The Shadow That Looms Over Me (By Squirrelz)

**WARNING: Contains slight gore**

This is a story by @SquirrelzInABucket,

**Prologue**

There was a blizzard, then screeching, then darkness.

There’s a bad blizzard, A blueish Tosknir is walking around the Tundra world poking her tusks in the snow for injured dragons, she has already found one. She finds 3 oddly designed eggs; they are white with a face sort of designed into it. She brings the eggs home with her.

“Hello Bloom! Glad to see the frostbite is healing.” She speaks.

“Hi Susie, glad not to have blackening legs and talons.” Bloom replies, Bloom is a species called Skyrix, he has some muts and his coloration is multiple blues. “WHAT is THAT!” He cries.

“What do you mean? These eggs? I found them freezing in the storm.” Susie answers

“T-those are s-spooky eggs. They h-hatch into D-d-dysuvas!!” He whimpers.

“It’ll be ok, I’ll raise them as my own and they will be good hearted like me!” Susie comforts him.

“Be careful though, you don’t know what will happen, they ARE Dysuva’s after all.”

“Nothing bad will happen, I will take good care of them.”

Good care of them.

**Chapter 1**

**3 years later**

“Your it!” Storm yells. Storm is something they call a themed dragon, because she was born with the storm theme, hence her name. She is also the youngest.

“Now you are!” Shadow replies. Shadow is also a ‘themed’ dragon, he was born with the afterlife theme. “WOAH!” He trips and drops the rabbit the was holding for the game ‘Grab the rabbit’. *Amateurs* Crimson, the eldest thinks as he swoops in, grabs the rabbit and flies away. Crimson is the only one of the 3 Dysuvas that wasn’t born with a theme.

“No fair! Flying isn’t allowed!” Storm pouts.

“Now now, young bats, calm down, your brother is just teasing you.” Ketchup walks from around the corner. Ketchup is an all red Tosknir who is friends with the young bats ‘adopted’ mother Susie, and she happens to be babysitting for her.

“No, he ISN’T, he is STEALING the rabbit that Shadow caught fair and square!!” Storm complains.

“How about this, I go catch you two a new rabbit even better than the one Crimson took.” Ketchup declares.

“Fine by me, I wasn’t the one complaining.” Shadow states.

Crimson is soaring around the Tundra when he finds a sapphire colored Venid laying in the snow. “Um, hello? Are you ok Venid?” Crimson asks the Venid.

“Oooooooh, my stomach.” The Venid weakly says.

“Oh my gosh! You must be starving! Here! Take my rabbit!” Crimson quickly exclaims as he nudges the food towards the starving Venid.

“Really thank you!” The Venid suddenly perks up, “My name is Saphira and I just took your food SUCKER!” And Saphira flies away.

*Stupid beggars, always pulling their nasty little tricks*. Crimson thinks angrily. He starts flying home because it’s getting dark when he hears something from behind his house. He dives down and lands right on top of it.

“OW! Crimson! What was that for??” A Wonderful looking bat crawls out from under Crimson.

“Oh! Sorry BoneFrost! I thought you were some sort of robber or something!” Crimson quickly apologizes.

“It’s ok love, as long as I’m with you.” She coos at him. “But why should we have to meet in secret?” She asks.

“Mother isn’t really all for me going out with somebody yet, claims I’m too young.” He scoffs

“Well, I should get going now, don’t want Ketchup or Susie to catch you.” She pecks him on the cheek them flies into the night.

Crimson walks inside the little house.

Little does he know someone was watching him.

**Chapter 2**

*The next morning*

“Wake up young bats, time to catch breakfast.” A familiar voice fills the room, it is Snow Angel, another one of Susie’s friends.

“Wasn’t Susie gone yesterday?” Shadow questions.

“YEAH, why isn’t she here today either, no offense, I like you Snow Angel too.” Storm also questions.

“Guy’s, isn’t it obvious? She takes care of us all day every day, she wants a break that’s all.” Crimson tells the two.

“Yes, your brother is right, you all are sweet and all, but sometimes you can be a handful.” Snow Angel agrees with him.

“Ok, that seems fair, RACE YOU TO THE LAKE, LAST ONE THERE IS A STINKY FISH!” Storm shouts as the others quickly try to cover their ears. The 3 bats and Snow Angel start flying to the lake, Snow Angel obviously in last to keep an eye on them. The Tundra is a wonderful world, pillars of rock and snow, the snow is always fresh, everyone here is nice and friendly, a perfect place to raise Dysuva’s.

