On Destiny's Wings: A Journey of Embers (UNDERGOING REVISIONS)

Chapter 14: A Brush With Freedom

'"-and THEN you curl your wings in, like this!" Sundrop announced, leaping off the stones once more and hovering, just for a moment, before floating gracefully back to the ground.

The three of them had been at it for what felt like hours, trying desperately to force their wings to carry them through the thin air within the tiny cavern. Sundrop had been the only dragonling to successfully lift off, despite it being short-lived and unfruitful.

Whirlpool was watching with disappointment, her own blue wings billowing inwards as she flapped. "I can't get my limbs to curl enough, Sundrop! My wings are too short!" she bellowed sadly.

"I think mine are just too heavy," Oakwind chipped in from the back of the cavern, his forest-like voice a mess of emotions. "Maybe FireClaws just have stronger wings than other dragon species."

"Don't think like that," Sundrop scorned, her bright yellow brows furrowing. "If you get discouraged now, all of this practice will have been for nothing."

Oakwind peered past Whirlpool, big honey-golden eyes sodden. "You're the only one who's gotten anywhere," he peeped, "do you blame us?"

Sundrop winced. Oakwind was right. It was unfair of her to expect her friends to feel as elated as she did. The FireClaw had been the only one who had made any progress. Perhaps she needed to approach the situation with a bit more understanding.

"Yes... I know," Sundrop responded, "I apologize. I know this is frustrating for all of us. Being in this cavern is awful. I don't mean to gloat, honest! I just want to help as much as I can, and if I've only been doing it in a way that a FireClaw would understand, then I'm failing already. We're all so different. I should be taking note of your own strengths, rather than mine!"

Whirlpool's icy eyes filled with affection. "Oh, Sundrop, please don't apologize! You're doing your best! We all are."

Oakwind looked guilty. He lowered his head. "Ah... I didn't m-mean to say something rude. I'm sorry Sundrop, what Whirlpool said is true," he stated. "I've been down here for far too long. I suppose the prospect of freedom has made me a little restless, and I lashed out."

Sundrop shook her head. "It's alright! I mean, Whirlpool and myself have only been in the Hole for one night. That's nothing in comparison to your whole moon. I'd be restless too."

Whirlpool nodded her dainty ocean-colored head in agreement. Even though it was dreadful, the three dragonlings had bonded within this ghastly place. Their friendship already meant the world to Sundrop, and if escaping meant freedom with a side of aching wings afterwards, she'd take whatever she could get.

"Okay... so, Whirlpool! Maybe instead of curling your wings inwards like mine, try keeping them extended and stiff. And Oakwind, keep yours loose. I don't know if it will make a difference for either of you, but short wings might benefit from force, and heavy wings might feel lighter with less of it," Sundrop mentioned, flaring her ruff.

Oakwind and Whirlpool nodded, spacing themselves out within the cavern respectively. Oakwind glanced at the WaterClaw and gestured at her with his tail, wordlessly suggesting she go first.

Whirlpool extended her wings again, huffing out rancid air, and flapped them once. Her gills pulsed with determination. Remembering what Sundrop had said, she stiffened the joints at the base of her wings and raised them, holding her breath and sending them downwards forcefully. They were a blustery blue blur, Sundrop didn't even have time to register what had happened. Whirlpool was suddenly aloft, her lithe aquamarine form a tail-length above Sundrop all at once. The WaterClaw yelped with surprise, her webbed talons outstretched to balance herself. She tried flapping again to keep herself in the air, but gravity won the battle and brought her back down to the scrabble beneath their claws. She landed neatly with a 'click', unlike Sundrop who had eaten dirt on her way down.