Moon shivered. What was that?
A vision. Eclipse answered.
Moon glanced at her, worry in her eyes. Oh, dear.
Moon had had visions before. One of them even saved them from a falling tree once. But they had agreed not to tell their mother about her visions. Moon thought she might not be able to handle another 'curse'.
"Wow. A real queen," Secretkeeper said. "I've never seen one before."
"You see Queen Glory all the time," Moon pointed out, still a bit hazy from her vision.
"Queen Glory is barley older than you are," their mother answered. "I mean a real queen, someone who's ruled her tribe for years and years."
"Queen Glory is a real queen." Eclipse bristled, glaring at her mother. "Most definitely better than any SeaWing queen could ever be."
Many of the NightWings harbored bitter thoughts about having a RainWing for their queen now, but she didn't think her mother was one of the grumblers. Eclipse and Moon had met Queen Glory soon after being introduced to the tribe. Eclipse hung around Her Majesty quite a lot actually, and she seemed to favor the NightWing dragonet.
"All right," her mother sighed. "That's enough hiding in the shadows and 'observing'. Time for you two to go find your caves."
Already? Moon's mind jolted with terror, raising Eclipse's pulse as well. "Alone? Aren't you coming inside?"
"This will be good for you," her mother said. I hope. Remember, Secretkeeper: Be strong. Just turn and fly away. They'll be safe here. "I love you both, and I will see you soon."
Secretkeeper took a step back, averting her face and the siblings caught a thought track their mother had been carefully burying. Oh, I hope this is the right thing. What am I doing? How do I know if this will be good for them?
Eclipse felt a surge of hope from Moon. She doesn't want to leave me!
Secretkeeper hugged Moon quickly then turned to Eclipse. Her mother leaned in and pressed her snout against hers. "Protect your sister. And yourself. Try not to get in trouble. I love you." She quickly pulled away.
"Wait," Moon tried desperately. "What if I came next year instead? What if -"
"Trust me moonbud," Secretkeeper said, cupping Moon's snout with her front talons. "You will love it here. Just keep your curse hidden and you'll be fine. Act normal, no matter what happens. And write to me soon! Good-bye!"
A moment later, Secretkeeper was quickly winging away through the threadbare clouds, leaving her dragonets once again.
Abandoning dragonets is a talent of hers, huh? Eclipse mused. Moon met her eyes.
Don't be cruel.
Eclipse huffed, inching closer to her sister and twining their tails. Moon visibly relaxed and was decidedly not crying. They stayed under the tree for a moment more watching students arrive.
Once there was a quiet moment on the landing ledge, Moon shook out her wings and darted forward into the yawning mouth of the entrance cave, Eclipse following after her at a calmer pace.
"Hello!" a voice echoed loudly through the cave while Eclipse's eyes were still adjusting to the dimmer light inside. "Welcome to the Great Hall of Jade Mountain! Let me guess- you're Eclipse and Moonwatcher, aren't you? I'm tremendously good at guessing. In fact, one might even say I'm mysteriously good at it." The welcoming dragon who's scales were midnight black lowered her voice. "Almost as though I'm reading your mind, eh?"
Moon stared at the dragon silently, threads of panic erupting from her mind.
"Ah," Eclipse grinned, "Funny." she nodded at the dragon and poked Moon with her tail, causing her to twitch nervously.
"I'm Fatespeaker. I'm not a teacher like the others; I'm just helping wherever I can. Here's your welcome scrolls and your maps." She thrusts two scrolls to each dragonet's talons. "Hey, look, you have silver scales next to your eyes just like I do! Yours are both bigger and sparklier, though. It is Eclipse and Moonwatcher, right?"
"Yes. Um, Moon."
Eclipse never entirely liked being around Fatespeaker. The amount of hope and happiness pouring out of her drained Eclipse most of the time. She didn't talk to her much, with her choosing to live with the RainWings instead. But being with Her Majesty as often as she was, she couldn't avoid Fatespeaker entirely.
"Where's Starflight?" Eclipse asked, voicing Moon's thoughts.
"Oh, he's in the library, I think. It's just so quiet in there, and scrolls aren't really my thing anyway. Starflight loves them though, he'll stay in there for hours if we let him." Fatespeaker giggled.
The enormous entrance cave looked as though it could fit four hundred dragons comfortably, with room for more to soar overhead. Sunlight poured in, illuminating the craggy walls and rippled ceiling, where cascades of golden-brown stalactites hung down, some of them reaching all the way to the floor to form twisted columns.
Hanging against the back wall was a huge bronze gong with three flying dragons carved into it. A banner woven of green vines had been strung from one massive stalactite to another in the center of the cave, with letters spelled out in giant purple-and-white flowers: Welcome, Students!
