♪ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢 ♫

💦Chapter 2💦

(MistFeather's POV)

MistFeather held her tail just above the ground, readying herself to leap. Then she jumped forward, her claws outstretched to snag the young deer in front of her.
Her paw slammed down on its haunches, and her head shot forward to deal the killing bite.
She stood up, her catch in her jaws, and trotted back to Ember.
"That took quite a while," MistFeather panted through the deer's fur. "I didn't expect to have to chase it all the way from the Diamond Lake to here."
She looked Ember in the eyes, and then quickly looked away again. She worried that maybe Ember thought she was a lousy hunter because of how far she'd had to chase the deer before she'd caught it.
"Yeah, that was a really fast deer," Ember said through the fur of her own catch.
"We'd better get back in time for our turn to guard the camp," MistFeather said as she noticed the sun melting into the horizon. She picked up a rabbit that she'd caught as well, and started padding away.
Then she turned back to Ember with a shy smile. "You coming?"
"Yup! Race you there!" Ember said, sprinting towards the camp.
MistFeather froze, startled for a moment, and then she dashed after Ember.
"Hey, no fair! You got a head start!" She laughed through the deer fur.
"Haha!" Ember laughed as she ran, trying not to drop her catch.

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     MistFeather and Ember arrived at the camp as the sky was shifting from orange to pink to purple.
     MistFeather dropped her catch on the prey pile and bounded over to where her mother was consulting with the higher-ups of the Pacree about battle strategies and guard duty.
     "I hope you didn't waste all your energy just getting back to camp." SkyFall smiled as her daughter arrived at her side. "Remember, you still have to stay up all night guarding the camp."
     "I know," MistFeather replied. "But I'm ready. Like I told you, I can handle this."
     SkyFall licked MistFeather's cheek affectionately. "I'm so proud of you," she murmured.
     "Alpha, I believe our shift is over. You said we could switch out at twilight," one of the Drolgons who'd been guarding the camp all day cut in.
     "Yes." SkyFall nodded. "Ember and MistFeather, your shift begins now. And your post is over there, in the big cedar tree."
     MistFeather's stomach flipped. She was so nervous. What if something bad happened?
     But she looked to Ember as she said goodnight to her mother and flapped up to her post.
     At least she had Ember by her side.
     Ember came over to the post, sitting down and looking out into the sky. "The Sky is beautiful tonight," she observed.
     MistFeather nodded silently, staring up at the deep violet sky where the stars were beginning to twinkle life.
     There was a soft, cool breeze that ruffled through MistFeather's fur, and she leaned into it. She wished the Pacrees would stop battling each other for even a second and realize there could be such peaceful moments like this when they didn't fight.
     "What do you think the other Pacrees are doing right now?" MistFeather inquired suddenly. "Do you think they're going to sleep scared we'll kill their Drolgonets and destroy their homes? If- if they are... they're just like us. So why should we attack them?"
     She knew for a fact that her mother would say the reason was so the other Pacrees didn't strike first. SkyFall was just planning to attack other Pacrees so that she could keep her friends and family safe... but at the same time, the Pacrees she was planning to attack because she was scared of them were just trying to protect their friends and families, too.
     "I dunno, probably. All of us know how powerful the other Pacrees are, and it's right to be scared. You never know when another Pacree could be planning to attack." Ember's words snapped MistFeather back to the peaceful night.
     "That's true," MistFeather murmured as she watched the silvery crescent moon rise higher  into the now-navy-blue sky. Then she tucked in her tail and wings in embarrassment, smiling meekly at Ember. "Y- you know... I'm really glad you're here, Ember. I... don't know what I'd do if you were in a different Pacree, and- and if we had to fight each other..."
     "Yeah... I'm glad we got to be in the same Pacree," Ember replied quietly, gazing off into the distance.
     MistFeather couldn't keep a smile from her face. She was about to say something else to Ember when a ferocious headache felt like it split her skull and she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, she saw her mother leading her Pacree into battle. The opponent was none other than WinterTeller, who was leading Pacree Breeze. The two Pacrees slammed into each other in combat, and MistFeather shut her eyes again so as not to see her mother get mauled.
     She opened her eyes again, and she was back next to Ember in the big cedar at the edge of Pacree Rain's camp.
What was that? She wondered, staring frightenedly off into space.
