A Flame in the Shadows - With Art!

{|} Chapter 2 {|}

{|} ¡Blood and gore warning! {|}

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(In this chapter Zoterues has now taken on the pronouns she/her due to succesfully tricking Caliente and possessing her body)

Zoterues glanced around at her surroundings. Taking a moment to admire the job well done as she stared down at the purple talons she now inhabited.

' ' I really am just too good.' ' Zoterues giggled, her voice appearing much more feminine than before.

' 'Caliente. Such a sweet soul. These wings will come in handy.' ' She noted, lifting Caliente's right wing to examine the large membrane.

' 'Now to find dear Mortis and take my life back.' ' Zoterues lifted in to the coming dawn, gliding towards the Pantalian border she was stopped.

' 'Caliente! You get down here this minute young dragonet!' '

When Zoterues spotted the owner of the voice a look of annoyance and slight displeasure crossed her face. The dragoness who called to Zoterues was a striking lanvender hued RainWing whom glittered in the dawn light. Zoterues assumed this was Caliente's mother and glided down to meet her on the cliff outcropping she stood on.

' 'Foolish dragonet! You couldv'e been spotted by a SkyWing patrol!' ' She scolded while dragging the hybrid in by her ear.

' 'I found her!' ' She called into the cavern, an indigo hybrid who seemed to be dipped in orange paint emerging from the shadows soon after.

' 'Thank the moons-' ' The hybrid began, yet Zoterues soon drowned out their voices to examine the small cave. It was a simple home, really, only having what seemed to be three rooms including the main area she was in now. She determined Caliente's family must live as fugitives in this area between the Rainforest and the Mounains, seeing as how frustrated her mother was.

' '-Caliente!' ' Zoterues snapped back into reality once she realized she was being adressed.

' 'What!?' ' She snapped, taking on surprised expressions from the two dragons before her.

' 'Are you feeling alright, Cali?' ' The male hybrid asked.

' 'No.' ' She said simply, backing away angrily towards the exit with wings unfurling.

' 'Where do you think you're going young lady!?' ' Caliente's mother snapped. Feeling a pull on her shoulder, Zoterues snapped at the older dragoness, which received a shocked expression from the her.

' 'A-Aries?' 'The lavender dragoness stuttered, staring straight into Zoterues' eyes before backing away unsteadily.

' 'Look at her eyes-' ' She mumbled to her mate, who gasped soon after.

' 'Cali?' 'He approached her awkwardly and with obvious nervousness, ' 'Are you feeling alright?' '

' 'Of course I am!' ' She snapped back, lashing her long tail with annoyance at the delay. ' 'I'm fine!' '

' 'Honey your eyes are-' ' Aries hesitated, glancing back momentarily at the lavender RainWing before turning back. ' 'Your eyes are black.' '

Zoterues paused as she fit the pieces together, grinning as she did. ' 'Lovely.' ' She said with a gleeful snarl.

' 'Cali?-' ' Aries reached out to Zoterues, fear as well as confusion lacing his expression.

' 'Incorrect! Caliente was a nice dragonet . . . But I'm in control now.' ' Zoterues gleamed at the their faces, one with pure terror washing over his face and the other pure anger and hatred.

' 'What did you do?!' ' The lavender dragoness wailed, lunging at Zoterues with a malevolent snarl. Even though she was significantly smaller than the dragoness, Zoterues pinned the RainWing with unnatural force. Whipping her head to face the hybrid who was now frozen with terror, Zoterues slowly slid a talon down the RainWing's spine, rejoicing in the horrifying shriek she released.

' 'No-!' ' The hybrid gasped, running towards Zoterues in an attempt to knock her off his dead partner. Glee spread across Zoterues' face as she then smacked her large wings to the ground, propelling herself just enough into the air to release a deadly kick to the hybrid's face. The deafening crack that followed sent a joyful chill down the hybrid's spine.

' 'Job well done!' ' She cackled. Yet the feeling was short lived as Zoterues heard a gasp from one of the cave's rooms. Snapping her head towards the noise, ebony eyes locked onto a young pale blue dragonet peering through the vine curtain of the nearest archway.

' 'Just when I thought my fun was ending.' ' The hybrid chuckled, stalking toward the terrified dragonet with a malevolent grin.

' 'Cali?-' ' The dragonet squeaked, her scales shifting to an even paler blue as Zoterues walked up to her.

' 'Sorry small one,' ' She started, pausing in slight annoyance as she realized she only measured a nose above the much younger dragoness. ' 'But she's gone.' '

At this Zoterues rushed the young dragoness, massive wings catching the wind underneath and lengthening her strides. The now white dragonet attempted to back into the room but to no avail. She ensared the young hybrid by the neck before thrusting her into the stone below, relishing the body go limp in her talons.

Zoterues scanned the new room, coughing at the reek of sickness it held.  She turned her head to the three alcoves that Caliente and her sister once inhabited. Yet seeing a third one with what seemed to be another dragonet inside, Zoterues crept towards them.

She almost pelted out of the cave at the foul scent of death and decay when she determined it was indeed another dragonet. This one was indeed housing the sickness and seemed to be on the brink of death.

' 'Heh, seems like I'm doing a good thing now. Putting them out of misery.' ' She chuckled solemnly, seeing the frail dragonet awakening an unexpected sympathy.

' 'This will be fun for Caliente to come back to.' ' She murmured, partly with glee before running a talon across the dragonet's throat.

Exiting the room, Zoterues examined the job well done as her blood-lust returned.

' 'I do wish Caliente will let me back in once she realizes what her own talons did.' 'She chuckled, watching the sun rising above the mountain range. ' 'Can't wait to see her reaction.' ' Zoterues hissed with excitement before releasing its hold on her mind and allowing her body to fall onto the blood stained stone.

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{|} A bit of a gruesome chapter not gonna lie. Please comment if there is a spelling issue! {|}

-GG