Wings of Honor: Bad Moon Rising

Chapter 4: Amazing Grace

I found myself back at home, getting out of bed. It had to be summer, everyone was up before me.
"Bubby's up!" Gregory half shouted, half grumbled. He was at his desk, a soap box car from a lettuce crate strewn about.
"Morning."
"Good morning love."
I leaned over while I passed Momma, she gave me a kiss on the head. Daddy was listening to the radio in his little spot by the large window. Grandma was knitting a scarf, or a a blanket, or some other. Even my aunt Stepha was coloring in a coloring book.
I sat down at my desk, lighting the candle to give me some extra light. Opening one of the drawers, I took out a stack of quality stationery and a stack of simple lined paper. Grabbing a 6H artist pencil.
I liked using the harder pencils because they lasted longer and were easier to erase mistakes.
"What are you writing about today hun?"
I tapped the eraser against my lip.
"I don't know."
"How about the fact the Yankees are 86-68!"
I chuckled and rolled my eyes.
"How's your Zombie Train book coming along?"
"Just fine. I don't know what Will and JJ are gonna do."
"Have a baby." Daddy laughed in his corner of the couch. I rolled my eyes, but the idea wasn't terrible.
"What if JJ works at an orphanage, or a homeless shelter. You know, the things you do at Palma." Momma suggested.
Sure, I mean yeah, I wanted to include aspects of my life and growth, through the eyes of Will. "That's not bad. I'll get right on that."
"Oye mi mijo. Can you go next door and get the newspaper for me?" Grandma asked in her kind voice.
"Will do."
Setting down my pencil and throwing on my jacket.
"Any magazines?"
"On my bed."
I picked up the bundle, heading out, I opened the main door, then the screen door. I made my way down the steps and through the little side gate. The warm sun beeping down on me. I stepped through the gate, and then back into darkness.

The next morning, I was woken by something pawing at me. I sat up with a start, startling Grace a little. She sat up on her tail, almost like if she was worried she made a mistake. I rubbed my eyes, clearing out the crud and rubbing some clarity into them.
"What is it Grace?" I asked. She looked over at the tent entrance, then back at me.
"Potty." She squeeked.
"Oh."
I got out of my tent as quickly as I could, crawling around her to undo the tent entrance. Grabbing my flashlight, I took a quick glance around.
The ground was wet, the rains must've only recently stopped. I unbuttoned the tent fully, coaxing the dragon out.
"There, go. Do your business."
Grace seemed to pause and shudder at the sudden onset of the cold, jungle air. But she bounded off, out of sight.
Actually, I should follow suit.
It was still early. The sun was barely peeking through the trees. I wasn't as worried as I probably should be about her. But it was as if we already shared a mutual trust. Then it finally clicked on a freshly rested mind.
She's a mindreader! Like Moon.
I saw Grace in a whole new light.
Her fangs? Rainwing fangs. She could likely spit venom, that'll be useful in a pinch. What other things can she do? Oh my, Grace might be the worst dragon to anger.
With that, Grace reappeared at the edge of camp, running quickly to get out of the cold air and mud.
"Grace." I greeted her, but she shot right past me and tried to crawl into my bedroll.
"Cold." She squeaked. I chuckled.
"Alright. You can stay there until you're ready to come out."
Grace stayed in the tent, keeping warm, although I left the entrance wide open so she could get acquainted with the cold air.
I went about my daily duties. After going pee, I went about resetting the fire. The mud had been fired into an adobe material, and actually managed to maintain its shape. I threw down some dirt into the hole to absorb the water, then I scooped out the resulting mud. Once that was set, I went about setting up for a fire. Layering branches, sticks, and coconut husks. The lighter made quick work of the kindling, falling down into a roaring fire. I set up the poles and pushed my makeshift still to warm as the fire took hold. Setting up the remainder of the water materials, that was all I needed to do for water. I heard a small rumbling, followed by the sudden onset of a familiar peckish feeling in my stomach. I looked back and saw Grace looking at herself.
"Hun-gry?"
I admit, listening to her try and sound out words was the cutest thing.
"Alright. Let me go get you some food. Give me a minute."
I grabbed a C ration, and a K ration, and began opening them up. I would mix and match them to make a meal for Grace.
I also grabbed one of the brown coconuts I dehusked earlier, and cracked it open on the rock. I poured half of the milk back into the other half.
On the small lead out of the tarp, I layed out our food. Meat stew and veggies as well as chopped ham and eggs were warming on the side of the fire.
