Wings of Fire - Eclipse Burning (1)

Chapter 1

~Part 1~

Welcome to Jade Mountain

"I don't want you to leave me here," Moon whined. She sat comfortably under their mothers wing, curling into it as if she would much rather stay there than go anywhere ever again. Eclipse sat beside them, her mothers tail entwined with hers. Her and her mother had a tense relationship, the complete opposite of Moon's relationship with her. 

Ever since Eclipse turned 2 she had begun to resent her mother. After all, she'd abandoned them and left Eclipse to protect and practically raise Moonwatcher and herself at the same time, only coming around during stolen hours every week. 

They'd found a spot under a tree where they could watch the main arrival area for the school, which gave them a perfect view of every dragon that stepped foot onto the mountain. Eclipse had seen various types of dragons she'd only read about in scrolls she'd shared with her sister. It was both overwhelming and fascinating. 

Eclipse glanced over at her sister who was now a big ball of worrying dragonet as she watched two MudWings gallop by shouting and laughing. Her thoughts were full of 'what if they hated her' and 'they'd simply hate me just because I'm a NightWing'. Which hadn't even crossed Eclipse's mind yet. 

In all honesty Eclipse couldn't care less about if these dragons didn't like her, she only cared if her sister was comfortable. That's the only reason she'd agreed to come here. Moon would not have come if her sister wasn't going to be here with her. 

"I really, really don't want to stay here," Moon whined again. 

"I know," her mother said kindly. "But you have to. It'll be good for you. And Eclipse will be here with you. You'll like it better than the NightWing village, you'll see." At least Jade Mountain won't be full of NightWings, her mind finished. 

"I like being wherever you are," Moon said. "And I don't mind the other NightWings that much."

We both know that's a lie, Eclipse thought, catching her sisters eye. 

"Most of them are awful and you know it," Secretkeeper pointed out. They were all thinking of the stares, the whispers, the open jealousy and hostility when Secretkeeper brought her healthy, well-fed dragonets back to the tribe. That was six months ago, after the volcano destroyed their island and all the NightWings had moved into the rainforest. Queen Glory had officially forgiven Secretkeeper for breaking tribe rules, but that didn't mean anyone else had. "Here you'll be with much nicer dragons. Like Sunny and Starflight. Remember you two met them and liked them?"

Eclipse did remember. Sunny was a gentle dragon with a matching mind. She was warm and comfortable while Starflight was calm and knowledgeable, and worried. They were both very kind to the siblings, and Eclipse warmed up to them very quickly. 

"I want to be with you," Moon replied simply. Finally having all the time she could want with their mother and then having it ripped away again irritated and saddened Moon. Moon had no problem with admitting that she craved their mothers attention and affection, but Eclipse did. Yet both of them knew, deep down, she craved the same.

"I'll visit," her mother promised. Eclipse snorted and her mother shot her an annoyed look before turning back to Moon. "You'll see me all the time. And you'll make friends here, I'm sure you will." Well, I hope you will, my weird little diamond.

"I'm not a weird little diamond," Moon protested. 

Secretkeeper crouched and put her face right in front of Moon's. "You need to stop doing that remember?" she whispered. "If you only hear it in your head, don't respond. No one can know about your curse. Everybody thinks NightWings don't have powers anymore - they won't know what to do with you if they find out." And how will you make friends that way, her mind worried, if you keep guessing their thoughts and making them uncomfortable? "Or they might not believe you, and then they'll hate you for lying. So don't let them find out, all right?"