Wings Of Fire 16: The Journey Begins (Arc 4)

~Chapter 2: We're the best in the school now?~

The letter Croc handed them read;

Crocodile, Willow, and Marigold,
Please come to my cave today, it is quite urgent. Preferably come alone. I contacted you because you are the best in your grade, some classes anyway.
Signed Blue,
Headmaster of Lake Scorpion Academy

"Ok..." said Marigold skeptically.

"I wonder what he wants us for?" Mused Willow.

The trio set off down the caves to the headmasters cave.

When they reached the cave, they found Blue already in there, as well as a NightWing dragonet that none of them recognized.

Blue welcomes them in. "Good afternoon guys. How are you doing?"

The trio look at each other.

"Good," Marigold finally says. "But why are we here? And who is she?" She asks, pointing to the NightWing.

"This is Stella, she will go on your journey." Blue says.

"What journey?" Marigold asks, confused.

"I have chosen you to fix the path." Blue states. He was obviously tense about the subject. "This is a very important job, so please, please, please! Don't mess this up!"

Croc looks at him. "Seriously? We're not small dragonets anymore!"

"For the record, I have heard that you get hurt all the time, so these are Nurse Willows words not mine." Says Blue, shrugging. "I picked you guys because you were the best for the job."

"Us? We're not the best," Willow asks, confused.

"Yeah, are you sure you have the right dragons?" Croc said, just as bewildered.

"I agree with them! I don't even pay attention half the time!" Marigold exclaimed.

Croc shoots Marigold a look that's said 'bruh, seriously?' Marigold gave him a look back that said 'well, it's true!'

Willow notices the exchange.

"Gods Goldie, you need some help," She remarked, then turned to Blue. "We'd be glad to help, but what about our studies?"

Blue snorts and waves the question away.

"It'll be fine. I managed just fine," He said reassuringly."Now, go to the weapons room and prepare. The sooner you leave, the better."

"But," Marigold protested, "My metamorphosis is supposed to be soon! What if it happens while we're on the mission?"

"It'll be ok," Blue says, "I had my metamorphosis on the run too."

"You did?" Marigold says, surprised.

"Bro didn't you listen to Sundew-" Croc says, but is cut off by Willow.

"I heard about it! Sundew told us-" Willow cut in.

"Will. You. Shut. Up. About. Sundew!?" Marigold growled.

"We will if you listen in class then!"

"I do! But I get yelled at, so I zone out when I'm yelled at!"

"You wouldn't get yelled at if-"

"Guys. Stop it." Croc cuts in. "But she is right Goldie."

"But-"

"Drop it. All of you." Blue says with a smirk.

They turn to each other. They had forgotten they were in the headmasters office.

"Well... bye!" Says Croc hastily, making for the door. "See you if we don't die!" He says as he runs out the door, presumably to the weapons room.

"Yeah bye!" Willow says, following.

"Umm..." Marigold says uncertainly, "Blue? Can we talk? Alone?" She says, nodding at Stella.

"Sure. Stella, you can go now" Blue says.

When Stella leaves, Blue turns to Marigold.

"They've all left. What did you want to talk about?"

"I'm really nervous for my metamorphosis can you talk me through it?" Marigold blurts out hurriedly.

"Sure. What are you worried about?"

"Well... being in a cocoon for days... flamesilk...
Sundew... just to name a few." Marigold says, talking much slower now.

Blue snorts when she mentions Sundew, but puts on a straight face again immediately.

"You won't have to worry about Sundew, you don't have to tell her if you don't want to," He says. "And as for cocoon, you don't really feel anything. You just wake up with silk and wings!"

"Oh good," says Marigold, breathing a sigh of relief.

"And flamesilk is really cool!" He says, with a burst of flamesilk from his wrists. "Are any of your family flamesilkers?"

"I have no idea," Says Marigold truthfully. "I don't know my parents, and as far as I know, I don't have a sibling. But is it true that they're really rare?"

"Ok, it's unlikely you'll be one then. And yes, they're still pretty rare. It's passed down genetically, so you have to be related to one." Blue explains.

"Ok. Thanks for talking to me Blue." Marigold says while walking towards the door.

"No problem! Now go find the rest of your winglet and start making preparations." Blue says, waving her out.

Marigold finds her friends scattered between the weapons cave and the food court, and decides to try the food court first.

"We need food... and water... and definitely some darts..." says Croc thoughtfully. "Oh hi Goldie!" He says as he turns around.

"Goldie! You're here! We need your help to figure out what to bring." Willow says, beckoning her over.

"Well, add fruit and veggies to the food list. I'm a vegetarian, Wild is, and I think Stella might be." Marigold says, digging through a bin of food.

"M'kay. Wild, you know how to use darts right? Can you go grab some?" Croc says, turning back to a chart on the wall.

"Sure!" Says Willow, slipping out of the room.

"Goldie, SilkWings have a sense of direction and time, right?" Croc asks, attention now on Marigold.

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well, if you memorize that map," Croc says, pointing, "Then you can use it to navigate. Direction to know if we're going the right way, time to estimate when we'll be there."

"Ok, sounds good." Marigold agrees, turning to the map to study it.

"And I'll get food and water." Croc says to himself.

•••

Later that day, all the preparations are done. The winglet, plus Stella, reconvene in the food court.

"I think we should sleep, then head out tomorrow" the SeaWing named Reef says.

Everyone agrees with that idea, with all of them but Croc being pretty tired.

Almost immediately after Willow, Croc, and Marigold get back to the cave, they all collapse onto their beds and fall asleep, even Croc, despite saying he wasn't tired. Soon they were all snoring and breathing deeply, resting for the surely busy day ahead of them.