An odd darkness and sense of dread surrounded Hare until her eyes snapped open. She looked around, confused on why she'd woken up in such unfamiliar territory.
I must still be dreaming.
But she felt so real, it couldn't be just a dream.
The place looked like a dark rainforest. Trees drooped down and vines so dark they were almost black wove between the branches and hung down in low arches. A pale light shone through the branches. Hare looked up and shuddered. A single moon sat in the sky with only a few stars scattered around it. It looked horribly distorted, like someone had ripped the reflection out of rippling water and put it in the sky.
The ground was dark, the grass was dead and squelched a little below Hare's talons. The place reeked of rot and what Hare thought was the scent of death.
Where am I?
Hare pricked her ears and moved through the trees. She kept her guard up and prepared herself to face any possible attackers. She wasn't alone here, she knew it. She could sense the presence of a lot of other dragons, dragons who had nothing but evil intentions.
Hare forced herself not to yelp as one of the dead vines had one end snap down from the branches it was wove between. It almost landed on Hare's snout, startling her even more. Now it just hung like a regular vine, waving back and forth through the chilly, eerie wind.
Hare stared at it in horror for a moment, then forced herself to keep moving. She couldn't stay in one place for too long, not in a place so unfamiliar and creepy.
The sound of faint, quiet voices startled her. Hare looked up and spotted a cave hidden behind a few trees. She hesitated, then walked toward it. The voices grew louder as she grew closer, though they were still faint. Hare walked into the entrance and was instantly struck with a horrible sound. Wails and screeches rose from the cave, pleading for help or screeching in pain. She couldn't see anyone, but the voices were clear. Hare took a step back as the sounds filled her ears. They were almost deafening.
Hare stared into the dark cave in horror. There was a tunnel that led further into the cave. That must be where the voices were coming from. Before she could consider going down to find the source of the voices, a wail sounded from extremely close by. A moment later, a horribly mangled dragon slowly walked out of the tunnel and rounded the corner. Its skin dangled by thin strips, revealing the bones beneath. No blood could be seen, but Hare thought that's what made it all more disturbing. The shape of the disfigured snout and the color of the torn-up scales were the only things that helped Hare figure out it was a MudWing. The sockets where its eyes should have been were empty.
The MudWing raised its head and parted its jaws to let out another agonizing wail. Hare took a step back. The wail rose to a high-pitched screech as the MudWing stretched out its talon, clearly begging for help. Hare didn't even have a moment to blink before the mangled dragon was quickly dragged back into the tunnel.
Hare turned and fled from the cave. She dashed through the trees, her talons barely making any sound as she raced through the horrifying rainforest.
She didn't know how long she'd been running for before she stepped in something that instantly made her stop. She'd nearly slipped over it. Hare backed up and looked down. The dead, decaying body of a SkyWing was laying on the ground, its belly slit open and exposing its organs. Some had dropped onto the ground, and all of them were shriveled.
Hare turned away and vomited. She backed up and gasped for air.
"Help!" she wailed, suddenly feeling helpless. "Help! I want to go home!"
There was no answer. She couldn't help but feel disappointed, even though she'd known she wouldn't get a response in this horrible place. Hare hung her head and continued gasping. Her heart was pounding faster than it ever had before. It was getting harder to breathe and focus. She felt like she was about to vomit again when the sound of a snapping twig caught her attention.
Hare forced herself to get up and go toward the sound. Her talons felt heavy as she moved, and her belly churned with dread. She kept low, praying she wouldn't be seen.
Hare soon came to the edge of a clearing. She ducked beneath the shelter of the dying undergrowth, hoping none of the dead plants would crack as she did so. Four dragons stood in the clearing. Three were SeaWings and the other was an IceWing.
"I could hear you coming from a whole forest-length away," one of the SeaWings snarled. The dragon was tall and had powerful wings. His scales were a pale bluish-gray, and his fierce eyes were so dark they were almost black.
The SeaWing he'd been talking to, a light green dragon who was smaller than the others, glared at him defensively. "You told me I had to get here quickly," he shot back. "You never said quietly."
"Did you want to alert the whole forest?" the first SeaWing snapped. "These meetings aren't for everyone."
The other SeaWing, who was a darker shade of green and up to the first SeaWing's jawline, rolled her eyes as the light green one bristled.
"Calm yourself, Cowrie," the IceWing said, shooting the light green SeaWing a look. "You've wasted enough time already."
Hare expected the first SeaWing to thank the IceWing, but he never did. "You all know why we're here, so we can get right into planning," he said.
Hare pricked her ears. Planning? Planning for what?
"The trainees have been doing well," the IceWing said approvingly. "Their battle skills are coming along well."
"Well enough for them to be able to take on a whole army single-taloned?" the first SeaWing hissed.
"No, of course not-"
"Then it's not well enough," the SeaWing interrupted.
"Obviously they're not ready yet, Albatross," the IceWing snarled. "They're still doing well though. Is it really so wrong for me to praise my trainees?"
Albatross ignored his comment and looked at Cowrie. "What have you been teaching your trainees?"
