Wings of Fire • Dragon of Storms [1]

Chapter Eight

Thank you for noticing me!

- ❈ -

Lightningtail tried to flap her wings faster. The thunder moved on, flying away as quickly as they could. She and the rest of the dragons had been flying for a good few hours, still not yet halfway back to Ventus and not even at the first resting island.

     With the three moons high in the sky, Lightningtail feebly flapped her wings. At the back of the patrol, no dragon noticed her struggles. Crimson blood coursed down her starboard wing.

     In the skirmish, one of the SeaWings had slashed her arm with his claws. The wound was deep and Lightningtail knew was losing too much blood. The wound cut into the area where her wing met her arm.

     Lightningtail was having difficulty flying, as she was listing heavily to starboard. Lightningtail flapped her wings, wincing as the pain flashed again. She felt like passing out, it was that bad. The wound hindered her stamina, cutting her strength in half.

     Thunderclap flew ahead of her. The pain flashed again. Lightningtail was listing harder, no longer in control of her flight. With growing alarm, Lightningtail noticed that not only was she slipping in the air, but she was also falling behind.

     "Stop!" Lightningtail slurred. "I can't fly any longer..."

     Thunderclap looked behind himself, eyes widening at the distance between them and calling to one of the guards.

     Lightningtail didn't notice anything else as her eyes rolled back into her head and she lost consciousness.

- ❈ -

     "Hurry! Lift her wings and hold her tail high – yes... like that. Don't let her talons drag!"

     Lightningtail didn't try to open her eyes. She could feel just fine. She felt the hot, sticky, flow of her scarlet blood drip down her wing. Lightningtail heard talons clicking along the stone, and she guessed that she was in the infirmary.

     How did I get here? Lightningtail thought. She was pretty sure it took three-ish days to fly back to Ventus form where the Hunting Thunder was diving for fish. So, how was it that she got back to Ventus so fast without dying?

     "In here!" Lightningtail recognized the voice as Aunt Albatrosswing's.

     The best nurse around, Lightningtail thought ruefully. I just hope it's not too late for me.

     The dragons handling Lightningtail placed her on a smooth stone ledge, clipping her starboard wing on a hook. The device held Lightningtail's wing up and allowed cold air to hit the cut. Lightningtail felt the whoosh of warm breath as Albatrosswing sniffed the tear in her scales.

     "Razor," said Albatrosswing's voice. Clipped and tired.

     Lightningtail winced as a scalding-hot blade was dragged across her wound. Her nose picked up the scent of burning flesh. Even as painful as the procedure was Lightningtail couldn't wake up. She felt like she was suspended in a waking nightmare.

     Albatrosswing trimmed parts of the cut with the razor, occasionally asking for a new one. Lightningtail had no idea what she was doing.

     Finally, the pain lessened after what felt like a minor eternity. Albatrosswing moved away into another room, snapping orders.

     Lightningtail's arm was washed with cold salt water. She hissed, breathing in sharply but not moving. The stinging faded, but only to be started again as Albatrosswing slathered Lightningtail's cut in some kind of poultice.