The dusty trail

Chapter Three

I’m not going to die, I won't. I CAN’T. WiInlo shrunk, her frill standing up she looked around, the centipede dragon was gone. She stood up slowly. “I must get out of here.” She silently crept away from  the trees. I hope they can’t burrow She thought and tensed. Winlo blinked and walked faster. 
A terrible hissing sound came from all around her, she turned around and spotted a brown tail, a dark shadow loomed over her, Winlo slowly turned her head, her ears shrinking back in fear. The centipede dragon was huge; its twelve legs had the sharpest claws she’s ever seen. Its teeth gleaming, its two tongues slithered out of its jaws and hissed. “No, no, no..” Winlo stopped moving, the dragon eyed her and looked up, a fairy dragon, the green wings shining in the sun, it flew right for her! The centipede dragon jumped up and latched onto the fairy dragon, ripping its wings and frill off. The smallest screech felt like the loudest, Winlo jumped up and bolted into the air, Winlo didn’t look back, the shriek of the centipede dragon was really loud.

Winlo flew for days, not heading for that terrible village. Gem. Where was he hiding? Faked his death but why? Well he did kill many but why? Was he scared? She thought it was dumb that if you killed thousands of dragons and faked your own death you’re a coward. 
The withered hydra knew more than her, he was somewhere. They were looking for Blommri? Don’t they know she's dead?” I guess they don’t know.
WInlo flew on, she landed in a cave, glow worms shined in a deep golden glow, she ate some. They were pretty tasty? WInlo sat down and opened her book. “Gem was born with no wealth, his family died trying to save him, Gem believed that he needed to avenge his family.” Winlo thought it was odd, I thought he was heartless? Maybe I’m turning into another Gem. She thought of her mother, generations of the same cycle of mental abuse and anger, well Winlo wasn't EVER going to become her mother! She grabbed a moss padding and wrapped herself into it, she thought of Blommri the six-eyed flame dragon was one of the most known dragons ever! How did Gem not know that she was dead? What were the lies? She closed her eyes and waited for sleep. 
A bright glow shone through her eyes, was it day? She opened her eyes, it was the same place she would meet Blommri. But, she wasn't there. Winlo flicked her tail and walked around the blank glowly space she spotted a shadow. Bloomri? She walked toward her. Is this a memory? The memory showed Bloomri, she looked older, an eye was missing, so was a tooth. A spike talon river dragon walked through a jagged doorway. Basalt? Bloomris' husband? He walked behind her, she didn't notice. Winlo spotted a shimmer of light behind his back. Wha? He grabbed the knife and sliced Bloomri’s neck, the dragon screeched but it was drowned by the blood she turned around and eyed Basalt with hostility and fear she fell to the ground, thrashing around, Basalt grabbed her and opened a huge window, he dumped her out of his talons. WInlo was horrified, Basalt’s eyes had no life in them, no shine. WInlo covered her eyes. “I don’t want to see anymore!” She screamed. A soft touch brushed her shoulder and she looked up, Bloomri. “Lies, WInlo.” Bloomri looked sad and wrapped her wing around Winlo. “But why?” Winlo sobbed. Bloomri frowned. “Gem, Basalt was controlled” Bloomri hissed and thrashed her tail. “Bloomri, did you love Basalt?” Winlo asked. Bloomri stayed silent and sighed, Bloomri faded away. 

Winlo woke up. The image of the memory flooded back to her. Basalt being controlled? That's not possible! She thought of Bloomri again. Is there anything I read that will help me??? WHISPER SPELL!! of course! The four dragons who came together to make peace! Wait, how was he able to do the whisper spell….
Winlo tapped her talons on the floor. She thought and blinked. Islands of Zigl! Where Thunderfoot almost died! Her clan will be there, I'll get answers! Winlo grabbed her bag and stretched her wings and took flight.

