Blood Heir

Chapter 5

"I don't believe this," Cotton growled. "I really don't believe this."

"So you've mentioned constantly for the past five minutes," Katana said calmly, sitting with his back against the wall, examining his boney talons while the dragoness paced up a storm. 

"I mean, where did you even come from?" she went on, completely oblivious to his unnecessary commentary. "And how did you know my world is in danger, and why come to me, and where did you come from?"

"You're repeating yourself," the Skelewing rumbled. "Look," He dropped his claws and straightened up. "I'll tell you what I know. Two weeks ago, something odd happened. And I call it odd because no one in our tribe had ever seen it."

"Seen what?"

"A complete lunar eclipse on the same night as a blood moon," he replied. "It's rare, I know. But no one thought about it. It was just a natural occurrence, right?" He shook his head. "Apparently not. I spoke with Scratch, one of our elders, and she told me that something terrible was about to happen, and that I would meet a group of dragons who needed my help. I didn't believe it, of course. After all, we were at war with the Sparkleclaws...er...Raynbows...and they were the only tribe we were in contact with. I went to sleep that night, expecting everything to be normal when I woke up in the morning."

"And it wasn't."

"No. When I awoke, everything I knew was gone. I was asleep in a forest I didn't recognize, in a world I recalled even less."

"That doesn't make any sense," Cotton huffed. "You can't simply fall asleep in one time and wake up in another!"

"That's precisely what I thought," Katana said. "Until I saw what your tribe had done. And could you please stop pacing? It's giving me a headache."

"No," Cotton answered sharply. "And what do you mean, 'what my tribe had done'?" she added accusingly. 

"You've destroyed so many forests and landmarks," Katana explained quietly. "This land...it used to be thriving with thick bushes and waterfalls and beautiful rolling hills. Now it's nothing but a dirty, stinky city of death."

"This is my home," Cotton shot back. "And I never read about your tribe trying to do anything to help, so don't go about acting like such a critic!"

"My tribe went extinct!" Katana snapped, rising to his feet now, angry. "Because your kind was too selfish to stop and think about what it was doing! But that's just what Raynbows are, isn't it? Selfish and egotistical?" He snorted out dust furiously.

"Last I checked," Cotton growled, "you came to me for help, remember? You found me, not the other way around. And if you want my help, you're going to have to start acting like it." 

"I am trying to save your world!" Katana snarled. "Because I know what will happen if you don't accept my help! Dragnaple will--"

The sound of frantic paw steps could be heard echoing through the halls, and a moment later, Steel came into view, talons extended and fangs bared. "Get away from my sister!" he snarled, skidding to a halt in front of Cotton and snapping his wings out to shield her.

Katana hissed furiously, melting back into the shadows until only his pit-less eyes were visible, gleaming in the darkness. 

"No, wait!" Cotton yelped, trying to duck under her twin's wings. "Steel, hold on! He's not the bad guy!" She pushed in front of him and wrinkled her snout at the Skelewing. "Well, I don't think he is."