Wings of Fire - Eclipse Burning (1)

Chapter 19

"I was supposed to be," Icicle hissed. "I'd planned to go early because I needed one of the scrolls. Just by luck, I decided to go by the underground lake first. Otherwise, I would have been in the history cave and I would now be dead." 

"So who knew that?" Winter asked. "That would narrow it down. Did you tell anyone you were planning on going early?"

Icicle snapped her jaw shut and stared at him and Clay, her pale blue eyes glittering. 

Only one dragon, she thought. I only told one dragon that. 

So I know exactly who to kill.

A freezing shiver rattled down Eclipse's spine. 

Sora.

Moon turned and bolted out of the prey center. Eclipse leaped down from the alcove and felt a chilling body collide with hers. Eclipse shrieked as explosions of pain zigzagged across her body and she twisted, raking at Icicles face. 

Icicle yelped and covered her face with her claws.   

"Qibli," Eclipse shouted. "Go after her!" 

Qibli didn't hesitate to rush out of the cave, running after Moon. 

Eclipse kicked Icicle off of her and rushed after them, leaving Icicle to recover. She knew it wouldn't take her long. 

Eclipse rushed through the tunnels, following after Moon's racing thoughts. She passed the library, an already confused and concerned Starflight was sticking his head out curiously.

She would really have to thank the effects of adrenaline later, because she was certain if she wasn't high on it right now, she would be a crumbled ball of agony.  

"Sorry, excuse me," she said hurriedly, brushing past him carefully. 

Eclipse broke into the Great Hall and down the tunnel towards the healing cave. Turning the first corner she nearly collided with a SandWing tail. 

"Whoa!" Qibli exclaimed. 

"Sorry," Eclipse apologized quickly and turned to face Moon. She was talking to Umber. 

"It was Sora," Moon said gently. "And Icicle knows it, too. We have to get to her before Icicle finds her, or she's dead."

He didn't say anything. He didn't ask how they knew. He just turned and ran, and they followed. 

Up the winding stone tunnel, their claws scraping against the rock, their wings pulled in, their tails hitting the walls as they ran. 

Why? Why would she do this? Umber kept thinking, over and over in a jagged rhythm. 

Eclipse didn't know. All the things she'd learned and all the thoughts she'd read, and she'd still missed it. Quiet Sora had taught herself to bury her thoughts so she couldn't even hear them herself. So many things scared her that the only way to deal with them was to push them under and stop them from entering her brain in the first place. Whatever she felt about Icicle, it was hidden under all the mud, buried deep along with her nightmares and memories of the war. 

They burst into the healing cave. Sora was crouched by Tamarin's beside, crying. Kinkajou was not there - but she just left, Eclipse realized. Sora asked her to leave - so she could apologize to Tamarin. The RainWing was still unconscious, wrapped in white bandages from wings to tail. 

 Sora looked up and saw it in their eyes. "I'm sorry, Umber," she sobbed, collapsing forward. "I didn't mean for anyone else to get hurt."

"Oh, Sora," Umber said. He went over and put his wings around her. "Sora. Sora, I love you anyway. But why did you do it?"