Starfania stirred, feeling the cold, uneven ground pressing against her skin, the rough texture sending a wave of discomfort through her body. She tried turning to find relief, but before she could, a sudden thud jolted her awake. Her midnight eyes snapped open, and confusion washed over her as she realized–she wasn't on forest ground anymore. She had fallen off a bed. Disoriented, she pushed herself up, her hand brushing against the dust-covered floor. The dim light barely illuminated the cramped space. As her vision adjusted, her pulse quickened. Metal bars. Thick iron bars fencing her. Her stomach twisted. She was in a jail cell. Panic clawed at her chest as she scrambled to her feet, her mind racing to piece together what had happened. Having to rub her chest to ease the pain she was experiencing at this very moment.
The last thing she remembered was her late night talk with her dragon Atlas and falling asleep afterward. Soon, a groan from behind made her whirl around. She sighed in relief when she saw Aeron slowly pushing himself off the ground, his expression mirroring her own confusion.
" What happened? " he said, his voice thick with grogginess.
" Good to see you here too, Aeron, and I was hoping you could tell me, " Starfania said, her throat dry. She swallowed hard, scanning the room again for any clues. Then, as if struck by lightning, Aeron's eyes widened with sudden realization.
" Violet! " he shouted, panic lacing in his voice. " Where is she? Where's my sister? "
He sprang to his feet, frantically searching the jail area, his fear palpable.
" I'm here. " a familiar voice called out.
Starfania turned sharply, relief flooding her as she caught sight of Violet. She was huddled in a corner, her face pale but resolute.
"I... I'm okay," Violet stammered, though her voice trembled. Aeron rushed toward her, barely registering the bars that separated them for a moment.
"What happened?" he demanded, his eyes darting over her for signs of injury. "Are you hurt?"
"No, just scared,' Violet replied, her lips quivering slightly. She looked around, taking in the grim surroundings. " They took us by surprise."
Then Starfania realized something where their dragons were right now. " Hey not to add anymore more problems right now, but where are Atlas and Drogo? "
Aeron's heart sank at the mention of the dragons.
"I don't know," he admitted, his voice lower now, laced with worry. "They were supposed to be here."
Violet's eyes widened. "What if something happened to them? We can't leave without them!"
Her panic was palpable, and Aeron quickly shook his head. "We'll find them. First, we need to figure out where we are and how we got separated."
Violet nodded, trying to calm herself. "Right. There must be a way out of here."
She peered through the bars and squinted into the dim light. Shadows flickered at the edges of the room. It felt like they were being watched.
"Do you think anyone else is here?" she whispered, anxiety creeping back in. Aeron stepped closer to the bars. "If there are, we need to be careful. We don't want to make things worse."
He glanced around, searching for any sign of a guard or an exit. "Let's keep our voices down and look for clues."
He noticed a faint noise behind them, a rustling sound that sent chills down his spine.
"Did you hear that?" he asked, straightening up. Violet nodded, her eyes wide. "It came from over there."