Chapter One (Enjoy!)

 Chapter Two

~ SUNDEW ~

“WHAT?”, Father roared astoundedly, leaping forward and clutching Chokecherry’s shoulders tightly. He just didn’t understand why or how Mother could be gone! “I know,” Chokecherry said, putting her talon on one of her father’s. “I know, it was terrible. She drowned at North Beach.”

Sundew might have imagined it, but it seemed as though Chokecherry could not seem to meet her father’s eyes. Chokecherry started sniffling again. Sundew didn’t like it one bit.

Their father turned to Sundew. “Maybe not! Maybe, just maybe we can still save her!”, He turned to the entrance boulder, reaching out to close it. Chokecherry gasped in disbelief. For once, Sundew was glad that her sister was finally agreeing with her. “Oh, no you don’t!”, Sundew exclaimed, pinning her father’s tail to the floor, stopping him mid roll. “I know! It’s hard to believe, but we saw her disappear under the water.” She looked her father square in the eye with a serious expression.

“No”, Father exclaimed. “She has to be alive! She can’t just be dead!” Father buried his face in his talons. Sundew had never seen her father look so stressed or anxious before. Father sighed. Then he turned to the messenger that worked for them. “Tell my sister that all of my front-line duty will have to be put on hold. I must grieve.” The messenger nodded and headed to the queen’s palace. Sundew whirled to turn toward her father. 

“Did you just say, ‘Front line duty’?”, she hissed. “Yes”, he said rubbing his temples, as tears rolled down his snout, making the rocky floor look like it was leaking.

That night, Sundew was sleeping restlessly, as she had a long, dreamless sleep. Then a dream hit her as hard and powerful as the realization that her mother was dead, gone forever. And no one could bring her back. This was the dream:

Mother was in the middle of a dark, damp cave. “Sundew, darling. I am here. You must save your sister”, she said, rushing and gasping as if there wasn’t enough air in the world for her to breath. “Mother!”, Sundew cried, leaping forward, but as soon as she got into hugging range, she staggered back, unable to go any further. “Mother… Why can’t I hug you? Why can’t I come near you without feeling like I am a dead, rotting soul?” Sundew shivered, her teeth chattering. Her mother looked down at her talons. “Because that is what I am, and that is what I radiate. But Sundew! I really need you to listen! Chokecherry- she needs your help! You need to wake up right now.” “How?” Sundew cried. “I can’t just wake myself up.” Her mother looked her directly in the eye. “You come to me. You come, and don’t stop, no matter how much the pain hits you.” Sundew slowly walked towards her mother, and then started speeding up. The pain hit her like a thousand boulders and spears just came crashing down onto her ribs. She screamed, as the pain only got worse. Then, she felt her mother’s warm talons, and she was pulled to safety. “Good-bye, my dearest”, Her mother said. And then, she was awake.

“Chokecherry!”, she cried, leaping up and turning to her sister’s sleeping corner. Chokecherry was nowhere to be seen; she was gone.

“Chokecherry! No!”, Sundew yelled. She sprinted over to her sister’s sleeping corner, and curled up in her sister’s blankets, trying not to cry, as she waited quietly in sorrow for morning to wrap its warm wings around her.

Sundew’s father found her the next morning, and she told him what happened. He marched off to Aunt Sequoia to tell her. Then, Aunt Sequoia came to their cave herself, dazzling with jewels and her crown was more impressing than ever. Sundew found herself bowing automatically, but then, she snapped herself up like a snapping twig. She didn’t need to bow to her own aunt, by all the trees! 

As soon as Sequoia walked in, she went straight over to Chokecherry’s side of the room and placed a chokecherry seed on her blankets. Then she turned to Sundew. “Sundew,” she said in her stern, familiar voice. “You are the only one who can save Chokecherry.” 

WHAT? Sundew thought. Me? This can’t be right. There must be a mistake in this. I mean, Chokecherry can save herself! But arguing with Aunt Sequoia might get me thrown in the dungeons. Even if I am her niece.

