New Flames

Chapter 13

Viper.

She was there against the dark nothingness of the landscape, staring at him like many times before.

Flame, just like usual, couldn't move. He knew this before he even tried.

However, before panic could overtake him, he felt his talons on the ground. That was enough. It wasn't like holding Treen's claws or his own wings, but it was a sufficient anchor for now.

The SandWing stalked closer, tail dragging on the floor as she eyed him with malice.

"Flame, oh Flame, did talking help ease your rancid mind?" She mocked him, hissing her syllables. Flame thought of Placoid for a second, but didn't let himself go any further. He knew they weren't the same.

"This is the same dream as always," he said, surprising himself when he managed to say that out loud. He'd been barely able to breathe during other dreams of this sort.

"HA." Viper's laugh cut the air, catching him unprepared. "You idiot," she growled, slyly, "do you really think that talking to a few dragons would help fill the hollow inside you?"

He saw Treen, Placoid, Ardor, and other unrecognizable snouts appear around him, just to melt and disfigure as he met their eyes. He hated it.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Flame howled, struggling in an attempt to free himself, but without success.

Viper narrowed her eyes, and dragged her claws over his neck and scar. He recoiled, but she didn't budge.

"You moron. You're the one who doesn't know what they're talking about. You speak of healing... of choosing to heal" she said, finally moving away from him, as he finally exhaled.

But then she inhaled, smoke trailing from her nostrils, and he felt fire engulf him as her fire breath hit him.

He felt himself falling backward as she looked at him from a distance.

"You don't get to make choices in your pathetic, broken life, Flame," she hissed, her tail flicking dangerously.

And then, as usual, he felt panic take over as she melted away into the darkness.

"You can't outrun me... and don't you dare forget it."

~

Flame jolted awake. The sun was barely streaming from behind the curtain of his cave, and he clenched and unclenched his jaw as he fully woke up, still feeling uneasy.

Usually, the nightmares where Viper appeared were further between and much longer, but this was the second one in two days, and the first where he'd gotten the chance to speak. He wondered if opening up to Treen and talking to Placoid might have helped.

As Flame stood up, stretching his wings, he heard some noise outside and moved to peak outside the curtain.

Rail was walking away, and their steps looked uneven as Flame guessed they were probably still groggy from waking up.

The SkyWing walked up to them, and the yellow-scaled dragon looked at him, smiling as he saw who it was.

"Good morning," they said, before yawning. As they did so, Flame noticed two prominent and sharp fangs in their mouth, similar to those of other RainWings. He wondered if, as a hybrid, they could still shoot venom from them. "Sleep well?" They asked as they recomposed themselves, straightening their sash and brown leather satchel on their back.

Flame huffed, but didn't verbally reply. He really didn't know how to describe his nightmare, but he also didn't feel like talking at that moment. His scales were prickling with the cold of the morning wind.