Wings of Fire : The Rising Colors Prophecy : Book 3 : Missing

Chapter 18

     They had decided to head to the Rain Forest first because it was on the way to the Scorpion Den where Pearl knew that Koi had a friend living, and also because they could see Queen Glory, who had contact with the dragons at Jade Mountain, but first they would make a stop at Queen Canyon's Palace, Bear and Zinc had identified the small masked MudWing as Python, Bear's sib, and a former member of the royal council.

     Constellationtracer had estimated a two and a half day journey. Between his map skills and visions of the future, it was safe to trust him in this type of thing.

...

     As the dragons followed the Diamond Spray River, day began to give way into the cold mounatain night, and the apparent need for shelter rose with the moon.

     "Maybe we could stay at my place." Current offered, "We're really not that far, I live right on the Delta."

     "Oh, thank the moons!" Sulfur sighed, "I don't think I can handle much more travel."

      "Ugh, yeah me neither." Equinox agreed.

      At that moment something snapped inside Nebula, "Oh, you're tired?" she replied with a note of unexpected sarcasm.

      "Nebby, what's gotten into you?" Regolith asked with concern, Nebula was never even borderline sarcastic.

       Nebula twitched as if some kind of insect had bit her behind the ear, "He's always complaining about everything."

       "I'm sorry if I'm exausted, I'm not as NightWing as you." Sulfur retorted, responded with gasps, and the whole group drawing to a sudden hault.

        Did he just insult her for being a hybrid? Regolith wondered, He's one-fourth NightWing. Isn't he?

        "You can't even!" Calathea gasped.

      Nebby whipped around to face him, chest heaving she looked up into his brown eyes, Nebula was pretty tiny for a dragon her age, "You are a prince." she stated, "You dont have problems like the rest of us." She turned to look at Pearl, "She could have died, and her best friend is missing for the second time." Nebula stepped toward Gobi, "He suffers from the wrath of the dragon who he accidentally scarred for life." She pointed to herself, walking back towards Sulfur, "I've heard enough teasing back at the orphanage. You are a prince." she stated once again.

      "Hey, quit it!" he snapped, glaring down at Nebby, "You think my life's so perfect? Do you?" Nebula stood her ground, answering with gleaming green eyes.

     "Guess what," he said, "My egg hatched alone in the streets, and for the first two years of my life I had to fend for myself until the one day Princess Sunny took pity on me." He craned his neck to look Nebby in the eye, "So, shut up."

      With that, he opened his golden wings and ascended into the orange and yellow sunset sky.

     Nebula's jaws hung open, wing membranes and few scales turning acid green and dark purple.

     "Well, I mean," Spark whispered, "still dosen't give him the right to be such a drama queen." she laughed nervously to be responded with silence silenced by a light smack in the side from Regolith's tail.

      "Come on, let's go." North said somberly before anymore drama could bubble up.

      Only one thougt hung present in every dragon's mind,

Sulfur ditched us!