Wings of Honor: Saving Grace

Chapter 5: Following Firescales

I was up in the skies again, surrounded by the comfortable air and fluffy clouds folding themselves around me with every wingbeat. But I was not feeling happy.
Below us, the familiar shape of the Claws of the Clouds Mountains lay far below us. It reminded me of when Marvin flew over the sunny Gabalan range, and later the dark Santa Lucia range in California. Mountains that snaked their way through the land, bordering the Central Vally, providing peace, and safety, and comfort to many. So many.
Peril twisted into my attention. She loved flying. One of the few things she could enjoy without risk, by herself. She didn't have to watch about burning anyone, she didn't have to worry about anything other than herself. Somewhere where she could stretch her wings, and not be thought of a firescales or as a monster, but fly as a true SkyWing.
She was content.
Even though she now had a tail. Even though he was born with wings, he flew a bit clumsily and was much slower than Peril. I considered placing myself between them, but the 2nd in command in me told me to stay to the rear. I was not leading them, but I sure as hell were taking care of them. The ASL in this situation.
A few thoughts pierced through her fire. She wanted to talk to Clay before she left, but that would have put the entire academy in jeopardy. Then was when the Love plan would need to be used. But... she doubled back, she wasn't even sure she could look him in the eye anymore, after what we overheard back in the hall. At least not until she brought back the charred remains of Queen Scarlet.
I shook that image away from my mind.
"Where are we going?" Turtle called from behind her.
She twisted in midair to give him the "butter bars" 2nd Lieutenant look. "To kill Queen Scarlet," she deftly replied. "Remember? There was a whole conversation a few hours ago. I'm pretty sure you were there, because I was like, 'you're not coming with me,' and you were all, 'how are you going to stop me?' and I was all, 'I can think of a pretty good way,' and you were like, 'by setting me on fire? That sounds like cutting off your tail to spite your wings,' and I was like, 'I could cut off YOUR tail,' and you were all, 'let's just go before Ruby comes back -' "
"All right," Turtle finally interrupted her before I froze her mouth shut. "I know all that. I mean, where are we going to kill Queen Scarlet? How do we even start looking for her? Or my sister?"
"Oh." Peril swooped down and made a loop and a flip in the sky. From what she recalled, she had searched for Scarlet for months after releasing her from Burn's weirdling tower-whatever that is-, with no success. What did she think would be different now? Is that... not like the definition of insanity?
Yes. Peril, insane. I smirked. Sometimes I actually believe I'm an idiot.
"The mountains?" she suggested. "Maybe we could ... fly around them. A lot."
"Forgive me for mentioning this," Turtle said, "but I'm getting the impression that you're not much of a planner."
A laugh slipped through the cracks. Thankfully far enough back so they couldn't hear me.
"What have I ever needed to plan?" Peril demanded. "Do you know anything about my life? Here's how it went: Wake up, eat breakfast, Queen Scarlet tells me to kill one of her prisoners, I kill that prisoner, eat dinner, go back to sleep. Pretty simple. Not a lot of big decision-making involved."
"Really?" Turtle asked. "Were you happy?"
Peril dropped down to catch a warm air current. I banked around. But what Turtle said stuck with me. Would somebody be happy?
I thought of Marvin. He was good at being a soldier, and was good enough to lead; but I would say it's what he would be happy doing for the rest of his life? What he really wanted to do most, was get home to his family, return to the railroads. Even he was beginning to recognize that the thing he loved most about the rails was beginning to die off. Most of the technical jargon I didn't recognize, but his desire was frighteningly clear. He wanted to drive a train once before he died,
Marvin wasn't what you could call "happy" right now. I mean, how could he? His family is in a whole 'nother world. His squad is split up in time. What men he brought are also split up on opposite corners of the world.
Wait! Travers! The Sky Kingdom! Possibility! We're headed that way!
"I had an idea," Turtle said. "I bet Tsunami will head for water if she's stopped anywhere. Can we check for clues down by the river?"
Peril was too busy thinking something else to argue. We banked downwards, following him down until they reached a rocky spot along the riverbank. Turtle landed in the water with a splash. I found a small clearing of grass nearby, touching down with barely a sound. Peril came down gently on the shore. She looked like she tried to aim for a spot with nothing but rocks and sand, but her tail accidentally caught a small shrub growing near the water. It instantly burst into flames, and almost as quickly burned out into a blackened heap of shriveled branches sticking out of it like skeletal fingers.
