~Chapter Six~
Citron tried to pull his vines from the startled Canyon. “Why won’t they free him?” Sparrow said flapping rapidly, heaving the vines away.
“I think you have to release him yourself.” Incinerate explained.
King Cider, growled at her. “Oh, what do you know?! You can’t even deliver a simple message to a GrassPaw. Of all wolves you shouldn’t give advice.” Incinerate sunk under her father’s harsh gaze.
Citron looked back down at his paws. “Release, please.” he said in a soft tone. The plants slowly untangled the red wolf, dropping him hard to the floor. Incinerate gave him a grin, that made her seem as if she was blushing for a second.
“Ow!” said Canyon. “Well at least I’m free from that stupid creature that took control of me.” Jinx stepped forward examining his eyes. “So, this creature just went into your body and controlled it? He didn’t proclaim himself or anything? It just happened?”
Canyon thumped his tail, on the floor. “I guess he did reveal himself when I lost Hydrus and Egret, a while back. He said, ‘soon I’ll be king of the stars. And Nova will finally see how powerful I really am’. Whoever in sparking flames Nova is. I think he said his name was Layer.”
Citron shivered from tail to claw tips.
“Slayer.” Citron said. “King Slayer?” Forest asked. “As in the most ruthless dragon in the tribe’s history? But I thought Nova and Forthright defeated him years ago. That’s how we ended the Great Ember Wing War. She trapped him in a cave somewhere and he was never heard of again.”
“I guess they didn’t trap him very well, if just recently he escaped. And if he can take control of someone’s entire mind and body, Slayer must be really powerful.” Cider said.
Fennec rattled his tail, and flicked his tongue in and out. “Hmph. Then we should leave right away.” he said.
“And why’s that?” Queen Tropic asked. “Think about it. If we have only three weeks to collect the gemstones, that’s going take up a lot of our time. Plus, now we have a maniacal dragon after us. And if he finds us, he’ll kill us without a second thought. We need all the time we can get to stop the war. By leaving now we can at least get to the edge of the jungle at sunset. Then we’ll continue on to the GemPaws tomorrow.”
King Acacia, looked Fennec up and down.
“He does have a point.” the king itted. “So, it is settled. You will start your next journey. But only after you gather up enough fruit and water for the trip.” Acacia walked off down a pathway, back to his hut. General Forest and Tropic followed him. King Cider turned to the others.
“Wolflings of promise! I would like to wish you safe travels and good luck. For the time being I want to ask a favour of you all though.”
He rubbed his paws together creating small sparks to fly. Cider grinned with his sharp teeth and huge amber eyes. “Of course, what do you want us to do King Cider?” Citron said. Cider gave a distasteful glance to Incinerate, as she was poking a chubby bullfrog. It croaked and leaped away from her paws.
“Princess Incinerate is probably the most useless heir I’ve ever had in my life. She’s a terrible student, and can’t fight the youngest of pups in a battle. She can’t control her flames and doesn’t understand how to set a simple rock on fire. All in all, she’s as harmless as a baby hawk. If you could, I’d like her to accompany you on your journey. Hopefully she can learn something from you wolflings.” He frowned down at her as she stepped back beside him.
Why does he keep talking about her like that? It looks like she tries her best, sort of. Maybe I should give her a chance? She does seem harmless.
“Alright.” Citron shrugged. Cider used his tail to push Incinerate near Citron’s paws. He smiled then, gleefully waltzed away with his soldiers marching behind him.
Incinerate, glared at the group. “I see my father told you about me. Yeah, I wouldn’t listen to him if I were you. He tends to lie or sugar-coat
things way too much.” she said examining her claws.
I take back what I said. She doesn’t seem very promising at all! Her attitude is polar opposite from how she was in my dream. I can’t believe she’s the same wolf.
Smelter raised an eyebrow, towards her. “Really? Why should we trust you? You literally ed the team five seconds ago. I trust that tree more than you. No offence though.”
She snarled at Smelter, sparks and steam rising from her fur. “Watch it there. I am in line for the throne. The same throne that controls the Clan you were born into.” the princess declared.
Smelter scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“Ahem!” Canyon cleared his throat. “I think I should be leaving now. Check back in with the Blood Claws, and find out what to do next. See, where Egret and Hydrus ended up. You know, the usual.” He awkwardly limped down a bridge back to the kingdom central.
Sandstone and Panda came bounding down a second later, fruit and berries in their talons. They dumped them before the wolflings smiling. “The king said you would need these for your travels.” Panda said. “He said you may leave when you please. And wishes you all happy journeys.”
Nightgazer took some papayas, guavas, and cantaloupes and stuffed them in her satchel. Canary and Sparrow did the same, stocking up on blueberries and grapes. Soon the pile was all packed.
“If you follow a stream it’ll lead you out of the jungle, and right to the sea.” Sandstone said pointing to a slanted platform.
“Thanks, you two and say bye to my family for me, if you can.”
