Wings of Fire: The Rainforest Monster | ✔️

~ The Rainforest Monster: Chapter 8 ~

"Who put this here?" Glory asked, leaning closer to the hole. "It feels creepy."

"That's an understatement," Ringtail murmured.

Dainty whimpered. "I want to go home."

"This tunnel leads somewhere, I can sense it," Glory said.

Hare pushed past the others. "I'm going in."

Clay grabbed her tail and yanked her back. "No, you're not."

Hare yelped and tried to wriggle free. "Yes I am! Let go, you giant lump!"

"We're doing this sensibly," Clay said. "Meaning when it's not almost dark and when we have a rope and a plan. We can do this tomorrow morning."

"You're nuts!" Hare cried.

"Yeah!" Mangrove agreed. "Orchid could be in there, mud for brains! We should go now!"

"Don't insult my friends," Glory snapped.

"He's right," Kestrel said. "We should do this when we have a better idea of what we're going to do."

"But we need answers," Hare insisted.

"And we'll get them," Kestrel promised. "The hole will still be here tomorrow. I think we should return to the village and report this to the queen, then get some rest and return in the morning."

Hare hesitated, looking desperately at the hole, then sighed. "Alright, but I'm coming as soon as the sun rises."

"You'll come when we say you can," Nightingale snarled.

"Enough bickering." Glory stepped away and began heading down the slope. "It'll get us nowhere."

Hare huffed and went to follow, but Nightingale grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Remember who's kingdom you're in," she hissed. "You will follow our orders, not give them."

Nightingale pushed her arm back and stalked after the others. Hare watched them go, then slowly followed.

The center of the kingdom was very pretty.

Treehouses circled the edges of a clearing. In the middle of the clearing sat a large statue, at least as big as five dragons the size of Burn high. The statue displayed two RainWings in battle, their jaws snapped open and their claws raised. Hare looked up at it as they flew past. She met the eye of one of the RainWings and shuddered. It felt almost real.

"That's Jaguar and Black Widow," Vanilla explained, flying up beside Hare. The two stopped and hovered as she pointed to the dragon Hare had locked eyes with. "They're the only two known animus dragons in RainWing history. They existed during the same time, 1,000 years ago. That one, Jaguar, he was the 'good' one. He used his powers to benefit the tribe and never dared to hurt another dragon, especially with his magic." Vanilla pointed to the other dragon. "That one is Black Widow. She was the evil one, the one who used her magic to gain power. She killed dragons and tortured the tribe. Jaguar was the only one who could stop her. They killed each other in this battle." Vanilla raised her head proudly. "The Battle of the Rainforest."

Hare blinked. "Who built this?" she asked.

"The whole tribe worked together," Vanilla replied. "It took years to build. Some dragons here are the grandchildren of the grandchildren of the dragons who helped create this."

Hare turned her attention to Black Widow. "So, she was evil?"

"That's what I said."

"Meaning she'd be in the Place of Lost Souls?"

Vanilla blinked. "How do you know about that? I didn't think other tribes talked about it."

"They don't," Hare said. "I just heard it somewhere."

Vanilla hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Right, of course. Yes, she would be there."

Then I know who I'm looking for next.

"Stop dawdling!" Glory called from one of the treehouses. "Get your tails over here!"

Hare and Vanilla glanced at each other, then soared up to the treehouse.

"What could possibly be so interesting about a statue?" Glory demanded as they landed.

"There's actually some pretty interesting history behind it," Hare said. "Their names are Jagu-"

"No! La la la, I can't heeeeeear you!" Glory yelled, clamping her talons over her ears. "I do not need a Starflight lecture right now!"

Starflight let out a squawk of offense. "Excuse me, my lectures aren't bad! They're interesting, and you'd know that if you actually paid attention to them!"

"Get in," Ringtail ordered, pushing Hare and Glory inside the treehouse.

"Ow!" Hare yelped. "We're guests, not prisoners, remember? This isn't very welcoming!"

"You'll get over it," Ringtail said. "It's only until we find our missing dragons."

"So, what? We have a curfew?" Hare said.

"Yup," Ringtail said, turning away from them. "We need the dragons that are going to save our lost RainWings well rested, don't we?"

"Pathetic!" Kestrel hissed. "Our kindness is to be honored, remember?"

"And your silence is to be appreciated," Ringtail hissed. "Shut up before I bind your mouth. The moons are almost at their highest point, go to sleep."

The dragonets gathered in a group to sleep together the way they always had. Nightingale and Ringtail stood outside while Vanilla bid farewell and flew off to find Kookaburra. Dainty was sent away by Ringtail before she could whine too much.

Hare curled up beside Tsunami. She felt tiredness wash over her for the first time as she settled down and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to be on the edge of sleep. But right before she fully gave in and let sleep take her into its welcoming claws, she realized something.

Mangrove was missing.