     She sat for a moment longer, and then flew down to a lower branch in another tree where her mother's den was so that she could tell the Alpha about what she'd seen.
     But... it was too late.
     Pacree Breeze stormed into the camp, their teeth bared and hackle-spiked raised dangerously.
     "MistFeather!" Ember flew down next to her, growling quietly at the intruders.
     "What's going on?" SkyFall barked, darting out of her dome-shaped den of branches woven tightly into the tree trunk, having heard the commotion.
     "Pacree Breeze is attacking!" MistFeather exclaimed, her voice cracking with fear. "B- but... I saw it coming! I had a vision or something!"
     SkyFall looked at MistFeather quizzically, but then seemed to dismiss it.
     "Someone guard the pups, mother-Drolgons, and anyone who can't fight!" SkyFall shouted over the loud barks and growls of the Drolgons on the ground who were now locked in combat.
     MistFeather saw something in her mother's eyes as the Alpha stared down at a certain fighting Drolgon. He was FogSight, Delta of Pacree Breeze, MostFeather realized. She then shook her head to clear it, and looked to Ember for reassurance as she was about to plunge into the fighting.
     "I don't want you in the battle," SkyFall snapped at MistFeather suddenly, holding her wings out to prevent her daughter from jumping off the branch. "I forbid you from fighting in this one."
     "But mother!" MistFeather gasped. "How can you say that? Your Pacree is fighting with their lives down there, and you let them. But you do everything you can to protect me. It's not fair to the others. Plus, we need all the help we can get. We weren't entirely prepared, after all. And trust me. I can help."
     "Oh, darling..." SkyFall shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know you can fight. I've seen you; you're very skilled. But... I don't want to have to choose between you and... well, if he hurts you, I'll never be able to forgive him. But he... he doesn't even know."
     MistFeather froze, staring at her mother. Something wasn't right.
     "Mother..." she began slowly. "What do you mean? Who... who doesn't know what?" She wasn't even sure she wanted to hear the answer.
     SkyFall sighed. "I suppose it's time you learned about your heritage. MistFeather... your father is FogSight of Pacree Breeze."
     Just then, a Pacree Breeze she-Drolgon who had white fur with golden-brown flecks and emerald-green eyes landed in the middle of the clearing, her paws skidding on the moist ground. A small she-Drolgonet who had black fur and one brown and one violet eye was grappling onto the larger she-Drolgon's back, screaming with joy, drawing the attention of quite a few Drolgons.
     MistFeather recognized the larger she-Drolgon as CopperSong, Pacree Breeze's healer-Drolgon, from all the lessons on the other Pacrees her mother had taught her. Although she didn't recognize the small, loud Drolgonet.
     MistFeather saw CopperSong wince as though it was too loud where she was in the middle of the battle, even though most of the Drolgons had stopped fighting and were now staring at her.
     The small Drolgonet then screamed loud enough for every Drolgon in a mile radius deaf. "STOP FIGHTING! PLEASE!"
     All the Pacree Breeze Drolgons seemed to recognize the Drolgonet's screams, and they turned, blinking at her and CopperSong.
     "Starlight, explain why not to fight," CopperSong told the Drolgonet. "I'll be back."
     She then looked toward three Drolgons who were creeping towards WinterTeller. The Alpha didn't notice them, as he was intently listening to Starlight's speech about how Pacree Rain did nothing bad.
     "You are NOT STABBING THE ALPHA IN THE BACK!" She hollered, distracting a few Drolgons from Starlight's wise words.
CopperSong seems very observant, MistFeather thought, tipping her head curiously. I wonder how she knew about their plans.
     CopperSong charged at the Drolgons before they could harm WinterTeller. He had also noticed them, and was raising a huge paw to whack into the face of the closest treasonous Drolgon.
     CopperSong flung one aside by smacking her wing into them. Her wing was somewhat torn and bleeding from the Drolgon's claws being out, but at least her Alpha wasn't lying dead on the ground.
     WinterTeller pinned the two scheming Drolgons to the ground, one huge paw on each of their chests.
     All eyes were on CopperSong, and everyone was quiet.
     CopperSong breathed lightly, seemingly panicked from what she'd just done.
     "We're already tearing everyone to shreds in this War, but now we're tearing ourselves apart?" Her voice echoed off the towering trees.
     Ember looked towards CopperSong, blood dripping from a large gash in her shoulder and wing.
