Kiru by Chocolatemeerkat (dark books to read TXT) 📖

leader hesitated, but eventually nodded. "Yes. Espian's right. We won't back down." He replied uncertainly. Kiru shivered, but plodded back into the den. Janik greeted her. "What happened out there? Trell told us that one of the hatchlings were slaughtered."
"Helsa was murdered by the Tanji." Kiru sighed sadly. "They broke into the hatchling's den and killed her. Poor little thing didn't stand a chance." Janik sniffed, but looked his sister in the eye. "Uruba's will kill 'em, won't he?" Kiru shrugged. "Probably. Helsa was his granddaughter, after all." She left her brother and climbed up the eldge. However, someone dragged her tail. "Oh no you don't!" Kiru gave a small hiss of annoyence and clambered down. It was only Espian. "You know what happened to Helsa. Do you really want to risk your life?"
"I'm only flying around." Kiru mumbled grumpily. "I'd like to know if my mother and my little brothers are ok."
"The Tanji weren't in the hatchling den too long ago. There still might be spies up there, waiting for another Garsha dragon to fall in their traps." Espian protested. "Please, do what I say. I don't want you getting injured up there." Kiru snorted. "You sound like my parents." She climbed up the ledge swiftly and set off to the hatchling den. She could hear Espian calling after her, but who gave him the right to stop her checking on her family? Swiftly, she flew through the sky, feeling the breeze against her scales. The air stung her eyes, but she didn't care. It happened to everyone who flew at a fast speed. She eventually landed down on a small ledge and ran in. The hatchlings were wailing and screeching like crazy, whilst Colli and Gankad were comforting them. Kiru plodded over. "Are you alright? Do you want me to help?" She asked. Gankad stared at the little dragon. "Dearie, you're just a hatchling." She cooed. "Go back with your brothers, and your mama will come over and deal with you later." Colli gave a small, threating growl towards the old dragon, but turned to her daughter. "Well, Jankoo needs some help carry Helsa's dead body to the main cave. Prehaps you can help with that, along with comforting Jankoo. She's heartbroken." She suggested. Kiru nodded. "Ok!" She said cheerfully, approaching the other female dragon slowly. Jankoo was wailing and touching her muzzle into Helsa's limp body.
"I heard the news. I'm really, really sorry." Kiru started. The young female dragon looked up at her and sniffed. "Yeah." Kiru nudged the dead body of Helsa and flicked her tail to the exit. "Come on Jankoo, we'd better get her over to the main den so everyone can pay respects to her before she joins the sprits of the dead." Jankoo nodded and rose from the ground. She, with the help of Kiru, carried Helsa's dead body out and flew into the sky. The ground was so far down, if anyone fell down there, they would perish for sure. The two females swooped down to the ledge and clambered down. Many dragons crowded round them, looking at Helsa's limp body in their jaws. Uruba roared loudly and everyone fell into silence. The leader dipped his head in respect towards Jankoo. "I am so sorry for Helsa's death." He then glared cold at Kiru. "Espian wants to see you. Now." Kiru gave a small hiss of annoyence and plodded over. The dens were seperated by tunnels, which the dragons travelled down to reach certain dens. Espian was the future-teller, so his den was seperated from everyone else. Kiru slid down on her back in the tunnels and finally got into Espian's den. He was throwing leaves and rocks up in the air, whilst Aprika, one of Kiru's friends, watched in intrest. They fell down to the ground and Espian looked at her. "Your future is looking bright. But you must control your temper if you are to succeed." He said cheerfully. Aprika jumped up and down excitedly and left. Espian turned to Kiru. "You're alive!" He rushed over and rubbed his head against her shoulder. "I thought you'd died!"
"Course not." Kiru snorted grumpily. "Uruba said you wanted to see me." Espian stood up. "Ah. That. Well, come over here." He led Kiru towards where he had been fortelling Aprika's fortune. His tail flicked over to some black stones on the ground. "I decided to see if any bad news is coming our way from the Tanji," He said. "and the stones had spoken of a prophecy. 8 dragons from the Garsha will find a power within them, join up and defeat the Tanji." Kiru's ears pricked up in intrest. "But with all of the Garsha's combinded strength, even we cannot defeat them. It would be just pure luck if we won any battles." She ponited out. Espian nodded his head. "Yes, I know that. But I was thinking the 8 might be you and your brothers." Kiru rolled her eyes. "Jabam and Maljo are too stupid to have powers. The whole thing is impossible."
"I said I was thinking

it might be that."
"No need to be so fierce, Espian. You're not genrally someone considered to be fierce, unless you've got a temper like Gankad."
"Oh ha ha, very funny." The two dragons giggled quietly, but they knew this was serious. It wasn't funny. Espian gave a little cough and flicked his tail towards where he ate prey. "Could you do me a favour and ask one of the hunters to see if they could get some prey for me?" He asked. Kiru nodded. "I can hunt too, ya know. I don't just stand around, guarding caves." She snorted. Espian laughed a bit. "Ok, ok, you can. Try and get me a goat or something." In a flash, Kiru flew out.

