Always - Moonbli

8. Stories and Storms

Qibli

Qibli should've been happy. Turtle was rescued, they'd found Moon and Kinkajou, Winter was normal (okay, that wasn't a reason to celebrate) and they were safe for the time being, but he wasn't. Because of Darkstalker. And the scroll they'd found in the old NightWing library, which was currently in Winter's possession.

'Do you want the good or bad news first?' asked Qibli, as Moon and Kinkajou supported a weak Turtle. He flapped his wings halfheartedly, swaying in the air, but he managed to look amused. 'Uh, considering the amount of bad news I've already heard -' 'Just hurry up and tell them the good news,' grumbled Winter, perched on the edge of the balcony. 

Moon grinned at Qibli like whatcha gonna do 'bout it? and helped Turtle onto their secret hiding spot. Qibli sighed. 'Good news, we got info. Bad news... we got info.' 

He gestured to the scroll in Winter's talons as Kinkajou snorted. 'Really?' The RainWing fussed over Turtle, nearly smothering him with pillows, all the while keeping an eye on Qibli. 'Yes, really. It's pretty... traumatizing that we have to do it -' 'But hey!' Qibli cut across Winter's frozen speech. 'Our lives are traumatizing. This won't even affect us considering what some of us have been through.' 

'Yay, that really cheered me up,' muttered Winter sarcastically. Qibli opened his mouth for another of his usual cutting comebacks (which totally didn't involve him screaming, Look over there! and running away) when Moon seized the scroll. She scanned it quickly, her expression turning more and more grim as she read. 'What do you think?' asked Qibli when she rolled it up again. 'I am shook.' 'I expec -' 'Let's do it.' 

Kinkajou blinked. 'Correction - I did not expect that.' Moon smiled. 'What's the good stuff in that?' asked Turtle, kicking back. The SeaWing had single-handedly rid the food platter of anything fish-related, and was now sipping a fruit cocktail. 'Uh... it's starring some dragon named Nightmare.' 

Turtle sprayed his drink everywhere. 

He gagged, not noticing Winter's mortified expression, and started to cough. 'Oh, no,' he gasped, when his violent choking fit had ceased. 'Not her. Too dangerous.' 'Hey, we've been eating dangerous for breakfast, lunch and dinner,' pointed out Qibli. 'But her? No way. Never happening. We need a Plan B.' 

'But Plan B is Kinkajou single-handedly going commando with the pineapples,' protested Qibli. 'Besides, I already know where she is.' 'You do?' asked Winter, raising an eyebrow. Turtle was still shaking his head like there was no tomorrow while Kinkajou tried to calm him down. She failed. 'Oh, yes. She kidnapped me and Winter.'

'What?' exclaimed Winter furiously. 'Wait. Back up. How do you know?' 'Uh...' Qibli recounted his conversation with Barracuda, Turtle getting more and more frantic by the second. 'And then that crazy SeaWing-NightWing hybrid threw us into her rat cellar,' he finished, twiddling his talons nervously. 

'Hey, I'm part NightWing,' mused Winter. 'Does that mean I'm related to her?' The IceWing looked horrified. 'Wait - that'll mean I'm related to that mountain-sized sociopath, too!' 'Calm down!' interjected Moon, as Winter looked like he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. 

'Turtle - tell us what you know.' 'Barracuda didn't tell you her story?' he rasped out, shaking with fear. 'He just said she was the daughter of a SeaWing princess and a NightWing merchant,' replied Qibli, confused. 'Not any princess - Princess Splash. And that merchant - he was also a diplomat, and was Foeslayer's brother.' 

Winter frowned. 'That'll mean that Night-whatever is Darkstalker's cousin. Oh, that family is made up of psychos. Arctic excepted.' Before anyone could argue, Kinkajou hissed, 'Let Turtle tell his story!'