All I could think about on the way to Lucky and Ivy’s place was the image of my mother torn to bits and left as a sick present in my bedroom. I leaned over and puked into the open air, not really caring what it landed on.

We’ll get those bastards for what they did, Nilak said with contained fury, on that I give you my word as a dragon.

“Revenge isn’t something we can take time to pursue right now,” I reminded him, “no matter how much it hurts to wait. Right now we need to get the girls out of the city and find someplace we can hide out until we can come up with a plan.”

Sounds good to me, but that might have to wait. We’ve got company below. He indicated with one leg and I looked to see several black Whiptails flying up at us from below.

It didn’t take a genius to recognize the preferred dragon of the Blood Claw, and I knew they weren’t coming up for a friendly chat.

“See if you can lose them.” I yelled over the wind, “We can’t go to the girls until we shake them off.”

Hang on tight, he replied as he dove sharply and twisted in midair to club the two leading dragons on the head with fisted front paws. The dragons spun in several forward summersaults, causing their riders to fall from their saddles. Nilak flipped over and flew headfirst at the next two, catching them on their wingtips and causing them to swing into each other. Four down, two to go.

These riders seemed to have some brainpower in their heads, driving their dragons at us from opposite directions to avoid being hit at the same time. Nilak looked from side to side, unsure about what to do.

I tapped him on the shoulder and thought to him, when I give the signal, drop like a stone. If it works they’re going to have one hell of a headache.

He nodded and we hovered as the two dragons drew closer and closer. I waited, Nilak trusting my judgment and not moving as they came within fifty feet, then thirty.

Anytime Silver, I could hear the slight twinge of uncertainty in his voice as the dragons got within twenty feet.

Just as they were about to hit us I yelled, “Now!” Nilak tucked his wings and we dropped straight down. The two dragons couldn’t react in time and pull up, crashing into each other head first in the space we had occupied just moments before.

Nilak hovered in the air after we cleared the dropping dragons and riders, Nilak’s mouth twisted into a toothy grin as he watched the Blood Claw drop, serves them right.

I pat his shoulder and smiled, “Nice work partner. Let’s get the girls and get lost before more show up to party.”

I couldn’t agree more, he said before doing a quick wingover and sped into the morning light.

It wasn’t too hard to make the girls understand we needed to disappear. All I had to do was mention the Blood Claw and they rushed to pack some bare essentials. Sleeping bags, food, water, things like that and not much else. Given I had left my house without getting anything, Lucky supplied me with one of her spare sleeping pads and a second set of saddlebags.

“It’s all I’ve got on such short notice.” She seemed apologetic about it but I shook it off.

“No problem,” I patted her shoulder lightly as I tied my things to Nilak’s saddle, “I’m the one who forgot to grab the things I needed. We’ll just have to make due until we can resupply.”

Winx still seemed a bit confused as Ivy tied her things to her saddle, who are the Blood Claws? Why do we have to run?

Mel leaned over and mind whispered something to the younger dragon, and in an instant her red face drained of blood until it was a pale and pasty pink. Her eyes got very wide and filled to the brim with fear in no time flat. When she spoke it was a flat tone that spoke of how terrified she was, oh. That would be why.

I would have laughed at her comment if the situation hadn’t been so serious. As it stood we had to get moving and out of the city as fast as possible. If we didn’t we most likely wouldn’t last the day, let alone the five days before the Dragon Circuit trials. Once all of us were saddled and ready to go, Nilak led the way as Mel and Winx followed close behind. We gained altitude quickly in hopes of losing pursuit in the thick cloud cover that had rolled in. If we could get above the clouds, we could duck in and out of the cotton-like filaments and lose any dragons that might try and follow us. So far nopony had tried to catch us, but we all knew that wasn’t going to last.

We pushed through the base of the clouds, the moisture sticking to our coats in seconds and chilling our bodies. Luckily it didn’t last long once we climbed above the clouds and got in the sunshine above. The heat soon dried our bodies and we sailed on the high-speed winds out of the city. Every once and a while a break in the clouds would show us a small view of the land below, but we dared not descend until we were out of range of the city. If we could get more than a day’s flight under our wings, we stood a chance of outrunning any pursuit until the trials. Once we made it into the Circuit, there would be no way for the Blood Claw to get to us unless they entered a team as well. Given most Blood Claw Riders were average in skills at best, the chances of that happening would be very small.

