Wings of Fire: A Twisted Future - Broken Visions

Chapter 5

It was a small SandWing with large eyes, a few black splashes along her neck and freckles on her nose. That was cute.
She glanced at him, at her violin, and back at Quietkeep. The dragonet smiled at her, daring to wave. She was clearly shy, so if they had to work in harmony, they had to have a somewhat mutual respect or relationship. She seemed reluctant, so he'd start.
"Hi, my name's Quietkeep," he murmured, brushing his violin. it wasn't his, truly. someone had really taken care of it, and he could only wish to have one like that. of course, at home he had one, but the quality could never compare to this professionally crafted violin. The SandWing ducked her head awkwardly, a tiny smile on her face.
"Raven — w-we're in the same winglet," she sighed back. Quietkeep tapped his feet on the floor. His first mistake because of his moon-cursed introverted nature: he didn't realise she was that little SandWing from his winglet. Great start. He shook his wings out, glancing back at the others. Would he be expected to lead them? Choose a song?
To his relief, the SandWing from before was already pointing to a SeaWing, another NightWing and two RainWings at the front, figuring out what to play. Quietkeep decided to wait and listen; they definitely had better ideas than him. The dragonet's ear flicked up at the suggestion,
"What about "Silent Lullaby?"
Quickflight would sing it to him every night! He remembered his father, who he didn't remember the name of, standing over him when he was younger, breathing the words to him. Even back then he knew that he hadn't written that song, but his father had always sung it so passionately... he didn't really care.
So now playing that song would really be lovely.
His spines bristled in fear when he noticed all eyes on him. Crap, again! He should listen to others more... but the SandWing from before was still smiling, eyes crinkled as he did so.
"Nightnight, wadda yer think? Know the song?" a SeaWing pressed, blinking at Quietkeep.
"Uh... sounds good!"
He could only pray that they'd confirm whatever he agreed on, and that he knew how to play it.
The SandWing at the piano clicked his knuckles, shaking out his wings, an odd expression on his face. Fear? Alarm? Worry?
"Silent Lullaby it is, then."
Quietkeep didn't remember feeling so relieved... ever. He adjusted the position of the violin, quickly confirmed their roles with Raven by glancing at her, who blinked back, as she started.
Quietkeep pulled the rod a moment after she did, mimicking the echo that the song always had. It was usually sung by two dragons, which was why hearing only Quickflight sing it for so long kind of always left a yawning hole in Quietkeep's heart whenever he saw her glossy eyes, hear her voice crack, sense the rapid heartbeat as he pressed his talons against her chest.
But he couldn't show those insecurities now. He had to play with the others.
The steel pans gave the song a sweet harmony behind it all, symbolising the whisper of the wind... the song had a lot of requirements, Quietkeep realised. Two dragons, open air on a slightly windy day...
The flutes provided the murmur of dragons that was 'the sigh of the dragons around. speaking almost without a sound...'.
And the piano the raindrops, like crystals shattering against the softest bedding.
'Don't fear the quiet before the storm...'
'The fall of loved ones, not a thing to mourn.'
Quietkeep could feel his breath stop in his throat as he listened to the lullaby again — as a dragonet he never analysed the lyric, but not that he was older... still a dragonet, but more intelligence and willpower to actually be able to analyse things meaningfully...
The song was about losing someone close to you, falling into a gaping darkness, seeing dragons around you talk and be happy, and when you tried to join them... talons of darkness pulled you in even deeper, because you know that you lost something dear and they didn't.
Had his father known he would leave someday? Maybe he had the power to see the future? Have prophecies? So he chose that song to be the one thing his son would bear in his mind for the rest of his life. It was a melancholy thing to think about, really, but somehow calming a the same time.
Quietkeep turned around slowly, sweeping his tail along the floor, sending feathers dancing around the group. When he opened his squinted eyes, his furrow softened when he saw that he wasn't alone: Raven also had a concerned expression with closed eyes, the SandWing looked passionate and had a sad glint in his eyes as he glanced at the keys below; his claws dancing swiftly but gently across the surface; the RainWings, NightWing, SeaWing, all had something sad about them now. Even the RainWings had their scales to a dull blue-grey, allowing tiny shimmers of silver-white drop across them. Raindrops.
Then the piano stopped, the flutes stopped, the steel pans stopped, the harp faded, Raven stopped... and Quietkeep was the last one left, the echo warbling sadly at the end, so he had to pull and push at the rod rapidly but gently: and so he did. The shaky end fit in so well, as if the echo was a ghost and was crying over what had happened.
To be completely honest, the dragonet wasn't sure what was happening at that moment. Were the others staring at him, were they still mourning over their instruments? Were the other dragonets who hadn't joined in staring? Were they clapping and all Quietkeep could hear was silence because of the tense feeling inside him? Like he couldn't breathe, or he'd suffocate under the thick air? Maybe that's what happened? Everyone else breathed and they died? Was that the quiet? Was he imagining the scent of death in the air?
Quietkeep dares to peer, opening one eye to the smallest slit, and he glanced up. The others seemed to follow him, slowly raising their heads as he did. Raven sighed, and let her talons droop, holding the violin in front of her.
These dragonets... perhaps music was their only escape from their pasts? Some of them did have scars... that lead SandWing had a crisscrossed cheek and flank, the SeaWings had at least one torn gill, tears in their wings and dents in their luminescent scales, to name a few. Even Raven had a notch in her ear and a slightly gnawed tail.
And what did Quietkeep have?
He hadn't fought for anything in the rainforest: his mother had made sure he was safe at all costs and times, no matter what. Those RainWings even looked as if they'd sprained an ankle once or twice in their lives!
"I-I'm sorry...?" That sounded unfortunate. Like the most forced apology ever. Though, on his defence, he didn't know if he'd hurt them or not, mentally or emotionally, if it even was him or just the music, or maybe they were soo passionate that they made themself sad.
The SandWing shook his head, getting up from his pedestal. With a deep breath and a few blinks, the smile crept back onto his face and he arched a brow at the audience.
"We're gonna get a round of applause then, or naw?"
Dragonets started clapping, and Quietkeep whirled around, tucking his tail in and pressing his wings closer to his sides. The lump rose to his throat again, and he clutched his neck.
The band were bowing, smiling, and Raven began to laugh a little.
Quietkeep felt the lump shatter and he couldn't help but join in, like it was contagious for someone to laugh because someone else was. But it was, so it seemed right.
Was it ok to laugh?
Fortunately for him, the others also joined in, walking around the instruments and hugging each other, leaning into others shoulders and patting shoulders.
Quietkeep didn't feel like socialising THAT much, though.
So, without another word, he bowed once more, spreading his wings wide, and fled from the class.