D2 Wildwing
When not talking with the ducks, Mira spent the rest of her day exploring the castle until she had better idea of how to navigate it. But in all of her wandering, she had not yet seen Wildwing.
She returned to the dining hall twice to get something to eat during the day. Some of the ducks had been in and out as well, but they didn't seem eager to talk anymore.
It was not until the sun had drifted low in the sky that Mira finally found Wildwing standing on a balcony on the second level of the castle. Without speaking, she walked out and followed his gaze to the horizon.
To her surprise, Mira saw that although the sky was clear enough, the land around the castle, especially what lay beyond the outer wall was hazy… almost as if it was some kind of illusion.
"Have you tried going out there?" she asked.
"There's nothing there," Wilding answered gravely. "A few yards beyond the wall… the ground just stops and you can't go any further. This place pretends to be majestic and mysterious, but it's just a prison."
Mira listened quietly.
"It's brave of you to try to find answers," Wildwing continued. "But really, it all comes down to this place being our prison. It doesn't have to be yours."
"It's not," Mira said, meeting his gaze. "I've never felt like there wasn't a way out for me. But that doesn't mean that I have to leave."
Wildwing offered her a faint smile, but as the sun sank lower, he turned back to the horizon and appeared uneasy.
"The sky is clear, but you look like you're bracing for a storm," Mira said as she studied him.
"I always feel this way around sunset," he admitted. "It's not so much the storm that worries me as the damage I'm afraid it will cause."
"You're worried something will happen to you and your teammates?"
Wildwing closed his beak, and Mira dropped the question. But then he walked away from the balcony and quickened his pace as he headed for the stairs. Mira followed after him and found that she had to hurry to keep up as he returned in haste to the dining hall.
"It's time," he said as he entered the room where he teammates were now gathered.
Mira walked in just behind him, but suddenly Wildwing was starting to leave again with Nosedive, Mallory, and Tanya following him. Duke stretched out one arm towards the mantle and leaned against the hearth as he stared at the flames. And when Mira looked for Grin, he seemed to have already disappeared.
"Come, Mira," Wildwing urged when he saw she hesitated.
Mira looked back at Duke, who seemed resigned to stay.
"Go on upstairs," he said without meeting her gaze. "You can't stay down here."
Still not moving, Mira frowned and started to object, but Wildwing called to her again, and his tone was more insistent this time.
Mira turned and walked out in to the hall. Wildwing and the others were heading up the stairs towards the west wing. Nosedive paused on the steps and looked down at her. There was something serious in his gaze that stirred a sense of caution in her, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel there was a plea there as well… a plea to do something he could not.
If you think Mira should follow Wildwing, Nosedive, Tanya and Mallory upstairs, select D2 The West Wing.
If you think Mira should go back to the dining hall, select D2 Return to Find Duke.