Of Feathers And Flames- A Wings of Fire AU RP

[-Shade-]

Vel suppressed a smile.
"Unlike some, I don't stoop down to such a level where I find my security in 'The Den.' I am a free dragon, whether physically imprisoned, or not. Because I don't work for them. I don't kill and destroy the innocent. I- am far from the villain in this story. But you would go as far to suggest the entire Rebellion has villainous intent. Lies. The only villain here is the monster who kills the innocent without thinking, who destroys without hesitation. The entire Den is sick and corrupted, and, though you might think you played your stupid cards right, you're dead wrong."
Vel kept her gaze trained ahead, feeling exposed in the humid air, knowing at any moment the CloudWing could get fed-up with her, and there was nothing she could do about it. She's done the right thing giving herself up for the others. Now to stay away from second guessing herself. Vel held her head high, her gaze cool, condescending.

@-Shade-

Alicnato swooped lazily back and forth in the air, turning Vel's words over in his head.
"Well, for your information, I don't enjoy killing, I am just not a coward when it's necessary."
He dipped back to her level, gliding beside her again, still watching the land ahead of them.
"Your independence is almost admirable, I'll admit. But unfortunately, my best guess is that once the Den is done with you, they will probably wipe your memory and you won't be much better off than every. Single. Other dragon that ever held their own against the Den. Prince Sol. The Lunarwing. Probably Gen too. It's like a reset system. No one escapes it."

@_-Captain BRM-_

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Alicnato swooped lazily back and forth in the air, turning Vel's words over in his head.
"Well, for your information, I don't enjoy killing, I am just not a coward when it's necessary."
He dipped back to her level, gliding beside her again, still watching the land ahead of them.
"Your independence is almost admirable, I'll admit. But unfortunately, my best guess is that once the Den is done with you, they will probably wipe your memory and you won't be much better off than every. Single. Other dragon that ever held their own against the Den. Prince Sol. The Lunarwing. Probably Gen too. It's like a reset system. No one escapes it."

@_-Captain BRM-_

Vel felt her scales crawl, but she didn't dare shiver.
"I fear neither pain nor death. Whatever happens to me- it's the way things were designed. Everything happens for a reason."
She cleared her throat.
"Funny how you talk about such traumatizing situations like you never endured it. Do you even know where you're from?"
She scoffed.
"Perhaps you were raised in that hell pit. Okay, cool. But have you never thought, for just the smallest of moments, that maybe getting drugged up and brainwashed was kind of... wrong? That maybe, just maybe, you wanted to think for yourself?"
She shook her head.
"You're better of than most, CloudWing. I see the wheels turning in your idiot brain. At least you can think. Lucky you got an ounce of self respect. Most of them come out of the labs barely knowing how to breath."
She cocked her head slowly, scowling, a growl rising in her throat.
"And then they die, because there's nothing else in the world to live for. Because they're so ruined, and lost, and helpless, and so, so broken. Not even instinct can fix them after that. It's sick, CloudWing. You're sick, CloudWing."

@-Shade-

 

[-Shade-]

Vel felt her scales crawl, but she didn't dare shiver.
"I fear neither pain nor death. Whatever happens to me- it's the way things were designed. Everything happens for a reason."
She cleared her throat.
"Funny how you talk about such traumatizing situations like you never endured it. Do you even know where you're from?"
She scoffed.
"Perhaps you were raised in that hell pit. Okay, cool. But have you never thought, for just the smallest of moments, that maybe getting drugged up and brainwashed was kind of... wrong? That maybe, just maybe, you wanted to think for yourself?"
She shook her head.
"You're better off than most, CloudWing. I see the wheels turning in your idiot brain. At least you can think. Lucky you got an ounce of self respect. Most of them come out of the labs barely knowing how to breath."
She cocked her head slowly, scowling, a growl rising in her throat.
"And then they die, because there's nothing else in the world to live for. Because they're so ruined, and lost, and helpless, and so, so broken. Not even instinct can fix them after that. It's sick, CloudWing. You're sick, CloudWing."

