Wings of Fire: Calm Before the Storm

Note: this story takes place in the Pyrestorm AU, roughly after Escaping Peril.
== Prologue ==
Rain pelted down onto Ruby's tired wings. Her whole body felt sore and her muscles were growing tired. Her son sat atop the rocky outcrop he was put on by his grandmother, shivering in the cold mountain air. Peril had refused to lay a claw on him, and now, before she even knew what was happening, Ruby was challenging her own mother for the throne.
Sharp claws raked against Ruby's chest, snapping her into reality. She was tumbling through the air, claws locked with Scarlet. The two dragons slammed down onto the rocky mountains, Ruby wincing. Scarlet held her to the mountain, grinning wildly. Ruby kicked at her chest, knocking her off.
"RUBY! Stay still! Don't move a muscle!" Peril yelled, consumed by flames as she shot toward Ruby. Taken by surprise, Ruby jumped back as Peril hovered before her, the flames dying. Peril took a hold of Ruby's earring, squeezing it in her claws and watching the metal melt and the paper burn until it was gone.
Ruby's scales shifted to a brilliant orange as if hit by pure sunlight. Peril smiled and stepped back as Tourmaline's features revealed themselves before she went back to Cliff.
Tourmaline lunged at her mother, the two orange dragons twisting and clawing at each other in the air. Before she could draw any blood, pain shot through Tourmaline's wings as Scarlet tore through Tourmaline's wing membranes. Quickly, the orange princess was tumbling downwards through the air, towards the mountains below.
The princess hit the mountain with a deafening crack. Shaking with pain, she could only watch as Scarlet landed beside her, smiling smugly. Her twisted features contorted her smile into something truly stomach-churning. Malformed bone peeked out from her face. which seemed to ooze and churn with every movement she made.
Long, delicate claws wrapped around Tourmaline's throat, digging into her flesh. Scarlet cooed, "Well! How thrilling is this? After all this time, I finally get to reclaim my throne after you so rudely stole it from me. You put up a wonderful fight, my dear daughter."
Scarlet's claws gripped Tourmaline's horns, and with one brutal twist of her wrists, everything went dark.
=Part One: Approaching Storm=
==Chapter 1==
Pyrestorm couldn't remember why they were walking in the rainforest. While it was raining. And it was raining hard. Mud squelched under his uneven claws, making the most disgusting noise she had ever heard. Gross. So, SO gross.
Clearing their mind, Pyrestorm sighed, shaking a slick coat of mud off of their misshapen claws. They had to remember why they were out here, or else she would be stuck walking in circles for the rest of their lives. In fact, for the past hour, it felt like he was walking in circles. Didn't we already see that tree? And that rock? Didn't I?
Pyrestorm wrapped their claws around the pouch hanging from their neck gently, trying to keep it from getting wet. A fruitless effort, she noted, as their claws just let water and mud that stuck to their claws seep into the soft fabric that bound what was left of who he was in the pouch. Pyrestorm didn't like taking it off, and didn't know why. It was frustrating, not knowing what or who you are.
The dual colored dragon looked down at the mud again, repeating how gross it was in their own head. It's too warm out here. The rain's too cold. This is so gross. Didn't we already pass that rock? Where am I? SO GROSS.
Pyrestorm just wanted to go home at this point, even if they had no idea where home was. They had fragments of memories; an icy blue room, a hallway gilded with gold and marble; she had no idea where these places were. Do I even have a home? Where am I? I'm going to be stuck here forever, aren't I? 
A sharp pain hit Pyrestorm, and they slapped a paw to their neck. A mosquito? At this time? Was... Was that a mosquito? There are no bugs out... Even though it's a rainforest. Rainforests are gross and weird! I want to go home!
Pyrestorm's ears flicked, and they looked upwards. The clouds and rain were clearing, finally. What a relief... I'm so tired... When will the mud dry? It's so gross out... I want to sleep...
The dual-tone dragon sat down, before they collapsed, their eyelids heavy. The ground felt so nice to lie on... It wouldn't hurt to take a little nap, right? Sleep was approaching quickly, too. It would be hard to fight it. But the mud is so gross! I can't sleep! I have to remember!
Sleep is a horrible beast, Pyrestorm mused. It was getting harder and harder to fight how tired she was. The rainforest mocked him, trees above him shuddering, shaking with some kind of weight landing on them. Pyrestorm couldn't see anything there, though.
As sleep finally made a victim out of Pyrestorm, they could have sworn they saw eyes staring at them from the trees.