At some point, maybe an hour after we got above the clouds, Mel flew in closer to get my attention, Nilak told me about what happened to your mother. I’m sorry for your loss, and I hope you can confide in the girls and me if you need someone to talk to besides Nilak. I just want you to know we are here for you if you need us. With that she slipped over to provide Winx with a slipstream so the smaller dragon could fly with less difficulty, leaving Nilak and I alone with our thoughts.

Why did you tell her? I asked Nilak, it wasn’t your story to tell.

Had you had it your way it would most likely have never been told at all, he retorted, the pain of not telling anyone would have eaten you alive from the inside out. Trust me, I did you a favor, because now we can share your pain and support you if you need it.

I didn’t bother with an answer, though in my shattered heart I knew he was right. They were all right. I needed to let the pain out or else I’d end up exploding from the stress. We flew on into the night, the chill biting at our noses and eartips for a while until they went numb. None of us had cold weather gear and had to tough it out for the night, and all of us breathed a sigh of relief when the sun started to shine once again. We hadn’t had to work the dragons too hard because the wind had kept us going with minimal effort, but right around midmorning the wind died and we were forced to start working for the distance.

As would be expected, Winx started to weaken first, though when Mel and Nilak used their slipstreams to boost her she was able to carry on for a bit more. However, even Mel and Nilak soon began to tire, and as one we agreed it was time to rest. The dragons simply stopped flapping and their weight slowly caused them to descend, passing through the clouds and then coming into open air once more over rolling countryside. Gone were the towering buildings of the city, and gone were the Blood Claw gangs that threatened our lives, at least for a while. We knew at some point they would track us down, but if we could avoid them until we attended the trials, we had a chance. We set down on a hill between two farms, the large plots of grain and corn spreading out on either side for as far as the eye could see. Our little hill was nestled between the two properties like a faithful guard dog, and it offered a clear view of the area nearby. Even if somepony moved through the plants to get at us, the movement of the stalks would give us ample warning of their approach.

Winx flopped on her belly as soon as Ivy slid off, her sides heaving as she spread her wings out to rest. Her frills were flat against her neck, making it look almost like she had a silver mane, and her eyes were failing the attempt at staying open. I don’t think I can move another inch, even her mind voice sounded tired, wake me up when it’s time to move on. Without another word she closed her eyes and was instantly asleep.

Mel chuckled slightly, ah youth. To be able to go for so long and then pass out in a moment. She glanced at Nilak out of the corner of her eye, I remember when we were like that. It seems like so long ago.

You may feel old, he retorted, but you still look like the beautiful dragon I met and fell in love with as a youngster. You are only twenty years old for crying out loud! You haven’t even had your first heat! Don’t go talking to me about getting old until you’ve had your first clutch of eggs. Then you can talk to me about getting old.

And would that first clutch be with you? she asked as she fluttered her eyes at him.

Nilak seemed to falter at her comment, umm, well I uh, would imagine you’d pick a dragon with more experience or one with um…. he trailed off as Mel gave him a sweet smile.

One with what? her tone was so dripping with sweetness I almost got a toothache from hearing it.

Nilak seemed to be having a very hard time forming words, and for good reason. Mel was blatantly flirting with him and presenting her body in the most seductive way possible. Her eyes were half lidded and the corners of her mouth just barely hinted at a shy smile. I looked over at Lucky to see she had turned beet red and was trying to no avail to not watch the interaction.

Nilak sputtered as Mel flounced over to him, practically oozing sexiness as she ran one claw down his chest in a gentle tease, you didn’t answer my question. The sentence was almost nonchalant in tone, but when she ran her claw back up his chest again it belied anything casual about the question.

W-What question? I could swear Nilak was having trouble just remembering to breathe, his wings flared and his tail pointing straight out from his body.

The one about you saying I needed a dragon with something you don’t have, she clarified, now, what was it that you don’t have that you think I need in a dragon?