I was wondering if Grace would find the ham more palatable then I did.
Laying out the biscuits, a fruit bar, and the chocolate fudge brick, hoping I could lure her out. She was sitting up, half still covered by the bedroll. She made a "come here" motion with her head, I mimicked her with my hands.
"You come here. I'm up to eat, you have to come out to eat."
She stamped her foot with a huff of bluish smoke, turned, then dug her way back into the bedroll. I just rolled my eyes and chuckled. Once the food was ready, I picked them off with a couple sticks.
The pungent smell of ham overpowered the much more welcoming meat stew. I dripped some water onto the cans to try and cool them down, not noticing the steam blew the smell towards the tent. I pretended not to notice Grace poking her head out, eyeing the food. I turned back, setting the water to clean out the canteens.
When I turned back, I saw Grace slurping up the meat stew. I chuckled, just watching her eat. Once she finished, she set the tin back down, grabbed a biscuit in her maw, and retreated back inside. Out of curiosity, I looked back inside the tin.
"Nuh Huh. You better come back out here Grace and eat your vegetables."
I tried to pick up the tin, but the damn thing burned my fingers. I hissed and nearly threw the can. I heard a throaty laugh.
"Ay... the order still stands. Come back here and eat your vegetables."
"No." She spat out, crunching down on her biscuit.
"Don't make me start counting!"
She stuck her black forked tongue at me, like a snake.
"One!"
She kept eating her biscuit.
"Two!"
Now she was cowering under my voice. Eyeing me with nervousness, her tail swishing.
"Don't-make-me-drag-you-out-of-there. Two and-a-half!"
Here came Grace, the remainder of her biscuit in maw. She set it down nearby and tipped the tin. She looked inside, hesitating at the smooshed veggies.
"I know. But you're gonna need them if you want to grow big and strong."
"I don't wanna!" She sat the tin back and sat up, crossing her arms. I stopped for a moment, blinking in disbelief.
"Hey." I sat down next to her, letting my arm rest between her wings on her shoulders. "You need strength. You need the nutrients. If you don't get your vitamins, you're gonna have to get them another way. Like... eating a D ration."
I imagined the crusty, hard chocolate bar. But make no mistake, this thing was NOT CANDY. It tasted like compressed hot chocolate powder. It was halfway to being hydroscopic, and would coat your throat and mouth if you tried chewing it. I have seen men bound up with gastrointestinal problems from eating these things too quickly. You could dissolve it into water and have a warm, neutral tasting chocolate stew, but it was still awkward and completely against everything what you would expect. It's just horrible. Just horrible. I think I got my point across when I saw Grace's wide eyes.
No thanks.
She slurped down those veggies. I had to stifle a chuckle.
I ate the ham and eggs bit by bit. We both snacked on our share of biscuits. I split the fruit bar, and Grace actually tried it. Maybe she was growing on trying new things.
For the fudge cube, I was a little worried that dragons might not be able to eat chocolate without getting sick, like dogs do. When Grace stepped up to sniff it, I grabbed it away from her. She looked at me with puppy eyes, I'm sure she could smell it was a treat.
"Can I?" She squeeked, bringing tears to my eyes for absolutely no reason at all. I looked back at the chocolate fudge.
Should I risk it? I mean, she's a pretty big dragon, much bigger than a dog. And also, not a dog. Can dragons even eat chocolate? If I get her sick, I'll never be able to forgive myself.
Grace shied away.
Okay. I won't.
I wasn't even shocked that we could comunícate mentally.
No wait.
She stopped, looking up to me. I broke the cube in half, then broke a half into a fourth. I handed a small piece to her.
"Desert. After you eat. I'm not going to give you any more."
She looked down at the sweet treat, but held off on it, and went for the biscuits instead. I smiled.
She can control herself. That's good.
I watched over her as we finished our meal. Once she had finished her share of biscuits, she bit off a bit of the fudge. I smiled as I saw her face shift five times.
This is really good!
I smiled, eating my half of the fudge. I was about done with my meal, and began packing up the trash.
Just as I was, unfamiliar minds drifted in. I noticed Grace turn to the same place I was looking.
Why would Deathbringer send us to a place like this?
I don't know. He's such a bossy dragon.
But Queen Glory likes him.
Does she?
Yeah! I didn't know either until Okapi told me.
Wow. And I thought all Nightwings were way too serious.
I looked to Grace, she met me.
Hide. Hide somewhere.
