The Hive was dark, there wasn't much light to be seen or noticed anywhere near where the dragon was standing. It was strange. Usually these halls would be glowing with colors of honey bouncing off the walls, shining it's beautiful red and gold coloration that could fill any lost dragonet with hope, and with bliss. Especially the young bright-golden dragon roaming the halls today.
She held a clipboard and paper in her talons, for reception. It wasn't a full time job of hers, but she would do whatever she had to to help the queen. (Not because she wanted to, but because she had to.) A small brown sack was tied to her back leg, which held some pencils in several colors, along with one small dagger. She didn't carry it around for protection, but she never knew when she might need it.
She kept her wrists bandaged for she didn't want to accidentally startle some dragons and start a ruse because they didn't expect someone like her to have stingers.
Beetle was a normal HiveWing, who just has wrist stingers. Most HiveWings do as well. Though, some have WAY cooler powers such as toxins they can release from their TEETH or CLAWS. How scary is that? Or, some (very rarely) can create a certainly non-deadly stench from their tail. Beetle would take that power if she could. She didn't want one that could potentially kill another dragon. But alas, she was stuck with the sworn needles in her wrists.
Besides, who even needs deadly stingers when everything is so peaceful in Pantala?
Sure, the queen may be somewhat psychotic, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's how it is, and how it always will be.
As the yellow dragon made it further down the dark tunnel, she raised her talons to the wall and felt her way along. She couldn't see barley anything.
I hope I don't bump into someone... that would be really awkward. Maybe I should practice apologizing? The small dragon stopped for a moment, then said in an almost silent whisper, "Uhm, sorry, excuse me. I'm just heading to see the Queen." No, that wasn't it. Would mentioning the queen even make dragons listen to her? Maybe add a chuckle at the end? Did that sound friendly enough? She shortly added a small, self conscious laugh that wasn't at all believable.
No, that was stupid.
Just let it come naturally, I guess. As she continued forward, she could now see faint light from a flamesilk candle. If she'd follow that light, it'll lead her to her own Hive, and she could make a quick stop at home before leaving to see the queen.
She went quicker, almost like a trot before she realized that the floor was colder than usual. That might just be because the fire from the flamesilk candle that would normally be lit; would warm the hall up.
Beetle twitched her eye as she came closer to the entry of Tsetse Hive. She skidded to a stop when she realized her body was becoming more stiff, and she couldn't feel herself anymore.
Beetle was left to spectate.
She internally groaned, knowing that Queen Wasp had just seized her body. With stiff movements, Wasp turned her head to get a good view of the entire area. She continued to step forward as she looked curious. Beetle noticed that the SilkWings around her coward in fear at the sight of Beetle's infested body as if there were huge maggots and spiders crawling out of her spines.
"In Tsetse Hive are we?"
Her throat closed in, terrified. Ah, not now! Please not now! I'm busy!
As if Wasp just read her mind, she let go of Beetle's body after she insisted, "I'll send my dragons to come for you. Bring all your important things. I have a grand mission for you."
She'd almost fell right there as she regained consciousness, but she was able to catch herself before she did happen to embarrass herself in front of everyone who was staring at her. She couldn't see any other dragons who were mind controlled. Queen Wasp gave her a little bit of time.
Not wanting to seem suspicious of any crimes, she started to trot at a constant speed towards her cell. Tsetse Hive was the least populated Hive, because most of the older HiveWings were untrustworthy to Wasp, so she had several controlled guards at every post, making sure nothing was happening inside the Hive. They weren't allowed to leave, which makes sense. They're old anyway, they'd get hurt if they'd step out their honeycomb cell. Dragons never visit Tsetse Hive unless they're passing through, or they might need some useless tools, or horrible tasting snacks.
Nevertheless, Beetle's Hive was incredibly busy today. Not at busy as Jewel Hive, but enough to allow Beetle to trip over an indigo dragon's tail.
Why are there so many dragons today? Is there a festival I didn't know about? Beetle thought. Best not to question it, she's being hidden from the guards from all the bodies.
She scurried quickly as she dodged each dragon with ease. She was small for her age, but she was only six, so that didn't say much.
She passed many brightly colored stands, but none she could familiarize herself with. They changed each day, besides two or three. If a dragon doesn't sell enough of their product within a few hours, they won't be allowed to sell that item at all anymore. Wasp has specialized salesdragons to help with the flow of shops. Not that she cares too much about the shops, but she does like a select few that she will order a few dragons to pick up orders for her.
