FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I slept well that night. Why? I don't know. But I did. At around nine am Adelind and I began getting the kids and our stuff in order for the nine hour fly to Romeo HQ. The others were doing the same. Shadow was no where to be found,Nina had told me he had gotten up a few times in the night,but had not told us why,because she said she didn't know. But I had a hunch. I went down to the prison,at the door,the smell of blood was heavy in the air. When I opened it,it hit me like a brick wall. I could hear Shadow screaming at the dragon who had crushed his eggs. When I entered his cell,I was horrified at what I saw. Shadow had torn off the dragons wings,spikes,ears and tail and then had tron his abdomen open,the green dragon's insides were all over the floor. Shadow's snout was covered in his victim's blood.

"Shadow,I said as he turned to face me,this is..."

"I lost control,Shadow said,I had no intention of...going this far."

"I think you need to stop,I said,come on lets get you cleaned up and then back to the barracks."

With Shadow close to me,I took one last glance of the dragon he'd killed,and then left the prison. I led Shadow down to the hot springs and helped him clean up. Instead of getting out,we stayed with one another,I didn't want him going back to the barracks in the shape he was in.

"I'm sorry Tyro,Shadow said after a while,"Not that it matters now,but I.....I jost lost control,I don't know what happened!" "It just.."

"Just try and get it out of your system,I quickly interjected,"I don't want you doing that to any of our friends out of anger."

I wasn't happy with what he'd done,and I could see in his eyes that he wasn't either.

"What am I",Shadow whispered.

"A father who would have done what any other in your situation would have done,I don't blame you for it,but,I smiled,"I'm glad I'm on your side."

Truthfully,Shadow was of little,if any threat to me. I was four times his size and at least six times stronger than he was. If I wanted to,I could crush him with a single blow.

"Just try and make yourself right,I said smiling,for your mate and your egg."

"Tyro",Shadow said looking at me.

"Yeah,I replied.

"Thank's,for everything."

"It's what friends are for,I replied with a smile.

"So when are we leaving?",Shadow asked as we climbed out of the springs and shoock ourslves off.

"Noon I said,the others are gathering their stuff."

Shadow huffed,but didn't answer me.

"I gotta run down Syralth nd Tess",I said,"think you can keep an eye on the team for me?"

"Yeah,Shadow said,I can do that."

Shadow entered the barracks and went to our section while I went to Syralth's room to wake him up. When I entered their room,their riot gear was strewn allover the floor and Syralth was in bed next to Tesselth,she had obviously gotten what she wanted out of him. Syralth was moaning from what I assumed was the result of being falling down drunk. I laughed as I threw Syralth's boot at him. He quickly sat up,snatched his revolver from the table and pointed it at me.

"Put the hardware down",I said,"not like it'll help you any,unless you try for an eye shot."

This was the first time I'd seen Syralth with out his riot gear. His chest was covered in scars and he was built really well.

"Mind letting me get dressed?" "I'll meet you at the chopper."

I laughed,"Looks like your female worked you over good."

"Get out",Syralth snarled.

I laughed as I left the room. I found the others gathering up their gear,eggs and kids and heading out the door toward the Chinook. Adelind and my kids were waiting for me at the door to our room. I entered,grabbed my vest and shut the door behind me.

"Ready to go",I asked.

"Yep",Adelind said as we headed for the chopper.

Adelind and I took spots in the back and lay down,the kids with us.

"This cool",Ace said,"it's like the one we rode in from the ring."

"Ace?",Helix said motioning to Tyson,who had a bit of a shiver.

"Sorry bro",Ace said,"I forgot talking about that place scares you."

"I'm fine",Tyson said,"I just don't like the memories is all."

Shadow looked at me.

"Fighting ring in Russia",I said",they had thousand's of dragons there." "Adelind the kids and I were kidnapped so the humans there could fight me against other dragons."

"Why your family if they wanted you?",Shadow asked.

"So I'd have incentive to fight". "The stitches over my heart?" They had placed a explosive charge inside of my heart,so they could kill me if I tried to escape."

"We had the same stitches,Dusk shivered,did they get them out of us?"

"Yes honey,Adelind said licking him,they got them out of all of us."

"Jackson never told me any of this,Shadow said,he just told me you were brought in under bad conditions."

"Bad condition's isn't the half of it,I replied,"the cages were made of wire thta dug into your paws and made them bleed,they were stacked ontop of each other so the waste from the dragon above you would drip down onto your head." "It was a horrible,horrible place."

"Is that why you joined the resistance?" Nina asked.

"Yes,I said,there dragons in there who were going to horrible fates,some worse than death."

"Like what,Shadow asked.

