Winglet: Secrets and Lies Part 1

Family Issues

Secretkeeper was hiding in her room like she usually did. She hated her family, they were a little too honest for Secretkeeper. She preferred to hide her feelings and bury them instead of what her family does. Her family could be overly blunt and often hurt others feelings. They had no shame and were pretty much open books.

She liked to have things to herself because there was less of a chance someone could take what you said and use it against you. Saying everything outloud was like giving your enemies spears, and hoping they would polish them. Instead, they stab you with it and give it away.

Secrets were the best way to stay safe and happy.

"SECRETKEEPER!" her mother yelled.

Her mother always had a bit of a temper and Secretkeeper did her best to stay out of the way.

"Yes, mother?" Secretkeeper asked, keeping her voice down.

"Oh, hear comes SECRETKEEPER. The keeper of secrets! That's against the rules of this house," her twin brother, Fearkeeper, laughed.

"Yeah, Secretkeeper," her older sister, Treasurekeeper, snarled.

"You are a disgrace," her mother, Truthseeker, agreed. "You should have been one of the dozens of dragonets that die every year. But no, I had to be 'lucky' enough to have three. If you can call that lucky."

Secretkeeper kept her cool and took some deep breathes. She refused to cry this time.

"But... I would have died," Fearkeeper suddenly realized as Truthseeker left the house.

"Yup," she called on her way out, slamming the door.

"We all know I'm mother's favorite," Treasurekeeper announced. "So, start scrubbing the floors."

"WHY?" Fearkeeper roared.

"Because mother gave me a list of chores that need to be done while she's gone. Since I'm in charge, I will supervise you," Treasurekeeper growled. "GO!"

Secretkeeper didn't question Treasurekeeper while father was gone. Father was the only one who saw Treasurekeeper for who she was. Mother saw her as the best child. So when mother or Treasurekeeper were in charge, nobody questioned Treasurekeeper. Or mother, for that matter.

Fearkeeper grumbled. He didn't like Treasurekeeper just as much as Secretkeeper didn't like her. That was one thing they could agree on as twins.

As they scrubbed the floors, Treasurekeeper was giving herself a pedicure.

"So, what's the news on your girlfriend?" Fearkeeper whispered.

Secretkeeper panicked and looked over at Treasurekeeper. She seemed to have heard nothing.

"Keep it down, will you?" Secretkeeper snarled. "What about your girlfriend?"

"She went missing a few days ago," Fearkeeper claimed.

"I'm so sorry," Secretkeeper whispered, stopping to give him a hug.

Something hard hit Secretkeeper's side and knocked her to the floor along with Fearkeeper. Her right shoulder flared in pain.

"WORK!" Treasurekeeper snarled before giving Secretkeeper one last push.

Secretkeeper and Fearkeeper went back to working side-by-side without saying a word. They knew if they laid a talon on Treasurekeeper, they would be disowned and killed. Well, the "killed" part was an exaggeration.

Her mind began to wander. She began thinking about mind reading. Secretkeeper wished she could read the future or read minds like NightWings were supposed to. Not pretend like they could to fool the other tribes.

Wishing only got so far.

The word wishing reminded Secretkeeper of Fearkeeper's girlfriend, Wishful. And that reminded her of her own girlfriend, Dreamcatcher.

Secretkeeper always dreamed that she would be married to Dreamcatcher and they would run away from every judgmental NightWing. It wasn't that most NightWings hated that sort of thing but their tribe was dwindling so every dragonet counted. They just wanted the tribe to live on, it wasn't really anything against those kinds of dragons.

Treasurekeeper interrupted Secretkeeper's fantasy when she kicked her again. Secretkeeper dodged the next blow by rolling into the table, which hurt worse. Secretkeeper was momentarily distracted by the pain.

Treasurekeeper grabbed Secretkeeper by the throat and pinned her to the wall. This was why Secretkeeper never messed with Treasurekeeper unless her father was around. He would've stopped this.

"So Secretkeeper, what kind of secrets are you keeping? The lies your telling? Morrowseer tells me you are hiding something but he refuses to tell me. So what is it?" Treasurekeeper snarled.

"I'm not. I don't know why your boyfriend thinks that," Secretkeeper retorted as Treasurekeeper's talons tighten around Secretkeeper's neck, depriving Secretkeeper of oxygen.

Treasurekeeper hissed, "Did he hook up with you? Is he ditching me? Is that why you spend so much time at Morrowseer's house? Dreamcatcher isn't really your friend, is she?"

Secretkeeper could do nothing else but nod. Shaking her head would be hard when Treasurekeeper's talons were digging onto Secretkeeper's neck.

Secretkeeper wanted to face talon because this was NOT going to go over well with Dreamcatcher's family.

"Really? REALLY!" Treasurekeeper growled. The she began roaring curse words at Secretkeeper. "YOU LIAR!"

Treasurekeeper proceeded to beat Secretkeeper up. Secretkeeper was losing hold of the world and couldn't hear what Treasurekeeper was saying.

Cold water hit her face and Secretkeeper instantly got up to see Fearkeeper's worried face. He blinked twice at her.

"Wha--" Secretkeeper started, looking around the room.

"Good, you're up. Uh, Treasurekeeper wants you to break up with Morrowseer," Fearkeeper explained. "We leave in five. I suggested waking you up. She just wanted to drag your limp body there."

Secretkeeper was too shocked to say much more. Drag her limp body? How on earth did Treasurekeeper plan to have Secretkeeper break up with Morrowseer if she was unconscious?

She shook it off and brushed herself off. After all, Dreamcatcher would be there.

"Hurry up," Treasurekeeper growled, calling Secretkeeper some very nasty words.

Secretkeeper lead the way to Dreamcatcher's house. She hoped Dreamcatcher would keep her mouth shut around Treasurekeeper. She probably will.

Maybe. Hopefully.

Dreamcatcher's family was extremely poor and Dreamcatcher was an only child. Her family had adopted Morrowseer not too long ago. Dreamcatcher's entire family knew and was fine with the fact Dreamcatcher was dating Secretkeeper...

Except Morrowseer. He thought the tribe needed to breed as much as possible to get more dragonets so that the tribe might survive on this fiery island.

All too soon had they arrived and the whole family was outside, playing some game.

But the only one who caught Secretkeeper's eye was Dreamcatcher.

I'm so sorry, Dreamcatcher, she thought.