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Chapter 5: Awakening for the seer and dawn for the lost daughter

Fly as high as you can, Fate itself can not escape from the wrath of the Sun! What the Moons have stolen shall be taken back!

Coursing through the city of the in between, Infinitegazer wastes no time as she feels more worried than ever in her life. Running trough streets and lunging to change direction with all her might, the young seer pays little attention to how desert such places are, and even less to the Above and its warning light.

To think I let Nightful bath in the unfiltered rays of the Day, to think I believed that fully focusing on the moons was the right choice for so long…

Always keeping her gaze on the Palace and its final tower, the nightwing dragoness encounters little in her path, but the longer she runs and jumps, the more she tires herself. Until finally, she reaches the last street, a mild and more than irritating feeling of tiredness weighting on her being as she faces her first true obstacle.

- "Why would they close the gates of the glorious court?!" My dear and terrifying Nightful, what decisions have you and the queens come to take…

Refocusing on her goal, the young dragoness only makes a single step, taking a long breath as she sands over the imposing and ornated doors. Closing her eyes, it is after a moment to find peace that she reopens them, eager to find a way around… And as soon as she spots it, her talons do not oppose her will, hastily bringing her to the side where a far smaller door stands, one that can easily be open.

Leaving the epic scenery of the doors and entering inside the outer walls of the Palace, Infinitegazer only slows down for seconds before taking on a steadier march. Briefly looking with ears made sharp by a faster beating heart, the dragoness of night remains a tad surprised as she sees no one and hears nothing but her own noises. Though that mood gradually shifts as she ventures deeper in the corridor of polished stones, her own sounds and light resonating clearer...

Why did it come to this? How could I… fail to this extent?

It's all my fault! It's all your fault! It's all…

- "Venturing alone in the walls of my Palace?"

Startled by the coming of a deep new voice, the seer of night hastily looks around... but to no avail.

Maybe I'm starting to halu-

"Such arrogance… After talking so un-politely against me and my ancestor, you thought there would be no consequences?"

- "Who-Where are you?!"

- "You can not even bring yourself to call me by my name? Then prepare yourself because my presence won't spare you!"

Shocked by the queen's voice, Infinitegazer barely gets the time to follow doubt and turn around as a great shadow looms over. And blinking at what she sees, the young dragoness can only voice her panic as she jumps back, desperately trying to evade the striking force of an ominous soul...

…

Shaking her whole body a tad more, a sudden breath resulting in a somewhat surprising noise, the young dragoness seems to have left the realm of dreams. With her thoughts now surging back with growing complexity, it is with a bit of a headache that she begins to move willingly on the fabric, her heartbeat one that may be too fast.

- "The wounded one is really moving this time. Please call out Silverhorn as she may be waking up."

Having the sounds of talon steps over sandstone reaching her ears, the seer of night becomes too curious and active to preserve her calmer state. And despite a feeling of unfamiliarity lasting far longer than it should, Clearsight finally finds a way to stand in spite of the awkwardness.

"..."

"Stand still and breath young nightwing, you don't have to force yourself awake..." Says a kind voice despite its natural roughness, a close presence companying her freely with talons and wings.

Instinctively startled by his touch, the young nightwing quickly learns to appreciate his care before she finally opens eyes. A few seconds pass and she realizes a rather old sandwing is holding her, his wet talon brought against her chest while his gaze remains calm and supportive, if a bit distant.

"If you can answer… How do you feel?"

- "I feel…"

Quickly focusing on her own body, it is with sudden horror that the dragoness gets an idea of her true state. Exposed for everyone to see except in the rare spots covered by bondages are her wounds, explicit if scarred of traces merciless claws, horns and the harsh earth during her last battle. Inevitably, some memories can not be repressed no matter if the time is right for her to see them...

- "Please, calm yourself and breath young dragoness. Panicking will only aggravate your situation." Says the sandwing as he holds her paw, his other talon gently moving a large bowl and its tainted water.

Staring back at him with doubt then a faint feeling of thankfulness, her breaths getting deeper and longer, Clearsight's attention is however drawn elsewhere as a nightwing enter. Looking quite imposing if only due to her tribe's natural hide, the newcomer is one the young dragoness feels conflicted about, questions already surging in her mind.

- "Already awake, but her state was… Sorry, may I know of your name young one? Mine is Silverhorn." She says as she steps forward, a quick glance being cast at the sandwing only to focus back on the one he takes care of. And oddly, her many scars do not discourage her to bear a faint smile.