“Ha-ha! I made it first SUCKERS!” Storm teases. They hear a rustle in the bushes near Storm, Crimson immediately growls, enters attack mode and leaps ferociously at the bush.

“OW! Hey!! That wasn’t very nice was it?” A Saurium crawls angrily out of the bush, he has a white top hat and a bowtie. He was born lucky too, he has the snout fur mutation. His name is Fuzzy Snoot, one of Storms kind of annoying friends. “I was wondering If me and Storm could hang out today, don’t worry we can head to your place at around sundown Snow Angel.” He asks.

“Sure! Just be back by sundown!! Fuzzy Snoot don’t do anything fishy, no really you smell like fish.” Snow Angel tells them.

“Ok, I think we got enough fish Shadow, your talons are full.” Crimson tells Shadow.

“We should be getting back now.” Snow Angel says. The 2 bats start flying home.

*Around sundown*

“I’m home!!” Storm exclaims. “it’s getting chilly, Crimson, why don’t YOU get on blizzard watch today.”

“Sure, why not.” Crimson walks outside as the others fall asleep, Shadow of course taking the longest. Crimson hears another rustle in the bush. *Bet it’s just BoneFrost, better not pounce her like last time,* he thinks. “Hey BoneFrost! You can come out now!”

“This isn’t this BoneFrost you speak of.” A different bat comes out from behind the bush, she is stunning in her own way Crimson can’t describe. Crimson suddenly fills up with a little fear.

“W-who are you?!” He asks.

“I’m AutumnStalk, I’m like you, misunderstood.” AutumnStalk says.

“I’m not misunderstood.”

“You are, how do most dragons think you got your muts?”

“They think I got them from winning underground battles, which is wrong, I was born with them.”

“How do dragons think you got here?”

“Um, they think I got here from leaving the Halloween World to hide from my evil deeds, which is also wrong, I hatched here.”

“Well, we can prove them wrong, if you join me, we could be powerful together, nobody would even doubt you again.” AutumnStalk says, she gives him a mesmerizing glare, he only seems to know how to say yes. The feeling goes away.

“Uhm, I’ll think about it, where would I find you?” He decides.

“Just call my name and I’ll be there, also, if you do deicide to join me drink this.” She nudges him a bottle. “It’s a Pumpkin Spice element potion, one of the 7 most powerful elements known to dragonkind, if you drink it, you may be unable to control yourself for an hour or five.” Crimson gets that feeling like all he can do is listen to her. *She’s so beautiful, I have to drink that potion for her, she wants me to.* He mesmerizingly thinks. “Goodbye, choose wisely Crimson.” She says as the flies away into the night.

Crimson looks at the potion at his feet, he bends down and drinks it.

Then everything becomes a blur, he gets a wonderful feeling and everything goes dark, he can’t move his limbs.

When he can see again but still cannot control himself, all he sees is red.

**Chapter 3**

“Wake up, wake up now!” A panicked voice says, It’s Susie!

“Uhhhhgh, it’s so early.” Crimson moans.

“I’m up.” Shadow says calmly, he doesn’t show much emotion so you can basically do anything to or with him.

**Knock, knock, knock**

“Come in!” Susie says.

“Hi, um, Susie, could me and Storm go play at the river today?” Fuzzy Snoot walks from behind the door into the house.

“Not the time Fuzzy.” Susie says, slightly annoyed.

“It’s Fuzzy SNOOT thank you very much!” Fuzzy Snoot says upsettingly and starts to walk away. “I’ll go find Storm myself hmph!” Fuzzy Snoot is already too far away to answer.

“Mother, why are we up so early? And where is Storm?” Crimson asks curiously.

“I don’t know where she is, that’s why I woke you up, to help me look for her.” Susie rushes out the door and starts poking at the snow with her tusks.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” A very familiar scream pierces the air.

“That sounds like Fuzzy Snoot!” Shadow exclaims. The 3 rush to the source of the scream only to find Fuzzy Snoot sniffling and shaking over 2 very familiar bodies, a young bat.

“S-storm.” Shadow whines. Tears well up in his eyes, the bat who never shows emotion just did. “S-she’s d-d-dead.”

And a red Tosknir.

“Ketchup. You were a good soul, enjoy the afterlife.” Susie says in a low voice. Storm’s forever expression is filled with shock, she saw something that surprised her clearly the killer didn’t want her seeing it, there are slashes on her belly, that was the fatal attack. Ketchup you can’t really see what harmed her but her face is filled with shock and anger mixed up into one expression.

