The rest of the night passed as quickly as a frost bitten
breath escaping from a dragon’s mouth. Zoltar could have sworn that he’d closed
his eyes for a moment and the sun was up, spreading its golden raze across the
snow cloaked tundra.
Blinking in the brightness of the sun reflecting off the
perfect white snow fall, Zoltar got to his paws. He yawned. He’d barely had any
sleep last night. His limbs were aching from resting on the frozen ground and
his eye lids felt like steel weights threatening to slam shut at any second.
Shaking his head, he stretched, trying to rid himself of the lingering drowsiness.
“Morning, Zoltar,” a bright voice chirped from behind him.
Zoltar looked to find Emerald smiling at him, her scales a flickering blanket
of rose and ice blue, “I saw you talk to Felistia last night.”
“You were awake?” Zoltar blinked slowly, before yawning
again.
“I heard you whimper and wake up. I presume you had a
nightmare. I was about to doze off again when I saw Felistia start to talk to
you. How’d it go?”
“Oh right,” Zoltar said, his thoughts starting to clear as
he remembered the previous night, “I think it went well. She said she’d help me
get to the Ice Talon Palace. You were right. It was better to talk to her.”
Emerald beamed at him, flicking her wings out to shake off
the thin layer of snow that had settle on them, “I told you it would be better.
On that note though, you said something about me and Shiraku staying here while
you go. Would you mind explaining that again? I am fairly new to the outside
world thing remember,” she laughed nervously.
“Yes. I did want to talk more about that today, but I think
I should wake Shiraku first. No point in explaining myself twice.” Zoltar said,
walking over to Shiraku and lightly tapping her on the snout.
The Sea Talon didn’t move. She just flopped a paw over her
snout with a groan.
“Get up,” Zoltar growled quietly through gritted teeth as
he lightly shoved Shiraku, “I need to talk to you and there’s no point if
you’re still asleep, is there?”
“Does it have to be this early?” Shiraku moaned, yawning so
wide that Zoltar could see the back of her cavernous throat, “I need my beauty
sleep. These bright blue scales don’t stay shiny by themselves.”
“It’s not even that early and no, it can’t wait,” he hissed
firmly, dragging Shiraku to her paws.
He waited for her to compose herself as she settled into a
sit, a look of deep annoyance written all over her snout.
“This better be important Zoltar,” She growled softly,
“Your life depends on it.”
Zoltar shot her a dirty look, “I need you and Emerald to
stay here while I and Felistia travel to the Ice Talon Kingdom. I don’t know
exactly how long I will be. Hopefully I’ll be back in under a week. If seven
days pass and I’m not back, I won’t be coming back.”
Shiraku scowled and barked, “And why wouldn’t you come
back?”
“Because I’ll probably be dead. I can’t survive in the type
of cold for longer than week. So my point was that if I don’t come back in
seven days you need to leave. There’s no point you hanging around here longer
than that. “
A look of terror crossed Emerald’s face, “What will I do if
don’t come back. I can’t make it back through the maze on my own.”
“I have thought about that and you have two options. You
can try to see if the Moon Talons will take you in. They have been known to
sometimes take in outsiders with no place to go. Alternatively, you could go to
the Forest of Doom. It’s a few miles north from here. It’s a very similar habitat
to the one on the island. However that is a worst case scenario. I’m sure I’ll
be able to get back,” Zoltar quickly said after Emerald’s scales became a
rolling wave of ivory white and pistachio green, “If I can’t get the diamond or
feel that I’m in danger I’ll come back, okay?”
“Okay,” Emerald respond, still shaking a little.
“Anyway, in the meantime while I am gone. You can catch
food in the Forest or if you head west a bit you’ll find lots of herd animals
to hunt as well. I’m sure you’ll be fine without me for a few days.” Zoltar
sighed. Somehow this felt more like he was trying to convince himself more then
them.
“And Felistia?” Shiraku asked, her voice softer than
before.
Zoltar dropped his gaze, “I don’t know about her. All I
know is that she’s probably going to seek revenge. I don’t think she’s coming
back.”
“Oh,” Shiraku’s wings dropped and after a moment, she
asked, “Can I go now?”
Zoltar nodded, watching the Sea Talon as she walked over to
Felistia, who was sitting a ways off, staring out over the white wilderness.
Breathing a heave sigh, Zoltar sat down next to Emerald, “I
know it’s a scary thought… being on your own out here, but I will make it back
okay?” He looked at her, staring deep into her golden eyes, “I mean that.”
“I know you mean it. It’s just….I don’t know….it’s so
different from what I’m used to this quest thing you’re on,” She brushed her
head against his, resting it on his shoulder, “I knew it was going to be
dangerous. It just takes some getting used too. Besides, you’re the best Shadow
Talon soldier I know. I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she joked, batting him gently
with her wing.
Zoltar laughed. What would he do with out Emerald? He
hadn’t had a friend like this in many years. It was good to know there was
still someone in the world that cared about him. He’d thought he’d lost that
forever when Nira died.
A stab of pain shot through his heart and he had to swallow
hard to keep back the emotions. He missed her dearly and only the mission at
hand had kept him sane after her passing. There had been nothing left for him.
Now look. He had two good friends in Felistia and Emerald. Shiraku although not
yet a good friend, he was fond of no matter how painful she was and he had a
feeling she felt the same way.
He smiled again. Although life was far from perfect at the
moment, it felt like slowly things were falling into place.
“I have to go now,” He said softly, breaking from Emerald’s
embrace.
She nodded, wrapping her wings around him and lightly
nuzzling the side of his head, whispering, “Be safe out there and come back
soon.” she gazed deeply into his swirling amethyst eyes while gently murmuring,
“I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“I’ll see you soon.” Zoltar said, before walking up to
Felistia. Shiraku had left and was sitting under the tree watching them with
saddened eyes.
“You ready?” he asked.
Felistia smiled warmly and brush a wing against his, saying,
"As ready as I’ll ever be."
Zoltar grinned. Stepping away from her, he leapt into the
frigid morning air, beating his wings as he soared skywards.
With a thundering roar, Felistia joined him in the sky, her
shining owl like wings catching the sunlight as they banked towards to swirling
snows of the west. They were on their way.
I really hope they have a little more purpose than that, considering the trouble they had flying off the island. Plus, I love Emerald and Shiraku. Especially Shiraku. 
Points: 1361
Reviews: 26
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