Winglet: Tragedy

Escape

She paced inside her house waiting for the signal. It had been a year since she had laid the egg and it was beginning to hatch a few days too early. Kestrel had noticed the first crack this morning. Thank the moons her dragonet was waiting to break it.

Kestrel had wanted to do this job herself since it was her dragonet but Jay figured out what she was doing and offered to help her.

Kestrel had learned over the years to accept help whenever it was available. After she had taken Maroon's job while he was being tortured, she learned that help doesn't make you weak.

But having anyone close to you does. 

Crimson walked into her house and Kestrel immediately stopped pacing. Crimson looked around her house.

"Five minutes, take the cliff route like we talked about," Crimson said quickly. 

Kestrel nodded and Crimson slipped away and Kestrel left her house behind Crimson. They hugged good-bye before going their separate ways.

Kestrel flew on top a cliff and walked down it's side. She crept toward the hatchery when the guards began to change. The first two SkyWings left and Peak and Robin got in place.

She ran into the hatchery.

She wasn't ready for a dragonet yet, she still had a little more planning to do. Unfortunately, the dragonet decides when it hatches, not Kestrel.

Thankfully, Commander Jay had squeezed Peak and Robin on guard duty for the hatchery. They had let her in and will let her out. Then Commander Jay was going to get as many dragons as he can out of Kestrel's way.

Kestrel grabbed her egg and clutched it close to her chest. She flew out of the hatchery, waving good-bye to Peak and Robin. They had been through quite a bit together, considering that after Kestrel had the egg, she was forced to rejoin Commander Jay's squad.

At least it was Jay's squad.

Jay had also went through the breeding program a few weeks ago and had an egg in the hatchery. It was supposed to be born a few weeks before the brightest night. If Kestrel remembered right, Avalanche was his mate.

And if Kestrel was right, Avalanche was also a soldier. She could be quite terrifying when she wanted to be. 

It was crazy how Jay moved on from Caracara and was able to find another soulmate. Technically, in the breeding program, the mothers have all the rights to their eggs and can chose whether or not to share that right with the father. Avalanche shared the right with Jay and Jay accepted it. Kestrel was sure they lived together now.

Kestrel saw Jay and flew toward him. He pointed to a river quite a bit away and Kestrel nodded. Jay was supposed to make a hiding spot and put a little food there for the dragonet. He didn't have to do that but he did it anyway. 

An alarm sounded and Jay dove down toward the trees. Kestrel flew away with her egg as fast as her wings could carry her. She dared to look behind her.

She saw Queen Scarlet with Osprey, Avalanche, Falcon, and a few other SkyWings coming for her. A few of the SkyWings broke off when Queen Scarlet moved her mouth and dove for the trees. 

Kestrel looked in front of her again and heard screaming. She heard Jay screaming.

More cracks began to appear on the egg and Kestrel looked for a good spot to land so the dragonet could hatch. 

She dove down and landed at the bank of the river. It wasn't the spot Jay had pointed to but it would work for now. Her dragonet was hatching at the worst moment and there was no way Kestrel can fly fast enough with a hatching dragonet on her back to escape the queen.

Slowly, more cracks appeared along the egg. Her dragonet was trying so hard. Kestrel didn't want to help him or her because other dragon mothers told her not to. This was the dragonets chance to shine 

"Hurry up, hurry up," Kestrel growled at her egg.

"Why have your precious dragonets hurry up? You have all of the time in the world!" Scarlet claimed, landing in front of Kestrel.