Two tunnel openings yawned along the left wall of the cave; two more on the right. Next to each one, a map was posted showing where the tunnels went. The whole cave was busy with bustling dragons: families saying good-bye, friends saying hello, a few dragons carrying around prey or scrolls.
"Moon, Moon, Moon," Fatespeaker muttered, rolling a scroll between her claws on the floor and scanning it closely. "Ah, here you are. Second tunnel on the left, fifth cave on the right. And Eclipse. . ." Fatespeaker paused. "Second tunnel on the left, second cave on the left." she grinned at the pair. "You're going to love your clawmates."
Apparently I'm going to love a lot of things. Eclipse didn't expect the snarky comment from her sister and stifled a chuckle. "Clawmates?" she said instead. "What are those?"
"The dragons you're sharing a cave with," Fatespeaker said brightly. Moon's wings shivered. Sharing a cave? All the time?
"Oooo, here come some IceWings!" Fatespeaker cried. "Want to stick around to meet them?"
"Would rather not-" Eclipse said, as Moon stammered, "N-no thanks."
The pair hurried over to the second tunnel on the left and as they ducked into it, Eclipse heard a whoosh of wings and a cold chill swept through the cave. Moon peaked around the corner, took one look at the IceWings frowning and bolted back into the tunnel.
"Do you want me to go with you to your cave first?" Eclipse asked, glancing down at Moon. Eclipse wasn't much bigger than Moon, but she was about half a head taller and she was better built, her muscles gleaming under her shiny scales.
"Yes, please." Moon answered.
The tunnel wound in a curving shape, like a slithering tail, down into the mountain. Overhead, grass-green and butterfly-blue and hibiscus-yellow glass globes hung from a wire strung along the ceiling, each of them glowing with fire so the walls were lit with color. It didn't feel like they were inside a mountain, but inside the rainforest.
It made sense the dragonets of destiny wouldn't want their school to feel like how their underground home felt where they grew up. Sunny would never want that for her students.
Soon the tunnel straightened out, and Eclipse could see small cave openings all along either side, some having two or three dragonet's inside already.
Father said they have a library. I'm going to learn to read! Oh, I hope I'm not the only one who can't read yet. That would be so embarrassing.
So cold here. I miss the desert.
I wonder where the prophecy dragonets are. I wonder if they'll notice me!
What do they eat up in the mountains? We'd better get seagulls sometimes. And soon. Gosh, I'm hungry. Would anyone be mad at me if I went looking for seagulls?
They really expect me to share a cave with a RainWing?
A dull ache began to sizzle in her skull, as the voices inside the caves bombarded her mind. It had been like this when she was introduced into the tribe. After the peace and quiet of solitary life in the rainforest, all those voices in her head had been a horrible shock, especially when they were all hostile and resentful.
Their unkind thoughts still circled her mind, and her sister's she'd noticed. Eclipse had taken it better than Moon had. Simply not caring whether the NightWings liked her or not came easy to her it seemed, but Moon didn't take it quite as well.
She'd wondered if there was a way to block out all their thoughts but of course, there was no one to teach her and Moon how. It was annoying, going to bed with a headache each night.
Normally, Moon and Eclipse would escape to the farthest waterfall or the tallest tree, where their thoughts were to far away for the sisters to hear. But there was nothing like that at Jade Mountain. Eclipse supposed she would just have to deal with it best she could.
As the siblings neared Moon's cave, Moon tensed as two chatting SandWings approached. Eclipse fell back and squeezed behind Moon, watching them intently. One SandWing had his eyes fixated on Moon and Eclipse, locking eyes with her a few times.
NightWings. he thought. Thorn doesn't like them; we just sent a couple back to Glory as her prisoners; we have no idea what they can do in battle yet, especially if it's true they really have no powers at all. Needs further study. They're kinda cool looking, with those extra silver scales by their eyes. She seems nervous. Twitching her wings back to look smaller than she is. Up to something or shy? She seems strong. Snout held high and wings held back. Trying to make herself look bigger and meaner. Well built either way. Haughty or putting up a front?
Moon quickly ducked into her cave, Eclipse following soon after holding strong eye contact with the SandWing. His mind seemed. . . complicated. It unnerved her either way that he could read her so easily.
I might keep tabs on him. She thought. Could be dangerous.
Moon's sleeping cave had a few stalactites hanging over the doorway like jagged teeth. There were more fire-lit glass globes strung across the ceiling in here: one green, one a fiery red-gold, and one yellow. Two more globes, unlit, rested on ledges on either side of the door, and there was another at her level on the far side of the cave. Moon picked each one up and breathed a small flame onto the candles inside to set them alight, then surveyed the space nervously.
"Well," Eclipse started, looking around. "This is cozy, isn't it?"
