The Bright Future (COMPLETED)

The Rainforest

"Wait a moment," Starwatcher complained, "Aren't we supposed to wait for Whiteout?"

Clearsight stopped. "Well, yes, but no. But yes. Well, no. We'll see her soon." Which didn't clear things up at all. They were in the tunnel from the Sand Kingdom to the rainforest; Clearsight had found it with a vision. After a long day of flying the stone felt nice under Starwatcher's shaking talons. 

"Er... won't the RainWings be angry if two NightWings and a SandWing barge into their rainforest?" asked Starwatcher anxiously. "I mean--I bet Glory--I mean Queen Glory won't like more NightWings in her territory."

"She's a fair queen," replied Jerboa. She shot a burst of flame, lighting up their way. 

After a few more seconds, they emerged into the bright and beautiful rainforest. Starwatcher gasped--she had never seen a place so beautiful! "So which way to the village?" she asked. Before finding the scroll they had to ask permission to roam in Glory's rainforest.

"uh. No idea," said Jerboa. "Clearsight? Any visions?"

Clearsight shook her head. "I don't know which way either. Let's try that way I guess." She pointed a claw to the right. Starwatcher shrugged and took the lead. 

However, in an hour they had found nothing but a stream. "Ugh," mumbled Starwatcher. "I have like A MILLION mosquito bites!" She hopped into the stream and began washing herself off. Jerboa and Clearsight did the same. "Where now?" Starwatcher said crossly. "Do we just flounder around until we find the village or follow more of Clearsight's expertly researched directions? We're going to be eaten alive by these mosquit--"

"Hsst." said Jerboa suddenly, flicking an ear. "Listen." The NightWings pricked their ears and heard a voice drifting through the trees:

"...pass me that cantaloupe please, dear, and that watermelon. Thank you, sweetie. Now if you would please wash that bunch of bananas that would be great--oh, thank you."

Starwatcher splashed upstream for a minute or two, towards the voice. Jerboa and Clearsight followed her. She ducked under a bush and then saw a black and gold RainWing washing fruit. A dragonet who Starwatcher assumed was her daughter hung by her tail on a tree overhead. The mother's head snapped up. "Who are you?" she asked, sounding wary, though her eyes were friendly.

"I'm Starwatcher. That's Jerboa and that's Clearsight. We come in peace."

The RainWing tipped her head and studied them with clever yellow eyes. "Two NightWings and a SandWing in Queen Glory's rainforest," she mused. "and what might you be doing here?"

"Er-- uh-- well-- it's a long story," said Starwatcher awkwardly. "Do you know about Darkstalker?"

The little RainWing on the tree squawked and fell into the river. When she surfaced, she said in alarm, "Of course we do! He came here a few days ago and tried to take our queen's throne!"

"Yes, we know of him," said the older RainWing. "In fact, I was named after the RainWing queen in Darkstalker's time, Queen Anaconda. I still have royal blood in me. Glory is my niece, Grandeur my mother. My daughter, Holly, is her cousin. What is it about Darkstalker?"

"We need an enchanted object hidden in the forest," began Starwatcher. "It will help us defeat him. Before we find it, though, we need permission to explore the rainforest from Queen Glory. Will you point us to the village?" 

Anaconda nodded. "Holly, dear, please lead these dragons to the village. Be back before dark."

Holly bobbed her head and beckoned with her tail to the three dragons. She took off into the trees with Anaconda waving. Starwatcher launched herself into the air to follow Holly. Behind her she could hear the wingbeats of her companions. "So," she said, "How's... uh... life?"

Holly gave her a weird look. Starwatcher coughed. She wasn't great at conversation. "Well. Uh. It's good." She shot ahead, clearly wanting to avoid talking to Starwatcher. The NightWing dragonet kept running into vines and trees and slimy stuff. How do the RainWings fly well in this place? she thought. Up ahead, Holly swung around a tree branch with her tail, giving herself momentum. Starwatcher tried it even though she didn't have a prehensile tail. She ended up hitting her head on the branch and tumbling to the ground. Holly fluttered back to help Starwatcher up. "Don't try that again," she giggled. 

"Don't worry," grumbled Starwatcher, rubbing her head. 

After an hour or so of flying, Holly gracefully landed on a branch. Starwatcher crashed into her, surprised by the RainWing's sudden stop. They both careened to the forest floor. "Ack!" yelped Holly, untangling her wings from Starwatcher's. She flapped back up to the branch. Starwatcher winced at the pain in her right arm but joined Holly. The little RainWing cleared her throat. "Ahem. It's me, Princess Holly of the RainWings. I have three dragons with me, two NightWings and a SandWing." It appeared she was talking to no one, but a voice replied:

"password?" said a male voice.

"Password: The fate of my future is in my own talons," replied Holly. Suddenly, the branches in front of them parted to reveal the RainWing village. Holly leaped through them. Starwatcher followed and she heard Jerboa and Clearsight hop through, too. When she looked to the right, she saw a blue RainWing holding back the leaves. When he let go, the branches swung back in to place. Holly took off yet again, and the three followed her. 

Starwatcher looked down and saw dozens of platforms filled with beautiful rainbow dragons. Most of them were asleep but some were talking quietly or eating fruit. When she looked up, she could see Holly's green-and-red tail disappearing into a hut. In front of it was a huge line of dragons, but Holly didn't wait, Starwatcher noticed. Maybe she didn't like to wait--who did?--or maybe she got a line-pass because she was a princess. Anyhow, Starwatcher, Jerboa and Clearsight followed her. 

Holly landed in front of an empty throne and frowned. "Wonder where she is..." she muttered. "Aha, of course!" Without another word she took off again. The three had no choice but to follow her. After a few minutes of flying, they came to a huge trampoline-like woven net. Inside, squeals of joy could be heard. Ten guards stood outside, but stepped aside when they saw Holly. She dipper her head at them and entered. 

Inside, Queen Glory and her bodyguard, Deathbringer were sitting among a pile of dragonets. "Hi, Holly," said Glory. "Come sit down and--OOF! Panther! What did I tell you about--OUCH!"

A tiny black dragonet with bright pink wing membranes, underscales, spikes and ruff jumped at Glory happily. Another one, looking the same except for slightly bigger, knocked her over. Deathbringer jumped to his feet and picked the smaller one up. "Panther," he said sternly to the small giggling dragonet, "You know to leave Mommy alone when guests are here. Same goes for you, Shadow," he said to the older male dragonet. 

"Fiiine," Panther giggled. "Put me down, Daddy! No tickle! No t--AAAAIEEEE! HEEEHEHEE!" she shrieked as Deathbringer lightly tickled her chin.

"Wait," said Starwatcher. "These--your--you had s--these dragonets--you--wh--but--bodyguard--the queen--you did it?" she finished awkwardly. 

Glory turned light pink, then green again. "Yes, dragonet. We "did" it. What brings you here?"

"Er--can my friends and I have permission to be in your rainforest? We'll leave as soon as we find something."

Glory looked suspicious, but she nodded, "Sure, yes, just don't kill any sloths or any dragons."

"Thanks! Now we'll be going--"

"No, I'm not done. First you must agree to one thing."

"What?"

"Dragonet-sit these dragonets."