Wings Of Fire (WOF) : A dark family affair

Chapter 11

Fear gripped Nightjar the moment she saw the caped dragon. Her muscles twitched, preventing her from responding to her brain's command to flee. The individual facing her was motionless and she could not see him properly because of this sober attire that favored his anonymity. The hubbub of the crowd disappeared, her ears feeling like they were ringing and her breathing began to accelerate. Her panic ended when, while trying to regain control of her body, she saw the black scales protruding from the garment. It was probably a nightwing. It was slightly larger than her but at least that meant she wasn't facing the sinister sandwing of the mountain.

The stranger looked at her with his unseen eyes. "Excuse me but do you need anything?" asked Nightjar hesitantly and scared.

- Are you the escapee?" he questioned in a firm, emotionless voice.

Nightjar shuddered but stood on guard. "So he do belong to the brigands". She would not let herself be taken this time. She would spit her flames right into the crowd to escape her enemy if she had to. "How do they know I'm here? We didn't tell Hornet where we were going though. So he's been following us? But since when?" But as her brain tried to untangle itself from this torrent of questions, the nightwing pointed to a small scroll that he held out to her.

Warily, she grabbed it and was about to read it before she decided to address the supposed messenger : "Why are you showing yourself ? What do you gain by revealing that you are following me ?" she said, looking up, but it was too late. He had already disappeared. She looked around but he must have hidden himself in the crowd.

The hybrid came to her senses and looked around for Maple. It was a truly unbelievable moment and she felt as if this encounter with this revenant was just a figment of her imagination. But the mysterious parchment brought her back to a terrifying reality. She was not reassured by the idea of being alone and she had the impression that she was being spied on from everywhere. She was being followed. She was being watched somewhere.

She reacted to the noise around her by looking around in panic. She was completely disoriented and was getting a headache from standing in the middle of this incessant noise and, without thinking, she flew upstairs, knocking over a few dragons along the way.

She regained a modicum of calm when she reached the high platform. The other dragons watched her for a moment, as if she had committed some serious impertinence, and returned to their conversations. Nightjar first began to breathe calmly and thought about the situation. She knew very well that she could not be kidnapped as long as she stayed in open, public spaces where she could not suddenly disappear. She told herself that she was theoretically safe. For now. "Well I just have to read" she feared as she unrolled the parchment, revealing the short contents of this letter.

If this message reaches you, I am very happy to know that you are still alive, daughter of Fatality and Mist. From the moment I saw you in that pitiful prison, I knew you were their offspring, their flesh and blood. You must have questions wandering in your mind. I know  that because I have the answers to them. If you want them, there is only one thing to do, find me. It's up to you to find out for yourself who and where I am.

From your father's dearest friend.

Nightjar felt her eyes widen and she shook with frustration at the words. "This scoundrel knows my father AND knows more about who I am than I do." She closed her eyes and still tried not to let anything show on her face and body. She began to breathe loudly as Root did to calm herself. "Breathe in... Breathe out..." she ordered to herself. Her head couldn't help but scan around for any prying or suspicious looks that would be a sign of a potential spy. A panicked voice came from behind her : "Nightjar! Nightjar are you okay ? I saw you flying suddendly." asked the attentive Maple who ran towards his friend after having landed. The latter went towards him too, reassured by his presence.