Young Writers Society

A cool wind swept over the trees as Zoltar soared out over the coast. The sun was slowly dipping behind the mountain peaks, sending out a final spray of fiery golds across the darkening sky.

Zoltar clutched the wild turkey he’d caught tighter as wave after wave of thoughts crashed through his mind.

What was Emerald doing? Why was she being friendly to him? Was it a morbid fascination with outsiders or was there something more there? She obviously was curious, but why? Surely she could learn plenty about the outside world from scrolls. It would be safer and wouldn’t require hanging around an outlaw.

He sighed. It couldn’t last forever. The next full moon sacrifice wasn’t far off; twelve days or so. What wouldn’t happen then? From what he’d heard from Felistia, the Wisp Talons didn’t hesitate to kill their own tribe members. Surely Emerald would give him and the others up if it came to that?

He shook his snout, tilting his wings as he angled south. He had a few days, but at some point or another, he’d have to tell Felistia what had happened. They needed to find a new hiding place and somehow manage to do it without Emerald seeing them.

…

It wasn’t long before the cave melted into view, the draping strands of seaweed around the entrance tinted a deep olive green in the dying light.

Zoltar steeled himself as he approached. He didn’t really want to have to talk to Felistia or Shiraku at the moment. He needed space, some time to think.

Still, he’d promised to bring something back and he couldn’t just disappear without telling them. No, he’d drop off the bird, make an excuse or something and then find a quiet place to spend a few hours.

The seaweed strands were cold, sliding along his scales as he entered the cave. He looked around, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the gloom of the cave as he dropped the turkey.

“Hey,” Felistia waved a talon when she saw him, “I was starting to think you wouldn’t show up.”

She smiled, getting to her paws.

“You’d better have brought something back,” Shiraku grumbled from the corner, not bothering to turn and face him, “I didn’t spend all day fishing for you to come back empty clawed.”

Felistia shook her snout at the Sea Talon in exasperating, though she had a grin on her face.

“Don’t mind her,” she said, brushing a wing against his, “She’s just tired.”

A loud ummmfff echoed from the back of the cave, quickly followed by other muffled protests.

Zoltar couldn’t help the faint chuckle that escaped his mouth. She may be insufferable at times, but despite all logic, he was growing fond of the Sea Talon.

Felistia rolled her eyes, “Anyway, how’d it go? I take it you didn’t find the deer, seeing as that’s a turkey.”

Zoltar shook his head, “No, there wasn’t a single hoof print, nothing.”

He kept it vague on purpose. He couldn’t tell her what had really happened. If he did, he’d have to tell her the whole story, Sidious, the Ghost Talons, stealing the gems, everything…

He cringed at the thought. Though, if he couldn’t convince Sidious to try a different plan, he may have to tell her. It would be the only way to protect them.

“Zoltar,” Felistia was giving him a strange look, “You okay?”

“Yah, yah,” Zoltar said, rubbing his horns, “Sorry, just got a lot on my mind.”

He paused for a second, “Hey… do you mind if I have my dinner on one of the pillars? I need some space to think through a few things.”

“Sure…I guess,” Felistia said a little hesitantly before adding, “Shiraku and I had already eaten anyway.”

“Thanks.” Zoltar quickly grabbed the turkey, relieved that he didn’t have to stay in the cave, “I’ll be back later tonight.”

“Okay,” Felistia watched him leap out the entrance, a bewildered look across her snout.

In a few moments, Zoltar was standing on top of one of the many columns scattered across the coastline. He took in a deep breath, the salty ocean air tingling as it flooded his nostrils.

Daylight was fading, the last trails of the suns light retreating as if fleeing the oncoming darkness. A cool breeze brushed over his scales, whipping and wailing as it swept through the pillars.

A distant howl echoed out from the nearby forest and Zoltar ducked, flattening his wings so that they lay flat against the stone. He quickly scanned the tree line, searching for any signs of movement.All was still. As he lay there, his thoughts drifted back to Sidious and what had happened with Felistia.

He had to confront the Ghost Talon at some point and soon, but what would he say? In his head, he was firm and would demand a different plan. But now that he’d had time to think about it, he knew that wasn’t how it would go. No, he’d probably cower, Sidious would tell him what a wet lump of mud he was and nothing would change.