== Chapter 2 ==
Pyrestorm's claws scrabbled and scraped against the cold wood beneath them uselessly as they suddenly jolted awake. They felt as if there were a million pairs of eyes burning into their scales, judging every move he made. Pyrestorm had no idea where they were, and worse, there were two unfamiliar dragons sitting in front of him.
"The queen says we shouldn't keep it here. If it's the dragon Queen Scarlet is searching for, we're all dead if we keep it here in the rainforest," the black dragon muttered to the pink dragon by his side, twirling a ring of sharp metal in his claws skillfully.
"Oh, pffft, we can take her, easy! You can use your sharp spinny discs!" the pink dragon warbled, his pink scales somehow seemingly getting brighter. Pyrestorm covered their eyes, hissing.
"Jambu, Glory had SPECIFICALLY said to not fight her. We, unfortunately, don't have enough dragon-power to take her on at the moment, even if we do have the combined force of the RainWings and NightWings," barked the black dragon, shoving the disc towards Jambu, "and it woke up, so no use talking behind its back anymore."
Jambu poked the dual-toned dragon, and in return, he was swatted away with misshapen claws. Jambu smiled and said, "Hello! Are you alright after the darting? Queen Glory told us to be on our best guard for Queen Scarlet, and a few of the guards mistook you for a pure SkyWing. Surprise, you're not a pure SkyWing, and now we're wondering if you're the dragon Scarlet wants dead."
The night dragon stomped on Jambu's tail, snorting, "Jambu! Stop telling it classified information!"
"OH! I'm Jambu, by the way, and that's Deathbringer," Jambu continued. Deathbringer stomped on his tail again, and Jambu whipped towards him and hissed.
Pyrestorm hesitated, before sighing, "Um... Pyrestorm. I'm Pyrestorm."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, but tell me," Deathbringer started, twirling the disc in his claws, "why are you in the rainforest?"
Pyrestorm thought for a bit. They couldn't exactly remember. They knew he had the tendency to wander, but they had never went this far before. "I... Don't know. I have the tendency to wander. I'm quite sorry if I trespassed. Why do you wish to know?"
Deathbringer huffed, a flicker of flames passing his lips, "I'm sorry, but you might be being hunted. And if that's the case... You being here will endanger us all."
== Chapter 3 ==
Pyrestorm's mind was racing, What does he mean, "endanger us all"? We're not dangerous! We wouldn't hurt anyone!
"The queen requested you see her as soon as possible. A private hearing," Deathbringer said after a while, twirling a disc in his claws, "so come on. She needs to talk to you."
Pyrestorm stepped backward, her ears flattening. They shook their head, "I...I can't...we're..."
Deathbringer snorted, "You're what? Scared?"
"No! I," Pyrestorm hesitated. A fragment of something they couldn't remember appeared in their mind; a shattered image of an IceWing getting taken away by SkyWings. Before they could even think, Pyrestorm blurted, "I'm not afraid. I'm the bravest dragon ever!"
Deathbringer let out a hearty laugh, jokingly commenting, "I see. You still have to go to the queen. And her handsome and all-powerful NightWing bodyguard is going to escort you!"
"Deathbringer, this isn't..." Jambu said from behind the jet-black dragon, lifting a claw. The NightWing looked at him, letting out a puff of smoke with a single puff of air, before lowering it slightly, starbursts of orange and purple splattering across his scales as his ears pricked up, before fading away into the overpowering pink he kept his scales at all times, "Do you hear wingbeats, or am I just hearing things?"
"Probably just a group of RainWings. You, come with me," Deathbringer commented, before pointing the disc in his claws at Pyrestorm and turning tail. Pyrestorm hesitated, before following the dark dragon, hanging their head low.
The pavilion of the queen was large and covered in all sorts of colorful, strong-smelling flowers. In the middle of the large platform was a hut made of wood and leaves, inside being a hammock in which a large teal-green RainWing sat. She wore a flower crown and held herself in a way that screamed, "I'M THE QUEEN, BOW TO ME". Pyrestorm bowed her head, before peeking up at the imposing queen.
"So," the RainWing queen started, "you must be the dragon I've heard so much about. Queen Glory. And you are?"
"Um... Pyrestorm," the dual-toned dragon answered.
"I see. Why were you in the rainforest? You aren't in trouble. It's just that if you're the dragon the SkyWing queen is looking for, we have to know so we can take appropriate action," the RainWing said, dipping her head down to look at Pyrestorm. She's beautiful and regal, Pyrestorm thought.
"I must have been wandering again, your majesty... I have the tendency to do so," Pyrestorm admitted, "I meant no harm..."
"I see," the queen before them responded. Before she could utter another word, Jambu rushed in, scales tinged with white and lily green.
