Wings of Fire: One shots 2

Romantic Scenes (JW)

"One last word of warning, although I know you won't listen to me," Ruby said, stopping with a loud swish of her tail. "You cannot trust my mother's creature. She's unpredictable and knows nothing but killing. If you won't banish her, at least don't leave her unguarded for an instant." 

"I can trust Peril," Clay said, and in her shadows Peril felt her entire soul turn into a fireball. "She saved my life." 

"Plus she's in love with Clay," Starflight added. 

Peril wondered if anyone notice if she flew over, ripped out his tongue, and vanished into the night sky forever. 

"Ack!" Clay said. "Three moons, Starflight! That's not-it's not even-we're-no, no, no. I trust her because there's good in her, and we just need to give her a chance to show it to us."   

"She may have a fragment of good in her somewhere," Ruby said doubtfully, "but she'll never be good enough for you. And if he's right, and if she ever things you don't love her back, she will set all your friends on fire. That's just the truth." 

"Um," said Starflight. "For the record, I don't like the sound of that at all." 

Peril closed her eyes. Was it true? What would happen id Clay didn't love her? Or if he ever tried to send her away? It was a horrible. soul-crushing thought. But she wouldn't really set his friends on fire, would she?

Not all of them anyway. 

No, she told herself severely. None of them. Not even if it's their fault he doesn't love me. Oooorgh, but what if Tsunami convinced him to get rid of her? She might totally do something like that. Then could Peril set just the tiniest part of her on fire? 

No, no, no. Because there's always the chance he might still love me one day, but he definitely won't if there's any friend-burning at all. 

"Let's not talk about this," Clay said awkwardly. "Your Majesty, I'll meet you back here at midnight." 

"All right, well," she said. "You've been warned." She swept majestically out of the cave, her tail making quiet dramatic swishing noises against the stone floor. 

"Should I be worried?" Starflight asked. "Am I going to wake up on fire one day? How worried should I be?" 

"Not at all," Clay said. "Peril is not going to set you on fire." 

"I wonder if I have any scrolls about sociopaths," Starflight muttered. 

"Stop that." Clay stamped on of his feet. "I'm going to ask Sunny to dream visit Tsunami and see if she can find her." 

"Queen Ruby will never believe Peril has changed," Starflight called after him. There was a pause as Clay's footsteps faded away. "Not sure we will either," he added to himself, and then Peril heard his talons scrape against the rock as he bustled off to the library. 

Silence fell across the cavern. 

Peril curled her claws in and took a deep breath." - Tui T. Sutherland 

Peril: *whispers*...I remember that day... I hated it...

Turtle: Me too...

Clay: ....

Peril: That night I just wanted to rip out my heart 

Clay: ....

Peril: ... Why? 

Clay: I'm sorry

Peril: For what? 

Clay: If I knew that you were sitting behind the rock listening to that awful conversation then I wouldn't have said anything and I would have made sure that Starflight wouldn't have either....