Hey guys, and welcome back! Ducky's prepared another chapter for y'all. Sorry it took so long for me to update. The week's been hectic and I've got a couple of drama productions and stuff like that as well as a piano recital. Yep, I'm real busy. But anyway let's move on. Real quick before we jump in, in case you didn't see in my previous chapter, I let you all know that I put up a poll asking you guys to vote on the next story I should write. Go to my profile to vote if you want to.
Alright, that's all, onto chapter 7.
Clay's (POV)
As soon as the light hits me, I shut my eyes. It's so much brighter in the Rainforest Kingdom than in the dense jungle.
I open my eyes to colorful dragons bustling around a quaint village. They're flying, gliding through trees, wrapping their tails around tree branches and swinging.
It looks as if the huge SandWing war never affected them at all. And maybe it hasn't. Maybe these dragons ignore everything bad going on outside their kingdom.
I suddenly feel sad, knowing that we're here in the kingdom of Glory's dragons and she's not even here. Just that thought pushes me to round up everyone and devise a plan as soon as possible.
I look to Sunny on my left. "So, how are we going to get these dragons to trust us and help us save Glory?" I ask, looking around at the village. All dragon heads were turned towards us newcomers, their stares piercing my scales. I suddenly feel uncomfortable.
"I'm not entirely sure, but we'll think of something," Sunny replies. "I mean, these dragons don't seem to be violent, right? It shouldn't be too hard."
I'm hoping it's not true, but since we were little dragonets, all five of us heard our guardians–especially Kestrel–say that RainWings were lazy dragons. Of course, Kestrel told so many lies, so I don't believe that RainWings are actually lazy. I mean, Glory is the opposite of lazy. Well, yeah, she does sleep a lot, but her personality is strong and she is very smart.
I turn my attention back to all the RainWings, who are still staring blankly at us, as if they don't know what to do. They're probably not used to strangers in their midst.
"Don't worry. Us RainWings aren't violent," a voice to my left says. I shift my gaze and realize that it's Parrot. He's a friendly, cheerful RainWing.
"So, how do we get them to help us?" I ask Parrot.
He shrugs. "Just ask the queen. Right now, I believe it's Magnificent."
My brows raise in confusion. "Right now? As in, you switch queens?"
"Yep."
"You what?" Tsunami roars in perplexity.
"You've never heard of that?" Parrot asks innocently.
"We didn't get the best education," I say. It's true, our guardians gave us history lessons, but there was barely anything on RainWings. Maybe I wouldn't know. It's not like I ever paid attention in those lessons anyway.
"Anyway, as I was saying, you'll have to ask Magnificent, but I can't guarantee she'll be willing to help," Parrot continues, sunlight glinting off his emerald eyes.
"Why not?"
"Eh, she's pretty lazy, doesn't like to do much. None of us really do."
"Oh." I sigh and glance around, getting a panoramic view of the entire Rainforest Kingdom. It's a very beautiful and colorful place filled with a variety of plants and trees. RainWings are lounging in hammocks and on platforms high in the trees. Others are eating fruit and talking or gliding through the towering trees. Colors are everywhere, like every color of paint on one canvas, that it's almost overwhelming.
I look down at my own brown scales, dull in comparison to the dragons all around me. Little huts dot the trees and forest ground, marking the homes of these dazzling dragons.
I turn back to Parrot. "So, where does the queen stay?"
"I'll show you." He opens his wings to their widest wingspan and pushes off the ground. I can hear the wind blowing at each wingbeat.
I do the same, as does everyone else. We follow Parrot over the Rainforest Kingdom, getting an aerial view of its staggering beauty.
I look down on the village mid-flight and see that many of the RainWings have turned their heads up and are now gazing at us with deep curiosity. I shift my gaze to the trees abundant with a wide variety of fruit. My mouth waters and my stomach grumbles, and I'm having trouble remembering when the last time I ate was.
After what seems like a very long flight, although it wasn't, Parrot finally lands on the highest platform in the village. We land next to him, myself being the last to touchdown on the sunbaked wood, seeming to have been falling behind due to my distracted state of mind.
In front of us sits a larger hut than the average one, decorated with flowers, pretty leaves, and plants, which I can only imagine can only be found in this kingdom and nowhere else in Pyrrhia.
The entrance to this beautifully decorated hut is draped with long, delicate leaves and vines emblazoned with tiny flowers of all colors.
"This is where the queen stays?" I ask, glancing around, mesmerized by my surroundings.
"Yes, she should be in there right now," Parrot answers. "We got lucky. Barely anyone's in line right now."
"In line?" Tsunami asks, flustered. She put emphasis on the word line, as if it's the most outrageous thing she's ever heard. And by the look on her face and the tone of her voice, it's one of them.
"What do you mean by that?" Sunny queries, equally surprised but with less of it in her voice.
"Well, dragons line up everyday outside of the queen's hut with specific needs. They ask her questions and stuff like that. Normally, she just brushes them away or answers them promptly, so dragons don't usually expect much."
"Fascinating," Starflight says.
"Will she be of any help?" Tsunami asks, lashing her tail.
"Hard to say, but let's hope so."
The five of us shuffle in line behind two moody looking dragons.
"Why are there so few people?" Sunny asks as an aloof green RainWing enters the hut.
"It's almost suntime for us, so dragons like to claim their perches quickly, before all the good ones are gone."
