“We have to bring them to the rainforest,” he called to Glory, coughing and gasping. “Or else the whole NightWing tribe could be wiped out today.”
“Serves them right,” she called, but he could see from her face that she couldn’t let that happen either.
Chunks of fiery rocks were starting to shoot out of the volcano, blasting into the sky and slamming into the ground with explosive force. One came so close to Starflight’s wing that he felt the heat of it crackle along his scales.
Glory twisted in the air, scanning the caves below her. “I hope all my RainWings made it back safely.”
Starflight found himself making a decision that shocked him, but the words were out of his mouth before he could take them back. “You go ahead to the rainforest, make sure they’re all right, and prepare them for what’s coming,” he said. “I’ll gather the NightWings and bring them through.”
She gave him a surprised look, but didn’t argue. “We’ll have our spears and fangs and sleeping darts ready,” she said. “Come on, you two.” She flicked her tail at Deathbringer and Splendor, who sped after her. Starflight watched them all dive for the cave entrance, where green scales flashed as two half-camouflaged RainWings reached to welcome them in.
Now Starflight could see a cluster of spears bristling in the air by the cave, and he realized with a sinking sensation that the RainWings probably weren’t letting any NightWings through. He’d sent Fatespeaker and Greatness on that mission, but the RainWings didn’t know them — they’d barely met Fatespeaker — and had no reason to trust them.
They would listen to him, though. If he could convince the NightWings to accept Glory as their queen … if he could lead them into the rainforest peacefully …
But if he couldn’t …
There were a million things that could go wrong. The RainWings might panic and attack the NightWings as they came through, even with Glory standing over them. Or the NightWings might lie to get to safety and then attack the RainWings anyway.
Or the volcano might kill them all before they got anywhere.
Another blast from the volcano sent sharp rock shards zinging around him. Starflight felt a stabbing pain in his side as one of them grazed his scales.
No more time for worrying, he thought, tucking his wings and diving toward the beach. We escape now, together … or we all die.
It looked as though the entire tribe might be gathered on the beach below him. Starflight flew in a wide circle, scanning the crowd, until he saw Greatness and Fatespeaker standing on a boulder, waving their wings and trying to get everyone’s attention.
“They’ll never let us through!” shrieked a NightWing with long scratches along his side. “We have to take the rainforest by force!”
“We can’t fight them,” yelled another. “They infiltrated the island, took out all our guards, and escaped with the prisoners, and we never even knew they were here. They’ll kill us the moment we step into that tunnel.”
The volcano shot another blast of fiery rocks into the air, and many of the black dragons flung themselves to the ground with cries of terror.
“Listen to me!” Starflight called, hovering above Greatness. “There is a way to escape safely. I promise you that the RainWings will show you mercy if you accept Glory as your queen.”
“How can a RainWing lead our tribe?” shouted a voice that Starflight recognized as his sister’s. Fierceteeth flared her wings and shook her talons at him.
“Better than Queen Battlewinner can,” Starflight said. “Since she’s dead.”
Shocked silence fell over the tribe; all of them stared at him in disbelief. Starflight spotted Mastermind, hopping agitatedly from one foot to the other, with his arms full of scrolls. And finally Starflight saw Morrowseer at the back, glowering at him. The look on the giant dragon’s face gave Starflight chills from his wings to the tip of his tail.
“But Greatness …” one of the NightWings said half-heartedly.
“I’ve already agreed to this plan,” Greatness called. “It is the only way for our tribe to survive.”
“Glory will take care of you,” Starflight said firmly. “She will be a fair and just queen, and you’ll be safe in the rainforest instead of trapped here.”
The smoke had gotten so dense that it was getting hard to see the dragons in front of him. Fine gray ash coated all their scales and made the sand slick beneath their claws.
The volcano rumbled ominously.
“I’ll do it,” Mightyclaws said from the front of the crowd. “It has to be better than this.”
“How do we know they won’t kill us all?” asked another dragon.
“I trust her,” said Greatness.
“And guess what really will kill you all,” Fatespeaker added, pointing. “That volcano. So, come on, let’s get out of here! All hail Queen Glory!” She took to the sky, flying toward the tunnel.
“Queen Glory!” shouted Mightyclaws, leaping into the air.