Young Writers Society

Darkness surrounded him, clinging to him like tree sap. He couldn’t hear, couldn’t see or feel anything. It was like floating, suspended in an eternal void.

He knew he was asleep, knocked into unconsciousness by whatever had been on that dart. He needed to wake up. He needed to escape. Time was ticking and he couldn’t waste a second.

‘Wake up! Wake up!’

He struggled, clawing for anything around him.

Something shifted in the abyss around him. A sound, faint at first, but definitely there and growing louder. He focused, willing himself to follow the voice and to escape the darkness threatening to swallow him again.

“Solar! You can’t give that to him now. You’ll give him an over dose.”

“It’s fine.”

Zoltar felt his jaws being opened and a thick, bitter liquid being poured down his throat. He tried to resist, but his head was tilted back and he ended up having to swallow to avoid choking.

“There was barely any venom on the dart. Just enough to keep him quiet until this kicks in. I doubt he’s even properly out anyway. Look, he’s even swallowing it on his own,” Solar hissed, dropping his snout, “You worry too much.”

Nova sucked in a quick breath, sounding relieved.

A disapproving growl emanated from Solar, “Why do you keep doing this? You did this last time and got the same result.”

“Because I don’t like this,” Nova snapped, before letting out a small whimper.

Solar sighed and there was the shuffle of paws on wood as he crossed over to where Zoltar assumed Nova was standing, “Let me look.”

Zoltar inwardly cringed at the memory of his teeth sinking into the Wisp Talon’s arm. He hadn’t meant to bite so hard.

There were a few long moments of silence before Solar exhaled disappointedly, “You best get over to the herbalists and get yourself patched up. It looks worse than last time.”

“But what about-”

“I’ll handle things here until you get back.”

Paw steps trailed out of the room, stopping outside as Nova hesitated, “You’re…not going to tell Eclipse about this…right.”

Another sigh. The second’s dragged out before Solar finally said, “No, I guess not, but only if you promise not to do this again. You’re going to get seriously hurt one of these days. This isn’t a game. These dragons aren’t your friends.”

“No. No…I guess not,” Nova mumbled, “…sorry.”

“It’s fine. Now get going, before you bleed all over the floor and I end up having to explain to Eclipse why there are more stains.”

A snort followed this as the sound of wings opening filled the air as Nova took to the sky. It wasn’t long before his flaps faded into the distance.

A heavy silence settled over the hut, thick and stifling. Zoltar strained his ears. Where was Solar? Had he gone outside?

Rrrrgggghh.

Zoltar froze, his spines prickling as a claw trailed over his snout, creating an awful scraping sound as it hooked on his scales.

“Listen here Shadow Talon. If you ever hurt my brother again, you won’t have to wait for the Death Grippers to kill you. I’ll rip you apart myself. Got it?”

A sharp hiss escaped Zoltar’s mouth as Solar dug a talon into the end of his snout, warm liquid trickling from the wound.

“Good. I’ll take that as a yes.” He growled as he unhooked his claw.

Vines snaked their way back over his snout as Solar bound his jaws shut once again. Getting up, he walked off without another word, closing the door behind him with a dull thud.

Zoltar sniffed, trying to supress the shivers rattling through his scales. How he wished he could curl in on himself, but his body denied him even that as the herbs started to take effect. It wasn’t long before he was sucked back into the dark void that had become oh so familiar, only this time, he was relieved.

…

Zoltar wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he cracked open his eyes, but he guessed it was nearly midnight. Moonlight streamed in through the hut door, cloaking the room in a ghostly glow.

He squinted, rubbing his head against the floor as a horn ache pulsed through his skull. What had woken him or had the herbs just started to wear off?

Regardless, he decided against struggling, afraid that if anyone caught him awake, they’d dump another bowl of that stuff down his throat. He balked at the idea, nausea once again gripping his stomach.

Besides, it wasn’t like he had a plan. Might as well stay quiet while thinking, rather than draw attention to himself.

Speaking of, where was Solar or Nova? He wasn’t sure if the younger dragon had returned from the herbalists while he was out. He kind of hoped so, both for Nova’s sake and his own. Despite his condescending tone, he’d take the Wisp Talon over Solar any time.

“Solar?”

The hushed voice brought Zoltar out of his thoughts and he turned his head towards the door, ears straining to pick up the conversation.

A grunt followed as the Wisp Talon shifted from his position beside the door to look up, his figure blocking the moonlight.

Zoltar flattened his ears in disappointment. It was Solar. Great.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Nova?” Eclipse hissed, a little louder this time.

Solar shrugged, “Needed a break. I offered to take over for a little while.”

Eclipse huffed, his tail flicking against the hut roof, “He did it again didn’t he?”

Solar rolled his eyes, lifting his wings in exasperation, “Of course he did. What did you expect?”

Zoltar didn’t hear Eclipses answer. He was staring at Solar’s side. He hadn’t seen it before, the dragons golden wings covering it. A long black scar streaked across his left side, the once bright scales now an ugly melted mess.

A muffled gasp escaped his jaws as he clasped his still bond paws to his mouth. It was a burn scar.

There was only one Wisp Talon on this island that could have such a recent burn scar like that.

Whimpering, he covered his head as best he could, try to supress the urge to roar in pain and fury. It had been him. He’d killed Nira. He’d murdered her.