Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

Thorn

Before Dawn knew it, she was standing before Queen Thorn, the queen frowning slightly at the sight of her. It wasn't everyday that a dragonet came to see her, after all. Especially a dragonet she recognized.

"Dawn, isn't it?" Thorn questioned. She had never met Coal's children in person, but she recognized the features of the dragonet before her. 

Dawn nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty." she whispered, slightly nervous. She had only heard good things about Thorn, but when you were about to walk up to her and admit you're apart of the most dangerous gang in her Kingdom...

Thorn smiled at her, trying to ease Dawn's nervousness.

"What can I do for you, Dawn?"

"I was hoping you could help me with something." Dawn began. "Do you know- well, of course you'd know." she shook herself, trying to get the words right. "Would you be interested in taking down a gang known as the Sting?" 

Thorn blinked and the two Sandwings beside her stiffened. Dawn had already checked the room. No one here was one of Drought's spies. It was just the same dragons who went everywhere with Thorn- Six-Claws and Qibli. Qibli looked mildly concerned, not only for his Queen, but for Dawn's sake as well. 

"I am." Thorn admitted. "And what exactly do you know about the Sting?" Her confirmation broke Dawn and she spilled everything. Everything she knew related to the Sting and more.

"I'm a member of the Sting," she admitted and Qibli's eyes widened. "But it's not what you think! I'm a spy! Their being led by a Sandwing named Drought-"

"I thought his name was Prickle." Thorn objected.

"Prickle was Drought's father, but apparently he got killed by one of the Rainforest Princesses or something." Thorn shrugged.

"That sounds reasonable." The Queen agreed. She could see anyone in Glory's family killing a gang member if provoked. It was just one of the reasons that Thorn always allied herself with Glory.

"Drought wanted me to join because he wanted me to kill my father, or at turn against him, I think, but I didn't do it, and instead I got close to Drought. I did things I'm quite ashamed of, and I earned his trust. He believed that I was a loyal member and he gave me a rather odd title I prefer not to mention, but that title gave me access to all of the Sting's secrets, and now that I have so much information I was hoping you could help me take down the whole gang." 

Thorn studied her.

"How do I know this isn't one big trap?" She asked. Qibli looked shocked.

"Thorn," he whispered. "It's Coal's daughter."

"That means nothing." Thorn insisted. "I bet if we called Coal here right now, he'd say that his daughter completely betrayed him and her whole family."

"He would." Dawn confirmed. "Anyone I know would. I didn't tell a soul what I was doing. I tried to tell my dad, but I'm not sure if he understood or not what I was actually doing." She looked crestfallen and guilty. "All my friends hate me. They think I'm a traitor, and I don't blame them. I'd hate me too if I was them." Dawn stared at the ground. "I doubt my own brother will ever look at me the same way again, if he even speak to me."

Dawn looked up, staring pleadingly at Thorn.

"Anything you want to know about the Sting, I can tell you." She declared. "Whatever it will take for you to believe me. I need help," she insisted. "I can't take them down by myself."

"...Do you have a plan?" Thorn asked.

"There's a tunnel from Sting Headquarters that opens up in one of the barracks here. They built it during the war, and that's how Drought's spies here could easily get information to him from here." Dawn explained. "I thought we could go through there, break into the Headquarters, and capture them all from the inside. They think they're invincible. They'll never suspect an attack."

"But even with the element of surprise, could we beat them?" Thorn questioned.

"Without a doubt." Dawn proclaimed. "Drought sent three members to JMA, to find my friends and kidnap them. Only one came back, and he had a message carved into his chest, and healers had to amputate his arm. And that was just what a small group of dragonets with little training did. We haven't even found out what Princess Joy or Peril did to the trios that went after them."

Thorn looked deep in thought before nodding.

"Alright." she agreed. "We'll help you." Dawn sighed in relief. 

"Thank you." She offered. "I have to be back at the Headquarters before sundown, or Drought will suspect something." She explained.

"Then we'll work out the details now." Thorn suggested, flicking her tail. "Six-Claws, find Armadillo and get her to assemble a team." Six-Claws nodded and quickly left the room.

"I just have one more question," Thorn insisted.

"Anything." 

"Who, exactly, dared to be a spy in MY Stronghold?"