Find Your Wings

That Last Flight

Hopper's Narrative
In a flight of instinct mixed with terror, when I saw the chance when the Finch dug her beak into it with a quick jolt. I heard the Princess's scream, which led me to the right spot. Once the hole was made, I bolted as fast as I could. I snagged a thorn, looked forward and once when I saw Molt tied down with the two ants before this gigantic monstrosity, I landed directly over her captives. Out of feirce anger seeing my brother treated as such, I tore through those webs quickly with the thorn. I looked Molt in the eye and I told him to take the two ants and fly. As far as he could and fast! I was going to deal with all this accordingly... even if I would die trying.

When I gave Molt the chance, I then stood tall with wings still ready. I was in the fire, as it were. There was Blade beside this one who was twice as big and twice as nasty. The Queen of the Hive. There was a streak of fear in Blade's gold eyes but the Queen shrugged it off.

"I will deal with you later... And you, why I have been waiting for this day."

Meanwhile, the distraction of the large bird had distracted a great number of hornets, having them chase her while she kept damaging walls and stores. As big as she was, she defensively flew in different directions with the help of her partner. Flaps. He guided her as best he could as more soldiers chased them. As for the recluse. He was thrown onto the old trunk. After some persuasion that I needed his web, he neared the shattered way into the throne chamber.

I admitted it. I was terrified. I did know that the Queen was powerful but God... What was I alone compared to something like her?

"Must be hard for you, Hopper." the Queen smiled, gleaming at the sight of my scar. The trophy she desperately wanted. "To use your wings for useless reasons. Did you really think you could help them?"

I was outraged, watching her pace around me as I did the same. She was going to attack me. I listened for the recluse, as closely as I could.

"You dare ask me that question when you ordered hummingbirds to die. You started with me. Now I'm ending it." I hissed, my voice down to a low growl.

She laughed and waved to her soldiers to spread out. "That was your brother..." she spectacularly changed the subject. "...wasn't he?"

"This is between you and me. Enough games..." I told her outright. I heard the recluse outside, right at the opening above. "You know what I want."

She knew I loved the Island. She knew where my heart was set... We both had similar ideas, that we wanted each other dead. I honed my legs and stood still while spotting where the soldiers stood seconds before they were ready to shoot at me. She waved and the soldiers were off! Prepared, I instantly took a jump as they took chase. Seeing the fight start, the Recluse stood over the shattered opening and just shot lines of web into the chamber as I jumped and dodged in a circular manner. All the while, my mind was whirling. My whole life basically flashed before my eyes.... I lost Flitter. Then I almost lost the last I had. If I had, I would have done myself in ages ago. I turned back before it got worse... I hurt him so much that I didn't deserve what he gave me. Yet if I never came upon that Island, he would have died. There was just one last thing to do. Webs began to litter the chamber, trapping frantic hornets in their snags.

Blade bellowed orders at trapped soldiers before he even realized what happened. Out of a fit of rage, he ripped a piece of web that almost had his wings.

"STING HIM, BRING HIM DOWN!" the Queen ordered, finally going in for the kill.

Taking some of the stringy web, she had it stuck around her claw before she whipped a line which then snagged my right side, taping my wing flap and my leg. The old injury came back and the pull made me yell in pain. With that, I was forced down.