He swallowed thickly, his eyes very wide as Mel moved her head in very close to his. He moved his head back to try and avoid her, but she continued to advance until her lips met his. I swore Nilak was going to faint when that happened, but Mel held him close as she pushed him over and onto his back. Not once did she break the kiss, her eyes closed and her tail intertwining with his. Nilak seemed to be contemplating resistance, but then chose to deepen the kiss instead. I looked over at Lucky and saw she was trying to pick her jaw off of the ground and failing miserably, her face tomato red and her eyes as big as saucers.

I smirked and nudged her with my elbow, “We should give them some privacy.”

She nodded dumbly, “I think we should.” She walked over to where Ivy was sitting by Winx, the other mare grinning from ear to ear as Lucky pulled her to her hooves, “Alright, party’s over. Let’s give the lovebirds some time alone okay.”

Ivy nodded sagely and followed Lucky and I down the opposite side of the hill, leaving the sounds of Mel and Nilak getting to know one another behind as they were hidden by the curve of the ground. We sat down and I lay back to watch the clouds roll by overhead, my mouth stuck in a grin as I imagined the things that could happen now that Mel had made it very clear she was into Nilak in a romantic way. I glanced over at the girls and thought about their reactions to this new development. Ivy seemed to take it as I did and thought it was natural. Lucky, on the other hand, seemed to be in shock about the whole thing.

“You realize you were the one who brought up the idea of those two being together in the first place,” I couldn’t help but needle her a bit about her flabbergasted state.

She glared at me with a look that could curdle milk, “Butt out. I didn’t mean it like they would be in love. I just thought it would be a quick thing and then a clutch of eggs a few months later. This whole relationship thing is knocking me for a loop.”

Ivy snickered and rolled onto her side, “You really didn’t see it coming? I mean Nilak practically bit your head off when he heard you bring it up before.”

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at Kara questioningly, “You saw his reaction? I didn’t think you were paying attention.”

Ivy smirked at me, “Serves you right for not paying attention to me. The look on your face was priceless when she brought the idea up. I thought you were going to faint from fear when you looked at Nilak. By the way, can he breathe fire like the dragons of old? I thought I saw some smoke coming out of his mouth when he was pissed.”

I shrugged, “I’ve seen him do it to a group of Blood Claw members that were going to tear me limb from limb. If I remember correctly his flames were a light blue in color with darker blue at the core.”

Ivy’s eyes widened and she looked at the sky as she lay back against the hill again, “I wonder what Winx’s fire would look like?”

I shrugged, “You could always have her torch a tree and find out.”

She looked at me sidelong and smirked as Lucky narrowed her eyes in thought, “Not a bad idea. Then again she might not even know how to. She’s never done it before so it might be hard for her to do it.”

“I think Mel’s would be purple, like her hide,” Lucky must have been talking to herself because her face was directed at the clouds, “or maybe yellow to match her scales.”

Ivy smirked again, “We’ve lost her. She’s going to be in her imagination until she finds out what color Melinda’s fire is.”

Lucky smacked Ivy across the stomach with the back of her leg, “Shut up. I’m just curious is all. I mean, aren’t you?”

Ivy shrugged and folded her hooves behind her head, “I don’t truly care one way or the other if Winx can breathe fire. All that matters to me is that we free the other dragons. If her being able to breathe fire helps in that, then I’m cool with it.”

I copied her pose and crossed my hind legs over each other as I stared at a star-shaped cloud, “One thing is for sure, our lives just got flipped upside down.”

Lucky scoffed, “Yeah, like Discord got ahold of the Ponyville architecture again.”

“Or you and Ivy with a pair of stallions between your legs,” I countered. She smacked me on the chest and I laughed as she scowled. “Hey, you left yourself open for that one. Don’t get sore at me.”

Lucky looked over at Ivy and they shared a smile. In unison they said, “Stallions will be stallions.”

After that we just sat and watched the clouds, feeling like we could do anything in the world. In fact, we were planning on doing just that.

Author's Notes:

Another one up and flying, just like our intrepid heroes. What will be in store for them in the coming Trials? Will they be able to enter the Dragon Circuit? Only time will tell and only Discord knows what surprises lay in wait.
See all of you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.