Wings of Fire: Reborn

Chapter 10

Blossom couldn't move. The shock, the terror, it had taken over.

Kinkajou raised her head. "Who's there?" she called, her face glazing over with a mask of intimidation. It was enough to make Blossom squirm, but she didn't, she couldn't.

Kinkajou squinted out the door, her gaze only inches away from Blossom. Blossom started to inch her way closer to the door, her scales started to shift. She ran out the door, Kinkajou yelped.

Blossom dashed down the hall towards her dorm. She couldn't hear anything over her racing heart. She curved her way through the many dragonets who were in her way. Their mouths moved in yelps, but she couldn't hear them. Her heart was starting to spike her chest, her breaths were wet and sore.

She finally spotted her dorm. She flew into it, bumping into a very startled Auklet. Something made her realize. She couldn't come here. She turned around and dashed down the hall. She didn't have a clue where she was going. All she could do was run.

She curved around more halls, her talons felt as if they were made of the stone she was running on.

She found herself in a small cave. The far wall looked as if it had been torn down, letting in long rays of light. A Long figure was splayed out on the far wall.

It looked like a very well sculpted dragon. She squatted and squinted at the sleeping dragon. He looked very peaceful. Blossom ran her claws along the curves of the dragon's wings. The details were immaculate.

The dragon started to shudder. Blossom pulled her talon away, she started to panic. She fell back in terror.

"Wha-What are you doing! That T-Tickles!" the dragon wheezed, his face contorting in laughter. Blossom stared at the dragon.

"Y-You just..."

"Came to life, no. You woke me from my nap." He spoke, in almost a whine. He looked like he was glued to the floor.

"What are you doing, how are you...Who are you?" Blossom tried to find the words, but they just seemed to disappear.

"Me? Oh, I'm Stonemover. A little ironic isn't it. How I'm now made of stone, and I can't even move." He sighed, although it sounded more like a moan.

"How did you end up like..." Blossom pointed to his body, she pushed herself up so she could sit up again.

"My curse." He sighed. "It turned on me instead of me loosing my soul, or whatever I had left." He shuffled his head slightly. Stonemover's claws cracked and revealed something, a ring. "It saved my soul, but it turned against me."

Blossom stared at him. "You're an Animus?" she whispered.

"Yes, well I was." He sighed. He sighed a lot.

Blossom couldn't believe it. She had found another Animus.

"Do you know any others?" Blossom asked.

"I was the only one in my tribe, I'm pretty sure the magic will die with me. Just like how that spell that depleted animus magic died with that Sandwing. Pretty sure she took her immortal spell off herself. Smart dragon." He sighed.

"Well..." This was it she was going to tell someone. She had to. The only dragons that new was her tribe and the Nightwings. He was a Nightwing, he should know.

Maybe she should talk a little more before blowing his mind.

"So, um... How did you get here?"

"I flew here many moons ago. I came here to wait for my love, but she didn't come. I understand now that she thought I ran off and didn't get my letter, but we were in love. So eventually I gave up and lay here. But the next morning I was turning to stone. It's a miracle that I haven't turned to stone completely yet."

This poor dragon, he came here to wait for his love, but she never came. Whoever the slug was who broke his heart, she hoped they would snort out bananas.

"Why are you here little dragon?" Stonemover asked.

"Can you...keep a secret?" Blossom was a little desperate now.

"Well, I have nothing else to do."

"I-" She tried but it wouldn't come forward.

She sighed in defeat.

"I knew you were like me." Stonemover said, breaking the silence. "You have the gift don't you."

She nodded.

"First animus Rainwing, wow that is a sight for sore eyes."

"Well, First animus Rainwing hybrid."

"Ah, I see. No Rainwing has never had the gift, so it would make sense if someone with mixed blood to have the gift."

Blossom nodded.

"Don't let anyone tell you you're worthless, little dragonet."

Blossom smiled; this was one of the first bits of hope she gained since arriving at the academy.

"I should be heading back to my dorms, thanks for the chat Stonemover."

"Will you be back tomorrow?"

"I'll try" she promised to herself that she would try.

Blossom looked inside her dorm. Everyone was asleep, everyone except for Bayou and Aqualon. They were sitting in the foyer, possibly waiting for her. They looked her way and their eyes locked onto hers.

"Where were you?" Bayou asked worried. Aqualon even looked worried in some strange slug like way.

"I went for a run." It was only partly true. A version of the truth.

"No, you went off after Kinkajou, what actually happened."

This was it; she would finally have to tell them everything. Even her secret, the reason she was sent here.

"Was following Kinkajou, because...I had a dream."

"A dream?!" Aqualon scoffed. Bayou punched him in the arm and Aqualon scowled at him. Bayou nodded, waiting for her to finish.

"I dreamt of a flower, a-"

"Black and white flower!" Bayou realised. Aqualon looked at the two of them with a confused expression.

"In the dream I was in a box made of stone, and the flower was right in front of me, talking to me."

"Talking to you?"

"Yes. It was talking about how we were the same, and that I should remember it or whoever it was referring to. Then it started talking about how we were worthy souls."

"I remember that from somewhere." Bayou scrunched up his snout.

They both looked expectantly up at her. She new she was going to have to tell them.

"It started to list out the things that were the same about us..." Blossom took a deep breath and continued.

"It said, 'a hybrid, that need for vengeance and...An animus."

Aqualon took a moment to process what she just said, he took longer than Bayou.

"Animus?! Wha-Who-What!" He jumped to his talons, shock and surprise was written on his face. Blossom found it slightly amusing. Aqualon jumped up after him, shock and fear was on his face.

"So, you're telling me that you're an animus? The first Icewing Animus for centuries? The first ever Rainwing Animus?" Aqualon squawked. He seemed smaller now. Scared. He was writhing like a worm; she could tell he was doing it on the inside.

"Wow." Bayou sat back down.

Blossom told them the rest, about the day, about what she saw. Both of the other dragons seemed to be listening intently. She could see them flick their eyes to her talons and back to her eyes.

So far her secret was safe with her new friends.