Wings of Fire - Court of Lies

37 - Moorhen's Words

The initial plan was to tell Moorhen they had an interesting plan to discuss and fly back to the home and work on it and choose a date to discuss it with said MudWing, Scarlet and Burn, yet Chameleon and the dragonets were still in the Mud Kingdom.
After the five dragonets and Clay's siblings had their moment, they had asked him to spend at least a day together and while Chameleon was initially tempted to remind them of their job and the fact that they had basically wished each other goodbye a few moments prior, a small part of him was moved by their interaction and had been strong enough to make him accept their request. Queen Moorhen had no problem letting ten dragonets spend a day in her castle, she and her siblings looked more than happy at the thought of helping a small troop grow like that and the animus didn't have a reason to object.
At least, he didn't have a real one beside the fact that all that "family bonding time" was making him nauseous.

<< Are you alright? >>

Asked Moorhen.
The RainWing in his "Bog" mask had been sitting in a corner of the room they were all in, drinking some liquor he never heard of before and ignoring the dragonets.

<< Yes. I just find those sappy family reunions annoying. >>
<< Oh, not the family type, aren't you. >>

A half-chuckle escaped the animus's maws.

<< I could have been one, maybe, had I been born a real MudWing. But I had the "pleasure" to hatch in an uncaring tribe, a family that turned its back on me. Everyone does if you're not their ideal relative at the end. >>
<< Are you... sure you feel fine opening up to me? >>

Asked the queen cautiously.

<< I'm just stating facts, not opening up. Do you really think you and your siblings would be this loyal and close if you grew up with different circumstances and different teachings? >>
<< Oh dear! I don't know, our instinct is so "weak" a BigWings already knows what to do once they hatch. I don't think something nature grants us will prevail over hatching outside this kingdom. >>

Laughed the dragoness, making "Bog" feel annoyed at her naive answer.

<< It's true. Clay's instinct has been true to your MudWings' reputation since the night he hatched. But I'm a spy in the Talons of Peace and I assure you, Ochre showed no sign of it in all these years. He might not be a BigWings, but he was raised with the alternative Dragonets of Destiny as their brother and he could turn against them pretty easily. >>

The MudWing queen stared at him in silence, nodding as she thought about his words.

<< I've heard from him of the way he was treated. I've heard of the abuse the dragonets suffered, even those five under your care. Look at them... >>

She pointed at the five with her tail.
Clay had been playing-fighting with his younger siblings and was being pinned down by Sora, Umber and Sunny, Glory and Tsunami were talking with Pheasant and Starflight about something that looked pretty entertaining and Starflight was explaining some old legends to Reed and Marsh. Each other held a big, happy grin on their muzzle, acting like they always knew each other before that day.

<< They're gentle and trusting, they're kind and want to do the right thing. It's up to you, the choice of who you'll become and the family you'll have. >>
<< And what does it have to do with me? >>
<< Chameleon. Do you find "sappy family reunions" annoying because you're not a family dragon, or because what you've been through left a deep scar that's twisting your feelings about it? >>

Chameleon felt a strong desire to curse the dragoness, holding himself back with a strength he didn't know he could possess as he forced a smirk full of poison.

<< Forgive me, your Majesty... >>

Hissed mockingly.

<< But I do remember the job of analyzing someone's mind, traumas and feelings is up to the mind-healers.¹ It was already hard enough for healers to learn what they needed to heal a dragon's mind and heart, someone who doesn't understand the shit she's talking about will only cause more damage. >>

That seemed to do the trick as Queen Moorhen bowed apologetically.

<< I understand Chameleon and I ask you to forgive me for overstepping your boundaries. >>

He was oh so tempted to tell her of a certain hole to stick her apologies in, but he had to remember himself that she was the queen of the place.

<< But we're allies in this war and that makes us close enough for me to worry about you and the others. I may not like all of you, but we all need to be at the top of our performances if we want to win this war. >>
<< This is the first thing you said that makes sense... >>
<< So, maybe you should talk with a mind-healer to help yourself. Or you could start trying to get closer to those five cuties and see how that makes you feel. I think it could help. >>

And with that, Moorhen left him alone, going back to his sibling as Chameleon tried to keep his composure.
Her words made him feel strange, like there was a heavy boulder on his chest, he had felt like that before, every time he would think back of his former tribe, he would feel the pressure like anger itself had taken the invisible form of an heavy objects.
"It's just anger. It'll go away."
He thought, going to the nearest window to enjoy the view and clear his thoughts.

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Author's Notes: (¹)= there are no known psychologists and psychiatrists in "Wings of Fire".
But I honestly think that with how "advanced" the tribes are (even without technology, they have the concept of: politics, military strategy, family, relationships, different kinds of professions and business, the importance of teaching and medicine as well) and the fact that they have healers, it would be pretty absurd that none of these healers ever noticed how important is to take care of your mind as much as your body and never tried to find a way to deal with it.
So yeah, here we have the "mind-healers".

- LaraEndlight