The Twin Islands-Wings of Fire

Apollo

"Don't you dare let anything happen to her, you hear?"

Apollo looks up from a rather interesting beetle he was examining that sat on his talons, meeting the older dragon's rust eyed gaze. Flare glared pointedly at him, like that would help get his point across.

"She'll be fine." He shook out his wings. "From what I heard about her Artemis can handle herself just fine." Apollo tossed his head to gesture at the purple Nightwing, who was currently exchanging farewells and good luck to her friends before they went on their way.

It was the day after the party, and the sun was slowly inching it's way out of the cover of the horizon. Geode had woken them all up and suggested(which by suggested, he means demanded, but Apollo would've listened anyway) that they set off to warn the queens as quick as possible. So that brings them here, at the Hawk's Edge ready to take off into the unknown.

He wasn't so happy about traveling with her, mostly because of the fact that she kept insisting she was one of her kind and not a Daywing. He purposely ignored the similarities they shared, though. It was freaking him out and leading to the fact that she was right. And when it came to disputes with Apollo, he was always right. Not the other way around. But other than that Artemis seemed fairly nice. This gave him a chance to get to know her a little better.

Apollo adjusted the black mask around his face as he thinks this, receiving an eye roll from Flare.

"What?" He looked up his snout at the red dragon, narrowing his eyes.

"I just don't understand why you have to wear that ridiculous mask all the time. Heck, you even sleep with it on."

"It helps hide my identity as a thief!" He countered, mumbling. "Plus it looks cool.."

Flare snorted smoke from his nose. "Whatever floats your goat, dude."

Apollo paused at the remark, but his question was cut short as Geode landed grandly beside him. He panicked and gave a quick salute, but ended up smacking himself in the face.

The hybrid just smiled at him and shook his head softly. Apollo stood still now, wondering what was going on inside Geode's head. Clearly he wasn't laughing at him, was he? Apollo inwardly sighed. He always saw the dragon as a fatherly figure. Not just that, but a teacher. He hated to see the disappointment on his face when he screwed up. So he's been trying to be as obedient and loyal as a son and student would be. It worked, most of the time. But he still liked having his own ideas here and then.

His real father, the one that raised him, was like this to him as well, definitely. But Apollo had to find someone to guide him when he ended up going off into the war. One of the rare times the Rogues were involved in a fight that wasn't supposed to involve them. But they were allies with the Deepwings, due to them helping them a few hundred years ago when goings got tough and they needed healthier soil for farming. So they owed them. A dispute between the Deepwings and Cavewings back when Apollo was only about a year old. His father vanished without a trace in the heat of the battle, and to this day he and his mother still wait for him to return. Others assume he's dead, but Apollo feels otherwise.

Someday, when he's older, he'll find his father. When years of busting out of jail on his own, stealing and learning to track stealthily it'll all pay off.

"Apollo, you ready to go?" A sharp nudge to his wing brings him to attention, and he snaps back into reality. Artemis stands beside him, a bag over her neck along with a canteen for water, and a miniature Desert Rogue flag wrapped around her wrist. Just to prove to Queen Shade they were here on account of the Rogues, he presumed.

Apollo nodded and hoisted his own bag and canteen over his head to rest neatly against his chest. It carried the essentials. Food, extra water, medical supplies, and a dagger just in case things got dicey.