Proboscis Book 1: Clouds Parting- A Wings of Fire Fanfiction

~ Chapter 2 ~

"Hi, Quartz!" Stratus waved as she saw Quartz through the crowds of dragons watching the festival.

Quartz turned, peering through the dragons, his face lighting up when he spotted her. "Stratus!" Quartz exclaimed, waving back although Stratus could barely see him. Quartz and his family were at the Flower Festival with many other dragons from different tribes. Stratus and Cumulonimbus helped display all the poetry, art, and bouquets the tribe had made, which was the main attraction for most of the dragons at the festival. It felt like ages until Quartz had his turn to see all the bouquets.

"Wow! This one is amazing!" Quartz exclaimed as he saw the bouquet that Stratus and Cumulonimbus had made.

"I made it! With some help from my dad, of course, but I did a great job, don't you think?" Stratus asked, slightly showing off.

"Wow! That's so cool!" Quartz exclaimed with awe.

"Dad, could I ask Quartz and his mom to see if we can go on the epic quest to save the world?" Stratus asked his dad.

"Alright," Cumulonimbus replied. The group walked over to a giant oak tree, its branches drooping down to create a somewhat cave shape.

"This is as private as we're going to get," Stratus's dad said in a hushed tone. They could still hear the chattering of the dragons all around them.

"Quartz, I've been thinking about all the missing dragons. I think we should do something about it. I convinced my dad to let me go. Please will you come with me?" Stratus said, her voice pleading but hopeful. Quartz wasn't one to turn down an adventure.

"Hmm..." Quartz mused. Stratus knew that he knew that it was perilous. Nobody knew why or what was causing the missing dragons, nor did they even know the location of the cause.Stratus was looking at him and trying to get him to say yes, with so much hope and trust in her eyes that it would be a miracle for him to turn her down...

"Please?" Stratus begged, her tail and wings dipping down ever so slightly.

"Alright, but only if my mom approves," Quartz answered. She knew Quartz didn't want to let Stratus down, and he also wanted to go on a thrilling adventure with his childhood friend. Stratus watched him slowly turn to his mother, his eyes asking her before his mouth did.

"Of course not! Quartz, I wouldn't ever let you go. You are my son and I don't want you to get killed."

"If Stratus can have an exciting adventure like this, why can't I?" Quartz questioned.

"Well, I didn't exactly say yes," Cumulonimbus told Quartz. "She kind of decided herself."

"I did not!" Stratus said with a bit of anger in her voice. "I convinced you to let me go, but if Quratz isn't going, then I can't go. You said I can only go if Quartz's mom approves." Stratus's eyes were shining now, but not with joy. Now she couldn't go on this adventure. She couldn't save the hundreds of missing dragons. She felt as if she owed her mother something, to find and destroy the cause of her separation.

"I'll think about it during the Flower Festival, okay?" Emerald replied and thought it was partly to cheer the dragonets up and partly to quiet them, as she grew annoyed easily. Stratus and Emerald both knew that Quartz would keep asking her until she said yes.

"Well then, I thought we could show you some cool stuff that we do," Cumulonimbus said, changing the subject. "Let's go visit the king and queen first."

"Alright," Stratus and Quartz said in unison, though Stratus was still downcast and Quartz was trying hard and failing to lift his spirits as they followed Cumulonimbus and Stratus. The five dragons walked past hundreds of stalls selling various items, through crowds of dragons, and around numerous dragonets tackling each other. Stratus smiled, recalling her second Flower Festival. She and Quartz were allowed a talonful of scales and time to spend on their own, wandering around the busy streets together. They approached the palace grounds, filled with blooming tulips, bright red and white roses, and neatly trimmed hedges.