Suddenly memories flooded into Crimson that he didn’t know he had*;*

*He sees a dark shadow walking in the night, he lunges at it.*

*“Crimson? Crimson NO!” Storm cries as he lunges and attacks.*

*“I knew you were bad, but this, this just, no, you’re a traitor to your own nasty little kind.” Ketchup walks and charges from around the corner.*

*“Stay back, you don’t know my real power.” Crimson says dangerously as the starts breathing-*

*“Pumpkin Spice? - How- “And Ketchup is no more.*

“W-what, no, no no no no NO!” Crimson screams.

“It’s ok son, when I find who did this, let’s just say nothing good will happen to them.” Susie comforts him. *That doesn’t help Mother, because I’m the one who did it.* Crimson grimly thinks.

Shadow it still in that same pose, tears falling but no sound coming out.

“I’m just gonna go.” Fuzzy Snoot says as he runs to his house.

“Don’t worry, Shadow will get over it.” Susie comforts Crimson. *No, he won’t, he never gets over things.*

“I’m going to go home.” Crimson says. Shadow nods and follows him home.

*I can stay here, I can’t, I just can’t, one way or another they will find out I did it. I don’t want to be here when they find out.* Crimson thinks.

***Night***

Crimson goes outside and flies up on top of a pillar and stares at the tundra sky.

“I see you chose me.” AutumnStalk flies onto the pillar with him.

“I killed her, I killed her, I kille-.”

“Shhh I know, your secrets safe with me.” She comforts him and covers his lip. “Are you ready to come with me now?” She says sweetly, nothing tries to mesmerize him.

“Yes. Yes, I am”

**Chapter 4**

“Where exactly are we going?” Crimson asks, “and it’s getting cold.”

“Where are we going? Well, if I tell you wouldn’t it ruin the surprise?” AutumnStalk stares at him so nicely, so calming. *Yes, it would ruin the surprise, we don’t want that.* He thinks

“No, don’t tell me, I don’t want my surprise ruined.” Crimson says so dreamily into her eyes.

“Now come follow me, and then when we get there forget entirely about this conversation.” She sweetly, calmy says. Crimson follows as if he has no choice. *Anything I’ll do anything, anything, wait what just happened? Weird.* He thinks, and the mesmerizing stops.

“Wait, did you hypnotize me or something?” He quickly asks.

“Why yes! I did! But the real name for it is mesmerizing because all you did was obey my voice and eyes!!” She says very honestly.

“Wait, why did you just tell me that?”

“Because you’ll forget about this entire conversation by the time we get to our destination.” She says with a huge smirk.

“That’s real sketchy.”

“We are almost there!!! Just don’t stop flying now, you’ll land in leisure, humans go there, they may try to buy us.” She warns him. They fly faster to get away from the begging humans then they see another world, the sky is purple and there are ghost particles, the world is filled with other-

“-Dysuvas.” He says shocked, he has already forgotten about the past conversation.

“Yep, we all live here to seek refuge from the other dragons who misunderstand us, now we are here for one and one thing only… War.”

“War!?”

“Yes, war, I’m the commander and you can be lieutenant, we can show those others what they are wrong about, anyone who gets in the way will be eliminated.” She ways broodingly as they land.

“Welcome Commander AutumnStalk, glad to have you back.” A random bat says.

“Hello! You must be the bat Commander has been telling us about! You must be The Crimson!” Another bat says excitingly.

“Uhm, hi? What’s your name?” Crimson asks then he mumbles to AutumnStalk, “What about Susie, Shadow, Snow Angel, and Fuzzy Snoot? They are my friends and family; we can’t just let them die!” AutumnStalk ignores him.

“Why don’t you get comfy and make yourself at home. COMMANDER OUT!” She shouts as she flies away to a house at the highest peak.

“Did you hear me?” The bat says again.

“No sorry, I was talking to Autu- I mean Commander.”

“My name is Smog! It’s an honor to be at your service.” Smog says.

“Nice to meet you Smog! And no, you’re not at my service, I’m like you.” Crimson tells him

“No, you’re not like me! Your Crimson! The one who will change this upcoming war.”

“But I don’t want war.”

“Yes, you do! Whether you know it or not. We all do.”

We all do

**Chapter 5**

“Wake up Shadow, we need to look for Crimson.” Susie says worried and sadly. *Crimson’s gone too?? Great, such a nice way to wake up*. Shadow thinks. He follows Susie out the front door.

“I hope we don’t find a body.” Susie sadly shares. “I’m going to go get Snow Angel, maybe she can help us find her.” Susie flies away to find Snow Angel. Leaving Shadow alone. He hears a rustle, he turns around to face the source of the sound, he growls.