"Glory, we need to get out of here!" Jambu cried.
"What?! Why?!" the queen responded, jumping out of her hammock.
Jambu fanned his wings, responding urgently, "There's a fire! It's spreading quickly, and dragons are dying and--!"
And the trees exploded and burst into flames above them.
== Chapter 4 ==
Pyrestorm's ears were ringing as they came to. There was a white and lily-green dragon standing over them, shaking them by the shoulders. Pyrestorm sat up, wiping away purple blood dribbling down her snout.
"Pyrestorm! Thank the moons, you're finally awake! The SkyWings, they set off dragonflame cacti! Oh my moons, so many dragons are dead," the dragon cried, their ruff flaring out.
"Um... Sorry, but, who are you?" Pyrestorm asked, scooting away from the white RainWing.
"It's me, Jambu! Oh moons, oh moons... Nobody can find Glory, so many dragons are dying," he said, starting to ramble, tears running down his snout. In the distance, another explosion was set off. Pyrestorm's eyes adjusted to the brightness of the fires, seeing black dragons fighting with red dragons, mothers clutching their crying dragonets, and dead dragons strewn across the forest.
Pyrestorm held themselves up with shaking legs, nicks and wounds between his uneven scales oozing marbled purple blood. Their ears were still ringing, and their whole body ached. Deathbringer was nearby, Pyrestorm noted, standing guard and attacking any SkyWings that got too close. Pyrestorm thought, why is this happening? My whole body hurts. It's too warm. Where's the RainWing queen? Who are all these red dragons?
Jambu yelled over to Deathbringer, spreading his wings, "Deathbringer! Where's Pineapple?! We have to find him! Like, right now! Before it's too late!"
Deathbringer immediately nodded, running over and hovering in the air. Jambu took Pyrestorm by the forearm, desperately trying to bring them with him. Pyrestorm reluctantly took to the air, following the two dragons, dodging fighting dragons and explosions.
"There," Deathbringer said suddenly, pointing a single claw to a white RainWing collapsed on the ground. In response to this, Jambu swung around and landed next to the dragon, before a strangled sob escaped his snout. Pyrestorm and Deathbringer landed too as Jambu collapsed next to the curled up RainWing, splatters of blue tainting his white scales, shaking the dragon next to him.
"Deathbringer," he sobbed, "he isn't waking up!"
== Chapter 5 ==
Jambu's scales were splattered with shades of blue and gray as he let out a strangled sob, his wings falling to his sides. Deathbringer pushed aside Pyrestorm, putting his claws on the white dragon, suddenly shouting, "He's still breathing!"
After hearing this, starbursts of yellow and pink appeared on Jambu's ruff, before the blue and gray splattered across his scales was taken over by white and pale green. The dragon collapsed on the ground let out a cough, before turning his head up towards the white and black dragons standing over him, simply gasping, "Did we beat the SkyWings?"
Pyrestorm studied the dragon on the ground. He was thin, and he looked graceful. He stood up, a confused look plastered on his snout. Red blood the color of rubies drizzled from his snout as he wiped it away, twining his tail around Jambu's and putting a wing around Deathbringer. He wasn't much larger than the two dragons he embraced, but he towered over Pyrestorm, like a mountain looming over a simple tree.
"The SkyWings are still attacking," Deathbringer explained, Pineapple's expression souring, "and nobody can find the queen."
"Also, meet Pyrestorm! Say hello, Pyrestorm!" Jambu added, waving a wing towards Pyrestorm. Pyrestorm jumped back a bit at the sudden acknowledgement, having been enjoying not being the center of their attention. The dual toned dragon waved their misshapen claws, smiling awkwardly. How awkward, they thought, I wasn't expecting to have to introduce myself so early.
Nearby, another explosion was set off, and the four dragons had to brace themselves as to not be sent flying by the shock of the explosion. Pineapple's scales turned orange and purple, crouching down slightly. He exclaimed, "What was that?! How are they setting off explosions?!"
"Dragonflame cacti," Deathbringer responded, a flame flickering past his lips, "it explodes when it comes into contact with fire. They're using their fire against us."
"And what about them?" Pineapple gestured to Pyrestorm with a shaking wing, "What if they're with the SkyWings?"
"Doubtful, as they perfectly match the description of the number one, highest priority dragon Queen Scarlet wants dead currently. Down to the littlest detail."
From above, there was a roar, and Pyrestorm looked up to identify who roared, finding a red dragon diving down towards them. The SkyWing landed, flaring their wings and hissing, smoke billowing from their maw. They were covered in a dark grey, almost black armor, holding a spear under their arm.
"Nobody move a muscle," the SkyWing snarled, "or all four of you are dead."