It was nicer than Eclipse had expected. The doorway made up one wall, and a sleeping spot had been arranged along each of the other three walls. One of these was a bare rock ledge, another was a pile of rainforest leaves and mosses, and the third was a woven green hammock ingeniously suspended from the roof.
Moon seemed to hesitate, looking from bed to bed. It seemed as if the beds had been deliberately designed for specific dragons. Moon didn't seem to be sure which one to take.
"I think it's nice." Moon said, still hesitating. "But I'm not sure I want to pick a bed yet." Maybe I should wait for my clawmates to pick which one they want. I wish I could have a private cave. Maybe if I asked Starflight really nicely. . .
"Alright," Eclipse started. "I think I'll go find my own cave now."
Moon bristled. Don't leave me. Her mind flashed. "Alright."
"You could come with me if you'd like." Eclipse offered.
"No," her sister started. "I think I'm all right."
Eclipse nodded before twining her tail around Moon's, ducking through the cave door a moment later.
Eclipse trotted down the hall to her cave, the scrolls in her talons shifting uncomfortably against her scales.
I wonder who my clawmates will be. . . she heard as she neared her cave. I hope there isn't a NightWing. Qibli says we can't trust them.
Eclipse ducked into her cave to find a small SandWing looking through her map of Jade Mountain. She looked up and their eyes locked. The SandWing tensed and her mind raced.
Oh no. . . NightWing. Just my luck. She looks mean. Is Qibli sharing a cave with a NightWing?
This dragonet talked about 'Qibli' a lot. It was almost the only thing on her mind other than how intimidating Eclipse was and if it would be weird if she fled the cave.
Eclipse said nothing, as she turned to look at her cave. The setting was much like Moon's, yet instead of one rock outcropping, there were two; the SandWing sitting on the edge of the one to her right and the other on her left sat empty.
Directly in front of her though, was a pile of rainforest leaves. Eclipse stalked over to it, placing her scrolls in the mahogany scroll rack beside the bed she'd chosen.
Eclipse began to feel bad for this little SandWing and turned to look at her, giving her a small smile and a nod.
The SandWing visibly relaxed but her mind didn't. It began racing again, going from 'maybe she isn't so bad' to 'why did she smile at me?' and 'I wonder if Qibli would like her'.
"What's your name?" Eclipse asked, trying to ease the tension.
"Ostrich." she mumbled. "What's yours?"
"Eclipse." she answered. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too." Ostrich shivered.
Eclipse felt a burst of angry energy like a spear driving through her skull. Eclipse slightly winced as shouts and roars echoed in the hall. Ostrich shot up, half wondering if Eclipse was ok and half freaking out over what was happening in the hall. Eclipse followed Ostrich, sticking her head out of her cave.
"Get your fish-smelling tail away from me -" I've faced bigger SeaWings than him in battle if he's trying to start something!
"Don't you dare blow smoke in my face -" She could be one of the SkyWings who destroyed our Summer Palace!
Eclipse furrowed her brows in pain, the slight throbbing against her skull was like thunder cracking in her ears.
The fight was right outside her cave entrance, heads peeking out of caves around her to watch the sudden fight unfold.
"Hey now, hey there. Stop, stop, stop," a voice interrupted. A MudWing limped forward and pushed himself between the writhing SeaWing and hissing SkyWing.
Eclipse suddenly felt slow. That was Clay, one of the prophecy dragonets.
Clay! clamored several voices at once, adding to the splintering headache.
It's him, it's really him!
Oooo, he's even cuter in real life!
Oooo, look at his heroic limp.
Oooo, I think he looked at me!
Found you.
Chills ran down her spine. Eclipse lifted her head, relaxing her head then regretting doing so as another wave of pain struck her. What was that? A voice? Who's voice sounded like that?
Moonwatcher's sister. Your skills seem to be no better though. . .
Who is that?
It's me.
Who's 'me'?
Who are you? a pause. Hello, Eclipse.
Who are you? she thought fiercely. Silence. Answer me! she tried again. She was met with more silence.
When Eclipse refocused on the fight before her she noticed Clay limping away, firmly guiding the SeaWing away from the action. The SkyWing was left standing, watching them go with smoke rising and coiling itself around her horns.
Then, to Eclipse's alarm, she swung around and marched right into Moon's cave. Eclipse trotted after her, reaching Moon's cave quite quickly.
As she poked her head inside she spotted the SkyWing immediately, her scarlet wings folded over herself as she sulked in silence on the rock ledge.
Eclipse found Moon huddled near the door, having seemingly been scanning through the scroll rack near the entrance before the fight broke out.
"Are you ok?" she whispered to her sister.
"Yes, I'm fine." she clutched her head.
Eclipse had always been able to handle the pain of mind reading better than her sister, having to only clutch her head in times like this than doubling over like Moon clearly had. In turn, her sister seemed to have visions more often that Eclipse did. She wondered if it was because of how the moons had crossed at their hatching.