“It’s ok Shadow, it’s just me! BoneFrost! I heard Crimson is missing and I want to help.” BoneFrost tells him. *I mean, it is possible, I saw them sneak into the woods together once, she may be our best bet.*

“Uhm, maybe we should wait till Susie comes back to tell her this.” Shadow states, it’s been 2 days since he has spoken, he vowed only to speak again once something important comes up.

“Fine by me, I don’t want to blow the news in her face while she’s still flying, that wouldn’t end well and we both know it.” She states, “I want to know where he is though, he was acting weird a couple nights ago, he would speak and he wouldn’t look into my eyes, he just ran and ran and ran all the way to home.”

“When was this?”

“2 or 3 nights ago.”

“No no no no no no……… He didn’t.” Shadow repeats worryingly.

“Did what?”

“3 nights ago, was when Storm was murdered.”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah, then today he went missing.” Shadow thinks.

“Alright I’m back! Who’s the other bat? Wait let me think, BoneFrost! I’ve seen you before! You’re Crimson’s friend!” Susie comes back flying with Snow Angel.

“Well, actually...” BoneFrost says uncomfortably.

“Crimson and BoneFrost have been going out for a while now…” Shadow quickly says to ease the blow.

“They what?!”

“Yep, me and Crimson have been going out.” BoneFrost admits.

“Should I say something or start looking for Crimson.” Snow Angel whispers to Susie

“Start looking for Crimson, we’ll meet up at the lake and see what we’ve discovered.” Susie whispers back

“I should be enraged at you for going out with my son, and disappointed with you for hiding this from me, but we have more important matters on our hands. We need to find Crimson.” Susie states.

The dragons look and look and look, yet no sign of Crimson.

“It’s hopeless, I bet he’s not even in Tundra anymore…” BoneFrost says sadly.

“We’ll find him, don’t worry, then we’ll need to ask him why he killed Storm and Ketchup.” Shadow says grimly. “We need valid reasons so I don’t find an excuse to kill him, and I won’t give him mercy if he doesn’t give a good reason.”

I’ll give him no mercy.

**Chapter 6**

*???* *Location unknown*

“Battle, Sewer Rat, and Solar bring me a Tosknir and Dysuva that look like this.” An unknown voice of an unknown dragon says as she shows 2 Skyrixes and a Fayrah a picture of a Tosknir that looks like Susie, and a Dysuva that looks like Shadow. “Look I know your job is supposed to be an assassin but I want you three to bring me these dragons alive, not dead.”

“How much are you paying?” The Fayrah, Sewer Rat asks. “Usually, we don’t do fetch and retrieve, we’ll want a nice amount of money for this.”

“I think this will be enough pay for this mission.” The mysterious dragon says as she tosses a bag of 800k in coins.

“That’ll do, alive you say?” Battle the Skyrix repeats.

“Yes, alive please, not dead, we don’t want more enemies.” The mysterious dragon sort of begs.

“Sure sure, we can do that.” The other Skyrix, Solar says staring at the 800k in coins.

“Good, glad to hear you’ll do this. Good luck!” The mysterious dragon says and flies away.

“We make no promises,” The three assassins say in unison, “We make no promises.”

**Chapter 7**

*~Susie~*

*I can’t believe that 2 of my children are gone, and that one of them is dead and the other is missing.* I think as I look around the Tundra for my son Crimson for the 10th time.

“Why did you leave me?!” I say sadly as I walk in the snow, Shadow helped me get through this, he seems different though, his warm gaze seems cold and *angry* of all things. He knows something but he doesn’t want to tell me, it’s ok though, it’s apart of being a teen. I continue to poke at the snow hoping any moment now that Crimson will walk around the corner.

“Hello.” A voice says.

“Uhm, hi? Who are you and show yourself!” I say, you don’t want to get on the wrong side of me.

“I’m Sewer Rat, I know where your son is, I saw him and I’m here to show you.” The voice, Sewer Rat says, a Fayrah walks from around the corner.

“You do! Thank you so so so so much! I’ve missed him with all of my heart!” I thank him many, many times. “You lead the way!”

“Sure sure, as you say.” Sewer Rat walks closer, and closer, and closer. Then he is almost in my face. Then he Strikes at me with is mighty beaks right into my chest.

“Wha-“

*—no pulse found—*

*~~Shadow~~*

*I have to find him; I have to find Crimson.* I think over and over as I plot to interrogate my brother Crimson, he murdered Storm and I have to find out why, there has to be a reason behind it. There has to. Currently I am at the edge of Tundra, where the most dangerous and cruel dragons lie, Crimson must be here because he belongs here now.

