𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 ☁️

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒆

Had it really been under our noses the whole time?

Atlas scanned the towering school in front of him. Jade Mountain. Atlas felt a gushing feeling wash over him. He was home.

Don't be silly, a voice at the back of his mind reasoned. All of your childhood memories are back at the Pantala camp, that's your home.

Atlas smiled.

But all my favourite memories are here.

If he was being totally honest, ever since starting his year at the Academy, his brain's sensible voice had become much more faint, not that it was very loud in the first place. But something (or someone) at Jade Mountain had influenced his reckless side, making it grow like a tree that had been force-fed bags of fertiliser.

The SilkWing circled the area, searching desperately for any sign of a secret entrance, any little hole that was big enough for a dragon... or seven. But something forcefully bashed into him as Atlas winced. A feral bird swooped down on him, pecking at his scales madly while attempting to dodge any attack Atlas attempted on him, and in the end he had whacked the bird away with such force that it made a sound so much like an oof that Atlas nearly burst out laughing.

Except he couldn't settle for long; there was a task at hand.

"What are you doing?"

Atlas nearly jumped inches through the air and swirled around. Standing behind him was someone he would never have dreamed of seeing for a long time.

"Droplet?"

"Yes... pretty sure that's my name. Or did you forget me?"

Atlas was stunned, how in the moons had Droplet known here was there? There was no way that he just randomly assumed that after nearly a week or so Atlas would just come strolling by randomly and be in this spot at this exact time.

"H-How?" He asked, ignoring Droplet's question.

"How what?"

"How did you know I was here? Surely you couldn't have guessed? Also..." Atlas stopped himself. How was the best way to ask Droplet 'Have you stumbled across a secret cave in Jade Mountain? Because, sorry to say... but all our friends are currently trapped there' without really saying it?

"I saw you?" Droplet gave Atlas a stupidly confused expression as though he had just asked if cows could fly.

"You- wait what?"

"I saw you. You know... with my eyes?"

"Oh... yeah, of course, I uh-"

Atlas silently pondered. What had he been thinking? Maybe something that you would read in a book about heroes? Like when the cheerful side character had seen the future and knew you were coming?

Yeah... Something like that...

But suddenly Atlas's mind clicked back to his job, his mission. How could he do that? His friends were stuck in mortal danger while he was just having a willy - nilly chat with Droplet.

"Uh... see you soon?" Atlas didn't know what to say, he didn't want to sound like he was terrified, and he had many reasons why.

"Sure. Um, and say hi to Cosmo for me will you?" And with that Droplet zoomed away leaving a heaving trail of wind flying behind him.

So... His brain piped up. What now?

Atlas flew in closer to the mountain for a closer look, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything that might be somewhat helpful. Snails scurried into their shells as he came near, a few of them even tumbled despairingly off the cliff side. Atlas watched them fly through the air and he could almost imagine them screaming 'wheee' before they hit the solid ground.