Within a couple of minutes, Kiru was flying around, scanning below for any prey. She was thinking of swooping down lower, but with the Tanji being such a threat, it was sucicide down below. And if she swooped too close to the peaks of the mountains of the Garsha territory, she would get stabbed by the sharp peaks. Kiru didn't fancy joining the spirits just yet.
Suddenly, she felt someone fly past her swiftly, wings flapping wildly. Kiru then only realised it was Tarnack, one of the youngest hunters. She was exhausted, and Kiru then felt very scared. "What's happened?" She asked anxiously. Tarnack looked at her, fear and panic in her eyes. "It's the bigger Tanji dragons... they've been chasing me... trying to kill me." She panted. Kiru looked over her shoulder, and saw 4 large Tanji dragons flying at top speed. Swiftly, she shoved her friend forward and flew along beside her, encouraging Tarnack to fly faster when the Tanji drew nearer.
"Come to us, Garsha scum!" One of them jeered. Kiru muttered a few curse words and flapped her wings quicker. Meanwhile, Tarnack was making distress calls, down towards the mountains, where her calls echoed through the caves. But no one was coming to help the young dragons. Kiru then saw a small gap between two mountains, and pointed it out to Tarnack. "Fly through there, the Tanji dragons are too big to fit and they'll have to fly over it. That way then, we have the advantage of getting away!" Tarnack nodded, and followed her friend as they gracefully glided through the gap. The Tanji dragons halted at the gap, but then flew up swiftly, angry that the Garsha dragons had brains.
The chase had gone on for 10 minutes when Kiru realised Tarnack was struggling to keep up. She looked so weak and tired, Kiru thought she was going to stop and fall to the ground. Kiru gently nudged her shoulder. "We can't give up hope, someone will help us." Tarnack nodded uncertainly, but she showed determaination in her eyes. Kiru then noticed a small ledge, not too far down. "We'll swoop down there, because we can glide quicker than the Tanji. Then I'll hide you and lure the Tanji away." She decided. On her signal, the two female dragons swooped down, leaving the Tanji confused.
When Kiru and Tarnack got to the ledge, Kiru hid Tarnack in a small cave. "Wait here until I get you." She said. Kiru then ventured out, and called to the Tanji. "Catch me if you can!" The Tanji dragons roared angrily and swooped down, chasing Kiru across the sky.
Kiru knew she would have to stop soon, for she did not have the strength to continue on. Her wings hurt so much, like they were tied up with chains. Tiredly, she stopped flying and let herself fall, faster and faster.
"Failure!" One of the Tanji jeered, hooting with laughter. Kiru just shut her eyes, knowing she would die with honour.
Suddenly, a loud battle cry was heard from the sky. Kiru opened her eyes and saw 8 Garsha dragons charging at the Tanji dragons, hissing and roaring. One of them then looked down and cried "Kiru!" Then they glided down swiftly, but Kiru was likely to fall and die. Kiru waited for her body to hit the ground, and for the pain to explode through her bones. But it seemed to be taking longer. The little she-dragon opened her eyes and saw she was rising up, slowly rising higher.
"Hold on." A muffled voice called below. Kiru couldn't lift her head to see who her saviour was, so she just remained still, thanking the sprits. She then saw that the Tanji that had been chasing after her and Tarnack had been driven off, and Tarnack was waiting with the other dragons. "Come on, let's go home." She said simply.

The news of the rescue had spread around the dens like bees to honey. Kiru was shocked how fast it had got around. She was laying in a den, but she had her eyes tightly shut. The only reason she knew about the news was because she overheard Uruba talking to Colli and Bolla about it.
Suddenly, she saw a shadow at the den. It was quite small, but Kiru had no idea who it was. It then plodded forward. "You alright? You nearly died."
"Yeah." Kiru replied. "Who the heck are you?" The shadow just laughed. "I am a friend who you don't see very much because I am busy doing my job in my den, which you are in." Kiru sniffed the air. It smelt of forest and weird, yummy things. She gave a small smile. "Espian?"
"Yes, it is me. By the way, I am the one who saved you." Espian replied cheerfully. Kiru looked at her friend. "B-But you can't fly that fast!" She explained. "How on earth..." She didn't finish, because Espian had left the den, head down. Kiru gave a short sigh and rested her whole body flat on the ground, letting sleep claim her at last.

Sickness

When Kiru awoke from her long sleep, it was night. The air was crisp and warm, and Kiru could smell the delicous scent of eagle. Silently, she got up and plodded up the tunnel, following the scent