Shadow Falling

Memories

The ground shook beneath Shadowwing's talons. This was more intense than any of the previous tremors he had felt in his short life on the volcano. From somewhere, dozens of other Nightwings were screaming. A burly Mudwing appeared over a rim of black volcanic rock.

"Everyone to the rainforest tunnel! The volcano's going to blow!" he roared.

No one needed to be told twice. With his superior speed, Shadowwing was the first to the tunnel, though he was wheezing painfully. Endurance had never been his strong suit. Several Rainwings and a fierce looking Seawing stood guard by the tunnel opening. The Seawing glowered down at Shadowwing. He flinched away from her fierce eyes.

"If you come to the rainforest, you have to swear you'll accept Glory as your queen!" she snarled.

He nodded quickly, breath hitching. "Anything! Just get me off this island! Queen Glory!"

The Seawing nodded and Shadowwing darted into the tunnel. Even as he ran, he could feel heat rising behind him. Quite suddenly, it was gone and he stepped into the bright warm light of the rainforest.

Bright sunlight, tinged green from the leaves above, shone through the canopy. Birds in a rainbow of colors fluttered along the top branches, and the sweet scent of ripe fruit drifted to Shadowwing's nose.

He was stunned by it. It was more beautiful than he could ever imagine. He was snapped out of his reverie when a fellow Nightwing bumped into him from behind. He immediately scurried away and tucked himself out of the path of the tide of Nightwings now flooding out of the tunnel.

With a panicked jolt, he realized he hadn't seen his parents. He clambered up the trunk of a tree and searched the crowd in vain for his mother and father. More and more skinny black dragons streamed in, but none were the dragons he was looking for. A lull came where no dragons came out of the tunnel.

Was that all? Were all the others dead? Suddenly, a funny looking gold Sandwing shot out of the tunnel, eventually followed by a small Nightwing that Shadowwing thought he might recognize and the Seawing from earlier.

They turned to stare anxiously down the tunnel, before the Mudwing emerged, dragging the limp black form of some unconscious Nightwing.

He turned his attention back over the crowd. He could have missed them in his first sweep of his tribe. No, they weren't there. His heart sank and he slid down the trunk, feeling hollow.

They were gone.

He was alone.

Waking up nearly two weeks later, Shadowwing still felt hollow. His talons automatically went to the pouch tied around his neck. It weighed heavily against his scales, the only thing he had left of his parents. His prized possessions, a lump of amber with a strange looking flower trapped inside and various other stones he had found with his father, Nightcloud.

He felt his loss keenly in his chest, along with the loss of Crowfeather, his mother. Slowly, he got up from his poorly made hammock and wandered out into the rainforest, doing what he always did when he was upset.

He looked for more rocks.

It was still before dawn, so he found a branch and lit it with his fire. After a while, he found that his talons had led him to the tunnel to the Nightwing island. The old Nightwing island, he reminded himself. The tunnel still radiated heat from the volcano. Dejected, he curled up near it, watching the gaping, empty hole for signs of life. Even if he knew there weren't any. There never were.

It didn't make it hurt less.

A brief flash of movement to his right caught his attention. He stared hard into the spot, but nothing else stirred. After staring at the spot for a moment more, he settled back to resume watching the hole.

"No one's coming out, you know."

Shadowwing leapt from his spot, back arched in fright like a cat's. No one was around him. But, he reminded himself, the Rainwings could blend in to the point of invisibility. He wanted to speak, to confront the Rainwing out there, but his voice failed him.

"You're not the only dragon to lose family in that mess," the voice said again.

From the high branches of a nearby tree, a dragon faded into view. She was long and lank, but couldn't have been much bigger than himself, Shadowwing decided. Her scales transitioned smoothly from royal purple to indigo to teal. He noticed with interest that here was also black and silver among her brightly colored scales.

"I don't suppose you have a name, do you, Nightwing?" She asked, rising from her perch and almost slithering down the trunk.

"Shadowwing," he managed to choke out as she settled herself before him, curling her whip thin tail over her front talons. He noticed with dismay that both her spines and her claws seemed far too large and sharp for an ordinary Rainwing.

She must have noticed his stare, because she held up a talon, showing off her deadly claws.

"Impressive, aren't they? I killed a jaguar with these bad boys once. These and my venom." She spat black venom at a small sapling nearby. It immediately withered and died.

Shadowwing froze. From all the stories he had heard over the years, they all agreed that Rainwings were docile and lazy, unwilling to do any unneeded work. This Rainwing had flippantly used venom and claimed that she had killed a jaguar.

"But..." He stammered. "You're a Rainwing."

The Rainwing's eyes darkened. "What is that supposed to mean?" She said archly.

He panicked. "Rainwings are all 'life shouldn't be harmed' and stuff..."

The Rainwing perked back up. "Oh, that. My father raised me a little differently. I can defend myself. I'm not all scared like the others." She looked very pleased with herself.

She stood up suddenly, her scales starting to blend into the green forest. She was leaving.

"Wait!" Shadowwing cried. "Uh, what's your name?" He begged as she disappeared.

A chuckle answered him, somewhere above his head.

"I'm Passion!" She answered, before he was greeted with silence again.