She spotted the islands of Zigl. I'm pretty close to a market and the Sunfire dragon kingdom. Winlo landed on a small island to rest. She spotted a bridge made of Zigl wood. Dexyns? Winlo walked across and smelt the air. She looked around suspiciously. Was thunderfoot still alive? Winlo felt something grab her wings, she was pushed to the ground. She yelped but turned around quickly and snarled her talons in front of her underbelly. DEXYN! 
"A three-eyed flame dragon?" The male dexyn snorted, five more dexyns slithered out wow! They must be faster than winged dragons. Dexyns had huge strong limbs, and their heads were as strong as steel! Or as what the tales said. They had thick scales back and pretty big horns. 
"We haven't seen those in a while, don't they like…live in caves of somethin." A female Dex trotted up and eyed her. "Why are you here?" The male growled. Winlo shrunk back. "I..I was looking for your clan but I found you…" she stuttered, she was ten feet smaller and did not have thick armored scales. "Why did you need to find us!" The female screeched. "I'm looking for..Thunderfoot." the male dex laughed. "Thunderfoot? Well you're twenty years too late!" He stopped laughing and looked at the female dex. "Waterside, what should we do with her? Should we bring her to Thunderfoots son? I mean our leader, Lightningtail?" The male dex growled. Waterside nodded. "We don't have Thunderfoot, but we have her kin. Skytooth. Carry her." The male dex, Skytooth, picked her up by his teeth carefully so as not to bite her. "Waterside!!!" A younger male dex ran after her. "I can't believe we met a THREE-EYED FLAME DRAGON!!! LIKE BLOOMRI!!" He shrieked in delight. "Mhm, i'm glad you're enjoying your first patrol around the islands, you're doing well at keeping up, Cloudrain." Waterside smiled and started to run. The other dexyns followed. She must be the one below clan leader, clan patroller. Winlo heard that dexyns lived differently, it was strange that they lived on islands for flightless dragons. How did they even get to the islands of Zigl? Did they evolve? Winlo let Skytooth carry her, the islands were magical! Floating in air with the power of the Taihoas. "Cloudrain, tell Clickbeatle we have a vistor." Waterside ordered, Cloudrain ran off his deep blue scales shimmered. A red and green dexyn walked through the trees. "Skytooth, Waterside." The Dex bowed politely. "No need for that, Clickbeatle. Come on our guest is waiting." Waterside slithered through the trees and dissaperaed. "Wow a three-eyed flame dragon? Thats odd. Our visitors are usually Suraims…" Clickbeatle. Grinned and dissaperarded. 
Skytooth ordered the other five dexyns to go ahead, he set her down. 
"You know, LightningTail doesn't like if you talk about Thunderfoot, so watch your tongue." He grumbled and urged her to climb to the trees. 
Winlo grabbed onto the thick bark, a dark hole called for her, she edged closer and went in. "Keep going" Skytooth's voice alarmed her, she yelped and was a little embarrassed
Winlo went on, a dim light shone and got brighter. "You will find answers here, Winlo. And maybe something else." Bloomris voice rang into her ear. 
Something else? Winlo replied, but Bloomri did not respond.
She spotted Waterside, Cloudrain and Clickbeatle. 
"Hello Lightningtail." Winlo said, as calmly as she could. 
A Dexyn sat apon a throne. "Whom am I speaking too?" His brown green scales glimmered. "Winlo.." she thought for a moment. I hope these are the dragons I can trust! "Bloomri's kin." She finished. 
Gasps filled the room, Skytooth stared at her. Waterside glared and lightningtail got up from his throne and walked forward. 
"Bloomri's kin you say? What do you need?" He eyed her. 
"I need answers, I've been told to travel west by Bloomri herself! It took me here. I'm the one to finish what bloomri started!" Words spilled out.
Wow, I didn't know I was this compassionate with this..
Lightingtail sighed. "Alright, Winlo, Bloomri's kin let's talk in private." Lightningtail walked to a dim cave covered in tree roots, she followed and sat down. 

"Thunderfoot, my kin was a noble and strong leader. Every dragon knew her, she feared no dragon wanted war with her. One day.." he sighed.''Gem came to our island, the cursed one. Which is the island's name, he sat and waited for her, Thunderfoot walked out and spoke for hours, she agreed to be allies with him, every dexyn trusted him. But we didn't know that he was planning to control us. His companion Suriam named Rhinestone told Thundefoot his plan, she dismissed it for a meeting Gem assigned on the cursed one island. He explained to her that they could control the world. She declined and he pushed her off the island." Lightingtail shivered and stared at her. "Luckily she fell into a river. She broke bones but was found by Three-eyed flame dragons and was saved." Winlo clicked her talons. "But why? Why did he do this?" She answered. "I need to know what he has to do with Bloomri!" She screeched. Lightningtail glared at her, "that's the only answer I know." No! I must know all the answers. “Thank you, you've been a great help.” She bowed her head, Lightningtail stared at her. “Why did you come to us, besides asking what happened about a hundred years ago?” His voice sounded concerned and curious. “I need to stop this war, even if we aren't fighting a war with Thunderfoot, Bloomri and Gem is still happening after years and I must end it” Lightningtail blinked. “But they are all dead?” Winlo stayed silent. Should she let the truth escape? “No.” Winlo said sternly and Lightningtail narrowed her eyes. “Gem is still alive.” 

LIghtningtail was shocked, not just a gasp, he fell over and went into shock, she called over Waterside and Skytooth and he turned out okay. “I’m sorry.” WInlo said quietly. Waterside bowed her head. “No, don’t apologize young one.”  The Dexyn smiled. “I just thank you for trusting us like that.”
WInlo blinked and felt eyes staring at her in the back of her head. Somebody is coming, and they're going to change my life..? Winlo focused on the sounds of the cave, the voices were muffled from the root walls. “Uh, do you hear that?” Lightningtail blinked, “No, wait. Yes” He moved past her and looked out, she peeked out behind him. “Lightningtail?” A dark green Dexyn talked silently, she was blind. “Yes?” Lightningtail answered and he walked out. “This may sound like I’m crazy but I have a destiny with her,” She pointed at Winlo. She’s blind but she acts like she can see. A shiver ran through Winlo. Bloomri, is this dragon part of my destiny? “Well, I heard a lot about destinys today so I believe you, RiverEye…” He sounded a bit uncertain but he knew this was the only way to stop Gem.

Rivereye stared at Winlo, well she didn't really stare but it felt like it, according to Winlo's perspective. "Rivereye, are you sure?" Clickbeatle, which Winlo found out was her father begged her to stay.
"I'm sorry, but. I've seen things in my dreams, I've seen Bloomri!" Rivereye sternly hissed at her father. "I'll be fine with winlo.." Winlo's frill shrunk. Bloomri said something else would happen!! Now where am I supposed to find out how the whisper spell was made?  “RiverEye, uh. Can you tell me about your dreams?” RIverEye smiled, her cloudy gray blue eyes shimmered in the light. “I've seen bloomri, I can see her!” That's hard to believe, is what she wanted to say but she bit her tongue. “How? You're…blind.” WInlo said quietly. “Well I don’t really know if that's how dragons really see in the real world but I saw so many colors!” RiverEye smiled, she was a bit taller than Winlo. “Bloomri told me where we would have to look.” Winlo froze. Bloomri told her all that? Can we really trust her?
“Look, RiverEye. I’m Bloomri’s kin. I've been sent to complete her mission, but why are you here?” I've been handling it well so far
“I’m related to one of the dragons who made the Whisper spell.” She bowed her head. “And I still have some of the magic.”