The Mudwings of Jade Mountain Academy (Wings of Fire Fanfiction)

Chapter 4: Flying Practice

Cattail woke when someone stepped on her snout "Ow!" She cried jumping up. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn’t realize how well Mudwings blend in the mud! I seriously thought you were mud." Prim apologized. "It's fine. What’s all the excitement about?"  "Our schedules just got in."  Poinsettia said poking her head around the corner of the entrance. Prims sales were blinding yellow today. Cattail guessed she decided she was tired of holding in her excitement. "Great! Well what’s our schedule?" Cattail asked. Prim handed her a scroll that she had taken from Poinsettia. It read:

Day 1

1st Class: Flying practice with Obsidian Winglet

 Cattail groaned when she read that. "Oh. you must have read the first one.“ Prim said sympathetically."Keep reading." Poinsettia told her.

2nd Class: Dragon Anatomy with Platinum Winglet

3rd Class: Geography with Diamond Winglet

4th Class: Hunting Practice with Topaz Winglet

Lunch

Free Period

5th Class: Botany with Copper Winglet

"Wait, what’s botany?" Cattail asked. "The study of plants.” Prim answered immediately. Poinsettia and Cattail turned to stare at her. "How did you know that? Even I didn’t know that!" Poinsettia exclaimed. Prim shrugged and said "Just keep reading."

6th Class: Cultural Studies with Platinum Winglet 

"We have two classes with the Platinum winglet?" Cattail asked. "I guess. It's better than the Obsidian Winglet." Poinsettia said. "Now come on! It's too early in the morning to read any more! Let’s go find the flying place thingy!" Prim said excitedly. "But the gongs haven’t rung yet.'' Cattail pointed out. "It's never wrong to be early!" Prim declared "Now come on!" "Prim," Poinsettia said as they left "Did you mean the Flight Course by 'The Flying Place Thingy?'" "Oh whatever." Prim said as Cattail and Poinsettia laughed.

When they arrived they were on a small patch of land with trees on one side and an aerial obstacle course on the other. A large grumpy red Skywing landed with a thud next to them "What are you doing here?" She questioned suspiciously "We decided to come early. We are from the Sapphire Winglet." Prim said undaunted. The dragon gave an approving look and said "Dedication, good. Now I wonder if you can fly. I'm Hazel, the flight coach."  "I'm Primrose. “Prim said "Prim huh? Your mother told me about you. I'll be expecting some hard work from you." Hazel said and then turned to Poinsettia and Cattail. "You must be Cattail and Poinsettia. Don’t look impressed, I have a list with names on it of the dragons in each winglet." With that she took off. "Your mother huh?" Poinsettia questioned. Prim just shrugged. Cattail watched wisps of sky blue and white whirl around on Prims purple scales until the gong sounded making her jump. A group of 4 dragons were the first others to get here. They were a Nightwing, a Sandwing, an Icewing, and a Seawing. As they got closer Cattail could tell one of them was Dreamspeaker. In the sunlight his scales had a purple sheen and his muscles look more defined. The Skywing was a blue so dark it was more navy than anything. The Sandwing was a very pale white with a large scar that when from under one eye to above his chin on the opposite side. The Icewing looked like he was made of frost with slightly darker blue highlights to his scales. "How did you get here so fast?" Asked the Seawing baffled. "They came early like dedicated students." Said Hazel from behind him making him jump. "You all must be Dreamspeaker," she said the name skeptically "Drought, Chasm, and Frost. The rest of the Sapphire Winglet." Prim elbowed Cattail and said" Ooo... he’s in our winglet." Cattail and Poinsettia rolled their eyes simultaneously making Prim laugh. "Hi, I’m the one named Chasm if you couldn’t tell and the frosty anti-social one is Frost-" The Seawing was cut off as the Sandwing shoved him out of the way and came to stand in front of Cattail. "I'm Drought and sir superior is Dreamspeaker." "I know we've met " Cattail told him with a smile. Chasm gave Dreamspeaker a pointed look and he shrugged. Prim sighed and Poinsettia snorted as the Obsidian winglet landed with Obsidian in the lead. Obsidian stalked forward with the others no closer in front than at her tail, which they avoided. "Who's she?" Chasm Asked "Obsidian." Both Cattail and Drought hissed at the same time. “I see you don’t like her much either" said Drought coming to stand next to her "not really" Cattail agreed. "Oh look it's that puny dragonets big sister. Where were you yesterday when she was getting herself saved by an even punier dragonet? Oh that’s right. You were hanging with some lazy Rainwing and an inadequate Skywing." Poinsettia growled and Prim stepped forward arching her barbed tail like a Sandwing. "I'd watch what you say about this Rainwing" she hissed threateningly with her eyes in cold slits of hatred. "Aww look the Rainwing is trying to be fierce." Obsidian taunted. It took Cattail Poinsettia and drought all the hold her back from attacking Obsidian who just snorted and went back to her winglet. The Obsidian Winglet Rainwing sat as far away from her as he could and the Icewing kept sending apologetic glances. Hazel paced in front of them. "If you don’t know, I'm Hazel the flight coach. Today each of you will go through the flight course and try flying through the tree as fast and neatly as possible so I can get an idea of your abilities. Seawing you’re up!" She roared at the small Seawing of the Obsidian Winglet. She leaped and made a 'Me? Are you sure?' face. "Yes you Angelfish!" She roared. Angelfish did absolutely horrible but looked at the Obsidian Mudwing like she would bite him if he didn’t shut up. Poinsettia, Drought, Frost, Kumquat the Obsidian Rainwing, and Artic fox the Obsidian Icewing all did good. Cattail herself did Ok but Chasm and Sludge the Obsidian Mudwing didn’t do well at all so Angelfish got her revenge. Obsidian, Falcon the Obsidian Skywing, and surprisingly Dreamspeaker all did amazing. Then it was Prim's turn. Cattail watched in amazement as Prim darted nimbly through the trees and obstacle course turning, tucking, and swerving at all the right moments. She was the fastest and best of them all by far. If Obsidian was a Rainwing she would have been the brightest red Cattail had ever seen. She had smoke coming out of nose and Cattail could have almost sworn it was coming out of ears no matter how impossible. Prim landed elegantly in the bright purple color of pride. Hazel nodded approvingly and jotted down marks and her scroll as she had done with the others. "Prim that was amazing!" Cattail said gaping at her friend in newfound respect. The others congratulated her and even Obsidian came up and said grudgingly "As much as hate you and think your tribe are lazy worthless fruit eaters, even have to say that was mildly impressive." That would probably the closest thing to complement they would ever hear from her so they enjoyed it while they could. "If you think that was good, you should she my mother fly. She's the best flyer to ever live." Prim told Cattail and Poinsettia. "Just who is your mother?" Poinsettia asked. "I've wondered myself. Will you tell us? Please?" Cattail asked as well. "OK but you probably won’t know her. My mom's name is Crimson." "Wow. Threatening name for a Rainwing. Usually it's a flower or something tropical." Poinsettia said. "I like it." Cattail put in. Just then the gong rang and they rushed off for their next class.