Wings of Fire - Cavernous Promises

Chapter 24

LOCUST

Locust watched as Cobalt collapsed to the ground, her claws seeming to fail her. At least she'll wake up herself, hopefully. Whoever that was before wasn't Cobalt.

"What was that?" asked Acacia, looking down at Cobalt with a concerned expression.

"We should get going, it won't be long before the entire Hive is after us." Locust snorted, stepping toward Cobalt. He gently pulled her onto his back, before lifting off into the air, looking for the nearest exit.

"Come on! We should try to get as far from the hive as possible." He called down to the group, trying his best to keep Cobalt on his shoulders. Mallow nodded and turned to the rest of the group, "He's right. When there's one HiveWing, there's more so we should get going."

"I agree we need a place for us to rest for the night, tend to our wounds and make sure Cobalt's okay." Admiral agreed, heaving himself into the air. Mallow followed suit, then Acacia leapt into the air, tailed by a grumbling Dragonfly.

They flew for a while heading toward Wasp hive whilst also searching for a safe place to land and stay the rest of the night.

"Guys, maybe we should stay in that sinkhole!" called Admiral, gilding next Locust, he was keeping up fine and actually seemed natural at flying, despite only having his wings for a few days.

"I'm not staying in that worm-hole!" hissed Dragonfly.

"Too bad, it's still a shelter." snapped Mallow, who seemed more bitter when she was tired, "Then maybe I can make us something with leaves."

It'll have to work, it's the only shelter for miles.
"I think we should go down and rest!" called Locust, dipping lower to get a better look at the hole. Admiral nodded so vigorously that his antennae bobbed up and down. He then paused and lifted his head. "It will also serve protection from the rain," he said, turning back to the group, "I know how hard it is for HiveWings to fly in the rain."

Dragonfly grumbled, before begrudgingly flying down into the hole. Locust followed keeping level so Cobalt wouldn't fall from between his wings. Admiral dived past Locust, his wings tucked neatly beside him. Mallow and Acacia drifted down to the bottom of the pit, like leaves falling from a tree. Locust finally landed at the bottom and relaxed his shoulders, Cobalt was beginning to stir on his back.

"What now?" asked Acacia scanning the area, before something caught his eye, "Hey look there's a cave over there." He bounded over to it, a dark rift in the rock. Locust grunted and followed, rain was beginning to fall from the sky and splatter on the stones that littered the base of the sinkhole. Locust plunged into the tunnel, the darkness rushing over his scales.

Eventually the tunnel opened into a cave with a slanted floor, the light was dim and he could barely see the end of his snout. Cobalt's claws dug into Locust's scales, as she gave a big yawn, "Wait, where are we? What happened?" she murmured, sleepily.

"In a cave, that really needs some light." replied Locust, puffing out his wings, "You wouldn't mind giving us some, unless anybody else's miracle item can become a lantern."

Cobalt hopped off of Locust's back, her blue scales shimmering in the dim light. "Do you want me to use my silk?" she asked, settling onto the stone floor.

"If you wouldn't mind." muttered Locust, settling down on his claws. Cobalt paused, before fire erupted from her wrists and fell in curls on the floor. Immediately light bathed the cave picking out the nooks in the walls, which were slick with water.

"Wonder if this cave connects with the one Skull and the rest lived in." murmured Mallow, as she settled down eyeing the flamesilk with one golden eye. Then Admiral fell over with a gasp.

"Guys... I... feel... weird..." he muttered, trying to get to his feet, staggered and slumped back down. Locust's heart sunk down to his claws, of course, their wristbands, why didn't I remember that.

"We need to get the wristbands off them now." growled Locust, rushing over to Admiral and grabbing his arm turning his palm upwards, engraved into it was a large A with a smaller F and M. The bronze armband was engraved with the name Morpho School. How do we get this off him? Locust snorted in frustration. Then a claw tapped his shoulder, Locust whipped his head around seeing it was Mallow. "Maybe we could use the flamesilk to burn through the cuff." she suggested, "Then we can get Cobalt's off."

"Good idea." murmured Locust, he walked over to the small pile of silk and carefully picked up a strand, cutting it to a reasonable size, before carrying it back to Admiral. Locust then placed the strand between the r and the p of Morpho. The bronze began to bubble as the flamesilk worked down through the metal. Mallow walked over with a second strand, she carefully rotated Admiral's wrist and placed her strand on the other side too Locust's. The cuff fell off with a clatter and Mallow quickly pulled the strands of flamesilk off Admiral's scales. "Cobalt now." she said, turning to Cobalt. They did the same procedure with Cobalt's band, they then picked up the bands and threw them into the far corner of the cave.

"Can we get something to eat? I'm starving!" Dragonfly whined, settling down on the ground. Acacia lifted his pouch over his shoulders and placed it on the ground. "Here!" He called, throwing a bone at Dragonfly's head, which he hit, making a strangely satisfying thunk.

"I'm you would throw bones at me, make sure it's the right one, I wanted food, not to have my parching thirst quenched, but that's fine too." snorted Dragonfly, flicking the bone back at Acacia.

"Stop treating it like that." snapped Mallow, "It's a serious enchanted item, not a play thing you can just throw around."

"I would be great if you were quiet," murmured Admiral, who had recovered from his dose of toxins, "I'm practicing my weave work."

"You're what?" asked Acacia, leaning over Admiral's shoulder.

"My weave work," replied Admiral, "I'm seeing if I can make a scarf for Mallow, since she mentioned she gets cold."

Mallow looked away sheepishly, "It's nothing I've managed so far."

"Well, I've always wanted to be a weaver." replied Admiral, tugging on his claws that had become tangled in silk.

"Right." grumbled Locust, looking to the entrance. Then a squeaking noise caught his ear.