Thunder Strike beat her wings in a steady rhythm as the sky slowly started to turn orange. The Blazehorns had not gone far, but were now at the center of Sunlit Island. Where Is Sunfyre going!? Why is he headed west? Where is he taking his tribe!? Questions paraded through Tia's head as she flew, one steady wingbeat after another. I must get home soon, though. Get the Phoenixes ready for tomorrow. Thunder Strike winced. Why am I doing this!? Dragging the Phoenixes into this mess, too! She faltered in the air, regained balance, then realized she had lost track of the dragons far ahead of her. OH no. No no no. Where are they!? Tia swung around in midair and tried to find a flash of gold scales, but they were nowhere to be seen. Thunder Strike grunted. Why am I following them? I already broke my window to go after Sunfyre. There are more Important things to do. Aughhh! If only I had the Seeker Scroll! Sunfyre! Why didn't you tell me before that you had that artifact?! Enraged and frustrated, Tia changed her path to head back home.
The sun was already slanting down into the dark depths of the ocean when Thunder Strike returned back to her house. Moonlight was glaring ferociously at Tia, Eclipse had a raised eyebrow, and Tsunami looked rather startled. "You know you broke your window, right?" Altair called up at Thunder Strike. Tia waved her talons. "Yes. I'm sorry. Was anyone hurt?" "No." Said Tsunami. "But why didn't you go through the door? I know you saw Blazehorns out the window, but please next time try avoiding smashing your own property." Monochrome laughed. "And you even almost knocked a plate of fresh salmon off the table? What's all the excitement? A secret?" Thunder Strike blushed. Monochrome was really good at guessing emotions and thoughts, despite not having a single speck of mind-reading power in her. Tia had just met her a few weeks ago. Eclipse snickered. "Looks like there really is a secret Tia is hiding!" Thunder Strike realized what her VERY STUPID SNOUT was doing, straightened her face out, and finally landed on the grass. "It's... well, it-it's over now. He betrayed. Me" Everyone burst into laughter. Pearl came peeking out the entrance of Tia's home. "Who's he?" She asked, clearly trying to hide a grin, but afraid of what Thunder Strike would do after the attack a couple days ago. Tia, humiliated, covered her face with her talons. Why did she even care?! Sunfyre had backstabbed and abandoned her TWICE already. "It's this Blazehorn. But don't worry, he's gone now." Pearl shivered. "Gone?" She began. "Like-" "NO, no." Thunder Strike cut her off. "He's not dead. Just a betrayer." A memory came echoing through her head. I'm not a betrayer, or a backstabber. Just a mind-changer. Tia shook her head vigorously. "I don't like him. I DON'T." Thunder Strike felt like she needed to tell herself that a few more times, so she said that again and again for about one minute.
The sun was fading far below the horizon by now, and everyone had gone inside to tell stories and watch movies. Life is so hard, but right now, It feels easy. Thunder Strike thought as they all walked to the balcony. DJ had given the group a report and told them the army of Phoenixes would be ready to fly by morning. I can't believe they all actually listened. Maybe the birds had already been planning something to throw at Nightmare. That thought made Thunder Strike feel a bit better.
Tsunami was finishing up his own made up story, and Eclipse was staring at Tia. when Tsunami was done talking, Eclipse said, "Hey Thunder Strike, any chance you could tell us where you've been these past days? Tia sighed, not ready to explain everything, especially when all she wanted to do was lie down in her nest and count the stars. "Are you all sure you guys can stay up this late?" She asked. The moon and stars were high up in the sky already, the bright white flecks over the stark black backdrop. "Yes!" Everyone responded literally at the exact same time. So Thunder Strike told them everything. About leaving to find her tribe, taking Sunfyre with her, finding her long lost Stormwings, Zea promising an army, escaping, arguing, Sunfyre leaving with a hard goodbye, Tia finding Nightmare and Horizon battling, Sunfyre and Horizon left to die over the volcano, Tia saving Sunfyre, Sunfyre leaving her ONCE AGAIN, Meeting Spirit, Meeting Nightmare, having the memory from him, and finally, finally, going home.
Nebula flinched. "So Horizon is still back there at the Ring of Volcanoes? We have to go save her as soon as possible!" Thunder Strike nodded, totally into the idea. "Then we get her on our side. Kaboom! A new powerful ally!" She said excitedly. "But... let's all sleep first." Snowy added with a yawn. Tsunami nodded in agreement, and they both hurried up to their sleeping corners. Tia shifted her wings. "That's right. Everyone to bed." She ordered firmly.
Thunder Strike sat in the soft pillows and fabric of her nest for a moment, deciding not to close the curtains, just for today. The midnight breeze whistled through the fur on her neck making it flow just a little bit. Tia turned off the night light that was beside her coffee table and settled down, burying her neck into the cushions beneath cushions and tried to sleep under the bright galaxies of the night.
Thunder Strike had been dozing in and out, drifting through shallow sleep and half consciousness. The birds had started squeaking at some point, well before the sun was up to start the day. Tia checked herself. 4:00am. Jeez. I don't think I've had enough sleep yet. All she had were half-shaped nightmares about... well... Nightmare. The dark sky was still there, and there were barely any dragons in the air at this time. Thunder Strike shook her head from side to side, then decided it would be a good idea to get up and drink some water. I hope the Phoenixes come in the early morning. Might as well grab some breakfast over by Stone River, hope me and the birds meet there. Tia walked over to another room where a small trickle of a waterfall was flowing down from a rock outcropping. It was fresh spring water from the small river not too far from here. The tiny stream gurgled down a small line indent on the ground, leading to a small pool and a little waterfall. It was the perfect place to take a shower downstream and quench your thirst upstream. Thunder Strike took large gulps of water. When she was done, she stood up straight and went to wake the early risers. Nebula, Luna, Serpent, and Starhidorah. They all lifted up into the wind currents early in the morning. Their plan was to grab some fish, head South-west, and see if the Phoenixes were still getting ready to go. But when the small group headed to Stone River, they all saw a flock of birds in the distance, flying straight for Spirit Cliff!
"WAIT!!!" Thunder Strike roared with all her might. Dopey freaking featherheads! I don't want Nightmare to see an entire army trying to attack their camp! Tia thought grumpily. She sped off to go warn the Phoenixes and notify them that they were here.
YOU ARE READING
Songbird, Book 1: Sun's Arrival
AdventureThunder Strike lived in the City of Hope. There had always been one enemy, Nightmare, and one dragon that had been fighting him for all of eternity, Horizon. Thunder Strike and her friends planned to defeat him and restore peace, but that was when T...
