Chapter 6
Oceanic air, the breeze colliding against a figure in flight, and the rainforest in sight. Something moved at scary speed through the air, before making its descent and landing in the lush, vibrant kingdom of the bright-winged dragons. Except it seemed to know. Know purely on instinct, where to land so as to not attract the unwanted attention of any curious eyes. Swiftly it moved, traversed the terrain. Even if this type of environment was very unnatural for it, and the sky was where it truly felt the most comfortable. The most free. Not allowing simple obstacles to slow it down, this 'visitor' was travelling in the direction of the RainWing village. Or at least it appeared that way, for there was one thing in-between it and it's supposed destination. United Wings.
"Mango. C-Coconut. Melon. Mango, coconut, melon. Mango coconut melon!" Camu exclaimed happily, joyous. To the entire world! He had just managed to write down three more words, reading them out loud proudly. It didn't seem like much of an accomplishment, but to this dragon? The fact that he was managing to read and write filled his shimmering, colourful scales with glee. A glorious gold and indigo glow. Holding the pieces of scribbled on paper in both his clawed hands, the RainWing sat there almost bouncing on the spot he was so filled with energy. Alas, he couldn't exactly zoom about the place at immense speeds, unless he wanted to witness the wrath of Tidal, who was currently relaxing in her pool of seawater. That deep blue body of hers submerged, with hardly any of it showing above the surface. One might think Camu had all the free reign he could ever want, the SeaWing being underwater and all, but he'd made the mistake once already. A few months ago. Of believing that she wouldn't hear his hyper antics from beneath the 'waves', he wasn't about to disturb Tidal during her relaxation time again. Oh no!
"Someone sounds excited." Spoke the familiar voice of Camu's best friend, from around the corner all cosy in his section of night. "Mango, coconut, and melon was it? Don't be learning too quickly there buddy, you may end up running out of words." Claw joked, following it up with a small playful giggle. And in return, after haphazardly sticking the three pieces of worded paper onto the stone wall, Camu walks himself over to his NightWing pal. A bright, beaming smile spread across that face of his. A face of pure innocence, that could do no wrong. Or at least it seemed that way, his big sister would surely have something to say about her brother's 'innocent' appearance. "Run out of words, don't be silly. From what I've seen of those scrolls of yours, of the...however many scribbles that I can make out, I reckon I've still got a few weeks left. Still plenty more to learn me!" He'd state proudly, grinning a toothy grin, before plonking himself down beside Claw. The two laying there together. "So, what have you been doing with your afternoon? Not more 'Adventures In The Nebula' again?" He gives his friend a playful bump with his left side, after asking that question. Not serious, but Camu just always noticed how Claw loved reading these scrolls in particular. Along with the scrolls on flying too, although they'd taken to the side-lines for the time being from the looks of it. "Yep, 'Adventures In The Nebula' again. My Father found these while out exploring, must have been someone's old collection. There's so many of them. Heh, unlike you Camu, I doubt I'll be finishing all of them in a few weeks. Unless I truly hunker myself down and just spend all my time becoming a scroll worm." He spoke passionately, as though he wouldn't even care if he did spend all his waking hours reading these immersive stories. Alongside causing mischief, reading was something Claw highly enjoyed. Just being able to be drawn into someone else's adventures, for minutes or for hours, and always wondering if the tales are true or not. But secretly hoping for them to be true. He looked up to heroes, both the ones in his real life, and in the scrolls. 'Anyone is capable of greatness.' The words of the great Galilean himself, the centre character of each story. Claw's inspiration.
