Youth

Written by Gretchen and Zelda

 

                               

                Laura, Zelda, and Gretchen leaned over the baby basket cooing at the infant inside. Phil smiled proudly from the corner. He had brought his niece, Lisa for the

day. She gooed and drooled which made the 3 girls coo at her even more.

                "Aren't you a sweetie? Yes you are!" Laura said sweetly. Gretchen giggled.

                "Man, I remember when I was little, people sure made a big deal out of me!" she sighed. Zelda smiled at her.

                "I love babies. Sometimes I am jealous of the little monsters." she chuckled, tickling Lisa's chin. Lisa giggled. Suddenly Drake one's alarm sounded. Since Wildwing and the others were out on the town, they had to handle this one. Zelda jumped up on Drake one and pressed several buttons and then she spun

around.

                "Its a robbery at the bank!" Zelda cried.

                "Lets kick it to the Migrator!" Laura shouted. As always, Gretchen was the first one in the driver's seat and strapped in. Just as they were about to leave, Phil ran in with Lisa.

                "Phil, I hate to burst your bubble but you cannot take a baby to a bank robbery." Zelda said flatly.

                "Ohhhhhh no." Phil said plainly, "Your not leaving me with a baby. I have no idea how to take care of one." Laura and Gretchen rolled their eyes and were off.        

 

At the bank.....

                Siege sat in a chair reading a magazine with a gun pointed straight at a man's nose. The man was trembling and sweating like a stuck pig.

                "The ducks w-will be here s-s-s-s- soon..." The man stuttered.

                "Good." Siege yawned. "That’s what we want." Wraith nodded. The Migrator burst through the door. Siege smiled wickedly.

                "They're here!" He cried. Wraith hopped up.

                Gretchen, Laura, and Zelda piled out. Gretchen saw the gun in Siege's hands. Siege groaned and handed Wraith the gun. Wraith looked at it just in time to see Gretchen's foot kicking him in the face and knocking the gun out of his hands.

                "Now Wraith!" Siege cried. Wraith recovered quickly and prepared a pink ball of flames in his hands.

                "Get down!" Zelda shrieked. She knew what it meant when stuff like this happened. She pushed Gretchen and Laura over. Wraith hurled a pink fireball at all  3 of them, engulfing them all.

                                                                                ***

                When Phil was sure it was safe to come out of the Migrator he stepped out slowly, holding Lisa. He looked around and something caught his eye. He walked over to a pile of clothes which lay in the open.

                "Laura and Gretchen are nude!" He cried and then smiled evilly. "I gotta find them...." Then he saw something small moving around underneath the clothing.

He lifted it up and shrieked. There was a baby purple lizard, wandering around. And near by, 2 baby ducks sat. They were in a pair of diapers and baby bonnets with pacifiers stuck in their mouths. Lisa giggled and reached out for them, cooing happily.

                "Gretchen, Laura, Zelda...." He mumbled. "That Saurian turned you into a bunch of babies!" Gretchen giggled, Laura giggled and Zelda made a squawk. Phil scooped all 3 of them up and ran back into the Migrator.

                "Wildwing is going to kill me for this one!" He said, plunking the babies onto the ground and sitting in the driver's seat. He was at the Pond in seconds.

 

At the Pond.....

                Wildwing sat on the couch. He looked at his watch and let out a sad sigh. He was wondering what was taking Gretchen, Laura, Zelda and Phil so long. Finally

the doors opened. Wildwing and the others jumped up.

                "We were worried!" Mallory said as Phil marched out pushing a baby stroller.

                "Yeah, where were you guys?" Wildwing asked eyeing the baby basket.

                "And how many times have we told you..." Dive said firmly in a baby voice. "Your Lisa is SO cuuuuute!" He walked over to the stroller and peeked in. "Good god Phil! Ya got 3 more babies! And one of them is pretty ugly for a human." he peeked over the side of the baby basket and a pair of baby dragon jaws latched onto his beak. "Yeow! get this thing off me!" Nosedive cried. Phil yelped and grabbed the baby Zelda off Nosedive's beak.

                "Phil, that looks like Zelda....." Tanya said cocking an eyebrow.

                "Z-Zelda? Really?" Phil said quivering slightly as he tried to get Zelda back in the buggy. But unfortunately, Zelda was a feisty little critter and she knocked over the baby buggy. Lisa rolled out and landed by Wildwing's leg. Widwing picked her up and nuzzled her. Lisa played with his beak for awhile.

Gretchen and Laura crawled out. Mallory's jaw dropped open.

