Wings of Fire: Seeking the Stars

Prologue

The night was clear, not a cloud as far as the eye could see. Moonstone breathed in the crisp, clean air, smiling to herself. She rarely got to leave the hidden NightWing island, so whenever she did, she took the time to appreciate that each breath didn't burn her lungs, and that she could actually see the stars. Below her, there was sand, sand, sand. In the distance, fire flickered. That's where she was headed. The Scorpion Den.

Held close to her chest, practically invisible against her pitch-black scales, she clutched her egg. It was near hatching. Perhaps a few days left. And as much as it broke her heart, she knew she couldn't keep her dragonet. The island was horrible, hatchlings were surviving less and less, and if anyone knew who the egg's father was, well... she might as well throw the both of them in the volcano right now and be done with it.

Moonstone's throat itched, and she coughed, raspy and loud. Another horrible side effect of living on that wretched island. Underweight, underloved, and a constant, painful cough from the amount of smoke she inhaled daily. The egg in her talons shuddered a bit, and she held it tighter. I hope I'm doing the right thing.

Looking up at the stars again, she sighed. The three moons were almost full. The brightest night was almost upon them. Based on when the egg had been laid, she knew in her bones her baby would hatch then. Another reason she needed to get it to safety. Morrowseer had already taken one mother's egg, also due to hatch on the brightest night. Given the choice, she'd much rather have her little one grow up among other dragons, in the open world, not wherever that other egg had been hidden away.

Tilting her wings, she soared down and landed in the sand, just behind the walls of the Den. The things she'd heard about this place weren't the best, but anything, anything, was better than home. Among the stories, though, there were good things. Dragons there were good to the children. Protected them.

She carefully tucked her egg into her wings and started off. Her dark scales made it easy to hide in the shadows, undetected by the dragons around her. One thing she knew all too well about this place was that NightWings were far from common. But they'll protect my egg. Surely they will... right?

Sliding between stalls of vendors selling various goods, Moonstone's eyes darted every which way. There was an orphanage here, somewhere. Despite how late it was, the Den was alive, lots and lots of dragons walking, laughing, talking, shoplifting. Apprehensive, she pulled her wings in tighter, making sure no one could possibly sneak her egg away.

There it was. In the middle of the square, a large building stood, the sign above reading Scorpion Den Home for Dragonets. She wiped tears from her snout as she approached the door, gently placing her egg in the sand, which was still warm from the sunlight that had been on it all day. Beside it, a torn piece of scroll where she'd written a quick note.

"I love you, little one," she murmured, briefly pressing her forehead to its shell, before rapping at the door and scurrying away into the shadows. She watched as the door creaked open and an older SandWing came out.

"Oh, what have we here?" She cooed, picking it up. Moonstone frowned. It felt so wrong to see another dragon holding her baby. This is for the best. For the best. For my baby, she repeated in her head, over and over again.

The other dragon picked up the note and read it, then patted the egg. "You're safe now, little one." Looking over her shoulder, she shouted. "Mirage! C'mere a moment!"

Another SandWing, much younger, came to the door. She had tan triangle patterns down her neck and all the way to the tip of her tail. "Yeah, wazzup?" She rubbed her eyes.

The elderly SandWing presented the egg, smiling. "Look at what's arrived!"

Mirage stared at it, not blinking for almost a full minute. "Should we.... D'you think we should tell Thorn about this?"

"What? Why ever would we do that?"

"Yucca, that's clearly a NightWing egg. You know how she feels about them."

Moonstone felt her stomach drop. She certainly hadn't known that. Had she just doomed her baby, in one fell swoop? Maybe if she was quick enough, she could snatch the egg back before anything bad happened.

The old one, Yucca, shook her head. "Those two are different. This sweet little egg has done nothing. Ain't hatched yet, has she? Read the note. Whoever is in here, they have a mother who loves them very much. Did we not promise to help all the little ones who need it?"

Mirage tapped her claws for a moment. "You're right. Besides..." She looked up at the moons. "It's almost the brightest night, and this egg looks pretty darned close to hatching. You don't think...?"

"Wings of Night shall come to you. Maybe this is the prophecy dragonet." They both considered the egg.

"Ought to get this little one inside, then. Startin' to get cold."

Moonstone watched as the two dragons, holding her egg so tenderly, went back inside, and the door closed behind them. Her heart ached deeply. She'd wished she could leave it with the egg's father, but she knew that would be unwise. She loved Banyan dearly, but he could be, well, a bit spacey. And RainWings weren't known for keeping track of eggs. They did care for their young, but she couldn't trust leaving the egg there. Surely the NightWings that went to hunt in the rainforest would notice one of their own dragonets there. No, this was safer. Smarter. Those two would look after her baby, she just knew it. Her little Starseeker would be happy.

With a last fleeting look at the home her egg would now grow up in, she launched into the sky, praying that she'd done the right thing.