Wings of Fire Ship Stories. (ON HOLD FOR NOW)

Starspeaker

     I sat on the platform, feeling the soft moonlight brushing against my black scales.  I wondered how many moons were full tonight.  How may stars were in the sky.  How many trees were in this rainforest.  Fatespeaker would gladly tell me. I grinned, thinking how she would undoubtedly count all the trees and all the stars if I asked her to.  That was special about her, Fatespeaker.  

     "Starflight?" A soft voice whispered behind me.  "Yes, I'm here." I replied. "Fatespeaker? Is it you?" I asked, just to be sure. "Yes, it's me." She answered. I heard her come closer and sit down next to me, looking up at the moons.  

     "How many moons are full tonight?" I asked, tilting my head in her direction.  "Two." She replied.  "The third one is just a thin crescent, so small you can barley see it." She said softly.  I imagined the peaceful nighttime rainforest, with the moons hanging above, just as she had described them.  

     "It sounds beautiful." I said.  She brushed her starry wing with mine. "It is." She said quietly. I could hear the smile in her voice.

*     *     *     

     I brushed my talons over the pile of scrolls in my little tree lodge, slipping them carefully into their places on the racks.  Once I had finished sorting them all, I maneuvered my way through the rainforest to Fatespeaker's lodge.

      "Fatespeaker?" I called, feeling my way over to her.  I heard her roll over, and I guessed she had been resting in the sun outside.  "Starflight." She mumbled sleepily. I smiled a little as she flopped towards me, nearly knocking me off the platform.  "Um... are you doing anything important?" I asked.  "Yes, very." Fatespeaker mumbled. "I'm sleeping."  

     "Do you... mind if I wake you up?" I asked, a little sarcastically.  Fatespeaker laughed, and I heard her push up into a sitting position. "Nah, not really. Why are you here?" She asked. "I came to see you.  I found this place that I want to show you. It has the best view of the moons at night, and I have a feeling you'd like that." I said.

     "Sure! Let's go!" Fatespeaker said. One of her wings brushed my own as she stretched, and I think I may have blushed a little. I felt her talon take mine as she guided me into the air.  Beating my wings, I followed the little signs I had felt and heard: swarm of dragonflies here, rushing creek there. 

      "Almost there." I said over my shoulder as I felt the last spiderweb with my talon. Suddenly, my tail brushed the tree I was feeling for and I banked upward, catching the rainforest breeze beneath my wings.  I spiraled up towards the top of the tree, nearly missing the platform I was aiming for.  I spun back toward it at the last second, landing in a neat spiral on the edge of the platform. A minute later, Fatespeaker caught up.

     I turned toward the sound of her talons thumping down on the leaves.  "Look." I said, tilting my head upwards and feeling the moonlight softly hit my scales.  Fatespeaker gasped. "Oh- it's beautiful here." She said quietly.  I heard her sit down at the edge of the platform. I felt my way over and sat next to her.

     "Fatespeaker, I have a question for you." I said, turning my head towards her, feeling more than a little nervous.  I felt her touch her talon to mine.  "What is it?" She asked, her tail swishing along the platform.  I turned my head towards her. 

     "What would you say if.... what would you say if I told you I love you?"  I said,  turning my head towards my talons.  I could feel Fatespeaker's shocked eyes on me.  I turned towards her again,  and felt her tail brush mine ever so slightly.

     "I would say... I would say I love you too." Fatespeaker answered, and I heard her look up at the moons.  "Fatespeaker." I said.  I heard her turn her head.  "I love you." I whispered, smiling ever so slightly. 

     "I love you too."  Fatespeaker whispered back, her eyes staring straight into my sightless ones.  I smiled and spread one wing against her back.   She leaned into my chest, and before I could say anything, she pressed her lips against mine.  I kissed back.  I had never felt like this about anyone, even Sunny.  I loved Fatespeaker, she loved me.