Wings of Fire: The Shifting Sands

Chapter 4: Sunwatcher

After a few minutes of flying, Sandstorm landed on an ornate, tiled roof. Sunwatcher joined him, ignoring the stares of a few passing dragons. The wafting scent of roasted camels and incense faded into the sky, where the bright, golden sun matched Sunwatcher's glowing golden scales.

Who was that guy? signed Sandstorm. He glanced behind them, but no one was there.

"I don't know," said Sunwatcher. "Whoever he was, he did not like us."

Yes, thank you, signed Sandstorm, pinching his snout. I figured that part out. He examined the far off building of the soup kitchen, now currently being subjected to a horde of dragons pouring in and a cloud of dragonets flying out. Smoke was billowing out too, and large carts with barrels of water were being hoisted inside by burly dragons, shouting orders to each other.

"So what do we do now?" asked Sunwatcher. Honestly, he didn't feel like anything was quite safe here anymore. The weight of the two dead guards hung on his shoulders, even though he knew it wasn't his fault. "Who knows what that SkyWing is wanting from us. Does he want to kill us?"

Sandstorm considered this for a moment, then finally signed, I don't know. But I do know I do not feel safe here anymore. I think we should run. Somewhere safer. Perhaps I could find my parents. Perhaps they would give me a second chance. I've always wanted to try.

Sunwatcher couldn't help feeling doubt. If Sandstorm's parents really had abandoned him after hatching, he didn't think they would want him back. But it was worth a shot, and it would make his friend happy, and it would get them away from the SkyWing.

"Sure," said Sunwatcher uncertainly. The roars of the SkyWing were audible even from here, along with occasional blasts of fire from the kitchen. They weren't safe in the Scorpion Den, that was for sure.

Wind buffeted Sunwatcher's wings, and he drew them in. "All right," he said again. He spread his wings and tried to look confident, which was not easy given their current situation.

Sandstorm nodded, and took off. Sunwatcher followed, adjusting to the freak air currents that had hit entering the desert. Oh, by the way, Sandstorm added, They used to be advisors. I'm not sure if they still are, what with the whole thing about me and whatever other evil they've done to the world.

"You're not evil," Sunwatcher protested, shocked. How could Sandstorm call himself evil?

Sandstorm grinned, but his eyes were wary and cautious, a way they never had been before, guarding his hope as if it was a fragile jar and his parents were about to smash it with hammers. His mother and father had earned their reputation of evil in Sunwatcher's scroll because of the way they'd treated Sandstorm as a tiny dragonet.

But now Sandstorm would get to see them up close, and he had no idea how they'd react. For all Sunwatcher had heard, he half expected them to stab Sandstorm through the heart on the spot with their tails, then laugh and continue on with their day. No matter what would happen, though, Sandstorm would always find a friend in Sunwatcher, that was for sure. He remembered their conversation when Sandstorm told him about his parents, the helpless rage he felt.

They threw me out, Sandstorm had signed. Like I was a broken vase.

They had met a few months ago, but already they were best friends. Eating crocodile in the gulleys, Sunwatcher had explained his strange egg, and Sandstorm in return told his story.

I was hatched as the destined advisor to the queen, Sandstorm signed. He curled his tail around a weed growing out of the cobblestone road. My parents were excited; their son was going to be an advisor! Perhaps even destined to become king, if they were lucky and I obedient and well-mannered, maybe they could have matched me to a princess.