Wings of Fire: A Light of Truth (Temporary Cover)

Chapter 6

The night was silent, as if shocked too from what Squid had announced. Stars twinkled dimly and trees swayed with the wind.
Amber shivered as the words had come out of Squid's mouth.
Sapphire paused, her dark green eyes showing worry.
Futureseer was shocked with confusion. He didn't know how to take that. Another prophecy? They already had to struggle with the one they already had.
"What does that mean?" Futureseer began, breaking the unnatural silence. "Forest and Night will come together? What does it mean by that?"
Squid shrugged, the young dragonet, too, confused by the prophecy.
"I have an idea in mind." Everyone turned to the young dragonet, Amber, to see what she had to say.
"Forest. Night. These could be tribes. Like how the original prophecy stated dragons of sea and night," Amber began explaining. Everyone nodded in acknowledgment. "Night is obviously the NightWings. I'm not too sure about forest."
"You have a really good point," Squid said. Futureseer paused, an idea in mind of what forest could mean.
"Rainforest. Like RainWings," Futureseer thought, or at least he thought. Everyone turned their attention on him.
Did I say that out loud?
"Uh—," Futureseer paused, wondering what to say. "Forest and night will come together. RainWings and NightWings?" Squid nodded.
"That would make sense," Sapphire remarked.
"Who is the 'Ferncatcher' then?" Amber asked. Futureseer paused, taking a moment to think.
"Ferncatcher has two words in it. Could it be a NightWing, Futureseer?" The purplish-indigo dragonet turned to look at him. He shrugged.
"It depends, but I'm not sure," Futureseer concluded.
"So a RainWing then?" Amber prompted. "If it were, than—"
"Or it could be any other tribe," Sapphire interrupted. The orange dragonet's wings stiffened.
"Whatever it is, Starhunter wanted to ask you something," Squid told them. "She wanted to let you know that she's been having strange dreams and visions. She thinks they're somehow connected to the prophecy." Futureseer's muscles tensed. Was there more to the prophecy than he thought?
I thought the only one we had to stop was Queen Azure. But is this so called "Ferncatcher" at all an enemy?
"They're connected?" Amber asked. She paced around the clearing. "Maybe they can—"
"But is the Ferncatcher an enemy?" Futureseer asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Amber fall back. Squid shrugged as Futureseer focused his attention back to her.
"We've got to figure this out," the young SeaWing wondered as her eyes scanned the area around them.
"Perhaps NightWings and RainWings are planning an allegiance. After all, the RainWings haven't been on either sides of the war yet," Futureseer offered.
"All just because my parents wanted to be together," Sapphire sighed. Futureseer shuffled closer to the younger dragonet and twined his tail with hers.
"And the Ferncatcher is telling the story..." Squid muttered. "Or something like that. Plus, we don't really know why more prophecies keep coming to us. It's all so random." Squid's eyes showed anxiety. "I didn't even know that you were on a prophecy journey— mission — thing until Catfish came home." Sapphire frowned.
"I'm sorry Squid, I was in a hurry and—" Sapphire was cut off.
"You don't have to be sorry. It's fine," Squid smiled. Futureseer could see the strong sibling-like relationship between the two dragonets. "Let's get back to the prophecy." Sapphire nodded and paused for a moment before speaking up again.
"Well if the prophecy says 'many will be lost' we should probably stay clear of this Ferncatcher," Sapphire suggested. Futureseer nodded agreement. He froze, suddenly remembering what the prophecy had also said.
'Until one can find the scroll of answers'... What in Pyrrhia does that mean? Scroll? Answers? Futureseer rambled through his thoughts as he tried to figure out the prophecy.
Futureseer was caught off guard as Sapphire nudged his shoulder, a worried look over her face. She pointed to the right. Futureseer's eyes followed her talon and saw that Amber had disappeared. He quickly untwined his tail with the her.
"A — Amber?!" Futureseer stuttered. He immediately got to his feet as he looked around the area. There was no sight of the young orange dragonet. Sapphire pulled her wings close together.
"She said she saw someone — I didn't think she was going to follow them," Sapphire explained. Futureseer flinched. Amber had willingly gone off alone?
"Squid, tell Starhunter we got the message. Thank you, but we have to go now and find Amber," Sapphire told the purplish SeaWing. Squid nodded and came forward to hug Sapphire. She flew off into the dark night. Sapphire waved a wing to signal Futureseer to follow. Futureseer's muscles tensed.
What was Amber thinking?! To follow a stranger like that — she could've gotten captured like Catfish did, Futureseer thought. As Sapphire went around the trees, they soon started to disappear as more mountain range appeared. Futureseer paused, his heart racing.
No — it couldn't be, Futureseer panicked. Could she have gone back to the Sky Kingdom? Futureseer looked around the mountain range as forests started disappearing. They were heading for the Sky Kingdom.
But why would she? Futureseer paused. Even though he had known the orange dragonet for a couple of weeks now, he was never told why she was traveling with Sapphire and not residing in the Sky Kingdom. His dark navy-blue eyes flashed toward Sapphire as he wondered if this was the right time to ask her.
