The Legend of Melody Spring

==The Legend of Melody Spring==
King Breeze beckoned all his grandchildren forward. Princess Rose, in particular, couldn't stop her tail from twitching. She always loved his stories. "This is an old legend in our tribe, told to me by my father, who was told by his father, by his mother, by her father, by his mother, and all the way back to the greatest Queen of the SkyWings. This is the Legend of Queen Freerider and Melody Spring." he began.
I dove in and out of the clouds, escaping my pursuers with ease. I heard the leader of the band call to the others. "It's no use now, she's escaped. If you buffoons had tied up her wings like-" "There boss, I see her!" I cursed, wishing my glimmering ruby scales weren't as vivid. Now the Nightwings following me, they were pretty obvious, at least, in broad daylight like this."AFTER HER!" I pounded my wings harder. They'd proved harder to lose than I thought, and I was already tired after evading a group of SkyWings, all looking for the outlaw. It wasn't my fault I was faster than everyone else and won! It wasn't my fault I had a different wing design that made me faster! So of course, I wasn't good news and was supposed to be killed, before I fled. Now some weird NightWings had gotten ahold of this information and wanted to study me. Preferably dead. So now I had to flee from two tribes. And once news got out that there was a reward for me dead, I'd have to avoid all 7 tribes. I hated it, this feeling of constantly having to fly, of being hunted. I was the hunter! I was supposed to track down outlaws, not be an outlaw! I dove suddenly, without a whisper of noise, thanks to my wonderful wings, which had gotten me into trouble in the first place! I heard them fly away, far above me as I skimmed over the stromy, lashing sea, careful to climb over the waves that might swamp me.
I'd been flying for 5 hours, and I was in serious danger of falling asleep, dropping into the sea, and probably drowning soon after. I had no idea where I was, though I suspected the mainland was behind me. Suddenly, I spied an small shape ahead of me. An Island! THANK THE MOONS! I didn't care how small it was, I just needed something, anything! As I got closer, I realized it was actually quite big...huge, in fact. I flew forward, finally just collapsing onto the sand, too tired to move any farther than out of reach of the waves. I don't care if I'm captured...I just want sleep! And then I was out like a light.
I woke up the next day to a crab scuttling over my tail, which I promptly ate, ravenous. I went and managed to catch a large white bird instead before my wings began aching. Then I decided to explore the island. It was likely going to be my home for at least a couple years, if not the rest of my life. I crawled up the beach into the jungle, which I promptly decided I disliked. It was dark, and extremely flammable, so lighting a torch was out of the question. After shoving my way through many spiky bushes, I finally found a small trail. Are there other dragons? Maybe they're just outcasts, like me...or they could be something worse...I brushed that thought away, deciding to follow it. It soon lead to a small rockpile, and a lovely cave that I could sleep in. I soon cleared it out and waited until I saw the resident return, which was a nice black bear that filled me up pretty well. It was dark again and I fell asleep once more.
I woke to sunlight streaming in the cave entrance. I groaned, stretching out my wings, which were still kinda sore. I decided to continue exploring and maybe find a source of fresh water close by, so I wouldn't have to give up the cave as my hideout. So warm...I thought as the sun hit my scales. I tromped around, shoving through bushes before I heard something. A small, sweet sound...like water, or someone singing. I pricked up my ears and ran toward the source. I stumbled upon a fresh, clear spring, bubbling cheerfully...and someone was singing. I didn't understand the words or see who was singing. I bent to take a drink, and was shocked to see someone looking up at me. It was another dragon. "Are you like the others?" she asked me in a rippling voice.
"Who-what are you?" I asked.
"I'm Melody...I live here."
"Why can't you come out of the water?"
"I'm merely a reflection, or a memory....Are you like the others?"
"Who are these...others you speak of?"
"Everyone who wished to capture me, or those who saw me as I am now, and were driven mad by desire, and wished to join me..." She gestured to the spring and i saw, deep in the clear water...bones. Hundredes of them. Skeleton upon skeleton, all piled up down there. I drew back from the water. "This is my curse...all because of the desire to be free. Trapped, with the bones to keep me company." I understood her. She, wished to be free, just like me. instead, she had been trapped.
"...Can I free you?" i asked, impulsively.
"So you aren't like the others...You seem like a kindred spirit...one who wishes to be free, as I do...If you help me, I shall grant you that wish."
"Deal."
"Dig a treanch, from the sea to my spring, and I shall be free. Your wish shall be granted."
And so that was our deal. For 100 long days and nights, I dug. And dug. And dug. And dug. It was hard going, uphill, many miles inland. I worked without breaks, other than to eat and drink. But never from Melody's spring. That would tempt me to join her, and thus I would be trapped with her. Many times, i felt like giving up, but I kept going. Finally, I scraped away the last bit of dirt and the spring flowed away down the trench. I followed it until it reached the sea. I heard Melody's voice on the sea breeze, calling to me one last time. 
"Thank you, my friend. I name you Freerider, and with this last gift, I grant your wish..." That was the last I ever heard of Melody.
I flew home, following the sea breeze, and made it to Pyhrria. I flew home, just in time to hear a rumor spreading around. "It's said that the Queen has no heirs! Which ever SkyWing can fly the fastest is to be her heir! The contest is in ten days!" No one looked twice at my wings, so it seemed that my wish had been granted after all. I was a little nervous about joining the contest, mainly due to the fact that I was unsure if I was still an outlaw or not, thanks to the wish.
Ten days later, I, along with fifteen other SkyWings, stood on the arena sands, ready for the whistle. The entire day had been spent elminating other SkyWings. First we had to fly to the Night Kingdom and back, all the way across Pyhrria, to see who could fly the farthest and the fastest. It was staggered, so I didn't know what place I'd gotten. These other fifteen had also made it. Now was the last test. We had to fly as high as we could, and then come plummeting down as fast as possible. Whoever reached the sands first and went as high as possible would win. There were SkyWings circling at different altitude who would watch us and note our heights. The whistle sounded and I leaped into the air, already pounding my wings. I caught a strong updraft and soared higher, effortlessly. Then the work came. I pounded my wings, higher than the others already. I soared higher, passing the first SkyWing. All of us made it to the fourth. Then some dropped out, plunging. I kept climbing.  Five of us made it to the sixth. I kept going, deep into the clouds. I couldn't see anyone. I felt short of breath and called out. "If anyone's here, Freerider made it this far!" With that, I plunged. I streaked down, wings tucked in tight, their shape already helping me go faster. I saw the arena sands below me and I spread my wings, slamming upright and gliding to a slow stop, landing once more.
The reports finally came in from the SkyWings. I had made it the farthest. I was the fourth one on the sands. I had won.
"And that"...King Breeze finished, "is how Queen Freerider came into power!" Everyone clapped as the story ended. And with that, everyone went to bed.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)