Wings of Evolution (WoF AU)

Chapter 21

SeaWing egg of deepest blue

Tsunami was busy trying to make sure that Radiance didn't do anything dumb. It was a full-time job since Radiance obviously had no experience as an emissary. Plus, she didn't seem to have much curiosity about the culture of the cavewings. Which might lead to her downfall.

It was obvious to Tsunami that the cavewings were the type to go along with authority, almost to a fault, so much so that they weren't even objecting to the sudden and surprising change in leadership.

Tsunami was secretly still searching for assassins or protestors, but the sheer peacefulness of these strange dragons was shocking. Tsunami suspected that they wouldn't get any sort of objection unless they did something very very unpopular.

Like dragging them forcefully into war.

The more Tsunami was around these dragons the more that she realized they belonged as far from the front lines as anyone could get them. Maybe emissaries or battle planners. Plus there was nothing wrong with being part of the supply chain.

Back to the faults that were becoming increasingly worrisome in Radiance, Tsunami had noticed that Radiance wasn't really trying to understand the cavewings' opinions. Tsunami wasn't sure what Aurora had planned for Radiance though, she could just be the one to stabilize the group and conquer them. For all Tsunami knew, she would be brought home in a few weeks and replaced with some other icewing with better leadership and experience.

Tsunami sighed and picked at the strange fish one of the cavewings had brought her. It was surprisingly good, almost reminding her of salmon in some ways, but it only succeeded in making Tsunami long for home, a place where the fish had eyes. She'd cut off the creature's head early on, not wanting to see its strange face for long. Without the head, the fish almost looked like a normal fish.

Tsunami glanced upward at a noise, seeing the elderly cavewing standing nearby. Did she have something for Tsunami?

Tsunami gave her an inquisitive look, which transcended language barriers, and the elderly cavewing stepped forward, and spoke in decent, mostly broken Pyrriahn. "I was told that I come... to you for my language."

Tsunami blinked and sat up straighter. "I- yes. You speak very good pyrriahn. Who mentioned me?"

"Uhar- er... Echo."

Tsunami frowned, she'd suspected that Echo had translated his name to make it easier for them, but that was dumb. It was almost like changing one's name. "Ah, Echo is a fine translator, you taught him?"

The dragon nodded. "Yes, Echo was my student. I am Esin... um. Crystal." She amended.

Tsunami rolled her eyes. "I can call you your real name, you don't have to tell me the translation."

Esin smiled, "thank you. So..."

Tsunami grunted, "yeah, so are you looking to help with the translation and such? I wouldn't turn that down, Echo can only be in one place at a time."

Esin nodded, "I am here to help in ways."

Tsunami nodded thoughtfully, looking once more down at the fish, which reminded her of the Radiance issue. She frowned and glanced back up at Esin. How could she best use this?

"Actually, it might be better long term if our emissaries learn your language. How do you feel about teaching Radiance?"

Esin blinked, "of course, anything to help."

Tsunami smiled, "thank you, now let's see what we can do..."

---

The largest egg in mountain high

Ash could be persuasive when he wanted to. That wasn't often though.

Usually, Ash strode through the NightWing palace, trying to figure out why the queen wouldn't let him see his sister, where she was kept in between her infrequent visits, and why Spark was so insistent that life sucked.

Soulseer kept saying how Spark was old enough to be in the armies, so now she had to help in the war effort just like everyone else.

Of course, Ash had always had to help, but Soulseer didn't seem to realize that he counted. Or that he could be more than a water-runner. For the longest time, Ash was just that. Until Soulseer decided it was a good idea to calm his angry nature.

It didn't work very well, Ash still glared at everyone he passed in the hall, he still could only really feel happy around Spark, but he was able to learn to hide that underneath a mask of education. He got so good at it that sometimes, Ash was able to even convince himself that he wasn't angry.

That didn't matter though at that moment, because Ash was being persuasive today. He hummed a happy tune, one of the more effective ways to trick himself into smiling. He strode with purpose through the halls with strata of gold and eyes that watched his every move.

'Fire-less' some of the faces said, 'traitor' said others. 'Egg breaking fire-less traitor.'

Ash didn't give a second glance at any of the insults. He didn't mourn or think about the truth of those words. He didn't even wonder why they thought of him as a traitor when he'd never been on their side to begin with.

The four NightWing guards flanked him as he entered the throne room of the sky palace, nodding at the queen as she glared at them. "I am here for your monthly discussion of terms."

Scarlet rolled her eyes extravagantly. "Tell Soulseer what I said last time."

Ash remembered perfectly what the queen had said last time, but he didn't move as she'd indicated, "I apologize but I was commanded not to leave until I deliver my message. I'm sure you understand."

Scarlet muttered under her breath, but it wasn't loud enough to hear, so Ash shrugged and started his speech.

"Her Majesty of the night, queen Soulseer, requests once more that you give up your lands and join her cause, aiding her in destroying the unorganized squabbles of the south. If you do so you will gain a number of things; including rights to leadership in her new queendom, war compensation, and the satisfaction of crushing her Majesty's enemies." Ash fell silent, watching Scarlet expectantly.

"Are you done yet?"

Ash nodded, "she also wanted me to imply that there would be more rewards than that."

Scarlet rolled her eyes again and stood up, marching forward at a steady dangerous pace. Ash didn't move, watching the queen with an emotionless gaze. Her voice came in a dangerous hiss. "Tell your queen that I don't want anything to do with nightwings or traitors. Tell her that I, Queen Scarlet of the skywings, am not interested in surrender. Tell her that the next time she sends a fireless traitor, I will rip your wings off, send them back to her and leave your strange corpse out in the desert for Burn to dig up." she hissed lower, "and tell her that she's not scaring us with her possession of a firescales. Those monsters are fascinating, sure, but they will only ever be monsters."

Through most of that, Ash had been perfectly natural, telling himself that it didn't matter, he could go destroy a few trees later. But when she insulted Spark... well... his training hadn't covered that. It hadn't covered the one part of him that still knew how to feel.

Ash grinned, looking up at scarlet. "Oh? If my sister, who only does her job because she knows it's right, is a monster, then what does that make you? Don't worry Scarlet, Soulseer wasn't planning on offering this perfectly reasonable surrender ever again.

"Though she did want me to mention that perhaps you should keep track of your own allies better too. Your rouge princess is doing something behind your back, but aren't you the leader of this little resistance? Don't worry though, if you come crawling back to us after this, we will still take you."

Ash turned and left, walking quickly before Scarlet could keep calling Ash a traitor. Now that it was over he felt a bit embarrassed, he'd lost his temper. But the job was done, sloppily, sure, but Scarlet knew all that the queen needed her to.