Sundew sighed, as Father barreled out of the room. It looked as though he was going hunting. But Father never hunted, never! Mother had always been the one to catch food, and now that she was gone, it was Sundew’s job and opportunity to make her family proud. Sundew turned her  gaze back to Sequoia. She sighed again and nodded, shaking her head slightly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She said, dipping her snout at the queen. “I’ll go save my sister.”

The next morning, Sundew flew up to the queen’s palace to get her orders. “I do not want you to leave this kingdom until I give you orders of where to go, and a guide.” The queen had said.

Sundew thought that the guide part was a little silly, but she didn’t tell her aunt that. Instead she’d bowed and hurried on her way. 

Sundew landed in the main entrance courtyard and saw tired LeafWing servants climbing walls to take down decorations from her daughter’s wedding the day before. 

She walked up to the throne room and bowed. “Hello, Aunt Sequoia. I am ready for my orders. Urm, and my guide.” She added, before forgetting the queen’s order. 

The queen said, flicking a claw at a pail green dragon with pink stripes all along her body. “This, Sundew, is your guide. You will listen to her and heed her orders about the dangers of the jungle.” The green pink dragon stuck out a talon. 

As she shook it, she couldn’t help but notice the curves on her arms, showing that this dragon was a very successful hunter. “Hello, new dragon,” she said in a stern, but gentle voice. “I am Cobra Lily, and I will be your guide.” 

The queen clapped her talons. “OK, enough with introductions. You are to start traveling to the Ice Kingdom today, and you will pick up Tundra on the way. Trust me.” She said to Sundew. “She will be helpful along your journey.” 

I have no clue how Tundra could be helpful. Either she doesn’t know Tundra, or I don’t know Tundra as well as I thought I did. Which is highly unlikely. 

“Yes, Your Majesty”, Cobra Lily filled in for her. “Be off!”, the queen cried. “If anything happens here, I will send a messenger to the Ice Kingdom who can get in contact with Tundra.” 

Oh, so that’s why she wants us to bring Tundra. She thinks she will be a messenger for us.

Both dragons dipped their heads to the queen, and lifted off into the sky, headed for the icy mountains only a few kingdoms away.

Chapter Three

~ TUNDRA ~

Tundra stood there, confused from the messenger’s words. “Hold up, hold up, Sundew and some other dragon wish to see me? Why?” The messenger shrugged his shoulders and flew off. 

“Not very helpful.”, Tundra muttered under her breath. She sighed and pulled on her crown. Being queen was not as fun as she thought it would be. She was always having to do stuff. Or go somewhere. Like she was doing now. She sighed again. 

As Tundra soared over the Great Ice Cliff, she spotted two green figures, but one of them had pinkish stripes along her back. I wonder why they are here. In MY kingdom. Chokecherry doesn’t have pink scales, and the ball is next week. Man, and I thought I TALKED a lot. Oh my, Sundew is here, but that is NOT Chokecherry with her. Oh dear, is that Queen Sequoia’s head scout?! 

As she approached, the dragon with pink-ish stripes stepped between her and Sundew. “Are you Queen Tundra?”, she questioned her, a little more harshly than necessary.

Queen Tundra. Yes, that’s right. I should say that. Ok, here I go. “Yes, that’s right. Mm-hmm. I am Tundra.”, she announced. “We are looking for Chokecherry. She went missing two nights ago. Queen Sequoia would like you to accompany us.” 

“ME?” Tundra blurted. “Why me?” “I have no idea”, Sundew said, rolling her eyes. 

“I am Cobra Lily”, said the pink-ish dragon. “Oh my”, Tundra answered. “Aren't you Sequoia’s head scout?” She looked Cobra Lily over, thoroughly, as if she was waiting for a medal to pop up on Sequoia’s head scout’s chest out of nowhere. “Urm, yes. I am Sequoia’s head scout.” 

The trio started off for the woods of the Rainforest Kingdom up ahead, and the queen would send them a messenger of where to go after that. 

Tundra turned to the IceKingdom, hoping her daughter would be in good rule while she was gone. Good bye, dearest kingdom. Alas, I think we will never see each other again.

 “TUNDRA! Quit being a sappy snooze face, and GET YOUR TAIL OVER HERE!” Sundew bellowed.

FINNALY!!! That took me SO long! Sorry bout that... heh....