Wings of Fire Fanfiction: One-shots (2)

Thornmover

They met at the tunnels.

Stonemover was just finished digging out that last piece of soil, carving out the tunnel and enchanting it with magic. He was going to present it to the NightWings, and they would praise him and promote him for his help. He was finished with his masterpiece.

Then a huge SandWing landed beside him, her wings reflecting huge rays of sunlight onto him, the heat beating on his scales and he looked up, sweltering.

The Sandwing looked thoroughly confused for a moment, her head tilted to the side at him.

"What are you doing?" She asked. Her voice wasn't threatening or hostile. It was entirely curious.

"Um, I-" Stonemover tried to block the tunnel with his wings, but the mysterious dragon spotted it before he could do anything.

"Let's introduce ourselves first," She said, her venomous tail curling in protectively, and her claws were digging into the warm, warm sand.

"I'm Thorn," She said sharply. "Who are you?"

"S-stonemover," He replied, feeling as though he wanted to jump out of his scales and fly far away.

"Hmm," Thorn peered inside the tunnel, which had a weird breeze coming through. "What is this?" She brushed her claw against the edge of the tunnel, her wings folding in, catching the bright sunlight.

"I-I-" Stonemover started, but gave up. It's over. She's going to find out find out please don't why is this happening-

Stonemover slumped, his wings drooping into the sand, wishing it would gulp him into the abyss below. "I'm trying to make a tunnel through the rainforest to the desert for the NightWings," he said finally.

"We don't get NightWings here often, you know," Thorn's scales were oddly golden, like her scales had decided to capture the sunlight.

"Y-yeah, I guess." Stonemover looked at the small sandy dunes below his feet, feeling like the lowest slug on Pyrrhia.

"How does this work?" Her eyes glittered like the stars on a moonlit night. "Does it wind all the way back? Did you dig it with your own claws?"

No, she wasn't suspicious.

In fact, she seemed...fascinated?

"I'm an animus," He blurted out, and immediately he clapped his talons over his mouth, feeling like an idiot.

Her face turned to him, her huge eyes like vast worlds he could fly into forever. "What?"

"I shouldn't-" Stonemover said, his wings drifting up, but Thorn touched his talons, her eyes filled with immense wonder.

"You have magic," She breathed, her voice trembling with awe and amazement.

"Yeah, I guess. I do." Stonemover shuffled his feet nervously.

"That's awesome! I always wanted to know what an animus would look like or enchant- is there is limit?" Thorn asked, her mouth full of questions. "Three moons, I'm- that was- you created this with magic?!" She pointed to the tunnel, mouth agape.

"STONEMOVER!" Morrowseer's voice cut through the peaceful silence, and Stonemover started panicking. He can't see me here. He can't. He shouldn't. He wouldn't.

"COMING!" He yelled back, and immediately brushed his wings with Thorn's. What am I doing? "Sorry," He said, his words coming out all strained and rushed. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, here?"

"Here." She nodded, even if her face was confused and worried.

"See you soon," It sounded more like a promise than a simple statement, and suddenly, Thorn reached for Stonemover's talons and held them tight, squeezing them. Her warmth seeped into his scales, her warm, warm talons.

"STONEMOVER!" Morrowseer shouted again.

"I have to go," Stonemover said, and frowned at Thorn. "I hope we meet again soon," He added quickly.

"So do I," She whispered, her breath soft.

Then he launched into the bristling air, his wings spreading out across, and his talons tingled where Thorn had touched. Not because of magic, though.

Then he flew away, high up into the clouds, his talons still shaking. He looked at them, tuned back, and saw what looked like Thorn, a tiny, shimmering fleck of gold in the large expanse of deserts and dunes and cactuses.

I'll see you soon.