Wings of Fire: A Twisted Future - Broken Visions

Chapter 15

The Jade Winglet was, once again, in Art Class. The previous lesson was taken to the hospital wing, however, this time they were doing painting. The sapphire SeaWing stood on the platform in the middle, addressing the entire class, whose easels were scattered in a semi-circle around the platform. 

''Today we will be painting landscapes, something close to our hearts, reminding us of all the happy things we've experienced in our lifetime,'' Eel announced excitedly, her tail tapping the platform. ''Everyone, one by one come up to the desk, take your needed paints and brushes and get to work!'' She stepped aside and pulled a little table with wheels to her side, waving her talons at the many tools decorating the small oak table. Flounder came first, her deep purple scales glinting in the glow of the globes draped across the ceiling and hanging from ribbons. 

Her scales flashed something at Eel, and the teacher lashed her tail, probably disapproving of something. Or maybe she just didn't like the fact that Flounder chose to speak a language only SeaWing's understand in front of the entire Winglet. Flounder sighed, chose a lot of blues and greens, a few reds, yellows and purples, grabbed a bunch of random brushes and went back to her easel. Quietkeep could see in her mind what she was planning on drawing. Let's see... my room, my chest of jewelry, my corals, my little corner of the room that nobody but I can enter, my anti-socialness. Oh, let's get creative with this one!

Quietkeep approved of those thoughts. He could relate on a personal level and she was doing something metaphorical, which was always enjoyed in Quietkeep's book. Next stepped up Raven, also choosing a lot of hues that matched her tribe's natural habitat, yellows, and browns and a few reds. An angle of Sahara's Stronghold, the Scorpion Den in the background, dunes and the three moons! Hopefully, I don't mess up... oh, what if I mess up? I'll have to start again!

That was traumatizing, another dragonet with troubling thoughts. But he liked the direction they led next, when she thought of adding musicians and her dancing with a violin somewhere in the middle, on the peak of a dune. Mango was thinking of painting a still image... how fantastic.

The NightWing noticed that the RainWing had some odd obsession with kiwis, and that was exactly what she was thinking about. A kiwi in the same bowl as a mango, with another bowl in the background of an orchid and what looked like a moon, but the second bowl had bloody streaks across it. Quietkeep scrunched up his snout, deciding not to look too deep into that.  That dragonet was way too metaphorical, in Quietkeep's opinion.

Bracken was thinking of a long table with a feast on its length, which seemed to be the primary thoughts of most MudWings the NightWing had met. Oh, but there were reeds poking out of a few of the bowls, which added a nice touch to the image.

Buzzard was just going with the Claws of the Cloud Mountains, nothing special, a few SkyWings flying through the clouds, and finally came Permafrost. She slithered up to the desk, eyeing the colors. Obviously, the tall dragonet picked up a lot of blues, white, purples, navy, but what was odd... that Quietkeep couldn't see anything in her mind. The ice wall protecting her thoughts wasn't there, but he always heard a hum of some sort. There was nothing here. A blank void, as if she wasn't sure what to paint, or couldn't think of anything.

That seemed troubling, but he'd think of it later. Finally, the NightWing hopped onto the platform and... was also troubled. He saw many landscapes in his head, unlike Permafrost, but couldn't decide on which to paint, like Permafrost. Perhaps something that represented his thoughts and feelings? His memories or his experiences? That seemed like an interesting idea. They were supposed to draw landscapes, but WHO said that the stated ideas couldn't be turned into a landscape? Nobody said so it was possible!

After a few moments, he chose his colors, brushes and scampered back to the easel, twisting around to face it. Every easel was poised so that it faced the wall, and the dragonet could peer over it or beside it and see the platform where Eel was painting her own landscape, but no dragonet would see each other's artworks, which was nice. Quietkeep didn't think he wanted to share his skills with others.