Kingdoms Falling

Chapter 6

The cavern, as Hillock pointed out, grew narrower the further into the darkness they went. It was a rather unpleasant feeling to sense the walls closing in on him. It was too small, too claustrophobic, very unlike the ocean with its open mass of waves and endless skyline. Meadow shivered, wishing for the familiar sensation of freedom, or at least sunlight. He curled his tail closer to his body as they rounded a bend and kept walking.

"How much further do ya think this cave will go on fer?" the sand dragon asked several minutes later when they still had not seen hide or tail of Oasis's squadron.

Meadow shrugged.

"Do ya think we'll find the others?"

He didn't answer.

"You're not very talkative, are ya?"

Meadow let out his breath. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Just...thinking." About who could possibly be doing this, why they're here, what they could want with Sun, and how they knew I was a Dream Jumper. He shook his head. That's not the important thing right now. We just need to find Sun and his friends, and get out before whatever is here realizes that it has company.

"Thinkin'?" Hillock echoed. "'Bout what? How to get everyone out of here?"

"No..." Meadow said slowly. "Just...that dragon. Oasis. He sounded so sure that everyone was dead. And I can't help, but worry. What if he's right and we're walking into a slaughterhouse? And if we're already too late..."

"You're second guessin' yourself," Hillock translated. "Sorry to have to tell ya, but it's a bit late for that now."

Meadow snorted tiredly. It was true, though. They had come this far. There was no way they were going to turn back now. Actually, on second thought... "It's not too late for you," he argued. He pushed away all of the flashing warning lights in his head that told him what he was saying was a terrible idea. "You can still go back. You're not a part of what's happening here. And I don't want you to be involved unless you are sure you want to be. It's okay if you want to leave. I won't blame you."

"And what?" he replied, flashing him a grin. "Let ya have all the fun?" He ducked his head and continued his steady pace. "Nah, I'm here. I want to help. What threatens one of us, threatens us all. Might as well stop it before any more dragons have to die." There was something laced in his words. A desperation to prove himself? A memory of something painful in his past? It was difficult to tell.

And Meadow, with all of his gifts and powers, was certainly not a mindreader.

"Anyway," the older dragon went on, keeping his gaze averted. "Perhaps ya could explain how ya knew somethin' was wrong? Ya don't...if ya don't mind me sayin'...seem like the kind of dragon to get inside information on cases like this."

"You're right," Meadow said. "I don't. And I suppose I should tell you, since you're helping me." He paused, trying to decide how best to phrase it. "Um...do you remember that incident at the Royal Gathering a few weeks ago?"

"I do," Hillock replied. "Scariest thing I've ever seen. Thought everyone was dead for sure."

"Yes, well, that dragon that attacked the rulers? That was Darkwhisperer." Meadow paused, waiting for some kind of reaction, and was surprised when he got none. Did the sand dragon not know the tales? Perhaps he just didn't know the dragon by his proper name.

"Dark Night?" he tried.

Hillock blinked. "Who?"

"A really evil dragon," Meadow explained with a sigh. "And, did you notice the five dragons who fought him?"