Honor and Fear

Written by Zelda

 

                "Well now, this is great!" Mallory snorted.                   

                "It's not my fault! The stupid map was wrong!" Nosedive bit back, slamming his fist against the control panels.

                "Hey!" Tanya yelled, pulling him back. "Be careful with that!" The team was supposed to have traveled to go skiing in the Rocky Mountains, but they had taken a wrong turn. Very wrong. They had ended up in a vast redwood forest, in the middle of nowhere. "Well the map can't be wrong!" Tanya argued. "This thing's precision tuned!"

                "Yeah yeah, NOT!" Nosedive snapped.

                "Peace friends." Grin said, parting them. "Arguing amongst ourselves solves nothing."

                "Grin's right, cut it out." Wildwing sighed. Grin leaned back and rubbed both sides of his head. Evening was casting black shadows across the forest, striping the Migrator in black and gold.

                "So what do we do now?" asked Duke.

                "Well..." Wildwing started. Suddenly, there was a loud popping noise from underneath the vehicle.

                "I'll check what that was." Tanya said. She leapt off of the ramp, and jumped down, crouching beside the huge wheels. Suddenly, she yelled and leapt back, her beak full of oil. "Great. We must have rolled over a sharp stick or something. Our oil's leaking." She snarled, rubbing the oil off.

                "Can you fix it?" Duke asked.

                "Sure, but we'll need more oil."

                "Don't we have spare?" Wildwing asked.

                "Not anymore. We used it last week." Tanya sighed.

                "Great. We'll have to find a gas station." Wildwing sighed as he walked to the open door.

                "Out here?" Nosedive said, a little alarmed.                   

                "Yes, out here." Suddenly, a loud thump came from the hood of the Migrator. Wildwing looked out to see Zelda perched intently on the white hood. She started and pointed silently at the forest. Wildwing looked out and shrugged. He was about to talk, when Duke pulled him back and pointed too. Of course. Duke was like a cat. He could hear and see anything. Far off in the forest, he heard a branch snap. He motioned to the others to be quiet. There had to be something that was making Zelda and Duke nervous. Slowly, Wildwing reached up to his Mask.

 

                Just as he activated it, Something hit him hard in the chest. He flew backwards and landed on the floor of the Migrator. Red beams of light flashed over him. Lasers. Saurian lasers. He crawled up as the rest of the Ducks ran out of the door, brandishing their launchers. Zelda flew off of the hood, circling around Siege, Wraith, and the Chameleon as they came out of their cloaks.

                "Get them out of here!" Wildwing snarled. He ran out and positioned himself carefully behind a rock. "Flanking maneuvers!" he yelled behind him. The Ducks slowly inched forth.

Zelda landed hard beside Grin.  "I'll try and distract them. Watch out! They're not going to want to move back!" She zipped back up into the sky, veering off to the right. She glanced behind her, to see Grin slowly stand up. Suddenly, he was hit by a laser, and fell backwards as he dissapeared in a fireball. Zelda yelped and swerved back, but a laser sheared across her path. Zelda flapped away, panicking. She dove towards Tanya, to find her slumped over a rock. "Tanya!" she cried. "Tanya wake up!" Tanya didn't move. Mallory landed with a loud thud in the moss beside her. "Mallory!" Zelda yelped, relived. Mallory started picking Tanya up, dragging her back to the Migrator, but as she went, something landed near her. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a huge cloud of red gas. When the wind blew it away, she too lay on the ground.

                Zelda panicked. Fear crept up through her spine and made her shake. Fire and heat exploded all around her. She looked around for her teammates. Suddenly, Chameleon began to fire on her. Thick tree trunks weren't enough cover. Zelda leapt up and made a break for it, away from the team. She just needed to get away. She bounced off of trees, stumbling over rocks. All she could hear were explosions behind her. She leapt up, finally able to spread her wings and fly. She had to get away. The air was a sanctuary, she could be safe there. But something heavy landed on her back. Crying out in shock, she fell down to the earth, landing hard against a large rock that jutted out at her. She hit her head, and knew nothing further.

