Cinder: In No Way, a Hero || Book 3

~ Chapter 17 - Forget ~

Eagle tried to forget.

Forget.

Forget.

Forget.

But it was so hard to, when all they could think about was...it.

They could still feel as StormCloud's body burned in Eagle's grasp.

Forget.

They could feel the flames dancing around their talon, and around the SeaWing's body.

Forget.

They could feel as their soul dropped in their chest as the body disappeared, and fell into the sand.

Forget!

...

...

...

But Eagle could never forget.

Not when they killed someone.

A dragon.

A messed up, bat crazy, magic-consumed, virus-making, barely a dragon.

But a dragon nonetheless.

Comet tried reassuring Eagle. Multiple times.

"You did what you had to, Eagle," she would always say.

But did they have to kill him like that?

Was killing him even...necessary?

After all StormCloud had done...

Yeah. It was best that he was dead.

So why did Eagle feel so...guilty?

They shook their head, wiping away any expression they had displayed. Right now, the focus was getting to the Delta, and meeting with Soot and the others.

Maybe Soot could give Eagle some insight.

Eagle didn't care. They just wanted to see Soot.

After long flights, short breaks, and a few incidents in which all of them almost fell asleep in the sky, they made it.

Finally.

The Diamond Spray Delta.

But they couldn't stop yet.

Eagle led the group past the mud puddles, past the dried mud-structured sleephouses, past all of the MudWing dragonets who looked up at the variety of dragons with awe.

When Eagle looked back at them, all they could see was fire. Every sleephouse, every tree, every dragon. They could hear their screams of pain and cries for help as their flesh burned away.

Eagle shuddered, looking back to the task at hand. Just forget, they scolded themselves.

Eagle led the group to a beach. It was a small pebbled beach surrounded by forest that led to the Sky Kingdom.

Eagle stepped onto the pebbles, feeling a sense of familiarity to it. Sure, they had come here with Soot often, but it was more than that. It felt like it held some sort of importance within Eagle's bloodline; like it was a special place for just their family.

Eagle shook the feeling and looked around. No sign of Soot anywhere.

The others seemed to be confused. "Where are they?" Jacques asked, seemingly beginning to panic.

Comet was concerned as well. "They should be here, shouldn't they, Eagle?" The hybrid turned to Eagle.

"Yea...do y'a think maybe they're on th'r way?" they asked, trying to give the group some hope.

"Maybe," Jacques answered. "Let's camp here and wait for them. If they're not here by dusk in 2 days, we'll go back to the kingdom and look for them."

The others agreed. Eagle trotted to a cave on the beach, showing how they, along with Soot, had made a home within the cave.

"It ain't too big, but it's big enough for 2 SkyWin's t' fit comfy. If y'all need, I can find another cave."

Comet, the biggest of the 3, went in first. She was about the same size as Eagle, and seemed to fit fine. "Well, I seem to fit."

Jacques went in next. He was relatively tall, but rather thin. He snuggled up next to Comet, then scooted away. "All good here."

Angel went in the cave last. She probably had the least struggle, and snuggled in right in-between the other two dragons.

Eagle nodded. "How's 'bout we take turns patrollin'? I can go first. Y'all take the rest y'a need."

"I'll take the next shift," Jacques said. "I can help with figuring out the time. Let's switch out every 2 or 3 hours."

"How 'bout 2-and-a-half?" Eagle debated.

Jacques nodded. "I can wake myself up, so no worries."

"Alright. Night, y'all. I'll wake y'all up if we need to move camp, 'r if they show up."

The others nodded, resting their forms.

Eagle sighed, looking out to the sunset. They barely got it, but any piece was worth it. The setting of the sun's beautiful rays, shining the horizon with pastels, welcoming the moon; it reminded Eagle of good days.

Most importantly, it reminded them of Soot.

Eagle still remembered watching their first sunset with Soot...

Soot took off his armor, laying it inside the cave, and trotting over next to Eagle. He sat close to the brown SkyWing, twining his tail around theirs.

Eagle looked to the pale brown SkyWing beside them, noticing the sun's shimmer in his golden eye.

"Y'er so beautiful in the sunset light," Eagle said.

Soot looked to them, smiling. "Th-thanks, you too."

Eagle placed their head on Soot's shoulder, looking back to the sunset. "It's so pretty, ain't it?"

Soot rested his head on Eagle's. "Yea."

"It brings out y'er eyes."

"What?"

"The sunset. When its rays shine onto the horizon, creating the colors in the sky, it makes a beautiful golden light onto the earth. When it shines on you, it brings out y'er eyes."

Soot cracked a smile. "I love you."

Eagle smiled back. "Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

Soot lifted his head and held Eagle's. "I love you, y'a big dummy."

Eagle laughed softly. "I know. I just wanted to hear you say it."

Soot huffed. "I take it back. I hate you."

"Love y'a too, Soot."

Soot's jaw dropped, then formed a grin. "I KNEW IT! You love me!"

Eagle laughed. "Of course I do. Who couldn't?"

"I could test that," a voice hissed outside of Eagle's mind. They stood to their feet, looking around for the voice.

Behind them stood StormCloud.

"How?! I killed you!"

"You killed my physical body," the SeaWing hissed. "But now your actions will haunt you for eternity."

Eagle's breath started to pick up. "No! Y'er not real!"

StormCloud then suddenly burst into flames, laughing. "I will haunt you until the day you die, Eagle!"

"NO!" Eagle shouted, tears streaming down their face.

Then, just as he had appeared, the SeaWing was gone.

Eagle started to hyperventilate, trying to control their breathing. "Breathe, Eagle. You don't need another panic attack."

Eagle sighed, sitting on the beach as the sun finally disappeared. "Please, just be back soon, Soot. I need you."