CounterPart

21 | Tsunami!

The air was quiet ... Ominously quiet.

Sunny woke up to the gentle sound of leaves rustling outside her window; the gentle chatter of dragons; the gentle glow of the lanterns. She rubbed her eyes with her paws, stretching her wings as she sat up in her cave. The room was bathed in a soft, green glow from the bioluminescent plants adorning the walls; a soft green spotlight; a soft green atmosphere.

Beyond the collection of gentle greens, she could see savanna for miles, and then the silhouette of the forest, still smoldering weakly.

She didn't need breakfast; she needed quiet.

But when she got to the cliff with the absent idea of watching the sunrise, she found in her stead two familiar figures.

Squid and Flame were standing on the edge, deep in conversation. Sunny quickly hid behind a nearby bush, her curiosity piqued. She couldn't help but listen in.

"Squid, what in the three moons are you on about?" Flame growled, his voice surprisingly steady. "Lashing out won't help anyone, least of all yourself."

Squid's wings twitched in frustration. "You don't understand, Flame. Everything I do, it just feels... wrong. Like I can't control it."

"Oh, I don't understand, do I? Not me, who had their snout clawed off? How do you think I FEEL, Squid? Everyone looks at me with disdain! And disgust. And rightfully so." He added. "We're not prophecy Dragonets. We never were."

"How can you say that?" Squid protested. "We WERE in a prophecy!"

"NO, we weren't!" Flame snapped. "We were lied to, that's all. Can't you get over that already?" Sunny watched as Flame's tense posture relaxed slightly. "Besides, if we were protected by destiny, I wouldn't have this scar, would I."

"Umber thinks your scar is pretty cute." Squid pointed out conversationally, and Sunny stifled a snicker. Flame seemed to turn away, lashing his tail in a flustered fashion.

"O-okay, so?" He demanded. Then his voice fell softer. "I lived with you for six whole years, Squid. It's hard to keep going after such an angry childhood."

"I know it is," Squid replied quietly "And that's why I think you'll understand. No-one else."

His words touched Sunny's heart, knowing he was seeking help and helping others all at once.

"Well... I'm not mad I still know you, then." Flame grumbled absently.

"Yeah ... Me neither."

Sunny was about to reveal herself when something on the horizon caught her eye. A huge something. An impending something.

The sea, normally calm and serene, seemed to be pulling back, receding unnaturally fast, pulsing with a furious beat, like the beating of wings. And it seemed be getting bigger.

Closer.

"Squid, Flame?" Sunny called out, stepping out from behind the bush. "I think you should see this."

Squid yelped, meeting her gaze, and Flame let out a startled yowl which turned into a hiss. "Were you listening?" He snarled.

Meanwhile Squid had already followed Sunny's eyes to the sea. "That's not normal."

Flame frowned, momentarily forgetting his anger. "What's not normal?"

Sunny pointed to the horizon. "The sea... it's pulling back. That usually means..."

"Tsunami," Squid finished, his voice tense.

The realization hit them all at once. Sunny's heart pounded in her chest as she looked out at the rapidly receding water. "We need to warn everyone!"