Timeline: a Wings of Fire fanfiction (COMPLETED)

35.

Darkstalker

I have no idea how dragons live in this place.

It feels like a sauna in my lungs. And it is disgusting. Shadowhunter keeps swatting at the air, coughing. Because this place is unfit for any dragon to live in. Obviously.

I take a glance at Clearsight, who's fanning herself with one wing.

"This is ridiculous. We already trekked through this for hours just to get here," Heartfire snaps. I'm only half-listening to him. It's been a long day.

Shadowhunter squirms at my chest. I sigh, lifting her up and setting her down on the treetop pavilion, hoping she has enough sense of self-preservation to not hurl herself off the edge of what has to be at least a thirty-foot drop.

Clearsight fiddles with her talons, staring off into the distance.

"When do you think the queen will be back?" She tilts her head at me. "Can you reach out your mind to hers? She is... all right? Right? I know they're just stories, but, well, the RainWings don't exactly have a reputation for being the most... hospitable." She cringes. I can tell she's already starting to check the futures.

Shadowhunter glances over the edge of our wooden platform, making a little scared squeak as she realizes how high-up we are. She barrels right into my arms. I sigh, passing her over to Clearsight. "I'll... go check on them, if it makes you feel any better."

"Okay." Clearsight gives me a small smile.

I push open the beaded curtain to the throne room, where...

"I TOLD you the NIGHTWINGS were going to be arriving today, Mom! How did you order seafood? NightWing does not sound like SeaWing."

A RainWing dragonet, maybe five years old, rubs his temples. His scales are a violent red, and his talons are latched into the wood floor.

"Macaw, don't be unreasonable," A RainWing with soft, pastel yellow scales dappled in bits of grey and black sighs.

Queen Vigilance growls. "How DARE you disrespect my tribe this way? We supply you with the life source of your kingdom, and this is how you--"

I, step forward, faking a cough.

"Oh! It's you!" The older female RainWing--the one with her wing protectively tented over the queen--rushes toward me. "I'm so sorry about this whole mistake, on behalf of my wife. We're so happy to welcome your tribe into our home. I'm Queen Ocelot, this is Queen Anaconda, and this little firework is our son, Prince Macaw."

Macaw hisses at Ocelot. "I am not your "little firework" mom. I'm the prince. You don't need to be so patronizing."

"I said that too, darling." Ocelot sighs. "We're going to have some trouble, um, providing you with suitable food, but I'm sure we can get some stuff you're more used to, and the correct caterers in by tomorrow. How do you feel about tropical fruits?"

"That'll be fine, Your Majesties. Thank you for allowing my tribe to stay in your kingdom. It's beautiful here, " I say smoothly.

"Oh, thank you--"

"You must be Darkstalker," the RainWing on the throne says, stepping down and bowing politely. She's slick, greenish-black, solid and unchanging, with a spear strapped to her back. "And you must be Her Majesty, Queen Vigilance. I apologize for all the inconvenience, and thank you for coming. The rest of your party may enter."

***

It's not so much a welcoming party as a game of chess. See, if it were a party, it would be about having fun. If it were a party, I wouldn't already have an action plan and a list of dragons I need to talk to.