Wings of Fire - Cavernous Promises

Chapter 41

MALLOW

Mallow glided down toward the outpost, looking back at the group, they were trailing behind her to say good-bye when the time came. She landed and pulled her wings back, gazing at the rock that was the lookout post. There weren't any guards nestled in the long grass surrounding the rock. "Shadowed wood." Mallow called her personal password in the black wood complex. No LeafWing head popped out of the grass. What someone should recognise my- she then heard a loud cry from the grass "ATTACK!"

"FOR BLACK WOOD!" roared a dark green dragon that Mallow recognized as Nightshade. A cloud of LeafWings rose from the grass, Mallow recognized Birch's pale form, Cherry's pink frill, Gorse's silvery wings and Thistle's characteristic jerky flight pattern. They were all flying toward-

"They're heading for Vinegaroon hive! That's where my family is! We have to warn them!" cried Admiral, unfurling his wings and he tried to fly toward the hive, Locust leapt up and pulled him out of the air. "Don't be stupid, they'll be fine, if they're anything like you'll they'll survive, all I hope that Honey will be okay."

Mallow stood gazing as the LeafWings flew toward the Hive, these dragons had been her only family, she wouldn't let them all be killed, Birch, Gorse, Oak, Cherry, Blackthorn, Goldenrod, Nightshade and Thistle. All of these dragons had stood by her side for her entire life, could she betray them and not help in their fight? Then she heard her father's words echoing through her ears, "Oh, Mallow, we will always be with you."

What would my father want, some of these are dragons with eggs, with young dragonets, he wouldn't want them to die over nothing! I think...

"This is bad, very bad." whispered Lunate, he turned his head to look at Mallow, "Spruce, wouldn't want mothers to die, he knows the hardships of war, this is your entire faction?"

"Yes." replied Mallow, her voice choked with emotion.

"Go help them then, in any way you can." Lunate said, his eyes glinting with wisdom, "War doesn't have a victor, it's all destruction in my eyes."

Mallow nodded and flew up into the last stragglers, one of them looking as if she was due to have eggs. Mallow swooped down next to her, "Mam, go back, this isn't your battle, go back, you're not ready, think of your future dragonets."

The dragon turned to her, Bleeding Heart, her mother had a sense for the dramatics. "What, Mallow your back I-I-I'm so glad that you're back and... yes I will go back, what's the worst that Oak can do to me? Please stay safe Mallow, you're the light of our lives." she replied, turning with a swipe of her long pale tail. She is only a few years older than me, I hope I can find more that I can convince them not to do this. Then Mallow heard the ominous hum of a thousand HiveWing's taking off, heading to meet the LeafWings. Mallow heard the strong wingbeats of the CavernWing's behind her, the double thuds of Cobalt and Admiral's wings and the hum of Dragonfly and Locust's wings. Mallow saw that Mica was riding on Ghost's back, she was tired looking and obviously sleepy. "Go around and tell as many dragons as possible that the odds of this fight are hopeless. Avoid the armoured ones, they will rip the snout off anyone who isn't a LeafWing." Mallow explained, before swooping off into the crowd.

Mallow dived in and out finding dragons that she knew already had dragonets or eggs or looked as if they were about to. She flew up to Gorse and called to him, "Gorse! Is this a good idea?"

"Mallow! Oh, you're back!" he smiled and flipped over in the air, "And I'm not sure if it's a good idea, Thistle just shouted 'HIVEWINGS WILL DIE!'"

"Did she collapse a few minutes later?" asked Mallow, gliding swiftly beside Gorse.

"No actually, she just staggered off screeching about justice and things like that," he replied, stretching out his lean legs.

"Alright... Well you better get out of this battle before it's too late." Mallow responded, looking into Gorse's dark green eyes.

"Yep, sure." replied Gorse, flicking his mint tail as he turned, "Oh and by the way, Mallow, Oak was arranging for us to have dragonets, make with that what you will."

Mallow instantly felt as if she'd been hit in the chest with a fallen tree. Oak had betrayed her trust, she'd never liked him, but this was a step too far. I never said I wanted dragonets. Neither needed them. I-I-I-

"Mallow." hissed a slow voice behind Mallow. She gulped as a tingle spread down her spine. "Land. Now." snapped the voice. Mallow obliged, diving to the ground and landing. She turned, coming face-to-face with Thistle's cold, icy green eyes.

"Th-th-thistle, I d-didn't know you were here." spluttered Mallow, taking a step back.
"What have you done to yourself?" hissed Thistle, prowling forward, her eyes still locked with Mallow's.

"What do you mean?" whispered Mallow, lowering her body to the ground trying to find a way she could run.

"Your frill, your scales, your dignity, your family pride, your morals." hissed Thistle, swiping her yellow green tail in lashing motion across the long grass, "What have you done to damage them so thoroughly? What. Have. You. Done?"

"Nothing." That I did personally. Yes, maybe following Acacia and Admiral started this, but everything else was beyond my control.

"Lair!" roared Thistle, before leaping toward Mallow. Mallow ducked beneath her flailing claws, whipping around to face Thistle. Mallow ducked down to the ground, slipping into the long grass, a technique that Metatarsals had shown her, a technique used when CavernWings were sneaking into the Ice Kingdom, whatever that was. Thistle whipped her long, scarred muzzle around, before she began to barrel through the grass. Use your snout, idiot. Mallow slunk up close to where Thistle was and then leapt onto her wings. Soon she and her Aunt were in a tumbling ball of wings, claws, teeth and spines. Thistle's thorn sharp claws dug into Mallow shoulders and around her wing joints, her teeth lashed out and tore at Mallow's neck and wings. Mallow retaliated with long strong blows with her claws and strategic bites, eventually she pulled free of Thistle's grasp, dragging Thistle into the air with laboured wingbeats. Eventually Mallow dropped Thistle, before whipping away to find the rest of her group. I-I can't stay here, I have to go with them, everyone I love... if Ulna keeps her word, I'll be able to keep in touch with them.