“I will find you, and when I do, if there isn’t a valid reason for that you did, I will find you and end you.” I say over and over again. “HEY!” I yell at the group of dragons.

“Have any of you seen a crimson-colored bat with 2 mutations? I have business to attend to with him.” I say.

“We have,” Two Skyrixes come from behind a group of Alrenoths. “My name is Battle.”

“And I’m Solar, we’ll help you out, come with us and we can show you where he is.” Solar says.

“Ok, thank you.” I follow them to a cliff.

“He was last seen here.” Battle shows me around.

“There is one more thing we have to tell you.” Solar quickly states.

“What?”

“Goodbye.” Battle pins me to the ground while Solar starts slashing and slashing and slashing away. All I see is red and blurs around me. *Have to warn, Susie.* I weakly start to fly to home, my vision is getting blurrier, I can barely see. *Well, this must be my end.* I fall from the sky due to the all the holes in my wings and fall into the snow.

Everything goes dark, then I see a bat standing over me.

*~--Pulse unknown--~*

**Chapter 8**

“Hey, over here!” Smog appears from behind Crimson’s cave.

“What now Smog?” Crimson moans, “It’s past midnight.”

“Exactly.”

“This can’t be good, doesn’t AutumnStalk have a curfew for us so we aren’t discovered?”

“Yes, she does, but some of us go somewhere during that curfew, and I’m here to show you!” Smog sort of squeaks.

“Ok, lead the way.” Crimson flies up and starts to follow Smog, they go behind a building.

“Before you say anything, yes there is a tunnel behind the building.”

“Cool, wait are we going inside?!” Crimson says worryingly

“Yes, don’t worry, no one is going to attack you, we’re in SpookyVille remember?”

“Right.” Crimson follows Smog into the tunnel. There is a room with a wrestling square in the middle and 2 bats brawling inside, there are tables and seats filled with bats, there is a bar and a bat bartender behind it, next to the bartender are.

“Mut pots?!” Crimson exclaims shocked.

“Yep, got a whole hoard.” The bartender, Gargoyle states, “Only costs ya 300,000 gold.”

“He says that for the money, if your lucky someone will bet a mut pot on you when or if you fight.” Smog whispers to Crimson.

“Oh ok.” Crimson replies.

“Well, I could give you one for free on the house.” Gargoyle says slowly.

“What’s the cost?” Crimson says, it’s a little strange that he wanted to charge me an absurd amount of money only to then say you get one for free.

“Entertainment.” Gargoyle says as he points to the ring.

“Me? Fight? No no no, I can’t do that.” Crimson says shocked.

“Come on! At least one fight? I brought you here after all.” Smog begs.

“Fine, I guess.” Crimson moans. He walks to towards the ring, the Dysuva in charge of the fights asks.

“Have you done this before?”

“No” Crimson states quickly.

“You may enter the ring.” The Dysuva says. Crimson walks into the ring, his legs quiver a little because he has no idea what to expect.

“What’s your name?” The Dysuva asks.

“Crimson.”

“ALRIGHT FOLKS, Y’ALL KNOW THE RULES, NO USUING ELEMENT ATTACKS AND NO ATTACKING THE FATAL SPOTS. TODAY WE HAVE THE NEWBIE CRIMSON, FACING OFF AGAINST OUR REIGNING CHAMPION TYPHOON!” The Dysuva shouts to everyone in the place.

“Good luck, you’ll need it.” Typhoon says and smirks at Crimson. They circle around each other in the ring. After the 3rd circle Typhoon lunges, Crimson points his head forward, Typhoon’s stomach thuds into Crimson’s head. With the wind knocked out of Typhoon, Crimson lunges and pins him to the ground by the wings. Then when the wind comes back, Typhoon flips Crimson over and pins Crimson.

“You are going to regret that headbutt.” Typhoon says angrily, then he tears off a piece of Crimson’s ear. Crimson howls in pain. Then with a surge of anger Crimson bites the wing that is pinning him and doesn’t let go, with every squirm Typhoon does, Crimson tightens his grip. Eventually Typhoon taps the ground 3 times with his back foot to show that he surrenders. The crowd roars.

“Woohoo!” Smog cheers. The Dysuva holds up Crimson’s wing.

“WE HAVE A WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION! GIVE A CHEER FOR CRIMSON!” The Dysuva shouts. Crimson swells with pride, he has never felt this good in his entire life.

And he doesn’t want the feeling to leave.