@-Shade-

Alicanto was silent for a long moment.
Had he been raised in the Scorpion Den? Sure, he'd wondered about his tribe and he'd wondered about his parents. Where his egg had been nested and where he had hatched. But he didn't remember anything other than the Den, so he'd always just subconsciously accepted that he'd only lived there.
And now he realized how stupid that was. Just because he didn't remember anything else, didn't mean he'd never known it. That was the whole point of the memory clearing. Why had he never considered that he might have lived outside the Den once upon a time? He was supervised by the laboratory, even though he never recalled being in their torture cells, and he couldn't think, in his shock, of any other reasonable purpose as to why the Professor was the one in charge of him.
He knew the Den was wrong, only a true idiot wouldn't. But there was no escaping it. Even the rebellion that had escaped would be tracked down within days and destroyed.
His headache was starting to come back, the turmoil behind his mental wall once again slamming against the unbreakable barrier. He couldn't let this dragon see how unsure he truly was of his loyalty to the Den. That was how their petty rebellion had started in the first place.
"I was given a choice," Alicanto growled, finally losing his lightened demeanor. "Whether it was after losing my memory or not, I chose to survive. This is the only way how, and you know what, I'm sorry you had to be in the middle of it. I'm sorry your choices put you between me and my freedom, but that's not my fault."
He didn't want to hear what Vel had to say. His head was pounding now and he was feeling his patience start to slip. He might end up killing this dragon if the mental warring in his head along with the horrible pain in his body continued to get worse from her sharp jabbing.
Alicanto flared his wings again, falling behind the other two dragons, far enough to stay out of earshot of the Rainwing. Maybe once he was back in the Den and able to rest from his mission, he'd sort the thoughts out on his own. Without another dragon trying to pry his mind in half.
Loud wingbeats sounded behind them, jolting Alicanto out of his thoughts. The black dragons descended over the trio, two of them stopping in front of them, forcing them to stop and hover. Alicanto cocked his head slightly, listening for the wings behind him, three Nightwings if he had to guess.
"Alicanto."
The largest Nightwing circled overhead, his eyes flicking from Vel and then back to the Cloudwing.
"Report."
The silver dragon rolled his eyes, shooting the black dragon an exasperated look.
"We've been over this Starholder," he said in a deeply condescending voice. "I'm not one of your soldiers. I don't have to report to you."

@_-Captain BRM-_
(I was gonna keep writing but I don't want the piece to be too long, so I'll just get Vel's perspective real quick if that's okay)

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Alicanto was silent for a long moment.
Had he been raised in the Scorpion Den? Sure, he'd wondered about his tribe and he'd wondered about his parents. Where his egg had been nested and where he had hatched. But he didn't remember anything other than the Den, so he'd always just subconsciously accepted that he'd only lived there.
And now he realized how stupid that was. Just because he didn't remember anything else, didn't mean he'd never known it. That was the whole point of the memory clearing. Why had he never considered that he might have lived outside the Den once upon a time? He was supervised by the laboratory, even though he never recalled being in their torture cells, and he couldn't think, in his shock, of any other reasonable purpose as to why the Professor was the one in charge of him.
He knew the Den was wrong, only a true idiot wouldn't. But there was no escaping it. Even the rebellion that had escaped would be tracked down within days and destroyed.
His headache was starting to come back, the turmoil behind his mental wall once again slamming against the unbreakable barrier. He couldn't let this dragon see how unsure he truly was of his loyalty to the Den. That was how their petty rebellion had started in the first place.
"I was given a choice," Alicanto growled, finally losing his lightened demeanor. "Whether it was after losing my memory or not, I chose to survive. This is the only way how, and you know what, I'm sorry you had to be in the middle of it. I'm sorry your choices put you between me and my freedom, but that's not my fault."
He didn't want to hear what Vel had to say. His head was pounding now and he was feeling his patience start to slip. He might end up killing this dragon if the mental warring in his head along with the horrible pain in his body continued to get worse from her sharp jabbing.
Alicanto flared his wings again, falling behind the other two dragons, far enough to stay out of earshot of the Rainwing. Maybe once he was back in the Den and able to rest from his mission, he'd sort the thoughts out on his own. Without another dragon trying to pry his mind in half.
Loud wingbeats sounded behind them, jolting Alicanto out of his thoughts. The black dragons descended over the trio, two of them stopping in front of them, forcing them to stop and hover. Alicanto cocked his head slightly, listening for the wings behind him, three Nightwings if he had to guess.
"Alicanto."
The largest Nightwing circled overhead, his eyes flicking from Vel and then back to the Cloudwing.
"Report."
The silver dragon rolled his eyes, shooting the black dragon an exasperated look.
"We've been over this Starholder," he said in a deeply condescending voice. "I'm not one of your soldiers. I don't have to report to you."