== Chapter 6 ==
The SkyWing circled the four dragons, letting out a low hissing sound. Deathbringer hissed, his ears flattening, "Everyone move, now! He's about to breathe fire!"
"How can you-" Pyrestorm started, before a jetstream of red-hot fire blasted from their maw, nearly burning Pyrestorm's scales off as the flames missed them by a dragonet claw's width. Pyrestorm blinked, mumbling, "Oh. We see." 
The SkyWing soldier reared back, hissing again, this time looking at Jambu and Pineapple. Without a second thought, Pyrestorm leapt in front of them, fanning her wings as the SkyWing opened its mouth wide, flames building in the back of their throat. We have to protect them! Take me, not them! 
"I won't let you hurt them!" Pyrestorm yelled. His jaw snapped open, and a blast of reddish-orange mist escaped their throat, into the maw of the SkyWing. Red and orange tinted ice began to freeze over their snout and mouth, the soldier clawing at the ice, desperately trying to make it stop. A scream of pain was muffled by the ice building in the rusty red dragon's throat, and before they could lunge at Pyrestorm, they collapsed, orange ice freezing over their scales, dead. 
Pyrestorm looked backwards, to find the dark dragon that once stood next to him was escaping into the shadows, staring up at the sky, where SkyWings were descending. The RainWings were quickly shifting to match their surroundings, fleeing from a battle they couldn't win, just like the NightWing. 
SkyWings landed all around them. They all wore the same armor as the dead dragon lying on the ground, and held the same spears that they once did. The largest, a brown and red SkyWing covered in scars, snarled, "Put your talons where we can see them. We aren't afraid to kill you and take you to the queen dead."
"Uh, no, thank you. It wouldn't be very healthy if we were to die, we think." Pyrestorm said hesitantly, trying to slip away undetected. But they were surrounded, and that wouldn't be an option.
Pyrestorm opened their mouth wide, ready to attack. He felt talons on his scales, and suddenly, she was thrown to the ground, held there by what felt like a mountain. The last thing they felt was the cold metal of an armored tail slam against the back of their head, before everything went dark.
=Part Two: Frostbitten Flames=
==Chapter 7==
Pyrestorm hissed as they opened their eyes, wincing from the bright world around them. Cold metal clamped around their wrists and wings, a ring of steel around their neck. Pyrestorm shielded her eyes from the sun, squinting at their surroundings. Pillars. Pillars with dragons on them? Why are there dragons up here? Wait, up here?!
Pyrestorm looked down, gasping as he realized how high up they were. Worst of all, they couldn't jump away and fly; they would fall to their death. There was something down there, though. It looked like a sandy arena. Pyrestorm wasn't sure what it was for, but he had a terrible feeling about it.
Looking closer, Pyrestorm saw an odd dragon perched on a tree, wings spread wide and their jaw open, as if ready to attack. The dragon was beautiful; they had teal-green scales that shifted to red and black. Pyrestorm watched this dragon intently, waiting for it to move, but it never moved, not even once. How can any dragon stay so perfectly still?
Pyrestorm continued to watch the mysterious dragon. There was no movement at all. Pyrestorm flicked her tail, snorting. Okay, now it's just mocking us. Why won't they move?
"Hey!" A little voice from behind Pyrestorm chirped, making Pyrestorm jump, "Oh, sorry!"
Pyrestorm looked back to see a little red SkyWing hovering just above them, smiling from ear to ear. Pyrestorm furrowed their brow, flicking his tail again.
"Why do you keep looking at Grandma's art like that?" the little sky dragon asked as Pyrestorm turned his attention to the dragon again.
"How is that dragon staying so still? It's like they aren't even moving," Pyrestorm said after a minute. 
The sky dragon let out a giggle, before bursting into a roar of laughter. The little dragon finally calmed himself after what felt like an eternity, explaining simply, "Grandma's art can't move! She's not breathing anymore. Grandma put these weird metal sticks and knobs in her art so she can pose it any way she wants."
"That's horrible!" Pyrestorm cried, shocked to how calm the little SkyWing seemed.
"You are insane! Who even are you?!"
The little SkyWing's face fell, and he sat down on the pillar with them. After a moment of silence, the little dragon said, "I'm Cliff."
== Chapter 8 ==
Pyrestorm's eyes narrowed. They asked simply after a few moments, "The... Princess's son?"
"Mommy's missing..." Cliff said somberly, and Pyrestorm slapped a paw to her forehead. How could we have forgotten? The Queen's daughter died in a royal challenge against her. 
Category:Fanfictions
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Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)
Category:Content (FroyoTheRainwing)