Wings of Fire: Revenant

Chapter Seventeen

Peacemaker moved swiftly down the hall of the teacher's wing, following the branching paths until he found his way to the entrance of an isolated cavern. Bristling stalactites studded the opening like teeth, and he had to duck his head carefully to get inside.

The interior was hung with freshly-lit globes in different shades of blue and green, making the whole space feel like it was underwater. A sleeping mat woven from reeds was spread out along the left wall, while a small table stacked with papers and inkwells was pushed up against the right. This cave had obviously been decorated with Turtle in mind.

The emerald-green SeaWing was currently sitting in front an open trunk, putting away some of the things he'd brought with him.

"Hello," Peacemaker called out, and Turtle jumped so hard he nearly bashed his head on the cave wall.

The SeaWing prince spun around, eyes wide. "Peacemaker! Wh ... what are you doing here?"

"I go to school here now. Didn't Moon tell you?"

"No, I guess she didn't. Well, um ... what brings you to my cave?"

"I just wanted to come see you. Moon said you were staying the night."

Turtle nodded, fiddling nervously with the black-studded armband he always wore. "Well, thank you. That's, uh ... that's very nice. I was just about to go say hi to Peril, but it was good seeing you again."

He then made a move to leave, but Peacemaker quickly stepped in front of the cave entrance, blocking his path. "Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you about, if you have time."

"Oh, um ... sure, go ahead," Turtle's mouth said, while his eyes screamed "I would rather be doing literally anything else right now."

Peacemaker could never remember Turtle acting this nervous around him when they first met. Peacemaker had seen him a few times on visits to the school when he was very little, and – though a bit quiet and unassuming – Turtle had always been friendly towards him.

Things had changed shortly before Peacemaker's second birthday, when he'd gone with Hope, Moon, and Kinkajou to visit Turtle in the bay.

Peacemaker had been sitting on the veranda of Turtle's beach house, staring out at the rain lashing the sand and the wind churning the sea. He'd spent the day before chasing crabs and making sandcastles, and now he couldn't even step foot on the beach without getting tossed around by the storm.

The four older dragons were sitting together, sipping drinks from coconut shells and happily engaging in small talk. Peacemaker laid his head dejectedly on his talons and sighed.

"Peacemaker, if you make that noise one more time, I swear I am going to stuff this coconut up your snout," Hope said.

"But I'm boooored," he moaned.

"I promise you, no dragonet has ever died from sitting around doing nothing."

Peacemaker laid his head across his mother's tail and stared up at her pleadingly. "But what if I'm the very first one?"

Hope rolled her eyes and shook him off.

"Don't worry," Kinkajou assured him, "the rain will stop soon, and then we can go look for shells on the beach."

"There will be plenty washed up after a storm like this," Moon added.

Peacemaker stared out at the rain pelting the sand, looking as though it would never stop. He nodded sadly at them and laid his head back on his talons.