Fennec frowned, unsure of what to do.
"I don't know," he he insisted. "Rattlesnake doesn't like visitors."
"Please," Haze begged, as if this were life or death. "We'll do anything."
"We will?" Dusk said in alarm, his voice conveying that there were many things that were on in this building that he did not want to take part in. Fennec gave her a look and sighed.
"Alright. But make it quick." Haze practically jumped in excitement, clasping her talons together. Dusk raised an eyebrow. Since when did Haze express the emotion of happiness?
"Thank you!" she exclaimed.
"But once you're done, you two should get out of here." Fennec insisted as he lead them down the hall. "I don't want to risk Prickle finding out about-"
"Finding out about what?" a voice demanded. A big sandwing stood before them, with a dragon skull tattoo on his arm. Dusk's blood ran cold and he froze dead in his tracks. Fennec's eyes widened.
"Um...." he stammered, glancing guiltily at Dusk. Prickle caught his gaze and paused.
"Who are you?" he ordered. Haze and Dusk stood silent until Prickle walked over ad grabbed Dusk by the throat. "I asked you a question." he hissed.
Dusk fought back a scream. This. This was exactly what his father had warned him about. Fennec had seemed friendly, but Prickle.... Prickle he understood. The very talons wrapped around his neck were the same ones that had abused his dad for years. And now, he was threatening to kill him if he didn't reveal who he was. But revealing who he was to Prickle was sure to get him killed even faster.
"Let him go, Prickle." Fennec begged.
"Not until he tells me what I want to know." Prickle insisted. Haze glanced back and forth between the two of them and then at Dusk's fearful expression.
"Hey, I've got a question for ya." She announced. Prickle glanced down at her and Fennec shot her a look that clearly read how much he feared for the young dragonet life. "Rattlesnake. Do you know who kidnapped her and killed the mudwing?" Prickle smirked.
"What, is she some new recruit?" He joked. "I'm the one. I was just taking back what rightfully belonged to me." Haze glared at him in fury.
"Then I hope you don't mind if I do the same." She proclaimed before lashing out. Her poisonous tail dug into Prickle's chest and Fennec let out a shout. In the sudden confusion, Dusk wriggled out of Prickle's grasp and dropped to the ground.
"You son of a-" Prickle started to swear, lunging towards Haze. She dodged him, and clawed at his eye. Prickle let out a scream and Haze retreated, grabbing Dusk's hand and yanking him to his feet.
"Run!" She yelled before taking off down the hall- dragging Dusk behind her.
"Where are we going?" Dusk questioned. Haze glanced back and quickened her pace.
"ANYWHERE BUT HERE!" She declared. "Where's the exit?"
"I don't know!" They turned down a hallway and Dusk frantically remembered the room he had spotted on their way in- the room with the solemn dragon- the room with a window. "This way!" He called, yanking at Haze.
"Where are we going?" She demanded.
"I saw a window this way."
"ARE YOU INSANE!? THEIR WINDOWS ARE LOCKED AND HAVE TRAPS UNDERNEATH THE OUTSIDE OF THEM!"
"Then it's a good thing we have wings!"
They took a turn and Dusk paused in panic. It was an unfamiliar hallway and worse- a dead end.
"We're so dead." He whispered. Haze glanced in fear at the hallway they had run from, but it was no use now. There were dragons chasing them. Dragons who would kill her for what she did to Prickle.
No, she thought to herself. Not when I was so close to her.
They backed up again the sandstone wall in fear as they heard footsteps approaching.
"I'm so sorry Haze," Dusk whispered. "I never should've come here. This is all my fault." She shook her head.
"I shouldn't have attacked him. I'd do it all over again, but I shouldn't have."
"Why did you?"
"He took my mother. He deserves to pay." As the footsteps grew closer, Dusk clenched his eyes shut.
"Any last words of wisdom?" He asked.
"You're a fucking moron, Dusk."