Wings of Fire: The Forgotten World

chapter 31

By CamsterDragon
Hemlock's POV

Hemlock collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily. His heart was galloping in his chest and pounding in his ears. He stared at the door that Pleiades had just burst out of, amazed that he was still breathing. Then, why am I still hurting?

Hearing Pleiades yell at him had fractured some deep part of him he had been trying to keep hidden. Some part of him that he hadn't known to exist until that moment. And this new feeling hurt him more than any wound. This is all my fault... He laid his head on his paws, a sadness he hadn't experienced in ages coursing through him.

He might have stayed like that for the rest of eternity if Velocity hadn't come down at that exact moment. "Hemlock? Are you ok? Where's Pleiades? What happened?" Hemlock wearily looked up at her, his vision blurry from unshed tears.

"She left." He didn't want to elaborate. It was too painful to even think of.

"Where?" Velocity asked. Hemlock shrugged. "Well, don't look as if someone died. Get up." She studied the burnt leaf beds. "We have to find more leaves anyway to sleep on." Hemlock barely nodded his head. Most of his efforts replayed the words that came out of Pleiades's mouth. I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!... I might as well find Fig and we can be friends. That's probably what you want anyway, isn't it? Hemlock wanted more than anything to rush to her, to explain everything, to stop the hatred burning in her eyes. But, fear at what she might do to him and depression that she would never forgive him was stronger than any other emotion.

"Hemlock?" Velocity's voice seemed timider than before. He looked over at her and saw the uncertainty in her eyes, the need to do something to help without knowing what that thing was. Her eyes mimicked his own feelings.

"Yeah.. leaves. Let's go do that," he murmured, tearing his eyes away. He exited the hut, only stopping for a brief moment to look at the scorch marks on the door.

Once outside, he opened his big wings, sighing as they stretched out farther than they had in a while. He hadn't been flying a lot for the last couple of days, and they had started to cramp. He propelled himself upward, soaring through the air, higher and higher through the trees. There weren't as many Spiralwings in this part of the forest, and he was grateful to be free of curious stares. Up until this point, he had been alone in his life, and he wasn't sure how well he was adjusting.

He grabbed two large and comfy leaves and reluctantly headed back to earth. He would have to fly more later. Stopping at the door to the hut, he peeked inside, trying to discern whether Pleiades had come back. Smelling no strong burning smell, he relaxed and headed inside, laying the leaves on the floor. "Velocity?" he called out. She raced downstairs. "I got the leaves."

"Ooh, thanks Hemlock!" she exclaimed.

Hemlock smiled. "You're welcome." He turned towards the stairs. "I'll be on the roof."

His soft feet allowed for minimal noise as he padded up the stairs and to the roof above. The roof wasn't tall, especially compared to the towering trees next to it, but Hemlock felt a strange sense of security being even a little higher than everyone else. As he laid down, he noticed dark shadows were beginning to cast themselves over the land below as the sun went farther down, and the night awoke.

The rainforest was surprisingly quiet compared to the bustle of animals in the morning. As a snow dweller, Hemlock was used to the animals waking up and hunting at night, but instead, the entire forest seemed to be resting for the next day. He looked to the heavens. Leaves blocked his usual view of the stars. Groaning in frustration, he got up and went downstairs again.

Velocity was sleeping on the leafs Hemlock had brought inside, but when he came into the room, one eye lazily opened. "Where are you going?" she asked with a yawn, noticing his path to the door.

"Out for a flight," Hemlock replied. He hesitated then added. "If you see Pleiades... Well.. if I'm not back by the time she gets here.. tell her I'm sorry. Maybe she'll listen to you."

Velocity yawned again. "Sure thing. Come back soon." Hemlock nodded, but Velocity was already sound asleep. He ached to lay down and fall asleep as well, but his wings ached even more with the urge to take flight and view the stars as he had done almost every night when he was younger. Back when he was innocent and without a care in the world. Back before the Darkest Flame, before he lost his powers, before he became a monster. Even back when he was at the Cloudwing palace, he had never felt so many negative emotions as he did now. It's only been a few days, but I've changed so much... Hemlock shook his head and took flight. This time, his powerful legs propelled him higher, faster, than he had gone before. It was a race, but he and gravity were the only contestants, as he flew through the trees, up, up, and up. He didn't care that branches scratched at his face or that sleepy birds chittered angrily at him as his wings brought gusts of wind over their nests... It was him against the world, but the world aided his every wing beat, his every breath...

And suddenly he was past the trees, in the air. His wings snapped out, and he drifted across the sky. Stars glittered like diamonds above him, whispering secrets to each other and to him. Somehow, though it was the same sky, it seemed so different, so foreign. He didn't care. Nothing could ruin the beauty of the sky.

After flying around for who knows how long, he rested atop the highest tree he could find, wings spread out for balance. Settling down, he gave a great sigh of contentment.

Then, the silence was broken by a slow clapping behind him. Stiffening, his head whipped around, and he found himself face to face with Queen Iguana. "You know," she said, smirking at him. "I had my doubts it was you." Hemlock's mind was reeling in shock. How did I not see her? Or smell her? "But, seeing you up there, well.. who else could it be but Prince Hemlock." Hemlock's shoulders tensed. She knows.

"How...?" asked Hemlock. He was slowly backing away from her, not liking at all the strange glint in her eyes.

"You're hard to miss in a crowd. And, of course, your sister sent out that wanted poster." She still sat on the canopy, studying her nails. "But, I remember you as the Darkest Flame's powerful animus." Hemlock stopped backing away, his eyes widening I horror. Iguana smirked. "Just because I'm a Spiralwing, doesn't mean I don't know things. And one thing I know for sure is that you will help me win the war whether you want to or not." She nodded to someone behind Hemlock. "Take him away. I'll deal with him later." That was the last he heard before something hard hit his head, and he blacked out.