Wings of Fire: Forever Hoping

Chapter 4

Beetle took about three days to get settled into Tranquility. His neighbor, Atlas, has been very nice to him about showing him the ropes while his other neighbor, Whisper, could care less. 

After getting settled, Beetle decided to get the job of hunting under the apprenticeship of Snowbird, a cyan male Icewing, since it was the only thing Beetle was good at. Beetle learned that there were about seventeen different hunting groups with around six to nine dragons, including the leader of that certain group.

Dragons in Beetle's group included Monkey, a orange and yellow female Rainwing, Okapi, a red-brown female Mudwing, Dodo, a green and brown Leaf-Rain male hybrid, Condor, a dark red non-binary Skywing, Hummingbird, a blue and tan Sand-Rain male hybrid, and Snowbird, the leader of the group. Everyone was older and perhaps adults compared to Beetle except Condor, who was around one year younger than him. 

"So, Beetle, what exactly did you hunt in Pantala? We must know what you are an expert in hunting with," Snowbird asked as the group walked through a river. Beetle turned his tail to see Hummingbird stick his tail in the river and come out and a fish pierced through his barb.

"Well, I mostly hunted large animals like wildebeest, zebras, and antelope. If I were with my brother, we could take down an elephant."

"So it sounds like you hunt large creatures, correct?" Beetle nodded his head. "Well, that can be tricky considering the only large animals in the forest is bear. Looks like we'll have to teach you to hunt small creatures."

"Can't we go out into the plains? They're not far and there's many animals we can hunt from there."

"You do realize we have hybrids in this group, right?" Beetle once again nodded his head. "And Pyrrhia hates hybrids, right?"

"Yes?"

"Too risky. If we hunt in the plains, we have a chance of the Anti-Hybrid Army catching a glimpse of Dodo or Hummingbird. Plus, Quietdeath has forbidden hunting in the plains for that exact reason. She doesn't want any blood on her talons unless it's needed." Dodo's head suddenly popped in front of Snowbird and Beetle. Beetle jumped in fright, but relaxed as it was just the goofy hybrid hanging by his tail.

"So you really came from Pantala?"

"Yes? Didn't you?" Dodo carefully touched the ground and his tail unwrapped around the branch.

"Oh, no. My father was a Leafwing who lived in Pantala but left and came here. I was born and raised in Tranquility."

"Oh, such a wonderful birth. One to a dragon who's too afraid to fly." 

"You didn't watch your father get split apart by a tornado at the age of two!" Dodo snapped at Okapi.

"Oh, Dodo! I'm so sorry. But, seriously, you don't fly? Ever? How old are you?"

"My hatching day is a moon away. I'm turning twelve."

"Can we please not talk about hatching days or how old we are and worry about hunting? We have over five thousand dragons living in Tranquility and sitting here chatting isn't helping!" Okapi snarled, flicking her tail in anger.

"Yeah, don't mess with Okapi. She'll get into a bad mood quick," Dodo whispered in Beetle's ear, chuckling.

"Sounds like you have experience?"

"Lots." Snowbird immediately hushed his group and walked into a bush. "He's hunting. Quick! Up into the trees so we can watch." Dodo climbed back up a tree, Beetle following him. Dodo smiled at Beetle as he dug his claws into the branch. A deer quietly walked in front of the bush that Snowbird was hiding in. Oh! I get it. Snowbird launched at the animal and bit into its neck. The deer went limp without making a single cry of pain.