The Story of Artemis- Wings of Fire

Chapter 4

Sunlight flooded across Artemis, warming her wings and face and making her purple scales sparkle in different hues. Her wings seemed to work with a mind of their own, and in a few days, they were guiding her past the Scavenger Den, and she soon found herself soaring over the Rainforest.

She remembered the location of the mountain from her scrolls, so it was rather easy to get there. She was very close, and would arrive soon if she kept going at the pace she was.  Artemis had always wondered about the Rainforest, now that she was older( and had been kicked out, truthfully) she finally had the freedom to explore.

She considered herself foolish for not leaving sooner. Three moons, she really regreted her decision to stay behind with her family. Always giving them too many chances. She especially hoped that Prophecyteller would have changed back to the sister she used to love, but now that hope was gone.

Angling her starry wings, she dove for the forest canopy. The emerald green leaves filtered light on the forest floor in soft shades of lime green and golden-yellow. She'd never seen anything so beautiful. Flowers of all kinds filled the Rainforest with a rather sweet, entoxicating aroma. Underneath it lied the unpleasant smell of decaying leaves, soil, and slightly wet animals

She wrinkled her snout, "How do these Rainwings live with this smell?" she muttured to no one. Though she had expected some Rainwings somewhere in this flower filled canopy...

Her talons sunk into the soft earth, and she swung her head around in wonder.

Wonder if I'll see the animus tunnel, she thought. There were three parts, one went to the Rainforest, one to the ruins of The Nightwing kingdom, and one to the Kingdom of Sand. Reading certainly payed off, didn't it?

Her eyes wandered to the top of a large, tropical tree. If I could get a better view...

She flared open her wings, crouching down and launching herself into the air, grabbing the tree branch she had aimed for. Careful of the vines that entangled themselves between the branches, she hauled herself up, clinging to the wet bark and keeping her wings unfurled for balance. Artemis felt a surge of pride as she scanned the ground.

She spotted several animals, a huge gold and black cat, a cute green frog, a few birds with giant yellow beaks, even a hairy brown animal. Artemis thought for a moment, recognizing the animal she'd seen in her scrolls and reminded herself it was called a sloth. She really loved the Rainforest, and she found herself envying the Nightwings that got to live here. Everything was so peaceful and vast and full of life.

She saw many beautiful flowers and plants, one was so enticing she couldn't bear to leave without it. It glowed silver like the moon, with black tipped petals. The stem was a deep twilight grey with velvety looking leaves sprouting from the base and sides. Artemis glided from her temporary perch.

She admired the petals, and the soft breeze that flitted through the trees made the flower sway. The flower's aroma begins to make her feel dizzy and lightheaded, and she soon found herself reaching out a talon.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you." A singsong voice chirped. Her head jerked up, as if broken from a trance.

"Who-?" She began to speak, but a Rainwing dropped down in front of her, holding a wicked looking weapon- a dart gun, she guessed. The barrel was just a thin piece of bamboo, with string and leaf wraps here and there at the base of the bamboo tube, which was wider than the front. Artemis stepped back nervously, eyeing the Rainwing and the weapon.

"That stuff is moonshade." The Rainwing said, and gestured to the plant with the weapon. Her scales were a beautiful chameleon green, dotted with pale yellow towards her tail. "Much worse than nightshade." She continued. "So if those petals even touch your scales...It's not a happy ending." She slid one talon with the back of her claw across her throat to make a point, closing her honey gold eyes.

"That's...morbid." Artemis commented, warily looking to the other.

"Yeah." She said, brandishing the dart gun and smiling. "So who are you? I definitely haven't seen you till now. Don't you live here with the other Nightwings? If so, why are you here without a guide? Don't make me shoot you-"

"Please don't shoot me." She said seriously, flaring her wings. "And a guide-" Artemis wrinkled her snout, finding herself now deeply relieved not to be with the other Nightwings. She paused before she replied to the Rainwing, "My name is Artemis, and no. I don't even live here."

The green dragon gestured to go on, so she did. "My parents were messengers and assassins for the old Nightwing queen." She said, rather uninterested. "They ended up stationed in the Sky Kingdom. They just never really left." And then, quickly, she added. "I left home so I could go to Jade Mountain. I got accepted in."

The Rainwing's scales shifted to a happy yellow-gold and blue, her frill now a soft pink. "Jade Mountain, huh? That's cool I guess." she shrugged her wings casually. "Queen Glory is making me go." she added. "For once I wish you were lazy like the rest and not a ball of rage!" She mimicked in what Artemis guessed was supposed to be a queenly voice.

Artemis saw a sly smile tug at the Rainwings mouth. So not boring and lazy, unlike most Rainwings I've heard of, she thought.

"I'm Mamba, by the way." her new Rainwing acquaintance stated, showing off shimmering ruby red scales dotted with black. Artemis grinned at this, and slightly cringed at the fact that she loved to show off her scales.

"You look like a ladybug." She commented, snickering a bit to herself.

Mamba narrowed her gold eyes, an even darker black scales spreading outwards like ink from the spots and devouring the ruby red glow. "There." She said, looking down at herself. "Any more comments?" She asked Artemis.

Artemis opened her mouth to speak and counter her, but her eyes wandered over the dart gun, and she quickly clamped it shut. Mamba snorted and laughed, twirling it in her talons.

"You're a daring little Nightwing, I'll give you that." She admitted, and Artemis smiled. "Well, are you coming?"

Her smile faded, she glanced at Mamba, confused. What? She thought to herself, forgetting to speak out.

"To the Rainwing village? You can stay there until me and the other Rainwing dragonets leave tommorow evening." Mamba cheerfully stated, picking at the dart gun's bamboo bark with a sharp talon.

"Leave?" Artemis wondered.

"Jade Mountain. Haven't you been paying attention?"

Oh. Artemis thought, wringing her talons. "Yeah, sorry." She really wasn't paying attention, but Mamba didn't need to know that.

Mamba arched a brow, her tail flicking back and forth like a lion about to pounce. She rolled her golden eyes, gesturing to the treetops with a shrug of her wings. "Well?"

"Yes, I'm coming!" Artemis blurted, and flared open her wings. Mamba opened her own, and Artemis turned her head up to the trees. This would be a long, clumsy flight.