Wings of Fire Legends: Den of Scorpions

Chapter 4

Six years later...   

        Thorn's eyes narrowed as she looked across the desert. Looks like a sandstorm is coming. When she was much smaller, she never left the walls of the Scorpion Den. Sure, it was violent and dangerous inside, but it was much prefered to being lost in the endless sand dunes, with no food, water, or anyone else. Now, however, she was bigger, and wasn't afraid to set out on her own. There was an oasis a few hours flight, but now that a storm was coming... I'll just wait it out.

        "Saguaro!" She yelled as she slipped back into the safety of the walls. "Storm's coming. We'll go tomorrow, yeah?" The two of them liked to escape to the quiet of the oasis, where there was barely and hustle and bustle. It was peaceful, and it gave them time to just be friends.

        Since Armadillo had left the Den, and hadn't come back, Thorn had to pick up some of the slack. Over the years, he'd become a quite important dragon, and had been trying to get the Scorpion Den more organized and keep the violent fights and injuries to a minimum. Taking over that responsibility meant less time to hang out with her friends.

        "Alright. Let's get inside." Saguaro and Thorn wrapped their tails together so the didn't lose each other, and shoved their way through the crowd. The war had been going for ten years now. More and more refugees were pouring in. It was chaos most days. Now that there was a prophecy, spoken not long ago, that said the war would end once it had lasted 20 years... everyone was restless. That meant ten more years of pointless fighting. Ten years of waiting for five baby dragons to bring the SandWings a queen. Why do we have to wait for a bunch of dragonets to stop this? Thorn often wondered. Why can't we just see reason? Granted, none of the three sisters were likely good canidates. Burn was violent and insane, Blaze was reportedly and idiot, and Blister.... from what she'd heard from SeaWing refugees, she was nothing short of the epitome of evil. What would the world come to, if one of them truly became queen? Or what if all three died, killed by the prophecy dragonets? Who would be queen then?

        She felt a nudge to shoulder, jerking her out of her thoughts. "What're you so gloomy for, huh?" Sagurago wrapped a light yellow wing around her friend. "You okay?"

        Thorn sighed. "Yeah, just..." They walked by a SeaWing, who couldn't have been any older than them, who was missing most of his left horn, and his soft green scales were covered in scars. He had curled in a small pool in the shade, clearly trying to recreate the feeling of the refreshing ocean water. What must it be like, being forced from your home to escape a war that shouldn't involve you, anyway? "I wish this war could be over. Dragons' lives are being torn apart. They're being taken from their homes and families. Why do we have to fight for three dragons who can't just suck it up and fight each other for the throne, like every other tribe?"

        Her friend also watched the young sea dragon, who looked positively miserable. "I know. It's just... moronic. I wish things could be normal again." Normal. When dragonets weren't being slaughtered on the battlefield for a dragon that wouldn't be their queen. When the poor deserters could just go back where they wanted to be, not suffereing in a habitat they could barely cope with. They passed and IceWing, who was panting. They were not designed to live in the desert. She must have been suffering immensely.

        The pair made it to Jackalope's old home. Unlike the other tents and canvas homes throughout the den, it was made of clay bricks, sturdy and hard to break. There were others scattered about, all accessible from most places. It was a good system, to stay safe from sandstorms. The house wasn't big enough for more than three dragons. It used to be Thorn, Saguaro, and Jackalope. Then she'd gone to the Sky Kingdom, to fight (or so they'd been told), and Armadillo had taken her place. Now, it was just the two of them, hiding from the savage winds and wild sand. They huddled together, watching as more dragons started finding shelter.

        "Do you really think this is going to go on for ten more years? I just... I can't imagine..." Saguaro stared at her claws, her brow furrowed. Thorn prayed to the moons it wouldn't She'd been born just before the war started. It was all she'd ever known, But older dragons sometimes talked about a world where they could to out and fly and not be scared of being killed or taken prisoner.

        "I hope not."

        They just had to hope they would live long enough to see it again.