                "Phil! Omigod Phil! What in heaven's name did you do with Zelda, Laura and Gretchen?!" Phil bit his lip.

                "It was those Saurain slimballs!" Phil replied putting Zelda down on the ground. Zelda scurried up onto Grin's head. Wildwing nearly dropped Lisa.

                "G-Gretchen...." He dropped to his knees and picked Gretchen up. Gretchen snuggled up against Wildwing and fell asleep, sucking on her thumb. Wildwing looked down at her and sighed. Mallory picked up Laura.

                "Wraith......" Duke growled.

                "C'mon, lets take them down to the infermary." Tanya said, taking Zelda off Grin's head.

               

                Zelda squeaked and yipped, jumping up and down and yanking with her tiny teeth on the edge of a blanket. Laura and Gretchen were stealing each other's baby bottles, that the Ducks had borrowed from Phil.

                "Okay, so that's all you saw?" Wildwing asked.

                "Yup, I just came out with little Lisa and they were there like that." he said.           

                "So what now?" Tanya asked.

                "Well, I guess it's safe to assume this is all Wraith's fault." Mallory said.               

                "We're going to have to find a way to coax the reversal spell outta him." Duke said. Suddenly, Drake One's alarm ran out through the halls.

                "Well, no time like the present..." started Dive.

                "Forget it Bro. You've got babysitting duties with Phil." Wildwing ordered, running out.

                "Hey! NO FAIR! I don't know the first thing about babies!"

                "Well, good luck kid." Phil laughed, exiting with Lisa. "I'm taking the day off."

 

                Mallory charged out of the Migrator, into the same bank the Saurians had tried to rob earlier that day. Not too for off, Klegghorn stood with a battalion of police. Wraith and a few hunter drones stood, milling around.

                "Oh!" Wraith said sarcastically, turning around and jumping back as if suprised. "I didn't hear you come in!"

                "You returning to the scene of the crime, eh rookie?" Duke chuckled.

                "Hardly." Wraith smiled, filing his claws on the edge of his staff as he reclined in a chair. "I wanted to get you away from your precious Pond long enough." Wildwing gasped as he realized. They had been set up! "Stupid Ducks." Wraith laughed, and he and the hunter drones suddenly dissapeared.

                "Come on!" Wildwing yelled, gunning the motor as the Migrator pulled away.

                "Hey!" Klegghorn yelled as they went. "If I catch you speeding...."

 

                The Pond was a mess. The walls were full of dents and scrapes and charred laser holes, that got more frequent as they headed down into the infirmary.

                "Wow." Mallory said in horror, as the team ran into the room. The place was a mess!          

                "Where are Phil and Dive?" Tanya gasped. Suddenly, they heard muffled yells from a corner. Thrown in a corner behind a bed, lying on his stomach, Dive was tied and gagged. Duke and Grin picked him up and began to untie him, Dive wincing in pain from many darkening bruises.

                "Dive! What happened here?" Wing asked.

                "Whadda ya think?" he coughed, sitting against a bed and gasping for breath. "They took the ....uh...kids. Kinda glad they did too. Made a heck of a mess."

                "Never mind that, we have to find them!" Mallory yelled.

                "Come on, maybe we can still track them."

                "You don't need to." Dive coughed. "Drag Lips'll probably give 'em back for the Mask."

                "No way." Wildwing said sternly. "We'll get them back and get Wraith to reverse that spell. Come on!" he yelled, and the team headed back to the Ready Room.

 

                Dragaunus lifted Laura up by her diaper. Laura kissed his nose and giggled. Dragaunus blushed slightly and then threw her onto a pad of some sort and it zapped her with a blue light. Laura giggled when it happened.

                "Boss, she is 100% cute!" The Chameleon said tickling Gretchen's chin. We don't need to scan them."

                "Speak for yourself!" Siege growled. Zelda had gotten a hold of his tail and wasn't planning on letting go. "GET THIS THING OFF ME!" Wraith appeared a couple seconds later.

                "Wraith, good job." Dragaunus snarled with little happiness in his voice. Wraith nodded and shifted on his walking stick.

                "I am a-a little weak, lord Dragaunus. Just let me rest.." He sat down in a near by chair. The Chameleon pranced up to him with Gretchen in his arms.

                "Hey Wraith are you alright?" He asked a little concerned.

