After having such an exciting day at the sign-ups, the actual trials seemed almost boring by the time we had watched several rounds. Race candidates were separated into groups of ten, with teams racing as one and solo riders filling in the gaps. Our heat wasn’t until eleven, though with everypony so hyped up we could hardly sit still. We were situated not far from the start so we could see both the beginning and the end of every heat. Each gate of the start was walled off from the other racers, but once the riders left the start they would be in constant contact. Direct attack on other racers was not permitted, but bumping and shoving was all part of the challenge. Some played dirty and tried to trip other racers, but most ended up tripping themselves and losing the heat. Only the two top placers in each heat would move on, the rest would be going home to wait for next year. Team scores were an average of the places achieved by all of the members, so even if one racer got in first, if the rest of his team did poorly they would not qualify. It was a way for the trials to be fair for all comers, though there was a great gap between the best and worst riders.

Lucky winced as another young rider and his blue Winchester crashed into the barriers protecting the audience in the stands, “At this rate half of the racers are going to knock themselves out before they even lose the heat.”

Mel lowered her head to look Lucky in the eye, don’t feel sorry for those who are way out of their league. If they don’t make it here then they would have been torn apart in the Circuit. Besides, every loss is a better chance at our victory.

Ivy chuckled as she lounged on Winx’s back between her wings, “You sound like a wise sage who’s had too much to drink. Worry about us and not the other racers.”

Winx looked over her shoulder at her partner, be careful how you speak to Melinda, she won’t take insult very well the way I know her.

“Shut it you two,” I interrupted, “Whiteout and Black Beauty are racing next.”

Nilak and the others crowded against the barrier, trying to get a good view as the racers moved into the starting gates. Whiteout and her rider were in the gate closest to the outer wall, which gave us a very good view of her as she readied for the start. Whiteout, being a Blizzard Tail, was a pure white dragon roughly thirty feet from nose to tail. Her wings were tucked to her sides at the moment, but I knew they would be at least ten feet wider than her body was long. Her hide was smooth all the way from head to tail, iridescent blue streaks making her white body appear to be made out of shifting snow. Along the sides of her elegant tail were bright blue spikes that were made entirely of ice. They angled back sharply to run nearly parallel to her spine, turning her tail into a wedge of cold that could knock other racers about like flies. She had amazing blue eyes that were facetted like diamonds, and at the crown of her forehead was a dark blue mark in the shape of a snowflake. Black Beauty was, as always, completely decked out in black so that only her eyes showed. Even her tail and mane were covered by the sleek fabric, meaning nopony could see anything concerning her looks. Her outfit went in stark contrast with Whiteout’s coloration, and yet it seemed to fit perfectly together.

The red light on the starting post lit up, quickly followed by the yellow and green as the horn sounded to begin the heat. Whiteout launched from the start like a frozen bullet, and left the other racers in the dust before they could even move. She passed by us so fast all I could see was a white streak, and before we knew it she was gone.

I glanced up at Nilak to see his mouth hanging open, “You might want to close that before something flies in.”

He closed his mouth with a snap and glared down at me, you were just as amazed as I was. So don’t go calling the kettle black when I know you’re the pot. He looked up as Whiteout came past again on the next stretch of track, the nearest racer only just coming around the corner at the end of the starting straightaway. I must admit I’m impressed though. If she’s the one we need to beat, then I’m up for the challenge.

Oh really mister hot shot, Mel said through a smirk, I bet you just want to get close to her so you can gawk at her shapely backside before running past.

Nilak blushed a deep red under his face scales, so what if I do? Do you think any other male wouldn’t try the same? Give me some credit for liking what I see, Mel. It’s not like you weren’t checking out that Water Wind yesterday like a prize steak.

Mel blushed in return as she tried to look casual, well, so what if I thought he was handsome. He had some good things going for him and I wanted to appreciate his good breeding.

Nilak scoffed, whatever.

The race was a forgone conclusion as to who would get first, though the competition for second and third was quite stiff. Three dragons were neck and neck as they crossed the finish line, the places only separated by hundredths of a second.

The horn sounded for the next heat and I did a quick time check on the clock tower overlooking the track, “That would be our cue. Come on guys, we’ve got a race to run.”