"Sun time? What's that?" I ask.
"It's where we sleep on hammocks and platforms and things like that while the sun is at its highest, brightest point. It helps us to relax and let go of stress."
"Sun time's everyday?" I question.
"Yep, at around this time of the day."
"That must be why Glory is always sleeping in the middle of the day," Starflight realizes.
"Who?" Parrot asks.
"Nothing. Actually, that's what we came here for," Starflight says to a perplexed-looking Parrot.
"So, shouldn't you be in sun time?" Sunny asks, glancing out at all the almost-asleep RainWings perched in their comfy hammocks and platforms.
"Technically, yes," Parrot says wistfully, gazing at all the relaxed dragons on the verge of sleep. "But, you guys seem to have something important to say, so I'll wait. I'll catch the last half hour or so, hopefully."
"Thanks for doing this for us," Sunny says.
"No problem."
"Wait, shouldn't the queen also be in sun time?" Tsunami asks.
"As a queen, normally you get kinda busy with your subjects. But normally she does go for sun time because no one's waiting for her presence at this time of the day. But occasionally, dragons have an urgent need to see her, and do it during sun time when the line's not long. Then she can't go and take her sun time nap."
"Oh."
We wait a while longer. The lavender-colored dragon in front of us had just gone in. Parrot's explanation on sun time had passed the time rather quickly and soon enough, the lavender dragon popped out of the queen's hut, looking rather pleased.
"It's our turn," Parrot mumbles. We follow him into the hut, and my eyes are taken aback by the look of the hut. Windows are allowing streams of warm light into the hut. The arrangement of the leaves and flowers near the windows are giving off flower and leaf-shaped shadows on the floorboards of the hut. The walls are draped with vines and strings of flowers.
The queen herself looks dazzling. Her scales are a shimmery purple and blue color with swirls of green and gold.
As much as all of this stuns me, what really surprises me is the sloth sitting on the queen's head.
I'm about to ask, but Tsunami beats me to it. "What in Pyrrhia is a sloth doing on your head? Aren't you going to eat it?" she asks, but it comes out as more of an order rather than a question. Typical Tsunami.
The queen however looks taken aback and rather offended. "Eat it? Now why would I do that?"
"Are you saving it or something?" Tsunami retorts.
"Saving it? For eating?" The queen sounds insulted. "I'm not sure about where you come from, but around here, we don't eat sloths. We keep them as pets." Magnificent gives a loving pat to her sloth, who purrs and snuggles in closer, getting ready for a nap.
"Pets?" Tsunami opens her mouth to continue, but I nudge her, telling her to calm down, that this is not what we came for.
She closes her mouth reluctantly and goes silent. So I take over the speaking. "Hello, er–your majesty." I attempt to bow awkwardly, but it ends up looking more like I'm hunching over to get something off the floor.
"Hello, odd-looking dragons. You don't look like us RainWings. Where do you come from?"
"Uh, well, we come from different tribes, but let's just say that we don't actually come from them."
The queen looks confused, so I just jump to the point. "We came to ask a favor of you."
"Of course, I'll try to help, but may I ask, why did you choose me of all the queens in Pyrrhia?"
"Well, er, um," I stutter, not knowing what to say.
To my relief Starflight answers. "You were the closest, your majesty. We ended up in the rainforest and needed help. So we came to you."
This seems to explain it for Magnificent. "Ah, okay. So, dears, what is it you need help with?"
"Well, our friend, Glory, she's RainWing like you guys. She went missing about a day ago and we don't know where she is, but we have some ideas. We need some help finding her, like a search party or something," I say. I look around the room and see that Parrot's face is a mask of shock, as if he wasn't expecting such news.
All of my other friends are just nodding in agreement.
"Well, I could put together a search party to find your friend, uh, what was her name again?"
"Glory," Starflights replies. Then he adds, "Thank you so much, your majesty. Your helpfulness will not be forgotten."
"Of course, of course. Um, aha, you–Parrot, right?" Magnificent points a sharp claw at Parrot, who nods with an "mhm." "Could you put together a search party to help these kind dragonets, please?"
"Of course, your majesty."
"Thank you so very much. As a reward, next time you get the chance, you'll get the best sun time spot in the kingdom."
"No need for reward, your majesty, but your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you." Parrot takes a slight bow and leaves the hut.
We follow him out of the wonderful house and perch on a nearby vacated platform in the shade.
"So, I understand that your friend is missing."
We all nod.
"Okay," Parrot continues, "So, I'm gonna put together a search party. Most of us RainWings are pretty lazy and don't want to do much, but there are a few who can really get a job done."
"That's great," I say. "We'll obviously be a part of the search party. That's four plus you, which makes five. Who else?"
"I know some dragons around town that could help. Come on, let's go." Parrot spreads his wings, preparing for flight.
"Wait, hold on, where are we going?" I ask.
"To my cousin's hut."
"Your cousin?"
"Yeah, my cousin. Jambu."
Hey guys, so sorry that I haven't updated in weeks. I've been super busy with school. I just had a drama production and a piano recital so I've had a pretty packed schedule. And on top of that, my mom just left for Japan, so yeah. At least the end of school is coming up this week. Yay! Anyways, that was chapter 7, hope you enjoyed it. As always, leave your thoughts in the review section. Your feedback is valued like gold. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
See ya in the next one.
Ducky :)