Soon, the grass underneath his talons turned to rock. Futureseer looked up in a mixture of shock and amazement. Before him stood the Sky Kingdom, quiet in the night as it loomed over the two dragonets. It was still too far for Futureseer and Sapphire to walk there, but at least it was in sight. Futureseer scanned the area, looking for a bright orange dragonet.
For what seemed like centuries, the light of dawn broke out in the sky, its pale light barely lighting up their surroundings. Sweat drizzled down his face as time grew older and longer. It didn't seem like Amber had run away, but Futureseer not doubt that thought seeing the orange dragonet's talonprint in some area of dirt.
"Sapphire, come look at this," Futureseer called over his shoulder. The dark blue dragonet arrived by his side, staring at the print in the dirt.
"Yeah, that's her," Sapphire confirmed. Futureseer looked out into the open, his dark navy-blue eyes scanning for the orange dragonet. Soon, he caught sight of a SkyWing dragonet flying in the distance.
"Amber!" Futureseer called. He quickly took off into the air, making sure Sapphrie was following him. After he made sure the dark blue dragonet was following his lead, he soared through the wind after the orange dragonet. As he got closer, he found the young dragonet's gaze focusing on something — or someone.
"Ammolite!" Amber yelled as she dived down the sky. Futureseer hovered for a slight moment, then quickly followed her.
Ammolite? Futureseer wondered. Earlier, back at Town of Cactus, Amber had wanted to buy some gems for sale. There had been a colorful fossilized material there called ammolite that Amber has chosen to buy.
As he dived after the orange dragonet he felt heavy weight knock him out of the air. He free-falled through the air as he flailed around trying to get back on his wings. Just a few inches from the ground, he used a gust of air to lift him up and carefully landed on the rough ground. He looked up as Sapphire flew down toward him, a panicked look on her face.
"Futureseer, are you alright?!" Sapphire shouted, her green eyes wide with worry. The NightWing dragonet nodded as he looked around his surroundings.
"Amber!" Futureseer yelled as he saw the orange dragonet's orange tail slip away into the bushes. Sapphire and Futureseer followed after her as fast as they could.
What in the world was that? Futureseer wondered as he looked back at the space he had started falling from. It was like a dragon had attacked him or something. He turned his focus back to finding Amber until his heart stopped and his body froze.
In front of him was a SkyWing splayed across the ground, blood gushing out from many wounds. Amber stood in horror staring at the motionless SkyWing.
"A— Ammoli..." Amber's voice drowned out before she could finish her sentence. She took a step toward the unmoving dragon, when suddenly, it flinched. Futureseer ran toward Amber, but stopped in his tracks as the what he thought was a dead dragon, lifted a wing and barely stood up.
"Ammolite!" Amber shrieked as she ran toward the SkyWing and wrapped her wings around her, the blood sticking to her scales.
The SkyWing barely lifted her head up, before Futureseer could barely hear her say, "A — Amber? Is that really you?" Amber bursted into tears as she hugged the dragon harder.
"What happened?!" Amber yelled. Futureseer continued making his way toward Amber as Sapphire slowly followed him.
"Them..." was all the SkyWing said.
"Who is she?" Sapphire whispered to Amber. Futureseer stared at the injured dragon as his heart lurched with question. Who was this dragon— and what kind of thing could've made her this badly injured?
Futureseer was never involved in the SeaWing-NightWing War, and never knew how far injuries could go. Now, as he stared at this dragon, he finally knew what the war was capable of. Had an IceWing or MudWing attacked her? Questions swirled around his head.
"She's... Ammolite," Amber barely whispered. Sapphire stared at the SkyWing and reached into her pouch. Her dark blue talons pulled it a very familiar green and purple plant.
"Here, salt plant. I'll find something to stop the bleeding," Sapphire said, handing the herb to Amber. Sapphire quickly nodded to Futureseer, gesturing that he should come with her.

It had been a few minutes after they used the salt plant and Amber started calming down.
"Ammolite, what happened?" Amber asked the dragon.
"I thought you were dead, Amber," Ammolite muttered.
"That's not the point! Tell me, who did this to you?!" Amber yelped. Ammolite lifted her head, and Futureseer could see her face.
Woah— a SkyWing with green eyes? He wondered in amazement as he stared at Ammolite.
"I tried looking for you. I tried defending you before they banished you," Ammolite murmured.
Banished? Futureseer wondered in confusion. That's what happened to Amber?
"Wait— you were banished from the Sky Kingdom?" Futureseer asked with wide eyes. Sapphire stared at him as if she realized she hadn't told him that yet. Amber shuffled her talons.
"It's because I saved Shiver," Amber reminded him.
Futureseer was shocked. How could a dragonet be banished from her home by just saving an enemy? Whoever the SkyWings' queen is, Futureseer felt bad for them.
"They're here," Ammolite suddenly said aloud. Futureseer looked up in confusion only then did Ammolite get to her feet.
"Stop where you're at... Traitor."