I hopped onto Nilak and led the others into the starting gates, our team on the end closest to the wall with the girls on either side of Nilak and me. We got into a starting stance and waited for the lights to flash. My vision narrowed down to just the track, nothing else taking up my attention. The red and yellow lights flashed, and as the green lit the horn sounded, Nilak and I breaking from the starting gate almost before the door got out of the way. We ran so fast along the first stretch that I could have sworn we weren’t touching the ground, and yet a quick check behind us showed Winx and Mel were keeping close. However, a pair of Crested Bonewings were coming up from behind, making a run to slip past us on the inside. One of them pulled alongside Mel and Lucky and crashed into their side with his shoulder, causing Mel to have to slow down or risk running into Winx. Winx saw the other one coming up to do the same and pulled one of her agility tricks, jumping over the second dragon in a barrel roll so that she landed on his other side as he charged through open air. The two racers crashed into one another and tripped on each other’s paws, crashing head over heels as Mel maneuvered around them.

Using our voices would have been impossible with the wind of our passage, so I sent a mental message instead, nice move Winx. That should get them off of our backs for a while.

My pleasure, she sent back as she fell in beside Mel.

We made it around the next three stretches without any trouble, and directly ahead lay the ramp that would be our assist into the air for the second half of the heat. Balloons chained to the ground marked out the course in the air, creating a path much like the one on the ground with the balloons as the side barriers. If a dragon flew outside of the balloons or crashed into the chains, the team was automatically disqualified. Nilak pounded up the metal ramp and leaped into the air, pumping his wings as the girls followed close behind. I checked behind us to see if anypony was gaining, but to my utter shock we were leaving the pack in the dust just as Whiteout and Black Beauty had done. I whooped in joy and raised my hooves in victory, though my excitement was short lived as I heard a loud roar of pain and outrage echoing from behind me.

Nilak, Mel, Lucky and I all looked back to see Winx and Ivy falling from the sky, twisting in midair as Winx tried to get her wings under her. I didn’t even think about what I was doing until Nilak had Winx in his front claws on one side and Mel had her on the other. Ivy was still in the saddle thanks to the strap I had added for safety, but Winx was still cringing in pain and whimpering.

Winx, what’s wrong, I asked in fright, did you pull something?

She shook her head and lifted her curled wing, revealing a feathered shaft that protruded from her side like a bloody thorn. It was about two inches thick and had to be at least six feet long, the other end embedded deep under Winx’s right wing.

Nilak and Mel shared a look of worry, somedragon tried to kill her. Nilak’s voice was filled with fury, his eyes slit in rage as he looked around for the attacker.

Worry about that later, Mel said, we’ve got bigger problems. How are we going to finish the race carrying Winx?

We can’t, Nilak said with resignation, one of us will have to go on alone and hope the average will balance out the poor standing of the others.

Oh no you don’t, I said with force, we are a team, and that means we finish together what we start together. Mel, can you get under Winx so we can take some of the weight off of her wings?

She nodded and did a quick wingover to position herself under Winx so that the smaller dragon could rest on her back between her wing bases.

Good, now Nilak, I need you to fly just above Winx and hold onto her shoulders with your front paws. If you can ease the burden for Mel in any way it would be a huge help. I tried not to let the fear in my heart tinge my voice.

Sure thing Silver. He flapped above the girls and secured his claws just in front of Winx’s shoulders.

Now, I said, we’ve got a huge lead on the other racers. If we do this together we can still win this thing. We have to work together in order for this to work. Mel, try and keep Winx from getting bumped too much. Nilak, we need speed and lots of it. I looked down at the girls as they met my eyes, let’s hope this goes well.

Nilak used his massive wings to push Winx along, her weight almost nullified by Mel below her. We made some good time around the aerial part of the track, but the home stretch was on the ground. If we didn’t have enough of a lead once we touched down, it was a sure thing that we would get passed. We gave it everything we had, seeing Winx’s blood fall to the ground in scarlet flashes as her eyes began to flutter.

No, no, stay with us Winx, I coaxed, we’re almost there.

She lifted her head to look at me, I – I don’t know, how much longer I can, stay awake. Her head slumped and her full weight made Mel stagger slightly before she got it under control.

Guys? Ivy’s voice was filled to the brim with fear, and with Winx in such a condition I was having trouble reigning in my own emotions.