He sighed, picking up a stray feather and twisting it around with his talons.

What was he going to do?

A sudden flurry of wing beats broke through the silence as something landed on the rock face behind him.

“Evening Shadow Talon,” Sidious hissed just as Zoltar leapt around.

“Sidious,” Zoltar growled, not hiding his disdain for the dragon, “What do you want?”

The Ghost Talon examined one of his claws for a moment, holding the curved talon up to the last of the light, “I think you’ll be happy to know that I have a plan in the works. One that will solve our little jewel problem and get rid of any witnesses to the crime in one fell swoop.”

“Yah, I know.” Zoltar clinched the rock underneath his paws, steeling himself for a fight.

Sidious eyed him with mild surprise, “Really?”

Zoltar took a deep breath. It was now or never, “You can’t do it. I won’t allow you to use my friends for that.”

“Friends?” Sidious barked in a half laugh, half growl, “Those dragons? They aren’t even from the same tribe as you, not to mention that one is a Sea Talon. Why do you care about them?”

Zoltar hesitated for a moment. ‘Why do I care about them?’

Despite detesting the Ghost Talon, Zoltar had to admit that Sidious did have a point. Shiraku was a Sea Talon. Felistia was an Ice Talon, he had a reason to not want her dead, but Shiraku? That was a different matter. Didn’t Shadow Talons and Sea Talons hate one another? A dragon from either side would leap at the chance to tear into a member of the opposite tribe…right?

Why didn’t he feel that way?

It wasn’t even like he’d have to kill Shiraku. It would be indirect. The Wisp Talons would do the dirty work. His claws would be clean.

If he did protect her and Felistia somehow, that would mean he’d have to get the gem. He could almost hear Hisster snorting in disappointment. What dragon risked their own scales for members from a different tribe? It was unheard of and yet, he knew that was what he had to do.

Sidious was watching him with sick fascination, seemingly enjoying his little dilemma. His forked tongue flicked out and he smirked.

Zoltar huffed and a small tendril of flame escaped his jaws. He would not back down this time. Growling, he set a determined look across his snout. “Yes. Even the Sea Talon. I don’t care if it would be easier to use them. We have to think of another way. I thought I could…”

“You could what?” Sidious interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “Steal the gem on your own, ask your little Wisp Talon friend to help you get it?”

His slender tail flicked irritably.

“I don’t know?” Zoltar took a step back, wavering a little under the Ghost Talon’s icy glare.

“Oh you don’t know!” Sidious shook his head in exasperation, his crimson eyes having taken on a cruel glint as he stalked closer, “That’s brilliant. Here I am wasting my time on this wretched hell hole of an island when I could be climbing the ranks back home because you don’t know. Then I come up with a plan and you have the audacity say no!”

Sidious was snarling now, his wickedly sharp fangs cutting the air with every growl, “Who do you think you are Shadow Talon to tell me no? You worthless reptile. You don’t even have a plan of your own. All you give me is I don’t know!”

“I’ll think of something,” Zoltar burst out, desperate for the Ghost Talon to drop his voice. What would happen if Shiraku or Felistia heard them? He was sure Sidious wouldn’t hesitate to kill them right now after what he’d said.

“Oh you’d better think of something,” Sidious spat, foul smelling yellow smoke pouring from his jaws, “I won’t wait forever Shadow Talon. I don’t care how you feel about those lizards down there. I’ll get that gem with or without your approval. If you want to save your pathetic little friends, you’d better have it before the next full moon. Or else.”

Zoltar had backed up to the edge of the pillar, his back talons clinging desperately to the crumbling edge. All pretenses of holding his ground were now mere fantasies.

“And don’t think your little Wisp Talon friend is safe,” Sidious hissed through bared teeth as he flexed his claws, “She’ll hand you over to her tribe soon enough. I won’t have that happen.”

Zoltar flinched away from him as the Ghost Talon flicked out a talon and grabbed the turkey laying on the pillar next to him.

“See you in a few days. You’d better have something by then. Don’t disappoint me,” He spread his massive silver wings and sprang into the air, banking back towards the maze, his silvery shape swallowed up by the mist.

His words lingered in Zoltar’s ears as night finally strangled the last of the light from the island. He had two weeks to get the gem or Felistia and Shiraku were dead.