Fire and Water → Wings of Fire [2] ✓

Chapter 3

"There!" came a voice.

Gem startled awake and looked around before crawling further into the bushes. "Gem, it's okay!" Clay's voice called out, and Gem could hear the wings flapping.

Gem whimpered and pulled herself further into the bushes as Tsunami, Clay, and Sunny landed nearby. Tsunami approached cautiously, extending her talon in a flat, open gesture. "Hey..." she said softly.

"No..." Gem whispered, and as Tsunami got closer, she sprang up, her wings flaring and growling. "No!"

"Owah, calm down," Sunny said, moving forward, but Clay held her back. Tears welled up in Gem's eyes. Not even Clay trusted her. She craned her neck to look down at Tsunami, her anger dissipating, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Tsunami. I'm sorry... I shouldn't have come," she said, then turned around and flew.

"Gem!" her friends called out, but she paid no attention as she continued to fly away.

She should have never joined the Jade Mountain Academy, she thought. She should have never gone with her friends. Instead, she should have stayed under the mountain where it was safe, and Kestrel remained. There, at least, someone cared about her.

Tears streamed down her scales as she wavered, but she steadied herself. She didn't know where she was flying but needed to escape from her friends and the SeaWing palace, away from the responsibilities and everyone who expected her to save the world.

I shouldn't have hatched, she thought, crying even more. Eventually, she couldn't fly anymore, and as her wings stopped flapping, a realization struck her: I'd never meant anything to the prophecy. It was all a mistake. The darkness engulfed her with its cold embrace.

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"She couldn't possibly have flown out here alone," said a voice as Gem began to awaken. Another voice chimed in, "Of course, she could. She's a SkyWing, born under the sun's light."

"Yes, but look at her; she's injured," the other voice, concern evident. Talons touched Gem's injured form, and she winced, snapping her eyes open. Before she stood two frozen SeaWing soldiers, both wearing tattered silver armor and looking terrified.

"Uh, hi," said the one with green scales shimmering beneath his armor. "Yeah, hi," added the other, whose scales were more reddish-blue than anything else. He had a scar across his snout, almost like someone had tried to tear it off. Gem trembled, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"We... uh, didn't mean to scare you," said the green SeaWing, while the reddish-blue one nodded. "Yeah, we just found you at the bottom of the ocean. So we couldn't leave you lying here." He introduced himself, "I'm Archelon, and this is Ascidians," referring to the green SeaWing.

"It... it's fine," said Gem, her voice weak as she sighed. She had swallowed much salt water if she could feel correctly. "You uh... you have a wound, and we were just wondering if uh... if we could help you?" Archelon asked. Gem looked at him and then at herself. A long, bloody gash was running along her back to the tip of her tail. It was clear that she had been dragged against the ocean floor and some rocks. Though she couldn't feel the pain consciously, she believed her heart was still breaking.

They could at least give it a try.

Gem winced as her scales started to heat up, and Archelon burned himself. "Ow," he muttered, continuing until the wound was bandaged.

When Archelon finished, he smiled and handed the blood-stained water skin to Ascidians, who poured the water over the cliff. "There, now you're good as new; just take it easy with flying for a while," he said, and Gem sighed. She hadn't intended to fly anymore but wanted to ensure her friends wouldn't find her again.

Maybe I'm safe here, she thought, sitting up and stretching as much as her wound would allow, curling her wings beside her. "We can give you some time to rest. We'll have dinner soon," said Archelon, flapping his wings and causing his stripes to glow. Ascidians nodded and slipped away.

"If there's anything, just ask us," he said, dipping his head before walking away, his scales rustling and itching.

Gem lay down and curled her tail around herself. Soon, she fell asleep for the first time without nightmares since she had left the cave beneath the mountain.

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Flames danced, and ice pierced through the air.

Gem couldn't find her daughter, Groundsplitter. "Groundsplitter!" she roared, but Moonwatcher, one of her companions, stopped her. "No, Gemstone, you can't go in there!" she shouted. Gem stared at the room engulfed in flames. Winter was inside, saving her precious jewel, her Groundsplitter.

"Tears welled up in Gem's eyes, and Moon wrapped a wing around her as Gem leaned against her. "My precious little Groundsplitter," she cried. "Shh, shh," Moon whispered, stroking Gem's head with her long bent neck. "Groundsplitter has fire-resistant scales, doesn't she?" she said, and Gem hissed out, "Y-yes, she... she inherited it from Clay." Moon continued to whisper comforting words in Gem's ears, and finally, Winter emerged. The fire had been extinguished. Gem looked at him, and in all her glory lay Groundsplitter on his back.

"My jewel," Gem whispered and walked over. Moon stepped aside, allowing Winter to lean so Gem could embrace her daughter. Groundsplitter was unconscious, but she was alive. Gem pressed her snout against Groundsplitter's scales. Soon, Clay and Starflight also arrived. Both wrapped their wings around Gem and cried together. Their daughter had been saved; she was alive. And that was all that mattered to Gem.

No fire would ever take her jewel away from her again.

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Gem slowly woke up. What was it she had just seen? It was a dream, for there was nothing but the wind of the sea and the scent of salt and SeaWings around her. Yes, just a dream, she thought, resting her head on her talons again. But this dream meant something; she could feel it deep within. Could it have been a glimpse of the future?