Heart of the Rainforest

Chapter 5 - Friends

"That is horrific!" Banggai cried. Equo had led the other dragonets to where Tiki and Banggai were standing, after they had all put their blindfolds back on, and they were all now standing uncomfortably behind her. Tiki had told Banggai what had happened after she was captured by the SkyWings, which they listened attentively to.

Banggai made an odd noise that was somewhere between a click and a whistle that was alarmingly loud, and moments later, a medium-sized bright green bird with a hooked black beak came soaring back over and landed neatly on their shoulder. Akila and Banggai's bird chattered greetings to one another. 

"So you just... survived all of that?" They said to Tiki, eyeing the blindfolded dragonets behind her. "I mean, that's got to mean something. All of you have to be important, because how many dragons can survive that long of that?"

"I- I don't see how that would happen." Tiki shuffled her talons awkwardly. "I'm not important."

"You're important to me," Banggai and Equo said simultaneously. 

"Didn't we come here to find darts? And whatever other plant things you have here?" Lionfish said loudly.

"Also, who are you?" Adder chimed in, gesturing vaguely in Banggai's direction.

"Um- this is my friend, Banggai." She tapped Adder's talons to show him where they were. "That's their bird, Kelou."

"Hello, Banggai." Mamba smiled in a friendly way, but the effect was kind of ruined by the fact she was smiling into empty space and not at Banggai at all.

Flickers of yellow amusement appeared on their scales, before they settled back to pale orange. "Well, I think I know where to find some darts and other plant things. Besides, he'll want to know you're back." They leaped off the tree into the air and soared away, towards the village. Tiki and Equo followed, the others more slowly.

Banggai led them through the village to one of the lowest treehouses, a large rectangular room with scuffed wooden floors and a roof made of overlapping leaves like dragon scales. They landed neatly on the platform by the door and rapped sharply on the faded wood door. There were muffled crashing noises from inside and quite a few alarmed squawks, and a disheveled-looking RainWing flung open the door. He was covered in pouches and pockets that looked like they were about to fall apart, and his scales were an awful amalgamation of several different patterns and far too many colours. 

"Banggai, I can't go fly with you right now, I'm- Tiki!" He cried. "Where have you been?"

Without waiting for her to answer, the RainWing ushered them all into the treehouse and closed the  door behind them. Inside there were large floor-to-ceiling wire mesh cages lined up along one wall, each one containing a different type of tropical bird. On the other side of the room were tall shelves and cabinets that were overflowing with specimens and scrolls and jars of ink, leaving barely enough room to walk down the middle of the hall. 

The scientist flung his wings around Tiki as soon as they were all inside, the colours on his scales blending into far too many different shades of pink and yellow. His name was Geelvink, and he researched all kinds of rainforest birds, which is how he and Tiki had met.

"Oh, I was so worried about you!" Geelvink exclaimed, his ruff flaring. "I tore up the whole rainforest looking for you. I nearly sent one of my eagles after the general for putting you out on the battlefield."

Tiki laughed. It felt so good to be home, with her friends again.

Geelvink grabbed a pair of tongs and pulled out a large piece of raw meat from a jar and tossed it into one of the huge eagle cages. 

"So, we were wondering if you have any of the sleeping darts." Tiki said. "I can't find any of mine in my treehouse, and we need some."

"Oh," Geelvink's eyes flickered to the other dragons standing behind Tiki. "What do you need them for?"