The Warriors: The Dragon Within by The Warriors (essential reading TXT) 📖

was a point....wait, what? Nicki paused, wondering if the unfamiliar male voice in her head was real...
Of course I’m real! I’m the dragon you twat.
Oh yeah... Nicki briefly remembered what Georgia had told her about the dragon: that it wanted its own body and that she shouldn’t make it angry or it might take over and kill someone...
That bitch of a psychic don’t know a thing.
Then why do you sound mad? Nicki asked it.
...I’m not...mad, per say. I’m just, slightly irritated.
Good, then I can start to find a way out.
Please do it without burning yourself! Honestly, this is why humans shouldn’t have dragon powers!
OK, mister grumpy!
Nicki shifted on the chair and tried to turn it, but only made it sway.
Smooth...
Nicki ignored the dragon, and looked at the sky light. If only there was a way up there! And looked behind her and through the shadows, spotted a metal tray on wheels.
Footsteps were suddenly coming from outside, and Nicki craned her neck towards the door to see who it was. The lock clicked and the door swung open. A figure, cloaked in the shadows stepped through swiftly, and locked the door behind it.
“Good evening. I believe they call you Nicki. Or Dovashiin.”
As the figure came into view, Nicki saw a plain, white face mask; one of the ones in drama productions. Apart from that, the figure was dressed in black and there was no sign of identity.
“Who are you?”
“You may call me the Assassin. I’ll leave you to guess who I work for.”
Nicki thought to herself, unable to think of anyone who’d want to kill her...
Idiot! It’s obviously the Red Queen! Oh my God...
Oh yeah! Lorna!
“Now,” The Assassin turned to her, the male voice turning harsh and cruel. “Shall we get down to business?”


“So, why are we here?” asked Blur, following Georgia and Verity into to town. The previous night had been uneventful in the searching department and the three of them had come to the conclusion that they’d have to save Nicki, Daniel and Holly.
“Public areas are safer. When we’re alone, like the others were, we’re vulnerable.” explained Verity.
“She has a point.” added Georgia.
The three of them were dressed in their usual attire; Verity was wearing a short skirt and high heels, Georgia in her posh suit and Blur in her leather jacket, concealing pistols.
“In here, go.” Verity stopped outside a pub and stepped aside for Blur and Georgia to go in. The pub was fairly crowded, crowded enough for the three of them to be inconspicuous.
Verity slid into a booth and the others followed suit.
“So, what do we do now?” asked Blur, annoyed.
“We figure out what to do next. We know that they went missing around 12 hours ago and whoever captured them were very swift about it.” explained Georgia.
“What do we do next? I mean, we don’t know where they went or who took them.” Verity murmured.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but this has Lorna written all over it.” Blur added, fiddling with a napkin in boredom.
“I’m going to try and find their thoughts, if I can hear them, then I can find out where they are.” explained Georgia. If not, then I guess we go straight to Lorna.”
“Alternatively,” started Blur. “We could lay a trap. You know, have someone as bait and then capture the capturer.”
“I’m for Georgia’s plan. Get thinking, Georgia.” Verity said bluntly. “Anyone want anything?”
“Two beers.” Blur mumbled, watching Verity go to the bar. “How long is this going to take?”
“Could be hours, could be minutes.”
Blur moaned.


6 hours later, Georgia was sat on a bench in the shopping centre and Verity and Blur were on their 7th argument of the evening. Verity’s bow and quiver sat on the bench next to Georgia. The shopping centre was empty and soon they’d have to leave, and Georgia was beginning to think that the others had been taken out of the city! The dialogue between Blur and Verity was getting increasingly heated and it was all Georgia could do to stop them from fighting!
“Guys, we gotta leave, c’mon.” Georgia told the pair.
“You know nothing about my former job!” Blur stated, her voice harsh.
“Yeah, you sat behind a desk cleaning up other people’s messes and then you got rejected from that!” Verity replied.
“Guys! Shut the hell up!” Georgia cried. Their voices were echoing around the centre and people started to look over their shoulders. She should have kept an eye on how many drinks the two had had. She should have known it was a bad idea! They should have gone with Blur’s idea!
“You came in here, trying to fit in, when you’re just gonna get rejected again! Go back to sweeping up!” shouted Verity, wobbling on her feet.
“You think you know me! You don’t! You don’t know what I sacrificed doing that job!” Blur slurred back.
Georgia looked about her, suddenly aware of two policemen stood across the hall.
“Guys! Shut the hell up now!”
As soon as Georgia had uttered the words, Blur was on top of Verity, trying to strangle her! Verity was fighting back, using all her strength to scratch Blur’s eyes out!
Georgia turned to see the policemen running towards them and could only watch as the pair of them were restrained, with incredible difficulty from the two policemen.
This was gonna be bad...