"Ack," Peril said, curling her tail in. "Sorry."
Turtle blinked at the plant but didn't say anything. He stuck his nose in the river and then shook it, scattering droplets everywhere nearby. A few hit Peril, sizzling on her scales. They were so hot, the droplets immediately flashed to steam.
"Maybe I wasn't happy," she blurted out. Turtle looked startled, and a little confused, as if he'd forgotten what they were talking about. That didn't stop her from continuing on, though. "But I also wasn't so worried all the time. I only had one dragon to please, and I didn't always manage that, but at least I understood what I needed to do. Now everything is confusing. I guess - I mean, which would you rather be: lonely or insecure?"
I hung my head at the decision. I already knew what Marvin picked.
The SeaWing spread his wings across the surface of the water, sending ripples out in all directions. "Well," he said, "I've tried lonely, so maybe I'd pick insecure." He pounced suddenly, sending a cascade of water over Peril's talons, and then sat up, brandishing a fish speared on one of his claws. "Hungry?"
"No, thanks," Peril said. She glanced up and down the river. I did as well. Other than being a quiet stream, bordered by trees, two of the moons were up, so we could see the outline of trees on the far side. A few small, fast moving, flutterings of owls swooping through the trees, they were hunting in the dark.
Turtle began splashing upriver, Peril followed him, I followed after her. She paced along the riverbank, avoiding anything that looked remotely flammable. But even still, she left little scorched clawprints from whatever crabgrass or weeds she inevitably stepped on.
"Maybe we should head to Possibility," Turtle said. "We can meet up with Moon and Qibli there and find out what happened to Winter and Kinkajou." His voice hitched slightly on the last word: Kinkajou. Peril gave him a sharp look.
"What was that?" she demanded. "Are you about to cry?"
"No," he said, biting the head off his fish. "I'm just worried about them."
"They're safer in Possibility than anywhere," Peril said. "It's a town full of dragons and more than half of them aren't too fond of Queen Scarlet. At least, they really, really don't like being asked about her. They tend to throw things. Which they also do when you set even the smallest basket of snails on fire - by accident, mind you. Frankly, I think they should rename the place Unnecessary Violent Overreaction."
I hushed my laugh. Thank God for a sound masking river.
In the dim moonlight, Peril squinted towards Turtle. I'm guessing she couldn't tell if Turtle's expression was concerned or mildly amused. Admittedly, sometimes Turtle's emotions were a mix as well, but I was biasing towards concerned.
"Anyway," she went on, "I'm not looking for an entourage. If I take more dragons with me to face Queen Scarlet, it just means more dragons for her to kill."
I shook my head.
No. More men means more eyes on the situation. More hands available to do work. More firepower on the point if shit goes down, and in more directions.
"Is that what you think is going to happen to me?" he asked.
"Probably," she said. "I mean - wait, what's the reassuring thing to say?"
"No," he said. "That one's pretty easy. The correct answer is no."
"Oh," she said. "OK, that."
I swayed my head. Eh, sometimes being abrasively truth is what you need to be. "No fluff," how Momma used to tell Marvin.
"But Moon and Qibli might know where Scarlet is," Turtle pointed out. A half-squad of yawping frogs had been burbling away nearby, but cut off abruptly as the dragons approached. "Ruby said they told Sunny something about a new ally of hers, remember?"
Peril frowned.
How could Queen Scarlet have a new ally? Who was it, and where did he come from? Does she like him more than me?
She caught herself with a stamp of annoyance that sent sparks flying off one of the stones underfoot. I was surprised none had exploded yet. river rocks had a tendency to do that when heated up.
Of course Scarlet would like her new ally more than me - whoever it was must have agreed to help her when I wouldn't. Also, more importantly, I shouldn't care anymore. It was habit to want Scarlet to like me more than anyone, but it was a bad habit, and I wish I could scour it out of my brain.
The new ally - was it an animus dragon? The one who had enchanted the severed head? Did that mean other magic was lurking up ahead for them?
If Goldman allied with Scarlet. But why? I mean, they both hate the dragonets. No, they're going after different dragons, aren't they? But they were so instrumental, if any of the founders died, the entire continent would be liable to plunge into war.
