Two days later (The morning before the explosion)
Carnelian passively read her scroll, her newest rejection letter from Queen Ruby next to her. It was confirmed — Carnelian was an idiot. Well, not in those exact words. Maybe she had an overreaction about wanting to become general — No. She refused to even think that.
Carnelian was angry at herself for not knowing enough to be General Carnelian instead of Ordinary Dumb Student Who Is Wasting Her Time At School Because Her Queen Told Her To Carnelian. To distract herself, she shut off her mind and focused on the words of the scroll. She didn't care about the ruins of the NightWing kingdom; She just wanted a distraction.
NightWing...
If Moon has mind reading powers, then she can probably see the future, too, her mind whispered.
Shut up, Carnelian. Carnelian unrolled the ancient scroll and began reading.
3,046 AS
ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO, THE NIGHTWINGS LIVED IN A BUSTLING CITY LOCATED SOUTH OF THE KINGDOM OF SAND. IT HAD EVERYTHING — LARGE NEIGHBORHOODS, COSMETIC PARLORS, INTERTRIBAL WELCOMING PARTIES, YOU NAME IT. THEY WERE ALSO BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NIGHTWINGS' NOCTURNAL SLEEP SCHEDULES. IT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LARGEST AND BUSIEST TRADE CENTERS BEFORE THE NIGHTWINGS MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHED.
MANY SANDWING AND ICEWING PATROLS TRIED TO INVESTIGATE, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY TRACE OF WHERE THE NIGHTWINGS WENT, AND EVEN MORE MYSTERIOUSLY, ONLY THE FEAR-STRICKEN SANDWINGS WOULD EVER RETURN. THEY REPORTED THAT THEIR ICEWING PEERS HAD SUDDENLY FELL OUT OF THE SKY WHEN THEY FLEW OVER THE FIRST MOUNTAIN RANGE.
And then it faded out. 2,000 years does that to a scroll, I guess, Carnelian thought bitterly. She looked up and around the room to find her clawmates. They were talking and talking about a little scavenger.
"I just don't understand what's wrong with him," Winter complained. "I only got him, like, four days ago and he's wilting."
"Maybe he's delicious," Carnelian snarked. "I can think of one way to find out."
She stood up and walked out of the cave. Hide your thoughts, her subconscious whispered. Almost immediately she stomped them out in resentment.
Why won't he stop complaining? She asked herself. He's so entitled… he…
He reminds me of my brother.
A cold feeling of dread ran up her spine.
Condor.