moon between (under renovation)

17,Moon

Moon was extremely worried about the fate of Kinkajou, Desert Rose, and especially Winter. She knew she had to act fast and stay calm if there would be any hope of saving them from whatever was out there.

"Qibli, grab Winter. Sorry if he is too heavy, but we can't leave him to whatever is out there. Please- act fast." She rubbed her talons together frantically.

"Heeeeey- I'm strong and handsome, I mean if you think so, I mean uh..." Qibli stammered.

"Qibli, now's not time to converse about yourself. I might loose one of my favorite people! You must understand- half of the fandom ships you with him!"

"WHAT?!" Qibli was very confused and agitated, lashing his barbed tail. "What even is a fandom?"

"Oops, too far into the future," Moon corrected herself. She just wanted to poke fun at the one who usually poked fun at others, but her powers got in the way of her getting a normal roast in.

"I apologize Qibli. I'm harsh sometimes- tell me if I am ever hurting you. I wouldn't want to do that." She smiled. Qibli lifted her up and appreciated her for who she really was. But Winter... he did that too. He provided a strong wing to lean on in tough times.

"Let's go- the only way the attacker could have escaped is through the tunnel under the Seven Scales Cascades," said Qibli. "The old NightWing tunnel."

Moon remembered her mother rushing through that tunnel to take care of her during the nights she was raised in the jungle. She told herself to focus. For Winter. For Qibli.

"We should explore it quietly," she said. "Not sure how quiet we can be carrying Winter, though."

Qibli took a minute to pause and think. Moon hoped in that big brain of his he could devise a way to carry Winter, the burly IceWing, without a sound.

Qibli draped Winter over his back and put his talons around his neck, sort of like a pouch or pack. "Ready when you are," he said with that famous Qibli smirk/smile of his.

Moon entered the cave, cautiously blending into the shadows and scouting ahead.

At the end of the tunnel, she peered out into the ruins of the volcano eruption that forced the NightWings out of their homes and into the Rainforest Kingdom.

Moon gasped, "Qibli, oh man." She coughed, the fumes still potent even though the eruption was moons ago. "We need to find our dragon fast. These fumes will effect our functions in say, one hour. We'll pass out and probably be left for dead, as no one can come into here anymore."

"Then let's move, " declared Qibli.

The landscape was saturated in ashes. Beneath their talons, floating in the air, and on the roasted remains of the once rocky outcroppings of the old volcano. The rock was singed, leaving the ground an ashy gray. Moon suspected the kingdom wasn't very beautiful before either, which didn't help. Very few plant remains were found, and the ones that showed their ashy faces were small shrubs.

The two walked up to an entrance that looked like an old door. Moon breathed. Her readings payed off, as this was easily recognizable as the grand palace where the mysterious 'royal family' had subsided.

"I suspect this would be where our murderer resides," she sniffled, glancing back at Winter. He still hadn't stirred-Qibli has sterilized his would with the water from the Cascades and a large leaf as a bandage. It was rumored if you made a wish near the Cascades, it might come true. Hopefully hers would.

Moon came across a beautiful flower, somehow blooming despite being in a scene of death. She knew, no matter how bad things were at the moment, good would always win. Peace would always come, the universe did not allow for the evils to rise up. This gave her newfound confidence. She smiled at Qibli, rubbed her wing against his, and entered the palace.

Then Winter started to stir.