I sighed, this world is like a tinderbox, just a single spark could send everything into the fires of hell. And I was supposed to make sure that wouldn't happen? This feels like, a job too big for just one dragon.
I really wished I had someone like Marvin with me to help in times like this. Thankfully, I watched that that did not become an enchantment.
"Um ... does it seem quieter than it should be?" Turtle asked, pausing in the center of the river.
I held my breath. Listening.
Peril stopped and listened, too. The water ran softly around Turtle's talons, almost like it was trying to echo the rustling leaves in the wind overhead.
But there were no more owls swooping, no frogs glurping. It seemed as though even the droning bugs and crickets had fallen silent.
NOT GOOD.
Peril slowly twisted in place, scanning the dark trees, wishing she had night vision. So I watched for her. Wishing I had Marvin's glasses to see through the trees and make out any dangers.
Was that a glimmer of silver scales off to the left?
Did I just imagine the crack of a branch snapping under talons?
Could I smell a hint of smoke on the air?
I felt the presences of minds nearby, but I couldn't make them out. Interference from the trees and Turtle's skyfire. But there were three unknowns. Three contacts.
And then, all of a sudden, the river exploded.
Turtle let out a yell of fright as three dragons burst out of the water almost directly beneath his talons. One of them seized his wings and tail and pinned him down with a violent splash that cascaded over Peril's scales.
At the same moment, two more dragons flew out of the forest, their claws outstretched and teeth bared. Peril whirled to face them, flinging her wings open.
Try to grab me! Just try!
Everything happened so fast. There was no time for thinking.
I ran.
"Don't touch her!" Turtle bellowed, thrashing around like a fish out of water. "It'll kill you! Her scales are fire!"
The two dragons skidded to a stop just out of her reach. Their claws left grooves in the pebbled sand.
I skidded just behind her. She turned to face me, looking me over. I just stood in terror for a moment, but then I remembered. I could stand her firescales, if for just a short time. If they try, I could freeze them, I could envelop Peril. I could keep everyone safe. But I sacrificed my own secrecy.
Peril turned back.
"He's right," she said, glowering at her attackers. "I am Peril of the SkyWings. Perhaps you've heard of me." One of the dragons ahead of us was a big red SkyWing, and Peril definitely saw her flinch and take a step back. "But if you'd like to find out whether he's telling the truth, come a bit closer and we can do a fun experiment." She spread her wet front talons in front of her and smiled wickedly at the coils of steam still rising from them.
"Don't." I pleaded at them. It was then that I recognized the dragons. They didn't recognize me though, not yet at least. I didn't notice I was colored a bright blue with pale green stripes.
"It's true," said the SkyWing. "I recognize her now. Stay back, Cirrus."
He was one of the other dragons. Serious, the severe-looking IceWing, gave Peril a scornful look as if he highly doubted anyone, even a firescales dragon, could possibly be a match for him.
Oooo, please try it, Peril thought, giving him an innocent expression.
"So it's not Scarlet?" asked one of the SeaWings.
The SkyWing lashed her tail. "No. This is Peril, who might be worse."
"I beg your pardon," said Peril, genuinely offended. "Maybe you haven't heard. I'm friends with the dragonets of destiny now. I don't set other dragons on fire anymore. Not unless they provoke me," she added, shooting the IceWing a fierce glare.
"That is one of the rumors going around," said the SkyWing. "But we all know a dragon can't change her scales."
"Maybe not, but I can change my mind," Peril said defiantly. "Unlike some dragons, apparently."
"I've not only heard of you, little monster," said the SkyWing, "I was one of the guards sent after your mother when she tried to escape with you." She took a step toward Peril, lashing her tail and looking murderous.
"Avalanche," one of the SeaWings said softly. "Careful -"
I wanted to say something, but... I couldn't. I just stood there, ready to react instead.
"My biggest regret," said Avalanche, smoke billowing from her mouth and ears, "is that we didn't kill you then. I don't care that Kestrel got away. But if I'd known Scarlet would keep you alive -"
"Wait," said Cirrus, flaring his silver-white wings. "Did you say Kestrel?"
Avalanche gave him an irritated look. "Yes. What?"
"Kestrel of the SkyWings?" Cirrus said. "Big, red, grumpy-looking?"
