Chapter Text
Fatespeaker, Viper, Squid, Flame, Ochre and Peril were standing in front of a huge hole in a huge boulder, particularly covered by a well placed moss curtain.
There was a faint tingle of other-worldliness about it.
“Well, that’s freaky.” said Viper.
“Wait, that’s the tingle of animus magic!” said Squid. “I felt that around Anemone, especially when she used her powers.”
“Is that what it is? Freaky, huh. Most of us RainWings try to avoid this place because of it.” said Jambu, having led the dragonets to the otherworldly boulder. “So, you guys got a plan?”
Viper, Squid, Flame, Ochre and Peril all muttered amongst themselves.
“I’ll go in and see if the hole is a tunnel that leads somewhere. And… I’d appreciate it one of you guys came with me, so we aren’t all at risk.” said Fatespeaker.
Viper thought about it, while Squid shook his head.
“I have a really bad feeling about this, Fatespeaker.” said Squid.
“We don’t have any other leads for the missing RainWings, Squid.” Fatespeaker shrugged.
“Do you want me or Peril to go with you? We can both breath fire and Squid can… uh… see in the dark but he can’t breath fire.” said Ochre.
“I didn’t know you remembered that.” said Squid.
Ochre shrugged.
“I’ll go with Fatespeaker.” said Flame, startling the group.
He calmly looked at them.
She just needs someone who can breath fire and help her see, all of us can do that except the squid brain and the berry RainWing unless his venom spit starts glowing in the dark.” said Flame, snorting at Squid, and Jambu, who tilted their heads.
“Ahem, you do have a handicap.” said Peril.
“Fatespeaker can cover my left side! Besides, we’re wasting daylight, here. Are we doing this or not?”
“… Okay.” said Fatespeaker. “We can take some vines with us and you guys hold the other ends. We’ll yank on our ends three times if we’re in trouble.”
“Sure, boss.” said Viper. “Should be a fun trip in the tunnel of love…”
“Shut up, rattlesnake.” said Flame, already grabbing some vines and marching into the cave with his fire breath pluming.
Fatespeaker sighed as she did the same.
Fatespeaker breathed out a plume of flame, revealing a stone tunnel stretching ahead of her and Flame, then turning to the right.
“Well, that’s something.” said Flame. “Animus powers. Crazy thing, huh. You could destroy the world for shits and giggles.”
“Hm.” said Fatespeaker. “Flame… Look, I’m really sorry about your eye. I lost control of myself, and I shouldn’t have hurt you like that.”
“Seriously, forget about it. It’s fine. I started it, and I goaded you because I was being petty. I’ll manage.” said Flame, letting out his own fire plume. “So, what do you think of the whole RainWing – NightWing thing?”
“I’m nervous.” said Fatespeaker. “Morrowseer clearly had an agenda from the first moment we met him, and… if they’re going to do something bad to the RainWings, the RainWings won’t even see it coming. They’re a friendly tribe with lots of food and living space. I don’t want the NightWings to ruin that. It’s far more peaceful here than anywhere on Pyrrhia.”
“I dunno. The RainWings look friendly, but we all got hit with those poison sleep darts, just like that. Except Viper and Kestrel, but screw them.” Flame scoffed. “If there were a bunch of secret RainWing assassins hiding in plain sight, we’d never know, and neither would the NightWings.”
“You really think that’s likely?” said Fatespeaker.
“Who knows. Why else would they have super deadly venom spit, and why would they teach their dragonets to spit it farther if they don’t like to hunt? Anti-inbreeding testing? Seriously?” said Flame.
“Hm.”
They crept to the next corner and peered around it.
Another long tunnel stretched ahead of them, and at the end of it waited an outline of bright sunlight —
much too bright for the floor of the rainforest.
“Pretty short tunnel of love.” Flame snorted.
“There’s sand.” said Fatespeaker, already digging through the pile as Flame did the same.
The two dragons burst through the sand, finding themselves in a scorching hot desert.
The sand stretched, endless and pale, to the horizon ahead of her.
There were no trees.
The sky was aggressively blue and cloudless.
There was nothing but desert as far as the eye could see.
Fatespeaker and Flame hid themselves from some SandWing scouts, and then observed a large structure in the distance, decorated with severed dragon heads.
“Burn’s fortress.” said Fatespeaker.
That’s practically on the other side of Pyrrhia. Impressive. You could send an army through the jungle just to ambush Burn’s forces on the other side. If they haven’t already gone home because Burn’s dead now. Maybe the MudWings broke away and all went back to their kingdom.” said Flame.
“Hm. Considering what we knew about her and Scarlet, I guess she could have wanted RainWings for their special scales, if she knew about them while she was alive, but we’ve read that she wasn’t much for subterfuge.” said Fatespeaker, turning to look at the IceWings that were flying overhead. “We’re also close to the Ice Kingdom.”
“Tch. Stuck up frost dragons.” said Flame. “We already know how impressive Blaze is, and NightWings are supposed to hate IceWings, remember? Besides, we heard that Burn liked gross things, not pretty things. Again, she’s dead now.”
“Yep.” said Fatespeaker. “Some animus made this tunnel for a reason. But what tribe were they from…”
“I remember that there were a few scrolls about animus dragons in the cave. Animus magic clearly started with the IceWings. SeaWings got animus magic through Albatross, and NightWings got animus magic through the IceWing Prince Arctic, who enveloped with the NightWing Foeslayer. Darkstalker didn’t have dragonets, but I think his sister did.” said Flame, humming. “I don’t think the SeaWings would have sent Anemone all the way out here just to mess around. The IceWings wouldn’t have sent an animus to help NightWings. Must have been a NightWing animus. And if a NightWing animus made this tunnel, they’d probably have a way to get to and from their own kingdom, probably well hidden, too. There could be another tunnel leading to the NightWing kingdom.”