     CopperSong continued to speak, blood still running down her wing, and it was clear that it had a long cut in it that would prevent her from flying until it was healed... if it healed at all. Yet she did not wince.
     "Starlight said something that makes sense, and it made me wonder. Why are we fighting a Pacree that only tries to protect itself, and never once attacked us? We should be aiming our forces at Pacree Flame, who's been attacking us for so long. And I discovered that there's something even more unique that I possess... and I think all the Pacrees have one. Maybe. How I knew those three would try to stab WinterTeller in the back... well, I can hear thoughts. Kind of. And I hear so many questions... but only a few words. I can say one thing; why shouldn't we ally against the biggest threat to us all? I know I'm not an Alpha, and this isn't my decision, but why fight each other when we're both trying to defend our borders against Pacree Flame?" CopperSong spoke with reason. Hopefully her Alpha would agree to this.
     WinterTeller blinked at CopperSong in the silence. "I- I suppose I see the reason in what you're saying, but... we started this battle, and I don't know how we could ever just go back now..." he seemed to be questioning his leadership. Was he just as bad as Pacree Flame? Would he hurt innocent Drolgons to get what he wanted? Should he even be Alpha? MistFeather guessed those were the questions running through his head.
     FogSight shook his head. "I don't even think all Pacree Flame Drolgons are bad. Surely some of them don't agree with the terrible things their Pacree does?  But we should definetely focus more on defending against - and hopefully defeating - Pacree Flame. Or- at least the Pacree Flame Drolgons who don't want to do bad things."
"I agree with FogSight," SkyFall said regally. But MistFeather could tell her mother hated saying she agreed with her former mate. SkyFall then dipped her head respectfully to CopperSong. "It seems you have quite a skill in public speaking, young one." But her gaze hardened and grew cold as she glared at FogSight. "You. Breeze Delta. I need to speak to you. Now."
     WinterTeller shook himself wearily, signalling for FogSight to go. Something told MistFeather the Alpha might know about FogSight's relationship with SkyFall.
     MistFeather flew with both of her parents to a tree just out of earshot of the camp. They landed on a thick branch, and MistFeather sat stiffly beside her mother.
     As soon as FogSight sat down, SkyFall began with her interrogation.
     "How COULD YOU?!" She demanded. "Leading your Pacree into battle against mine! We only stopped seeing each other a year ago, just after the War started! And we PROMISED to keep each other out of battles until this was all figured out!"
     "Well, it'd be easier to 'figure it out' if you'd ever come to the midnight meetings we talked about!" But then fatigue clouded FogSight's eyes as he sighed. "Look, SkyFall, I'm sorry. I had to be loyal to my Pacree. And that meant following through with this battle. If I'm disloyal, even in a second of hesitancy, they... they might..."
     SkyFall had a bored but furious look on her face. It seemed as though she didn't care that tears were welling up in FogSight's eyes or that his voice was cracking in despair.
     "They might what?" SkyFall spat. "Have you ever got even a hint that they might do something horrible? And I never visited you because I have a whole Pacree to take care of! I'd like to see you try and meet your whole Pacree's needs while sneaking off in the middle of the night to meet some secret lover! Honestly, I thought... I thought our relationship was worth the risk. But I guess you didn't."
     FogSight sat back against the tree trunk and rubbed his eyes tiredly with his paws. "I told you, I'm sorry. I know how hard you work for your Pacree. But I just flew a very long distance to get her and now I'm VERY tired, and- who is this? Why is this random Drolgonet sitting here listening to our conversation?" He shot MistFeather a harsh look, which almost broke her heart but kind of made her despise her father at the same time.
     "This," SkyFall hissed at him, a look of disgust on her face, "is MistFeather. Your daughter."
     FogSight looked as though he might topple off the tree branch.
     "I- I have a... a daughter?" He stammered.
     MistFeather nodded, glaring at him. "I knew mother never wanted to speak of you, but... now I understand why."
     "Oh, don't say that..." FogSight looked genuinely hurt. Then he opened his wings for a hug.
     MistFeather stared at him quizzically. "I have to go," she finally mumbled.
     Then she wrapped her tail around the branch, and swung down with her prehensile tail from branch to branch until she  reached the ground to find Ember.
