Wings of Fire: The Kingdom of the Sea | ✔️

~ The Kingdom of the Sea: Chapter 14 ~

Hare could hear the others struggling to keep up behind her, and the weather certainly didn't help. It was pouring rain and it beat down heavily on them.

"Hare, not all of us are as light as you are," Dolphin called. "And ain't all of us in perfect health."

"You can say that again," Seahorse murmured, barely loud enough for Hare to hear.

"This is urgent," Hare said, flying around so she could face them. "I need to talk to the oldest princess, and soon."

"What could possibly be so urgent?" Axolotl asked.

"I might be able to get the answer about why Clownfish became the way he is," Hare said quickly.

Seahorse flew up in front of her. Her voice was quiet as she spoke. "Hare, prioritize. We just found a missing dragon, and we have a criminal the queen needs to handle."

"And Seahorse has a life threatening injury," Axolotl said. "We should handle all that first."

Hare sighed. She still felt the urgency tugging inside her, but it'd have to wait. They were right.

"Yeah, sorry," Hare said. "Let's get Seahorse to a healer, then we'll bring you home to Catfish and Trench."

Trench and Catfish were right where Hare had expected them to be. She carefully guided Axolotl through the branches and plants. Axolotl seemed grateful for the help, though Hare was sure she'd done this a hundred times.

"Do you think they'll be happy to see me?" Axolotl asked.

"Of course they will," Hare replied. "They would've torn up the world to find you, you know."

Axolotl smiled.

Hare pushed aside the vines that led to the spot that Catfish had shown her. She signaled for Axolotl to stay where she was. Catfish was sleeping under Trench's wing.

Trench looked up as Hare stepped in.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

Hare smiled. "You might want to wake him up."

Trench looked confused but didn't ask any questions. She lightly shook Catfish until he woke up. He blinked sleepily and yawned. "Hey Hare."

"So what's going on?" Trench asked.

Hare smiled and waved her tail. "Come in."

Axolotl stepped through the vines and gave a small wave. "Hi."

Catfish immediately shot forward and wrapped his front arms around her. "Axolotl! You're home!"

Trench stared with her jaw dropped. "I- How did you find her?"

Hare told the story of how they found Axolotl and what Dolphin had said about Clownfish. That still bothered Hare. What if Clownfish had been one of the trainees? How many other dragons out there were like him and secretly training in that wicked rainforest? Could that place possibly be more dangerous than she realized?

I can't say anything about it. Not yet.

Hare remembered how she'd been able to tell Copper about it. So why couldn't she tell these dragons, even the one she was falling in love with?

Because I don't want him to think I've gone mad, that's why.

"I'll kill him," Catfish snarled. "I'll tear his stupid heart out and shove it down his throat."

"Then you'll be no better than him," Trench said, placing her tail on his.

"I don't care!" Catfish snapped, flaring his wings. "He might've killed my sister."

"No, not for a while at least," Axolotl said.

All eyes went to her. "What do you mean?" Trench asked.

"I was far too interesting to him to kill," Axolotl explained. "Wouldn't you be mesmerized by a pink SeaWing?"

"Not enough to kidnap her!" Catfish cried.

"He wanted to study me," Axolotl went on, ignoring her brother's comment. "He wanted to learn why I look the way I do. Pink SeaWings are rare, and he couldn't study Princess Anemone." Axolotl sighed. "It's my own fault for going out on my own."

"No, it's not!" Catfish snapped. "It's his fault, all his fault. I hope Queen Coral sentences him to rot in prison!"

"She probably will," Hare said. "She'll probably be cruel about any punishments for a good while. She's not in a forgiving mood, not after finding out the king died."

Three pairs of wide eyes stared at her.

"King Gill is dead?" Trench gasped.

Hare winced. She'd assumed they knew, word must've spread quickly.

But not to them.

"He died in Scarlet's arena," Hare explained. "Murdered by an IceWing named Snow Goose."

"Does Queen Coral plan to do anything to this IceWing?" Trench asked. "She must be furious."

"She wanted to," Hare told her. "Though there's not much she can do. Snow Goose is dead, too."

"Who killed them?" Trench asked.

Hare looked away. "I wasn't paying attention," she lied.

I can't tell them I murdered her.

"Do you think she'll hold a trial?" Catfish asked Trench. "If she does, we should go."

"She'll want to talk to Axolotl first," Trench pointed out.

Hare stretched and shook out her scales. "I'll leave you guys to discuss this, I need to go."

I can check on Seahorse, too.

"You'll come back, won't you?" Catfish said.

Hare smiled and brushed her wing against his. "Of course, I just need to talk to someone."

Catfish nodded. "Alright, see you later Hare."