 

                Nosedive flung himself to the side, just in time to avoid half of a flaming tree trunk from crashing down on him. Wildwing sighed in relief seeing his brother escape. He couldn't see any of the others, and he needed to know where they were.                               

                "Ducks!" He called into his com. There was no reply but the boom of explosions. He stood up slowly. Before he could glance around, a wave of heat struck him in the back. Something hard and wide slammed against his back. A tree trunk. He realized it as he fell. The mossy earth came rushing up to him. He hit the ground as fire and sparks burst around him. And then everything went black.

 

                Something heavy was lying on her wing. Zelda didn't dare open her eyes for a moment. The dull, echoing panic of the explosions behind her had left, but the pain was still there. She tried to block it out, to concentrate on one thing. There was something on her wing. She reached back slowly to feel it. It was a rock. On her left wing. Zelda whined slowly and worked to shove it off. It was too heavy. Rolling over slightly, she brought her right arm up to help. Pain shot up through it. Wincing, Zelda ignored. Pushing hard, the rock finally rolled off and clunked to the ground. Zelda opened her eyes. There was blood on the rock. A huge gash ran up her right arm. She stripped a patch of moss away from the rock she lay on with her teeth and wrapped it tightly up the length of the wound. Slowly, she stood up, noticing an uneasy silence about her. She crept downward, heading back to the smoke-filled battle site. If the Saurians were here, she didn't want them to know she was still alive. She crept through the ferns. It was really getting dark now. But she didn't hear anyone. She was very frightened. Finally, she came upon a charred tree trunk. Wildwing lay beneath it, the armor along his back clouded with soot and ash. She dragged him out by the collar of his armor, bit by bit, inch by inch. She had to find someplace safe for him. Looking around in the ever-increasing darkness, she saw a gap in a rocky outcrop. She darted from Wildwing's side and investigated. A cave. Perfect. Limping back to Wildwing, she tripped over something. An arm, clothed in maroon. Duke lay in the ferns to her right. Like Wildwing, he too was unconcious. Zelda sighed. Eyes wide with fear despite her exhaustion, she scanned the woods again, just in case. It was going to be a long night.

 

                Wildwing slowly opened his eyes. His head throbbed and his sight swam. His whole body seemed to ache. Slowly, he realized he was in a dark, cavernous space. He looked up, to see a silhouette lighted by the entrance to the cave. It was dark outside, but Zelda kept a silent vigil by the entrance, eyes closed, head bent down.

                "Zelda?" he called. Zelda turned quickly.                       

                "Wildwing!" she yelped happily, bounding up to him. Wing noticed she was limping, keeping off of her right front limb. Zelda nuzzled him gently on the side of the beak. "I was so worried. Are you okay?"

                "Yeah." Wildwing replied slowly, propping himself up on one elbow. "I'll be fine."

                "Now if only Duke would wake up." Zelda muttered, helping sit Wing up against the wall of the cave. Wildwing suddenly started up in alarm.

                "Where are the others?" he asked. Zelda lowered her head and whined.

                "Captured." she sighed. "I was a fool. This was all my fault." she sobbed, crouching beside him on the floor and covering herself in her wings. "I could have stayed and fought, but I just ran like a coward." Wildwing patted her on the back.

                "It's okay Zelda, we all get scared." he tried to calm her. Zelda shook him off.

                "But it's the principal of the thing." she snorted. "A dragon leader is supposed to put her fears behind her and the safety of her company before her. A dragon's confidence and lack of fear is their honor. Even if we are afraid, we increase our courage and honor by facing it. I don't know what came over me. I failed miserably."

                "No you didn't." Wildwing said, surprised at her sudden change of mood. Zelda feigned a nod. Slowly, Duke sat up and rubbed his head.

                "Ouch." He said, as Zelda slipped under his arm to support him. "How long was I out?"

                "Long enough." Wildwing said. "The rest of the team's been captured."

                "No thanks to me." Zelda snarled under her breath.

                "Whatever. But we have to figure out where the Raptor is and go rescue them before something really ugly happens." Duke stood slowly, rubbing his back. Wildwing nodded. "We'll wait until daybreak. Let's try and get some rest."

 

                Zelda opened her eyes groggily. Beams of gold sunlight slowly poured into the cave. She stood up, and felt the pain run down her right forelimb. Great. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. She simply couldn't. Her thoughts and guiltiness had haunted her. She did feel better though. Wildwing slowly sat up, followed by Duke.

                "Morning." Wing smiled. Zelda nodded. Wildwing stepped out of the cave and started scanning the surrounding forest with the Mask. Duke stood up and walked out beside him.

                "See anything?" he asked.

                "No, nothing clearly, but there is a strange trail of something heading northeast. We'll follow that."

                "Okay then, let's go." Zelda said, tracking off into the ferns. The wet morning dew sparkled with the dawn sunlight. It created a beautiful picture. Zelda stalked across the forest floor with a deadly precision. Across damp leaves, mossy fallen logs, and rock outcrops. Duke picked his way cunningly behind her, with Wildwing following, getting periodically smacked by the underbrush. Suddenly, he stamped his foot down. The two ahead of him stopped and glanced back. Wildwing put his finger to his beak. They glanced around themselves in a moment of panic. Wildwing waved and ducked behind a large rock.

                "Don't worry." he said, sweeping the area with the Mask. "I can't find any Saurians, but we're about 30 feet away from the Raptor. He pointed to a bunch of jagged rocks and dead pine trees.

                "I should have known." Zelda sniffed.

                "Let's move. We can enter through the engine intake boosters." Wildwing took the lead now, with Duke and Zelda flanking behind. Finally, they passed within the cloak, and the full, blood-red metal of the ship burned at them. They crouched, ducked into the huge bells of the engine, and started to climb.

 

                Climbing the metal was hard. Duke's back still hurt him. His grappling hook would make it a lot easier to get to the top, but they had to be secretive. The bolts and ends of screws that stuck out from the inside of the bell made it easier to climb as they got further up. Finally, the three hauled themselves over the top, and into the engine room.

                "Now what?" Zelda asked.

                "Spilt up." suggested Duke. "We'll find them faster that way."

                "Good, just stay in touch." advised Wildwing. The three ran off in separate directions.

 

                Zelda ran as fast as she could on three limbs. She had to be careful. If they spotted her, the Saurians would know Wing and Duke were in the ship too. Suddenly, she heard a dull clanging in a hallway to her right. Carefully peering around the corner, she saw the dark, hollow opening of one of the Saurian holding cells. She crept further along the wall. Unguarded. That was weird. Suddenly, she heard someone sighing in frustration. A thin, pale, cream-colored hang stirred as it hung through the bars of the cell, to the floor on the other side. Zelda recognized it immediately. It was Tanya! Zelda leapt out into the hallway and was beside her.

                "Tanya! Am I glad I found you!" she whispered gently. Tanya lay on the floor. Slowly, she raised her head and stared at Zelda.

                "Zelda? How...how did you..?" she started to ask. Her voice cracked with weakness. Zelda whined.                                

                "Don't worry, I'm here. Wing and Duke are too. But where are the others?" Zelda had just noticed that the cell was otherwise empty. Tanya sobbed, choking.                          

                "Zelda, they killed them!" she cried, folding her other arm around her head to hide her face. "Dragaunus killed them all!" Zelda took a step back, shocked. What? Dead!?! This was all her fault! Grin, Mallory and Nosedive were dead. Murdered. Zelda stood in shock. This couldn't be right. Slowly, she lowered her head to the floor, and nuzzled Tanya's hand. Suddenly, she jerked her head back up.

                "You imposter!" She seethed slowly. She leapt forwards to the bars, but something came over her. Great squares of mesh. A net! Zelda snarled in fury and lunged again, but suddenly she felt a great electrical shock surging through the ropes. She didn't even have time to scream out before she collapsed to the ground, motionless. Tanya lay for a second, and then bounced up. Wraith stood behind Zelda's fallen body.

                "Well?" he asked, grinning.

                "Well let me out of here already!" Tanya yelled back. Wraith pressed a few buttons on a panel nearby, and the bars retracted into the floor. Tanya stepped out and stretched. Suddenly, she became enveloped in a green light, shrinking, and emerging as The Chameleon. "I think we gave her the slip." he grinned, gathering up the net slowly.

 

                Zelda awoke slowly. Her head throbbed. She was lying on her side in a very tight space. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Trapped. Locked up in a cell. She stood up slowly. She could smell, there was a Saurian in the room.

                "You tricked me." she snarled. It was Siege who answered.

                "It wasn't that hard to." he giggled. "And your friends should be walking into the same trap you did in a few moments."

                "Not if I get out." Zelda snarled.

                "Get out?" Siege laughed. "How? I'd like to see you try. Your a wounded animal."

                "An animal is most dangerous when wounded." Zelda quoted.

                "Huh, we'll see." Siege snorted, and walked off. Zelda stared around her. She walked forward and gripped the bars of her cell. Suddenly, hot, searing electricity surged up through her. She screamed in pain and backed away, waving her smoking claws through the air to cool them. She was furious. She sank to the floor, seething in anger and pain. Slowly, she realized that she was the one who had brought this on. Did Chameleon lie when he said the others had been killed? Zelda suddenly wasn't so sure anymore. That shiver started to creep up her spine again. Zelda knew it well. Fear. An enemy to every leader. She lowered her head. Slowly, she began to see back to the days of her youth. When she was but a hatchling. She seemed to remember it so well.

 

                She must have been only a week old. Just having learned to climb, she had scrapped her way up a tall tree and slept there that night. The next morning was the windiest of the season. She clung there for two whole hours while the wind whipped her back and forth. She watched, gripped by panic, as the branch she clung to started to creak and splinter. Finally, it snapped, but she managed to glide down into a pile of leaves. She hadn't learned how to fly yet.

 

                Zelda sighed. She had learned a lot since then. She had learned to tame the wind with her wings. It had learned to appreciate her delicate maneuvering. Zelda had grown to adore the art of flight, but could never stray far from the earth for long. Slowly, she began to remember again, back about seven years, to the dreary, humid morning in June. It was the morning after a huge thunderstorm. The night before, Emerald, the dragon leader, had left the leader's den. His body was found at the trunk of a tree that had been struck by lightning. Dead of old age. That morning the fighting began. The Great Tournaments for the new dragon leader. She remembered it and the week that followed well. Dragons were ripped apart as they fought. It was a horror. She herself was torn and shredded in her fight for leadership. It was her quick wits that had saved her life when fighting that long, hard last battle with a dragon named Brask. He had died from his wounds. She herself had come close. She had never been in so much pain or fear before in her life. But it had ended for the better. Now, she was falling again. She shivered. What if they were dead? What would she do? No, the Ducks couldn't be dead. Dragaunus was playing mind games with her. He knew how she hated that with a passion. Suddenly, Zelda had an idea.

 

                Wildwing checked his auto-tracker. Duke had remained in the same spot for the past five minutes. He hoped he hadn't been hurt and was just waiting. But he couldn't call on his com now. He was very close. Too close to the control room. The whole place reeked of Saurains. He hated the smell. He just wanted to find the others and get out. His back still hurt from the night before. He peered around a corner slowly, and then leapt back with a gasp. Siege, ignorant to his surroundings, stomped past loudly as Wildwing hid in a shadowed corner. After Siege had passed, Wildwing breathed a loud sigh of relief. But not too loud. He decided to head in the direction Siege had come from. Suddenly, Wildwing froze as he heard a long, low moan. He knew that sound.

 

                Duke's shoulders ached. He had almost run into a hunter drone running around a corner, but had jumped strait up and grabbed a thick pipe in the ceiling. He had wrapped his legs around the metal pipe, and began to slink along it, upside down. But he had been in the same spot for too long. He hung down strait over the Chameleon as he played cards with Wraith. Wraith seemed distracted.

                "I tell you I know these things!" he snorted, snapping down a pair of cards. "And I smell feathers." Chameleon peered out from behind his hand of cards and grinned.

                "Relax Wraithy! You've been nervous all day, ever since the big catch." Duke perked up.

                "Speaking of big catches." hissed Wraith. "You got any fives?" Chameleon giggled, and suddenly a khaki-colored hat appeared on his head, decked out with bits of twine and feathers.

                "Hah! Go fish!" he chuckled, and disappeared again behind his hand.

                "Where's Siege?" Wraith asked, distracted again.        

                "I think he went to check on our little lizard friend." Duke drew in his breath sharply. So they had caught Zelda. "So when do you think the other two will show?" Chameleon continued.

                "Whenever Zelda decides to talk." Wraith grinned. Suddenly, the dull, echoing remainder of a roar faded into the room. "Which would be anytime now." Wraith finished with a long, gaunt smile.

 

                A huge, three-taloned foot stepped into view. Zelda sobbed.

                "You murderer!" she cried.

                "Oh, don't take it too hard Zelda." Dragaunus grinned.

                "I can't believe you. My own ancestor. How could you do this?"

                "I think you know why." Dragaunus replied. Zelda nodded. "Your honor is gone dragon." Zelda raised her head sharply. Dragaunus reached for the wall, and suddenly the bars receded sharply into the floor. Zelda stepped out with a swoosh into the hallway.

                "I am for you." she snarled. "You killed my friends. Their blood is mine to avenge!" she took a few paces back, and then giggled. "But not now." Dragaunus suddenly looked up. Zelda laughed, and bounded away into the hall. Running down the corridor, Zelda looked behind her to see her pursuer. Dragaunus wasn't even making the effort to chase. "Humph, call yourself half dragon, will you?" she muttered. Suddenly, she slammed into a thin bar of wood. Zelda sank to the floor with the impact, and then looked up in shock. Wraith loomed, towering over her, snarling.

                "Going somewhere?" he snapped, raising a fireball in his claws. Suddenly, he was jerked back, a thin black cord looping his arms and torso. Wraith fell back and collapsed to the floor. Behind him, Duke leapt down.

                "That'll tie him up for a while." he grinned, as Zelda came up beside him.

                "Oh really?" giggled a high, whiny voice. Zelda spun around, snarling. The Chameleon stalked up behind her. Suddenly, he disappeared in a huge cloud of smoke. Wildwing came running up beside the group.

                "Everyone in one piece?" he asked.

                "So far." Zelda replied. Duke leaned down as Chameleon waved about in the smoke.

                "Zelda, Siege is guarding the others. You have to get to them. We'll hold the others off."

                "You sure? Lizard Lips'll be here any minute." Zelda replied.

                "Go!" Duke yelled. Zelda leapt out of the cloud, and down the hall. She had to find the others.

 

                Zelda sniffed Siege out. He had tracked far down the hallway, either oblivious to the fight or protecting the prisoners. He was close. Zelda could still feel the thundering vibrations in the floor. She needed to get back. Siege stood around the corner. Zelda was able to look across the hallway. She could see shadows moving in the cell. Siege shouldered his laser and leaned back against the wall. A deep growl resounded behind him. Siege picked up his laser. Suddenly, something landed hard on his back, right between the shoulder blades. With a grunt, he collapsed to the floor, the gun going off in his hands. It hit the control panel for the cell bars, leaving the buttons a sparking mess. The four in the cell gasped. Slowly, Zelda slinked out behind Siege, rubbing her tail.

                "Zelda! You made it!" Grin smiled.

                "Alright! Get us outta here!" Nosedive seconded.

                "I'd love to. The others need you help. But the panel's smashed!" Zelda snorted.

                "How bad?" Tanya asked, craning her head to see.     

                "Bad enough." Zelda humphed. Mallory tapped the bars testingly, and retracted in pain.

                "Still electrified." She snarled, rubbing her hand.

                "Mallory, do that again." Tanya said.

                "What?" Mallory asked.

                "Do it! Watch the lights!" Mallory shrugged and tapped the bar again. The lights dimmed!

"We need to find something to divert the power."

                "I'll do it." Zelda said. "On my mark, make a break for it!"

                "Zelda..." Mallory started.

                "Now!" She yelled. "Before Siege wakes up! I got you into this mess, I'm gonna get you out." Zelda reached forward with both claws and gripped the bars. White hot electricity surged up her limbs into her body. She ducked and snarled.

                "Go, Go!" She snapped, trying to hold her position. Grin wedged his hands in-between the bars, he himself gritting his teeth from pain, and wrenched the bars apart. Zelda held on while he and Mallory leapt out, and then fell away, collapsing to the floor. Tanya and Nosedive hopped out. Grin bent over and scooped Zelda up gently.

                "Well, she got us out of it all right."

                "Yeah, and we've got a few more to save!" Nosedive yelled, pointing down the hall. The four ran and followed him.

 

                Wildwing was squashed back hard against the wall. His eyes glowed red with effort as he strained away, Dragaunus was shoving him back, the scaly red arm placed directly across Wildwing's neck. Wing choked out a snarl of anger and kicked the lizard in the knee. Dragaunus stumbled back, and Wildwing crouched down, gasping for breath. Suddenly, the glow of pucks raced over his head, making Dragaunus disappear in a flash of blue light. Nosedive ran up beside him.

                "Bro!" Wildwing coughed. "You okay?"

                "Yeah, duh!" Nosedive said. "You?"

                "Fine." Wildwing replied, standing up again. "Let's finish this!" The two leapt forwards into the clamor and dust raised by the tussle. Wildwing eventually ended up beside Mallory and Duke, who were trying to tie Wraith back up again.

                "Looks like we got 'em beat!" she yelled. Suddenly, a laser bounced off of Wildwing's armor, nearly hitting her. A fresh line of about 15 hunter drones was marching up.

                "You were saying?" Duke coughed.

                "Uh oh." Dive muttered. The stillness caused the dust to clear slowly, to reveal Dragaunus holding Dive in a vice grip, with a laser to his head.

                "Not so fast Ducks!" he giggled. "One false move and this will be one stuffed bird." Wildwing stood still, looking around to check the rest of his team. They were all accounted for, except one. Suddenly, Zelda slammed into Dragaunus's side, knocking the laser away from him. Duke shoved Wildwing forwards.

                "Let's get outta here!" he yelled. They ran blindly through the corridors. Suddenly, the Ducks screeched to a stop. A dead end! Duke stepped forwards as the hunter drones approached from behind. "Leave this to me!" he said, taking a huge swipe at the metal wall. In a few seconds, a giant square of metal fell away, and the team charged out, and ran headlong for the Migrator.

 

                Wildwing threw himself in the driver's seat as the vehicle rocked with explosions.

                "How do we get outta here?" he yelled. "Our oil tank's busted!"

                "Or so I thought." Tanya grinned. She pulled a small red device from her pocket. "This thing was on the bottom of the tank the whole time! It was a draining device Dragaunus must have planted. We still have enough oil to get home!"

                "Good enough!" Nosedive yelled, punching the throttle. "We are OUTTA HERE!" The Migrator shot off through the forest and back to the road, away from the Raptor.

 

                Zelda perched on the roof of the Migrator as Wildwing argued with the gas station owner.

                "No no, we want to know how to get back to Anaheim! This is not the way." he snorted, jabbing at a map. Zelda grinned and turned away. Leaping down, she entered the Migrator, walking past Tanya as she fixed the oil tank. Inside, she met Duke.

                "Come on Zelda, why were you so mad back there? You know, about honor and all." Zelda sighed and looked at the sunset through the windshield.

                "All of our kind holds their own code of honor. To us, pride is everything. Without it, and things noble like it, we are nothing. We are all judged by the company we keep. I happen to take pride in the fact I can keep my company in good status." Duke smiled. "But when I got scared and ran like that, it shook me up. I can remember when I've done that before. It's okay to be scared, but I'm a leader now. I've done things like that too many times."

                "Well, everyone makes mistakes." Duke said. "Now what say we go home?" Zelda grinned.

                "Sure." she said, gesturing to Wildwing. "If we can figure out where home is."

 

The End

 

Mighty Ducks-The Animated Series, including all logos and characters (except me) are copyright and property of Disney. You may copy, print, or whatever with this document, so long as it is not altered and I (Zelda) am credited. Thanks!