- "Don't be shy if you can answer, me and Silverhorn are here to help like we did before." Says the caretaker before looking away, his attention shifting to her tail as he plunges scraps of tissue in the water, the noises of his act distracting no one.

Staring into her Silverhorn's eyes, the seer is… analytic. With her piercing gaze, she seems to almost delve into the other's soul, before her attention suddenly drops. Against what they expected, Clearsight appears lost as she stands, frowning as she seeks something that is missing. Quickly, it seems she can not really pay attention to anything, at least not when the sandwing brings water to her battered back while the nightwing leans closer, her eyes still on her, but starting to get worried.

- "Are you alright?"

Being touched by the older one's paw, the seer immediately snaps out of her thinking. All before the sandwing invites his colleague to recoil a little.

- "I think you still need to rest for a moment, your mind may not have fully recovered…" Declares the sandwing doubtlessly as the other settles at their side, now partially glancing at the few recipient and items laying on a nearby table.

- "No, it's not that… Well, I don't fully feel great at the moment, but what truly worries me is that everything is... blurred."

- "Blurred, what are you talking about?" Questions the other nightwing, her reaction a clear one while the closer sandwing continues to gently rub her scales, the wet pieces of fabric cooling and comforting the chosen area of the young one's scarred body.

- "I… The futures, I can't see them anymore!"

Hearing such words, the caring adult freezes for instant, then partially retrieves a talon while his peer thinks in silence. With his gaze now crossing her own, he can not help himself but voice his thoughts in disbelief.

- "Can't see the future? Are you a seer young dragoness?"

- "She is Warmroot, the teardrops scale following her eyes do not lie. Though I have never heard of one losing their foresight, ever…" Comments Silverhorn as the young one nods, before she returns to her thoughts, her inattentive gaze passing over the table and its goods again.

Sighing for a moment, Clearsight lets her head fall to her caretakers' surprise, the sandwing even getting worried as he sees what comes from her eyes.

- "Young dragoness, please don't let your loss bring you down, for it is nothing short of a miracle we could have saved you." He says with with peculiar air of certainty so close to faith, with his paw carefully placed against her chin, hoping the wet scrap of tissues would help.

- "I… don't know how much I should be thankful for your rescue. I don't even know any of you." Declares the young as she raises her head, trying to stand again and looking around briefly, before staring into Warmroot's eyes.

"But you must understand, it is my gift which allowed me to save my tribe, and Pyrrhia to a greater extent. I may have… defeated Darkstalker, but-"

- "You defeated him... Who are you really?" Asks the older nightwing, her face suddenly turning to her tribe mate.

- "Clearsight" She answers in an almost tired voice.

And for moment, none dares to talk, the sandwing staring at his acolyte while he himself does little. To such startled yet different dragons, the young one can only wonder about what they are thinking just now, the ideas and reasoning that push them to be that way, as well as the place she is in…

- "You know what… Silverhorn, go to inform Drytongue and the others, I'll stay with her."

Fully raising her body, her wings almost knocking some small and fragile container, the nightwing glances at the other for seconds. Before the hesitation fades and she leaves the room, her march a rather fast one. And when her shape can no longer be seen, the time is for the Clearsight and her guardian to cross their gazes once more.

- "I don't doubt you have questions. So ask them and I will answer the best that I can."

- "I…"

At first eager to speak up, the dragoness' will fades when she spots the bowl of troubled water, leading her to once again be aware of her terrible state. But Warmroot easily catches up on that, and he is not one to let her think alone, his voice still a good one to have as he reveals some details.

- "It is true that you were gravely wounded, battered when we found you alone in that ominous crater… Yet we did what we could and your wounds have scarred." He says while bringing some water to the other's back, Clearsight accepting the gesture even if it hurts more than a little before her body can relax.

"The reason we have your skin mostly exposed is that it is still hot during the day, and we don't want some bandages and other basic supply to hinder your recovery or even infect you, especially after the trip we have done."

- "So… Where am I now?"

- "You are at the East of the sand queendom, or more accurately at the 'Northern' part of the queendom's East. For short, if you go outside without flying and look really hard at the horizon, you'll see some standing shades of green and mountains the other way."

- "…"

- "Still feeling tired? That's to be expected, you may have slept for days but you haven't really eaten anything since..."

Retrieving his talon then putting back his wet pieces in a bowl, Warmroot shifts his stance, extending his draconic form so his paw can reach a rounded plate over a different table. And glancing as it is brought up to her, the young dragoness remains somewhat confused if a bit glad for it.

