Always - Moonbli

7. Parties and Reunions

Moonwatcher

'Who knew NightWings were so into parties?' murmured Kinkajou. 'Forget parties - who knew they were into fun?' contradicted Moon, fiddling with the moonstone locket around her neck. The two dragonets had enough of Darkstalker's parties for a lifetime and were curled up in the secret balcony, watching the crowd of NightWings below and trying to ignore the music played by a band of NightWings in one corner. 'True,' shrugged Kinkajou, nibbling her mango delicately. Moon went back to observing the crowd. The black dragons ate food, joked around, applauded the performing dragons onstage and talked loudly, adding to the din made by the music. They all wore flashy jewelry and looked cheerful and relaxed, nothing like the dragons they'd been in the rainforest.

 A fresh wave of cheering went up from the crowd below as the musicians started up a new tune, and dragons actually started dancing. The colored light from the flashing lanterns all around the Great Diamond reflected off their accessories and shining eyes, giving the whole scene a new effect. The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, painting the sky blood-red, and the first stars were beginning to appear. Moon sighed and carefully rolled up the scroll she'd been reading - or trying to read, anyways. What with the extra noise, the dimming light and the pounding music - it was a wonder she wasn't huddled inside the secret tunnel with her talons over her ears.

Kinkajou popped the mango in her mouth whole, chewed and swallowed. Her stomach grumbled. She squirmed in embarrassment, a pale shade of peach rippling through her sparkly scales. 'Okay, I'm way more hungry than I'd like to admit,' she confessed. 'I'm going to get something to eat. Want me to hop down there and grab some food for you, too?' Moon suddenly realized that she was starving - the last thing she'd eaten was a goat she caught in the mountains a day ago. 'Let's both go down,' she suggested. Kinkajou's silver scales shimmered and she vanished into thin air, and Moon heard wings flapping as the dragonet glided to the Great Diamond. Moon followed, nervously hovering above the crowd and trying to merge in with the sky.

Moon touched down in front of the old hall. She slunk through the crowd, trying her best to look as inconspicious as possible. It wasn't difficult, seeing as the NightWings were all as otherwise occupied as they were. Moon found her best friend picking through the fruit options at the buffet lined up at the back of the Great Diamond. She was disguised as a NightWing dragonet again, with shiny black scales and silver stars under her wings.

 'Why don't you get something else to eat?' questioned Kinkajou, still absorbed in examining a slice of papaya. 'There's plenty of options.' Moon shrugged and picked out a drink, watching the NightWing performers dance. 'When is Darkstalker going to ask them to stop?'quipped Kinkajou quietly, finally resting her talons on a fresh avocado. 'When he's ready,' replied Moon, sipping her newly acquired beverage. It tasted sharp and sweet, like coconut and pineapple.

They waited like that for sometime, trying to look as excited and blissful as the other dragons. Moon's drink was drained quickly; she hadn't had anything much since late morning. Suddenly the music dimmed and the performance faltered. 'Finally!' exclaimed Kinkajou, swallowing the last bit of avocado. Darkstalker rose up from his throne and subtly beckoned Moon forward. She gulped as Kinkajou went invisible and comfortingly pressed against her. Moon slowly slipped through the crowd and ascended the stage, avoiding the stares of the NightWings. 

She settled herself on the smaller throne beside Darkstalker's huge one and felt Kinkajou brush past her. Dangling from Darkstalker's sheath were the keys. Moon hissed impatiently under her breath as he began to speak. 'Fellow NightWings, my subjects and family, I thank you all for being present tonight. This celebration is to reconcile our friendly bonds and to unveil the object we've all been waiting for. But first, I must address and personally thank a few NightWings present here who have made this possible.'