sitting up. Her mind drifted to Sapphire, the Icewing leader. She shuddered as she visualized Galaxywatcher's claws ripping through her throat.
"Awake already?" Almandine's voice muttered.
Garnet turned to look at her, her dark amber eyes gazing at the old Skywing. "Yes." she said softly. She looked down at her claws as she heard her stomach growl.
Almandine shook the condensation from her dark red scales, sending water droplets across the cave floor. "Don't fret. They'll be in to feed us soon."
Garnet turned toward the exit of the cave, trying to pull herself toward the rocky opening. She grunted, flopping to the floor.
A roar from outside the cave signaled all of the prisoners to sit up.
A large golden dragon with a permanent scowl on his face came into the cave, two heavy buckets under his wings. He threw them to the ground, glaring at each one of them. "Eat up, you pathetic worms." she snarled as he left.
"Hey!" Garnet barked.
The dragon stopped, turning around and walking back into the cave. "What was that?" he growl.
"You can't treat us that way!" she announced. "It's inhumane."
The dragon gave a low, deep chuckle. "Inhumane, huh? Well, why don't you tall Brokentail how inhumane it is?"
Garnet bared her teeth at him. "Fine."
Almandine lifted to her feet. "If she goes, I go."
The golden dragon spat on the ground next to her. "Fine." he said as he undid their chains.
"Don't try and run." Almandine whispered. "They'd chase you down."
WIP
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Content (Queen Seaglass of the Seawings)