Wings of Fire: Holocaust of the Skies {FINISHED}

Chapter 7

Gavin looked back, seeing no dragons pursuiting him as he flew away from the NightWing island. Once the volcano was a tiny figure in the distance, he finally calmed his nerves.
The sky was so blue and beautiful, and the Sun was hanging proudly in the sky, shining its light onto the world. The warm sunlight warmed his insides in a cozy way. The wind roared in his ears as he took a hard flap of his wings to stay airborne. Memorizing the map of Pyrrhia, he knew he was heading towards the Kingdom of Sand. "Darn," Gavin hissed. "SandWings."
There weren't any dragons within flight-sight, and it was a perfect day for flying. And escaping a whole palace of angry NightWings.
He already began to see endless pale yellow as he finally left NightWing territory. His scales felt like they were on fire, even though he was used to the heat of the volcano, the Sand Kingdom's heat felt remarkably worst. His dark scales aborbed the heat and it didn't help him cool down at all. There wasn't a single breeze either, so Gavin felt like the Sun was literally burning into his own scales.
He glanced down at the sandy ground beneath him, searching for any birds he could have for lunch.
He landed with a thud, his talons sending small bits of sand into the air. He was miles away from the NightWing island and now he was standing in the vast, empty landscape of the desert. The dragonet scanned the area around him, searching for something to hunt.
His green eyes then locked on something padding through the sand. He squinted, trying to make out what it could possibly be.
A coyote! The light gray and tawny canine scrolled through the torrid, barren landscape. Gavin stalked towards it, hoping his dark gray scales against the pale yellow sand wouldn't give him away too easily. Once close enough, he grinned, lunging towards the animal with his jaws wide open. The coyote whirled around, it's eyes frightened and surprised, but it was too late to escape. Gavin dug his claws into the neck of the coyote, his tail lashing in the sand. His other claw dug into his sides, scraping away its flesh.
The coyote soon went limp, it's heartbeat and harsh breathing coming to a stop. He released the animal from his grasp, stepping back to study his fresh kill, before grabbing it in the neck with his jaws. Gavin dragged it towards a nearby boulder, dropping the animal on the shady side of the rock. Gavin dug right into the meat, savoring it's delicious taste. After devouring the meat and tossing the carcass, Gavin licked the metallic-tasting scarlet red blood from his talons. He shook out his wings, his stomach full and satisfied. He leapt into the air, and he soared higher, the wide, large Sand Kingdom stretching out before him. Staying in the Sand Kingdom was risky, but he was miles away from the Rainforest Kingdom, and it wouldn't take him long to get there if he kept going east nonstop.

As dusk began to come and the Sun lowered in the sky, Gavin settled down beside a large boulder. Black silhouettes of cacti and dunes stationed in front of the sky that was painted in shades of red, gold, and pink. Gavin watched the sky slowly change color, his eyes steady on the horizon, his face aglow with the last orange rays before twilight beckons the stars. With the Sun gone, the desert almost immediately turned cool and chilly, though the sands were still warm. Laying his head onto the sand, he listened to the barking coyotes and hooting owls as he tried to fall asleep, but thoughts ran through his mind.
Would he ever be able to stop the war? Queen Andesine is one of the most powerful dragons in Pyrrhian history. A six-year-old beginner animus dragon couldn't save all of Pyrrhia all alone, right? He needed friends. He needed allies. But who would befriend a NightWing who's scales are green in some places instead of natural NightWing colors? Gavin lashed his tail again, sending particles of sand into the air, some landing on his face. He snorted.
Perhaps he needed to look past his unusual colors. It wouldn't kill anyone, and his colors would certainly not save the world, either. "Allies," Gavin mumbled to himself. "That's what I need. Friends."
Gavin closed his eyes, his consciousness ebbed, his mind went into a freefall, swirling with the beautiful chaos of a new dream.

☾

Gavin awoke from his slumber, feeling something on his snout. He opened his eyes to see a tiny beige lizard laying on his snout, resting there as if it was it's home. He snorted, a quick burst of air shooting from his nostrils spooked the reptile, causing it to scurry off. Gavin scanned the skies, making sure no SandWing patrol was taking a fly today in his area. Gavin grabbed a clawful of sand, playing with it in his talons. The closet territory from here must be the Rainforest Kingdom, Gavin thought. How would careless, lazy RainWings help him? But he needed help, and he was sure that the other tribes wouldn't want to help him. He couldn't fight off an entire army of big, strong sky dragons alone, even with his animus power, if he wasn't a beginner animus, at least. The rainforest dragons is his only hope for now.
He leapt into the sky again, flying eastward. "Just a few more miles," Gavin said to himself, already feeling the need to drink water. His body begged for water and his mouth was irritatingly dry. Where would an oasis be in this massive desert? But he was close to the Rainforest Kingdom, anyway. Plenty of water there, he assumed. Gavin just hoped he wouldn't collapse from dehydration before he could get there.

It was a miracle that he hasn't seen one SandWing in the Sand Kingdom yet. Where did they all go?
As he got closer to the rainforest, the desert floor below began changing into rocky, sandless hills, gradually sloping up as he flew further east. The heat from the desert began to cool, and more vegetation began to appear. But he was still unsure with the lack of SandWings.
Until he saw something glitter in the corner of his eye. He looked back, flapping his wings at a steady pace to hover. Two silvery figures were flying in the distance, it's wingbeats could be heard. Shocked and realising what they were, Gavin lost a beat and had to flap harder to stay in their air.

Those flying figures in the air were IceWings.

Why were IceWings in the Sand Kingdom, of all places? Gavin expected the ice dragons to almost literally melt like ice in the heat of the desert. From the looks of it, the IceWings would be where Gavin is in about two minutes, and from that distance, the IceWings could easily see him. But, there was only two IceWings, if Gavin could see correctly. He could probably fend them off. He didn't want to risk the IceWings coming to the Rainforest Kingdom and killing his possible allies to stop the war.
It didn't take long for the IceWings to meet him, and they both didn't look friendly.
"You're not a SandWing," the icy blue IceWing said. She had blood on her talons and chest, and it looked fresh. Gavin's heart pounded as he grew anxious. "Obviously I am not a SandWing," Gavin snorted. The other IceWing, who was as pale as snow itself, examined the dragonet. "Why are you here, NightWing?" He said in a stern tone. Gavin debated on what he should say. Should he lie? Tell the truth? Say a lie but add a bit of the truth?
"I'm simply exploring the Sand Kingdom. I mean no harm," Gavin responded. The female IceWing whipped her tail back and forth, an angry expression plastered on her face. "Lies," she barked. The male IceWing bared his teeth. "The NightWings are planning something! You dragons are alllwwaaayyss planning something! You're an assassin!"
Gavin raised his claws, spooked by the false assumption. "No! I promise you! I am not an assassin! I-"
His words were cut off once he was tackled by the female IceWing.