The roaring of dragons woke them the next morning. The dragonets barely had time to scramble to their feet before guards began pouring into the cave.

Iceberg was still sleeping, her wings tucked at her sides. 

Foeseer poked Iceberg, "Iceberg, wake up!" 

"Hmmm?" Iceberg opened her eyes sleepily, blinking. She spotted the guards and stood up quickly.

Battlebringer suddenly tried to leapt at a guard.

Foeseer then stepped on Battlebringer's tail very hard. "STOP IT, Battlebringer." 

"Ow! I'm trying to protect everyone!" He said to Foeseer, rubbing his tail. 

"Or acting rashly." She then whispered. "You don't know if they believe in the prophecy or not."

Battlebringer narrowed his eyes and snorted, a small flame coming from his nose.

Several of them grabbed Foeseer and pushed her towards the arena, the rest herded Iceberg, Stargazer, and Battlebringer up the tunnel. They were shoved up a flight of long, wide, black stairs and emerged blinking into the sunlight. Fat chains were wound around their necks, and they were bound to ring on the balcony floor. 

"Honestly, I been on things less comfortable." muttered Battlebringer.

Iceberg hissed, struggling against the chains.

The announcer fluttered down in the center of the arena. "Fellow dragons. Loyal SkyWings! We have a full slate of thrilling games today, so let's begin!" 

He turned gesture to Foeseer just as she broke away from her guards and charged at him. With a yelp of terror, the announcer shot into the sky, barely escaping her talons.

The dragons in the audience roared with laughter. 

Foeseer hissed at the announcer as he looped in circles above her.

"Looks like someone's mistaken me for her opponent today." The announcer said with a nervous laugh. "Sorry to disappoint you, AnimusWing, but there's a much more dramatic fellow we'd like you to meet." He gestured to the sky. Several guards were wrestling with a tall IceWing on one of the spires.

"Down in the sands, we have one of the so-called Wings Of Destiny!" The announcer bellowed, staying up in the air. "Are they really so great and powerful? This is how we find out.. I give you... Foeseer Of The AnimusWings!"

They could hear SkyWings hissing fire breath and beating their wings. It almost sounded like they were rooting for her.

"It's really them! The wings of destiny!"

"Well, you saw what the IceWing did to that SandWing! What was that?"

"Did you hear the mountain singing last night?" 

"Such a fabulous party..." 

"...Must have been an omen." 

"...Ghosts in the peaks... The dragonets are here..."

"...Wearing the same red medallion. It was too embarrassing." 

"...Hope she wins..."

Queen Comet, who had smoke billowing in rings around her horns. She flicked her tail at the announcer, like to say "get on with it" 

"AHEM," said the announcer. "Some of you may remember a dragon a few months back who refused to fight."

"Boooooooooooo!" The crowd chanted obediently. 

"Indeed," said the announcer. "Tried to start a regular prisoner revolution, didn't he? Tried to get all the dragons to stop fighting. Well, clearly he had to be taught a lesson, or we'll all be lying in our caves right now, bored out of our skulls. Am I right?"

"So what's the best way to punish an IceWing?" The announcer asked. 

"Chop off his head!"

"Stuff grass in his throat!" 

"Drown him!"

"Make him mute!"

The announcer nodded, "Yes... we did make him mute and apparently that wasn't enough for dragons kept refusing to fight... so we did something more... aggressive." 

Iceberg's eyes narrowed. Were they bringing out an IceWing? She hissed, knowing the punishment. 

The announcer smirked. "The best way to punish an IceWing.... is to keep them in a heated place. For Months."

The writhing IceWing landed hard on the sands, dropped by the guards. He was twice as big as Foeseer, with talons large and sharp. Dried blood flecked his mouth as if he'd been trying to drink from his own veins. His scales were a but rusty, and his pale blue eyes were bloodshot and were rolling wildly in his emancipation skull. 

"Mentally unstable, and ready to fight at last. It's Gulf Of The IceWings! Claws up, teeth ready, fight!"

Gulf didn't wait for the announcer's order. He tore across the sand toward Foeseer as soon as he'd recovered his balance. His mouth was open as if he thought he was roaring, but no sound came out. His tongue, grey and swollen, rolled to the side.

The big dragon reared up with his wings spread and tried to slam himself down on Foeseer's back. 

She slashed at his underbelly with her claws. Bright blue blood spurted over her dark blue scales. 

Gulf's talons slipped off her back, and he crashed face-first into the sand as she shot out of the way.

He was up immediately, lunging after her. His claws seized her tail and he yanked hard, lifting her off her feet. She wriggled in midair and sank her teeth into his talons.

"Grab his tail and push your claws on his back!" Iceberg yelled frantically. "That's what you used to do to me in the caves! TRY IT!"

Gulf did his soundless roar again. Gulf dropped Foeseer and she whirled quickly, smashing her tail into his legs. The big IceWing went over like a toppling boulder. The thud of his body landing shook the whole stadium.

Foeseer pounced on his head, pinning his wings with her back talons. She seized his horns in her front claws and shoved his face into the sand. His tail thrashed, bucking her up and down, but Foeseer's weight was too much for him to throw off.

"I've won," Foeseer said. "You can all see that. We can end this now, without killing anyone. I ask you to let me let him live!"

Iceberg hissed through her teeth, snorting icicles. 

There was a stunned silence across the arena. Queen Comet's expression was smug, as if she knew exactly what would happen next.

"KILL HIM!"

"Snap his neck!"

"Pull out his teeth!"

"Oooo, gouge his eyes! Something gory!"

"Death! Death! Death! Death!"

Foeseer lowered her head, breathing hard. She seemed to be studying Gulf, wondering if there was any way to bring him back from his madness.

Iceberg didn't support her killing a member of her tribe, but she didn't want Foeseer to die, either.

Queen Comet looked at Foeseer. "Perhaps our "wing of destiny" doesn't have the stomach for battle. Maybe the war is too scary for her. Perhaps she'd like to go back into hiding instead?"

Foeseer lifted her chin and stared straight into Queen Comet's eyes.

With a wrench of her talons, she snapped Gulf's neck in one clean break. The expression on her face said, all too clearly.

I'm imagining this is you.