King of The Dragons (Wings of Fire X Monster Hunter)

Part 3: Chapter 30 & 31

(3rd Pov Glory)

Kinkajou hurried forward to her friend - who was already walking toward them - and whispered into Tamarin's ear. Tamarin and Kinkajou then walked over to Glory. The blind RainWing moved confidently across the unsteady vine surface as if she knew where every leaf and every gap would be. He blind eyes were almost constantly on the move, as if she could see, trying to take in every bit of information around her.

"This is Glory," Kinkajou said. "Our next queen." Tamarin reached out with her front talons to feel Glory's wings and face.
"Why would you pick me?" Tamarin blurted. She wore only one garland of flowers around her shoulders. The shades of red and pink and purple didn't match at all, but they smelled amazing. It made Glory think of coconuts and honey without making her hungry.

"I told you her about you," said Kinkajou. Her voice faltered a little, giving away that she hadn't quite mentioned every thing.
"I had no idea there were any blind dragons, except in old scroll stories," Glory said. She fluttered a wing in front of Tamarin's eyes, but the RainWing didn't blink. "How do you fly between the trees? How do you land? Don't you accidentally walk off platforms and fall out of hammocks all the time?"

"Not anymore," Tamarin answered. The green started fading from her scales and she relaxed. "The first year, yes. All the time."
She lifted her wings up to reveal an old scar twisting across her underbelly. Glory spotted a few others on Tamarin's wings and neck. These weren't like the battle scars the war had given so many dragons. These told the story of a tiny dragonet crashing into trees, plummeting off walkways, and impaling herself on stray branches as she tried to learn to fly in total darkness.

"But everyone took care of me," Tamarin said. "There was always a dragon watching me, helping me and teaching me." Glory glanced at the watching tribe. She would have guessed that no one would take responsibility for a little blind dragonet, other than Oleander who seemed like she would take in any dragonet no matter what was wrong with them. Instead, everyone had helped, which gave her hope. "And now I have the village memorized, so I know all the distances and obstacles." Tamarin's ruff folded and opened, before she glanced around, as if she was trying to take in what was going on around her. "And thanks to Oleander's help, it's gotten a little easier."
That didn't surprise Glory at all.

Queen Magnificent unfurled her purple wings and stood up on her back talons. "Let's begin!" she called. "Unless you've changed your mind?"
"We're ready," Glory said.

"No inspiring speech?" Jambu said, sounding disappointed.
Kinkajou and Mangrove tilted their snouts toward her expectantly. Tamarin's ear twitched.
"I gave one yesterday," Glory protested.

"So now do one just for us," Kinkajou said. Her scales kept shifting to match the dark green leaves below them, as if she was trying to hide what she was really feeling. Mangrove, on the other hand, was a resigned sky-blue.
"Um. All right. Do your best," Glory said. "And thanks and stuff."
Kinkajou stifled a laugh.
"Wow," said Mangrove. "I feel so moved."
Tamarin smiled.

Queen Magnificent beckoned imperiously and two portly RainWings flew up beside her, carrying a low table carved from a single log of mahogany. Arranged neatly on top were five nuts, each polished brown and about the size of a dragons eye.

"This contest has five parts, each related to the special talents of our tribe," said Queen Magnificent. "You assign one team member per part, and whichever team wins three out of the five contest, wings the crown." She pointed a sharp claw at the first nut. "Venom targeting." She pointed to the second. "A flower hunt." The third: "Treetop race." The fourth: "Fruit gathering."

The last nut she picked up and turned over in her front talons. "And naturally there must be a camouflage competition. We are RainWings, after all." She set it down again with a tooth smile. "Let's start with the fruit gathering, so the competitors can work on it while we finish the other contests."