"Do you need anything? For the headache?" Eclipse asked. Her own headache was nearly gone now, but Moon was still clearly dealing with some pain.
"No, I'll be alright." Moon waved her off. "Thank you."
Eclipse nodded and turned to duck out of her cave again, nearly slamming into the small SandWing that was now standing close behind her.
"Oh!" Eclipse exclaimed. "Sorry, Ostrich."
"It's ok." she smiled. "I was going to ask if you wanted to come with me to explore? We have a free day today before any classes start, so I was hoping to see more of the mountain."
"Sure," Eclipse smiled back, "I was thinking about looking around a bit anyway."
Ostrich's eyes brightened and her mind fuzzed with how much she was beginning to like Eclipse.
They both turned and began down the hall, away from the Great Hall and past the sleeping caves.
"You look healthier than any of the other NightWings I've seen so far," Ostrich began, glancing at her questioningly.
"I wasn't raised on the volcano. I grew up in the rainforest with my sister." Eclipse answered. Ostrichs' mind began to race with more questions, but before she could bombard her with any of them, Eclipse pointed out a note written in chalk on a small rectangular board made of dark rock hanging under one of the torches.
Welcome to Jade Mountain Academy!
Feel free to explore the whole school today (and every day!). Everything is for you. Food is available in the prey center (talk to Clay if you'd like to sign up for a hunting party!). Please come see any of us anytime with questions or requests or worries or anything.
More information about tomorrow will be posted tonight. Small group-discussion classes will begin in the morning.
Have a wonderful day!
"Oh," Ostrich huffed, "I already saw that."
"Oh," Eclipse said, folding her wings in.
"Come on," the little SandWing brushed her wing with Eclipse's and began forward again, keeping her tail tightly curled.
They continued down the hall for a moment before Ostrich pointed out a side corridor to their left and stepped into it. Eclipse followed closely, her wingtips brushing against the SandWings' at times, flooding her mind with clear feelings and thoughts Ostrich was having.
She still seemed a bit jumpy around Eclipse, her tail twitching at times when Eclipse made a quick movement.
At the end they turned into a space that was plastered in color. Sunlight poured in through holes throughout the walls and ceiling with art supplies tucked into every corner. Dragon sculptures were already decorating the stone shelves with varying colored gems for eyes. On the ceiling a huge metal sculpture made of gleaming copper wire decorated the stone, flaring out like fire, with clear glass globes flickering with firelight.
"Wow," Ostrich said, her eyes were scanning the cave as well and Eclipse noticed her talons twitching as if she couldn't wait to spend hours in here.
"There's so many colors." Eclipse breathed, "We should make something sometime."
"Definitely."
After a moment of wondering around the cave and checking out the sculptures, Eclipse and Ostrich left the cave, turning back into the hall and ducking into another cave opening near the art cave.
This cave's walls were lined with maps, all with different dates marked on the edge of the parchment. Scrolls overflowed the wooden racks provided with some piled on the floor next to them.
"Hello," a voice echoed against the cave walls. "Welcome to the history cave. I'm Webs, your history teacher."
A SeaWing sat behind a stone table, working on one of the scrolls in front of him, ink staining his talons.
"It's nice to meet you," Eclipse nodded.
Ostrich seemed bored of this cave, her wings twitching toward the cave entrance. Eclipse stalked toward one of the maps and studied it closely. It looked quite different from any map she'd ever seen and she glanced down at the date.
"That is the map of Pyrrhia before The Scorching. Fascinating isn't it? The continent was ruled by scavengers and their cities were built everywhere." Webs said.
"Weird." Eclipse backed from the map, joining Ostrich near the door. "Scavengers ruling the continent."
"It was indeed." Webs smiled. "We talk all about it in the first lesson."
Eclipse nodded and followed Ostrich out of the cave and into the corridor. Ostrich led them back into the hallway and hummed thoughtfully as she tilted her head from corridor to corridor, struggling to choose which one.
"Is there somewhere we could go to eat?" Eclipse asked. Ostrich's mind immediately buzzed with knowing and she turned to walk down another corridor.
"Yeah, the prey center is down this way." she answered.
As they walked down the corridor the voices began to build and build in Eclipse's mind and she began to regret suggesting this.
The prey center was total chaos. It was a mammoth cave open to the air on one side, looking out over a mossy, boulder-strewn slope, towering cliffs, and faraway peaks. There was a low wall of rocks built across the bottom of the opening - useless against dragons of course, but perfect for keeping prey trapped inside. A fast-flowing river swept along the wall opposite the opening, disappearing through an archway into the next cave.
But the first thing Eclipse noticed, was an angry IceWing towering over Moon.