Assassin in Jade Mountain (Completed) CRINGECRINGECRINGECRINGECRINGE DO NOT READ

Chapter 20

Mirage flung herself in front of Moon, Kinkajou, Qibli, Turtle, and Winter to protect them from the blast. Small sharp objects imbedded themselves between her scales, and fire licked at her body. Mirage cried out in pain as she collapsed onto the floor. Moon yelped as one of the round spiky objects whizzed past her crumpled body and hit her shoulder.

"Moon! Are you alright?" Qibli hurried to the injured Nightwing. Mirage stamped out the white trying to sneak onto her scales and struggled to stand up.

"Carnelian..." She whispered, then limped towards the cave. A crowd gathered around the cave, and Clay rushed past her into the burning cave. Flames engulfed him, but the Mudwing's scales mended over the burns. Mirage winced with every step, and dived into the burning cave, holding her breath.

"Mirage! Come back!" Kinkajou's voice was faint as flames swallowed the hybrid. She ignored the pain and squinted through the burning reds and orange. 

"...Tamarin...Carnelian!" Mirage called through the smoke. Her foot bumped a scroll rack, and she flung it aside to find the blind Rainwing's white scales. She picked her up and limped towards the doorway.

"Mirage!" She heard.

"Here," She rasped as she stumbled outside and put down Tamarin's unconscious body. A bundle of lime green barreled into Mirage, and she groaned at the piercing pain. She tried to block out the white marching onto her scales, but it barraged past her feeble attempt. For once, the Rainwing-Sandwing was glad that Kinkajou was covering her scales so that no one could see her scales.

"You're alright!" The Rainwing cried. She jumped back onto the stone floor and examined Tamarin.

"Oh, no," Kinkajou whispered. Mirage stumbled back onto her feet and staggered towards the cave again.

"I have to...find survivors," She mumbled. 

"Nope, you are definitely staying here!" Turtle blocked her way. "You're in no condition to go back into that moon-cursed cave!"

"Yeah, Mirage," Qibli agreed. "It won't help anyone if another dragon died."

"Another?" She repeated. Moon shuffled away sadly to reveal the burnt body of a Nightwing. Peril burst out of the history cave holding a blackened Carnelian.

"Carnelian!" Kinkajou yelled. Winter and a couple of other Icewings shot some blasts of frostbreath at the fire, making the flames die down.

"Anyone who was injured, go straight to the infirmary," Tsunami ordered. Mirage darted behind some rocks, hiding from the Seawing. She didn't need to get treated. She just needed a couple of days of rest.

"Where are you- Oh, for moon's sake!" Winter hissed. He grabbed Qibli by the elbow and tugged him to her hiding place. Moon and Kinkajou followed, with Turtle stumbling after them with a worried expression.

"I don't need treatment," Mirage said. Kinkajou opened her mouth to protest, but Winter gave her a cold glare.

"What I want to know," He growled. "Is how she knew about this."

With that, he pointed a claw at Moon.