- "Some… pitahaya?" She says with with doubt as her eyes can hardly fathom that pink flowery hide covering a white flesh full of tiny black spots.

- "I suppose you can call it by its real name. But yes, that dragonfruit will be your first meal, though there is something I must before…"

Having say that, it is with a not so sharp knife that the sandwing cuts his fruit in a few slices, neatly exposing the flesh and the many black seeds it contains.

- "There, you can eat the flesh now. And don't worry, it is tender and full of water, so you won't risk to break your fangs or puncture your mouth."

- "Thank you Warmroot."

Taking the plate and its fork, Clearsight is quick to bite into the fruit, its taste a surprisingly good one. And seeing her take a second piece, the sandwing can not help but have a slight grin, turning back and leaning into a crate to get another fruit…

"But I wonder… Why did do all of this for me? You didn't know I was the greatest seer of my tribe before." Says rather shyly the young nightwing as she puts down the fork, her mind seemingly more sound as she faces her caretaker.

- "Yes, we knew nothing about you when we saw you at Agate mountain. But if I am to believe what the team said, you were inside a crater and the atmosphere was… magical, that's why they quickly rescued you."

"Magical…" The dragoness mutters as her head lowers a little, getting full of thoughts as she thinks of the past.

- "Did something brutal happened there? You said you defeated Darkstalker, right?"

- "I… Yes I did, but he did not use his magic when I confronted him, or at least I don't think so."

Seeing how she frowns, subtly hissing in what seems to be disgust and regret, the sandwing remains silent for a moment as his gaze gets tainted by worry, his mind only imagining what really happened. But as he speaks again, Warmroot shows he knows better than to ask further.

- "That topic seems too much for you, maybe we should talk about something else. And may-"

- "No! What happened is too important for me to dismiss it just now. I can't take a break if I'm not sure my duties are accomplished."

- "You were wounded, and you still need a few days before you can walk for long again. And must I remind you of your age Clearsight?"

- "But… Please, at least inform me about how the nightwing tribe is going! I can't be left in the unknown!"

- "Unfortunately, I and many others don't know much about your tribe, nor do we have a strong relationship with it…" He says with a firmer voice, before his attitude shift, his eyes turning to the room's entrance.

"But I suppose I can give your request to someone, though you shall remember of your status. Is that offer one you can accept?"

Staring into Warmroot's eyes, the young seer appears quite cornered in a way, but after a long moment of conflicted thinking, she nods. And as he sees that, the sandwing stands up, and turning his back, leaves alone the wounded one...

…

As the sun falls toward the horizon, the sky taking on the orange shade so marking of a day's last hour, so many have yet to wake up. Though even as the time is not right for nightwings to spread their wings, an oddly high number of exceptions seems to occur at the city of night.

Sometimes whispering, often surprised, none of the tones echoing through the streets of the capital fit one of joy. And as expected, the agents of the queen are doing their best to fulfil the great task that was given to them, one that many were right to fear…

Laying on the bed with her partner, the dragoness of night and snow trembles, her tail almost swinging erratically under the rhythm of her breath. The last night may have been a warmer one among the hearts of her new family and the creative heat of the anvil, but Whiteout can not chase the nightmares away this time, and so the consequences are clear.

Opening her eyes in an instant, the young daughter remains silent, staring at the ceiling of her chamber. Of course, Thoughtful has not moved, his smiling form remaining close to her, probably dreaming of a far better future… But she can not, and that pushes Whiteout to finally leave the bed, the ominous noises of talons and iron something she refuses to ignore.

- "I am sorry my dear, but I can not stay with you in the domain of dreams, at least not before my thirst for answers is no more…" She mutters as she quietly heads toward the window, her cautious talons making as little noises as possible before gently pushing the curtain away.

Now staring at the nearby street, the young dragoness can see how nightwings in armour walk around, the half fallen sun still revealing in details the weapons and bags they are carrying. For some, such a sight would be ominous yet distant, but for Whiteout…

It has been more than few minutes during which she has been watching through the glass, captivated in a way by what happens during a time when most of her tribe is still asleep. But no feeling last forever, and finally the hybrid steps back, though the will to return to the bed remains lacking.

"These shades… my soul isn't under the best light, but… Maybe I should venture a little, that should fulfil me…"

Casting one last glance at her lover, Whiteout finally leaves their chamber, her partially missing focus being far from stopping her. And so she searches for something as she struggles to keep her eyes fully open, to see clearly, her wings and tail swinging at each step, sometimes rubbing the walls… Until she reaches the diner room, its ambience still a reassuring one despite the emptiness, a portrait of her companion's family almost standing over her path.