Beetle approached a red and blue decorated stall, which was located right in front of her cell. The stand had an assortment of goods. Beetle could only make out knives and lanterns for a close-up look, and a few heads from animals of the savanna. Wasp loves lioness heads, so it wasn't a surprise that there were a few hanging up along the racks behind the stall. A tall and muscular HiveWing, named Centipede, handled the booth. She had bright brown eyes, almost as if they were glowing. She had dark brown speckles along her spine, complementing her dark spikes along her back.
The dragon leaned over to Beetle as she squeezed between that booth and the one beside it to get into her cell.
The older dragon spoke softly, with a high voice that sounded like she had just been eating honey. "Where are you off in such a hurry, Beetle?"
Beetle turned in alarm, not expecting to hear her speak. She didn't want to say thing in return, hoping she'd understand she is on an important mission and MUST make it to her room before Wasp came to collect her. Yet, she ended up surprised when she slipped out some words, "Oh, Mother... I'm really in a hurry. Perhaps you tell me about your sales today while I gather my things?"
Beetle flew up to a top perch of their cell, which was very narrow. The set up was just for them to sell at their market, they had a home at the lower layers of the Hive. The huts looked like glowing goop and fungi that entered from underneath the ground. She and her mom lived in a smaller hut, but they didn't need much space. Especially considering Beetle was barely home anyway, with her unofficial official job and all.
She lowered the clipboard of which she was carrying on the floor, which was a bit messy. But she didn't need it anymore for the day. She gathered a few larger sacks that tie around her neck, which held a book, and a few potions and note-taking necessities.
Beetle turned her head to look at her mom again, which who was now taking an order from a dark greenish-yellow HiveWing with lighter yellow markings. Quite an odd looking dragon, don't you think?
Beetle thought as she turned to a small bookshelf area of her room, which standing right in front of it was another, darker dragon. He had a smoke like effect coming off of his scales, and now that she was looking at him, she couldn't pin point many features of the dragon.
He was quite a few inches away from Beetle, but she wasn't exactly startled. She knew he'd be around her somewhere. Sure, she is a bit scared, but not startled. He follows her everywhere, and she doesn't quite know who he is, or what his deal is. She is worried he could hurt her, but he hasn't yet. He hasn't even raised a claw at her. He hasn't even spoke to her once.
Alright... well good talk.
He can surely read minds, because whenever Beetle thinks at him, he responds in simple head nods and gestures. He'd been around ever since Beetle could remember, but he'd barely introduce himself. She had to give him a name, sense he couldn't figure one for himself. Pipevine was what she could come up with. He didn't look like anything Beetle had seen before. He didn't have antenna like SilkWings, but she could see a thin stripe of a deep royal blue across his face down to his tail on both of his sides, much like the colors a SilkWing would have. He couldn't have been a HiveWing, his wings were different. In fact, he didn't even have four wings. Not from what she could tell.
He had two. Or, was that another shadowy wing underneath his other? Perhaps he did have four wings. She leaned her head to the side, trying to view his other wing to make sure there wasn't another that she had missed. There wasn't. She rechecked the other side.
Nope. Definitely two wings on that side.
Could he have only three wings? What happened to his other?
He could tell she was curious, so he lifted both his biggest and most obvious wings to reveal no wing underneath one side, and a smaller wing directly under the other. Which was definitely freaky, but she couldn't waste her time on him anymore.
The bags around here neck got heavy as she stood up, but it won't knock her down.
She walked back towards her mom as she waved goodbye to the odd looking customer.
Centipede turned to her as she had just almost gotten away.
"Beetle. I would like to know where you are going. Why can't you tell me?" She got impatient, but patted the feeling down as she lifted an unmarked box up to the ledge in front of her, revealing the pink, black, and blue bracelet she was wearing.
The thud of the heavy box landing made jars of honey fall over, which could have been a catastrophe if Beetle hadn't caught them and put them back in their correct places.
Beetle just looked down instead of submitting a response back to her mother.
"Come on, Bug. I need to know where you're going," she put both her elbows on the counter and leaned her talons in to wrap Beetle's face. "I don't want you wondering off somewhere I know you could get hurt."
"I know, mom. I'm just late for my job." Beetle reached for her mom's talons and lowered them off her face. Her cover-up was that her job was staff for the library in Jewel Hive.
"Does the library really need you that badly? I could use some help with the shop," she gestured to the dragons around them. "Look at how many dragons there are today! I'm almost out of stock." She chuckled to herself.