I threw on my jacket and grabbed my MKB. Grace ran into the tent, maybe to hide underneath the duffle. It's black, she might be able to camouflage. I ran out to the edge of camp and knelt down.
Make me invisible.
I saw my hand and my weapon fade out.
Stay hidden. Don't make a sound Grace.
I won't.
We stayed still, as the bumbling Rainwings edged closer to camp. I brought out my glasses, spotting them in the brush. I stayed as still and quiet as I could, watching them.
They suddenly became aware of my camp, turning to camouflage. If it wasn't for my glasses, I would've lost them, but they still were silhouetted in the brush. They inched closer, peering through the trees at my camp. They looked around, scanning the camp. Then they uncloaked.
"What is this place?"
"Who cares?"
"It looks like a campsite."
"It does? What is this thing?"
The Rainwing bumped the pup tent, while the other started looking at the trash pile.
"Fire? Here?"
"Didn't it rain last night?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
Don't you think someone was here?
The first Rainwing was suspicious, while the second one reminded me of my former warden Heleconia. The first one swiped the nearby mound of dirt, I kept nearby for safety, into the fire.
Damn. I can re-dig it though.
Then he looked over the camp. The second was obsessed with the silver and gold foil tin cans.
I shivered and a cold front hit me when the first walked up to the tent, the second joined him. Right where Grace was hiding. The first Rainwing stuck his head in. I padded my steps as best as I could towards the tent, but he drew back out.
Nothing but some weird stuff.
"Grace?"
I threw my hand over my mouth, my rifle clattered. Both Rainwings spun around, going to camo. I held my breath as I went to ground, rolling over to the extinguished campfire as the Rainwings tore up the dirt.
"Someone's here!"
"Where?"
"Go!"
They both took off, disappearing through the trees. I remained still, until I couldn't hear their minds anymore. I took a deep sigh.
Make me visible.
My hand and rifle came back to me. My jacket was covered in dirt.
Okay Grace. We're safe. Where are you?
Panic began seeping into me as I ran into the tent.
"Grace?"
I was about to tear apart the camp.
Where did she go? Where did she go?
Tears flooded my eyes. I broke into a cold sweat.
Where could she be? How could she be? "Grace! Grace!"
"I'm here."
I swung around, just in time to see a small Nightwing materialize before me, as if a tiny Kinkajou masqueraded as Grace.
"Grace! Oh my God!" I threw my arms around her, hugging her tight. "Grace! How did you do that? How did you get away?"
"I... I don't know."
"Are you part Rainwing?"
"What's that?"
"Those dragons. Grace, you can camouflage! That's amazing!"
She looked at her claws. Somehow, she turned them into different colors, then to camo.
"Wow." She exclaimed.
"That's good. That's good." I pulled her back into a hug. "My little Gracebringer. They can't hurt you if they can't find you. That's fantastic!"
She shied away, like I would if I was flattered. But then I realized the consequences of what just happened.
The Rainwings know where we are now.
I turned back to Grace. She was staring deep into my soul.
"We have to go."
"Why?" She cried.
"I can't risk bringing any bad dragons to you. I have to keep you safe, remember? The Rainwings don't quite like me very much."
"Why?" She asked. Memories of the angry Nightwings and Rainwings chasing me while I desperately held onto Qibli. "Oh."
"They don't like me. For whatever reason, they think I stole you. I didn't, Goldman did, I... was collateral damage. I'll tell you on the way."
I started stuffing as much as I could carry. Food, I locked up the undistilled water pot, refilled the canteens. Anything that wasn't strictly necessary was either packed in the duffle or left. I tore up the stakes, folding the tent and tarp as quickly as I could. Stuffing it into my backpack, I threw the old straw basket on my back.
"You should be able to fit in here."
I knelt down so Grace could try and climb in. She took one look at it, then shook her head.
"I'm too big."
"Really?"
Hot damn, she was. It was as if she had gone through a growth spurt through the night and throughout the day. How fast do dragons grow? Later. I'd save it for later. I took out the blankets and stuffed them in the duffle. Less weight, less bulk: more speed.
I threw the duffle over my back, feeling the heavy weight on my shoulders.
"You'll have to walk Grace. Maybe I can carry you for a mile or two miles, but you'll have to walk some."
"Okay. I can do that."
"Alright. Let's move."
I drew out my compass from Its own little holster. I chartered our way to Jade Mountain.
"Jade Mountain?"
"That's our best bet. The sooner we get out of this jungle the better. Let's go."