Wings of Fire - Qibli

Let the Music... Begin!

Qibli flew down the tunnel and went left and then right and then right again, slamming into dragons, walls and some weird, wet, dangling plants to get to the Music rooms. It was already late into the afternoon and he was late to his next lesson. Qibli had been sleeping under the warm sun with the other SandWings that afternoon and Winter didn't even look for him to remind him of the time. So he was late. Late in the first week of school.

Queen Thorn would be so disappointed in me.

Even Ostrich had laughed and told him that she'd tell Thorn he wasn't taking his lessons seriously. Which was NOT TRUE. He'd already memorised the anatomies of dragons for his next lesson with Clay and learnt the first chapter of the history of Pyrrhia for Webs. In his opinion he was probably the most hard-working dragonet so far. 

The tunnel started slanting down and he let his weight carry him forwards. His wings ached from the number of times he had bashed them into the side of the tunnels or scraped them on some stalactites.

Another left and then we should be there. 

As Qibli turned left he could hear the reverberating echoes of the drums from the room. The pebbles under his claws vibrated gently to each beat.

Music.

Qibli couldn't help smiling. He couldn't remember last time he'd felt the drums underneath his talons with his body beating to the rhythm of the music.

And I'll see Moon.

He didn't know which made him happier.

As he came to the end of the tunnel he could see the walls outlined with the soft glow of fires from inside the music room and he bounded into the cave and he felt like the music and the light spreading over the aches and scratches on his body and the pain fading away. He made his way straight over to the drums next to the SkyWing and started drumming to the music with his body, tail and talons. He felt his thoughts simmering into a soothing, regular beat.

Qibli searched the room, drumming to the music, for Moon. She was next to Kinkajou, whose scales were changing colour at each beat of the music. Moon was smiling as she played a metal square box with silver pieces attached to it. Moon turned to face Qibli and smiled. Qibli felt his heart skip a beat and grinned back at her.

She looks very calm palying the mbira. Parch plays that. I wonder how he's doing. I could introduce them and he could teach her. She looks like she hasn't played a lot of instruments before. Struggling with the rhythm. Must've been hard to play an instrument if she was hidden in the rainforest... I could teach her if she wants me to.

Sepia, Kinkajou and another RainWing started dancing to the music. Anemone and Turtle joined straight after.

Ahh the RainWing I saw earlier. We have music with Silver Winglet so it's got to be Boto. Ahhh so that's Boto. Ostrich is playing the harp, very good, she's improved. The MudWing was the one that I saw galloping in, Sepia, I was right. She's very outgoing as I thought. Sunny must have put a lot of thought into the Winglets. Thorn would be proud of Sunny.

He scanned the room and saw Umber was playing the double bass that was almost double the size of Kinkajou. Glittering scales caught his eye and he saw Winter ringing bells by the corner staring at Moon and weirdly found a twinge of sadness in his heart.

You've only known Moon for a few days.

He shook the thought off and he let the music and the rhythm take over his thoughts and he thought of the Outclaws, Thorn and the fires around which he'd dance and laugh and sing. He could almost feel the heat of the sun and the smell of the sand as he drummed away. He caught Ostrich's eye. She mouthed to him Outclaws. He grinned and nodded.

I'll take Moon there one day. I'll take all of them there. Pyrrhia is at peace now.

Moonwatcher:

Qibli drummed with his whole body, like he was dancing and drumming at the same time. His tail thumped a rhythm on a huge bass drum behind him while his front talons jumped and skipped and bumped from one small drum to another. Anemone grabbed Turtle and started dancing, and after a moment, Kinkajou, the other RainWing, and the other MudWing joined in.

Moon wished she were brave enough to dance, or to drum along with Qibli.

Maybe one day.

Afterward, to Moon's surprise, Winter caught up with her on her way to the Library.

"I want you to look at my scavenger," he said brusquely. Don't make eye contact! He was shouting at himself inside his head. Don't think about her! You're a disgrace to the royal IceWing lineage, Winter! Your brother would never have been so weak!

"Oh," she faltered, "I - I mean, sure, but - I don't really know anything about them.""Then use your intuition or whatever," he said. Or... whatever, his mind echoed ominously.

Qibli:

"That was so AMAZING!" Ostrich said extending out her wings with excitement nearly thwacking Sepia in the snout. 

"OSTRICH. FOR THE LAST TIME. SPATIAL AWARENESS PLEASE." Sepia laughed. Ostrich twined her tail with Sepia with an apologetic face.

Aww, they've gotten closer. I'm glad Ostrich has made a friend. Kindle and SixClaws would like to hear about that. Should send a letter.

Qibli laughed along with them and led the way out of the cave. Anemone and Turtle had already left talking about a pool inside the mountains.

Ostrich and Sepia were now talking about the prey centre and getting something to eat when Qibli saw the glittering scales of his most favourite dragon, Winter. Qibli turned with a smile to bound over when he saw that he was talking to Moon. Qibli felt his smile fade away slowly and caught it just in time to say goodbye to Ostrich and Sepia.

Winter and Moon were talking too far away to hear anything but then suddenly Winter walked down one of the tunnels quickly and Kinkajou bounded in and started talking to Moon. Qibli pretended to walk towards one of the tunnel entrances closer to them just in time to hear Kinkajou say:

"Oh wow! He must like you, to be asking for your help, right?"

"Well, no. I'm pretty sure he hates me." Moon said after a pause and wrinkled her snout.

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that, Moon. A part of me wishes he did. I think I'm pretty sure we both like you.

Qibli walked through the tunnel entrance with a sigh.