PLEASE READ! PLEASE DO NOT SKIP!

This will be a rather important author's note, because, I have some things to say. Wow, that sounded ominous. Nothing bad, I promise. But I would like to start off with the obvious...

Sorry for not posting in a WHILE. *wait, no, come back! Its not another drabble of excuses and apologies for not posting!* Life's been super busy lately, with school resuming, a hectic schedule, the to-do list piling up, and so many crazy things. This story had been put on an unannounced pause lately. But we are finally ready to start writing again, and hopefully keep a steady pace on it! :)

I have noticed that this story... isn't as exciting as it used to be. The comments dying down, the chapters slower, less and less excitement about it in GENERAL. And I totally understand that! I have not been doing my part of making sure to go over it MULTIPLE times, or really trying my best on it. But please understand, that we accept and STRONGLY encourage constructive criticism comments. If you notice the story isn't "keeping you on the edge of your seat", tell us! We want to know that you think it is, quite frankly, BORING. Don't be afraid that we will get offended. That's what writing is about, isn't it? Feedback and improvement. But please give it another try! Will definitely be working on it.

Also, to KGWingfeatherFan, I don't know if you noticed that you have been awarded the 50th comment prize! You can comment the scene/interaction you would like to be added to the epilogue in the comments. Again, sorry for the spoilers to everyone else...

Well, I think that about sums it up for now. We hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

-Rainy and Elfie

Itzel dragged herself aboard the ship, coughing at the sand in her lungs. Finally pulling herself onboard from the rope ladder, she collapsed onto the deck in a fit of coughs. She looked up through her eyelashes to see her surroundings, her cheek pressed against the floors.

She almost gasped when she saw a figure huddled in a rocking chair only a few feet away from her. A loud snore erupted from the figure, followed by a snuffle. Itzel's eyes grew wide with fear, and she scrambled up, trying to be quiet. She backed away, wincing at each creak of the wooden floors.

What should she do? Liam and Arthie wouldn't be here until a couple of hours. What if he woke up?

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw rope piled on top of a wooden barrel in the darkness. She narrowed her eyes at it, glanced at the Strander in the rocking chair, and resolved a risky plan.

Day One

"Sooo... what do we do with him?"

It was early morning on the island, the wind crisp and carrying hot air. The old, gagged man in the rocking chair glared up at Arthie, Liam, and Itzel.

He would have ended them in two seconds, he thought, if not for these Makerforsaken ropes tying him firmly to the chair. It was torture. He had an itch on his neck.

Ash yawned and turned to lay on her back, rocking the entire ship. She was enjoying a dazy nap in the hot sun, too tired to do anything but snore.

Arthie repeated his question, and Liam answered this time.

"Throw him overboard?

The Strander responded with colorful words and yells being spat into the gag, along with struggling at the ropes.

Last night, Liam, Arthie, and Ash had found a barely awake Itzel leaning against the mast pole, nodding off and trying to guard the snoring Strander. A sloppy knot of ropes tied him down temporarily into the rocking chair. Liam had redone and secured the ropes, waking the old man, and the rest of them fell asleep in the hammocks in the barracks. Now they had taken turns bathing themselves and their clothes in the water, eaten breakfast that Itzel had found in a pantry, and finally addressed the old man.

"Maybe we should just leave him on the Island, like the others," suggested Itzel.

"Can you swim?" Liam asked the Strander.

The old man's response was a death glare.

All three Wingfeathers slowly turned toward the plank protruding from the ship.

"WALK THE PLANK!" Arthie realized delightedly. Liam fought a smile as he ordered Arthie and Itzel to pin the man to the chair as he undid his ropes. Liam then stood the Strander up, and tied his hands behind his back.

"But you DO know how to swim, right?"

A frustrated grunt was the only answer.

Day Two

Waves slapped against the ship and crashed into each other, the sea rumbling and the noon sun burning bright. The only dark clouds loomed far in the distance, where they were heading. Salty air teased the children's noses, as they ran about exploring. The island was far away, only a pinch of land against the horizon. The ship creaked with every movement Ash made, the lazy dragonet shifting positions to sunbathe.

