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

Chapter 10: The Organization

"Yeah! I live in the forest!" another small voice chipped in from somewhere in the front.

The inky black dragon on the throne snarled quietly, his entire body rippling with annoyance. Another tense silence fell over the dragonlings. His eyes were squinted, two angry red slits like gashes. He got up elegantly and slithered across the smooth stones. The black reptile stopped a few feet in front of the crowd, his tail whipping back and forth. His foul flesh-rotting odor swept across the platform like a plague.

"Perhaps you're unsure of how things work around here," he rasped eerily, voice like shards of ice. "We're the Organization." He brought a long hooked paw into the air and gestured around the cave, making note of the many black faces looking on curiously from the shadows. "You have been brought here to serve a noble purpose. In time, you will come to recognize our efforts and appreciate the kindness shown to you. Some of you will be soldiers, others will slave away in the pits."

He paused, examining the horrified faces of the dragonlings. 

Pits? Sundrop echoed in her head, horrified.

"I am Snakebite, the High General Soldier of the Organization. I command the scouts here, and serve loyally beneath our leader, who founded this movement and all it stands for," he continued. Sundrop felt ill. What on earth was this strange dragon droning on about? It was beginning to sound like they were kidnapped, only to become slaves!

If this horrid creature isn't their leader, then who is? she thought with dread.

Snakebite's red eyes were joyous now. He peered down his snout at the many baffled expressions in front of him.

"What does he mean?" Whirlpool whispered in Sundrop's ear. She looked over at her WaterClaw counterpart and shuddered.

"I don't know," she breathed back.

Snakebite's large maw opened again. "Our leader's movement is pure and righteous. Black dragons, ashen like night, shall rise above the rest. We are the rightful rulers of all dragon kingdoms. We are strong. The weak have asserted the land for far too long, and their cowardly ways should be brought to an end. Let a new era of dragons dawn!"

The other black dragons in the cave began to roar with agreement... just like drones.

Sundrop's heart hammered appallingly in her chest. Her entire body shuddered with opposition. How dare this reptile claim superiority over other dragon species? He was nothing more than a giant serpent with wings! And these other foul-smelling creatures were no better.

Snakebite swept his glare across the dragonlings once more before coming to an abrupt stop. Sundrop was surprised as she watched his blood-red eyes suddenly burn into hers. He was staring at her intently, a twisted expression on his disgustingly scarred face. She was frightened, but held his gaze.

"Dragonling," he hissed, a rumble deep in his gut, "you do not like this plan?"

Sundrop stammered for a moment, her eyes fluttering to the ground. Her heart was thumping madly in her throat. She shook away a momentary haze and stared back at him, this time defiantly.

"It's wrong," she said, and flinched when her voice crackled with fear. Scaredy-egg, she could almost hear her brother say.

"Is that so?" the black reptile purred back, amused. "And why is that?"

"You took us away from our kingdoms! We're confused and scared," she wailed. "And you're stealing dragon eggs! That's the worst crime imaginable! Let us go right now!"

  A few other dragonlings nodded their heads and muttered words of agreement.  

"Yes, we want to go back to our real homes!" Whirlpool chipped in fiercely beside her. Sundrop looked over at the young blue dragoness, her heart warm.