The Claws of Night And Rain

Chapter 9

'MOON! Rainwatcher! WAKE ME UP!' Rainwatcher jolted awake to the screaming thought and saw Winter shuddering on the ground. He and Moon ran over to him and shook him awake. 

"Winter! What's wrong?" Moon asked

"I saw scarlet in my dream- she was talking about killing Hailstorm-" Winter said 

"You mean she's here?" Rainwatcher yelped, as pure terror spread across his face.

Moon put her wing around him and Winter had a stream of anger across his mind. 'Firefly.' Rainwatcher thought 'we need to get Firefly to a safe place' He dashed to his sister, waking her up. Firefly grumbled and rolled over.

"Scarlets here and you need to hide" Rainwatcher rushed "And where in the three moons is your bodyguard?"

"WHAT?" Firefly roared "WHERE IS SHE-"

"She's going to be standing on your grave if you don't shut up" Winter snarled "Wake up Qibli"

Firefly grumbled and slowly stepped towards Qibli, nudging him slowly (probably to annoy Winter). Rainwatcher was so caught up in protecting Firefly, he wasn't listing to where Scarlet actually was. 'She sounds close, but high-could she be on a mountain?' Firefly whispered something in Qibli's ear and his face dropped.

"Me, Rainy, Moon and Winter will try and find Scarlet- just to see if we can spot hailstorm."  Qibli said "Firefly, can you tell some of your Rainwing guards to come too?"

"Rainy has some" Firefly nodded her head towards the air "Also, what about me? And, not to point out the obvious, but who here is an assassin? I vote I should come too."

"Well, it would be the first idea, but think about it" Qibli explained, 'I have rainwing guards? Since when?' Rainy thought  "Lets say... Scarlet found out we were coming to her, and she headed straight for where Kinkijou was sleeping. Do you think she'd kill her?"

Firefly hesitated for a moment, her red scales calming down "You're right" She said eventually "I'll stay here, you four can go. And Rainy, if you die I will kill you."

Rainwatcher shuddered. Firefly was right, he might die. He might die and be forever remembered as 'The Useless Prince'. Would his friends mourn him and put their heroic rescue mission on hold or just shrug it off. 'Probably the second option' Rainwatcher thought 'They're much bigger heroes than me.'

Moon flew up into the air and Qibli followed. 'He looks at Moon just like Deathbringer looks at Glory' Winter thought 'Does Moon look at me or Qibli like that?' Clearly he didn't realise that his Skyfire was off and Rainwatcher and Moon could read Winter's mind. They landed on a small cliff poking out of the mountain, Moon and Rainwatcher spread their wings, covering Winter and Qibli's bright scales. Rainy unintentionally camoflauged his Rainwing scales, making Qibli half invisible from his wings. 

"THIS ICEWING is even WORSE than his SISTER!" A voice complained and Rainy jumped 'That must be scarlet' He realised with a shock of terror. "I don't think he EVER had the INTENTION of MURDERING ANYBODY FOR ME! I even gave him TWO VICTIMS RIGHT THERE that he could KILL instead of GLORY!"

"You mean her offsprings?" Another voice said, this time, it was a male. Rainwatcher saw stars flashing occasionally, so this must be a Nightwing "You couldn't convince him? Usually you are very... convincing"

"It's a lost cause." Scarlet sighed "He keeps on making this HERO FACE at me like I'M THE BAD GUY! EXCUSE ME! Whose OWN DAUGHTER stole her THRONE? Who's  the on whose FACE is HIDEOUSLY MAIMED?"

Qibli put his talon up to his face, sighing, making a sad expression. Rainy snorted and saw Winter smile for the first time. Moon didn't see anything and had a determined face, listing to the conversation.

"WHO HAD HER WHOLE LIFE RUINED and DEMOLISHED and SHATTERED by those HORRIBLE dragonets?" Scarlet whined "ME! THAT'S WHO! I'm the VICTIM HERE! Where's MY rotten line of loyal idiots?"

"Well..." The Nightwing offered "You have me-"

"You barely count. You're weird and unreliable" Scarlet scowled 

"AHEM. I believe my powers can be VERY useful"

"Not as useful if you can't help me get my throne back. You're powers are limited, it would be MUCH more helpful if you were a REAL ANIMUS!"

'An animus?' Winter thought 'Like Pyrite? Does Scarlet have two animus dragons?' Rainwatcher wondered wether Winter was dumb, deaf, or both. Moon clearly told him that Pyrite was not an animus and the Nightwing's powers were only limited. He clearly thought that his opinion was the only right one.

"You're welcome to dismiss me from your service-" The Nightwing said "Once you have payed me everything that you owe"

"What do I do NOW?" Scarlet raged, ignoring the Nightwing "I have this ICEWING PAWN who should be VERY USEFUL and NOBODY'S. willing to do a LITTLE BIT of MURDER for me! NOT EVEN KILL TWO SMALL DRAGONETS!"

'She's talking about me and Firefly!' Rainwatcher realised, his scales turning pale green. "Well, perhaps you could kill your prisoner now" The Nightwing said

"Very well.  Bring me Pyrite"