I squinted at him. What did Kestral have to do with Serious? I mean, Marvin though he was suspicious, I can't hear him, and now he's asking about the guardian of the Dragonets of Destiny and Peril's mother?
"You've just described fifty percent of all SkyWings," said the MudWing still sitting on top of Turtle. "The other half is big, orange, and grumpy-looking."
I couldn't laugh at that right now.
"What does she have to do with anything?" Cirrus asked.
"She was this creature's mother," Avalanche said. "The one who wouldn't hand her over to be killed."
Cirrus frowned, carving deep channels across his forehead. "That can't be right. Kestrel never had any dragonets."
"Ha," Avalanche muttered. "We all wish THAT were true."
"Did you know her?" Peril asked Cirrus.
He was shaking his head, but I still picked up something off in his expression. On top of being suspicious as all hell.
"I doubt you would have met," said the SeaWing who'd spoken before. I picked up he was Nautilus.
"She joined the Talons of Peace before you did, and then she was assigned to guarding the dragonets underground before you came to us. Once the guardians went into hiding with the eggs, most of the Talons of Peace never saw them."
"But you did?" Peril asked the IceWing again. From Peril's description, Cirrus looked as if a pile of ashes was slowly turning back into a dragon right in front of his eyes. But was he happy? Angry? Confused? She couldn't tell what he even thought about Kestrel, although he was clearly feeling something.
Something.
"No," he said, shaking his head again, more vigorously. "Not - that is, only by reputation."
Both me and Peril wondered if he was lying. But how could an IceWing have known Kestrel if they didn't meet in the Talons of Peace?
Too many factors. It would be all but impossible, unless they did a pen pal type deal or something, a middleman.
"Can I get back to my menacing story now?" Avalanche demanded.
"Oh, let me skip to the ending," Peril spat. "You failed to catch or kill my mother as she escaped. You were punished. Then you discovered that I was still alive, instead of flung off a cliff like most firescales dragonets, and you've been seething about it ever since, which is funny because I have never had even one thought about you in my entire life."
Avalanche glowered at her for a long moment. Peril flicked her tail gently, casually, resulting in a clump of reeds bursting into flames behind her.
"Oops," she said. Not even turning around
The Seawings scrambled to put the fire out. I threw a pile of dust at it, accidently catching the MudWing in the crossfire. Although the next SeaWing splash washed it off almost immediately.
But of course, Peril had really done it to see that expression of powerless fury on Avalanche's face. It was something Marvin would do if he didn't care about having the moral high ground. Or if he needed to intimidate, like at the Indestructible City.
"Are you in league with Scarlet?" One of the other SeaWings asked breathlessly once the fire was out. "We heard she was recently seen not far from here. Do you know where she is?"
"No," Peril snapped.
"We're looking for her, too," Turtle offered, his voice muffled by the MudWing tail draped across his face. "I mean," he added hastily, "not to join her. To, uh, kill her and stuff."
We need to have a chat about oversharing, Turtle. Peril spat.
In the moment of peace, I managed to steel myself and present myself.
"You're from the Talons of Peace right?"
"That's right." Nautilus said. "And who are you?" He canted his head, almost like he was beginning to recognize me.
"I'm Grace, of the 101st Airborne." D'OH! "I was with another group who made contact with Riptide. I'm sure you've heard." I turned toward the familiar IceWing and MudWing.
"Yeah." She said. "I remember you now. You're a Nightwing?"
I shrunk back a little. "You could say that." But I took a breath and stepped forward, ahead of Peril. "They're with me."
"Hmm." Nautilus mumbled. "Riptide did tell me. What are you doing out here? I thought you were in Possibility by now?"
Well damn.
"I'll just say I'm a fast flyer." As confident as I could muster, considering my voice cracked halfway through.
"And who are you?" Peril suddenly demanded, hoping to turn the tables on them. "My name is Nautilus," said the green SeaWing. "We spotted you flying and we've been tracking you for a while. There are several groups out looking for an orange SkyWing tonight."
"Since I'm clearly not Scarlet," said Turtle's thoroughly squashed-sounding voice, "is there any chance I could get up now?"
"Oh! Yes, sorry." Nautilus flicked his tail at the other two dragons, motioning them away. The MudWing scowled as she heaved herself off Turtle's wings. The MudWing with a broken tail.
