Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

Puzzle Pieces

Haze clenched her eyes shut as the footsteps turned down the hallway they were in. But, instead of hearing shouts of someone revealing their location, or a fight about to begin, a strange voice rang out.

"Dusk?" Dusk's eyes shot open in astonishment. 

"Dad?" he said in shock. Haze opened her eyes only to spot a scarred and worried looking Sandwing at the end of the hall. "Dad!" Dusk cried in relief before bolting down the hall and lunging at his father. Haze walked cautiously towards them. "What are you doing here?" Dusk exclaimed. Coal's face fell and his eyes narrowed at his son.

"I could ask you the same thing." he warned.

"He's here because he's a stubborn moron that won't listen to reason." Haze explained. "I'm here because I'm babysitting him."

"Oh, I'm the moron. Says the girl who attacked Prickle." Dusk countered.

"He was choking you last time I checked!" Coal went pale.

"You attacked Prickle?" he whispered. Before they could respond, another Sandwing turned down the hall, bleeding slightly.

"Coast's clear for now." Qibli offered. "We should go."

"Fine." Coal agreed before looking back at the dragonets. "But this conversation is not over."

"What!" Haze said in alarm. "We can't leave yet!" 

"Why not?"

"We have to see Rattlesnake!" Coal frowned.

"Is that why you came here?" Dusk made a face.

"Uh....." he began. "Not exactly..."

"But it's priority number one now!" Haze retorted. Qibli sighed.

"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but Rattlesnake is not exactly a friendly dragon. Especially not to us, so seeing her is completely out of the question."

"But I have to see her!"

"Why?"

"I just have to!" Coal crossed his arms.

"Unless you can give me a damn good reason for why I should be wasting precious escape time in a building filled with dragons that want to murder me, this conversation is over, and I'm leaving." he declared. Haze looked at him in despair and sighed.

"Because she's my mother." Qibli's eyes widened.

"Rattlesnake is your mother?" he repeated. Coal looked shocked.

"Who's your father?" he asked.

"His name's Meerkat." Coal choked on air and started coughing. Dusk frowned at his dad. What was that all about? Just another thing to add to his list of questions about his father.

"Alright." Qibli agreed. "We'll try to find her, but then we're getting out of here." Haze's eyes narrowed.

"What made you change your mind?" she demanded.

"Haze, we probably don't have time to talk anymore." Dusk advised.

"Rattlesnake's my sister." Qibli offered. "Now let's go."

The four of them darted down hallway after hallway of unconscious dragons. Dusk stared in horror, whereas Haze glanced at them as if it were normal to pass by un-moving figures that were covered in blood.

"Geez Dad, how many dragons did you take out?" Dusk questioned.

"A lot." Coal replied vaguely. Haze glanced at scarred dragon.

"And not a scratch on you. Not bad." she commented.

"Let's just say I had a good motivator."

"And that some of those dragons aren't unconscious." Qibli added. Dusk frowned. 

They turned down another hall, one that Dusk recognized from when they were brought in.

"Wait...." Haze thought out loud. She glanced at Qibli. "Does this mean you're my uncle?"

"Technically, yes."

"......Cool."

They turned again and stopped at the door. 

"Go on," Coal insisted, nudging Haze forward. She inhaled and stepped inside, freezing at the sight of a small dragonet waiting inside. 

"Who are you and what do you want?" He piped up in an attempt to sound threatening.

"I'm here to see Rattlesnake." she said in confusion. "I'm Haze."

"I'm Drought." he replied, crossing his arms. "And what do you want with my mommy?"