~Chapter Ten~
“Why are we on wanted posters?!” Nightgazer yipped in horror.
Fennec picked up his poster and gave it a look, as if he just sniffed a dying caribou. “Honestly this looks nothing like me.” declared the golden SunPaw. “My muzzle is much less chiselled than this. And my eyes aren’t green they’re amber so this can’t be me. Unless . . .” He turned the paper upside down and stared closely at it.
“Ugh!” Incinerate said, from her hammock overhead. “Why does it even matter? You all have some type of magical weapon to fight with anyway. Bounty hunters won’t stand a chance, and you know it. They’d probably just lose interest with some wimpy wolflings anyhow!”
“We are not wimpy!” retorted Smelter. “That is completely rich from a wolf that only cares about herself! All you’ve done so far is get us in trouble and drag us into your conflicts! And why do you care if a bounty hunter comes for us? I don’t see a Princess Incinerate wanted poster anywhere! Do you?” He breathed heavy trying to calm himself down.
Incinerate turned her back to him and flipped her tail in anger.
Citron examined the posters again, reading over the information one more time.
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE. By the order of the BloodClaws we have ordered for the wolflings of promise to be apprehended by anyone in any way that seems fit. They may be brought to the Head Leader of the BloodClaws, by any day or time. For any more information please any BloodClaws member that is available. If you do find these wolves and successfully bring them to the BloodClaws we will award you with a sum of five thousand sapphires and jaspers.
Sincerely, the BloodClaws.
“I feared this was going to happen.” Canary sighed. “But not so soon. Much farther in our journey, at least when we faced some crazy dragon or something!”
“Prince Citron!” called a familiar voice. Tangerine was sprinting up to him, and skidded to an abrupt stop before slamming into his body.
“I knew you would come back!” she chimed. “Mother said you wouldn’t but I knew you would. Where have you been? Did you find all those gem things you were talking about? And how come there are so many new wolves in the jungle!?”
She curled in her long orange tail and sat down. “I . . .we saved them from an arena.” he replied. “They were stolen from different Clans. That’s where Apricot and Bamboo and everyone else went. They didn’t vanish! Just pulled away from their homes.”
He turned to scan over the laying wolves that rested on the large platform in front of him. WindPaws hung to branches and covered their faces with their long wings. Pups played and slept near others, some simply watching birds flap around, and bees collecting pollen.
Sandstone used a strong twig to straighten a FlamePaw’s crooked front arm. Lilypad set down her koala to let her latch on to a branch, where some SunPaw and MoonPaw wolflings stared at the fuzzy animal chewing on some flowers.
Dragon winglets handed out portions of fruit and fish, with large bowls of water. Citron looked over the bundle of wolves. Here they were smiling much more than when they were in their cells. They could run around and possibly hunt if King Acacia permitted them do so.
They’re free like all wolves should be.
“Where did Jinx go?” Fennec said looking over the platform. “She was literally beside me a second ago.”
“She left for the healer’s hut.” said Nightgazer. “Jinx told me she would leave to go find someone when we returned to the jungle. I guess she doesn’t like to waste time.”
“You stole thirteen of my best soldiers, for your little entertainment!” Acacia proclaimed. The wolflings turned to stare at the scene.
“None of them died!” Danburite defined. “I never let my fighters die! Even when they are useless and cannot fight well! And even then, only Fearbringer kills them, so do not shift the blame onto me Acacia!”
Then growled, and bickered for what felt like ten moons. Till Yellowhorn separated them and pulled her father to one side.
Danburite huffed, and defiantly marched off with Opal, and his wife following behind. “Father how many times have I told you not to get angry at every Alpha that comes into the jungle?” She tilted her head to face him better.
Acacia looked away and fixed his cape. “What do you expect Daughter? That so called Alpha stole innocent wolves and wolflings from my Clan! He is very fortunate that I no longer want to fight in a war that has already killed so many of my kind.”
Yellowhorn patted him on the chest. “Yes you have a kind heart Father.” She whizzed away from the king, when Evergreen and Juniper came into view.
They walked to Acacia in quick strides, and growled in his presence. “King Acacia why are there SunPaw pups tearing up my gardens? My dragon servants told me my son brought them here! Where is he!?” Juniper stomped a paw down on a flower and flattened it.
“Sister, for the last time dragons are, nor have they or ever will be, our servants. We just live in parts of their jungle, because Queen Paradise and King Timber allowed us to. And Citron is right over there, so open your eyes for once.” He stuck a claw out towards the startled wolfling.
“Citron.” Evergreen said. “Can you explain this.”
The green wolf put down the poster and stepped forward to his father.
“Dad, there’s no reason to worry about the new wolves, in the jungle. Me and the others rescued them from King Danburite’s battle arena. All they need right now is a place to stay while the war is still going on in Talon Mark. They don’t need any more fighting . . .just peace.” His father studied Citron for a long glaring moment. As if searching his soul for answers to a question.
