On Destiny's Wings: A Journey of Embers (UNDERGOING REVISIONS)

Chapter 5: Dark Mysteries

The panicked voice shrieked across the room once more. The sound bounced horrifically off the marble walls.

"Someone, please! My egg has been stolen!"

Every FireClaw head in the coveil whipped around and searched for the pleading voice. Sundrop placed her front paws on the glass table and craned her neck. The hall was suddenly stricken with chaos. Everyone was set on edge.

"Egg theives?" a small trill questioned.

"What's happened? What's going on?" another shouted.

"Sundrop, over there!" she heard Vexus say. She glanced back and followed Vexus's pointed talon to a small ledge overlooking the banquet. Balanced on the edge was a young FireClaw dragoness. Her hazel eyes were filled with frightened tears. Her ruby red wings were flapping frantically around her shivering body.

"There she is, on the stage!" a deep voice announced.

Suddenly, about five or six massive dragons shot out of the crowd, wings spread. They were all the same dull color of copper, aside from one, who was a shade of orange. They sported streaks of old scars. The FireClaw in front had a satchel slung over his left shoulder.

Soldiers! Sundrop realized. 

She watched them glide to the podium and land beside the frantic dragoness. She was blubbering nonsense for a bit before the first soldier could calm her down. The rest of the FireClaws at the table went silent, their curiosity overtaking their concern.

"Ma'am, please, we need you to tell us what's going on," the biggest soldier boomed. His discreet leaf-colored eyes were stern and pressing.

"My egg! Oh, my egg!" the dragoness wailed, turning her muzzle to the roof.

"What has happened to your egg?" the soldier asked again.

"P-please! I went to the hatchery to check on my egg and it was gone! You need to come with me right away!" she screamed. The soldiers didn't even have time to react before she was darting out of the coveil and into another narrow hallway off to the side. Her twitching tail disappeared around the corner.

All six soldiers glanced around at one another and followed the dragoness, their large paws thumping on the floor. They too, rounded the corner and vanished.

That was when the entire hall erupted with frantic chatter. The FireClaws who had been seated only a moment before were sweeping out of their seats. Wings were flapping and tails were pulsing. The hundreds of red dragons became a wall as they filed into the same hallway the soldiers had disappeared into. They packed together tightly like a mass of sleeping dragonlings, only louder and much more frightened.

Vexus and Sundrop gawped at one another. The seat next to her friend was empty. Flicker had followed the crowd as well. Flametooth however was still seated, giving his sister a look of uncertainty. He was scared too. It was their first day of training, and already, something in the palace had gone terribly wrong. There was an egg thief among them.

"Where's Coaldancer?" Vexus shouted over the chaos.

"I don't know, I think she's following everyone else," Flametooth replied. His fiery eyes were damp with worry.

"C'mon Sundrop, Flametooth," Vexus cried, "Let's so see what's going on!"

The two dragonlings nodded and trailed after Vexus. She was already taking the lead, swerving between massive red dragons and dodging talons. She ducked beneath a wing or two as she cut her path. Sundrop and Flametooth mimicked her every move. Sundrop had never seen so much commotion before. Ahead, the hallway was at full capacity. It appeared that no one else would be able to fit.