Kingdoms Falling

Chapter 14

"Crabs, crabs, CRABS EVERYWHERE! Meadow, do something! The crabs are attackin' me!" Hillock squawked as he dashed through the sand, tossing dirt and rocks everywhere. He beat his wings in a panic, spinning to detach the nearly invisible creatures.

Meadow rolled his eyes as the hatchling barreled past him, and watched him launch himself unsteadily into the air. Two tiny sand crabs dropped from his tail and landed upside down in the sand.

"Feel better?" he called, standing up and shaking the grains from his scales and wandering over to flip the crabs off of their backs and watch them scurry indignantly toward the water's edge. He absentmindedly walked in until it gushed against his ankles, and he closed his eyes, inhaling the salty breeze tiredly.

Hillock swooped back down to land beside him, flashing him a crooked grin. "Aye, thanks."

Meadow flicked an ear. "Don't they have crabs in the desert?"

"They're really slow and fat," Hillock protested. "And we don't see a lot of 'em. Mostly because of the tarantulas and scorpions."

Meadow shivered at the thought.

"It didn't go well, did it?" his friend went on, trudging reluctantly into the water beside him. "Sun give ya an earful?"

"Not exactly," Meadow huffed, dropping his wings and letting them soak also. He opened his eyes to find Hillock frowning down at him in confusion. "Twisterheart got to them first," he explained, balling his talons around the squishy sand. "Just like he did those dragons down there." He gestured halfheartedly to the sea.

Hillock blinked. "Your team is..."

"My team is gone," Meadow growled, letting go of the sand and trying to blink back the hot tears. "Cloud and Sun have been corrupted. I don't want to go to Cotton and put her at risk, and I can't find Fire." He hit the water furiously. Two of his teammates were still out there, but he didn't know what he should do. If he went to Raynbowfalles to warn Cotton, Twisterheart could easily follow him there and brainwash Cotton to kill Meadow, knowing the little hatchling wouldn't be able to fight the love of his life. And Fire...the red hatchling had never gone home after their confrontation with Darkwhisperer. There was absolutely no way of knowing where he was or how to get in touch with him.

"I see..." Hillock seemed hesitant to speak again. "So, what are we goin' to do?"

"We?" Meadow blinked, twisting to face him. "You're still going to help me?"

"Of course," the sand dragon rumbled, ducking his head. "Ya can't take on Twisterheart all by yourself. And, the cactus-snorter still has Dillo, remember? I...we...need to rescue her."

Meadow pretended to ignore his slipup. "But you could be controlled at any second," he pointed out reasonably. "As soon as Twisterheart realizes what we are up to, he'll come after me. And since he can't brainwash me, he'll come after whoever is helping me."

"Let him come," Hillock said with a shrug. "He can't control me either." He lifted his head haughtily, though Meadow did not understand what he was saying.

"What?" He hated that question. It made him feel stupid.

"I think I figured it out," Hillock went on. "The mind-controllin' thing. Ya said before that he couldn't control ya. At that point, I didn't understand what ya meant. But, I think I get it now. Those dragons down there, they weren't your real family, were they? You're not like them, are ya?"

"I know I'm not," Meadow said. "What are you getting at?"

"Ya don't look like 'em, because ya aren't like 'em!" Hillcok exclaimed. "Ya are a hybrid! Ya have to be! And Twisterheart's mind control doesn't work on hybrids!"