Forewarned (BEING REWRITTEN)

Bad Flying Day

(SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!)

Unfortunately Colonel Piffer could only frown as he looked over my dragon. "You're going to have to talk to the Nurse when we get back. You doing alright?" he asked and I nodded numbly.

I wasn't even listening as he pulled back to yell at us about Rihanna's stupid plan, all the casualties, and the failure of the other team to make enough traps in time. He ranted on and on as I just stared into the forest and beyond, cradling my little buddy to my chest.

ATVs rumbled into the clearing to pick up the wounded. There was only about four. One had rolled her ankle, another was scratched up pretty bad by thorns, and the last two were probably faking it because they didn't want to run back to the base.

I blinked out of my reverie as the Colonel tapped my shoulder. "You can get on the ATV so you can get your dragon back to base faster." He grunted and I just nodded, trudging to the vehicle as I felt his eyes boring into my back.

Once I made it back and presented Caedmon to the nurse, I sat down in the waiting room. Another girl also had a dragon that got hurt. She had a prairie dragon, which looked like a little green and gold hedgehog with stubby jaws and tail and tiny ram horns. Hers was also passed out because it had taken a 'grenade' to the forehead. "Hi," I said, a bit shyly as I waited for the nurses to do their magic.

She looked up and I was surprised to see her eyes were an almost normal color. Hazel, and only glowing lightly. "Hi," she said, fiddling with her fingers as she waited with me.

"How did you like the game today?" I asked awkwardly, trying to make conversation.

She shrugged, her dark lashes fanning her cheeks as she looked down. "It sucked."

I opened my mouth, but my brain couldn't think of anything to say. I closed it again.

Finally a woman came out holding my little black dragon. "Justin.. that is your name right?"

I nodded and got up so fast I felt dizzy. "Yes?" I was already reaching out for him.

"He just got knocked out. He should wake anytime soon. And you must know that light hurts him, young Rider," she said with distaste twisting her lips. "Don't ever put a glowband on his wrist again, understand?" She showed me the burns on his wrist.

I tried to hide a grin. "Yes ma'am," I said. "I promise it won't happen again."

"Good," she gave him back to me.

I turned around so I could finally grin wildly and hug him to my chest. Score! I walked out and headed downstairs to where I knew Merman was.

The game room was pretty dark, and I don't mean to sound racist or anything but dark colored people were pretty hard to spot in the darkness. Merman didn't even need a shadow dragon to disappear. The only way I found him was because of my night vision. He was hunched over, playing Halo. The room was mostly lit up with screens as different kids played pretty much any good war game in existence. In Alaska, this was pretty much the extent of the games we played.

I plopped down next to Merman. "Hey can I join ya?"

He looked over at me, his bright gold eyes making me flinch. "Hey Justin! I saw you on the ATV. You alright?"

"Yeah I just took a fall and Caed hit his head." I said.

He frowned. "Ouch. Is he okay?"

"Actually even better," I showed off his little paw which was now glowstick free. "The Nurses took it off."

"Hah. That's awesome, man," he chuckled before giving me a controller and leaning back on the beanbag. "So it wasn't a total loss after all."

"No it wasn't." I agreed as I set Caedmon on my lap and started the intense game with Merman.