What Lurks In The Shadows (WoF)

♦️ Chapter 19 - Cliff ♦️

Cliff was shaken awake by Peacemaker, who's frills and eyes had turned a shade of pale green Cliff had never seen before.

"Peacemaker?" Cliff asked groggily.

"Cliff! Did you hear? Mink's gone!" Peacemaker's voice was shrill.

"What?" Cliff was awake in an instant. As Peacemaker grabbed him and dragged him out of the cave, straight to Bumblebee's cave, Cliff's head whirled.

Mink? Gone? How?

Weeping sounds could be heard from the cave ahead. Peacmaker halted, his tail and wings quivering.

"Bumblebee?" Peacemaker asked, calling into the cave. More weeping sounds followed.

"Everyone's gone!" Bumblebee gasped after a while of no response.

Cliff took a hesitant step inside. Tears streamed down Bumblebee's face and her talons shook.

Cliff knew this all too well. He remembered Ruby having one of these once.

A panic attack.

Peacemaker rushed forwards. "Bumblebee! Are you okay?"

In a moment of shock, where time seemed to freeze, Bumblebee let out a hiss and swiped at Peacemaker's face.

Blood trickled off the wound near the edge of his frill, and Bumblebee curled into a ball and scurried away.

"OW-" Peacmaker began to yell. Cliff silenced him with a tail to the snout.

"Shush! Don't bug Bumblebee. Let her do her thing." Cliff instructed. Peacemaker winced and nodded, shaking blood off his head.

"My parents, Cricket, Mink, Luna, everyone-" Bumblebee's voice was nearly drowned out by her flapping wings. Her talons still shook uncontrollably and she started to hyperventilate.

"No one was every really here, huh?" Bumblebee seemed to be talking to the wall.

"Bumblebee, take a deep breath-" Peacemaker started. Cliff shot him a look and his voice faded.

Her eyes blinked rapidly and her breaths got heavier. Cliff could see Bumblebee's chest rising and falling quickly.

Her wings flapped one more time before she breathed in and out again.

"I'm sorry-" she muttered as Cliff made his way towards her.

Flapping one wing around her shaken body, Cliff sat. "It's okay. Everyone feels that way right now, but you just expressed it differently.

Bumblebee gave a weak smile and sniffed, wiping tears away. "Can I go to the nurses? I want to talk with them-"

"Of course," Peacemaker bounded up. "We'll take you there."

As the three made their way down the halls, Cliff stopped to tell Clay they would be a little late. Even he looked shocked, probably about Mink.

Cliff had never been very close with the IceWing, but she was part of their Winglet and that meant she was important.

They rounded corners until they reached the nurses's office. Bumblebee stumbled inside, followed by Peacemaker.

Pineapple turned to see Bumblebee. "What's wrong?" He asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Cliff responded. "Bumblebee had a little panic attack. She wanted to talk to the nurses."

Pineapple shivered. "Oh my. Come along, Bumblebee. Into this room."

As Bumblebee followed Pineapple into a seperate room, Cliff waited.

Peacemaker stared at him from across the room before bounding over and curling his tail with Cliff's.

As his mind drifted, Cliff began to think. Why are there so many missing dragons all of a sudden?