Wings of Fire: Journey to the center of Pyrrhia

Chapter 1

When he was asleep the tremors started happening again. It was during sun time when the ground beneath them began to rumble, Parrot had to get up because of all of this commotion. What? What's going on? He thought tilting his head looking at everybody else. They were still asleep like nothing had ever happened, which was strange since he had heard Shiny complaining about a weird feeling under her as she slept a week ago. I should probably keep napping, no one is bothered by it so why would I? He drifted off to sleep again dreaming about nothing in particular. He felt pricks of talons touching him getting him to get up.

"It's time for the venom lessons," Toco said with her patient eyes.

"I hope I get it right this time!" He said in excitement from his numerous lessons with her. Parrot got up from the sun time platform and followed her to one of the trees where most of the RainWings would spit their venom onto. "Remember, to control the amount of venom being used just imagine your teeth going into the gums. Like this." She unhinged her jaw spitting out the black goo in certain amounts with her fangs moving weirdly in her mouth as if they were going to be stuck in there.

"Okay, Toco!" he said to his favorite instructor. She was the best out of the others due to how guiding she was with him, unlike Parakeet who wanted things to be over and sleep all day, or how crazy Macaw was with his advanced napping techniques. She's the best one out of all of them with her manganese colors and teal spots as well as her calming voice. Turning his scales yellow he unhinged his jaw and began spitting the venom, trying to control the amount being shot. Imagine teeth up in gums, imagine teeth stuck in gums! He thought as he more began spewing out instead of stopping. NO! The venom went everywhere, it hit the trees, it hit the plants, and it hit the ground burning them all up. It took a while for it to finally stop but now everything was covered in his black venom. He turned to an embarrassed pink color at the mess he had created.

"Looks like we're gonna do this again," Toco sighed putting her wings around the small dragonet.

"This is hopeless! I'm going to get in trouble for not being able to control it like the others. What's the point anymore?"

"It's okay that you're behind everyone else who mastered it. But if we keep doing this then I'm sure you'll understand eventually." Parrot was behind hard he was... well he didn't know what age he was but the hatchlings had already learned how to use it.

"Are you sure it's okay?" He asked looking up to his instructor.

"Yes, I'm sure Parrot. Now it's time to eat, I wonder if they left any bananas for-" The ground began rumbling more with that he sprayed venom on soaking it up and the grass collapsing inward revealing a hole. "Wow, your venom must be strong for it to do that." Toco pointed at the hole in the ground, Parrot had to admit it, he did feel proud about doing that. But what happens if you can't control it and hurt everybody? A voice of doubt said in his head. A fearfully green appeared on his scales now realizing how much of a danger he is. Toco noticed the color: "Don't worry, there's nothing to fear about it, we'll work on this tomorrow together." Relief had started coursing through him again knowing he would be able to control it. His stomach rumbled, he was starving for those fruits and berries.

"Can we go now?"

"Yeah come on let's eat." They glided over with the other RainWings landing on a platform with a bunch of fruits on it. Toco immediately went after the bananas. Parrot went after the blueberries, black raspberries, and strawberries stuffing a talonful of them into his mouth. As he was chewing his food he heard Macaw and Toco talking to one another.

"I hope he isn't as difficult as he was during his venom training?" Macaw asked the female RainWing.

"Oh, he's getting there. Just need a little more practice that's all," Toco responded to the crazy advance napping RainWing.

"Well, he's still not listening to what I said about how to nap the best way. He's just doing his own thing."

"It takes time, I know how it feels," as Toco stuffed multiple bananas into her mouth before switching over to a mango.

"Yeah, but for this long!?" Macaw said taking a bite out of his apple. "He should be done with the basics of napping by now as well as venom training!" Am I this bad? he thought as he swallowed his food. After they had eaten their food, as well as the sky turning to night, Parrot began to toss and turn thinking about the things he had done with his instructors. Did I actually listen to them? He wondered about Parakeet with the fruit collecting. He thought about what that tired RainWing had said.

"To, (he yawned) better get fruit and berries you would need to (Yawning again) be very fast so now get them." No, he was just lazy and sleepy. He thought about Macaw and what he had taught and how he was doing it wrong.

"You have lay like this (he had said while turing to lay on his side) it helps soften the sides up before a nap. What did I do wrong on that!? He looked into every way he could've done it wrong but so far it was a mystery to Parrot. Was he strong enough to actually impress Toco with his venom? To actually make a hole of that size? He began thinking of her face that she made when he made the hole. Was it shock? Was it terror? All he could remember was Toco having a surprised but impressed look on her face. Toco must be exaggerating my venom, in no way can it do that. Must also be tremors as well that made the hole. While he was thinking about that afternoon a small dim light flew into his hut, it was small, blinking a small white light. Strange? Fireflies don't have white lights. He raised his head to see to a new critter with his scales turning a curious blue. With a closer look, he saw that it was a mosquito-like bug with a bulb-like backside, he noticed that it didn't also have eyes. What are you? It unfurled its needle nose and instead of one, there were multiple. The bug stabbed the needles into his snout and he yelped with pain. It was a sharp feeling that he had never felt before.

"OWW!" He swatted the bug away letting it fly off so he can rest peacefully. "And stay out!" He immediately laid down into his hammock falling to sleep knowing that he will try better than he did last time. He was asleep for the rest of the night sound as a hatchling until he heard a scream. He jutted his head up dazed and confused. What? What's happening!? He got up stretching his body out before going to see what had happened. He placed his talons on the smooth wooden boards of the hut taking small steps to his door. Looking out he saw a bunch of RainWings flying towards the screaming. There were cries of bloody murder over where they were, he didn't know what the phrase meant but he knew something bad was going on. The tremor shook the hut again much more violent this time. A start of an interesting day he supposed gliding with the others. As he glided to where the screams were he noticed more RainWings gliding also. They seem confused as Parrot not understanding the commotion. When they arrived a huge gathering of RainWings was surrounding the hut.

"Oh, dear!" one dragon said looking at the thing that Parrot couldn't see.

"What happened to him!?" Another asked.

"Could we be next!?" Another mumbled as Parrot pushed to the front. Parrot pushed through the crowd until he saw... it. A corpse of a RainWing laying on his hammock.