Chap 2

The unit flew back inland. A few hours later, they reached the capital, just as the sun glanced the horizon. Unlike the low-class delta area, the main area had intimidating sleep houses. Each great pillars of masoned stone, with gaps for doors protected by large, waterproof leaves "borrowed" from the nearby rainforest. Sparrow quietly followed Lotus into one of the leaf-doors. They found an unoccupied sleep spot, and then fell into a lump of limbs and wings and tails. The unit below was quite loud, with hushed, argumentative yell-whispers that Sparrow didn't care to listen to. Eventually though, mind filled with lurking thoughts of tomorrow, she fell asleep.

As colour once again creeped across the sky, they set out for the castle.

Honestly, Sparrow couldn't decide whether it was a castle or a fortress. The walls were thick and brown like mudwing scales, and it wasn't very impressive in height, but it was wide and sprawling, so it wouldn't sink into the swamp itself. Sparrow could see units fly between different outposts, with units averaging around tens and twelves, nothing like her group's measly four. They were armored and bore weapons. But no eyes came for Sparrow, so perhaps everyone was more used to skywings around the capital.

"Formation Alpha!" Lotus barked, startling Sparrow.

She quickly twisted out of the v-formation that they used for long distance flying and flew higher, covering the unit from above. With the same practiced efficiency, Sinkhole and Frog moved forward, a little in front of Lotus. They used this for attacking lone opponents, especially ones that were bigger or scarier than them.

Sparrow looked around for a dragon to engage, before realizing that there weren't any. She dropped her claws.

"Lotus? You seeing something I'm not?"

Lotus shook her head. "Just wanted to see if you were on your toes. You all fumbled expect for Frog."

"Of course we fumbled! There's a million guards and we're too far inland to need to be worried about attacks anyway!" Sparrow flapped her wings, gaining a little more speed then perhaps necessary, while Lotus merely laughed.

"That's exactly why I need you to focus. Because you're not. And do be so confident in your odds, Sparrow. Allegedly, there are two queens...and a third in that castle. A successful attack would eliminate Burn from the war."

"Guys," Sinkhole's voice, but Sparrow wasn't listening.

"50% of the reason you did that was because you were bored, Lotus. You made those reason up on the spot." Breaking position, Sparrow whirled above Lotus, and jabbed at her back with her tail.

"Sparrow, can you not?" Lotus hissed, batting at Sparrow with her wings.

"SIBS! Stop acting like 2 year olds and look!" Sinkhole could be very loud when he needed to be. They looked to see Frog shaking, his wings unsteady and his eyes scrunched, Sinkhole already at his side. Swan swooped over with skywing-like speed, then we banked to the watery bog. I watched helplessly as everyone crowded around him.

"Frog, it's alright, we're alright, there's nobody here. It's fine." Swan comforted, but Frog was shaking, looking down at the end of his tail. Sparrow watched, a few paces and a whole world away from her sibs.

Sparrow remembered it vividly, horribly. Scorching heat and jagged cold, In sickening waves of smells and sights of red and blue and brown and blood. Sparrow remembered fighting with her tiny sib unit, her above and everything she cared about below, her repelling bolts of ice breath with her own bright fire, making sure none reached her sibs. Until it didn't. Until she got overzealous, and aimed at a lone target instead of focusing on what mattered. And then a cry of pain. And then looking back to see frost spiderwebbing up Frog's tail. And then panic in the form of a blast of fire to remove it, remove her mistake. But not fast enough

Frog's tail is only half as long as a normal, and Sparrow knows exactly who's fault it is.

Lotus's voice was hoarse. "It's time to go to the meeting, Frog. can you do that?" Frog nodded.

They rose from the water again, and flew silently towards the assembly.