Noticing his friend's lack of a response, the NightWing curiously looks up from the scroll laid out in front of him, attention turning to his right side. "Camu? You okay?" He'd ask softly, spotting the absence of the RainWing's usual explosive happy scales, instead replaced with a mixture of dark purple ripples, and some green patches. Two colours which Claw knew, didn't mean anything good. Two colours, which never appeared very often. But when they did, something wasn't right. "What is it?" He lowers his voice to a whisper and listens closely. The high tops of the trees swayed in the cool, afternoon breeze outside, sending a faint whistling sound through the vine draped entrance of the den. Apart from that, the air was still. Camu, seemingly frozen with worry, slowly stands to his feet and takes a very cautious peek from around the dark corner toward some of the rays of sunlight, which managed to pierce through the many branches and leaves. Whenever the wind would blow, the vines gently swayed, causing the patches of light to flicker in and out of shadow. "I thought I heard someone out there, a break in the silence." Camu finally answered, though it wasn't exactly an answer Claw had been expecting to hear, nor wanted. 'Is he just messing with me, or is he actually serious?' This line of thought was on his mind right now, very slowly standing to his feet also. He wouldn't put it past the RainWing to play some kind of creepy prank like this, though Claw did have to admit to himself, his friend looked genuinely worried. Either Camu had been getting acting lessons from someone, or he meant the words that left his trembling maw. Using the same amount of caution, the NightWing too gazed toward the entrance. Both emerald eyes narrowing slightly. "It's probably just Acai, right? Coming to make sure we haven't eaten that entire stash. You and Tidal didn't eat it all, did you?" The question hung out to dry for a few, long seconds. Long seconds of nothing happening. No impending danger. No strict RainWing suddenly appearing right next to them. Nothing. No response from Camu either, who was still very much concentrating on that entrance. When he couldn't take it any longer, Claw sighed an irritated sigh, giving his tail an impatient swish. "I'll go out there and look if it'll make you feel better. I'm all for pranks, and scaring other dragons half to death, but this is dragging it on for too long now Camu. Watch. I'll check." But just as the NightWing takes his gaze off the vines for a split second, he'd hear his friend gasp, and suddenly he was pulled with desperate force back around the corner.
"A-Ack, Camu, watch it! You almost" Cut off from finishing his sentence, Claw could feel his friend's talon against his own mouth, a silent gesture to be quiet. The RainWing had made himself invisible to the world now, an instinctive reaction when real trouble lurked nearby, and as the two of them waited there in that tense silence, the danger would at last reveal itself.
The rays of sunlight pouring into the den were blocked out, as somebody stood at the entrance. A shadowy silhouette to any who may dare to take a glance at this exact moment, though no one did. Eventually, this stranger would take a peek inside, their head pushing through the vines to better inspect the 'cave'. From where the two best friends hid, they couldn't see who, or what tribe of dragon was currently checking out their little hideout. Though they heard the deep, rumbling growls in its throat. Nostrils flaring as if smelling for prey. Sharp, keen fiery eyes scanned around. It wouldn't be too difficult for this dragon, to come to the conclusion that someone lived here, or perhaps more than one. The pool of water in which Tidal was still currently sleeping, Camu's hammock where the stone wall had scattered drawings and words written onto parchments, and then finally the corner at the back of the cave. To the left. Though the black paint on the floor and ceiling could very well be mistaken for something else, given some of the other dark patches of rock.
"What are they doing? Why don't they announce themselves?" Claw thought to himself, both confused and admittedly slightly creeped out. But the presence of this stranger wasn't the creepiest thing, nor the most worrying. No. Again, just like back in his parents' hut, he'd feel the same, strange tugging sensation. Though he wasn't being pulled toward something psychically, it was more a mental tug. His mind trying to take him somewhere. Somewhere away from this present moment. And just like the last time, Claw fought against it, while trying to stay quiet. A good firm shake of his head wasn't enough to be rid of it, however. His heartrate began to increase, the world around him shifting into blurs. But just before the NightWing was dragged into his own mind, he was mercifully let go, and his surroundings returned to normal. "C-Camu..." His voice came out in heavy pants, attempting to calm his breathing back down. "I t-think we're safe...I think they're gone..." Uncertainty rung true in Claw's tone, not knowing how or why he knew their unwelcome visitor was no longer there. Hesitantly believing the words of his friend, the RainWing took a peek around the corner and to his surprise, the danger was indeed gone. Scales shimmering back into sight once more. A sickening, frightful green, having taken over much of his body. "T-That wasn't Acai, and it certainly wasn't Queen Glory herself. I don't know who it was." His worried, sun-coloured eyes shifted to the clearly shaken Claw. Head tilting a little. "Do you know who that was? Because I've never seen you so terrified. It was scary, true, but I've always thought of you as the kind of dragon who would make a joke after something like that." A small smile spread along the RainWing's maw, approaching, and placing a reassuring clawed forefoot upon one of those dark scaled shoulders. Helped somewhat by Camu's somehow still upbeat nature, a smile tugs at his own mouth. Taking in a deep, calming breath through his nostrils, before letting it out in a long exhale. "I need to talk to Wisetooth."
