Wings of Evolution (WoF AU)

Chapter 39

Words of fate

Fatespeaker wasn't sure how she felt about this mission, she'd gone on exactly three before this, all of which fell into the category of 'not at all important to the future of the NightWing tribe' she wasn't quite sure if the incident with the camels counted in that group considering the praise she'd received, but it hadn't really changed the world. Which was her entire goal in life.

Fatespeaker wasn't sure how she felt, but she did know that her team for this mission was a lot nicer than the camel incident team. Except for Feirceteeth, who had been part of the camel incident team as well and Fatespeaker already knew what she was like.

So that left the large suspicious nightwing that Feirceteeth seemed to like, the careful small one with mind-reading scales, Secretkeeper herself, Preyhunter who Fatespeaker already knew was a goof, and that was literally everyone.

Smallest infiltration mission ever.

Fatespeaker didn't really care much for ancient dragons that changed the world, so she was much less bothered by the fact that they were raiding the tomb of one than she probably should have been.

They were almost to the mountains straight north of the night kingdom, the mountains where the ancient war with the icewings had once waged, Feirceteeth told everyone when to land, which was probably good because these peaks all looked the same to Fatespeaker.

When the forested ground met her talons, Fatespeaker immediately tripped, which was fine because now she was closer to the grave than any of the rest of the team. She felt the slight tingles of a vision creeping up on her. Oooooo what was it this time? Promises of treasure? A warning? A prophecy about how to win the war and help Soulseer take over the world?

Fatespeaker closed her eyes and hummed, having found as a small dragonet that it helped the visions become more clear.

She saw... long twisting tunnels. Traps around every corner, most of which wasn't a problem, but hidden among the peaceful ropes and dulled spikes were real dangers.

Boring.

Fatespeaker shook away the vision, watching Feirceteeth to see if she'd had a similar sight, the vicious NightWing was also a seer, but from how she always seemed to know everything and how Fatespeaker had never seen her fall into a prophecy, Fatespeaker was convinced that Feirceteeth had almost absolute control over her power.

It wasn't very fair, but Fatespeaker had always resigned herself to the face that there were things she couldn't change.

Feirceteeth gave everyone a long look and then led them through the forest, on an upward slope that made Fatespeakers talons itch to launch her back into the sky. But she suspected that there was a reason the more powerful seer had guided them to the ground early.

A few minutes later, the team was standing before a large ornately carved pair of double doors. Fatespeaker saw a different carving on each side, on the left, the wood was carved into a sun, layers upon layers of beams and clouds coating its surface. On the opposite side, there were two delicate crescents and one full moon. Stars in familiar constellations dotting the backdrop.

Feirceteeth nodded to the brawny Nightwing who'd been following her like a lost sheep the entire trip. He nodded back and stepped forward, pushing open the doors in one swift motion.

"Strongwings! Jump back!" Feirceteeth shouted.

He shot her a startled look and leaped backward, just in time for absolutely nothing to happen. She smiled, "testing your reflexes."

Strongwings nodded, "wise of you."

Feirceteeth led the team forward after that, into the tomb of the first Nightwing Animus.

Fatespeaker found it sort of unnerving to march downward into that blackness, and she knew she wasn't the only one, Preyhunter kept mumbling to himself and the small mind-reader took every step with purpose but also unease. Feirceteeth was probably the only one who seemed completely unbothered by anything. She took every step with pride, loud talon steps, and a grand posture.

The first time Feirceteeth stopped them was deep inside the grave, she halted, looking suspiciously at every piece of rock in the corridor. She glanced sideways at Fatespeaker and pushed one of the rocks inward.

Suddenly the ground beneath Fatespeaker was gone.

She fell into the abyss, screaming loud as her lungs could manage. It took her several minutes of falling to realize that she was the only voice in this narrow tunnel.

She tried to spread her wings but the shaft was too small, eventually, it sloped and she was sliding down on her stomach, still screaming her lungs out.

Her throat was sore by the time the slope evened out into solid ground, all Fatespeaker knew, all she remembered from that moment before the fall, was Feirceteeth giving her a long look and pushing the hidden mechanism.

And it made Fatespeaker so soooo much angrier than she'd ever felt in her lifetime. The thought that a dragon would do something like that was overwhelming.

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Feirceteeth becomes less of a jerk with every vote!