Liam stood at the wheel, struggling to stay awake. The peaceful sea was lulling him to needed sleep, coaxing him to lazy dreams. He desperately fought sleep, nodding off and then jerking his head up as he turned the wheel. Itzel sat eating a plumb next to Ash, vowing that she would never touch an apple again. Arthie threw a totatoe in the air, then caught it again. Throw, catch. Throw, catch.

"Liam, how exactly did you find us? And how did you get to the Island?" he asked, hoping for a thrilling story to cure his momentary, and miraculous, boredom.

A snort answered him, and Liam's head fell limp. Arthie studied him curiously.

"Liam?"

"I'm so...sorry, M-Mariss...forgive... m-me..." Liam snorted, his eyes fully closed and his cheek mashed against the wheel.

Arthie raised his eyebrows. Who was Marissa? Arthie got up and walked toward his older cousin.

"Did he fall asleep? And who's Marissa?" Itzel asked.

"Dunno," Arthie answered as he peeked at Liam's snoring face. "But he's definitely asleep."

Itzel cocked her head sympathetically. "He's probably super tired. He probably hasn't slept in ages. But we need to wake him so that he doesn't steer us in the wrong direction and we get lost at sea."

A smile curled at Arthie's lips, and he turned towards Itzel.

"Orrrr... someone ELSE can steer..."

"Arthie!"

Hours later, Liam woke from a dream of dazzling green eyes and golden curls to find Arthie standing on a chair wearing a strange hat, and steering the wheel. He sat up quickly, and found he was on the floor of the deck with a blanket beneath him. Itzel sat beside him, weaving two strips of seaweed together. She smiled at him.

"Good, you're awake. Maybe you can kick Arthie off the wheel now."

"Wha... Arthie! What are you doing?!" Liam rubbed his eyes.

Arthie glanced over his shoulder to him and grinned. "You fell asleep, and we knew you needed sleep, and I know the direction we're supposed to be going in, so, yeah. And who's Marissa?"

Liam blinked and flushed bright red. "Um, what?"

Itzel rolled her eyes. "Arthie's been so bossy. He thinks he's CAPTAIN or something."

"Aw, come on!"

"Arthie, get back here! You should have woken me."

"Okay, okay. But seriously, who's Marissa?"

"ARTHIE!"

"Ack! Okay, okay!"

Day Three

Ash leaned over the edge of the boat, watching the mesmerizing waves. They were so curious. She felt some sort of connection to them, but she couldn't understand it. A kind of longing pulled at her heart for the strange waters. She had spent the past days resting in the sun, regaining her precious warmth. Good warmth.

All of the sudden, a strange object whizzed past the ship. She jerked back. What was that?

It came again, and again, and again, many of them! What were these strange creatures in the water?

"Oh, look!" Itzel said, coming to stand next to her as she watched the strange creatures as well. "Fish!"

Fish? Who was fish?

The silver creatures circled in the water, dancing on the waves. Ash's eyes followed their every move. Suddenly, her talons started tingling with a sort of itch. Her mouth filled with saliva. An instinct deep inside her willed her to reach out and touch one. No... not touch. Catch? Catch. Then...

FISH GOOD FOOD?

Itzel smiled. "Yeah, for some people I guess. Do dragons eat fish? I mean, Sea Dragons probably do."

Ash's hungry eyes studied their movements. Curious creatures, Fish. Fish were strange. Fish were... food?

Ash's claws leaped out against the side of the ship, grazing the water and wetting her warm scales. She retreated immediately, squeaking. Water felt so strange! It took away her warmth!

WATER BAD, BAD, BAD!

Itzel giggled. "No, water is good! We need to drink water to live. Or, humans and animals do. I don't know about dragons. But water can cool you off."

Ash studied her wing, seeing how her scales were darker where the water had touched. Strange. Very, very curious. Water cooled. Cooled not warm. Warm good. Cool bad? Hmm...

A splash brought her attention back to the fish in the water. Ash noticed how the Fish had gleaming scales too. Their beady eyes started at her as they swam. How water not bad for Fish's scales? Don't fish need warmth too? Maybe water not bad. Cool. Cool bad? Only one way to find out...

Ash reached out again, more tentatively this time, and flinched when the water touched her scales again. With all her strength, she held back from retracting her wing. She closed her eyes and felt the wetness against her warm scales. Warmth went away, but in place... cool. A break from heat. It tickled her scales, and when she finally took her claw out of the water and brought it back to her, she studied it closer.

