The Story of Artemis- Wings of Fire

Chapter 29

When Mamba, Mudpuddle, Artemis, Prophecyteller, and Tempest barged into the male sleeping cave halls, they caused a quite an uproar. Mamba lead the way. One Sandwing saw the Rainwing and ran in a panic at the sight of her bright, urgent colors. Well, tried to. He smacked into the wall and ended up knocking himself out.

Tempest insisted they drag him at least to the side, once that was accomplished, they set off to find the boys again. After checking various sleeping caves, they finally stumbled into Potent, Snowfall and Seaglass's shared one.

Poor Seaglass was so startled he almost suffocated after tripping in Potent's bed that held soft moss with sand and heated stones underneath. The sand got stuck in his gills when he fell.

"Mamba, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Potent screeched, flaring his wings and dropping the scrolls he was holding. The History of the Scorching unrolled in front of Mamba's talons and she flared her wings right back, making Artemis jump into the hall with alarm. Snowfall was startled, but didn't have a huge reaction, he looked like he had just woken up.

"What are you doing?" Mamba retorted.

"Getting my scrolls for class with Webs!"

"Um." Snowfall cleared his throat. "Not that classes aren't terribly important-"

"Sarcasm." Seaglass interrupted, jumping in his shallow pool and scratching sand out of his wet gills.

"-Important." Snowfall started, giving Seaglass a hard stare. "But why are you in the male section. Last I recall, we weren't supposed to go near each other's side of the mountain." He pointed out.

"Don't you think we know that?" Tempest rolled her eyes.

"Get to the point!" Potent hissed and pushed away the rest of his scrolls.

"Uh. Someone's here." Mudpuddle said, pushing Artemis to the front of the group. Treasure was still seated on her back, and the cave fell silent when the others spotted him.

"Why do you have a scavenger?" Potent started.

Artemis just shrugged her wings.

"He wouldn't leave me."

Seaglass beamed, shaking water everywhere as he climbed from his pool.

"You're back!"

Potent looked relieved, but just stood there with his talons twitching towards Treasure. Snowfall gave her a cold glance, but his smile warmed the icy look as he rubbed the rest of the sleep from his eyes.

"You have a lot to explain." Potent growled. Tempest smoothed her crest, upturning her snout in another dramatic manner.

"As do I."

"What do you mean?"

"How about we find a place where nobody else can hear." Mamba stated loudly, flicking her head in the direction of the caves where pairs of eyes were visible.

"Agreed." Artemis said, knowing exactly where to go.

~~~~~

The group of friends was gathered around a dimly lit blue and purple globe, listening to Artemis tell her story as the day outside turned to night, and small stars twinkled from the tiny holes in the roof of the cave.

"That's when Ostritch sounded the alarm." She spread her star speckled wings. "You know what came from there." Prophecyteller twined her tail around Artemis's, smiling.

"I never would've had that courage, Artemis."

"Neither would I." Mudpuddle said.

"Same." Tempest nodded.