Apple felt frozen. Her dad was gone. The gossiping rainforest was buzzing with the news of Rainkeeper's disappearance. Pear was freaking out, afraid that he had been kidnapped or worse, but Joy quickly put a stop to those rumors. They all knew that Rainkeeper wasn't someone you could just kidnap. He'd put up a fair fight, and there was no sign of one. It was as if he had just vanished into thin air. They all left the truth unspoken. He had left. Everyone just refused to believe it. Joy insisted that he wasn't a coward. He would only leave if he had a good reason. Pear felt crushed, and insisted that Rainkeeper cared too much about them to just leave on his own. And then there was the other matter- What were they to tell Apple? The adults assumed that something had to be said, but Apple didn't see what. Her dad had left. He hadn't left her, or her mother. He was just...gone. Shore and Shadow came around around more often now. They didn't seem as sympathetic as everyone else. They were protective.
"You are my sister, Apple. And if your dad can't be here to protect you, then the job falls on to me." Shore explained. Shadow had nodded in agreement.
"And we can make up weird fantasies for universes where Rosie could actually like me." Shadow suggested. And they had. The boys kept her distracted, and everyone made sure to keep Ander a safe distance away. Ander didn't really have much of a filter when it came to sensitive situations.
"Everything will make sense soon." she had said cryptically. "For everything will entwine like strands of a web."
Meanwhile, under a mountain in Skywing Territory....
Ember was sorting weapons. That was his main job. He couldn't read very well, but he could count, and he could match, and he knew better than to touch the sharp end of a knife. Thus, he sorted the weapons. He took an inventory daily of all the spears, swords, and chakrams. He noted everything from the spiky malices to the fragile cactus bombs that could explode if dropped.
It was probably a good sign that he wasn't sorting cactus bombs on this particular day.
He was piling up spears when voices were heard. Weapons were stored at the bottom of the mountain, and Cinder's office was at the very top level. But sound traveled easily and echoed in the hollow space, and Ember was quick to listen in when he heard an oddly familiar voice.
"Of course you are welcome to stay as long as you'd like. I'm just happy to hear we have Queen Glory's support." Cinder explained.
"She just hasn't responded due to potential interception. Even letters between families and soldiers have been taken and we haven't the slightest idea where they are now. We didn't want to risk exposing the Colors of the Wings before the proper time arises." another dragon replied. Ember frowned. Where had he heard that voice before? The two dragons were getting closer to him and Ember glanced up to see if he could spot the mystery dragon. But instead, the dragon caught sight of him first. Ember gasped and fumbled with the spear he was holding as the dragon came closer.
"Ember?" he hissed.
"Rainkeeper?" Ember asked in confusion.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Ember said defensively, purposefully ignoring the question. Cinder glanced back and forth between the two.
"Do you two know each other?" she questioned.
"Yes." they replied in unison.
"He's my godson." Rainkeeper supplied. Ember nodded.
"He's friends with my mother." Cinder looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Well, then I'll let you catch up." she insisted, walking away.
"Are your parents here too?" Rainkeeper asked. Ember's face fell and he shook his head. Rainkeeper frowned. "Your sister?"
"No." Ember said shakily. He hated thinking about Hope and where she might be- if she was even alive.
"They're okay, aren't they?" Rainkeeper's voice grew worried. Surely Air and Nightflyer were alright? Air was his best friend, and one of Joy's as well. He certainly didn't want to be the bearer of that news if something had happened. Ember's eyes grew glassy with tears.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Dad got attacked by some Icewings and other told us to run away but then the Icewings caught up to us and I made Hope run and then a dragon came and helped me and then he took me here and I don't know what happened to Hope." His voice trembled and Rainkeeper suddenly remembered just how young Ember was. He wasn't too much older than Apple. And Hope....Well, she was just a baby. Not even a year old and all on her own somewhere if she hadn't been found by the wrong dragons.
"Hey," he began, attempting to comfort the dragonet. "I'm sure they'll be okay."
"You don't know that."
"True, but I do know your parents. They're strong. A few Icewings are no match for them, and I bet they went running after you as soon as they fought them off. They're probably with Hope looking for you right now."
As comforting as Rainkeeper's words were, the were not the truth. Hope was safely hidden away with other hybrids in an underground cave, and as for Air and Nightflyer..... Well, let's just say they were a bit preoccupied. But you'll hear more about that later.