Her eyes widened when she realized water was still there! It dripped from her claw and onto the deck. Water follow her! But she had gone away from water! How it still there?

She turned to the droplet on the wooden deck. She narrowed her eyes at it and sniffed it. Salty.

She glanced at the fish again, daring her to get them.

Ash snorted, and neared the edge of the ship once more. Itzel watched her with amusement.

She looked out to the fish again, the strange tingling returning to her talons and her mouth watering again.

Suddenly, she thrust both of her wings into the water and reached for the shiny fish. Her back legs could not support her, though, and with a roar, she fell entirely into the water.

Itzel cried out in surprise, then laughter, and was joined by Arthie as he ran up to investigate. Liam glanced over and laughed as well. "Get the rope and help her out, you two."

Ash thrashed in the water, sputtering and snorting. It was all over her! Warmth left her entirely, it was gone, the wetness engulfed her, it was horrible! She felt no ground beneath her back legs, only more water. How much water was here?!

HELP! ARTHIE! ITZEL! WATER BAD, BAD, BAD!!

She suddenly felt something slimy rush past her nose, and she realized that the fish were just RIGHT. THERE.

If she was going to die today, she would at least know what fish tasted like.

She snapped blindly at the water, and felt the slimy fish evade her jaws. She snarled underwater and thrashed her wings out into the water and felt a slimy fish protrude her talon. She got one!

She felt a rough stringy object drop into the water next to her. She grabbed it and saw it was leading out of the water and onto the ship. She clawed her way up, making sure that the fish stayed on her talon. She finally pulled herself over the deck, and collapsed breathing hard.

The water that followed her spilled off of her body and onto the deck. Arthie and Itzel were doubled over in laughter, and Liam amusedly glanced at all of them.

NEVER! NEVER AGAIN! She vowed, as she felt the relieving sunlight start to dry and heat her again.

She suddenly remembered the fish and without missing a beat, scrambled up to bite into it. Fleshy, slimy stuff met her taste buds, but as she kept chewing, she realized... it was actually good!

Ash dove into the whole thing, enjoying the taste of fish. She glared at the sea beside her, and resolved that she had won this one.

Day Four

"LAAAAND! WE'RE THERE! ITS A FOREST! AND... AND ITS RAINING?"

Arthie called out, as a sliver of trees and land was visible on the fourth day. Over the land were dark clouds, and it almost seemed that misty fog surrounded the land.

Liam nodded, seeing this. "We will have to be more careful as we get closer and closer, but hopefully we'll arrive safely." Itzel squealed and hugged Ash's massive neck. "We're almost home!"

Ash snorted with relief, she was ready to be far away from this water. Even if the fish were good.

Minutes turned to hours, and the Wingfeather waited with hope as they neared the land. Finally, in the afternoon, they were close enough to see the dark clouds dispersing from the land. They were so close now, and Liam promised that they would arrive in about two hours.

These hours were spent pacing back and forth, finishing off the last of the white chalk, and trying to count Ash's scales.

But finally, as the blue sky turned indigo, the sun dipping low, the ship bumped, hitting shallow rocks.

Arthie and Itzel leaped and cried for joy, helping Liam drop the anchor down and excitedly trying to find the rope ladder. They packed the small amount of food left, and finally, found themselves climbing down the rope ladder and into the shallow waters.

Itzel's eyes burned as she felt her feet touch real rocks, land. They were almost home. The Wingfeathers and the dragonet ran towards the sandy beach, relief flooding their veins. They all collapsed on the sand, Ash rolling around and rubbing her snout on the warm ground. This was much better.

Liam sat on his knees, looking to the sky and feeling exhaustion finally crash onto him. But they had finally made it. All they had to do was find their way to Anneira now. Somehow, they would make it.

As he watched the sky, he suddenly heard footsteps approach. A gasp resounded, and he quickly looked back down to Arthie and Itzel. They were staring straight ahead, wide eyed. But the gasp had not come from them. Liam finally turned to whatever they were staring at, but his eyes met a sore sight that he never expected.

"Liam?" Marissa whispered, green eyes filling with tears.