Listen, And The Stars Shall Speak

Flames Of Fury

Dawn was banging on the door when screams started to echo from down the hallway. Dawn paused, and a familiar scent wafted into her nose. 

Smoke.

Dawn's eyes widened as she thought back to a question she'd asked Drought weeks ago.

"What will you do if you're attacked?" she had asked.

"If there's no way for us to get away, I will end it all, and we will die and take the Sting's secrets to the grave. Someone will rebuild what we started, and I wish that dragon well if it isn't me." 

"End it all?" Dawn had repeated.

"This Headquarters is everything. If there is no other way, I will burn it to the ground myself."

And that was exactly what he was doing.

No. Dawn yelled in her head, slamming herself against the door. She knew the Headquarters would burn to the ground, and take everyone inside with it. But Dawn refused to die for this. The Sting did not deserve her life. She had to escape. She had to see her family, her friends, at least once more. She had to explain what she had done and why. She couldn't die knowing that Dusk and Haze and probably her father hated her. 

But as she looked around her room, she knew deep down there was no escape. 

"HELP!!!" She screamed, praying someone outside would open her door in the panic. Surely one of Thorn's soldiers would look for her, right? Surely someone would care. "SOMEBODY HELP!!! LET ME OUT!!"

But no one, she knew, was coming.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, at Kindle's Hut....

Orange was finally healed enough to fly back to JMA, and Shore was happy to leave. But just as they were about to leave, Kindle stopped them.

"It's probably best to leave tomorrow." She advised. "There a bad fire going on, and when fires start out there, anything could happen." 

"What's burning?" Orange questioned. Kindle looked hesitant to say.

"It's the Sting Headquarters. Apparently, someone boarded up all the exits, so no one inside can escape."

Shore and Orange froze.

"Dawn's still in there, isn't she?" Orange asked quietly.

"Yes." Shore confirmed. Guilt twisted in his stomach. "But she betrayed us. She tried to KILL you." Orange just stared at him.

"You know what we have to do, though." She offered. 

"Not you." Shore proclaimed. "Orange, you just got better. You can't go throwing your life in danger again."

"I'm not." Orange looked determined. "I'm protecting you, as you save our friend."

"But she-"

"Dawn had her reasons, and I'm FINE. Does she really deserve to die for that?"

"No." Shore admitted. He glanced over at Kindle. "If we don't come back, tell somebody what happened."

"You can't seriously be consid-" Kindle started, but they had already darted out the door.

*~*~*~*~*

Fire had consumed the entire Headquarters by the time Shore broke open a window and they slipped inside.

"Keep your head down!" Shore advised as he grabbed Orange's hand and they ran through the halls.

"HELP!!!" Dawn screamed from inside her room. She stopped, coughing at the smoke that filled the room. "Help!"

Shore and Orange darted through the halls, quietly stepping over the unconscious forms of various Sting members.

"Help!" A voice was yelling. Shore stopped in front of a door and tried the handle. Locked.

"Dawn?" He yelled.

Dawn barely recognized the voice before the door, but she honestly didn't care.

"YES!" she shouted, mustering up the last of her strength as smoke filled her lungs. "HELP ME!"

Shore pulled at the door, but he couldn't get it unlocked.

"Move!" Orange yelled at him, brandishing a dagger she'd grabbed off one of the fallen Sting. She slammed it into the doorframe, shifting until the door cracked open and Dawn stumbled out, coughing miserably.

"What happened?" Orange demanded.

"Thorn's soldiers attacked us, and Drought set everything on fire." Dawn said hoarsely, coughing more.

"Dawn!" A voice yelled out. They turned, only to see a pained-looking Drought watching them. "What's going on?"

"I'm leaving." Dawn explained, tears starting to run down her face. "I was never loyal to the Sting. I was a spy." Drought shook his head, looking heartbroken.

"Why?" He whispered. Orange silently handed Dawn the sword as she approached the Sandwing.

"Because your family hurt my father." Dawn began. "Because you made his life hell for so many years. Because your father tried to kill my family, and my friends. Because you wanted me to kill everyone I love." She was shaking. "Because every time I thought there was a shred of good in you, you made all the wrong choices. Because I hate you, and I hate everything this gang stands for."

Drought's face hardened.

"Then you're a traitor." He spat at her.

"Could be worse." She offered as she glared at him. "I could be like you."

Drought lunged forward, and Dawn stabbed the sword through his chest.

"This time," she seethed, shaking and silently crying as she twisted the blade. "It's all over." 

She yanked out the sword, and Drought fell to the floor, dead. Dawn dropped to her knees, shaking frantically and she sobbed. 

"We have to get her out of here." Shore insisted as Orange picked up the traumatized dragonet.

They headed back down the hallway as a faint voice called out.

"Help," someone said weakly. Shore paused. There were other dragons here that needed help. The Sting didn't deserve it, but Thorn's soldiers....They were innocent.

Orange was still headed down the hall, oblivious to the fact that Shore was no longer behind her. He stared after her for a minute before darting in the other direction, running for the faint voice that had called out. 

Other dragons needed his help, and he intended to give it.