Wings of Fire: Beyond the Horizon

Prologue

Moonlight    700 CT
Six months ago...

Moonlight ran through the rainforest, kicking up dirt behind her. Her purple egg was hiding somewhere in the shade, still glistening softly in the shadows. Would she find it in time? 

"My egg!" Moonlight cried, panting heavily. "Where is it? Where did it go?" She sifted through the leaves, her eyes scanning the ground frantically. "We have to leave, now!"

A sudden whoosh echoed through the air, followed by the sound of something sticking into wood. Moonlight looked up to find a tranquilizer dart stuck into a tree just in front of her. Her eyes went wide, her movements becoming frantic.

"Come on, come on," she said, trying to catch her breath. "A purple egg shouldn't be this hard to find!" Her claws searched through the foliage, scanning for anything round and brittle. She found her egg, snatching it up. Just as she reached down, another dart whizzed above her head.

"Stop right there!" A voice shouted from behind Moonlight. Based on the fact that she was being shot at, it was a RainWing.

Moonlight leaped into the air, clutching her egg tightly as she spread her wings and beat them as hard as she could. She didn't dare to look back until the sound of darts whizzing past her was gone. Finally, she did a quick flip in the air to see that the dragon that had been chasing her was gone. Then, she realized that wouldn't mean anything if her pursuer was a RainWing.

She closed her eyes, sighing for a moment. "I think you're safe now, little one." She wanted to believe that. But deep, deep down in her heart, she knew she couldn't leave her egg here. Not in this kingdom. Not on this continent. She had to run far away, as far as she could fly. Moonlight turned back around and began beating her wings again. The only thing she knew was that she had to protect her egg.

* * *

Five days had passed since she fled her home. She had just passed the Mud Kingdom the other day, and was nearing Queen Ruby's palace. Moonlight looked down at her egg, new cracks across its glittery purple surface.

I wish it could hatch on Pyrrhia. But it's not safe here. I have to take it somewhere else. Somewhere far away.

She huffed, a small puff of smoke coming from her snout.

I'm not used to flying this much. Will I even have the energy to defend my egg if anyone tries to steal it?

The second moon was amost full. Would the time come for her egg to hatch when the moon was full? What power would her dragonet get?

Moonlight shook her head, not wanting to think about that anymore. Her stomach growled loudly, and she spiraled down to land in the soft green grass. She immediately started looking around for something to eat, and to scan for any potential threats.

I'll eat something and go right back to flying. I have to make sure that my egg is safe, no matter what.

Moonlight sighed. Every muscle in her body ached. She longed for a day where she could finally rest, could finally let herself relax and unwind for awhile. But she knew she couldn't do that until her egg was safe. Safe from all the dragons that had wanted it. She couldn't tell if she was being followed, or if she was simply hallucinating because she hadn't slept in four days. Moonlight was no stranger to staying awake for so long, but this was different. It felt as if she would collapse any moment now, which wasn't exactly the best way to keep her precious egg safe. As much as her body protested, she would have to keep going soon.

Someday, she thought. Someday, we can live a normal life together. My efforts will have been worth it.

I will protect you with my life, my little moonbean.

Moonlight caught a rabbit, quickly setting it down and toasting it with fire. She ate it as fast as she could, grabbing her egg again and taking off into the inky black sky.

* * *

Moonlight wasn't sure how long it had been since she left the rainforest. Was it two weeks, or three? For the past week, she was flying across the ocean. She found the occasional island rising out of the water, allowing her to rest. But the sunlight was unbearable. Heat sizzled across her scales throughout most of the day, beating down on her sore wings.  Moonlight thought she saw a landmass far in the distance, but it was hard to tell when the sun was shining directly in her eyes. She altered her course to fly more in its direction, leaning slightly to the left in the air.

How much longer will I have to fly? Moonlight asked herself.

She was certain her egg would hatch soon. She needed to find somewhere, and fast. There was no way she would be raising a child on some random island in the middle of nowhere.

The constant smell of saltwater all around her was beginning to get old. Moonlight growled, stretching her talons out. She flew towards the distant land before her, uncertain of what lay ahead. But she knew one thing: her egg would make it there. She didn't care if she collapsed the moment she landed, as long as her egg was safe.

I love you, darling. She planted a kiss on the glittering purple egg and looked to the sky with a determined expression.

We'll make it. I promise.

It had been four days since she last ate something, which made the sense of urgency that much more intense. Would she starve before she made it to the next landmass? She couldn't bear the thought of leaving her dragonet alone to brave the ocean all by her self, especially considering she wasn't a SeaWing.

Suddenly, a shape jutted out of the fog that had settled over her the past couple days. A large shape, big enough to be another continent. Had she reached Pantala?

* * *

At last, Moonlight's claws touched the snow. She set her egg down to the side, threw her wing over it, and collapsed. She had finally landed, finally arrived on this unfamiliar continent. She was too exhausted to do anything right now, but in her heart, she knew that she succeeded. She had finally escaped, and made it to a new home where she could live safely. A new life.

This couldn't be Pantala, could it? There's far too many trees. And...snow? Three moons, where am I?

Underneath her wing, the egg shook. With a loud crack, a small chip fell off of it. Moonlight retracted her wing, the purple egg shining in the moonlight. One of the three moons was full, sitting atop the clouds. The moonlight looked...different. It was some kind of mix of dark gray and green. Moonlight barely mustered the strength to look up at her egg.

It's hatching, she thought. Tonight. Right now.

More cracking sounds, and the egg began to fall apart. Little bits of its shell began to flake off. Beneath the green-gray moonbeams of the second moon, Primrose clawed her way out of her shimmering purple egg, a dragon who may hold the future of this continent in her little talons. Her eyes seemed to glow brightly for a moment, before settling into an orange that matched her head.

The little dragonet's voice was barely audible.

"Mommy?"