Wings of Fire: Tangled in Darkness

Chapter 6

Monarch quickly found out that being strapped to a dragon's stomach with silk was awfully painful. She had a constant itch on her wing buds, and when she tried to itch them Lacewing went lopsided and almost fell out of the air.

Second, her muscles were SO SORE. She was constantly tense, trying to reduce her body weight, and because she was afraid the silk would snap. She didn't want Lacewing to get tired, or have to stop to retrieve a falling Silkwing.

Beside her, Ivy was falling slightly behind, but her face was grim with determination. Monarch decided she wanted to make conversation to eliminate the awkward silence.

"So..." She began, targeting Ivy with her eyes. "How did you get into this job?" Ivy swung her head around and hissed at her, sending the dragonet's head to reel back.

But Ivy didn't ignore her question. "My stupid brother decided to finish only half the job! I sent him off by himself because the whole thing with the pitcher plant was his fault!" She growled, but then shook herself to shake it off.

"He left it near an orphanage, but no one was hurt." Ivy continued. "Sundew and Willow blamed me, so they told me to help Lacewing bring this stupid tangle of vines to Silkwing Academy. " She bared her teeth at the dragonet, who giggled like before. 

"Are you leaving once you drop Hawkmoth off?" Monarch asked, suddenly recognizing the male dragon strapped to Ivy's stomach. "And how did you get him strapped like that anyway? You don't have silk."

"Lacewing wrapped him up," said Ivy. "And yes, I will be leaving after I drop him off. I have a reputation to uphold in the LeafSilk Kingdom. I could never stay within a school of Silkwings." She scoffed.

Monarch felt an odd pang of disappointment. She had grown fond of Ivy's company. Hawkmoth was an annoying know-it-all and Lacewing couldn't even talk, no offense to her. Lacewing was a nice dragon. 

She turned her attention to the broken savannah, now littered with clumps of trees. She had never been flying before, and once Lacewing had lifted into the air, the fresh wind and smells whistling into her nose felt like paradise.

For the first moments in the air, Monarch watched how Lacewing's wings beat rhythmically, catching the right wind currents and turning just the slightest bit to fly higher or lower.

Her wingbeats were graceful and Monarch felt calm watching them. However, Ivy, who was a lot smaller than Lacewing, had to flap constantly to keep up. Even then, she still fell a little behind. 

Ivy sneered at her as she looked back once or twice to make sure they didn't leave her, and Monarch felt sad that Ivy was mad for trying to help her and make sure she was okay.

Halfway to the Silkwing Acadamey, Lacewing suddenly dived down, sending wind whipping in her face. She tried to turn to see Lacewing's wings, but the wind pressure forced her to look forward. 

She glimpsed Ivy diving beside her, but the Leafwing was gaining more speed from her small and agile size. Lacewing plummeted faster, smiling at the race. Monarch saw the ground coming closer and closer until she thought they might slam into it.

But Lacewing opened her wings at the right moment, sending them floating up before drifting down to land on a wooden deck, filled with other dragons. Monarch noticed that it wasn't just Pantalan dragons, she could see some from Pyrhiaa, like Seawings, Mudwings, and Skywings.

She saw a Silkwing with four wings, but they were big and red, splattered with gold scales. She had no antennae, but her wings were shaped like the Skywings.

That must be a Silkwing, Leafwing, and Skywing hybrid. Wow, I've never seen those. I wonder who their parents are and how they met. Monarch thought. She felt her talons come loose and she was dropped on the floor as Lacewing cut the silk. 

Ivy did the same, laughing as Hawkmoth face planted.

A sandy-colored Hivewing came running out to greet them. "Are you the dragons for the Silk Weaving Academy?" Lacewing nodded, signing, "Yes. Hawkmoth and Monarch."

The Hivewing looked confused. Monarch stood up, brushing dust off her scales, and said, "She said yes."

The hybrid (she assumed) gasped and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Monarch and Ivy exchanged a weird look.

The dragon looked at Ivy, confused for another moment, then said, "My name is Olive, the Sandwing Hivewing hybrid that owns this hotel." Monarch looked around. She didn't realize this was a hotel, but that certainly explained all the dragons and the hybrids.

They must be coming to visit their friends and family. Monarch realized. That would be hard if your parents lived on two different continents. 

As Lacewing signed, Monarch translated for her. "We just need a place to stay for a couple of hours before we hit the air again. Do you have a place for us?" Ivy nudged her and Lacewing rolled her eyes. "And food. Do you have food for us?"

Olive narrowed her eyes, then let a small mischievous smile slip through. "Oh. Of course."