     "Are you alright?" MistFeather asked the light-brown-furred she-Drolgon once she'd found her, examining her wounds from afar. She knew she herself must look terrible right now, covered in blood from the Drolgons fighting around her, tired, and sad-looking. But Ember... Ember still looked strong, confident, powerful, and... well, quite beautiful.
     MistFeather's attention was drawn away from Ember as CopperSong flopped to the ground, having passed out in the middle of the clearing.
     A he-Drolgon with russet fur ans caramel-coloured stripes darted towards CopperSong and carried her over to three other Pacree Breeze Drolgons. MistFeather didn't recognize the russet-furred he-Drolgon or the pale orange-furred she-Drolgon he'd brought the healer-Drolgon over to, but she did recognize the other he-Drolgon who had white fur and the Drolgonet. The he-Drolgon was Gale, the Lead Warrior of Pacree Breeze, and the Drolgonet was Starlight.
     Starlight was the true saviour in this fight. Without her, the battle would have raged on and many more would have been slaughtered.
     "Yeah, I'm fine," Ember replied to MistFeather's question, snapping her back to their conversation. "Just a bit tired." She paused, looking at MistFeather's bloody fur. "You should go see SilentSong; you don't look so good."
     MistFeather flattened her ears and tucked her wings in in embarrassment, nodding and swiftly padding in SilentSong's direction. She felt a bit guilty that Ember had been fighting so valiantly while she had been safely standing in the trees by her mother's side the whole time. She didn't even have any of her own blood on her.
     MistFeather sat down in a patch fo ferns, and stared out at the clearing both Pacree Rain and Breeze Drolgons were milling about as the Alphas and Deltas held a last-minute meeting.
     "We should get going now," WinterTeller announced, his booming voice ringing clearly through the air. "With Pacree Breeze being gone from our Land for so long, we face the risk of Pacree Flame having taken the opportunity to invade. I hope everyone is ready to travel back to our camp," he finished, looking around at his scattered Pacree.
     "If there are any Drolgons that can't make the trip tonight, they are welcome to stay here for as long as they need. They can be escorted back to your camp as soon as they're ready," SkyFall suggested.
     WinterTeller's hackle-spikes began to rise at her suggestion, as he seemed to still have a deeply-engraved hostility towards other Pacrees. But he took a deep breath, trying to make his hackle-spikes lay flat again.
     "I think it's a good idea," FogSight commented. "If anyone needs to stay."
     SkyFall shot him a look that seemed to say "are you only agreeing to my suggestion to try and win back my respect?"
     WinterTeller nodded finally. "Fine. Is everyone ready to make the journey, or is anyone staying here?"
     MistFeather saw the orange-furred she-Drolgon and Gale get ready to take off, Starlight in Gale's grasp. MistFeather guessed they were the parents of Starlight, based on how they were protectively holding her.
     The russet he-Drolgon also got ready to leave, attempting to stay steady on his paws with the unconscious CopperSong draped over his back. The healer-Drolgon was clearly a fair bit heavier than him, but he seemed quite determined to carry her.
     "You sure you don't need help carrying CopperSong, Hawk?" Starlight's mother asked the russet he-Drolgon, watching as he struggled under CopperSong's weight.
     "I- I'll be f- fine," Hawk said, almost immediately collapsing under CopperSong. "Okay, m- maybe not."
     He helped Starlight's mother balance CopperSong onto her back, but he kept close to the healer-Drolgon as they lifted off and Starlight's mother carried CopperSong back to the camp. The rest of the Pacree lifted off as well, flying away into the night sky.
     MistFeather hoped she'd see CopperSong again soon so they could talk about... everything that had happened.
     She took one last look around the camp, her gaze lingering a moment longer on Ember. Then she sighed, discouraged and exhausted, and climbed groggily up a tree to her hollowed-out den.
     She curled up tightly, tucking her nose under her paws. She needed time to think everything over. Why had her mother been with a Drolgon of Pacree Breeze? It was treason. And why had she seen a vision of Pacree Breeze attacking right before it had happened?
     Then it hit her.
     MistFeather remembered stories of the prophesied Saviours from when she was a young Drolgonet. She remembered the tale went that the Spirits had given five Drolgons - one from each Pacree - powers that could help stop the Divided War and save the world.
     MistFeather was certain CopperSong was one of the Saviours.
     And it made her uncomfortable to think about, but... maybe, just maybe, that meant she herself was a Saviour, too.