Chapter 9 ~ The Trouble Begins
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Scorch walked through the halls with droopy eyes. His head low, tail dragging, wings drooping and lightly grazing off the floor. Right now, he wasn't in a good mood, he didn't get enough sleep last night after that event.

"Jeez what happened to you? Your eyes have bags under them, not to mention you look kinda dead." Falcon tilted his head at Scorch, he looked up at him "If I had the energy to I would tell you but right now," he yawned "I just want to spend the rest of my days in the cave, on my bed, sleeping."

Scorch kept walking having Nightshade and Falcon trail behind.

Once they reached their Winglet, Scorch walked away from everyone else and leaned against the wall. His eyes were getting more and more droopy, he had to pinch himself just to stay awake.

"Are you alright?"

Without realizing, Scorch apparently had his eyes closed and was a second to deep sleep, he then opened them and saw his head resting on his talons. He lifted it up and felt his mask a bit out of place and fixed it. He looked next to him seeing Ripple. "What is it?" He yawned.

"Well, it's kinda hard to see through those eye whole on your, um... mask... but it kinda looks like your tired."

"No kidding. I was doing something last night that kept me up for awhile." I also had nightmares but why would you need to know that. Ripple nodded, and sat down by Scorch. Scorch tensed up a bit, but then for awhile, relaxed. He laid his head back down allowing Ripple to sit near him. He hate to admit it, but Ripple seemed like good company. He glanced over to Ripple who was looking over to the rest of the Winglet.

"You can go over there if you want." Ripple looked over to Scorch. "Oh, um, no thank you. Don't get me wrong though, they're great friends but it's... more calming here." He laid down curling his tail around him.

"How so?" Scorch asked, looking over to Ripple. "Well, to be honest. I don't really know. You just have this calm and quiet aura around you, but I think it's only when you allow it to show." He said looking over to the Winglet. Scorch looked at the Winglet with him, then back to Ripple.

He then sat up abruptly and straighten himself out. He looked down at Ripple, him being no longer relaxed. "Why are you here?"

Ripple looked at him noticing the uneasy stare Scorch was giving him. He ducked his head under his gaze. "I-I...what?"

This time, Scorch spread his wings and hovering over Ripple and leaned towards his face. "I said why are you here." He hissed. "Your always trying to get around me, at the library, sometimes in the Prey Center, and now here. So tell me, why are you always around me? What makes me so special? Can't you find any other dragon to pester."

Ripple stepped back from Scorch, seeing how intimidating Scorch can be, he was scared "I...I..." he stammered. Scorch flicked his tongue in and out, hissing slightly "Come on, spit it out."

Ripple's brows furrowed, he then tried to calm himself down by breathing and stood straight, although still being shorter than Scorch. "I just..." he sighed and looked down to his talons. "I just want you to be happy. You look lonely, and depressed. And I just want to change that. I like to think that every dragon deserves to be happy, or at least some sympathy since we all don't know what they all been through. Whatever happened to you, whatever that mask or scars stand for, I'm sure it was something terrible to cause to act like this. You may reject about having any depression Scorch, but looking into your eyes I know you need help, that your pleading for it. And I'm here to help you. We all are. We just..." he sighed again and looked back up to Scorch. "We just need you to trust us, we need you to open up towards us. I'm not asking for it to happen in an instant, I know it'll take some time to recover. Your scared, I know you are. But I'm here to make you feel better and safe. I'm here for you, we all are. And we're not going anywhere. I promise you that Scorch." All Scorch could so now was just stare at Ripple and stay quiet, he was speechless.

Once Scorch gained his conscious back, he looked at the other Winglet, seeing they were looking at them. Scorch sighed and stood up. "No, as much as I need it or want it. I can't let you in or know. I made a promise to myself... and I'm going to keep it."

Before Scorch could've walked out, Ripple ran in front of him "Scorch, please!! We want to help you!! It's not healthy for you to live like this!! You can't stay like this forever!!"

"Yes I can!! Now move out of my way or I'll make you!!" Scorch hissed at Ripple, he used his wings to push Ripple aside causing him to trip and fall. Scorch looked at him, he looked hurt, and all Scorch felt right there was quilt.

"Let him go Ripple, he needs his space right now." Falcon said, Ripple stared down and nodded. He got up and walked over to them and Scorch watched. His quilt was rising and he felt terrible by the second. "I...I..." he sighed, then just walked away. He stared at the floor and growled lowly, not at anyone but himself.

He was mad at himself, all they wanted to do was to help him, and what did he do in return; he acted like a jerk to the most fragile and kindest dragon he'd known.

Snapping him from his thoughts, something pulled him towards and empty dark cave. Scorch lost his balance and fell towards the floor. He groaned and stood up, he adjusted his mask and saw someone standing before him. It was a MudWing, but he was familiar.

Than it hit him, standing before him was Heron. And he didn't look to happy.