Beetle let out her own nervous laugh, which was followed by her counterpoint. "I know, but yes, they do. Restocking books is not a job to be taken lightly. I could get fired."
Beetle began to walk away before her mother called to her again.
"Oh yeah? They need secret potions hidden from their moms to help restock bookshelves?" She spoke with such intensity, Beetle's heart sank. How did she see her potions? Was it obvious?
Beetle looked down at the pouch around her neck, where the potions should've been. They were still there, but any other dragon wouldn't be able to tell. But now that Beetle looked down to check, she had only confirmed her mom's superstition.
Beetle raised her head, still shocked. She couldn't let words escape her throat. "C-Centipede... I—,"
Her mom loomed over her. A dark shadow cast against Beetle's scales.
"Pardon?"
"So— sorry... mom."
The glare Centipede gave her was enough to make her want to run away. "I'm sorry! I'm on a VERY important mission and I don't have time to chat!" Beetle had almost yelled at her mom, but resisted. "I'm going to be very careful, I promise!"
Her mom eased her expression. "What?" She existed the stall, to be right beside Beetle. "What do you mean? What are you doing?" She got closer to her, and sat on the ground. Beetle grunted as she took a step back away from her mom.
"I don't know yet. But Queen Wasp has requested my presence."
"Queen Wasp? Why would Wasp want you? Out of all dragons?"
Those words. Those words flowed from many dragons who doubted her, but she didn't expect Centipede to say them. She didn't expect her mother to say them. Beetle knew she didn't mean it to be rude, but it felt that way. Did her mom not think that Beetle was capable of being useful to a Queen?
She was right of course, Beetle was weak. Weaker than every other dragon in her class. In fact, she wasn't even the smartest. She made mostly B's and C's. What could make her qualify?
She had the heart of a warrior at least. She studied hard. But still those words cut deep. If any other dragon had said that, it'd be the equivalent to a slight knee scrap. But from her mom, it was a direct stab in the chest.
Beetle looked up at Centipede, her brows furrowed.
"I am going to complete my task, and by Clearsight, I won't screw anything else up. I've messed a lot up before, but I won't this time. You'll be happier by the time I may, or may not return."
Centipede reached out for her talon, but she got up and ran away in one quick swoop. Two male HiveWing guards knocked her down. They each grabbed an arm, and forced Beetle to fly with them.
She was now heading east towards Wasp Hive. She had to make it through Yellowjacket Hive first, though. As she flew, she took a moment to look back at her mother, who began to shout warnings towards her. "Watch out! Don't trust your visions! Be careful!" Beetle had a reluctant expression written all across her face. She had to keep going.
She raced past the other stalls, until the clearing near an entrance of Tsetse Hive. She began to breath hard, she was slowing down because of all the items she had packed.
She looked beside her as she ran on the sill outside that connected the two Hives. The air was cool, just the right temperature. The weather was clear. She embraced the savanna winds, and sun upon her scales. Pipevine was there, again. He was flying with her. He gave her a confused expression. Oh, right.
Beetle forgot that he must follow her everywhere. He might would want to know what was going on.
She spread out her wings, and flew fast towards Wasp Hive, cutting Yellowjacket Hive. He flew next to her, and as the buzz of her wings kept her hovering tens of feet above the ground, she could see his three wings much more clearly.
Usually she couldn't see his wings. They've always been faded out of view. But now he was closer to her. Up close she could see his very pale green eyes. They were almost white.
Hello. Beetle thought.
He nodded.
You're following me again.
He nodded.
Why?
No response. She looked ahead of her, to make sure she wasn't going to bump into anything. I guess I knew you weren't much of a talker. That was my fault. She looked back at where he was, but he was gone. She stopped flying forward, she was now just hovering in place.
Hey... where did you go?
She looked everywhere around her. He wasn't anywhere. Oh well, he'll come along eventually. He always does. Beetle kept along, following her straight path to Wasp Hive, to discover what her mission was. The HiveWing guards flew strictly beside her, and they became closer to her than just a few seconds ago. Then with a staggered jolt almost in unison, Queen Wasp let go of them, and they almost fell out of the sky. The crimson and black dragon on her left fell faster, he seemed to be more heavy. His belly was up, exposing his light yellow underbelly. His ears flapped in the wind. His beautiful coat distracted her from the fact that he was near meters away from the hot, pale savanna grass. Oh!
