Young Writers Society

Zoltar turned in a slow circled as he scanned the shore, desperate to catch even a small glimpse of the Ice Talon. Ghostly white mist swirled over the lapping waves, the tendrils coiling through the pillars ringing the beach. It was hopeless. The heave fog made it almost impossible to see more than a few dragon lengths away. Felistia could be anywhere, her silvery scales causing her to melt into the haze.

“What’s up with you now?” Shiraku huffed, arching her eyes.

“It’s Felistia,” Zoltar said anxiously, “I haven’t seen or heard her since dawn.”

“So,” Shiraku shrugged, flicking the fish she’d caught from one talon to another, “She’s probably got caught up fishing. Besides, she could be standing a few columns away and you wouldn’t be able to make her out.”

“Still, she said she’d check how I was doing and it’s now midday. It’s been too long. Something must have happened.”

Shiraku gave him a sideways glance, before studying the surrounding pillars.

“Fine, we’ll have a quick look around,” she said finally, walking a few dragon lengths to toss the fish onto the beach, “but if it’s nothing and you’re wasting my time, I’m personally going to dunk you, wings and all.”

Zoltar recoiled back as she wadded past him, the splash from her tail spraying against his obsidian black scales. She snickered.

“You search the shore and I’ll look around the shallows. She can’t be far.” With that, she dove, sending a shower of water over him.

He sprang back, but not before it drenched his snout and neck. He flattened his ears, shaking the sea water from his scales.

Huffing to himself, he wadded up onto the sand. The grains clumped up and stuck to his soaking wet paws, itching and scratching all at the same time.

He groaned. There was a reason why he didn’t like to get wet.

Shaking his paws irritably, he sniffed the air. Maybe he could catch her scent.

The sharp smell of salt and rotting seaweed invaded his senses and he snorted, shaking his snout. There was no way he’d be able to track her like that.

He walked further along the beach, studying the wet sand for talon marks. If she’d left the water at any point, he should be able to see her paw prints.

“Any luck?” Shiraku blurted from the water when she saw him approach the shallows. She flashed her scales so he could make her out amidst the fog.

“No,” Zoltar replied, “You?”

“Nothing. I’ve swam from one side of the beach to the other and there’s nothing. She must be on the shore somewhere.”

Zoltar nodded, though his gut was twisting with nerves. Why would Felistia have run off without telling them? It wasn’t like her. Him and Shiraku maybe, but not her.

“Felistia!” Shiraku roared as she stepped out of the water.

“Shhhh,” Zoltar hissed, his back spines bristling at the sudden noise.

“Oh relax. There’s nothing about. Wisp Talons never come near the beach and the Death Grippers are mostly nocturnal. She’s properly just wondered off and lost track of time,” Shiraku said, shaking her scales dry.

Zoltar gritted his teeth, but didn’t argue with her as she led him further up the beach towards the neighboring forest. The sharp notes of song birds echoed out from between the trees, their calls distorting in the humid air.

Suddenly, a large creature crashed through the trees ahead of them, sending sand scattering as she swerved onto the beach.

Zoltar breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he recognized Felistia. She was alright.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” she huffed, running awkwardly up to them, the loose sand causing her to stumble as she neared.

“Where were you?” Shiraku roared, the scales along her wings blazing a brilliant white as she flared her wings, “We’ve been looking for you for the last hour!”

Felistia flinched back, guilt flashing over her snout, “I..I didn’t realize it had been that long. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any alarm.”

Shiraku rolled her eyes, before smirking, “It’s fine. I wasn’t that worried.”

She batted Felistia playfully with her wing, “It was that one who was freaking out.”

She pointed a talon at Zoltar, who smiled bashfully.

“Well…I was...ah...just…ah,” he stumbled, fumbling at his talons as he stared at the ground.

“Aw, you’re too sweet,” Felistia crooned, giving him a nudge.

Zoltar grinned, still feeling a little sheepish.

“Anyway…what caused you to wonder off like that?” Shiraku interjected.

“Well…you’re going to think this is stupid…but I swear I heard an antelope in distress. I wasn’t having much luck fishing and so I thought I’d follow the sound. The cries stopped after I’d gone a far way into the forest. I hung around for a while after to see if I could find it, but there was no trace of it. Not even a struggle. I didn’t realize how long I’d been until I heard you guys,” Felistia explained, curling her tail over her talons as she sat down.

“It was quite strange now that I think about it. It didn’t sound quite right, like the calls had a weird clicking back note to it,” she shook her head, “Maybe I was just hearing things.”

“Well anyway, now that you’ve wasted an hour of my time, let’s get back to fishing,” Shiraku huffed, “We’ve barely caught enough to feed a dragonet, let alone three dragons.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Felistia laughed, getting to her paws.

“You coming Zoltar?” she asked after the Shadow Talon didn’t move.

“Um actually, I think I’ll pass on the fishing,” Zoltar said, rubbing his horns, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to try and see if I can find that deer.”

“But I looked and there’s nothing there.”

“I know, but I can track much better in the forest than you and besides, I’m awful at catching fish. Even if I don’t find the deer, I’ll try to catch something else,” Zoltar urged, already heading towards the forest.

“Well, okay then,” Felistia said, glancing at Shiraku, “We’ll meet you back at the cave then I guess.”

Zoltar nodded, not turning to look at them as he rushed into the trees.