The dragons flapped away as the wolflings started down the trail.
Sunset was upon them, when the group finally broke through the trees and shrubs onto a white sanded beach.
Waves crashed on the surface. Crabs scattered around them, and fish swam in the waters.
Sparrow dived down, and landed in the waves. “Woo, hoo!” he yelled. “I’ve never been to the ocean before! It’s so calming and peaceful! Oooo fish!” He dove under the water, in search of his dinner.
“It was peaceful, until he came down here like a noisy rattle snake.” Fennec mumbled.
Incinerate strutted to a place in the sand and sat down.
Smelter, huffed a cloud of smoke from his nostrils. “I don’t think it was a good idea to let Miss Sparkle Claws over there on the team. She can’t even do anything for us. She’s useless. We have Sparrow for his great strength and flying techniques. And Jinx, she can cast spells and knows a lot about the gemstones. These are things we need for the promise. We don’t need Incinerate.”
He blew out another plume of smoke. “Just forget it, Citron. It’s just another opinion of mine. I’m going to go gather some fire wood before it gets too dark.” Smelter walked off to pick stray pieces of bark from the jungle’s edge.
Canary, watched as Nightgazer used her paw to make fish float out of the water and onto the beach. Jinx smiled at her, wagging her tail in delight. Sparrow emerged from the ocean. Three crabs and a lobster in his paws, he dropped them in the growing pile and shook off his soaked fur. Fennec, grabbed a bunch of grapes and scarfed them down.
As night fell Smelter came back and started a fire for the cold night. They huddled together for warmth and ate the fish and crab they had caught. Incinerate, stayed on the opposite side of them. She poked at her trout, and complained about the winds picking up.
“If you’re so cold, just come over here.” Nightgazer suggested. “Smelter gives off a lot of heat with his fur. Just, like a lava river. At least, that’s what Canyon always said.”
Princess Incinerate scoffed. “Yeah right. Only Arsonists can give off that much body heat. And by the looks of him, he isn’t one. Besides, if he was, he would have a tattoo or birthmark of a phoenix on him. Either that or my father would have killed him when he was born. Arsonists have been quite a nuisance since the war started.”
She flicked her tail to the fire and it caught her fur. Incinerate pulled it towards her, and licked it. Citron watched as she stuck her tongue out and a flame danced on it beautifully.
She spit the fire in the air. It burst into a gorgeous outlining a majestic bird, wings spread high and feathers flaring.
“The mark looks something like that. I’ve seen those wolves wear them before. Kind of cool, but not really.” she said.
The princess blew up at the bird, making the flame vanish.
“Hm.” said Jinx taking a bite of a guava.
After, this conversation the wolflings quickly fell asleep. Citron curled his tail in and drifted off to the soft sounds of crickets and waves gently swaying.
“Let go of me!” screamed a voice. Citron woke up startled and frantically looked around. At the end of the beach near the sea, incinerate was fighting off two big wolves.
“Grab her tail!” said a giant lake blue wolf. His fur was ridden with teardrops and whirlpools. He stomped down on Incinerate’s back. Wrapping his tail around her he lifted the FlamePaw princess in the air.
Sparrow raised to his feet beside Citron. “Leave her alone!” he said.
The blue wolf turned to him, in confusion.
“Hey, look!” said his icy cobalt companion. “That one has wings! Should we capture him for the king?”
He glared at Sparrow. “Naw, he already has six in battle. We just need this new fire one. Just help me with this, okay?”
Sparrow growled, and began running at them.
He sighed loudly. “Take care of him, would you?” he said. The icy wolf nodded and jumped at the WindPaw. Sparrow ducked and rolled to the side. He got back up and shot a sonic shriek to the other wolf.
By this time every wolf was now awake, and a bit confused on the situation. “Why are there GemPaws attacking Incinerate? And why is no one doing anything about it?!” Nightgazer announced.
Canary flapped up into the air and dove down to help Sparrow. Smelter engulfed himself in flames, while Fennec stood still not knowing what to do.
“This is taking too long!” grunted the blue wolf. His eyes glowed a shining azure blue. Rumbling came from under Citron’s paws, and a shadow loomed over him. Looking up he saw a gigantic wave headed towards him.
Canary, held her necklace as her shield began to form. “Everyone, take cover near me!” she said. The wolves rounded up quickly, when a zipping blue flash ed them. Citron looked over his friends.
“What, the . . .” he said running over to Canary. He stared behind him, at Fennec. The SunPaw was suddenly encased in an ice prism, frozen like a sculpture.
Glancing around he saw, Sparrow and Canary mid-air with icicles shooting up to freeze them. Nightgazer, Jinx and Smelter were gathered near Incinerate. Frozen to the spot with worried faces. The huge wave crashed onto the beach just as, Citron saw the grinning face of icy blue fur headed right for him.
He closed his eyes, his body froze, and darkness surrounded him.
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