"Well,I said,when we got there,Tyson was going to be put to death." "He had lost his last fight,as punishment,he was going to have his wings and tail cut off,his legs broken and was going to be thrown into a hole to die." "He has told me he had seen his only friend go to the same fate a day before."

Shadow huffed,I could tell he didn't believe me.

"Are you serious,Nina asked.

"Yes,I said,he told me everything that went on in that place,just last night,he woke me up and spilled it all,because he said he'd been having nightmares about it. He's not even a year,and he's been through enough pain to last a life time."

Tyson had woken Adelind and I up sobbing last night. He was sobbing about a dream that the hunters from the ring had tracked us down,thrown us into chains and dragged us back to the ring. Tyson was shaken by the nightmare. Adelind and I held him close as he cried it out. We managed to reassure him that the hunters would not come looking for us.

"Tyson,I said switching to Dracoinan,"show Shadow what I mean."

Tyson looked at me and then stood,spreading his torn wings to reveal his stiched and bandaged sides.

"Good lord,Shadow said,what did they do to him?"

"They made him fight,I replied.

Shadow was going to say something else,but was cut short when Syralth,Tesselth,Hunter,Mnerloth and Taro boarded the Chinook,duffle bags packed full. "

Get everything,Rolland asked.

"I think so",Taro said with a laugh.

The rear hatch closed as the Chinook lifted off. We now had nine hours ahead,with nothing really to do but talk and rest. Val and Vez had already fallen asleep by the time we lifted off.

"So Syralth,I said with a laugh,how was last night?"

"Shut up Tyro,Syralth barked.

"What happened last night,Taro asked.

"Syralth got drunk and Tess worked him over."

"Aww,Taro laughed turning to Tess,you did?"

"Yeah,Tess said,I did,and it was the best two hours of my life."

Syralth hid his face in his paws. "Don't be such a big hatching",Tess said putting her arms around her mate.

"I need a mate bad,Mnerloth said. Hunter pulled her close,"No male will ever be good enough for you,he said with a laugh,so don't waste your time."

"Dad,Mnerloth complained,why do you always give me a hard time?"

"I'm your father",Hunter said,"it's my job."

Taro and I laughed.

"No male is ever going to be good enough for Helix or Kayel either",I said looking at my daughters.

Everyone laughed. As the time passed,my friends fell asleep,human and dragon alike. Three hours in,Shadow,Taro and I were the only ones awake. My mind was on going back to the preserve,before we had left,Lung Wei had told me I could take my friends and leave whenever I choose. I had been debating weather or not to leave since the disaster at the hatchery.

"What was it like,Shadow asked,life on the preserve?"

"Calm,I said,I had a nice den,good friends and even better parents and when I met Adelind,life got a whole lot better."

"Sounds nice,Taro said,I'm going with you when you leave,I'm pushing 65 as it is and I'd like to get away from war and suffering."

"Dad,Shadow said,your coming to Tacoma?"

"Why not?",Taro asked,"I want to get away from all of this."

"You still miss her,don't you?"

"With my entire heart son,Taro said,I think about your mother every day." "From the time I wake up to the time I go to bed,I loved her so much."

I looked at Adelind,she had a light snore and her body rose and fell with each breath,she looked beautiful. How was I this lucky? We have been together for our entire lives. We have been allover the world,and even now,after all we've been forced through and all that's been rammed against us,our love survives. If I lost her,my world would fall apart,and I'm certain I would die shortly after. I could never find another like her. The memories of our travels came flooding back,from the day we left Tacoma to the day we tried for our first cub. The thoughts filled my head,and gradually carried me off. The Chinook touched down with a thud, waking us all up.

"Were here,the pilot said,welcome to Romeo HQ!"

The hatch came down,the smell of grass and trees flooded my nose. As I steeped outside,the cool air hit my scales and chilled me a little,it was nice,it reminded me of Tacoma. it was around 11PM and despite sleeping through the whole trip,we were all exhausted.

"Welcome to Romeo,Raven and Talon",a voice came.

I turned to see a man in his 70's approaching us,like Hudson,the years had been good to him. He had short,spiky brown hair,and a well trimmed beard,it suited his style perfectly. He was wearing a white T-shirt and brown cargo pants with black hiking boots. His eyes were sliver,with slit,black pupils. He looked like he was tired and had hauled himself out of bed to come meet us.

"I am General Nolan Scott,it's nice to have you here."

Nobody could answer,we were all to tired.

"Your equipment can wait until morning,go and get some rest."

Nolan showed us where our barracks were and we crashed right away. Adelind and I fell on to our bed with a thud and were out of it instantly.