"How did you know Scarlet was around?" Turtle asked, stretching his wings and neck with little crackling noises, popping back into place. "Did someone see her?"
"One of your friends, in fact." Avalanche sneered at Peril.
"Tsunami tried to chase her, but when she lost Scarlet not far from here, she came to the Talons of Peace for extra help." Nautilus puffed up his chest. "With all of us looking, Scarlet won't get far."
"I doubt that." I turned away, studying the sky.
"Tsunami is with you?" Turtle blurted. "Where? Can we see her? We have a message for her."
"She's out hunting Scarlet with Riptide and his group right now," Nautilus said haughtily, "but I can pass along anything you want her to know."
"All right, tell her Glory isn't dead," Turtle said. "Tell her it was a trick - it was a different dragon. Glory is fine. You have to tell her that as soon as possible."
"As soon as possible." I emphasized.
Nautilus and Avalanche exchanged glances. Peril realized that now they believed us.
So maybe Turtle's forest fire approach to blathering information was not so terrible, after all.
"Sometimes you just have to go loud." It was one of Marvin's key tactics anyways.
"I'll go," said the other SeaWing. "I think I know where their patrol went." He spread his wings and took off from the water in one smooth motion, suddenly whisking into the sky. I didn't even know they could take off from the water.
Nautilus watched him go, but Peril noticed that the IceWing, Cirrus, still had his glittering eyes on her.
"Are you wondering if my fire works on IceWing scales?" she asked him. I hung my head, I also knew. "The answer is yes, your wings and talons and face will melt and shrivel into ash just like anyone else's. I know from experience."
But not vice versa. I recalled from a book Marvin read.
"We're not going to release them into the wild," Cirrus hissed at the others, ignoring her. "You said it yourself - she's even more dangerous than Scarlet."
"Wow, you have a very confused and amusing view of this situation," Peril said. I hung my head. Here we go again. "We're not your prisoners. You couldn't take me prisoner even with an army of IceWings. Not even if all of them had arrogant foreheads like yours. There isn't actually a world in which you need to decide whether to 'release' me. I released myself a long time ago, but thanks anyway."
Peril actually thought she was actually showing remarkably noble restraint here.
He was basically asking to have his talons scorched off.
"We have no reason to hold them," said Nautilus.
"Especially since you literally can't," Peril pointed out. Maybe she needed to set something else on fire to make this point.
"Please be quiet Peril." I said through my teeth.
She twisted her neck to face me, confused.
"Hey, we're all on the same side here," Turtle said.
Avalanche snorted, sending tiny puffs of smoke out of her ears. She wasn't too partial to that. "We all want to catch Scarlet."
"And where are you going to look for her?" Cirrus demanded.
"We're going to Possibility first," said Turtle.
"Not that it's any of your business," Peril said, now giving Turtle a stern look.
"To find our friends," Turtle added, disregarding her. "Please tell Tsunami that, too."
"We will," said Nautilus. He nudged one of Turtle's wings with his.
"If we do spot her, we'll make sure to pass the word along." I added. Nautilus nodded at me.
"Come on Peril."
I brushed my wing against hers, trying to get her to move.
She suddenly leaped back. Her sudden movement shocked me as well. We were both facing down each other the next instant. Her mind reeling.
"It's okay. It's okay." I tried to be disarming.
She managed to sigh, turning back to the Talons still looking on.
"Good luck," Nautilus said.
"You too," said Turtle.
"I hope you die," Avalanche said to Peril. Causing me to make a face back at her.
"I would say it's mutual," said Peril, "except that I'm going to forget you exist in about a minute, so I don't actually care."
She was rewarded for that brilliant one liner with another expression of helpless rage.
That's right, you self-righteous fish nose. I learned a few things from Queen Scarlet, who could burn dragons without touching them.
Shooting a scornful look at Avalanche and Cirrus, Peril leaped into the sky with Turtle not far behind her. Exchanging nervous glances with Nautilus, I raced after them.
As she wheeled to fly north, Peril thought about what she'd said to Avalanche.
"I'll forget you exist in a minute ... I don't actually care ... "
If only it were true.
Turtle suddenly swooped over at me.
"You're back." He said. "I thought you went with Moon to Possibility. Is something wrong? Is Kinkajou okay?"
I sighed. There was a lot of explaining I would have to do.