                "Its his old age." Siege sneered into the Chameleon's ear. The Chameleon was taken aback. It wasn't usual for villains to feel sorry for each other but the Chameleon wasn't like that. Deep down inside he loved Wraith, Siege, and even Dragaunus. They were the only companions he had had for years. Despite the animosity they showed towards another, Chameleon had tied the four of them up like family.

 

                Zelda, Gretchen and Laura yawned. Dragaunus smiled wickedly. "Ya know, they are pretty cute." He snarled cuddling Zelda. Zelda licked his snout again. Gretchen had pretty much fallen in love with Wraith and was cuddling with him. Laura was being fought over by the Chameleon and Siege.

        "How come you get her?" Chameleon whined. "You already got her for 5 whole minutes."

        "Because she likes me better you twit!" Siege growled.

 

 In the Migrator.....

                 Wildwing sighed.

                "How hard can it be to find them?! We have been

looking all afternoon."

        "Hey, Dragaunus could be anywhere, hey he could even be that weird looking tree right there." Nosedive yawned, pointing to a tree which was in the middle of the park. Wildwing scratched his chin.

                 "Yeah...." He murmured and activated the Mask. "I don't believe it. It's the Raptor!" Mallory gave Nosedive a high five.

                "Lets get those guys outta there!" Duke said eager for action.

 

Inside the Raptor.....

                Dragaunus tickled Zelda on the tummy. Zelda kicked and squirmed, giggling. Gretchen was hugging Wraith as he held her and Laura was sitting on

Siege's lap playing patty-cake with him.

                The Chameleon ran in. "Hey guys! Our guests are here!" He cried.

                "Good. Get those 2 in place." Dragaunus ordered. Wraith and Siege ran out with Laura and Gretchen in their hands.

 

                Wildwing jerked to a halt. Dragaunus grinned right into his red eyes.

                "Hello there, may I see your invitation?" he asked calmly.

                "How's THIS?" Wildwing snarled, shoving his puck launcher into Dragaunus's face. "Give us back Laura, Gretchen and Zelda NOW!"

                "Whoa there kiddo." Siege grinned. "Why not let the kiddies decide for themselves where they want to stay?" Laura peeked out of Siege's leathery hand, and started to cry.

                "Aww, it's okay, the mean old Ducks won't hurt you." Siege cooed. The Ducks stood in shock. Wraith cradled Gretchen carefully in his frail old hands, while Zelda emerged on top of Dragaunus's crest. She took one look at the Ducks and hissed violently.

                "Zelda?" Tanya asked.

                "Now, you wouldn't dare fire at us. Not with our loyal little kiddies to take the hit instead!" Dragaunus laughed. Zelda leapt out and glided down, clamping her teeth across the opening of Mallory's puck launcher. Mallory shook her off irritably. Zelda hit the floor, bounded up, and scrambled back up to the top of Dragaunus's head. He grinned and smiled. "Attack."

 

                Zelda lunged at Wildwing, biting into his leg. Wildwing cried out in pain and tried desperately to get Zelda off his leg. Zelda just dug her jaws in deeper. Gretchen just sat there like a log. Nosedive walked up to her.

                "Oh, Gretchen." Nosedive cooed. "You are to cute to be evil." He bent down to pick her up but Gretchen just easily grabbed Nosedive's arm and flipped him over her head. But she didn't stop there. She grabbed his leg and swung him across the room. Laura crawled towards Mallory and bit into her leg. Mallory looked down at Laura and smiled. "That does not hurt." she said plainly and picked Laura up. Laura frowned and punched Mallory in the eye.

                "OW!" Mallory yelled, letting Laura go and gripping her eye. Siege leapt forwards and caught the baby, flinging it at Wildwing. Still trying to shake Zelda off, Wing found Laura trying to pry off his Mask. Duke, unhindered as of yet, leapt onto Wraith.

                "Reverse that spell NOW!" he ordered. Wraith smiled and replied.

                "No." Suddenly, Duke felt himself being pulled back. Siege lifted him up, his shirt collar closing like a noose around Duke's neck. He choked and wrenched back and forth to loosen it.

                "Back off, featherbrain." Siege laughed, and threw him into a wall. Duke sank to the floor, gasping for breath. Wildwing finally managed to get his Mask back from Laura, and tossed her gently back to the floor. Now back to Zelda. She still clenched to his leg, her tiny, razor-sharp teeth doing as much damage as her normal ones. Digging into the pulpy, shredded flesh and

cloth, her face was coated in blood. And still, she held on like a tenacious little bear trap. Seeing Duke down, Wildwing ignored Zelda and limped over to help him up, as Siege was off, trying to help Wraith off of the floor as well.

