The Silken Seer

Chapter 5

With a yelp, Clearwing whirled around and started bounding off into the savanna.

But this dragon had wings, and she easily soared over the dragonet and landed in front of her.

"Don't turn me into a pile of ash!" Clearwing cried, throwing her talons over her head.

"I'm not going to do that," the flamesilk replied. "Actually, I don't want to turn any SilkWings into piles of ash. The HiveWings, on the other talon, now whoo. That's a different story."

"W-what?" Clearwing looked back up at the Hive, which was still burning. She realized with a twinge of fear that a dark cloud of dragons was gathering around the other Hives; Queen Wasp was sending in backup. "Why would you burn Bloodworm Hive if you didn't want to burn the SilkWings who live there?"

"Grayling was supposed to get everyone out," the flamesilk said, her antennae twitching violently. "He must've not gotten to you in time. I shouldn't have started so early. But the LeafWings said if they were spotted, the entire plan would be ruined and then I wouldn't get to burn anything."

"Oh," Clearwing's fear cleared out of her mind. "You're Luna." This SilkWing's life was suddenly laid out before her like a scroll; Swordtail, her best friend and something more, who she wanted to be partnered with, her strange metamorphosis, the LeafWings freeing her from the flamesilk cavern and asking if she wanted to burn down the Hives, and her brother who tried to convince them not to. Blue.

Why did that name sound so important and yet so insignificant at the same time?

"Who are you," Coal said, breaking the spell as he landed between the SilkWings, an unconscious LeafWing in his talons, "and why did you burn our Hive?"

Luna recoiled, her blue-brown eyes widening. "What are you?"

Coal looked stoic and intimidating, in a way that made Clearwing nervous and think, What happened to my friend? "No one knows, but we all know that I can burn you to a crisp with just a breath, so don't tick me off."

"Coal, wait," Clearwing pleaded. "This is Luna. She-" She what? Is the key to the future? Is supposed to be somewhere else? Is the reason the world is broken? "She's a flamesilk. And maybe a friend."

"How do you know my name?" Luna asked. "And are those black..?" Her voice became small and she took a step back, away from the other two dragons.

Coal stepped forwards. "You aren't getting out of this so easily," he growled dangerously. "My friend knows your name, so it must be important."

"Coal, please," Clearwing's voice was shaking. She focused on her breathing and looked back at Luna. "Yes, these are black scales." She pointed to the teardrops next to her eyes. "My name is Clearwing, and this is Coal. I'm sorry if we scared you, but listen. I can see the whole of any dragon I meet. I can tell if they're lying, and I can see every moment of their life and how they got up to this point. And sometimes I can see their future." She looked over at Coal. "Except for him."

"You can see the future?" Luna asked. "Like Clearsight?"

"Not exactly," Clearwing made a face.

"Sorry to spoil this dramatic moment," the green-and-gold LeafWing that was smiling at plants earlier grabbed Luna's arm, "but there are a lot of dragons coming and Luna we have to go."

Clearwing glanced up at the sky and, to her horror, the LeafWing she could see was named Sundew was correct.

"We better get out of here, too," she looked at Coal, then to the horizon. As much as she wanted to follow the LeafWings, there was something else important they had to do first. "Let's go to Wasp Hive and free some flamesilks."