Wings Of Fire: Closing Eyes (Prequel To The Last Day Series)

Crab - 1

   Crab had laid awake in his hammock long before his mother sauntered into his room.

    "How is my favorite son?" his mom said cheerfully. "Are you ready for your first day at the Academy?"

    Crab groaned and sat up. He had gone to the Academy for his whole life, but it was huge and chaotic and annoying.

    Why can't I just be homeschooled?

     The Academy was the only school on the Floating City, which was founded after the group from Pantala had arrived to Pyrrhia a long time ago. It was a huge city off the west coast of the Night and Sand Kingdoms and was jointly ruled by three queens- Zoraptera, Glasswing, and Canopy.

    Anyway, today was the first day of the school year. It wasn't that Crab hated school or anything, he just despised waking up so early. And all the loud dragons. And the weird foods they served for lunch. And a variety of other things.

   "Come on!" Mom said. Her bright orange and red tail flickered out of his room and Crab eased himself out of the hammock. His mother, a SilkWing named Akepa, worked at the school and taught much younger dragons. She was a good teacher, some of Crab's peers and teachers had dragonets who were taught by her. She was kind and nourishing, but if you were her dragonet, you'd know she was always in a nervous tizzy.

    Akepa had two children; Crab, and one who was still in their egg. Crab and his mother were both very protective of this egg, and it rested in a pile of blankets on a bay window in their cell. The building they lived in was based off of the Old Hives that were found on Pantala. It overlooked a park that was filled with older dragons who slept and ate and talked all day. Today, there was an art festival with younger dragons milling about. Further up the horizon, Crab could see the imposing palace of the three queens.

   Mom spooned a serving of cooked plantains and rice onto Crab's plate and put it on the counter. He stretched his wings and walked to the counter. Crab sniffed the steaming plantains.

    "These smell good," Crab picked the plate and strode to a table by the window. Mom sat down across from him and they ate in silence. Mother never talked much, and was happy that her dragonet still lived with her even though he was already twelve and would be legally required to move out at thirteen.

   To Crab, family was very important. His mother cared for him and his little sibling. Crab took care of his mom and the egg, and hopefully mother will be able to care for it when Crab left.

     After breakfast, Crab gathered his things for school and went to wait by the door for Akepa. She walked out wearing a black scarf and arm sheaths. She had black rings on her ears and horns. There were a few strands of silk stuck to her talons, and Crab gently pulled them off as she grabbed her bag. His mom had a hobby of silk-weaving, whether it came to hammocks, like Crab's, or clothing or bags or just art. Crab had tried to get into art, but his talons and silk seemed to work well with larger and sturdier things. Mother pat the egg gently and whispered goodbye.

   Crab and his mother opened the door to a balcony-style hallway with a large landing area on the end of it. They walked silently to the area and tipped off the side.

   For Crab, there was something about flying that seemed so cleansing. He could stretch all four of his wings out and lash his tail and spin and twist and bank and so, so many things. The sky was his canvas, and he was the paintbrush gliding through the clouds.

   He could feel his mom watching him with a smile as did a giddy loop. He had forgotten that they were going to school until they had reached the palace.

   The palace, called the Peace tower, was built in levels. It looked like a mish-mash of the Old Hives and giant trees and the silk bridges from Pantala. The main part of the tower was built like a Hive, with balconies and rippling papery materials. The top of the palace was a giant wooden carving, carved to look like tree branches. In these branches, there was actual plants, including huge vines and flowering bushes and actual giant trees. There was treehouses in the branches, and  a giant baobab tree in the center.