                "Duke!" Wildwing cried and helped Duke up. Zelda tightened her grip and Wildwing yelped in pain. Tanya and Grin ran up to him and the 4 tried as hard as they could to get Zelda off Wildwing's leg.

                Gretchen had picked Nosedive up by his finger and was swinging him around and around. This was a strong baby. Nosedive hit the wall hard and shook his head. Laura was trying to get back into Siege's arms. Siege picked her up and cuddled her. Wraith, still a little weary, picked up Gretchen and

held her close.

                "Come Zelda." Dragaunus ordered. Zelda let go of Wildwing's leg finally and jumped up onto Draguanus's crest. "Chameleon, we're putting the new henchmen down for their nap. Take care of our guests." The Chameleon

pulled out a long rope.

                "It would be my pleasure boss." he said wrapping Nosedive up.

                "Leave Dive alone!" Wildwing cried. He tried to lunge at the Chameleon but tensed up because of his leg. Dragaunus smiled evilly.

                "I would let him tie you up. Remember, I got your kids." And with that, Dragaunus spun around and walked off, chuckling. Wraith, still holding Gretchen followed, panting for breath. He was still tired from the battle. Gretchen just cuddled closer and drifted off to sleep.

                                *****

                Wildwing leaned back in his cell, grumbling under his breath about having to be tied up with an injured leg in a smelly dungeon of a bunch of smelly lizards. Nosedive, who was battered and bruised from Gretchen, sighed.

                "Ya know, Wing, you got one tough girlfriend." Wildwing just lowered his head and buried it in his hands.

                Tanya, in the same cell as Wildwing was, had helped to put a tourniquet on his leg, and it was helping a little to stop the bleeding from his deep wound.

                "So what do you think made the kids attack? Another spell?" Duke asked. He and Dive were in the cell directly opposite to the other two, and Grin and Mallory were in a third.

                "Could have been anything." Mallory snorted.

                "No, I think it was something else." Tanya muttered.

                "Like what?" Duke asked.

                "Young dragons imprint at a very young age. It is possible that...."

                "What, that Drag Lips brainwashed Zelda? And what about Gretchen and Laura?" said Duke.

                "Tanya's right." interrupted Grin. "I felt no magic in those three."

                "Dragaunus is pretending to be their DAD?" Dive giggled. It was an amusing thought.

                "Well, it was a smart move." Wildwing said. "They're not outnumbered anymore, and we're pinned." Tanya suddenly grinned.

                "Maybe not...."

 

                Gretchen snuggled as close as she could to Wraith, sucking on her bottle happily. Wraith smiled down at her and looked at Dragaunus who was secretly grinning at Zelda as he fed her some leaves. Seige was tickling Laura and she was giggling playfully. The Chameleon just pouted in the corner.

 

Meanwhile back in the dungeon.......

                Tanya was working hard with her Omnitool to get out. Finally the cage bust open and Tanya got out. She locked the cage behind her.

                "Stay here guys." She whispered and snuck into the next room. There was a bunch of jars and things in there. She looked around and soon saw another door at the end of this room. She tip toed to it. She tried to open the door and found it was locked so she pulled her puck launcher and shot at it. The door flew open and alarms went off. Dragaunus would be there soon. She ran into the room and looked around. There were zillions of books everywhere. Tanya dug through them as quick as she could, finally finding the right book. Before she could open it Dragaunus and the others ran in, babies in hand.

                "Drop that book!" Wraith cried out. Tanya ignored him and flipped through the pages finally finding the right one and held one hand in the air while the other held the book.

                "Tanaka Sanare Ageona!" Tanya cried as quick as she could. A ball of blue light hit Wraith making him fall to the ground and making Gretchen fly through the air and land on his chest with a little thud. Wraith lay still, wheezing for a moment. Gretchen began to cry. Dragaunus stooped over for but a moment and glared at Tanya. In panic, she ripped the page out of the book and took off.

                "Get her!" Dragaunus roared in fury. Siege scooped up Gretchen and Zelda leapt onto Chameleon, as the two took off with Laura after Tanya. Tanya ran in panic. She couldn't just run back to the cell, she had to get away. But what about the others? Running down a corridor, she had an idea. She swung into a storeroom, collapsing in the darkness as she watched the Saurians run by her. Good. She tucked the paper with the spell on it into the storage crate and walked out. She ran back to the cell and pounded on the bars.

                "Lemme in!" she hissed at Wildwing.

                "Tanya, are you nuts?" Nosedive asked in amazement.