**Chapter 9**

*Crimson*

“Here you go, as promised.” Gargoyle says and slides over a mug of purple liquid, mutation potion. I carry over the mug to Smog and sit down next to him. There is one other bat sitting next to him.

“Who is that?” I whisper to Smog; Smog looks at my mug of mutation potion.

“*Huh, mut pots are usually red liquid, strange, I’ll go ask the bartender.”* Smog mumbles something I can’t hear then walks over to Gargoyle

“So, hi. I’m Granite. One of Smog’s friends.” The Dysuva across to me says. I decide to just chug down the mut pot because I deserve it.

“Nice to meet you Granite! Glad to know Smog has other friends.” I tell her happily, odd, everything looks strange, more vivid. And I’m not caring what I say. Strange. Smog comes back with a gigantic smile on his face. I smile back. He whisper’s something to Granite.

“So, what were you doing over by Gargoyle?” I say.

“Oh, I was just asking him something about your mut pot. Also, nice ear frills.”

“Thank you! Mut pots just taste so goooooooooood.” I blurt. What has gotten *into* me?!

“Why don’t you fight for more then.” Granite says then bursts into laughter.

“Oh yes! I should go do that.” I slur and wobbly walk over to the Dysuva in charge of the ring. The ground won’t stand still.

“Yes?” The Dysuva says to me.

“I would like to enter another match.” I speak.

“Are you sure about that? I feel like you may have gotten into the glowing mushrooms, they tend to make you a little tipsy.” He says just staring at me.

“He sure did! Gargoyle slipped sometime his drink!” Smog says from his table and then bursts into laughter with Granite.

“What’s tipsy?” I ask.

“Oh this will be fun... Just go into the ring Crimson.” The Dysuva says. I wobble into the ring.

“AND NOW CRIMSON THE CURRENT CHAMPION WILL FACE OFF AGAINST TYPHOON, GUESS HE’LL NEVER LEARN” The Dysuva says and the crowd bursts into laughter. Typhoon walks into the ring with me.

“Oh, this will be easy.” He says as he scans me up and down, why has everyone acting to weird to me? I lunge at him with no second thought, pin him down, and I use the same strategy as last time. But this time a shake my head while clinging to his wing. He surrenders quickly.

“AND OUR WINNER *surprisingly* IS CRIMSON!” The Dysuva shouts. He walks up to me and says, someone bet 100k and a mut pot on Typhoon, so here you go. He hands me the money and the potion, I slurp it down, leaving me with neck frills.

“Hey congrats buddy!” Smog praises and pats my back.

“I can’t believe he won while being drunk!” Granite blubbers and laughs so hard she falls out of her chair.

“I’m going to fight another match!” I shout and walk to the ring.

***3 mut pots later***

“Wow dude, you look AWESOME!” Smog says as he stares me up and down.

“What thank you!!!!” I am grinning way more than usual. All of a sudden AutumnStalk walks in the place and is looking around franticly.

“I thought you said she didn’t know about this place?” I tell Smog and Granite.

“She doesn’t….” They look just as worried as me.

“I’ll go see what she wants.” I smile a very big smile and walk over to her.

“Hello Crimson, you are exactly who I was looking for.” She says to me worryingly.

“Well, I’m here now.” I move in closer to her. Unsure what to do she just stare back at me in shock.

“If you dare.”

“Dare what.” I ask her, still close I whisper to her.

“You look good AutumnStalk.” I smile at her; she seems unsure then smiles back. Then in a split second she goes back to normal and whispers.

“Come with me.”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!” Smog and Granite say.

“Just come.” She looks worried again and we leave the room.

**Chapter 10**

*Crimson*

We fly to her cave at the peak and halfway there I get suddenly very dizzy.

“Ooh,” I moan as I fall from the sky, my whole world is spinning round and round, then I see AutumnStalk face in shock as a fall, *she looks good.* I think over and over, what is wrong with my head?! Then everything goes black as I hit the ground

“Crimson are you ok?” I wake up to see me laying on a bed inside AutumnStalk’s cave.

“Yeah, I think so, and my head is clear again.” I reply, I am able to think clearly again, Smog and Granite must’ve been right. Gargoyle slipped some glowing mushroom into my drink just for kicks, that’s just wrong.

“Also, Crimson?” AutumnStalk quietly asks as she helps me up out of the bed.

“Yes?”

“Was it true what you said?” She asks as she stares at me with absolute sincere eyes.

“Wait, what exactly did I say as I was drunk?” I wonder because I have *no* idea what she’s talking about.