Sighing, the hybrid only stays for an instant before heading to the kitchen, the perspective of drinking some water a desirable one.

"It won't go away that easily… No, it won't go away…" She whispers as her talons feel the colder stone of the new room, her gaze wandering around the silent place, partially distracted by some sunflowers before she spots the correct item.

Putting a paw over the bucket of water, the daughter turns around as she hears a distant voice. Her eyes focusing on the window, she stares at the few she can see from outside… Before turning away in tiredness, choosing a bowl and pouring water into it. Drinking it, she realizes the water may not be very fresh, but is still great to take, especially in a time of doubt and worry, the sight her tribe's soldier one she can not like.

How could things have turned that way, she seems to ponder as she lays down partially, her wings touching the floor. After the loss of her family, Thoughtful and his parents have done more than she could ask to support, and yet… The Chaos is not over, in fact, it has just started and she can feel its shadow looming over, the coming consequences of mistakes from beyond and...

- "So you have a hard time sleeping as well Whiteout?" Asks a deeper voice that feels a little tired, drawing her to stare at the father.

- "I do, the noises of the Chaos won't cease. What I have seen through the glass, I can't suppress the shades of fear…"

Hearing that, Shadedtail quickly comes at her side before inviting the young hybrid to follow him into the previous room, his gaze one of pity. With a partially extended wing, he makes sure she is companied until they sat around the large table, her troubled state too obvious for him to not do anything about it.

- "May you shed some light on what you fear exactly?" He asks with a gaze now most polite and caring, one that Whiteout can only be thankful for.

- "I fear… what destiny our tribe is taking in the icy and dark tempest. I don't know what the queen has decided, but just watching over our peers lately… I think what they are asked to be loyal to is threatening them. What do you think?" She finishes with courage before waiting for his answer, her talons shaking a little.

- "That's… unfortunately normal. The war is far from over, and even with her 'best' efforts, queen Vigilance did not succeed into keeping the icewings at bay, let alone progress on the battlefield."

Sighing, the old nightwing continues, regret apparent in his voice.

"Which is why, after such losses for our side, mobilization is inevitable." He finally says with a firm face, one that would make the hybrid aware of how the situation is even if she did not know his tongue.

Seeing nothing to escape that tone, the dragoness lets herself fall a little, her eyes now staring at the stable in defeat. Though she does not have to think in the dark for long as the father takes hold of her neck, determined enough at supporting her.

"I am sorry you have to see so much and go through this, life just is fair to no one, and especially not you. But I want you to know that I will do my best for you all, so you are never left alone."

- "You mean it with your... heart?" She says while against his scales, a greater wing covering the both of them.

- "My heart never stopped burning, and I strongly hope it won't cease to be." Shadedtail declares in warmer if tired voice, the lost daughter finally leaning further against him, smiling.

And to such a reaction, the father can only accept her closing presence, locking the two in their embrace for a while with his body bearing all… until he gently separates her. Now standing, it is with renewed will that he speaks, his voice one that Whiteout listens and respects.

"I think it is time you return to sleep. It may be the end of the day, but I think you need not to shorten your rest, just like I do…"

Following Shadedtail quietly, the two take the time to serenely reach the son's chamber, the older dragon never forgetting to cover her side. But as he begins to push the door, the daughter halts him, her voice a whisper when she says her words.

- "I do love your soul and heart being close to me… Are you sure I have to spent the rest of the day away from your warmth and voice?"

- "Do you want to have me near you for the rest of your sleep?"

Surprised to see her nod despite the hesitation, it is in his naturally deep voice that the older nightwing replies.

"I respect your wish, but I doubt it would be wise to leave my son alone. Maybe you could suggest that for the next day…"

- "Okay, but can you tell something to feed my heart before I join him? Something of pure and wishes?"

At first a bit wary of Whiteout's request, the father nonetheless accepts when he sees pure sincerity in her gaze. And so it is a rather inspired tone that Shadedtail gives his answer.

- "May the moons guide your steps, dragonet of stars…"

"As the sky and the night were there for you the moment you hatched, and before, ever so long before…"

Seeing the young hybrid smile, the father finally turns back and close the door, an odd yet pleasant feeling coursing through his mind. That day may not have been the best one, but he did what he could to comfort the lost dragoness...