Vel hovered, obediently staying put. She had more to say, more words to fight with. But she kept her mouth closed, wondering if the NightWings would bring her back to the Den themselves.
Her wings ached. She hadn't flown this far for years. But to show weakness was to die. Of course that wasn't true, and she knew it. But that mindset kept her stable.
Vel watched the silver CloudWing with an air of mock boredom, seeing where is snappy comment would get him.

@-Shade-

 

[-Shade-]

Vel hovered, obediently staying put. She had more to say, more words to fight with. But she kept her mouth closed, wondering if the NightWings would bring her back to the Den themselves.
Her wings ached. She hadn't flown this far for years. But to show weakness was to die. Of course that wasn't true, and she knew it. But that mindset kept her stable.
Vel watched the silver CloudWing with an air of mock boredom, seeing where is snappy comment would get him.

@-Shade-

Starholder stopped his circling, hovering above and in front of Alicanto.
"Perhaps that's how you see it in the Den," he growled slowly. "But out here, you don't have your 'superiors' around to protect you."
The Cloudwing's eyes slitted dangerously but he said nothing.
"I could kill you out here if I wanted," Starholder continued, a menacing smile spreading across his face. "No one would ever care or assume that it was me."
"I don't need my superiors to protect me," Alicanto snarled, his tail flicking in the air. "And don't you think you might be overreacting a little? I am simply returning from a mission, successfully, of course, with information on the rebellion."
He leveled his gaze challengingly on the Nightwing.
"Now if you'll excuse us, we actually have somewhere important to be."
He couldn't help but give Starholder a cocky smile at the end. It felt good to finally be around dragons dumb enough to underhandedly insult.
The Nightwing seethed, smoke pouring out of his nostrils as he glared furiously at the Cloudwing. Alicanto didn't acknowledge him, turning back to Vel and nodding her towards the Den again, signaling for her to keep going.

@_-Captain BRM-_
(The Nightwng's will probably attack Ali, but I'm not gonna jump into it right away)

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Starholder stopped his circling, hovering above and in front of Alicanto.
"Perhaps that's how you see it in the Den," he growled slowly. "But out here, you don't have your 'superiors' around to protect you."
The Cloudwing's eyes slitted dangerously but he said nothing.
"I could kill you out here if I wanted," Starholder continued, a menacing smile spreading across his face. "No one would ever care or assume that it was me."
"I don't need my superiors to protect me," Alicanto snarled, his tail flicking in the air. "And don't you think you might be overreacting a little? I am simply returning from a mission, successfully, of course, with information on the rebellion."
He leveled his gaze challengingly on the Nightwing.
"Now if you'll excuse us, we actually have somewhere important to be."
He couldn't help but give Starholder a cocky smile at the end. It felt good to finally be around dragons dumb enough to underhandedly insult.
The Nightwing seethed, smoke pouring out of his nostrils as he glared furiously at the Cloudwing. Alicanto didn't acknowledge him, turning back to Vel and nodding her towards the Den again, signaling for her to keep going.

@_-Captain BRM-_
(The Nightwng's will probably attack Ali, but I'm not gonna jump into it right away)

Vel shrugged. "I know I said I'd obey you- but these guys.." She motioned towards the NightWing's blocking her path. "They do be lookin a liddle murderous, ya know? Thought I was supposed to be interrogated and tortured alive." She shrugged again. "Kinda works like that."

@-Shade-

 

[-Shade-]

Vel shrugged. "I know I said I'd obey you- but these guys.." She motioned towards the NightWing's blocking her path. "They do be lookin a liddle murderous, ya know? Thought I was supposed to be interrogated and tortured alive." She shrugged again. "Kinda works like that."

@-Shade-

Alicanto gave the Rainwing an exasperated look before glancing back to Starholder.
"I give you permission to continue your patrol," he said sarcastically, his patience wearing even more. "Perhaps, you and your comrades can scout in the direction the rebellion left. They have probably left their stop point by now, but from what I've learned, they are on the edges of the Cloud Mountains--just left a large cavern several miles away from the sand flats."
The Nightwings didn't move. Alicanto slowly swept his gaze around the black dragons, his white-tipped feathers glowing brighter as he fixed the leader with a cold glare.
"What are you, deaf and stupid? This isn't a good time for petty disputes, Starholder."
"You have no right to order me or my soldiers to do anything," Starholder snapped. "And if I feel like settling something now, I will settle it."
The Nightwing lunged at Alicanto, the other hunters diving in towards the trio as the Cloudwing ducked beneath Starholders claws, summoning his warping.

