Wings of Honor: Tales of Pyrrhia

Chapter 2: Hope

Pantala is safe, now and forever, from the other mind. Me and the rest of my friends were allowed to return to Pyrrha.
I never thought I would be so happy to see land again, my land. The land I hatched on and saved from Darkstalker. I flew straight to the rainforest, happy to see my Mommy after all this time. But... I had to go back to Jade Mountain. That was where I belonged. But Mommy told me she'd visit as often as she could. Sunny even said she could become a teacher if she wanted to. I giggled at the thought. But... I was happy once I got back.
Things looked the same, but were also different. The competing hum of dragonets going about their day, attending class, and getting lunch. The Prey Counter looked to be rebuilt, now a lot safer without massive spikes hanging from the ceiling. I shivered as memories of my first days here came back.
"Moon?"
I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Qibli." I smiled. Seeing my best SandWing friend.
"Are you admiring the new Jade Mountain Acadamy?" He walked up to me.
"I guess I am." I smiled.
"I was thinking we could check out our old caves. You know. For old time's sake."
"That sounds great."
He nodded, and I followed him down the halls. We passed our old cave. Memories of my clawmates. Kinkajou, Carnelian.
The thought of her name caused me to shiver again. The history cave blowing up, her being caught in the blast. Sora and Umber were also still missing. Even still, I remember the chaos.
I wish I was as strong then as I am now.
"Moon?"
I snapped back to see Qibli staring at me from the side. I looked down and saw I was about to step right into the underground lake.
"Oh. Thanks." I sat up.
"Don't mention it. Lost in thought?" He nodded towards me
Yeah. I said mentally.
There were so many memories, even in this pool. Where Turtle helped me, where he learned about my abilities. How I learned Skyfire could block them. It was a long time ago, but it all still felt like it happened yesterday. I laid down in front of the pool with a big sigh.
"Happy much?" Qibli commented, laying down alongside me.
"Yeah. It's good to be back." I mumbled. Feeling his radiant, fuzzy, warmth.
"Yeah. All the excitement, all the trouble. It's nice to be back... and be able to relax for just a little while."
I heard the gentle buzz of the skyfire blocking my ability to see into his mind. It was strangely comforting, and I had gotten to know him a lot better over the past weeks. We must've stayed there for quite a while, just enjoying each other's company. Until I heard someone approach over the buzzing, angrily mumbling to herself.
"Are those two in HERE? They should know to say at least 'hi' to us first. But NO! They go and march into the school like they OWN the place!"
I whispered over to Qibli. "Tsunami's coming."
"Good grief." He rolled his eyes.
We both sat up in time to see the blue SeaWing round the corner. She looked stunned for a moment, then marched up to us.
"I had to be the one to tell Sunny. Everyone's waiting in the Library to hear what happened in Pantala!"
She turned to walk away. Me and Qibli looked at each other. Then she stopped, looking over at us, aggressively motioning her head to follow.
"Come on!" You lazy squid brains!
Following her to the library, I heard the clattering minds of the former Dragonets of Destiny.
"Moon! I can't believe she's back!" I wonder what she saw? What different kinds of dragons are there? Are they anything like us? Ohhh! I hope she tells me!
I quickly recognized her as Sunny.
Clay was a lot more... diplomatic.
Did she make new allies? She couldn't've upset anyone too badly. With what I've heard of the other mind. I hope she didn't bring anything bad back. No, I trust her. She would never.
I smiled at his well-earned trust in me.
Queen Glory... was a bit less diplomatic.
"So more tribes to keep track of?" How dangerous are these new tribes? Are they a threat to the RainWings or NightWings? And this Other Mind they keep talking about, is it as bad as it sounds. No. It isn't. And if it is, I'll rip it apart with my own claws!
And finally, the humble but calculating mind of Starflight.
I wonder what these new dragons look like? And their knowledge, how many scrolls do they have? Do they have history on us? I mean, we've barely heard of them. I hope Moon can help me write a scroll on them, maybe Qibli as well.
I must admit, Starflight and Qibli together, they could finish a scroll between them in a matter of days, if not, hours.
We finally veered the corner, and there they all were, chattering amongst each other.
"Moon! You're back!" Sunny instantly recognized me, jumping up towards us.
"Moon?" Suddenly, a small pink and yellow RainWing appeared from the cave mouth. A RainWing I recognized as my best friend Kinkajou! "Moon! It really is you!" She came bounding up to me, full of energy as always. "I knew you'd be okay. With your mind-reading powers and friends like Qibli, you are UNSTOPPABLE!"
I giggled at the thought. As quickly as she came, I noticed Starflight turn towards me.
"Well, Moon? What did you see? What is beyond the oceans of Pyrrhia?"
I sighed. "There's a lot of explaining to do-"
Suddenly, I felt a huge headache come on. It pierced through all my defenses almost instantly. I tried to block the assault, but nothing happened.

A vision took hold of me.
Fire. Fire and debris.
It wasn't anything like my last prophecies, but words still rang out in my mind and marched out my mouth.
"Find the one who has cheated death.
Find the one with a weapon alone.
He who is rescued, will rescue all.
May he see the light, before the world is set in stone."
I saw... a scavenger. He held something. Something lit by the fire and flames. Then he turned around, looking straight at me. He... he smiled. Then it all disappeared.

I was on the ground, clutching my head. All the other dragons swarmed around me.
Moon! Are you okay?
"Moon! It's just like what happened before!" Kinkajou exclaimed.
"What happened before?" Tsunami asked while Qibli helped me up.
"A prophecy," I said.
I saw Starflight's face turn to scowl. "That prophecy doesn't sound like anything I know." He said.
"And what's this weapon? It says we have to find him alone? Or alone with a weapon?" Qibli was already trying to figure it out.
All eyes turned to me, their minds wheeling and turning. I shrunk a little bit, I still wasn't able to shake that old feeling.
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it before. But there was this... scavenger."
"Scavenger?" Kinkajou stepped up.
"Yes. But he looked... different... somehow."
"Why? All scavengers are small and wear strips of fur right? We should go check out all the scavenger dens to see for sure." Sunny suggested
"Wait! I think I know where I was. Can I see a map?"
Starflight navigated his way back to his desk. He was doing surprisingly well for a dragon that couldn't see. He came back with a scroll of the map of Pyrrhia. Unfurling it out onto the table, I examined it. The six kingdoms, and two smaller settlements for the Nightwings. I tried to replay the images I saw. Mountains, like those in Jade Mountain. But there was a beach. It was warm, like the desert was nearby. But also humid, like how it was in the forest. Suddenly, I saw where all those things overlapped. I placed my claws in a small bay, below Jade Mountain and between the Kingdom of sand and the Rainforest Kingdom.
"Whatever's about to happen. It will happen there."
There was silence, but everyone's mind was racing.
Are they dangerous?
She said they were scavengers, they can't be that dangerous.
Scavengers? This close to Jade Mountain? We could go and study them!
I felt a warm claw on me. Qibli stood behind me, noticing my headache.
"Whatever it is, we'll find out together." He nodded.
"Yes, I'll organize a search party." Sunny peeped.
"If those scavengers are so important that they warrant a prophecy." Tsunami said, as happy as ever. "We'll find them. And we'll keep them safe." Not like how the Talons of Peace treated us.
She was still bitter about that?
"You go ahead and search for them. Make sure they're alright. Pantalla can wait until later." Tsunami barked.
I nodded to Clay, before leaving with Qibli. I heard their minds work away.
A new prophecy! How exciting!
I have a bad feeling of whatever's about to happen.
No matter what, we're still a family. We're going to get through this. Together.