“That was some pretty quick thinking.” Fatespeaker nodded. “I also remember that there was an old SandWing animus, Jerboa, who made the Eye of Onyx to choose SandWing Queens without relying on royal blood. But if there’s a SandWing animus, we’d have a hard time figuring out what side they’d be working for. There’s also the mystery of what happened with Blister and Anemone's power loss.”
“Animus powers were interesting to read about when Kestrel wasn’t breaking our bones every other day. Besides… SkyWings tend to kill unusual SkyWing hatchlings, from animus dragons to firescales. Peril was a pretty big exception. Maybe our tribe would suck less if we were more… open minded.” Flame sighed.
“I can think of one SkyWing who’s a little more open-minded than most of his peers, despite his stereotypical grumpiness.” Fatespeaker chuckled.
Flame actually let out a wry snort at that.
“Well, look at that, you’re alive.” Viper grinned. “Did you two have fun?”
“We found a tunnel leading to Burn’s fortress in the SandWing kingdom, near the northern border that leads to the IceWing kingdom, and we talked about how it’s likely that a NightWing animus made the tunnel. There could be other tunnels leading to the NightWing kingdom.” Flame shrugged.
“SandWing kingdom, huh? Could have invited me along.” said Viper.
“We can use the tunnel to go the SandWing kingdom after we’ve figured out the missing RainWing mystery.” said Fatespeaker.
And so, Jambu took the lead as Fatespeaker, Viper, Squid, Flame, Ochre and Peril found a second tunnel.
“This one feels even worse.” Squid grumbled.
“Relax, squid head. The first tunnel was boring and safe. Why don’t you try this one by yourself?” Flame chuckled.
“Yeah, no…” Squid muttered.
“Same plan as last time?” said Fatespeaker.
“You're the boss.” said Viper.
“But…” said Squid.
“I’ll go with Fatespeaker!” said Ochre. “The tunnels sound fun!”
“Hoh? Not you and Peril?” said Viper, brow raised.
“Oh, uh…” said Ochre.
“Don’t worry, Ochre. I trust you not to cheat on me with Fatespeaker.” Peril winked.
“Okay. I’ll be sure to do fun boyfriend stuff with you later!” said Ochre.
“Too much information.” said Viper, Flame, and Squid.
“So, how have you been doing, Ochre?” said Fatespeaker, blowing flames to light the way.
“I’m doing good! Peril is an amazing girlfriend, and these fruit things taste pretty good.” Ochre smiled, blowing his own flames. “Are you doing well?”
“Yeah. I’m nervous for several reasons, from Blister, the mystery of whether or not she has an animus, the war, Morrowseer and the NightWings, the missing RainWings, the animus tunnels, to whether or not it’s possible to pick a good SandWing queen and end the war peacefully… it’s a lot.” said Fatespeaker.
“I think I know how you feel, but I think we’ll be okay if you and Viper are leading us.” said Ochre. “You’re both brave and smart and strong, and I think you work really well together.”
“… Thanks, Ochre.” Fatespeaker smiled.
“So, do you have a boyfriend now?” said Ochre.
“Uh… what do you mean?” said Fatespeaker.
“Peril says it’s natural for males and females to do fun boyfriend and girlfriend stuff together when they like each other. Peril uh… showed me by giving me a blowjob.” Ochre chuckled.
“Wow, uh… was it fun?” Fatespeaker blinked, blushing slightly.
“Yeah, it felt amazing!” said Ochre. “Have you consider doing girlfriend stuff with Flame and Squid?”
“Those two guys? Why?” said Fatespeaker. “You think they like me? As possible mates, and not just our friends and adopted siblings?”
“Hm… maybe? Flame said he liked you before we went to the Summer Palace, but afterwards, he was really mean and there was the thing with his eye…”
“We talked about that, we’re cool for now.” said Fatespeaker. “And Squid?”
“Squid likes you. You’re very nice and pretty and he trusts you.” said Ochre. “I do too.”
“Sure, but… I dunno. I guess I like him as a friend and sibling, and he likes me as a friend too, but as mates? I… I’d have to think about it. Probably after we figure out what’s going on in the jungle.”
“That makes sense. Peril said that consent is very important.” said Ochre, nodding.
“Yeah, that’s good advice-”
THWP THWP
Fatespeaker felt woozy after something stung her neck and everything went dark.
The vines outside the cave went slack.
“Crap.” said Viper and Flame.
The SandWing and SkyWing of Destiny shared one nod before they ran into the cave after Fatespeaker and Ochre.
Peril only hesitated a second before rushing in after them to save her boyfriend.
THWP THWP THWP THWP THWP THWP THWP THWP
“Uh.” said Squid.
Squid nervously turned to look at Jambu, who shrugged.
“Erugh.” said Squid, looking between the ominous cave and the path back towards the RainWing village.
Squid attempted to try to force himself to run into the darkness… but he couldn’t.
In the Claws of the Clouds mountain cave, there was nowhere to run to, and he was too busy helping Fatespeaker to think of abandoning her and Ochre even when he made it outside.
In the SkyWing arena, there was no way to escape until Peril saved them.
He attacked the SkyWing soldier on instinct, with no time to doubt himself.
The Summer Palace had political and magical dangers, not physically confining ones.
But here, he would be running headfirst into danger and the darkness of the unknown…
And he couldn't do it.
“I’m sorry, Fatespeaker…” said Squid, turning around and running towards safety.
The refuge of a cowardly SeaWing.
Jambu sighed and slowly followed the SeaWing of Destiny.