Wings of Fire: Lost in Time

Pancakes and Excitement

Moonpounce:

Five years later ...

Today was the day!

Moonpounce's wings shot out in both directions, knocking over two plant pots and a hanging frame of their family, which she caught impressively with her tail. She slid onto the floor out of her hammock, and stuck her head out of the leaf covering to the balcony adjoining her room.

The entire canopy of the Rainforest stretched out ahead of her like some endless green carpet. Monkeys' hoots and birdsong blasted her ears as she let out a roar of excitement.

A tiny head from the layer below looked up at her disapprovingly.

"Pouncer! Could you try and keep it down? Most of us are attempting to enjoy a peaceful morning of rest before they enter the most chaotic part of their lives." Redsky twittered away. Moonpouncer rolled her eyes and darted back inside her room, bright blue eyes scanning all she would need for the perfect first day at school.

Books - No, not necessary AT ALL, Redsky would bring enough. A cape? Or three? They made her look more intimidating, at the very least. Moonpounce soared around the thatched ceiling, her talons dragging score marks along the wood.

An opal necklace. An earring in the shape of a dreamcatcher, with tiny little diamonds hanging from the ring. Ooooo, yes, her clawmates would love that. And then a small recorder went into her pouches, next to the compartment of shurikens.

Moonpounce was often told she took after Carnelian, but instead of coming out in a cold, battle thirsty attitude, she resembled more the fierce determination and stubborness.

Now Redsky, Redsky was a little Moonwatcher. 

"Moonpounce, Redsky!" She heard her mother call, from just below the stairwell. "Your mum's making pancakes, I'd suggest you get down here before I eat them all." She said, with an audible smirk, if such thing existed.

Moonpounce liked that about Carnelian, her mother. She rarely directly ordered them to do anything, merely suggested them, as if the consequence was something to be afraid of.

Though missing Moon's pancakes was definitely something to be afraid of, in Moonpounce's eyes. She abandoned her bag on her hammock and pelted down the stairs, skidding to a stop by the neatly carved table in the centre of their room. She collapsed at a seat, out of breath.

Redsky was already there, staring playfully at her from across the table. Her little pet luna moth, Sweeper, sat on her horn peacefully flapping away. From what she could tell, Redsky had already packed her life's worth of belongings into her two neck pouches. She could see pot plants, quills, books (Predictable), paints, Sweeper's cage, plenty of other commodities that Moonpounce wouldn't have thought you needed at Jade Mountain Academy.

But it was okay, Redsky would help her pack - if begrudgingly - later on.

Moonpounce took a deep breath and her world seemed to slow down. Things became less hectic. She ate her pancake slowly, daydreaming about what would happen when she got to school, and it took Moon's voice to snap her out of her trance.

"You ready for this, Pouncer?" She asked, kneeling low over her when Redsky had left the room.

"I feel like I was born ready." She grinned. 

Moon gave a flickering smile. "I know I did some crazy stuff at my school, but after that, Jade Mountain was like a home to me. I hope it can become that for you." 

Moonpounce wrapped her wings around her mum, and Moon held her tightly back, whispering in her ear. "You'll do great, my little moonshine. Take care of Redsky."

"I will." She whispered back, dutifully. "I'll get her through at least a week before she writes a new poem about frogs or something."

Moon laughed gently.

When the embrace had ended, Moonpounce dashed back upstairs to grab her bag - Redsky had indeed finished her packing for her and was waiting with a sweet smile. She said a quick thanks, and took Redsky's talon in hers as they prepared to glide down the spiral stairway in the centre of their house.

But something stopped her. The sound of their mothers' voices down a layer, low, as if this wasn't a conversation they were meant to be hearing. Moonpounce put a talon to Redsky's chest to halt her, and listened.

"All two of our dragonets off to school, then?" Moon was saying, but... constricted.

"Yeah ... all two." Carnelian sighed.

Redsky was matching Moonpounce's confused look now, as an unsaid agreement passed between them. They would not mention this. Not yet.

And after all, it's probably nothing.

The dragonets quickly resumed their flight downstairs, but Moonpounce couldn't shake the feeling that something had been left unsaid.