Don’t worry Ivy, were going to finish this race if it’s the last thing we do. I grit my teeth and nudged Nilak with my back hooves, come on Nilak, we’ve got to get this done and get Winx to medical help.

I’m giving it all I’ve got, he strained as he pumped his wings all the harder, his face contorted with concentration as he clamped his jaw and gave it everything he had.

We came in at the end of the aerial stretch, but there still lay two hundred yards between us and the finish line. Mel staggered as she came in for a landing, her legs struggling to hold Winx up. Nilak landed next to her and lifted the smaller dragon up with his jaws and front paws, setting her on his own back and letting her head curve up in front of me.

We’re not done yet, he said as he ground his jaw, now help me hold her up so I can run. If she starts to slip, push her back towards the center. He flared his wings slightly to provide a more stable base for Winx to lie on, Silver, keep her head from falling off of my neck.

Got it, I said, holding onto the small dragon’s neck with an iron grip.

Hang in there Winx, we’re almost done, Mel encouraged the smaller dragon, though whether she could hear Mel’s words or not we couldn’t know.

Nilak ran for all of his worth, Mel keeping pace to make sure Winx didn’t fall off. I could hear the crowd roaring as they saw what we were doing, cheering for us to finish. I checked behind us and saw that the other racers were coming up fast, and it didn’t look like we were going to make it. I turned forward again and willed the finish line to get closer, but it was not to be. Not twenty feet from the finish line the rest of the riders caught up with us, but at that point they did something that shocked all of us to the bone. Dragon after dragon locked their front legs and slid to a halt not five feet from the finish. Riders and dragons alike turned and waited for us, making two rows for us to move between. Mel and Nilak had stopped in utter disbelief at what they were doing, but at the thundering cheer of the crowd, they began to walk forward. Riders saluted with their hooves over their hearts and dragons bowed their heads as we walked by, our team the first to cross the finish as the others walked behind us. The audience went through the roof, cheering and whistling as medic crews made their way onto the field. Winx was lifted onto a medical wagon and carted off of the track, Ivy riding next to her as they raced off to treat her wounds. Mel, Nilak, Lucky and I stared after them as they made their way to the track hospital, and then as one we looked at the other racers who had let us win.

“Why would you do that?” I asked in disbelief, “You had the race in the bag and you all threw it away for us?”

“Why did you do it?” Lucky seemed as puzzled as I was, “You cost yourselves the chance to race in the Dragon Circuit.”

The riders looked between themselves, one young rider with a red mane and tan fur stepping his white and yellow Thunder Claw forward to address us. “To put it simply, you three were going to win for sure. There was no way we could have caught up and beaten you.” He glanced in the direction Winx and Ivy had been taken, “Had that son of a bitch that pulled the trigger not gotten in the way, you’d have won by a mile.” He looked back at us with a wide smile, “We figured that it would be better to wait for next year than to win because someone cheated for us.” He saluted us again and the others did the same, “You’ll go far in the Circuit. Take care of each other and we might see you next year.” He lowered his leg and turned away, the other racers following him out of the track towards the resting area.

I never thought I’d see the day that a youth would respect and honor somedragon like that. Nilak seemed to be quite in awe of the
young riders, the ones I knew back home would have left us to bleed in the dirt and not even take the time to look back.

What a rare trait in this day and age, Mel agreed, we might want to think about having him join us if the time ever presents itself.

First let’s worry about Winx getting better, I reminded them, she may be in the care of the best doctors around, but she was still shot with a ballista bolt under her wing.

Speaking of which, Mel said, did they catch the ponies who did this?

I shook my head, they would have told us if anything had turned up. Besides, I can only think of one group that would have it in for us.

The Blood Claw, Nilak supplied.

I nodded, and they won’t stop until the six of us are dead. We may have survived the trials, but once we get into the Circuit there’s going to be a whole new list of possible enemies and allies to contend with.

A whole new set of rules too, Lucky added as she started walking Mel toward the medical area. I followed with Nilak and we stopped outside Winx’s tent, hoping and praying that she would be okay.

Author's Notes:

Well that kind of sucked. I warned you that things would get exciting this chapter. And just to be a bit of a tease, I'm going to hold off posting the next chapter for a bit to let you all stew in the uncertainty of Winx's condition.
(insert evil laugh here)
Anyway, I'll see you all next chapter, once it comes out of course.
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon