A few days later........................

      Angelwing awoke early in the morning, even though it wasn't necessary.  The passed several mornings, she had to be up early for training, but today, she was getting the day off. 

      She slowly sat up in bed.  Every bone and muscle in her body ached from the rigorous training she had been going through.  Angelwing turned herself around so that she was sitting on the edge of her bed.  While mumbling and grunting in pain, she forced herself to stand up.

      "I've gotta get used to this," she said to herself as eh stretched, reaching her arms and hands up as far as she could.  "Ow!"  She winced when she heard and felt something in her lower back, crack.  "That hurt," she whispered dryly and shrugged off the pain.

      Angelwing quickly got dressed and was about to leave her room, when there was a knock on her door.  She hit a button on the wall and the door slid open.  "Yes," she answered politely as the door opened, but there was no one there.  Angelwing peered around the corner, looking down the hallway.  First she looked to her left, and saw nobody.  Then she looked to her right.  She jumped back, startled, and cried out.

      "It's about time," Trent said casually.  He was leaning against the wall next to the door.  His arms were crossed in front of him, and he was staring down at the floor, smiling.  "Thought you'd never wake up," he said as he turned his gaze towards Angelwing.

      Angelwing ignored his comments and stared at him intently, narrowing her eyes.  "Don't ever go that to me again," she threatened.

      "Do what?"

      "Scare me half to death!" shrieked Angelwing.  "I've got enough to worry about, without people sneaking up on me."  Trent continued to stare at her, still grinning broadly.

      "Who said anything about sneaking up on you?  I've been standing here this whole time," Trent cooly replied.  Angelwing just glared at him, feeling annoyed and aggrivated.  "Actually," continued Trent, "I was kinda hoping you would join me for breakfast, down in the Mess Hall."

      Angelwing's expression lightened up and she smiled slightly.  She thought Trent's offer sounded sincere enough, yet, something inside her told her not to trust him.  "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass," she said politely in response.  Trent frowned a bit.  "I was actually waiting for Canard to-"

      "Canard?!" Trent said abruptly.

      "Yeah," Angelwing replied, "what's wro-"

      "Oh nothing," Trent interrupted, smiling sinisterly.  "I believe I jsut saw him head down to the Mess Hall not too long ago," he lied through his beak. 

      Angelwing frowned in disbelief.  "Are you sure?" she asked him.  "Because he was supposed to meet me here and-"

      Trent interrupted her again.  "Listen, would I lie to a pretty face like yours?" he asked with the sinister look still on his face.

      "I honestly don't know," she exasperated.  She was hoping he wouldn't interrupt her again.  She was becoming increasingly annoyed with that.  " I would hope that you wouldn't lie to me," she told him.

      "Of course I wouldn't," he replied stoutly.  "What makes you think I would?"

      "Well, for starters, you're not too keen on getting along with Canard," Angelwing thought.  But, she decided to keep that thought to herself.  "I don't know," she finally answered.  "Maybe I'm just being too judgemental."  Angelwing looked down at the floor, then looked back at Trent.  "So, he's already down there, huh?"

      Trent nodded.  "Yup, and if you don't mind, I could walk you down there, if you like."

      Angelwing sighed deeply.  "I suppose so," she agreed resentfully.

      "Great!"  Trent put his arm around her shoulders and they started walking.  Angelwing stopped quickly and pushed Trent's arm off of her.  Trent opened his beak to speak, but Angelwing cast him a dangerous stare, causing him to back off a bit.  "Okay, I can take a hint," he spoke up at last, holding his hands up in front of him.  The two of them turned and continued walking to the Mess Hall.

      A few minutes later, Canard emerged from his room and made his way over to Angelwing's room.  He knocked on the door, then pressed a button on the panel and spoke through an intercom on the wall. 

      "Angelwing, it's me, Canard.  Are you ready to go?"  But there was no answer.  Canard frowned and knocked again, but still no one answered.  "Hmm, maybe she 's still sleeping," he thought to himself.  He shrugged his shoulders and spoke through the intercom once more.  "Angelwing, wake up!  It's time to go!" he said more loudly.  When she refused to answer again, Canard entered the code on the panel to open the door.  He spoke up again, sounding aggitated.

      "Come on, you can't sleep all-" he said as he entered the room.  But, he stopped short when he noticed she wasn't there.  "-Day," he finished his sentence quietly and frowned.  Canard looked all around the room.  "Angelwing?  Are you in here?"

      Suddenly, a voice cracked over Canard's communicator.  "What's the matter Thunderbeak?  Lost your girlfriend already?" the voice chuckled teasingly.  Without even looking, Canard automatically knew who it was.  He knew that voice all too well.  He dreaded talking to him, but it just might have been the only way he could find out where Angelwing was.

      "She's not my girlfriend," Canard grumbled.

      "So, she's single then?" the voice asked hopefully.

      "Where is she Trent?" Canard demanded, ignoring Trent.

      "Calm down Romeo," Trent replied through the com.  "She's here with me."

      "Where?" Canard asked angrily.

      "You know Thunderbeak, you really should do something abuot that temper of yours."

      Canard could feel his temperature rising quickly.  He wasn't in the mood for playing games right now.  If Trent wasn't going to tell him where he and Angelwing were, then Canard would find them himself.  Canard closed the connection on his com an ran out of the room, closing the door behind him.  He was about to turn on the tracking device on his com, when another voice spoke over it, then a face appeared. 

      "Canard, I'm okay.  I'm in the Mess Hall."  It was Angelwing.

      "Good," sighed Canard, as he wiped his brow.  "Stay there, I'll be there in just a minutes, okay?"

      "Alright.  I won't go anywhere," Angelwing replied, relieved to hear Canard's voice again.  If she had to spend another minute with Trent Puckson, she'd go out of her mind.  Canard closed the connection again and took off running towards the Mess Hall.

      When Canard finally arrived at the Mess Hall, he scanned the crowd of ducks for Angelwing.  "Where is she?" he grunted in frustration.  He began searching from table to table, but still wasn't having any luck.

      "Hello Canard!"

      Canard turned around to see a peach feathered duck with purple hair standing in front of him.  "Lucretia DeCoy," he replied flatly.  "Haven't seen your face around in awhile.  What have you been up to?"

      Lucretia looked at him and smiled slyly.  "Well, you know- the usual spy stuff."

      "Yeah, sure," scoffed Canard.  "Now tell me something," he looked at her harshly.  "Why is it everytime you return with information on where Dragaunus is, we don't find him there?" 

     Lucretia's happy expression turned to shock and she was at a loss for words.  "Well, uh, it's not my fault.  They were probably just coincidences."

      Canard grumbled his diapprovement.  "Was it also a coincidence that we've lost three units to Saurian attacks?"

      Lucretai frowned.  "It's possible."

      "Lucretia, those units were strategically placed and hidden well from the Saurians!" Canard snapped.  Lucretia sneered with disdain.

      "You forget, we're at war Canard.  You have to expect the unexpected.  Anything is possible."

      Just then, another duck came running towards them, waving her hand.  "Canard!"  Canard turned around to greet the duck.

      "There you are!  I've been looking all over for you!"

      Angelwing looked up at him and forced a smile.  "We were sitting over there."  She pointed to a table in the far corner.

      "Figures," Canard thought to himself.  "Where's Trent?"  Angelwing looked around nervously.

      "I don't know, but just keep him away from me.  That duck's gonna drive me up the wall!"

      Lucretia folded her arms in front of her and chuckled.  "So, the smooth-talking Trent Puckson has gotten on your nerves already, has he?"

      "Wha-" Angelwing was startled by the sound of a second voice.  She had forgotten that Lucretia was standing there as well, and turned to face her.  "Oh, hi Lucretia!  And yes he has."

      Canard stood with his beak open in surprise.  "You two know each other?"  They nodded.

      "Well, we met earlier this morning," replied Lucretia.

      "Yeah, Trent introduced us," Angelwing added, rolling her eyes as she mentioned Trent's name.

      "Well, speak of the devil!" Lucretia cried out.  They all turned to see Trent walking towards them.

      "Well, if it isn't Lucretia DeCoy," Trent voiced as he approached them.  Lucretia smiled politely and batted her eyes.

      "Well, if it isn't Trent Puckson, the biggest piece of lying scum, ever," she replied snidely, as her smile turned into a sneer.  Trent laughed rudely.

      "I'm no better than you are, my dear!"  Angelwing stared at the two of them with a look of confusion.

      "We used to date," Lucretia answered Angelwing's question, before she even had a chance to ask it.  "That is," Lucretia added, "until he lied to me."

      "And vice versa," retorted Trent. 

      Canard grabbed Angelwing's arm and whispered into her ear.  "Come on, now's our chance to get out of here."  Angelwing looked up and nodded in agreement.  Then, Canard looked back to Trent and Lucretia.  "Well, I think we'll just go and leave you two love birds alone," he stated as he pulled Angelwing towards the hallway.  "See you around."  He waved, then he and Angelwing turned and swiftly walked away.

To be continued........................

Disclaimer:  All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Disney, all others are owned by me.