                "Not yet, I have a plan."

 

                "She's back in the cell Lord." Siege reported faithfully, holding Laura. Gretchen was content to snuggle up with Chameleon, while Zelda perched on the curve of Dragaunus's shoulder.

                "So what happened? Where's Wraith?" Chameleon asked, worried.

                "Right here." Wraith replied slowly. He hobbled into the room frailly on his staff. He face was sunken and his gait shivering. "That stupid Duck put an aging spell on me!" he snarled angrily.

                "It takes an hour for Wraith to age a year now." Dragaunus explained. "If this isn't reversed soon..." he didn't need to finish.

                "Where's that duck?!" Siege yelled. "I'll tear her feathers out one by one until she gives us that spell back!"

 

                Siege stomped down the hall, Gretchen in hand. He would make Tanya give him that spell. He stopped in front of her cage and held Gretchen out in front of Wildwing. Wildwing looked at her sorrowfully then, as if he couldn't bear to look at the evil baby any longer jerked his head to the other side so he wouldn't have to look at her.

                "Gimme that spell!" Siege demanded. Tanya glared at him.

                "You know what we want Siege!" She snapped.

                "No! Give us that spell now or Gretchen here dies!" Siege snarled. Wildwing looked up.

                "You wouldn't dare..." He growled. He stood up and slammed against the bars hard trying to reach Gretchen but retreated after a while.

                "Watch me....." Siege snarled. He held Gretchen up by her diaper and Gretchen started to cry. Siege pulled a knife, knowing Gretchen would just destroy his other gun, and held it up to her neck.

                "Alright!" Wildwing cried not being able to see Gretchen cry. "Tanya....give him the spell...."

                "B-But Wildwing..." Tanya said stunned.

                "I said GIVE IT TO HIM!" Wildwing snapped. Tanya got up and handed him the spell reluctantly. Seige snatched it away and stomped away.

       

                Dragaunus grabbed the spell from Siege and put his hand in the air. While looking at the piece of paper he muttered.

                "Ominos Jamosi Ageohki!" A pink ball engulfed  the 3 babies. Zelda was the first back to normal. She was sitting on Dragaunus's shoulder still. She blinked twice and then looked at Dragaunus.

        "AH! get away from me you big, smelly Lizard!" Zelda screeched. Laura was next. She was in the Chameleon's arms. She looked at Chameleon who was freaking out.

        "PUT ME DOWN!" Laura cried slapping the Chameleon hard. And last was Gretchen who was resting by Wraith. She sat up, yawned, and smiled warmly at Wraith then snapped out of it.

        "Where are our friends?!" Laura cried picking the Chameleon up by his collar.

        "THEY TRICKED US!" Dragaunus snarled. Zelda flew out of the room and into the dungeon.

        "B-But how?" The Chameleon stuttered.

        "Ha!" Tanya yelled from her cell. "I switched spells! The other one is hidden!"

        "Zelda!" Nosedive cried joyfully. Zelda immediately started picking the locks with her claws. Finally they were free. Dragaunus and his 2 henchmen were looking for Wraith. Somehow he had disappeared and Gretchen too!

        "Where is Gretchen?!" Wildwing cried stomping up to Dragaunus.

        "You tell us you moron Mallard!" Dragaunus demanded. "She took off with Wraith!"

 

                Gretchen stood silently over Wraith, with tears in her eyes. Wraith was getting weaker by the moment, she could feel it. He lay on a bed, skin a deathly pale tan. She couldn't believe she was actually crying over a stinking Saurian! But she had no idea Wraith could be so gentle, so kind. It hurt to see him so. She cried even more, knowing that with every breath he took, he was coming closer and closer to his last.

               

                Her silence was broken as Siege shoved her aside. He thrust the scrap of paper into Wraith's skeleton-thin hands. Coming in seconds later, Wildwing snatched Gretchen up and pulled her out of the room.

                "Come on! We're breaking out of this death-chamber!" he yelled. Gretchen wanted to stay with Wraith. Would he be strong enough to survive and break the spell? But she knew to stay was to be captured, maybe even killed. So she ran, and left the henchmen huddled in that little room.

 

                Wildwing drove down the streets of Anaheim quickly without a word. Usually, it would be Gretchen up there in the drivers seat but for some reason when Wildwing plunked down in the passenger's seat, she was being dragged in by Zelda.

      

                 At the pond Gretchen sat at the window just lookin' out. She had been like this for weeks. Just staring out the window. She never said a word just sat there. Whenever Tanya tried to explain that she had to cast a spell on that Saurian, Gretchen glared at her.