Beetle rushed down to his aid, and as her talons clamped around the dragon's body, he dragged her down as well. They were plummeting down faster, and Beetle snuck a glance at the other guard, light yellow and deep orange. He was falling as well, but slower. He was regaining consciousness, and soon began flapping his wings harder and harder. Beetle became alert, and her eyes went wide. She tried flapping her wings as hard as he was, but because of her size, it wasn't enough to stop both of their fall. She started to open her mouth, and words escaped from her grasp. All she could get out was, "Falling! Help!"
The guard turned to them as he caught himself, and they were far below him. He grunted as he lunged towards the falling bodies. He brushed Beetle's wings which made an audible and ringing buzz.
The sound frightened Beetle enough for her to let go of the dragon, just as soon as the other guard got a hold on him. She could tell that the dragon was also heavy for him to carry, but it wasn't as hard as it had been for Beetle.
She started to wrap her own arms around his, and flapped her wings harder and faster. She began breaking a sweat. They were now both feeling exhausted, but they couldn't stop. They'd all get hurt if they did. Come on! Wake up! Beetle thought. FLY!
"Ugh! Come on! Please!" She was about to give up, losing all the energy in her body. Thank Clearsight the other guard was able to lift him up a bit to ease the fall. By now they were mere seconds away from the area where gazelles grazed. There were no trees to cushion their fall, they had to use all of their strength.
The HiveWing was startled as he awoke, and shook free and wrangled the two dragons away as they kept trying to help him. The two dragons dropped the helpless dragon as he plummeted the rest of the way to the ground.
Beetle and the guard hovered a few feet from the ground as a loud and agonizing screech erupted from where the fallen dragon lay. They were too far from the body for Beetle to see any injures, but she could see bright red flooding out from his head and around his stomach. She cried aloud as she flew closer.
His skull was crushed on a sharp rock emerging from the ground. Ants and termites surrounded the pools flowing out of his head. As she crawled closer and around his body to examine the different angles, she noticed his ribs were cracked, and they poked through his underbelly. She stood in place, mortified. This trip wasn't supposed to be filled with manslaughter and piling bodies. She was just supposed to see Wasp!
Wasp...
Beetle turned to find the second guard, but found Pipevine instead.
He shook his head, disapproving. What? What did you want me to do? I tried to help him!
He shook his head again, as if saying that that wasn't what he meant. What? ...What?
He looked up into the sky, then pointed to her pouches. Oh! Wasp? Is that what you mean? Are you saying Wasp killed him? He nodded. No? She totally was not! She didn't know he'd fall! He shook his head in frustration. She needed an excuse. The words rang in her mind. Where was that coming from? Wasp? She wanted that dragon to die, that was her moment. She distracted you. She wanted you late. Why else would she wait until then to let go of them? She noticed that the sound was Pipevine. It's the first time he ever spoke. Then why would she let go of the other guard as well? He stood still, then the guard spoke to Beetle.
"He's still alive," He placed two talons along his neck, feeling his pulse. "But not for much longer." He continued.
"How do we help him?"
"I don't think we can."
Beetle could feel her body fill with rage. "We have to! We'd be horrible dragons if we didn't!" She raised her front talons as she backed on her hind legs. She was raging her front two talons around in what she couldn't tell was anger, or despair. She didn't care though, it didn't matter. This dragon was going to die and it'd be her fault. Wouldn't it?
She turned to Pipevine, but he wasn't there. She expected him to disappear, but she also REALLY wanted to give him a frustrated expression to him.
The guard sighed, and reconciled. "Do you see him? He's bleeding out too fast, and his own body acted against him," He started. "He stopped our help, it's his fault he's dying." She had never heard such blasphemy from her own tribe. Well, that wasn't true. But still, this HiveWing must be out of his mind! —Not only because of Wasp— he sounded insane! "He was scared! He didn't know what was going on!" She relapsed and started to breath heavy. She saw the wounds on the presumably dead dragon, and felt as if she had been stabbed by her own ribs, and as if her head was spilling out with blood. She became light headed. The world around her fell, the gruesome visual filled her entire mind, she couldn't think about anything else.
The guard stepped closer to her, ready to catch her fall. Beetle was having difficulty staying upright. How could you look at this dying dragon and NOT feel the need to help him? He may die, and it'll be all your fault! She thought to him, trying to give a certain expression for him to read, but instead she just ended up throwing up on the grass around her.
She felt extremely worse after that, and she collapsed, just missing the pile of vomit next to her. The whole world went black, and she couldn't wake up.
