Chapter 12

The Claws of the Clouds Mountains

They had been flying for days. Even though Sandstar liked flying, this was too much. She wished that she had listened better when her parents talked or thought about the dragonets. But she had not and now Sandstar and her new friend were flying up and down the whole Claws of the Clouds Mountain range, looking for one lonely cave. They had nearly been seen by Skywing guards many times and had been afraid to sleep.

"Do you know of anywhere we could sleep safely here?" asked Crane voicing all their thoughts.

"It is nowhere safe from Queen Scarlet's patrols in the Sky Kingdom," said Inferno, beating his large wings tiredly.

"Is there anywhere close to here, outside the Sky Kingdom that is safe to sleep," asked Oleander tiredly this no sleeping was harder on her since Rainwings needed sleep more than all the others tribes since while sleeping in the sun, they absorbed energy from the sun itself.

"The closed place that I know is Jade Mountain," said Inferno, "but it would take us the rest of the day to get there though."

Oleander looked toward the sun and guessed that there were probably four more hours of sunlight.

"Let us go then," said Oleander with a barely stifled yawn, "I really need sleep and I bet you do too."

This statement was greeted with nods from everyone even Frostbite and Inferno. The group of seven unlikely friends turned and flew as fast as they could toward the tall mountain peak on the horizon.

Inferno had been correct in his estimate of time and when they finally arrived that the mountain was past sunset.

"There is a cave here," said Inferno circling the mountainside.

There was indeed a cave on the side of the mountain and all the dragonets quickly found their way into the cave.

"There is a tunnel," said Slipstream, using his night vision, "should we explore?"

"It would be best," said Oleander, "we don't want any surprise while we sleep."

With that, Sandstar, Inferno, and Nightshade light branches and head down the dark tunnel.

"There is someone here," said Sandstar and Nightshade at the same time.

"I can hear his mind," said Sandstar by way of explanation.

"He is asleep," said Nightshade astutely.

"Let find him," said Oleander starting to walk again.

The dragon who Nightshade and Sandstar had sensed, was a large Nightwing, not as large as Morrowseer but considerably bigger than Nightshade. He was asleep on the floor. But what was most surprising was that his scales looked like they were being turned to stone.

"Um," said Oleander, "Is that normal for Nightwings?"

"No," said Nightshade looking puzzled.

"Who are you?" said a gravelly voice.

Everyone jumped and looked at the strange Nightwing, who had opened his eyes but had not moved a muscle.

"I am Oleander," said Oleander stepping forward, "who are you?"

"You are a strange group," said the odd-looking Nightwing not answering Oleander's question, "an Icewing, a Nightwing, a Rainwing, a Mudwing, a Seawing, and a strange-looking Sandwing. Last I heard your tribes hated each other, did they not?"

"You are an animus!" cried Slipstream suddenly, "and cursed?"

"Yes," the Nightwing sighed, "I am an animus, and this is my curse."

"You are Stonemover," Nightshade stated realization dawning on his face, "you disappeared six years ago."

"Yes," said Stonemover in his sad voice.

"Why are you turning to stone," asked Sandstar curiously.

"It is my animus curse," said Stonemover with a sigh, "instead of taking my soul, it slowly turns me to stone."

"I can cure you," said Slipstream kindly, "if you want."

"You are an animus too?" asked Stonemover interest sparking in his eyes.

"Yes," said Sandstar, "but he protected himself from the animus curse."

"Oh," said Stonemover, "I fear it is too late for me and my soul."

"What about Thorn?" asked Sandstar, hoping to convince this sad dragon to let himself be cured instead of whatever he did in here.

"What do you know about her?" asked Stonemover suspiciously looking alert for the first time since they had met him.

"You think about her all the time," said Sandstar, and then she quickly explained, "Nightshade and I are a mind reader. And, yes, I know that we should not be. I am half Nightwing, by the way."

"Ah," said Stonemover, "your father must be Morrowseer. You have his eyes. Although I thought he was mated with Secretkeeper?"

"Yes, Morrowseer is my father. Secretkeeper and he were only trying for dragonets, but they stopped trying after their egg came out the crack," said Sandstar before hurrying on, "but enough about me, would you like Slipstream to heal you?"

"I don't think I deserved it," said Stonemover, slowly, "I have done horrible things."

"If you mean the tunnels to the Rain Forest and the plan to conquered it," said Oleander, "yeah, we already know and are going to stop it."

Stonemover merely sighed and closed his eyes. Taking this as an invitation Slipstream reached up and broke a small piece of stalagmite off and held it in her talons and said,

"I enchant this stalagmite to remove the animus curse from the dragon who it touches and to restore the pure soul of an animus dragon."

With that Slipstream, took the stalagmite and touched Stonemover with it.

The petrified scales on Stonemover melted away only leaving grey-tinted scales where they had been. Stonemover opened his eyes and looked around before slowly spreading wings and getting to his feet.

"Better?" asked Crane hopefully.

"Yes," said Stonemover.

"Mind if we stay here for the night?" asked Oleander stifling a yawn.

"If you wish," said Stonemover moving towards the cave mouth, "I am going to go hunting."

After Stonemover left the cave, the six dragons turned to Sandstar with a frustrated and fond look.

"What?' she asked puzzled.

"You really need to stop telling people that you are a mind-read," said Slipstream as kindly as he could.

"Oh," said Sandstar look ashamed, she had managed not to tell anyone in five years, and yet now after she had told one dragon it seemed that she could not shut up about it.

"How many people know you are a mind reader?" asked Nightshade curious.

"Um, all of you, and Stonemover now," said Sandstar honesty.

"Wow," said Frostbite sarcastically, "I am impressed that Blister's whole army does not know by now."

"Hey," cried Sandstar, " I do know when someone is trustworthy enough to know my secret."

"Right," said Inferno laying down on the ground, "can we have this conversation tomorrow?".

The others soon followed Inferno's example and piled together for warmth and comfort.