Chapter 2 ~ Clawmates
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Scorch finally made it to the seventh cave in the hall. He stepped over the tiny stalagmites that grew at the entrance. As he walked in there was two huge ones growing along side the cave walls, one forming into a column and the other one close to touching the stalactites on the ceiling.

He looked over seeing three stone beds patted down by moss and some giant jungle leaves. One was a ledge, while the other two were just plain stone pads. He examined each one, seeing which one was the furthest from the rest. It turned out to be the one in the most shadiest part and in the corner.

He walked over to it, laying down, and claiming it. He looked around the cave, seeing a small rack with a few scrolls near the entrance.

He wasn't a big reader, but he had to admit, scrolls were a good distraction. Scorch read a few back at the orphanage after his sister's death. They helped him keep distracted from all the sorrow and tragedy the war has caused. Though, it was a big relief to him it ended.

He's thankful to the Dragonets for ending the war (although not at all thankful for the school) but he won't admit it. He won't admit to anything, Scorch made a promise to himself to not get too close to anyone.

He fears to loose them, so instead of being the once happy dragonet he was, he became into a snarky, rude, threatening dragonet, scaring everyone away, hoping they would get out of his life before anything happens to him or them.

It may be a stupid plan, scaring dragons away so he won't lose them, while he stands there, alone.

It doesn't make sense, not even to himself, fearing loneliness when your trying to stay alone. It's stupid, and he admits it. But he's trying to avoid the pain.

Scorch shook the thoughts away, growling to himself slightly. "Stop, your doing fine by yourself. You don't need anyone." He said to himself, looking down at his claws.

"Talking to yourself? Please don't be one of those insane dragons."

Scorch looked up seeing a SkyWing smirking down at him. He had fiery red scales with dark red back plates and 'eyebrows'. His horns were black along with his claws and spine. He had a tannish underbelly and wings that faded from yellow to orange (a bit like that strange IceWing from earlier).

"Name's Falcon." He held out his talon towards Scorch. Scorch looked at his talon then back at him, his eyes showing no emotion.

"Oh, your suppose to shake it." Falcon teased pointing at his held out talon. Scorch snorted smoke out of his nostrils, then laid his head back down onto his talons, closing his eyes.

"Not a big talker, aren't you?" He heard the SkyWing let out a sigh "It's alright."

He opened one eye, looking at Falcon. He jumped into ledge stone bed, and settled down, his tail dangling on the side.

Scorch's tensed body began to relax to the calming sound if silence, he heard the sound of both Falcon and his own breathing but it was relaxing nonetheless. He was close to sleeping but was interrupted by footsteps.

He looked up, and wasn't at all pleased by what he saw. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes, growling at the slightest as the NightWing walked into the cave. It was the NightWing from before, and it seemed he wasn't too happy either, although it seemed he was more wary, wary of Scorch that is.

"Well you look at that, another Clawmate, hopefully you aren't a crazy one either." Falcon teased with a cocky smile, Scorch found it annoying and growled at him. He turned back to the scarred NightWing, not at all pleased with sharing a member of a tribe that killed his only family.

"Out if all the tribes, it had to be a NightWing!!" Scorch growled, Falcon flinched at Scorch's sudden uprising. The NightWing glared at him "Well your just a ray of sunshine aren't you..."

Scorch snorted at his remark, the NightWing ignored him and laid down onto the last stone bed. All that was left was the sound of silence, not a comfortable one. Falcon decided to break it by introducing himself to the NightWing, the NightWing responded back to him by saying his own name.

"Nightshade."

"Your named after a poisoness flower?" Scorch questioned "Sounds like a RainWing name, I thought NightWings are named after two syllables that are just lies."

Nightshade glared at Scorch "My mother loved plants, so she named me after her favorite one at that moment."

"Your mother sounds like a RainWing."

Nightshade took Scorch's comment offensively and stood up abruptly, snarling at Scorch. "I'll have you know that my mother is full NightWing!! She cared for me when others didn't!! I'd watch your snobby little mouth of yours SandWing, unless you want to lose your tongue!" Nightshade hissed, his tongue flicking in and out.

Scorch glared at Nightshade and stood up as well. "Are you threatening me, NightWing?" He hissed.

Nightshade glared back at Scorch "Only if you make another stupid remark of yours again..."

Before the two dragons could've fought, Falcon jumped in between them. "Enough!! Both of you!! Your acting immature!" Falcon roared, Nightshade and Scorch glared at each other before looking back at Falcon.

"I don't want to be the one to separate you two, so for the sake of all of us, get along!!"

Scorch snorted and turned back to his bed. He laid down setting his head on top of his talons, closing his eyes. Negative thoughts rummaging through his head, insults of Nightshade and his tribe. Shortly after, Scorch fell asleep.

His breathing slowed down, and his tensed body relaxed again, soon after he was peeled away from reality and into a world where he wouldn't had to worry about a thing.