“You leaned in close to me and said that I look good, is that true?” It’s a strange question to ask because you don’t know exactly how to answer. I look her up and down, I smile, she shies away.

“Yes, you do.” I grin at her. She turns red and smiles back.

“So, you weren’t messing with me.”

“No, I wasn’t.” Then she leans towards me stares me right in the face.

“You look good too, Crimson.” She smiles, then laughs, I laugh back because I have no idea what to do. I’m about the lean in to kiss her when I remember *BoneFrost.* She leans in again ready to kiss me when I say.

“I-I can’t do this, or at least not yet, I still have someone at home waiting for me.” I tell her, her face loses her magnificent smile. It makes me feel a little

“Oh, well. Guess I better tell you the real reason I came to get you.” Her face gets worried again.

“What is it?” I get worried too because I have no idea what to expect.

“It’s about Susie and Shadow.”

“Don’t stop talking.” I am completely alert.

“I hired some people to come bring Susie and Shadow here so they would be safe during the war and be with you.”

“So, you didn’t ignore me when I asked...” I realize. This can’t be good.

“I asked them to go get them almost a week ago and they haven’t come back.” She looks even more worried than before.

“Who or what exactly did you hire?” I’m almost in a panic now, all I can focus on is that Mother and Shadow may be hurt.

“I hired a gang of assassins…” She mumbles.

“You did WHAT?!” I cry in shock.

“I paid them a large enough amount to where they would do it!” She shouts back. Not in anger, just to make sure I hear her over my panic.

“You didn’t pay them yet right? If you didn’t, they had no reason to kill them.” I ask her, I’m more telling her than actually asking though.

“I pre-paid them…” I can tell she is oozing with regret.

“Oh no oh no oh no………………” I repeat over and over until I forget what’s around me, I only focus on the fact that Mother and Shadow might be hurt, *or worse.*

“It’s ok Crimson, tomorrow we’ll go to Tundra together to find them. For now, just focus on sleeping well.” She tries to comfort me, it doesn’t work. She leans towards me and kisses me right on the forehead. “Good night Crimson.”

“Good night.” I fly out of her cave and towards mine. AutumnStalk thinks we are going together; little does she know.

I’m going alone

**Chapter 11**

*Crimson*

I’m almost at Tundra, I can smell the cold, clear air from a distance already. I flap faster with more force; *I have to find Mother and Shadow I just have to!* I think to myself. I start to see more snow-capped mountains and trees. I made it! Now to find Mother and Shadow.

“Hello Crimson! Glad to see you’re back!” A high-pitched voice squeaks at me, *oh god, not Fuzzy Snoot.* I moan in my head.

“Not the time Fuzzy!” I mumble

“Again, Susie said the SAME THING!! It’s Fuzzy SNOOT!” He shouts, it doesn’t seem too loud though because he is just a tiny thing.

“Wait, have you seen Mother and Shadow?” I ask, he must know something after all.

“Well… Yes… But… Uh… Weeeeeell………” Fuzzy Snoot seems to have something on his mind, and he won’t tell me.

“Just. Tell. Me.” I say with force, if there was one thing I learned from SpookyVille is that I know how to be intimidating.

“Ah! Ok! You’re much scarier than you used to be, you know that right? And also, what’s wrong with your ear? It looks like something bit some of it off.” He’s stalling, I land and so does he, I jump on him and pin him to the ground.

“JUST. TELL. ME.” I shout, I’m about to let out a roar when he says.

“Fine, come with me.” He grumbles something under his breath, “*You don’t have to be so pushy…*” He Flies up and starts towards Mother’s house, *Strange, almost a week ago I considered it my house.* A thought sneaks into my head.

“Ok, there is something I should tell you beforehand…” Fuzzy Snoot states, “Susie isn’t ok… Don’t shoot down the messenger please.”

“Just fly.” We land at Susie’s house. I walk inside, it looks eerie and empty, it looks devoid of life in every way. “Mother? Hello? It’s me, Crimson. I came to see if you are ok.” I repeat around the house.

“*Liar.”* Fuzzy Snoot says something under his breath that I just can’t make out. I walk towards the backyard; it is a wonderful place for me filled with wonderful memories. There is a nice garden and IceFlowers everywhere, they are wonderful things, especially when they bloom. I go towards them when I see something laying by them. I walk closer to see that it’s.

“Susie.” I almost gasp. My world seems to spin and it won’t stop. “Not again! Not again! Not Mother!” I say, I keep repeating it until it becomes a yell.

“When did you find out Fuzzy Snoot?” I turn around, Fuzzy Snoot isn’t there, instead I see Shadow and BoneFrost. I feel a sharp pain.

Then all goes black.

**Chapter 12**

*Crimson*

I wake up in a dark room, I try to stand but I can’t. I am tied to a chair. I hear someone enter the room though I can’t see them. I growl.

“It’s ok Crimson.” A light turns on. It’s BoneFrost!

“BoneFrost? You’re the one that’s behind all this?!” I say in shock.

“No, I’m not…” She whispers. She seems worried and steps back.

“I am.” A Dysuva steps into the single light.

“Shadow?” I say in shock, my head is still sore, but I can tell it’s him. He has a big scratch along one of his eyes, permanently sealing it. He has only one ear still intact, the other seems to have been ripped off brutally, and there are slashes all over him, mostly his wings.

“Yes, Shadow. What did you expect? One of your friends?” He spits out, he seems angrier, not how he used to be.

“No, I just had a feeling I should check on Mother, I haven’t seen her in a while.” I tell him. My voice cracks a little as I say that; an image of Mother’s broken, bloody body in the middle of her IceFlower garden.

“Did it satisfy you?” He spits out the words like they are poison.

“Why would you say something like that? Of course, it wouldn’t! It’s our mother for crying out loud!!” I shout at Shadow. Something is on his mind.

“I say that because *you* killed her, just like you did with Storm and Ketchup.” He shouts back, but with an angrier tone than when I shouted.

“I-i-I,” I fumble, I really shouldn’t be giving him the satisfaction on my face. “I didn’t know that drinking the pumpkin spice pot would make me kill them! And I didn’t kill her!” I defend myself.

“Oh, so THAT’S what caused it, a POTION, well guess what. *I don’t believe you.*” BoneFrost sort of gasps at hearing that, they must’ve spoken about what it means in a discussion before this, but this can’t be good.

“You don’t have enough proof!” BoneFrost shouts at him. It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen her, she hasn’t changed a bit. A thought just stuck me, *you like 2 girls, you even told AutumnStalk you liked her when you were drunk.* It felt like I just smacked myself in the stomach.

“I think his phony excuse is enough, and why would he come back to Tundra? He left *you* behind so why are you sticking up for him?” Shadow says back, he isn’t yelling, but you can tell his words are enough to seem like it.

“Shadow, you should go.” BoneFrost says quietly.

“Make me.”

“Suit yourself.” She says, suddenly everything gets dark, I feel a wonderful sensation lulling me to sleep. Right before I pass out something jerks me back awake. I look around and find Shadow’s limp body on the ground.

“What did you do!?” I ask, BoneFrost is untying me from the chair.

“I should’ve told you before, I have dark magic.”

“Say what now.”

“Yeah, it’s rare but it happens, I don’t understand why I got it. Dark magic usually corrupts dragons, but it hasn’t done that to me.” She says, talking quickly she completely unties me.

“So you killed him.”

“No! I’m not a murderer!” It’s not there but I could just hear ‘*not like you’*.

“Then what did you do?” I question as we fly out of wherever we are, I see Fuzzy Snoot in a corner holding a bat saying ‘why did I do that? Why did I do that?’ poor guy, he’s been through too much.

“I sent him into an unconscious state for I’d say, 1 hour?” She seems more like she’s trying to convince herself.

“Alright, I’ll lead the way.” I tell her, I can’t wait to introduce her to Granite and Smog, AutumnStalk I can wait.

“Lead the way where? Oh,” It seems then like something is on her mind, I don’t think she’s coming, I stop midair and ask.

“Wait, you aren’t coming?” I ask, though I think I know the answer.

“I can’t, my powers are giving me a feeling.” She stares me straight on.

“What is it?” I ask, now I am just curious.

“That The War is about to begin.”

“Really?! I better go warn everyone back at my place!” I’m frantic.

“Crimson, that’s the thing, it’s your side that’s going to start it.”

“Oh no, no, I’ve been dreading this! Come with me and you will be safe!” I tell her, I’m even more frantic now. I can’t leave her behind, I don’t know what will happen to her.

“I really can’t Crimson; I need to defend my home.” We land, she comes in closer, I know what’s about to happen, and I embrace it. I don’t know when I’ll be able to have this moment again. Once we finish, we hug, it’s weird because we’ve never done it, but we do.

“I’ll miss you.” She says as she flies away from me and back into the Tundra. I’m holding it in, but it comes anyway. A small tear falls from my face.

“Goodbye.” I whisper, she’s already gone.

Now to try to protect her in this war.

That is all I have so far, I will update this page though ^-^