King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Part 3: Chapter 32 & 33

Handsome beckoned the two dragons into the center of the Arboretum. "Standard venom practice rules apply," he said. "Take the utmost caution to hit no living creature. We'll be testing and targeting. Who'd like to go first?"

"I," said Grandeur. She eyed Handsome and his two helpers as they rolled a long, polished plank of wood across the vines. It was as wide as five talon prints and four times as long, with small measurement marks all the way along it.

One end stopped at Grandeur's front talons. She stretched her neck and jaw while the RainWings scurried out of the way, leaving the plank laid out in front of her like a welcoming carpet.
"Whenever you're-" Handsome started.

Grandeur's mouth snapped open and a spray of black venom shot out. The droplets spattered on the wood near the far end of the plank, sizzling and burning small holes where they fell. The watching dragons all oooooohed admiringly.

"I'm guessing that's pretty impressive," Glory said to Mangrove.
His sigh answered her question.
Grandeur stepped aside with a polite gesture to Kinkajou. The little dragonet stepped up nervously, opened her mouth as wide as she could, and shot a tiny jet of venom at the plank.

It landed barely a quarter of the way between her claws and Grandeur's drops.
Glory's heart sank. Mangrove dropped his head into his front talons with a groan. Kinkajou turned to Glory with a heartbroken expression.

"There's still the targeting part," Jambu said hopefully. He patted the little dragonet on the back. The helpers were already dragging out a kind of easel painted with three yellow and white circles.
"What if I fail?" Kinkajou said to Glory. "All those dragons - it'll be my fault if we never see them again. It'll be my fault that you're not queen."

"Stop that," Glory said, placing one talon over Kinkajou's. "If we lose, it'll be my fault more than anyone else's. I dragged you all into this. But I will be queen one day. And in the meanwhile-" She caught Mangrove's eye to make sure he was listening. "We'll get orchid and the other RainWings back no matter what it takes. Maybe I won't have an army, but we'll make a rescue mission out of my friends and anyone else who's willing to go. So don't think about that right now. All I can ask is that you try your best - and I know I don't even have to ask, because you're the kind of dragon who always does."

"That's true," Kinkajou said. "I am that kind of dragon." She squared her shoulders. "I will. That's what I'm going to do."
Glory glanced up and realized that Grandeur had been listening, too. The old queen turned around and casually shot a spray of her venom at the painted board. It land precisely in the center of the first circle.

Magnificent gave Glory a triumphant smile. 'It would have been really nice to wipe that smile off her face. And one day I will. I will be queen of this tribe. That's what I'm meant for. I'm sure of it.'

Kinkajou stepped up beside Grandeur, opened her mouth, and sprayed her venom at the circles. The drops splashed right on top of Grandeur's, and a hissing sound came from the board as the wood melted a little more.

The older RainWing made her head made a sound of approval and patted Kinkajou's head. Then she tilted her head just a little and shot a black jet directly into the center of the second circle.
Kinkajou took a deep breath and did the same. More sizzling and smoking came from the wood.

'Don't get excited,' Glory told herself, although she couldn't help feeling impressed with Kinkajou. She knew for a fact that she wouldn't have been able to aim that precisely. But if the two dragons tied on this part of the challenge, Grandeur would still win because of the distance part. 'Practice a gracious-in-defeat face. And then get ready to study like life depends on it so I can try this again. I wonder how long I have to wait between challenges.'