                "He was my friend, he treated me like a dad. He even protected me." Gretchen thought to herself. Wildwing, Tanya, Laura, and Zelda walked up to Gretchen and looked at her.

                "Gretchen you have been like this for weeks. You have barely eaten and you are as white as a sheet." Wildwing said flatly.

                "You have barely blinked, haven't said a word and glare at Tanya every time she tells you she did the right thing." Laura said with no expression in her voice.

                "What's wrong?" Zelda said putting a hand on Gretchen's shoulder.

                "Nothin'" Gretchen muttered. She just stared lifelessly off into space. Suddenly Drake one went off. Gretchen jumped up and was at Drake one like a flash of lightening.

                "Oooooh goodey! It's a teleportation alert!" And without waiting for the others, she ran to the Migrator. Wildwing and the others finally caught up.

 

                The Migrator screeched to halt in front of a small storage building. Gretchen leapt out, followed by the others. Suddenly, the steel doors in the building burst open, and Siege, Chameleon, and a whole line of hunter drones burst through.

                "Keep them back!" ordered Siege. "Don't let them get inside!"

                "Hate to burst your bubble Siege." Wildwing snarled, kneeling behind a dumpster. He and the others started shooting, While Gretchen, Mallory, and Grin moved in closer. Gretchen was so nervous. Where was Wraith? She had to find a way to get inside. She parted, running from the others, and disappeared around the corner of the building.

 

                Gretchen kicked a door in hard. She had found a side entrance! In the dust her impact had raised, she saw the dim, foggy outlines of the storage crates, and she heard explosions and yelling coming from the other side of the building. She had to get back and help them. But she saw something moving inside. Silently, she crept in. She could see Dragaunus standing over something. He pulled an object out of a box and grinned. Suddenly, he looked up and waved his hand at Gretchen, smiling. Gretchen gasped. Suddenly, she felt something erupt next to her. She dropped and rolled into the center of the room, trying to escape from the intense waves of heat. She leapt up, to see Dragaunus's sneering face. He jabbed a huge laser gun at her.

                "Like this? It's what years and years of army surplus'll do for ya!" He aimed the gun, but suddenly, a puck whizzed inches over his head. Distracted, he left Gretchen and ran for the door to help his henchmen. Gretchen gasped.

                "How could you?" she snarled at Wraith.

                "What do you expect?" he growled back. "I AM a villain, in case you didn't know." They both stopped for a few seconds to catch their breath. Muffled explosions still rang outside. Suddenly, Wildwing and Dragaunus stumbled upon the two. They separated and withdrew, gasping for breath.

                "What are you waiting for?" Dragaunus roared, pointing to Gretchen. "Destroy her!" Wraith growled, and Gretchen snarled back. He slowly raised a hand and fireball, and held it poised, hesitating slightly. He shook his head and threw it. Gretchen leapt sideways as the crates behind her exploded. She rolled quickly and got up. With a lightning kick, she swept Wraith's staff out from under him. Wraith buckled but did not fall, and caught her off guard. With his magic powers, he lifted a crate, and threw it at Gretchen. She dodged quickly, but hit her shoulder hard on the cement floor. She rolled up slowly, holding her scraped shoulder. Wraith grinned, smelling the blood.

                "Come on Gretchen!" Wildwing cheered, still leaning on a far-off crate to catch his breath. Gretchen snarled and lunged at Wraith, landing on top of him. Wraith crumpled under her, but managed to get a hand free. Gretchen was blown back by a fireball, the heat singing her feathers. She knelt on the ground, panting.

                "That's it, we like our Ducks charbroiled!" Dragaunus smiled. Wraith threw a smaller crate at her, and Gretchen couldn't duck. It slammed her hard in the middle, and she was thrown away, hitting her back against another crate. Gretchen hobbled up, Wraith grinning in his old, toothy grin.

                "I've always wanted a down jacket, looks like I'm gonna get it now." he grinned, raising a fireball. Gretchen hobbled more. The impact with the crate had hurt her hip. Wraith remained poised.

                "What are you waiting for? Hit her!" Dragaunus roared. Wildwing stood in horror. Wraith looked away for a moment, as if he saw something. Then he relaxed, and smiled.

                "Attention shoppers!" Zelda snarled, leaping out and jumping on Wraith as he stood. "Down coats are NOT on sale today!" she tore at his head, as Wraith tried to get up.

 

To be continued......