The sides of his mouth perked up into a smile. A real one!
“Heh,” he chuckled. “You really are my son. A wolfling of promise, and one that will save the world.” He turned to Juniper. “My dear, we shouldn’t bother Citron with our questions anymore. Let’s just go home and fix those dreadful gardens of yours for once.”
Juniper scoffed. “They are not dreadful!” she retorted. They slipped away, and Evergreen gave him a wave before walking away.
They are perfect, Citron thought. In their own special, amazing way. And I guess, I love them for it.
“Are we leaving or what?” Incinerate asked, when Citron returned to the group.
“Soon, but first we need to get something. Where is Fearbringer?” Citron said. “She said she would be on the lower levels, to find some better food.” Sparrow answered.
“We need that collar. So, we’re going to go find her.” Citron stood back up and piled up the posters again.
“What about me?” Tangerine said. “Where do I go? Oooo, can I come with you guys?” Citron placed his paw on her head.
“No, you should go welcome back your brother. He has probably returned home by now like the rest of the GrassPaws.”
Tangerine sighed. “Okay. But only because I miss him so much!” She scampered off, with a skip.
After returning the posters to Yellowhorn and Canopy, they traveled the stairs down to the lowest level of the platforms. The jungle floor.
Winglets and hatchlings sat on the braches above them. Flapping around or reading books and chatting. Lizards scattered as the wolves stepped past them. Jaguars could be heard from distances away, prowling around trying to find their evening prey.
“Do you guys smell that?” Nightgazer said, sniffing the air.
“Yeah, it smells like pastries.” Fennec agreed.
A few steps away was a large hut with smoke billowing from a hole in the roof. Dragons sat with wolves sipping on what smelt like pine needle tea, near the entrance.
“Maybe it’s a bakery?” said Nightgazer. Stepping into the establishment scents of cinnamon and nutmeg wafted through the air.
“Hello!” said an azure hatchling on a tiny stool. “Do you want some apple tarts? They taste really good! Mommy, and daddy made them!” Two purple dragons came in from a separate door, wearing long silk aprons. A young dragon, possibly in her twenties, picked up the blue hatchling to place him on her shoulder. “Excuse my son. He doesn’t have daycare today. How may I help you all?” she said, sweetly.
“Um, we really didn’t want anyth-.” “Don’t be silly Citron!” interrupted Fennec.
“We would love to try some of your baked goods! They smell delicious. Besides I have some money tucked away, that we can use.”
Sparrow squinted his eyes towards him.
“Really? How?” he asked.
Fennec pulled out a sack of jewels from under his fur. Plopping it on the counter, the purple dragon counted the gems. “I found them in my cell, when we first arrived. They were hidden in some hole in the back wall. Looks like a wolf was keeping it, but probably died before he could return to snatch it.”
“This can buy you fifteen pastries, and a piece of candy if you’d like.” she said. “Go ahead pick anything you guys want! My treat, of course.” Fennec obliged.
The wolflings pointed to their pastries as the other dragon placed them in a pink decorative box. A bell rang as another wolf stepped into the store. Shaking off her black bat wings, Fearbringer looked up at Citron.
“It’s you.” she gasped. Citron walked up to her, his earrings dangling.
“I’ve been looking for you, Fearbringer.” he announced. “We thought you would be down here, and I guess we were right.”
She stepped back a bit, tucking in her wings to her body.
“What for? If you want me to kill someone, I can do it. But nothing else.” Citron gave her a confused glance. “No, no. I just want your collar. Nothing like that.” He put his paws up in defense.
Fearbringer touched the neckwear, making the diamonds twinkle in the store’s lantern lighting.
“Seriously?” she gawked. “After all the things I did to you and your friends? How I almost killed you? How I escaped by myself and left you all to die in the arena!? All you want is my collar, and no revenge? You guys are honestly the weirdest wolves in Talon Mark.” She shook her head, and clipped off her collar handing it to him.
“Thank you.” he said. This gemstone felt much more powerful than the others. His earrings or Canary’s necklace never gave off this much power.
He lifted his head and flinched back to see an ivory winglet, staring at him with silver glittering eyes.
“AAAAAAH!” he barked. “What happened? Where did your fur go Fearbringer?”
The dragon chocked her eye brows. “My name isn’t Fearbringer. It’s Honey. And where did my sister go? We were supposed to meet back at the village, at noon to meet our parents, and then go out for the day.”
She glanced around the room, and opened her eyes wider.
“Woah how did I get here?” Honey said.
Citron stared down at the collar and turned it in his paws. Inside of the metal, was an engraving written in it. After reading it over Citron finally understood what had happened.
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