Daniel gazed around the empty room, bored. Not that he preferred it when he was being tortured, on the contrary! Being punched repeatedly and cut with a knife was not on his top ten list of things to do! And while it wasn’t the most severe method of torture, he was proud of himself for lasting this long. Gritting his teeth and bearing it wasn’t usually one of his strong points.
He wondered who of the others had been taken as well...
He hoped they’d figured it out and evaded the Assassin. Otherwise there was no one coming to save him. And that meant that he’d have to take action himself. And he wasn’t very good at action...


Georgia stood outside the two cells, aware of the presence of two minds stood not metres from her. Luckily, her abilities had enabled her to pass by them unnoticed. Blur was sat against the wall despite there being a bench across the other side of the cell. Verity was sat in the adjoining cell sitting on a bench, the two of them back to back and very much sober.
“So, having fun?” asked Georgia, making the pair of them jump.
When neither of them said anything, Georgia continued, “Happy with yourselves? Our friends are in danger, probably dying or dead, and you let your ego’s get in the way!”
“I let my ego get in the way?” Verity stared at Georgia, horrified.
“Yes, you let your ego get-” Blur started.
“Guys! Stop it! I’m am fucking sick of you arguing! You’re sober now, so apologise and get the fuck outta here so we can go rescue our friends!”
“Fuck that, the bitch tried to strangle me!” spat Verity, flicking off her high heels across the floor.
“You expect me to just stand there and let you insult my entire profession?”
Georgia sighed and leaned back, watching the two of them through the bars. This was going nowhere!
“So, we’re reduced to bickering while Nicki, Daniel and Holly are helpless?” she said, quietly.
“I would help, but someone got me in a jail cell...” mumbled Blur.
“Yeah, that someone got me arrested for fucking drunk and disorderly...” Verity murmured back.
“If I wasn’t here, I’d be out there, saving them!”
“Well why don’t you,” Verity stood, reaching for her high heels. “Get off your fat arse and get us out!”
“Well maybe I will!”
“Fine!” “
“Fine!” Blur stood and readied herself.

Part 4: The Big Fry-Up

Georgia managed to reach the two officer’s minds and send them both to sleep before they saw Blur racing around the cell and becoming what she was so named after. The black blur became a spinning whirlwind and, moving towards the bars, cut right through the metal, sending them clanging to the floor! The blur became the shape of Blur Fury again and she stood, looking in on Verity.
“Well? Get the key!” spat Verity.
Blur sped to the officer’s desk and back again in less than a millisecond, and was jangling a huge bunch of keys. Georgia went to the office and collected Verity’s bow and quiver. Unfortunately, Blur’s pistol’s had been confiscated, having no licence for them. Luckily, she kept spares.
With Verity free and reunited with her bow and arrows, the three made a hasty escape from the police station, Georgia all the while keeping them from the prying minds of the people around them.
“So, are we giving up on the search and going with Blur’s plan?” asked Georgia, breaking a hostile silence.
“Sure.” mumbled Verity, not making eye contact.
“So, I guess I’m the bait so I can keep you guys informed.”
When neither Blur nor Verity replied, Georgia continued. “Fine, I guess we start now.”
The night was cold as Blur and Verity turned down a back street. Georgia stood in the entrance to the street as Blur and Verity stood out of sight in the shadows. Georgia just hoped they’d wise up and forget their argument and focus on following her.
Guy, you have to focus, we’re all depending on you!

Ok, so he’s gone. Now are you gonna do something!
Nicki looked again at the sky light. Where were the others? Weren’t they coming to save her? It was looking more and more like she’s have to do something herself. She looked down at the chains binding her.
That was when she heard a high-pitched scream echoing somewhere on the other side of the door!
Holly!
Nicki once again tried to reach her dragon form, but whatever the Assassin had done, she couldn’t turn! No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t change form!
Shit!


Guys! Guys? Guys!
Georgia sent out the SOS, hoping that Verity and Blur could hear her. All she could see was darkness, but she could feel the chains around her hands and legs, binding her to what felt like a metal chair.
Guys! It’s about a mile out of town! I think I’m underground! There’s a sky light above my head! I can see the sky! Damn, it’s so dark!
Georgia listened and heard fragmented thoughts from Verity and Blur, but they were too far away and too disjointed!
Georgia turned her attentions to her surroundings.
Nicki? Daniel? Holly? You guys there?
She waited for a reply and was rewarded by a door opening in front of her.
“Greetings, Imperia. I am the Assassin. The Fire Mistress wishes to convey a message. She wants me to torture and kill you and she hopes that you ‘go to hell’.” His voice was low and cruel and slightly amused.
“Fuck you!” For the last time, Verity, Blur, if you’re out there, be careful!

“It was coming from this way! Not the opposite direction!” snapped Verity, driving Georgia’s mini down a lonely road, heading out of London through a rundown housing estate.
“Well, if you say so, I still think you’re wrong.” Blur replied. “Hey, wait, what was that?”
“What?”
“Stop the car!” Blur sped from the vehicle as Verity stopped the car next to an old subway. Verity followed her down the steps and into the tunnels.
“What is it, I