The little SeaWing brightened. "I'd love to show you." He looked nervously at Albatross, then at the IceWing. "Er, Orca, come here."
The other SeaWing, who looked beautiful and majestic in this eyesore of a forest, made a face at him. Hare couldn't help but notice how she'd remained silent the whole time. Albatross stepped in front of her. "My family will not be harmed in whatever battle training you plan on showing us. Get another dragon, leave her alone."
Cowrie snorted. "Right, because I forgot you were suddenly so noble. That's why you're here, right?"
"I have sense," Albatross snarled. "I didn't lose that when I came here."
"But you lost it at some point, along with the rest of yourself," Cowrie shot back. "You lost the love you felt toward your family too."
"I never lost the love for my family!"
"Then why did you murder them when you were alive?" Cowrie's eyes glittered with hate. "And why were you so desperate to murder my father?"
Albatross narrowed his eyes. "You think you're strong enough to challenge me?" he hissed dangerously.
"Yes," Cowrie snapped, looking as though he were prepared to attack at any moment. Hare could see uncertainty shining in his eyes as he spoke, despite everything he'd said, and clearly Albatross could see it too.
"Don't act like we don't know why you want to fight Orca," Albatross snarled. "You know you can't fight me and Arctic. You're too weak. I advise backing down while you still can."
"Never!" Cowrie roared. "I'll show you! You're no better than the rest of us, you seaweed-brained toad!"
Cowrie was about to strike when Artic suddenly lashed out and sank his claws into the SeaWing's chest. Cowrie screeched. Arctic tore his claws away, ripping off a chunk of Cowrie's flesh. Hare gasped as blood poured from the wound and the bones beneath were exposed. But Arctic wasn't done. He tore open Cowrie's throat and kicked out his back leg.
Cowrie collapsed and howled in pain. Arctic narrowed his eyes. He leaped onto Cowrie and held his mouth open. Quickly and cleanly, he ripped out the SeaWing's tongue. Hare held her breath as the IceWing clamped Cowrie's jaws together and sealed them shut with a hit of frostbreath. Cowrie's eyes were glazed with pain.
What is this place? How could any dragon be so cruel?
Arctic took a step back and licked the glistening, red blood from his claws. "I'd appreciate it if I didn't have to keep doing your dirty work for you."
"Stop stepping in before I can then," Albatross replied calmly.
Arctic shot him a look, then finished licking his claws. He shook out his scales and walked away, passing Albatross as he went. He paused beside the SeaWing and lowered his voice to a quiet hiss. Hare had to strain her ears to hear him.
"Remember who you are," the IceWing snarled. "We aren't here because of our noble sacrifices and honorable moves. You lost yourself, Albatross. You lost every good quality you had. It's far too late to change that."
Arctic looked back at Cowrie, who was still bleeding and twitching in pain. "I did the work, you can put him with the others." Arctic walked away and disappeared into the trees without waiting for Albatross or Orca to say anything.
Albatross fixed his eyes on Cowrie. "Go home," he ordered Orca. "Our job tonight is done."
The young SeaWing nodded and Hare watched in awe as she slowly shimmered away. Where did she go?
Albatross grabbed Cowrie's tail between his teeth and began dragging him as though he weighed no more than a feather. Horror struck Hare as she realized he was heading toward the undergrowth where she was hiding. She quickly backed further into the dying plants. There was no way she'd be able to run, Albatross would catch her for sure.
Albatross walked right past her. Hare was only allowed a moment of relief before she met Cowrie's gaze. The SeaWing's eyes widened, clearly begging her for help. Hare just sadly shook her head. I'm sorry, she told him silently. There's nothing I can do. I have no idea how to face anyone in this strange place.
Albatross dragged Cowrie toward the direction of the cave. Hare shuddered. The SeaWing must be evil to be here, but she couldn't imagine anyone being evil enough to be thrown into that awful cave.
Once the SeaWings were gone, Hare backed out of the undergrowth and looked around. There had to be a way for her to get home. Hare's mind went to Orca. She'd faded away and gone somewhere. Could Hare try that to go home? What if it brought her somewhere worse? Hare couldn't imagine anywhere worse than this, but she'd also never imagined a place as bad as this.
It's all I have right now. This is my best option, and my only option. I have to try it.
Hare closed her eyes and dug her claws into the mushy ground. She imagined the room Scarlet had given her. She imagined the SkyWing palace. She imagined Copper and Peril and the rest of her friends. She imagined the place where she belonged, the place that would save her from this cruel forest.
The chilly air slowly faded as Hare fixed all her focus on where she wanted to go. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter. Hare soon realized that the chilly air was gone. She was warm and there was something comfortable below her. Hare snapped her eyes open and looked down at her talons. The last of the horrible rainforest was disappearing, but she wasn't home yet.
Sand was below her talons, and the sun shone on her back. Hare blinked in confusion. She looked up and saw another dragon standing before her. She only had a moment to look, enough time to pick out the features of a SandWing, before everything vanished and she woke up in her room.