@_-Captain BRM-_
(Yas, another fight scene, you welcome)

 

[-Shade-]

Alicanto gave the Rainwing an exasperated look before glancing back to Starholder.
"I give you permission to continue your patrol," he said sarcastically, his patience wearing even more. "Perhaps, you and your comrades can scout in the direction the rebellion left. They have probably left their stop point by now, but from what I've learned, they are on the edges of the Cloud Mountains--just left a large cavern several miles away from the sand flats."
The Nightwings didn't move. Alicanto slowly swept his gaze around the black dragons, his white-tipped feathers glowing brighter as he fixed the leader with a cold glare.
"What are you, deaf and stupid? This isn't a good time for petty disputes, Starholder."
"You have no right to order me or my soldiers to do anything," Starholder snapped. "And if I feel like settling something now, I will settle it."
The Nightwing lunged at Alicanto, the other hunters diving in towards the trio as the Cloudwing ducked beneath Starholders claws, summoning his warping.

@_-Captain BRM-_
(Yas, another fight scene, you welcome)

@Little Baby Bean

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Alicanto gave the Rainwing an exasperated look before glancing back to Starholder.
"I give you permission to continue your patrol," he said sarcastically, his patience wearing even more. "Perhaps, you and your comrades can scout in the direction the rebellion left. They have probably left their stop point by now, but from what I've learned, they are on the edges of the Cloud Mountains--just left a large cavern several miles away from the sand flats."
The Nightwings didn't move. Alicanto slowly swept his gaze around the black dragons, his white-tipped feathers glowing brighter as he fixed the leader with a cold glare.
"What are you, deaf and stupid? This isn't a good time for petty disputes, Starholder."
"You have no right to order me or my soldiers to do anything," Starholder snapped. "And if I feel like settling something now, I will settle it."
The Nightwing lunged at Alicanto, the other hunters diving in towards the trio as the Cloudwing ducked beneath Starholders claws, summoning his warping.

@_-Captain BRM-_
(Yas, another fight scene, you welcome)

Vel grinned, turning on the pair of NightWing's ahead, spitting well-aimed venom.
Easy down.
Both dragons dropped, permanently, and conveniently, blinded.
The RainWing hissed, shifting her scales to match the dark NightWings as she turned back, snarling.

@-Shade-
@Little Baby Bean
Ajax jus gettin forgotten, dog.

 

[-Shade-]

Vel grinned, turning on the pair of NightWing's ahead, spitting well-aimed venom.
Easy down.
Both dragons dropped, permanently, and conveniently, blinded.
The RainWing hissed, shifting her scales to match the dark NightWings as she turned back, snarling.

@-Shade-
@Little Baby Bean
Ajax jus gettin forgotten, dog.

(Right, I'm gonna say the average Nightwing patrol is 2-5, I am gonna say this one is 4 plus the leader, Starholder. We down to 3 now.)

Alicanto directed the warping blade at the Nightwing swooping in front of him, the blade piercing the hunter's throat as the Cloudwing spiraled sideways out of her collision course. Starholder dropped toward him again and Alicanto dodged sideways, feeling the Nightwing's talons brush his feathers.
He was exhausted. This fight could have been an easy win if it weren't for how positively drained he felt. His neck was exposed where Sol had burned the feathers away, and if one of the Nightwings got a hold of him, there weren't even scales to protect him there.
Alicanto cursed out loud as Starholder caught his tail, yanking the Cloudwing backwards and throwing Alicanto off balance.
For a moment, it was nothing but empty air around him as he thrust his wings out, trying to twist mid-fall and regain his control. He righted himself, flaring his wings back to slow himself and then beating them furiously, expecting the Nightwing to be behind him again. Alicanto didn't half to glance back to now, a moment later, the large dragon's wingbeats were cutting the air behind him. His warping blade returned to him again, twisting around and launching blindly over his shoulder.

@_-Captain BRM-_
@Little Baby Bean
(There is one other Nightwing fighting them, ima let Ajax and Vel take care of it while Ali manages the leader.)